The Rising Sun: Episode 3 Page 13

All along, Pavio had been fighting down his squirming fear, as he looked into those empty eye sockets. With nothing but an endless dark pit lying behind both of them.

  “… and they took the crystal.” he concluded his account slowly.

  Zardin’s black eyesockets hadn’t moved an inch off Pavio’s face the whole time … almost as though he could see exactly where Pavio stood, despite having no eyes.

  “They took the crystal.” he repeated in the soft, sharp hiss he had for a voice.

  Some of the other rebels standing about the large room shifted as that sound filled the room.

  Behind Zardin, standing spread out over the room were a group of men in black cloaks, most of them hooded. They were all watching silently as their leader stood in front of Pavio, listening to what had happened.

  “In a more appropriate version,” said Zardin, his eyeless dark pits seeming to bore into Pavio from between his curtains of long black hair. “You let them take the crystal.”

  “My - my lord,” said Pavio, feeling his heart flutter in his ribs. “They … they completely took us unawares. There were two of them, we had them captured. But a third one interfered and saved the other two.”

  Zardin wasn’t listening. For the first time since Pavio had been speaking, he moved, turning slowly to face the window behind him. He let one long fingernail stroke his chin gently, his thoughts working over this new development.

  “Where’s Razvol?”

  “Dead.” came Pavio’s voice from behind him. “They killed him.”

  For a few seconds, Zardin continued to stroke his chin casually. He then laughed softly. “Good for him. He must have had a clean, quick escape.” Something you’ll wish you had as well.

  He strode a few steps with his hands behind his back, facing the large window ahead. The rest of the Xeni stood around him. He could feel every pinch of attention in the room pooled on him, from both the fidgeting, white cloaked rebels and the still, black cloaked Xeni.

  Zardin let himself mull over what they were now facing. The crystal had definitely been an imperative part of their plan. As a matter of fact, it was the most important part of their plan, and losing it from their hold certainly was a slight cause of annoyance for them. But Zardin knew that it wasn’t going to put a stall in whatever they were now moving towards. Their present goal. And abducting Derigor had been the final thing that was needed for it.

  Finally, through the complete silence, Pavio stepped forward behind him and asked in a hesitant voice, “if I may ask, my lord … exactly what is this crystal? And exactly how important was it?”

  As he finished, a stiff silence came upon the room.

  Zardin flicked back a file of his long black hair falling before his face.

  “What indeed…” he whispered.

  He slowly turned to face Pavio. “The crystal was of the utmost importance for us Xeni. Its value is beyond imagination.”

  He turned to the bunch of black cloaked men on the right. “But nevertheless, this loss is to be dealt with later, Xeni. We will now focus and continue on the goal that we set foot on. We will take care of this … later.”

  The cloaked figures moved as one, bowing in response.

  Continuing to scratch his chin, Zardin let his thoughts float into a daydream … He was thinking about exactly how powerful the object they had just lost was. He was thinking about how the crystal had come about, and the circumstances surrounding it when it had come about. And that was when he was recalling the tale … the tale of eight thousand years back. The entire story that defined their current struggle, and would continue to define it.

  The tale of the Nyon. The tale of the Xeni. And how both were interlinked … and always would be.

  __________