The Soldiers of Halla

Chapter 23

The demon strolled into the room as if he owned it. Which he did, I guess. He wore the same deep red, princely costume I had seen him in earlier. It still threw me to see his new look, complete with long black hair and the elegant suit. His eyes hadn’t changed though. They still cut right through me.

“I feel sorry for you, Pendragon,” he said with an air of superiority that made my blood boil. I guess I should have been used to it. “You’ve made such a valiant effort for so long, it pains me to see you unable to let go.”

“Let go of what?” I snarled.

“Your coming back here smacks of denial. It’s a pathetic attempt to prolong a battle that has long been over. And who do you bring along to help you on this desperate mission? A feeble woman. Is this what the mighty Travelers have come to?”

Elli ignored him. Her eyes were still fixed on Nevva. Nevva held her hand to her stinging cheek and looked to the floor. It was the first time I had seen Nevva Winter cowed. Instead of lashing back, she’d taken the slap as if she knew she deserved it. Her reaction to seeing her mother was what I hoped it would be. So far.

When Saint Dane reached Elli, he leaned down to her and whispered, “Did that make you feel better? Did it take away the pain of knowing the daughter you abandoned grew up to be one of the bad guys?”

It was a vicious thing to say. I wanted to hit him myself. I expected Elli to whirl and land one on him. Instead, she did something I never would have expected. She stepped forward and took Nevva into her arms. She closed her eyes and hugged her daughter.

“I miss you,” she whispered.

Nevva didn’t hug back, but she didn’t pull away, either. There were tears in her eyes, though I couldn’t tell if they were tears of emotion, or from getting whacked in the face.

“That’s more like it!” Saint Dane exclaimed with sarcastic joy. “Together again! The woman who turned her back on her own destiny and the girl who never should have been.” He smiled, as if realizing something for the first time. “Never been. Is that the origin of the name Nevva? How appropriate.”

Elli held on to Nevva, but answered Saint Dane. “I do not regret having given birth to my daughter.”

“No?” Saint Dane taunted. “The union between a creature of Halla and a spirit from Solara is just… unnatural. Then again, it is typical of your way of thinking. No thought to what is right. Or to the future consequences of your actions.” He looked right at me and declared, “And yet you still wonder why you’ve lost the battle.”

Saint Dane walked toward Mark, who hadn’t yet budged. I’d almost forgotten about him. “Go away, Pendragon. Go back to your dying world and stop fighting a battle you lost so long ago.”

Nevva gently pulled away from Elli. She stood up straight, regaining her composure. “Is it true?” she called to Saint Dane.

Saint Dane glanced at her. “Are you speaking to me?” he asked with surprise.

“The dado army,” Nevva continued. “Pendragon says that you have created another large force.”

Saint Dane stared at Nevva as if he couldn’t believe she was questioning him. He stepped away from Mark to face her. “I have not created a large force. We have. Ravinia has. You are part of Ravinia, or have you forgotten?”

“Of course I haven’t forgotten. I just don’t understand why I wasn’t informed.”

“I’m sorry, Nevva. I wasn’t aware that I needed to consult you on every decision I make. Forgive me.” His comment dripped with sarcasm.

“To what end?” Nevva persisted.

This was getting interesting. Nevva was questioning Saint Dane. I’d never heard anyone do that before. Other than me, of course.

Saint Dane stiffened. “I don’t believe I appreciate your tone, sweet Nevva.”

Nevva left her mother and walked toward Saint Dane. She stood directly in front of him, still waiting for a direct answer. I was mesmerized.

“Must we discuss this here?” he asked in a low voice. He stole a quick look to me, as if to check whether I was watching.

I didn’t budge, but my pulse was racing. Nevva was actually challenging Saint Dane. I wondered if it was because of the way he had insulted Elli. Or because he had more or less called her an unnatural mutant. Didn’t matter to me either way. I was loving it. Saint Dane was off balance. That didn’t happen often. Nevva had drawn blood. I figured I should rub some salt into the wound.

“It’s a good question,” I said. “If this war is over, why are you building another army?”

Saint Dane walked to me and looked me in the eye. He was still taller than I was, but not by much. I wasn’t threatened by his physical presence anymore. I didn’t flinch.

“Because I can” was his simple, blunt answer. I chuckled.

“You find that amusing?” he asked.

I turned my back to him and faced Nevva. “See? Whatever lofty ideals this guy had, they are long gone. Now it’s all about power. His power.” I imitated him, saying, ‘“Because I can’! Ooh! What a badass!” I looked back to Saint Dane and scoffed. “Look at him. New hair. New face. Living in a palace. An outfit that makes him look like some goofy Disney prince-not that you know what that is, but trust me, it’s a joke.” I stood next to Elli and continued, “And he isn’t above insulting a harmless lady like your mom. I don’t know what kind of new Halla you think he’s going to create, Nevva, but if you believe he’s worried about anything more than elevating himself to some exalted position of power, you’re dreaming.”

Nevva looked unsure. For her, that was huge.

Elli must have seen it too. “There’s still time, Nevva,” she said. “You can still do the right thing.”

“No!” Nevva snapped at her mother. “You don’t have the right to say that. You gave that up a long time ago.”

“Not because I wanted to,” Elli replied. The words pained her. “I wasn’t capable of raising you.”

“But you’re capable of jumping around Halla with the Travelers.”

Elli dropped her head, as if embarrassed. “It’s what I was born to do.”

“Really?” Nevva pressed, upset. “What about me? What was I born to do?”

Elli didn’t have an answer. She looked defeated.

“I guess that’s pretty much what we’ve been fighting over,” I said. “Is our destiny chosen for us? Or do we have a choice in the matter? What do you think, Nevva? If you had to do it all over again, what choices would you make?”

Nevva was shaken up. Things weren’t happening the way she expected. She whirled on Saint Dane. “What is the army for?” she demanded.

Saint Dane was back in control. His emotions were in check.

“You know as well as I. As do Pendragon and his kind. Let’s drop the charade. The remaining exiles of Ravinia must be dealt with the way that was originally intended.”

“No!” Nevva shouted. “We were to leave the territory untouched. Unspoiled. This is not the way!”

“No territory is unspoiled, Nevva,” Saint Dane explained patiently. “I was willing to allow you your little experiment, but circumstances have changed. They should have died, Nevva. You know that as well as I. One day we will learn how that mistake occurred, but as of this moment all that matters is that we have located them, and now we must cleanse Halla of their influence.”

Nevva was trembling. She looked to be on the verge of tears.

Saint Dane gave her a twisted smile. “Don’t you agree?”

Nevva started to answer, but stopped herself. She dropped her eyes to the floor. In a small voice she said, “Of course.”

That was it. Everything we feared was true. Saint Dane had found the exiles and was planning to wipe them out. There was only one piece of the puzzle still missing.

“Where are they?” I asked casually.

Saint Dane gave me a sly smile. “Oh? You don’t know?”

Oops. I was kind of hoping that since we were going to “drop the charade,” everything was out in the open. Guess not. Now Saint Dane knew that we still hadn’t found the exiles. I had made a huge tactical blunder.

Saint Dane strolled toward Mark. “I do realize that in large part the situation we now face is of my own doing. I should have seen to it personally that the dissenters from Second Earth were properly handled. But mistakes happen, don’t they, Pendragon?”

“You mean you should have personally killed them. Nice. Really glad to hear that you’re planning on running your own universe. Should be a real fun place.”

Saint Dane shrugged. My sarcasm was lost on him. “No matter. My lack of diligence has only prolonged the inevitable.”

“You are just ghastly,” Elli gasped.

Nevva kept her eyes on the floor.

Saint Dane continued, “And now I must decide what to do about our situation right here. I don’t believe there is anything you can do to stop me, Pendragon. Yet there have been so many times in the past where you have surprised me.” He raised a finger and wagged it at me playfully. “You are quite the resourceful young spirit.”

I wanted to grab his bony finger and break it off.

“Of course you know that you and Elli can leave here at any time, if you’re willing to use what little spirit is left of Solara. I feel confident that you won’t.”

“Really?” I asked defiantly. “Why’s that?”

Saint Dane kicked aside the green blanket that had been covering an unconscious Mark.

“My good friend Mark Dimond. Strangely enough, Eve spent more time with him than anyone else in Halla. Even more than you, Pendragon. I’ve grown quite fond of Mark. Such a pity that I’ll have to execute him.”

“What!” I screamed.

I went for Saint Dane, but only got two steps closer before I felt strong hands holding me back. Two Ravinian guards had slipped into the room without my realizing it.

“He is part of an annoying group of guerrillas here on Third Earth,” Saint Dane explained. “They’ve stolen weapons, food, even helicopters. Any one of those offenses is punishable by death.”

“You can’t kill him!” I shouted. I stopped worrying about appearing cool and in control.

Saint Dane looked at me with wide, innocent eyes. “And why not?”

“Because it’s murder,” I shot back. “And… and he was your friend! You may have been using him, but that didn’t mean you didn’t like each other. I know he liked you. Or Andy Mitchell.”

I was out of my mind. I was willing to pretend that Mark’s friendship with Andy Mitchell had positive sides to it, that’s how desperate I was to save Mark.

I looked to Nevva. “Nevva? Tell me you don’t have feelings for Mark. He’s a good guy. Hell, he even fits the

Ravinian profile. He’s exceptional, isn’t he? Geez, he’s the father of the dados! He doesn’t deserve to die.”

Nevva looked at the unconscious Mark on the floor. I saw her soften. She did like Mark. I knew it. Who didn’t?

“It isn’t right,” she said softly to Saint Dane. “Hasn’t he suffered enough?”

Saint Dane walked to Nevva. He towered over her. She couldn’t look him in the eye. Suddenly Saint Dane snapped out with his right hand and grabbed Nevva roughly by the neck.

Elli gasped. “Stop that!”

He didn’t. She had pushed his buttons one too many times. Saint Dane held her tight, lifting her chin so that their eyes met. He spoke in a low growl. “You either believe in the vision or you are no better than the dirt we’ve worked so hard to wash away. The choice is yours.”

“Let her go!” Elli commanded, her voice cracking.

I saw the intensity of the look between Saint Dane and Nevva. They held it for a good long time. I was actually afraid he’d choke the life out of her, that’s how long they stayed in that position. Finally Nevva blinked, and nodded in acceptance. Saint Dane let her go. Nevva tried hard not to gasp for breath. She was too proud to show that he had hurt her.

“I believe in the vision,” she gasped. “I always have and always will. But I do have opinions and would appreciate the right to voice them.”

“As do I,” Saint Dane said, back in command. “And my opinion is that Mark Dimond is a rebel enemy of Ravinia and will be put to death.”

Nevva shot him a look, but said nothing.

“Do you have a problem with that?” Saint Dane asked. Nevva shook her head.

“Good. Then you will be pleased to know that the honor of carrying out the execution will be yours, Nevva.” Elli gasped.

Nevva barely reacted, but I saw her eyes go steely. “Tell me your opinion of that,” Saint Dane demanded, taunting.

Nevva answered through clenched teeth. “It is my duty. I only ask that it happen as soon as possible so that he will not suffer.”

Saint Dane scoffed, “And before you lose your nerve.”

Nevva shot him a steely look. She was definitely back on her game. “Say what you will about me, but I have never lost my nerve.”

They held eye contact a moment more. I could tell that Saint Dane was debating about how to respond.

“As you wish,” he finally said, dismissing her remark.

He looked down at Mark and gave him a nudge with his foot. Mark stirred and grumbled.

Saint Dane smirked. “Good. I was beginning to think he was already dead.” He turned to me and added, “Now, Pendragon. Will you be leaving us?”

I wanted to tear the guy’s heart out, and I might have. If he had one.

Saint Dane laughed. “Of course you won’t! You will remain here, hoping to find some way to save your friend.” He motioned to the door.

Two more Ravinian guards entered.

“Take the rebel,” he ordered, gesturing to Mark.

The guards lifted a barely conscious Mark to his feet and dragged him out of the room. Saint Dane glanced around as if looking to see if he’d forgotten anything.

“And so it will be,” he said. “Make yourselves comfortable. We will reconvene at the execution.”

“Which one?” I asked.

Saint Dane didn’t know what I meant at first. He then smiled and wagged his finger at me. “Very good. I’m going to miss you, Pendragon.”

He strode for the door, then stopped and turned to Nevva. “Come,” he commanded, as if speaking to a dog.

Nevva straightened. The hard look was back. There was no hint of sympathy. Whatever second thoughts we had given her were gone. Nevva Winter was back to her old, cold self.

“I regret this,” she said. “But I will not allow my personal feelings to prevent the creation of a new Halla. It is for the greater good. You of all people must understand that concept, Pendragon. Sacrifices must always be made.”

“I do understand,” I replied. “I just don’t believe that Saint Dane’s Halla will be good for anybody but himself.”

“So you’ve told me,” Nevva replied, sounding tired. She looked to Elli and offered her a quick, curt, “Good-bye, Mother.”

She didn’t wait for a response and strode for the door where Saint Dane waited.

“I love you, Nevva,” Elli called after her.

Nevva hesitated for the shortest of moments, but didn’t stop or turn back. She strode past Saint Dane and out the door.

Saint Dane snickered and gestured to the remaining dados. The two guards let go of me and followed Saint Dane out. The door was slammed behind them. I heard the sound of the lock being thrown. The two of us stood there, dazed. I put my arm around Elli. She buried her face in my shoulder and cried.

“I’m sorry I brought you back,” I said, trying to console her. “It was a mistake.”

“What are we going to do?” she asked.

“Exactly what Saint Dane expects us to do. We’re going to save Mark.”