The Fifth Elemental - Shepisode 5 - The Keep

The Fifth Elemental

  Season 1

  Shepisode 5

  The Keep

  A. I. Nasser

  Copyright 2015 A. I. Nasser

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  "Brian!"

  Brian O'Connor hung his head low at the sound of his mother calling him. Closing his books, he sighed knowingly when he looked at the time and found that it was almost midnight. If his mother was still awake, it only meant one thing.

  "Brian O'Connor, come here and get me my wine!"

  Knowing that he wouldn't get any more work done tonight, Brian trudged down the stairs and walked directly to the kitchen, ignoring the woman who sat in the corner of the living room, a full glass in one hand and an empty bottle on the stand beside her. He hated her when she got like this, but he was still grateful. In comparison to his old man, Marjorie O'Connor was harmless when she had one too many drinks.

  Brian opened the cupboard over the sink and reached behind the canned goods, feeling for the extra bottle he kept stowed away for days like this. When his fingers touched the smooth glass, he lifted the bottle and accidentally toppled cans into the sink. The sound was deafening, and Brian had to let go of the bottle to cover his ears, falling back and away.

  Sirens filled his head. He closed his eyes and all he could see was fire. Flames rose high and licked the skies, fire fighters scrambling across the lawns trying to desperately put them out. It was as if he were still there, watching the house he was raised in burn. His mother was holding onto his arm, screaming as if her sheer voice would save their home. The memories hit him hard, the desperation, the fear that his brother was still inside, burning along with everything they ever had.

  "Brian!"

  His mother's shrill call brought him back, the memories quickly receding, and he opened his eyes. He tried to slow his breathing, and after counting to ten, he finally pulled himself together. He reached back into the cupboard and pulled out the bottle, not bothering to return the cans that had fallen to their proper place. They could wait.

  "What did you do, you stupid little boy?" his mother snarled at him as he handed her the bottle. "Did you break anything? Tell me now before I get up and smack you!"

  "Just drink your wine and go to sleep," Brian shot back at her.

  "Don't you take that tone with me," Marjorie sneered, about to get up and then deciding against it. "I should've kicked you out with your brother."

  "You didn't kick Steven out, ma," Brian said, walking away. "He left."

  "Come back here! I'm not done with you!"

  Brian walked into his room and slammed the door. Pulling on his headphones, he let the sounds of Metallica drown his mother's voice out.

  #

  "Welcome to the Keep."

  Ethan had been following Steven all the way up from where they had parked their car, an old camping site that was still inhabited by random trailers whose inhabitants Steven had assured him were loyal to the Order. The camping ground was on the edge of a dense wood that rose up the side of a mountain, a single trek snaking through the trees upwards, a path that might have been a popular hiking trail once upon a time. Ethan had noticed how the inhabitants had eyed him closely as Steven had led the way through the camping ground to the trek. To say it had made him uncomfortable would be an understatement.

  They had walked for almost an hour, the trek often branching out in various directions, and by the time they had reached their destination, Ethan had been spent with the effort. Now, though, looking up at the majestic castle chiselled into the side of the mountain, he stood in utter amazement as Steven continued towards the gates.

  "How has no one ever heard of this place?" he asked, his eyes taking in the immensity of the monument in front of him.

  "We value our secrets," Steven said.

  "You don't say."

  "Come on," Steven grabbed Ethan's arm and pulled him along.

  Ethan felt like he was in a Tolkien novel, the Keep rising like a coliseum in front of him. His eyes wandered from one parapet to the other, one tower to the next, the winged statues lining the ramparts staring back at him uninvitingly. Four columns rose out of the ground and bent to meet where a large gate stood, a stone wall that seemed intent on keeping people out.

  Steven walked up to the stone gate and placed his hand on it, closing his eyes. Ethan could see the man frown in concentration as the wall gave a sudden lurch, split down the middle and swung open to welcome its guests in. Ethan almost gasped as he saw the hall beyond the doors, and it only took him a second before he quickly followed Steven in.

  #

  "I'm not used to you being so quiet, child."

  Herneith blinked, startled from her thoughts by the old man sitting across from her. She had come to the library earlier in the afternoon, hoping that the silence of the room would ease her. She had been sleeping terribly, and no matter how much she tried, she couldn't shake away the feeling that she was still dreaming. The nightmares continued, often waking her during the early hours, her body drenched in sweat. It was becoming more than she could handle.

  "The nights haven't been kind to me, Alexius," she whispered, smiling faintly to reassure the old librarian.

  The man didn't return the smile, shaking a finger at her slowly. "You have always been a terrible liar," he said.

  Herneith's smile widened. "And you have always been too curious for your own good."

  "I haven't asked you any questions," Alexius said.

  "Yet you wait for answers." Herneith folded her legs beside her and sighed. "I've been having nightmares. They've been keeping me awake."

  "Have you spoken to Mitry about them?" the librarian asked, picking up a glass of water on the small table beside him and drinking slowly.

  "That man's a snake," Herneith frowned. "I wouldn't trust him if my life depended on it."

  "Your brother trusted him."

  "I'm not Sabaf."

  "No, you are not." The librarian fell silent for a moment, his eyes hard as he looked at Herneith. "Responsibility has never been something you craved, child, and now you have the responsibility of the Keep and your people. That would be enough to keep anyone awake."

  Herneith sighed. "I've been doing it for almost two hundred years."

  "That's a long time, you must agree," Alexius said with a smile.

  "Are you saying I should step down?" Herneith sat up straight. "To whom? Djet or Horaha who've disappeared? Or the Council, who I will remind you, are the reason Sabaf isn't with us anymore?"

  Alexius waved a hand at her, dismissing her sudden outburst. "Sabaf's death was his own doing. He only has himself to blame. Your brothers left the minute he decided to hunt down his own kind."

  "The fifths are not our kind."

  Alexius stared at Herneith, frowning. She returned the gaze for only a few seconds before looking away and sitting back.

  "I'm sorry," she said quietly.

  "Watch your words carefully, your Highness," Alexius said through clenched teeth. "That war is over, and you are fighting another one because of your stubbornness."

  "We're fighting another one because of a fifth," Herneith shot back. "This whole thing is history repeating itself."

  "Wars start for a reason, child," Alexius countered.

  "They start for the same reason," Herneith said. "Power."

  "No," Alexius replied. "They start because of ignora
nce."

  "Lam wanted power."

  "And your brother was ignorant."

  Herneith felt the anger inside her rise. "Watch your next words carefully, Alexius," she warned. "I didn't come to you to be insulted."

  The old man sighed. He could see that Herneith was being unreasonable, and he wondered if it had more to do with the weight of responsibility than her lack of proper sleep. He stood up slowly and crossed the distance between them, sitting beside Herneith and placing a hand on her shoulder.

  "Truth is never insulting, child. We are at war with ignorance, and we cannot win it with the same. Whether you like it or not, the fifths are your people, just as much as the rest are. One lineage, one race. Your brothers left because they understood that, and they knew that Sabaf was in the wrong."

  Herneith had tears in her eyes when she looked up at the old man. She knew he was right, but deep down inside her, she couldn't accept it. The Keep was home to all elementals now, even the fifths, as it had once been before Lam. Still, the night Lucius and his quartet had led an entire army against the Keep, the night her brother had been killed during the Keep's fall, was a night that haunted her until now.

  "You need rest, child," Alexius whispered.

  She was about to say something when the doors to the library opened and Mitry stepped in. She felt an instant chill run through her as she saw the little man ease into the library. Mitry looked from her to Alexius, then back again, frowning. She knew he hated it when she seeked console from anyone else besides him.

  "Your Highness," he said, eyes fixed on Alexius. "Steven has returned, and he's brought a guest."

  Herneith nodded and looked at Alexius. "Join me," she told him.

  "Is that wise, you Highness?" Mitry asked.

  Herneith fought the urge to burn him alive. "I am the one who decides what is wise and what isn't." She turned back to Alexius. "Please."

  The old man nodded, rising slowly as Herneith got up and brushed past Mitry. The two men stared at each other for a moment, each eyeing the other with contempt, before turning to follow their queen.

  #

  Ethan sat in silence as he waited.

  Steven had led him through the Keep, pointing out things here and there as if they were visiting the Vatican, before leading him into a study. The spacious room was lavishly decorated, elaborate carpets lining the hardwood floor to the walls where various paintings hung. At one end of the room, large windows ran from the floor to the ceiling, the view of the woods outside breathtaking.

  Ethan sat on a couch facing the windows, tapping his feet to a metronome in his head. His mind drifted to the events of the past few days, and how it all suddenly seemed to disappear since his arrival at the Keep. Steven had been right about one thing, it seemed like a place where he could relax and try to make sense of what was happening. He wondered if the nightmares would leave him alone as well.

  The door to the study opened and three figures walked in, a tall beautiful woman dressed in red robes that barely hid the spectacular figure underneath, and two men who seemed older than the furnishings of the room. The woman smiled at Ethan as she approached, and taking the cue from Steven, he stood up to greet her.

  "You must be Ethan," Herneith stuck out her hand.

  Ethan shook it, a little taken back by how strong her grip was. He glanced at the two men behind her and smiled at them, only one of whom returned his gesture. Herneith turned to Steven and hugged him, patting him lightly.

  "Welcome home."

  "Did you miss you me?" Steven smirked, taking a seat next to Ethan as the others made themselves comfortable.

  "You haven't been gone that long," Herneith raised an eyebrow. "I would have loved to see your sister after such a long absence."

  "Fighting the good fight," Steven said.

  "Aren't we all," Herneith almost whispered and looked at Ethan. "Welcome to the Keep, Ethan. I hope you find it to your liking."

  Ethan looked around the study quickly. "It's impressive."

  "It's our home," Herneith said, "and hopefully it will be yours, too."

  "Hopefully?" Ethan asked, smiling a little. "I was of the opinion that I really didn't have a choice in the matter."

  He could see the smaller of the two men frown. There was something about him that made Ethan uneasy. He was looking at him the way a zoo keeper would observe an untamed animal. He made a mental note to himself to ask Steven about him.

  "You always have a choice," Herneith was saying. "As does everyone here. Bringing you to the Keep is just to make sure you adjust to breaking out. It's not easy for elementals to come to terms with their powers. It takes a lot of patience and practice. However, once you've felt satisfied that you can do things on your own, you're free to leave. This isn't a prison."

  "I don't have any powers," Ethan said. "I've seen what some of you can do, and I've never done it before. I don't know what breaking out is, or whatever you call what's been going on with me for the past couple of days. I don't need training, I need answers."

  "You need a history lesson," the other man said, his smile barely visible under his beard.

  "If you want to call it that," Ethan shrugged.

  Herneith looked at Ethan, measuring the young man with her eyes and trying to read him. He was confident, that she could see instantly, although a little shaken at the moment. She thought about what Calliope had said to her the day before when she had been informed of Ethan's arrival. There seemed to be more to the man than meets the eye.

  "How much do you know about us, Ethan?" she asked.

  "Controlling elements, at war with each other, very secretive," Ethan said. "The footnotes, I guess."

  Herneith nodded slowly. "Well, we'll have to remedy that, won't we?" Herneith stood up, as did the two men who had come in with her. "Steven will show you your quarters, and when you've rested, will find someone to escort you to the library." She turned to look at the old man with the beard. "Alexius, please make sure you are there when he arrives. He will have a lot of questions that I would prefer to be answered sooner than later."

  Steven stood up and Ethan followed suite. "Thank you, my Queen," Steven said.

  Herneith gave Steven another hug and looked towards Ethan. "I hope you do choose to stay, young man."

  Ethan returned her smile and watched her lead her company out of the study.

  #

  Lucius woke up with a headache that could bring down mountains.

  The stress of the last few days was starting to take a real tool on him. Between travelling and research, his mind was being subjected to a lot more agony than his little bit of sleep was making up for. He had often found himself stopping his car on the side of the road somewhere and just dozing off for a few minutes, never long enough to stay in one place too long, but too short to have any long-term effect. He knew that he couldn't rely on power naps alone.

  He took his time washing his face, letting the water run its course across his skin, refreshing and replenishing him. He felt better, but knew that in the long run, it wouldn't be enough. Looking at his scruffy face in the mirror confirmed that, and he quickly found a razor to shave the week old beard that had begun to grow.

  You should grow that.

  Samantha's voice echoed in his head. She had always been fond of his beard, back when she said it made him look his age instead of the manic playboy image his usual baby-face gave. He smiled as he remembered how unwilling she was to help him shave, running a hand over his cheek after she was done.

  It feels like a baby's butt.

  He replayed his encounter with Lara a few days back. He didn't blame her for how angry she had gotten, especially since he himself felt like he had betrayed her in a way that he would never have forgiven if in her situation. William was right, though. She was family, and the thought of not being able to patch things up with his late wife's sister was a miserable notion. Samantha's death had been hard on all of them, and the exile of Fifths from the Order had been even worse.

>   Lucius stripped and stepped into the shower, turning the water on high as he felt it slam into his naked body. He closed his eyes and felt the water snake around him, moving in threads around his torso, enveloping him in a cocoon. He felt his body stiffen, the water carving away at dead skin and soothing out scars. He could feel his energy rising, a feeling he knew would only last until the next time he crashed from lack of sleep.

  If only the water could wash away memories.

  Lucius turned the tap off and stepped out of the shower, pushing beads of water off his body as he crossed his room to get dressed. He often found himself thinking back to the day his world had gone completely to hell. He had found Samantha in the room they had shared in the Keep, bleeding out, dead before he could save her.

  It had been a night of Armageddon. Having had turned into their worst nightmare, Lam had taken on the entire Order by surprise. Many had died that night, desperately fighting something they couldn't understand. It had been a massacre, a devastating time in the Order's history that had only been barely shadowed by Sabaf's decree.

  Lucius dressed quickly, checking his guns before stashing them away in his duffel bag with the rest of his minor possessions. He was getting tired of fighting, but he never admitted it out loud. Being an important member of the Council made it impossible for him to show even a hint of doubt in the cause. That was why he had chosen to travel alone. He didn't need a companion who could tempt him to speak his thoughts out loud, to make them real.

  He left his room and walked downstairs slowly, nodding briefly at the Guards standing in various corners of the safe house. He found Calliope alone in the kitchen, a coffee mug in her hand as she stared out a window and sipped.

  "You're up early," Lucius commented, dropping his bag on the table and attacking the coffee machine.

  "I didn't sleep."

  "I got very little sleep myself."

  Calliope sighed, put her mug down and ran a hand through her hair. "Ethan's at the Keep," she said, bringing him up to date. "Steven called last night. It went pretty well with Herneith."

  "Did he tell her?"

  Callioped shook her head. "Better if we do that ourselves when we get back."

  Lucius eyed Calliope and sipped on his coffee. "David?"