Read Zein: The Homecoming Online
Authors: Graham J. Wood
Tyson’s eyes flickered open and straight away he was staring into a pair of eyes set in a familiar face. A gentle hand was pushing a flannel across his face. He opened his eyes fully.
‘Hi Tyson, son, you are on the
Elanda
,’ said Leila and Tyson couldn’t hold back his delight at seeing his mother. His body may hurt and his insides felt all churned up but to see his mother safe and well was worth it. He reached up and they hugged.
‘Where is Amelia?’ he asked. He saw the answer in her face and feared the worse.
‘When you,’ Leila searched for the right words, ‘exploded she took a bad knock. She is still alive,’ she hastily added as the alarm spread across her son’s face. ‘She is in a medically induced coma to see if she will recover with rest.’
Tyson grimaced. It was entirely his fault, if only he could master the magics.
He remembered something else, ‘Bailey?’ Leila shook her head and then seeing the crestfallen look on his face realised that she had given the wrong message to her son.
‘He is in intensive care; he lost an awful amount of blood.’ Tyson still looked worried and she reassured him he would be fine with rest.
‘What happened?’ Tyson remembered feeling the magics build up inside him and remembered the anger bursting forward. Then all other memories of the battle were gone.
Leila took him through the events, how Zebulon had acted when he saw the magics consuming him and had used his ability to remove the magics to stabilise Tyson. She told him that a man called Hechkle had died saving them. Tyson closed his eyes in grief and then asked after Bronstorm knowing the man would also be distraught. Leila confirmed he had struggled to come to terms with it but the others had rallied around him.
Tyson thought back to Hechkle, remembering the big man fondly and Leila let him absorb the news, knowing other questions would be coming…and there it was. She saw Tyson’s eyes widen as he realised what she had said initially about the magics.
‘So I have no magics now?’ said a relieved Tyson.
‘Not quite,’ said another voice in the room. Tyson looked across the room and saw the cat curled up on a chair. The cat jumped off the seat and metamorphosed into Zebulon.
Leila stepped away and Zebulon walked to the side of the bed.
‘I have removed the magics as best I could but I have never seen or felt anything like it, the power was incredible,’ said Zebulon, shaking his head in wonderment. ‘You should have no abilities left but I cannot be certain.
‘How did you do that?’ asked Tyson, searching for the magics within him and finding nothing. He felt just stone cold relief.
‘I can absorb magics and it does not harm me but flows out of my body into the surrounding environment,’ said Zebulon, still shaking his head. ‘But I have never seen so
much power in one individual. It was wrapped around your body like a coiled spring.’
Tyson tried to get up but he was too weak and after protesting slumped back into bed. His thoughts drifted to Amelia and Bailey, guilt assaulting him. Leila moved back to the side of his bed as Zebulon left, knowing she needed to be there. She would stay with him for a little longer before checking on the women and children rescued. They were now placed in a number of rooms on the tenth floor of the ship, with good food, bedding and medical treatment. Leila had popped in earlier and it was good to see them laugh and experience freedom. They had grown close to her. They also knew that for now her attention must be on Tyson.
Kabel remained on Skegus with General Corder to meet with King Yi and agree new trade agreements with Zein and Earth. It was agreed that the Expeditionary Force would help with the retaking of Oneerio post the completion of any repairs. Once Tate heard the negotiations were complete and Kabel had returned from Skegus, he went to find him. Tate found him on one of the observation decks of the
Elanda
gazing morosely out of the window at the rapid rebuilding of Reinan.
‘Zylar has Gemma then?’ said Tate, just as Belina joined them from one of her many hours seeing to the injured. She ignored Tate, walking right up to the pensive looking Kabel and placing her arm around her brother, who in turn appreciated the comfort.
‘Yes, but we have managed to find out where he has gone,’ said Kabel. They had tracked the coordinates to a landing pad outside Quentine that had held the destroyers provided by the Xonians. They had rapidly left the Capulus Novus System and Kabel was informed that an analysis of their trajectory and direction of travel gave a good indication of where they were heading.
‘He has gone back to your Earth?’ guessed Tate. He had heard many stories about this land and he was intrigued by a planet that could have over six billion people living upon it.
‘Yes, he has my Gemma and he has to die and I will do it. Not Tyson, not you but I will see the life ebb out of his eyes for what he has done.’ said Kabel, his anger flashing in his eyes. Both Tate and Belina did not doubt him. The Lord Chancellor cast a formidable figure as he gazed out of the window, his back ramrod straight and at that point Belina struggled to tell him apart from Tyson. They were truly brothers, driven by a destiny written for them with no clear ending. She could only do what a sister could do and stand silently with him as his thoughts drifted to another planet and an uncle whom he would hunt down to his very last breath.
It took a few days for Tyson to be sufficiently well enough to drag his complaining body out of the Medicare bed. The first thing he did was to seek out Amelia. She was in a room close to his and when he first saw her motionless body lying on a similar bed he had been lying upon, his stomach lurched and he felt sick. A nurse was taking some tests and on seeing Tyson enter, quietly placed the vials of a blood test on a tray and carried them out of the room. He caught a glimpse of his face in his mirrored reflection on one of the side cabinets and was surprised to see brown eyes staring back at him.
He sat down and took her arm, which was warm to his touch, taking in the array of tubes and monitors connected to the girl he loved and nearly killed. Amelia’s peaceful face looked back up at him and he rationalised that she was one girl who would look beautiful whatever condition she was in. He bowed his head, tears welling inside him, the guilt too much to take. He sat there for some time with his cheek against her arm and in the warmth of the room he must have dozed and slipped into one of his many dreams.
He was in his home town, a cold day with a morning mist, walking arm in arm with Amelia, in the company
of Kabel and Gemma, across an empty municipal golf course. They were laughing and larking around and then the laughter ended and darkness seemed to descend. The group tensed, peering through the mist. It was Tyson who saw him.
Zylar was there almost like a ghost, gloating, and Tyson expected the rage to come from Kabel or him, but instead it came from Gemma. Tyson was holding her back, struggling, then they all fell in a tumble of arms and legs as Zylar’s dark shadow cast its net over them.
Tyson woke up and frantically looked round as if he expected Zylar to be in the room with him. He saw that he was still holding Amelia’s hand. The vision had shaken him, why was he back in his home town, what was Zylar doing there? His eyes flashed across the still body of Amelia. Did that mean Amelia would pull out of this coma? He knew that some of his visions were nothing but wishful thinking.
He felt useless, impotent. His grip on Amelia’s hand tightened and he closed his eyes, the anger at how she had been hurt by his magics hitting him hard, his emotions in overdrive…he did not hear the slight crackle or see the small spark as a bright blue tendril emitted from his fingers.
The End
The Blackstone clan led the Zeinonians away from slavery. This ensured the enshrinement in Zein Law that they would have the right to appoint a Lord or Lady Chancellor from their royal ranks. They brokered the deal for the use of “magics” from the Changelings under the suspicion from other clans that they obtained greater powers. The Prophecy is thought to be the destiny of one with Blackstone royal blood. Their principal magics are the ability to see in the future, telepathy and great speed, the latter enabling them to watch others movements in slow motion enabling them to act swiftly. Key figures and others:
They are a warrior clan, who provide one of the largest armies, along with the Blackstone clan. There is a long standing feud with the Blackstone clan due to their lower standing in history which influences them to side with renegade, Egan Blackstone (Zylar). Not overly prosperous, the riches of the Core are an attraction. There principal
magics are the ability to feel or recognise strength of magics and can levitate their bodies. Key figures and others:
Historically the Southgate clan are strong supporters of the Blackstone clan. Politically astute clan, who support their prosperity by utilising their ability for compromise and negotiation. They have formed militias rather than run a large army. They are the last quadrant conquered by Zylar and hold the protection of the young Blackstone royal blood in their hands. Their principal magic is the ability to leap great distances. Key figures and others:
The Tyther clan are the designers and architects of the city villages and skilled users of the advanced technology. They pride themselves in being the best in the Universe, although the Oneerions would challenge that. Their senior ranks are made up of hard working and pragmatic men and women. They have a small ceremonial Royal Guard only. Their main magic is the ability to change their height which enables them to build and construct in different environments. Key figures and others:
The Fathom clan are the merchants and miners of Zein. They have considerable skill in mining zinithium and the use of the powerful raw material. They excel in business and are the richest clan. They have a very capable smaller professional army to protect them in the Core. Their principal magics are the ability to change their shape and also their fighting instincts. Key figures and others: