The Cypher (9 page)

The third faun walked behind the mound and Thomas felt a jolt course through his body. “Turn off the lights!” he told the Chief. “All the lights!”

Chief Husseha let out a sibilant yell and one by one the electric lights illuminating the city blinked out.

The only light left was the eerie glow of the circling fauns and Thomas stood at the center of the structure before centering his gaze at the first faun.

Thomas felt as if a jolt of electricity had entered his brain. There was a bridge, a connection forming between the faun and him, and he needed to let go of his fear to attain it.

The faun crossed behind a spire. As the light came from the faun’s body it formed a silhouette against the borders of the spire, and an image began to form in Thomas’s mind. He felt his field of vision opening as he encompassed the three fauns. They incessantly walked, crossed behind spires and mounds, and the image became clearer. Thomas began to hover a few inches from the ground as he followed the fauns’ dance across the structure.

The fauns began to quicken their pace and they jumped now and then as if in a choreographed dance. The flashes in Thomas’s mind came faster and faster, and he felt as if his body was left behind in that chamber while his mind traveled to another place.

The fauns became just a blur and Thomas finally understood the hidden message in the structure.

The world around him disappeared.

He was floating over a sea made of the purest gold – the waves slowly changed form and the glaring sun rose from the horizon. The sea became incandescent as it reflected the sunrays, and Thomas felt his face and arms burning and catching fire.

He yelled in pain and the image disappeared.

He fell at the center of the hall and the lights turned on.

“Are you all right?” Bolswaithe walked through the clay mounds breaking them in his haste to reach Thomas.

“I’m okay,” he muttered. “I cracked it. I must have cracked it.”

“The less people that know that the better,” Bolswaithe whispered helping him up.

“Thank you, sign reader,” Chief Husseha said. “You have my eternal gratitude.” The Chief was holding one of his children by the arms. The fauns had collapsed of exhaustion and guards were coming in the hall with food and water for them.

Thomas saw with relief that their eyes were normal again.

“So we are done with this?” Tony asked and Thomas nodded. “You’re done with this, Chief?”

“I don’t want to see it ever again,” Chief Husseha said.

Tony and the Faun Guards began to destroy and tear down the clay construct.

A Battle in Central Park

Chief Husseha had unraveled a golden chain from his antlers and gave it to Thomas as a token of appreciation. The chain was tightly woven and on each link was an inscription. Some were names, possibly of past Chiefs of the fauns, and there were dates and words like “Prosperity,” “Peace,” and “Strength.”

The Chief led Thomas and his group to the end of the tunnel. When they reached the entrance, he bowed. Bella woke up Mario with a kick and they began to walk toward their cars.

“I know I’m not supposed to ask…” Tony approached Thomas as soon as they left the underground city. “But what’d you find out?”

“You’re not supposed to ask,” Thomas said with a smirk. Tony had thrown away the little yellow cocktail sword and was now chewing on a pink one. “And I’m not supposed to tell.”

“Okay,” Tony answered, “be that way.” He playfully punched Thomas on the arm.

They kept on walking and came to a clearing. It was hard to believe that such a wild-looking forest remained in the center of Manhattan.

“I always thought fauns were half-human and half-sheep,” Thomas said breaking the silence.

“Half goat you mean. Those are Satyrs, and they are a whole different ballgame.” Tony used a dead bush to clean the tracks they’d made toward Hussahassalin. “The Chief was correct about you, wasn’t he?”

“What do you mean?” Thomas became a little defensive.

“You have a black tag but you don’t know how to use old form speech or faun taxonomy. I bet you haven’t even been to the Crypto Zoo.”

“That’s enough Mr. Della Francesca,” Bolswaithe interceded. “And I will remind you that you’re a level red operative.”

Tony backed up raising his arms. “No harm intended,” he said. “Just making conversation. Right, kid? Anyway,” he quickly changed the subject, “anyone hungry? I know this little pizza place right outside the…”

And then there was silence. Absolute silence. It was as if they had walked into a void, not even the wind through the trees or leaves gave off any sound.

Bella pulled Thomas by the arm and threw him into the protective circle the watchmen had formed. Their flashlights illuminated the surrounding bushes. Bolswaithe pointed at Thomas’s watch. Words began to appear on the screen.

“Magic. Keep on the center.”

Thomas wished he had been more adept at texting; the little keyboard felt clumsy under his fingers.

A flash of light came from his left and he saw a soldier clad in golden armor being flung back by Bella’s shotgun discharge. Her second barrel went off but the pellets hung in mid-air and they were harmlessly flung aside by a second warrior as he jumped to wrestle with Bella.

Everything happened in an instant. Figures clad in white and golden armor jumped from the bushes. The flashlights had no effect on the warriors, but they looked human.

Each of the men in Tony’s team was already in a wrestling match with at least one assailant. Bolswaithe was being pinned to the ground by five soldiers after he easily swatted away the first two.

Henri grabbed Thomas and opened his wings, trying to fly away with him, but golden bolas latched onto his legs. A ripple of energy coursed through the Grotesque and he released Thomas before falling to the ground.

A translucent sphere formed around Thomas. Sound was restored and a young man entered the sphere. Thomas recognized him from the picture in the mansion’s hall. He was wearing golden armor, a red cape and a golden circlet on his head. He was the king of the Elves, Seryaan, the name jumped in his mind.

He was supposed to be a Guardians Inc. ally. Why was he attacking them?

Thomas didn’t wait. He jumped at the King and released a round kick to the head. Being a red belt, he knew that the kick was devastating if delivered correctly, and he had the years of practice to back up his attack.

The King had no time to move away and Thomas impacted the side of his face right at the mandible.

It felt as if he had struck a wall of concrete. Thomas’s leg bounced off from the King’s head and he used the momentum to deliver a round kick to the stomach.

King Seryaan grabbed Thomas’s foot with one hand and pushed with enough strength to throw him a couple of feet back.

Before Thomas could prepare another attack, the King raised a hand and said something in a strange language. Suddenly, Thomas’s body became rigid. The King then circled around Thomas, sizing him up.

“So young,” the King said. He didn’t sound threatening, but he didn’t need to. Thomas was at his complete mercy. “What was Franco thinking when he let you about without a proper escort?”

“I was expecting you to come out from your seclusion, King Seryaan,” Doctor Franco said as he entered the sphere. “Now, be as kind as to release my men.”

“A decoy?” the King answered as he walked toward the doctor. “Some might find that a little callous.” The King waved a hand as he pronounced a word and the sphere dissolved. Thomas regained control of his body and a cautionary glance from the Doctor stopped him from attacking the King. He crouched to help Henri take the golden bolas from his legs. Tony and his teammates were released and the armored soldiers helped Bolswaithe from the ground. Bella and Tony kept cursing in Italian and the Doctor raised his cane to silence them.

“A simple audience request would have sufficed,” the King said.

“A simple audience would’ve given us a simple answer. I needed to see if you are still committed enough to our alliance,” the Doctor said.

“The pillars are stirring.” King Seryaan said his gaze on the Doctor. “I need to be in Ukiah, not playing games with you.”

“This is Thomas Byrne, the Cypher,” the Doctor said pointing at Thomas, “and we need your help if we want to find the Book.”

The King surveyed Thomas, “This age’s Cypher,” he said, “Did you see the Oracle’s light?” he asked him directly. “Did you sense the trail?”

Thomas paused, the Doctor nodded for him to answer.

“Yes,” Thomas said. “I did.”

The King turned towards the doctor after a few seconds. “Then the Cypher needs a spell weaver of royal blood with him and, I don’t see my aunt around,” the King said. “Where’s Tasha?”

Thomas immediately looked up and spoke without meaning to. “Tasha’s your aunt?” King Seryaan looked like he was in his mid-twenties at the most. His blond hair reached almost to his shoulders and his skin was unblemished like Tasha’s. His demeanor on the other hand, was that of an old man.

A powerful old man, used to wielding authority.

The King turned toward him. “So, you’ve met her.”

“Yes,” Thomas answered as Tony slowly walked behind the King.

“And what do you think about her?” The King crossed his hands behind his back. Thomas watched as Tony made a slicing gesture at his neck.

“She’s intelligent.”

“Yes, and?”

Tony was gesturing with his hands above his mouth for Thomas to shut up.

“Courteous, umm…”

“Beautiful?” King Seryaan asked and Tony was pulling on an imaginary rope by his neck.

“Very beautiful,” Thomas muttered and Tony cringed behind him.

“I see.” The King pursed his lips. “Where is she?” he asked the Doctor.

“She’s on assignment.” The Doctor extended a hand. “We need to discuss something in private.” He led the King away and Tony took the opportunity to approach.

“Come on kid, you never tell anyone that you find their relative beautiful. Never, believe me. ‘Specially a King.”

“How can Tasha be his aunt? That guy’s like twenty years old!”

“They’re elves,” Henri whispered. “They look the age they want to.”

“Yeah kid, Tasha’s probably a thousand years old for all we know,” Tony said.

“Three thousand,” Henri corrected, “King Seryaan is two-and-a-half at least.”

“There you go,” Tony said.

“Three thousand years old?” Thomas asked in disbelief. He was interrupted by King Seryaan and Doctor Franco arguing.

“Don’t take that tone with me Franco!” The King’s eyes brightened for a second. “You’re not Churchill!” he yelled.

Dr. Franco kept on talking and they looked at Thomas.

King Seryaan drew in a long breath and nodded. He started walking back toward them.

“Good luck, kid.” Tony clacked his mouth and stepped behind him.

“We are in agreement,” the Doctor said aloud. “The alliance stands.”

“We have much to lose if you fail, Cypher,” King Seryaan told Thomas. “Both our realms.”

“I won’t fail,” Thomas answered holding the gaze of the King. He was terrified inside but he’d promised himself that he would do whatever was necessary to save grandpa. If it meant becoming the Cypher that everyone wanted him to be and looking for the book everyone needed, he’d do it. At least until he found gramps, then they’d make a decision about staying or leaving the company behind.

Apparently, King Seryaan was satisfied with his answer. He gave him a little nod while relaxing his gaze.

“Very well,” King Seryaan told him, then turned to the Doctor. “I’ll see what I can do regarding Tasha.”

The Doctor bowed and the King walked toward a trail followed by his soldiers. They faded from sight almost immediately.

“That went well,” the Doctor smiled. “Let’s go home. You need to tell us everything about the sign, Thomas.” He took off hurriedly toward the other side of the clearing.

Tony and Thomas followed closely. “What was that all about?” Thomas asked.

“Your security,” the Doctor answered without looking behind him. “King Seryaan is correct. You need a royal spell weaver to protect you.”

“What about Tasha?” Thomas kept pace with the doctor.

“She’s occupied at the moment,” he said.

Tony jumped in front of the Doctor and walked backwards. “Yo, Doc. If you’re assembling a team, I’m offering mine. You know our skills.”

“Yes, Mr. Francesca, I am aware of your team’s skills, as are many persons in Manhattan and Brooklyn. You’re especially famous with crackpots, conspiracy theorists, and sensationalistic magazines. There are a lot of Websites devoted to your exploits.”

“Della Francesca, please,” Tony corrected, “and Henri had more to do with Brooklyn than us. We actually took care of the damage control. Tell him big guy!”

“That’s true, Doctor,” Henri offered from the back.

They had reached a limousine parked beside the red car.

“This is not a game Mr. Della Francesca. Thomas needs a proper escort, not some gun happy, strong-arm crusaders.”

Tony stopped and opened his hands. “Then I offer myself. I can be proper. I speak six languages including common magical and faun. I’ve traveled and dealt with magical beings most of my life. I got on-the-job-savoir-faire! Besides, he needs a proper role model, someone closer to his age that can guide him. Bolswaithe is an older gentleman and Henri well… he’s Henri. What the kid needs is a friend. Isn’t that right, kid?”

“Thomas,” the Doctor corrected.

“Isn’t that right, Thomas?” Tony gave Thomas a thumbs up and smiled. The Doctor sighed.

“I… ah… I guess so, yeah,” Thomas answered.

“You heard him, Doc.” Tony said. “One chance, that’s all I ask. What would’ve Baron Munchausen done without his companions?”

“Munchausen began a conflict with Gog and Magog that lasted sixty years.”

“Okay,” Tony offered, “I’ll give you that, but he still accomplished a lot of greater things.”

The Doctor stepped inside the limo and Tony knocked on the polarized window. “Come on, Doc. My family has been committed to the Guardians for five centuries. You’ll be hard-pressed to find somebody more loyal than a Della Francesca.”

The window rolled down.

“Only you,” the Doctor told him, “as a sign for respect for the memory of your ancestor Piero and on a trial basis. First mistake and you’re out.” The window rolled up again and the limo drove away.

Thomas guessed that the Doctor had read Tony’s mind and found him truthful and committed enough to become his guardian. He could think of no other way that someone as buoyant as Tony could convince the Doctor.

He liked Tony ever since he met him. But, it was one thing to like him and another to believe that he be a good protector.

“Yeah, Doc!” Tony yelled at the limo. “You won’t be sorry!”

Tony’s team gave him a sour look. “Sorry boys,” he told them. “I’ll pull some strings when I have’em. Bella, you’re in charge.”

Thomas and Bolswaithe got into the little red car; Henri had climbed on top. “See you at the mansion.” The Grotesque waved his flag and Bolswaithe accelerated leaving Tony in a cloud of dust.

Tony smiled and turned around, ready to deliver a little speech he’d prepared in his head for Bella and his team, but they were already walking away from him.