Guardian's Redemption

Chapter Thirty Five

Ben was staring at his old friends. His mind was shocked at the information that Pockets had just given them. Since the Day of Terror this group was viewed as a threat to the Sanctum of Haven, they knew that, but they never had a motive to move against the vast holy city. The interactions with members of that city had been few but dangerous. Their views were different on the outcome of the world and what to do. Of course the last ordeal with the Sanctum of Haven in the past didn't help at all. On many occasions Ben had told the Sanctum's followers that this group merely wanted to live in peace, usually when the soldiers of the Sanctum were trying to kill him for being an alleged 'traitor.' The Sanctum wanted to unite the human race under their rules, and detested any who saw differently.

He spotted Azrael's agreeing look when Pockets stated that they were to enter the Sanctum of Haven. Dyrune was also stunned like Ben, but Ben knew there just had to be a very strong reason behind this decision. His mind already thinking of multiple possible causes while he waited for the robed man to continue.

It was Dyrune, the assassin of the Sanctum, that broke the silence. "Why? I just left the damn place." Ben noting that Dyrune, like him, knew there was a motive to move against the holy city.

Azrael spoke with a calm voice, "From the information that we have gathered, the city has obtained items in secret. We have found what these items are called. Xavier and myself have been to numerous libraries around the country that were still somewhat intact. There wasn't much in the Sanctum and our own library here." The man gesturing to the books upon the walls. "We researched thoroughly and discovered several religious books that were previously unknown to either of us."

"Wait." Dyrune holding up his hand. "You two were in the Sanctum?"

"Yes," Azrael replied.

"And ya didn't go destroy those items or Xavier didn't go on some damn rampage?"

Azrael shook his head negatively. "At the time we didn't know what they could do or if the rumors were actually true. Not until we got a message from Stephan's trinket."

Ben looked at the man's face showing the concern when he heard Scar's real name. "Stephan's trinket?"

"Yes," Pockets taking over the conversation. "But it was not Stephan who communicated with us." Seeing the questioning looks on Dyrune and Ben's faces, the man continued. "The one using it was Lord Sonya Mullynns of the Fire District. She somehow came to possess the game piece and told us that Stephan had been imprisoned."

"And you're telling me now!" Ben snapping at them. He was no longer leaning again the wall. His body posture was aggressive. "If she knew how to use it then that means Stephan told her to use it and where to find it."

"She also spoke of another matter." Pockets pushed on with a gesture to Ben to calm down. "This Sonya told us that the Sanctum has discovered several items that are called the Pillars of Nature. Our information on the subject turning out to be true, that they intend to use these items as a weapon at the direction of the High Priest."

Ben glared at them all, his rage growing by the second. "So what, I'm going to get Stephan out. I knew I should have stopped him from going to that damn place." Ben spun to leave and Azrael moved quickly. The man blocking Ben's exit. "Move," Ben growling with blinding rage, his thought process driven by that anger.

"Calm down damnit," Azrael said to his friend. "Has the sun melted your brain since you've been gone. Look we have found out that the Pillars of Nature combine to make a very powerful device. It can create a gate to any location, plus raise a barrier around itself to protect itself so that no one can interfere with it."

"Can it interfere with a barrier already in place?" Everyone's attention slowly turning to the Sanctum's former resident. The man's head as down in thought. Then his head rose. "The High Priest, is he the one behind this?"