Empyrean

Chapter 17

Chapter 17-Jacob

Zenith-Red Alexandros Headquarters

Late Afternoon, 6th of Pachon, Year 612

            Over the past year I have dedicated my life to becoming the leader of the Red Alexandros. I have trained my body and mind to be the perfect Alexandros, reading all of the texts I have access too, legal or not, to discover what it means to protect this City of Light. Among my studies I have found that this institution has many secrets. In one document I read, it actually mentioned the execution of an Orange woman who had actually visited another city. Originally I thought it was a forgery, but when I cross-referenced the emperor’s signature to scores of other documents they were exactly the same. It is amazing what you can find in the sealed archives of the royal library.

            “Boy! Ar’ya just going to stand there or ar’ya gonna go and enjoy your one break for the day?” The old Zenith man is talking to me. I have only ever had a couple of conversations with Serena’s mentor, but that was enough for me to gather that he is smarter than me and much, much higher up in the food chain.

            He is sitting down in an armchair, alone. Serena is nowhere to be seen. I decide to sit down in the chair across from him and battle with wits again. I want to know what he is teaching Serena and why she was chosen to be his disciple. What was wrong with the rest of us neophytes? We are soon to be full-fledged Alexandros at this point. It has to be that final test. They said that they were going to give us access to it but never did. Most everyone else seems to completely have forgotten about now.

             It is only at his words that I realize I was staring at him. “Now what do you want, boy? Staring at me like that…”

            “Forgive me. But can I ask you some questions?” I ask trying to appeal to his hubris.

            “Well someone here’s gotta foster curiosity handbook or no handbook. Whatcha got?” He picks up a cup of what I presume to be tea and takes a sip.

            “Great! I—”

            “That doesn't mean that we are allies, yeah?” I don't really know what that means, with those words he hands me the other cup of tea on the table between us. I take a sip of the bitter shit and pretend like it tasted good.

            I set the cup down and think before I ask my first question. “Where is Serena?” I decide to start small but that doesn't seem to help my cause.

            “I wish I could tell you boy. She hasn't shown up today.” He doesn't avoid the question, but I can feel that he knows more than just she skipped class so to speak.

            “Oh… Guess that gives you the day off. But what are you doing to prepare her for the ceremony, rather exams in three days? Will she be ready?” Hopefully this will come off as the concerned friend’s point of view and I will be able to glean something about her training from him.            

            “I am training her the way a Zenith Alexandros needs to be trained. Nothing more, nothing less.” I had a feeling he was going to dodge the question. I take another sip of the liquid shit so that I can give myself more time to think. While I am drinking he says, “if you don't like the stuff then don't drink it. Takes a lot more than that to offend someone like me.”           

            He saw right through it! Whether or not he could tell why I was pretending to like the tea I can't say. But I do know that he is much better at psychological warfare then me. I will just have to go right out and ask him what I want to know, no tricks. “Ok. Here is my actual question.”

            “And so the truth floweth forth…” I really didn't need that.

            “What was the final test?” I am as direct as physically possible.

            “Heh? What ‘final test’? I don't remember that. When was it?” I think he is genuine in his befuddlement, but I know he knows.

            “The third portion of the final when we were graduating from the academy! Do you not know about it? Didn't you have to accept or deny your applicants based on those results?” I am screaming in my head. This man is unbelievably infuriating.

            “Jacob.” He says. “You are wrestling with god here. If you want me to tell you then you are going to end up having to choose between two sides. If I don't tell you, well, then you can just live in ignorance and continue to live as you always have, innocent.”

            “I want to know! Tell me…please.” I may get something out of this man yet, nay everything!

            “For you to understand the test you must first understand the history of this city.”

            “I know the history of this city.” He sits back in his chair as I begin to recite the history of the City of Light as recorded by the Violet line of Emperors. “The world was fallen and but two people remained. They then created this city and named it the City of Light or Eden. They were the first emperor and empress. They had eight sons and many daughters. The sons were given a test to see which one of them was to rule over the land after their father passed. The test was to see who could climb a mountain the fastest. The order in which they climbed came out to be the order of the Epochs. They all were given color according to their order, the Violet representing the fastest brother and then Indigo, then Blue, then Green, then Yellow, Orange, Red and finally Black. The brothers were all given a ring that showed their color and a percentage of the yearly harvest. The Violet receiving fifty percent, the Indigo twenty-five, the Blue twelve point five and so on. After the first emperor died the Violet brother took the throne as is right and good. This made the Black brother jealous. He tried to kill the Violet brother as is wrong and bad. But before he could the Indigo brother warned the Violet brother so the Black brother failed. As a result the Indigo brother became the advisor of the Violet brother and the Black brother was damned to live his life as a slave and also, as a consequence, lost his ring.”

            “That was exactly from the Book of Beginnings. I applaud your memory. But we both know, that what you just recited is complete bullshit.”