The Rift in the Domain- The Auranos Stories Book 2

Chapter 40 - Reinforcements

          

I didn't know where we were going. I was really just along for the ride, you know? The Lagokians were strict and quiet, pretty much the opposite of everyone I'd ever chosen to spend my time with. I wasn't in charge like Abigail seemed to be- the Lagokians had the map, so I was just their ambassador, along for the ride.

It took forever-we had to sail first to some little costal town called Horsecliff in the middle of nowhere, and then wander through the desert and plateau ranges until we found the city. And at long last, we did just that. Finally we came across plateau that looked different from the others- it had an incredible waterfall pouring off the side of it, into what I assumed was the Sunfall River below. There were towers climbing up the north side, looking a little dated. I wasn't sure if anyone would even still be inside. It looked as if the place had been abandoned a long time ago.

I knew that the city was supposedly in some cavern in the plateau, but I couldn't picture it.

We were maybe two hundred yards away from the front door when a group of people left the towers on panthers and came out towards our company. Our company was flying the Lagokian flag, so we hoped that these rebels would trust us. That was when the Lagokian general, General Raika, called me to the front, to talk with Abigail. Orai had told him that I kept up a correspondence with the Earthling, so the king hoped that our shared culture would make negotiations a little easier between the two nations.

"Halt!" Someone shouted, as the company of riders stopped a few yards away. They were in combat gear, flying black and grey banners off their panthers. There appeared to be eleven people of varying sizes, all armed.

"Identify yourselves," said a voice, a female voice, from the front of the welcome party. She had a grey uniform with bronze plated armor. A black scarf covered the lower half of her face from the biting wind.

Raika stepped forward. "We come from Lagokia to aid the Dominion rebellion."

"Excellent," the voice said. I could see her eyes smiling. "Welcome to New Moon City."

"I am General Raika. And I would assume that you are Abigail Vera," he continued. "How shall I address you?"

The woman looked from side to side before replying, "My full name is fine, or you can call me Madam Vera. I also answer to the title Riser, if that's what you prefer."

Raika looked a little taken aback- this was a really casual introduction for a military operation. He was expecting her to give a title like 'Admiral Vera' or 'Queen Vera' or something like that. "We have a regiment of four thousand," the general added, shaking off his surprise. "Can you house them all?"

"Of all our problems, General, space is not one of them," Abigail Vera replied. She looked across our ranks. "I heard that a certain Matt Carter would be with you today."

Raika looked at me and I stepped forward, feeling a little awkward.

"M- uh, Madam Vera," I said, although I'd always just called her Abigail. Or... actually, I'd just insult her, now that I thought about it. "That would be me."

She pulled down her scarf, revealing a broad grin.

"Well, Carter, I guess this says a thing or two about picking on nerds, doesn't it?"

I laughed uneasily. But the Lagokians, who probably didn't even know what a nerd was, just gave me dark looks.

"Nice to meet you in person," she added, putting her hands on her hips. "Finally someone will laugh at all my witty pop culture references."

I nodded, smiling nervously and trying to ignore the Lagokians' unease behind me.

"Well, let's get back inside before one of Shadow's takes interest in us," Abigail said to me before turning her attention back to Raika. "If you would, please, General, we're moving into the city. Lykar will direct you to our barracks, and afterward, I would be honored if you and perhaps a few of your subordinates would join us at the Keystone for a dinner and strategic discussion this evening."

"Certainly, Miss Vera," Raika said with a nod.

We rolled out, heading for the spires on the northern face of the plateau. Then, through the main hall, we followed a narrow tunnel that opened into a towering cavern. From the entrance plaza we could look down onto a bright, busy city... the likes of which I'd never seen before.

A dozen buildings stretched up half a mile to the cavern ceiling, with bridges connecting them every few floors. The other buildings were clustered, from narrow spires to blocky business complexes, there was hardly enough space below for roads and sidewalks. To the left, however, were the reservoir and the uptown part of New Moon. There, little apartment buildings were visible in the dark, as well as a few shops way off in the distance. 

The farthest wall from us was occupied almost entirely by the geothermal reactors that kept New Moon glowing. It was understaffed, at this point, and running at a quarter capacity. I shrugged, blinking in the bright city lights; it seemed to be doing fine to me.

Then, below the plaza where we stood and taking up the right side of the cavern, was the city park. Part of the Sunfall River wound its way through there, towards the reservoir. Low-light plants like dark, waxy trees and thick moss with long whiskers were supposedly below, keeping the air clean for New Moon's occupants.

"General Raika, sir," one of Abigail's friends said. He was tall, with bright, detergent-blue eyes, the likes of which you only ever see on Lagokians. In contrast to the dark uniform, his blond hair was dyed pale orange in the front. A few modest-looking pins adorned his jacket. I'd seen him in a few video conferences, and my impression was generally positive. He could have been the kind of guy I hung around with in school, if he wasn't so reserved. "I am Lykar Werna," he said, shaking hands with Raika. "If you and your men would, please, follow me."

"Hey," Abigail was saying to the rest of her group. "I'm going to show Mr. Earthling around town. I'll meet you back at the Keystone in a little bit."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am," one replied. She had a black pixie cut that neatly framed her dark face, and a long black cape that I will readily admit to being jealous of.  She punched Abigail on the shoulder jovially. "You sounded super official, by the way."

Abigail laughed. "Glad you thought so," she lowered her voice, and I couldn't make out the rest.

The woman with black hair laughed. She started walking away backwards, still talking to Abigail. "Alrighty, then. I'm meeting up with Thunder, and we're gonna waste the afternoon together because-" she turned back around, punching the air triumphantly "-karra, things are finally going our way!"

"Don't jinx us, Comet," Abigail shouted warily as her friend skipped down the stairs towards the city. The rest of her group dispersed as she turned to me.

"So," I said. "Nice place you got here."

"Thanks, Matt," she deadpanned, cracking a smile. "I was really hoping for 'nice'."