A group of Fauris women recognized me first as I emerged from the forest. They gasped and yelled out my name, alerting everyone in the vicinity. Chaos broke out before my eyes, and people rushed toward me like a tidal wave. I would never make it to the entrance in time.
With no other option, I threw my arm into the air to show Aurik’s mark. The crush of bodies stopped in their tracks and fell to their knees. The mob slowly split in two, allowing me to pass. I wore the mark. For however short a period of time, I was leader of the Tribunal.
A swarm of tiny floating cameras descended from the sky, surrounding me. For the first time ever, I was grateful for them. The towering walls of Tribunal Hall no longer broadcast what was going on inside. I was now splashed across the massive screens. I watched myself running through the crowd chased by the cameras, my arm still held high, showing the mark.
I ran forward as quickly as the crowd would allow, carving a path through the masses gathered on the immaculate lawns up to the imposing gilded doors. That’s when the chanting started. It was quiet at first, just one voice calling my tribal name—Haven. Another voice joined, and another. The sound assaulted the white marble walls of Tribunal Hall.
Twenty-five guards stood at the golden doors of Tribunal Hall. More armed men were stationed above my head in levitating watchtowers. The captain of the guard, Ruel, ran toward me. He had been a guard at the Institute for years.
“Ruel!” I said, clapping him on the shoulder.
“You wear the mark of the Leader?” he asked warily, holding his hand out for my arm. I let Ruel examine the mark. He produced a tiny scanner and set it over Aurik’s thumbprint in the middle. It chirped twice, confirming the mark’s authenticity. “Aurik lives?” he asked hopefully, measuring my reaction.
“He lives and will be here shortly. He lent me his mark to stop what is happening inside. As leader of the Tribunal, I must ask you to let me by. Let Chase and Mateo of the Haven through, as well as anyone they bring,” I commanded.
“As you wish,” Ruel said. He barked orders at the guards to open the doors. The guards standing at attention didn’t budge.
“I said, open the door,” he yelled again. The steely line of men made no move.
“So, you stand with Gideon?” Ruel guessed. “You too, Osahar?” he asked one guard in particular.
“We are on strict orders from our leader not to let anyone in,” Osahar said.
“He’s your leader!” Ruel yelled, pointing at the mark on my arm.
Osahar didn’t move.
“Traitor!” I screeched, the anger, fear, and ferocity inside reaching a breaking point. I ran toward Osahar and buried my fist into his jaw. He hit the ground with a resounding thud. Ruel grabbed me by the shoulder.
“Talk to your people, Ryen. Use your power,” he encouraged, turning me toward the masses.
“Aurik is alive!” I yelled at the swarm of cameras. “He has given me his mark so I can stop Gideon from seizing power unjustly. Who will help me tear down these doors and stop the insurrection inside?”
Within seconds, an army materialized out of the masses. Warriors from the Takeo tribe, each towering well over seven feet tall and dressed in shining body armor, came forward. Soldiers from the Tal tribe rode forward on the backs of Uja, oily black serpents with thousands of spindly legs trained to track and kill on command. As my numbers grew, the guards defending the door faltered, broke rank, and ran into the crowd.
“Cowards!” Ruel yelled after them.
The Tal tribesmen sent their Uja after those who ran. They slithered quickly and silently away. The traitors’ screams echoed off the walls as the Uja caught up with them.
Ruel ran to the doors’ locking device and spoke the password. The doors didn’t move.
“The password has been changed. It will take me a while to reset,” Ruel said apologetically.
“I’m out of time,” I said, motioning my army forward.
“These doors were made to be impenetrable, Ryen.”
“We just need to force them open enough for me to get inside. You can work on disabling the password for everyone else after I’m in.”
My little army took their place at the doors and started pushing with all their might. The two gilded doors shuttered and creaked in protest but finally started giving up by inches. When the opening was just wide enough, I dove inside. The doors slammed closed angrily, sealing me inside Tribunal Hall.
The hall was deathly silent. I knew almost every face staring at me. Every powerful person in Zhimeya was present.
“Liar! Traitor! Murderer! I yelled, running down the middle aisle. Gideon stood clutching the podium with both hands—shocked, irate, and twitching. He waved his guards forward. They surrounded me, making it impossible to get any closer to the platform where he stood. Each of the guards looked nervously at the mark on my arm.
“Ryen of the Haven! You are home! We rejoice at your safety,” he said with false excitement. Still no one in the audience dared to move or speak.
“Gideon, call off your guard. I am Head of the Tribunal.” I held my arm in the air. The audience gasped. Those closest to me fell to their knees, causing a ripple effect through the assembly, everyone bowing before the mark.
“Oh dear boy, what have you done? How dare you perpetrate such a forgery on our brothers and sisters,” he chided. “That counterfeit mark gives you no power. The Tribunal has named me their leader.”
“The whole world is watching, Gideon. Your lies can’t stand much longer,” I challenged. “Aurik is alive. Gideon had him kidnapped and held hostage.” I now addressed the crowd. “When I found him, he drew his mark on me, lending me his power until comes. Gideon has had any Tribunal member that has dared to oppose him killed.”
“Escort this man out immediately,” Gideon said coolly.
“Don’t touch me!” I yelled, but Gideon’s guards advanced and drew their weapons. Through their closing ranks, I found Savannah on the podium, leaning unsteadily in Dai’s arms.
“Savannah!” I yelled out. She gave no response, as though she hadn’t even heard me. She stared straight at Gideon, smiling slightly. The light in her eyes was gone. “Gideon, what did you do to her?”
“Brothers and sisters, get off your knees in front of this imposter.” The men and women on the edges of the hall stood, but those closest to me, who could see the mark clearly, stayed bowed.
“This man speaks to you of religion, of a peaceful and glorious revolution. He lies! I have proof of his corruption!” I unfolded the map I had been holding in my left hand and held it up for the world to see. “This is a map of Earth. The names written on it are Tribunal members who have betrayed us. They have given Gideon their vote in return for control over a portion of that planet. This Tribunal has been corrupted!” There was uproar from both inside and outside the walls.
“Gideon means to rule you, to subject both humans and Zhimeyans to his will. Follow Gideon and you will be made his slave.”
“You have been very busy boy, Ryen. Faking sacred marks and concocting stories,” he yelled over the din. “You are the only traitor here. Only days ago, he drafted a resignation letter, giving up his birthright as a citizen of Zhimeya to stay on Earth. He has sided with the enemy. He came back only to bring down our society from the inside. Guards, bring him to me!” he screeched.
The men pounced and dragged me onto the podium. Through the mounting chaos and confusion on the hall floor, I hadn’t taken my eyes off Savannah. Something was terribly wrong with her.
“Dai!” Gideon demanded.
Dai handed Savannah over to more guards that were surrounding the podium and approached Gideon. Gideon whispered at him hotly.
“Have her open the door. He needs to look perfect. No mistakes!”
Dai nodded and strode over to the small side door that led onto the podium. When he opened it, the shock of what I saw almost killed me.
Emani, alive and well, stood at the edge of the open side door. She helped a small hooded figure walk through the entry. Then the door slammed shut. The only explanation I could fathom was that I was dangerously close to a mental breakdown, to see the dead walking.
Dai followed close behind the small, hobbling figure, staring with fixed concentration. When they had made it to the center of the platform, the figure took off his hood and faced the audience. It was Aurik. Everyone stopped their shouting and dropped to their knees.
“Our beloved leader!” Gideon shouted happily. He bowed shallowly.
“Aurik,” I called out, “please help me!” Aurik only gave me a cold, dismissive glance.
“My beloved Zhimeya,” Aurik called out, “I was kidnapped by the Unnamed and held captive. In exchange for my freedom, they demanded I step down as Head of the Tribunal, and I have agreed to their terms. Gideon, you have my blessing as the new leader.” Aurik bent low on one knee before Gideon.
“I’ve watched these proceedings on my way here and am deeply saddened,” he said, turning to face me. “Ryen of the Haven, you seek to bring down this peaceable government and to install yourself as leader? These are sins that cannot be forgiven. As my last act as Head of the Tribunal, I wish to see this man pay for his blasphemy.”
“Aurik, what’s happened to you?” I screamed. Aurik’s mocking eyes only grazed over me dismissively.
“Members of the Tribunal, I call you together for one last vote under my rule. This voice of treason must be silenced. I sentence you, Ryen of the Haven, to death. Who on the Tribunal will stand with me?”
More chaos had broken out again on the floor. Guards came flooding in from every side entrance trying to subdue the audience. The walls shook from the noise both inside and out. Guards fought with those who were trying to climb onto the podium to rescue me. Others called gleefully for my death. Gideon and Aurik, with Dai standing behind them, stood facing the Tribunal, staring them down. One by one, almost every Tribunal member stood, casting their vote for my death.
“It is decided!” Gideon cried out.
“Wash him clean of the forgery he wears,” Aurik commanded. I fought as hard as I could, but there were too many of them. One of the guards pulled out my forearm, spit on Aurik’s mark, and wiped it clean. Nothing protected me now.
“Gideon, please show our people what happens to men who steal sacred marks to deceive their brethren,” Aurik sneered.
Before I could make sense of what was happening, Gideon drew a fire blade out of his robes. I was forced to my knees by heavy hands.
“This wasn’t what I wanted for you,” Gideon whispered sadly to me. “If you had just followed me, you could have stood at my right hand. But you’ve made your choice. Goodbye, my son.”
He clicked the fire blade on, the unimaginable heat of it burning me through as my killer strode forward to bury it in my chest.