long time. We’ve tried every means at our disposal to go through the portal to Safanar, but always the barrier held us at bay.”
Aaron watched Halcylon, trying to gain some insight into why his ancestor, Daverim, believed that this Hythariam standing before him was the tyrant that Iranus had described. There was a harshness to his golden-eyed gaze, and Aaron felt as if he were being scrutinized just as closely.
“How did you manage to come through the portal to Hytharia?”
Aaron’s mind flashed, remembering how he tricked the Nanites and freed Sarah from their influence. He searched within, but could only feel the faint whispers of his connection to Sarah.
“How long have I been unconscious?”
Halcylon regarded him a moment, “A few days. Your body became ill as you acclimated to this world.”
Days? The others would have tried to rescue him by now if they could. Iranus wouldn’t take the risk, and Aaron couldn’t blame him. He was only one man, but he still wasn’t sure what to make of General Halcylon. He looked over at Ronan, and a flash of uncertainty zipped across his face. Aaron began to suspect that he being lied to.
“What did you do to me?”
“We’ve injected Nanites into your system. The ones that were in your system were quite different from what we have now.”
Aaron glared at Halcylon, “So you know what they’ve done?”
Halcylon seemed to nod to himself. “When the portal became closed to us, we had to take other measures to ensure our survival. Since we could not force our way through the barrier, we had to come up with another way. We sent a ship bearing a new prototype Nanite, designed with a singular purpose of assessing the barrier and opening the way for us to escape this dying world.”
Aaron felt the bile rise in his throat, “I’ve seen firsthand the results of that singular purpose. Do you realize how many lives were destroyed in the process?”
Halcylon fixed him with a withering gaze that could crack stone, “Do you know how many lives have been destroyed by the actions of your people? Our survival hangs by a thread, and now you are tied to Hytharia’s fate, as are we.”
At last Aaron saw it. The tyrant of which Iranus spoke. The ruthlessness in Halcylon bubbled to the surface. Ruthlessness bred from desperation. Didn’t he go through the portal, as an act of desperation to save Sarah? Halcylon would use any means necessary to ensure the survival of his people, but when Aaron looked into Halcylon’s eyes he saw a hardened edge devoid of any compassion.
“How were you able to come through the barrier?”
Aaron slowly rose to his feet. The Hythariam in the black uniform rested his hand upon the pistol at his hip.
“I took down the barrier and came through.”
“You purposefully came through to a dying world. Didn’t you have any plans on getting back?” Halcylon asked.
“I had a way,” Aaron said, glancing around the room. “But I lost it.”
Halcylon gestured toward Ronan. Another panel hissed open, and Ronan retrieved his Keystone Accelerator.
“Is this what you lost?” Ronan asked.
“Yes,” Aaron answered, his eyes lingering on the device, gauging his chances of taking the Keystone Accelerator and opening a way home. They didn't look good.
“The portal opened from such a small device would last only seconds before it shut down, if it worked at all,” Ronan said.
Halcylon shrugged his shoulders, “Seconds was all he needed. What disturbs me is that you were willing to come through the portal and then head right back to Safanar, but I don’t know why. What was the point of you coming here?”
Aaron remained silent.
“Gone quiet now, have we?” Halcylon asked, after a few moments. “Weren’t you even curious as to what was on the other side of the portal?”
“I’ve already seen what was on this side,” Aaron said. “An army. An invasion force prepared to rain destruction down upon Safanar. You took action to ensure
Aaron watched Halcylon, trying to gain some insight into why his ancestor, Daverim, believed that this Hythariam standing before him was the tyrant that Iranus had described. There was a harshness to his golden-eyed gaze, and Aaron felt as if he were being scrutinized just as closely.
“How did you manage to come through the portal to Hytharia?”
Aaron’s mind flashed, remembering how he tricked the Nanites and freed Sarah from their influence. He searched within, but could only feel the faint whispers of his connection to Sarah.
“How long have I been unconscious?”
Halcylon regarded him a moment, “A few days. Your body became ill as you acclimated to this world.”
Days? The others would have tried to rescue him by now if they could. Iranus wouldn’t take the risk, and Aaron couldn’t blame him. He was only one man, but he still wasn’t sure what to make of General Halcylon. He looked over at Ronan, and a flash of uncertainty zipped across his face. Aaron began to suspect that he being lied to.
“What did you do to me?”
“We’ve injected Nanites into your system. The ones that were in your system were quite different from what we have now.”
Aaron glared at Halcylon, “So you know what they’ve done?”
Halcylon seemed to nod to himself. “When the portal became closed to us, we had to take other measures to ensure our survival. Since we could not force our way through the barrier, we had to come up with another way. We sent a ship bearing a new prototype Nanite, designed with a singular purpose of assessing the barrier and opening the way for us to escape this dying world.”
Aaron felt the bile rise in his throat, “I’ve seen firsthand the results of that singular purpose. Do you realize how many lives were destroyed in the process?”
Halcylon fixed him with a withering gaze that could crack stone, “Do you know how many lives have been destroyed by the actions of your people? Our survival hangs by a thread, and now you are tied to Hytharia’s fate, as are we.”
At last Aaron saw it. The tyrant of which Iranus spoke. The ruthlessness in Halcylon bubbled to the surface. Ruthlessness bred from desperation. Didn’t he go through the portal, as an act of desperation to save Sarah? Halcylon would use any means necessary to ensure the survival of his people, but when Aaron looked into Halcylon’s eyes he saw a hardened edge devoid of any compassion.
“How were you able to come through the barrier?”
Aaron slowly rose to his feet. The Hythariam in the black uniform rested his hand upon the pistol at his hip.
“I took down the barrier and came through.”
“You purposefully came through to a dying world. Didn’t you have any plans on getting back?” Halcylon asked.
“I had a way,” Aaron said, glancing around the room. “But I lost it.”
Halcylon gestured toward Ronan. Another panel hissed open, and Ronan retrieved his Keystone Accelerator.
“Is this what you lost?” Ronan asked.
“Yes,” Aaron answered, his eyes lingering on the device, gauging his chances of taking the Keystone Accelerator and opening a way home. They didn't look good.
“The portal opened from such a small device would last only seconds before it shut down, if it worked at all,” Ronan said.
Halcylon shrugged his shoulders, “Seconds was all he needed. What disturbs me is that you were willing to come through the portal and then head right back to Safanar, but I don’t know why. What was the point of you coming here?”
Aaron remained silent.
“Gone quiet now, have we?” Halcylon asked, after a few moments. “Weren’t you even curious as to what was on the other side of the portal?”
“I’ve already seen what was on this side,” Aaron said. “An army. An invasion force prepared to rain destruction down upon Safanar. You took action to ensure
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