“Anna…” Makara said. “What happened in there?”
“They have this huge lake made of…something, I don’t even know. I was under for a minute, then I came out, healed.”
“Completely?” Julian asked.
Anna nodded. “I don’t understand how, but I’m fine. I’ve never felt better, actually.”
Everyone turned to look at the Wanderer, who stood silent in his cloak and cowl. Some of the Raiders tried to back away upon seeing those whitened eyes. The Wanderer made no movement or sound, until the wardroom had gone completely quiet.
“There is a way to save Los Angeles,” the Wanderer said. “I can gain control over the Radaskim horde’s mind, if only for a few minutes. Maybe longer.” He paused. “Let’s hope longer.”
“That’s great,” Makara said.
“I fear this battle serves two purposes,” the Wanderer said. “Askala wants to destroy as much of humanity as she can in one stroke. That much is clear. But I also think she hopes this attack will draw me there. She knows I’m the only one with the ability to stop it — and she also knows this will cause me to die.”
This news was greeted with startled silence.
“What happens to the Elekai, if you die?” Ashton asked.
“There will be no Xenomind to lead,” the Wanderer said. “Our efforts would be directionless for a while, until a new leader rises to the mantle.”
One by one, everyone’s eyes turned on me. My face went white and my stomach twisted. I tried to speak, but no sound came. For some reason, the Wanderer’s saying it out loud and everyone’s looking at me made it worse.
But I had agreed. It was the only choice I had.
“I had hoped to better prepare you for this, Alex,” the Wanderer said. “But time is not on our side.”
“This…Releasing,” Samuel said. “How long would it take? What’s involved?”
“Land me on a tall building,” the Wanderer said. “Somewhere I can project the wave-thought. Alex, also, must be present. Keep us safe for a few minutes. That’s it.”
“Wouldn’t you two standing on top of a building make you targets for every dragon in L.A.?” Makara asked.
“Maybe with both spaceships, we can protect them long enough,” Samuel said.
We all knew it was desperate. We all knew there was little hope for victory. But we had to fight and do whatever we could to save Los Angeles. And if we had to go down fighting, against all odds, then that was what we had to do.
“Let’s go back,” Samuel said.
Everyone looked at the Wanderer for final words.
“Good luck,” he said at last. “Let us not make this our final stand.”
It was an hour and a half before the city came into view. Ashton piloted Perseus high in order to escape the Radaskim dragons’ range. When he descended, we saw a large part of the already ruined city was in flames.
“Augustus,” Ashton said. “Do you have a copy?”
It was some time before the Emperor answered.
“Where is your army?”
“We don’t have time to explain. What’s the tallest building in the city under your control?”
“What? Why?” Augustus asked.
“I said there was no time!” Ashton said. “We have a weapon that could destroy the Radaskim army. We need the tallest building we can to work with.”
“That would be the Reaper HQ,” Augustus said. “Carin Black and his men are making their final stand there.”
“And your legions?”
“What’s left of them are retreating to the sea.”
“And you are in the Orion?”
“Yes,” Augustus said. “Along with my Praetorians. Black is in Reaper HQ.”
“Listen,” Ashton said. “We’ll need your help holding off the dragons. It’ll take time for the weapon to be set up, but it will neutralize all the Radaskim invaders.”
“And what is this weapon, Dr. Ashton?”
“Once again,” Ashton said, “there’s no time. You just have to trust me.”
Augustus paused a bit before answering.
“Fine. We are very desperate, Ashton. I will let Carin know what you’re doing so you don’t get shot by his SAMs.”
“Where is Reaper HQ?” Samuel asked.
“It’s the U.S. Bank Tower, the tallest building in the city. There’s a helipad.”
“Make the arrangements with Black,” Ashton said. “We’ll be there in two minutes. And get your ass in the air. We’ll need your help.”
Augustus had no time to protest Ashton’s gruff treatment. Ashton cut off and lowered the ship toward downtown. In the west, the sea was dark and empty, though fires and lights lit its shoreline — the remnants of the Novan legions. The streets below were dark and cluttered with rubble and flame. Swarms of movement plunged into the city.
The tall white tower approached. As we neared, human forms became discernable on its top. Reptilian screeches sounded from outside the ship.
I realized this could very much be our final battle. If we didn’t win here, Askala and her hellish legions would win all of Earth.
In moments, the extinction of the human race would be decided.
Chapter 19
When Perseus landed on top of the tower, the Wanderer pressed the exit button. The door slid open and we headed out into the night.
After we made it to the tarmac, the boarding ramp retracted and the ship lifted off. I looked around the helipad, finding it empty. The ship turned to the north, where several dragons circled and dove. Explosions lit the night to the east. The screams of both man and monster carried on the wind.
The Wanderer made his way to the corner of the helipad. He climbed down a set of stairs, and stood above the building’s precipice overlooking the southern and western portions of the city.
As the battle raged, I watched the dark ruins, the twisting highways, the distant hills to the west. It was hard to believe, standing there, that the Wanderer was about to give up his life. Before I could ask him if it was really true, he spoke.
“What I’m about to do will be my end, as we both know it. My spirit will return to the Elekai.”
“So that’s it?” I said. “You’re going to die?”
The Wanderer gave his trademark mysterious smile — small, and a little sad. But his white eyes were bright with joy.
“I have died a thousand times, Alex. In the end, death is just the final journey.”
“What do you mean?”
“Death is like waking up from a dream. Each time I die, I wake up on a new world, where the Elekai need me again.”
“Well,” I said, after a short pause, “that’s not really how it works for us. When we die, we’re gone. There’s no waking up for us.”
The Wanderer turned to me. In the distance, a dragon screamed and a few more took up its call. It reminded me of where I was, and that now was probably not the best time for a philosophical conversation. But the dragons were far, and I’d never see the Wanderer again. His eyes told me that what he was about to say was important.
“I think you will be surprised, when the time comes, as it must for all. Even the longest-lived Elekai must one day die. And when all goes silent, at the very end, we can be joyful that we had ever lived at all. Death isn’t the end. It is an end as much as a beginning.”
“What do you mean?”
“Some mysteries aren’t meant to be spoken,” the Wanderer said. “It ruins the magic.”
The Wanderer closed his eyes, as if preparing himself. I felt a sudden panic rise in my chest. It was all going to end, and I would not have anyone to guide me on my final mission.