The Legend Of Black Eyes 235 Stranded In Time 5

I couldn't find the words to describe what I was going through. A man, more than three thousand years old, was accusing me of thievery. What I noticed in his speech, however, was that he hadn't noticed my grandpa's presence in the Fragment. I had to feign ignorance, stall and find out more.

"I don't know how it got there," I said.

"I don't remember Theo stealing the time Fragment though," Omega interrupted. "But go on, tell me how my Fragment ended up under your bed. Let's see where this ends." 

It was clear he didn't believe me. "I was chained in a ritual chamber in the bas.e.m.e.nt." Even though my stomach protested, I couldn't bring myself to eat. It felt like my last meal. It disgusted me. I looked at the food and continued my tale. "I was possessed by the ghost of an empress. I spent the entire night fighting her off. When I came back to my room, I found the Fragment under my bed." 

Omega's mind seemed to have wandered off somewhere. I stared at the food silently while he played with the bottle in his hand. The house was so silent one would think n.o.body lived there if they happened to pa.s.s by it. Omega turned to look at me after a long while. 

"Why aren't you eating?" he asked. "Minsec had wrenched the Fragment out of you, your body must be suffering by now." 

"I feel fine," I lied. 

"I don't know what to do with you," Omega said. "Minsec would tell me to kill you and be done with it... On the other hand..." He abruptly stood up and went to his desk. He drew a small crystal ball and threw it in the air. The ball floated midair. Then it expanded until it occupied the upper half of the room. 

Omega waved his hand and a blinding light shot out. I shut my eye and gradually opened it until I got used to the new lighting. When I finally looked up, I saw an image materializing before us. 

Raiya was looking ahead as strong winds blew her hair backwards. She was frowning. The sound of waves cras.h.i.+ng against a solid surface reached our ears. She was also rocking back and forth, as though swayed by strong waves. 

"The Holi Wars are in a month, back when you came," Omega said. "Your presence here must have been fate. You said it yourself, you've done this before." 

He walked around the giant sphere, observing Raiya with calculating eyes. 

"I can sense residue energy from her in you," Omega said, frowning. "It's not her energy really, but something she carries." 

He waved his hand and Raiya's image got farther. I saw her aboard a s.h.i.+p that was about to dock somewhere. Men shouted orders as she stood by the s.h.i.+p's bow. Her eyes wandered off to the horizon. I wished I could be there to end her.

"Aha!" Omega suddenly screamed. "That's what she's been plotting." He smiled, as though he approved everything she'd done to get where she was. "She's outsmarted your grandfather, but I doubt she'll have the stomach to do what's necessary." 

I frowned. "What do you mean by that?" I asked. "What is she planning?" 

Omega smiled as his head slowly turned toward me. "What do you know about the ghost that lived inside you?" 

Evangelica Grant, she played me beautifully. A man's weakness truly is a woman's tears...

"Did you know that her people swore fealty to her, even after her death?" Omega asked. "Did you know that there are still people in Arkadia that believe she'll be back, that she'll be their savior?" 

"I thought they executed her as a traitor," I heard myself say. I wasn't in a right state of mind. Perhaps it was the hunger. Maybe I was too tired or too confused by the events so far. 

"Truth came out about the Church and their manipulation," Omega said. "Arkadia's in a sad state right now." His bright red eyes widened, as though a brilliant idea had just got to him. 

He slowly walked toward me. He crossed his arms and rested his chin on one hand then tilted his head to the side. "You are indeed a peculiar creature," he said once he reached me. 

He towered above me. His body hid the candle light behind him, making him look like a grim shadow that's about to decide my fate. "Have you ever met a colossal snake? When I say colossal, I mean so big it could crush mountains under its weight." 

My heart raced against my chest. How much does this strange man know about my life? I'd always cla.s.sified that encounter as a strange nightmare...

It was three weeks before I killed that man and went to prison. I never liked to think of it much. It was truly the lowest time of my life. 

"Minsec could be right," Omega went on. He seemed to have forgotten about the question, or perhaps he already knew the answer to that. "I should just kill you and be done with it, but something's not right here. Why would the snake let you live?" 

He sat beside me and looked straight into my eye. "Let me probe you," he said. "I'll read through your mind. I'll relive all your experiences in the span of a second. If I don't find any evidence that you stole my fragment, then I'll let you live. I'll even take you to your time myself." 

"I thought you weren't allowed in our land," I said. 

"The time you're in right now was before your grandfather banned me," Omega said. "It's a complicated mess, really. Don't think too much about it. Your grandfather, in this time, was still my apprentice, happy to see me come and go as I pleased. I can still probe you without your consent, but it'll be easier if you do. You won't lose your mind for once." 

I sighed. 

I had a lot to hide from this man. It seemed he actually didn't know about my grandfather in the Fragment. I wondered what he'd do if he found out. He was also my grandfather's teacher. If anything, that must prove his might. I couldn't mess with such powers, but I could fool him... 

"Alright," I said. "Do what you will, but I have one condition." 

Omega raised an eyebrow. "You're in no position to make demands," he sternly said. 

"Call it a favor then," I said. 

"I am not giving you the Fragment," Omega said. "You've played a dangerous game with it." 

"I don't want the Fragment," I retorted. I would have loved to get it back in truth, but beggars can't be choosers. "When you bring me back, take me to Milogac. I want to take part in the wars." 

Omega roared in laughter. "You have no powers," he said. "You'll be fighting against G.o.ds in there. You're worse than an ant to them. It's suicide!" 

"Theolonius Stalwart doesn't have a Fragment, yet he could cut through my time bubbles as though they were paper," I said. "There has to be a way to be like him." 

Omega's fiery eyes twinkled. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?" he said. "Give me what I want first. Then we'll see about the Holi Wars."