A New Divide
Conviction

David dropped to his knees as a man stepped out of the shadow and began to laugh mildly. “The range of the details concerning your defense network is truly amazing. I can even tap into it when your private elevator is in use, and when someone is about to enter it,” Arcoh said as Silas pushed David’s wife out of the elevator. She crawled over to him and he cradled her in his arms. David looked over to his children, who were crying and were being held back by Silas. David shouted in fury as tears filled his eyes.

“STAND DOWN!”

As the Arcadian knights dropped their weapons, Arcoh and Legate Ivan walked up to David. The giant legate carried Mark and Helena at his side, as the giant Silas, with his new exoskeleton, held the president’s children close. Then Mark spoke, feeling only sorrow, and absolute failure. It was a feeling, I’m sure, he had hardly ever felt in his life.

“I’m so sorry, old friend. We were betrayed.”

“I don’t think he wants to hear your sympathies, Commander Wyman. It is so good to finally see you again—the famous President David Alexander Harris. On behalf of the Kingdom of Salaras, I would like to say it is an honor.”

Arcoh extended his hand to David as he shook in anger, continuing to stare at Silas, who smiled as he held his children back.

“You know it is very rude, not to mention unprofessional, not to shake the hand of a fellow leader of Eden when it is offered so graciously.”

“You will burn in hell forever for what you have done to the people of Eden, Arcoh.”

“Enough. Now here’s how this is going to work. You are going to call off your fleet and surrender to my legions.”

“Arcoh, you are truly the arrogant fool Eden makes you out to be. Commander Wyman only knows the guilt I’ve had in my conscience. Insulting you ask me that, you sick bastard. I will cut your throat, Arcoh. You hear me! I will slaughter you! And feed you to your children!”

“Why do you defend a man such as this, Mark? His fear dictates his actions. That is a truly terrible quality, hardly anything less respectable.”

“He’s a good man, Arcoh. He would do anything for his people,” Mark said.

“You think so, Commander?”

“I know so.”

“I will prove you wrong, Mark. I want to show you something. I want to show all of Eden something, right now.”

“I will nuke my own palace to see the color of blood that courses through that black heart! Let go of my family, or we will all burn together!”

Arcoh then laughed slightly as he let the silence build in the room. It would be a minute before Arcoh would show them what power really was.

“How poetic. You . . . you are a liar! LIAR! SILAS!”

Silas grabbed David’s daughter, the youngest child at three years old. She was just learning to speak. Silas snatched her arm and pulled her in close, while he unholstered his sidearm.

“So do you think I should start with the youngest, or the oldest? Your choice, Mr. President.” David stood up on his knees and shouted at the top of his lungs. His wife was crying hysterically, staring at her children, and begging for their lives under her breath. She was completely shattered, as she lay on the floor in front of her beloved husband.

“GET THAT GUN AWAY FROM MY CHILD, YOU FUCKING PYSCHOPATH!”

Silas pulled David’s daughter in close and pressed the gun against her head. The helpless toddler began to cry like her mother, desperately trying to escape Silas’s firm grip.

“Daddy! Mommy!”

“YOU DON’T THINK I’LL DO IT! TRY ME! TRY ME! I DARE YOU!” Silas shouted to David as Arcoh lifted up his head, and glared into David’s bloodshot eyes.

“I wonder. Will you betray your beloved family? Or will you betray the people who elected you to be their leader. Allow me to test your conviction.”

David began to sweat profusely as he trembled inches away from Arcoh’s evil smile. “I . . . I . . . I CAN’T! PLEASE, ARCOH! SHOW MERCY!”

“SILAS!” Arcoh turned quickly to Silas; he had successfully triggered a reaction from David in the moment of extreme emotional intensity he was experiencing.

“STOP IT! JUST STOP IT! Please just stop it, for the love of god,” David said as he fell to the floor, over his wife, and began to sob heavily.

“I’m still waiting for an answer, Mr. President,” Arcoh said as he looked down at David. David spoke softly under his somber tone.

“I’ll do it. I’ll surrender. Just please don’t hurt my family. General Valon, relay the order.”

“But . . . , sir.”

“DO IT, GENERAL! THAT IS AN ORDER!”

General Valon lowered his handgun, and activated his transmitter. “This is General Valon. President Harris has issued an order.” He paused and stared into David’s eyes. A feeling of great desperation could be felt through the air, for the leaders of the GDR.

Ivan dropped Mark and Helena and began to move towards Valon, who sighed and spoke lightly in disgust into his transmitter. “The unconditional surrender of the GDR, to the Kingdom of Salaras,” Valon said with anger and frustration in his voice.

Ivan subdued General Valon, and the additional crusader soldiers began to bind the wills of the Arcadian knights around them; disarming, and leading them towards the elevator. Arcoh laughed and began to clap his hands.

“Ha-ha! Excellent job, gentlemen! Excellent job! All right, Silas, grab her.”


Silas pushed the kids behind him, who were then dragged to the elevator, along with the rest of the Arcadian knights—including General Valon. 


“NOW WHERE ARE YOU TAKING THEM!” David shouted as Silas grabbed his wife by her hair, and began to pull her away. She held onto her husband’s arm for dear life. David stood up and was desperately trying to hold her back.

“DAVID!”

“AMANDA, NO! LET GO OF HER!”

One of the Crusader soldiers took the stock of his rifle and smashed it into David’s head, knocking him on his back, and nearly rendering him unconscious. David clutched his head in agony, as he saw Silas throw his wife and children into the elevator. A soldier closed the door to the large elevator, and his family was gone from his sight. He crawled across the hard floor over to Arcoh and pulled on his pant leg. He was now begging for mercy.

“Please don’t hurt them. I’ll do anything.”

“You have already given me everything I could have wanted, Mr. President. They will not be harmed as long as they behave themselves,” Arcoh said as he squatted down next to David. He wiped some blood away from David’s bleeding forehead, and he began to smear the blood around, with his white-gloved fingertips.

Helena finally broke her silence, feeling concern for the children given her motherly sincerity. “Where are you taking them?”

“Ah! And she speaks! Well, unlike you, Miss Roland, the Good Commander, and the president here in this room. They do not possess certain requirements it takes to become my personal hostages. So like all of my captives, my people, that fail to meet that requirement, I have sent them to a camp. They will correct certain opinions they may have concerning my new world order. As for the citizens of the GDR, their wills will be easier to bend, for they already fear the power of their government. They hear stories about what occurs underneath the surface of this great city. Now politicians and soldiers . . . well, let’s just say loyalty is a hard value to correct.”

“You are brainwashing them.”

“Yes, Miss Roland, to better serve their future governing body.” Arcoh bent down to David, who began to crawl away from him as he attempted to wipe the blood from his face.

“So you were saying I am a fool, when it is you, David. You have just sold out the most diverse and beloved civilization in the solar system for the price of a single child. Because of your decision, fifty billion GDR citizens are now at the whims of an alleged ruthless and inhumane sociopath. Me.”

David continued to crawl away from Arcoh while he continued to speak. Arcoh would not have this. So he readjusted his squat, and lifted David’s head so that he stared directly into his eyes that burned with desire.

“It is people like you that inspire me to change humanity. Your selfish actions have cost your great nation untold accounts of misery, my friend. Through your arrogance you will witness the fall of a nation, and the rise of something completely unprecedented. A new flag, a new symbol, with new ideas, and new ways of thinking. I will humiliate you in front of your very own people. They will learn of the coward that you are. This is the price you will pay, the price you knew you would have to pay for your personal independence. I will show this to everyone in Eden, and everyone will cast you aside.”

“Just kill me. Why don’t you just kill me? Are you even human!” Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the (ꜰind)ɴʘvel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“I will kill you. I will kill everything that you are. When I am done, everything that makes you, you, will be destroyed. The only thing that will be left of you will be an empty shell of a man.”

David clutched his hands in extreme anger, as Arcoh continued to tower over him, and inform him of his intents and resolve.

“Then, I will divide your people—but I will reconstruct them. In time they will be begging for order, but most importantly change. And I will give this change to them by removing their freedom, creating dependence, and establishing my sovereignty.”

Mark spoke for the speechless leader of the GDR, as he squirmed around on the marble floor of the foyer. “Humanity will never change as long as there are people like you, Arcoh! And traitors like you, Silas!”

“How dare you address the king!” Silas shouted to Mark.

“That’s enough, Silas.” Arcoh walked over to Mark, and clutched his head while Mark continued to speak.

“You cannot change the nature of an entire species with indescribable acts of violence, and retribution. This is madness! You will never attain the change you believe we deserve! HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS FOR US!”

Arcoh lost his temper, and he began to shake Mark’s head with fury. “I HAVE TO! I HAVE TO CONTROL EVERYTHING! Because only then! ONLY THEN! Will Eden understand when I say this.”

Arcoh then laughed as he released Mark, stood back to his feet, and backed up towards Ivan.

“The next step in human evolution will be its last.”

Ivan rested his hands on Arcoh’s shoulders, as banter could be heard through his holoband transmitter. “Sir. The gravity weapon is in position over Remora.”

“What! No!” Mark responded in complete shock.

“Yes, Mark. Yes.” Arcoh looked out at the city of Arcadia, as the Crusader fleet began to fill up its skies, pouring in from high above the clouds.

“I will destroy your precious Remora, along with the so-called greatest freethinking individuals of the human race. You are learning, Mark. Societies as a whole should not have the right to think for themselves, that is a privilege. Choice is a privilege that can only be obtained through absolute power.”

“Choice is a right, Arcoh!”

“No, Mark. Choice must be earned. It is a privilege. It is an award, and it always should be.”

“We command the skies, sir,” Ivan said as Arcoh began to pace around, and observe his surroundings. “Very good, Ivan. Position the Hammer two hundred kilometers over the bay. Let’s also have a fleet of seven starcarriers, and sixty warcruisers on a constant patrol around the city, with, let’s say, six regiments of gunships, and we’ll get four standing field armies of infantry, and two other armored corps down on the city streets.” Arcoh stared into the presidential office as Silas walked up behind him.

“Very good, Your Grace. Admiral Chang is en route and has volunteered to be the commander of your patrol outfitting.”

“That is suitable.”

“He is wondering where you plan to make your primary command center.”

Arcoh laughed as he stepped into the presidential office, and headed towards the presidential chair. “What more suitable place than in the GDR’s most valued estate. From here we can see everything. It is perfect. Silas, take these three to a suitable room where you can watch over them.”

“Yes, sir.”

Arcoh then laughed manically as he ordered them to their captive chambers. Arcoh gazed upon the sunset that showered the city of Arcadia in gold. I’m sure it was a captivating moment, seeing his plans come to fruition. Arcoh had nearly 120 billion citizens looking upon him as their sovereign leader.

The GDR was a democracy, but it has become staggered and lopsided due to thousands of years of change. This was an extreme condition that Arcoh knew he could take advantage of. All he had to do was strike fear into the most powerful leader of the free worlds, because his words, David’s words, were absolute to his people. He was the decider and his decision had plunged Arcadia into Arcoh’s age.

Victoria and I were sitting atop a great piece of wreckage. The charred fuselage that was once the Alexandria. It was one hell of a climb. It stuck nearly a kilometer out of the ground and served as the highest landmark on the beach flats. I originally followed her up there with her same intention—she needed to see it with her own eyes. The fallout of her old life, the destruction of it all. It was one hell of a view, endless fields filled by the carcasses of smoking Remoran warships.

“Collin?”

“Victoria.”

“So this is what it feels like?” she asked.

“Yeah. Yeah, this is what it feels like.” I took in the view and sat down beside her, shading my eyes from the setting suns in the distance. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“The warp gate. I should have known it would only work for two people.”

She laughed and took a swig from her flask. Never took her as a drinker, but times such as these can reveal a lot about people. “I thought it seemed a little unrealistic. It doesn’t matter. If he was able to destroy our fleet when it was whole, what makes us think we could have fought him while we were still licking our scars? He knew where to hit us where it hurt most. But I am done feeling sorry for myself and my people.”

I sighed and slightly trembled as I turned to speak to her again.

“He beat me. I can’t believe I let him beat me.”

“He fooled all of us. Don’t be so selfish.”

She handed the flask to me and I took a swig, nearly gagging as I swallowed what tasted like pure gasoline.

“We can’t give up,” I said through my gag.

“We won’t.” She stood up and smiled at me while she began to pace around the platform. “Now, he thinks we have lost hope. Our hope is Arcoh’s greatest rival in his campaign. He will begin to drop his guard. I had a couple of tech dorks tell me that even with a billion-man armada in Arcadia, it would take at least a year for Arcoh to seize control of that city. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done, on both our sides.”

“There is something you aren’t telling me.”

Victoria swirled the flask around her fingers, finally looking up towards me with light in her eyes and belief in her heart. “I know what he meant now when he told me you would change everything. Your attitude makes you unlikeable, your ability can barely save yourself, and you have a set of skills that are completely useless in our current predicament. But it’s who you are, you are Collin King, the legendary gravball player who only became a legend when he retired. They all talk about you, you know? Everyone on this planet now, and every other planet in Eden. You are the inspiration we need to break through this. Because of you, Collin, we will never be alone, and we will always find people we can trust.”

“I just wish I could have done more.”

“You have given these people everything, Collin. I know things look bleak, but Arcoh cannot control 120 billion people; no man can, or woman for that matter. Revolution will be his ruin.”

“I never figured you for the optimist, Victoria.”

Victoria laughed and jumped to her feet, shielding the radiant sunlight from her eyes as she walked towards me.

“Well, I have to be; I am the Good Commander now. I won’t lie to you—we won’t be able to liberate Arcadia, Collin, but we can rescue Mark if we do it carefully.”

“If Arcoh hasn’t already executed them.”

“He’s not that stupid. They are his only bargaining chips for the collectives of humanity. As long as Arcoh has Mark—”

“And Helena,” I said before she had a chance to finish.

“Yes. As long as he has Mark we cannot fight him. Mark is the only one who can reunite the scattered fleets.”

I looked down at my feet. I just couldn’t shed this feeling of failure I had, it was eating me alive. It was then that Victoria rested her hand softly on my shoulder.

“Thank you, Collin.”

“What in Eden would you ever thank me for?”

“You made the decision to save my life over your own father’s. I can’t imagine how hard that must have been.”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“There is always a choice, Collin, but there isn’t always a right one. I didn’t think you had what it took to make those kind of decisions.”

“So you trust me now?”

She smiled at me and extended her hand to me in a kind gesture. “I still don’t really like you, but it’s a blessing to know who I can trust. I trust you’ll come with us to save Mark.”

I then cracked a smile. It broke that mask I always seemed to wear around her. I took my hand and gave her a firm handshake as I stared into her deep blue eyes.

“I can’t think of anything clever to say, so I’ll say yes.”

“Think faster next time then; we’ll need your wit in the battles ahead.”

“How do you plan on rescuing Mark? We don’t even have a way off this planet.”

“Virgil is waiting in the forward command center for you. He has a solution to that problem. Now get going—you have distracted me for long enough. I need to tend to my men.”

I ran then, all the way to the edge of the plain where Virgil was sitting in the grass staring up at the sky, remnants of what was once Minerva.

As I made my way towards him everyone looked upon me and smiled, while they worked diligently to rebuild what had been taken from them. Suffering was the one thing we all had in common, and they looked to me then as they did Mark, as they did with President Wright.

“Well, well.”

“Victoria said you have a way off this rock.”

“Are you sure you are ready for this?”

“I think I’ve found my purpose, old man.”

“That you have, kid.”

I sat down beside him and we took in the moment, there in the tall fields of grass the light breeze blowing the ashes of our worlds subtly past us.

“My past is buried out there, somewhere underneath the sands in the north.”

“You know what we’ll find?”

“Indeed I do, but it lies with a man I haven’t seen in five hundred years. He’s the only one who can help us.”

“Can you trust him?”

“I don’t know, but what choice we got?”

“Well then, what the hell are we waiting for!”

I pulled his ancient ass out of the grass and headed towards the nearest vehicle that would take us to the tundra in the north. He says he has a past to chase; I just hope we can trust this man he speaks of, the Great Destroyer. Yeah, he sounds like an outstanding individual, all the promise in the world. Shit. But I’ll do anything to get back to my love, Helena, who brought me back from the edge of insanity after the purge, and to save the man who gave me a second chance. Together they showed me how wonderful this life can really be—between all the suffering, and all the difficult choices we have to face. They taught me that some things are always worth fighting for.

And something else. Greatness is an obsession, which men will go to incredible lengths to achieve. And desire can be truly terrifying if balance is nonexistent, whether it is Arcoh murdering tens of billions of people, or Mark giving himself to Arcoh to give us a fair chance at freedom, I learned that to be great, all you have to do is do something different.

The Great Destroyer is coming.

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