21.
The
Archdeacon overheard the Elite and the Captain. He had heard of the Vault. The
key to unlock had gone missing and some believed it to be still in the Dome but
he had never seen it. He had been there for over two decades and not even his
torture of the previous Archdeacon had revealed the vault.
“Cover
me.” The Archdeacon told the Enforcers and then proceeded to the basement. He
found himself followed by the Elite. He stopped and looked at the other.
“Why
are you following me?”
“I
now know that Rival is here. He lives.”
“I
don’t know what you are talking about. Rival….. I have not seen him for years.”
The Archdeacon replied. “You must be mad…”
“Mad,
I am not. Your brother is here. He is the Caretaker.” Pierre looked at the
Archdeacon. “You do know of the Vault, huh?”
“A
fallacy of the past that no one ever knew it ever existed.” The Archdeacon
looked at the Elite. “Your kind had pursued it for ages. It does not exist.”
“And
why did you preserve this place? The Dome is the outpost of the antiques but do
you know why, Archdeacon?” Pierre looked hard at the Archdeacon.
“Let
me tell the tale.” Pierre spoke. “The vault was the ultimate find if it was
ever opened. The Dome was built to house the antiques including the key as we
called it. It was to preserve the items here hoping that one of it will unravel
the vault. That key was believed taken by Rival when the Truands tried to break
in to the Elite’s House.”
“It
was a fallacy. There is no key at all. I had searched it myself. And if Rival
had it, he would have told me ” The Archdeacon hit back.
“Remove
your mask, Marcus. Speak to me, Marcus Luiz. Did you harbor your brother here?
Rival was spared by me. I saved him from the Truands, and he gave me the supposed
key programs that turned out to be incomplete. I need the whole key programs.”
“You
are mad. There is no key with him. He had given you that to escape. You were
fooled.”
“Then
it’s here. Rival came here after his escape.” Pierre was insistent.
“I
have checked the Dome in every corner.”
The Archdeacon looked at Pierre. “Our deal is off now. I will take
Esmeralda to some place safe from you and the others.”
“If
we can get out of this Dome. Right now, we need to find Rival.” Pierre had
changed his focus.
“You
may find him yourself. I am looking for my girl.” The Archdeacon then proceeded
to the basement. He saw Pierre standing there. “The Caretaker may be in the
rear.”
The
Archdeacon tried to divert the Elite.
“No,
I am going with you. I will have her too as my …. Prize.” Pierre smiled. “We
will be lovers, father.”
Outside
at the yard, the Voivode had seen the battle was getting against her odds. She
called on the warriors to regroup and it was then she saw the newly arrived
Truands.
“Maybe
we might win.” The Voivode muttered. She took to the right of the Dome, and
allowed the Truands to take the left.
“Hey,
King of the Truands. Why are you here?” The Voivode called out. The Community
had an understanding with the Truands.
“We
are here for a member of the Truands.” The Chief Elder replied. “Why are your
people here?”
“We
came for the girl held against her will. She is of my Community.” The Voivode
replied. “The Truands have an ideal on the innocent. She is of one.”
“Then
we will battle together. I stand by my words.” The Chief Elder called back. He
then used his communicator to the member of his Council.
“Gringoire,
where are you? I got your call but I am here for Rival Luiz. He has to….”
“It’s
me, Gringoire. I am glad that you are here. Rival Luiz is here. I had seen
him.” Pierre replied.
“Rival
is here to answer for the death of the others.” The Chief Elder stated his
intention. “He escaped our wrath. I recalled your part in it. Your defense was
that you were overpowered. It was the Council who believed you but not me. I
had my doubts.”
“Chief
Elder, Rival Luiz held the key program to the vault. The vault was what you and
I had pursued for years.” Pierre raised his defense. “I can explain it all if
we combined forces. Your father will have understood.”
The
Chief Elder’s father was the one who pardoned Pierre against the others.
“My
father… Don’t raise his soul here now. He was …”
“He
was my mentor. I gave him of the key programs but it did not work then. I had
searched for it, and of late, joined the Community as their Minstrel to get the
whereabouts of Rizal Luiz. Rival’s mother is the Voivode.”
“You
gave the key programs to my father? So it was you who released Rival. And now
the Voivode? This yarn of the tale gets more interesting. I will …. I will
combine with you if you produce Rival to me.”
“I
can’t …not yet. He is not at the basement.” Pierre spoke to the Chief Elder. He
was with the Archdeacon at Rival’s chamber during the call. The Caretaker was
missing.
So
was Esmeralda.
“They
must have escaped together.” The Archdeacon muttered. Then they heard the
shouts and the call for assistance.
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