Free Excelsior by George Sirois Page B

the cafeteria, her arms folded across her chest and a smile across her face.
    "It looks like there is more of Excelsior inside you than you thought."
     
     
    CHAPTER 5
     
    “I need... to... see Acerus!”
    Niterra barely managed to gasp out her words between her violent tremors. Her left shoulder filled the cave with the stench of scorched flesh, and strands of her blond hair stuck to her face. Elder Quinterus saw where tears had washed streaks through the dirt on her dry cheeks.
    “What happened?”
    Niterra struggled to catch her breath. “I need. To see. Acerus. Now.” She collapsed to her knees.
    Quinterus ignored her impertinence and gently helped her back to her feet. Her body went taut when he accidentally jostled her shoulder, but she managed to stand. “Come, Niterra,” he said as he led her into the cave.
    Denarian men and women acknowledged Quinterus with a polite nod as they passed, soft murmurs of concern following the muscular Elder and Niterra as they increased their pace. One man, with a heavyset physique and tight, curly hair, gasped when he saw the young female and followed them.
    “What happened?” he demanded, not caring if his voice had a disrespectful tone.
    The young woman briefly grabbed the man’s hand and gave it a weak squeeze but she never stopped moving. “I'll be fine, Zorribis. Don't worry about me. We have to see Acerus right away.”
    “Didn't I tell you that something like this would happen if they caught you spying? Why did you have to do this?”
    Niterra clenched her teeth in pain and kept walking. Glancing over her wounded shoulder she saw Zorribis stop, his usually handsome mahogany skin an ashy gray.
    Elder Quinterus guided Niterra down a tight passageway cut into the rock and past two towering armed Denarians. They found Acerus sitting on a simple handmade chair facing the empty sheath that once held the sword of Excelsior. Hunched forward, his dark eyes remained fixed on the sheath.
    Elder Quinterus had no time to genuflect before the High Elder. “Acerus, Niterra has returned with some urgent news.”
    Acerus blinked and then turned toward Quinterus and Niterra. His contemplative look quickly became one of concern. “My dear child, what has happened?” The High Elder stood and helped Quinterus lower her into his chair. Acerus tenderly examined her wound. “This is not a weapon burn or a chemical burn,” he mused, picking away some of the scorched material sticking to her flesh. In spite of his delicate touch, the girl shook.
    “Father Acerus,” Niterra began. Her voice was a hoarse squeak.
    “It seems like such a short time ago that you came here with the Denarians freed by Semminex. Such strength you showed, even then.”
    “High Elder – please!” Niterra cut him off. She had no time to waste by fondly looking back on old memories.
    “What is it my dear? What did you see?”
    Niterra took a deep breath and forced it out. “Nocterar.”
    Acerus' eyes widened and he took a step back. “No!”
    Shaking, Niterra managed a nod then collapsed.
    Quinterus caught her from falling out of her chair and repositioned her so she could rest. Despite her body's exhaustion, she could still hear the two Elders speaking. “By the father of Valertus!”
    “How could this happen?" Acerus asked. "Excelsior crushed him under a pile of rock. He could not have possibly survived that!”

“I am afraid we will have to believe he has survived, High Elder. This child was willing to risk her life to bring us this news.”
    “Bring her to the healers immediately,” Acerus instructed. She could feel two guards helping her limp body out of the chair.
    “Father Acerus, there must have been a reason Nocterar was given leadership of the Krunation Empire," Quinterus said. "It's possible that they knew he could survive his battles with Excelsior.”
    “Do you know what this means? Danaak returning to life on Earth and Nocterar suddenly revived here?”
    As the Denarian guards assisted