“Naymeer was given the key to Halla,” Saint Dane answered, pointing to the Traveler ring on my finger. “A key you have as well, but Naymeer was not afraid to use it for more meaningful pursuits than sending mail. He opened the door for the chosen. The Ravinians. They will be the leaders of a new Halla. The same will happen on each and every world. The truth of the grander existence of man will be revealed to those who are worthy of leading the way. Those people down there are the first. Many more are joining every day, from all over the world. They are not necessarily people of wealth or power, but they share a common philosophy. They do not tolerate anything less than absolute perfection.”
“There’s no such thing as perfection,” I countered.
His eyes flared. His lips curled into a smirk. “Not yet.”
I wanted to hit the guy.
“Weakness will not be tolerated. On any level. The advancement of our societies will be the singular goal. It is all about the greater good. There will be no room for pity or second-guessing.”
“And no room for humanity,” I added.
“Humanity is nothing more than an acceptance of failure. We do not accept failure. The goal is too great.”
“And what exactly is that goal?” I asked.
“Utopia.”
I had to let that sink in. Saint Dane really believed he was working to create an ideal Halla. Trouble was, there was no place in that ideal world for most of the people already in it.
“What about Third Earth?” I asked. “You destroyed an ideal society. That’s not exactly Utopia.”
“It is no longer about territories, Pendragon. There were ten territories but only seven worlds in Halla. Each will have to be torn down and stripped of its prior imperfections before it can be allowed to truly flourish. What happens on Earth is simply part of that process.”
“Do those people down there know that they’re setting something in motion that will lead to the ruin of their own society?” I asked.
Saint Dane chuckled. I was amusing him again.
“They know sacrifices must be made. They accept that. Part of their strength is the ability to make difficult choices. That’s why it was so important to reveal the true nature of Halla. They understand there is life beyond the few meager years they will spend here. They are working to create a perfect, eternal life for themselves as citizens of Halla. The same will happen on each world. It will begin with conclaves such as this. The strong will join together to unify Halla. There will no longer be barriers.”
Things were becoming clear to me, and totally overwhelming. The Convergence was going to create a single, unified Halla that was under the control of Saint Dane. For the first time, I was beginning to see how it might be possible.
“You know you’re a total hypocrite,” I said.
“And how is that?”
“You’ve based your whole philosophy on the fact that the people of the territories make dumb, selfish choices that hurt them in the long run. Yet that’s exactly what you’re taking advantage of. You’re tempting these people with the promise of some kind of perfect existence. Aren’t those people down there being just as selfish as anybody else? I guess that means you think it’s okay to be selfish, so long as it helps you get what you want.”
“There is a difference,” Saint Dane replied. “Yes, I’ve influenced these people through Naymeer. I’ve tempted them. I’ve given them hope for a better world. But in this case, the choice was mine, and I am correct. If Halla is to flourish, my way is the only way. These people simply recognize that fact.”
I looked at the demon, who was keeping his eyes on the people as they filed in. The room was nearly full.
“Then what have you proved?” I asked. “Only that people will always try to make a better life for themselves.”
“I have proved that left to their own devices, they will never find it. People need guidance from a higher authority. Someone with vision. I have that vision. It will now become a reality.”
“This is insane. You can’t create two different classes and think that the normal people of the world will let it happen. No way.”
“Then how do you explain the stand taken by the United Nations? That august, respected voice of this world will vote tomorrow to adopt our positive way of thinking as an international standard. Is any more validation needed than that? People want simple answers, Pendragon. They want to be shown how things can be made better. They’re tired of pulling the deadweight of society. Ravinia gives them the chance to fly, not just survive.”
“And what happens to those who don’t fit your perfect profile?” I asked.
“They will perform important functions. There will always be a need for pure, simple laborers.”
“Slaves,” I said with disdain.
“Call it what you like.”
“They’ll try to stop you,” I warned.
“They will regret it,” Saint Dane said ominously.
Before I could ask him what he meant by that, a door opened to the rear of the room. Two red shirts entered, followed by two more. It took four of them to keep Alder under control.
“Ahh, our dear friend from Denduron!” Saint Dane exclaimed. “Just in time.”
Alder’s hands were tied in front of him. I imagined the hard time he had given the dados.
“You all right?” I asked.
He nodded. I saw a huge black-and-blue mark on his cheek. I wondered how many of the dados he took out before they stopped him. Two of the red shirts left. The other two stayed and stood inside the door. I guess they were expecting more trouble.
“Look,” Saint Dane exclaimed, gesturing to the viewing window. “It begins.”
Alder and I stood together at the window and looked down. The place was packed. Every last seat was taken. The lights went dark. I felt a collective rush of anticipation from the people below. Everyone was at attention, waiting for…what? A pin spot of light hit a sole figure that stood near the mouth of the flume. Naymeer. He wore a long, dark robe, making him look like a monk. The crowd gasped, as if they were in the presence of a rock star.
“Behold,” Naymeer’s amplified voice boomed. “Halla.”
Naymeer held up his fist. Beams of laser like light shot from his ring, spraying the room with color. The light danced over the faces of the assembled, who let out a collective sigh. They all had these serene looks, as if they were being kissed by a thousand tiny angels. I was less impressed. It was the same kind of light that sprang from the flume whenever it was activated. Okay, maybe I never saw it come from a Traveler’s ring, but still. It wasn’t all that new to me. I found myself rubbing my own ring. I had no idea it contained that kind of power. I looked at Alder. He stared at the spectacle, expressionless.
The light flashed into the flume. Instantly the gray rocks of the tunnel began to glow. Naymeer had activated the tunnel. The rocks turned crystal. Light sprang from the flume itself. Was somebody on the way in? A ball of light erupted from the mouth of the tunnel, creating a brilliant flash. When the flash subsided, it was my turn to gasp. Three-dimensional images floated near the mouth of the flume.
Images of Halla.
“The island city of Faar from Cloral,” Naymeer announced.
I saw the mountain city that had risen from beneath the sea. Hauler submarines floated around it, as if suspended in space. It was incredible. The image was clear, yet transparent.
I couldn’t take my eyes off it. I didn’t think anybody else could either. No wonder they were all so impressed by Naymeer and his promises of other worlds.
“Faar will be the home for Ravinia on Cloral,” Naymeer’s voice boomed. “As will the village of Leeandra on Eelong, and Xhaxhu on Zadaa. Each world will have its own Conclave of Ravinia, as we have here in New York.”
My stomach now hurt as much as my head. It felt like a fantasy come true. A horrible, evil fantasy. As amazing and real as it was, I didn’t get how these people could buy into it so easily. I mean, I knew it was real, but to the people of Earth it just as easily could have been a hologram movie as a glimpse into another world. Why did they buy into it without any doubt?
