“Of course. They are within you.”
“What do you mean?”
“The portal was designed for the Chokka to use. It works on your energy.”
“My energy? I don’t understand.”
“Everyone has their own energy. Each energy is unique to that individual person. The Chokka share an energy among themselves, which make their energy stronger. Because of this strength however, the energy takes longer to change into other forms of energy. Chokka energy has existed for years beyond the deaths of the Chokka.”
“So you’re saying I can control this portal.”
“Yes, I’m saying you can. But not yet.” Babel looked at Quentin. “The Keeper has dedicated many years of science to the portal. I do not know if he has the ability to call and control the portal but I believe he is close.”
“So he could enter my world?”
“He could. He has a massive army with many sophisticated weapons. It would be difficult for anyone to defeat them.”
Babel thought on the militaries around his world. He had already seen that the technology here was more advanced than is his world. There was no telling what type of weapons they had. He did not know where the portal would enter his world, he guessed India. They could conquer and recruit and build quite an army. The Keeper might not defeat everyone in Babel’s world but he would kill many people. There had to be a way to stop him.
“So what can we do?”
“It must be you. People will listen to you.”
“I’m just one person. And a wanted person if the Klopph know about me. I don’t want this to happen but what can I do?”
“You are a Chokka. The last of your family.”
“I’m not the leader of the world.”
“Listen to me: the Császár was elected by the people but there was no doubt that one of the Chokka’s children would be the next elected ruler. People here only elect a Chokka as the ruler of the world. You are the last remaining Chokka. If the people learn of you, they will follow you as their leader.”
Babel looked at Quentin seriously. “I came here to find my father. Now he is dead. I don’t want the Keeper to enter my world but I have a life my world. I didn’t come here to be the ruler of this world.”
Quentin looked back at Babel just as serious. “It was not a coincidence that Triana found you. It was also not a coincidence that I am Triana’s uncle, the one person who can help you. It’s more than coincidence.”
Babel had considered that as well. “I need some time to digest this.”
Quentin smiled. “I think you are saying that you need time to think about this?”
Babel smiled and nodded.
“Very well. We can talk more about this later. Come, let’s go see my new garden.”
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
The Cancellarrii checked the signal again. The energy was still there. He had explored many of the energy sources in the early years, finding secret meeting locations that had been used by the Chokka. Over time, however, the energy faded and for years there had been nothing new that had warranted his attention. The new signal changed that.
Most of the old energy sources had been stationary. This new signal was strong and it was moving around the city, having already moved from the Elder Quarter to the Garden Quarter.
The technology of the tracking device did not give him an exact location but it came within a mile of the energy source. The wide range was due to the constant movement of the energy in specific areas. Once he was in the area, however, he could track down the strongest point of energy in that location, which was the source.
He had first checked for the energy on a hunch at the cemetery. He had never heard of anyone fighting the Pishacha with fire. When they attacked, there just wasn’t time.
He came back after the initial investigation and checked the energy readings. They were ten times of any other previous reading. He recalibrated the device to make sure it was not malfunctioning and then rechecked the reading. It came back the same.
“How is this possible? All of the Chokka are dead and the Chokka we captured was never in the cemetery.” He pondered over the question for some time and came to the conclusion that there was another Chokka. “Where would another Chokka come from?”
After debriefing the Klopph who had been in the other world for twenty years, he discovered that the Chokka had a son. “Of course, who else could it be?”
He took the new information back to his office and had just settled behind his desk when there was a knock on his door. He sighed. “Enter.” His top officer, known by the rank of the Kaptajn, entered.
“I’m sorry to bother you, sir.”
“Are you really?”
The Kaptajn smiled. “I am.”
The Cancellarrii suppressed a smile. “Very well. What news?”
“We followed the energy of the Chokka to the Garden Quarter.”
The Cancellarrii could tell by the Kaptajn’s tone that the news was not going be what he expected. “And…?”
“And, sir, the energy dissipates in many directions and we are unable to find the source.”
“How is this possible?”
“I’m not sure. We have always been able to track the source before. It’s almost as if something is blocking the signal, or at the very least deflecting the source signal so that we can’t identify the exact location.”
“But you’re sure of the general area?”
“We are.”
“Have you asked the Physics Team what might be disrupting the signal?”
“I have and they are working on an explanation.”
This was not the news that he wanted to receive but at the moment there was nothing he could do about it. “Very well, keep me posted.”
