The beginning of the end (extract)

Chapter One
The beginning of the end
*
Deep inside Kelia cities wall's just beneath the main city spire the councillors sit in the chamber of government deciding what the fate of the cities future would be. Benjamin High general of the city’s army stood arrogantly on the centre podium his armour shining as the well polished metal caught the lights that shone down on him. His medals sat proudly on his chest, each a statement of the achievements in his career as a soldier in the cities army.
Benjamin held sway over the councillors because of his decorated and well documented career but today, as he stood on the podium in the centre of the chamber, arguing with the council over the future of the city, a flicker of doubt resonated through the councillors.
*
“We need to expand… We need to remove the remnants of the past that live outside our wall's and bring the new order that we have created into the world instead of guarding it like some fragile flower!"
*
There was a murmur around the room as the councillors muttered their thoughts at this unbelievable comment, the elder officials remembering the past years before the city had peace discussed all of the riots that had been caused within the city wall's and were trying to bring order to the room by reminding the younger council members that they needed to be safe, needed to stay within the city walls to keep this order that had taken so long to create. The murmur became a rumble as the councillors started to argue amount themselves.

A silence settled over the camber as President Martyn a dark haired man with a stern face and long white robe stood as the leader of the council to address Benjamin in these rogue demands.*
He placed his hands firmly onto the desk that stood before him and with his head held high looking more at the councillors than at Benjamin who stood defiant in front of him, he spoke in a commanding voice to the chamber.
*
“Look around you Benjamin the world is in decay… We MUST stay within the wall's of this great city in order to maintain the peace that we have worked SO hard to create."*
Martin paused a second to let the silence give emphasis to his words.

"Yes our armies are large, and stay off the onset of the rebels from outside our boarders, but we must remember the mistakes of the past”. *Martyn looked around the room to make sure that he had been heard.

The councillors nodded and grumbled in agreement.
*
“You’re a fool Martyn… we have lived in this prison long enough! *We fear the outside world for no reason. I have been with the armies of this city to the edges of our borders and beyond!” He looked around the room as the councillors gasped at his arrogance.
*
The councillors looked at each other and whispered.
”He’s been outside the boarders…” They where whispering.
“Who gave you authorisation for such a mission?” One of the Elder councillors shouted form the benches.

A small smile almost invisible to everyone touched the corner of Benjamin's mouth.
“You see… you are all so scared of the past that you now fear the future as well. But I will fear it no longer. I will rid this planet of the mistakes it has made and bring our people into a new future”.
*
Benjamin turned around and stormed out of the chamber swinging the heavy metal doors open with a loud crash as they slammed into the walls outside, the sound echoed around the chamber as the shocked silence held until two of Benjamin's lieutenants followed him out of the high metal doors that stood at the back of the chamber and closed them with another loud slam. The chamber erupted into a frenzy of councillors shouting and arguing among themselves about what had just happened and what they could do to stop this trouble. They where scared and for the first time in many years.

“We must stop him before he becomes dangerous Martyn”. One of the elder councillors said.

“I do fear what will happen if young Benjamin’s plans came to fruition. Who knows what we have created within our own ranks…” Martyn looked down at his hands.

“By creating an army we may have created our own destruction and the end of life as we know it”.

The room was silent at the solemn words of Martyn who was the highest of all the councillors of the super city.

“I will consult the main government council about this concern, we will reconvene again in nine days and decide what is to be done. For now we must be vigilant and hope that all will be well”.
*
The sun had turned to a deep shade of rust in the sky and the air was cool out on the balcony high above the city as Jack Benjamin’s child hood friend and most trusted companion stood talking with Benjamin about what had happened earlier that day at the council meetings.
*
“Benjamin…" Jack paused from the look on Benjamin's face
"Sir... If I may, you seemed to forward today. I mean questioning the councils laws, and openly, in front of President Martyn of all people". Jack stepped closer to the edge of the balcony.

"Are you trying to get yourself exiled or killed?” *concern on his face, hardly believing what had just happened Jack waited for a response.

“The old councillors don’t have any power anymore Jack, their time has past. We… we are the future of this city. Only we can move this city into the future”. Benjamin put his hand on Jack’s shoulder.
“I still think we should have kept this quiet until the timing was better. We aren’t in the strongest of positions. We don’t have the backing we need to over throw the council yet and if they realise what we mean to do they will kill us both”. Jack sighed as he looked at Benjamin.
*
Benjamin turned away from Jack and moved to lean on the balconies edge, to look out over the city a city he had spent his whole life protecting. He looked down on all the people moving around the city like ants not think, not knowing what was happing above them and he sighed quietly.
*
Then without even a look at Jack he said.
*
“We are made for a better purpose than this life can give us Jack... I won’t ask you to risk your life so that I can show you that I am right. We have been friends to long and I only ask that you don’t get in my way when the time comes”.
*
Jack now standing right behind him put one hand on his shoulder.

“You know I would follow you into the fires of hell if I thought you needed my help. You’re a proud man Ben… just don’t let that pride get you killed".
*
Jack smiled a half hearted smile and left Benjamin to his thoughts. He walked through the chamber and out of the tall wide metal doors.
He order two of his lieutenants’ to stay at the door of the chamber and contact him if there be any need to. Jack was starting to be concerned about Benjamin’s state of mind, he’d known him since they where children but in all that time he’d never seen him like this so withdraw and secret.