The Venerate Order

by Troy Dukart

  The ball was falling beautifully down and it almost felt like slow-motion. Every second felt like five and I began to swing my foot up toward the ball. My body became level with the ground and with all of my might I kicked the ball. The hit was dead on and the ball flew like a bullet from Rousseau’s gun. Unfortunately, one of the opposing Wings was able to get a hand on it, but that didn’t make a dent in my impression. The ball didn’t go in the goal, but went on to fly well over 200 yards. Everyone stopped and stared as it flew through the air, except for the guy who blocked it, he was clutching his hand in pain.

  “Holy shit me boy! Ye could kick a mountain in half like that!” Captain Cali said.

  “Where did you learn to do that?!? How long have you been playing?!” my teammates asked me in amazement.

  “Kickin’ ass is what I do bro!” I said with a smile on my face.

  “If kickin’ ass means missing the Rose Goal, then yeah, you kick ass alright,” Charity teased.

  Roya smirked as she looked at me; we both knew we could use our abilities to our advantage. We continued the practice game by kicking off to the other team. We traded blows back and forth throughout four quarters.

  +++

  It was the final minute of the game with us trailing 24-31. The opponents had just scored and we were to get the ball. The Wing I was covering was extremely talented and had caught two BraveDown passes and blocked one I was going for in the second quarter. We knew that the only way to beat this team was to score a BraveDown.

  “Alright guys,” Charity said as she waved her hands to bring us in, “This is it! I know this is only a practice match but a win is a win! Let’s show my cousin who the starters are going to be! Win on three, one, two, THREE!!!”

  “WIN!!!” my teammates and I shouted.

  We caught the ball at our 30 yard mark after the kick-off. After we received the ball, the opposing team lined up their defense to try to funnel us towards the sides, where it’s easy to get tackled.

  “Aw, what the hell?” Charity said.

  She passed it to our Dodger who was in near the BraveDown, but he dropped it and we lost possession of the ball. The Dodger on the opposing team picked up the ball and tossed it back toward the Masterback on their team.

  The Masterback waved for his Wings to go deep into our territory, and I could see the guy I was covering starting to make a break for it. I was already ahead of him, and knew I had to start running toward the BraveDown to cover him. On cue, the Masterback tossed up the ball and it was going toward the back right side of the Goal-Zone, the same spots where my guy had caught the last two balls. Not this time asshole!

  We were running shoulder-to-shoulder down toward the Goal-Zone. The last two times, the Masterback had the ball go behind us, so the Wing I was guarding would stop mid-run, catch the ball, and make an easy jog into score while I kept running expecting it to be longer. It caught me off guard twice, but it wasn’t going down a third time.

  The ball came down, and right on cue, he made his cut and waited for the ball to come down. I turned and pivoted quickly and right before he was going to catch it I intercepted it. We got a Drop-Back and my teammates were screaming with excitement. Drop-Backs were when the defending team catches the ball in their own scoring zone.

  We received the ball at our 25 yard mark from out of bounds with 34 seconds left on the clock. Charity was thrown the ball and we began our march up toward the opponent’s territory. The Forwards marched up the field and began to block for us. The opposing Wings had begun to play us pretty tight, and didn’t give us much space to run.

  We were past the 50 yard mark and Rousseau’s Forwards had begun to overpower ours. Two of them were knocked over and led to broken coverage. Charity was being overwhelmed and the Dodger could only hold back one of them for so long. We looked at each other and nodded, almost as if to know what was going to happen. I saw the opposing Masterback was the only one covering the middle field, and if we got past that, it would’ve been an easy pass to score.

  I ran across the mid-field with the Wing covering me and pushed the Masterback out of the way for Charity. There was a tripping penalty and we called a time-out. Captain Cali called us over for a last play, “Listen ‘ere. Everyone be in near that Goal Zone, even ye Forwards! Charity, get ready to run ye ass off and chuck it in there!”

  “Damnit! Those are the hardest ones to make Cap’n!” one of the large Forwards told him.

  “If you be fine with losing and getting extra chores, then lose! I warn ye Finley, you’ll be on shit duty for this!” Captain Cali joking teased.

  “No way Cap’n! Let’s go for it!” Finley replied.

  “Strafe! Ye’re to be the one to catch the ball! I want ye to use ye strength to muscle that ball down,” Captain Cali told me as he handed me the ball.

  “That’s still gonna be hard as hell to catch! I’ll be covered like a blanket over there!” I retorted.

  “Yeah, but ye be the strongest Wing and the entire rest of the team is going block for ye. Ye’ll have to pull it down with all ye strength! I’m feelin’ mighty luck right now,” Captain Cali told me. I could see his retina’s turn black and felt a swift boost of confidence. Does he. . . have Guardian power?

  “Trust me Strafey-boy, I got this,” Charity told me as she patted me on the shoulder. When she did, I had complete confidence in her, as if the touch changed my mind.

  “You better hook your ‘boy’ up with a good pass is all I have to say!” I ribbed back to her.

  We piled up in the middle and the other team surrounded us, to try to box us in. Charity waited down at the 20 yard line. Most Masterbacks chose to give themselves 10 yards to run and throw. In a real game, the referee would be down at the end near the Masterback to toss them the ball, but with no refs, Rousseau volunteered instead. The play began as soon as the Masterback called for the ball.

  “Yaaa!” Charity shouted; I saw pink lines form all over her skin.

  Rousseau tossed her the ball and she caught it mid-run. Just as she hit the 30 yard mark, she lobbed the ball in the air toward us as hard as she could. Everyone’s eyes were glued to the ball like it was a diamond falling out of the sky. The pushing got quite intense, as they were trying to contain us and we were trying to break free. The ball kept flying and really had some height on it. I waited in the middle until I saw it begin to fall. One cue, the team blocked the opponent as I jumped up.

  Our trick didn’t go unnoticed as three people from their team came over to cover me, and one of them was their Center Forward. We didn’t have time to change the play. Alright bastards! This ball is mine!

  The ball came down and it was three against one. I turned on my Aura and jumped up as high as I could. Even with the defenders, that didn’t stop me from getting some serious height. They tried desperately to take swipes at the ball, but it didn’t matter. The clock was winding down, and I caught sight of it at four seconds left in the game. This was it, all or nothing!

  Sweat ran down my forehead like never before. There was something about crunch time in sports that didn’t compare to anything else. This moment felt a lot like a Football, Basketball or Baseball game where everything was on the line. I knew that my teammates were depending on me to be the hero and the adrenaline was intense. I channeled my energy and like a tiger hunting their prey, I reached up to catch the ball. To my dismay, it skidded across my fingers and flew out of the end zone. A horn sounded the game was over and I fell down on my ass. I came down so hard that it knocked down all of the defenders around me. I felt crushed, not just physically but emotionally as well.

  “FIZA!” Roya yelled a profanity in Zindaqean as she slapped her knee.

  “WOOOHHHOOOOOO!!!!” Rousseau’s teammates yelled.

  They were all around me and giving each other huge hugs. One guy even kissed the Wing on the cheek! Captain Cali and Charity walked over to the sideline.

  “Damn, what an incredible way to end the game!” Rousseau said to me as he smacked my chest.


  “Damnit!” I yelled in frustration as I slapped my knee.

  “Don’t worry yourself much Strafe-Sah. Sometimes to succeed, we must fail,” Roya assuaged.

  “I’m gonna win this championship. Losing is never something I’m comfortable with,” I claimed with conviction.

  “Sometimes you have to be happy with what you have, and have been given versus resenting the fact that you didn’t get what you wanted today,” Roya advised.

  “It’s a tough thing to accept the fact. But, you are right,” I admitted as I got up, “Every time we get knocked down, we come back stronger.”

  “Ahoy me boy, I think I just wet me self! Ahahaha!” Captain Cali joked as he walked up to us, “I know we didn’t ‘ave time to game plan, but I know next time you’ll make that catch to win the big one! Who’s with me!?”

  “WOO HOO!!!” both teams shouted.

  We shook hands with each other and knew that tomorrow was the start of the real deal. As inexperienced as Roya and I were, we could feel the excitement and belief in this team. It was a great feeling.

  “Arrr, damn sun be settin’. Get yer ground-walkin’ arses back to the tent and eat somethin’! Ye’ve earned it,” Captain Cali shouted to all of us.

  “See you at the tent Strafe, I got to take care of some things,” Rousseau said as he ran off with Captain Cali.

  “See ya!” I waved back.

  The rest of the team began to walk away, but Roya waited for me. I walked up to her.

  “You know, I think you cheated, turning on your Aura every once and a while,” I teased with a smile on my face.

  “No more than you,” Roya teased back.

  “You know, I wanted to ask how you knew where to find me in Dhenfen’Ce?” I asked her.

  She smiled at me and touched my chest, “You have a different heart Strafe-Sah. Once that draws others to you. One that. . . has been hurt and doesn’t wish it on anyone else. I see that is why you fight so hard for us. You fight for those you love.”

  This war wasn’t easy for me. I never was a violent or ultra-competitive person growing up but I would give everything I had to fight for those I loved. She was right.

  “I never got to say thank you for saving Brutus and me in Dhenfen’Ce. Falco picked a great woman to be with,” I said.

  “When you entered this world, I could feel it in my heart. You look so much like my Falco,” she expressed to me.

  “Love and Passion are pretty close emotions, don’t you think?” I said looking at her lips.

  “Walk back to the tent with me. I need to have someone to talk to,” Roya requested as she held her hand out. I held it as we walked back with Brutus.

  We began talking about our lives and what it was like to live on Earth. She was very fascinated with the differences. She was especially interested in space flight. I told her that this place reminded me of fairy-tails I used to hear of back home. Then we got to talking about the war that was going on.

  “How did you end up here?” she asked.

  “Believe it or not, I ran through a portal that I had no idea where it would lead me to,” I explained.

  “Because of Tiras and his goons?” Roya finished my sentence.

  “I also am here to save my friends, Yessa and Gain and to avenge a person I looked up to as a father-figure. I never wanted any of this, this, crazy war! I come from a place where hurting people is part of the past and where warriors aren’t needed anymore. Eternia is an insane place to live in if you ask me. I don’t know why I was chosen for this,” I uttered.

  “I think it is because you have a good heart, and this world is lacking those kinds of people,” Roya caressed my face.

  “It’s because I have people I love that need me, and I won’t ever give up until they are in my arms again. Some Native Americans fight with their identity and the past transgressions that were inflicted upon them. I’m also Irish, and both cultures had to fight against oppression for hundreds of years. I feel their struggle in me, even in my peaceful world. I fought too hard in my life to overcome personal struggles to not be with the people I love,” I responded.

  I looked deep into her eyes, and I could tell she was having a hard time not looking at my lips. If I wanted to, I knew I could kiss her but Yessa kept popping in my head.

  “I hope you can hold them soon, no fun no having your love gone,” she said as she got closer.

  “I miss my mom too, I’m sure she’s worried sick for me,” I murmur as my chin fell to my chest.

  For some reason, I had never cried about what happened, but being so far away from home, and finally opening up about it brought a tear to my eye. It slid down my cheek; it helped to wash off the dirt and face paint as it fell. I couldn’t hold back the tears. I tried to walk away, but Roya grabbed my hand and pulled me in and kissed me on the lips.

  “After all you’ve gone through, don’t feel bad about crying. That’s something only a real man can do. I just wanted to let you know that I believe in you and you didn’t deserve this sadness Strafe. I hope that kiss could remind you of her,” Roya assured.

  “You know, you remind me a lot of Yessa, the way you care so much about the people close to you. You’re strong like her too,” I hugged her.

  “It is hard to be strong like this Strafe. In my culture sometimes it is very hard to be a woman. I never thought my own family would banish me for falling in love on my own. It is hard to find people who understand my struggle,” Roya fought through watery-eyes to tell me.

  We were near the tent and she began to walk away, but I ran up and turned her around and grabbed her by the waist. We gazed deep into each other’s eyes and it felt like we were completely as one. I pulled her close and brushed her nose with mine and I kissed her again. There was something about being with a woman that makes everything seem at peace. Regardless of all that had happened to me recently, for that moment, with her lips and tongue dancing with mine, it reminded me of freedom. I held her head and brushed through her hair with one hand and clasped her hand with mine with the other. No matter when or where, a kiss was to be cherished forever.

  I pulled away and she still had her eyes closed; I could tell she was still absorbing the feelings. “Wow,” she complimented, “Only one person has kissed me like that.”

  “I’ve learned to be grateful for every beautiful moment I have. When today could be our last day alive, I want it to be unforgettable,” I noted as I brushed her hair.

  “Strafe,” she said as she laid her head on my chest, “I don’t want to cause any trouble for you, with her.”

  “You’re not. Whenever I kiss a woman, I am reminded of why I love them so much. It brings out the true me,” I explained to her.

  She brought me into her room and we laid down on the her bed together. The candle light, smell of wood and cooked meat, and the fragrance of her sea-breeze perfume made it too hard to resist. At the back of my mind, I was thinking about Yessa, but at the same time I was excited to explore Roya’s body. We began to undress each other, first the boots and socks, then the tops, and then the slacks.

  She had a lot of scars all over her back and shoulders, and the Power of Love insignia over her left breast. I noticed the Power of Passion tattoo that rested on my chest was glowing. We began kissing again, and this time I held both of her hands in mine with our fingers intertwined. Roya stopped me before I took off her shorts and told me, “You must understand Strafe, that I am not ready for that with you. I only wish to lay next to you tonight and kiss.”

  “Sounds perfect to me,” I acknowledge.

  It probably brought back mixed emotions about Falco, so I respected her wishes. Even laying next to her as she fell asleep made me feel like the luckiest man to have ever lived. She was so intoxicating.

  Chapter 24/

  The Stadium

  Strafe

  When I woke up, I couldn’t stop thinking about Yessa.

  Roya reminded me of how incredible it was to be with a woman. That feeling made me feel alive and forg
et about all the bullshit I was going through. Still, I just cheated on Yessa, and I knew I would have to come clean about it when I saw her again. I was also bothered that my mom was probably worried sick about me. She was my rock.

  From my estimates I’d been in this world for almost a month and it was taking its toll on me. Some nights I would tear-up when I would look at her picture before I went to sleep. Brutus could sense I was going through a hard time and was always there for comfort. He was the only part of home I had with me. We would talk about the good times growing up in New Santa Barbara. Times like going to the beach and playing volleyball, getting ice cream on the pier and playing guitar with my high school friends. He was a true spirit animal, we were to be with each other forever. Brutus gave me so much strength, and he missed my mom just as much as I did. He told me that he wished for nothing more than to see me happy. He would stay by my side until we found Yessa, my brother and help to save Gain. We all needed to be strong for each other.

  I turned to my right and saw Roya was deep asleep. I brushed my index finger down the curve in her spine before I got out of bed. I loved that part on a woman. I took a shower and picked up my cleaned clothes from the laundry and walked out into the tent. It was a beautiful morning. The weather was warm, there was a slight breeze, and not a cloud in the sky. It was the perfect day for a tournament.

  I saw Rousseau talking to Captain Cali at the far corner of the room. Captain Cali had his elbow leaning against the wall and was holding Rousseau’s hand with the other. They each had their heads turned to the side and were very close. Hmmm?

  I didn’t want to stare, so I walked over to the bathroom. While on the toilet, I couldn’t help but thinking how surprisingly empty the tent was and that Zon was still nowhere to be found. It’d been two days straight without his return. Hopefully he was okay. After I got done I walked out and went to get something to eat. Roya was sitting at the table, and it looked like she was praying. I was going to sit by myself but she called out to me, “Don’t worry Strafe-Sah, I am finishing up my morning prayer, please come take a seat with me.”