Gateway to Astria - Part 1

by Isaiah Gray

  ~*~

  I finally found the end of the tunnels, thanks to Misty who had her nose low to the ground the entire time. She led me close enough to find my own way before I couldn’t keep up and lost her. As much as It pained me to keep going, I couldn’t find her. I was once again alone.

  I could hear more wails of pain coming from the room ahead. I came charging out only to barely catch myself as I wobbled on the edge of the overhang I exited out of. It was a large stone balcony that overlooked a giant open room. Semi-circular in shape, it had enough space for seating and even a stage in the center against the wall with a podium on it. The entire room was old, cracked and rusty – dirty as the rest of the place. This seemed to be where all the tunnels led, and I had came out of the only tunnel that led to the balcony. There was a stairway on the far side that led down to the stage. and there at the foot of the stage was Resh, taking on at least five soldiers wielding various swords and battle axes.

  Resh was winning; He was winning by far. His wings gave way to an aerial advantage. His weapon helped too – his Astrian sword he crafted himself. Using a bit of “magic”, so he said, to give it “adaptability”. Holding his weapon at the hilt: it became a quick moving, light, arm severing blade. It was sharp enough to chop through an arm with ease if used correctly. Even in the middle of a swing, Resh could grab the tip of the blade and a golden glow would quickly wrap the blade instead of cutting his hand. The glow would diminish, revealing a skull smashing battle hammer. The head made of the same blue metal with gold brace and lining on it. And that wasn’t all it could do. The last thing it could be a bow when he grabbed the center. Spawning a streak of blue out of thin air as an arrow, it would pierce through any human armor with ease.

  All of this unfolded before me as Resh used the combination of the three, some while midair to unleash fury upon his attackers. The mist was openly flowing from his eyes at this point.

  Hiding behind one of the pillars, I peeked out to try and get better view of the stage. Three lone figures stood upon it, Resh being one of them. The second was John; he was sitting with chains holding him to the stage. He couldn’t move more than a few feet before his shackles would pull tight on his wrists and ankles. Resh was slowly approaching the third person. I stared long and hard at in order to try and figure out who he was.

  Then it clicked. It was Kent “Gold”, the same man who had hired us to track them down. The same man we found dead in the warehouse, but how was he still alive? It didn’t make any sense!

  “Ah! Resh! You made it. It took you a lot shorter than I expected!” Kent said with his illustrious voice projecting around the theater.

  Resh stood vigilant, wiping the blood off his blade and onto his shirt. It made no difference as his shirt was already already half covered in the thick red liquid.

  “You did fine job finding me here. Bravo. Bravo!” Kent continued, his words giving no amusement to Resh. “And where is your female companion? That fine, grumpy, stubborn, heartless sister of yours...”

  Each word made my body tense. Though I couldn’t help but feeling he was right, I felt like I was changing... Maybe I wasn’t. Maybe it wall all for nothing.

  “Stop it!” John said, tugging against his chains.

  “Shut it, John!” Kent snapped back. “I’ll stop when I want too! This is getting good.”

  Resh growled to himself before releasing a cry of rage and charging Kent. Not moving from his spot, Kent only chuckled in place. A fiery blaze blew up from the stage in front of him, blinding Resh, burning his wings and sending him tumbling to the floor. putting out the flames as he rolled, I could see the path of charred feathers from his now singed wings. Kent laughed as he walked over and pulled a few chains from the ground and locked him up.

  “Alright, I think the mist has had enough fun.” He waved his hand and the gray gas seeped from Resh’s eyes, Resh’s howl of pain as it left and the mist’s violent howl as it rose into the air and vanished filled the room. For a few seconds, Resh tried to make it to his feet, but he was too weak to try and fight against the chains. Watching both him and John sitting there helpless pained me. Even though I was the last chance. I could do nothing.

  “Resh... You’re so predictable! You made this all the much easier for me!” Kent said; a devilish grin covered his face.

  “Made what all the easier?” John piped up, as Resh was too weak to reply.

  Kent’s laugh echoed in the theater, he turned and took a deep breath.

  “The destruction of your home planet, and the end of Astrian life as you know it!”