by BobTam
‘Panzhi, we are determined to go. You can’t stop us. Sorry for that. You can stay here to wait for us. But I really hope that you can join us,’ Leon says apologetically.
‘I really can’t force myself to join you,’ Panzhi says seriously. ‘I will stay here to keep guard when you guys go inside. Good luck.’ ‘Thanks for your tolerance,’ Nakashi says with great gratitude.
Admiral Nitron is monitoring the safety measures of the Divine Entrance in the bridge of the Vitel, the flagship of the fleet which is responsible for protecting the holiest place in the world. It is a normal peaceful day but he and all the military officers still pay full attention in keeping an eye on all the area near the Divine Entrance.
‘Admiral, there is a message to you from the government.’ A visual message is sent to the large screen in the bridge. A senior government official appears on the screen, ‘Admiral Nitron, we have confirmed that there is a terrorist attack towards president Nakashi. The Sou-gen’s plane has been shot down. We lost contact with president Nakashi and the two Annual Youth Tournament winners. The situation is tense and urgent. We are afraid that there may be further attack to the Divine Entrance. Please raise the security level.’
‘Admiral, there is someone flying into the restricted area from the north eastern side,’ a military officer rushes in and says urgently. ‘What? That’s impossible! Can’t the radar sense it? Our radar can sense all planes within 100 kilometers around,’ Admiral Nitron says in a shocked tone.
‘I’m afraid the intruder is not travelling by any aircraft. Some of our men witness that the intruder is flying by some kinds of large eagles. They are too tiny to be noticed by our radar.’
‘It must be Catala. That lost soul has become crazier and crazier,’ Admiral Niton whispers to himself. ‘We can’t rely on the radar anymore. Contact all other ships and tell them to turn all the monitoring cameras’ focuses from the land to the sky. We must use bare eyes to keep an eye on the intruder. I guess it is Catala. Don’t underestimate her. Activate all the guns and canons. Turn to battle mode,’ Admiral Niton orders.
All soldiers in the ship are becoming nervous. They all know the notorious name of Catala, who endlessly tries to murder the Sou-gen. This was a great sin done by the mankind against the Sou. Every soldier has the responsibility to prevent this unpardonable crime from happening.
Catala is flying at a mad speed around all the battleships. Dozens of machine guns from all those ships are firing intense laser bolts against the hawks and Catala. Yet, the ships cannot use stronger cannons as they are closely packed and cannon balls would shoot down nearby ships.
Catala’s hawks escape from all those attack easily but keep rounding the battleships arrogantly and provokingly. They are just like mosquitoes compared to the battleships but they really drive all the soldiers into fury. Catala picks up her rifle and shoots the glass windows of the flag ship accurately.
‘Damn it! I said turn all the cameras and monitoring system fixed on that crazy monster!’ a furious military officer shouts. ‘Start some of the small fighters to chase her too!’
Catala snickers and shoots all the windows repeatedly. Then, she gets out the golden gadget to communicate with others.
Nakashi, Leon and Panzhi’s gadgets beep. Catala’s voice comes out. ‘Listen, I think they have already put all their attention to me. Now, move quickly along the west path. I can see that there are no ships and planes defending there. Quick! Move now!’
‘I will help you to keep an eye on the troop movement. Good luck and be safe, my friend,’ Panzhi says. ‘You too, let’s go, Nakashi,’ Leon says determinedly. The two of them sprint towards the restricted area. They climb over those elegantly designed tall fences and jump down.
Nakashi pulls Leon when he is about to sprint again. ‘Wait. Make sure that there are no people patrolling first,’ she says softly. Nakashi looks up, she can see the ships above are all in battle mode and they are constantly firing laser bolts and she starts to worry about Catala.
The siren on the ground has also been activated. Nakashi can see bishops and priests are retreating from the open area to some small shelter area around the Divine Entrance. They are afraid that they will be the next target of that crazy girl. Nakashi can see the Divine Entrance clearly, but they still need to sprint for more than one kilometer to reach there. They need to sprint over a large open area and they will be easily spotted. ‘We must think of a plan instead of just running,’ she says.
Their golden gadgets beep again. This time it is Panzhi’s voice. ‘There isn’t any troop or guards on the ground. I think they are still busy dealing with Catala. Take your time.’
‘Both of us are dressed in blue. We must find some kind of cloaks or robes that are white to wear to disguise as a priest. Otherwise, it is impossible for us not to be spotted for running in such a large open area,’ Nakashi says. ‘Fine, but how can we get two white robes hastily?’ Leon asks.
Nakashi scans in all directions. Suddenly, an idea pops up to her mind. She can see white flags, green flags and red flags scattering near the tall fences. She runs to the nearest flag pole, and immediately lowers the large white flag from the top of the flag pole. She pulls out her sharp knife from the pocket of her belt and starts carving and cutting the flag. ‘Sir, what size do you wear?’ she asks Leon humorously.
Leon laughs and says ‘You’re so smart! Medium size is fine with me.’ After a few minutes of cutting and shaping by Nakashi, two simple plain white cloaks are made. ‘Sir, put them on,’ Nakashi says. ‘Well, it looks more like a bath towel to me,’ Leon says amusingly. ‘Just put them on. You should thank me for not charging you anything!’
Nakashi grabs Leon’s hands, pulls him up and says, ‘Now we should walk like those priests. Quick.’ ‘Well, there’s not such a need. All of them are running and escaping. We can continue to sprint by pretending that we are also escaping. We just have to lower our heads and make sure people can’t see our faces. And no priest will hold another priest’s hand.’ Leon says jokingly. Nakashi releases Leon’s hand embarrassingly and starts sprinting.
They sprint for a few minutes without encountering any obstacles as everyone in the open area is rushing to shelter area and does not pay notice to Nakashi and Leon. Suddenly, a priest who is also running turns towards to Nakashi and Leon and shouts ‘Hey! Where are you going? This way!’
Leon and Nakashi exchange a tense look and they decide to pretend that they can’t hear anything due to the loud sound of the siren. Unfortunately, the kind-hearted priest does not give up. Instead of escaping, he runs towards them and keeps on shouting.
Leon and Nakashi deliberately turn their faces away to avoid eye contact. But they both know that it is so deliberate and the priest will notice their faces in a few seconds time.
Leon hesitates. He tries to make up a middle-aged man’s voice and shouts ‘Don’t worry about us! We have promise the Sou-gen that we will station in front of the Divine Entrance and use peaceful means to prevent anyone to get in. Just run! We will be fine! May the Sou protect you!’ Leon grabs Nakashi’s hand and pulls her to sprint at an even faster pace.
‘But wait! It is too dangerous!’ the priest shouts back.
‘We will be fine! Just go!’ Leon shouts determinedly in a low middle-aged men voice.
‘Then, good luck. Be safe,’ the priest says sincerely. Leon and Nakashi grab this valuable chance and continue to sprint towards the cave. ‘Do I sound like a priest?’ Leon asks. ‘Well, you have totally fooled him. But haven’t you yourself just said that no priest will hold another priest’s hand?’ Nakashi says jokingly. Leon releases Nakashi’s hand embarrassingly.
A few minutes later, they are already about a hundred meters from the Divine Entrance. There is another line of beautifully designed tall fences. ‘Wait,’ Nakashi pulls back Leon and says. She points to two monitoring cameras which are on the tall fences. The cameras are rotating and scanning different directions. They immediately rush
to the blind spot of the cameras.
‘Leon, I think you can use your sword to cut these fences bars, can’t you?’ Nakashi says. ‘Oh yeah, brilliant idea, haven’t thought of that.’ Leon says complimentarily. Leon pulls out his elegant sword. He realizes how ironic it is that he uses the sword that the army gave him to act against the army. He starts cutting those iron bars and he is surprised by how easy it is.
Within a minute, Leon has already cut down five bars and created a small entry for them to pass through. ‘Wait until both cameras rotate towards that direction and we will rush into the Divine Entrance at our greatest speed. Get ready,’ Nakashi says.
‘Three…two…one. Run now!’ Nakashi pulls Leon but the brave young man that she is pulling does not move. Nakashi turns and looks at Leon, she is surprised by his irresolute expression.
‘Sorry, I can’t do it. Sorry…sorry for being so weak and cowardly,’ Leon says. Nakashi does not feel annoyed or angry. Instead, she felt sorry and sympathetic towards Leon. She says kindly, ‘No, don’t blame yourself. You are the bravest boy that I have met. I think no one in this world will dare to bear this risk to accompany me. I am the one that who is gutless. You should not blame yourself. Don’t force yourself too much.’
‘No…I am worried about both of us. I start to think that we are too impulsive. Shouldn’t we stop and think again first?’ Leon says slowly, with a worried and confused expression.
Nakashi grabs Leon’s right arm and gives her an encouraging smile. ‘We are young, lively, and active. Our souls are simple and clean. We should treasure our energy and pure mind to seek the truth. I’m sure what we are going to do is not only good for us, but the whole mankind.’ Nakashi grabs Leon’s another arm to pull him up and gives him the most caring smile and the most truthful eyes.
Leon often sees Nakashi smiles. Each time she smiles, her charming and lovely face moves his heart. But this smile that she has just given is different. It is the most truthful and beautiful thing that he has ever seen. He then gazes her brownish eyes, they are pure but at the same time confident and determined. He realizes that this girl is the kindest and most truthful person in the world and he decides that he will always accompany her.
‘Thanks. I will be with you.’ Leon says determinedly. They wait for the second that the two cameras rotate away and run towards the Divine Entrance at their greatest speed.
After Nakashi and Leon step their first steps inside the Divine Entrance, they find themselves facing a dark and narrow corridor. Nakashi gets out a small oil lamp from her pocket and lightens it up. The two sides of the corridor are ordinary stone wall. Nakashi uses her lamp to shine the wall. Sketches of the faces of every generation of Sou-gens are beautifully carved on the wall. ‘It is just same as what the Sou-gen described to me,’ Nakashi says ‘The Sou-gen also told me that there is a long and steep marble stairway that connects to the central hall deep underground. We can truly discover the truth about the Sou there.’
Nakashi walks down the first step of the stairway carefully and slowly. She makes sure she can see each staircase clearly before stepping on it. Leon follows her. The whole place is totally tranquil. It is so quiet that both of them feel awkward to talk.
The more downward they walk the more winding and narrow the stairway is. After a few minutes, they finally finish the last staircase. They face a small marble door. ‘Faith is the only way to lead us from darkness’ A line of words that are gold in colour are solemnly carved on the marble door.
‘This is it,’ Nakashi says. ‘We must make our one last decision between faith and curiosity. And there is no point of return.’
‘I believe people should always have the right to know about the truth. We also have the responsibility to understand the truth instead of sealing our hearts. The Sou asks us to have faith instead of questioning. But why can’t we question? We can’t we have doubt?’ Leon says determinedly.
Nakashi gives a confident smile and says ‘Then, let’s go.’
The marble door is pushed open.
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Chapter 6
‘Pew’ Another laser bullet flies past Catala’s ears. Two fighters are flying right after her agilely. Catala embraces the hawk tightly and holds her breath; the two hawks are constantly swerving tight angles and making other acrobatic moves to shake off from the two fighters but the two planes can always follow them closely. Catala are looking at all directions and searching for an effective evacuation route.
Suddenly, the hawk that Catala is riding squeaks painfully. Catala is shocked and alerted. There is another fighter flying right in front of them face to face with the two hawks. That fighter shoots a laser bolt accurately and hits the hawk’s forehead. The hawk screams and falls down. Catala tries to grab the hawk tightly but the momentum and unstableness cause her to detach from the falling hawk. She finds herself now falling desperately from a high altitude of one thousand meters.
Nakashi and Leon step inside slowly but determinedly. It is dark and cold. The two of them hold each other tightly. Nakashi holds her oil lamp up and looks around. The walls, the ceiling and the floor, everything, are all made by marble. White is the only colour that she can see in the room.
‘It is totally the same as what the Sou-gen described to me. Except that I can’t find the marble throne where the Sou seats,’ Nakashi says curiously. She separates from Leon and starts searching by herself.
Leon clears his throat and says clearly, ‘Noble Sou, please pardon our trespass. We humbly come with our purest heart for truth seeking.’
‘I can sense the Sou. The Sou is here,’ Leon whispers. Leon is rushing to all direction desperately.
Nakashi gasps and says softly, ‘Leon…I don’t think so.’ Leon is confused and asks, ‘What do you mean?’ He rushes towards Nakashi.
Nakashi is facing a tall white marble throne, which is not occupied by anyone. Nakashi says slowly, ‘The throne is…empty…the Sou-gen is wrong…the Sou never exists…’
Leon is shocked and petrified. ‘No…It can’t be. The Sou is here!’ He grabs Nakashi’s oil lamp and rushes towards the throne.
He stops suddenly as he reaches the marble steps right in front of the throne. He is looking downwards and reading something intensively.
Leon is terrified and shouts, ‘No! We are wrong! Nakashi, run! Leave immediately!’ He kneels down in front of the throne and starts sobbing. ‘No! Please forgive us!’ he says in a terrified tone.
Nakashi is very worried about her friend and immediately scurries to him. Leon is nearly lying on the steps below the throne as if he has died. His body is shaking as he is sobbing violently. Nakashi tries to pull him up. ‘Leave me alone! Just go!’ he cries in a wretched tone.
Nakashi notices that Leon’s hands are shaking violently. But below his hands, something unusual is covered. A silvery tablet is embedded in the white marble stone. Nakashi tries to move Leon’s hands gently to see the tablet. Leon cries, ‘No! Nakashi please! Don’t read this! Just go!’
Nakashi does not give up and says, ‘Leon. I’m just trying to help. Please, let me help.’ Leon still uses all his strength to cover the tablet, ‘No, you can’t. Nobody can. Just believe in what you see and go.’ Leon keeps on lying there and using all his strength to cover the tablet.
Nakashi crouches down and waits patiently. Leon keeps on murmuring until his voice gradually fades out and his tearful eyes slowly close.
Catala is falling rapidly from the sky full of laser bullets. She has lost her rifle. The hawk that was shot is now more than eighty meters from her and it is impossible for her to grab and save it. In fact, she herself also has a slim chance of surviving. But instead of waiting to die, she still tries her best to stay alive.
The remaining unharmed hawk descends and flies close to her. Catala tries to grab it but she barely holds the tip of its large wing.
The fighters do not give her a rest. No sooner has she grabbed the tip of the wing than a fighter immediately flies towards her and starts firing.
Catala manages to fetch a larger part of the wing despite the fact she is busy with handling rapid incoming of laser bullets. A bullet is flying right towards her head from the right. She is shocked and her immediate reflex does not work this time. ‘Pew’ The bullet passes right through her ponytail. Her shinny black hair detaches and the string that ties her hair also drops. The remaining black hair slides down and covers her ears and neck.
After a minute of struggling, Catala is finally able to climb on the body of the hawk. Seeing its master is finally safe, the Hawk immediately speeds up and practices acrobatic moves to escape from the attack.
Leon’s eyes have now been fully closed and his murmuring and sobbing have turned to gentle breathing. Sadness and fear have exploited his fatigue rapidly and he has fainted. Nakashi moves his hands gently and starts studying the silvery tablet.
‘The Sou lasts in here eternally
He who with disbelief will never witness the Sou
He who come with the heart of testing and suspicion
Will be punished for his infidelity
He will be excluded from the Sou’s future garden
Descended into eternal darkness
Separated from love and hope
