by Andre Pisco
"You have not yet answered me. What are you doing here?" Averdi asked, looking at Ghost and nodding. His beard, which could be compared to a thick trunk of a tree, covered his neck. His greasy hair, his crumpled clothes, and his worn-out trimmings complemented a careless aspect of which he seemed to be proud.
"I was helping the doctor," Ghost replied. It was concise and didn’t hesitate. He had the answer ready at the tip of his tongue.
"And where is he?" Averdi continued. He sensed that something was wrong and would not stop until he got to the heart of the problem. He inhaled, frowning like a pig, and a few veins appeared on his forehead, "This stinks" he replied, filling his white, plump cheeks with air.
"I can call him for you," Ghost said, glancing into the room.
"Do it," Averdi replied, curling the tip of his mustache.
Lucian had awakened, but still had trouble staying up without help. Alec had a bottle in his hand and gave it to the wolf who drank it incessantly. Max had his hand on James' shoulder and murmured that he couldn’t blame himself, that he had done only what was necessary, adding that no one would blame or see him otherwise. Ghost entered the room, snapped his fingers and everyone, without exception, looked at him, hoping he would give them some order. One sentence was enough to stop them feeling lost, not knowing how to get out of there, fearing that the whole effort would be in vain and that their bodies would end in the wall at the entrance.
"We have to get out of here fast. You all need to attack that rock wall." Ghost said, pointing to the wall in front of him, "It's the only way."
"Can’t we attack him together?" James replied, his eyes still on the doctor. His clenched fist trembled, and his toes curled as he tried to speak without opening the barrage of water that was behind his eyes.
"We wouldn’t stand a chance," Ghost said. He was going to continue but was interrupted.
"You're taking too long. Stop playing," Averdi said and stepped forward. The ground shook and bits of rocks rolled across the floor.
"It has to be now. Before he gets close. Tear down the wall," he said, keeping his tone solemn.
Alec, who still had enough energy, let the fire in his veins seize his body. Flames seared his clothes, not burning them completely, making only a sign of his presence. Two bright red balls with orange blossoms appeared in his hands. Max looked impressed. It reminded him of the supernovae that exploded in the infinite sky, which he had read in a dusty book that his uncle had in the library. James didn’t want to be left behind. He knew he could release all the energy he had in himself, not needing to be careful where or who he hit. His hair lifted, gaining a yellowish layer, slightly less glowing than the color that shone in both hands. Even Lucy, who had been silent since entering the building, allowed the earth energy to come out to her aid. Heras and lianas worked together to form a species of flower-cannon. As soon as she took the tip of the cane, her eyes turned green and her hair fluttered as if a breeze had entered the door. The room became a stage for her unlimited energy. Averdi took another step and Ghost stepped back.
"Now," he said, but not letting the sound spread.
The three launched their attacks at the same time. They melted into a spectacle of light; wires of different colors that changed order and rotated towards the wall. Averdi only just had time to use his ax as a shield, putting himself behind it, not knowing if they would try to attack him. It wouldn’t be the first time that a group thought that numerical advantage would be enough to defeat him, but it would be the first time that they would do so in such a tight space, diminishing his odds of winning. The energy hit the wall, causing a break between the rocks, causing the building to shake and making some of the stones that held that secret complex crash on the floor. A rocky wall arose between Averdi and the group that now had a chance to flee. Alec and Neil carried Lucian while the rest rushed out of the room and followed Ghost who knew the floor plan of the place like the palm of his hand. The wolf followed them closely, his white fur still glistening as a lamp.
Averdi laughed on the other side. He hid the irritation behind the guffaws, wielding his ax and taking a few steps back. The woman who was with him hid behind the metal door, only putting her head in, from time to time, watching him maneuver the ax, which was larger than his face. He swung his arm and the ax scraped the ground whenever he took a full turn. Every time he did it beyond the swing he gained, his shoulder muscle would grow, ripping the fabric of his clothes.
"Come this way," Ghost said, running into the hall on the right, not even peeking first.
Two guards, each leaning against a different door, exchanged words with each other when they saw them. They triggered the alarm and put themselves in front of them blocking the passage. They weren’t strong enough to stop them, and yet they were willing to try.
"Stop there!" Said the younger, his legs shaking like sticks subject to wild winds.
"We don’t have time for this," Ghost replied, raising his hand.
His wires expanded, going against the legs of the guards, piercing their skin and coming out on the other side. The guards fell on the floor in a few seconds. There was a moment of silence before they realized what had really happened, and only then did the agonizing screams fill the hall. They looked at their legs and held them for seconds before dropping them on the ground, dragging themselves along, still trying to stop the group. They had been taught not to give up unless death caught up with them. On the way, they flooded the floor of stains and pools of fresh blood, still with a liveliness that made James' mind pull him into the memory of the fallen doctor on the floor.
"James, we have to go," Max said, grabbing his arm, which had stopped in the middle of the hall.
"Oh... yes... we do," James replied, lost in the whirl of emotions that were inside him.
They passed another door, another obstacle before them that stood between death and the opportunity to try again. They ran with the idea that they were so close to freedom when a roar rippled to the tips of their hair. The sound of the rocks being undone with only one attack afflicted their hearts.
"It's Averdi. I hoped he wouldn’t dare. Faster," Ghost said, for the first-time showing fear of something.
It frightened them more to see him afraid of Averdi's powerful attack than Averdi himself. They had seen strong people, with unique attacks and capable of only hitting them with a movement, but someone strong enough to make Ghost, the fearless boy, dread him and want to escape as soon as possible? That was a whole other level.
They could hear his footsteps. The walls shuddered every time the sole of his boots touched the ground and his laughter echoed through the space. They kept running without thinking twice about where they were going. They just wanted to get out of there safe and sound. Then, they would have time to think of a plan.
"That door!" Ghost shouted, pointing to a wooden door, where someone had stuck the word "World."
It was all a mess. They didn’t stop to see what was around them or where they were being taken. They let themselves go, corrupted by fear and eagerness to breathe fresh air again. They were crashing against each other, against the walls and even against the doors. Inside they heard heavy grunts, creeping chains, and hollow words. Nothing was a reason to stop. Not even when the guard Ghost had dispatched before they entered the compound appeared in front of him. They knocked him in seconds using all the energy they had left. The man, who had tried to face them, was thrown brutally against the ceiling and fell on his face, missing a few teeth in the crash and fainting as he felt his body light as a feather. The blurred vision, the bumps, the heart aching from so much beating, was all part of the sensations that they all felt as they approached the door. Coming from the beginning of that corridor they heard a chaotic giggle and immediately knew who he was and what he was going to do with them.
"Where do you think they're going?" Averdi asked, ax in hand, smiling unashamedly to show his yellow teeth and even missing two of them in the left corner.
"DON’T STOP," Alec sho
uted, his hand reaching for the door before the others.
He opened it and a springy scent invaded his nostrils. He leaned against the wall, making room for everyone to leave before he and Ghost. Max stood with his back to James, when Averdi maneuvered his ax, tossing a scythe of light, which was heading toward the young man at breakneck speed, tearing the rocks along the way.
"MAX" Alec shouted, already too late.
Max only had time to glance over and close his eyes. He kept them shut, taking a deep breath and accepting that it was his end, that he had done what he could to regain his friends' confidence, and that his journey ended there, knowing that the rest would say his name when they recounted the story. He counted to three and nothing happened. He felt his clothes and pinched himself. He opened his eyes, confused, not realizing how he had survived. Ghost was in front of him. He had created a shield consisting of hundreds of threads and used it against Averdi's attack, who was at a considerable distance from them and inspired in an uncontrolled way, opening his eyes and arching his right eyebrow, surprised and even more irritated that someone stopped his attack. Ghost looked at Max and did as close as he could to a genuine smile, staggering back, taking his hand to the baggy t-shirt. He had stopped the attack but hadn't come out unscathed from the shock.
"Let's go," Alec ordered and helped Max carrying Ghost.
Before he closed the door, he used what was left of his energy to throw a fireball at Averdi. The last thing he saw was the man defending himself with only one hand. He didn’t even blink. He popped the back of his hand into the fireball, smashing it against the wall so hard that it vanished before it struck. He sank his foot into the earth, flexed his leg, and just as he was preparing to run like a whip in their direction, the woman who was with him put her hand before him, stopping him.
"Let them go," she said, her voice trailing through dozens of footsteps approaching them. Soldiers armed with weapons and energy that had come too late.
"WHY? THEY HURT ME, ATTACKED ME. THEY CANNOT BE LEFT UNPUNISHED," Averdi shouted. He exhaled saliva into the woman's face, which she had to wipe with the sleeve of her coat.
"Orders," she replied, running her hand close to her ear, brushing her hair and showing him a communicator.
"I hope so... I hope the boss knows what he's doing." Averdi replied, still annoyed, turning his back and plowing through the guards, pushing them without a second thought.
Chapter XIX
The wind danced and the moon disappeared on the horizon, giving its place to a sun that was still shy, but whose rays were already being felt on the shivery skin. As soon as Alec closed the door, they looked around, trying to figure out where they were supposed to go. Ghost had taken them there for a reason. He, who was now on the ground, spitting blood, his head on Max's hands that held him and told him to hold on. Unlike him, Lucian was already able to stand up even if for a short time and with one of his feet bent. It looked like it had been twisted for the doctor's pleasure. Everyone knew what happened in that room was taboo. No talking about the new burns in the concave area of the shoulder, not to mention the shorts and bruises on the left leg. The wolf leaned his head against his chest and was greeted with a few caresses on his fur. It healed to a level that mere mortals could only dream of. The blood sprinkled Lucian as soon as the wolf decided to wiggle, his fur cleaning itself, regaining its white and majestic color.
"Ri... Right," Ghost said, blood streaming down the corner of his mouth.
"Why did you defend me? You didn’t have to! I didn’t ask for it!" Max replied, tears moistening his face as he slammed the floor.
"You..." Ghost started but was forced to stop because of the coughing, "you... you trusted me. No one has ever done that. I didn’t want to disappoint you," he replied, followed by a loud cough, blood spewing from his mouth, and sliding down his jaw, dripping on his clothes.
"Alec, please give him one of the bottles. Even half of one." Max pleaded, whispering to Ghost that it was going to be okay.
"Wait. I don’t know if we should spend a bottle with him. After all, it all started because of him," James replied, his back to his cousin.
"They ... are right. I don’t deserve to be saved." Ghost replied, his eyes closing several times.
"WAKE UP," Max said, "Don’t even think about giving up! The world is ahead of you. You can be whoever you want. You don’t have to be the person everyone has convinced you to be!" Tears rolled down his face, eventually falling to Ghost's cheeks, "He may have done wrong, but he helped us! If he didn’t catch us, another one would. You all know that." He continued.
"Give him half of one. We must get out of here. I don’t know why they haven’t come after us yet." Neil replied, fingering his dusty hair.
"They must be gathering the troops..." Lucy said, both hands holding the pendant on her chest, and a fine green light fading from her body.
"That was a beautiful attack!" Neil said, the enthusiasm present in the way he moved his arms exalted, smiling as if they were not at death's door.
"It had never happened to me. I felt an energy that I didn’t even know I had in me... I was afraid to let it go but the circumstance demanded it." She replied, accepting that Neil's cheerful and suddenly charismatic expression made her comfortable in the face of the difficult path they still had to go.
While they were talking, Alec knelt beside Ghost and, with Max's help, gave him half the bottle of HP in his mouth. He also took half of one of his energy and recovered part of it. James was looking over his shoulder at his cousin. Seeing the smile stamped on Max's face took him to an ancient time, when they were children, and when the biggest concern and the reason for their dilemmas was just what game to choose. He didn't grumble. He decided to walk to the right, waiting for them to follow him, acting like the leader he so firmly wanted to be.
"Time to go," he said.
"James is right. We have to go. Lucian, can you stand?" Alec asked.
"Yes... Yes. I’ll go on top of him. I still don’t have enough strength" Lucian replied, still limping.
The wolf lay down, waiting for Lucian to sit on it and then stood up. Alec wondered if he could understand what everyone was saying or if there was a mental connection that allowed him to know what the other was thinking. After all, what they knew about spirit animals was only a handful of the truth and there was still a lot about the chips they didn’t know. He remembered the woman biting her finger, delighting in her own blood, thus gaining even more power. He wondered whether he could do it, or whether it only for a few chosen one, and certainly recommended to those whose darkness had taken their bodies on a loan.
"Alec?" A voice in the background said, awakening him to reality. It was Neil, who was behind him.
"I was distracted. Let's go. We have not had much time to exchange a few words. I see you and Lucy are closer," he said, cocking his arm with his elbow.
Neil laughed, putting his arm around the back of his neck, his cheeks turning pink, and replying, "You’re paying attention. The main thing now is surviving and then, if we're lucky, maybe there is a future where we are together.”
"Your dad would be proud of you, you know?" Alec said. His voice was more serious than before and he had stopped smiling.
"I hope so, but I also think he would ask for more of me. He tends to always want more. What I do was never enough and I believe that now wouldn’t be either. As long as I’m useful to the group... My dad's opinion doesn’t matter. We never talked much about your father." Neil replied, head down, his voice disappearing through the grove in front of them.
Huge queues of trees, some smaller than others, stretched across vast yards. Some had already fallen orange leaves and pirouetted into the air until they slid to the ground, while others remained strong, fastened to the trunks, waiting for the right wind to invite them to dance. Rodents the size of their feet hid behind some shrubs, saving their food and avoiding contact with humans. Sunbeams escaped through the gaps of the trees, offering them a visible path and warming the
ir cold bodies.
It was a new day. Hope flooded them and they bathed in it.
"There was never much to talk about. To be honest, it's the first time I've stopped to think of them since we fled the academy. The money I sent them in the other months should be enough to have a moderate life for a while longer. And I might be mistaken, but by now my father is complaining that I forgot them, while he drinks and wastes some of the money. My mum is probably lighting candles for me, praying to the three gods that I come back." he said, following a "Shit" after putting his hand on a trunk without noticing that there was sap coming out.
He waved his hand several times, but the liquid was already spreading through his fingers. A brownish-yellow color that was rooted between his nails and dripped to the floor, also spreading between his hands.
"Good, this is exactly what I needed," he said, sighing and accepting that he had to avoid touching his left hand.
Max laughed non-stop, which eventually caught the attention of the rest. A symphony of laughter made the forest gain a liveliness that hadn’t before, much in part due to the melancholy that the gray trunks conveyed. Lucian also laughed, making brief pauses to cough. Only Ghost kept his lips pressed together, unable to have a stronger reaction than squinting.
"Does anyone know where we're going?" Neil asked.
"To the right as he said," Max replied, still with Ghost's arm by the shoulder.
"And then?" Neil asked, not liking the direction the conversation was going.
"Don’t know. If he told us to come here we have to trust him."
"I don’t trust either of you," Neil said, looking at Max, nodding in disapproval.
"We can’t go back. Let's see where this is leading us" Lucy said, trying to calm Neil down.
The atmosphere was heavy and the laughter of a few minutes ago was only an ephemeral memory. There was still a lot to be resolved among the group, and the longer they continued not trusting each other, the more it became normal for them. It was wisdom they didn’t yet possess.
