by Damon Glatz
“We need to go. I will explain on the way.” Daisuke spoke as he grabbed Ohitekah by his arm and stood him up.
Five minutes. That was the time they had to gather their gear and move to the basement. The command was relayed to the entire Order. The enemy could be on them at any moment. Ohitekah stood with Red in his room. He held his only bundle of supplies, his bow, and his sword. Red carried nothing. His katana at his side.
"You sure this is the right idea? Running away like this?"
Red nodded. "If Deyanira knows where we are, then they are all in danger. She alone was almost enough to take me down." Red looked away, slightly embarrassed at the fact.
"She's really that dangerous?" Ohitekah wondered if she could beat Sierra in a fight.
"You really like her?" Red turned to Ohitekah.
He cracked a smile. "Now isn't the time to talk about that. Especially with you, Red."
Red returned the smile. "I think she's good for you."
Red dropped the smirk. He stared at the door intensely, as if he heard a whisper on the other side. Ohitekah looked at him with concern, not picking up what he was listening for.
"What's wrong?"
Without saying a word, Red threw the door open and drew his sword. Ohitekah dropped his gear and chased after him. Red sprinted down the hall and they ran past Darius.
"What’s going on?" He shouted to Ohitekah as he passed by.
"I don't know!" He continued to follow Red as fast as he could.
Red stopped suddenly in front of a door down the corridor, he turned and kicked it open. Ohitekah stood behind him and tried to see what he was doing.
The window was shattered, glass covered the brown carpet. The curtains fluttered in the cold wind. The bed was made, on it was a pack of supplies, ready to be evacuated.
Laying still on the ground was a young girl, a mechanized sword still in its sheath at her side.
Chapter Twelve
Darkness
Ohitekah had found his own secluded room in the dungeon and locked himself inside. Darius had to explain to Galius and Marcus what happened. He could hear them talking outside.
I probably look so weak to them.
Ohitekah tried to wipe away the tears from his face. His sleeve was too damp to absorb any more.
I never got to tell her.
He couldn't help but let his mind wander. He imagined the life they could have had. They would discuss if they should live on the plains, or maybe in Orbis, after the war. What it would be like for her to meet his mother. Growing old together.
It’s stupid; I can't grow old anyway. No matter what, I would have had to watch her die. Sooner or later. Better it was now, get it over with.
He pounded his head.
No. I can't think like that. She didn't deserve this. To be assassinated like that. Everyone else escaped alright. I had only known her for one day. The most I got to talk to her was when she was beating me up.
Ohitekah sniffed, trying to contain himself.
Yeah, I like Mae but she doesn’t make me feel like Sierra did. I just wonder if it ever would have worked out. If we had the chance. I guess I'll never know.
"He's takin’ it really rough," Darius whispered to Marcus. They stood a little outside the room Ohitekah was held up in. The dungeons were the only safe place for now. This is where the Order first began in the south, long before they could meet in the Mansion. The Old Base as it was sometimes called.
"Yeah, I felt the two had something going on," Marcus remembered watching them spar in the courtyard just hours ago. Even though the boy was outmatched, the two had chemistry. He shook his head. He looked over to Sierra. She was laying flat on the ground, a blanket covered her body and face. Her sword laid on top of her.
"She was like a little sister to me." Darius looked at the body. The order trained him not to cry. So he didn't. He glanced to the cell the Mythic was locked inside of. "Geez, they only knew each other for a day or so. Why is this eatin’ him up so much?"
"Maybe that’s why. Maybe he just wanted more time." Marcus looked away.
"She was a good soldier." Galius stood over a table in the center of the underground hall. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a playing card. It wasn't his. It wasn't anyone’s now. It was a red spade, a Jack. He was going to promote her to Face before the next operation. She would have probably been the youngest Jack in the order. He held the card with both hands. He wanted to rip it in half. His hands trembled. It was too hard.
He slid it back in his pocket.
She wouldn't have liked me anyway. She would have probably been with Darius. Ohitekah thought as he lowered his head into his legs. He had formed himself into a ball in the corner of the room.
She could read minds better than I could. He cracked a light smile. I kinda wanted to play her in a game of poker. See how bad I would lose.
Ohitekah's mind drifted. His face scowled. He clenched his fist until it turned white.
I hope Red kills that woman.
Daisuke and Ohitekah saw the girl dead on the floor at the same time, the curtains blowing in the cool breeze that disturbed the stillness of the room.
Daisuke held his sword in his hand and looked up from the floor and out into the dark night. In a blur, he rushed to the window.
"Wait! Red!' Ohitekah shouted.
He had no time to wait. The girl was assassinated. Deyanira was close. The base was compromised and under attack. He had to move now. Daisuke leaped out of the open window and into the night. His jump soared him across the street and onto the buildings there. He scanned the area but could not see anyone. He closed his eyes, using all his senses to locate the murderer.
Footsteps. North.
He took off in that direction not caring any longer about remaining hidden. The building was going to be burned down anyway. Restraining his fire powers would be pointless currently.
Daisuke advanced to assassin within seconds. He stabbed a flaming sword through their chest. Daisuke lifted the cloaked person into the air and flicked his wrist. The killer was flown down into an alley below. Daisuke jumped down to follow.
Through a gargle of blood, the man let out a choking laugh.
Daisuke glared at him and sheathed his sword.
"You're as dumb as Deyanira said you were." He coughed up another chuckle.
"If you want to live for another moment, you will do as I say." Daisuke walked over to him.
"Who said I wanted to live?" The man rolled himself onto his back and looked at Daisuke. "We are all willing to die for the Emperor... Are your men so loyal? If you try to save everyone." The man coughed some blood. "You will save no one."
Daisuke lifted the man off the ground by his throat.
"Where is Deyanira?"
The man coughed up more blood. He smiled.
"Just scorch me, old man. She's long gone by now." He let out a louder laugh. "You took the bait!"
Daisuke dropped the man to the ground. He turned away.
He was the distraction. Deyanira. She got away.
Daisuke could feel his hands shaking. It was hard to think with the dying cackling going on behind him. Daisuke decided to put a stop to the human’s sounds.
He could feel the intense heat rage behind him. Concentrated into a thick pillar. The height not exceeding the top of the alley. Daisuke could see his shadow dance in front of him. Dancing to the screams of the man burning to his back.
"We should begin planning a burial. It would be proper." Darius spoke quietly to Marcus. He knew Ohitekah could hear him through the doors. Marcus nodded.
"Not today. You know the tradition." Galius spoke without looking up. He was reading several scrolls on the table and seemed concentrated. A moment passed in silence.
The door cracked open, the room fell silent. Ohitekah stepped into the main hall with everyone else. No one said a word.
His eyes were dark, his hair covered his face. His usual tan had faded.
"What tradition?" He asked in a
ghostly voice. The boy sat quietly in the corner. The men looked to Galius who finally glanced up from his notes.
"The three-day ritual. It’s an ancient tradition here in Orbis. Legends say that is the time a soul takes to reach its final place in the underworld. If it manages to return to its body within that time, it can rejoin the body. If the soul returns and the body is buried, it is lost forever. We do it out of superstition now." He looked back to his scrolls.
Ohitekah looked up.
"So you're saying... If a soul returns to its body, in three days, the person is reborn again."
"No," Galius stated firmly. "I'm saying that it’s an archaic belief that holds no legitimate merit. I simply mentioned it because we cannot afford to be above the surface right now." He licked his thumb and turned a page over.
Ohitekah stood up. "So there's a way to bring her back! And we're just sitting around?"
Galius pounded his fist on the table. "Anyone that goes into those mountains. Stays there. It is the labyrinth of the dead. Sierra was a good soldier but she was just a soldier. We cannot afford to lose anyone else on some fantasy mission. I will not allow it. We can't lose any more men."
Ohitekah began to tremble. He stood up. His body was heavy. "She was not just a soldier." Tears began to slide down his face. "She was just not some expendable piece to your game, Galius! She was more than that! She was a person! She was a fighter and an artist, and she had this fire in her none of you have and… I need… Her!" Ohitekah choked out the last part unintentionally. He looked away.
Galius stared at him. “Don’t pretend you are the only one mourning her, Ohitekah. She was raised here, she was our family. You knew her for less than a day, so hold your tongue.” Galius scowled. "You would be walking straight into the enemy. The God of the Underworld. It's his kingdom down there. His rules. You have no idea the hell that it is in that godforsaken place. The Earth Mythic is there—the stone giant—there is no way any man can make it past."
Ohitekah stared at him. "I am not any man. I am the Mythic of Thunder." Galius rolled his eyes and looked back at his table. Ohitekah could tell he was not reading anything, he was just staring down at them.
"If you want to throw your life away. Give yourself up to the enemy and have a meaningless death. Go ahead. I'll defend the Plains for you. But you are banned forever from this Order. Regardless of the outcome. I can't have someone so irrational influencing my men."
"I'm going with him," a voice said from beside Ohitekah.
Galius shot his head up from the table. Darius had spoken.
"I can't lose any more men, Darius. Reconsider now or I will be forced to remove you as well."
"Then get rid of me." Darius stared at Galius intensely. "I've had enough of us hiding and running away. We're a warrior society. We need to make a stand somewhere. She was more important to this Order than I am. I have to do something." He looked at Ohitekah. He stared into his eyes. "I trust him. I trust the Mythic to pull through on this. He has battled two Mythics before, I know he can find a way."
Ohitekah did not know what to say. He wanted to talk Darius out of it. But he needed his help.
"Thank you," he mumbled softly.
Galius stood back from his table and shook his head. "Any other traitors?" He asked loudly to the room. No one dared to make a sound. "That’s what I thought."
Galius approached Ohitekah. He walked up to him and stared into his eyes. Ohitekah looked back, unmoving.
In a sudden movement that almost made Ohitekah flinch, Galius shot his hand out for a shake.
"What?" Ohitekah asked, confused.
"Welcome to the Order, Ohitekah." Galius flipped his hand over, he held a playing card. A red spade. Two.
"You were… bluffing?" Darius asked in stunned disbelief.
"Don't be offended. Everyone starts out as a two." Galius ignored Darius' question. Ohitekah cautiously shook his hand and accepted the card. "Our order was founded on the concept of challenging authority. On doing the right thing, no matter what. That's what makes us stronger. We will do anything for each other. We need more brave men like you two. Good luck." Galius turned away before hesitating for a moment. He reached into his own pocket.
"One more thing." He handed Ohitekah another card. A Jack of red spades. "Give this to Sierra for me... When you find her."
Ohitekah nodded. Galius returned to his command table. "You have three days. We'll lie low and preserve her body until then. Unfortunately, if you're not back by then." Galius glanced to her lifeless body on the ground. "Just be back by then."
"Thank you, sir." Ohitekah gave a bow. He placed the two cards in his pockets. “We’ll bring her home.”
Chapter Thirteen
Forward into Hell
Ohitekah stood next to Darius at the exit of the tunnel. They both found a moment to pause and watch their old headquarters burn to the ground. Ohitekah shifted in his new cloak. A gift from the Blood Red Spades for all new members. The material felt thick, but it was surprisingly light. He was almost impossible to see in the dark.
Darius twisted the sword on a large marble statue and the passage door slid to a close. The statue was of an old Orbis King.
"He was the king at the time when our Order first set up base here in the south. It’s a clue for any of our other members to find us if they end up here. Only members of our Order will be able to understand the secrets and find our entrances.” Darius turned around. “Let’s get moving." He carried with him a southern styled, double-edged sword called a gladius. It was shorter and wider than other swords Ohitekah was familiar with.
They walked to the stables and grabbed the horses. Bolt was alert and restless from the fire across the road; yet excited to be let out by a face he knew. Darius saddled up his horse and they rode off together into the night.
Darius looked to Ohitekah. "You think your friend, the Fire Mythic, will help us. How do we find him?"
Ohitekah glanced around the nighttime city. "Red isn't exactly someone you find. He tends to find you when he wants to. I'm sure he will come with us... It's just a matter of time."
Darius nodded silently.
"How do we get started?" Ohitekah asked.
"Well... Usually, I would take us to the library to see what texts we could find on how exactly to get there. Seeing how that’s not an option anymore, we're gonna need to find someone who knows the way."
"Who would know?"
"A priest probably? Someone who worships the God of the Underworld. There’s plenty of temples we could go to. Or maybe someone who works at the college and studied the subject would."
Ohitekah thought for a moment. "I wouldn't trust a priest that worships the God of Death, personally. Let's try the college." Darius nodded and agreed.
They rode silently through the dark streets together and made their way across the city. The college was near the Lighthouse, or, the ashes of the old Lighthouse. In the past, more and more scholars would show up to learn and make records of what was in the library. Eventually, many started living nearby. A building was created for scholars to meet and talk about their studies. Classes were offered to students who wanted to learn from the scholars. And through the years a University was born. Darius was sure someone there had to know more about the paths through the Shadow Mountains.
They tried not to look at the smoldering carcass that was once the old library. They could smell the burnt history in the air. They made their way past it quickly.
The college was just across the square. A large staircase leading up to a pillared marble building. Looking almost like the senate house. There was no one around.
"There's no one here."
"It’s late," Darius answered. "They're all probably gone for the night."
"Can I help you two?" A voice came from behind. They spun around. There was a man in robes leaning on a tall staff.
"Yes," Darius began. "We are looking for a professor in Religion studies... Maybe Geography as well."
"Ahh..." The ol
d man thought. "A little too late to be studying. Anyway, the university has been shut down temporarily. Orders from the Emperor they said."
Of course, Ohitekah thought.
"Do you perhaps know of anyone personally who knows of those studies?" Darius pressed on.
"Why not go to a temple?" The man asked.
"We're trying to get to the Underworld." Ohitekah butted in. "Can you help us or not?"
The man paused for a second. He had a thick cloak and a hood. In the light, the man's face was impossible to see. He began to nod.
"The path... Is a treacherous one. Of course, there is a quick and easy way to get to the land of the dead." The man gave a chuckle. Ohitekah frowned.
"We don't have time for this." Ohitekah turned around.
"Hold on there," The man spoke. Ohitekah faced back. "I never said I could not help you. It just so happens I have made the journey before."
"Why?" Ohitekah took a step back.
The man paused. "Someone who died before their time. I was young then but I could not enter the Labyrinth myself; I was too afraid but it would mean a lot to me if I could help you two."
Darius squinted at the faceless man. He leaned into Ohitekah's hood. "This is too convenient. I don't like it."
"We don't have much of a choice. We got lucky. We need to take the help we can get."
"Three days right?" The man spoke up. "You boys don't have much time. I believe I was sent here to help you. To redeem myself. Or, you could wait until morning and try your luck with the other scholars. I'm sure they would be willing to risk their lives to show you the way."
Darius shook his head.
"Why would one of Falko's men want to help us? He can't be working for Falko." Ohitekah whispered.
"I don't know... I just don't trust him."
"We came here looking for help. We found help. What's the problem?"
Darius leaned back. "It's your call."
Ohitekah turned to the man. "Fine, but we leave now. We will travel there through the night. And you are to leave us at the entrance."
