Underground Ring: Book 1

by M. M. Reid

  “Have you learned anything from the past two years of training?” he asked and swung down at my defenceless body, only to realize his mistake too late.

  Changing my strategy just as he attempted to strike, I spun out of the way and kicked backwards with the intensity of my energy. The blow hit him solidly in the chest, his energy barely having enough time to shield him from its power. The old man slid back a few metres, regaining his footing nearly instantly.

  “Yeah, I’ve learned something,” I stated, feeling empowered. “You talk too much.”

  His eyes became fiercer and then lightened up a little. “Well, Augrais,” he began with a chuckle, “defeating you will be the most fun I’ve had in a decade.”

  I smiled at this and then dropped the amiability. It was time to show him the man I had become.

  Chapter 7

  The dawn was slowly rising. Never before in my young life had I felt so close to my limit. My lungs were burning, legs shaking, mind and body pushed to their breaking point. With my coat gone and my shirt partially ripped from the battle, I could feel the deep chill from the frosty air. Shivers and deep breathing wracked my kneeling body as a slow and steady drip of blood and sweat came from my forehead and nose. Everything I had done prior to this—the climb, the bursts of energy, even the light supper two days ago—all weighed heavily upon me. My only solace was that I had survived this night and I had, at most, a few moments before the end of this second test, or the senseless-beatings test as I had started calling it in my head. Lokus strode slowly towards me, his eyes fixed on my position.

  “What will you leave behind, Augrais?” he asked for the fifth time as he got back into range.

  “I don’t know,” I slurred, barely catching a kick aimed for my ribs. The follow-through strike to my stomach made me puke blood and bile through my nose and mouth. I slipped to my knees, choking on my own fluids.

  “I grow tired of asking the same question,” Lokus hissed, peering down at me.

  “Then stop asking,” I growled, with a look of defiance on my face.

  His response to my quip was one of vengeance, as he backhanded me hard making me roll away with a whimper. The Vitae Lord then grasped me by my throat with one hand and lifted me clear off the ground. “I am going to kill you now, Augrais,” he spat, pulling me closer to him. This fact put little fear in my heart for I was sure that I would die here anyway, even if he were to leave me alive. “What would you leave behind if I were to snap your frail little neck?”

  I attempted to cough and gulp down oxygen. None came as his grip tightened. I could feel my heart pounding in my ears as I became lightheaded. “Speak now, boy, for you don’t have much time left.”

  “My…friends,” I croaked, attempting to defy the wish to pass out. “I would leave behind my footprint upon their souls.”

  “Would you think your friends would like you be killed here and now before they can ever fight their war?” His grip loosened but still felt like a vice grip holding me precariously, feet dangling in the air. “Would you allow me to take your life, abandoning them to the darkness of this world? A world that would sooner leave them for dead because of who they are, rather than give them the happiness they deserve! Would you rather them die? Answer me!”

  “No,” I whispered, feeling the blackness fade slightly as I gripped tightly to his forearm with both of my hands.

  “It is not me they cherish. I am not their mentor. You are. And you must survive now for their sake, for your destiny, and for the sake of the underground societies all over the world!” The blackness was gone now, and I felt the rage pour forth. My energy began to flare up, even if it was for the last time. This newfound energy seemed to vivify Lokus. “Fight me, Augrais. Show me that you are meant to hold their lives and dreams in your hands. Fight me.”

  I can honestly say to this day I do not know how I slipped from his grasp, nor where my urge to fight came from. The power roared inside me like a lion as I struck out with a speed that neither he nor I had seen before. The blow landed soundly on the side of his face, knocking him off his feet and sending him tumbling backwards like an abused children’s toy. It all had happened so suddenly. The roles had reversed—the great Lokus was now on one knee, blood dripping from his split lip and I was standing triumphant. It’s time to finish this, I thought, letting this newfound strength propel me forward. I concentrated all my energy into my right hand as I ran towards him, allowing my battle cry to echo through out the mountaintops. I was going not only going to survive this battle, but I would win it too, for the Vitae Lord was still shaking off the strike that I had landed before. But, as quickly as the energy empowered me, the more quickly it faded. As I was ten metres away, suddenly my legs would not work anymore and I slipped to the ground incapacitated. Whatever energy I had called upon was completely tapped out, as my body slid across the sharp rocks, wracking my body with pain. I was cursing internally as the blackness flooded back again. The last thing I remember before everything faded to black was Lokus’s smiling face… and the sunrise.

  Chapter 8

  I awakened to find myself being dragged into the basement of the house by Lokus himself. The room was now dimly lit, as candles lined the entire perimeter of the small stone chamber, whilst the dank smell of mold made me want to heave. In the middle of the room were two candles that had a peculiar blue tinge to their flames.

  The other three Mystics were already waiting there, leaning against the adjacent wall. They watched as, with the help of Lokus, I half walked, half dragged myself into the room.

  “Dude, you got messed up,” Ben said as he saw my face that must have made me look as if I had been run over by a lawnmower.

  No one else commented as Lokus tossed me on the floor and strode in-between the two candles, then spun around and took a moment of silence before speaking. I breathed deeply, my limbs still shaking. My stomach felt as if it needed to up-heave. I frankly had no idea if I was still alive or even what day it was.

  “Augrais,” Lokus began in a clear voice. “Are you willing to forsake your humanity to attain greater power? Do you understand that you may turn to darkness because this power may corrupt your mind? Tell me, boy, are you ready to cross into that void? Answer now!” His face was a picture of fury, but there was kindness buried behind it.

  “I am, Lord,” my quivering voice answered for me. My head was bowed. My voice sounded hollow and far away.

  Lokus smiled darkly as he pulled a small red vial from his pocket. “Then arise, young Augrais, and drink this. Become what you were meant to be.”

  For the first time in this entire ludicrous ritual, I hesitated. Did I want this? Did I need this? Would this make me happy? I didn’t know. I just had to put one foot in front of another. I did just that. It wasn’t long before I was standing face to face with the old man, vial in hand. It felt strangely heavy as I put it to my lips. Lokus watched me intently as I suddenly threw the small amount of liquid back. I shut my eyes tightly, partly from the vile taste and partly from the anticipation of what was to happen. A moment passed. Nothing. I waited some more. I looked around at my companions who simply shrugged at me. Nothing. I still felt like I had walked through a meat grinder and could barely stand. What was this old man trying to pull?

  “Nothing happen—” My voice was cut short by my own screaming. The body that I had once called my own was now rebelling against me. My veins throbbed till they felt like they would burst.

  It slowed for a moment before the agony erupted again, as if every cell in my body had exploded in a riot of pain. My screams were like those of a dying banshee as gravity forced me to my knees. Never before had I felt such effort. The very blood in my veins boiled, my mouth felt like every tooth had been ripped out. Everything burned. This was hell.

  I can get past this. I can overcome, I thought and tried to raise my Vitae in defiance. Like a brutal counter, the Fire that immolated me grew stronger and I nearly attempted to gouge out my own eyes. Grinding my teeth, I tried again
to raise my Vitae and again I met the same resistance. It was then it clicked. It was not my physical body that was feeling this pain. It was my energy. The very weapon I had relied upon had turned against me, like a dog against its master. This insight threw me into a state I had not felt in a long time: panic.

  I was now on my back, rolling on the floor, scratching at my face. I could feel my skin begin to peel and blood begin to flow as I shut my eyes so tightly that tears rolled down my face.

  “Stay right where you are,” Lokus shouted as the others moved to help me. “He needs to do this alone.”

  I let out another blood curdling scream as I bashed my head into the floor. I could feel the sopping wet squelch of my blood behind me, although the agony of whatever was happening to me was far beyond anything my physical body could produce.

  “Stop fighting, Augrais.” Lokus’s face shimmered in and out of focus like a bad television channel.

  I flipped over onto all fours. The whole room swirled about me like a whirlpool. My mind was beginning to betray me. I couldn’t do this—I needed help! I glanced back to my comrades only, to my horror, to find their faces begin to split like overstretched balloons. Green bile erupted from my mouth as I saw this, my arms and legs shaking viciously. I looked to Lokus, but he too had transformed. He was a monster—his white hair wild and his eyes glowing with an inhuman violet glow. Fangs had sprouted from his gums as he cackled at my pitiful attempts to regain control. The Violet-Eyed Demon, the monster that killed my father, had found me. Images of my father’s death played over and over in my mind as the pain escalated to even higher echelons.

  “Give up.” Its voice was abnormally low and hoarse.

  It was then that I lost myself in it: the rage; the burning fire; whatever it was. I squatted up slowly, as if the weight of the world was on my shoulders, and I howled at the effort. My eyes shut as the room started to break apart around me. I was going to kill him. This was no longer a choice but a need. And my body would simply have to obey.

  And with that, it stopped. My body took a great breath as if I were a newborn just fresh from his mother. Vitae now swirled around me, strengthening me like the Fire that had burned within. It was incredible. I must have grown two, no three, times in strength!

  “So it is finished,” Lokus said calmly. I felt his heart have only one moment of change, one moment where he doubted his reasoning for forging me into what I had become. I paid no mind to it now. I felt the warmth in my chest. Vitae was being used for battle.

  “You sense the battle.” Lokus knew I did. His eyes glittered with excitement and a slow smile spread over his face.

  “Yes,” I said, now staring him in the eye. “We will go.”

  Lokus seemed to struggle with holding my gaze. Even he could hardly believe the transformation. “We shall. Let us depart,” he said finally. After hesitating, he turned around to leave.

  “He doesn’t belong,” said the dark voice, slithering and crawling from my mouth.

  “What?” Lokus stopped and cocked his head to the side as if he could not believe what I had just said. This was the first time any of us had challenged his greater wisdom.

  “You may not come,” I responded coldly. I felt the Water gift flow from me. “This is our task and our task alone. A Vitae Lord isn’t necessary. Go now, Lokus. Rest.”

  He stared at me for a moment, at first seeming to resist my power. Then he merely nodded as his eyes went blank. “Yes, I suppose I should stay here.” He then turned and shuffled past the group of gaping teenagers and up the stairs.

  I bowed deeply. “Let us take our leave from you then.” A smile came over my face. This was power.

  “Did you just…?” Ben began, startled. “Why would you….?” He could not even complete his sentence, so great was his shock.

  Trosian, unlike the other two, was shaking with rage. He always measured everything in life in terms of strength. You were either strong enough to overcome a challenge or you were not; strong enough to make a decision or too weak to suffer the consequences. Strength was his world and I had destroyed it.

  Chapter 9

  The four of us left the house with little but our daily supplies and the skin on our backs. The cool wind caressed my skin as I stepped down the stone stairs. Lights and colours bombarded my senses as I adjusted to the dim light of the darkening sunset. The purity of the green grass, of the flashes of metal within the gravel floor—so this is what it is to be a Master Mystic. Purity. I could see the life, the clinging fragile existence of the living things around me. Indeed, even my companions hesitated to stand by me. Before us stood the proud vehicle that was to get us to our destination and help the Pagans, a large panel van Ben liked to call the Crapmobile. It was rusted down, with both bumpers hanging loosely from the brown frame, large dents on both sides from previous excursions. It was a piece of work. We assembled our basic supplies in silence, and then one by one took our seats. Trosian and Lee were in the back while I was shotgun with Ben driving.

  “Where to?” asked Ben, hopping into the driver’s seat next to me and disturbing the long silence. It was difficult for Ben to fully accept the way of Vitae as Lee, Trosian, and I could. This caused him to crave more material things such as driving his own vehicle. Lokus, at first, was apprehensive. He had never had to deal with an “ordinarily special”—as Ben would put it—teenage boy. But with all of us begging he gave in. He not only let Ben take his driving test, but also bought him this hulk of a van.

  “Go north,” I said simply, staring down the long driveway as if it were the first step to our greater destiny.

  “Did I mention I love vague directions? Because I do. Not knowing where we’re going…it’s the in thing to do these days.” Ben went on a rant while he backed out and began to drive, as I instructed, north. We drove in silence for a few hours until Lee finally broke the stillness.

  “So, what’s it like, Augrais?” Lee pulled himself closer to me by grabbing my headrest with his hands.

  I hesitated for a moment, choosing my words carefully as the countless greens and browns of the earth sped by us in a complex dance. “It is difficult to explain, Lee. It’s much different, but at the same time I feel as if I have lived like this my entire life. I know I have not. But it feels like everything now has a purpose. Everything now is pure.”

  “Sounds pretty,” Ben muttered nonchalantly. “So, you gonna actually give me directions or are we still heading north?”

  I didn’t respond. He knew the answer.

  “Go north, Ben,” Trosian said with the sort of condescending tone he always used with his junior companion. I could tell he was still seething with rage just by the way he kept staring out his window.

  The brakes screeched. For me, it was like slow motion. I stopped myself easily with my hand against the dashboard. I heard the other two behind me smack their heads on the seats in front of them.

  “Ben, you son of a—“ Trosian growled, rubbing his forehead.

  “Ow!” cried Lee, holding his head. “What the hell?”

  “Brakes,” explained Ben, a smirk painted his face as he feigned ignorant innocence. “They just locked.”

  “Oh,” Lee said, then asked a moment later, “are we going be able to keep driving?”

  Lee’s stupidity always surprised me.

  “No,” said Ben, trying to contain a laugh. “I’d pull over but”—he looked down at his foot and back at Lee with a look of melodramatic dismay—“they don’t seem to be working anymore!”

  Lee’s eyes widened as he grabbed onto the door, trying to pry it open. Ben was already one step ahead of him and kept locking the back door as Lee tried to open it.

  “Oh my god we’re gonna diiiie,” Ben screamed, his face a perfect visage of horror as the van swerved back and forth across the road.

  Ben then burst out laughing. I didn’t find it funny. I should have but I just simply couldn’t. It was as if there was some small, crucial part missing in me.

  “What’s so f
unny?” Lee asked, his voice full of confusion.

  “Oh, come on,” Ben said to me, ignoring Lee. “The transformation didn’t take away your sense of humour too, did it?”

  I smiled briefly just to humour him, for my attention was elsewhere—on the flashing lights a few metres behind us.

  “Pull over,” I cut into the conversation.

  “Ah crap…” Ben said, his voice full of disappointment as he realized that the police were pulling us over. We had had many run-ins with the local law enforcement, all of which ended with the use of the Water gift.

  The van grinded to a halt, the gravel making a small cloud behind us as a police vehicle followed closely and pulled in behind us. The long stretch of road that we had been travelling on for the past few hours was in a rural area. The road looked as if there was not a soul near it for miles—and didn’t look as if it got much travel.

  “Oh we are so dead.” Lee was beginning to freak out as two armed men in uniforms stepped out of the cruiser. One walked right up to our window and tapped it lightly, motioning for us to get out, while the other hung back recording information. The mind of the approaching enforcer flowed into me like water from a faucet. I didn’t even need to concentrate to hear his thoughts.

  We all stepped out and gathered quietly in line as Ryan, the muscular, mustachioed police officer, had instructed. Ryan was a decent man. He took the law literally, with no grey areas. He liked golf and shooting ranges but did not like cocky teenagers. At first, I was tempted to just use the Water gift and continue on our merry way. In fact, that’s what the other three were glancing at me to do. But something held me back. I wondered why two provincial police had stopped us when there was no reason to enforce the law in such an underused area. More red flags arose for me when my senses indicated that the Pagan encampment was very close to our destination, just another 20 kilometres away. Even more interestingly, Ryan himself was positioned in such a way that told me he was unsure of the situation or why he was even here. He was clearly threatened by us, which made no sense since he reasons to love teaching some hotheaded teens a lesson. That meant…