Forging Truth (The Truth Saga)

by Raymond Masters

  Aesculapus struggled to free himself from the snare of his brother’s staff, but it was useless. His protection spell doing him a lot of good, except for one little thing: namely, he would still drown if he weren’t able to escape. After the cursed thing had tugged him out a good distance, he felt it start to pull him downward. Finally, he hit bottom, and the staff’s tip jabbed itself deep into the riverbed. Aesculapus was surprised to realize Caduceus was playing for keeps.

  True, he had killed an innocent guard, who dared to get in his face, but he had been stressed to the breaking point at the time. His brother had been dying. Again! Then, to hear he was no longer dying, but already gone, had broken what little resolve he still held, and he had reacted.

  Even in his dying breaths, he knew it hadn’t been his fault. He had made a deal and the deal had gone sour. To better the situation, his remaining brother was murdering him. How could Caduceus do such a thing? In his dying breath, he cursed Caduceus’ betrayal and vowed revenge. Then, the burning in his lungs proved too much, and he was forced to take in the flood.

  The vision was over, and Aesculapus was left slacked jawed and drained. He stared vacantly at the pillar of flame. After an eon of seconds, he found his voice, and uttered, “Undesirable is an understatement.”

  “Undesirable, yes, but not immutable. We can help facilitate the changes, so this does not come to pass. Trust in us. Become our disciple, and all will be as you desire.”

  Aesculapus nodded. “I understand, and I submit.”

  “Excellent. Now, take your vials and return to the house. You have already been missed.” And, the pillar disappeared into the nothingness from which it had sprung.

  14

  Caduceus had adopted a leather thinker’s chair. I had been perched on the chair’s arm to afford a view of the story. Suddenly, Caduceus closed the book and hung his head. “Oh, brother. What were you thinking?”

  “C, are you ok,” I asked.

  “No, I don’t believe I am. I already know how this one ends. I’ve known for decades. I just never had the story’s middle until now. I killed him, Kade; I drowned my brother in cold blood.”

  “Um, no. He’s alive and kickin’ around in your brain. Besides, were we even reading the same book? There was nothing cold-blooded about it. You did what you had to do to protect the innocents. That’s it.”

  “Pretty cut and dry to you, is it?” He shook his head in disbelief and disgust. “Funny reaction to have for the son of a Baptist preacher woman. Murder’s fine, as long as you’re doin’ it for someone’s protection.” I let him vent. Besides, maybe he was right. “An’ I realize he’s still alive, I do, but that’s only because Aesculapus disobeyed me and changed the future, somehow.”

  “And, he’s still an evil son of a bitch,” I rationalized.

  Aesculapus appeared at the far end of the room. “Hey, hey, hey, who are you calling evil? I mean, c’mon,” he said with a knowing grin, “Who’s violating whose mind, now?”

  I lunged for him, only to find he was intangible. I passed completely through him and threw my hands up to stop my face from colliding into one of the many bookcases. “You,” I accused.

  “Who else,” he shrugged. “Can’t believe you didn’t figure it out earlier. I practically handed you any clues you might need, during your brief stay at my humble abode.

  “Now, if you would, please, get out of my memories,” Aesculapus invited, before having a change of heart. “No, wait a moment longer. I’ve got something the two of you might be interested in.” He leveled his finger at me, and crooned, “Especially you.”

  The mental room went completely black, swallowing the gold light of my aura. I heard Caduceus speak for the first time since his brother’s arrival. “I think we have seen enough. I am sorry brother. I never knew. Why didn’t you just talk to me?”

  “Not really in the mood to talk about it anymore, thanks.” It was eerie: the darkness, the disembodied voices, and the unknown intentions of our ‘host.’ “Now, where did I put that memory? I know it’s around here somewhere. Ah, yes, there it is.” A light bloomed to the right of my vision. It was indeed another book. It illuminated Aesculapus’ face, giving his white mane a false angelic quality. “Take. Read. Enjoy.” As he handed the book over, I read its spine. Sins of the Grandfathers, it read.

  There was no time for protesting; we were already immersed in the story, complete with commentary.

  15

  In the scene before us, half a dozen young men in business suits of various shades of charcoals and blues sat in broad chairs around a long boardroom-style table. The room’s only illumination came from the lamps at either corner of the room. Each man was shrouded in feature-concealing shadows. Pacing around the room was our good friend Aesculapus. This time, he had opted for a solid black suit. Two exceptions were, of course, his crimson tie and matching cufflinks. Hey, a guy has to accessorize.

  The Aesculapus before us stopped – as did the entire room – long enough for the Aesculapus of the present to say, “Yes, this is it exactly. This meeting took place the very week I returned from my cursed stay with you, Caduceus. Upon returning to my quarters at the compound, I took out one of the vials I had obtained, and I called forth the Twenty-six once more. I made a deal with them. Not to fear, my little vision had done me good. I built in certain clauses to ensure my success with Seth this time. Watch,” he instructed as the meeting sprang to life around us.

  “Gentlemen, you are my distinguished guests, and I have gathered you for your own betterment, as well as my own agenda. Consider this a mutual interest group.”

  “Yes, Mr. Aesculapus,” said one of the shadow men in a gruff voice. “You already have our interests. Now, give us something we can sink our teeth into, or we walk.”

  “Fine. No need to be so petulant.” Aesculapus took his seat at the table’s head. “Down to business. The five of you aren’t here for my amusement. You have been chosen because of your lineage. To be more precise, you are here because of your future lineage. Your children’s children.”

  “What are you babbling about, you old coot,” a second shadow demanded.

  “Listen to me. Your grandchildren will be special – it has been revealed to me.”

  “Revealed?”

  “Oh, yes, by beings of immense power. Power that will be passed through you.”

  The first shadow asked, “I thought this was supposed to be about us, not some brats from the future.”

  “Okay, I was trying not to be a bastard, but could you just shut up for me? That’d be great,” quipped Aesculapus.

  Time froze, as our guide chuckled, “Oh, my. I forgot about that one. I think I might’ve wet my robe a little. Okay, back to it.” To be honest, I was getting very tired of the whole thing. I wanted my control back. Most of all, I wanted out of this monster’s head.

  “Here’s what I know,” Aesculapus addressed the suits. “In order to get a little something I want, I’ve got to get you guys on board. You will serve the will of the Twenty-six. And why will you do this, aside from not wishing to die? Because deep down, you all want your names to mean something. As for the ‘brats’: one will hold the strings to the world’s coin purse; another will sit on a throne high above the civilized world; a third will facilitate mankind’s grand evolution; yet another will be hailed as the savior of the modern age; while one final heir will bring about the corruption of the greatest Truth.”

  The Dark Monk fell silent, allowing all he had divulged to sink in. The assembled talked amongst themselves for a beat, then a new shadow asked, “What about this final child? What about the corruptor of truth?”

  Aesculapus sighed, “How pessimistic. Are you nervous this one might belong to your line?”

  “Frankly, sir, we’re all a little worried.”

  “Oh, pish posh, tish tosh. Just look at the odds. What about the businessman, or the political leader? For crying out loud! What about the freakin’ savior of mankind? Them’s pretty good odds, my friends. Deci
de now, on the spot, are you in? Or are you in the ground? It’s either all or none of you. No pressure.” He fell silent a final time.

  Then, the first man – their spontaneous spokesman – proclaimed with a bow, “We are yours for the molding. Make of us what you will, to strengthen our bloodline.”

  “And may God forgive us for the sins of the grandfathers,” whispered the quietest of the group.

  16

  Back in the library, I was finally in control again. The lights returned to normal, and Aesculapus returned the book to its shelf with a contented sigh. “How’s that for information overload?”

  “I still think you’re an evil son of a bitch,” I said.

  “Well, okay, then. My brother and I have one last stop to make, and you’ve got a horde of angry hellspawn to deal with, so everybody out of the pool.”

  “I’m going nowhere with you,” Caduceus said, “And I’m not so sure I want to be your brother any longer.”

  “The choices aren’t yours. Your body is still under my influence. See you on the outside.” With a flourish of robe, he disappeared, as did the library in his wake.

  17

  It took my mind a beat to realize I was indeed back in the cell, and out of the depravity of Aesculapus’ mind. I didn’t have long to adjust, though, because Aesculapus was making good on his word. His hands were no longer buried in his brother’s scalp, but were still controlling him via shoots of eldritch energy. It’s like a puppeteer’s chords.

  Mao and Seth were at my side, when I awoke, and they looked concerned. “I’m all right,” I told them. “He’s taking Caduceus,” I said to Mao.

  “He’s not going anywhere,” she said, blocking the doorway with her minor frame. It was adorable, really, but I wouldn’t tell her that. She meant to help save her friend, no matter the risk to herself.

  “It was fun, Kade. Hope I gave you some food for thought. Are you that savior? Who will corrupt you? Am I full of doggy doo? Stay tuned. Say goodbye to your compadres, Ducie.”

  His usage of the nickname made me irrationally angry. “The man said he’s not going anywhere. I assure you, I will stop you, if you try to exit through this door.”

  “Through that door? Fine. I’ll just use this one,” he said, and suddenly, a flickering portal replaced the toilet and sink at the cell’s far end. “You see,” he explained, “While you two were distracted with my past, I am finally seeing my labors bear fruit in the present. Your little syncing trick, dear puppet – oh, I apologize; I meant to say brother – I cracked the code. Read it in your mind like, well, like reading a book. Perfect irony.”

  I moved forward, but the sorcerer stayed me by raising a bony, fish-belly hand. His eyes turned to his trademark serpentine slits. “Ah, ah,” he chided. “Don’t forget about my little petss. You will feed them while I’m away, yess?”

  A shrill scream assaulted me from behind. I turned to see Mao and Seth scurrying away to Seth’s adjoining cell, followed in short order by a legion of demonic creatures of various sizes and hues. Some had multiple limbs, most had horns, and all were after my friends. Who do I go after? It was the classic decision of who would you save if [blank].

  The Dark Monk tittered.

  I would’ve remained frozen to my spot had Caduceus not chosen that moment to fight through his brother’s control. “Kade,” he shouted, “you know what to do. I can hold my own against his penny magic.” Aesculapus’ response was to blast Caduceus through the portal and out of sight. I could still hear the madman’s ghoulish laughter, as he disappeared after his brother. Ducie had wanted me to go after the others; before I could, I had to know where Aesculapus had taken him. Stealing a look through the conjured gateway, I could see Liberty Island. For whatever reason, things had revolved full circle, and I couldn’t help but feel ill at ease with the prospect.

  ALL TOGETHER NOW

  1

  Ignoring my self-preservation instinct, I sprinted headlong into the fray. I had been doing a lot of that type of thing lately. I might not like it, but I was becoming a hero; and heroes have to do things like wade through hell’s angels to save the ones they love. Love? Care for. Yeah, care for.

  I searched for any sign my friends were safe. I had to figure at least one of them was still alive, because as unpleasant a thought as it was, if they were both gone, the spawn would’ve been gunning for me. A lone demon trailed the pack. He looked like a cross between a warthog and a linebacker. Why couldn’t my first time be with one of those little troll-looking guys? They looked easy enough. All I’d have to do is land a solid dropkick, and punt his butt into the wall, and it’d be over. Instead of punting, I powered up, reared back, and slammed it with a clothesline. He went down squealing, but none of his buddies took notice. No honor among demons. Lucky me. I only hoped my luck would last through another dozen or so baddies.

  Just beyond the linebacker, two sets of three-horned beasts skulked across the chamber to join the rest of the pack, swarming Seth’s door. Said door appeared to be your run-of-the-mill cell door, but so far the imps hadn’t muscled their way through. I was only mildly surprised. I really hoped they weren’t smart enough to figure it out. I pooled a fistful of energy and lobbed it into the midst of the three to my left. If I had been bowling, I would’ve nailed the strike.

  Let’s see if I can reproduce that feat. I flung a second light-ball with the intentions of landing it at the group’s core. Unfortunately, my aim was off, and I only managed to clip the beast on the right. To my chagrin, the other two reacted this time. Well, crap. The remaining two screeched in unison and charged forward, heads bent to drive their horns into me. I feinted right and took to the air, avoiding a painful collision. Before I could take a victory lap, one of the creatures lunged, grabbing my ankle, and tugged me toward his expectant maw. “Sorry, pal, not on the menu,” I informed it. Rather than yank away, I flew into it, adding my momentum to its, and connected squarely with its upturned mug. The result: instant TKO.

  The score was now Truth: 6/Evil 0. If I wanted to keep the game a shutout, I had to move fast and not allow myself to be mired down in any further skirmishes. My only hope was to fly to the front of the throng. Then, I’d need to knock them back long enough for the three of us to escape through Aesculapus’ portal.

  I took wing – this time I was extra careful to stay well out of reach. The aerialists I met were few and easily scattered with well-timed lightshows, but more of the bastards were coming through the fissure by the minute. I had lost precious time battling the dozen that had emptied into the antechamber and had no idea how long the gateway would remain.

  So far, the demons were uncoordinated, but I feared that would change. “Open the door,” I called. “Stay close. We’ve got to hurry. If not, they will overpower us by sheer numbers.” I laid down suppression fire to keep them hopping and off our backs. We headed to where Ducie had vanished. It’s funny: the physical distance wasn’t far, yet I felt I’d traveled miles to reach them.

  I provided cover while my principles slipped in behind me. When I knew they were safe, I turned to dive away and left my back open to attack. Two of the monsters wasted no time taking advantage of my vulnerability. One blindsided me and clamped down on my wings. It began to pull in opposite directions. “Fuh!” It was excruciating. Until then, I had been unaware my constructs could register pain. And now I know, I thought bitterly. We had obviously skipped over some vital aspects of my training.

  “Kade,” Mao screamed, “I’m coming.”

  But I couldn’t let her put herself back in harms way. “I’m. Aah! I’m fine.” With difficulty, I concentrated and willed my wings to fade into my aura. Now, it was the demon’s turn to be surprised. As my wings dissolved, the demon’s momentum was, once again, used against them. With nothing left to grasp, each continued, out of control, until slamming into another of their kin. “Seven-ten split,” I mumbled, as Mao pulled me into the cell – and into her trembling arms.

  Seth slammed the door behind me. “What
now?”

  I gave Mao a firm squeeze. “I know,” I addressed her unvoiced fears. Then, I pointed at Aesculapus’ escape route and said, “We follow that S.O.B. and freakin’ end him.”

  Seth hung his head and began to cry. “But I cannot leave here. I’ll die.”

  He was scared. Despite his age, he was still very much a little boy. “I’m sorry. I understand. Battle’s no place for a kid, no matter how old he might be. But you can’t stay here. It’s too dangerous.” I motioned at the monsters that had begun throwing themselves against the door. “I’ll get you someplace safe, after we cross over. I give my word.”

  He flashed a terrible smile. “Yes. I am afraid to fight, but it’s more than that. Allow me to explain.” Seth’s story was a saddening and maddening account of failed attempts to voyage beyond his dreary home. They were few, yet they each ended near death. Before, Aesculapus had always been there to nurse him back around.

  I had already seen a similar tale unfold inside the hell of Aesculapus’ vision. “He saw this would happen, and still he brought you back.” His evil sickened me to the marrow, and my heart spewed murderous rage. “How could he do such a thing?”

  “Because of his love,” Seth replied. His words were cold and knowing.

  “That’s not love,” Mao spat. “He’s a vampire. He’s been feeding off your youth. That’s why he keeps you here. Not out of love.”

  In that same knowing voice, Seth replied, “He gave me back my life; now, I give him his.” One of the linebacker demons punctuated his words by clanging off the door’s metal plate.

  Putting a halt on our argument, I said to Mao, “We can’t take him with us.”

  “I know, Kade, but what about those guys out there?”

  “I’ll be fine,” Seth replied. “My brother set up numerous safe places throughout the commune. Besides, with you gone, I believe they’ll leave me alone. They always had until brother Caduceus came to stay with us.”