Warriors of the Way-Pentalogy

by Orlando A. Sanchez

  “You…you dismantled her, you sick bastard,” said Rael, balling his fists as the energy arcs intensified.

  Lucius looked around him, seemingly unperturbed by the strikes of lightning that struck the floor near him.

  “Dismantled? You could say that,” said Lucius, his voice hard. “She attacked me and I was going to erase her. Then I saw her potential, her power. I realized she was my blood and I could reform the bridge if I had a blood conduit powerful enough.”

  “What did you do?” whispered Roman. He crawled over to where Aurora lay and turned her over. She was breathing, but her vacant eyes stared into space. “You killed her.”

  “No, I didn’t kill her, simpleton,” said Lucius, never taking his eyes off Rael. “I took what I needed. Isn’t that what we do, Harbinger?”

  “A chi erasure—no, a chi deconstruction,” said Kenji barely above a whisper. “How could you? You have destroyed her.”

  “I left her alive, which is no small matter,” said Lucius.

  “You should have killed her,” said Roman. “It would have been more of a mercy than ending up like this.”

  “I don’t do mercy,” said Lucius. “I was going to use Sylk. He deserves death and he would have been adequate with Maelstrom. But her power made having Maelstrom unnecessary and now here I am.”

  Rael looked at Roman and Kenji. They both nodded at him in unspoken agreement.

  “You need to die,” said Rael as he finished the inversion glyph, manifested his swords and charged at Lucius.

  “You first,” said Lucius as he waited for the attack.

  FORTY-ONE

  THE THREE OF them sat in the small house situated in the center of the nexus. Around them, the large lake that formed the body of the nexus flickered images across its surface.

  “Securing this location is actually simple. Destroy the bridge, and let them try and swim it,” said Michael. “I guarantee it would be a short swim.”

  “No, Michael,” said Devin. “That won’t solve our immediate problem. We need to prevent them from getting the points.”

  “How do you propose we do that?”

  “How many do we have left?” asked Devin. “We need to secure the points and the nexus before the Lotus gets here.”

  “The Master, the Seniors, the Council, and the Black Lotus are gone,” said Michael. “Mouro and I can hold the nexus, but can we keep the other points secure?”

  “Five points, Michael,” said Devin. “The three of us can’t hold five points and the nexus. I ran into some monitors when I got here. There must be more who are still alive. I sent them with instructions to send anyone they find here.”

  “If they were alive they were novices,” said Michael. “Anyone who could pose a threat was killed.”

  “Novice monitors aren’t going to be able to hold the outer perimeter or the points,” said Devin.

  “Worst-case scenario, we give up the points and keep the nexus,” said Michael. “They can’t use the points without the nexus and vice versa.” Mouro nodded at Michael’s words.

  “We hold the nexus and let them come to us,” said Mouro. “That way we can funnel them into a smaller attack and we don’t get overwhelmed.”

  “It won’t work,” said Devin. “With the points, they can compromise the nexus from the inside.”

  “How many points would they need for that?” asked Michael. “How many for that to happen?”

  “Three,” said Devin. “They would need three of the five before we can be threatened in the nexus.”

  “What kind of design is that?” asked Michael. “What were they thinking?”

  “It makes sense as a failsafe,” answered Devin. “No one person or group can hold the nexus and control it this way unless they have the numbers.”

  “Like this White Lotus does,” replied Mouro. “Yes?”

  “We have to assume they have the numbers, yes,” said Devin. “And that there are still more of them in here. I don’t think they would send forty to take the whole school.”

  Devin froze for a second and then focused on the pair again.

  “What happened?” asked Michael.

  “My sister is here,” said Devin. “She just used a portal.”

  “Here in the plane or here in the school?” asked Michael. “That bond of yours is unnerving.”

  “Here in the school,” said Devin. “I need to go find her before she runs into more of these White Lotus and levels the school and nexus with it.”

  Devin left the nexus. Once across the bridge, he looked back at the small home sitting on the island. All around the island, the lake remained still. He looked at the surface of the lake and could see images of other planes. They moved too fast for him to make out details, a clear indicator that an imbalance existed.

  Something powerful is causing this and I doubt it’s the White Lotus.

  He reached the hub and walked the empty corridors. The White Lotus had carried out their mission with deadly efficiency. Every monitor he encountered hovered at the novice level. He gave them each instructions to head to the nexus and to stay away from the points. He found Meja at the end of the corridor leading to the Black Lotus.

  “You don’t want to go in there,” he said. “It’s pretty grim.”

  She pushed open the door and stopped. She saw the bodies of the Seniors manacled to the walls with suppressors, their bodies bruised and faces disfigured from the beatings. She took in the scene in silence, but he could tell she was angry.

  Her power is even greater than the last time I saw her. She is on a completely different level. Wait—is that a prism?

  “All of them?” she asked, her voice a whisper. “They killed them all?”

  “Michael and Mouro made it out alive, but none of the other Seniors are alive besides us four,” said Devin.

  She hesitated a moment before speaking.

  “And the Master?”

  “They got him first—I’m sorry,” he said. “You don’t need to go in there.”

  “I have to,” she said. “I sensed this area as null and it felt similar to the plane I was on with Dante and…Nina.”

  “It could be just the suppression field the Black Lotus has in this place.”

  Meja shook her head.

  “No, it’s not the same,” she replied. “I shouldn’t be able to sense the similarity, but I have a feeling the ones chasing me will come this way first.”

  “They found you in a null plane? How?”

  “I’ll make sure to ask when I face them again,” she answered icily. “I’m sorry, I’m not myself. It’s just so much death. It’s good to see you alive, Dev.”

  She entered the room and walked to the far wall.

  “Don’t start gushing now, Mej,” he said, following her in. “What do you need in here?”

  “I need a pair of these,” she said and removed a set of manacles from one of the Seniors and placed it in her pack. “I can use these to key in back to the null plane.”

  “So you can do what? Kill them all?” he asked.

  “”If I need to,” she said. “I need answers to some questions and they may have them. From the looks of this, it was an inside attack. How did they get the Seniors?”

  “Poison,” said Devin. “The ones who didn’t die immediately were suppressed. They were easy prey for the White Lotus.”

  “White Lotus,” she spat. “They must have infiltrated the kitchen staff. We should be getting a visit from them soon.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “They had me off-plane in a cell and I killed a few of them,” she replied. “They are being led by someone named Ven, but it all goes back to Wheel.”

  “Why are they coming after you?”

  “I threatened their ‘leader’ so I’m counting on them chasing me here,” she answered. “If they don’t, I will hunt them down.”

  “And kill them all?” asked Devin. “What happened to you?”

  “I had my eyes opened, Devin,” she replied. “Th
e reality of this situation is that we are facing power greater than we ever imagined. The odds of us coming out of this alive are slim to none. That’s what happened to me.”

  “Killing is not always the solution,” said Devin. “There are other methods.”

  “It’s the only method they understand,” she said. “If we kill enough of them, Wheel will have to make an appearance.”

  “Well, that’s one way to do it, but I think the Lotus is disposable to him. He wants the nexus,” said Devin. “If he gets control of it—”

  “He can infiltrate every plane unhindered,” she said. “I didn’t see it. If he has this nexus, all the planes are his.”

  “Exactly and I can’t find any of the Samadhi,” said Devin. “I don’t know if he killed them or kidnapped them.”

  “Does he possess that much power?”

  “Of the current Samadhi, few were actual threats,” he answered. “Most were honorary positions.”

  “But they still possess the knowledge,” she said. “If he can harness that information, we have a larger problem.”

  “Agreed, but right now we have to deal with the immediate situation. We have to secure the nexus and the five points,” said Devin.

  “With only four of us?” asked Meja. “We can leave one at the nexus and the three of us patrol the outer perimeter and hold the points.”

  “We will get overrun,” said Devin. “They have numbers on their side. I still don’t know how many are in the school now.”

  “Perhaps we can help,” said Raquel as she stepped away from the Deadeyes. “You can drop the stealth now, Snipe, these are friends.”

  The rest of the Deadeyes came into view as she finished speaking.

  “Raquel, good to see you. Who are your companions?” asked Devin.

  “We are the Deadeyes,” said Hiram. “And we are here to help you fight off your—ow!”

  Franca stepped forward after she landed the blow on Hiram’s head. She extended her hand forward to Devin.

  “My name is Franca and he got part of it right,” she said. “Our group may be small but we are skilled and we are here to help.”

  Devin shook her hand and sensed the dormant power within her. She looked at him closely with her milky white eyes and nodded at him.

  This one is dangerous, he thought.

  “Any help is appreciated,” said Devin. “We will be getting some unwanted guests soon and we need to secure areas of vulnerability.”

  “Just tell us where you want us. We are ready,” said Hiram.

  Franca gave him a withering stare and he stopped speaking.

  “This is Hiram, Rico, and the big one back there is Snipe,” said Raquel. “Are the points secured? Or is that what we’re doing?”

  “Most of the Seniors are dead, except Michael, Mouro and us,” said Devin as he gestured to Meja and himself. “White Lotus eliminated any potential threat.”

  “Shit, said Raquel. “They’re prepping to come in and take the school?”

  “Not the school, my thought is the nexus,” said Devin. “Once they grab that—”

  “Then it’s over,” Raquel answered. “Rico and Snipe can take the first point. Franca, you’re with me on the second. Hiram will go with Meja and secure the third point.”

  “Once it starts, we need to be able to communicate so we know which point is under attack,” said Devin.

  “We can use the beacons at each point,” said Meja. “They each have a specific energy signature that any of us can pick up on.”

  “That can work,” said Devin. “Raquel, explain the beacons to Rico and Snipe. Meja and Hiram, your point is equidistant to the second and fourth so it’s important to keep that one especially. I will head to the fourth. Michael and Mouro are at the nexus.”

  “And the fifth point?” asked Raquel. “Do we leave it unsecured?”

  “No choice,” said Devin. “We barely have enough to cover four points.”

  “We may have someone for that point after all,” said Meja, looking past the group. “Someone just entered the plane and is in the school.”

  “I don’t sense…anyone,” said Devin.

  “None of you will. I will find them and lead them to the fifth point,” she answered. “They are Mikai.”

  “Mikai are here?” asked Raquel? “Why would they be here?”

  “I intend to find out,” said Meja. “In the meantime, the rest of you get to your points. I have a feeling we will be under attack soon.”

  “I agree,” said Devin. “Each of you knows what to do. Secure the points and stop the White Lotus. I will take Hiram to the third point and stay there with him until you arrive, Meja.”

  “Which means the fourth point will be unprotected for a short time,” she answered. “I will move as fast as possible.”

  “Sounds simple enough,” said Hiram. “We should be able to hold these points.”

  Franca gave him a contemptuous look. “You say that because you are ignorant of the details,” she said. “How many are coming to each point? What weapons are they using? Do we have reinforcements?”

  “I understand your concerns and, yes, we are ill prepared for an assault,” said Devin. “They made sure of that by killing the Seniors and the master of the school.”

  “We don’t have a choice in this,” said Raquel as she checked her guns. “It’s fight or die.”

  “My thought is that the points will be attacked by small forces,” said Devin. “I think the largest force will come for the nexus first, including Wheel, but you’re right, Franca, I don’t have answers.”

  “In my day, we used to call this a blindside tactic,” said Franca, adjusting her holsters. “This is fighting in a dark room at night and blindfolded. It never ended well and we sustained casualties. Not that I’m complaining.”

  Devin gave her a tight smile.

  “Each of us, at least those I know, is formidable in their own right,” he said. “Those of you I just met will have to rise to the occasion. I can only trust in each of you to do your best.”

  “Some information would be helpful,” said Rico. “That would help us prepare.”

  “You’re right, but we don’t know their numbers, what weapons they will use and I can tell you with some certainty there will be no reinforcements. We must hold and keep at least three of the points or the nexus is lost,” said Devin. “We are all that stands between them and we will have to adapt as the situation evolves.”

  “Use the beacons if you are being overrun, and one of us will try and help you,” said Meja. “I will try and route some of the Mikai to the nexus also.”

  Meja gave Devin a brief hug and left the group. Each of them headed to their respective points, leaving Devin in the room alone. He closed his eyes, expanded his awareness, and checked the outer perimeter. Everything was still, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that it wouldn’t last. He made for the third point with Hiram in tow.

  FORTY-TWO

  I ARRIVED IN the Akashic Records. It was the same hallway I had been in before. White marble columns framed the hallway on either side of me. The floor was a glossy black stone that reflected the columns. It created a surreal mirror effect. Around me, I could see stairways and doors. Some of the stairways led nowhere, doubling back on themselves in an Escheresque manner. Other stairs led to doors with no handles. Some of the doors were in the floor while others were on the ceiling, many feet up. In the center of all of this, gleaming in the strange ambient glow of the Records, was a tre. It was the largest tre I had ever seen. It was easily sixty feet in diameter. Each of the three circles gave off a dull silver glow and seemed to pulse in rhythm with some great-unseen heart. In the center of the tre stood Raja.

  He looked the same as I remembered. He was dressed impeccably in a gray suit with a white shirt that appeared to gleam. His rimless glasses and closed-cropped haircut, revealing the gray hair on his sides, gave him an air of sophistication. He stood in the center of the tre with his legs slightly apart, both hands resting on h
is walking stick in front of him. He appeared to be waiting for someone or something. The one difference lay in the energy I felt. I don’t know if it was the tre or Raja, but the energy signature coming from the tre was unsettling.

  “Welcome back, warrior,” he said with a rich baritone that filled the room and echoed off the walls. “Have you come to fulfill your cycles?”

  “No,” I said. “I need information.”

  He looked around the Records and then brought his gaze back to me. “That is the purpose of this place, but I cannot offer to help you in my current state,” he said with a slight bow. “I extend my apologies.”

  I had to admit that his manner set off every alarm I had. I took a breath and felt for Shadowstrike.

  He seems different somehow from the last time I was here.

  His intent appears to cause you harm, so tread carefully.

  “What is your current state, if I may ask?”

  “I normally function as the caretaker of the Records, responsible for the present,” he said. “We are always in the eternal now.”

  “Has your function changed?”

  “It has,” he said. “My fundamental purpose has been shifted from caretaking to elimination.”

  “Elimination of the Records?” I said, knowing his answer.

  “Elimination of any who enter the Records,” he answered.

  The stick in his hands flashed silver for a second. It was a brief light, but bright enough to blind. When I could see again, a sword had replaced the walking stick.

  “I see you possess the third focus, warrior,” he said. “It will make eliminating you a challenge.”

  Now I understood the purpose of the tre. He was waiting. He was waiting for anyone who entered the plane, to kill them.

  I manifested Shadowstrike and walked toward the tre.

  I don’t think I can beat him.

  You can’t, but we can if you let me help you.

  He’s not human.

  The same could be said about you, now. You must face him. Do so without hesitation and release me within you.

  If I do this, is there a way back?

  If you don’t, it won’t matter. You will be dead and I will return to the void to await another vessel. Your choice.