Tales of Aria: The Legend of Damiano's Disk

by Carl Russ III

  Laverick walked down the hallway. Glancing around to be sure no one was nearby, he came to a halt and whispered, “Ma, can you hear me?”

  “Yes, darling?” Veronica responded immediately.

  Laverick looked over his shoulder before continuing. “That was a close one. I don’t know how I’m gonna do this if all these people keep trying to talk to me!”

  “There’s no rush, dear,” Veronica answered. “They will have to fall asleep eventually. Simply wait until the activity around the base has slowed a bit. Then you may carry on your investigation without interruption.”

  “That’s a great idea!” Laverick excitedly replied, trying to keep his voice down while concurrently inspecting the surrounding area once again. Once he was certain no one was listening, he whispered, “Thanks, Ma.”

  “Of course, doll,” said Veronica. “I’ll remain linked to you throughout the mission’s duration. In the event you require my guidance again, merely ask.”

  “You betcha,” Laverick assured her, advancing down the hallway.

  Noticing an entrance to a room on his right, he peered inside. The area contained a large colorless table with several chairs. It reminded him of a similar room in Quinn Manor. This must be some kinda meeting room. He was tempted to walk inside and search for the fragment, but ultimately decided to continue down the hallway. I’ve gotta find the barracks. That guy’s gonna get real suspicious if he catches me poking around the base again. I just gotta stick with Ma’s plan. As soon as these suckers fall asleep, I’ll be home free. He yawned. I gotta be sure I don’t fall asleep either! This whole thing’s got me pretty darn tired...

  * * * *

  “In order to prevent raising skepticism,” Veronica informed Lord Quinn, “Laverick has decided to postpone his search until after the Spades have fallen asleep. This could be a lengthy affair, however, and I will need to remain awake in order to keep my link with him established.”

  “Are you certain you will be able to maintain a connection long enough?” Lord Quinn inquired. “Won’t you be nearing your conjuring limit soon?”

  “Not at all,” Veronica replied. “Establishing a link requires the most energy. Maintaining the connection takes hardly anything.”

  “I see.” Lord Quinn walked toward the double doors of the meeting room. “Very well. I will have Passford brew coffee poste‑haste. As long as the fragment is ultimately secured, I’m more than willing to wait as long as necessary.”

  * * * *

  Laverick at last located the barracks. There were only a few people in the room, but the moment he entered, he was bombarded with questions.

  “Zoe! You’ve returned!”

  “Where’s Alex?”

  “Did you find Roshan?”

  Overwhelmed, he snapped, “Alex and I got split up, okay?! I couldn’t find Roshan and I just wanna sleep!” He quickly dove into the nearest bed and buried his head under the pillow.

  The room was bewildered by the reaction. After a brief pause, one of the Spades asserted, “Uh, that’s my bed, Zoe.”

  Laverick jumped up. “Okay then, where’s mine?” He looked at their faces, each one totally perplexed. “I got hit on the head pretty hard,” Laverick quickly explained. “My memory is a little messed up.”

  “Uh‑huh...” one man said, scratching his head.

  “Where?” another queried. “You look alright to me.”

  “That’s because I drank a potion and the mark went away,” Laverick spat out, starting to perspire. “Now tell me where my bed is.”

  Veronica became nervous as she watched the situation unfold. He’s panicking! “Laverick! Calm yourself! Have patience!”

  Hearing his mother’s words, Laverick took several deep breaths as his eyes darted around the room. This only enhanced the onlookers’ skepticism.

  Luckily for him, at that very moment, the man in the black shirt entered the room. Observing Laverick’s deep breathing and fear‑stricken expression, he nearly dropped the plate he was carrying. “What’s going on?!” he asked worriedly.

  “I don’t know; she’s just freaking out,” one of the Spades answered.

  Setting the plate on the end of a bed, the black‑shirted man darted to Laverick, who quickly backed away from him. “Zoe. Calm down,” the man calmly ordered. He looked back at the other Spades, who were visibly baffled and concerned. “I think she’s having a nervous breakdown,” he told them.

  At that very second, a light bulb went off in Laverick’s mind. Yeah! A breakdown! I’ll go with that! Immediately, Laverick stumbled around the room, purposely amplifying his ‘symptoms’ to the best of his ability.

  “She’s completely lost it!” he heard someone say.

  Laverick ran into a corner and curled into a fetal position. “Roshaaaan!!!” he screamed, rocking back and forth.

  “What the hell happened to her?!” one of the onlookers asked as he backed toward the barracks’ entrance.

  “Laverick! Stop this nonsense at once!!” Veronica shouted within Laverick’s mind.

  Without hesitation, Laverick sprang to his feet. “I gotta sleep now,” he informed the room, diving onto a random bed and snapping his eyes shut, pretending to instantaneously fall asleep. Veronica slapped her palm against her forehead.

  “A‑alright... then...” said the black‑shirted man.

  “I always thought she was a bit crazy,” Laverick heard one of the Spades comment, “but this is just plain scary.”

  “Yeah,” another one agreed, “I’m not sleeping in here with that psycho.”

  “She’s not crazy,” the black‑shirted man said. “I just feel like something bad happened out there that she’s not telling us.”

  The room fell silent. “Is she really asleep?” someone queried.

  “Zoe! You awake?” someone else asked. Laverick didn’t respond.

  “Weird...” one of the Spades said, flabbergasted.

  * * * *

  Lord Quinn reentered the meeting room. “The coffee should arrive shortly,” he told Veronica.

  “Oh, wonderful,” she replied nervously.

  Lord Quinn was quick to detect the worry in her tone. “What happened?” he asked sternly.

  Veronica hesitated for a moment. “A minor snag,” she responded. “He appears to have the situation under control. No need to worry! Ha ha ha!” She could tell by the look on his face that he was displeased with her answer. “I assure you,” she hastily added, “he will get the fragment. He just panicked a bit for a moment. The Spades still seem thoroughly convinced that he’s Zoe.”

  Lord Quinn approached his chair at the end of the large table. “I certainly hope so,” he said. “It would be most wise not to disappoint me after guaranteeing success.”

  “Of course, sir,” Veronica replied.

  * * * *

  “You cannot allow a slip up like that to happen again, understood?” Veronica’s voice echoed in Laverick’s head. “Stay in the bed until absolutely everyone has fallen asleep. If you want to make mommy rich and famous, you must not fail!”

  “Sorry, Ma,” Laverick whispered.

  “Ssssssshhhhhhuuushhh!!” Veronica hissed. “Just stay there until the time has come and do NOT make a single noise!”

  Chapter 43: The Infiltration

   

  “The guards will be changing shifts at any moment,” Sezuni softly informed the group as she peered over the large rock they had concealed themselves behind.

  “That’s the best time to do it,” Aiden explained to Lucas, Iris, and Hagan. “There’s a good minute or two there when no one’s watchin’ the border. Then, it’s just a quick dash and ya got yourself a Secar free‑for‑all!”

  “I hope you’re all decent runners,” Sezuni said as she continued to watch the border of Secar. “This takes excellent timing.” She glared at Aiden. “We can’t afford any screw ups.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” said Aiden. “Of course it’s gonna be ME who screws up.”

  “Admittedly,” Iris con
fessed, “my athletic abilities are mediocre at best.”

  “Don’t worry,” Lucas responded, “it doesn’t look like we’re that far from the border.”

  Hagan glanced at Lucas. “Are you going to be able to lug that backpack?”

  “I don’t really have a choice,” he replied.

  Hagan extended his arm. “Give it here.” Lucas hesitated. “Come on,” Hagan protested, “just give it to me. I’m not trying to one up you or anything, but my Fire center gives me increased strength. That thing is gonna slow you down a hell of a lot more than it will me.” Lucas gave a single nod and handed the backpack to Hagan, who quickly secured it to his back.

  The group waited patiently, readying themselves to make the dash. Lucas stretched his legs in anticipation. This is it. Once we get in there, it’s all or nothing. Come on Lucas, you can do this.

  A few minutes passed when Sezuni suddenly gestured for the group to follow her and took off running toward Secar with extraordinary speed.

  “That’s the cue!” said Aiden as he bolted behind her. Following suit, the remaining trio dashed for the border.

  Sezuni was the first to reach the town, followed closely by Aiden. Hagan, despite the added weight of the backpack, proved to be much faster than Lucas or Iris and was the third to cross into the city. Lucas entered next, hastily accompanying Sezuni, Aiden, and Hagan, who were crouching in a nearby alley, motioning for him to join them. Finally, Iris emerged into view, gasping for breath as she came to a halt.

  “Psst! Iris!” Lucas whispered. Hearing his call, she promptly united with her companions.

  “We made it!” Hagan quietly proclaimed.

  “See?” said Aiden, “Piece‑a’ cake!”

  “Quiet,” Sezuni ordered, slipping farther down the alley. “Follow me.” Obeying, the group emerged from the opposite side of the alley and onto an empty street.

  Lucas observed the dilapidated buildings in the surrounding area. The sandstone structures were brittle and cracked. Many had broken windows; a few completely devoid of glass. He noted that the road didn’t appear to be in much better shape, observing several cavities as he ran to keep up with the group. This place is in far worse condition than I imagined.

  Without warning, Sezuni came to a sudden stop as she neared the end of the block, giving a ‘halt’ signal with her hand as she pressed her back against the wall of the building. As the others complied, she carefully poked her head around the corner before snapping it back toward the group. “Just keep still,” she whispered.

  “Should we go back into an alley?” Lucas suggested, feeling a bit uncomfortable in the open area, well‑lit by the burning street lamps. Sezuni swiftly responded with an angry shushing gesture.

  Unexpectedly, a terrible shriek emanated from a distance around the corner. “What the hell was that?” Hagan quietly asked.

  “Monster probably got into town,” Aiden replied. There was another shriek. Aiden raised his eyebrows, “Make that two.”

  “Shut up and follow,” Sezuni quickly ordered as she bolted to the other side of the street, disappearing into the first alley.

  As the group pursued, Lucas glanced toward the source of the shrieks to see a battle between three armored Cobras and a handful of imps. Snapping his head forward, he increased his pace. Please don’t see us, please don’t see us!

  Lucas and the others regrouped with Sezuni in the dead‑end alley. No one said a word for the first few seconds. Then Sezuni said, “In order to reach Kuraikaji’s stronghold, you’ll need to continue east. I’m afraid I will be leaving you on your own at this point. I need to gather a few items before returning home.”

  “You’re just going to leave us here?!” Hagan blurted, still managing to keep his voice low.

  Sezuni looked at him. “I got you into Secar. The rest is up to you. Aiden will be able to provide you with further instruction.”

  Aiden grinned. “See? I’m useful.”

  Ignoring him, Sezuni went on. “You will need to use every ounce of strategy and stealth in you to pull this off. Though you’ll inevitably be forced to deal with the Cobras, I recommend getting as close to Kuraikaji as possible before making your first move. Cut off the head and the snake dies.”

  “Can’t you just sneak in there and take him out for us?” Hagan argued. “It shouldn’t be any trouble for you.”

  “This isn’t my endeavor,” Sezuni responded. “If you’re serious about restoring peace to Aria, you’re going to have to face many dangers such as this along the way. I’m not going to babysit you.” She paused, taking a moment to ensure the area surrounding the alley was clear. “Taking out Kuraikaji and the Cobras is a good first step. From what I’ve gathered, it’s also going to be the easiest phase of your venture. If you can’t handle this on your own, your efforts are futile.” She turned away from the group. “I wholeheartedly wish you all the best of luck. Even though the possibility of your success means that I may have to relocate, it would be pleasant to one day discover that I’d played a part in healing this damaged world for once.” Without another word, she disappeared back into the streets of Secar.

  “Well,” Aiden remarked, “looks like I’m the boss now.”

  “Not by a longshot,” Hagan quickly asserted. “You’re just here to give us a hand. We’re still calling the shots.”

  Iris peered out of the alley. “I find Secar’s vacancy to be both eerie and surprising. I expected we’d encounter at least a few citizens by this point.”

  “It ain’t vacant,” Aiden replied. “Everyone’s just inside. Once the sun goes down, it’s nothin’ but Cobras and monsters out here. Who’d wanna stick around for that?”

  Lucas crinkled his brow. “Do monsters get in that often?”

  “Depends on what’cha mean,” Aiden answered. “Daytime shift is pretty good at keepin’ the oogie‑boogies outta here. Town’s a lot safer then. But they slip in all the time when those half‑ass night guys take over.”

  “Enough talking,” Hagan interrupted. “We’ve got to get moving.”

  “Right,” Lucas responded, walking to the edge of the alley. “Sezuni said Kuraikaji’s place is to the east. I’m guessing that’s the same direction we’ve been heading.”

  “Yep,” Aiden confirmed. “Ya want me to lead?”

  “No,” Hagan said bluntly.

  Aiden crossed his arms. “What’s your problem, pal? I’m here to help, ya know. Ya gotta trust me, I ain’t gonna pull a fast one on ya.”

  Taking note of the tension, Iris voiced her opinion. “Aiden’s familiarity with Secar and the Cobras greatly surpasses our own. I suggest we accept his guidance.”

  Aiden turned to Hagan. “See? The smart one thinks I’m awesome.”

  Hagan rolled his eyes, inaudibly muttering, “Good call, Miss Know‑it‑all.”

  Lucas looked out at the empty street. Aiden might be reckless, but he somehow manages to sneak in here every night and make it out without getting caught. That was one of the major reasons I decided to bring him along, and I’ve got to stick with it. Even though I’ve had my doubts along the way...

  “I agree with Iris,” Lucas finally said, turning back to the group. “Aiden, lead the way. We’ll be right behind you.”

  Aiden smirked, glancing at Hagan before walking to the alley’s edge. “Stick close to me, folks. I’ll get ya to Kuraikaji’s place in no time.”

  The group followed Aiden back into the open. Quickly and quietly, they reached the end of the block. Cautiously slowing his pace, Aiden took a moment to check around the corner of the last building before zipping across the street, motioning for the others to follow.

  Once they reached the other side, Aiden came to a stop and turned to them. “Kuraikaji’s place is at the end of the next block on the street just north of here. Unless you guys plan on walkin’ right up to his front door, we gotta head south a bit before continuin’ east. Then we can go north and come in from the back. The bad news is that it’s pretty well guarded all the way around.
But we might be able to slip in through a window or somethin’ if we stake out at a distance and wait for a chance.”

  Hagan’s eyes widened. “Shh! You hear that?” The group listened intently. The sound was unmistakable. Footsteps. Instantaneously, they scampered into the nearest alley. Once they had retreated, the footsteps approached rapidly, halting excruciatingly close to the group’s hiding spot.

  “I know I heard something,” a voice said.

  “Damn monsters,” another replied, “I hate this job.”

  “It wasn’t monsters,” the first asserted. “I heard voices.”

  “So what?” the second said.

  The four looked at each other, as though waiting for someone in the group to authorize a course of action. Yet, they all remained silent, afraid to move or make any noise that might attract unwanted attention. Lucas clenched his jaw. They’ve heard us! This isn’t good. Hopefully they won’t look down here.

  “So what?” the first voice snapped. “No one leaves home at night. I think we’ve got trouble.”

  “You’re just being paranoid, man,” the second said.

  “I know I heard voices,” the first asserted, taking several steps toward the alley’s entrance. The group became tense as the two came to another stop just out of view. “It could be the thieves who have been stealing from the food supply. They couldn’t have gone far.”

  “I doubt it,” the second voice promptly replied. “Why would they be here? All the stuff is way the hell over there.”

  “Can’t you just do your damn job for once?!” the first voice barked. “Come on, help me find them. I’ll go this way, you look over there.”

  As he spoke, the group took off down the alley, swiftly arriving on the opposite side. Unfortunately, as they entered the open area, their retreat was brought to a sudden stop by three armored Cobras. Both the group and the Cobras were shocked by the unexpected confrontation, briefly staring each other down in a brisk moment of sheer astonishment.

  “It’s that traitor, Aiden!” one of the Cobras exclaimed.

  Aiden glanced at the trio. “Run for it!!” he shouted as he dashed toward the west. He was immediately pursued by one of the men, and eventually tackled to the ground.

  As he struggled, the two remaining men focused on the trio. “Don’t get any ideas,” one of them harshly warned.