Sol Boxset

by Samuel Small

  “No need to worry, we’ll send someone to come get them. Horses are expensive and since there are no owners to be found they’re up for grabs.”

  “Perfect,” Jake said. “We’ve given them enough food and water to last them a while but I’d still recommend coming as soon as possible.”

  “That won’t be a problem. The guards are starting to recover, so we’re planning on sending a squad after you soon. Just keep up the good work.”

  “Will do, Major.”

  Jake clicked the device back onto his waist just as his teammates finished up with the horses. They stared at him blankly, apparently wanting to know what they should do next.

  “We’re heading to the next village over,” Jake said. “It shouldn’t to be too far, so let’s get going.”

  They crossed the village and returned to the front gate. As he passed by, Jake once again inspected the savage claw marks that tore through the wooden entrance. Whatever monster did that didn’t have a taste for animal flesh and calmly ‘spirited away’ humans. He didn’t understand this at all.

  They circumvented the walled village and found a path on the other side, one that according to Jake’s comp would lead to another village sometime the following day. He exchanged a hesitant look with his comrades then continued down the path.

  ***

  Night came and the group decided to head into the forest in hopes of finding a riverbank or somewhere they could pitch camp. It only took a few minutes of walking off the designated path, their feet crunching in the crisp leaves covering the ground, before a marble structure loomed into view in the middle of the area, a small creek surrounding it. “What is that?” Sara mumbled.

  “You mean you don’t know? Come on, you were actually at that lecture,” Jake said. When she stared blankly at him he continued. “It’s some kind of ancient structure, predating historical records. There’s supposed to be a really big one a ways out but tiny monuments like this sprinkle the countryside all over. It’s from an ancient religion or something.” Jake shrugged then hopped over a few stones until he was on the makeshift island.

  The structure was hewn out of rock with little drawings carved into it, although years of wind and rain had worn them into indistinguishable indents. Still, it made for a decent clearing and the land was flat. “It looks like a good place to camp. Come on over.”

  Only Sara and Elizabeth followed. Dante wandered into the forest, leaving his bag on the edge of the creek. The water constantly ran, leaving the area never devoid of sound, but Jake found it oddly comforting as he set up his tent, like the sounds of the city that let him know he was never alone. Jake pitched his camp then propped himself up against the monument with his rations. As he did, his heart stopped. Sara finished crossing the creek and headed in the direction Dante disappeared into. That left him alone with Elizabeth.

  Jake made a noticeable effort to keep his head forward as he shoveled the tasteless food into his mouth, trying to ignore the eyes burrowing into the side of his head.

  ***

  Sara followed Dante, but as the sun waned and threatened to leave her alone in the dark forest she put a kick in her step. It didn’t help that there were strange monsters possibly wandering these very woods, or that they had just left a village that had somehow mysteriously lost all its inhabitants. The thought that some strange entity that wasn’t the Voids had to be responsible for that village’s disappearance sent a greater chill down Sara’s spine. As she paced through those woods, intent on finding any sign of Dante, she became increasingly aware of the sun’s fading presence and the darkness that began to creep through the trees.

  Once the shadows had settled but it wasn’t yet pitch black, Sara saw light flashing through the trees just a little bit ahead of her. It was neon blue, pulsing in rapid succession before blinking out. After a few seconds it picked up again. It was a good thing there was darkness in this wood, otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to see the light. Sara walked toward it, making uneven steps across the stones that riddled the ground before she came to a small copse of pine trees. They huddled together in a line like gatekeepers. Sara knew based on the intensity of the light as well as some sort of force accompanying it that the source was on the other side. She lifted one of the branches like a curtain and went through the entryway.

  As expected Dante stood there, punching out orbs of light that lit up his face, before shooting away and leaving him in darkness. He threw a few good combos then took notice of a crunch to his side, one provided by Sara as she stepped closer. His lips pulled into an exaggerated frown and he stared at her as if to ask ‘why are you here?’

  “Well,” Sara said as she pulled a few pine needles from her uniform, “we did just see a village disappear and then off you go on your own. It’s dangerous around here, don’t you know that?”

  Dante stared at her blankly for a few seconds then returned his head forward. He brought his hands in front of his face and punched out a few more orbs of light. Intent on ignoring me, huh? Sara thought.

  She decided to let him do his thing and see if he was ready to talk after he finished. She sat on a rock and waited, her hand pressed against her cheek. Not once throughout his entire workout did Dante look at her, he was way too focused on what he was doing. He punched out, slid across the area, ducked, weaved, and bobbed all over the place. Even though Sara didn’t know much about boxing, she could tell just by watching that Dante had a skill. One that seemed useless, at least on paper. If he was a Sol user what was the point of learning an art meant for unarmed people without Sol?

  Likewise, Sara could tell by the sheer potency of Dante’s Sol that he trained regularly. No, more than regularly – manically. Since she was a little girl Sara was told to train her Sol daily, and she thought she possessed a degree of talent, but Dante’s ability put hers to shame. He must train this intensely every day, she thought.

  Dante kept up his workout for a while longer. By the time he was finished the darkness had fully settled in, the sounds of cricket chirping filling Sara’s ears so loudly that it was almost annoying. A little bit after Sara was done being entertained by the sounds of the night Dante’s movements became lethargic. She could tell it was taking a great amount of effort just to move his shaking arms, as the effort to punch out was a slow one. His sweaty hair hung in his face and he panted on trembling legs.

  Sara wanted to come out and help him, to tell him it was enough, but there was some kind of strange intensity with which he did it that told her not to interfere. It wasn’t long before he slumped over, pressed down by some imaginary weight. With each combination he seemed to sink lower to the ground. Before long his shaking legs collapsed and he fell onto his stomach. Sara rose to her feet and tried to help him, but she could tell he was fine by the way he casually looked at her. A rock digging into his cheek, he mumbled, “You still here?”

  “Of course I’m still here,” Sara said as she grabbed Dante by his forearms. She heaved him up, the effort difficult because he was simply out of energy. When he was on his feet he stumbled a bit before finding his balance. Once he had it he looked to her, his arms hanging limply at his sides. “I wanted to talk to you,” she said.

  “What about?”

  “About… well, you. That guy Montasir, he mentioned something. Something about you not having Sol.”

  “That ain’t none of your business, or his for that matter. I’m sure he’ll dig something up, though. Real pain in my ass…”

  “Did you pretend not to have Sol so you could train in boxing?”

  “Eh? Oh, I guess so,” he said then looked into the shadows of the forest. They seemed to shift and swirl to Sara, prepared to envelop them if they stayed here much longer.

  “And that mercenary group you’re after? What about them?”

  At the question, Dante turned his head from the darkness and stared right into her. ‘Into’ wasn’t quite the right word though, he seemed to look through her. See everything about her, her every intent in those empty e
yes that appeared to be devoid of all emotion. It frightened her and she took a step back.

  “That’s got nothing to do with you,” he said. “They’re for me to handle, and me alone.” He took a step forward, his leg nearly giving out, but he caught himself and continued. Sara took that as a sign that they were returning to camp and followed.

  “Well, what about this whole Void escapade? Why are you even here?”

  “It’s not like I can do what I’ve gotta do when I’m worried about these freaky monsters fucking everything up. It’d bug me if I didn’t deal with it, that’s all.”

  But that was too simple an explanation, at least for Sara. He slipped under the branch of a pine tree and didn’t hold it up for her, allowing it to snap back and nearly hit her. She didn’t yell at him for this, as she felt she was getting close to some kind of revelation, some reason behind the mysterious operations of Dante.

  “If that’s the case, you’ll never get anything done. You’ll have to stop and help every lost soul that gets in your way.”

  His brow creased at her words but he ignored her, continuing on his way back to camp. Sara couldn’t stop, she felt she was so close to breaking him.

  “You don’t need to lie, just tell me the real reason you’re here.”

  “The real reason…” he mumbled then slowed his steps. Soon he came to halt, staring at the ground. Sara could not work out what his intent was based on his back, like he was some sort of empty shell, before he whipped around.

  “You really want to know the reason why?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “It’s just—” he broke off and scoffed at the ground. Whatever the reason was, it was difficult for him to put into words. Sara took a few steps closer and brought a hand to his. He seemed to accept this act of kindness, the first one she’d ever seen him accept really, and he nodded.

  “It’s just… those creatures. They, uh…” He turned his back suddenly and stepped away. “They remind me of someone.”

  ***

  Back at the camp, after a few agonizing minutes of Elizabeth staring at him Jake felt the need to speak up, although he wasn’t sure it was the best idea. She was a rebel symbol, after all, and she might take this opportunity to attack him and escape, but something in his gut told him that wasn’t the case. Some sinking suspicion that defied all reason told him to trust her, so Jake sighed then turned his head to the girl.

  “What is it? Do you want to talk?”

  In the darkness Jake couldn’t quite make out her features. Elizabeth was backlit by the campfire, flickering orange surrounding her dark silhouette. It was enough that he couldn’t see her facial features, but when she brought a hand to her mouth Jake thought he understood. Something like shock. Like she wasn’t actually aware she was staring and was surprised that Jake pointed it out.

  “Don’t tell me this is about earlier? Listen, I’ve got my reasons for being loyal to the Republic that aren’t deeply rooted in nationalism.”

  “Like what?”

  Something pulled at Jake, the instinct he always got when the issue was raised. The same one that told him to change the subject or tell people not to worry about it. But then there was another instinct, one at the back of his mind telling him to trust her. To trust the girl who had nearly decapitated him a few days before. It was crazy, he knew that, but he couldn’t help that it felt… right.

  “It’s… it’s about the genocide.” The words floated out of his lips like a ghost and he expected her to say something. To tell him to speak up or that he was hardly even alive when the genocide happened, but she didn’t. Her figure knelt by his side patiently, waiting for him to continue.

  “My parents died in the fighting. In the senseless violence perpetrated by the Mad King. I don’t remember what happened when I was a baby, when I was under his control, but I do remember all that the Republic did for me. Major Miles used to visit and bring food. I was offered an education despite being an orphan and the opportunity to be whatever I wanted to be. That was something that never would have been promised to me under any other government in the world, so I’m grateful for it. All of the war orphans are really.”

  “You’re grateful for the conflict,” Elizabeth said and hugged her knees. She stared off ahead, into the flowing water of the creek that ran around the tiny island. Her eyes seemed to radiate with barely suppressed tears, although Jake couldn’t tell if that was just a trick of the shadows caused by the fire illuminating her face. One thing he was certain of, however, was that it was the first emotion she’d ever shown him.

  “I lost my family in that conflict, the rebellion…” she whispered. As soon as the words left her lips her slumped body jerked upright, and she turned her head in an instant to Jake. She blinked a few times at him as if she needed to confirm he was real.

  “What’s the big deal,” Jake began, “A lot of people lost their relatives in the…” but then he trailed off as his mind began working out the details in the background. The fact that she wanted to hide that her relatives died in the conflict, the allegiance to the rebel faction, that regal way she carried herself. All of the separate pieces of the puzzle clicked together. Almost as soon as they did Elizabeth stood up with her knees bent, ready to jump across the creek. Jake shot up right with her and grabbed her forearm.

  “You’ve figured it out, haven’t you!?” she shouted as she turned all the way around, knocking Jake’s arm off as she did. He took a few steps back, filled with the image of her face contorted into all kinds of emotions at once: hate, resentment, regret, all etched onto those twisted features. It was enough to leave him awestruck, right up until the point where she brought a hand to her rapier. At that motion, Jake clenched his teeth and seized that arm on instinct.

  But he was surprised by his grip, it wasn’t the way you’d expect to grab someone when they gripped a sword to kill you with. It was gentle, calm. Calm enough that Elizabeth didn’t resist him and looked up, her mouth slightly agape.

  “It’s uh,” he began but had to look away. That innocence she exhibited, it was enough to drive him mad. “If I, uh, figured it out then I’m sure Major Miles did too. If he thinks it’s a good idea to have you on the mission I’m going to have to respect his decision.”

  Elizabeth’s arm slipped out of Jake’s hand. Not because she shook him off but because she removed her grip from her rapier. She maintained the same cool stare that he’d become accustomed to.

  “You’re a moron, you know that?” she said then brushed past him and into her tent. He watched her unzip the fold and slip into its darkness. The trainee was aware that Sara and Dante hadn’t come back yet, but frankly he didn’t care after this most recent revelation. He sighed and returned to his own tent, hoping that getting some sleep would allow him to wrap his head around all of this Elizabeth business.

  Dream

  “You’re telling me you’ve never been here?” Shion said, leaning in with a full-blown smile.

  “Yeah, I don’t see how that’s so fucking surprising. I only go from the village to the gym, back and forth, and that’s it,” Dante said.

  “All the time?”

  “All day every day.”

  “And what about today?”

  “Um, well,” Dante said as he bashfully scratched his cheek. He knew that if he told her he came to make sure she was safe she’d roast him, even though that was the case. She’d probably be pissed off if he mentioned it wasn’t safe for her to be out alone, what with the disappearances and all, so he kept his yap shut and trailed off. Shion lost interested and ran toward one of the local shops with carefree steps, her black hair bouncing with each leap and bound, before she stopped abruptly and waved to him.

  “This is the place, come on!”

  But Dante wasn’t nearly as eager as her. He glanced at the adults that lined the streets, but none of them paid him any mind. No malevolent stares, no angry whispers, nobody saying outright that he should be dead. Frankly it was weird, but Dante wasn’t going to complain
. He slowly trotted over to Shion.

  “Geeeez are you really gonna be that slow? What about all that training you’ve been doing?”

  “That’s for fighting, not running errands.”

  Shion stuck out her tongue dramatically then made her way inside the doorway. Right after she disappeared behind it, her head once again returned, glancing at Dante casually. “Oh, and don’t start any fights or anything. Otherwise my mom won’t let you come out with me anymore.”

  “I don’t start fights, I finish them!” Dante shouted back at her but she’d already disappeared into the shop, muttering a “yeah sure” as she faded away. Dante sighed angrily at her. Then his ears detected an all too familiar sound.

  The adults were there, whispering to one another on the other side of the street. Dante clenched his fists and glared at them, ready to disobey Shion’s orders, when one pointed, but not at him. He followed their finger to see a boy with long blond hair carrying an armful of boxes. He took a few wobbly steps then craned his neck around the tower of cardboard to see where he was going. When he did, he locked eyes with Dante, and they stared at each other for a moment.

  It was like looking into a mirror. Those eyes that were on the verge of tears, yet jaded. The boy took a few more faltering steps toward Dante then lost his footing and fell face first over, slamming the boxes into the ground. The lids popped open and several red and green apples rolled out in front of Dante, who dropped to his knees to help collect them.

  The adults started talking again, but this time they made no attempt to hide their words. “The screw-up screws up again.”

  “How much money do you think that boy’s cost his family’s shop by now?”

  “Did you know that he’s—”

  Dante could take no more of it and shook his head, focusing fully on collecting the apples. He stuffed as many as he could into his black shirt, using it as a sort of apron to contain them, then dumped the fruit into an upright box.

  “You horrid child!”