by Noëlie Frix
“I feel like I know these guys,” Warrior said pensive. “It couldn’t be—”
Before she finished, the two Immortals who had helped Nature find the cure and kept him awake at night came out of the cave, stumbling and crashing into things.
“Duuuuude,” the first one said. “Some party!”
“Yeeeaaaah! Who’s everyone here?”
“Worst fears confirmed,” Heka muttered. “Why did you feel the need to bring Alcohol and Drugs here?” she looked at him incredulously.
“Drugs is really gifted with plants and such, he helped me figure out the main and crucial ingredient for the new cure—one that really kills it and doesn’t leave any room for a mutation, a new strain to appear.”
“Thanks bro,” Drugs blushed, his eyes were glazed. “So much fun working with you, Dude.”
“Yeah, only side effect is,” Trélig said glancing at Drugs and shaking his head in disapproval, “that it makes the person who takes it a bit, uh…happy. Alcohol knows about disinfectants and such so he helped too. They’re both the party type and will fight for us, since they know that if War, Disease and Death win, they’ll rule with an iron fist, and they won’t be able to party quite as much.
“These suckers, hips, these suckers don’t know how to, hips, to have fun.” Alcohol hiccupped. “But we’ll show ‘em.”
“How exactly do you plan on beating them if you are always drunk and if you are always high?” Heka said pointedly.
“Yo, some drugs can heighten senses, sharpen them, gal. I’ll be amazing. You’ll see.”
“Amazing! I can’t wait to see. And when you train, make sure to take either nothing or the right drugs so you’re prepared. I prefer some order within my ranks.”
“Just have fun. Enjoy life,” he spoke slowly, dragging his words.
“Whatever.”
“Yeah. And I can…I can be so good fighter. I mean, hips, fighting. I just need to drink the right thing,” he took a bottle out of his pocket and drank. His breath stank of whiskey making Heka gag.
Drugs sniffed something.
“This is great,” Heka muttered.
“Yes, actually, it is,” Trélig reminded her. “They’re on our side. Try to ignore your natural tendency for making enemies, alright?! You’re supposed to train our army, remember?”
“No, I suddenly forgot that minor detail,” she groaned. “I know it’s not that easy to put up with Immortals, but still…they take it to a whole new level. Okay you two,” she turned toward them, and, at her commanding voice, they both listened, their thoughts somewhat coherent. “I don’t care if you party now, or after the battles, but when we practice, I want to see what you two are really capable of. When we train, you’re gonna sniff or drink whatever it is that makes you alert and sharpens your senses or whatever. Make sure you do well on the battlefield, and then you can go party as much as you like.”
“Yeah!” they cheered and ran back to the cave without glancing back.
“So you are still your old self,” Jason said. “What do you think about them?”
“They’ll be really helpful,” she said, making sure Drugs and Alcohol were out of earshot. “I just hope they’ll be coherent on the battlefield.”
“Oh, they will,” Trélig reassured her. “I’ve seen them work with me on the cure. They’re good, just wild. I need to go finish the brew, and then Wind said she’d get it out to the cities. Tomorrow we can leave for King Damien’s court. It’s not far away at all, so you’ll be able to start torturing us soon enough.”
“Why does everyone call it torture? Have you no tact? Do you know what I just went through?” she wasn’t really that angry, but still.
“Yeah, but you honestly cannot talk to me about tact! And torture’s what everyone calls it because that’s what it is,” he replied.
“No, it isn’t!” she snapped.
“Yeah Trélig?” Jason added. “How could you possibly think that?”
“You mean you don’t enjoy getting kicked and punched and finishing the day with about a hundred bruises?” Electra faked disbelief. As if to prove her right, Heka punched her in the stomach. Not too hard, just enough that her sister staggered back a couple of steps. “What’s not to like?” she grinned, knowing she wasn’t hurt and that Warrior had just been playing.
“Don’t know? But I feel the need to train a bit now, get some strength back after Death’s little demo. If anybody wants to join, feel free—practicing with someone’s always a plus.”
“I’ve got to go finish the cure,” Nature said hurriedly and joined Drugs and Alcohol in the cave.
“I’ll go watch, seems interesting,” Electra walked briskly, following Trélig.
“I’m not volunteering, but I’m in for a walk. Would you like to join me? You can always train on the way if the desire is too strong to resist,” he grinned, “For my part, I want to enjoy my last day without bruises.”
“Too late,” she tried to punch his arm, but he glided toward her, avoiding her strike and holding her in his arms. “Maybe I did train you well,” she smiled.
“Yeah, I think you did.” He pushed back a strand of hair behind her ear, tilted her head up and kissed her. “I’m sorry about what happened to you in Death’s lair. I wish I could have saved you, instead of pretending you deserved it.”
“It’s alright, Jason. You did what you had to, and in the end, you saved me. Don’t feel guilty, you’re not responsible for what happened there, Death is. You got him to drink the brew, which means that, thanks to you, we might stand a chance in this upcoming war,” she paused. “That’s why you will be my second-in-command.”
“What?” he asked dumbfounded. “How? Why?”
“Because, Jason, you’ve got good leadership qualities. I trained you, I trust you, you’ve been in more battles than most Immortals. And, don’t let this go to your head, but you’re good. You’re really, really good and capable.”
“Wow. Thanks. I think that’s the nicest compliment I’ve ever received.”
“It’s the nicest I’ve ever given,” she smiled. Heka didn’t hand out compliments lightly.
“So what does me being your second-in-command entail?” he inquired walking with her.
“Helping me. There’s going to be quite a few Immortals and humans to train. I can’t personally help each and every one of them, and I’ll need your assistance. Also, I want your advice with battle strategy.”
“You want my advice?” he asked
“I need advice. Despite being a really good strategist, it’s still necessary to get a second opinion; I might miss something.”
“Alright. I’d gladly be your second-in-command then.”
They reached the beach and Heka started stretching, “You’ll also help me demonstrate for everyone else.”
“I take it back. Not gladly.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Heka looked offended.
“I’m just not excited by the prospect of being the Warrior’s personal punching bag,” he leaned back against a tree as she started practicing some kicks and throwing punches.
“Not punching bag! You help me demonstrate how to fight.”
“You mean there’s a difference?”
Heka did an elegant somersault in Jason’s direction, grabbed his hand and pulled him down, forcing him to fall. He held on to her, and they rolled in the sand. Both were laughing hard, Heka lay on top of Jason, their arms wrapped around each other, “You’re a big boy, you can defend yourself.”
“Yeah,” he kissed her, “And I leave you defenseless.”
“Nope,” she grabbed his arm and forced him on his stomach.
“Help! I’m being attacked. My girlfriend’s abusive,” he screamed. He yanked his arm free and crawled away quickly toward the sea.
“Am not!” Heka said getting up and walking in Jason’s direction. She held out her hand and helped him up. “Just making a point. Didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“Nah, I guess you were just trying to m
ake a point, otherwise I’d be putting my shoulder back in its socket.”
“Probably,” Warrior admitted. “Interested in a swim?”
Jason nodded and stepped into the ocean, followed closely by Heka. They felt safe now, at least for a short while. The waves crashed on the shore as the two Immortals jumped into them, yelling and splashing water at each other’s face. After about two hours, they washed up on the sand, soaked, coughing out salt water, happy.
“Hungry?” Jason asked.
“Starving.” The sun started setting on the horizon as they walked back through the dark forest toward the volcano. The fire was already burning high and bright when they reached the others, and the delicious smell of cooking meat wafted out of the clearing. Alcohol was already passed out next to the fire, a bottle of wine in his hand, snoring loudly. Drugs quickly put away a bag when he saw Warrior, sniffled, and started eating. Heka snickered quietly, “Think I scared him?” she whispered to Jason.
“Definitely.”
They sat down and started eating heartily. Trélig told them they had finally finished the cure, and Venthae had picked it up while the two of them were down at the beach. Disease was taken care of, at least for now. Death could still do some damage, they figured, but he was greatly weakened. War was the real threat. He was gathering his own army, and King Damien had confirmed that many other kings, other countries were readying for what was shaping up to be a huge two sided war, those on Marcus’s side, under his command, the rest following Heka’s camp.
“King Damien has a significant army already. Several Immortals are waiting for us, some have joined War whose army is of comparable size, maybe slightly larger.”
“More will join with Damien, he has many allies, but they are scattered far and wide,” Heka said. “I’m going to go sleep. Hundreds of thousands of men to train and a bunch of Immortals to meet are gonna require some rest. Good night.”
She got up and climbed a tree close to the edge of the forest where Warrior fell asleep to the sound of the wind in the leaves, the fire crackling, and the waves crashing on the beach.
Chapter 21: Voyage
“Morning,” Electra called out as her sister walked out of the woods. “Sleep well?”
“Fine, you?”
“Mmh, mmh.” She nodded.
“Good morning. It’s Heka, right? I’m Brandy, by the way.”
“Juan.”
Heka turned to look at Alcohol and Drugs, “Sober and Clean?”
“Most mornings,” Brandy said.
“But it never lasts long,” Juan added.
As if to prove this, Brandy took out a silver bottle and uncapped it. Gently, but firmly, Heka pushed his arm down away from his mouth, “Would you wait just a minute, please? While I have you thinking coherently, I would like to know more precisely what it is you can do.”
“You know that you’re scary?” Juan asked.
“Yes.”
“Well as I said yesterday, or I think I said this yesterday, there are some drugs that help me focus, increase my strength and sharpen my senses. And I can make others feel the effects of drugs, the bad kind for our enemies, the good ones for us.”
“Okay, that’s great, so long as you keep that away from me,” she said, not wanting to be under the influence of drugs, even if she doubted it would affect her much—after all, her system would get rid of it right away.
“I’ve got nothing like that, but a concoction of my own making with just a tad bit of alcohol actually doesn’t affect my thinking or anything and helps me focus my energy. I have a humongous effect on humans. They have no resistance whatsoever, and they just loooove drinking. Whatever mortal comes within my grasp won’t be able to fight, kinda hard to do so when you’re passed out or, at the very least, totally wasted. Immortals aren’t much affected, but I can help dull their senses a bit,” Brandy explained.
“Good, when we train, use whatever it is you will take during the actual battles, and we’ll get along fine.”
They nodded and walked off towards the boat, doing what they did best. Jason slid his hand within Heka’s and asked, “Are you done terrorizing them?”
“Yep. Are you ready to help me lead?”
“You know it! Come on, let’s head to the beach before Brandy and Juan wreck the ship.”
“Good point,” she agreed, and they followed them.
Electra and Trélig were waiting on the beach, Brandy and Juan were already aboard. The ship looked fine, but the vines were acting strangely, moving about frantically, growing quickly. Heka noticed how close her sister was standing to Nature.
“Is it just me, or does it seem like the two of them are…close?” she whispered to Jason.
“You know, I was thinking the same thing. What’s up with the vines?” he called to Trélig.
“They’re grape vines,” he explained. “Alcohol has this effect on them. I can just turn them into something else.”
“Then why don’t you?” Heka asked.
“Oh!” he sounded surprised, “I will,” he snapped his fingers and the vines turned a darker shade of green and stopped moving.
Heka smiled knowingly, and they all climbed aboard. The plants released the sails, Trélig went to the helm, Brandy and Juan went below deck, no doubt planning to start a good party, Electra sat on the steps leading up to the high deck, while Jason stood at the front, letting the salt water splash his face, breathing the fresh air, and Heka climbed up the riggings, coming to stand on the small round platform at the top of the tallest mast.
The wind picked up.
“We need to go inside,” Electra warned. Nature immediately joined Drugs and Alcohol. Jason walked down to the steps and saw that Heka was just standing there, not showing any sign that she was coming down. Electra stood next to him, waiting patiently.
“Aren’t you coming down?” he yelled at Heka over the wind.
“No way,” she screamed to make herself heard. “This is amazing.”
“Did I hear her right?” he asked Electra who nodded and grinned. “I think Venthae is helping too,” he remarked as the wind picked up and howled ever louder in his ears. The mast on which Heka stood seemed to sway slightly. She held on to a rope, but, if she let go now, she’d be thrown off.
“I know!” Heka yelled back.
“You’re crazy!”
“News flash?”
He tried one last time, “Please come down, I don’t want to fish you out of the ocean.”
“Nope! Too much fun up here. I’ll be down in a while!” then she started laughing maniacally, a huge mischievous grin stretching her lips. She looked elated. A gust of wind caught the sail, Jason had to hold on to the rail, Electra swayed a little, and Heka let go of the rope she was holding. Though she looked comfortable outside, Electra decided to join Trélig down below. Jason held his breath as Heka jumped off the platform, pushed by the wind. She tumbled through the air and held on to another rope which swung her over to another mast, then let go, rolled onto the platform and stood up, looking wild. Shadow smiled and decided it was perfectly safe to leave her alone.
Below deck, the ship felt a little more stable, but only a little. Alcohol and Drugs were singing at the top of their lungs. The three remaining Immortals looked at one another and gave each other a look that said “What the heck.” They joined in, singing the well-known tune. A while later, Heka came down. She was high and drunk on adrenaline; her hair formed a tangled halo around her red face, her eyes shone brightly, and she smiled hugely. Jason’s arm passed around her waist and she started singing as well. After their short trip, there would be no time to party—it would be train, train, train, war, war, war. Long past midnight, their throats dry, voices hoarse and exhausted, they finally went to sleep.
Chapter 22: King Damien
“Heka! My, you haven’t aged a day!” King Damien exclaimed as she stepped into the throne room where he was studying a map. “Now, I, on the other hand, have gotten old.” The man facing the four Immortals—Brandy and
Juan had mercifully decided to stay behind—was tall, with a short white beard and shoulder length hair, his light blue eyes were kind, though serious, and despite his age, he was still strong.
“How are you, your Highness?” she asked smiling.
“Your Highness?! Are we strangers, my dear?”
“No, I think not, Damien. And regarding your earlier comment, you still look great.”
“Well, thank you, though my bones seem to disagree with you. Are you going to introduce me?” he pointed to the others.
“Sure! This is my sister, Electra. Trélig, an old enemy, recently turned friend,” Trélig cringed at that wonderful introduction. “And Jason, my boyfriend, whom you have already met. Storm, Nature, and Shadow. And,” she added, “this is King Damien, one of the few humans who actually knows about us.”
“Immortals,” he nodded gravely. “We are in dire need of your help. Warrior, I am afraid this war is looking grim at the moment. Follow me,” he said as he led them to the war room. “Battles have already started and our enemy is strong. I fear this war will last for years.”
“No, it will not. I have seen my uncle’s plans. If this war will be rough, it won’t last too long. Not if all goes according to plan. A full-blown Immortals’ war is insane. It’s also extremely rare. I know that battles are already taking place, but trust me, that is not what we need to focus on. Tell me about the preparations.”
“Hundreds of thousands have joined me here. Several of my allies have also amassed similar forces—notably Kings Joseph and Meirak. They would be willing to join us at any time. Some men are already actively fighting on the battlefield, ready to be recalled home if need be.”
“Have any women volunteered?”
“Of course. Their quarters are in the East wing of the castle. Do you think we can expect an attack here?”