Gateway to Astria - Part 1

by Isaiah Gray

  ~*~

  In an instant, a bolt of energy surged through my system and I was awake.

  “Ah!” A voice called out. “Sleeping Beauty awakens!”

  Glancing over, John, Resh and I were all still chained, Kent still stood in the middle of the stage. All the memories were still fresh in my mind. I still, to this day, have trouble dealing with killing Nathan, but it makes it easier knowing he wasn’t the man I thought I knew. Something of such conviction doesn’t happen in an instant, it grows over long periods of time or already exists from the beginning.

  “Have fun? Ha!” Kent said as he turned to a large computer screen behind him. It was now that I noticed that the stage was set differently. It was home to many large computer systems and screens. All of them were be centered around a large frame that by my guess was a good twenty feet tall and ten feet wide.

  Trying to stand, my legs gave out from underneath. I collapsed onto the hard stone. My knees planted themselves in stains of blood. They themselves were covered in dry blood. Bound, my wrists were also covered in blood. Dizzy, my head had trouble trying to orient the room in place. My mind was uncontrollable, my body was broken, my heart was broken as well. They all take a long time to mend again.

  I couldn’t explain my thoughts. I couldn’t explain my emotions. My friends were chained up and the only thing I knew at that point was I was lost. For once, I had no idea what to do, no idea what to say, and no idea if I was going to make it out alive.

  Kent walked over to me, squatted down and whispered into my ear. “What does it feel like to realize you’re entire life was a lie?”

  That’s exactly what it was. It never was real. No matter what I would’ve done my life, I would have wound up here.

  I stayed like this for hours upon end – mentally torturing myself. It got to a point where I even questioned whether or not existence was still worth it. I could easily wrap these chains around my neck and be done with this horror. Seriously considering it, My gaze wandered between my friends. First to Resh, then to John. Resh was looking at the machine, and John was looking at me. Why? With the entire world spinning, I tried to get a focus on John. He was just staring at me, like Resh did earlier. John's gaze was different. Well, maybe it wasn't so much his heart, but rather mine. When I looked at John, I don't see a fourteen year old kid; I don't see a guide through a mysterious place. I see a friend, someone who means something to me. He was there when I didn't have anyone else, even through through a strange of place as the mist. We made it out alive. I made it out alive. I did it by doing the one subject I thought I would never do: Love.

  Instantly, all of the thoughts of suicide left my mind. I could think a bit clearer, and even found the strength to somehow hobble to my feet knowing that he was there.

  “Look who’s up and at em’” Resh whispered.

  “Yea... Why hasn’t anything happened yet.”

  “I don’t know, said they're doing setup and troubleshooting.”

  “Why doesn’t he call customer service?”

  Resh slipped a smirk and chuckle. “Look who got their sense of humor back!”

  “Yea, and my wit... Possibly.” Slyly grinning, I was concocting something.

  “Go for it.” Resh’s smile gave me a huge grin.

  “Start whistling. You’ll know what to do when the time comes.”

  “What?” Resh said, questioning it. “Fine, whatever you say.”

  After that, Resh started to whistle a soft and gentle tone, it wasn’t too loud.

  I waved to John the best I could without moving my chains. Lucky for me he happened to look up at the perfect moment. With his attention caught, I mouthed out the word “Talk” and pointed to Kent. He nodded back and turned his attention to the exuberant lunatic.

  “Soooo. Big shot!” John said, getting Kent’s attention.

  “Hmm? What? What do you want? I’m busy here.”

  “I just was curious about all your... Gizmos and gadgets. Would you care... Explaining what it does and why?”

  “Pff! Like I’m going to tell you... That’ll ruin my big finale! Or beginning, I’m not sure... Hmm...”

  “Well why are you doing this then?”

  “Ugh, I thought every kid is taught this down here.”

  “Taught what?” John kept at it.

  “Astrians! It’s to rid this... despicable planet of what shred of dignity it still has left!”

  “Not big into Aliens I presume?”

  “That’s what this organization was founded upon. Duh. Nothing that can advance our species. And overall, No mingling. So I’m going to rid our planet of their filth, That’s all.”

  “How?”

  “Stop asking so many questions!” Kent yelled in rage.

  “Sorry, you like to talk, so I thought.”

  “And what is that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing...” John slunk back. Once Kent turned back to his instruments, John shrugged to me. He did perfect.

  Then a sound filled my ears that made me smile. The high pitched yip of Misty. Resh’s whistling bringing her to us, it made me relieved to see her alive. it might be our last chance to get out. She had only yipped softly and came running up to Resh and looking at him.

  “Good girl!” Resh whispered. He went to grab her but she dove out of the way and over to me. At this point, she full out barked at me. It was of joy to see me, but it certainly would call the attention of people around us. Doing just that, I tried to get her to shush, but she dashed off towards Kent. He turned around. “Aww! Look at the little puppy!” He exclaimed, not noticing that it had any connection to us.

  “Are you lost lil guy?” He said, going to pick her up. Misty snapped her jaw at him and growled before moving on to another person. I guess she doesn’t like being called a guy.

  Nobody knew what to do with her. She was wandering around and sniffing everyone’s feet. Well there goes our plan. I thought. But she stopped when she came over of the soldiers she sat down on her haunches and took a look at him up and down.

  The soldier wasn’t sure what to do, so he just waved. “Boss?” He said.

  “Kent. It’s not Boss, just Kent.” One of the other corrections.

  “Right. Kent.” He changed his address.

  “Yes?” Kent finally answered.

  “What do we do with her?” He motioned to Misty.

  “Dunno! Hold her, dispose of her, I don’t care! Just get her out of the way before the machine has its haywire moment.”

  Many of them were intrigued enough stay still in shock, totally caught off guard. But one guard charged her. Misty was fast; she was already in my arms.

  The guard halted when he came up to me. “Don't let her leave your arms he snapped.” I nodded.

  That's when Resh got up, pulled as hard as he could against the chains. He tried to sweep out the feet from under the guard. He succeeded, but the ring of keys that was attached to the guards belt was just out of Resh's reach.

  About a dozen people started towards me. The guard kicked Resh in the jaw before returning upright. He turned around and walked back to his post, but not before he spat on him.

  Another hour went of nothing went by. Soon enough, a few guards left. Arriving quickly after, they started to hand out bowls of soup to everyone except me and Resh. It was some sort of soup – even Misty got a bowl. A masked soldier walked over to her and set it down in front of me, just out of reach. I watched as Misty got up and walked over to it. After a few sniffs, she started to lap it up. That's when I noticed something.

  After Misty drank about half the contents of the bowl – which she ate quick – the level of the soup lowed low enough to reveal a small metallic item in the middle: a key. That is the last thing I expected to find in a bowl of soup.

  I looked around for a bit before I spotted the soldier who gave Misty the bowl. He was off in the corner upon the balcony. I, just barely, was able to see him nod to us. That was enough for me. I stretched as far as I could, but the b
owl was too far. I eventually had to end up grabbing it with my teeth, which after trial and error I succeeded in. I retrieved it finally and dropped it into my hand, then went to work on the locks.

  Then the ground shook. My guess is it was the machines that Kent had set up that he was turning on. Each one of the men and women fell. Some fell on their weapons and were killed, others were just dazed. But as I crashed to the ground, the key clicked and unlocked. Quickly unlocking the other, I handed the keys to Resh who unlocked himself.

  “Now what?” Resh called out.

  Honestly, I never thought we would ever get out of those chains, so I didn’t think enough ahead of what to do after that. I noticed a few of the guards that were sent reeling to the floor dropped their guns, and just as they all were standing back up, I ran over and grabbed one of their guns.

  “Everyone back!” I yelled, pointing the gun at Kent. Everyone but one stepped back, He lunged for my gun. I couldn’t turn in time. He would’ve grabbed me, but he brushed right past me and fell onto the ground. Looking down at him, blood was quickly spreading on the floor. On the other side of me, Resh stood with his blood-covered blade out in front of me.

  Everyone was standing. Nobody wanted to move.

  “Kent. Stop what you’re doing right now.”

  Kent turned around. “Why? If you shoot me, my... minions will just finish the job.”

  I grinned, and with a resounding, “Sounds good to me,” I put three bullets in his chest.

  Falling to the ground, Kent fell over dead. If there wasn’t any way we were getting out of this, I might as well put an end to him; maybe it will stop or stall them long enough to do something about it.

  Everyone in the room was startled as stood on and watched Resh walked over and unbound John’s cuffs. I knew we were doomed; the ammo left in my clip wouldn’t be enough to even manage my part. Three men versus who knows how many was impossible even with Resh.

  Throwing down my weapon, I was accepting defeat, something I swore to myself I would never do. But one thing I’ve learned is to not hold onto things. If I came away from this, things would be different.

  I waited for someone to come and take me away, but they all just stood and kept staring. What could they be looking at? A single laugh filled the theater. A deep, dark, and evil laugh that loomed around the room, echoing in the silence.

  Kent was alive. He was picking himself up off the ground. “Oh, that felt good.” He said, sounding surprisingly un-sarcastic. “You’ve got to try a lot harder than that to kill me.”

  Firing another two shots into his back, as he was facing away from me, he barely even flinched as they hit him. Adjusting his neck before he turned back to me, it revealed huge neck veins. His skin started to fade from its pale color to a thick, blood red. What is happening?

  Kent’s body started to grow to at least around nine feet. His shoulders broadened and arms thickened with muscle. I couldn’t hear his voice, but I could hear growling and gnashing of teeth coming from his direction. A deep, sinister voice echoed again. “There is a passage in an ancient book here on Earth that says “all angels are sent to help out with those lined up to receive salvation.” Well, they left out the part about the demons.” it uttered.

  Then I heard a sound I will never forget. Sending a surge of pain through my head and a chill of fear down my spine, I could barely stay standing. It was his scream. The power and pitch was so high that it felt like someone was taking a chainsaw to my eardrums. Never in my life had I felt such pain. The brief scream lasted forever in my head. Gripping my ears in pain, I collapsed to my knees and curled up. It hurt so badly.

  I finally was able to look back at him, that... thing, was turned, staring me down. It stood several feet above the tallest man, had pitch black eyes, the same torturous eyes. His roaring voice felt like a shock wave of air even at the distance we were at. Three rows of Incisor teeth, a jagged chin of his now blood red rock skin. And the horns, it had horns! Large horns that curled straight back.

  He looked at me, not speaking or growling, just looked. Slowly raising his arm, the behemoth set his hand on a lever, muttering. “Our voice be heard, Mistress of the Sunset.”

  The earth shook again once more, almost as there was an animal in the heart of the machine and it was screaming to be set free.

  “From the ashes, the trapped world unkempt”

  “No shallow shout, no shimmering silence”

  “The father will fall, the fire voiced intense”

  “A demon’s scream, a devil’s roar”

  “Up rises the second side of the inner war.”

  Then he slammed the lever down. Filled with life, the large frame activated a red glow that filled the darkening room. A rush of air blasted forth, sending every standing person except the demon off their feet.

  Then came more! More and more of the vile beasts of various sizes, horns and weapons, but they all had the eyes. The foul, black, demonic eyes. Some strolled right through the portal; others flew through the portal and perched around the walls and balcony.

  “Resh!” I yelled, both of us next to each other on the ground. “What are those things?”

  Resh looked panic stricken. The fear in his eyes sucked all chances of hope out of my heart.

  “Resh... What are they?” I asked once again.

  “They’re Astrians...”

  Hell continues

  in part two...