Relics and Runes Anthology

by Heather Marie Adkins

  Amber’s powers were still unstable and unpredictable, but at one point they cooperated without much effort from her. She needed to tap into that again. With some practice, she’d learned how to teleport Eric at will, which was promising. This time, she wanted to find Marcus. And, despite not having an emotional connection with him—like the one she shared with Eric—she hoped that her prevailing desire to find Marcus would be enough to bring her to him and outweigh her inexperience as a new Olympian.

  It was a game of trial and error for about forty minutes or so, sitting still in a meditative sort of way. She began to fidget; a growing feeling that she was wasting her time ensnared her, taunting her for her ineptitude. Opening her eyes, she stood and paced for a bit. Maybe she was trying too hard. She rolled her neck, side to side, gave each limb a wiggle in an effort to loosen up. Relax. You’ve got this, she thought, bolstering her confidence. Closing her eyes again, she said aloud, “Marcus.”

  The ground vibrated beneath her and, for a moment, she felt imponderous as she teleported. On the other side, she emerged in front of the Argent Hotel. A bit disoriented, she rotated, getting her bearings. Maybe she overshot it. Then not even a minute later, Marcus came stumbling out of a dive bar about a block ahead of her.

  Forgetting her nausea, she jogged after him. He had managed to stagger all the way around a corner before she’d caught up to him. Based on his unsteady gait, she deduced he was inebriated which made what happened next all the more disarming. As she turned the corner, she was yanked into a side alley and shoved face first against the brick wall, her right arm pinned behind her, a knife grazing her throat. The stench of beer wafted beneath her nose. She’d originally pegged him as a jerk and he was proving her right.

  “Holy shit,” Amber shrieked.

  Recognizing her voice, Marcus released his hold. “Amber, I’m sorry.”

  “Have you lost your mind?” Amber asked, fraying her wrist where he’d given her a hell of an Indian burn.

  “Well, you shouldn’t have sneaked up on me. I reacted on impulse.”

  “You could have killed me.”

  “But I didn’t. Doesn’t that count for something?” he said through an ineloquent belch. He covered his mouth. “Excuse me.”

  “You’re drunk.”

  “It’s been a long day.”

  She turned on her heels.

  “Wait, were you looking for me?”

  “Never mind. I was wondering why you haven’t been in touch, but now I can see you’re busy.”

  “Hold on. You came all this way for help, right? Don’t be stubborn. C’mon, follow me,” he said over his shoulder. Instead of walking haphazardly across an imaginary line to prove his sobriety, his comportment was not only steady, but almost ascetic as he led her, as if on sacred mission, down the alley. This was a man she would follow.

  Marcus led the way down the alley, shimmied between a hole in the chain-linked fence and stopped in front of a warehouse. Lifting the left garage bay, he said, “After you.”

  Immediately entering a side door, they walked down a hall flanked by storage space; each gated and bound with large padlocks. At the end of the hall, they took the stairs up a flight, leading to another hall lined with apartments.

  As he removed a crowbar from his jacket, Amber held her breath, but he surprised her when he unlocked the door to 1B with a key instead of jimmying the lock as she had anticipated.

  Marcus took off his jacket and placed the crowbar on a counter. The apartment had high ceilings, and expansive windows, with an open floor space in the living room, and a small cream sofa tucked in the corner. “This is a safe place. They can’t see us here.”

  “What do you mean, Ares—er, Marcus? I’m sorry, I don’t even know what to call you.”

  “Ares is fine. It’s nice hearing my own name after all this time.”

  “Okay, Ares it is. What did you mean by they can’t see us?” Amber queried.

  “Over the years, we’ve discovered areas out of the Quorum’s periphery, blind spots. This place falls within one of those blind spots.”

  “How is that possible?”

  “No one knows, but no complaints from me. I will take all the help I can muster.” He disappeared down a hallway and returned with something hefty and blue. He unfolded it out in the middle of the floor and she realized it was a mat.

  “What’s this?”

  “You need to train and learn how to defend yourself.”

  “I can crush an opponent with one thought.”

  “You can’t just rely on your powers as you must’ve realized when you fought Kelly. You both share the same powers, but for some reason you’re not equally matched.”

  “Great pep talk. Thanks.”

  “No offense, but you need to hear this. You have to learn hand to hand.”

  He was right, of course. Back there, by the dive bar, he could have easily subdued her and he was plastered. She agreed she needed to train.

  “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there’s a shortage of Olympians to partner up.”

  “You’re looking at one.”

  “Look, I don’t want to hurt you. We’re unequally matched.”

  “Right, this is a great opportunity for you to learn to control your strength. If you do that, it should be a fair fight.”

  “You’d take the risk?”

  “Shortage, remember? Besides, you can heal me if you do some damage,” Ares replied, like it was nothing. “So you can stop by every day to spar, yeah?”

  “Yes,” Amber said, thinking she might have misjudged him. “That would be great.”

  “Go home, get some rest, and come back as often as you’d like and we can train.”

  “No, I’m too wired to sleep, but I could use a bite. Do you think we can start training tonight?” She put on her jacket, “Unless you’re tired.”

  “We’ll pick back up in an hour, okay?”

  “Great, thanks.”

  16

  May 19, 2008

  Finneus viewed Amber and Ares on the screens, intent on not letting anything else slip past him. The Quorum expected thorough reporting and he couldn’t keep this case pending for much longer without giving a good reason. There were circumstances that prevented the recapture of the Olympians. If not for the Quorum’s directive to restore order amongst the quadrants, the Olympians would have been brought back in years ago. But, the universe was in chaos and the Quorum didn’t have the numbers to end all of the fighting across the galaxy. Wars—most notably, the Troxan and Venetian Wars—took priority over any other open cases. It had taken decades to increase their numbers in the Quorum to end the wars before they were able to refocus their efforts on catching the Olympians.

  Now that they had enough resources, Finneus was expected to deliver results. He sat on the edge of his seat, staring at the bank of screens. Then, Ares and Amber blinked out of the frame again. How could he explain this? There was no more room for error and no excuse to justify his inability to locate the fugitives. Asking for more time was risky, but he wasn’t ready to present his findings. No, he didn’t want to alert his superiors just yet. Not until he had all his ducks in a row. His job was on the line if he didn’t get it resolved.

  In the Quorum, Finneus was tasked with overseeing the fourth quadrant, which housed a multitude of sectors. For the natural, it would have taken eons to search through all of the data. But he was a part of the Quorum, which afforded him the ability to sift through endless volumes of data within seconds with just a thought to initiate the process.

  Within his assigned quadrant was the vast planet Cronus. It seldom made it on their radar, but, as of late, the planet was under investigation. A once peaceful planet had given way to an uprising, but even after years of surveillance it was difficult to ascertain the origin of the insurgency.

  Finneus had observed many life forms, but the Elysians were by far the most clever race he’d ever seen. To keep the planet thriving, their people ascended and as such they used t
heir gifts to help preserve their planet and maintain peace.

  The Elysians also lived for centuries which intrigued Finneus, because he had yet to find another race who could boast about such longevity with the exception of the Quorum. To serve on the Quorum, he was granted a substantially longer lifetime. He wasn’t immortal, but he was as close as one could get to it. It had been a thousand years since he had been selected to take a seat on the Quorum and it could all end over this one planet that managed to go under the radar for so long.

  Was it truly under the radar? Had he missed something, because of his fondness for the people that reminded him of his own family he’d left behind for the mission? Maybe. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but he could admit it to himself. Only because he didn’t think they were a threat. He stood by his gut telling him something was amiss. He’d just have to prove it.

  He drew in a deep breath, knowing he had his work cut out for him. He would have to go through all the data stored for Cronus. But, at least, it was just one planet. Since the Olympians were last in custody forty years ago, he figured that was a good place to start. He circled back to key points of ascension since that seemed to mark the divisiveness amongst the races of Cronus. At one point, they were united in every aspect of their lives. He had to keep studying the records to find something to explain the change.

  To that end, he flickered through some of the older recordings of Cronus, observing the people of Elysia and the ascendant races working hand in hand. He watched their civilization thrive, their combined efforts always serving the communities well. They were a kind and gentle people, supporting one another, pitching in with daily jobs, even if it wasn’t their assigned vocation, every Elysian helped out in any areas that were lacking able bodied workers. No one ever went without sustenance, or shelter. It just wasn’t their way. They took pride in their planet and looked out for one another. Finneus had witnessed years of this until things started to slowly change.

  It had long been tradition that the ascendants contributed to the evolution of Elysia, a territory that was always meant to expand into new territories along with its fast growing population. Until one day, they stopped building and started demanding worship and monuments erected in their image. After centuries of coexisting harmoniously, the ascendant races turned on the Elysians.

  Finneus sifted through the older footage, trying to determine the onset. Something happened to cause the change. He was certain of it. But what?

  His finger halted on some footage of Ares, a young man he’d been observing since he was a boy. He didn’t want to believe it, but Ares was among the first to make such a proclamation. At the time, in 967 A.D., Ares was a new Olympian narrowly missing his chance to ascend, but he unlocked the secrets of ascension within seconds of being pulled into the Underworld. It was inspiring to see him overcome what was deemed almost impossible since so many of their kind descended into the Underworld. He was a promising addition to the Olympian race, but seemed to be causing a raucous within the recording.

  Finneus stopped the recording, unable to move. He wasn’t supposed to get attached, but these people were good people. His finger hovered over the button, afraid to continue, but he had to see how it played out. There might be evidence to pinpoint what happened between the Elysians and ascendants to shift the balance.

  Adjusting his headset, he plugged back in to listen to what was transpiring in the recording: a conversation between Ares and his mentor.

  “All I ask is that you call upon me in supplication,” Ares said.

  Mathis blanched. “You want me to pray to you? And if I don’t?”

  “Well, how will I hear your call, if you don’t beseech me?”

  “I see.”

  “Mathis, it’s just a simple request. Invoke my name in good faith and tell others to do the same in return for my favor and protection.”

  “You want disciples, too?”

  “Disciples, citizens, brave men, all of which are welcome to join my infantry. With the Titans becoming more belligerent we need good men to protect our home. How does one assemble an army without recruitment?”

  “Ares, you’re not yourself. The change has affected your judgment. This is sacrilege, demanding prayers in your name and disciples. Who do you think you are? Do you think you’re God?”

  “I am a God.”

  “No, you’re just a boy who fortuitously stumbled upon the key to ascension.”

  Ares glared at him. “Careful, old man, it is only because of the kindness with which you have treated me that I have not smote you where you stand.”

  “Understood,” Mathis responded, unmoved by Ares sanctimonious comments. “I’m sure you can recall I have a schedule to keep. I trust you can see yourself out.”

  Finneus paused the scene again and removed his headset. Ares was a kind soul; he had always been a hard worker and shown reverence for his elders, but you wouldn’t know it judging by this scene. He had a sneer across his face with an underlying tone of entitlement. It seemed Ares truly believed that Mathis, a man who had been like a father to Ares, should be subservient to him.

  He ruminated, Should I report it? It was his duty to submit any information about individuals or groups who threatened the continuity of the system. This information was damning, but it would close the case for Cronus. In truth, Finneus should have submitted the record a long time ago. However, Ares was such a good kid. Finneus had been watching the Cronus sector since Ares was a boy. He’s still finding his way with his new abilities. It would be a shame to see him punished for one indiscretion. With his mind made up, Finneus depressed a button to delete the record.

  “What are you doing?” Adelynn asked from behind him.

  “Adelynn, I didn’t hear you enter the chamber.”

  “I’ve come to relieve you.”

  “There’s no need. I can work another shift.”

  “You need to rest to ensure the utmost diligence as it pertains to auditing the quadrants.”

  Adelynn was a stickler for the rules and Finneus knew not to keep declining her suggestions. “Okay, but let me finish this last transmission.”

  “Don’t delete it,” she said, grabbing his hand.

  “But it’s nothing of consequence.”

  “Finneus, it is not for us to decide. You must submit any and all signs of threats for adjudication.”

  “Yes, of course.” He clicked a button to submit the recording, gathered his belongings, and headed to his quarters. He looked out at the panoramic view of the cosmos. What good is it to watch if you cannot intervene? How does this help anyone? How does this help the system? He dragged a hand down across his face in frustration, wondering if he’d done the right thing. Then he looked up with such clarity: The system is flawed.

  17

  May 19, 2008

  Amber decided to grab a bite at a twenty-four hour diner, but settled on tea to calm the tumultuous anxiety twisting knots in her stomach. The idea of going home made her nervous at the thought of facing Eric. Things between Eric and her were tenuous after the riot and their bond had been tested by the hurtful things he’d said. She was sure he didn’t mean any of it and he was apologetic the next morning, but those words didn’t come out of nowhere. They had to be floating around somewhere in his mind of things best left unsaid. No, she wasn’t ready to go home. Not yet.

  “What’s a nice young lady like you doing here alone on a Friday night?” A handsome guy probably in his mid to late twenties sat beside her with dark hair and deep brown eyes. He ordered a sandwich and an ice tea with lemon as he looked at Amber genuinely waiting for a response to his question.

  Amber smiled at him, and replied, “trouble in paradise, I suppose.” What am I doing? Why did I just go into all of that with this stranger? She wouldn’t normally divulge something so personal, but she felt comfortable with this man and a certain familiarity that she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

  “Let me guess, he cheated on you?”

  “Well, no.”

/>   “Put you down and pointed out all of your physical imperfections?”

  “No, he always tells me how beautiful I am?”

  “Okay, so he’s probably inattentive, insensitive, and unsupportive?”

  “No, he’s always encouraging and empowering me.”

  “Hmmm, I’m stumped.”

  Grasping at straws, Amber replied, “Well, no…there’s the time he…and he also…” He was good, making her see that she was making something out of nothing all on her own. Eric loved her and as always would remain at her side, helping her figure out how to navigate her unruly powers.

  He smiled again. “Go home and give that man a break! Clearly, you’re in love which supersedes any bruised egos or whatever it was that started your argument in the first place.

  “You’re right…I’m sorry I don’t even know your name. My name is Amber,” she said extending her hand to shake his hand.

  He shook her hand firmly and replied, “It’s Que.”

  “You know, Que, you’re really good at this. Is matchmaking or relationships your profession?”

  “You could say that, but I’ve been on hiatus for a while and I’m slowly getting back to my roots.”

  “Well, I’m glad because you’re really good at it and I can’t thank you enough.” Amber stood up and left a few bills for her tea.

  “It’s been a pleasure and good luck, Amber.”

  Amber smiled and walked out of the restaurant and once she stepped outside she felt a chill go up and down her spine. Goosebumps formed on both of her arms.

  Amber turned around and headed back inside of the restaurant, but Que was already gone. She whispered to herself, “Cupid?”

  “How did you know he was Cupid?” Ares asked.

  Amber dropkicked Ares in the chest. “I don’t know, he helped me figure things out with Eric and I just had a feeling.”

  “Ah, you sensed him.”