"In the event of danger, or if Eros were to be threatened one day, would the Kobolds be able to defend themselves?" I asked after several minutes of interviewing the two young women, who had been taking this exercise seriously so far.
Xia and Xian looked at each other, visibly surprised by my question.
"Eros is a modern country. Peace and respect for the environment are at the heart of your values," I tried to catch up.
"Indeed," Xian replied with caution, "we know that weapons, war, or even nuclear tests are tense diplomatic subjects in other countries of the world. We have all the technology here, but for certain things, such as the manufacturing of our outfits, the population remains attached to traditions."
Her sister suppressed a little laugh before adding,
"In addition, the flora and fauna on our island are biological weapons on their own. One would have to be crazy to overlook this detail."
The latter's intervention earned her a dark glance from her twin sister. Xia seemed to immediately regret her words.
"Why are you interested in our security? All this seems irrelevant!"
Xian's penetrating gaze instantly froze me on the spot.
"It's… It was a personal matter. There are things that we can't always control."
"Your four caliber distress pistol won't be of much help to you on Eros," said Xian, pointing to my half-open backpack at the base of the eucalyptus.
"We are taking precautions in case we get lost on the island," I explained, feeling uncomfortable and hurriedly closing my bag.
"And the satellite phone hanging from your belt?" retorted Xian. "Is it to look pretty, or is it another precaution? Eros is not the Amazon forest!"
"These things won't save you! You aren't the one chasing danger, it's the danger that is chasing you, like a prey that it watches. They are the ones who decide when the game starts," Xia added in a low voice, coming out of her silence.
Then she walked over to me, dodging Xian's hand trying to hold her back.
"The plants are full of poison," she whispered. "They can be your enemies as well as your friends. Don't forget it!"
Suddenly she crouched down to remove a small case from her shoe with an arrow inside, which she held out to me.
"A paralyzing substance is extracted from certain vines. We boil the bark of it with other leaves to get a pure concentration of poison. Then we smear it on the tips of our arrows. These are our weapons. We use these darts in case of danger from wild animals or other aggressions which could occur. This method may seem outdated, but I assure you that it's very effective."
I took the arrow, perplexed, taking care to avoid touching the end, not convinced of the usefulness of this piece of wood. Then Xian added in an almost contemptuous mocking tone,
"It will complete your war gear!"
"Survival. My survival gear," I corrected, trying to show a serene smile.
In the racing boat that was spinning at a dizzying pace, I observed the beauty of the coast. Despite the speed at which our boat was moving, we weren't disturbed by its vibrations, nor disturbed by the noise of the engine, as if we were finally flying over the water. In the distance, all of the many waterfalls seemed to surround the island and reflected a phosphorescent bluish light, allowing this land to be seen more than ten kilometers away.
"These waterfalls are called Solis Falls," my guide told me. He was standing next to me at the controls of the device.
"And where does the color come from?"
"The cliffs are made of blue chalk. The water in these waterfalls is a precious source of hydroelectric power."
I glanced back at the falls. Faïz, lost in thought, watched the starry sky. The air had warmed, and the fog had finally dissipated, as if the island allowed us, for a few hours, to contemplate its view of natural wonders. I hesitated to join him for a moment, but I finally chose to stay with Zerkô. Part of me still refused to reconcile with him. Even if we teamed up on this mission, I didn't want to let him take over my emotions. Indeed, there were too many things at stake for me to let his divergent mood rub off on my spirits and distract me from the main objective.
"We should have gone inland!"
Faïz's brittle voice surprised me. He was now right behind me.
"I wanted to finish this expedition in the cave of the nymphs," justified our guide, confused.
"It wasn't in the program! I made it clear from the start that we had to follow our instructions."
"Maybe this visit will be useful to us," I intervened in order to ease the tension that had suddenly arisen between the two men.
"We can still turn around," said Zerkô, "but you won't be at the inn on time for dinner. We lost precious time at the place of the pineapple leaves harvest. The boat was the best way to catch up."
Faïz sighed then turned to me, assessing the situation. I remained silent when I saw that expression on his face. I didn't recognize him. Was he angry, or just anxious? Impossible to know at that moment. Our eyes fixed for a long time, then he turned, still looking grave, to go back to the rear of the boat.
Our boat entered slowly between two waterfalls, in a huge cavern which contained an incredible palette of colors. Before our eyes stood a spectacular picture.
"The cave of the nymphs was shaped by lava millions of years ago. It's located at the base of a volcano," Zerkô explained to us in a low voice, as if not to disturb the rest of the soul of this magical place.
The walls shone as if a thousand and one diamonds had been hung there. The water, clear and pure blue, was reflected on the walls, which further accentuated the patterns of erosion. Faïz and I looked around us, stunned once again by the unique setting.
"I imagine this place also has a history," I said softly, staring at the ceiling of the cave, similar to that of a cathedral.
"For some, this cave was inhabited by mermaids, and for others, by demons. It all depends on how you see things."
I didn't notice his last words. The legends were complex, and I realized it even more today. The boat eventually ran aground on the sand. It was then that our guide stopped the engine.
"Mr. Mattew, if you want to take photos and a few notes, don't hesitate. This place is inaccessible from the ground. You won't have another opportunity."
Faïz hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly decided to follow Zerkô, who already had his feet on the ground.
"Miss Reyes?" Zerkô invited me to come down, holding out his hand.
"No!" Faïz said, his voice echoing throughout the cave. "She stays in the boat."
Annoyed by his attitude, I threw my bag violently on the sand.
"I also want to take the opportunity to visit this cave."
Faïz's anger seemed to come out of his eyes. He shook his head in disapproval, then looked at Zerkô with a wicked look before starting his walk without bothering to wait for us.
During our exploration, I took care to stay with Faïz to avoid any scandal on his part. Only the sound of the waterfalls outside the cave broke the thick silence that reigned here. A stone suddenly caught my eye with its strange shape. I immediately bent down to pick it up and noticed with surprise that it was a small steel alcohol flask.
"What does that mean?" I whispered, puzzled at this find.
"A fisherman must have lost it during a trip at sea," said Zerkô, scratching the back of his head.
"It's still lukewarm," I pointed out to Faïz.
At that moment, Faïz's face twisted in fury and in a burst of rage, he grabbed our guide by the throat, sticking him against the wall with such brutality that his feet lifted from the ground.
"Zoe!" yelled Faïz. "Go to the boat and leave!"
I stayed speechless in front of this surreal scene, unable to make the slightest movement.
"Get out of here! It's a trap. Flee!" Faïz continued to scream, eyes out wide.
"I…I… Not without you. I refuse to leave you here."
Faïz released Zerkô, who collapsed on the ground, and with a hurried st
ep, walked towards me. He grabbed me by the shoulders when suddenly a silver hoop wrapped around his upper body, and then a second one wrapped around his legs.
"Run, Zoe!" he ordered me before collapsing on the ground, a prisoner.
Without waiting, I turned around and rushed towards our boat. I stopped short after just a few meters, my lungs on fire, realizing that I was abandoning Faïz to his fate. Turning around again, I saw Zerkô above him and trying to hold him.
"Leni! Come and help me!"
Without thinking, I threw myself with all my might on his back and plunged my fingers, as hard as possible, into his eyes. A cry of pain came out of his mouth, echoing throughout the cave. It was then that a lasso wrapped around my throat and literally took my breath away. I was dragged for several meters with the cord tightening around my neck. My vision gradually became blurred. The suffering I felt was unbearable.
"Throw her in the water. It will be faster!" cried Zerkô, breathless, to his friend.
At that moment, I felt myself lifted in the air, ready to be thrown violently into the depths of the waters of the cave. The painful impact seemed to break my bones into a thousand pieces. Still conscious and on the verge of suffocation, I tried to reach the surface in order to regain the oxygen I was missing as quickly as possible. As I was about to catch my breath, something deep in the water grabbed my ankle to pull me back down again. I tried to free myself from the grip of the aquatic plants that held me, but in vain. Little by little, exhausted by the fight, I felt my last strength abandon me. I had only one thought: Faïz.
I beg you, spare him.
And then the darkness caught me.
FAÏZ
Still a prisoner, Faïz remained lying down, unable to break the ties which took away all his strength.
"Zoe!" he screamed in despair, staring at the water which was gradually becoming calm again.
Weakened, he spoke directly to Zerkô.
"Why are you doing this? You have no idea what brings us here."
"We know it very well!" replied a man standing beside Zerkô.
The latter, much thinner than the guide, but solidly built, leaned over Faïz.
"Don't hit him, Leni!" warned Zerkô, "your limbs could break. His strengths are beyond what we can imagine."
Faïz rolled his eyes, hatefully defying the stranger, whose face was only a few inches from his own, a demonic smile twisting his face.
"Drowning is not what we usually reserve for our victims," laughed Leni.
Faïz suddenly felt a blade pierce his skin, the pain instantly freezing him, and he began to scream under the torture. His executioner, excited by this macabre game, reveled in the scene. Leni pushed the blade into the victim's body again. The pain, unbearable, almost made him lose consciousness. The only thing that kept him going was the minimal chance he had of saving Zoe.
"Have you ever heard of the Twilight Brotherhood?" asked his executioner. "Our community is devoted body and soul to the service of our Queen. We worship her with the purest of offerings."
Faïz tried to push the man, still placed above him, without success. Blood was running down his body and he was having a hard time controlling his increasingly jerky breathing.
"What do you gain by capturing the Sylphids?"
"It is our duty, transmitted by hereditary status. Each member of the Brotherhood must swear loyalty to our leader and promise to honor our Queen. We offer her the souls of Sylphids. In exchange, she gives us her protection so that we can, once our death arrives, pass into the other world without any obstacle, and in our turn become venerated beings."
"I imagine that if we are here, it's because our souls interest her," declared Faïz in agony.
"Indeed, the sacrifice of a human life is a beautiful offering, even if she particularly appreciates the celestial creatures. Our Queen wishes a more precious sacrifice and asks for the ultimate offering, that is to say: the soul of a Goddess."
Hearing these words, Faïz gathered his last strength before adding in a barely audible whisper,
"There is one thing that you aren't taught in your Brotherhood."
Curious to know this secret, Leni put his ear close to the young man's lips in order to hear each word better. At that moment, Faïz tilted his head and gave a great blow to his opponent's head. The latter's skull split in a thud, and his body swiveled for a few moments before falling heavily on the ground. Without waiting, the young man tried to drag himself to the edge of the water.
"Shit! Leni! Leni!" Zerkô yelled, rushing towards the inert body of his accomplice.
Mad with rage, Zerkô grabbed his friend's blade and took a lighter from his pocket to heat his weapon.
"You asshole! I'm going to send you straight to hell!"
6
I woke up, disoriented, in the midst of suffocating heat with, as far as the eye could see, a chaotic gray decor. The scorching, charcoal ground creaked under my bare feet. In the distance, dark trees, stripped of all foliage, seemed to have been ravaged by a recent fire, like all the still life that surrounded me. Ashes flew through the air, filling the space. I stopped at the edge of a gigantic chasm whose bottom seemed to reach the bowels of the Earth.
"You aren't dead yet," affirmed a strong voice on the other side of the blaze, thus answering the question that I asked myself.
A ghostly pale woman whose mouth was hidden by a white mask stood in front of me. Her terrifying blood-red eyes scrutinized me coldly. She was dressed all in black. Her long cape, resting on her shoulders, merged with her long, dark, and shiny hair.
"Kushisake," I whispered without believing it.
The woman tilted her head as if she had heard my words despite the distance between us. Suddenly, she disappeared from my field of vision to find herself the next second right by my side. Startled, I began to look around me. I absolutely have to find a way to get out of here. My eyes came to rest again on this woman whose eyes didn't blink.
"Where are we?"
"Where you wanted us to be. At the gates of hell."
"So, this sad landscape is the fruit of my imagination."
Kushisake came closer to me and gently took one of my locks of hair in her hand before adding, "don't get it twisted. This place does exist on this Earth. This chasm, located in the middle of the desert, contains a pocket of gas burnt by the flames. Do you want me to accompany you to the other side?"
The frightening and demonic voice of Kushisake seemed to pierce me.
"After all, dancing with the Devil could be fun."
"We want the stone," I retorted, trying to hide my panic as best I could. "The ruby you hold. If you give it to us, then my friends and I will leave without asking for anything more."
At that moment, I thought I detected in her scarlet look an amused gleam.
"You aren't able to demand anything. Nothing can save you, not even the stone."
Kushisake put her hands on her chest and then brought her face even closer. Her frozen breath brushed against my cheeks at that moment. An icy chill ran down my back.
"You think you are blessed by the Gods, but I read your soul, and it is cursed. Just like me, you bring death around you."
At that moment I felt her hands tighten around my throat. I tried to break free, but she tightened her grip a little more. It was impossible to push her away because she was much stronger than me. How to overcome death itself? She was the poison of this island. Xian's phrase about plants came back to me. My vision was gradually becoming blurred. I didn't have much time before I died. My hands began to search for the holster hanging from my belt. In one last effort, I grabbed the arrow firmly there so as not to drop it, despite the uncontrolled tremors of all my limbs.
I gathered my last strength and plunged the arrow into the neck of this demoness. She immediately released her grip on me in a howl of rage and withdrew, the arrow stuck in her. Her eyes, filled with fury, made me understand that she was preparing to pounce on me. Believing that my last hour had arrived, I backed away slowly,
praying for a miracle to happen. Suddenly, I felt hands grip me from behind to tear myself away from this hell and bring me back to reality, which is to say, at the bottom of the water, my ankle still prisoner.
Realizing this second chance I was given, I started swimming down to find something that could help me cut the seaweed that was holding me captive. My hand was quickly groping the floor when I grabbed a large pebble after a few seconds. I knocked with all my might on the root of the plant, which didn't resist and instantly released my ankle. I immediately started swimming upwards as quickly as possible and filling my lungs with air once the surface was reached.
My eyes immediately went in search of Faïz. A vision of horror appeared to me at that moment. His body lay on the ground. Zerkô, near him, was holding something in his hand that I couldn't make out. Had he lost consciousness? I dared not imagine the worst. The only thing I was sure of was that I had to act quickly. I swam towards the shore. Zerkô, a few meters from me, noticed my presence as I came out of the water, flickering and breathing heavily.
"DON'T TOUCH HIM!" I growled in a threatening voice.
Zerkô, who looked back and forth between the water and me, seemed to doubt the situation.
"How…how is it possible? No one can escape!"
"I'm not the others!"
I tore off the gravity bracelet from my wrist before Zerkô jumped on me, then started running with all my strength towards my bag which was still at the base of the boat. My body no longer weighed anything. The speed at which I moved was impressive. Unbalanced by the lack of training, I still managed to get ahead of the man, weapon in hand. I skidded on my knees until I reached my bag. Without looking behind me, I grabbed the distress pistol inside and then turned to face the one who'd betrayed us. Determined, I unlocked the weapon and then squeezed the trigger, delivering a flare of red, illuminating light that lodged in Zerkô's body. He instantly ignited, turning into a human torch. His atrocious cries echoed all through the cave.
DARK FAÏZ Book 2: Nothing will ever be the same again Page 6