by Riker Kane
“We have tracked him down to the canyons west of here. There, he is taking refuge where he continues his experiments. I want you to go there and bring Zolie and Erasmus back to me for Aeona’s Judgment.”
It was a standard rescue mission. Nothing unreasonable though it probably wouldn’t be that simple.
“Those are my terms,” she said.
“I don’t mind doing this for you. But I don’t see why you need me to do this. You all seem capable of handling a single man by yourself.”
“Which is exactly why I want you to do it. If I were to deal with Erasmus, I would kill him on the spot. I want you to bring both Zolie and Erasmus to me alive.”
Vacindra narrowed her gaze to make it clear how serious she was. There was no reason to cross her now even if I wanted to.
“The canyons,” I said with a nod.
25: Waking Dreams
Asrath was about a quarter-mile circumference, blocked by the same black walls that led toward the skull were Vacindra resided. Maris brought me outside the walls and into the forest where the pale white trees looked to be dying but were apparently still alive. The faint scent of poison wafted into my nostrils though the ground itself was only a muddy black.
“You built up a tolerance to the venom, huh?”
Maris nodded as she led me west through the trees. “It is Aeona’s will. She has blessed us with the ability to survive so deep out here. In return, we serve so that she too thrives.”
“You say Aeona is some type of god or goddess but it sounds like she’s hanging out around here.”
“Vacindra speaks to Aeona directly. We trust Vacindra’s word. She told us to have faith in adapting to the poison around us. Our faith was rewarded.”
“That seems like a good enough reason to trust her.”
Walking through the trees was peaceful enough. There was no wildlife to speak of, likely because nothing could survive out here. We walked by a lake that didn’t seem to have even a single fish. The breeze blew by to remind me I wasn’t stuck in a dream or a world where everything had been frozen in time.
As the forest began to part and our path moved into a descent, I saw my destination.
Maris pointed out in front of me. “The canyons.”
The canyons were a rock formation that sprawled in every direction. The dead forest and blackwater lake came to an abrupt end. It was like stepping into a completely separate piece of land.
“The canyons were formed eons ago,” Maris explained. “Back when Iorus was in its infancy, this land was once level like any flats you might find somewhere else. Over time, natural corrosion created the formation you see before you.”
It was like staring across the Grand Canyon, if the Grand Canyon was made of solid black rocks. It was as mesmerizing as it was eerie. There seemed to be no end to them.
“You really expect me to find Erasmus here?” I asked.
“He is only a man. Our scouts located evidence of someone living here. It is likely he is continuing his experiments while keeping Zolie hostage.”
“Any chance I might run into someone else… or something else?”
“Erasmus has been performing ungodly experiments disapproved by Vacindra. Be on your guard, Ultima.”
“Of course…” I looked down and noticed steps leading down to the canyons. “Somebody built these steps… Looks like someone was living here a long time ago.” I activated the Life Rune and began walking down into the canyons.
The deeper I got, the more I realized just how low they were. When I reached the basin, the canyon walls stretched up to the sky as high as any skyscraper back in Chicago. The black granite on both sides of me had a dull polish on them like they were as old as Maris said they were. A line of blue sky peeked through to give me more than enough light to make my way. The muddy trail turned into dusty stones that were a lot more solid to walk across.
“This is impressive.” Despite being on an important mission, I couldn’t help but admire my scenery. The canyons eroded into a natural archway that formed a giant circle for me to walk through. More steps led down deeper into the canyon, like it was promising something more menacing waiting for me.
“Erasmus is just a man,” I said, chuckling to myself to ease the sudden nerves building up. “What do I have to worry about from him? Just punch him out and bring him and Zolie back to Asrath. No problem for Ultima.”
My thoughts shifted to Zafina, Rhiannon, and Lyra. Having them along would have made this a lot easier but I took comfort in knowing they were safe back in Haven.
I’d been walking down the steps for several minutes, making my way through the archway dozens of stories high. When I got through, the archway opened up, leading down into a formation that reminded me of the Junction Room. Several stories of naturally formed floors gave me a lot to examine.
“Erasmus must be in one of these caverns. This is like a giant game of hide-and-seek.” I took a deep breath and sighed, wondering how long it would take to get the mad man out of his hiding place. It was a good thing I had all day to take care of it.
I walked down the steps and onto the black canyon basin. “Now which way do I go?” I looked in every direction, trying to decide which cavern I should head to. Then something on the floor caught my attention.
“Hmm… Footprints in the dust…” I wasn’t exactly a tracker, but the feet looked average-sized. Since I had no other leads, there was no reason to start anywhere else. I kept my guard up as I followed the dusty footprints toward one of the caverns.
It was pitch black ahead of me. “Probably a giant demon waiting to eat my brains.” I ignited a fire in my palm and chuckled to myself. “Why the hell am I trying to psych myself out?” The orange flames lit the way forward through the darkness.
The cavern was just as black as the canyon outside. The walls were rocky and pointed, covered with black dust like nobody had been here in ages. The dust was so thick on the ground I could hear it being crushed underneath my armored soles. The ceiling wasn’t so high I couldn’t see it, so I didn’t worry about anything surprising me. Then again, you never knew when Pandora was going to send Shadows at you.
As I got used to the dusty, metallic smell of the cavern, I stopped thinking about anything else except trying to find the man I was searching for. There seemed to be no end to the cavern path. Maybe I was just going in a giant circle that would lead me back to the surface where Maris was waiting for me.
I didn’t know how much time had gone by. Just when my frustration seemed like it was going to get to me, I saw something down at the end of the path. A white light with a faint blue glow. I squinted, trying to get a better look at it but it didn’t appear to be anything except a light.
“If that’s not a natural light…”
I readied myself, keeping my hand up and ready to summon something on command. Every step I walked brought me closer to the light. It glowed brighter and brighter until I saw it was coming from a room. There was something else inside of it but I couldn’t make it out clearly. Then everything started to take shape.
“Is that…” I walked to the edge of the path and extinguished my flame. I leaned against the wall and stayed quiet as I looked out.
A giant room had been carved out. But it wasn’t empty. Several workstations reminded me of a District laboratory. There was even a display on the wall that had some unintelligible data on it. Lines of fluorescent lights hung from the walls to illuminate everything. But most of the light came from something I’d never seen before.
There were two glass stasis tubes shaped like a phone booth. In one of them, a young woman floated inside of some type of clear fluid. She was naked with tubes going into her arms and a mask over her face. Her eyes were closed as her hair swayed in every direction.
“That must be Zolie.”
In contrast, the other tube didn’t have a brunette floating inside of it. I wasn’t even sure it was human. It had two arms, two legs, and a head, but that’s where the similarities ended. Its ent
ire body was red and black—destroyed like remains you’d find in a fire. There were no distinguishable facial features, everything burned or melted right down to its skull. Either someone failed at trying to save that person or it wasn’t a person at all.
“This place looks like the Batcave… Something tells me I’m not gonna find Batman in here though.”
I listened for somebody inside but it was completely silent. I stayed quiet as I walked up to the stasis tubes. I examined the one with the strange creature inside of it first. It was even more grotesque up close. Pieces of flesh floated in the fluid like it was falling off its body. It had eyes but they were closed. Its lips were gone, showing off its teeth, which were the only semblance of it looking even close to human.
I checked Zolie’s tank then read the panel next to it. “Hold on, Zolie. There must be some way to get you out of here.” I’d spent a year as a technician at the Sota District. Monitoring Junctions and working on consoles gave me enough expertise to figure out how to shut this machine off. With a few swipes, I was able to see that the woman floating inside had some active vital signs. “I think I got it figured out…”
“And what do you think you’re doing?”
A sudden voice behind me made my heart skip a beat. My whole body tensed for a moment before I turned around.
Standing there was an older man in a long white robe all the way to his feet like something you’d see a friar wear. His hair was all but gone, leaving a few white strands on top that stood up straight. He had a round face, as chubby as a newborn baby’s. His white goatee was long enough to cover his mouth though I could tell he wasn’t smiling. His round body matched his face, like two spheres stacked on top of each other.
His brow furrowed as he tapped his fingertips together. His eyes shifted as he examined my armor. “Your outfit… It is unlike any I’ve ever seen before.”
“I’d be surprised if you have,” I said. “Otherwise, I’d have to talk to Cybil about stealing. It’s a huge fashion faux pas to copy someone else’s style. And if anybody knows anything about fashion, it’s the guy who used to be in charge of York Fashion.”
“Yes…” The man raised his double chin then nodded. “You are not from Asrath. You have a sense of humor. Not a good one but nonetheless, not the quality of someone devout to Aeona.” His voice was somewhat labored like he was out of breath.
I put my hands on my hips and sighed. “I’ll let that crack about me go because we have more important things to talk about.”
“It appears we do.”
“I take it you’re Erasmus.”
He sighed softly through his nose. “And who might you be?”
“Ultima. At your service.”
“Ultima… No doubt that meddlesome Vacindra sent you here to stop me.”
I pointed a finger at him. “Bingo.”
“Then you have met Vacindra. If you know what kind of woman she is and you have not yet been influenced by Aeona’s toxins, you can still be reasoned with.”
Erasmus said something that made my ears perk up. He must’ve noticed my curiosity because he smiled.
“Yes.” He took a step toward me. “You see it, too. The venom has influenced the minds of those in Asrath. She has sent you here for me but she did not tell you I am innocent.”
“This woman floating in this tank looks pretty innocent to me.”
“Zolie is innocent. But did you stop to consider she might be here of her own free will?” He took another step to me.
“Are you telling me Zolie wanted to step into this tank and get plugged up?” I crossed my arms. “This should be interesting…”
Erasmus tapped his chubby fingers together, his smile hidden behind his thick white mustache. “I am a Qashian, like all of those in Asrath. I witnessed the destruction of our world like the others. I was on the frontlines. I saw for myself the great beasts that consumed our world whole. Thousands of years. Our entire history. Everything we have ever known. Taken from us.” He snapped his fingers. “All by the awesome might of the other world.”
“I’ve seen how strong they are.”
“Then you know we must do something about it.”
I looked over at the display on Zolie’s tank. “And all this has something to do with it?”
Erasmus took another step closer and he was only a couple of meters away. “Zolie is truly selfless. As faithful as anybody, though she has enough sense not to devote herself solely to Aeona. She is willing to do everything it takes for the other world. And I am willing to do what must be done.”
He looked toward the other tank where the misshapen abomination was floating. “Those from the other world took captives. Not our people but living creatures. Wolves. Lions. Tigers. Bears. Even great fish from the sea. Do you know why? To take their lifeforce and construct beings of their own.”
I thought about it for a moment and it came to me. “Beastmen… They used creatures from Qashia to make the Beastmen. They did the same thing here on Iorus.”
“Then you understand!” Erasmus’s eyes widened. “We must fight back. We must combat them by creating our own soldiers.”
“And that’s what this thing is supposed to be?” I shook my head. “It looks like a monster. Most things don’t bother me but this gives me the heebie-jeebies.”
“It is only a child—not fully-formed.” Erasmus inched closer to me.
“What about Zolie? Is this hurting her?”
“Zolie must remain in stasis but she will survive the process and return to her life as she knew it. And the life she will return to will be one where the threat of the other world no longer exists.”
“Right…”
Erasmus was more eager than he was convincing. But I wasn’t so quick to punch his lights out. For some reason, I was still giving him a chance.
“Vacindra could have you killed if she wanted to,” I said.
“Yet she does not. Why do you think that is?”
“Because you deserve Aeona’s judgment. Her words, not mine.”
He shook his head. “Because she knows what measures must be taken to win this fight. She is torn. If you—an outsider—can be reasoned with then she will understand that this is the right choice.”
I didn’t think it would come to this. I figured Erasmus would try to attack me or put up some kind of a fight. Now he was giving me an explanation that seemed plausible. Suddenly, I wasn’t sure what to do.
“It’d be nice if Zafina was around here to give me some advice…”
“I will make you an offer, Ultima. I have stored many Mana reserves. I will give you the Mana I have to strengthen yourself. In return, allow me to continue my work. There is an evil presence here on Iorus. We must work together to defeat it.”
Now he was bribing me. Either that or giving me a reasonable offer to work together.
Erasmus tapped his fingers together, raising his chin as he looked down his nose at me. “Be cautious. You do not want to make the decision that jeopardizes your entire journey.”
I stared back hard at him, narrowing my eyes.
He continued looking at me with his smug smile. But there was something else. His eyes began to twitch slightly. His lips quivered enough for me to see it underneath his mustache. I looked down and saw his toe beginning to tap impatiently.
“What will you do?” His tone changed, almost like he was upset with me. It was only a little but enough for me to notice.
“You’re right,” I said. “We have to fight Pandora together… But this isn’t the way.” I raised my hand and smashed the panel on Zolie’s tank. It started to spark before the glass tube opened up completely. Fluid flooded out and the brunette slumped down into a crouched position.
“No!” Erasmus shouted. “What are you doing?”
“What does it look like?” I moved to Zolie and began pulling all of the plugs from her.
“I will not let you do this!”
“I don’t think you have much of a choice.”
“I do�
��” The round man moved with surprising swiftness up to the other tank and began tapping on the panel. “You have breathed your last breath, Ultima. You will be destroyed by my fiend!”
The other tank opened and the fluid flooded out. The creature slumped out and flopped flat on its face with a loud squishing sound.
I stared, my brow furrowed in confusion. “It doesn’t look like it’s moving—”
Before I finished, the creature pressed its hands onto the ground and moved to its feet like a machine.
“Holy—”
“Get him!” Erasmus yelled.
The fiend revealed its empty white eyes as it locked on me. It darted at me and grabbed me by the arms before I could activate an ability or summon anything. It was a foot-taller than me, lifting me from the ground so I could look right at its broken face. The sight of its scorched flesh wasn’t nearly as bad as its stench. It was as foul as anything I’d ever smelled, like being in a dumpster full of rotting carcasses.
It opened its broken jaw and snarled at me as it squeezed me hard.
“Ahhh!” I grunted out in pain then kicked it hard in the stomach to free myself from its vise grip.
I stumbled back but it charged at me relentlessly. I raised my hands and summoned a rock barrier to stop it in its tracks. The fiend lowered its shoulder and broke through but it gave me enough time to summon a Black Viper. The snake darted out and snatched the fiend by its ankle to keep it in place.
“Let’s see if you can handle this.” I fired a Dark Beam from my palm and blasted the fiend right on its arm. The focused laser burned through its shoulder socket and severed its left arm completely.
“You fool!” Erasmus shouted. “That will not stop my fiend!”
Right before my eyes, another arm grew on its body.
I stared in amazement as it ripped my snake away and resumed darting at me.
“Whoa!” I fired a Radiant Beam and burned a hole right through the fiend but that wasn’t enough to stop its momentum as it lowered its shoulder right into me. The weight of the blow was surprising, sending me flying across the cavern and crashing into the wall.
I slumped onto my stomach and grunted from the daze my head was in. The fiend’s rapidly approaching footsteps made me turn my head up.