by J D Cowan
Outside the tunnel was another cell. Damp and wet stone tunnels went on through hallways on his left side. Triple the size of his cell, this one also contained more prisoners. The sleeping figures wore cloaks, ratty shirts and pants no different from him or Ordopha.
“None of those lizards will see you. They do not patrol here so late. Most of us don’t see a point of escape, and those monsters know it.”
Around a dozen other young people, no older than Matthew and no younger than Jason, slept on the floor. All of them had the same platinum hair color Ordopha and Marguerite had, both men and women. Did everyone on Tyndarus have the same hair color? But they looked just like ordinary people otherwise. A few were tall and muscled men, and some were slim women with longer hair. They didn’t look like criminals, but neither did he.
“Is there no one in the city below to help you?” he asked. “How could friends or family just leave someone in a place like this?”
“We don’t come from Mageuopolis. We descend from a line that was taken from the land beyond the mountains. We are the current and last generation here. Only the fourteen of us remain.”
At the opposite end of the open cell emerged a figure clad in a cloak. He lowered his hood to reveal short platinum hair and a sharp nose. This man had the same grey eyes as Ordopha only with a strong jaw and clean-limbed look. He did appear underfed, but the tenacious glare of his gaze betrayed a man Matthew would not want to be left alone with. Ordopha shrunk back when the stranger approached. A few of those pretending to sleep held their breaths.
“I am Alain,” he said, simply. He took Matthew’s hand in a vice grip. “I am Ord’s brother. We heard talk of someone arriving through the Mirror Gate from the other world.”
“Yeah, me and the boy. I’m Matthew.”
“A child?”
Matthew laughed at Alain’s identical reaction. “Your sister said the same thing. No, he’s fifteen. He’s resting upstairs. But we have the Gemini Bracelets.”
“You feel endangering a child is a joke? You helped bring him here? I see Shaula has chosen her victims well.”
“What?” Matthew stuttered. “I think that came out wrong.”
“Alain, you’re twisting his words!”
“I will seek no help from vermin. We have enough troubles without relying on a rat.”
Matthew thought quickly to avoid the mood turning further south. There was only one way to set it right, and words wouldn’t do it. A display of power.
He lifted his left hand and showed off the gold band adorning his wrist. The dim orange light glittered hard against it. Matthew concentrated. He lifted up and transformed into mist.
Both Alain and Ordopha recoiled at the sight. They stared at him floating in the ether until he changed back into a human once more. It took moments for them to speak.
Ordopha beamed at her brother. “I told you he could help!”
“Then we can escape!” Alain whispered.
“I’m not so sure,” Matthew replied. “We’ve barely used these things before, and we don’t even know where we are.”
Alain grimaced. “A coward? My sister and I have traveled these catacombs our entire lives. The tunnels were formed by us. We know the way to the ships and escape; we merely lack the numbers to fight through. Ordopha has observed how to fly the ships. Do you have a plan?”
Truthfully, Matthew hadn’t thought one up. He worried more about Jason and the strange new world they were in. To get back to Earth they needed a source of magic and a Mirror Gate. He told Alain as much. If they were taken to the castle tomorrow, there would be no guarantee any chance of escape would remain once they got there.
“That is simple enough,” the cloaked man replied. “When they bring you to the airship, we will attack and take them by surprise. With your added strength we would easily overwhelm them. We will take the ship into the mountains, and you will escape through the Mirror Gate on the upper level. Does that not sound enticing to you? Perhaps it is too much for a coward.”
“That’s not it. I’m just not sure what the limits to our powers are. We’ve barely used them.”
“Combat is the best way to learn anything, coward. You worry for nothing. We will cover for your lack of skill. Those of us here have experience with fighting. Will you join us or not?”
Alain’s crudeness did little to convince Matthew of anything. However, he did need to disarm those bombs. The faster, the better. If he could help these people escape, and give Marguerite a black eye, then so much the better. But could he trust someone like Alain?
“I don’t know,” he muttered.
“This all hinges on you, Matthew. Are you a woman, or a warrior? Will you fight, or flee? If you will not partake then make certain I never see your face again.”
There was a spark to Alain that reminded Matthew of someone. The sister was more reserved, but the brother gave off the vibe of a man of his word. It had been a long time since Matthew had met anyone like that. He had certainly never been like that. But this was a new place, and he needed all the help he could find, especially for Jason.
“I’m in.” Matthew offered his hand. “Count on Castor.”
Alain flatly observed the outstretched appendage. He sized Matthew up. Finally, a grin formed on the corners of his tight mouth. He clapped his hand against Matthew’s and shook it.
“It’s good to see that the wielder of the Gemini Bracelet is no coward after all.”
“That reminds me.” Matthew nodded to the girl. “You were going to tell me more about the magic and these bracelets, right? Who is the Great Sorcerer King?”
Her lip trembled but for an instant before she bit down on it. Matthew tried not to let it bother him, but it was difficult to put her clear discomfort aside.
“My brother and I have been here for near twenty years. We have learned much through these walls, and much we were never meant to learn in the tunnels. However, there is still that which we do not know. The Great Sorcerer King has never left his mountain castle, and we have never learned anything of his true origins. His secrets remain. However, we do know of certain relics that many of his pets still speak of and puzzle over even so many years later.”
“Relics other than the bracelets?”
“There is one in these mountains that they have been seeking for centuries. All the relics bestow great abilities, much like the one you hold.”
“How does that bracelet work, Matthew?” Alain asked.
“I can become mist or water with Castor. The boy’s is Pollux. He has strength to spare.”
Ordopha chimed in. “I have heard that the bracelets were meant to combine two warriors into one unstoppable force. It is meant to create the ultimate man. Surely they can be mastered to give you each greater control.”
“Wow,” Matthew replied. “You sure know a lot about this.”
Alain nodded. “Ord has a much better memory than I do. That is why she travels the tunnels while I focus on fighting in the pits.”
“What are those lizard men?”
“An ancient race that swore fealty to Nieto.” Alain huffed. “We are their entertainment.”
That word filled in any gaps Matthew could imagine. No wonder they needed his help to escape.
But could they? Even if these people could take a ship and escape into the mountains he doubted they would get far.
“You have a place to go?” he asked.
Alain sighed. “We have few options. I have heard whispers of a golden shrine in the mountains, but I do not pretend that we will find it. Should we make it beyond the mountains then we can find a new place to call our home. However, if we have the wielders of Castor and Pollux on our side, escape will be much simpler. If you can get us to the ship, we can do the rest.”
Matthew thought on it. He could help the lot escape to the ship and turn back to find the Mirror Gate, but he knew it wouldn’t be enough. There was a good chance they knew that, too. This kingdom extended far along this entire mountain range. Surviving ou
t in the wilds did not sound probable. Then again, this was none of his business. All he had to do was get them to the ships as part of the deal. He would worry about the rest later.
“I already said I’ll help. But I should let Jason in on this. Can you point me back, Ordopha?”
She consented, and they left back the way they came. Matthew was less than enthused with crawling back into the claustrophobic darkness. Ordopha took Matthew back through the tight tunnels where he let his mind run wild. She said nothing as they went on.
But there were a few things he had to know.
“Your brother never really answered. Who is Nieto exactly?”
“I have never seen him. Many think the monster God Himself.”
He suddenly thought of that castle behind the mountain city. He did get a chill when he looked upon it. “This guy sounds screwy. What do you think of him?”
“I’ve seen what he has created.” Her dour yet sharp words hit him as hard and bitter. “You have seen the air around the lizard men? That’s magic Nieto embeds in their flesh to give increased vitality and body warmth. His servants are a superstitious lot. They do believe he is God.”
“That must be why they don’t question anything he says.”
“Yes, it is because of the King’s magic. It flows through these mountains and powers all from the flight crystals in the airships to the mist that hides his kingdom from the world.”
“I don’t understand why he wouldn’t just take over everything,” Matthew replied. His head bumped against the ceiling and pebbles crumbled over his brow. He wiped it clean. “With power like that, he doesn’t even need the bracelets.”
“Long ago he used a tremendous amount of his life force and fled to these mountains. He only ventures out via his pawns to collect prizes and food for his kingdom. It is only a matter of time before he expends his remaining life.”
Matthew wasn’t convinced. It certainly appeared that Nieto had sent Marguerite and her men to Earth to find a suitable candidate for the Gemini Bracelets, but it didn’t explain why he needed to find them in the first place. Could he not use the people of this world? Matthew thought long and hard about this so-called Great Sorcerer King. There was more to this Ordopha didn’t know. He decided to change the subject.
“I don’t think your brother likes me.”
“He only trusts those around him. We have been surrounded by enemies for our entire lives. The reason he is using you is because you have Castor and Pollux—and because he is desperate.”
Silence filled in the conversation gap. As someone who had spent most his time in voluntary solitude, Matthew just didn’t understand. A boring life meant little in the way of enemies.
The two continued in quiet and reached the small cell once more. Jason still leaned against the wall. Matthew waited for the guard to pass before the pair slid out of the tunnel. The males sat on either side of the hole as the woman waited.
“Took your time,” Jason whispered. “So what happened?”
Matthew explained everything from the brother and sister to Nieto himself. Eventually, he came around to the escape plan. Ordopha broke in to let them know what their idea had been for years now. They were simply waiting to use it at the right moment.
“Are you fine with just leaving?” Jason asked Matthew.
The older one blinked. “Yes. We can’t let this Sorceror get the bracelets. Plus, there’s the bombs to worry about. No telling how much time we have left.”
The boy gave the strangest expression Matthew had ever seen. It wasn’t anger or disappointment. His mouth was a line, but his iced eyes were sharper than daggers.
It only lasted for a second, and Jason turned away. “Just take me through the plan.”
Castor beamed like a beacon into Matthew’s mind. A low voice, unlike a person, more like an idea, hung in the back of his thoughts. The nearly inaudible and impossible to comprehend whisper remained in his head.
He went on to discuss with Ordopha and Jason their idea for escape, but still it spoke. His back stiffened and sweat grew on his brow. This intangible thing inside of him hid at the bottom of his soul. Castor melded into him. Regardless, he continued to discuss the plan.
Then, his skin particles slowly burst like bubbles and his muscles and skin liquefied before evaporating. Was it the bomb? He couldn’t tell.
Ordopha held in a gasp and Jason gaped as Matthew faded away into the darkness.
Chapter 5
Escape from the Mist Prison
Harsh pounding banged in the back of Jason’s brain. Sleep had not come, and one of the passing lizard men made a reference to the coming morning. Matthew’s body rippled like the surface of water. Particles mixed and twisted in the air like the atoms were confused about their proper place. The mist reformed and the atmosphere shifted.
The twisting specks snapped back into place. Skin solidified, and blood flowed in through veins again. No more queasiness or illness remained. But something had changed. The older bracelet holder absorbed into Jason’s head. The two switched places, and he became the main body again. Jason just couldn’t figure this out.
“Wait,” Jason had said, out loud. “Why am I the body again? We switched?”
Mathew groaned. “Morning, I take it. I had a feeling. Once the sun rises, we change. You’re the pilot now.”
“Oh right, we landed here at night, didn’t we?” His breaths calmed. “And it was day when we first wore these things. So that’s it.”
Day for Jason; night for Matthew. They switched bodies depending on the time of day. This would get old fast.
But Matthew instantly seized on this and adjusted the path forward accordingly. After Jason calmed her down, Ordopha departed. As the boy sat on the bench, he left his hands to his sides and drummed his fingers on the wood. He just wanted this over with.
All he ever wanted was for it to be over with. Waiting never ceased being difficult.
Long ago he heard about how his parents left Serenity City because a former hero went on a rampage and destroyed a large chunk of the place, killing many. Jason’s mom would always say there was a chance any of the heroes could lose their minds and do the same. She wanted Jason far away from superheroes and villains. She meant well, but it never stuck with him. He didn’t want to hide—he wanted to be there, to cheer them on, and to reassure them that they really were the good guys. They needed support, and she didn’t get it.
But his dad told him differently.
“This world is like nightfall that never ends,” he had said. “Some of us will never make it to the sunrise, some of us by choice and some by luck. The night isn’t forever, though. Eventually, the sun has to rise.”
Jason clutched the bench with the memory, splinters breaking against his palms. Now he had a power of his own, and he squandered it waiting in a jail cell for certain death. He wouldn’t let it end like this.
While he was unconscious, that dream returned to him. A shining light of gold buried in distant mountain stone. It beckoned him closer. He could almost see it—almost touch it. All he needed was one more inch . . .
He blinked awake.
A voice overtook his meandering thoughts. The woman on the other side of the bars waved to him. Marguerite wore light purple robes, her hair in neat buns. A mysterious aura wafted from her and the six lizards surrounding her. Jason kept his left wrist hidden from them.
“You used me,” he said. “Liar.”
“I am sorry to deceive a child,” Marguerite replied. “Please believe me, Jason. It was a risk using you, but the King needs the bracelets. It is why we built this kingdom in the first place. But I did not wish for you to be the one to wear Pollux.”
“But if I were Matthew’s age it would be okay? You put a bomb in me, in him. You’re sick.”
“You have no bomb in you, Jason. Check your chest. No marks.”
He checked. She was right. He blinked several times before speaking again. “But you told us before that you put them inside us.”
“Only him. Mr. White had to be tamed. I am no savage, Jason. I don’t hurt children, especially not you. You have a very important job outside of your bracelet. You’ve seen it, correct? The prize in the mountains? There we will find a relic of great importance. It is why my Lord chose this world so long ago in the first place.”
“You’re out of your mind. Take the explosive out of Matthew’s chest.”
“Not until the task is complete. Calm yourself, Jason. You will be unharmed. I told you that we are not a violent people.”
“How many bones were in that mirror room? How many corpses were there?”
“What does it matter? Your own Serenity City has heroes and villains battling to kill each other every single day. What we take from Earth is nothing compared to their disgusting war.”
“I came to you because you said we were going to help the heroes. All those bones . . .” His teeth ground together. Veins showed through clenched fists. “You won’t walk away from that.”
She smiled as if remembering a long lost memory. “You remind me of my little girl. So much potential. With the bracelet and your dream, we can change both Tyndarus and Earth. The more relics we have, the more power we will wield. You won’t need your heroes any longer.”
“Is that why you almost killed Matthew and me? Is that why you killed all those people? You’re a disease. All you villains are.”
“Me?” She asked, perplexed. “Certainly I am no hero, but I am not a villain. What must be done must be done. If I must stomp a promising pup like you in order to bring about the kingdom, then I will not hesitate.”
“I knew you would say something like that. But it doesn’t matter. Your time is up.”
“Surely you don’t think the two of you can escape. I was impressed that neither of you was stupid enough to try last night, but that is very unlike you to wait. Has Mr. White’s influence rubbed off on you already? I’m sure he figured it out. Only the magic of Lord Nieto can open the way back through the Mirror Gates. You will never return to your humdrum existence. You are now part of the Greater Kingdom.”