by Jarod Meyer
“It seems we are in your debt, newcomer. William, was it not?” Haraldr asked.
William nodded, and wiped some blood off of his face.
“How did you come by your sword?” Georgia asked. “I passed by it only moments ago after leaving the barracks.” She was one of the few not wearing her helmet.
“Uh…yeah….I must’ve not mentioned that I can summon it at will,” William responded casually.
“Well then we are grateful. We were losing men fast,” Haraldr said.
“Please join us for drinks this evening,” the man asked.
“Sure,” William replied with a shrug. “Georgia, show him around the barracks,” Haraldr commanded.
William couldn’t contain a chuckle.
“What is so humorous my friend?” the man asked.
“Not ten minutes ago she said she hoped to never see me again,” William admitted, barely stifling his laughter.
A short while later they were in the barracks again.
“This is the locker room, which you’ve already seen. This is our shower facility, and where we keep our armor. Seeing as you do not need a place to store your armor, perhaps you would like to leave?” she asked, flashing a fake smile.
“I could actually go for a shower. It’s been ages,” William said.
Georgia looked at him in disgust.
“Fine, I have to debrief,” she said snidely, before turning and exiting.
William ignored her, and his armor disappeared. Without caring who was in the room he dropped his slacks and stepped into the showers. He chose one of the stronger jets, and let the hot water wash over him. He closed his eyes, enjoying the heat.
When he finally emerged from the shower, almost all the other guards had left.
Ugh, can’t stay in here forever.
He exited the steaming room, stepping out to find towels perfectly folded and stacked on a shelf nearby. He took one and wrapped it around his waist. Then picked up his slacks from the floor and looked them over. Wow these are gross. He looked around for something else to wear when he came upon Georgia. She stood in front of her locker, trying to wriggle free from her armor.
“Need help?” William asked looking at her.
“Why are you still here?” she asked with a sigh.
“Excuse me. I was taking a shower,” William responded defensively.
She sighed again. “Well there is usually someone to help me get this ridiculous armor off,” she said.
William walked over to her.
“No,” she said, shaking her head, but William didn’t listen. He jerked her around and began unclasping the large plates one by one, letting them hit the floor with a clatter.
“These are projections. Someone made this armor for you?” William asked.
“Indeed,” she replied as William helped her unclasp the breastplate. It fell to the floor, revealing a worn white tank top. Her fair skin glistened with sweat, her chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. She looked up at him, and he didn’t avert his eyes in time. She probably caught him staring.
“You can get out now,” she said.
William snapped to and nodded, turning and heading over to a rack covered in dark clothes. He chose a black V-neck t-shirt and was almost giddy when he found a pair of denim jeans.
“Oh, man! Jeans!?”
“Out!” Georgia shrieked.
He chuckled as he slid into the jeans, which somehow fit perfectly. Then he exited the locker room.
His sense of direction hadn’t failed him, and he was able to find his way back to the top of the tower where he then flew to his room. He easily picked out his room, thanks to the broken window. He landed softly on the marble floor, and immediately tensed up. He could feel someone in the room with him. It was a presence he’d felt before.
“So good to see you again, William,” Meredox said. No, William realized. Not Meredox, but his twin brother, Luxor.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
THE BASILEUS
William gazed straight into the eyes of his Target his heart nearly jumping out of his chest. He was caught totally off guard, but he managed to keep his cool.
“Luxor, twin brother of Meredox,” William said.
“Ah, yes, you do remember,” he said delightfully. Luxor stood at the bar, pouring two drinks. The last time he saw Luxor the man had beaten William to within an inch of his life. He now wore a sharp looking black suit with pin strips and his curly black hair was slicked back. He looked regal, not threatening.
“I must apologize for the way we left things when last we met, but you must understand that you put quite a damper on my plans,” Luxor said coyly.
William now needed to get into his part.
“No apology necessary. My head was filled with their ridiculous rules. Allow me to apologize for not taking you up on your offer,” William said, walking up to Luxor and taking the offered drink.
He prayed the drink would help him keep calm. He slammed it in one gulp, and set the empty glass back down on the black granite tabletop. The warmth spread, a wave of relaxation falling over him.
“Do you like my little city?” Luxor asked.
“It definitely has its perks,” William replied, looking over the large flat that he was provided. All the rich décor and expensive luxury hardly seemed real. His eye caught a shadowy figure, as he realized that there were others in the room as well.
“How did you manage to become the master of the city? And why do they call you the Basileus?” William asked.
“Basileus is the word for king in my ancient tongue,” Luxor said, answering only one of William’s questions.
“The king, indeed. They wouldn’t allow me to see you until tomorrow. Why did you come this evening?” William asked.
“I certainly tried to ignore the chaos and devastation that you have left in your wake throughout the underworld, but how could I ignore my quibbling commander, and his recollection of your heroic slaying of that flying wyrm?” Luxor asked.
William scoffed, taking another drink from a fresh beverage.
This one was blue, and tasted like cinnamon and sugar. “I’m glad to see that you noticed me. It was hell trying to find you,” William said. “No pun intended,” he added.
The Basileus’ face turned more serious. “So you were seeking me. A vain little man sent word that there was an exile looking for me. Sad to say, but I never believe a word out of that little rat’s mouth.”
“Believed,” William corrected, making sure it was known that he killed Vanity.
“Ah yes, I sent scouts to look into that little mess. I thought perhaps an enemy clan,” Luxor said, not finishing his statement. “So why is it that you have sought me out?”
William was in deep, and had to think of something quickly.
“I came to kill you,” he blurted, as soon as the words popped into his head.
Luxor’s eyes flared, but a smile broke across William’s face, and Luxor smiled in response.
“You beat the shit out of me the last time we saw each other. Of course I wanted to get even,” William said, now chuckling. “I think I’ve changed my mind. You have a nice place here. Perhaps I will stay, and help with the housekeeping,” he said, pointing out the window to where the smoke still billowed from the attack.
“It takes a wise man to admit when he is mistaken, and seeing as I did nearly kill you. I will call it even,” the Basileus said.
Then he walked out from behind the bar, and walked over to the broken window. He turned as if he forgot something, and then said. “I would still like to meet with you tomorrow. You will come by my palace in the morning,” then he took off through the window along with four goons that were slinking in the shadows of his flat.
William’s knees were shaking, the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He had no idea when he had first encountered Luxor just how powerful he really was. but he felt him without a doubt tonight. All the power that he’d attained through training and from absorbing Karma’s h
eart still paled in comparison to the energy dwelling within Luxor.
Panic flooded his mind and he suddenly doubted his safety and his plan. He sat for a long time, before downing his drink in a single gulp. It did nothing to curb the fear.
Someone rapped on the door, and William jumped, sending the glass in his hand crashing to the floor.
“William?” Haraldr asked through the door.
He snapped out of his stupor, and managed to answer the door. He must have looked like a mess, because the men standing in the doorway were shocked.
“William, what happened to you?”
“Nothing. What happened to you?” he shot back. Haraldr looked taken aback by his tone, but he let it go.
“Will you join us for a drink? It would honor us to celebrate you in your victory today,” Haraldr said smiling.
This was fine with William, as he didn’t want to be alone. He followed the group of boisterous men. They eventually met up with a group of girls. William recognized some of them from the barracks. Others looked too soft to be in the guard. Then he spotted Georgia. She wore a black dress, and had even gone to the trouble of putting on makeup.
Georgia was beautiful.
“Can’t seem to get rid of me, can you,” he said with a smile.
She spoke up so the whole group could hear. “I’m not going to be seen with this newcomer. He doesn’t even know how to dress,” she said with a sneer and walked ahead. The men in the group did look good in their suits with their styled hair.
“Well then, it is settled. We will have to buy him a new outfit!” Haraldr shouted, patting William on the shoulder.
The next hour was a blur of shops lit up with glowing neon orbs of light. Apparently this city never slept, and according to Haraldr shops were almost always open. William didn’t think he could take anymore trying on clothes when the group finally approved of a suit.
It was all black. The slacks were pleated crisply in the front and dangled perfectly over a pair of fine, suede shoes. The jacket gave him plenty of room in the shoulders, but hugged his body like a glove. An array of stylized pockets adorned the front, accented by golden stitching along the edges.
William agreed. It did look good on him. They spared no expense and by the time he left the shop he had a new golden watch, with matching tie clip and cufflinks, and a beautiful silk tie with matching pocket kerchief. They even asked the shop owner to buzz his hair down so he looked fresh and groomed.
In moments they were back out amongst the throngs of people. The city was packed. People thrashed about, dancing and drinking in the streets.
Haraldr dragged William around introducing him to people as the savior of the city. The women loved it, many of them hanging on him like he was the most interesting person in the world. He should have been having a good time, but the thought of Luxor hung ominously in the back of his mind. He finally managed to break free from the crowd, and escaped to an open balcony where he could breathe once again.
The cold, crisp air of Dichonia embraced him, and for once it was refreshing. It wasn’t freezing like the wasteland. He wondered how they managed to keep the city so much warmer, but a figure moved out of the corner of his eye and interrupted his thoughts.
“You again? Can you please quit following me?” Georgia asked.
William rolled his eyes.
“Look. I was definitely not following you, just trying to escape your friends. They think I am some sort of hero,” William said, leaning against the railing and facing away from her.
They were in a tall building. Not one of the tallest, but definitely high up. The balcony was transparent, so he could see everything beneath them. William supposed this would have been interesting, to someone who couldn’t fly.
He could still feel her eyes on him. “Why are you here?” she asked.
William snapped back. “Why do you hate me so much? And don’t give me that bullshit you said earlier. You have it good here.”
There was a moment of silence. William was simply wishing that she would go away so he could get his head on straight. He still needed to come up with a plan for tomorrow.
“I had a sister…in my previous life. We both died in a car crash. She was taken to Archonia, and I was left to be reaped by the demons. I suppose I hate you, because you threw all that away,” she said, walking back towards the building.
William thought it only fair that he give her a straight answer, after all. she was honest with him.
“I’m here to kill your master,” William admitted.
Her glass fell to the ground, but did not break, the drink splashing over the glass floor. She didn’t move, or speak, her expression incredulous.
Telling her felt like a rash thing to do, but it had worked with Luxor. He would gauge her reaction and finish his story with a lie the same way he had with his target. She was just like Tamara, Shou, and Leopoldo. She was never given a choice, and she had a sister in Archonia. She could be an ally in waiting.
His Gambit backfired however, because she ran. He could do nothing, she was still fairly fast, and by the time he got to the door she was already speaking with her squad. He watched them look up, catching sight of him. Then he turned, and made to fly. But a thought grounded him. Where do I have to fly to?
“Idiot,” William chastised himself aloud, and then turned around. The group stood there, one of the larger guards ushering civilians off the balcony.
“Georgia. I think you took my statement a bit literally,” William said, trying to bluff. “I’ve met your master before, and he nearly killed me. When I was exiled I sought him out to try to kill him.” I didn’t know he was a king.”
The group was silent. They whispered amongst themselves, and then Haraldr spoke.
“We too want to kill him,” he said.
William’s was so bewildered that all he managed to say was, “Cool.”
Cool? He thought, Cool?
“Please come with us.”
They left the club, immediately soaring from the balcony. William followed them, weaving in and out of buildings until they came to one that looked old and dark. They flew in through a window opening that had no glass, and torches began to blaze as the guards lit them with energy. A table sat in the middle of the small room.
Haraldr spoke with a few of his guards, who then took off into the night before shutting large wooden shudders, locking them to keep out the night.
“Raulph, do you have him?” he asked another of his men, a blond man with shoulder-length curly hair.
“Yes, Captain,” he responded.
“What do you mean by got me?” William inquired.
“Raulph has keen senses. He can feel your fluctuations in energy. In short he can read you very well,” Haraldr stated.
“And what does he need to read me for?” William asked. “Welcome, William, to the order of the rising sentinel,” he said.
William furrowed his brow, but the man continued.
“Our master Luxor is a liar and a fiend. Unfortunately, he has the entire population under his control. Apart from us,” he said, indicating the group. “Now we are small, but we grow every day,” the captain added.
“How do I know that you are telling the truth?” William asked.
“Because we haven’t killed you yet,” Georgia, who was now coming out of the shadows, said.
“Killed me? Okay. If you say so. You couldn’t even kill that flying wyrm,” William scoffed.
“It is true, William, you are powerful! And that is why we want you to join our ranks. Do you truly wish to kill Luxor?” Haraldr asked.
William weighed this question heavily. So far only three people knew his true purpose here. The fewer people knew the safer the mission would be, but he didn’t see how he could keep this from them. He looked up as Raulph shook his head. He must have been looking for changes in William’s energy to see if he was getting ready to make a move.
“I’m not an exile,” William said, slowly and deliberately.
&
nbsp; Their faces changed to shock immediately. Mutters and whispers spread around the room.
“I am William of Archonia. My lands were attacked by your master, and an army of demons. He was able to enter Archonia using a portal powered by his twin brother’s soul. They were defeated, but Luxor managed to escape back through his portal. For obvious reasons he still poses a threat to the people of Archonia, and I was chosen to bring him to justice,” William finished.
The group continued to murmur, until their leader raised a hand to silence them.
“You risk much in telling us this, Archonian,” Haraldr said.
“That’s right, I do,” William replied.
“Fortunately for you we can help,” Haraldr said, confidently.
“Unfortunately, you can’t,” William corrected.
“Yes we can, my friend. We are few in numbers, and not all of us are as powerful as you are, but we know ways into the palace. We can help you fight your way in there,” he said confused by William’s rejection.
“I’m afraid my plan is much more delicate. I only need Luxor. I plan on continuing to play the part of the fallen Archonian, and convincing your master that I am on his side. Together we will plan another attack on Archonia, and only then will I spring a trap on him,” William said.
There was an eruption of voices, and Haraldr shouted to get them to calm.
“We have been living under this tyrant for too long. He has the power to defeat creatures like you saw today, but he does nothing. He lets us fight, and die. He controls the people with his laws and his currencies. Nobody has free will to live their lives as they see fit. You cannot abandon us here, Archonian,” Haraldr said desperately.
William hung his head, but stood firm. “I’m truly sorry. I had no idea that there were good people living in this world. I promise you that if I can, I will offer you a place in Archonia, but I can’t let you interfere.”
“That’s not good enough!” Haraldr shouted, and slammed a fist on the table, crushing it to pieces. Anger and regret filled his face.
“You have good lives, from what I have seen of the rest of Dichonia. Cherish what you have. I wish you all the best,” William finished, and then he walked over to a shuttered window. One of the large guards moved into his path, and William simply stared forward.