Catching Hell Part One: Journey

by Marc Watson

  He knew right away she was beautiful but very different from others he'd met. Not different like Nixon, whose aura of power was unmistakable. Different like himself, being perfectly human save for one design flaw. His was wings; hers was her look and tone. She was certainly human but unsettling and astonishing at the same time.

  Crystal took Nixon’s hand, bowing deeply as she shook it. Nixon returned the bow, followed by motioning to Aryu to follow suit. Aryu obliged, taking the svelte girl’s hand and bowing as he did so, never fully taking his eyes off her. Her hand was as soft as it looked, completely devoid of any natural imperfections save for what may have been faint freckles once upon a time.

  “Nixon of the Great Fire and Ash. Welcome back to my home,” she said as she rose from her greeting and released Aryu’s hand.

  “Crystal Kokuou, keeper of the Dragon Spirit. I am 'onored t’ be back.” He gestured to Aryu. “Aryu O'Lung'Singh, of the village of Tan Torna Qu-ay.”

  “And reigning Ryuujin of the People I see, though without any command of the Power…yet.” In the one statement she recognized the user, the weapon, the circumstances, and the situation each of them was currently in. A perfect statement, without being rude or confusing.

  Nixon was also not oblivious to the notion and nodded. “Well, that remains t’ be seen, but he's not dead.”

  “No, he's not dead. But I feel that his heart is.”

  Aryu was nearly immobilized by this small girl and her amazing ability to train his eye only on her. Her words slipped off him like water as he stood there. He heard them but had no response.

  Nixon seemed nonplussed by Aryu’s reaction. He'd seen it before when someone met her for the first time. “He recently lost much that was dear to him. Do ya feel this pain?”

  “I still can't read people like Sho can, but his pain is deep and hard to hide. Perk up, kid. This isn't meant to be a place of sadness.”

  The statement brought Aryu out of his self-induced hypnotization. “I'm sorry?” he managed.

  She had called him kid?

  “My home,” she continued. “I didn't create it to have visitors moping about. It'd spoil the mood. The vibe I’m going for. I can see your pain is great, but don't worry. We'll see if we can snap you out of this funk. Nixon, what kind of party pooper did you bring here?”

  Aryu could only smirk and look at Nixon. Her attitude was just as unnerving as the rest of her. Although she had a look of a pixie, she clearly had the vitality of something a little more worldly.

  Johan, he thought at once, she sounds like Johan.

  Crystal gave an impish grin as the two men exchanged glances. “Oh, don't look like that, Aryu, which is a fantastic name by the way! He's as much of a downer as anyone I've ever met.”

  Funk? Pooper? Downer? Who was this person?

  “Forgive me, please, but I can't fully understand what you mean.”

  “Your friend here,” a hand thrust at Nixon like an accuser of a criminal, “only seems to show up whenever bad stuff happens. It's terrible. Frankly, I'm not sure why I let him in here anymore.”

  All secondary assumptions about Crystal vanished just as quickly as they'd come a moment earlier. One quick glimpse at Nixon told Aryu what he felt was the truth.

  Crystal Kokuou, for all her apparent abilities and longevity, was a quick-witted smart ass.

  Unfathomably powerful and near-godly beings should be feared, but this one was very attractive and instantly likeable in a manner he could identify with. In a heartbeat, she had gone from fearsome, ancient, mystic warrior to delicate, fragile beauty to something close to what Aryu would consider a good friend.

  For the first time since he'd agreed to this trip, Aryu was glad he came. Even if she didn't offer up a single useful answer, she was instantly worth it.

  Aryu and Nixon sat next to the perfect little stream to eat while Crystal wandered about. It seemed this place even had a calming effect on the phoenix. Despite the multitude of questions racing around his head, he seemed quite content to just sit.

  “How’ve ya been, Crystal?” Nixon asked between bites of some kind of red fruit Aryu had never seen before. The juice dribbled down his chin, making him appear to be feasting on a human heart, blood and all. The image would have been terrifying were it not so amusing.

  Crystal continued to look about uninterestedly, a trait she shared with her son. “I get by. Not much has changed since last you were here. Empires rise and fall; heroes and villains come and go. Life. Time. Same ol' stuff on different days.”

  It was astonishing the way these two reflected on the passing of eons as if they were minutes.

  Nix nodded and continued to eat his snack until there was nothing left. Stem, core, seeds and all. He gave a large belch, the result being a puff of smoke and a rich sulphur smell in the air.

  Crystal gave a look of mock disgust. “Don't foul my air with your nastiness, Nix. Certainly not in front of a guest.” She pointed at Aryu, who was smiling at the comment.

  “It's alright. I think this is the first I've ever seen him eat.”

  “Well, I don’t need much t’ keep goin',” he said, wiping his face with the back of his hand. “I do it more fer tha flavor than tha sustenance. Food is a wonderful thing. A good beer is even better.”

  Aryu couldn’t say he'd ever given food that much thought.

  “Tell me,” she said, turning her attention to Aryu, “what's the story behind the wings?”

  Aryu went red instantly as Crystal launched into the topic. Being around Nixon alone for the past week had made him forget his life-long sheepishness and embarrassment about his deformity. He suddenly realized they were spread out behind him in the sun as opposed to their default position of folded tightly on his back. An interesting fact, if one considered how he'd foolishly reacted with the young serving girl from the Komoky Valley not that long before. Another testament to how comfortable Crystal could make someone feel.

  “Have you never seen a man with wings before?” he asked in a tone far ruder than he'd intended, the topic of his wings growing a natural barrier he'd forgotten existed.

  Crystal looked hurt, but only jokingly so. “My my, touchy subject I see.”

  Nixon snorted a laugh. “Huh, our young friend 'ere isn't too high on 'is uniqueness. Says he wishes he'd ne'er had ’em.”

  Crystal looked at him again, a soft smile on her face. “Is that so? I apologize, Aryu. I’ve been alive a long time, but it’s been ages since I’ve seen natural wings.”

  Aryu looked at her. “Natural?”

  Crystal walked over and took a seat between the two men, ghostly feet dipping into the water below. “Yes, natural. I've seen people with mechanical wings, or in vehicles with large wings. I've even seen people who have used the Power to grant themselves something similar. But, if my hunch on the matter is true, you’re mortal with no mastery of these things. Perhaps I could even say a fear of them? Yours seem to be flesh and blood, born to you like an arm or leg. Correct?”

  Aryu couldn't meet her gaze, the shame of the topic still present. “You are. So is he, though,” he said, motioning to Nixon. “I'm not a big fan. They've caused too much trouble in my young life, thank you.”

  Nixon interjected immediately, seizing the opportunity to begin the difficult questions. “Aye, it's true. He even told me he was brought to his home village because he feared he’d be killed as a monster in 'is 'omeland.”

  “And where was that, that would persecute one so young?”

  Nixon looked to Aryu to see if he'd continue or put up resistance. Aryu did neither. “Over the ocean.”

  Crystal only looked at Nixon with an odd, knowing look passing between them. Aryu caught it but said nothing. “I’ll say,” was all Crystal said. Aryu looked at her, unsure if she implied something he didn’t catch or thought him a liar.

  “All I know is what I'm told, Crystal. My parents are good people. Or were. I doubt they’d lie to me.”

  “Were? Has something happened to them?”r />
  Consumed by less pain than he'd expected, Aryu told her the story of how he had met Nixon, his missing parents, the destruction of his home at the hands of the machines, and the deal to help Nixon and rejoin his friend when he was done.

  After the story finished, Crystal reached over and took Aryu’s hand in hers, his cut and dirty fingers looking grotesque next to her perfect digits. “I am truly sorry for your loss, Aryu,” she said, eyes meeting his. Despite their odd color, they were very much human and began tearing up at the telling of his tale. “The loss of so many so needlessly is a crime without borders. I haven’t seen or heard of such terrible actions in ages. My heart goes out to you.” He thanked her, greatly appreciating her sentiments. He removed his hand from hers and returned it to his side.

  “I know of this army you mentioned," she continued. "A fighting force that came from the south and pushes northward daily using weapons like the ones you described to destroy many. They haven't begun a march this way yet, not that I expect them to, but if they do, we'll be ready.”

  “How do you know of this?” Nixon asked, clearly fishing.

  Crystal wasn't fooled. “You know how, Nix. You've no doubt spoken with my overprotective son. I hear the news of the world in the Echoes of the Omnis.”

  Nixon fouled instantly. “Ye admit ye tap the Echoes?”

  “I do, for some time now. It's an exhilarating experience. So much to hear and so much to learn.”

  “So much to suffer from!” Nixon responded instantly. “Ya dare probe the Omnis fer news of the world, as ye say? Why not just leave this place and see fer yerself? The Echoes are not yer plaything. The Omnis is All and Everything! It's blasphemy t' use it as ya do!”

  Aryu saw the fire in Nixon’s black eyes grow bright and strong. This Omnis, whatever it may be, was not something he took lightly.

  “Blasphemy? You say that to me when your task, as prescribed by the Lord God Himself, sits beside me and eats my food?”

  “Bah, like mother like son. My task and how I chose t’ execute it are my own business, lest we all forget my Creator’s Divine gift of free will.”

  Crystal smiled, and not a peaceful one this time. It was a look of defiance and mischief. “Tell me, did my darling son ask you, great and powerful weapon of God, to check on me to ensure I haven't taken ill of the effects of what I do?”

  “Bah, ya sly hen, ya know damn well he did, and rightly, too.”

  “And what do you see in me, Nixon? Any change?”

  Nixon was slow to respond, taking her words and actions in. “No,” he said at last, much quieter than his previous barrage. “Not yet.”

  “Not yet? So you expect to, eventually.”

  “The Est Vacuus comes fer all who see it, Crystal. Ya know tha’. Even you, with all yer experience and power, know ya can't escape it. Not forever.”

  “I know, and I hope to be rid of the Echoes and Omnis in time, but with the connections between the havens severed, it's a much more daunting task to see the world than it once was.”

  “Don't touch the Omnis, Crystal. Respect its power. Respect its existence. And respect fer what it means t' witness its awesomeness. No man or god can stand against it. Even Ryu knew that.”

  Crystal, clearly trying to change the subject to one she was certain Nixon wanted to talk about in mentioning the missing Haven connections, was sullen for a moment at her failure and the mention of her lost love.

  “Ryu was a fool,” she said at last, her broken heart on display for all to see. No one contradicted her.

  Seeing he’d hit a nerve, Nixon allowed Crystal the respite from the topic she was seeking. “Tell me, Crystal. Let the questions begin. Why can I not flow through the Havens as I did? Clearly, some still exist. Wha' 'as 'appened t’ tha others?

  Crystal, in all her power, could not entirely hide the relief she felt at the subject change, but after that, she wasn’t as cocky. “That, my old flaming friend, is a very long story, but to give you the short version of it: Embracers banded together years ago to sever the connections between our respective havens. We came against an enemy powerful enough to enter them despite our best efforts. If they couldn’t walk into one, they would walk into another and attack one after another until they got to where they were going. After that we found a way to use our abilities to cut each other off, effectively making every Haven much like your own.

  Crystal waved her hand and looked into the distance. “Of course, the point is moot now.” Nixon looked at her, encouraging the reason behind the statement. “It’s simple math, my friend. There are barely any of us left.”

  “How many is barely?”

  She gave it a moment’s thought. “It’s hard to say for certain. I haven’t gone out looking in a while.”

  Nixon was nonplussed. “Where did they all go?”

  “You don’t seem too surprised. Is this what you expected?”

  Nixon nodded but did not explain, allowing her to first answer the question. “Well, up until the Fourth Fall of Man, there were still quite a few. When the power of technology began destroying everything again, many chose to stay out of the fight. Others chose to join in, believing they were strong enough to withstand such simple weapons. During the wars, many didn’t return; others who did weren’t the same as before. People I knew for thousands of years seemed to change overnight. Soon, they all began to disappear. Eventually I, Sho, and only a few others were all that was left.

  The playful nature returned to her voice. “But tell me, oh wise phoenix, what makes you so certain that it would come to this?”

  Nixon smiled his non-reassuring smile. “God knew eventually it would all come down t' one. If they follow tha right, I’ll ne'er awaken, if they follow tha wrong, I rise and destroy ’em. Both instances equal my eternal rest. Now then, about this enemy tha' warranted a complete shutdown of tha system I’ve grown so dependent on. Wha' was the nature of this enemy, and if it was such a threat, why didn’t I wake up?”

  “We thought the same thing. For a time, we waited for you to arrive and deal out a little of that swift justice you’re so fond of. When we realized it wasn’t going to happen, we made our own plans. Limiting his ability to travel was the best we could come up with. That way we could keep him trapped. It only worked for a time, then he simply became too powerful to contain. So they brought in the big guns.”

  “Huh, that would be you?”

  “No,” she said, “not me. They asked Sho. At first he refused, swearing not to get involved. His power was strong enough, but he still foolishly believed his place to be here. He stayed out of it until they did something foolish.”

  “And what, pray tell, was tha’?”

  The impish smile came to her face again, Aryu loving every smirk of it. “They attempted to invade here and destroy the hard work Sho maintains. After that Sho stepped forward and stopped them and their army of loyal Embracers.”

  “And how long did tha’ take him? Three days? Four?”

  “Bah, barely two and a half, ye of little faith. I think he fell asleep in there somewhere, though. He always was a napper.”

  “Wait, wait,” Aryu had to step in here, not believing what he was hearing, “Sho defeated them all in two days?”

  “Two and a half,” she corrected.

  “Aryu,” interjected Nixon, “ya must understand tha' Sho and Crystal 'ave tha most amazin' grasp of the Power I’ve e'er seen. I 'ave no doubt Crystal, if she were willin' t' do so, could 'ave cut tha' time in half.”

  Aryu looked at her questioningly. “Maybe, if I didn’t take a nap.” She smiled.

  “Well then, who was this enemy so easily defeated at tha hands of yer son?”

  Crystal lost her cutesy look again. “It was his brother.”

  In Nixon’s stories he had mentioned Ryu’s other son, an immortal from the same age as his father named Izuku, whose mother was Ryu’s first lost love. Izuku had once held the title of Adragon but was wise enough to allow others to do his dirty work for him so that Nixon
wasn’t summoned. Sho originally defeated Izuku when Sho was only a mortal teenager. Izuku relinquished the Shi Kaze to Sho and began turning his life to noble purposes. He failed.

  Crystal continued. “They fought once more, and although Sho couldn’t bring himself to kill him, he used his abilities to permanently disfigure his brother to ensure he never had the urge to stand against him again. No matter what Izuku does, he can never mend the wounds inflicted on him by his brother. That was the extent of Sho’s mercy. Next time, should there ever be one, I doubt he’ll be so lenient.”

  “Let’s 'ope for Izuku's sake there isn’t,” Nixon agreed. “Now, on to other matters…”

  “Wait,” she held up her hand, silencing him at once, “someone… no, something has entered this place…”

  They each looked around, trying to see who had entered, scanning the tree line for any sign. They saw none.

  “Are you sure?” asked Aryu. Crystal and Nix both looked at him like he’d said something terribly silly and went back to looking. He assumed that was a yes.

  “I thought it was Sho so I opened the barrier, but now I’m not sure. Something is wrong. If it is him, he’s not alone… There! From the south!”

  They all turned to look where Crystal pointed. At first, Aryu saw nothing. Then he discerned the movement between the trees as Sho emerged like he’d been shot from a cannon, the shining red armor sparkling as he landed roughly with his shield in hand, tumbling across the ground and tossing dirt and flowers as he rolled.

  The beast known as a Herald emerged behind him.

  Chapter 14

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  All Power Is Fleeting