Catching Hell Part One: Journey

by Marc Watson

  Sho looked at the sword in Aryu’s hands. “Just having that on our side picks my spirits up. Both my mother and I have held the title of Ryuujin at different times. Both of us turned the sword over to someone else, not wanting to be responsible for its power or destructiveness. Not all who come into its possession can wield it properly. For both of us, it was best to just let it go.”

  Aryu had a difficult time thinking about letting it go so easily. Even now it was doing wonders for him just by sitting in his hand.

  Shortly thereafter, the yelling stopped, and Sho and Aryu looked to see what was going on. They saw Nixon kneeling over an unconscious Crystal, her breathing rapid and her eyes fluttering behind their lids. Nixon addressed them as they approached.

  “I’ve done wha’ I can fer now, but tha rest is up t’ her. The madness will pass. It’s 'ow she deals with tha aftermath tha’ will determine 'ow she gets through this.”

  “What can we do to help her?” Aryu asked as he looked at her lying on the ground.

  “Don’t ya worry about 'er, Aryu,” Nixon replied. “She can get through it just fine without us. It'll just take some time.”

  “Time we don’t have,” Sho said, stepping in. “If that thing spoke the truth, we can’t have long before we receive visitors.”

  Nixon was up to his full height instantly, fire again in his eyes. “Yes, my old friend, about tha’; what the hell were ya thinkin’ leading tha' thing here?”

  Sho became passive again. “It attacked without warning. I was hit before I even knew it was coming. The voices couldn’t warn me of it in time because it’s lifeless. Without the command of the Power, I had to run. I needed to make it here. It was just too fast and attacked me again when I was close. You don’t understand, Nixon; it wasn’t what it said, it was how it said it. It was important enough that I had to find my mother. I was sure you two could stop it. I didn’t know at that point how it did what it did. I wasn’t scared of the gun when it threatened me, but that it would de-power you two the same as me. I had to choose to trust it. I needed to tell you about the voice.”

  Nixon waited, seeking the punchline. “You likely wouldn’t know it, never having met him,” finished Sho, “but I would know it anywhere. The voice that thing was using was my brother’s.”

  Chapter 15

  -----------------------------------

  The Army of the Old

  Nixon and Sho took turns carrying Crystal away from the empty field and into the higher mountains to the east, the last natural border before the expanse of the eastern ocean.

  With the proper means of travel, one could go south, past the shores of this land to a small island called Kume, where the one known as Tokugawa Ryu was born. Even closer at hand to where this band began to flee were places littered with stories about the Ryuujins and Adragons of the world.

  No one knew these stories like Crystal Kokuou. No one even came close. Sho knew many, Nixon the same. Others could add a tale or two, but no one could compare to the wellspring of knowledge and stories tucked behind her flowing white hair.

  These were the stories she was immersed in now, locked away by some old, arcane influence used by the phoenix and the god that created him. A god far wiser than all that came after.

  Deep inside her head, a war raged between the power she held, now lost by some nefarious means, and the strength she possessed as a person that was clear from the influence of the Power.

  So far, the battle was a draw.

  She knew in her deepest heart of hearts that she was one of the most powerful humans to ever live, with or without the Power. Her worldly experiences, love of learning, and abilities both mentally and physically were unparalleled. Two things prevented her from emerging. The first was the memory of the Omnis. The loss of the ability to tap that flow of galaxy-spanning wholeness was destructive to someone’s soul. The other was the memory of the void of Est Vacuus. Left to the simple memory of a Power-less human, even the slightest inkling of the Est Vacuus risked driving one mad.

  Couple the two things together, and you get someone in Crystal Kokuou’s unenviable position.

  She remembered the feeling of the Power. She remembered meeting Ryu for the first time, ragged and disheveled at the gates of her old home, begging for a place to stay and a warm meal. She marveled with great humor at the juxtaposition of that image versus the one that came years later, when his godliness was all but assured in the eyes of the world and he hugged her close for the first time in years and the last time ever, before he left for the confrontation that would lead to his loss, madness, and most unspeakable of all acts: the destruction of all within his reach who possessed the Power, guilty or innocent. If only she had known.

  The faces of her father and mother were everywhere in the muddle of her mind. Never before or after had the world seen two as honorable as them.

  The face of Sho, her precious son, and the day he came to the world. Before the gears of fate had rallied against him to cause him the pain he felt now. When his innocence cleansed her of her indiscretions. He was still her most loved son, and would be forever.

  The face of her daughter Emerald; her spirit and vibrancy lost years ago to that most blessed of all things: age. Emerald had chosen a life of peace, away from the Power. As such, hers was a life without the pain of all the memories carried by her older brother.

  The training. The losses. The joys. The love. The hate. The light of the world. Everything that made her human fought against the emptiness left by everything that made her powerful.

  “Truth,” her father’s voice said in her mind, a constant in her darkest hour (but for how long? Was it the Power that kept his memory so fresh?),“ is what makes us powerful. Not guns or wars, governments, or rulers. Truth will always be at the core of what we are. Always remember the truth of who you are, and you will never lose your way.”

  Yes, the truth. She could still remember the truth. It was fleeting, but it was there. A solid rock of herself, locked away like a precious gem. She was Crystal, trained from birth to be righteous and strong; a paragon of maintaining the balance just as her parents had been. The living embodiment of what was once called the Dragon Spirit. The spirit of the universe that would forever seek harmony no matter what.

  “Thank you, Daddy,” she whispered to herself while opening her eyes to the real world.

  Now powerless, only truth was left. That was enough.

  She awoke to serve the balance once more. She had a job to complete and it was barely started.

  “There,” said Nixon after a moment of searching. He pointed to the valley between two distant hills to the southwest. Aryu could see nothing from such a distance. “They come, and in great numbers. Seems our friend wasn’t lyin’.”

  Nixon was an expert at dealing with each new situation as it arose. This wasn’t the first time he’d had to run away to get where he was going, and thinking on his feet was essentially what he was made to do. Thankfully, in the aftermath of the loss of the Haven, it was quickly discovered that Nixon still had full command of his facilities and could still summon the Divine power within him. Yet further proof that his God was truly infallible. Yet more proof that he should have killed Aryu when he had the chance? No, he thought each time it occurred to him. Since the arrival of His Son, God is also merciful. I must honor that as well.

  Nixon did admit, however, that they were between a rock and a hard place, and that made Nixon a very nervous man. He had been trying to pay particular attention to the appearance of any small black flying drones but had seen none. That was not a mistake worth repeating.

  As they looked, pondering the next move, Crystal awoke in the arms of the giant phoenix, drawing all their attention back to her. Aryu expected the screaming to start all over again.

  “Please, set me down, Nixon. I’m fine now.”

  Nixon did as was asked but kept a close eye on her. Crystal gingerly walked around, stretching her legs and making sure all was as it should be in the physicality departme
nt. It was Sho who spoke first, asking the question on everyone else’s mind.

  “How do you feel? That was quite a fit you had back there, Mom.”

  Crystal, as if realizing for the first time they weren’t at home, looked around to get her bearings. “I’m fine,” she said, looking for some sign of their location.

  “Fergive me, m' dear, but after wha' I know ya went through, no one alive, even you, would be fine,” Nixon spoke assuredly, as a man who knew more than any what mysterious feelings she had just had as the reality of the world hit her.

  “We are east of home, aren’t we?” she asked, ignoring him. Sho nodded in agreement, but Nixon stood firm, awaiting her response. “I’m fine, really,” she said again. “Well, maybe not ‘fine’ fine, but I’ll be alright. It will just take a moment to put the pieces together.”

  “What was yer trigger? I’ve not seen many go through what ye did. Two, maybe three others, long ago. Each time their minds focused on a trigger, a moment or object that grounds ‘em and helps ‘em through to clear their mind and restore the balance.”

  “What difference does it make? I’m here, I’m fine, who cares?”

  “I care,” he insisted, pushing her with his intense red eyes. “It’s important fer me t’ know so tha' I know ya aren’t walkin' around moments away from another breakdown. If ye’re 'ere again because of some false hope or shallow memory, it’ll only be a matter o' time before ya lose it again, and as we are currently bein’ chased by a very dogged army wishing t’ do us 'arm you’ll forgive me if I dunna' want t’ be carrying yer arse up a mountain!”

  Crystal looked at the big man, seeing his seriousness. Not many knew more about the Omnis and the Est Vacuus than Nixon. No one alive, anyway. “My father,” she said, serious and truthful. She agreed with his reasoning and had no desire to deceive him. “Words from my father helped me through it.”

  Nixon needed no further words on the matter. He saw no lies in her eyes, though he supposed she could hide them if she wanted to. He believed her to be honest. “Bless tha’ man yet again,” he said to end the subject. “May he rest in peace.”

  Crystal nodded her thanks. “Amen.”

  Sho had turned his eyes back to the place Nixon had indicated, desperate for some sign, seeing at last a series of trees fall in unison near the top of the rise. They were coming, and they were doing nothing to hide their approach. “Alright, my friends, we need a way out. Any thoughts?”

  Aryu spoke first. “Let Nixon handle them!” he said, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. “He still has his abilities! He could destroy them, or at least make them think twice before continuing to chase us.”

  Sho and Crystal looked as though the counter argument was obvious, and all at once Aryu wished he were traveling with Johan instead of three supernatural beings. He suddenly felt very insignificant.

  “Sorry, Aryu, but I won’ be doin’ tha’. They think I am as powerless as these two, and I’m in no rush to tell ’em otherwise. If they see I am still a threat t’ em, nothin’ will stop 'em from tryin’ t' destroy us. Likely wit' weapons yer very familiar with. Unless I have a damned good reason, I need to play tha' card close.”

  Aryu could think of counter arguments to this as well, but out of fear of more looks from the others at his seemingly ‘pathetic’ reasoning, he kept his mouth shut and decided to trust Nixon yet again.

  “How far are we from the coast?” Nixon asked Sho.

  “Two days’ walk, maybe more with a group of four. They’re much too close for us to make it that far, Nix. They don’t need food or sleep, and they’re only a half day behind us as it is.”

  Nixon frowned. Two days? That was assuming they weren’t being watched around every corner and behind every tree right this moment. Nixon had already decided they were being followed, likely by those little black spheres. Why no move had been made yet was a mystery.

  Begrudgingly, Nixon looked up to the small troop. “Well, I am open to suggestions…” Blank faces returned the statement. “Is there no one else with command of the Power left here?” Nixon asked. “No one who may 'ave a Haven to retreat to?”

  “Perhaps, but I have no idea where they’re hiding,” replied Sho. “Most of those that were left are long gone.”

  Aryu was lost in thought, doubting his ability to out-think his companions. Nixon looked worriedly at the coming trouble, Sho had his characteristic look of non-interest, and Crystal was still obviously dealing with the issues the loss of her Power had created.

  In the end, all Aryu could do was think of Johan, on a mission of his own, and wondered if he would ever see him again. It had only been a little more than a week since he had left him to his own problems. He recalled a foolish part of him hoping he would be done with this madness by now and be back with him.

  Still, no one knew what to do. He understood Nixon’s reasoning behind not summoning his considerable abilities just to destroy their first wave and escape. If only they could get somewhere and do some real damage.

  “I have an idea,” he said at last. The look on everyone’s face told him two things: that they were glad someone had said something at last, but they were also instantly disheartened to see it was him. It was still worth a try.

  “What if we get caught intentionally?” No one laughed or said it was stupid. Each of them knew that there was more to the idea than it seemed. He brought each as close as he could, trying to keep his voice down and his words hidden. “I agree with Nixon that we are being watched right now, somewhere, somehow. I have no clue why they’re waiting. They can fly right to us in an instant. Instead, they’re chasing us. They’re either leading us into something east of here, or playing with us for some other twisted purpose. I’m not about to walk into a trap and I definitely hate being toyed with.”

  “So what’s yer point, Aryu?” Nixon was showing signs of actual interest.

  “As I said, just let them catch us. We know they want Nixon and me for some reason. We know they think Nixon is a human and shouldn’t have command of the Power anymore. We also know that at the first sign of making any kind of actual escape, they’ll likely just bomb us and be done. If they catch us, it’s a safe assumption that we’ll be taken deeper into their depths, possibly to the heart of the whole thing, or maybe near the person in charge of them. We’re lost without anyone’s abilities; eventually the numbers will just win no matter how valiantly we fight. If we are taken in deeper, then allow Nixon to unleash whatever God-fueled fury I’m sure he’s capable of, we stand a much better chance of taking more important things out with him than if he just cuts down some splinter group of their army that’s heading to us now.”

  “But what about us, Aryu?” Crystal asked, more interested now, seeming to set aside her personal demons for a moment. “Sho and I aren’t what they want. I can’t speak for Sho, but I can tell you that I feel the aging process occurring in me now, a feeling I’ve not felt in who knows how long. And if I’m aging, it’s a good bet we can die pretty easily.”

  “Crystal, I 'ave some serious doubts tha' ye and Sho could e'er die easily,” Nixon said. After the stories he’d heard and the things he’d seen, Aryu had to agree. Losing the Power didn’t mean losing thousands of years of experience. Experience that included dealings with mechanical enemies before.

  “I don’t know, Crystal. Maybe you could still make it out if Nix and I bought you some time?”

  “No, I don’t think that will be necessary,” Sho said, finally joining the conversation. “I believe we should go with you. I doubt they will harm us. At least, not right away.”

  “And you have reason to believe they’d treat you to some of their hospitality?” Nixon asked.

  “I do. It was my brother’s voice. I know it was. I know what I heard and if it’s true, he’s involved somehow. Izuku isn’t stupid, but he is vain. He’d rather brag about how he finally beat me before he dispatches me, and believe me, that’s exactly what he wants to do.”

  “Tha’s a hell o
f a risk t' take, countin' on yer brother’s vanity not t' kill ya now jus' so he can kill ya later.”

  “Better than dying or being captured on the run. They have the upper hand here. Even with your abilities Nixon, how long before they just pepper the area with these bombs and get you again. I’m not a big fan of the thought of anyone but you having possession of that weapon.” He indicated Nixon’s broadsword, sheathed on his back. Nixon whole-heartedly agreed.

  “They’d jus' take it anyway, and yer shield, and the Shi Kaze. What’s t’ stop ‘em if we jus' walk in t’ their waitin’ arms?” Nixon raised a great point, but Aryu was ready for it.

  “Well, for one thing, we don’t let them capture us. They always seem so willing to talk, why not let them. Come to them with open arms. See what they want, use what we know, make them some kind of deal.”

  No one seemed to be fully on board, but no plan was without its flaws at this point. Each weighed the options in their own minds. Aryu took the moment to be secretly pleased with himself at his plan and the way things had turned out. Johan would be proud.

  “We don’t go in half-cocked,” Nixon said after a moment. Aryu didn’t really know the expression. “We sit right 'ere and wait, we make a plan, and we do somethin’ other than hand ourselves over t’ 'em and think on our feet when tha time comes.”

  “You know they can likely see and hear everything we do, right?” Sho asked. “Even right now. All the whispering in the world won’t help us.”

  “We’ll do tha best we can. Although, before we go any farther, I 'ave t’ say tha’ I’m not accustomed t' so many odds bein’ against me.” Nixon’s honesty was scary.