by Ted L C
“I wanna say you’ve visualized what I wanted to relay—smart kid. Anyway, get to Thede before Alyssa does. Once you see her, get her the fuck out of there before she murders the Fringes.
“I can get you an antimatter drive once you have everything else assembled. Teleport yourselves to me once you do so.”
“It was such a lovely pleasure to finally meet you, Derek. The honor was all mine. And heed to my lecture—heed to the Holo-Flicks—Alexander is not to be taken lightly.”
“Also,” a frigid breeze flows through the skies. Achille’s body dematerializes, transforming into slivers of ice. “Watch out for the Asians. Though they’re cute, the two are powerful, even on that Beta level shit. Watch out—”
Achilles’ face fades as the gales disperse.
“Fuck you!” Derek’s voice reverberates across the plateau.
* * *
Realm of Ghosts
The sticks attached to Derek’s waist drag his feet through the sand.
“Sekhemet—two days without sleep.”
The hat of a building with Japanese architecture appears along the distance. Transparent waves brush across the structure.
The lad’s limbs carry him faster.
Breaths venting through his lips transitions into wheezes. The horizon of the light brown void transforms as more buildings materialize.
A figure emerges from the golden hills. Its legs cross over one another as a bright red kimono shrouds the character.
I feel like it would be awkward if I talked to it. Maybe I should go around. Perhaps I should just fight it head-on. What’s the worst that could happen? I have my Final Cry now.
An onyx mane flowing with the wind forms within Derek’s vision. The person fades into a silhouette of ash.
His body does the same.
Shuffling hands through the dust, he scoops clumps of sand mixed with ash. He grinds it in his palms like mashed potatoes.
This definitely isn’t a hallucination. Is this what I look like when I teleport?
A fervent feeling festers inside of his stomach.
Derek’s neck arcs downward. The Revelator manifests. A lengthy golden sword glides over the rear of his helmet.
He evaporates—emerging two fields away from his past location. Looking toward where he stood, a woman appears. Wielding a thin blade longer than the boy’s body, she faces his direction. His gaze dart across her chrysanthemum stamped attire.
The girl fades, leaving behind ashen shavings.
“Balls—” a silken, yet calloused palm clamps his bicep. The feeling vanishes.
Pupils dash to the crimson-soaked nub along his shoulder.
A sword taller than a human kisses the tip of his Adam’s-apple.
Derek’s eyes follow the reflective blade. They set upon a pale arm decorated with tattoos of tree trunks and cherry blossoms.
“Who are you to possess the mastery to teleport as I do?” a sound reverberates throughout Derek’s head. His gaze follows the voice. Leading to a cherry blossom printed underneath a slanted cerulean eye.
“I-I—” the boy’s vision darkens
* * *
“Derek?” the ringing voice murmurs. “How do you feel?”
A frosty breeze caresses his skin. His thoughts illustrate the desert—the body does nothing.
Embers erupting from a pile of wood ahead of him reveals a set of catlike peepers.
“I sincerely apologize for feeding you to my Murusame, Derek O’Brien,” brushing her knees against the ground, the girl shifts backward. She reaches for a clear glass of a whiskey tinted fluid and presents it with both hands. “Partake. It’s great for this harsh environment.”
Snatching the drink from her hand, steam beats against his face while watching her. The scent of cinnamon vents through his nostrils.
I should take her down now—
“Tell me, Derek. What is your story? What brings you to the hellhole of Thede?”
Attempting to let out a word, his withered trachea overpowers his ability to speak. Taking a sip of the beverage, a mist lines his throat.
“How do you know my name?” his gray iris’ move toward the aforementioned nub. Does she have Zeresh’s blood?
“You are aware of your identification chip—correct?” a grin jolts between her dimples. “You were out for at least a day. I took you to my home to either execute or care for you based on your identity. Thus, I searched for your I.D. chip, which you keep in the most careless of spots.
“I figured out you were Derek O’Brien. No criminal record, no traffic infringements, and a class A disability labeled by Reivscere corp. Which means you are afflicted with the disorder as I am. It so happens that you possess mirrored abilities to me. Yet, you lack the knowledge thereof to use it properly.
“Now I am curious, Derek. About your life—your story—your morals. Who is Derek O’Brien? What brings you to the wasteland of the once-prosperous land of Barter?”
“Before I go telling my life to a stranger, I’d like to know your story. My mom always said it’s not smart to talk to strangers.”
“Though that’s a cliche, my mother always told me the same,” her maniacal chuckle echoes within the bamboo walls. “I was also told by a wise man that if one bounds themselves to dogmatism and illogical rules, they will never enjoy true bliss.
“Without further ado, I am called Eri Motozawa. Born 1948 in Kofu, Japan on Earth. Father used my mother as a tool for his affair on a woman named Emma Kuklinski from what I learned later on.
“A while later, I could not bear the burden my poor mother had to bear when she realized I had Adalfieri. Thus, I ran away from home with my half brother.
“He and I spent many years training and on adventures until he fell in love with an angelic woman named Cynthia. Afterward, I lost him. Alone for hundreds of years, I searched for that which could fill the void in my heart. This journey led to the darkest path imaginable.
“Alexander spoke of an expedition to Faxian in 2227. Entering the system, Alexander didn’t like there was a war between Japan’s D.P.P. and China’s C.C.P. That is where his horrific personality surfaced. His psychological degeneration after years of consolidation.
“Billions massacred by Alexander’s army of HESTEKS. Some murdered in ways the imagination would not dare tread. I ran—ran as fast as I could.
“Five years later, as the genocide subsided. Alexander left the planet for other ventures. He abandoned hundreds of HESTEKS on this rock. I snuck into Thede and made my home in this residence, blending in with the others. Those who had revelations about my secret were executed and dispersed.
“Therefore, I attacked at first. Until I can find a way off this planet. It is of the uttermost importance that I am not discovered by the inbred barbarians who live in Barter. Moreover, Thede.”
“Why do you hide here?” Derek sinks the cup’s contents into his mouth.
“Are you not fluent in the culture of Thede?” Eri caresses a finger against her sword. “All women here at least sixteen and over are always pregnant. Do you wish to know why—”
“Why?”
“For a man to claim his dominance over the others in Thede. And to spread his seed, they believe they must rape a woman. If a woman is already pregnant, most men will leave her alone. This is because they believe she’s claimed territory.
“However, there are those out there who will go to great lengths to fulfill their desires. Even performing the removal of the spawn themselves to have an open territory—”
“The hell?” Derek’s eyebrows collapse inward. “Backward fucking savages.”
“I agree. The human ego is horrid enough; however, HESTEKS are much worse. They are drunk off the Adalfieri they inherited from their experiments or parents—”
“Why not just go chill with Achilles—”
“Shh—” Eri compresses her index finger over Derek’s lips. “Do not mention a Beta’s name in Thede. Simply uttering a name will serve as the blood to draw these sharks from
many cities away. I fought with that man, once. I eliminated him—”
“You offed Achilles—that guy?” Derek’s eyes magnify like balloons. “I talked to him a while ago. He taught me about the Final Wrath.”
“The term is wrong—” Eri’s strokes against her blade shorten and hasten. “You had contact with that man? Furthermore, yes, I offed him. Yet, he had the blood of an angel in him, resurrecting himself, forcing me to retreat. After that moment, if I were to take a step into one of his villages, every man, woman, and child would hunt me.”
“Why did the two of you fight in the first place? The guy seemed pretty chill to me.”
“Hum—” a giggle hums through Eri’s snout. “I was a leader of one of the villages—and—at the time I was young—reckless per se. I challenged the man for his title as a deity among the multitude. For I felt my abilities were far superior to his.
“The symptom to bring himself back to life with third party aid did not help my cause; thus, the battle was lost. Even though I could have finished him a second time, for we were among my element—the heat.”
“Why can’t you just teleport back to Earth?”
“I tried to. Haven’t you? I hypothesize there is a wireless frequency plaguing the planet. Preventing anyone from teleporting away. Alexander must have known about my actions and trapped me here to be fed to the dogs. He knows I am aware of his weakness. If I were able to make my way back to Earth. If I were to exact vengeance upon his life; there would be no way the man could stop me.”
“His weakness?” Derek leans his head forward.
“Yes, weakness.” Eri mirrors the angle of his body. “Everything and anything that exists has a weakness of some sort. It’s all about finding the needle in the haystack. However, we will come back to this. I would like to begin your training immediately.”
“Why won’t you tell me about his weakness?”
“One needs to develop themselves. Conquering some of their weaknesses before finding the exposé of another. You have many fatal weaknesses, Derek. The most important being impatience. What separates Gladiators from normal HESTEKS is their self-discipline and usage of common sense. Also, analysis of their surroundings and their opponents.”
“OK,” Derek’s trembling legs pulls himself upward. “What are my weaknesses, then? They say you can get to know a person within thirty seconds of interacting with them—”
“That is a false saying. You can learn the general habits of a person within thirty minutes. But not everything. I would have to invoke every emotion. I need to see you in a romantic setting to understand who Derek is.
“Use the knowledge I told you thus far to build a concrete foundation for who you are. As you develop yourself, you will learn your faults. Observation and knowledge. Those two are the keys to your survival and success.”
“Alright, I’m eager to learn and ready to train.” Derek rests the glass upon a mantle, spreading his legs shoulder-width apart.
Fingers slither toward his foot, the boy watches as Eri inches toward him.
Don’t let the same thing happen twice.
Derek’s body vanishes into a silhouette of ash. Ashen dust plaster Eri’s appendages. She evaporates.
* * *
A mist flows throughout Derek’s nostrils. Bright lights strike his retinas.
“Wake up, Derek,” Eri’s rose-tinted cheeks appear. “Drink your coffee and stretch. We need to leave before—”
“Ms. Motozawa,” a voice emanates from the blanket shrouding the doorway. “You and your friend must go. Patrols will be here faster than a trip to the Bazaar.”
“Yes, Mr. Sulu,” her fingers tug a beige cloth against her face. “Bring the drink with you, Derek. Thede is the only legal zone where you can eat and walk.”
“Hurry!” the voice intensifies.
The two make their way to the doorway.
“How did I pass out?” Derek’s lips press against the glass cup. An intense chocolate flavor falls through his throat. It clashes into the acids of his stomach. “Wow, this is the best coffee I’ve ever had!”
“Come to think of it—” the darkness shrouding Eri’s face drifts to the narrow alleyway behind the two. A duo of figures bashes their spears against wooden doors aligning the clay walls.
“Haven’t had Earthen coffee in forever—” her voice transitions to a whisper. “We must hurry toward the training grounds.”
“What about breakfast? Shouldn’t we energize ourselves?”
“I am a firm believer in intermittent fasting. Skipping breakfast will be healthy for you. The coffee will give you energy.”
“How have they not found out—” Derek presses his lips against Eri’s cloak. “That you’re not a man? Also, who’s that dude whose house we were in? I thought it was your place.”
“Any man who has tried to tear off my hood lost an arm. Any man who has stared at me for long loses an eye. And any of those hicks who stepped on my cloak in an attempt to see what’s under it has lost their foot.
“After witnessing over forty-four people lose limbs from touching me, these savages assume that I have a poisonous touch. Some even claimed me to be Yama hiding out in this town. Though humans are curious creatures; most HESTEKS’ curiosity is blinded by their overinflated egos. Thus, they stick to their lives and I stick to mine.
“I travel through the village to the desert, meditate, train, come home, eat dinner, and sleep. This has been my life for the number of years I’ve been trapped on this rock. You’re the wrench to break the cycling gears, Derek.
“As for Mr. Sulu. Due to patrols, my previous homes kept being raided. One night, he was attacked by a gang. I eliminated them and saved his life. In return, he offered me a haven to sleep without having my belongings decimated. In addition to being his bodyguard when I am home, I also bring him forty-four kilograms of Jialong meat once every three months.”
“Jialong?” the beast wriggling its snakelike body within Hou’s ship illustrates itself inside of his thoughts. “The big ass dragon snake?”
“Oh yes,” the two make their way to the edge of an alleyway lined with wooden stalls. “I must be silent for a while. For no man can hear my voice. Only follow my movements.”
“Looks lahk death’s got himself a friendly,” warm breaths vent toward Derek and Eri.
Derek’s eyes drag themselves to a band of robed figures facing their direction.
“Why does that li’l snowflake get to talk to him?”
“He looks like he’s got some mahty fine organs for harvestin’.”
Nanos swarm from his SAP toward his palm as the Revelator embodies its image within Derek’s mind.
“What’s dat thing round dat boy’s wrist?”
“Let’s git—”
“Get—” a gale huffs from the edge of his sword as his fingers spin the weapon backward. Ribbons of cloth tear from the figures’ cloaks. “the fuck back you inbred hicks!”
An alabaster glimmer reflects off the Revelator’s body. This exposes beards covering the hooded character’s faces.
“We were just testin’ ya—”
“No testing—”
Eri’s palm digs into Derek’s shoulder and tugs.
“My gran-pappy told me of them gizmos ’round yer hand,” one of the figure’s mummified fingers aims at Derek’s SAP.
“Your grandpa can go fuck off. I’m busy—”
“Spoke of ole’ Alex comin’ back someday, reincarnated. Sayin’ he’ll bring alien gadgets from another planet. I ain’t never seen that kinda sword or wrist device. We Fringes don’t take kindly to Alex, Achill, or Zer—”
“I’m not affiliated with any of them,” a cobalt aura consumes Derek’s body. “Now, we must go.”
“We’re keepin’ our peepers on yah, boy—”
“I’m keeping my peepers on you too. Need to make sure you don’t sodomize me in my sleep in an attempt to impregnate me.”
“Wait—” a voice murmurs as the ground below them vibrate. “
I recognize this boy’s humor.”
“What?” Derek’s feet carry him backward.
“He is one of the angels!” a person echoes.
“That must mean that death is the aligning Gemini twin—”
Eri’s cloak bursts into an article of clothing made of fire. The sun glares against her kimono. The reflections of various figures appear on her Murusame’s golden blade.
“The Geminis!”
“Lynch them both!” a different voice says.
“Two hundred fifty kilograms of Jialong flesh to the first one to bring their heads to me!” a hoarse sound cries.
A spiderweb of electricity materializes within Eri’s mind. Blue neon threads ride against the sand. They leap into the bodies of figures throughout the crowd.
For every man the strings fondles, they collapse.
Derek’s hands hurl the sword through the air as a corpses drop before it.
“What is that?” the boy’s feet carry him backward.
“Anyone—” Eri’s thunderous voice echoes through the town. “who steps within a six-meter radius of us will have their insides turned into charred Jialong. I dare you, feed my Murusame—”
Clusters of pebbles hail against the girl’s face. Fibers from the wave dance toward figures reaching for rounded objects on the ground. Their rag-doll bodies sink into the dust beneath them.
“Any projectiles or abilities used on us will result in banishment from this existence.”
“I also want all the coffee you white trash hicks have to offer,” the blue aura surrounding Derek’s body transforms into a cluster of dancing tendrils.
“We ain’t givin’ you terrorizers anythin’!” a sound hurls itself toward the two. “Git the hill outta our town fore we go find ourselves our own Gladiatah.”
“We’ve got the three Asian Tigress’ here; Lahn, Eri, and Jean-Zoey,” Achilles’ voice reverberate throughout Derek’s mind.
“Jean-Zoey?” the boy utters. “Lahn—”
“Don’t you dare mention our goddess’ name in vain ever ’gain, Gemini!
“Git cher’ tiny asses outta our projects!”
The dancing neon threads dissipate. A horde of ragged characters dashes toward the two.