Secrets of the Fortress 'Survivors'

by John Victor

  * * *

  “Okay, okay I understand.’’ Donald said as he turned his back against Emily’s’ and raised his fists. The leader walked away from Emily as some of the creatures surrounded him, escorting him out of the room.

  As he got outside the door, he snapped his fingers. The place turned into an arena. Many people watching them. Donald looked fascinated. How did that just happen? We were just teleported or something?’’

  Emily looked unnerved as she maintained her fighting stance. A large metal gate opened in the arena. A creature came out. It was the same as the ones they had seen before. Only bigger.

  “What the heck?’’ Donald whispered to Emily.

  “It’s the same. It’s like their grandfather. Silly beings.’’

  “It would be stronger than the rest.’’ Donald replied.

  They looked around and saw that they were surrounded by about twenty of the same creatures. Same size.

  “Fuck!’’

  “Donald, just do your thing. I know you can do it. You can fight these people. You can do it.’’

  “What does that mean? You won’t do it with me?’’

  “No, I’m here with you. Nevertheless, I can’t take them all.’’ Emily replied.

  The creatures stopped suddenly. They were staring at Emily. Waiting for them to make a move.

  Emily moved her body forward. Donald did the same. The creatures ran to them with full speed. Donald ran, hitting the creatures with his fists. They howled in pain. Emily was busy blasting the others with large walls of power.

  More of them were coming, hovering over Donald and Emily. Emily was hit. As Donald saw her, his muscles twitched, his fingers elongated. Bones stretched, his clothes ripped off in an instant. Emily opened her mouth in fright, not bothering about the creatures atop her. Her savior had come.

  CHAPTER 7

  Justin carried his head from her shoulder and looked deeply into her eyes. Immediately, she could see what happened to him.

  As a little boy, about seven years old. His parents were crushed by bandits. He escaped. Had nowhere to go and slept in the forest. He felt people carrying him and joggling him in their strong hands.

  He opened his eyes and saw that he was mistaken. He stared at the back of a man in front of him but realized he was resting on a horse’s back. Justin almost jumped away from the horse.

  Beside him, a lot of them ran, against the hard road. Men with half of their bodies as horses.

  Evalle cried as she watched everything that happened to him.

  He was taken to a strange place and was thrown on the floor. He wept bitterly. Large chains were used to bind his arms and feet as a bucket of water was poured on his head.

  The boy wailed. A large hoof hit him on the mouth. He collapsed.

  When he awoke, he was greeted by strange faces. He had forgotten about the experience with the Centaurs. When one of them entered the room, he remembered and began to weep.

  He wanted to stand up, but he felt heavy. He could not raise his legs. He looked down to see what happened to his legs. They were no longer there. He screamed. His legs had been replaced with that of a horse. He now looked exactly like them. Only younger.

  ***

  What is happening to me? I shifted. Donald jumped on one of the creatures and tore him apart. ‘’Emily. I will rescue you.’’ He shouted even though he knew his words would sound like a roar to her. It didn’t matter anyway.

  Donald saw himself as a king. A king above all. He destroyed all the creatures and ran to pick Emily up. She was unconscious. He changed back to his human form and began looking for clothes. She can’t see me nude. It’s too early.

  “I’ve seen you naked already. You are so funny.’’ Donald looked down to find Emily staring at his junk. He blushed. Embarrassed.

  He lifted Emily up from the floor. The place turned back into the bright room they had been in before. Donald looked bewildered as his eyes adjusted to what was in front of him.

  The whole army of the Drekkas were kneeling at his feet. Their leader came forward and bowed down to Donald. “I’m so sorry if I hurt you in any way. Master.’’

  Master? I? Master? How could this happen?’’

  The leader continued. “We have been told that our master was going to come soon. Every human that came here, passed through the test you went through. Not all the things you thought you fought with were real. We only wanted to see if you were the one.’’

  Emily looked in confusion. Donald was still naked.

  “So what do I get to do?’’ Donald asked.

  “You have to lead your people.”

  * * *

  “It worked.’’ The same man that had talked to her a while ago was there. He had a long hair, which he braided. ‘’The experiment worked.’’ He said.

  Everyone in the place seemed to go hyper. They ran helter-skelter, jumping and rejoicing. Like a child had been born.

  Justin laid on the bed, wailing, as the leader approached him. My dear, you can get down now.’’

  ‘’How do I fucking do that? You wicked piece of shit.’’ Justin screamed.

  ‘’You have every right to be annoyed. But, you are luckier than every one of us here. You are free to change back to human. Just think and it will happen. You now have two entities inside of you. From today henceforth, you will be my son.’’

  Evalle broke the eye contact as she wiped the tears that flowed from her eyes. “No one will hurt you again.’’ she whispered.

  “No, they will. I am going to die when I return because of my refusal to shift. My life has been destroyed. Though, I feel this extraordinary strength in me. I don’t want to be like them. They are evil, and disastrous.”

  “You don’t have to go back.’’

  “Yes I do. Or else, they find me and kill me. You cannot go back home without passing through this place. It is the only way.’’

  “They let you do the job because they want you to shift. They want you to follow me and fight with me. Then go back and be one of them.”

  “I was never one of them and will never be.’’

  * * *

  “I can’t possibly stay here. I have a whole life ahead of me. And I can’t leave this beautiful lady.’’ Donald said, pointing to Emily.

  A man stepped out of the crowd and handed Emily her bag. “Congratulations ma’am, you just crossed your first marker.’’

  Emily dropped the bag on the floor and dragged out her map. She saw it for herself. She had finished her first trial.

  “How did you know about my journey?’’ She queried.

  “We know everything.’’ The answer was short, abrupt and straight. She closed her mouth immediately.

  “Master, hope your mistress was not hurt?’’ The leader asked.

  “No, she wasn’t.” Donald said as he blushed. He looked at Emily who was doing the same thing.

  “We have to rest here for a while.’’ Donald said

  “There is a place prepared for you, it has the best.’’

  “So far, I can rest my head.’’ Donald mustered as he followed the man. Running his hands in his hair.

  Donald and Emily got to a large door and stopped. This is where we were directed. Emily pushed the door hard. It opened. A large room. Emily looked bewildered. She ran to the bed and lay down on it.

  “I’m tired’’ She said

  “Yeah, me too.’’ Donald replied, stripping off the clothes he had just been given and putting on a robe, he found in the drawer.

  “I told you that you had powers. Didn’t I?’’

  “I know. Thanks.’’

  “I should thank you. You made my work so easy.’’

  “We were bound to happen.’’ Donald said as he moved closer to Emily, who sat on the bed. He touched her face and brushed the strands of hair away before planting a kiss on her lips.

  CHAPTER 8

  “We are there.’’ Justin said as they stopped at a small cottage. Evalle walked to the door and opened it.
It was warm and cobwebs covered the place.

  “It has not been used since the last time you came here.”

  Evalle knew everything already and decided not to ask questions. I really need to take a bath. I am smelly. Since Titania’s time. She looked for the bathroom. It was a small box, with a bath on the floor. Evalle removed her clothes and jumped into it. Feeling excited as the cold water hit her skin.

  Justin lay on the floor, thinking about the life he always wanted to live. How it ended up in a miserable way. ‘’I will never go back there.” He said to himself as tears streamed down his cheeks.

  Evalle came out of the bathroom and signaled to Justin to take his bath. Justin stood up and walked slowly to the bathroom.

  Evalle found some bottles of wine, stacked neatly under a cabinet. She pulled it out and helped herself to a bottle. She took map from the table where Justin had left it. The map had almost ended. She was close to the end of it all. She sighed.

  Justin came out of the bathroom, a small towel tied around his waist. “No one wants me in this life. I wish my father were alive.”

  “Don’t worry. I will never leave you.” Evalle said as she carried her head up and gazed at his body. Perfect.

  * * *

  Kujoo sat on the chair. Frustrated. He had planned it all. The pain in his lower abdomen persisted. “I will kill that girl. She took something that doesn’t belong to her.’’ He felt his part again to see if it had come back. It had the same line that had been there since that night.

  I have been turned to a woman.

  A man entered the room. His protruded belly reached his thigh. “Everything is set sir.’’

  “You have done a good job, return to your quarters.’’ Kujoo said as he slumped on his bed.

  * * *

  Emily touched her lips. “Did you just kiss me?’’

  “Did you not like it? You are beautiful.’’ Donald replied as his face beamed with happiness.

  “It was sudden and unexpected.’’ Emily said as she blushed, removing the blue gown, she wore. She lay on the bed beside Donald. “So how do you feel? Now you have powers.’’

  “I don’t know. I wouldn’t have found it if I hadn’t met you. You have changed my life.’’

  “You helped me too, you know. I would not have finished that task that easily. If not for you.’’

  Emily stretched herself on the bed. “I remember how my mum will always look me in the eyes and say ‘you are special, my dear Emilia.’ I thought she didn’t mean it and was saying it for me to feel happy. Now I know what she meant. Even if she didn’t.’’

  “Where is your mum now? You never mentioned her before now.’’

  “She disappeared. Dad said she ran away. Someone told me it meant she was dead. I don’t know why dad will hide such a thing from me.”

  “The truth will soon be out in the open. I believe.’’ Donald said.

  * * *

  “You work out?’’ Evalle asked as she put her head down.

  “Yeah, just like to shed some fat. Love to keep fit.’’ Justin said in a calm voice.

  “I see that.’’

  “What would you like to eat” Justin asked.

  “You cook?’’

  “Yeah.’’

  “That’s a surprise.’’

  “I love cooking seafood. They are healthy.’’

  “Sorry. They make me puke. You can prepare anything. I would really love to taste your meal.’’ Evalle said as she watched him hurry to the kitchen. He is caring. Wish I could have him forever. What’s wrong with me these days? First, it was Kevin, now it’s Justin. Save me Lord. The aroma from the kitchen was filling her nostrils. She exhaled.

  Justin returned to the living room. He had two plates in his hands. Evalle longed to know what they contained. He put the plates in front of her. She opened her mouth in awe.

  They ate their food in silence. It was seafood after all. Fried lobsters and shrimps with rice. Evalle finished first. Surprised that she didn’t vomit. She held her stomach once more and waited for Justin to finish his food.

  She stood up from the floor and took her plates to the kitchen. Justin walked behind her.

  Evalle looked for the room. It was the only one in the house and she appreciated the feeling it gave her. “It feels like home.’’ She said to Justin who immediately jumped into the bed. His shorts rose above his thighs. Evalle loved the view.

  She moved to lay beside him.

  “Have you ever shifted since the first time?’’

  “Yes, it was only once. I was in danger and I was almost killed. I had to change or die. We feel stronger anytime we. . .” He heard a weird sound beside him. Snoring. He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and slept.

  * * *

  Emily felt the sun shine directly into her face. She woke up to see a naked Donald scampering his legs into his pants. “I see you’ve taken it as a habit to remain naked.’’

  “You are awake.’’ He said as he turned his back to look at her face. “I didn’t want to disturb your sleep. Thought you might be having a good time. In your dream.’’

  “That’s funny.’’ She said as she hurried to the bathroom. We have a long day ahead of us. I really need to end this stuff fast. Whatever it is. She jumped under the shower and let the water soak her hair. Scrubbing other parts of her body with the iron sponge, she found on the window. She bled.

  “What happened to you?’’ Donald said as he saw her coming out of the bathroom. Blood dripping from her body.

  “Blood sacrifice. It’s nothing new. You should try it.’’

  Donald opened his mouth and stared at her as she slipped into a tight jeans trouser and threw a shirt over her head.

  She walked to the mirror and looked at herself. She combed her hair and packed it into a ponytail. Smearing red paint over her lips with her lipstick. She nodded her head, satisfied with what she saw.

  Emily smiled at Donald who kept on staring at her. Awestruck.

  They walked out of the room. Emily hung her bag on her shoulders.

  “Hope you enjoyed your night?’’ A man said as he ran behind them. Trying to meet up.

  “Yeah.’’ They echoed.

  “Master invites you for breakfast before you continue your journey.’’

  CHAPTER 9

  Evalle woke up and saw a hand stretched over her body. Part of it touching her breasts. She gently removed it and went to the bathroom. Taking her bath fast, she took a blade from the table and slashed her right arm several times. She ran back to the bathroom to wash off the blood.

  “What happened to your hand?’’ Justin said as he saw her coming out of the bathroom.

  “It’s nothing.’’

  “But you are bleeding.’’ He walked to the table and saw the blade. Covered with blood. He opened his mouth. ‘’Why did you do this to yourself?’’

  “Blood sacrifice. It’s nothing new. It will heal soon. You should try it.’’ Evalle said as she smiled mischievously.

  “No. Thanks.’’

  “Go and have your bath. We have to hurry.’’

  “Okay.’’

  Justin took off his clothes and hurried to the toilet. Ignoring the stains of blood on the floor and in the tub. He poured water over his face. It is so cold. Justin rushed out of the tub and hurriedly picked his towel, wiping off every drop of water, from his body.

  He walked into the room. Evalle was already dressed. He dropped his towel and put on his clothes. The same ones he had on the day before.

  “You ready?’’ Evalle asked.

  “Yeah, let’s go.’’

  Justin put off all the lights and locked the door. It was very hot outside and the sun burnt their skin. Evalle moved closely beside Justin.

  “There are dangerous things on this path. It seems you are almost at your final destination.’’

  “I pray so.’’

  * * *

  Emily and Donald were happy that they survived. After they thought, it was going
to be war. It was better. Everything felt and seemed strange. The forest was very dark even though they knew it was day. Emily searched for any strange things around. She saw none.

  “Stop.’’ A female voice said to them. They looked around but found no one. As they turned their heads back to the front, they saw a woman sitting under the tree opposite them.

  “Ma’am, are you okay?’’ Emily said.

  “Yes, sit down.’’

  Emily and Donald sat down without questioning.

  “Emily, I am glad you came this far.’’

  She knows my name? Well, everyone probably know my name. “Thanks.’’

  “I am going to tell you about this quest and what you are searching for.’’

  “Finally. Someone is going to open up.’’

  “Five hundred thousand years ago, there were two sisters. They never knew each other. Their parents shared them. One took the first daughter and the other took the second. They got separated and never saw each other again. The daughters grew up to be very beautiful. They possessed special powers and they knew very little about it. When their powers combine, they are undefeatable.’’

  Fairy tale. This is bullshit. “I’m listening ma.’’ Emily said.

  “The girls had to go through hard things to find each other. When they did, they almost were separated again because they knew nothing about themselves. History repeated itself till date. Emily, the older of these girls is you. You have a sister and you must find her. She holds the key to the completion of the quest and fulfilling your heart desires.’’ The woman began to fade.

  Emily and Donald stood up and ran.

  * * *

  Evalle stopped as she heard a sound. It was deafening. “What is that?’’

  “It is the animal, you have to take cover now.’’

  “What animal?’’

  “The one that almost killed me when I was young.”

  “You never told me about it.’’ Evalle said as she used her eyes to search for it.