“Where do we go?” asked Ekala.
“You are connected to Zarim, and through that connection we will find him. So I am the one who should ask you where should we go?”
“How do I know?” asked Ekala.
“Concentrate. Concentrate on him,” said Nasam. “And you will know.”
She sighed. Ekala had no idea how she was supposed to find Zarim in another dimension. Still, this was why she was here, so she gave it a shot, focusing her thoughts on him—thinking back to when they first met, back to all the times they spent together, the jobs they pulled. And surprisingly, she found she had been walking without realizing it. Somehow, the direction they were headed felt right.
As they walked down the path, the scenery around them began to transform. The trees shifted, becoming tall buildings. The dirt and gravel of the forest path changed to the asphalt of a street. For all intents and purposes, they were in a city of some kind. The only thing that remained consistent was the red sky. Ekala could feel her connection to Zarim even stronger than before.
Bright lights fell upon the duo. Ekala spun and saw a car careening towards them. She grabbed Nasam and pulled him with her as she jumped from the car’s path. But where they had stood in the street was now a young woman—a woman who was struck by the vehicle. The car’s tires screeched as it swerved, coming to a stop. The driver’s side door opened and a man nearly fell out. He stumbled drunkenly towards the victim, fear written all over his face. One hand covered his gaping mouth, while the other reached for the girl and poked her.
“That’s him!” said Ekala. She waved her arm above her head to get his attention. “Zee! Zee!”
Zarim ignored her. Instead, he went to the car, climbed in and sped off. Ekala watched him accelerate into the night, her arm still held straight up. She allowed it to fall to her side and Nasam approached the victim of the manslaughter. Already she was fading from existence, as if she’d never been there.
“These are echoes,” he said. “Memories that haunted him until his death.”
“I don’t care what they are, I have to find him!” Ekala ran down the street, the brake lights the only illumination in the dark. And then, the scene changed once more and she was in a large room. Soft, red carpet beneath her feet. White walls were decorated with tapestries and paintings. She saw a fireplace with glass doors and roaring flames, and in front of the fire were large chairs with wooden, ornately-carved armrests. An elderly man sat in one of the chairs, holding a glass as he watched the fire. Despite the silver hair, his green eyes were much like the ones Ekala had known so well. Except the eyes of this man were harder. But what caught Ekala’s attention most was what hung above the fireplace. A plaque that featured the crest of a rose with a drop of blood at the end of a stem. A symbol she’d known quite well.
He stood from the chair. The man was dressed in a fine suit and appeared as if he’d just come from a banquet. A thin mustache rested above his lips and he stared directly at Ekala as he said, “Is she dead?”
“I-I don’t know...”
Ekala did an about-face and saw Zarim standing behind her. He was still swaying slightly, but his voice was different from what she had grown accustomed to. It was soft, meek. The elderly man walked up to Zarim, raised his free hand, and struck him across the cheek. The blow had such force that Zarim’s head rocked to the side and when he looked back, a large, red welt adorned his cheek, a little trickle of blood on his lip.
“Father, I—”
“Spare me your babble, Zachariah.”
“Father?” asked Ekala, and then the bigger question. “Zachariah? What is this?”
“It would appear there is much about Zarim’s life you were unaware of,” said Nasam.
“I’ll say,” said Ekala. “We never really talked about where we came from. I knew he was from Serenity, he left for some reason and trained with Master Quand. Not long after that, I met him in Delfor. But a different name...and not from a house like this...”
“You stink of cheap liquor and cheaper women,” said Zarim’s father. “While your sister excels in her position, you patter about, making a mockery of your life, making a mockery of my name.”
His father took a sip of his drink and stepped towards the fireplace. He gazed at the flames, remaining silent for several minutes, apparently running through the scenarios in his head. “Was anyone with you?”
“No,” said Zarim.
“Were you seen?”
“I don’t think so...”
“Yes or no. Were. You. Seen?”
“I—” Zarim hesitated. His father wanted a definitive answer and he wasn’t sure he could give one. “No sir, I wasn’t.”
“I’ll make some calls, see to it that this matter is not investigated in any sort of depth,” said his father.
Zarim shook his head. “No.” In that brief instant, his voice rose to the level Ekala had been used to.
“I beg your pardon?” asked his father.
“I said no...I can’t have you bail me out this time,” said Zarim. “This isn’t like the other times. Someone died.”
“Yes, a commoner. She is of no concern.”
Zarim’s jaw dropped. “Wh-what?” The voice had returned to its timid tone.
“She is nothing, just another statistic.”
“She meant something to someone,” said Zarim. “She was someone’s daughter...someone’s sister...maybe even someone’s wife or mother. And now she’s gone, all because of me. I have to take responsibility for that.”
His father threw the glass at Zarim. He cringed and it flew past him, shattering against the wall. “You will do no such thing! Do you understand what sort of scandal this will cause? Have you considered what it will do to me? To my reputation, to my very name? I will not have you drag this family through the mud!”
Zarim stared at his father and his lip quivered. His hand hung at his side, shaking. And as it shook, the fingers began to tense, closing one by one until he made a fist. Then, Zarim drew the fist up, striking his father’s chin. It was surprising to both men how easily that single punch was able to drop Zarim’s father to the ground. He stared up at his son with shock, fear, and boiling rage.
“Your name, that’s all you care about. That’s all you’ve ever cared about,” said Zarim. “Well don’t worry, as of now, you won’t have a son to embarrass you.”
He walked past his father and towards the double doors. Grabbing both handles, he opened them and they swung inwards. Ekala ran after him. “Zee!”
This time, he acknowledged, turning and apparently able to see her. “Ekala...?”
And then everything went white.
When the world came back into focus, Ekala and Nasam were back in the same forest from where they entered Netherealm. A hand fell on her shoulder, and she reached for it, gently rubbing it. She looked up at the man who stood over her, and saw him in his familiar outfit, with the green cloak draped over his body. He smiled down at her and Ekala jumped, throwing her arms around his neck and clutching him as tightly as possible.
“ZEE!”
“H-hey, easy now...” said Zarim, gasping slightly. “Getting a little...little hard to breathe...”
She released him and instead pushed her lips against his. Zarim hadn’t expected the kiss, but he quickly fell into it, holding her tightly. Nasam watched the reunited lovers enjoy their moment together once more. He couldn’t help the smile on his face, but it was a smile that he knew was bittersweet. Without an anchor to his body, there was precious little hope of Zarim going back with them.
“I could hear you,” said Zarim once he broke the kiss, still holding her close. “But it was like I was far away.”
Ekala pulled back from him and sighed with relief. Then she slapped him. Hard.
Zarim stretched his mouth after the blow, working the pain out from the muscles. “Ow...what the hell was that for?”
“For dying on me, you jackass,” she said. “You should know better than that.”
&nb
sp; “I’m sorry, I had to,” said Zarim. “It was the only way to come here and get the Soulstone. And speaking of which, how are you here?”
Ekala frowned and jerked her thumb toward Nasam. “Because of him. Maybe if you stopped to think, we could’ve found another way to come here without you putting me through this drama.”
“Oh...” Zarim let out an uncomfortable chortle. “So...I guess...sorry?”
She rolled her eyes at him and wagged her finger in his face. “You are in a world of hurt once we get outta here.”
“I hate to interrupt a tender moment,” said Nasam. “But the tonic keeping us alive will not last long. Time is something of a concern, so we need to locate the Soulstone or risk losing it to Vortai.”
“He’s right,” said Zarim.
“Can you sense it?” asked Ekala.
“Up until now, I didn’t really know what was happening,” said Zarim. “But now that I’m beginning to regain my senses...”
“One moment,” said Nasam. He approached Zarim, staring at him with his gray eyes. “You can sense the Soulstones?”
Zarim nodded and this gave Nasam pause. “So...you are a trained mage?”
“I underwent training with Master Quand, but not really in magic,” said Zarim.
“Interesting...” said Nasam. “Can you feel the Soulstone?”
Zarim closed his eyes and concentrated on the faint connection he felt. Slowly, the connection grew stronger, and the image of the stone formed in his mind’s eye. His head nodded slightly. “I can see it.”
“Astounding.” said Nasam.
“What is? Can’t you sense it, too?” asked Ekala.
Nasam chortled. “Of course I can, but I am an experienced magic user. For a man with no training in magic to be able to sense the Soulstones? That’s something else entirely. Something without precedent. Something only spoken of in prophecy.”
“Prophecy...?” asked Zarim. “What are you talking about?”
“How did you first come about collecting the Soulstones?”
“Master Quand, he asked us to find them,” said Zarim. “Why?”
“He asked pirates to find the Soulstones...interesting,” said Nasam. “Perhaps Quand saw in you what I am only beginning to detect. The shades of the prophecy.”
Ekala’s head spun while she attempted to follow Nasam’s line of thinking. She blinked a few times and said, “What are you talking about? Are you saying Zee’s some sort of savior?”
Nasam sucked his teeth at this. “I wouldn’t go that far, but yes. Zarim is apparently tapping into some connection to the Soulstones. The prophecy is very vague, all it says is that someone will come to silence the Soulstones. But for him to sense them like this, it certainly adds a new dimension to it. Apparently, those who study the magicks aren’t meant to fulfill the prophecy, but only to serve as guides.”
“So can we stop wasting time?” asked Zarim.
Nasam grinned and offered a bow and gesture to the pirate. “By all means.”
They began walking, with Zarim taking the lead. As they walked down the path, the forest appeared to be relatively unchanged. Unlike before, when they were drawn into Zarim’s memories, now they were able to continue without any other beings affecting them.
“How come we’re the only ones around here?” asked Zarim.
“Most in the Netherealm are consumed by their own personal dramas, replaying scenes from their lives, as you had been doing,” said Nasam. “Very few break free of that, and so the landscape appears abandoned to us. But make no mistake, there are millions of souls all around, and they are simply unaware of our presence as you are theirs.”
Further and further they moved, the landscape never seeming to change at all. They continued to see the same surroundings with each step, and it seemed to Zarim and Ekala that they were making no progress at all. But just as they were about to give up on the futility of walking, they did come to something different, a podium upon which sat the object of their search.
“Look,” said Zarim, his eyes taking in the object. “There it is.”
The Soulstone hovered above the podium, its bright glow casting a green tint on the area. Zarim reached his hands out to grasp the object they had been searching for, but just before his fingers could touch it, he was tackled and thrown to the ground.
“I’m afraid you have come far enough, and outlived your usefulness.”
Zarim slowly moved to his feet with some aid from Ekala. And then the two realized just how Vortai was able to get one of his servants into the Netherealm. It wasn’t because of his magicks, but rather because he could contact one in the Netherealm willing to follow his instructions.
A thin, gangly man stood before them. Around his forearms were gauntlets with large blades. His skin was a pale yellow and he possessed long, silver hair, with a red scarf covering his mouth. He raised his arms, taunting Zarim with the curved blades.
“You and I have a score to settle,” said Jeske.
CHAPTER 28
Master Quand knelt over Zarim’s body, his hands clasped together and his eyes closed. In the basement of the temple, where the four-pointed star sat, four Soulstones were held within its frame. When the crew of the Excalibur arrived in Xanadar with Zarim’s body, Quand had ordered it brought to the basement. Now, he knelt over the body, and he was in that position for many minutes, not moving or saying a single word.
The crew of the Excalibur stood back, just watching as the scene transpired. Kef had returned to Delfor, and with Ekala’s disappearance, the group was now down to four—Swul, Tanus, Reyche, and Liran. Reyche bent over to get closer to Swul and whispered, “what’s he doing?”
Swul gave a shrug. “Damned if I know.”
Quand stood upright finally and faced the crew. “The body shall remain here.”
“What?” asked Tanus. “Zarim was a good man, he deserves a proper burial.”
“Indeed he does, but not yet,” said Quand. “I sense powerful forces at work here. And I believe we must remain cautious for now.”
“Hold up, you mean to say that Zee’s still alive?” asked Swul.
“No, he is certainly dead,” said Quand. “However, if he is the one who will end the threat of the Soulstones, then I believe his time is not truly finished yet.”
Quand stepped past them, moving up the stairs. The others, confused, still stared at Zarim’s body and the Soulstones that watched over his remains. Reyche was the first to run after Quand. “Zarim can be resurrected?”
“I do not know,” said Quand.
“But if not, then why did you say his time’s not finished?”
“I do not know.”
Swul took off his hat and threw it at the ground. His wings flapped with incredible ferocity and flew after the old monk, circling around him and then coming to a stop, hovering right in front of Quand’s face. The faerie held out his finger, pushing it against Quand’s chest.
“I’ve had just about enough of yer crap! It’s ‘cause of you we got mixed up with this craziness, it’s ‘cause of you Zee’s dead, an’ there’ll be hell to pay if you try to pull this cryptic wise man bullshit again!”
“My friend...” Quand held his hands up in gesture of submission. “Please control yourself. Believe me when I say that it is not my desire to keep you in the dark. This is not some act, I take no pleasure from my ignorance. There is simply a lot I myself am not privy to. I can only say what I know, and at the moment, that knowledge is quite limited.”
“We understand that,” said Reyche. “But Zarim is our friend. Surely you can tell us something more?”
“Come.” Quand stepped past Swul, who was still fuming. He continued up the stairs with Reyche and Liran following. Tanus stepped up to his diminutive friend.
“You okay?”
“What do you think?”
“I get it, I do. But I need you to keep a cool head. We’re more in the dark now than ever, and last thing we need is pissing off the only ally we’ve got,” said Tanus
.
Swul grunted. Tanus knew that response was pretty much the best he could hope for. “Come on, let’s hear what he has to say.”
The two men joined the others in the main temple. Quand sat near the altar and motioned for the others to sit close to him. Once they did, he folded his hands in his lap. “There is not much more that I know, I’m afraid. All I can tell you is that there is one more Soulstone, and it is beyond our reach. Yet I sense Zarim’s hand.”
“How’s it beyond our reach?” asked Tanus.
“The Netherealm, the world of the dead,” said Quand. “From what you told me of Zarim’s death, it seems he knew of this and felt this was the only way he could retrieve the Soulstone.”
“You sayin’ Zee let himself get killed so he could get that stone?” asked Swul.
“I believe so,” said Quand. “As of now, all we can do is wait. Pray that Zarim is able to retrieve it without incident.”
Jeske raised an arm and dashed forward, slicing downward. Zarim back-flipped to avoid the strike and reached to his side. But he had no weapons on him. Nothing to defend himself. He futilely patted around the spots on his belt where his sword and gun usually hung. Jeske thrust forward with a second strike and Zarim twisted, again evading the blow.
“Lord Vortai was able to pierce the veil and commune with me,” said Jeske. “He told me the final Soulstone is present and to find it, all I would need to do is locate you.”
“I gotta say, I’m a little surprised,” said Zarim. “After all, why would Vortai send a guy I beat to come after me again?”
Jeske growled. “Do you know what I was like before Vortai’s voice reached me? I was forced to replay my death at your hands, over and over again. My greatest failure. And each time it happened, I was aware of all the other times I’d experienced it. I lost count of how many times you killed me, Zarim. But now, I can get my revenge!”
Ekala jumped forward and kicked Jeske between his shoulder blades. He stumbled forward, twisted and came after her. “And you! You took Holtz’s life! The Trinity were the greatest assassins in the world before you two came along!”
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