by Jarod Meyer
He crept slowly forward, until he reached the orange glow coming from a doorway. William’s heart leapt up into his throat as an adjudicator suddenly strode into the hall. With his new reflexes, he leapt straight into the air and grappled onto a sculpture near the ceiling. He held his breath, waiting for the soldier to pass, but the man was fiddling with a piece of parchment filled with some sort of dried plant, or herb, and walked right on by.
William couldn’t help but feel that something was amiss. He didn’t dare try to float to the ground, or summon his armor for fear of making too much noise. Instead, he clung to the wall and crawled bug-like sideways until he was above the lit doorway.
The soldier below had lit his cigarette, the potent smoke wafting past William. It was like nothing he smelled before. It already made his head buzz and his vision blur. He crawled slowly down the wall, and peeked his head past the top of the arched doorway, gripping the raised stone edge for support. Once settled he noticed a group of figures in the room. A few paced back and forth, others lounged in large cushy chairs.
“Why do you think that I chose to have this conversation away from the Adjudicator’s wing?” Meredox spat, his voice instantly recognizable.
“Surely this is not possible,” he heard another man say. Their voice was raspy, and William didn’t recognize them.
“Achilles’ new recruits destroyed a pack of them on the climb to the Greige Forge,” another said.
“I will need more proof than the word of a tainted Justicar for me to commit to this secret, Meredox,” the man with the raspy voice said.
“Then you shall have it, Benjamin,” Meredox replied.
William peered around the corner of the statue, making certain that he would not be seen. He saw Meredox, and the man he called Benjamin. It was dark, and hard to see, but Meredox held something out to him. It glowed with a dull orange fire.
William focused hard, trying to discern what it was, but the two were inadvertently shielding it with their bodies. Another spoke up.
“Meredox, if we decided to help you, must know what it will mean for all of us, should your plan fail.”
“I believe everyone in this room is aware of the consequences.”
William couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was sure that they were about to get to the point, when the soldier coughed below. William looked down involuntarily, finding the Adjudicator staring back at him.
His heart stopped, the deeply embedded spec ops training kicking in. William released his grip from the sculpture and plummeted. The soldier choked on his cigarette, and couldn’t croak out a warning in time. He froze too, most likely because this world had been at peace for thousands of years. Real life combat situations rarely occurred.
William wrapped his thick arms around the man’s neck, sliding into a powerful, rear naked choke. The soldier was strong, and for a moment William feared that he would throw him off. But to his relief, after a few moments of struggle, he felt the soldier go limp in his arms.
He set the body down gently, but he could already hear the people in the room moving towards the hallway. His commotion had alerted them. William drove his foot into the ground and jetted off down the corridor, running as swiftly and quietly as he could, hoping beyond hope that the soldier hadn’t recognized him. He knew if he’d been caught the punishment would be swift and severe. He would instantly be dismissed from the Guardian Corps and banished to Dichonia. This was the fate he’d been reminded of constantly by other soldiers as they looked down on him.
But now he had a name, but more, he had the proof he needed. He just needed to get his hands on it. He knew something was being plotted, it wasn’t just his paranoia. Now he needed to find out what they were actually planning.
William entered the barracks common area, and flopped down on a lounge chair. He shut his eyes for a minute to ponder what Meredox was up to. His thoughts circled around and around, until he finally decided he needed to tell his friends. William leapt out of his chair and swept into the meditation chamber. It was a large, circular room, built up in many tiers, all leading to the center, where a massive crystal sat. It emanated heat and a gentle glow, casting long shadows over the hundreds of Guardians now deep in meditative states.
“Wake up!” William shouted, shaking Juarez vigorously, filling the noiseless room with his echoing voice.
He looked around at the other Guardians, who all sat motionless. Juarez grunted and fell off of his small meditation pad. Juarez was startled, and jumped to his feet, instant ready for a fight.
“Calm down, it is just me,” William said, whispering.
“William, what are you doing…what’s wrong?” Juarez asked, his brow furrowing.
“I need to tell you something. We need to go wake Katrina,” he said.
The women’s barracks was in the opposite side of the wing. William found it ironic that even in the afterlife there was gender separation.
“Go wake her,” William said sharply, peering towards the meditation chamber.
“Why me?” Juarez asked, scowling.
“Alright,” William said, nodding.
“Together,” they agreed.
They crept into the women’s meditation chamber, which was smaller, and rectangular in shape with no tiers. Rows of female guardians sat facing the middle, where a similar crystal glowed faintly in the darkness. They whisked down the rows, until finally coming to a halt in front of familiar face.
Katrina sat, donned in her usual linens. William approached slowly, and put a hand on her shoulder. An iron grip fell over his wrist and twisted his arm, jerking him straight to the ground.
“You’re not supposed to be in here,” Katrina said, wrenching William’s arm behind his back.
“Damn it, Katrina, let me go. We need to talk.” She let his arm go, as Juarez chuckled quietly to himself.
“Are you always so hostile?” William asked, glancing around to see if she had disturbed anyone.
“Hostile? I’m hostile, but you’re the one creeping around the women’s wing in the middle of the night. You know that it is forbidden,” she said, whispering harshly.
“Sorry, but we need to speak with you. Or…William needs to speak with you,” Juarez said, ducking in to calm her.
“What is it? I was having a good dream,” she growled loudly.
“Keep your voice down,” William hissed.
“Why? They are out cold,” she said, pushing her finger against the side of a woman’s head.
William rolled his eyes, before standing and walking out of the door.
They met up in the common area, glancing around to make sure that they were not going to be overheard.
“So, what is so important, William, that you had to disturb our meditation time?” Katrina asked, turning to a window filled with stars and usual cosmic colors.
“Do you all know who Meredox is?” William asked lowly. They looked at one another, and then back at him.
Juarez said, “He is one of the Grand Justicars. He leads the Adjudicators.”
“I have now seen him twice meeting with shadowy figures after dark, first near the training grounds, and again tonight in a study in the hall of samurai. They were discussing something that is coming, and he said the Synod won’t be able to stop it. They also mentioned those creatures we fought on the cliffs at Olympus. Do you remember the bat like creatures?” William asked.
“Yes, Katrina said those were Henry’s projections,” Juarez responded.
“I don’t think they were,” William said, shaking his head slowly. “Remember back to our studies of the ancient wars here in Archonia. The way the tomes described the creatures that Lucifer commanded. It almost perfectly describes the creatures we fought on the cliffs. When Samuel mentioned the bats, Henry and Brock looked concerned. Now I hear Meredox talking about it in the middle of the night,” William finished.
“What are you getting at, amigo?” Juarez asked, sighing.
“Why does Archonia have such a large army?
Besides the crusades, there is no reason to have a standing army,” William continued. “I think that the Synod is afraid of something. I think that those were demons we fought on the cliffs of Olympus. I think that Meredox is the one who found a way to get them into Archonia, and I am going to find out how.”
Katrina and Juarez looked at him, their eyes wide with shock.
“That is crazy. The Archons gave their power to create the obelisks to keep the demons where they belong. In hell,” Katrina said firmly.
William growled in response, almost shouting. “Meredox has found a way to get past them, and we need to find out how!”
“William, Meredox is not only a Justicar but he is the highest ranking kind. Their training basically erases their opinions, and purges them of selfishness. He has been a Justicar for over a thousand years, and his record is flawless,” Juarez said in a soft tone.
“You’re right, but something must have set him off…maybe me being allowed in Archonia pushed him over the edge. Brock told me he had a brother. His brother ended up in Dichonia. The Synod ordered Meredox himself to cast him out. That’s when he chose the path of the Adjudicator. In my opinion this is a long time coming. Meredox has been waiting for revenge,” he said, his conviction firming with every word.
William stood, looking back and forth between his two friends.
“Now I can’t do this alone. Are you with me?”
Juarez looked at Katrina, and she him.
Juarez sighed, and said, “I hope you’re wrong, my friend, but in case you’re not, I am with you.” He stepped forward and patted William on the shoulder.
Katrina scoffed, and said, “You’re crazy boys. But you know I’ll support you.
Finally in agreement, they all went back to the meditation room for the evening.
Chapter Sixteen
The Ceremony
The sounds of birds chirping and bells ringing filled the air outside the window. The sound of someone's foot thumping against the stone floor cut in to her left. Behind Angelica, two students were engrossed in a lively, whispered discussion, adding to the buzz of noise and annoying her down to the core.
Beyond all that, she was struggling to listen to a very old professor's lecture about the Archon Ammun. This was apparently not the first time giving this lecture, because he looked bored and his voice fell to a numbing, monotone that threatened to put her to sleep.
She didn’t realize how annoying it would be to not have a clock to look at. So far, the only clock she’d found was on a great bell tower in the Plaza del Sol in the Latin district
I need a watch.
She knew it would do little good for her to watch a clock all day, but there was something comforting about the action, therapeutic even. Nothing could make the time pass by faster, but she could at least occupy her mind to better fill it.
It wasn’t that the course wasn’t interesting, it was because of something far more personal. Today was the day new Guardian recruits would swear their oaths before all of Archonia. According to her family, it was a ceremony that should not be missed.
She had first learned about the ceremony on her return trip from the water shrine. And she could think of little else since.
Angelica hadn’t noticed that the professor stopped talking. She had been tapping an ivory fountain pen against the table, her thoughts drifting off to seeing William again.
“Young one, I can see your mind is elsewhere. If it is too difficult to focus, you may leave. I would prefer that you not interrupt the other students,” the professor said.
Angelica felt her cheeks flush, and then dropped her pen, as she stumbled to get up from the table.
“I am so sorry,” she said loudly, and managed to gather up her papers and leave. In truth she wasn’t really sorry. She did want to leave, after all, and even with ten hours to the ceremony she realized there were a million things she could be doing, and sitting nervously behind a desk wasn’t one of them.
She nimbly strode down the large hill, butterflies fluttering in perfume her stomach. She stopped at a small shop in the Aromatise market where a woman crafted the loveliest fragrances. She picked out a perfume that smelled of fresh, sea air, with hints of coconut and mango. A tropical blend that smelled even sweeter in the heat of the day.
Her next stop was the most important. First she rushed home, to pick up her grandmother’s famous empanadas, to offer as a gift. The pan was very hot, so she wrapped it in a woolen blanket, and placed them in a basket so they were easier to carry.
“Thank you, Abuela!” she said, hugging and kissing her grandmother, before running back out the door.
“Tell them they can keep the blanket and basket if they want, or just return it to me as it pleases them,” she called after her.
Angelica walked to the Islamic quarter, which was only a few miles from the Latin district. She reveled in the magnificence of the couturier’s shop, her gaze drifting over the spectacle. The windows glass, much like a modern day store, allowing passerby’s on the street to see the quality of her goods.
Angelica watched actual people standing in the window, turning and modeling the garments. There seemed to new people every day, as well as new styles. She saw gowns, wraps, and some sort of toga, the kind of fashion that used large amounts of fabric, unusual angles, and extravagant decorations. The owner was Nephthys, an Egyptian woman, and from what Angelica learned, one of the most popular fashion designers in Archonia, at least right now. Her grandmother told her that it was very difficult to even get an appointment with her. Angelica actually put in for one a month prior for good measure.
She entered the shop to the sound of harps, twinkling a luxurious melody. A citrus perfume drifted on the air, instantly relaxing her mind and body. The Egyptian architecture and decoration was distinct, highlighting the space in white stucco, glimmering blue mosaics, and some familiar Egyptian god-theme statues. Despite the windows, the lighting was very dim. She approached a page greeting patrons at the door. He wasn’t an overly large man, and held up his head with an obvious aire of importance.
“I will take your gifts for my mistress, and be sure that she receives them,” he said.
She felt awkward handing the basket over to him.
“My grandmother said that you can keep the basket if you wish, otherwise you may return it at your leisure.”
The man gave a single, snobbish chuckle. “That is so cute,” he responded dryly.
“Come with me, I will take you to the waiting room. Please feel free to help yourself to any refreshments. I do need to go over some of the basic rules my mistress’s house. If your name is called and you’re not there you, will lose your appointment. If the mistress desires a break you will lose your appointment. If you displease the mistress in any way, you lose your appointment. If you lose your appointment you will be asked to leave the premises immediately. You may only have one appointment in your lifetime.”
When he finally finished, Angelica was at a loss for words. This place was not what she thought it was, and her impulse was to turn and leave. And yet, she really wanted to look her best tonight. Her thoughts went to William, the strange man she was slowly getting to know. He was so different from almost everyone she’d met in Archonia. He seemed honest, willing to show his true face, while everyone else hid behind a mask. Every time she thought of him her stomach twisted, and her heart fluttered.
Lost in her thoughts, Angelica realized two hours had already passed. She couldn’t believe it, as there wasn’t anyone else in the waiting room with her, and it was now well past her appointment time. She left the waiting room and asked the page if she had missed it. He assured her that his mistress ran behind schedule regularly, without even so much as looking up from his date book.
Without the poisonous effects on the body, alcohol took on different properties here. It still warmed her body, but in large enough quantities, could induce visions, and make the drinker hallucinate. Or, so she’d been told. After only a single glass, Angelica f
ound her head spinning, so she quickly switched to cold water.
Finally, after considering leaving, she heard someone call her name.
“Angelica,” said a tiny, female voice. It was so soft and small that she immediately questioned if she’d heard her own name.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Please follow me, young one. The mistress will see you now.”
Angelica followed the woman through a curtained off corridor, which felt as if it was made for someone far smaller than her. They passed into a small room, the air hazy with incense. Draperies and carpets hung on the walls and covered the floor, making the room feel very small and hot.
A mirror sat on the back wall, twice as tall as any person. Great, round lights stood around it, shining back onto an elevated pedestal in the center of the room, casting the rest of the room in deep shadow. Angelica noticed another woman standing near the mirror, a large smile creasing her face. She almost missed her completely, if it weren’t for the gleam off her white teeth. Angelica’s eyes started to adjust and she saw there was another figure in the corner, working where the great puffs of steam where billowing in the back corner.
“Oh, my lady! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. The elegance that you have graced me with is beyond words,” the smiling woman said.
The gown hugging her frame was beyond extravagant. In fact, Angelica struggled to sum up words befitting such a magnificent garment. The sheer size and volume of the gown made angelica wonder how the woman could move, but she didn’t seem to be encumbered by it. She paraded back and forth in front of the mirror to look again, the colors striking the lights. Angelica saw deep, rich jade fabric, shifting to a rich blue, accented with a vibrant orange. Pure gold links and brooches fastened the fabric at key points, to make it drape in many directions. A train hung over her arm, to prevent it from tangling upon the floor.
“Your appointment is over. The mistress wishes you a fine day, and thanks you for coming,” the girl with the squeaky voice said.