by Dana Gricken
“This is the Tomb of Destruction,” Caleb said. “No one, not even my mother, has been in here for decades. We were too afraid to let it out.”
“Let what out?”
“The Cardinal,” Caleb replied, pointing at the coffin. “My mother trapped him in here. But as you can see, he managed to escape.”
I moved closer to the coffin, poking my head inside. It was empty. The dark velvet that lined the casket looked old and dirty.
“Why did your mother trap him here?”
“Because even she knew his power was too dangerous,” Caleb replied. “He can control the Quintessence, the land of souls. In your culture, you’d call it the afterlife.”
When I had nearly drowned searching for the Hidden, the near-death experience had sent me to a bright, otherworldly place. I had seen Grandpa William again, who had told me about the Quintessence, where I had seen unborn souls floating around, waiting for bodies to inhabit. If someone could control it, they could destroy the world.
“Does that mean he can raise the dead? Maybe even open the afterlife?”
Caleb nodded. “And so much more. But the full extent of his power is still unknown. With one foot in this world and one foot in the other, he’s the most dangerous person to ever live—worse than King Lucius or my mother.”
One foot in this world and one foot in the other. Where had I heard that line before?
I gasped. It had been in my nightmare, right after I’d turned soulless. The Cardinal had been communicating with me, trying to send me a message through my dreams. He had said we were alike, something that disturbed me now that I knew who the messenger was.
I couldn’t tell anyone. If I did, they might think he had corrupted me, or that I was too dangerous to stay at the headquarters. I had to keep quiet until I learned more. Maybe I could even use it to my advantage.
“So what is the Cardinal, then?” I asked. “Soulless, or… something else?”
“It’s simple,” Caleb began. “The stories say the Cardinal is a soulless God.”
5
The Resistance
“A soulless God? How is that even possible?”
“It’s the only logical explanation,” Caleb replied. “He can create life and destroy it. That’s what our history teaches us, anyway. What else could he be?”
“So you don’t know for sure that he’s a God? He never confirmed it?”
Caleb shook his head. “No, not exactly. But even if we’re wrong, he’s still dangerous and powerful. If you thought my mother was strong, the Mindfield will seem like nothing compared to the Cardinal’s ability.”
“Could your mother be working with the Cardinal?” I asked, running my fingers along the smooth design of the coffin. “Maybe as a last resort?”
“No. My mother was the one who put him in here forever, after all. She may be headstrong, but she isn’t foolish,” Caleb replied. “But I agree that he must have had help. Something awakened him from his slumber—something powerful. How else could he have opened the tomb?”
“What does the Cardinal want? Do you have any idea?”
Caleb shrugged. “That I don’t know. I assume he would want what any God does—to be worshipped. His power commands awe, and he could rule this world if he wanted to. He could destroy it, as well.”
I sighed. “And now something has set him loose. Great. Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“We’re forbidden to speak about him. Our people are afraid we’d summon him if we did. I only brought you here because I saw no other choice,” Caleb replied. “All cultures have their monsters. The Cardinal is ours. He’s something of a devil—a creature deadlier than all the other soulless combined.”
When I heard footsteps above us, I drew my Deathblade. Caleb walked toward the Tomb’s entrance, igniting flames between his fingertips to light the way. When we stopped to listen, everything was quiet. I was beginning to think my paranoid mind was imagining things.
“Did you hear that? It sounded like people walking.”
He nodded. “Be careful. I think we have visitors.”
“Could it be the Cardinal or the Dark Queen?”
“No, they wouldn’t be foolish enough to return. But whoever it is won’t be friendly, either.”
I stayed close behind Caleb as I followed him up the staircase, pushing our way through the fog. When we reached the top, the Underworld was still. There was no one in sight.
“Something isn’t right,” Caleb whispered. “Stay behind me.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the statue swaying behind us. When the statue’s head rolled off, I pushed Caleb, and we both lunged out of the way before it could fall on us.
The statue clattered to the ground with a loud boom, shattering into a million tiny pieces. When I looked back to make sure Caleb was all right, he seemed fine, though he looked just as confused as I was. As I helped him to his feet, that was when I heard the footsteps again.
“Well, well, well,” Princess Ivy said, approaching us. Her snakes slithered around her, crawling through her skin. “I never thought I’d see you again, brother. Have you finally come to join us?”
“Never in a million years, Ivy,” Caleb spat. “Did you bring that statue down on us?”
She smiled. “Of course. I was hoping it would kill your girlfriend, but I guess we’ll have to do this the hard way.” She turned around and gestured toward the darkness. “You may come out now. Our enemies have finally arrived.”
Captain Mercer, Alexandria Wolfe, Sasha, and other members of the Resistance and Remnant emerged from the shadows. They had combined into one. Without King Lucius to lead them anymore, they looked lost and pitiful.
“Sasha…” Caleb muttered, taking a step forward. “Don’t tell me you’re still allied with them. They’re criminals!”
She sighed. “I had no choice, Caleb. The world doesn’t accept the soulless. There was nowhere else for me to turn—for any of us to turn, really.”
“We didn’t come here to fight,” I said. “Soulless are welcome at the headquarters. We’re starting an alliance—and we call ourselves the Samaritans now. Agree to wear the Purity Crystal and we’ll give you shelter.”
Captain Mercer sneered. “We don’t need shelter, soulful—and we don’t need a puny crystal, either. We have everything we desire here in the Underworld. And now that you’ve come here, we can take our revenge.”
Caleb wiggled his fingers to summon his flames, stopping Captain Mercer in his tracks. “Not so fast. The Dark Queen is your real enemy. She murdered King Lucius—not us.”
Ivy nodded. “And she will answer for her crimes soon enough. But right now, we’ll deal with the two of you.”
As her snakes leaped toward us, Caleb scared them off with a spray of fire. They scurried back to Ivy’s side, hiding behind her slender body.
“Don’t be foolish, sister,” Caleb said. “The Dark Queen is too powerful to fight alone. Have you heard what she can do now?”
When the group shook their heads, I stepped forward. “The Dark Queen’s power has changed. She can bring the Mindfield into the physical world now, instead of just a mental one. She’s a threat to us all—and you can thank Doctor Zero for that.”
“I hate to admit it, but she has a point. The Dark Queen also pulled out Lucius’ heart,” Alexandria said. “I’ve never seen her do that before.”
I had forgotten the full extent of the Dark Queen’s new powers. I wasn’t sure anyone could stop her, let alone us.
“They’re right,” Sasha said. “I saw it myself, right before Lucius died. There’s no way we can kill the Dark Queen without an army.”
Ivy didn’t respond. She looked at me closely, a smile tugging at her lips. “There’s something different about you, Sentinel. Something…odd.”
When Captain Mercer looked at me, he broke out into hysterical laughter. It took Ivy a minute, but once she realized it, she started laughing as well. It echoed around the Underworld, only egging them on. Sasha, Ale
xandria, and the other soulless looked confused.
“What’s going on?” Sasha asked. “Why are you laughing?”
“Because,” Ivy said, wiping away tears of laughter, “this Sentinel has become one of us.”
The truth was out. Up close, they could probably sense I was soulless, just like Darkhounds could. I removed my contacts, forgetting I had put them in again so I wouldn’t frighten the others. There was no point in hiding it now.
“You may be soulless, but you will never be like us,” Ivy said. “You are a monstrosity—a lab rat given powers it doesn’t understand by Doctor Zero. We can’t let a freak live among us. You’re an insult to the soulless, and must be dealt with.”
Before they could attack us, Caleb huffed in anger and created a circle of fire around the soulless. The embers were burning hotter than I had ever seen in the past. Caleb must’ve been really angry.
“I’ve had enough of your threats,” Caleb growled. “Do you know why we came here, sister? It wasn’t to find you—you’re not that special. The Cardinal is free.”
The group turned quiet. I had never seen soulless look so fearful before. It took a moment before Ivy spoke up again, shaking her head.
“You’re lying,” Ivy whispered. “There’s no way he could rise—not now. He’s been sealed for years!”
“Think again,” Caleb replied. “I wouldn’t risk saying his name if it weren’t true. Check the Tomb if you don’t believe me.”
“Stay here,” Ivy said to her people, glaring at us. “I’ll investigate.”
We waited in an awkward silence for a few minutes until Ivy returned. When she did, her face was paler than usual.
“They speak the truth,” Ivy said. “The Cardinal is gone.”
The group murmured. I heard fear, disbelief, and apprehension. Surprisingly, Sasha stepped forward.
“This is the sign we’ve been waiting for,” Sasha said. “We’ve all heard the legends. We know the damage the Cardinal can do. Riley defeated the Dark Queen and Doctor Zero before, and she might be able to stop him too.”
Captain Mercer scoffed. “Being soulless will give her some advantage, but she isn’t omnipotent. If the Cardinal dares to come for us, we won’t need anyone’s help!”
“Don’t get cocky,” Caleb said. “You know the old stories. The Cardinal is evil incarnate—a thousand times stronger than us. He’d crush you like an insect.”
Captain Mercer didn’t reply. He clearly knew Caleb was right.
“Why are you so eager to help us?” I asked Sasha. “It wasn’t long ago that you led my people into a trap and kidnapped Caleb.”
“I was trying to save him. I still care about him, even after all this time,” Sasha said, reaching into her pocket. “And because I’ve been wearing this for the past few weeks. It’s…changed my perspective on a lot of things.”
I looked down at her palm, seeing the amber glow of the Purity Crystal. Just like mine, it was the only thing standing in the way of the Primal’s voice. When the others noticed the crystal, they gasped and backed away.
“Traitor,” Ivy hissed. “You will pay for this. Children, attack!”
When Ivy lifted her hand, her snakes leaped at Sasha’s throat. They slithered around her neck, squeezing as hard as they could. Sasha reached for them, trying to pry them from her throat, but they refused to let go. Her face was turning colors, and her gasping grew louder.
“Let her go,” Caleb demanded. “You’re killing her!”
“Good,” Ivy replied, chuckling. “Finish the job, my children! Teach her the price of betrayal!”
When Caleb stepped forward to try to help, Captain Mercer flicked his wrist. Caleb immediately slowed before he came to a full stop. As I moved forward to attack Mercer, Caleb’s eyes flitted to me. Although he couldn’t talk, I knew what they were trying to tell me.
Don’t worry about me, they said. Just save Sasha.
I lunged and stabbed one of the snakes with my Deathblade, and its black blood pooled around us. The other snakes scurried away when I aimed my dagger at them, retreating to their master’s side. I managed to catch one of them in my hands.
Sasha fell to the ground, gasping for air, but she was alive. Caleb was still frozen in place, unable to speak or move, but I saw his face twitch. He looked relieved.
As Captain Mercer moved toward me, intending to freeze me in place, I choked the snake even harder. It hissed loudly in pain, and Ivy gasped.
“Let go of Caleb,” I said, “or your snake dies here.”
“Do it,” Ivy said to Mercer, without hesitation. “I won’t lose another one of my children.”
Captain Mercer snapped his fingers and Caleb was free. I helped Sasha to her feet and pulled her away to Caleb’s side. He casted his fire around us, shielding us from the others, but I wasn’t finished yet. When I didn’t release the snake, Ivy glared at me.
“I gave you what you wanted,” she said, stepping forward. The flames prevented her from moving closer. “Release my baby!”
“No,” I replied. “I don’t think I’ll be doing that.”
Ivy laughed. “Feeling murderous, are we? Perhaps you’re more soulless than I thought.”
“Riley, what are you doing?” Caleb asked.
“Making a bargain,” I replied, turning back to the others. “Help us stop the Cardinal and the Dark Queen, and I’ll return your snake in one piece.”
No one said anything. Ivy looked at Captain Mercer, undecided. “We need to talk this over. Give us a moment.”
“Are you sure this will work?” Caleb asked, as they huddled together and whispered. “Do we even need them?”
I nodded. “Ivy loves her snakes too much to say no. And if we get the Resistance on our side, then it’s one less enemy to worry about. Besides, they might have information that could help us.”
Sasha managed to compose herself, though her voice was still hoarse. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Riley. What if Ivy says no?”
“There’s hope for everyone. I believe Ivy and the Resistance can change,” I replied. “I’ve seen it. The soulless can do better. Speaking of which, how are you feeling?”
“I’m fine, but…why did you save me? You had no idea I’d cooperate. It would’ve been safer to let me die.”
I shook my head. “Even if we’re enemies, I can’t stand by and watch while someone dies. Will you join us, even if Ivy and the others won’t?”
“I will,” she replied, glancing at Caleb. “If he thinks what you’re doing will help, then I agree.”
“I do,” Caleb said. “I’ve never believed in anything as much as the Samaritans. I think we have a good chance at peace…if my mother and the Cardinal don’t interfere. But why did you start using the Purity Crystal?”
“Part of it was that I wanted to be closer to you,” Sasha replied. “But I was also curious what it would feel like. I realized I liked it—that having strong emotions wasn’t a bad thing.”
While the Resistance talked it over, I looked down at the long, green snake in my hands. It continued to wriggle, trying to break free of my grasp. Like all creatures, it had a strong will to live—a will to be free. But was it enough to broker peace between old enemies?
“We’re in agreement,” Ivy said, walking toward us. “The Resistance will join your fight, but only to stop the Cardinal and my mother. My father must be avenged.”
“What happens after that?” Caleb asked. “If we stop them together, I don’t want a war between us.”
“If you manage to help us,” Captain Mercer began, “we might consider retreating underground and abandoning the fight against you.”
“And you agree to wear the Purity Crystals?”
Ivy sighed. “Yes, we’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt my baby.”
“Good,” I replied, turning around and carrying the snake with me. “Let’s head back to the headquarters.”
“How are you going to explain this to the others?” Caleb asked.
�
�Very carefully.”
“Are you out of your damn mind?” Patrick asked after we had gotten back to the headquarters. I still had the snake in my arms, wondering where I would put it for now. “We can’t trust them—whether you have her snake as a bargaining chip or not. Have you forgotten what side you’re on, kid?”
I scoffed. “There are no sides in this war, Patrick! We either work together or we die!”
“You know, I usually agree with you, Riley…but I think we can handle ourselves this time. We don’t need the Resistance at all,” Tom said.
Ivy laughed. “Oh, I beg to differ, soulful.”
“What the hell is that vermin talking about?” Patrick asked.
I sighed. “They aren’t our only enemies. There’s…someone else. Someone we can’t defeat on our own.”
“Yeah? Like who? They start breeding when I wasn’t looking?”
Amelia glanced over at me, obviously wanting me to tell the others about the Cardinal. I didn’t like to be the bearer of bad news—not when I was trying to keep everyone positive—but I couldn’t avoid it anymore.
A war was coming whether I liked it or not, and I couldn’t keep everyone in the dark.
I sighed. “The Cardinal has awakened.”
The soulless in the room gasped. While they knew exactly who I was talking about, the soulful were clueless.
“Uh, hello?” Tyler asked. “Is that name supposed to mean something to us?”
I took a deep breath and told them everything I knew about the Cardinal. His power, the Quintessence, how he could inspire fear in the soulless. When I finished, the room was silent.
“How long have you known about this guy, kid?” Patrick eventually asked.
“Not long,” I replied, “but long enough. I was waiting for the right time to tell you when I had more information.”
“Sure picked a great time,” Patrick mumbled. “You know, I thought you’d be different.”