The Esoteric Design: Disbanding Hope

by A. R. Crebs

  Franklin gave an enthusiastic squeal and Aren looked at him with a wide grin on his face. “And I had nearly forgotten! I’ve been waiting to try this baby out.”

  Franklin beeped again, and the Hawk gave a grind as a secondary weapon pulled out from the nose of the vehicle.

  “What is that?” Troy asked, lifting his head as high as he could to try and get an eyeful of the massive barrel that was winding up.

  “Jes somethin’ I was able to snatch up from the black-market,” Aren said proudly.

  “How do you get the money for this stuff?!” Aria asked.

  Aren gave a sheepish laugh. “Eh…mommy and daddy have a lot of money. Really, more than they can even manage.”

  “Must be rough,” Aria grumbled.

  “Hey…it’s saving your ass, is it not?” Aren shot her a look.

  “Yeah, Aren’s just sharing his toys, Aria,” Troy said.

  Aria twisted her mouth into a pout.

  “Fire away!” Aren called out.

  Franklin gave another chime, and the turret was at max speed, whirling as it pulled in energy. The whole Hawk quaked. Blast after blast, the thundering weapon sent out pulsing bursts nearly half as wide as the enemy craft. It was an ominous noise–Boom, Chunk, Boom, Chunk.

  “Try to dodge that, bastards.” Aren pulled the Hawk to the side, matching the other’s pattern to where they couldn’t escape.

  The first shot went wide, the second colliding with the shield. The force of the shield being obliterated knocked the other craft’s trajectory off course. It momentarily fell out of the sky, and Aren had to dip, more bursts following after it.

  They were facing the ground, falling fast. The blasts that missed the other aircraft sunk into the earth, balls of light and dust exploded into the air. Franklin kept shooting, and Aren kept flying down.

  Aria gripped Troy’s shoulder, her other hand holding onto her safety belt. Sure, Gavin had to get them out of fights before, but nothing like this. At any moment, they could smash into the ground. Aria closed her eyes. Thoughts of Gavin’s Hawk exploding into the ground and the silhouette of his freefalling body following close after invaded her mind. She felt Troy grab her hand, pulling her back to reality, and then the Hawk pulled up. The enemy jet caught its bearings right before it hit the ground and began to rise, but Aren’s bursts knocked it off course once again. One giant blast ripped off the right wing and then the second. The craft spiraled in a circle before it collided with the ground. Aren lifted higher, going immediately into full stealth mode.

  It was silent a moment.

  “Bogie two down.” Aren’s voice was quiet.

  Aria’s caught breath finally released.

  “Fun, right?” Aren looked to the group in the cabin. His smile fell as he saw his crew.

  Aria looked pale; Troy’s hand was gripping his chest, James Clarke didn’t seem conscious, and Grayson remained unfazed, his attention on the President.

  “How in the hell did you get one of those guns?!” Aria shouted.

  “I told you, black-market,” Aren replied. “While you guys were in the hospital, I did some shopping around in the Underbelly. I was able to get the sucker installed down in the mine shafts beneath the city. People down there are a little rough, but there isn’t anything they wouldn’t do to make a unit. Besides, after Feyette's men took out most of the population, they were more than eager to help. Figured after that incident in Ives, I needed some heavier weaponry.”

  Aria gawked at the pilot.

  Troy's eyes enlarged. “Aren…I like you!” He pointed at the young man.

  Aren scratched his head nervously. “Uh…thanks?”

  “We need to get the President somewhere safe,” Grayson interrupted. He was in the process of changing Clarke’s bandages.

  “Is he okay?” Aria asked.

  “Heart rate has increased; fever has set in,” Grayson monotonously stated.

  “Where should we go?” Aria asked.

  “Definitely not back to Fountains,” Troy replied.

  Aren added, “We’re not entirely alone in this world. We’ve got allies, right?”

  “Suppose we do now,” Aria said. She leaned forward, grabbing one of the radio coms strapped to the side of the Hawk. She hesitated and then gave a scoff of a laugh. Dialling a signal, she plugged the connector into her mental chip.

  “Who you callin’?” Troy asked.

  Aria gave another large smile before cheerfully speaking. “Kovacevic…how are you, sweetie? Miss me?” Her face deadpanned. “You miss my tits….”

  Troy laughed.

  "Taking On Goliath"

  Chapter 7

  The sound of screaming tore Dovian from his slumber. As his eyes shot open, the luminescence of his pupils adjusted to the sunlight that poured through the stained-glass window. Looking about his room, he heaved a heavy sigh. He was in Ives, in his bedroom. Hector wasn’t in his pillow-fluffed bed. He was most likely out and about scrounging for jerky or soup. Dovian slowly sat up, rubbing his right temple. He was home. The shrieking he heard was most likely from the wind that spiraled through the broken and twisted metal of the surrounding buildings, just as it always did.

  The scream came again. Dovian’s eyes widened, his heart leaping in his chest. What was he doing? Yes, he was in Ives, but what about the past couple weeks? It had been the first time he had slept since the night after the battle in Saray. Dovian had wished the current events were nothing more than a nightmare, just some terrible dream that would disappear as soon as he had awoken, but no. This was real life and everything since the day he met Aria and Troy had actually happened. He was in Ives; Sapphire and her monsters weren’t too far away in the caves, which meant the screams he was hearing were also very real.

  “Ivory!” Dovian shouted, jumping out of bed.

  His bare feet pounded against the stone floor as he darted through the halls while shouting Ivory’s name. The shriek came again, sending adrenaline through his veins, and Dovian pushed open a window and prepared to climb onto the ledge but halted. Another sound followed her screams–laughter. Dovian’s panicked breaths slowed into a deep exhale. He rested a hand against the frame of the window and watched.

  Behind the cathedral was a large plot of green grass. The yard rolled over a hill that plunged into a small lake where he and his friends used to swim. Surrounding the pool was an assortment of debris. Large chunks of stone and metal were overrun with vines and flowers; some of the cracks had sprouted thin trees, giving the garden a unique appearance. Bright sunlight sparkled rays between the rolling clouds in the sky, making the landscape dance with flickers of alternating contrasts of light and dark. A gentle breeze swayed, carrying the scent of orchids and grass to his nostrils. In the center of it all was a wandering figure dressed in black and plum, yellow hair sprouting in all directions.

  Ivory darted from each hiding place–behind a lump of moss-covered concrete to a large piece of warped metal surrounded by a spiraling tree trunk that held branches full of thick leaves. As she ran, a loud giggle erupted from the woman. She pressed herself against the nearest surface, her excited breath holding in her lungs as she waited. A loud thumping commenced, and King Petey lurched from behind one massive chunk, giving an eager growl as he jumped to the side, looking at Ivory from his peripheral. Petey's antics sent Ivory into a fit of screams and laughs as she rushed to another hiding place, the lizard giving chase. Hector ran from side to side, watching the scene and participating by giving a honk now and then. Ivory took her place behind an enormous rock of sorts. She looked around one side as Petey hid the best he could behind a tree. His face squeezed between the branches, the foliage giving him a prickly green mane. His large rear-end stuck out to the side of the tree as his tail excitedly flopped against the ground. Ivory snickered and hid behind her spot again. Petey lunged to the other side, hiding opposite of her. The two proceeded to play a game of peek-a-boo around the corners, alternating left and right.

  Dovian gave a laugh, the
sound making him self-aware again. He stepped up onto the windowsill, hanging out the side as he inspected the terrain. There were no enemies in sight. He and Ivory were safe. Giving another exhale, he jumped from the height of the cathedral–dropping a number of stories–and landed with a solid plant before casually walking forward with his hands in the pockets of his pants. Hector noticed him first, giving a short bark before making a quick lizard-run in Dovian’s direction. It took another second of Ivory and Petey running around in circles before the massive lizard gave a snort and stopped, looking at Dovian with sparkling gold eyes. Ivory giggled, grabbed Petey’s neck, and hugged him. Noticing the lizard’s solid stance, she fearfully looked over her shoulder at Dovian. She relaxed when she realized who had snuck up on them.

  “Having fun?” he asked.

  Ivory’s grin dropped. “I’m sorry…did we wake you?”

  Dovian gave her a reassuring smile, patting Hector on the head as he passed him.

  “It was quite a start to wake up to the sound of screaming,” he said. He lazily stood with his shoulders sagging and hips drooping forward.

  “Sorry,” she murmured quietly.

  “But it was quite a pleasant sight to discover you having so much fun with these scoundrels,” he chuckled.

  Ivory’s expression lightened, and she ran her hands up and down Petey’s neck. He quite liked her touch, tilting his head to the side as he gave a quiet, growling purr.

  “When I woke up, Petey seemed eager to get outside the walls of my,” she hesitated, “garden. So I took him out for a walk. This seemed like a good place to get some fresh air, and he acted as if he had been here before. He was very excited. Hector must’ve overheard us because it wasn’t long before he showed up to play some games.”

  Dovian watched Ivory, unconscious of the smirk on his face. She had done her hair just as I’Lanthe used to. A few of her spiraling curls dipped from the top of her head, draping around her long neck. The black robes were a tad long but seemed to fit well everywhere else, and the purple overcoat hugged her curves, tightly pulled in by a metal and leather corset belt. The ornate threading throughout the garment glimmered in the sunlight. She looked perfect, just as any other Sorcēarian would look.

  He caught her gaze upon him and noticed a slight unease as she kept tearing her eyes away, a coy smile covering her features.

  “It appears I startled you out of bed too quickly. You didn’t have time to dress,” she said with a nervous giggle.

  Dovian looked down at himself. He was shirtless but was wearing loose-fitting pants.

  “I admit…it is a bit odd not seeing you in your robes.” She eyed him again, her hand running up and down Petey’s side.

  “I don’t usually wear the robes in my sleep. I have pajamas,” he said as he pulled the pant legs out to the side.

  “You have pajama pants,” she corrected.

  “It’s warm.” He shrugged, holding out his arms as he felt the sun's warmth against his pale skin. He closed his eyes, breathing in the fresh air.

  Ivory took the moment to examine him. He was as fit as she imagined, chiseled like the statues in Roma. She titled her head to the side, looking at the tattoos that spread over the length of his upper arms. Dovian’s eyes opened and immediately locked onto hers. He peered at his shoulder to see what she was so interested in, twisting his arm as he inspected the tattoo.

  “I wouldn’t have imagined you to be the tattoo type,” Ivory said. "I mean, besides the ones you're supposed to receive."

  Dovian turned to the side, allowing her a view of the work of art. The wings started along his scapula, spreading across his arm, making a point at the elbow. He held his arms to the side and then lifted them into the air. The tattoo moved, mimicking flapping.

  “Very neat,” Ivory whispered. Before she knew it, she was touching the detailed lines.

  “Karter did it,” Dovian softly spoke.

  “Karter,” she whispered, trying to gather a memory of the man.

  “He was very skilled in the art. He had a passion for tattoos and had discovered the art form from a group of humans he had met at a nightclub,” Dovian explained.

  “Nightclub?” Ivory asked, intrigued.

  Dovian chuckled. “Lita would drag the poor man all over the world. She was obsessed with human lifestyles. Karter had seen a man whose body was tattooed over every inch. He said it transformed the man—gave him an inhuman appeal. So he delved into it himself, practicing on me and others who happened to cross his path long enough for him to scribble the lines onto their skin.”

  “I find it fascinating that he was so interested in the humans. I’d assume it would have been the other way around.” Ivory ran her fingers along Dovian’s bicep, her light touch making him shiver.

  “Just as we enthralled the humans, we were just the same by them. We learned from each other.” Dovian lowered his arm, looking at the lake before them. “Karter made these in this very spot. Just with the tracing of his fingers, he made these lines. As painless as a mere touch.” He ran his fingers over the back of Ivory’s hand. They locked eyes once again. It was quite amusing. Ivory always looked bewildered when she made eye contact with Dovian.

  “Here?” she asked, lowering her hand.

  “Yes. I was here for a swim with Lita and a few others…and you.” He stopped.

  “I was here?” she asked.

  Dovian looked for any indication whether or not his statement upset her. She didn’t seem bothered being associated with I’Lanthe, so he continued. “We were here quite often. The water is always warm. We’d gather for picnics and talk all day about nothing in particular.” He gave a scoff. “It was also a way for the boys to talk the girls into getting in their swimsuits…or…undergarments.” He rolled his eyes, laughing low at the memory of Lita in her underwear. She had nearly given Karter a heart attack that day.

  Ivory laughed. “What’s the difference?” she asked.

  Dovian eyed her; a large grin plastered on his face.

  “Oh! I remember that!” she exclaimed, turning to him.

  “You do?” he asked; his face lit up.

  She nodded enthusiastically. “Lita just tore her robes off and shouted, ‘what’s the difference’ and jumped into the water!”

  Dovian laughed with his hand on his stomach. “Oh, I will never forget the look on Karter’s face!”

  “From what I remember, she may as well have been naked!” Ivory giggled; her delicate hand placed against her collarbone in a similar fashion as I’Lanthe. After a moment, her smile faded. “I don’t remember anything else.”

  Dovian’s grin twisted off kilter. “It’s alright. I had nearly forgotten as well.”

  He walked up to the water and crouched, his fingers swirling in the lake.

  “Still warm!” he shouted over his shoulder.

  Without warning, the man stood and tugged down his pants. Ivory gasped and spun away, her hands covering her face.

  “You are naked!” she shrieked.

  There was a loud splash behind her followed by silence. Ivory put her hands on her hips, looking at the sky. The swishing of water sounded as Dovian swam toward the center of the pool.

  “What’s the difference?” he shouted back.

  She folded her arms. “Is this how you take your morning baths?”

  “Sometimes,” he nonchalantly replied. “Care to join me?”

  Ivory shook her head. “Not in these robes.”

  “Take them off,” he daringly stated.

  “You just want to see me naked!” she cried out.

  She couldn’t see Dovian’s laid-back shrug. “As if I haven’t seen you naked before.”

  Ivory tensed. Indeed, when Dovian and the others had found her, she was completely nude.

  “I can wait all day,” he taunted her.

  Ivory remained in her place, weighing her options. She was stuck on this island, and Dovian was her only companion.

  “Come on in!” his deep voice called out. He sounded t
horoughly amused as he swam in a wide half-circle.

  Petey gave an excited honk and tore off in the direction of the lake. Ivory spun, watching as the large creature trotted into the water, Dovian waving his arms in the air in protest.

  “N-n-no, no, no!” the Sorcēarian stammered. “I didn’t mean you….”

  Petey reached the deeper part of the lake and jumped, his large body crashing next to Dovian, sending a massive wave over the man. Dovian sank as he was pushed to the side. He came to the surface, gasping for air, his shimmering hair soaked and pressed against the sides of his face. Petey continued swimming out toward the center with a large lizardly smile spread over his scaly face. The reptile seemed rather pleased with himself. Dovian shot a glare at Petey and looked back toward the shore where Ivory stood laughing. Hector scattered to the edge of the water, staying in the shallow end, eating minnows and anything else he found that floated beside him.

  Dovian backstroked casually. He eyed the creatures in the water with him. Holding his hands out, he teased, “Three against one, my dear.” Ivory remained atop the hill, arms folded. She gave him a blushing glare. “Peer pressure,” he said with a wink.

  The woman looked from Dovian to Petey and then to Hector. They all three appeared to be having fun. She heaved an aggravated sigh.

  “I’m beginning to figure out how you work, Dovian.” Slowly, she unclasped her belt and dropped it onto the lawn. Dovian’s smile widened as she turned her back to him, undoing the violet overcoat. “Turn around!” She quickly pointed at him.

  “Turn around?” he protested.

  “Yes! And cover your eyes!” she hissed.

  Dovian reluctantly did as he was told. He waited a couple moments and then quickly looked over his shoulder, parting his fingers to get a quick look as Ivory dropped her black ceremonial dress. She was wearing a charcoal-grey set of underwear. As she bent forward, kicking off the robes, Ivory was nothing but legs. Dovian gave a silent laugh and moved back into position.

  “I’m leaving my undergarments on!” she yelled.

  After a few more seconds, Dovian heard rapid splashes as Ivory ran into the water. He tried to turn around, but she shouted at him again.