by P. A. Peña
“Don’t bother. Assuming this water will continue running until the third phase is over, you’ll only end up depleting your mana.” Logan placed his hand on his chin as he looked up at the ceiling. He turned to his sister. “Do you think you can freeze the holes shut?”
Aurelia frowned. “I can try, but I’m still struggling with conjuring ice. I could probably do a couple, but not all of them.”
Virgil turned his attention to the door. “Looks like we don’t have a choice then.”
Logan took in a deep breath, and summoned his gloves. “You two stand back. I’ll open the door.”
“No,” Virgil protested. “I’ll open it.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m the strongest, so the duty should fall unto me.”
“No. It was my mistake, so it’s my responsibility. And who cares if you’re stronger. I have more mana.”
Logan’s eye began to twitch. “I don’t have any mana. Remember?”
The two men stared each other down, unwilling to surrender. The cave shook once more, only this time it was accompanied by a gust of wind. Virgil and Logan turned to face the door to find it open, with Aurelia standing before it.
“Aurelia—” Logan called out.
“Don’t even bother,” she interrupted. “We would have drowned waiting on you two to stop bickering.”
Virgil and Logan walked towards Aurelia, but a monstrous growl halted them in their tracks. A humongous beast came into view, towering over the group. Red scales covered its entire body, and its black eyes were haunting. Its overgrown fangs curved out the corners of its mouth, and its limbs were as thick as tree trunks.
“That’s a wyvern,” Virgil said, his eyes wide.. “I’ve never seen one so close before.”
“You’re never going to see another one if we don’t do something about it,” Logan said.
Virgil balled his fists, intensifying his flames. “Right. Get back, Aurelia. I’ll handle this.”
Aurelia stood still, unresponsive to Virgil’s instruction. She raised her hand towards the wyvern, and it charged at her. Aurelia didn’t budge as water shot out from her hand. The result was blindingly fast, so much so, Virgil missed it entirely, leaving him perplexed at the gaping hole appearing in the wyvern’s chest. The creature slumped to the ground, causing the cave to shake one last time.
Aurelia turned around and smiled. “Let’s get a move on, shall we?”
The group stepped through the stone doors, and Logan pulled it shut behind them. There was nothing but a long tunnel in front of them. With no other option, they pressed on, traveling through the tunnel for what seemed like hours. As they walked, they made small talk, swapped stories of past hunts, and told jokes.
“All right,” Logan said. “I have a tattoo, my middle name is Wilber, and I’m naturally a blond.”
“Oh, this is an easy one,” Aurelia said.
“Of course you’d say so,” Virgil scoffed. “You’ve only known him your whole life.”
Logan chuckled. “That doesn’t excuse you from guessing.”
“I know,” Virgil whined. “I’m going to go with your middle name is Wilber.”
“What? Do I look like my middle name is Wilber? That was clearly just a decoy.”
“Or it was too embarrassing not to be true.”
“But if that’s the case, why would I share that information?”
Virgil groaned. “Fair point. So, you’re really a blond then. I would never have guessed, but I can totally see it.”
Aurelia burst into laughter while Logan simply covered his eyes. “My god,” he said. “You’re really bad at this.”
“You’re joking,” Virgil said in disbelief. “You have a tattoo. You?”
“I do. Why does that surprise you?”
Virgil shrugged. “I don’t know. You just seem so uptight.”
“I am not uptight.”
“You are, and now you have to show me.”
Logan’s brow raised. “And just how do you want me to show you I’m not uptight? Better yet why would I—”
“No,” Virgil said, shaking his head. “I meant your tattoo. You have to show me your tattoo.”
Logan’s face began to blush. “I certainly do not.”
“Yes, you do. If you tell someone you have a tattoo, you are obligated to then reveal said artistry. It’s the law.”
A blank expression washed over Logan’s face. “I know for a fact that is not the law.”
“Stop being a baby,” Aurelia joined in. “What was the point in paying all that money if no one’s ever going to see it?”
Logan looked at his sister. Her expression was stern and unwavering. “Fine,” Logan said as he stopped, “but I’m only doing this once, so you better make sure you get a good look.”
Logan pulled up his shirt, revealing the artwork that had been painstakingly inked into his flesh. A mural spanned across his back. There were two knights clad in regal armor surrounded by a sea of skulls. Although the tattoo was only in black ink and various shades of gray, the detail was impeccable. One knight faced left, looking as if he were leaping into the air to strike the very sun itself. The other knight faced right and was on one knee. She had her shield raised and her lance at the ready.
Logan pulled down his shirt. “All right, that’s enough of that.”
“I don’t know why you’re so shy,” Virgil replied. “That right there gets the badass seal of approval. If I had ink like that, I’d never wear a shirt.”
Aurelia giggled. “Wouldn’t you get cold?”
“Nope,” Virgil said as he enveloped himself in a warm orange glow. “I’m a walking space heater.”
A scream echoed through the tunnel, causing the group to look ahead.
Virgil took to the air. “Come on,” he said as he flew off. “Someone’s in trouble.”
“Wait!” Logan shouted, but there was no stopping Virgil.
Chapter 16
Virgil stood in a room, paved with smooth stones. It was illuminated by several torches, and four paths stood before him. Each was marked with runes and had arched frames. Virgil closed his eyes and focused his mind.
“I’ll just assume you didn’t hear me back there,” Logan said, as he and Aurelia approached him, riding on a wave of water.
Virgil opened his eyes and headed down the path to the far right. “This way,” he said.
Aurelia and Logan followed suit.
“Have you considered this is a trap set by the Alliance?” Logan asked.
“It’s not,” Virgil said, his voice stern and certain. “Someone I know is in trouble up ahead. She doesn’t have much time.”
“All right, then. Be ready, you two.”
Virgil smirked. “You’re not gonna lecture me again?”
“This is different. Someone’s actually in trouble this time.”
“Well, color me shocked.”
“Don’t worry. There’s still plenty of time for you to fuck something up.”
A closed set of stone doors fast approached. With a wave of her hand, Aurelia sent Logan ahead. He summoned his gloves and punched the doors, bursting them open. The group entered the room to find a mass of vegetation. Mushrooms as tall as trees were everywhere, and vines hung down from the ceiling. Swarms of bees the size of boulders hovered in the air, each of them bigger than Logan. The hum of their wings echoed in the air like chainsaws. They had two heads, each equipped with rows of razor-sharp fangs.
“Olivia!” Virgil shouted.
“Oh, hey, Virgil,” she replied as she turned around, her words slurred. “Fancy meeting you . . .” She fell to the ground, and the bees closed in on her.
Aurelia raised her hand toward Olivia and a wave of water formed around Olivia’s body. The wave picked her up and pulled her out of the fray. Virgil clenched his fists, unleashing an inferno upon the creatures. Those that weren’t burned to crisps were ripped apart by Logan, leaving pools of entrails on the floor.
When the last bee was no more, Virgil turned his attention to Oli
via. Her face was pale, and a veil of sweat hung over her brow. She squirmed on the ground, grunting in pain. He looked down at the hole in her uniform. Her stomach was exposed, revealing an oozing gash. Blood pooled onto the floor, and the wound glowed purple. Aurelia was on her knees, hard at work treating Olivia’s injuries.
Virgil bit the inside of his lip. “How is she?” he asked, as if he didn’t already know how dire the circumstances were.
“It’s not good,” Aurelia answered. “She’s been poisoned. I can treat her wound and keep her fever in check, but that’s about it.”
“We can suck the poison out,” Logan suggested. “Try to keep it from spreading further.”
“No,” Virgil began, his voice beginning to crack. “Those were neuro bees. Their poison can be absorbed into the body regardless of the contact surface. We’d only be poisoning ourselves if we tried.”
“How long does she have?”
“Keeping her fever down will buy some extra time, but the fever won’t matter once her organs start to fail.”
Olivia opened her eyes and met Virgil’s gaze. “Virgil,” she said faintly. He knelt beside her, the familiarity of the moment plaguing his mind. She reached for his hand, and he took it. “Go. Go on,” she stuttered. “You don’t have to stay, and watch me die.”
A dull ache in the pit of his stomach prompted him to hold her hand tighter. “You’re not going to die,” he said, trying his best to reassure her, but the feeling of déjà vu was haunting.
Olivia tried to laugh, but it turned into a cough. “You’re lying.” Blood dripped down the side of her mouth.
Virgil reached down and wiped away the blood. He forced a smile as he cradled Olivia’s cheek in his hand. She was burning up, causing Virgil’s stomach to knot up that much more.
“I hate to say it,” Logan said. “But she’s right. If we can’t stop the poison—”
“What if I freeze her?” Aurelia suggested.
“First off, that’s crazy, and second, your ice sorcery is shaky. Remember?”
“Yes, but I’m sure I can encase her at least halfway.” Aurelia looked to Virgil. “Will that buy us enough time to figure something out?”
“Maybe,” Virgil replied, keeping his eyes on Olivia. “It’ll certainly buy us more time, but it’s impossible to tell how much. Olivia’s aura is nearly gone already.”
Aurelia held both of her hands over Olivia’s body. “It’s better than nothing.”
“Don’t I have a say in this?” Olivia asked between heavy breaths. “All you’re doing is wasting your mana. Nothing is going to keep me from dying now.”
Flashes of his father played in his mind. He looked down at the wound once more. The flesh around it was becoming discolored, and radiated a foul odor.
“You’re not going to die,” Virgil repeated, his voice emboldened. He placed his hand over Olivia’s stomach.
“Just what are you planning to do?” Logan asked.
“I’m going to burn the poison out of her.”
“And that’s even crazier than her plan. Do you know how precise you’re going to have to be to pull that off without causing significant damage in the process?”
Virgil ground his teeth. “I know that, but if I could just get rid of the poison, Aurelia can handle the rest.”
For a brief moment the group remained silent, before Aurelia backed up. “He can do it,” she said.
Logan turned to Olivia. “And you’re okay with this? I can’t imagine how painful it’s going to be, not to mention, if he slips up, that’s it.”
“I’m gonna die anyway, right?” Olivia replied.
“Fair enough,” Logan said, taking a step back.
Virgil took a deep breath and tried to steady his nerves. “All right. Everybody, please keep quiet for a moment.”
Virgil emptied his mind of everything except Olivia. Her body. The blood flowing through her veins. The poison. Flames swarmed around his hand as he held his palm over her stomach. Slowly he closed his hand, and a faint orange glow radiated from Olivia’s wound.
Focus, he thought. Only burn the poison. Just the poison.
Sweat formed upon Virgil’s forehead and trickled down his face. His body was tense and heavy as if his bones were made of steel. Still, he kept his mind focused on the task at hand.
You can do this. You have to do this!
Virgil trembled. His skin grew hotter, and smoke trailed from his body. Logan opened his mouth to speak, but a quick glance from Aurelia halted the words in his throat. The orange glow grew in intensity, so much so, it looked as if an oven burner had been stuck in the elf’s flesh. Olivia squirmed, crying out as her face contorted in agony. Despite this, Virgil pressed on, pushing her voice out of his mind. After about a minute, he released his fist and fell backward. His breath was labored, and his clothes were drenched in sweat.
“You did it,” Olivia said between breaths.
Virgil wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Try not to speak. Aurelia will make sure you’re all right physically, but it will take a while to shake off the effects of the poison.”
His words were useless. In that brief moment, Olivia slipped out of consciousness.
Aurelia looked to Virgil and smiled. “I knew you could do it.”
Virgil rubbed his neck, his cheeks flushed. “We’re not out of the woods yet,” he said. “She’ll need to wake up by tomorrow.”
“What do you mean?” Aurelia asked, bewildered.
“You remember the rules, right? You need to be both alive and conscious when your timer’s up. I’m assuming Olivia’s not grouped up with anyone considering she’s here by herself.”
“That might not be the case,” Logan joined in. “She may have been scouting ahead for her group. Or perhaps in helping Olivia, we inadvertently added her to ours. Whatever the case, though, I think we’re all in agreement we should stay put and guard her until she wakes up.”
Virgil nodded as he looked at Olivia. “I-I’m sorry, you guys,” he stuttered.
“What?” Aurelia said. “Why are you apologizing?”
“You two shouldn’t be here. I’ve made the exam so much harder for you. I knew I should have just done this alone.”
Aurelia walked over to Virgil and extended her hand. “None of this is your fault.”
“Yeah,” Logan added. “Had you have not rushed in, I would have.”
Aurelia looked back at her brother. “I would have definitely gone in first.”
“If you say so. In any case, this is what it means to be a Crusader. Right?”
Virgil looked up at the two siblings. While the physical features shared between them were few and far between, they had one thing blatantly in common. Both of them bore a smile, bright enough to light the darkest night.
“Yeah,” Virgil said. “That’s what it means.”
Chapter 17
Aurelia and Logan scouted the area, gathering whatever resources they could find. Meanwhile, Virgil took another chunk of bee flesh. He removed the poisonous gland and roasted the meat. It wouldn’t be the tastiest meal, but it would provide nourishment nonetheless. Against Virgil’s protests, Logan arranged wood for a fire, and Aurelia strung together leaves into makeshift beds.
Their work done, the four of them rested around a roaring fire. Virgil remained awake, keeping watch over the group, while the other three were out like broken lights. The room was quiet. The only sounds to be heard came from the cracks of wood in the campfire, and the almost melodic drum of Logan’s snoring. Virgil looked at his watch. It had been nearly fourteen hours since entering the Network.
Virgil returned his gaze to the fire and twirled the Fang of Kayveon between his fingers. “I’ve come really far, Dad. I don’t know how much farther I have left, but I hope I’m making you proud.” A frown washed over his face. “Who am I kidding? I’m sure you hate me for being here.” Virgil hunched over, tucking his knees into his chest. “I’m such a disappointment.”
Aurelia rustled. She turned again
and again until finally, she lay flat on her back. “These rocks are going to be the death of me,” she groaned.
“At least it’s only for a couple of nights, right?”
“I suppose that’s the silver lining. Still, a woman needs adequate beauty sleep.”
Virgil smiled as he sat back, stretching his legs out.
Aurelia sat up, turning to face Virgil. “What?” she asked.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Obviously. What were you smiling for?”
Virgil tilted his head. “Are you telling me I can’t smile?”
“That depends on why you were smiling,” she replied, her eyes narrowing.
“It was nothing. Really.”
“It was enough to smile.”
“All right, fine,” Virgil sighed. “I just thought it was funny is all. You don’t really strike me as the kind of woman who cares about beauty sleep.”
“Oh, really,” Aurelia said, her tone raising. “Am I not dainty enough for you, Virgil? Too man-ish for your tastes?”
Virgil’s cheeks turned red. “That, that’s not what I meant.”
Aurelia giggled. “Relax, Virgil. I’m just yanking your chain.”
Virgil exhaled in relief. “Right. You got me.”
“Of course I did. You make it too easy. You have to learn to lighten up.”
Virgil looked over to Olivia, checking once again to make sure she was still breathing. “Yeah. That’s still a work in progress.”
Aurelia followed Virgil’s gaze over to Olivia. “She’s cute. Where’d you meet her?”
“Here on the island. Back at the docks. Wait. Did you say she’s cute?”
“Yeah. What? You disagree?”
“N-No,” Virgil stuttered, his face growing redder still. “I mean, she’s attractive. Yeah. Attractive.”
“Am I making you uncomfortable?” Aurelia laughed. “That’s adorable.”
“I’m not uncomfortable,” Virgil said sharply as he turned his attention back to the campfire.
“Right,” Aurelia said. “Well, I wish you well in your romantic endeavors. Can’t say I’d be looking for love in a place like this, but then again, you never really have control over these sorts of things.”