by Andrew Ly
Paul and Daniel had brought their own custom combat uniforms. The Garrison battle suits they had on bore a very similar design to Nick’s own coat, but that was because he had based it on their template. Instead of being pure black like his, they were completely white, with silver trim and intricate gold shoulder pauldrons. They also wore standard leg straps and a belt with pouches and holsters to carry assorted weapons. Paul’s suit was slightly different than the one Daniel was wearing in that it had a golden feather crest on the right breast of the jacket, symbolizing his experience. Nick ultimately decided to change into fresh clothes and replace his worn out boots.
By the time he got to the weapons rack Paul had brought, he felt completely lost. There were too many choices available, both extravagant and seemingly unnecessary. Battle axes, broadswords, whips, flails, knives, spears and just about any other melee weapon were represented. Most were too high of a risk to use effectively and quite bulky to take on a simple rescue mission.
“I know it’s been a while for both of you, but choose equipment that bests suit this type of mission.” Daniel stuffed some knives and holy water into his pouches. “Usually less is better, but I try to prepare for every situation.”
“I’ll stick with my katana. The walls of the labyrinth don’t permit the use of using such colossal weapons,” Garreth said.
Nick was compelled to grab one of each, but decided against it. He came to the conclusion that he didn’t need a sword or gun or any weapon at all. Since he wasn’t particularly well versed in any of them, trying to fight with them now would be a terrible decision. He realized he should stick to what he had spent years cultivating, and that was close combat with his hands. He also wanted to be able to fight freely when he transformed, and any other excess armor like greaves would be out of the question due to the flames he produced.
“I’ll just use what Agrian was born to fight with.” Nick made his hands into fists.
“Wait, what do we do if we cross paths with Bergice?” Daniel asked.
They stood silently around in a circle. They hadn’t discussed in detail the possibility of that occurrence just yet. Nick hoped they wouldn’t have to talk about the ice demon anymore. He did not want to admit it, but he was still rattled by the last encounter. Unlike Astaroth, whom he was able to decimate with some effort, Bergice was still a wildcard when it came to his true potential. However, he had already delivered him a humiliating defeat. Even with a fourth person, the chances of besting the ice demon in a fight were very low.
“There’s nothing we can do to prepare for him. Combat varies with the times, but the strategy has always been the same. Breaking your opponent down is half physical and half mental. Our training is all we can rely on,” Garreth said.
“I’ve heard stories about Bergice. His ability to read his enemies is incredible. He is a master at preying on the fears of his opponents through his presence alone,” Paul said.
“All we can do is hope we don’t run into him,” Garreth said.
“What if we can’t help it? What if Bergice gets hold of one of us and we can’t escape?” Daniel said shakily. He was looking quite concerned; his voice was cracking.
Nick couldn’t blame him. The young knight had never been sent into true battle. The only time he had a taste of demons was when he fought Nick and lost miserably. The idea of meeting another Crowned Prince in battle must have been especially nerve wracking.
“The chance we do meet Bergice means the possibility of death is imminent. However, this has always been the case for knights and demons. We will engage the demon and if death comes knocking at the door, then we will welcome him for we tried our best. This is why we were created and the reason we continue to fight. If any of you decide this is too much to handle, feel free to stay put. I could do without cowards on this mission,” Paul said.
Garreth nodded. “I couldn’t have said it better myself. Despite no longer being affiliated with any Garrison, I am still a knight.”
Nick turned to Daniel. “Don’t think so much, it’s the only way to keep your fears from getting the best of you.”
Daniel nodded and swallowed hard. “I’ll be fine.”
“Right now, Alyssa is our main priority. Once we save her, we rendezvous back to my place through the same route we took to get into the tower. As long as we work together, and quickly we should have more than sufficient time. However, if anything happens and it should take longer or we should happen to come across a hypothetical scenario, then I believe it should be every man for himself,” Garreth said.
They all nodded.
“Then if everyone is settled, let’s move out.” Garreth had slung a brown twin corded rope over his shoulder.
Nick and the others followed and took the elevator of his loft to the ground level floor. Garreth folded back the Pailean rug to reveal a large manhole. He lifted the lid as Matt securely fastened the corded rope to a hook on one of the building support beams.
“Good luck, may the Heralds watch over you all,” Matt said.
Garreth tossed the rope into the darkness and one by one they slid a hundred feet to the sewer floor. Nick lit his hands to form a makeshift lantern, which revealed the one-way tunnel. Soon they were on their way to the underground secret entrance.
As they trekked deeper, the water was significantly deeper than they’d expected, but Nick knew it was due to the melted snow that recently washed down the drain. The high level created resistance in their strides and slowed their movement, but thankfully they didn’t have to go far. After sloshing around the slimy green water for some time, Daniel stopped dead in his tracks.
“What’s wrong?” Garreth asked.
“Is it just me, or does the water level seem to be rising?” Daniel said.
He was right. The water was indeed very high now. Within seconds it had reached to his upper chest with no signs of dropping. To avoid extinguishing his flames he raised his arms over his head.
“They must know we’re here,” Paul said. “At this rate, they probably hope to drown us like dogs!”
Nick turned to Garreth. “How much further do we have? I can’t keep this up when the water gets too high.”
“We’re almost there. Don’t worry,” Garreth said. Suddenly there was a crash and a tidal wave of rushing water thundered toward them.
“Not soon enough. Switch to Luxilight,” Paul said.
Daniel and Garreth gathered light into their hands just as the wave hit. Nick closed his eyes and braced for the impact as the water washed away the flames from his arms, nearly sweeping him off his feet. Though the Garrison boots provided excellent grip on all surfaces, even slimy ones, it wasn’t enough. He felt himself being carried by the current, flipping around in all directions. However, he swam furiously in the dark tunnel, until his head found the ceiling with a thud. A narrow gap of space between the top of the tunnel and the water left a space to breathe. As long as he kept himself afloat and his mouth facing upwards.
“Nick where are you?” Daniel called.
Nick faced the direction of the sound. Three orbs of light lit the murky sewer depths. They were using the Luxilight technique as a guiding signal! He swam against the unrelenting current toward the light and was eventually pulled through a manhole by Daniel. Nick gagged and spit out large amounts of dirty water, clearing his system. He glanced around the room and found nothing but a single ladder at the far end.
“Now aren’t you glad we decided to travel by sewers?” Daniel said.
Nick ran his hands through his dripping wet hair. “Wonderful, considering I almost drowned.”
“Well, at least this proves Bergice isn’t around to influence the area anymore. The increased water level means he’s far from here,” Daniel said.
“Excellent, which means all we have to worry about is Doctor Numerous. Let’s get going then, I’m not interested in standing around,” Paul said.
“Just a second. There’s something I have to tell you guys before we proceed,” Garreth said. �
��We’re at the entrance of the labyrinth. Once we venture into the next room, there’s no turning back until we get Alyssa. So it is important that you all know that when I created the labyrinth, I also kept in mind that some people might stumble upon it. What I mean is that I’ve taken measures to protect my secrets.”
“What are you saying?” Daniel said.
“Don’t tell me, your maze is laced with deadly traps?” Paul said.
“The labyrinth is a trap in itself, but Doctor Numerous has been down here and found a way to bypass it right under my nose, so now I don’t know what we have to expect. If he’s made any changes I don’t think they will be very pleasant. It’s best for us to stick together at all times,” Garreth said.
“Agreed,” Nick said.
They ascended the ladder to the basement level. They stuck close together as they made their way down a long hall. In this part of building there were no fancy marble floors and beautiful decor, everything here was stone, a concrete labyrinth. Torches scattered along the top of the stone walls, mirroring each other on both sides and seemed to be duplicated over and over again down the endless pathway. The effect was jarring, and created a sense of confusion and isolation. They walked along the passage in pairs. All at once, the halls began to shake with the distinct echo of rocks sliding against each other in the distance.
“An earthquake?” Daniel said timidly. He crouched in a fetal position.
“Get up, you’re embarrassing yourself.” Paul jerked him up.
“Should we be worried by that?” Nick pushed himself against a wall.
“No, it is a defense mechanism I designed for the labyrinth. It is an automatic shuffle that activates every once in a while. The halls turn and slide in order to change paths and confuse people,” Garreth said.
“You did a very good job,” Daniel said.
“What would possess you into thinking this shambles of a fake Garrison would need this much security?” Paul said.
“Because this is where the Holy Shield generator is located,” Garreth said.
“You’re telling me the world’s most powerful demon deterrent is housed here? You lie. The protective shield is projected through a series of satellites,” Paul said.
“That is only partially true. Every major city in the world has a Holy Shield generator, but the central one remains here in Hyperion. The Holy Shield relays messages to satellites which then feed its power into smaller receptors in other countries around the world. I designed it this way to ensure that Hyperion remain the epicenter of the world,” Garreth said.
“So now the reason for Doctor Numerous choosing to break in here doesn’t seem so strange anymore. You don’t think he plans to try and steal it?” Nick said.
“That was my guess exactly. Or it seems to me that he would want to destroy it in order to allow demons to roam freely through our cities,” Paul said.
“It’ll be much easier than going city to city and creating small leaks,” Daniel said.
“Then this begs the question of why he hasn’t done it yet,” Garreth said.
They glanced at each other as if to find the answer, but each conclusion seemed to make less and less sense. Instead of dwelling on it, they followed Garreth along the corridor, which then split in the middle to three more hallways. They took the leftmost path. However the halls became too constrictive and unable to fit two full-grown men walking side by side anymore, forcing them to move down in a straight line.
“Did you hear that?” Garreth drew his katana. “Something is up ahead.”
“It sounded like an animal. It could be another Hellbeast,” Paul said.
“We can’t fight like this, not if we’re lined up like lambs to slaughter,” Daniel said.
“I know my way, I’ll check it out myself.” Garreth rushed ahead.
“Daniel, you’re the closest. Follow him just in case,” Nick said. The baby-faced knight nodded and disappeared down the hall.
A few minutes passed and Paul turned to Nick. “How long has it been since we entered?”
After coming to the same realization, Nick bolted after Daniel with Paul following closely. By the time they made it back to the fork, it was too late. He had only a second to catch a glimpse of the young knight, just as the walls moved in and the maze shifted and cut them off. Now they were separated.
In an instant, they had lost their guide through the labyrinth as well as half their team.
15. A Specter’s Riddles
Nick tapped on the wall with his fist. The sounds echoed throughout the labyrinth. “The walls aren’t very thick. I think I can break through.”
“We can’t just burst through like a couple of maniacs. It’ll give away our position and we’ll lose all tactical advantage. If Doctor Numerous gets wind of our location then the mission will be a complete failure,” Paul said.
“What else can we do?” Nick said.
“I trust that Garreth and Daniel possess the minimal skills to survive without us for a while. The only thing we can do now is continue to push forward. We don’t have a guide, but we’ll make due,” Paul said.
He took one of the torches that dimly lit the halls and walked forward with Nick close behind. They passed several hallways, keeping quiet and on constant alert to their surroundings.
After a series of twists and turns however, a question formed in Nick’s mind. Now that they were alone it seemed the best time to ask. “Have you ever met Bergice in person?”
“No. If I did I doubt I would have lived to tell the tale. I’ve only heard stories about him. None of which were pleasant,” Paul said.
“It was strange, he kept calling me brother…I can’t put my finger on it, but I felt something there. It’s like we had a connection, and for a brief moment I understood where he was coming from,” Nick said.
“Peter didn’t tell you anything about Bergice?”
Nick shook his head.
“Truth is, no one knows much about the Crowned Princes. How they operate is still a mystery. Any information worth knowing about them was recorded in books years ago by historians during their reign, but most of them have disappeared with the ages. As you know, you used to be the leader of the many legions of demons, but things changed when you decided to help out humanity. Bergice, was known as one of the demons with whom Agrian shared the closest bond. They were so close they considered each other brothers. However, interests were divided when you met Quinn, and your newfound love for the human race raised the conflict that sparked the Great War,” Paul said.
Nick had always been told that his strength at peak level was phenomenal, but his encounter earlier seemed to prove otherwise. As for being almost like a brother to Bergice, is that why he let him go? Could there have been some lingering sentiments ? No, there couldn’t have been. Otherwise, why would he lead him into an obvious trap and use Alyssa as a pawn? Bergice was no different from any demon he’d read or heard about thus far; he was only interested in trying to harm him.
“Your betrayal and threat to their plans is why you’re the most hunted demon on their list,” Paul said. “You possess much strength, so much that it was said that only the mightiest archangel at the time, Clarion the Silver Knight could match your true power.”
Clarion the Silver Knight was one of the first people Nick was taught about when he joined the Garrison. Clarion served with Sir Marcus and played a pivotal role in saving the world. He was a legend among the holy knights and the Garrisons, revered in the pages of history and immortalized through stories for his great wisdom and strength.
“Then why couldn’t I defeat him?” Nick asked.
Paul’s eyebrows furrowed. “As the Lord of Fear, he has the uncanny ability to strike fear into the hearts of his enemies. Perhaps this is what caused you to falter.”
Was that it? He’d definitely felt a connection with Bergice earlier, one that made him question his position as savior of the world. Despite how enraged he had become, there was no way he could have had a chance. Was he hold
ing back subconsciously because of some sentiments he had in the past? If it was, he had to push those feelings out. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. And he certainly wouldn’t let the demon in the past control his chance for a future.
“I guess you’re right. It won’t happen next time.”
“There’s a demon buried inside you, which means you’ll always be tempted to sway off the path of good. At the same time, you’re also human and have the ability to make the choice. Demons and humans have never been able to coexist peacefully together, and I doubt it’ll ever change. Agrian was the exception,” Paul said.
Nick nodded. “But I—”
Paul stopped suddenly, alert now, his hand on his sword. “Did you hear that?”
“What is it?” Nick whispered. He had been so busy talking that he had momentarily forgotten about the mission. His ears perked, listening hard as he gazed down the dark hall.
“I hear something over there, coming out of the wall.” Paul pointed to the right.
Sounds were definitely coming through the other side of the walls as well.
“Could it be Garreth and Daniel?” Nick said. A short pause, and then more muffled sounds—like a conversation on the other side.
Paul felt around the wall and then one opposite of it. “These walls are composed of different material. I think there’s a hidden room behind it.” He groped around the stones, pushing them individually. Something clicked. The wall was actually camouflaged panel! It slid to the side and revealed a closed door.
A tickle ran down Nick’s spine. “Wait, I’m getting a similar feeling from right before I met Astaroth and Bergice. Whatever is behind the room isn’t friendly.”
“A new demon threat? It could be Doctor Numerous,” Paul said.
It wasn’t Bergice. No, the vibe was different, but at the same time it was familiar. It had to be another demon. It was hard to tell because the voices were faint, but some weird energy was emanating from that room. He had to satisfy his curiosity and find out what it was.