by Andrew Ly
“IN ORDER TO PASS YOU MUST ANSWER MY RIDDLE. IF YOU CANNOT, THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE YOUR DEATH. ARE YOU PREPARED?” the Specter boomed, the force of which almost knocked them over again. “THOSE WHO DISOBEY THE RULES SHALL PERISH!”
Nick turned to Paul then back to the apparition. “What is the riddle?”
“I am a greater good than the gods, a force more destructive than the evils of sin. I am what the wealthy desire, but the poor possess. To consume me would be death. What am I?” The Specter said.
“We only have one guess and that’s it. It will devour us if we get it wrong,” Nick said.
“You don’t know answer?” Paul said.
“If only Gabriel was here with us,” Nick said.
Paul closed his eyes and muttered to himself. Nick watched as the knight was trying to make connections here and there in his head. It was like witnessing a machine or a supercomputer make calculations, trying all the algorithms in order to come to a significant conclusion.
However, he couldn’t rely on Paul to solve this riddle nor could he rely on Agrian’s brute strength. He may have been a demon, but he was a human first and foremost and had a capable mind of his own. This was a chance to prove he was smart enough in his own right to perform in an area in which his demon side was lacking. Though he never regarded himself a genius of any sort, he wasn’t about to lose in a battle of wits with a nebulous creature.
Nick broke down the riddle in literal form. Nick thought about a “good greater than the gods.” The possibilities were very limited. The only gods he knew in history weren’t really deities, but angels that ruled over in Sanctuary. They were the ones who created life, and in essence the demons. Demons were a “force more destructive than sin” and were the bane to the existence of people. In many ways these two were like mirrors of each other, like two sides of a coin, or black and white. Angels were the epitome of good and the demons were the greatest form of evil. There was nothing that could outmatch these two because nothing else could be so absolute.
However, what he could not grasp were the parallels between the rich and the destitute. How could a wealthy man desire something that only the poor would possess? What could be consumed but result in death? The only solution he had was the poisonous plant, Dolere Flos, but that was only because he had been dealing with it recently.
“I’m drawing a blank,” Paul said finally. “I’m afraid the only solution we have is going to have to engage and kill this thing.”
“Wait a second.” Nick waved an arm to silence him.
The more he thought about the poor and the rich, the more he realized how closely related they were to good and evil. They were both also at opposite ends of the spectrum. The riddle was more or less repeating the most common truths that people knew, yet could not relate to. Humans themselves were gray and had many traits that could never put them in such simple categories, and that was the reason why Bergice could not fathom how Nick could betray them.
Bergice was a demon, and was bound by that due to his nature. He was created as an agent of fear and molded to be the exact opposite of the angels Ozarael detested. And that was when it finally dawned upon Nick, how simple the answer must be.
“Answer now, mortal,” the Specter said.
“Nothing,” Nick said.
Paul’s jaw dropped. “Nicholas, you fool! Don’t give up without at least even trying!”
“I didn’t give up,” Nick said. “That is my answer, Specter. Nothing.”
The Specter made no antagonistic gesture or any move that indicated whether his answer was correct. Nick’s thumping heart beat through his jacket as they waited. Maybe he was wrong, but even so it was the best he could do.
“YOU MAY PASS,” the Specter finally said.
With that the hulking demon disappeared the same way it came, into a cloud of smoke that dissipated into thin air. The seal on the floor stopped glowing as well, a sign that the effects of the summoning had worn off. Left behind from the smoke was a green keycard.
Nick picked it up, shook the slime from it and saw that it was labeled “Plant Room.” He turned to Paul. “This keycard was put inside the Specter as some kind of prize for beating it. Another ploy by Doctor Numerous?”
“It seems that way. The more time we spend playing as his pawns, the less time we have to stop him before he enacts his plan,” Paul said.
Now that the Specter was gone, they were one step closer to saving Alyssa. They opened the door and entered to find two more doors with their purposes painted on in bolded, black letters. One was labeled “Plant Room” and the other was “Main Laboratory.” Nick could practically feel her in his arms once and again, and was primed and ready to finish this mission before Paul grabbed his shoulder.
“What are you doing? Alyssa is right through these doors!” Nick said.
“There is something hidden in this Plant Room, Nicholas. I can feel it,” Paul said.
“I don’t care! We’re too close to get distracted now.”
“I didn’t think you were dumb enough to fall for another trap. Something isn’t right with this. Somehow I don’t think Doctor Numerous gave us as a keycard as a reward,” Paul said.
“I know rats, and I know that rat lied to us. Vermeek knew much more than he led on. Why didn’t he mention a plant room?”
“He was a lesser demon. A flunky. He probably wasn’t given any information,” Nick said.
“Look, Graves said he created the labyrinth to conceal his own private Garrison. Up to this point he made a pretty good imitation of all the rooms—except for this Plant Room. In all my years I’ve never heard of such a thing. For whatever reason, it must have been Doctor Numerous who designated this room for a purpose not related to the Garrison. Combined with the fact that this room also has keycard entry only suggests it is something of great importance—like that Soul Eater Project,” Paul said.
Nick faced the main laboratory and then to the Plant Room. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
“In most circumstances I would agree with you, but we can’t pass up this opportunity especially if it is also possibly related to his plan. As knights we have an obligation to investigate strange occurrences and this one seems the strangest of them all. I think we should check it out.”
“If only we had a clue that we weren’t about to walk into another trap. For all we know it could be another decoy set up to slow us down. Another Specter could be waiting for us,” Nick said.
“We’ll never know unless we try.”
Nick hated to admit it, but the longer they went back and forth on the issue the more curious he became as well. Bergice had already stated the doctor had a plan in store for them. If there was a chance to figuring it all out, it would be more beneficial to their cause to at least take a little glance.
“Fine, fine let’s just hurry it up,” he relented.
They slipped the keycard into the single slot panel and opened the double doors. As they stepped in, they must have triggered a motion sensor because the lights flickered on, illuminating the entire room from top to bottom. What they saw came as a complete surprise. The center of the room, a few yards away, was filled with rows and rows of plants. These plants were encased in a thick circular glass case, protecting them and preventing tampering of any kind, like a very expensive green house.
Aside from the plants, the entire room was grey and very plain, with the exception of the edges of the room where a metal grated walkway connected stairways to the upper levels. Nick peered through the thin slits onto the upper floors; stairs continued and led into a small, square room at the top.
Paul pressed his face against the glass. “Nicholas you got to take a look at this.” He tapped on the glass.
Nick walked closer, and took one hard look. Suddenly everything became clear.
“It can’t be!” he gasped.
16. The Soul Eater Project
Nick walked closer and examined the plants through the thick glass. They were the same Dolere Flos
plants from the Den of Pain, but there were more stored here in this facility than in that entire cave! Not to mention they were about twice the size of the ones he’d seen. It must have taken years to grow and collect this many. Why were they brought here?
“This must be why Astaroth’s hideout was at the Den of Pain,” Paul said.
“He’s here. I feel his presence radiating at the top of this room.”
“Bergice?”
Nick nodded. “But he’s not alone. There’s another demon with him.”
“I thought he wasn’t supposed to be here,” Paul said.
“Well, I guess he changed his mind. If we keep quiet long enough maybe we can find out exactly what’s been going on down here,” Nick said.
As they ascended the stairs, they caught glimpses of more rows and rows of these plants on each of the subsequent levels. All were grown to a larger and unnatural size, almost three times the size of a mature plant.
At the final steps, Paul stopped abruptly and shoved Nick harshly against the wall. He pointed to his ears then at the room ahead, indicating he had heard something. He pantomimed again by putting his hand over his mouth in a message to not say a word. Nick nodded and leaned forward to get in better listening range to the voices right around the corner. One he could unmistakably identify as Bergice, his voice was too distinct to be anyone else. He was apparently reading aloud a list to someone else, and that person could only be…
“Doctor Numerous! Do I have your full attention?”
“Yes, Lord Bergice,” he answered with low voice.
Nick knelt as close as he could to the step and very slowly peeked around the corner.
“I thought I heard a noise.”
Bergice was pacing back and forth with his katana bouncing against his leg. He had his back facing Nick. Kneeling in front of him was Doctor Numerous. Apparently their conversation wasn’t very pleasant because the ice demon’s posture was rigid, and the tone of his voice didn’t sound pleased. On the floor next to them lay Vermeek, lifeless, his eyes open. Blood trickled from a gaping stab wound in his torso.
“Do not change the subject!” Bergice said.
“A thousand apologies, my lord. Vermeek must have lost the keycard on his way here.” The way Doctor Numerous spoke suggested that he carried himself with eloquence and refinement, but of course, it was all a façade. There wasn’t an ounce of nobility in his body. He was a traitor and beyond repentance for his crimes against the Garrison and a sin against nature for choosing to become a demon.
“A careless mistake that cost him his life. If any of our guests stumble onto that keycard and access this room, then this whole operation would be a failure, would it not?” Bergice said.
“Not at all, my lord. Even though Lord Agrian and Sir Evans managed to find a way out of the labyrinth, they should not survive their encounter against the Specter. Your ingenious plan to use Evans as the delivery boy proved valuable because now that files are back in our hands. And we have the access code to launch the Soul Eater,” Doctor Numerous said.
“Graves thought he took all precautions to guard his belongings, but he couldn’t fool me. Now make sure the calculations are correct and we shall proceed as planned.”
“The latest test showed that the Soul Eater performed perfectly my lord.”
“Excellent, now rise.”
Doctor Numerous obeyed, and when he was standing tall in all his glory, Nick saw firsthand how truly imposing he was in person. He was at least a foot taller than Bergice, and wore a black lab coat over matching pants. The photos that were taken of him couldn’t capture the true menacing physical features of this man. He massive shoulders and powerful arms that hung firmly at his sides, which showed the mark of years spent cultivating. Despite being an alchemist and having a genius intellect, he looked nothing like how the others described him. Perhaps the demon transformation turned the once-fragile knight into a beast at peak physical perfection.
“My lord, I must say it gives me great pleasure to have you here in time to witness the final installment of my master plan,” Doctor Numerous said.
“Everything has been set? What of the broken sword?”
“We have retrieved Sir Marcus’s fine steel just like you wanted. As long as we have it in our possession, it can no longer be used against us. My lord’s brilliance knows no bounds!”
“Vigilance is expensive, but well worth the price, don’t you agree?” Bergice said.
Paul and Nick shared a look of confusion. What did he mean by that? The sword of Sir Marcus would have been a great asset to their arsenal, but there were plenty of powerful historical weapons. Why such morbid fixation on this one?
“I have also captured those trespassers. Lord Agrian and Sir Evans will not have any more assistance,” Doctor Numerous said.
“You’ve proven you could capture two measly knights, but what about Agrian and Evans? I told you I wanted them all when I returned, but you failed to deliver. As an Infernal this is unacceptable. Perhaps Ozarael was too quick to have given you this position.”
“Capturing those two was no easy task in this ever-changing labyrinth, my lord. Besides, the one called Daniel is an aspiring archangel, and Graves is a long time veteran,” Doctor Numerous said.
“Excuses. You and I both know that dealing with numbers should have been child’s play for you. Had you been defeated in battle, it would be irredeemable. You have already allowed them to progress this far into this tower. Don’t let them interfere with anything here or in the main laboratory, otherwise everything will be ruined,” Bergice said coldly.
“I have studied Agrian’s file extensively. I know everything about him and who he used to be. It will only be a matter time when he makes his first and final mistake. He cannot resist coming back for the girl. His love for her has rendered him stupid and impulsive. Having his fallen comrades as added incentive will surely fuel the flames of rage and make his capture quite easy,” Doctor Numerous said.
“Don’t underestimate him because of his love for the human. She is no ordinary girl. Make no mistake, the descendant of Quinn Valentine has made him stronger not weaker. I have already witnessed the difference personally,” Bergice said.
“You’ve met Agrian? And he was able to escape from you?” Doctor Numerous said incredulously.
“He’s a tricky opponent,” Bergice said.
“Well, I still have to find out his results against the Specter. In either outcome I should be able to gauge the extent of his growth,” Doctor Numerous said.
“And what would this comparison tell you?”
Doctor Numerous smirked. “Whether or not he can stop an Infernal. If they pass the Specter unscathed, then the powers that Lord Ozarael bestowed upon me should prove to be more than enough.”
“Lord Ozarael is grateful for your assistance through the years. The success of this latest scheme will decide whether or not you are ready for the next step. Perhaps you will be rewarded with something you’ve desired for some time now?” Bergice said.
“You know exactly what I crave, my lord. I will not fail you or Lord Ozarael.”
“You better hope, for your sake that you don’t. And remember, I don’t want you to get carried away with any of our prisoners. If I find so much as a missing hair on any of them, then the consequences will be dire.”
Doctor Numerous nodded. “Of course, I just wished we could have gotten to the president in time. Having him as leverage would have been more useful.” His expression changed to puzzlement. “I still can’t understand how he was able to escape from you. At such an early stage in his development, Agrian barely had enough time to learn the full extent of his own fire abilities.”
“Agrian is a fast learner. Even with the rudimentary training he received from that Garrison, he’s developed into a brilliant tactician. He knows how to play to his strengths and exploit the weaknesses of others. The humans wouldn’t stand a chance if he were to join us again. However, our encounter has shown me that he no long
er desires to walk the path of his brethren. The Agrian I once knew is no more. Therefore he is no longer of any use to us, and is now a problem that you must dispose,” Bergice said.
“Gods from the Machine…you want me to kill him? But what about Lord Ozarael?”
“What about him? I’m telling you plainly that Agrian must die and it must be by your hands. Consider this the only condition for your ascension. Killing Agrian is the only way to prove whether or not you are fit for a place among us. Unless you have any doubts this can be achieved?” Bergice said.
“Of course not my lord, but I don’t want to suffer Lord Ozarael’s wrath for killing the Inferno Bearer he despises.”
Bergice drew his katana with lightning speed, and swung with the blade, stopping inches from Doctor Numerous’ neck. Nick winced a little at the sight, as he expected to see the alchemist’s head sail in the air and blood soaking the walls in red.
“If you dare to question my judgment again you will personally incur my wrath, do I make myself clear?”
“Yes my lord,” Doctor Numerous said timidly.
“Excellent.” Bergice sheathed his katana. “Now then, make sure everything goes according to plan. I want Agrian dead and Hyperion to be leveled by sunrise so that the entire world may witness our might.”
“That is a guarantee my lord,” Doctor Numerous said. Nick heard the smile on his face as he spoke. Whatever incentive they were offering, it was enough to placate him. Funny, since he already achieved what he wanted, what else could be left?