by John Nest
“Not sure,” sighed Smoke. “Was just gung-ho about getting you guys back with me that I never considered Xolotl to be lying.”
Baba forcibly cleared his throat. “I’ll leave that up to you. But personally, I trust Lord Xolotl just as I trust you’ll make the right decision.”
“Same here,” added Sharur. “Not with trusting Xolotl,” he hastily added. “But with trusting you.”
More talk of Xolotl’s credibility continued until they finally saw the dark castle on the floating island next to them. The dried up trees and blackened earth were as unwelcoming as the last time they were here.
Looking up, Smoke finally recognized the skull that hung on the gate. It was that of a creature similar to Cipactli.
Walking with purpose, they briskly entered the castle adorned with countless windows. They stepped past the threshold of the great hall and stopped in front of the mirror that comprised of the entire wall.
Only Smoke walked closer to Xolotl.
“Ah! You’ve returned,” answered the dog face skeleton trapped in the mirror. “You smell like tomorrow in the morning. If I had my nose that is,” it added wryly. “Well, hurry it up. Push my items into the mirror. You’ve collected all three of them, right?”
“Yes,” said Smoke, taking out all three of its gigantic items. “But first I’d like to ask a few questions,” he added and placed all of the items on the ground in front of the mirror.
“Questions? We don’t have time for that!” yelled Xolotl.
“You’ll answer our questions or we’ll leave!” declared Jeter, walking up next to Smoke.
It exhaled deeply as it quickly recomposed itself. “Apologies, it’s just that I’m really anxious to leave this prison.”
“That’s understandable,” said Smoke. “I’d like to know how sycophants were first created? Can you tell me about that?”
“Well a god takes out the eyeball,” answered Xolotl, doing a scooping motion with his long skeleton fingers. “You know, like the saying? The eyes are the windows to the soul. They then inject the sycophant miasma through the emptied eye sockets.”
Smoke nodded, ever studying Xolotl’s expressions. “But can you tell me again why you’re imprisoned?”
“Because of the Light Bringers,” answered Xolotl, exasperated. “I defended them against Mictlantec and Micteca.”
“Doesn’t really sound authentic to me,” went on Smoke.
“Alright! I’ll tell you,” said Xolotl. “After some lunatic created the sycophants, the number of Light Bringers drastically fell. But there was this lone DarkElf that still persisted.”
It paused and laughed as it recollected the events from long ago. “His method was different from the other Light Bringers. Taking only a small amount of soul energy meant that he had to make the trip several times over. Yet, his meager harvesting did not upset the balance of Reialma. In fact, the soul energy would replenish at once.”
Xolotl gritted its teeth. “My curiosity got the best of me. Watched him for years. Until, finally, he was found out by Tipactl—former ruler of Monstro Afiado. Tipactl and his men caught the DarkElf unawares… Until today, I am unsure what came over me. But I saved him and killed Tipactl in the process. I hung Tipactl’s skull over my gate. Hoping it would ward off its kind from attacking.”
When Xolotl finished speaking, Smoke turned to Baba as if asking him a question only the two of them could understand.
“I’m not convinced,” blurted out Jeter.
“Really?” asked Sharur, his voice raising.
After hearing Xolotl’s story, Smoke quickly came to a decision. “Well, I am,” he stated, pushing all of Xolotl’s items into the mirror.
At once, the mirror rippled like water. Xolotl’s eyes broke free from the amulet and resocketed themselves to the dog face giant. Its flesh tore out from the crown and reattached itself throughout Xolotl’s body. Then, his staff flew straight to his right hand and he was overflowing with sinew. He stepped out of the mirror adorned with his feathered crown and staff, his flesh and divine power fully restored.
“You’ve really done it now,” said Jeter.
Xolotl lowered his head before Smoke and his friends. “You have my eternal gratitude. If there is—”
CRACK CRACK
Everyone turned to face the source of the sudden sound. Xolotl’s doors were busted open. A beautiful woman in revealing clothes and a muscular man with a skull mask stepped inside. Their long black hair covered in their feather adorned crowns. Despite their intimidating auras, the intruders were only as tall as Sharur.
“What have you done!” screamed the woman. “Xolotl served as a monument for all your sins!”
“Mini-Micteca?” yelped Xolotl. Hurriedly, he put up a magical barrier, protecting Smoke, his companions, and the full-wall mirror behind them.
Angrily pointing her fingers, the feathers on her crown ruffled. “Did you know you freed the one who created the sycophants?”
“Under your orders!” countered Xolotl from inside his magical barrier.
All the while, the skull crowned man stood silent, his hands hidden behind him.
“Don’t worry, they’re merely clones of Mictlantec and Micteca,” Xolotl said to Smoke. “They must have activated when you set me free. I’ll keep them busy while you escape.”
“Cease, Wife,” said Mictlantec’s clone. His voice made Xolotl’s entire palace tremble. “A god does not parley with lower beings.”
“Sheesh! These clones even got their superiority complex,” said Jeter.
Without warning, Mictlantec’s clone unleashed a powerful ray of light, aimed at Xolotl, Smoke and his comrades.
Fortunately, the magical barrier of the fully recovered Xolotl held firm as it protected them from the clone’s attack.
“Wait for the portal to complete. It’ll take you to your home,” said Xolotl, tapping the mirror with his black staff. Its surface changed like rippling water. The mirror began to display a picturesque forest with blue skies and green trees. Mount Engrais, the snow-capped volcano near the village they rebuilt, stretched out in the mirror.
“Verbrannt!” called out Laernea when she saw the place reflected in the wavy surface.
“Stop!” ordered Mictlantec’s clone, causing them to shudder. “Before you beg me to turn you into sycophants!”
– [FEARFUL] Mictlantec’s Intimidation Aura delays your reaction time by 10%
Smoke stared into the notification window, but it faded away after Xolotl spoke.
“What happened to not talking with lower beings?” jeered Xolotl, still putting up a tremendous effort to block the ray of light.
After five more seconds, the full-wall mirror had completely turned into a portal to Zectas. Xolotl then turned to Smoke and the others. “Go!” he cried out to them.
But before Smoke and his friends could do so, Micteca’s clone punched a hole through Xolotl’s barrier. Her slender arm got through and grabbed hold of the mirror. Another ripple in the mirror occurred, steadily closing the portal.
Being the closest there, Jeter stabbed the clone’s arm with his spear. A futile effort in terms of damage. But it did hurt the goddess’ clone in a different way, her ego.
“You dare strike me!” cried out Micteca’s clone. She stopped touching the mirror and grabbed hold of Jeter by the neck.
Jeter tried to break free, but there was no way for him to escape the clone’s grip.
Then, the clone’s second arm broke through Xolotl’s barrier. She quickly went for Jeter’s left eye. Using her sharp nails, she easily plucked it out with a single swipe. She then injected the sycophant miasma into the freshly made orifice.
“Vape!” shouted Smoke. Instantly, the snake-like wyvern around his neck unleashed a cloud of Ponderous Mist which enveloped the clone’s hand. Activating his Mictlander’s Eye, he desperately tried to pry off her hands with his twin hook swords. But even his combined abilities could do nothing against Micteca’s clone.
CRACK CRACK<
br />
Escalating their troubles, Mictlantec’s clone completely annihilated Xolotl’s barrier.
With his barrier broken, Xolotl decided to face Micteca’s clone. The giant dog face god kicked the human-sized clone and freed Jeter.
Seeing this, Smoke grabbed the opportunity and forcibly pulled Jeter away from the goddess’ clone.
Meanwhile, only an eighth of the shrinking portal remained, wide enough for a person to squeeze through.
Suddenly, Mictlantec’s clone grabbed Sharur and Laernea.
Thousands of lute strings came out from Baba’s hands and prevented the skull crowned clone from taking out Sharur and Laernea’s eyes.
In this dire situation, Baba called out to Smoke. “Go! Take Jeter with you before he becomes a sycophant!”
“No! I’m not leaving without you guys,” answered Smoke.
Micteca’s clone was about to attack Smoke and Jeter but Xolotl grabbed them both and threw them into the almost closed off portal.
“Don’t worry, It isn’t easy to kill those who are prepared for death!” called out Baba as Smoke and Jeter entered the gateway back to Zectas.
At once, Smoke was rushed with excruciating pain. He felt like his brain was being cracked open, with a mixer placed inside it. Multiple visions simultaneously overwhelmed his senses as several eyes grew out of his entire body.
* * * * * *
When he came to, Smoke found himself in front of the forest near Mount Engrais. An unconscious Jeter, with his left eyeball missing, laid down next to him. The baby wyvern tightly hugged his neck. He lightly scratched its horned head. “It’s alright, Vape. We’re home now,” he said to the snake-like wyvern.
Getting up, he immediately looked around. “Sharur? Laernea? Baba?” called out Smoke, but there was no reply.
“Laernea? Sharur?” he yelled again, still the same silent answer.
“What happened?” asked Jeter, getting up, still dazed. He covered his empty left eye socket with his hand.
“We’re back in Zectas, but I can’t find Sharur, Laernea, or Baba,” answered Smoke, checking Jeter’s life bar. It displayed (280,000/500,000 SP). ‘Was it always this big?’ he wondered. “Stay down,” he added. He then got out some healing salve, but stowed them away. He realized it was useless, seeing as Jeter’s life bar still displayed SP. “Can I do something about that?” he asked, pointing to his left eye.
“No, I think I’ll recover in time,” replied Jeter, still covering his left face. “Just see if they made it out.”
“Alright, I’ll be right back,” reassuringly said Smoke.
Using his Hyper Jump ability, Smoke leaped up and glided in the air. He used his Telefax Vision to search for them. His Cunning of the Dire Fox could pick up the stone deer, iron owls, and rabid wolverines in the forest but none of his friends.
Vape happily coiled around Smoke’s neck, seeing the living world of Zectas for the first time gave the baby wyvern pure delight.
Smoke grinned. Then, his eyes caught a glimpse of large movement coming from the plains of Lehre, the grounds outside of Verbrannt’s outer wall. Zooming in, he found thousands of Emerald Knights carrying King Adrizol’s banners.
‘Must be time for the inspection,’ he surmised. He quickly pushed the thought away as he had more urgent matters. He still could not find them.
A few more minutes in the air and there was still no sign of Sharur, Laernea, or Baba. A sinking feeling crept up inside of Smoke. They were left behind in Mictlan.
“Arrgh!” suddenly cried out Jeter in pain from below.
Smoke quickly dove down to see his injured friend.
“What’s wrong? What’s happening?” asked Smoke, kneeling next to him.
Reluctantly, Smoke backed away as Jeter forcibly pushed him to the side. Jeter’s hands stretched out, hardening and sharpening as they elongated. The same thing was happening with his legs. His mouth grew wider and his teeth became sharper.
“Noooo!” angrily shouted Jeter.
Jeter’s hair fell off, his skin turning gray. His bald head grew paler and larger. Jeter was turning into a sycophant!
“Jeter, it’s alright,” said Smoke, rushing back to his side.
“No! Stay away!” he screamed again. “Or I might infect you.” He faced Smoke, his right eye tearful, and then ran into the forest.
Equipping his sacred clay staff, Smoke got up an earth-wall and blocked Jeter’s escape.
However, Jeter easily broke through, using his newly acquired blade-like limbs.
With the earth-wall shattered, Smoke secured Jeter inside a spherical Manatl instead.
SCHILD SCHILD SCHILD
A desperate Jeter tried to slash his way out of Smoke’s barrier. He kicked and punched, but the purple manatl held firm.
“Jeter, calm down,” said Smoke from outside the barrier.
“You don’t get it!” yelled Jeter, sobbing. “Sycophants are insane. There’s no telling what I’d do to you.”
“But I don’t think you’ll hurt me,” said Smoke.
Jeter shook his gray bald head. “No! We can’t take that risk!”
“Jeter, look at me! Look at me!” reprimanded Smoke.
A reluctant Jeter turned around, facing Smoke sideways.
“You’re not a sycophant. Well, at least not a full one,” said Smoke.
“Are you blind?” asked Jeter, waving his blade-like limbs around. “Your wall didn’t stand a chance against my…arms?”
“You know, I think sycophants don’t listen because they don’t have ears,” countered Smoke. “And devour anything near them because they don’t have eyes.”
“So? What does that have to do with anything?” asked Jeter, looking him straight in the eye.
“Well, you’ve still got both your ears and at least one good eye, right?” reasoned Smoke.
“I guess…” answered Jeter, sitting at the center of Smoke’s Manatl barrier.
“Mind if I cancel the barrier?” asked Smoke.
“Are you sure I won’t suddenly attack you?” replied Jeter, skeptical of Smoke’s theory.
Smoke nodded. “We have to find out eventually.”
“Have Vape cover us in that mist thing first,” said Jeter. “At least I can’t see you and it’ll be harder for me to move.”
“Vape, can you indulge him please,” said Smoke to the wyvern around his neck.
The snake-like wyvern puffed out the Ponderous Mist and engulfed them both.
“Do it,” answered Jeter.
Smoke canceled the barrier and slowly walked towards the squatting Jeter. He sat down in front of him, unharmed. “See? What’d I tell you?”
“Um, can’t see in this mist, remember?” said Jeter, lightly laughing.
After they sat there for a few more minutes, Smoke asked Vape to disperse the cumbersome fog.
“Convinced you’re safe now?” asked Smoke.
But before Jeter could answer, his Cunning of the Dire Fox suddenly sensed something.
Powerful hostiles were scattered in the forest. Although, their numbers were less than a hundred.
With his eyebrows raised, Smoke turned towards Verbrannt’s direction. His eyes grew fearful as pillars of black smoke filled the sky.
Alarmed, he quickly opened the ‘Whisper’ window and called Sierra. “Pick up! Pick up!”
It took a few seconds before Sierra could answer.
“Smoke, it’s a trap!” cried out Sierra. “Burmistrz was working for Adrizol all along! I’ve already sent all the villagers to escape. Thyrsus and the others are heading for the escape tunnels in Mount Engrais.”
“What about you?” asked Smoke, worried.
“Courant, Virer, and the other Sonstwelters are staying behind,” replied Sierra.
His eyebrows furrowed. “And Mamelon?”
“She’s still in Nordland,” she replied quickly.
Smoke could hear the loud banging of spells, the clashing of swords and steel in the background.
“Don’t
worry, I’ll be there soon,” said Smoke.
“No! Wherever you are, stay there!” commanded Sierra. “We’re done for. But the villagers and the other Zectians need your help. Not sure if the Avendre are enough to stop Adrizol’s Emerald Knights.”
“But I can—”
“Just do what I told you!” screamed Sierra. “I’ll see you in Nanahuatl soon,” she added in a calmer tone.
—CLICK
“What’s going on?” asked Jeter, getting up.
“Verbrannt’s been attacked,” replied Smoke. “They’re heading for the mountain tunnels.”
“But there are intruders in the forest,” said Jeter.
Smoke nodded, staring into the thick verdant trees.
“We better clear their path then,” replied Jeter.
Smoke followed behind Jeter, fearful that Jeter would change during combat.
After running into the forest, Smoke and Jeter stopped. It did not take long for them to encounter Adrizol’s Emerald Knights. Most of them carried green tower shields and long swords.
The Knights stared at them, defensive.
“That’s Smoke!” cried out one of the Emerald Knights. They charged straight for him. But Jeter blocked their path.
Using his lengthy blade-like limbs, Jeter stabbed right through the Emerald Knight’s shield, piercing his stomach. He then lifted the Knight over his head and threw it at the other green Knights. Four Knights fell on the ground, forced down by the thrown attacker.
With his bladed feet, Jeter then leaped over them and began puncturing their emerald armors. Merciless, he stomped on them. Blood gushed out as he pulled up his legs.
An Emerald Knight slashed Jeter’s back. But he countered with his hands and penetrated the steel defense of his attacker. The other Knights who tried to help all met the same fate.
“My new limbs aren’t so bad,” yelled Jeter to Smoke. “It’s like having four spears!”
“Good to know!” shouted Smoke back.
Convinced that Jeter was in control, Smoke leaped over Jeter and his attackers. He rushed forward, facing his own group of Emerald Knights.
“Vape!” called out Smoke, equipping his twin hook swords.