by E. C. Fisher
I’m a monster. I killed my parents.
You’re not! That was an act of mercy. You helped them find peace.
Mercy, peace—that doesn’t change the fact that I am the one who pulled the trigger in the end. Alex drudged through the littered dead in a stupor.
You can’t change what happened. You will have to live with that fact, but you’re not a monster. Your parents were proud of you—proud of the man you’ve grown to be in their absence. He descended the stairs and followed the path back to the hidden room.
The man I’ve become. I can’t even see who that is. I thought I had an idea of who I am, but I feel like I’ve lost sight of it in the last few days. Alex went to the table and removed eight blocks of C4 and set them up with timers before he stored them in a backpack. He set the loaded pack on the table and moved to the other side to start loading magazines.
Yeah, a lot has happened recently. Finding out about yourself, your past, the whole heritage thing, and about your parents. Those events have changed you, but they don’t define you. What you do with what you now know, your actions, and decisions going forward—that will be what gives you an idea of who you are. He absentmindedly filled up empty magazines and set the full ones off to the side.
What must I do to move forward?
Find the answer yourself. You already know what it is, think already!
“Alex. Hey, you there?” Mordekai floated in front of Alex as he continued mindlessly filling magazines.
Rescue Vali. Protect her. Oh God, I love her.
You’ve finally said it! Now snap out of it and get going already. ALEX! Mordekai screamed in his head to get his attention.
“Mordekai, you don’t have to scream so loud,” Alex answered as he snapped back to reality.
“Where were you, Alex? I’ve been trying to get your attention for a while. You walked in and just started loading magazines without saying a word.”
Alex glanced down to find himself holding half a full mag and a stack of six full mags nearby. “I did this. I don’t even recall doing it.”
“Where was your mind at, Alex?” Mordekai asked.
“Finding myself again, I guess. I should get the explosives ready,” Alex set the mag down and moved to the other side of the table where the explosives were stored.
“You already did that. The backpack on the table is loaded with them.”
“Really! Then why not explain the plan you came up with to me?”
“I’ve done that as well. You’re telling me you didn’t hear me at all this entire time. Forget it, I’ll explain it to you again.” Mordekai grunted his frustration. “I’ve located seven points of vulnerability. By placing the explosives in these locations, it should maximize the damage.”
“How long do you think it will take to find Vali, rescue her, and get out of the palace?”
“Not sure. There are still too many unknown variables. It will depend on you. How long do you think you’ll need to accomplish all that?”
“I’ll set the timers for thirty minutes, and when the time comes, I’ll let fate decide.”
“I’m good with that. Do you have anything else you need to discuss before we leave?”
“No. I’m ready.” He finished filling the last magazine before he secured them all in the empty slots. Alex grabbed the backpack and threw it over his shoulder. He double-checked that his sword was sheathed and his guns were loaded.
“There’s not a second to waste. Let’s go rescue Vali and deliver Victor Frankenstein to whomever he worships,” Alex said.
“You’re going to send him to himself?” Mordekai quipped.
“Smartass, you know what I meant. Thanks for wasting my cool moment.”
“You thought that was ‘cool’?”
“Can we just get going now?” Alex tried to change the subject.
Mordekai hovered closer to Alex before he started to glow and the space around them warped and distorted. A short breath later, Alex found himself on an empty dock with several boat slips. The Florida morning sun barely peeked over the horizon, but the abrupt temperature change overwhelmed him. His ensemble made the balminess unbearable.
“Where’s the boat, Mordekai?”
“Go down the pier on your right; the last boat slip.”
Alex hurried down the pier on his right toward the end of the dock. He found a Yamaha SX250 series gray and white hull jet boat. He read the boat’s name: The Guardsman.
“Interesting name, The Guardsman,” Alex said as he boarded the vessel. The cockpit had been modified for more storage area and only had two seats near the helm.
“The Hunters are pretty straight-forward when it comes to their choice in names,” Mordekai said.
“I’ve noticed.” Alex placed the backpack on one of the storage lids before stepping onto the cockpit to examine the helm. He found it decked out with high-tech instruments he didn’t have a clue how to operate.
“I don’t believe you have a license to drive a boat.” Mordekai hovered over the helm.
“Oh, and you do?” Alex mocked.
“If you can start her up I’ll let you drive her,” Mordekai wagered.
“Deal,” Alex declared. He scanned the instrument panel but didn’t find a key insert. There were too many buttons and toggles for him to even locate an ignition switch. “All right, I give up, you win. How do you start this thing?”
Mordekai let out a laugh. “You’re really gonna kick yourself when I tell you.”
“Just tell me how to get this boat started already!”
“Don’t get your feathers all ruffled, boy. Your mark is the ignition. It will start the boat. See the clear semi-circle on the wheel. Place the back of your hand on it.”
Alex placed his hand over it and as he touched it the boat roared to life.
“Great job! Now, move over, I’m driving,” Mordekai buzzed around annoyingly until he got up. He moved to the seat nearby.
“How can you drive without arms?”
“Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to? Magic.” Mordekai shined for a moment then the boat steered away from the dock and out into the open water.
“How is your magic going to get me into the underwater cavern?”
“It’s not. Well, sort of. You’ll use a diver propulsion vehicle (DPV). To maintain our secrecy, we have to maroon the boat far from the palace. It would take you too long to swim there. This device will enable you to traverse the ocean floor swiftly.”
“Is there an instruction booklet I can study?”
“No need.” Mordekai glowed like a small beam of light shot from him. The beam hit Alex in the head and his mind filled with the technical information on the operation of a DPV.
“It hurts. My head feels like it will explode.” Alex groaned as he grabbed his head.
“It should. That was a lot of information I just gave you.”
“Next time, ask permission before you shove a library inside my head.”
“You can rest in the cabin. I’ll wake you when we get closer.”
“How long should it take to get there?”
“Early morning.”
“All right.”
Alex entered the cabin and found the space to be larger than it seemed. The interior was expansive, from the exterior he wouldn’t have anticipated to see a full kitchen with an amply stocked fridge and pantry. He wandered around the living room to find four bunk beds near the bow. Along the hull were storage racks with specialized equipment. Alex noticed the DPV, an odd torpedo-shaped object with handles on the side, and on the rack below a set of scuba gear and oxygen tanks.
“How did all this fit inside?” Alex muttered.
It didn’t, physically speaking, you’re not inside the boat anymore. This is a space I created that you enter once you pass through the door. Have you noticed the rocking of the boat is gone? Mordekai explained.
“Now that you mention it. That’ll make it easy to sleep. I was starting to feel queasy.”
That was one of the added benefits, Mordekai replied sarcastically.
“There isn’t much left to do now, but to actually do it.”
Don’t expect this to be easy, Alex. What you accomplish now will have a huge impact on the future.
“Of course, I don’t expect it to be easy. A little less than a week ago, I was just a normal high school teenager. Now I find myself speeding across the ocean, heading to a place that shouldn’t even exist, to save the girl I love from a mad scientist who should be dead. Oh, and let’s not forget that I’m part of an ancient order that has been fighting against creatures I’ve only known to exist in fairy tales and legends, who now finds himself alone and with almost no experience,” Alex vented.
Anything else you want to share? Mordekai had little more of a sarcastic tone.
“There’s more, but I caught your sarcasm, and I think I’ll stop venting.”
Chapter Twelve
Alex. Get up. We're almost there. Alex stirred in the bunk as Mordekai spoke to him. He was groggy as he sat on the side of the bed. And get dressed in the scuba gear.
How long have I been asleep?
Almost ten hours, Mordekai answered.
Alex stretched and rolled his shoulders to loosen up. I don’t remember the last time I had such a good night’s rest.
Exhaustion will do that to ya.
Agreed. Alex stood up and went over to the washroom. He turned on the faucet and cupped some water into his hands before splashing his face. He stared at his reflection in the mirror as the water dripped off. I feel refreshed, but I look haggard.
Nothing a little coffee can’t cure.
Did you brew a pot?
Is the word ‘manservant’ written on me somewhere?
No reason to bite my head off. Just asking a question.
The kitchen is equipped to handle your dietary needs. You’re fully capable of making a pot yourself.
Alex strolled over to the galley and checked the top cabinets for a coffee mug. He grabbed the light green mug and filled it with water from the sink. He brought the mug over to the Keurig and filled the tank with the water. Alex moved over to the pantry and searched for the Keurig pods. He found a French Roast, inserted the pod, and started the machine to brew after placing the mug on the tray.
After a minute, the brew was finished. He grabbed the hot mug and took a quick sip. He scrunched his nose at the distinct taste of the coffee. I am not a coffee drinker. He set the mug on the counter before he went over to the rack to grab the scuba gear and changed.
“Mordekai, teleport me up on deck,” Alex held the DPV in his hand and an oxygen tank on his shoulder as he vanished. He appeared on the deck next to the storage bin he had left the backpack of explosives on.
Mordekai floated over. “This is as close as we can get without being detected.”
“All right. This is a suicide mission no matter how you look at it.”
“Thinking negatively isn’t going to make the situation any better, boy,” Mordekai sternly said.
“Sorry, that came out wrong. I know, but we can’t even test this out first. We have to just go and hope for the best,” Alex tried to reassure himself.
“You’re right. I know this isn’t a favorable situation.”
“This hasn’t been a favorable situation since I found out about this other world. I’ve done my best to deal with all this along the way, but even I have a limit to how much I can handle. Right now, I have more to worry about, and that’s rescuing Vali; nothing else matters.”
“Since I’ve met you, you’ve exceeded my expectations over and over. If you recall, I didn’t really think that much of you, even after learning who you were. Your parents were the best team of Hunters, but they were trained since birth, while you on the other hand weren’t. Your parents believed in you enough to find you and give you a chance to fight. Vali is counting on you, and I also believe in you. Don’t let me down now, boy.”
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d believe you were trying to compliment me, though I’m not sure. However, I won’t let either of you down.” Alex grabbed a waterproof bag from a nearby storage bin and placed the backpack inside. He picked up Mordekai and was about to place him inside as well.
“What are you doing?” Mordekai asked.
“I thought I’d store you inside for your safety,” Alex replied.
“Do you think I’ll drown?”
“I guess—I didn’t really think about it.”
Mordekai floated from his hand and hovered nearby. “I appreciate the thought, but I’ll be perfectly fine. You should be worrying about yourself. Get the DPV in the water. I’ll double-check your equipment before we leave.”
Alex carried the DPV over the side of the boat and lowered it into the water. He fixed the oxygen tank on his back, buckled, and strapped it tight against his chest
Mordekai checked the gauges on the tank and made sure it was fastened before he gave Alex the okay. Alex secured his goggles and mouthpiece before he climbed over the side of the boat near where he dropped the DPV and entered the water. He felt the icy strangle of the ocean through his wetsuit, but soon he felt a warmth swath his body.
He gripped the handles of the DPV and submerged. After the bubbles cleared, the underwater scene was quite breathtaking. The rays of sunlight danced, schools of fish and aquatic life roamed.
Mordekai hovered nearby and illuminated as Alex descended further from the surface, where the sunlight didn’t reach. It has its own eerie beauty.
This is far enough. Be easy on the controls, this isn’t your run of the mill DPV. It has been specially modified— Mordekai started to explain, however, Alex had gunned the throttle and shot through the water like a bullet—and there he goes. Mordekai vanished and appeared beside the runaway DPV. Pull back on the throttle, Alex.
Alex eased his hand back and the DPV decelerated. I wasn’t expecting it to have such acceleration. That could’ve turned out bad.
If you lost the DPV, you’d have had to swim the rest of the way. We haven’t even gotten started yet and we would’ve been in a predicament.
I wouldn’t want that. Anything else I should know?
As I said, the DPV’s been modified, a regular type travels about two knots/hour; this one goes forty. The oxygen tank has been modified to transfer the nitrogen out and bring in a constant flow of oxygen.
Well, that’s good, so basically this plan would have failed before it even started if it wasn’t for you. I’m glad my parents found you first.
They were good people. I miss them. Dr, Frankenstein has to pay for what he’s done, and for every atrocity he’s committed.
Don’t worry—he will. Alex twisted the throttle more as he gained a controlled speed.
After thirty minutes of smooth operating, Mordekai alerted Alex. Dr. Frankenstein’s castle is upon us. I sense the cavern opening, take the DVP down another ten degrees and level off. Alex followed his directions and descended by ten degrees before he straightened out.
Ten minutes later, Mordekai instructed him to turn the spotlight on. The light illuminated the rock face in front of him. If Mordekai didn’t say anything Alex would have run right into it. He slowed the DPV down to a crawl as he scanned for the cavern.
Where is this cavern located?
There’s an opening another fifty feet to your left, Mordekai replied.
Soon, the opening came into view, the space was too narrow for the DPV to go any further. Alex left the DPV and made his way through the crevice. Mordekai led the way as he illuminated the darkened space. The narrow passage was jagged which caused him to have difficult areas to maneuver through.
You’re gonna have to leave the tank behind. Space is getting slimmer. Take a deep breath.
Alex unstrapped the tank and took a few more deep breaths before releasing the mouthpiece. With the tighter space, he was able to grab hold of the jagged rock and pull himself through. He was thankful for the increase in strength. Alex traveled fifty meters before the
color of the water changed murky and a foul stench lingered.
The path goes up1 Mordekai shouted in his head.
Alex swam up without thinking until he broke through the surface. His natural instinct was to gasp for air. He did, only to be met with a stench worse than the undead.
This appears to be where the waste ends up, Mordekai hovered over a ledge for Alex to climb up.
I don’t even want to know what I was swimming in. Another second and I would be drowning. I am just thankful it’s air—well, barely.
“Mordekai, can you brighten up so I can see the entire space?” Alex asked. Mordekai shone brighter to reveal a large round cavern. The walls were smooth; no footholds to climb. The light doesn’t reach the top, can you fly up there?
On it. Mordekai flew up to the top. There’s a hole you can climb up. Looks like this is the hole they dump waste down. I’m glad I don’t possess a nose. I don’t envy you at all. Mordekai snorted as he tried to hold in his laughter.
“Laugh it up. I might just decide to leave you to Dr. Frankenstein,” Alex joked.
I apologize for my rudeness. Please forgive me, good sir.
“Any ideas on how I’m supposed to get up there?”
You could try jumping.
“Jump. That’s your bright idea. Why didn’t I think of that?”
With your strength, you can make it to the hole in a single leap.
“I thought maybe you could, I don’t know, use magic to make me float or something.”
Sorry, that isn’t in my repertoire.
“Then how can you float and hover?”
I don’t know. I just do. I can’t perform magic I don’t know.
“Just my luck. Jump, right.” Alex bent his knees a few times to psych himself up.
Hold on, let me float up there and show you where. Mordekai illuminated the entry point as he floated and hovered nearby.
“Alright, I see it. I’m going to do a few practice jumps to get the distance right.”
Alex scooted closer to the edge. He bent down, tensing his leg muscles, and jumped. The light Mordekai provided grew brighter, but he smashed his head into the rock wall and fell back to the ledge.