Joseph Carter parsed through the dark alleys and tightly packed streets of Eternal City as he walked away from his lucky little encounter in one random alley. He stepped out of the shadows cast by the neon lights, sun replacements for the dark, damp, humid life those of the lesser floors lead. Into the light he went, and onto the bright plaza, with its mosaic flooring, its bold blue and red coloring. He walked up to the little camp the NUN army had set up right at the gates of the massive tower with gold painted supports and white brick wall stretching up into infinity, taller than any other building in this city of preposterous extremes. The marble shone reflective under a constant beating from the sun.
A woman walked up to him, saluted, boot heels clapping onto each other. “Welcome back Sir Joseph. I hope your time off had been easy and pleasant.” The uniformed woman spoke clear and loud.
“It was. But I must be off, I saw a few things. I’m going to see you all again soon? I hope.” Joseph saluted right back at the young soldier.
“Of course you will sir.” The young officer replied with her chest puffed expectantly. Joseph simply kept on walking, only nodding along the way at all those who greeted him. He could barely keep a smile on his lips as his thoughts raced. Their happy smiles filled with pride, filled with hunger for glory, for heroics. It had all been worth it until today.
It had been such a purpose, a great one. For the first the army he was not destroying homes and families for the shake of someone’s political gains. He was fighting for a truly just cause. Yet doubts rocked his little raft, taking him from the calm waters of the lake to the thunderous roaring of the pacific ocean.
He grabbed a few personal documents and rushed down south, leaving the camp. Bee lining for the Portals under military use. Longing for his home, its smells, its wind, grew in his heart. Fear clawed at it, through it. His smile faltered as the sound around him disappeared.
He passed through the gate and exited the Pavilion in a rush. He passed by cars and bikes rushing through the fresh asphalt, by brick buildings pumping smoke and all the little ground floor shops and stores and stalls opened for business and bustling with the vigor still to be lost to time. Fresh, new. Everything in this city, in this new world.
He rushed to the Governmental complex, where the databases lay. He passed through paved paths with mowed lawn on both sides past Parliaments and Housing Facilities till he reached his target. He shot up the marble steps, walked up to reception and through it, passing into the staff area before fishing out an ID from his personal documents. He placed it over a scanner modified to look like a fire alarm and the wall opened up. He walked through and it closed behind him casting him into the darkness once more. He felt his weight lift as the elevator he was in took to the depths below the surface.
The doors to the elevator opened once again and Joseph shielded his eyes form the piercing white lights built into the walls. He walked through desks and rooms before reaching his own little space. He opened up his computer, a small node of access into the massive beast that was Daedalus. The Super computer that had somehow survived the doubling in size the earth experienced 6 months ago.
“Search for a man named Jean. White hair yet young. Short of stature.” He voice commanded the PC as it whirled to life, all its little LEDs shining even brighter than the lights above. Joseph felt dread sink in as he the machine found the perfect match in seconds. As the man’s data was presented neatly in front of him Joseph only felt a rising anger, the waves slamming his little raft in the stormy seas stronger than even. A Raft overdrawn, nearly untangled and barely kept together. One that had taken damage only recently, after the Foreman Ritual Massacre event.
“It checks out………” Joseph gripped his head and pulled at his hair. He gave up, pulling his skin off his scalp, and let his forehead slam onto his desk.
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Bi-Ran, Ru Shi, and Jean were left in peace now. After some time Joseph Carter had left them. Ru Shi sat in silent contemplation still. Despite Jean’s apparent willingness to return to his captors once more Ru Shi now showed hesitation, she did not move him from his spot.
“I can see you are hurting.” Jean said as he looked at Ru Shi’s hunched over form. Her back on the wall, her deep black curls veiled her eyes. But he could tell their form. He’d seen that look in the mirror, dull, dusty, old.
“I don’t care for you.” She answered back. “Don’t go thinking I am hesitating on you… Jean.” She eked out through tight lips. Bi-Ran raised his brows pointedly at her answer.
“I know you don’t.” Jean nodded to himself. “I wouldn’t either.” A wry smile spread on his face. “But I also know that you don’t care for Ru Feng either. At least to the extent to go crazy like you did. I get the sense all you’re trying to do is protect yourself.” Jean pushed himself straight, setting his back on the wall opposite Ru Shi. His head lopped to one side, his neck too tired to hold it upright. “Maybe it’s that you were always like this. The Center of the world in your eyes. Or maybe something changed in the past.”
“You don’t know shit!” Ru Shi shouted at Jean, her own eyes found his. They were lost, rolling in their sockets as if not present in the moment. She bit down on her retorts.
“Maybe it is guilt.” He said. “It’s Not!” Ru Shi cried.
She faltered in her anger. Yet she had to say nothing, as Jean’s near broken vocal cords vibrated out their hurt feelings. “It’s guilt over the fact that you could not provide for your sister. That you could not replace the parents she lost, the love she did not have, the childhood she could never get. It could be guilt over the father’s you whipped to death, the children you crucified, or the women you let be raped as divine punishment.”
“Maybe it’s fear. Fear that your weakness and brokenness will show to the world and the world will hate you for it. It could very well be fear of actual retribution falling upon you for the sins you have committed thinking you were just, or even helpless.” He barely took breaths.
“Maybe it’s envy. Jealousy, a brotherly rivalry gone too far.” Jean cried dry tears of sand as he spoke. His hoarse throat growing worse yet, his voice only a whisper by the end. Yet Ru Shi heard him as clear as day in this dark, humid, moldy alley. Her eyes shining with a hint of something undecipherable.
“I love my sister. I love her with all my heart. I want to be with her forever, be able to support her, or at least see her grow… Yet I can’t. Either she changes her ways, or she dies. There is no other way out for us two. Either we’ve been cursed, or we’re the curse itself.” His mind seemed too far gone at that point. Too lost in the labyrinth of his nightmares and memories.
“And maybe that is what you thought as well. Am I right? Ru Shi?” Jean suddenly straightened his head, his voice boomed through the alley. His eyes burned with blood and fire. They stared straight into her soul. “It’s fine that you trade me away for your cousin. It’s fine that you do this for yourself, and not for him. If that is who you are then, understand it. Either Embrace it, or Change it. Do not become a cancer to yourself and those you love, or used to.” Jean finished, his eyes closed shut. His breathing calmed but did not stop. He had fallen into sleep. A much needed sleep most probably. His white hair ruffled in a passing gust. It was rank, and it stunk to high hells. Yet it brought the sweet embrace of a warm spring in a field of grass, it plastered a smile on his lips.
Ru Shi sat up, her hands shaking, sweating. She brought them to her face. She shook herself yet the sinking feeling dragging her down did not disappear. As if chained to the ground she dragged herself to Jean’s sleeping form. She picked him up, his hands over her shoulder.
“Bi-Ran. You shouldn’t show yourself. It’s dangerous.”
“I wasn’t planning on doing anything. I have important information to return to my people. Your people’s misfortune could spell the opposite for mine.” Bi-Ran added almost too quietly. He spoke honestly, but maybe he wished he hadn’t.
“Do whatever it takes. You hold no obligation towards us.” Ru Shi nodded in understanding. She took her first steps back towards the Crystal Shop. “I remember the way back… Take care.” She said to the young teen, younger than any kid with such a burden should ever be. She did not look back. She moved in silence, not stopping for a minute as she trailed back to the market street, vertical to the southern boulevard.
She stopped right before exiting into the street. She placed Jean down and shook him awake. His eyes struggled to open. His vision foggy, blurry.
“Is it time?” He asked. All he got as an answer was a hand tightening its grip on his shoulder. “I’m glad you let me sleep a bit.”
“… No Problem.” Ru Shi’s voice shook as she spoke, trying but failing to hide her thoughts.
“Don’t worry, young Shi. What we’re doing right now is only a trade. I’m a grown man. I can take care of myself.” He giggled to himself. He was supported up once more. Ru Shi then turned him around wordlessly, slowly. She took out a knife hidden somewhere on her person and placed right on Jean’s neck.
From above the Heavenly Mirage, Atlas, Carius, and Al-Sen stared, hidden, at Ru Shi making her entrance through the dark alley. The Street already cleaned and cleared from all the destruction that had been caused only a few hours ago.
Bi-Ran arrived in a silent rush from behind, where the scrapyard of the Crystal Refinery was. He crouched down low right next to Al-Sen. “Glad to see you’re back.” Al-Sen aid as she pushed her knuckles on Bi-Ran’s head. “Glad to be back. Hey, Al-Sen I have something to tell you.”
“I have as well.” She interrupted her young apprentice. “While I distract and hold back the Cultivators of this establishment. You will help them escape and return with them to their world. Atlas will explain. But you will need to verify if there is a Qi Spring near his home. If so. Return immediately and report to us.
“But-!”
“Be quiet. Do as you are ordered. It won’t take long. You’ll be back soon enough, so be patient until then. This is very important for all of us.” Al-Sen shook her head at Bi-Ran, shooting him down, before focusing her attention back on Ru Shi. She stood right in front of the store, knife in hand.
“Hey! I’m back! With Jean alive and well!” She shouted, this time calmly. She could see that the Knights were still inside the store, right by the entrance, waiting. Ru Feng stared at a wall. Not willing to show himself to her in such a form. Bruised, bleeding, a mess.
The knights all moved slowly, orderly. They exited the shop, with them, the employees of the Mirage standing not far behind them. Faces hard as stone.
It was at that moment that Jean decided to speak. “Hey. For old times shake everyone, for the times we spent helping out one another. Could I ask you a little favor?”
“We don’t speak to filthy traitors and blasphemers. Especially one such as you. Taking the trust of the Most Holy and throwing it away. A crime punishable for all eternity.” The Captain, spoke with absolute zeal in his voice. His nose having been fixed, in part for his nagging to stop, for some time now.
“I only ask to see my sister one more time. The Crystal Maiden. As her brother, can’t I at least ask such a thing before you kill me? Because I accept that only such punishment is right for my crimes.” Jean prodded.
One of the esteemed Cultivators standing behind the troupe of knights grumbled, another coughed loudly. All their eyes locked on the back of Xerxes’ Crystal Helmet. Who in turn whispered to the Captain’s ear. “That, is not what the Crystal Maiden ordered us to do. Do you really believe she would change her opinion? The Reincarnation of the Maternal Progenitor of the Crystal Palace herself?”
“You’re Right!” The Captain shouted. Causing Xerxes to shake his head. “The Crystal Maiden would never need to change her opinion. Everything she says is set in crystal. There is no place for me to interpret her words in any to other way…”
“ENOUGH with the chatter already, exchange hostages and let this trade be done with. We have mountains of work to return to.” Shouted suddenly the oldest and grumpiest of the Cultivator Refiners.
{Guhum…} The Captain coughed into his gloved fist shamefully. He spoke no more and motioned for Ru Feng to be brought forward. “They can only walk. The Exchange shall be considered complete only after Jean has been restrained by us once more. Commence!” He ordered and the two injured, mistreated men marched on.