MINERVA

The PIT was far more crowded than the last time I visited. And the people who were obsessed with it looked richer. Like the ones we saw at Ars Goetia. Fancy clothes, well-waxed faces, and careful makeup. Money was dropping from hand to hand, women were clinging to each man as everyone was watching what was happening down below. A giant man with blood dripping from his arms was punching over and over again a smaller man to the ground. The small man did not move for a while. But none was stopping the giant.

‘’Is that him?’’I asked Mara, who had now her mouth covered with a helm just like me. She let out a slow nod and a hum.

How did she win against him? His arms looked razor-bladed, his eyes were burning deep fire and his mouth was salivating. A rapid animal.

‘’Typhon wins’’ The announcer called.

The fight was over and we followed Typhon to the alley. He was walking heavily, almost stumbling with each step with blood dripping from his hands. We were far away from the crowd, far away to hear us. And then I realized how stupid we both were.

The man stopped.

‘’If,’’ He was panting heavily.’’You want an autograph?’’He turned around with a sleazy smile and then he twitched as he found Mara standing in front of him.

‘’You little brat’’He spat, rushing to our side.’’You want to get squash.’’

‘’Well, you failed the first time’’Mara challenged him and I turned on her with my lips pressed to a thin line and a warning glare.

‘’Oh, trust me’’His furious eyes turned to me. His smile curled up on his wounded face.

‘’Maybe I shall start with your tall friend here’’He winced.’’ looks like a toothpick. Wonder if she breaks like one.’’

My stomach was tied up in a knot and my hands reached into my pants.

Typhoon was faster as his hand was now clinging to my throat all so tight that I stopped breathing.

‘’Stop’’Mara commanded.

‘’Not so cocky now brat?’’He laughed, lifting me up higher and starting to kick my feet.

‘’I have something for you’’

My head started turning light.

‘’I am not interested in money, girl.’’Typhon snarled.

And then Mara took out of her pocket a red stone. So small like a nut. A piercing red stone that made Typhon drop me to the ground

One deep breath from me and started coughing dry with my eyes wanting to get out. I revealed my face completely as I kept coughing and breathing. The collar was still a part of mine, unable to pull it out.

‘’Where’’Typhon stumbled.’’Is this… where did you get it?’’He asked curiously and loud.

‘’If you want it, you have to answer some questions.’’

I finally got my strength back and could now see the man was looking at the stone like it was his own life.

‘’Give it to me.’’ He commanded.

‘’Addicting isn’t it?’’She tilted her head to the right.

Typhoon rasped.‘’You don’t understand’’

‘’Mara what is this?’’I asked her.

‘’I need it.’’He kept walking to her side, almost towering the tiny girl.’’I need to win.’’

‘’I will give it to you if you answer.’’

‘’Tyohin?’’ A girl’s voice echoed from the darkness. As she walked out we saw her. She was younger and tinder than Mara. Far more frail too as she was ready to collapse.

‘’Who is that?’’ I asked Typhon and then looked at her. She was almost the same as him. Same eyes, the same nose, but her hair was lighter.

‘’My sister.’’ There was a shaking mumble on his teeth.’’She is my sister’’

The girl took a few steps closer.’’Who are..’’

‘’I told you to hide’’He hushed at her gently and I faced Mara who was sinking the stone deep into her hand and back on her sleeve.

The little girl kept following as the green light finally made her appearance look even clearer. Her eyes were drunk in red, her lips were parting for her to speak. She was far too skinny and far too frail to walk.

She was sick. Sick for the lord's death to collect her soon.

But her eyes turned on Mara.’’Do not hurt him’’She whispered before passing out.

Typhoon caught her slowly in a gentle way as he looked at her and then turned on us.

I raised my hand.’’I am a doctor. Sort of’’I corrected myself.’’Let me help her’’

He glared at me with a skeptical gaze.

I sighed. ‘’Right now you are at a disadvantage. I can help her and you can answer our questions.’’

Typhoon remained silent

‘’Let your sister die then’’Mara spat and walked on my side. Her eyes looked up to me.’’ Let’s go it was pointless’’She said in defeat.’’He won’t help-’’

‘’Please’’ Typhoon broke, hugging the little girl’s body tight.’’She is the only one I have.’’

Mara remained silent from the way back and the secret passage we found. Well, the secret passage of the garden was a broken wall that was poorly covered by a box. But it led us perfectly to the kitchen. Hiding Typhoon with big rugs was the difficult part as he was humming to his sister, thinking she could be calm in her passing.

I am a doctor. What was I thinking? I was no doctor, I could only see the side effects of poison and drugs. She could not be an addict from that age.

When we were in the kitchen Dolia was not alone. There was one woman next to her, thin and sulky as she was coughing heavily over and over again. Taking another look at the kitchen I could see how messed it was. Boxes were demolished and the tables were turned down as there was heavy dist now being lifted in the room.

Dolia turned on us and she looked far pissed with a purple mark on her cheek

‘’People from Ars Goetia came by here’’She judged me and turned on her clothes which were half torn apart. ‘’They were looking for you’’She kept looking at me, only me.

‘’You didn’t tell right?’’’

Her eyes were ready to burst into tears before she took a deep breath and looked at Typhon.

‘’I thought that I was done’’She cried.’’I thought’’One more deep breath.

I remained silent as I tried to fix the table and pointed Typhon to it.

The girl was now at the top of it.

So taking pulses. Slow, very slow. Opening her eyes only to see that they were still bloody red. The woman behind me kept coughing. I tried to ignore her as the girl could not open her eyes and her pulse was becoming slower.

‘’How long has she been sick?’’I asked.

Typhon began to stall his words. ‘’Couple of…weeks maybe?’’

I nodded and began thinking as I tried to make everything make sense. A clue to a line but it was pointless. As the other woman kept coughing more and more. From second to second the cough was becoming more dry as her breathing became unbearable.

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I could not focus. Not at all. Not with the coughing not with Dolia glaring at me as if it was all my fault that I didn’t get caught by Stolas’ men, not with the thought that Nezha Arsu and Petbe are long gone not with the thought that Ao Bing could come and kill everyone in this room. Or Mammon or Lilith...

Then Mara touched my hand. My shaking hand. I didn’t even realize it was shaking. I looked up at her in the eyes who were steady.

Again she stayed silent. But I knew what she wanted to say as she walked back to Dolia and the woman. For a stupid moment, I was glad she was there and not anyone else. The moment the girl stood in front of her, the woman lost the ability to breathe. She began to tremble and shake. Dolia hugged her tight.’’Minerva what’s happening/’’

I started panicking as Mara kept studying the woman and then she moved swiftly towards my side where the girl was.

‘’Do you actually love your sister?’’She asked Typhon.

He nodded.’’Of course I do’’For a moment the tall scary man looked vulnerable as his sister started coughing. I turned back to see that the woman was now breathing properly.

My mind was going back and forth.

‘’Why are you fighting?’’I asked him.

He took one deep breath.’’I did not have money to take care of her. I took a loan from Stolas but I could not pay it back. But he suggested another way.’’

My attention was drawn to it as Mara moved once again on my side and then closer to the girl.

‘’That I looked strong. Rigged fights he said after. But I needed to show how strong I actually am so..’’

He moved his gaze to Mara. She shrugged as she revealed from her sleeves the red stone but for some reason, it looked smaller than before.

‘’What is this?’’ I asked.

Typhon began coughing dry. ‘’Medicine.’’He moved his hands to his pocket, revealing the old tin boxes with the previous emperor on them. ‘’He gives them to me when I win a fight to become more stronger by using this.’’

Mara offered it to him and before he even touched it his sister started spitting blood.

His face became paper colored as his eyes snapped wide.

I felt a slow realization hit my brain, thinking how foolish I was not to think about it.

I caught it fast before Typhon decided to grasp it.

‘’When did you start fighting?’’I asked.

His voice shook.’’Not long…’’

‘’Few days before your sister got sick?’’’

Typhon stayed silent. He sat on the table and turned on his sister, ready to break into tears.’’I am sorry, I am sorry, I am. I’’He bawled and for a moment, Typhon, the fighter who still had blood on his face and hands, the one that was supposed to be something monstrous looked like a human.

‘’I was poisoning my sister?’’He wept.

Looking back I saw Dolia staring at me confused.

‘’We do not have drugs like these here’’She stated.’’Not like..’’

Then, we both noticed the woman’s ruby-red necklace.

‘’It can come in any form’’I said realizing.’’Stones, smoke’’The thing that I inhaled.’’Dust to make up’’

Dolia gasped and turned on Mara’’You kn-’’

‘’Ao Bing tried to drug us’’ She announced to her.

‘’He would never’’She stood up Mara glared at her as she tried to send her a message.

I clicked my tongue and laughed. She wasn’t even surprised that he was on Ars Goetia or that he was alive. She just stated that he would never hurt us.’’You knew’’

She held her breath and Dolia turned even paler.’’I didn’t have a choice’’Her breath quickened.’’But trust me, Ao Bing would never hurt any of you’’She stood up, cupping my cheek.’’He loves all of us.’’

‘’He literally took Nezha and the others’’Mara stated, irritated.

‘’You do not understand’’Her words broke. ‘’He loves me, he loves Nezha, he loves all of them’’ She moved her head to me as she tried to show a point.

Mara lifted her head up.’’Then why is he doing all of this?’’

Dolia had no answer to it as she stormed out of the kitchen.

As the commotion grew for a moment I tried to silence everything around me as the webs began taking a form.

A drug that could be jewel dust and smoke. Could make someone gain power but also kill them slowly. No antidote. Why would Stolas sell something like this? And that monster…

My curiosity about it grew heavier but the thought of the others now suffering worse than that made my body ache. We had to figure out how to take them out of Ars Goetia.

For a few minutes, I tried to stabilize both the woman and Typhon’s sister with painkillers and plain old water. I told Mara to take out from the hidden passage all the boxes and jewels that could cause harm to them and us.

Both of the girls managed to now breathe properly. But their condition did not get better. They were just…steady. Typhon had fallen asleep next to his sister, hugging her tight.

My eyes started shaking as Mara moved to my side with a mug filled with old plain coffee which was stashed at the kitchen.

‘’I checked’’She said.’’Simple coffee’’

I nodded, thanking her and took a sip from the bitter thick liquid. I hated the way it made my headache but in that moment I needed to have a clear mind.

‘’What if we speak to Mammon?’’My voice began shaking at the thought of what I said.Why was I hopelessly thinking that he would help? We were nothing more than assets for him. How easily ignored Ao Bing after he disappeared, how easily he put Azzizozs debt to Arsu, how easily he believed that we all died. He was like a spider. Trapping everyone to his beautiful web, making us fly to forget that the silver home of his is not ours. And it was only meant to kill us and use us.

Mara sighed.’’Even if he would, he has bigger problems now. Lilith considers to buy the Fourth Circle entirely.’’

My heart dropped. I wanted to have a clear mind but now.

‘’She has the money, the people the equipment…’’She took a deep breath.’’The good news at least is that she won’t find you or the others’’

‘’But she will have you’’I touched her hand slowly.’’Aren’t you -’’

She shook her head.’’She won’t have me’’

I let out a bitter laugh.’’I know that you think that you can run away but’’

‘’No’’She stated.’’She won’t have me’’Her eyes faced me empty like a doll’s.

I just simply nodded trying to understand.’’We cannot get to Ars Goetia alone, we will get caught not eleven five feet away from the entrance’’My voice gave up.

‘’We cannot’’My hands shook.’’We are just kids.’’

That was it. Nezha Arsu and Petbe would die or worse with the drug swarming all over the area. Mammon would lose the Fourth Circle and Mara would end up in Lilith’s hands. ‘She won’t have me’ she said. That was a joke. she could not escape. None of us could.

And I would end up having one of those fates like the rest. Dead and forgotten.

The door opened and turned to see Dolia with tears in her eyes. She looked at me with a face of pity and begging for forgiveness.

‘’Minerva I am so sorry’’She wept.’’I had no other choice’’

I stood up as Mara took a few paces back. I turned on her and she shook her head as I could now see heavy footsteps.

‘’Dolia what did you-’’

‘’They threatened me that they would hurt him’’She said again.

I bit my lips out of anger as the men of Ars Goetia followed behind her.’’I am sorry, I am sorry’’’

Guns were aiming at both me and Mara as they kept walking to our sides.

I tried to think of a plan of escape. I had no needles at my side. Stupid that I was, I have no weapon. I looked once again at Dolia who was trying to look away with shame and hide her tears and eyes red from them.

I took a step back as Mara seemed to be ready to fight with her own hands.

Both of the men shared a glance at each other as a quick grin appeared on both of their disgusting faces.

‘’He said that he needs one of them.’’One of them pointed out. ‘’Not who.’’

‘’And in what conditions’’ The other one pointed out and Dolia’s eyes began to shatter.

There was the sound of a riffle. Then another. Two gunshots.

I shut my eyes, waiting for what would come later. There would be nothing but a shout of pain and then a deep end. Blood Loss that would be it. And then nothing.

I could see the first time I saw Nezha breaking in front of my eyes. He could not even stare at me. And if I was trying to look at him, he was shouting at me. He was asleep for days, even weeks, isolated from the world. I could see him now screaming once more for the world to stop for the fabric to come out for someone to save him.

I could see Arsu waiting for the end to meet his brother once more. I could see Petbe, innocent sweet kind Petbe getting swallowed by the darkness. And I could only see nothing for me. Only death.

Instead of seeing Lord Death collecting my soul, I heard a grunt. A familiar heavy grunt. Opening my eyes I saw a giant man standing in front of us, arms open, blood dripping from his body.

‘’Go’’Typhon barked at us.’’Take my sister and go’’

My heart could not stop racing from what I had witnessed. The men turned on Typhon shocked as he stormed in with his bare hands.

‘’Right’’ I corrected and I looked back as Mara was trying to carry the woman by her own.

I took the frail girl in my arms as she was mumbling while her brother was screaming from pain. We both rushed to the passage and I took one more glimpse of Dolia who was still staring at me.

There was a slight anger in my chest as I could still stare at her with my broken glasses.

The air began to quicken in my lungs.

‘’I will go save them’’I declared to her.’’I am not going to wait for a miracle that will never happen.’’

Finally, we got out of the garden only to find more people rushing to our side with guns in their hands. I faced down the girl who was ready to wake up.

‘’Give her to me’’Mara shouted at my side with the woman almost crushing her shoulder.

I shook my head. ‘’We have to go together.’’

‘’No’’She explained.’’You will go to Ars Goetia. I will come later.’’

What? My mouth began twitching forming a laugh.’’I can’t go alone.’’

‘’You will now give her to me.’’

Her eyes were steady and her voice too. She reached her hand on my side waiting. The men did not wait for me to decide.

But I knew now that she would not run. Not this time.

I gave the girl to her on the other side of her shoulder and took a deep breath.

‘’Do not be late’’I said.

Mara grinned.’’Now run.’’

And so I started running. Running with all of my strength with the wind pushing my hair back, the sweat dripping from my brow at my chin and my lungs giving up fast as I found a dark alley to hide and take a deep breath.

I closed my eyes, trying to think about any idea but none could come to mind. I was desperate for anything.

Desperate.

My mind clicked and I looked around the darkness.

‘’Tell me your price.’’I said to Ghost who was now slowly appearing from the darkness.

He stayed silent.’’You know what that means.’’

I narrowed.

‘’ I am not the man you think I am.’’

‘’I do not care’’I said.’’My friends my family is in danger’’I spat.’’And I am all alone.’’

I am a kid. I have no power.

‘’ Please, help me.’’