Aztlan

Venus was walking around the area when he saw people praying outside the temple as the crowd was filled inside. After the recent incident in the area of machines, a lot of people started believing in the spirits even more as they feared that it would happen again. Venus was taken aback by this, he had never seen people so devoted. He thought to himself that maybe there is something more to this than meets the eye. He decided to investigate further.

But the thing that surprised Venus the most was that none was talking about Hephaestus and the others who escaped from Naraca and that the iron didn’t work on them. Every soldier that he asked the same question replied with the same answer. Loud laughter. As everything was just a nightmare, only for Venus. He was scared and confused, but he knew that it was not a dream. There was something strange and powerful taking place, something that he had never seen before. He had to find a way to get to the bottom of it.

Then, he found a girl selling newspapers. With a warm smile, Venus approached her and gave her three Eke’els for one. He started reading it that moment when he bought it. His eyes darted from the shock of seeing the names of the ones who got burnt. Hephaestus was printed in large, bold letters at the top of the list. His hands started shaking from fear. He felt that something was off. He knew that Hephaestus was a warlock. He knew what they were trying to do. He saw all of it. And yet something felt wrong. Like why the news would lie. He remembered pretty well that they passed through the dark veil. He saw them with the rest. He wanted to follow and clear everything out. But other warlocks were attacking him first.

He would have learned something about it if they had been burned by his friends from Naraka who were guarding it.

From the corner of his eyes, it was obvious that there were priests staring at him while they were fixing their light-colored cassocks with silver details. He could see the greed and curiosity running through their eyes. He ignored it and continued walking.

He was close to Hephaestus’s old workshop. He saw Orion and Talus crying while they were holding the newspaper. He didn’t understand why they were crying. He didn’t see the reason as he knew pretty well what he saw. They were killing people. Then again… He remembered every part of the time they spent together. The first time he saw them, crying all alone in front of the fire.

‘’They can’t be the same person’’ He mumbled.

As he walked inside his apartment his eyes darted seeing two soldiers searching around while a man with a cane was standing up and investigating. Venus couldn't see his face as he was wearing a dark mask.

‘’What are you doing here?’’ Venus asked. He took a closer look at the badges of each soldier. It was an ox, but their uniforms were black.

''You have no right to enter in here.'' Venus knew the rules. He had read the countess a thousand times so he could be ready for everything. Even an intrusion like this.

''Actually, I have'' A voice stopped him from fighting the calm soldiers.

Venus restrained his surprise and saluted with his eyes finding the permit paper in the strange man's hand. The sigil of the flag. Boudica's stamp. It was as real as he could believe.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

‘’At ease’’ Halted the man and grabbed one screwdriver with his thin hands from down the floor. ‘’Is this yours?’’ He asked him. Venus hesitated for just a second. ‘’It was my partner’s’’

I had no time to clean.

The man nodded a yes and continued searching around. The soldiers were pushing down the bed while dust was falling like snow. Venus tried to act but the man placed his hand on his shoulder. ‘’So they are a mechanic?’’

‘’They were an inventor...they died’’ He said, pretending, like every other soldier. The man scoffed and played with the screwdriver between his fingers.

‘’Who are you anyway?’’ Venus asked him confidently.

‘’Assistant to the ruler,’’ the man explained to him.

Venus chuckled. ‘’I have never heard of you’’

The man circled him. ‘’Oh, so you believe everything that you hear...'' He sounded amused.

''Of course not'' Venus frowned.

''Then, your partner is dead with their bones decorating Naraka’’

Venus turned towards his helm mask with shock. He swallowed and cleaned his throat. The man stopped walking and hit the floor with his cane. ‘’Why are you hiding the truth?’’He asked the man, whispering.

‘’Classified…’’ The man spoke slowly, making long pauses as his head turned to the window. ‘’But, you said that they are an…’’He turned back sharply.

Venus avoided his gaze and looked at the other tools that belonged to them. He sighed and nodded a yes. The man hit the floor with his cane once again with joy. ‘’I remember that uhm..’’ He placed his cane closer to Venus. ‘’They are a cripple.’’

Venus’ hands tightened into fists and looked down at the man's cane.

‘’Yes, they were born like this’’ Venus told him with a rasp. He cleared his throat again. ‘’Really?’’ The man asked, impressed.

‘’Yes,’’ He raised his eyebrow.’’ I don’t understand why the ruler cares about them but…’’

‘’They, with the other four...'' He made a long disgusted pause. ''things'' He took a deep breath. ‘’Are really special right now’’ Venus didn’t speak. ‘’So, the Ruler asked me to find information about them’’ The soldiers were now around the man. He took out of his pocket an ox badge and gave it to Venus. ‘’Congratulations’’ Venus’ eyes filled with rage and confusion as he pushed the man’s hand away, making the badge fall. The soldiers were ready to shoot him.

‘’Leave us’’ The man ordered the soldiers, jerking his head to their side. Each one of them followed his orders with the falling of a pin.

They were now alone. Venus’s heart was tight right at his chest. ‘’Well,’’ The man raised his arms and grabbed the badge from the ground. ‘’I am not used to doing Great Ruler's favors...is it normal to react like that?’’

‘’What is going on? ‘’Venus panicked. ‘’What did Hephaestus do?’’

‘’What every pest like them always does.''

''They are not like that'' Venus cut his words as he spoke out of line.

But what if they were? They saw them. They saw them run, they saw them trying to kill the man. They were hiding secrets from him. All this time. They were just liars.

Venus swallowed. The man scoffed and twisted his cane around. He took a deep breath. ‘’There is a war coming sooner or later, and your dead partner is in the center of it. Also, the reason why it will be one,’’

Venus gasped. He tried to speak but the man showed the badge once again. Venus’s eyes were turning red as tears of fear were ready to shed from his eyes and face. ‘’The Great Ruler is afraid that they might attack Elysium so she wants enough guards to stop them before it's too late.''

Venus frowned his eyebrows.

The man scoffed. ‘’You can die as a soldier, or you can die with glory’’

Venus grew up rough. At that moment, he was no fool. Seeing that there was something further, something more to the picture was crystal clear to him. And yet, he wanted to take the crystal gem the Great Ruler was offering him. When would he find a chance like this again?

''Thank the Great Ruler''He whispered with a restrained smile.

''May her reign never end''The man added.