013

13.  Unity By Antagony

Deep in the darkness, seven figures stood congregated.

"The Snake, Rat, and Ox are not present, due to conflicting schedules," an elderly man spoke. "However, the Monkey..."

"He always does this," the Tiger interjected gruffly.

"Dally not on such a frivolous jack," the Dog cooed, in a deep, beautiful male voice. "Thy worry yields naught."

"He lacks respect," the Tiger retorted. "Thinks he’s above the rules or something."

"I'm more concerned with the fact that the Dragon was scared away by a child..." the Sheep spoke up with a wavering female voice. "If only the Snake would have gone after the Daughter himself, we would have been able to avoid this whole mess."

"He has an identity to uphold. The point is, the old Rooster failed, and the one we believe to be the Daughter was somehow picked up by the Knights," the Rabbit answered. "Don't ask me how it happened. He took responsibility for the mistake by sending the Dragon in retaliation...and luckily, the Dragon's internal camera survived the damage. There's no doubt about it now: she is the one. And from the looks of it, the Knights must be training her."

"Sounds like all-out war with the Guild is inevitable now," the Horse commented in her husky voice.

"Yes," the Rabbit replied. "I’ve already set plans into motion so we can do just that with a favorable advantage – in Belmarc."

As the Rabbit went on to explain the plan, Winslow stood silently among them, trying his best to keep up with everything. The Dark Zodiacs were currently gathered in the darkest corners of the abyssal subterrane known as Pandemonium. On top of that, he still had yet to see most of his fellow Zodiacs’ faces, so he had no choice but to memorize them by voice and aura alone.

The mental visualization of psynergy auras required a great deal of mental energy, but Winslow knew that had to be how the rest of the Zodiacs were able to remain at ease in such a disorienting condition. Instead of straining his eyes to visualize the physical forms standing in the dark, he searched his mind for their auras.

It helped that in addition to unique psynergy flows, each person's aura possessed a unique shade of color and texture. In a way, it was like browsing through psychic thumbprints. Since he was still out of the loop with most of the topics discussed during the meetings, Winslow used the time to sit back and examine each of his new allies' auras.

As the discussion about Belmarc continued, Winslow noticed a fiery orange aura move up to a pale blue one. So far, it seemed to Winslow like the Zodiacs operated as an alliance of powerful terrorists who each worked on their own separate operations. Certain members were closer to each other, while others seemed estranged, or perhaps merely indifferent. Somehow, they were willing to trust each other, if only due to the fact that they shared the same goal: power.

"Bruce and I will head now to the city of Enmetropolis in Belmarc to meet with our contact." The Rabbit spoke this line louder than the previous ones, indicating that it was addressed to all present. "Any objections?"

There was a long silence, which meant agreement. In this world, to speak up was to put yourself at risk in more than just a physical sense.

And with that recent incident in Despair, I put my own reputation at risk, Winslow fretted. Now they probably all think I'm unreliable.

I wanted to join them...I passed their tests and killed the people they told me to. Did I make a big mistake? I'm in deep now. At first, I was so proud, but Averyl’s intervention was humiliating. I still have a long way to go. I need to close the gap of power between myself and the rest of them if I ever want to control my own life again.

Sometimes, to undermine a devil, a man needs to become one himself. And what better place to start than in the darkness?

*

Vance slowly picked up his blood-caked body in the cold, silent cave. After a few moments of silent reflection, his loss to Winslow was just water under the bridge. What tortured his soul now was the man who had apprehended the "Rooster" of the Dark Zodiacs – the man who had somehow known his name.

Winslow was strong, but that’s it. Averyl...what was that feeling he gave me? The moment I saw him, fear gripped me...why?

"You made a mistake today," Cliff called out from the side of the cave. "but it wasn't just you. I made one as well. And so did Winslow."

Vance silently turned his head to see Cliff with a protective arm around Eden.

"The important thing about mistakes is to make sure you learn from them. But honestly, I'm not sure what I should do now."

Vance averted his eyes. "Are you done? Get to the point already...if you even have one."

"Well," Cliff let out a deep sigh. "Let me just say this, Vance: you’ve proven that you can use psynergy. You have potential. But you also have a serious attitude problem. I can’t work with people who don’t want to cooperate with me, and unfortunately for you, I’m the only connection you have to a safe haven outside of Earth."

Eden joined in. "Vance, the Guild might be able to help you find Victoria. But they’re not going to help you if you treat them the same way you’ve been treating Cliff."

Irritation rippled through Vance’s body. He clenched his fists as the chastising flowed through his mind, reminding him of how wrong and hopeless he was. It meant that he was most likely wrong about his mother, too. Vance could see Naomi gloating in the distance, laughing at his pain. She had been right all along.

Cliff looked at Vance sadly, then pulled the tunneler out of his coat. "In any case, Vance, just try to get your own thoughts in order. We failed our mission, so we need to head back to the Guild at once."

"We didn’t fail the mission," Eden spoke up. "The Seneschal told you to check on the 4^th division and come back at once, remember?"

Cliff let out another sigh opened the portal. "We lost the clock. That was the real mission."

Vance watched the alien door appear on the wall. "So, we're going to another dimension, or what?"

"Yeah," Eden answered in an irritated tone. "It may seem a bit weird, but I'm sure you can get used to it, tough guy."

Vance snorted in response, but couldn't think of an appropriate retort. Cliff and Eden stepped through the portal without delay, and he soon followed.

Whiteness overcame Vance's vanishing vision, paralyzing and elating him. He felt as if his body, mind, and soul were all being rearranged into places they didn't belong. It was different from when the clock had transported him...much different. It was forced, and his inner body was rejecting it. He felt dead, alive, immaterial. And by the time his body appeared in one of the Guild’s transparent rooms, he was unconscious.

*

"His body must have been too exhausted for the jump." Cliff knelt down and gave Vance’s body a rustle within the transparent chamber. "Vance, wake up. Welcome to the Guild of Dimensional Knights."

"Get off me. I don't need your help..." Vance muttered, groggily pulling himself up. "Just tell me what the hell that was."

"Tunneling. We hopped dimensions manually," Eden answered.

She watched as he stepped across the room, scowling and avoiding eye contact with his two companions. When she first met him on the bed in Despair, Eden thought she had seen something in him...that same power she remembered feeling from Victoria.

Expectations are just that, though, she realized. Maybe my portrait of Victoria was just painted too deeply with nostalgia. There's no way the woman I thought I knew could have raised such a jerk.

A  crescent moon rose high in the evening sky. The pale moonlight mixed in with the glow from the neon lights that lined the labyrinthine corridors, making Eden feel like a ghost. As they moved down the æsotech hallway, Eden watched Cliff undergo another brain scan.

Vance was really getting on his nerves back there...and I know it’s mostly because Cliff feels so protective of me. I’m not some item for them to fight over, and I’ll prove that to them no matter how long it takes...same goes for the Dark Zodiacs.

"We have to report in to the Seneschal at once." Cliff declared coldly, as he marched toward the command center.

"Is he going to be angry?" Eden moved closer to Cliff, creating a barrier between him and Vance.

"It doesn’t matter now," Cliff said in a defeated tone. "The Zodiacs are now one step closer to their goal, and we've just lost one of our finite chances at recovery."

"But that can't be our fault!" Eden raised her voice, stopping in her tracks. She couldn't hold it down any longer. "Cliff, it just can't be! No one would have expected us to beat those guys!"

"I should have been able to." Cliff's voice became graver by the second. "The only person you can ever blame for a failure is yourself."

This only made Eden fume more, and she began walking again, this time with furious clacks. "I don't buy that!"

"Shut up, would you?" Vance spoke up. "You’re definitely not making him feel better, in case you haven't noticed yet."

Refusing to turn around, Eden just kept moving forward until they reached the dome in the center of the Guild. This time, Knights were everywhere, rushing from one screen to another.

"Seneschal," Cliff called out. "It's Vice-Captain Walden, reporting back from Despair!"

Tao glided gracefully out from a crowd of Knights lining the screened walls. "Cliff!" he answered. "I'm glad to see you made it back safely. How did it go?"

"We found an Earthling stranded on Despair. He’s standing next to Eden now. We also failed to recover the clock. In the cave, we were intercepted by two Zodiacs. The other had already delivered it to his allies by the time we became aware of his presence. They also killed the excavation team, so someone will need to be sent back to Despair to gather the bodies and give them a proper burial."

Tao sighed. "So we not only lost the third clock, but precious allies. May God rest their souls. Did you recognize the two Zodiacs?"

"I've never seen them before," Cliff said. "But maybe Captain Azuka would be fami-"

"We'll talk about that later." Tao said, raising a hand to stop Cliff. "First, how is Eden?"

"She–"

"I’m fine," Eden fumed.

"I also managed to pick up another Earthling somehow," Cliff added warily. "He too could use psynergy once I taught him about it."

"I see," Tao continued. "Is he skilled?"

Cliff thought for a moment, then reluctantly answered. "I'd say he has potential."

Vance crossed his arms and eyed the Guild's leader. "My name's Vance Darcouver," he muttered awkwardly. "Nice, uh, place you got here."

Cliff moved in close to Tao and lowered his voice. "He has a horrible attitude, and won’t follow any of my directions. I don’t know what to do with him, or Eden, for that matter. She knows we’re hiding something from her, and I don’t know how much longer her patience will hold out."

Hearing this, Tao let out a small chuckle and patted Cliff on the shoulder. "It seems our capricious God has given you quite the task to carry out."

Cliff looked flummoxed. "But–"

"Hold that thought." The Seneschal held up a hand and moved forward. "Vance, would you please come over here?"

Vance kept his arms crossed as he stepped toward the man. With their bodies inches apart, Vance stood a good half-foot taller than the Seneschal. Tao looked closely at Vance, and his face lit up, as if a wave of deja vu had rushed over him.

"Those eyes..." the Seneschal murmured.

Vance furrowed his brow. "What about them?"

"N-nothing," Tao said, wiping perspiration from his forehead.

"Look, I know I'm not an Earthling..." Vance sighed, looking from Tao to Cliff, "and that's fine with me. I just wanna know where I’m really from."

"The truth could be more startling than you think." Tao's eyes glowed. "But it's good that you have potential. Perhaps now I won't need to worry about finding someone to accompany Cliff on his next mission."

"What now?" Cliff raised an eyebrow. "What's happened since I left? And where's Captain Azuka?"

"All in due time, Vice-Captain Walden," Tao spoke slowly. "Vance, you look like you could use some medical assistance. I want the rest of you to head back to your quarters for today and rest – not your bodies, but your minds. Do something other than thinking, brooding, and arguing. Tomorrow, I'll brief you and you can be on your way. Eden, if you'd be so kind as to show Vance to the medical wing, I’d greatly appreciate it."

Cliff was visibly agitated, but his obedience won out. "Yes sir."

Eden gave the Seneschal a nod, then locked eyes with Cliff one last time before leaving. Cliff sent her back a weak stare, and then he was gone.

Vance turned to Eden immediately as they entered the hallway. "Did you see the way that guy looked at me? Maybe my mom was a dimensional pirate or something. How cool would that be?"

Eden could only marvel at the boyish excitement that had suddenly possessed the brooding teenager. "You're sure taking this a lot better than I did. I guess there's no question about Victoria being your mother, because you two look so much alike. But what about your dad?"

"Who knows." Vance shook his head. "I don't even miss him. Or Earth at all, for that matter."

"Why not?" Eden asked. "I mean, Victoria must have chosen your father for a reason, right? She also chose to live on Earth."

Vance stopped for a moment and gave Eden a deep stare. "You really loved my mom, didn't you? How come?"

"I don't know," Eden replied. "In a way, she felt like a third parent to me. My foster parents loved her too. I guess everyone did."

"They did." Vance nodded, pausing for a moment. "She’s got to be out there somewhere. They never found her body. And you and I, meeting like this? There’s no way it could be a coincidence. She must have helped us somehow!"

Eden watched Vance's excitement grow, feeling his dark purple aura rising with his emotions. "Well, I hope she lets us find her soon," she said softly. "I don’t know who my real parents are, and maybe I never will...as of now, she’s the only family member I have left."

Silence descended on the two teenagers as they reached the medical wing. Knights bustled to and fro, preparing to retire for the evening.

"Eden," Vance called out suddenly. "I'm sorry for what happened in the mine."

"Huh?" Eden spat out. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

"I dunno." Vance shrugged. "I'm just saying. I won't let it happen again. I'm going to get stronger. So don’t worry, okay?"

Eden merely shook her head in disbelief. If only they could hear themselves...

Next: The Sundered Warrior