Chapter 41: Home sweet home

I glanced down at the others, Samuel and John clutched at their weapons like their lives depended on it. 

“There’s no telling what we’ll see from here, be ready for everything,” I said. 

The two nodded seriously while Nea feigned indifference. Her eyes darted around, the flush on her cheeks paled, her hands shook. She was nervous. I turned to hide my smirk. 

You could cut the tension with a knife. I kept my eyes at the looming gates left ajar by the statues.

The others looked around nervously, trying desperately to keep all angles under supervision at all times. 

Maybe thanks to their vigilance, something finally went our way. We made it up the last steps without issue.

“Right,” I began and stared up at the enormous gate, “any last preparations?” 

I looked at the others, they nodded back, confirming that there were none to be made. 

I smiled. “Well then let’s get this show on the road.”

The gap was large enough that we could walk through it two people at a time, shoulder to shoulder. A testament to its terrifying size. I took a breath as the familiar corridors of cracked stones and bullet altar appeared before me again. The taste of what I assumed to be sulphur tingled at my tongue. I savoured it, relished it. “It’s good to be home,” I muttered. Because that’s what this place was. Despite me only having shitty memories of it. This was the most familiar place to me here.

I exhaled and padded the bolt on my rifle, checking to see that it was locked in place. It just reminded me again of how little ammunition I had left. 

“What are these…?” Nea whispered to my side, gently touching one of the altars. 

“Bullet altars,” I said without much thought. “The soldiers who managed to slay blessed retrieved the bullets and used to build these things. They’re a testament to their skill on the battlefield.” I pointed down the corridor and let the words sink in as they gazed down its full length.

The sheer amount of the altars seemed unending. They didn’t know yet that this was only one of many such corridors. The war that raged in the forgotten lands could not be compared to any that had ever plagued earth. Its scale was completely staggering, completely mind boggling. Especially considering each and every one of the altars were combined of what looked like tens of bullets. More blessed than I wanted to count must have been killed to make them.

So much for being superhuman, I chuckled to myself.

“All of these… killed blessed?” Samuel asked with a quivering voice.

“That’s what the runes say.” 

“You can read the runes?” Nea asked, eyebrows raised, signalling it was my turn to be shocked. 

I turned to her, brows knitted. “Can’t everyone?”

She shook her head while maintaining eye contact. “No… only those who studied for years. And even then most struggle.” 

I cleared my throat. “Well. I guess I just pick things up easily?” 

She looked me over, her eyes wandering from my face to my toes, then back up again. “Sure…” she muttered. 

Samuel ran up alongside me. “Were blessed people common here?”

“Not sure. Don’t think so considering the Empire only gave out one bullet each to the soldiers before a battle.” 

“But then…” he said and swallowed. “How many died?” 

“Enough to almost wipe out the world, I guess? I’m not the most knowledgeable about this stuff. Didn’t Hugo or Joanna tell you anything?”

“No. They always say I’m too young.” He sulked and looked down, eyebrows furrowed. “I’m not a kid. I can pull my own weight.” 

I chuckled. “I’m sure you can.”  

“I’m not kidding. Even Hugo struggles when we spar.” 

I raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? What’s your blessing?” 

“Tsk. Obviously I’m not gullible enough to tell you.” 

I smirked. “Good for you.” 

As we walked further inside, the stench of sulphur increased. I didn’t remember it being so potent the last time around. 

It wasn’t far to the chamber. From there we just had to make a few detours. One to the armoury to resupply, and then wherever the so called ‘leaders’ of the group wanted their delegates to go. 

They disguised their intent poorly. They were all just looking for a way to assert more power over the others. Joanna and Samara being from opposing factions didn’t help anybody. Least of all themselves. But still, it was like they couldn’t help themselves from arguing.

Something must have happened when I was out. Something that could be very harmful to the group if they didn’t squash their beef. 

I knew it wasn’t my place to meddle, but I sure as hell wouldn’t let them fuck things up for something so stupid as ‘power’. 

“It’s just down this way,” I said and pointed at the bend ahead. “Stay alert.” 

“Wait,” Samuel said and pulled at my coat. I turned to ask him why but stopped myself. His eyes were closed in deep concentration. 

He opened them again and spoke softly. “It’s clear.” 

I raised my brows. 

He rolled his eyes and groaned. “Just trust me on this one.” He walked around the corner, not even bothering to take a quick peek.

I looked at the others, John shrugged and Nea pretended to not be worried. We hurried to catch up. Samuel hadn’t gotten very far before he froze. He stood in the mouth of the large archway, looking into the torture chamber, and more specifically—Sera’s body. 

“Don’t worry,” I said and gave him a pat on the back. “She’s dead.” 

He jumped a little at my touch. “I- I can see that! Obviously!” 

The other two caught up and looked around the room, eyes wandering from the cages to the insanely tall ceiling and the window up top, then down to Sera. 

John cleared his throat. “This is where you woke up?” 

I brushed my finger against the weathered stone wall, feeling it’s every indent, all the jagged pieces that pricked at my skin. “Yeah.” I sighed. This place had been the start of my new life. A life I shared with a strangely demon-like woman, Qui’Secat, Sera. 

“Yikes…” Samuel exhaled.

“That’s right,” I said and walked over to the cage that had been my home. I gave the metallic bars a hard slap. “And this. This was my crib.” 

I turned to the others with a large smile. “What?” I asked and wiped the smile from my face. 

John put a hand on my shoulder. “Sorry about giving you a hard time. You had it rough, huh?”

I shrugged his hand off with a roll of my shoulder, glaring at his despicably well kempt stubble. “What? I’m not looking for any pity.” 

He stayed silent, and just stared. 

“I mean it,” I said with a shiver, my shoulders trembling with unease. “Stop that shit. It’s gross.” 

Nea cleared her throat. “Where to now?” 

“Depends. Where have you been told to go?” I asked, a faint smile on my lips.

Her eyes widened momentarily, she stumbled to find the right words, and before she could, Samuel spoke up. “Hugo told me to look for relics. Or accolades.” 

I snickered at Nea, and turned to the teen. “Thank you for your honesty, Sam-” 

“Samuel,” he corrected me with a growl. 

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever,” I said and waved it off. “I left an accolade in one of the corridors. If no one’s been here yet it should still be around. But first we get the vial ammo.” 

They agreed with a simultaneous nod, confirming that Samuel had spoken truthfully. I half expected it to be worse than going on a hunt for accolades. However, it still wasn’t a good sign. Far from it. It showed that they were trying to strengthen their factions. Normally that would be a good thing. That was, if I didn’t suspect one of them might be opting to use said power to throttle the other.

We began the walk to the armoury. The thoughts kept plaguing me, so I did what any self-respecting young man would. I asked, “What the fuck even happened while I was out? All of a sudden you’re all grouped up. Hugo’s disagreeing with Joanna despite being from the order. It makes no sense.” 

John coughed. “There’s no power struggle.”   

I clicked my tongue. “Shut the fuck up John. It’s clear as day.” 

His eyes grew wide at the insult, his lower lip trembling, at a loss for words. He wasn’t used to people behaving like this around him. I knew that for a fact. Even the young girls fawned over him like he was some idol.

Nea sighed. “Alright. Fine. There’s some discontent. But that’s all.” 

“Why?” 

“Differing opinions. Friction. You were at the meeting. You saw for yourself.” 

I shook my head, chewing on my cheek. “That’s not enough. Differing opinions would not have them trying to arm themselves for potential conflict.” 

“The conflict with the horde and the Slitherstitch doesn’t warrant arming themselves?” 

“Not to the extent that they send three of their most veteran fighters to a danger zone.” 

“Hey,” Samuel complained.

“Oh shush. Obviously I meant John.” 

John took the jab surprisingly well, even chuckling a little to my side. His attempts at covering it were shoddy. To my surprise, I grinned a little at the small victory. Maybe there was more to the guy than his blonde himbo hunk image let on.

Nea sighed. “Right. Well. There might be a tiny bit of a power struggle going on. Nothing major. I’m sure they will work it out amongst themselves.” 

“This doesn’t work if we are separated. You can’t go picking sides.” 

“You know we can’t promise anything like that. We’ve been with Samara since we were children.” 

I groaned, and looked at John. “You too?” 

“Yup.” 

“What, did you go to a boarding school for blessed too? Is this something common all of a sudden?”  

“Kind of. Before the ruptures, if someone went to the forgotten lands, then they were kind of stuck with the responsibility until death. Naturally, all of us who fall under Solburne's control stick together.” 

I scoffed. “You signed up to be under their control?” 

She smiled, eyes distant. “Is that so odd? We just wanted to help others. Bea and I always looked up to our teachers, we wanted to be like them.” 

“You couldn’t teach without being blessed?” 

“Not the Solburne children. Their curriculum is different. We are taught runes, combat, survival… All classes need teachers who have seen the Forgotten lands. Not schmuck’s who read about it.”

“So you’re trained?” 

“Yes,” she answered solemnly.

I chortled. “And yet you can’t tell up from down? It sure doesn’t feel like I’m with a bunch of veterans here.” 

She didn’t turn to me, but I could hear in her voice that I overstepped. “We didn’t expect to end up in the empire. And we sure as shit didn’t expect getting swallowed by a rupture when on a business trip.” 

I quieted down, deciding not to push further. 

***

They gaped at the sight of the mural leading up to the round door, and practically dropped their jaws when we finally entered the workshop. They stared in awe at the fierce warrior towering behind the pulpit like a god of victory.

“Do you know who that is?” Nea asked. 

“No. You?”

She shook her head.

“You’d think someone who wants to be a teacher would know at least some things.” 

She sighed. “Bea was the… theoritcally inclined one. I was better at the physical stuff.” 

I nodded to myself. That wasn’t surprising. I’d seen her rip heads clean off bodies. If she could do that and have brains, then that would be the same as cheating. Nobody deserved to have it all. Well except for me of course, but I had suffered enough to warrant some good karma. Should be coming any day now. 

I shoved as many bullets into my satchel as it could hold. When I was done it was practically bursting at the seams. There was still more ammo remaining. A lot of it. I nodded at the others and had them pack some extra in their bags. They weren’t as liberal with wasting space, but they didn’t skimp out either. When we were done, and the shelves were emptied, I took one last look at the room, the pulpit, the book, the painting. 

I sighed, and turned to the others with a clap. “Let’s go have a look at the accolades then. Unless you’ve changed your minds?” I really hope you’ve changed your minds.

They shook their heads in synchrony. I groaned. “Right this way then.” 

***

The shrine filled halls lost their grandeur quickly. Not the one we were heading to now though. Sweat poured down our faces as we trudged through the corridor leading to the inferno. 

“Where are you taking us?” John asked with a bitter tone to his voice. 

“This is what you wanted, you only have yourself to blame.” 

“I didn’t know you’d be leading us straight into an oven.” 

“Stop whinging. It’s just around the corner.” 

We turned the corner and came face to face with my old nemesis. 

The jailor’s stench filled the hall. My tripwire had decayed to where ever it was that magic went when it ran out of power. The broken pieces of a once grand painting laid on top. 

“Is that a…” John muttered.

“A jailor. Yes,” I said and turned to him with a smile. “I was lucky.”

He nodded absentmindedly and walked up to it. Braving the stench of rotting flesh being left in a warm room. The jailor’s face hung unnaturally to the side, his torso bloated like a corpse balloon. 

“Shit...” Nea whimpered and covered her nose. 

“This...” John muttered and prodded at the engine. “Samuel, come help me with this.” 

“No way!” he protested with his hands pressed against his mouth and nose. 

I chuckled and shoved him forward, amplifying it just a tad with burst. 

I didn’t think it would send the poor kid barrelling straight at them both.