Chapter 34: Home

“No, no, no,” Golden Robes shouted. “Drink from the cup, then eat the leaf. I swear sometimes you act so immature.”

Dan held off from looking at his captor, keeping his shoulders low and his attention on the platter of pain before him. While the objects were mundane and normal looking, he could feel the magical power that poured from each ingredient.

The leaf took first place, however. Its red stem and prickly edges leaked potent sap from where it was separated from its majority. A simple waft was enough to express to Dan that the leaf was poisonous, at least magically poisonous.

The cup was nothing special, but the liquid within was something Golden Robes called an “amplifier.” It glistened and shimmered, reflecting the sickly green-red lights of the experimentation room while sucking in nearby air like a house vacuum.

Dan sighed internally, wondering just how many odd items he was going to have to eat. This was experiment number seven and his body still hadn’t cooled off from experiment four. Would this leaf and liquid make his body sweat like a pig, or maybe it would chill him like a penguin? Regardless, he tipped the foul liquid into his mouth, grimacing with a muted shudder.

His eyes blinked rapidly as he slammed the cup back down. Mirages of red leaves appeared on the platter, each one moving slightly out of the way when he reached for it. Beside him, Golden Robes hummed softly as he took notes.

Eventually the cultist finished scribbling and reached over, forcing the leaf down Dan’ throat. The world stopped spinning for the human, causing a plethora of words to be recorded.

“Now the next cup,” Golden Robes said gesturing to a larger copy of the same drink.

A gentle fog radiated across the water, just enough to cause a slight haze the further one looked into the distance. The fog climbed the metal supports of the oil rig, drenching the offshore drill with small beads of water. Morning dew, but without grass or plants, only the chill salty brine of the Gulf of Mexico.

Dan kept his breathing slow and deliberate as they approached, unlike his bouncing knee and taping toes. He wanted to scream, he wanted to cry. The sight was beautiful but also one of heartache. Being on Earth was something he only dreamed about while a slave. Being back was… not what he expected.

Twin circling helicopters, a fivesome of fighter jets passing over in long sweeps, the trademark posture of guards ready to act rather than react. The clear tents and limited guard used to be enough to watch over Dan and The Stolen, but now a small army was needed.

Dan saw the writing on the wall, Earth was to be protected. There would be no mistakes, nothing was allowed to threaten the mother world.

The Stolen behind and around him didn’t notice the change in the Association’s troops. The bright sun, the call of gulls, the rhythmic hum of the choppers. Everything was new, and for the moment they were in no threat. They took the moment, bathing in the simple things long taken from them.

The many alien forms of The Stolen reacted differently to the sun. Some dove for cover, others brightened like plants after a particularly long night cycle. Regardless, the new day brought  many things Dan had not seen in a long while.

Smiles.

They were small, guarded even, but most definitely there. Some tried to hide their feelings, others embraced the change of pace. Those older few cried with their heads bowed to Dan and the nearest soldiers. They pleaded in camp speak to never be taken away, to always be under the veil of the sun even if it meant going blind.

“I hear you guys,” Dan spoke softly. “I’m glad you all made it.”

Even those too far gone brightened up. Like a fresh and full breath to a smoker, everyone simply took in the sight before them.

Eventually Dan sat back from all the excitement. Those around him still cheered and celebrated among themselves, but the ship’s damage extended the trip. The USS Herald was on its last legs, at least until major repairs could be made. It would be a few hours until they officially docked, giving Dan plenty of time to review his cores.

Light: Deliverance  18.93

Light: Strife   18.61

Light: Manipulate   19.28

Light: Preservation   17.01

Light: Intensity  89.77

Blood: Bestow  26.62

Blood: Intensify  13.48

Blood: Savage     1.18

Blood: Congeal       .45

Dan's eyes widened at the visualization of Light: Intensity. The crowd aweing effect of the powerword had caused it to increase without obstacle, pushing his understanding and grip on the world to new heights. It was subtle but well within his wheelhouse of noticing. He was glowing, something he assumed only he could see during the day light.

The effect cleared when he thought about it, ending like a severed rope. Dan did catch Shadow’s eyes looking to him, but the man quickly turned away, back to his post.

Was this one step closer to enlightenment, as Sully explained the high priest reached? Or was magic more fluid than a singular path? Dan questioned just what the high priest could have achieved by passing through the double red doors leading into the heart of B’hithazad, especially since Sully felt the need to tell him as much.

As the ship neared the oil rig, the thought dawned on him as he watched the twin helicopters land side by side. The rig was a fortress now, his evolved eyes could make out heavy machine guns bolted and or welded to the infrastructure.

Is… is Earth in danger? The question fluttered around Dan’s head like an unruly concussion. It came and went, each time bringing new avenues of thought, none of which was good.

The high priest, Dan decided, was a threat. If and when he escaped from the red gates, he would start to rebuild, right? He would start to take those within the forest, replace the dome, replace the burnt homes. Then he’d need population. Minions to do the grunt work, slaves to do the labor.

And Earth was a gold mine for people – weak people like Dan used to be.

Dan’s leg bounced with increased vigor and his frown deepened with every pass. His breath slowed and stiffened, each inhale getting caught in the void of his chest. He finally gasped, touching his cores with a greedy hand. Color returned to the world, cooling his inflamed veins.

Movement caught his attention, pulling Dan’s eyes to his feet. A tendril of madness had crossed the boundary, one thinner than the hair-like strands of the camp, but madness, nonetheless. He crushed it like the vermin it was.

Shadow watched him with interested eyes, his jaw moving up and down in hushed whispers. Dan frowned at the sight, straining to hear the conversation in the man’s ear piece. Only pitched chatter could be heard, nothing of real substance.

A sigh escaped Dan’s lips, there were no enemies here. At least not yet. The high priest could wait, there were more important items to take care of.

Eventually the ship docked and skiffs were used to usher people over to the rig. Dan and the other Stolen were brought over in a slow manner, something about their appearances causing the skiff drivers to suddenly become seasick.

“Just how many people in the Association have cores?” Dan asked. “Because this is going to get old very fast if anyone turns into that every time one of us nears.”

He gestured to a woman spilling her lunch, breakfast, and last night’s dinner over the edge of the transport boat. Shadow and Aisha watched  along with all the other Stolen and a few members of Aisha’s troop.

The woman, having heard Dan, gave him the finger while muttering to herself in between sickly throes.

Aisha answered, “Everyone, it's part of our entry program. But, as you can see, there are jobs within our operations that do not require potent cores.”

Dan rolled his eyes, internally questioning just how “potent” Aisha’s core actually was. “What about us, then? How is this going to work?”

The Troop Leader looked to Shadow for help, receiving a silent stare for her trials. With a sigh, she explained, “You all are a danger and threat to Earth. Even forgetting your ridiculous strength, The Stolen cannot be mainstream news. No news, in fact. Their existence cannot get out.”

“Fine,” Dan replied. “But I do not want them to live in a basement somewhere. Any small islands around?”

Aisha swallowed tightly, shaking her head and slowly looking off at the rough sea.

The soldiers stationed on the rig were even less welcoming than those on the USS Herald. They kept their rifles close, their eyes low, and their distaste well known. They were led through the rig on familiar routes and hallways to Dan, even passing the very lifeboat dock he had scrambled to release way back when.

He paused when he saw it, his shoulders dropping.

“These will be your new quarters,” Aisha spoke, a short walk later. “It will be a tight squeeze for now, but they are working on something more permanent.”

Dan scanned his eyes around the once mess hall, idly impressed that everything once resembling his old job was completely stripped away. Instead of tables and chairs there were cots and divider curtains, where the buffet line had been was now a long communal sink, the prep kitchen had been turned into bathrooms.

“Better be working on the island,” Dan said to Aisha as she moved to leave.

She paused at the door, an order coming through to her ear piece. “They want to see you, Dan. Tell the others you will be back shortly.”

Dan ground his teeth looking for any tricks. Shadow was the only other human around beside Aisha and himself, and for some reason, Shadow felt trustworthy. At least to the point where Dan didn’t think the man would just start indiscriminately killing.

“Everyone!” Dan shouted in camp speak. “I have been summoned. I will be back soon. If something happens, make sure to make enough noise so I can hear. I will come running, magic and all.”

He watched those paying attention give hesitant nods, but most were inspecting their new living conditions. The springiness of the cots was especially attention gathering.

“Alright, I’ll be back,” Dan said, leaving with Aisha. “Bathrooms are through those doors. Just ask Shadow if you can’t figure out how to use them.” He gave the silent man a wink.

He was led into a set of rooms that were once the managers’ offices. The walls had been knocked down, leaving one large command room. The Commander stood front and center, along with two armed guards, a man in a lab coat, and a woman in a business casual dress. Oddly enough, the woman stood when Dan entered, gesturing for him to sit.

All around the room, technicians working at the many computers that lined the room, got up and left. Once the last was gone, the Commander turned and eyed Dan. Aisha gave him a salute, turning to leave.

“You stay, Troop Leader Lowe,” the Commander spoke, causing Aisha to take post behind Dan. “In fact, let's just get this out of the way first. You are being promoted, along with your troop, to a new task force. Title, rank, and resources are yet to be decided, but you and yours will respond to the code name Stars.”

“I-I,” Aisha stuttered out before being interrupted.

“Corporal Hutch will also be a part of your group, but he will not be under your command. Any problems?”

Aisha quickly shook her head, but Dan had a question. “Who is Corporal Hutch?”

“The one you call Shadow, which will now be his code name. I’m sure he’ll be delighted,” the Commander answered. “Dan, I’d like you to meet Dr. Hersh and Dr. Reyes.” He gestured to the man and woman beside him respectively.

“Dr. Reyes will oversee your counseling as well as that of The Stolen. She will make an effort to learn their language, but it is expected that they also learn English. We will provide you will video instruction for that later on.”

Reyes stood, reaching her hand over to Dan while never looking him in the eye. He tentatively shook it, watching the woman’s face grimace under a flood of pressure. She groaned, twisting her neck and quickly sitting back.

“I-I look forward to our sessions,” Dr. Reyes said, going silent.

The Commander took the initiative. “Dr. Hersh will be working with you, as well as those of The Stolen that wish so, in understanding yourself. What you call magic, does have some science behind it, albeit our knowledge is slim.”

Dr. Hersh didn’t make the same mistake his coworker did, and only gave Dan a curt nod.

“Thank you Doctors, that will be all,” the Commander said, sending the two out.

“Look, Commander,” Dan spoke up. “I’m thankful for you taking us in, but I don’t think I want either a therapist or to be a lab rat. And the others sure as hell will not be rats while I’m around.”

The temperature of the room increased fractionally as the threat silently passed between both men. Behind Dan, Aisha stiffened her fingers twitching towards her sidepiece.

The Commander held his stare, scoffing and breaking off the standoff before too long. “Tell me, what do you know of the Association?”

“Not much, only what Bob explained before he was cut apart.”

“Right, ‘cut apart.’ Well, the Association is a global group well outside the laws of governments. Sure, we adapt or hold branches within countries when convenient, like with the USS Herald, but we do not, in fact, have a home country of origin.”

The Commander picked up a projection remote and slowly started to flip through a few slides. “We protect the world, all of Earth, from threats deemed too unsavory for modern life. Beings like The Stolen would cause mass hysteria even if they are friendly. Do you understand?”

“Not particularly,” Dan answered.

“There are many things on this planet, as well as the others we know of, that can destroy life as we know it. You are one such thing, your existence rather. Magic, monsters, gods. Which is why we want you in an amicable relationship. Frankly we need your help, even if we do not seem like it.”

The slide swapped to a photo of a familiar beach with a familiar forest covered in a dense storm of blood. Dan swallowed and shifted uncomfortably at the sight, even as the photos changed. The next one was into the forest, the one  further away from the beach, the one after that of a monster, the last was of the monster charging.

“These were taken about thirty six hours after you were estimated to pass the boundary with ‘Bob.’” the Commander said. “Six teams were sent into the forest at various points, each returning in various means of health – or not at all. That makes you special, Dan Walton.”

“Because I returned,” he supplied.

“Because you  returned,” the Commander echoed. “So, take what I say next without a grain of salt. You house information vital to the success of our species and world. There have already been nineteen appearances of undocumented monsters since this portal’s opening, and that’s just one of three. Most invitations, for lack of a better word, ended in bloodshed even uncommon in Association operations. So, you should be able to see-”

“One of three?” Dan interrupted.

The man frowned but nodded. “Three portals opened simultaneously on Earth. One in the South Pacific ocean, one in the mountains of Mongolia, and one here, in the Gulf of Mexico.”

“And they all lead to the Blood Rains?”

“No, only this one. The Russian and Chinese branches of the Association have already investigated the portal in Mongolia, and reported it as mountainous. But the one in the Pacific has only had probes sent into it. No land has been found within.”

Dan tilted his head. “Let me guess, it’s just been ocean?”

The Commander shook his head. “No, there has been nothing. Only darkness.” He paused, thinking over his next words. “In your report about your time beyond the boundary, you mentioned the Void several times.”

Dan’s vision flickered for a moment, returning him into the great darkness he was once imprisoned in. It was only for a heartbeat, a blink of the eyes, but he felt his world sunder and regrow in that moment. When his vision returned, Sully, the old, stood in the corner, watching intently.

Dan’s silence had caused both the Commander and Aisha to trace his stare, finding an empty wall beside the screensavers of a few computers.

Sully winked out of existence, causing Dan to swallow and unclench his fist. “Sorry,” he said. “I know about the Void somewhat, yes.”

“What do you know about its inhabitants?”

“Not much. I only fought against one, and I now  feel like it was a baby or incredibly weak.”

The Commander raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think that?”

“Because I’m still alive,” Dan said with a fearful chuckle. “The things in the Void are old. Much older than you or me, or the Earth for that matter. Maybe even older than the universe. There are beings that can see the future and only accept the tears of other Voidlings as payment for their services.”

“So they are sentient. They have structure there?”

Dan scoffed. “Yeah, it’s called survival of the fittest. A being of the Void left the Void to worship a god in the Blood Rains, so there will always be bigger fish in the sea, but I suggest no one ever enters that portal.”

The Commander nodded along. “That goes without saying,” He paused again, his thumb tapping against the remote. “That doesn’t mean things can’t exit the portal.”

Dan’s eyes hardened. “What came through?”

“Don’t worry, we were able to capture it. It surrendered right away.”

Dan stood, his core flaring to life. “No, what came through? Tell me.”

The pressure of the room bubbled over, sending the paling Commander to sit down while freezing Aisha in place as she reached for her gun. With a flash of golden light, a cut appeared down the soldier’s leg as a blade sliced away the gun holster. Blood spilled into the carpet before the wound was healed over with a brilliant shine.

“What came over?” Dan repeated once more.

The Commander had fallen from the chair, his shaking hands gripping the ground as he failed to crawl away. Dan redoubled the effects of his magic, pushing his blood core to work. Slowly the man felt his body run cold, anger and fear driving into his spine even though the man’s core fought against the influence.

“A-a-a man!” the Commander shouted. “Just a man!”

Just then the computers around the room lit up as their monitors woke. Alerts and alarms sounded in the command room before blaring throughout the entire rig.

“What is this?” Dan asked, releasing his grasp on his two captives.

“A boundary breach,” Aisha answered, rubbing her leg where a deep cut had once been. “In our jurisdiction.”

“Well then, Commander,” Dan said, his iris turning golden and sharp. “Let me start with that ‘help.’ Point me in the right direction. When I get back, we are going to have a long discussion about this man.”

Somewhere deep within an Association stronghold, far underground through multiple feet of solid reinforced concrete, a man sat. His closed eyes told those watching through security cameras the man was asleep, but in reality he was biding his time.

Something came to his attention half-a- world away, however, causing him to slowly open his eyes.

He smiled.