chapter Twenty-Four
It was a full day since they had left Zurn, and Inim was theirs now, too. It had been even easier than Zurn because as soon as the fighting had started, the citizens had joined in on the overthrow. Now, Mathieu’s unit was milling about with the citizens, eating a meal that the women had worked together to prepare.
Mathieu sat between Erik and some random man that had joined in the fight. He’d spent every free moment since the fight healing people he didn’t know, and now he was wolfing down food to build his energy back up. He was just excited that for the most part, the fight had been uneventful for him. Mathieu had killed a few people, but didn’t really need to fight with so many civilians pitching in.
Enak leaned over Erik and patted Mathieu’s knee, “Hey, I know that you’re tired…but this is as close as we’ll be to my mother…” Enak’s voice was a mixture of hopeful and hesitant.
“Oh…Alright.” He groaned as he got to his feet. “How do we get there?”
“Well, she’s in a cave in the mountains just south of Norv. If just you and I go, I could get us there in about than twenty minutes.”
Mathieu nodded, “Yeah, that’s fine. We can go now.” His body ached from the drain on his energy, and he was developing a migraine. However, a promise was a promise.
The boy god’s face spilt into a big grin and he took Mathieu’s hand, pulling him behind a building. “I’m going to use some magic. Try not to get nauseated, okay?” Enak took a hold of Mathieu’s hand.
“Jeez, this is going to be so fu--”
On some level he was thankful that Enak had warned him, because it took all of his focus to not hurl once they started moving. The ground was speeding under their feet in a blur of color, and the air tugged at his flesh in a truly painful way. The only benefit of moving so fast was that the change in altitude as they flew over the mountains didn’t affect him. The boy god was almost spot-on with how long it would take for them to get there. They came to a screeching halt at the mouth of a cave. “I feel her strongest here.”
“Your mom is in there?” Mathieu said doubtfully.
“Yes.”
“Well, alright then…” He let go of Enak’s hand and peeked into the darkness. His gut tightened but he let his hand rest on the pummel of his sword. He had promised to free her. “Might as well go in…” His nose told him that something green was decaying from within the depths of the cave as he stepped over the threshold. The air was warm and moist, making his throat feel clogged. He stumbled over a root and caught himself on a slimy wall. Overall, his impression of the place was not pleasant. Mathieu was a bit glad that he couldn’t see clearly.
A small hand on his back made him jump, but he calmed himself quickly, remembering that Enak was with him. Since his hand was already covered in guck, he used the wall as a guide into the cave. It was odd because the deeper they went, the more he could see. He was fairly sure it wasn’t just his eyes adjusting to the darkness.
“Look. Crystals.” Enak’s voice said from behind him.
Mathieu looked around for a moment before he spotted what Enak was talking about. There were small, soft pink crystals the size of his palm inlaid along the junction of the wall and the floor of the cave. The harder he looked, the brighter they seemed to get until he could see exactly how wide the cave was, and that at the end there was an impenetrable darkness.
“I think it’s just ahead,” Mathieu said softly. The darkness seemed to be unnatural.
Enak’s hand pressed harder still into his back, “This is nerve-racking.”
“It’ll be okay.” They had reached the darkness and were standing in front of it, side by side. “Okay. He goes.” Mathieu walked into the darkness and didn’t stop. The consistency of it was surprisingly light, and it flowed around him in a cool way, unlike the humid air of before.
He broke through the other side and after only a few moments, Enak joined him. Just before them were wrought iron bars set into the walls, spanning across the entire width of the cave. The area wasn’t very wide across, and Mathieu could see nothing beyond the bars.
“She’s here!” Enak exclaimed and ran to the bars, gripping them tightly in his small hands. He was as excited as the child he pretended to be.
Almost immediately, pale hands wrapped over the boy god’s and a pair of glowing eyes appeared just above Enak’s head. “Svenak, my child, what are you doing here?”
“Mama! We’ve come to free you! Okay? Stand back and I’ll try to pry this open.” Enak started pulling at the bars, but they refused to budge.
Mathieu put a hand on his shoulder, “Let me…” He pulled out his sword and let his energy twine into the space between. Then he slid the blade through the bars like they were made of butter, cutting a fair sized hole in the cell for her.
Enak reached into the opening to help his mother through. “Mom…” He looked at Mathieu, “This is my mama, Naiadia.”
Mathieu wasn’t quite sure what he had expected Enak’s mother to look like, but it wasn’t this. Naiadia was just barely taller than Enak, and managed to look willowy, even at such a short height. Her eyes were overly large for her head, and her hands were too small; her face was contorted into an ugly sneer. She was clad in something like a dirty sheet wrapped around and around her until Mathieu wasn’t sure just how much of her frame was sheet and how much was her actual body.
“How polite, Svenak. A snack.” Her voice was hallow and reverberated around the space.
The boy god held her hand tightly, “No, Mama. He helped save you…please don’t eat him.”
Mathieu wasn’t sure how he felt about being talking about in such a way, but he did know that the mouth full of sharp teeth Naiadia sported weren’t making him feel very safe. “Not to be rude, ma’am, but Enak and I need to get going. The others will probably be waiting for us…”
Enak nodded, “Oh yeah. That’s true.” He looked between his mother and Mathieu, “Well, Mom…I should get going. You should go home, okay? I’ll…I’ll try to come home when I can.”
She growled softly but let go of her son’s hand. Glowing eyes slid over Mathieu, surveying every inch of him. “You wear my child‘s power on your wrist...”
“Yes, Mama, he does. His father, Erik Roman, came and found me…let’s see…twenty-one years ago, I think.”
“You’ve been living outside of our realm for that long?” She petted his hair soothingly.
Enak smiled, “Yeah. It’s not so bad. And now Mathieu is going to talk over Unith in an act of vengeance. Isn’t that nice? You always did like vengeance.”
Naiadia looked at her son, “Are they good people?”
Her son nodded, smiling like a small child seeking his mother’s approval. “Yes. They’re…my friends. Especially Mathieu. He doesn’t think I’m weird.”
“Yes is very nice of him. Very well, then. I will give you something, friend of Svenak.”
“Uh?” Mathieu said, feeling very left out of their conversation up to this point.
Naiadia reached out and placed her hand on his wrist. Her hands were much stronger than their brittle appearance would have him believe, and her skin was like ice. It even created the cold heat that ice did. When she pulled her hand back, there was a crystal-like object embedded in his skin. “There. A gift for you.”
“What is it?” Mathieu asked, brow furrowed.
Enak looked at Mathieu’s wrist and gasped. “Are you sure Mama?” The goddess nodded. “Mathieu, she just gave you a favor from the gods. The things a single favor from the gods can do are the things of myths.”
“Enough chatter. You two have somewhere to be, don‘t you?” Naiadia snapped her fingers and in the time it took him to blink, he was standing with Enak, back in the alley they had left from. Mathieu looked around, confused.
Mathieu looked around, disoriente. Enak shook his head and rubbed his eyes. “We…should go find the others.” The boy god suggested.
“Okay…” Mathieu followed Enak back into the square. And everyone was exactly where they had left them.
“She must have turned back the clock…” Enak said in a state of semi-amazement. “And she gave you a favor. She must have been really thankful to be free.”
“She threatened to eat me,” Mathieu deadpanned. “But she does seem powerful…”
Enak laughed. “She was joking. She only eats sunlight. I’m sure she’s hungry after all this time. I hope I get to see her again…”
“I know you will.” Vincent approached them and he smiled down at the wolf who was in his human, teenage form. Mathieu spotted Solomon not far away, talking to a young woman. “Come on, Vincent.” Mathieu approached his boyfriend, “Hi, baby.”
“Hey. We were just talking about you.” Solomon kissed him lovingly.
“Oh?” A quick look passed between them, Solomon’s eyes begging ‘help me’. Mathieu smiled and continued, “I was going to get some food. Accompany me?”
Solomon nodded and told the young woman goodbye before putting his hand on Mathieu’s lower back. “Vincent, go play.”
“I am playing.” He didn’t leave Mathieu’s side.
“Don’t worry about him.” As they meandered towards the food, he recounted the trip to see Naiadia, then told him about receiving what was supposedly a favor. Mathieu stood in line for food as he spoke in a hushed voice. The women had made quite the spread: chicken soup with a tangy spice; juicy meat that practically fell off the bone; stemmed vegetables in a cheese sauce; and a sweet, fried roll the size of his fist. Thanking the woman who handed him his plate, and who had given him an extra roll, he returned to Solomon, who was sitting in a patch of grass.
“That was the weirdest thing. The lady gave me extra bread.”
Solomon smiled softly, “That’s because you’re very recognizable as the face of Korinth’s rebel force. Word is spreading, if I understand, and people are going to fight with us in Rosen, as well. This is good.”
“Yes, it is. And Darcia’s unit should be meeting up with us there, as well.” Mathieu took a bite of the cooked something or other, moaning as juices ran down his chin.
Mathieu?
Hey, Niveus. How’s it going?
Images flashed before his eyes of the fallen city of Semar, as well as those in Zerieve’s unit. No one had really gotten hurt, only Akira had a bandage wrapped around her forearm. It was easy. Tesla says they took Hart, as well. How are things there?
Not bad. I’m eating now, but the fighting didn’t take long. The citizens
joined into the fight.
Good. I’ll see you in a few days. Be safe. Niveus’s consciousness brushed over his before she withdrew from their conversation.
He turned to Solomon, “Zerieve and the rest successfully took Semar, and Avanon has Hart.”
“Grandma has captured most of the southern region. She’s laying waste to Steeta, now.” Vincent’s whimsical voice added.
“Thanks.” Mathieu gave his cousin the extra roll and pat his head. Vincent was growing on him with his airy, loyal personality. And he was damn useful in a fight.
Vincent’s eye met his cousins. “I…don’t want to go back to living in the mountains with…them. If I promise to be good, can I stay with you?”
“Well, of course you can.” Mathieu said, “I think it’d be nice to have you around.”
Solomon’s brow furrowed, “Won’t Anastasie want you back?”
“Oh she doesn’t care.” Vincent said quietly. “Banin will take over before I will, and she’ll kill us all before giving up an ounce of power.” Vincent said with a giggle. “If I disappear, it won’t matter; and I’ll outlive all of you, so if I ever need to take over, you won’t be affected.” Leaning against the blond’s shoulder, Mathieu sighed softly and watched his cousin. Vincent was kind. It was hard to see how he was related to Anastasie.
He let his eyes slid closed, looking through the eyes of his Shadowriders. He was particularly interested in seeing how Darcia’s group was making progress. As it turned out, they were crossing over the upper part of the Hills of Hart, just south of them. This was good. It meant that they would be at the rendezvous point early. Nikola’s gaze was extremely focused on the tan colored wolf slinking beside him. Luca, Mathieu remembered he was called.
“Mathieu. Hey, Mathieu!” From seemingly far away, Jo’s voice was pulling him back to the square, cutting over all the others.
With a firm tug on his consciousness, Mathieu opened his eyes and blinked rapidly until his eyes focused. “What?” He called back to the boy running towards him.
“You won’t believe this! Come on, it’s amazing!” The boy grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet, dragging him. “Lione and I were on watch, and they just came like this massive wave! It was crazy!”
“Jo, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Mathieu trudged after his friend.
They passed the last row of buildings that marked the city and out into the valley below. And Mathieu stopped dead. The gorge was filled with people. “What the hell…?”
Jo laughed happily, “This is what I wanted to show you. These people…they’re Unithians. And they want to help us! They didn’t believe the rumors that Korinth was invading, so these people all just sort of took a walk to come see if it was true. They’re here to help take Ateri with us!”
It was then that Lione approached them, a woman in her mid-twenties following him. “That’s him: Mathieu.”
She nodded and walked right up to him, sticking out her hand. “My name is Armel. I’ve been chosen as a sort of representative of our group.”
Shaking her hand, he could feel the calluses of someone who had worked their whole life with their hands. “It’s nice to meet you. What can I do for you?” He really doubted it was much.
“Could we maybe have a seat? Some of us have traveled from as far as Tuckern.”
“Yes, of course. My apologies.” Mathieu motioned to where a ring of chairs had been set up for watch. “Please.” He followed her to the seats and placed himself directly opposite her.
For the first time he noticed that she was wearing a dark colored dress and tracking boots. “Thank you. So, where to begin. I suppose the rumors would as good a place as any. About a month back, some of us started to hear rumors that Korinth was gearing up for an attack.”
“Some of you?”
She flushed, “There are some that like to hunt in the Outer Zone. Better game, more of a challenge. I digress. Rumors were coming in, and by the sounds of it, Korinth, was planning to overthrow the King. What they didn’t know was when, or how. There have been long standing bets on whether it would be a sneak attack or all out warfare.” She gave a small cough.
Mathieu nudged Jo, “Go get her some water, kid.” He returned his attention to Armel.
“Thank you kindly. Well, about two mornings ago, one of the kids from our town saw your boats slip into Unith. She ran back to tell us. I, myself, didn’t believe her at first, but after she prattled on and on, a few of us agreed to go check it out. Long story short, we figured you’d be headed for Ateri, so we meandered North, where we met more groups looking for you. We joined together and were ready to head for Rosen when someone thought we should check Inim first. The sounds of the fighting became pretty evident as we got closer. Now we’re here.” About halfway through the rundown, Jo had returned with a glass of water, which she now drank from, “We’d like to help you, if we can. I warn you, most of us are regular people. I’m a baker. But if you can teach us, we will learn.”
Mathieu sat back and surveyed the woman. “Well now. Who knew that we were worrying about forming an army for nothing. We had one assembled right here all along.” He looked up at the evening sky, contemplating. “Very well. Go back to your group and select ten people that are fast learners. I will give them a quick course in guns, and they can take the information back and teach the rest. Before we leave in the morning, we will arm the rest of you. Sounds fair?”
“That…that would be excellent! I will return in a few moments!” She sprung to her feet, eyes clearly disbelieving that Mathieu would really let them help.
“Good. Just come back up here, and Jo,” he put a hand on the young man’s shoulders, “will bring you to me.”
She nodded and thanked him before all but running back down the hill to where the others waited.
“Lione, once she brings some of her people up, go down and tell the rest to come up and join us. They can watch, but as for hands on, they’ll get it later with their own people. Also, find them somewhere to sleep.” Mathieu nodded to the raven before disappearing back passed the buildings. He wound across the square to where Solomon and Vincent still sat.
“What did the kid want?” Solomon questioned as soon as he was within hearing range.
“Beh.” Mathieu passed by his lover and to the wall where they had gathered and stored the Unithian soldiers’ weapons. Mathieu grunted as he lifted a crate and carried it back to where the others were. “As it turns out, we have ourselves a little rebel force of Unithians to arm.”
“…What was that?” The blond said in a flat voice.
Mathieu shrugged and popped a clip into one of guns. “Hold this.” He handed the gun to Solomon, then drew out one of the few pulse guns. Sliding off the safety cap that protected the charger, he tossed it aside and spun the small dial. “There we go.”
Solomon cleared his throat, “So you’re telling me that we’re not only going to let some Unithians into our camp, we’re going to give them weapons and expect them not to turn on us?”
“I trust Armel. So try trusting me.” Smiling softly, he leaned over and kissed Solomon’s cheek.
“Oh. You’re gay.” Armel’s voice cut into their kiss.
Mathieu looked up at her and the group she had brought with her. “Yes. This is my second in command, and boyfriend, Solomon. That one is Vincent.” Vincent grinned toothily at her, rolling onto his back and wiggling like he would have in his wolf form.
“How…” But she never added another word, instead turning to Mathieu, “So these are the people I’ve chosen.” They were a ragtag group: tall, short, strong, weak. Looking at them, they didn’t look like much.
But Mathieu wasn’t one to judge on appearance. “Welcome. I’m Mathieu. The oddly dressed ones around here are with me. So, you guys are very politely going to fight with us, from my understanding.”
One of the taller men snorted softly, “You’re the guy in charge? I’d have never guessed. From the rumors, you should be about eight feet tall with a huge battle axe.”
“Appearances are deceiving. But that isn’t why I asked Armel to gather you. In order for you guys to fight, you’ll need to know how to use a gun. Show of hands, anyone ever used a gun?”
“Oh, I have!” The smallest of the group, a girl, raised her hand. “I dated a soldier’s brother once.”
Solomon stood, “And do you think you could kill a soldier?”
She blinked, “I said dated. Not dating. There’s a reason I’m not still with him. They’ll get what they deserve.”
“Interesting.” Solomon said.
“Well at least you have some experience,” Mathieu said, not really caring about her reasoning as long as she was willing to fight. “But this is good. Alright.” He took the regular gun from the blond and ejected the magazine. With practiced ease, he broke down how the load the clip and fix any possible jams. “The rest is fairly simple. Point and pull the trigger. When it’s empty, press here to eject the clip and load another. If you run out of ammo, look around for a dead soldier.”
Armel’s nose wrinkled slightly. “What’s the other thing?”
Nodding to Solomon, he traded guns and help up the much smaller gun. “This is a pulse gun.”
“Why is it so much smaller?”
“Because this is a pistol, and that is a rifle. But this thing packs a hell of a punch. Officer issued only, however, we have a few. It’ll be up to you guys to decide who gets them. I’d recommend the best marksmen. As for using it, most of them have a safety cap. Pull it off, throw it away.” He turned the gun so they could see the back, “This dial here is to charge. It takes about five minutes, but it gets just under two hundred shots. Give it one good turn, and wait. Then you’re set when the light turns from orange to blue.” Mathieu turned and pointed to a roof some distance away. “And a demonstration.” Lifting the gun, he closed one eye and took aim at a satellite on the roof. Give the trigger a pull, he fired one precise pulse shot. The force of the blow sent the satellite spinning off its stand and into the air before clattering to a stop five or six roofs away. “Packs a hell of a punch even at long distances.” Quickly he traded with Solomon again and aimed for the next satellite, successfully riddling it with holes. “That’s about all there is to know. Take these back with you,” he nudged the crate he had retrieved earlier, “and go teach the others.”
Two of the man Armel had brought with her nodded to each other and picked up both ends of the crate. “Thank you.” Armel said and shook Mathieu’s hand again before following the others.
“Nice quick lesson.” Mathieu said offhandedly.
Solomon looked down his nose at him, “And how do you know how to use a gun, Mathieu?”
He raised an eyebrow. “I lived in the royal palace for over six years. You think I can’t handle some mundane weaponry? I also know that the King has men working on genetically mutating people and animals for his personal defense, but I don’t go telling everyone I meet that, now do I?”
“Just asking. No need to get crabby.”
Mathieu sighed and ground the toe of his boog into the dirt. “Sorry. I just want this to be over, you know? It hasn’t even been that long, but…”
Solomon wrapped his arms around Mathieu, kissing the top of his head. “Two days. That’s all that’s left. Are you ready to face the King?”
“Yeah. I’m ready.” He leaned into the blond, feeling safe and warm for the moment. The pit of his stomach sank a few inches, but he knew what he had to do and he had no qualms about that.