The Citiesby Brittany Fehlig

Artist: Kira Dennis

Chapter Two

“We all sacrifice fear to find true answers, and then reclaim it once we find them.” -Brittany Fehlig

Myka lay across the furnished bed with her head dangling off the edge and her long black hair just barely touching the glossed wooden floors. Helplessly, she traveled through the thoughts of her mind, searching for even the slightest memory of her mother. Though she found it impossible seeing how she was just an infant when both her parents abandoned her. All they left her was a useless silver bracelet that had foreign words engraved around it in black. Worst part is she couldn’t even read the lettering. It was some foreign language she had never been literate in.

Myka twisted the bracelet around her wrist trying to search for answers within it. She had long forgotten her past of first arriving in Sapphiress, but ever since Orion had mentioned the Gemmed, it all seemed to have come back to her in a big tsunami wave.

A knock came upon her door, rattling the glass on the floor from the broken mirror. Myka opened her eyes suddenly from the shock of the loud sound. She lifted herself up and walked carelessly over to the door. It was probably Orion coming to apologize. She thought and hoped. However, as she cracked the door open and peered around it, she could see a set of soft brown eyes looking worriedly at her. “I came to see if you were okay.” said Chasity. Myka opened the door the rest of the way allowing Chasity

into the room. As she walked in, she could see the disaster that Michael had left. “What in all the realms happened here?” she asked as she tried avoiding the glass. Though, she could hear crunches as she walked across the floors. Her glimmering blue heels crushed the little shards into an almost powder. “Sorry,” she said, looking up at Myka. “I’m trying to avoid the glass, but it’s just everywhere.” “It’s okay; I need to clean it up anyway.” “So exactly what did happen here?” Chasity sat down cautiously on the bed, staring at the deep hole in the wall across from her. Myka exhaled loudly and shifted her weight so she was looking at Chasity directly. “Michael and a demon had a showdown after he refused to give him his soul. The demon was outraged and wanted something to take back with him to Hell. Seeing how Michael had nothing to offer, the demon took it upon itself to take him as his personal sex slave. And you know Michael and how he gets when he hears something he doesn’t like, so he attacked the demon. But seeing how he is ‘so clean’ with his killings and ‘doesn’t’ make a mess, all that was left was this hole in the wall and a broken mirror.” Chasity sat silenced for a few moments before responding with a simple word. “Interesting.” “Yea, the shit he gets into these days.” “I’m sure. Maybe we should have an intervention.” “That’s what I’m saying.” “Well other than that, I came in here to see if you were okay.” Chasity looked sincerely into Myka’s eyes, but as she did, Myka snapped her head to look solemnly out of the window across the room. She looked at the moons that shined brightly over Sapphiress and wondered exactly how small and important she was compared to the world. “I’m not okay,” she replied to Chasity. “There’s so much I don’t know and have yet to understand about my past and the Gemmed and what really happened in the Sacred City seventeen years ago. I just want answers!” A single tear rolled down her cheek as she thought of her parents and why they didn’t want her. Chasity took Myka’s hand in hers and rubbed it affectionately. “I don’t know how to talk to you about something I haven’t experienced,” she said. “But you know that the very person you dread and have fought to the ends of the worlds almost every night does? Myka, he knows more about abandonment than anyone here. Instead of fighting about your political differences all the time, why don’t you just mend your friendship by bonding over this subject? You know he doesn’t have anyone to talk to either about it. In fact, what he does to cope is just researching things. Maybe his research tonight that he was trying to share with us was just another one of his outlets of his pain. You should really consider talking to him.” “I don’t know, Chass. Orion and I just don’t click when it comes to talking about serious stuff. Besides, I don’t want to talk about it to anyone; I just want to know what happened.” Chasity flipped her curled blonde hair over her shoulder and examined Myka’s bitten nails. She could tell she was stressed. Her nails had always been perfectly groomed. “Well I think it’s worth a try. He’s very resourceful; you just might find an answer. You never know.” “I’ll think about it.” said Myka. She stood up from the bed and walked over to the door, opening it slowly. “But for now, I just want some alone time. I think you should go.” Chasity stood up, brushing her furled blouse down with her soft pale hands and walked towards the door. “You ought to take my advice, Myka. What do you have to lose?”

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“Sundown should be arriving in four hours. We have plenty of time to move, but we should be at our destination before dawn,” Michael said, filling the manila folders with papers. Orion nodded his head as he gathered the pictures off the glass table and put them in an envelope. “After we pack up this, we need to pack our bags. Bring only what you absolutely need and what is essential to the investigation.”

Michael and Orion gathered up the folders and books and neatly placed them on one side of the table. Michael then went over to the map on the wall and took it down, laying it out for Orion to see. “We need to plan our route,” said Michael. “Every stop we do, we need to plan it. There is a great possibility there are some Radicals still lurking in the hills. So with that said, bring several weapons and don’t forget your gear.” “I concur,” said Orion. “And there’s also one more thing I need to tell you about where we are going first.” “What is it?” Michael asked blandly. His focus was on the map as he drew lines with red marker through Sapphiress and Avarae. But before Orion could answer, there was a rapping at the double doors of the library. Michael put the marker down and rolled up the map, stuffing it under the couch as Orion quickly grabbed the folders and books and stuffed them on a hidden bookshelf nearby. They both looked at each other, afraid that Tasen would be walking through the door. He would never allow them to go off on a mission without his consent. But once the door opened, they both let out a sigh of relief. Strolling towards them dressed in combat gear was Myka. A Dialector was in her hand, as well as a stuffed backpack. She stared at the floor and mumbled something towards Orion. Michael smiled as he heard her words clearly, but it was Orion that was having trouble hearing what she was saying. “Speak up,” he said to her. “I don’t have ears of the gods.” “I said I’m sorry,” she replied sternly. Her eyes were like daggers while she stared at Orion, but then they turned soft realizing that Chasity was right and that he was her only key. Orion shrugged his shoulders. “Whatever, nothing out of the ordinary to apologize for. We always fight, Myk. So I’m not going to get all butt hurt over it. I’m sorry too.” “So what’s the bag and weapon for?” asked Michael curiously. Myka looked at the backpack she had been holding. “Well I just thought maybe I could…You know.” Michael glanced over at Orion who now had his arms crossed above his chest and was wearing a grin. “Go on,” he said. His voice emphasized on the N. Myka glared at him and swung her backpack over her back. “Well I’m not going to plead and beg if that’s what you’re looking for.” “I just want to know why you are all of a sudden interested in this Marletti thing. You seemed pretty dead-set that the Gemmed was gonna handle it.” “Yea well I have my reasons.” “Like we all do,” chimed in Michael. Myka being in front of them and willing at all right now was a gift. With Orion pushing her for an answer, he knew she would regret even coming to them and would most likely turn around and say forget it. Michael also knew that he and Orion couldn’t do it alone. “You’re in.” he said to her. Orion looked at him in disappointment. Sure he was going to say she could come, but he wanted her to feel the heat just like he did hours ago in their argument. Frankly, it didn’t make sense to him. But he was sure there was some sort of good explanation she had. He would pry it out of her. He had his mind set on it. “Fine,” said Orion. “But you need to bring more than one defense,” he said looking at the Dialector. “Who says I don’t have them on me right now,” said Myka. Orion smiled. “Indeed.” Michael reached under the couch and grabbed the map, laying it on the glass table to finish mapping out their route. Myka put her bag down and minimized the Dialector. She walked over to the glass table to see what trails Michael was marking. “I think the hills would be better off,” she said to him. “Rookie mistake. That’s exactly where they’re hiding. The outskirts are a vast land that has cramped trees all over the place for good campouts. If we are taking any trail, it’s through the city.” “Good thinking,” said Orion as he gathered the books and folders off the bookshelf. “Well we’ll need a guide when we get to Avarae,” said Myka. “What do you propose we do then?” “Ah that reminds me!” Orion slapped his hand to his forehead. “I completely forgot to tell you what I needed to tell you,” said Orion to Michael.

“What’s that?” he asked. “We have to go to Siggany’s as our first stop. She can help us get some insight on Marletti and Serenity. Plus, she‘s been around for centuries so she would have a lot more information to guide us on,” said Orion. “I figured we would have to go there. She’s the only Alseer in Sapphiress that isn’t jagged like the rest. She’s actually dead on with her predictions and honest.” “Especially when it comes to you, Michael,” Myka said with a smile. Michael looked sour at her and then at Orion for laughing at her witty response. “Watch yourselves,” he warned. “We’re just saying that she likes you. What’s so bad about a little crush?” asked Myka. “Her ‘little crush’ almost killed me last battle. She is no help when it comes to liking me. End of story. I don’t want to hear anymore about it,” Michael snapped at both Orion and Myka with an intensive glare. “Relax,” said Orion. “We’re just joking. Besides, I think she has a warlock for a boyfriend these days.” “Good,” said Michael, staring at the map. “Maybe finally she’ll get the hint that I’ll always be unavailable to her.” “Agreed,” said Orion. “Although she does have her faults, she will be a good ally. So back to the point, we have to go there for our first stop.” “It would be wise,” said Michael, marking a street corner on the map. Myka leaned in close to him and whispered in his ear while Orion’s back was turned to his books “So in all seriousness, can she see someone’s future and past?” she asked. Michael nodded. “She’s known for her accurate visions, “ he whispered. “Why do you ask?” “Just curious,” Myka replied. “Hey, have any of you seen Chasity?” asked Orion. Michael looked up from the map to glance at Myka. “I thought you two talked or something.” “We did,” said Myka in an unreasonably defensive tone. “Well where is she then?” asked Orion again. Myka looked down at her hands and fumbled with her thumbs. “I kind of told her to leave.” Orion slammed one of the books down on the glass table. “Why would you do that?” He threw his hands up in the air in bewilderment and stormed outside of the library in rage. Myka looked at Michael surprised by his reaction. “What’s up with him?” “Why would you tell her to go right before we are to leave for a war?” Michael inquired. “I was upset at the time; I just wanted to be alone. It’s not like I did anything wrong.” “Wow,” said Michael, his tone very unsurprised. “You are so ignorant.” “What?” “Don’t you see the way he looks at her and acts when she’s around? It’s obvious, isn’t it?” “So you’re saying he likes her? That’s just bizarre. I mean, all four of us grew up together. It would be like him dating his sister, if he ever had one.” “Maybe that’s how you feel, but for him it’s different. You shouldn’t have told her to leave. He was expecting to have a talk with her before we left,” said Michael, rolling up the map. “Besides, there are just us three against an army. Who knows if all of us are coming back.” Sudden guilt flushed through her body as she slumped into the couch. She never paid that much attention to detail like Michael did. He was the observer in the group while she took action. And of course she had never been the feminine type or had ever taken people’s feelings into consideration when it came to love, lust, and crushing because she herself never believed in it. “I should go find her,” she said, getting up from the couch. “Probably.” As Myka was walking towards the door, both doors swung open and nearly knocked her down. Orion came rushing in, running past Myka and towards Michael. His face was pale, and he was out of breath as he grabbed for his shirt and pulled him to a stand.

“What is it?” Michael asked alarmed and worried. Orion held out his hands to Michael, and as he did, a thick dark red liquid dripped off of his fingers and to the carpet. Myka hurried over to them and was shocked to see the blood; she nearly tripped over the table as she tried to get a closer look. “What happened?” asked Michael again more sternly. He grabbed Orion’s wrists and turned his hands over to see if there were any signs of a deep wound or some sort of explanation for the amount of blood he had on him, but he knew it could only be the worse. “Who’s blood is that?” “Ch-Chasity’s,” he stuttered. “Do you know this for certain?” asked Myka. “I didn’t-I didn’t get a chance to warn her about the hills,” Orion stammered back and stared at his hands. “They’re here.” “Who’s here?” “There’s a blood trail all the way to the woods in the direction where her safe house is. Michael, we have to go find her.” “Who’s here?” Michael raised his voice and pushed Orion back as he got into his face. “Orion,” he said more calmly. “Don’t let this get personal; you’ll lose focus.” Orion cleared his throat and stood up tall, swallowing the pain and broken-heartedness he had within him. “Radicals. They’re here and in the area. They have Chasity, I know for a fact. I found one of her shoes and a torn piece of her shirt nearby.” Michael grabbed his Sphyrn from the side of the couch and looked directly at Myka. “You stay here,” he ordered to her. “We’ll be back. Don’t open the door for anyone and lock the windows. Wake up dad and go into the Sanctum. Sound the alarms and call nearby Safehouses and warn the Rebels and their families.” Michael then turned his focus to Orion as Myka ran outside the room. “We need to move fast,” he said to him. Orion nodded his head and grabbed for his sword that laid upright against the wall. He ran out into the hallways, Michael following close behind. As they were about to reach the front door, Orion halted in mid-step. He turned around in the opposite direction and started to run. “Where are you going?” called out Michael, confused. “I need to grab my gear. Go ahead without me; I’ll catch up. Follow the blood trail; it should lead towards the wooded Safehouses.” Michael reached for the doorknob and threw open the door, lunging into the darkness. His vision shifted from daylight to night as he blinked his eyes focusing the detail of the hills nearby. He could see shadows lurking around in the forest and could smell the musty scent of blood. With his Sphyrn ready in hand, he crept alongside the edge of the corner of one of the Safehouses. Michael heard whispering not only a couple feet away from where he stood. He crouched down low into the grass, as he heard two people nearing closer. One sounded feminine, and the other was obviously male. “I can’t wait to see the looks on these pathetic Sapphirens’ faces when I go to slice their children to pieces.” “Yea well we’ll see. They might not even have kids, remember the last one didn’t, just a bunch of old folks. You know, this City was once great, and now look at it.” “This is why Avarae is on the rise to the top, we always have been. We just don’t plaster how great we are to the others like this rotting City does. I hate this god forsaken place.” “Let’s just get these people over with so we can go home.” Michael stood up straight exasperated by the two Radicals talk. In one quick motion, he took a solid step around the corner and held out the Sphyrn’s jagged razors under the girls chin. She dropped a pistol she had in her hand and put her arms in the air, still as a pillar. The boy drew out a gun from a side holster and cocked it as he held it to the side of Michael’s head. “You make one advance on her, and I’ll blow your brains out.” “You seem so confident.” Michael grinned at the girl in front of him and lowered his weapon. “Cause I am,” he spat. “Now drop your weapon.”

“I would, but there’s a slight problem.” “Oh yea, what’s that? You scared of what I’m gonna do? You scared to die?” Michael turned to look the boy in his angry eyes and moved the gun to the center of his forehead. “Question is, are you?” He gripped the Sphyrn tightly in his hand as the boy chuckled, the gun wavering loosely in the air. Michael knocked the gun out of his hands, and it flew across the grassy field. He then took his Sphyrn and stabbed the boy right in the foot, piercing straight through his shoe and into the grass. He screamed in pain and tried to lift his leg to move but was stuck. He looked up at his companion who was now in the arms of Michael with his hands wrapped under her jaw. “Don’t hurt her,” he said in desperation. “Give me one reason not to.” “I…I love her,” he said looking sincerely into the girl’s eyes. “Not good enough,” said Michael as he gripped under the girl’s jaw and twisted her neck. He could hear the spine crack and watched as she fell limply to the ground, her eyes half open. The boy looked at her and then at Michael and began to plead for mercy as Michael grabbed the grip of his Sphyrn and pushed it deeper into his foot. “Stop!” he cried out. “Please stop, I’ll tell you anything.” “You’ll tell me lies.” “I promise.” “Promises can be broken,” hissed Michael as he pushed harder down on his foot. “I swear!” he cried out. “I swear on my life!” Michael pulled out his weapon and watched the boy fall to his feet. He kicked him over onto his back and held him down with one boot on his chest and the jagged razors pressed underneath his throat. “Why are you attacking us?” “Orders.” he said, choking. “From who?” “The government.” “That’s a lie!” He pushed the razors in deeper, puncturing his skin. A tear of blood rolled down his neck. “Who‘s in charge?” “King.” “Who is, King?” “King Marletti,” He gargled the words out unable to breathe. “He’s no king; he’s a criminal – a traitor to his own people. Did you even know he was from Sapphiress, you idiot?” “He hated it…here. He was betrayed…and now wants…revenge.” “For what?” “No one knows. We just…follow orders. Please, that’s all I know.” “You swear?” “I swear.” “On your life?” “Y-Yes, I swear…on my life.” Michael smiled, “Your words are empty to me.” He lifted up his Sphyrn and held it up over his head for a slight moment to see the terror flash over the boy’s face before slashing it down straight into the center of the his throat. He pressed down hard, cutting the jugular vein and watched as blood spewed and drained out of the his lifeless body. Michael dragged the razors against the grass, cleaning off the blood as he walked forwards into the woods. A dirt pathway lay beneath him with stones and leaves scattered all around. The tree tops swayed back and forth from the high winds, giving the forest a whistling reverberation. Michael looked into the trees and saw birds’ wings fluttering. He took a step off the trail and ventured deep into the woods, aware of his surroundings. He could hear laughter and could see a slight flame torching in the distance between the

bushes. Quietly, Michael crept up to a tree whose branches were thick and outstretched, hanging above the fiery flames. His boots climbed up with ease and was able to jump to one of the thick overhanging branches. He knelt down with his back against the trunk of the tree and looked below at what looked like a campsite. Three Radicals sat near the fire with birds roasting on the tip of their weapons. “What’s next on the agenda after Sapphiress?” “The Sacred City. There’s something there our King wants us to get for him. And then after that we wipe out the Gemmed and Avarae will once again rule over the Cities.” Michael’s Sphyrn liquefied in his hands and slithered up the side of his arm and around his wrist, creating a silver bracelet. As it hardened to a solid, he reached into his belt and pulled out what looked to be a silver straw-esk tube and three metal darts with yellow tips. He put all three of the darts into the tube and put it to his lips, aiming at one of the Radicals. He blew firmly, one of the darts hitting the Radical in his arm. He slumped over and his comrades stood up in alert. Their eyes searched the trees but they could not see any further than what the light from the flames gave them. Michael then proceeded to blow the other two darts into the other Radical’s arms and watched as they fell to the ground. Right when he was about to jump down, he heard rustling coming from above his head. He lifted his sight to see a shadow coming down towards him. Quickly, he tapped the bracelet on his arm, and the Sphyrn liquefied and grew into the solid razor staff. He stood on the branch, balancing his weight as he took a step down the trunk and

dropped to the lowered branch below him, trying to gain distance, but the shadow was moving swiftly towards him. Michael walked further out on the branch and watched as the shadow landed just a couple feet away from him. His eyes centered in on the figure and saw that the shadow had womanly curves. It became clear to him as the person neared closer that it was indeed female. Michael backed up to the edge of the branch with his Sphyrn pointed at her. “You really think those blades are

going to stop me?” she snickered. “Don’t be such a troll and face me. I’m just a woman after all. What harm could I do?” “You’re a skilled woman. I saw the way you jumped and climbed down to get to me. You think I’m stupid?” The girl let out a small giggle and took a step nearer into the light that the fire had shown from the campsite. She took another step into it, and Michael’s eyes grew wide. She had long auburn hair with bangs down to her groomed eyebrows. Her eyes glowed a shimmering turquoise as she gaped at him. She wore a shirt that only covered her breasts and shorts that came to her upper thighs. On her feet were heeled boots that climbed up her legs. Michael stared at her soft porcelain face and then realized that he was being distracted by her beauty. He fiercely snapped out of it and raised his weapon at her after recognizing that he had lowered it. “I think you are very stupid,” she replied. Her eyes gazed over Michael and his body, and then she hastily pointed what looked like a cane at him. It had a mahogany color to it and on the top of the cane was a raven, its wings spread out. Her hands gripped the raven’s wings as she tapped on the Sphyrn in front of her face. “Do you mind? I think we can be civil for a few moments,” she said with a whitening smile. “Not if you’re the enemy.” “I’m everybody’s enemy.”

“Then there’s no need for being civil, is there? So I guess, what we have to do is just go through with the process.” “And what process is that?” “Taking your life,” replied Michael. He advanced towards her spinning the Sphyrn in front of him. She backed up towards the trunk of the tree and allowed the wind from the Sphyrn to whip her in the face. Michael then proceeded to stab at her, but she moved so quickly he ended up jabbing the tree instead. He went for another stab at her throat, and as he lunged for the kill, she moved aside and next to him, knocking the Sphyrn from his grip and falling to the ground. “Not so stealthy, are you?” she whispered in his ear. She stood behind him with her cane under his throat and both of her hands holding it back. Michael couldn’t help but be slightly aroused. Never has he been beaten at his own game, especially by a girl, and a very attractive one at that. “Who are you?” “Oh now you want introductions?” “You disarmed me. No one’s ever been able to do that,” he said, still a little shocked. “Then I already know who you are, Mr. Michael,” she whispered, biting slightly hard on the lobe of his ear. “You’re a legend. Funny why they call you that seeing how your weapon is now twenty feet below us, and I’m still not dead.” Michael laughed. “I don’t need weapons to kill,” he said as he elbowed her in the gut with extreme force. She staggered backwards from the blow, her cane falling limp in her one hand while the other had a hold on her stomach. Michael kicked the cane out of her hand and watched as it too fell to the ground, landing in the bushes below. He took her by the wrist and spun her around, her back against his chest as he held her arm up high behind her. She arched her back trying to relieve the pain by directing her body into it, but she had no luck; his grip was strong. She let out a small laugh, trying to catch her breath: “Point proven. I won’t judge you again.” “Good.” Michael reached into his belt and pulled out a dagger, the blade was long and black and had just been sharpened. He held it in front of her face and then pressed it to the side of her throat. “Forgive me, but is that a Levictus 900 you’re holding against my neck?” “Are those your parting words, wondering what type of knife that‘s going to kill you?” “I’m just a collector. You may kill me if you’d like.” After a moment of thought, Michael let go of her wrist and spun her around to face him. He let out a gust of hot air, not knowing why he didn’t just slit her throat and continue his search for Chasity. There was just something about this girl, something that intrigued him. Was he a bad friend because of what he was doing? “What’s your name?” “I have many names.” “What’s your birth name?” The girl beamed brightly at Michael and then looked away at the campfire below. “Sage, Serenity Sage.’

Find out what happens to Orion, Michael, Chasity, and Mika next time in the final installment

that will be posted on November 10, 2012….