Arc 3 - Chapter 49: Sins Money Cannot Erase

(Reverence 6, 59 / 8:02AM)

He opened his eyes at last. His vision blurring for a solid two seconds, he shook his head, and allowed his eyes to take in the corners. The walls molded in metal, the floor beneath being the same…

Trailing his eyes down, he noticed the stiff bandage that blanketed his body. Acting like a stone, he couldn’t twitch his fingers.

—Just great…

Narrowing his face, he laid eyes on a man and woman sitting in front of him. Puffing out their cheeks like chipmunks, they spit out small quantities of air, like they were holding a laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

The two finally burst.

Shackling their air with their laughs, Luke narrowed his eyes as he took it in through perked ears. Trying to wobble himself away, he couldn’t, as he felt the swelling pain fluster his skin. Seeing them indulge in his predicament, he growled, before flushing his face in crimson.

“W-What is it!?”

“It’s nothing, it’s just … chuckles … it’s nothing … chuckles …”

As Christian swiped away a couple of tears, Pacifica continued to giggle loudly like a little kid.

“About time son.”

Luke heard another voice, one that carried a sense of strength. Turning to his left, he stared into the opening hole between the driver and passenger seats. Looking like they were taken, Luke knew who was behind the wheel.

“Once we get to Ridgemente, it’ll be as if you never got those injuries. Iris here healed you.”

“Healed me?”

“She injected you with purple liquid."

David’s voice was low, as his right hand manhandled the leather wheel. His right foot on the gas, Iris had her arms folded beneath her chest, while staring at the road ahead.

Traveling through the desert, Luke of all people felt the rays of the sun glaze his face. But when he noticed those rays, he looked up at the small windows near the roof.

“Wait a minute…”

He remembered the schedule of the Zirardge train leaving the port. The fifth of Reverence, and the time would be evening. But if it’s morning right now, and remembered the spar being right around brunch…

“I slept through the entire day then! The train! The train is—”

“Now hold on now. We should be grateful considering what happened in the southern region.”

“Southern region?”

“Guess we have to fill you.”

Luke noticed the sibling duo still giggling. Wanting to retort again, he exhaled air through his nostrils, and rolled his eyes with a disgruntled face.

“We have a plan. But with your insight, we could have the highest odds of success, as well as luck.”

David kept his eyes purely on the road ahead, as the wind began to tussle with the van. With one hand holding an energy drink, it was the same drink Jack drinks. But he only had one, rather than a mountain of them.

“So son, let’s trace back right after you won that sparring match.”

________________________________________________________________________

(Reverence 5, 59 / 11:14AM)

An hour after the sparring match…

Everyone stood around a table, as the basement was flooded with soldiers. Being squished together like sardines in a can, the humidity dampened the cobblestone walls, making the room a furnace.

But in the back of the table, was an old man with his hands to his back. Standing firm, he counted the many soldiers staring at him, and he took note of his four closest subordinates. Seeing them shiver, seeing them sweat, he cleared his throat and relaxed his shoulders.

“Now then, let’s plan out this mission shall we?”

Hunching his back slightly, he settled his eyes on the map of Haxouburg.

The paper being laminated yellow, it trailed and outlined the many terrains of the Southern country. Through many city names, and many landmark locations, it was inscribed on that very map. But moving his right hand, he stuck out his finger, and pointed the city at the very bottom.

“My daughter and Jumbo, along with Luke’s subordinates, are imprisoned inside the Zirardge train. Once the train refreshes at the port of Ridgemente, it will depart in the evening. This info is all but certain, so we need to—”

“Wait… the evening?”

David pushed himself to the edge of the table. Still wearing his cowboy hat, he scanned the map from top to bottom, mostly at Dodgerock and Ridgemente.

Being in the northern area of Haxouburg, Ridgemente was on the complete opposite side of the country. If he calculated the many hours, and the many miles…

“It’s about to be noon in just an hour. The drive from here to Ridgemente is 10 hours. Even if we drive like maniacs, we’ll reach the city by the time it’s dusk…”

Murmurs and whispers traveled through the basement’s walls. Many of them took in this fact, this key of knowledge that widened their eyes. In fact, Pacifica and Christian stared in disbelief, as they knew that such a haul to the city would be for nothing.

“Forgive me sir, but we’ll be too late. Our closest way to save them would be to intercept it, like how Luke and his comrades did previously.”

“Hmm… you may be right…”

Straightening his back once more, he nodded at David’s inception. But he placed one of his hands inside his robe, while his other rested on his side.

“Fortunately son, God is on our side.”

Pulling out a folded newspaper, he unfolded it with ease and held it with both hands. Having the front cover shown, everyone squinted at the letters that said…

{TERRA SHATTERING FLOOD STRIKES CAPITOL}

{ALL ROADS AND RAILWAYS ARE TO BE OPEN ON THE 6TH OF REVERENCE}

{MORE THAN 6 TO 7 INCHES RECORDED}

Being printed in all black caps, one or two photos were shown on the bottom. Being black and white, exhales of air were brushed from their mouths, but he nonetheless lowered his hand, and placed the newspaper on the table.

“The rain started in the morning, and lasted only for six hours. It was short-lived, but the amount of water that was dumped was enough to halt city life.”

“So you’re saying we lucked out?”

“Yes. And we can’t let it go to waste.”

Turning his attention to David and Iris, he rubbed his chin with his left hand. Feeling his nails clobber his skin, he ruffled the dryness of it, the parchness that he long handled since forever. David felt his eyes lock into his, making him straighten his back and so did Iris.

“You two are accompanying Luke. He will follow his commands from here on out.”

“Yes sir.”

“By your orders father.”

He then turned to Pacifica and Christian.

Having their faces pushed down, strands of his white hair nestled on his forehead. But even so, he stared fully into the tanned man’s face, yet his eyes were averted to the table. He couldn’t look at him, nor could he raise his voice that whimpered like a coil.

“And you two, how far would you help a friend in need?”

“Uh… I would…”

“Would what? If a friend close to you is about to be killed, would you risk your own life? Or is it for those much, much closer to you? Which is it?”

He balled both of his hands. Staring into the wooden table with narrowed eyes, he saw a slight reflection, one that harbored nothing usual.

A tanned man with a cowlick; that’s all he was. He carries a rifle, he wears khaki, and he is by all means a soldier.

“I can’t punch like Luna or Miles, or be as lucky as Luke himself. I’m not a particularly interesting leader, or a soldier, but hear this…”

He lifted his head.

Placing his eyes on Kenji, he loosened his narrowed state, and let loose his fingers. He didn’t smile, nor did he frown. Keeping his lips relaxed and calm, like an ocean’s waters in the morning, he gave Kenji a nod.

“I’ve been in a lot of worst case situations. Whether it be in the shittiest of shit, or the crappiest of crap, I’ll find a way.”

Moving his hands toward his back, he settled them behind as he stared at Christian. He had a face that was strict, full of narrowed wrinkles and crevices that harbored strength. Clearing his throat once more, he dignified his posture with a straightened back.

“Then it’s settled. You and Pacifica will follow Luke, and abide by his words down to the letter.”

“Sir, if I may?”

From the crowd, a random Pacithiest raised his hand, making Kenji turn. Seeing that he was nothing more than the average soldier, the average man, he had the attire that Christian and Pacifica wore.

“What about the rest of us? If there’s anything that we could do, or we could fulfill, we want to play a part.”

Kenji glanced down at the laminated map, and he trailed the outlines of the terrain along with the regions. From the many roads, along with the many names and cities, Kenji raised a hand toward his chin. Rubbing it with old fingers, he groaned through a trembled throat.

“I suppose most of you will guard the adobe. Keep in mind that this house was raided when we—”

“Sorry to interrupt, but I have an idea.”

Having the spotlight once more, David pointed his finger down at the capital of Haxouburg.

Taking in the location, everyone kept their eyes on his finger, before he slid it to the right. Placing it right on a certain track, or on a location that reeked of randomness, they all had eyebrows that were furrowed and crinkled.

“Judging from the way the port is built, the train has either two options. It could exit from the West, or the East, but never the South or North. So if the train left Culkia, its only option would be to travel Westward. But here’s the thing.”

He tapped his finger right on that location, a landmark that was scribbled in such small letters. With his tapping slowed, Kenji was the first to nod at what the cowboy was getting at.

“If they are traveling West, then they will cross a certain bridge, one that is reeking with age.”

“For what purpose does this bridge pose?”

“I don’t know yet, but Luke might have some ideas.”

Kenji trailed his eyes on each member of his group. From the many young men, to the many young women, they all stood with backs all composed in discipline and strength. From the way David pulled back his hand, he kept it close to his side.

Leaving the old man to give everyone a nod.

“Then it’s settled. Does anyone have any questions?”

“Yeah, what about our purpose?”

“You will have to talk with David. I believe he has more insight, compared to me.”

Kenji stared right into David and Iris’s eyes.

The two of them knew the expectations, along with the pressure bestowed on their shoulders. If they were going to give Luke aid, to save them all from the Zirardges, they had to do more than just fight. For once in their life, they were treading on the thinnest of ice.

“I better hope you’re smarter than you are strong.”

“I plan to.”

“And what about you Christian… are you smart?”

Everyone trailed their gazes onto the sibling duo once more.

Losing a sibling, it meant that the two would have to work twice as hard. The emotions, the feelings, they would have to control them twice as much. But right now, their hearts were lit up under a fire, one in which cannot be extinguished by mere words.

“I never said I was smart, but I never said I was dumb. If a fight is what they want, then a fight is what they’ll get.”

—Kenji smiled.—

Everyone was in shock by the surprised reaction, as they saw his monolid eyes filled with warmth. In such a long time, Iris lost count of the many years he hadn’t softened his face. But that warmth stalled, once he clapped his hands once.

“Soldiers!”

None of them made a sound, nor did they plan to take a whiff of breath. Seeing him clutch his hands together, he rested them on his thighs, rather than his back.

“Our enemy isn’t one of us, nor do they eat like us. What they enjoy, and what we call entertainment, don’t match. So you better believe they’ll do everything they can to stop us.”

Straining the sandals below his feet, he felt the cushions wrinkle under the sweat and humidity. He didn’t tighten his clamped hands, as his fingers and knuckles felt relaxed rather than strained. Still having that same old posture, his cheeks weren’t sagged with wrinkles from earlier.

“All of our luck, all of our faith, is all being carried by a single man who is still resting. When he wakes up, you better believe that miracles will happen…”

He looked down to the table. Unable to articulate his own reflection, he could only see the wood that showcased its old age. Some of it had splinters, but the majority of the wood was smooth.

“And I will not allow such despair to clog our souls.”

Lifting his head, he stared forth with eyes that were stern with discipline. Tightening his hands at last, remembering those days… those peaceful days…

There were days where he took care of five younglings.

“We’re a group that upholds life before pride, and family before authority. So if authority spits on our name…”

David and Iris both remembered those days, an era that they wished never ended. Whether it be good or bad, time doesn’t slow for anyone; especially for those who quell in nostalgia.

“We will atone for their sins. Sins money cannot erase.”