CHAPTER THREE

Chapter Three

The sun was beginning to set as Mendor’s train pulled into the massive station situated on the edge of the city. A goliath metropolis surrounded by one-thousand square miles of densely populated slums, Timerdias City was the largest on the continent, split into fifty Districts with separate jurisdictions and bylaws. Everything was over-complicated and the government loved it. The Districts themselves ran for miles and miles in every direction, full of buildings four or five stories high with families as large as thirty occupying a single floor. People were pushed together to make room for the growing populous, and the streets were so packed that horses and trucks were completely impractical. The fastest way to get around the city was the underground railway, but even that was constantly packed, not just with travellers, but with homeless people begging for aid, their pleas going unanswered. Mendor knew that it was worse in the slums- although there were less people, many of those who occupied them lived in makeshift tents and ditches, and the few houses that the privileged slum dwellers owned were small and made of cheap mud.

The air was rife with the stench of death and s**t, and the fact that disease and plague hadn’t broken out was shocking. Under all of the filth, Mendor could sense the pulse of magic. Of course. The entire city is built on a Nexus Line.

Of the four Nexus Lines that carried magic throughout the continent, Timerdias City was planted directly on top of the Khuju Line; the Line of Serenity. Ironic, thought Mendor, there’s nothing serene about this hellhole. He hopped off the train and looked around.

            The depot itself was a spectacular structure of brick and mortar, very out of place on the edge of the slums. There were hundreds of trains, some going into the city and deep underground, and some heading west, over the vast plains of Timerdias towards Carloin. Tracks branched off north and south to reach other various cities, but the route from Timerdias City through the Mountains of Messathin and into Carloin was the one that Mendor hoped to take, bringing with him the girl he had been searching for. He reached into his pocket and removed the piece of paper he had been handed only a few days ago.

Horus Tempesta/Tempesta Trading Company/Prince Astin Plaza/Eb-un District/Timerdias City

He memorised the address and tightened his grip, scrunching up the paper. He shoved it in his pocket and followed the signs to the underground station.

            The train was expensive, and the humidity in the carriages nearly made Mendor pass out, but he kept his focus and made it to the Eb-un District with no bother. The sky was coloured blue and purple when he resurfaced and began to search for a place to stay.

It didn’t take long for him to find a small inn down a side street. It was tall and rickety, like the other buildings surrounding it, and was bustling with customers, but a single room was free, the one on the first floor of the building. Like the entire structure, the room was small and dank, with boarded up windows and a single, dimming lightbulb hanging by a wire from the ceiling. The wallpaper was peeling and the floor creaked, but the room itself was stable enough to act as a headquarters. The furniture consisted of one bed and several battered futons, and a small chest of draws sat in a corner, but the lack of items meant more floor space, meaning that Mendor could easily dump his backpack and have room to sit down. For a moment, he considered getting some rest and going to his destination in the morning. No, he thought. I finish this now.

He clenched his fists so hard that they trembled. The look on his face radiated determination and resolve- he had been searching for so long and the trail had led him here. Constantly on the lookout for details, sacrificing so much time with his family and friends, traversing deserts, grasslands and seas, scouring cities for information, finally travelling Districts of Timerdias- each of these things had changed him from an optimistic boy to a vengeance-fuelled man, and all of them had led him to this point. Nothing was going to stop him from achieving his goal, and no amount of sacrifice was too much for him. He felt responsible for the predicament, yes, but it was something that he could rectify, and dwelling on it would only hold him back.

‘Hold on Kerry,’ he whispered. ‘I’m coming.’ He had spent eight years searching, finally it would be over. He muttered a small prayer to the spirit of Saint Jayson and left his room, locking the door both manually and with magic behind him.

He knew he was walking into obscurity, but all nerves had gone, and as he exited the inn, a dark fire burnt in his eyes, a terrifying fire that would scare even the bravest of his comrades.He quickly came to Prince Astin Plaza unhindered, the building that was his target sticking out like a sore thumb, despite being plain and unmarked. It had no sign, but the only business block in the plaza had to be their destination. Trapped within an over-crowded urban district, the headquarters of the Tempesta Trading Company sat before them, waiting for them to enter.

‘This has to be it,’ he said, looking up at the office block. He didn’t know what the Tempesta Trading Company specialised in, but he doubted he was going to find Kerry sitting safely with a decent-paying office job. There was a nasty aura in the air surrounding and inside the building. Mendor shuddered and the stump where his arm had been began to ache. ‘Damn,’ he muttered. Someone must have an illegal Artefact. This won’t be easy.

The interior of the building was exceedingly bland, as though decorated in a hurry with little thought to presentation. Evidently image was not important. There were no security guards on the ground floor, the only person in sight was a female receptionist, twiddling her thumbs as she took on what appeared to outside eyes the night shift. Mendor knew differently. Large cities came alive at night, including businesses. The shady ones especially operated after dark, and everything about Tempesta Trading Company seemed illegitimate.

‘Mr Tempesta isn’t seeing anyone today,’ said the receptionist.

‘He’ll see me,’ said Mendor.

‘Name?’

‘Mendor Lukeon Arthur Gismack.’

The receptionist removed a small file of paper and flicked through, scan reading it until she found a specific page. ‘Sorry,’ she said insincerely, ‘your name is not on the list. Mr Tempesta will see people on invitation only.’

Irritated, Mendor checked the elevator in the lobby. It needed a code to be activated, and Mendor was sure that the receptionist would deny him access. He calmed himself and walked back over to the desk, leaning against it casually. He turned to the receptionist. ‘You see, I’m going up there whether you like it or not, so I’d suggest that you give me the code and get as far away from this place as you can.’ He held up his left hand, revealing a ruby attached to his ring. The jewel spun for a bit before turning to smoke that reformed in his hands as two small katanas.

‘This is my Soul Weapon,’ he said. He held up the left blade, which on closer inspection was stained blue. ‘This one is Talako.’ He showed her the one in his right hand, which was glowing a dark red. ‘This one is Sinvada. Together they’re also known as the Twin Blades of Fury.’ He laid the weapons on the desk. ‘I’ve killed a lot of people to get this far, one more won’t trouble my conscience.’ 

          Taken aback by the sudden threat, the woman at the desk quickly fumbled through a draw under the desk for a booklet. Filing through the pages she searched out the correct number. ‘Th-the code for Mr Tempesta’s office is 3663. The n-number to get back to the ground floor is 1990.’

          ‘Thank you,’ said Mendor, sheathing his weapon with a cheerful smile, as though he had been buying milk at a corner shop. ‘Now get the hell out of this building.’

            The woman didn’t move.

Glaring, Mendor shouted at her. ‘If you value your life then get the hell out!’ He punched the correct code into the automatic lock and the elevator opened. He waited in silence as the lift went up to the top floor. The bell sounded to signify their arrival and Mendor upped his magical pressure. The elevator opened out into a small corridor that led to a single door with Horus Tempesta’s name on. Mendor shuddered. The person with the Artefact wasn’t behind that door, but was close. He could sense the malicious intent but couldn’t pinpoint it. Still, there were more important things to focus on. They walked up to the door and without a hesitation or word, Mendor kicked it down.

Stepping into the office was like walking in on an orgy. The room was filled with men in tacky suits and masquerade masks molesting and being molested by young women, and in the centre of it all was a tall, slender gentleman, dressed smartly, sitting in a padded chair, gold coins seeping from beneath his reclined body. A scantily clad woman had her hand in his trousers while he smiled wickedly, his thin, ice blue eyes staring at the new-comers through the slits in the mask. He pushed the woman pleasuring him away violently and got to his feet, adjusting his trousers and zipping up his fly.

‘Who are you scum meant to be?’ he said, his voice distracting everyone in the room from their merry-making. All eyes were on the exchange, but Mendor and his companions’ gaze never strayed from their host’s.

‘You’re the only scum here,’ said Mendor bitterly. ‘You must be Horus Tempesta.’

‘So what if I am?’ said the man arrogantly.

‘Then I won’t have to kill you on the spot and find him myself.’

The man laughed. ‘I like you,’ he said. He looked at Mendor closely. ‘So are those ears for show or are you a real demon?’ he asked.

‘I’m a half-blood,’ said Mendor gritting his teeth in anger. ‘Not that it’s your business.’ His expression darkened. ‘Hand over Kerry and no one will get hurt.’

‘Kerry?’ Horus Tempesta repeated. ‘I don’t think I know a “Kerry”.’

‘Philipa,’ said Mendor. ‘Philipa Keridon. I’ve traced her here and I want you to give her to me.’

‘Oh, Lilla,’ Horus said, recognising Kerry’s real name. ‘I’d rather not hand her over.’

‘This isn’t a request,’ said Mendor. ‘This is an order.’

Horus laughed. ‘You’re ordering me? I do like you. Tell you what, you come work for me and I’ll hand her over to you. She can be your personal w***e- I can vouch for her skills, she’s been my w***e since I took over the company.’

‘I’d never work for filth like you.’

‘Filth?’ said Horus. ‘I may like you, but this tone you’re taking isn’t quite to my fancy.’ He made a hand signal to the men around him who began to advance.

Instinctively, Mendor cast a paralysis spell, freezing all of the men in their tracks. It wasn’t powerful and wouldn’t last long, but it would be enough to intimidate Horus and his men, and intimidation was all he needed at the moment.

‘Your move,’ said Mendor. ‘Hand over Kerry and no one will be hurt.’

Horus’ mood changed dramatically in seconds. ‘What did you do?’ he said, his face filled with panic.

Some of the girls were screaming in shock, and some of them made a dash for the door.

‘Hand her over,’ Mendor repeated.

Horus glanced to a corner where a girl stood, having stepped away from the man who had been molesting her. Mendor recognised her in an instant. Despite being taller and thinner than eight years ago, there was no mistaking her red-brown hair and pretty dark eyes.

‘T-take her,’ Horus stuttered. ‘Take her and go, you f*****g freak!’

Mendor dropped his magical pressure entirely and approached the girl. ‘Kerry?’ he said nervously.

Her reply was a tight embrace. ‘You didn’t have to,’ she whispered.

Mendor ignored her sentiment. ‘Let’s go,’ he said. He removed his grey Paladin jacket and put it over Kerry, covering her exposed body. For a split second a memory surfaced- one of a similar situation, but in a different time and with a different girl. Then it was gone and he was brought back to the present. He lifted Kerry in his arms and carried her to the door. ‘I’m done here,’ he said to Horus. He sheathed his weapons and released the men. He turned his back on the men in masks and entered the elevator.

Kerry nestled into Mendor’s body. ‘Thank you,’ she said.

Mendor didn’t reply, furious at Horus Tempesta and how he’d used both Kerry and the other girls. His entire body shook with anger.

Kerry lay there, smiling for the first time in what felt like years, for the first time since they had last been together genuinely happy.

‘You’re safe now,’ Mendor whispered, partly to remind himself. ‘You’re free and that’s all that matters.’

They stepped out of the building and into the courtyard and the cold night air. They were nearly on the other side of the square when the headquarters of the Tempesta Trading Company exploded.