The Excisionists: Book 1 Page 11

  When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I could hear water dripping in the background and found myself in a moss-covered room. Fluid dripped in channels down the walls to feed the plants and orbs that simulated the strength of the sun and filled the room with brilliance. I shielded my eyes and continued until I found the wooden tables and bookcases I’d been searching for. I scanned the area for potential hazards and saw a total of six enforcers strategically placed around the exterior. I didn’t dare approach the texts without neutralizing the guards first. I located the desired text with my eyes before I imagined the possibilities for attack. If I killed one of them, the others would rush me, and I would have to take on five more at once. If I instead poisoned each one in succession I’d have to be sure they didn’t drop to the floor and alert the others. I decided instead to drop a sleep bomb which would incapacitate them all at once and give me time to escape. I lifted the mask around my neck upward to cover all but my eyes before I tossed the round object into the center of the room.

  The guards saw the hissing and rushed toward it with a dome shield but didn’t get close enough before they inhaled the gas and crashed to the ground. I didn’t waste a moment and sailed over them to grab the large object. It was a thick book bound in black leather. I used two of my arms to conceal it beneath my cloak and ran back up the staircase. It was more difficult to push past the crowds that had amassed, but I knew I didn’t have much time before they would awake, so I pressed harder. Seconds later, I realized there were hanging objects above I could swing from. I sprung upwards with all my strength and clutched the object above. I jumped from one to another until I reached the entrance. I trotted outside and made it only a few yards before I heard the clamor inside the Pyramid I’d just left. The guards were hot on my tail. I broke into a full out run and made it back to the maze of vendors before the guards did. I ducked inside and stole a pale blue cloak to cover my dark one. I threw it about my shoulders and ducked out the back. The music still pounded, and I knew the danger hadn’t passed.

  Above me was a series of canvas hangings and low rooftops. I hopped onto the canvas hangings and swung up to the rooftops. I ran and jumped from one to another watching the ground below and hoping to avoid falling. The last one I had to reach was further than the others and I nearly missed it. Rubble from the decaying stone dropped to the ground below as I clung to the side of the wall. I pulled myself upwards and traversed the roof in seconds. The other side only had either a pile of sand or a pile of rocks to land on. I chose the sand and braced for a hard hit. I tried to roll but injured my leg during the fall. My health dropped sharply but I didn’t have time to dress the wound, so I lifted that leg and used my other arms and legs to scramble to the wall. Shouts behind me proceeded dozens of arrows striking the wall only inches from my head. I scrabbled upwards and finally reached the top of the wall. I couldn’t afford another injury, so I took a little more time to climb back down the wall. There was no way I wanted to pass this off again after my narrow escape from the pyramid. The guards had to run along the stone wall laterally to reach the entryway and then come at me again. This gave me just enough time to plant a few mines and then run to safety.

  I didn’t look back when I heard the mines detonate as I slipped to the safety of the Bone Desert. I purposely neared an area with a Fire Scorpion to rouse it from its den. It spit flames and devoured the remaining guards as I picked my way around the hazards I could see on my map. Finally, the music switched to normal and I knew I’d passed off this challenge. Despite my feeling of safety, I kept pushing on until I couldn’t go any further without regaining some health.

  I knew there was a stash of replenish bars just up ahead inside one of the caves. I walked slowly there and dropped to the floor when I entered the cave. I reached out for one and got it just in time before my health dropped to zero. It took six of them to restore only half my health and repair my leg which depleted the entire store. It was worth it though and I now had time to examine my prize. I tossed the other cloak I’d tried to disguise myself with and pulled the book onto my lap. The soft black leather cover had been worn with age. The pages inside were brittle and filled with unreadable text. I smiled to myself knowing just how close I was to getting what I needed for Sudoria. Suddenly, the cave echoed with voices and I knew I wasn’t alone. I hid the book behind a rock and drew my knife as I waited for them to come around the bend in the cave.

  To my surprise, it was Jinx and Phineas. I relaxed some and sheathed my knife. “Good to see you two again. Glad you didn’t arrive any earlier.”

  The shifting Necromancer stared at me. “How soon will you fulfil your tasks?”

  I shrugged. “I still have Sudoria to explore, but I need to get the map first.”

  She hissed at me. “What have you been doing this entire time? I thought you’d be finished with this by now. Don’t you realize we have much to do still?”

  I narrowed my eyes at her. “These things take time. And there was another sandstorm last night and I lost time waiting for it to pass.”

  Phineas decided to join the conversation. “He’s doing well. I’ve seen others who haven’t made it this far. And then there’s those who’ve been pulled–”

  “Silence! Your lips are too lose.” She glared at him.

  “What’s he talking about? Are people being pulled from the game?”

  She stared at me. “You might as well know, but do not let the others become aware of this of I will have them pull you too.”

  I nodded. “Alright. Explain it to me.”

  She floated close to me and I could feel wisps of cold caress my skin. “There are those who are not fit for the game. It was never my father’s intention to allow all of us to finish the game once he saw how many were lacking intellect and ability. They are being removed early to receive the Omega Wave Interceptor Device. Some are replaced by NPC’s and others by someone else.”

  I was shocked by this revelation. “Why aren’t they allowed to try the game on a lower level or do something else. I thought the whole purpose of the game was to give us some choice in the matter. Does that mean everyone going to be fitted with the device at some point?”

  She shook her head. “No, no, no. You misunderstand. There are other plans for those who win.”

  “Like what?”

  She drew in a breath. “I couldn’t tell you what that is. Dr. Sonnet worked out a deal for each of us and it depends on what each specific deal is.”

  I knew she was holding back. “I don’t believe you.”

  She cradled my chin in her icy bony fingers. “You don’t have to believe me. We’ve got a deal. If you can’t keep your end of the bargain, I replace you with someone else who’s loyal which will signal to the Excisionists that you are no longer worthy of the game.”

  Phineas sensed danger and ended our conversation. “They’re coming. We must leave. Now.”

  Jinx pulled her hand back and melted into the dark Calabi-Yau manifold with Phineas. Her words were whispery and disappeared into the blackness. “We have a deal.”

  I listened for intruders but didn’t hear any. Phineas must have been referring to something in another dimension. I didn’t want to stay here any longer since there wasn’t any was exit besides the way I’d come in and I hated feeling trapped. I grabbed the ancient text and hurried out of the cave. I ran toward the nearest city that housed an underground market not wanting to waste any more time. By the time I reached it, the brightness of the day had faded, and the sky was bathed in salmon. I entered through the back entrance used mainly for animals. It smelled of dung and mud which kept the enforcers away making it easier for me to enter without being detected. I carefully picked my way around the sludge and found my way to the inn with the silver cord wrapped around crimson curtains in an upper window. This was the symbol of the underground market which was what I was looking for. The main room was filled with chattering drunks and joyful music. I dropped a coin on the pub counter and headed to the back and up the creaky stai
rs to the keeper’s room.

  Dock was the keeper of this inn and had been waiting for me to arrive with the text. The whole idea was his and he promised to pay me handsomely for the completion of the task. He sat surrounded by women wearing golden charms sitting on pillows that were strewn about encircling a wooden table.

  His jaw dropped when he saw me. “Edan. Good to see you my friend.”

  I grinned and pulled the hood back. “And you my friend. I have something for you.”

  His eyes lit up with excitement. “Is it what I think it is?”

  I nodded.

  He clapped twice. “Out! Out! Everyone Out!”

  Everyone obeyed in an instant leaving the two of us to talk. Without the chatter of the women I could hear the chimes and the city below in the background.

  He waved me closer and rubbed his hands together with glee. “Let me see it.”

  I pulled back my cloak to reveal the black leather-bound book. It smacked the table with a heavy thud when I dropped it in front of him.

  I pointed at his chest. “I expect payment in full before I let you keep it.”

  He giggled with delight and the gems on his fingers sparkled in the candlelight as he fingered the pages. “Oh, of course, of course. This is worth more than you know. And I’m throwing in a little extra for your expeditious recovery of this sacred text.”

  I bowed slightly. “Thank you Dock. If you don’t mind, I’ll need to get it quickly and be on my way.”

  His brow furrowed. “You don’t want to stay and celebrate a while?”

  I shook my head. Dock was always able to waste more time than you realized if you stayed here in his inn. “I can’t. Maybe next time.”

  He put his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t you even want to know what I’m planning on doing with this?”

  Again, I shook my head. “No. The less I know, the better. I’ll be needing payment now.”

  He relented. “Okay, okay. Take this to the treasuries.”

  I caught the golden coin mid air and dropped it into a pocket. “Thanks again. Call on me if you have any further needs.”

  He laughed again. “Oh, I will.”

  I left him to examine his new prized item and headed out to obtain payment. Although Dock was an intelligent creature, he was paranoid that someone would betray him and steal all his trinkets. This was the reason he had money and items stowed in multiple places both inside and outside the city. I reached the treasury within minutes and handed the coin to the bookkeeper. He opened the ledger after examining the coin and then disappeared into the back room. After some time, he emerged with a chest of gold, a Bismuth, a sickle shaped weapon, and a key. I lifted the gold cord and dropped the key around my neck before strapping on the weapon, stowing the Bismuth, and requesting pouches for the gold. I was heavy laden when I left the treasury but elated I could now move to my final objective.

  I found another dealer who’d promised the cloak for a large payment. I now had the money to purchase it and dropped pouch after pouch on the table. His eyes widened, and he had difficulty hiding his excitement at the mound of gold. I took the cloak and waited to put it on in the alleyway outside the shop. It was super light and the color of a cloud on a rainy day. I’d been told that it would only obscure me while the hood was pulled up and over my face. I found a muddy puddle to display my reflection, and then pulled up the hood all the way. I felt a breeze of coolness wash over me as I disappeared from view. I hopped and bobbed to see if anything would show up in the puddle, but it reflected the sky above as if I didn’t exist. I had to contain my excitement as I walked proudly past the enforcers. None of them could see me so I lightly tapped one of their shoulders and watched with delight as he looked around to figure out where the touch had come from. When they were distracted, I slipped a small knife out of another enforcer’s pocket and concealed it beneath my cloak as I silently walked out of the main entrance.

  This cloak was more than I’d hoped for. I jogged toward the desert ahead and tried my cloak there too. Instead of avoiding enemies in the Bone Desert, I disturbed them and attacked each one without sustaining a single hit. I laughed as they randomly struck at the air not knowing where their attacker was. I sliced off their claws and tails before using the sickle to slice them down the center and retrieve the hexagonal crystals that laid where their carcass once did. Even with the time I spent killing enemies, I was much quicker in my travels because I could walk in a straight line from one city to another for the first time in this game.

  Adara was a small city, but heavily guarded. I knew I’d have to figure out how to enter the Cartography Metropolis for the map. The entryway was small, but the underground footprint spanned the entire city limits. There would be hundreds of rooms on each level and a minimum of four guards patrolling each area. There were dozens of alarms and laser triggers I’d have to avoid. I decided the best way to get where I needed to would be to follow directly behind the guards and get the layout of the area. I knew they’d turn off the sensors as they moved about the level and I could get into the rooms by lifting an access card from one of them. It would be tricky leaving, but since there weren’t any renderings of the city, I’d have to think on my feet and memorize the layout.

  I waited outside the city watching the traffic come and go for nearly an hour before I dared enter. I stood close behind a gigantic enforcer with a soft belly. Each time he took a step I took one as well. The clanking of his armor masked any noise from my footfalls. He smelled like an animal, and I couldn’t wait to leave him behind but needed him to get me where I needed to be. I watched the movement around me and tried not to get distracted by the sights and sounds of this metallic city. Laser beams and search lights swept the ground while the enforcers remained in the dark spots as they moved. The main enforcer of each group swiped his card and allowed all the guards in behind him before walking into the room himself. I breathed a sigh of relief when the one I’d been following swiped his card, entered first instead of letting the others in first, and none of the alarms went off despite my presence between them.

  All the walls were metallic and riveted together. I crept quietly behind the enforcer around the compound and got a good look at the place. Scientists and dignitaries passed by us without a second look. I saw access cards hanging from everyone’s hips and decided it would be easier to swipe one from the passersby rather than one of the guards who kept tight control on their badges. The next group that passed by was chatting loudly and held their heads high in the air. One of them had a low hanging badge that was nearly falling off him. I tiptoed behind him and gently pulled the card free from the cord. I turned back and was horrified to see the guards too far away for me to get back behind them as they entered a lift shaft. I’d have to follow this group now hoping they’d take me where I needed to go.

  The rooms we entered were steel walled but had plush furniture and communications coms that linked them to any room they desired. I sat in a chair and waited for someone to talk about the map. It wasn’t long before one of the scientists started the main discussion.

  “We’ve gathered here today to discuss some of the potential errors on the map of Sudoria. It was brought to our attention that the emerald room was left off the map. This must be rectified. Suggestions for which Cartographer to request for this project?”

  Another white haired self-important official spoke. “I suggest we give the project to Herman. After all, he’s the prize student of Genesis and will likely put us in good standing with Sudoria after this embarrassing mishap.”

  They all nodded in agreement and signaled a runner to fetch Herman. I jumped up from the chair and slid behind him just as he was about to leave the room. I followed him until I found another empty room where I could search the compound by computer to find the map. The way down into this room would be easiest to reach by climbing through the air ducts allowing me to avoid all security measures. I located the grate to the duct in this room and pulled myself inside. It had to be put back into place,
but not screwed down too tight or I wouldn’t be able to get back out this way.

  The air rushed past me in the ductwork which made it more difficult to move through, but this was the best way, so I kept going. By the time I reached the grate inside the room with the map I could hear people approaching. I kicked the grate as hard as I could and bent it enough to wriggle past it. The map was inside a locked glass case. I could hear the people nearing, so I grabbed the card and swiped it several times. I was frazzled when it wouldn’t open the case. Finally, I pulled out the sickle shaped weapon and used the hilt to smash the glass and tossed shards of glass near the bent grate. I had just enough time to slide the map inside my cloak and press up against the wall near the door when it opened. I slipped out behind them before they realized what had happened. They immediately focused on the air duct and assumed the thief was in the air shafts. Alarms blared, and enforcers jogged down the hallways to find the missing artifact.