Game of Ash and Bone

Chapter 7 - Almost nothing is revealed to me

Of course immediately after that I wake up. And try to process what I just realized.
Which is very little.
So Lex was a psychic, drop out of the academy looks like we were stealing money, so we're criminals, it's becoming less mysterious how I got murdered but anyway. That all basically follows I and the other dude didn't seem to be slaves as such we were running a con or had been. And we were at some underground casino.
And Nemo was there. It didn't look like we talked to him, Lex said he didn't know who he was. When was this? Three four years ago? He literally told us he was a guard. Other than coincidence it doesn't super matter. Does it? Not really. I mean the man had hobbies or a life or whatever, before all this started what max a year or so ago for him? And he's a psychic we know that. Lex sensed him and we left. If he ran in similar circles, or just was frequenting psychic friendly casinos like apparently we were maybe he remembers seeing me too. He's got his memory. Maybe he noticed I look familiar if at some point we did speak? It's not like it would be significant. Or he has no idea he wasn't looking our way in that memory.
It's light out. Light. Thank god the storm stopped. I look over at Nemo. He's far different than when I saw him in my dream. No older, but his skin is sun burnt, with his hair shaved short, and a few fresh scars on his face and neck. He looks an entirely different man than the clean, nay privileged, drunk I saw in the casino that night.
And he's much more alert.
"What did you see?" Nemo asks, rounding on me almost as soon as I stood up.
"What—what?" I ask, frowning. How could he know I saw anything of note?
"I'm psychic," he snarls, laying a hand over my face. I'm about to jerk away then my body is laced with unimaginable pain. Shooting through my every limb, and radiating through my head.
My mind is racing through the few precious memories I do have, at top speed, then going backward through again. Which is to say a very homosexual very fast music video. A sold 80% of it is kissing Lex, him and I lying together in bed, waking up next to him, yep that's a good kissing one all right, of course what I just saw in the casino, then a brief little bit of the last few days. All of this at warp speed. After a moment I realize I'm in pain because I'm living it all again. And again. And again.
His hand leaves my face and I fall to my knees, gasping, my entire head aching with pain.
Nemo paces away, tears in his own eyes, hands to his temples, clearly physically pained.
"What. The fuck?" I breath.
"You have spent the last like two weeks NOT aware you're in love with him?" Oh maybe that's what he's pained about.
"What are you talking about?" Tove asks.
"What the fuck was that?" I ask, deciding I'm not about to be able to justify how I didn't realize I'm in or was in a relationship with a man.
"Seriously? All that evidence you just thought—oh we're very good friends guess I like him a normal amount?" Nemo asks, doing honestly a pretty good imitation of my superior accent.
"What are you talking about —what just happened?" Arthur asks.
"How did you—you just searched my mind?" I realize.
"Did you think the ancients called us psychics, for nothing whatsoever?" Nemo asks, wiping his face with his wrist.
"You went through his head to see what he dreamed?" Tove says.
"Why?" Arthur asks.
"He looked at me with recognition. I wanted to know why, I have enemies," Nemo snarls.
"Why do you have enemies?" I ask, combatively, hoping he'll forget I'm queer.
"Yeah why do that to him?" Tove asks, annoyed, "Is there something we should know?"
"Why would he be after you?" Arthur asks.
"Do you—remember when we were sharing tragic backstories I regaled you with the relatable but illegal relationship that landed me here?" Nemo asks, very very tired of us.
"Oh."
"Right."
"That."
"Yes. That. I wouldn't put it past them to send assassins, I had to know why he recognized me," Nemo says.
"You recognize him?" Arthur frowns, looking at me.
"I saw him once in a bar," I say, quickly, "I was there for normal reasons."
"You were NOT. But we'll skip it," Nemo says, "And it was —gambling house, we both happened to be at. He likely remembered it because he's been around me and he happened to see me there."
"What were you both doing there?" Tove asks.
"Getting drunk? Losing money? Do you genuinely think I am standing here right now because I make good decisions?" Nemo asks, hand to his chest.
"That's fair," Arthur says to me.
"We were just looking around, I was with friends," I say, evasively.
"He was with his owner and they all got thrown out after two hours NOT because of the crimes I'm sure they were committing but instead because everyone in the party was underage," Nemo says.
"How do you know that?" I ask.
So exasperated, ready to kill me, "Because I have my memories and it was two years ago and MY night was interrupted by someone very memorably shouting 'yes every one of you shits are seventeen get OUT'."
"Oh," I say, I forgot he had his memories, "Wait that means I'm nineteen? Wow, I was way off."
"The god preserve me," Nemo breaths.
"You remember him though," Tove asks.
"Now that I see it again— I didn't recognize you when I saw you but having just seen the memory yes that's how it ends," he says.
"I didn't know psychics could read minds," Arthur says.
"Most can't," I guess.
"He's guessing he didn't remember that he just sounds confident," Nemo puts out there.
"You mind controlled like thirty people yesterday, now you searched his whole mind? How strong are you?" Arthur asks.
"Pretty damn," Nemo says, quietly.
"And why didn't you tell us?" Tove asks.
"Would you tell you? Have you even looked at yourselves? Yes, I'm damn good that's why I'm still alive. You look like idiots who would sell me out the first sponsor you talk to, or die tomorrow. I don't want them pulling me to be more 'useful to society' elsewhere I like my life."
"You—like your life of dying in gladiatorial combat?" I ask, raising a hand.
"It was a decent speech shut up."
"Okay fine. But don't do that to him again. He's not hiding anything he's an idiot," Arthur says.
"Okay stop helping now," I say, quietly.
"I found that out, thank you," Nemo massages his temples, "If you—ever—someday—many years from now—learn how to do that. Never do it to someone whose head is empty space and gay little memories. Take it from me."
"We're all glad he had happy memories, we need to get moving," Tove says, shouldering the backpack.
"I'll take it," I offer.
"What makes you think I'm going to live more than another few weeks?" Arthur asks.
"I—," Nemo catches himself. We were having a nice argument.
"Seriously. Everyone but probably you is gonna die in a few days. It's just a matter of when. We'd be dead if you hadn't shown up. It doesn't matter. But stop acting like we're going to get out of here okay? Even if I somehow made it to the end I'm not gonna win single combat against a guy like you, and even if I did they already sucked away half my life to reanimate fuckwit—,"
"Hey," I say.
"That's fuckwit affectionately," Arthur says, his shoulders jerking.
"Thank you," I say.
Nemo says nothing, staring at the ground.
"It's fine. I don't care anymore. But we're not getting out so can we not talk about it?" Arthur asks.
"He's got a point," I shrug, "Whatever brought us here, it doesn't really matter. None of us are getting out of it alive, not forever one of these days you're gonna slip. So let's enjoy the time we have! Fun! This is better than a firing squad! We get to kick ass and kill things and try to solve this maze."
They all stare at me.
"I saw inside his head this is how he lives his life," Nemo whispers.
"Okay then," Tove shrugs, "No he's got a point, they both do. We're not surviving this."
"No. So let's just go on," Arthur says, starting to walk.
I follow him, and Tove does too, taking Lyra's hand. The ashes are still wet and squelch under our boots, but it's that or climb the still slick walls.
"What if it's not the end?" Nemo asks, from behind us.
I glance back. He's following, however slowly, hodling his bag straps and not really looking up.
"What?" Arthur asks.
"What if it's not the end. When the God of Death comes he simply opens a door. You felt it yourself. It didn't feel like terror. It felt like going home. I never called it that, but, it was the only place for so long that felt familiar," Nemo says.
"That's a very nice way to make us feel better about dying but we both died," Tove says, "I was afraid. I felt fear."
"I didn't," I frown. I didn't feel afraid. I woke up I was thinking about Lex. I wasn't upset. Maybe I didn't know I was killed.
"Oh good, I did when they tore me apart," Arthur growls, at me.
"Sorry," I wince.
"Not your fault," he shrugs.
"It doesn't matter, we die either way whether it's good or not," Tove says.
"Of course we do. There's no other version of the story is there? All the tales myths and legends, each time they're retold, it goes any number of different ways. New players, new monsters, new quests. But the end is always the same. The girl dies. The hero doesn't win," Nemo asks.
"What stories are you reading?" I ask.
"True ones," he doesn't make eye contact. It's the first time he hasn't. I realize after a heartbeat that that's respect among his people.
"Yes," he says.
I nearly jump.
"It's surface, all of your thoughts. Like a hum, he can feel it too he's just young," Nemo says.
"Is it like that for most psychics?" Tove asks.
"Some," he says, shrugging non committed, "I don't know every psychic. Yes it's a thing he's strong enough to feel it."
"But you feel each other stronger," it's how Lex felt him in the casino.
"Yes," Nemo says.
"Does Pooh die?" Lyra asks, tears are bubbling down her face.
"No!"
"No!"
"No!"
And that's how I spend the next couple of hours reading ALL of Winnie the Pooh aloud to the sobbing six year old who after hearing our very grown up conversation, took it literally that all heroes in books die. We can't explain metaphors to the six year old I read it aloud because apparently I can read and walk.
" 'Pooh gave a little cough and began.
LINES WRITTEN BY A BEAR OF VERY LITTLE BRAIN
On Monday, when the sun is hot
I wonder to myself a lot:
"Now is it true, or is it not,
"That what is which and which is what?"
On Tuesday, when it hails and snows,
The feeling on me grows and grows —',"
"This is actually good," Nemo is eating something and now emotional invested.
"I guess," Arthur says, but he's been listening.
"Shhhh, I'm a very good reader. Now 'That hardly anybody knows
If those are these or these are those.
On Wednesday, when the sky is blue,
And I have nothing else to do,
I sometimes wonder if it's true
That who is what and what is who.
On Thursday, when it starts to freeze
And hoar-frost twinkles on the trees,
How very readily one sees
That these are whose—but whose are these?
On Friday——
"Yes, it is, isn't it?" said Kanga, not waiting to hear what happened on Friday. "Just one more jump, Roo, dear, and then we really must be going'," I go on.
"They're kidnapping him though right?" Nemo asks.
"Okay we just got him to shut up by giving him the book now you," Tove says.
"Yes! They're taking Roo so Kanga will leave the Forest. But it's silly, it's not scary stuff," Lyra explains, perched on my back to look over my shoulder at the pictures.
"But how is child abduction appropriate for a children's book?" Nemo asks.
"You must be fun at parties," I say.
"Shut up. Just shut up, neither kid is crying nor is Cosmo, shut up," Tove growls.
" 'Rabbit gave Pooh a hurrying-up sort of nudge. "Talking of Poetry," said Pooh quickly, "have you ever noticed that tree right over there?"
"Where?" said Kanga. "Now, Roo——"
"Right over there," said Pooh, pointing behind Kanga's back.
"No," said Kanga. "Now jump in, Roo, dear, and we'll go home."
"You ought to look at that tree right over there," said Rabbit. "Shall I lift you in, Roo?" And he picked up Roo in his paws'," I go on, about to be interrupted so I close the book, "We'll finish that story again later okay? Before Tove kills our sort of friend—,"
"Wow fuck you—-how is child abduction okay?" Nemo has been raising his hand, "Like that's upsetting."
"It's not upsetting. Because we know it's in the hundred acre wood. So it's fine. Nothign bad is going to happen. Also we've read it twice now and you're just getting it? Genuine question were you ever a child?" Tove asks, lacing her hands together.
"Not for a while," Nemo mutters.
"It's not scary stuff," Lyra says, unsure why he's confused. We've been through Winnie the Pooh twice today to satisfy her.
"Up ahead," I nod, there's an ash cloud. I feel Nemo's pack to put the book in it. He about stabs me. I try to bite him.
"I am begging you both to calm down," Tove says, taking the book from me and putting it in her bag.
"Don't touch this," Nemo says, moving away from me.
"Got it," I say, rolling my eyes. He's seen me naked I don't really see what the big deal is I know he probably has supplies but like none of us thought we could take them.
With the ashes up ahead we decide to take this party to the top of the walls. It'll be easier to travel and at least get us away from any roaming animals.
Arthur tries to jump but isn't strong enough, Tove boosts him up again, and I toss Lyra up to Nemo who went up first to clear it. I agreed to that kind of hoping he'd leave so we could hunt each other through the labyrinth in an epic sort of way and maybe kiss but unfortunately no he waits.
"I'm so glad all of you know now I can't—he just has a stream of disturbing thoughts running through his head at all times," Nemo says, pointing at me, nearly crying, "I'm trying not to look into his stupid eyes I really am."
"I am having fun," I say, taking Lyra's hand.
"I KNOW THAT'S WHAT MAKES YOUR THOUGHTS DISTURBING NYX."
We go on our way, eating lunch as we walk. We finish up the last of the foil tuna packs and olives, well Nemo and I are the only ones who want the olives. He gives the kids meal bars too, encouraging them to eat that as well. We're all burning a lot of calories on this death hike, with little sleep plus marching most of the day? Nemo predicts that it will take at least another day to clear the first level and that's making good time.
And unfortunately we are not even making that good of a time anymore.
The dust cloud gets closer. And behind us we spot a hoard of travelers following us. And by travelers we definitely mean cannibals.
"Almost like they shouldn't drop people in here with no food," I mutter.
"You think?" Tove sighs, "They're gaining on us. Have been for a couple of hours."
"And it's nearly night fall. I'm not combatting them down below," Nemo says, glancing down. Bear-walruses have been prowling for several hours, following us and roaring up the walls. And before them we saw hyena-rabbits. Hundreds of them. Nobody suggested mind control as an option. Well I did and Nemo stared at me asking if I want him to lose his mind. That was that discussion. We realistically need to save his strength. And sanity.
"There have been dozens of kills down there," Arthur says, "They're going to set all this on fire come nightfall."
"Yeah but not up top, we still need to get away from the smoke," Tove says.
"We need to make it past the burn zone, we'll fight the hoard when they reach us," Nemo decides.
He's the oldest I guess, and the most experienced I won't admit out loud. And I unfortunately don't have a better idea. We'll have to fight eventually. But eventually is becoming sooner rather than later as the hoard gains on us.
By the time dusk is falling we're no farther outside what we determined was likely a burn zone. And the hoard is only a few turns away from us. Already a few arrows flew our way. Sadly too far away for eye contact.
"It's got to be fifty, lined up I can't get all of them," Nemo predicts.
There's a roar beneath as the flames beneath the ash slowly begin to ignight. Fueled by gas lines (according to Nemo). The blazing inferno will cause even the top of the wall to be uninhabitable before long, heat plus smoke? We need to get farther.
"Go," I say, looking at Tove.
"No. We fight together," Arthur says.
She sighs, looking down at Lyra.
Nemo looks between them then back at the hoard.
"We'll slow them down," I say, "Go now."
"No. What's the point?" Arthur asks.
"The point is. You live another day," Nemo says, drawing his sword, "Go. Now. Get them to safety. You're the psychic you can survive this. I did."
"I'm not you!" Arthur says.
"You're better," Nemo smiles. I realize he thinks we're going to die in those flames. He nods a little. Damn it.
"Go," I say, backing away, "Keep them safe."
Tove nods, taking both the kid's arms.
"No!" Arthur tries to tug back but she drags him. I don't have time to watch.
Nemo and I turn back to face the flames. Through the black of the smoke the first of the hoard is emerging. And he can't make eye contact with any of them through the heavy black clouds.
"Together?" I ask.
"Together," he smiles.
We charge, my axe drawn, his sword in hand. The first one turns on another, I immediately lock battle with one, axe lodged in his chest. But I can't get it free in time. Another is leaping upon me, biting my shoulder. I draw a knife and we grapple, tripping precariously close the edge.
Flames are licking up on either side of the wall, I can feel sweat pouring down my face, loosening my grip.
I manage to flip my attacker off only for another to fly at me. We roll dangerous close the edge, before this one is pulled off by another, then they both tumble off the side. Nemo glances barely at me to check that it's worked. A few are in fighting at his control but not enough. I lost my axe, a knife in hand I'm fighting them as they come. Sometimes they trip away if he gets control of them but not quickly enough. I work my way to fighting back to back with him, he's puppeterring four at my count, but sometimes he has to sacrifice them to the flames.
But they just.
Keep.
Coming.
I no sooner stab one and am washed with blood before another leaping upon me. My blood is rushing in my ears and I struggle to breath in the putrid black smoke.
One crashes towards me only to be pushed off the edge at the last moment by one of Nemo's puppets, but that means he lost the puppet.
I keep fighting as they come, I'm stabbed at least twice and choking int he black smoke. Twice I catch fire myself and have to roll to put it out.
And they show no sign of slowing down. A huge berserker gets hold of me by the neck, slamming me to the stones. I roll out of the way just in time to avoid the slam of a mace. Nemo throws a knife my way but can offer no further help. He's fighting hand to hand with one and using three more to stop more from coming.
A gorilla-dog rises out of the smoke. Covered in blood and war paint, on a cruel iron chain.
I dodge out of the way just in time. Swinging onto the berserker's back, I dive my knife into his throat. He throws me off and I nearly fall off the edge, but the damage is done. That one is dead but just lost my weapon.
I staggar to my feet, realizing as I do that I'm going to die fighting. Like this. And just keep fighting anyway. I stumble, choking on the smoke.
Another charges me and I reach up, bloody hands, to fight hand to hand.
There's a scream from behidn me. One that was about to be drive my own axe into me was just picked up in the mouth of a huge bear-thing, which is careening back into the crowd, plowing them off the sides into the fire.
I snatch up a bloody knife and get ready as another cannibal tackles me. We grapple, and I fall to my knees, slashing groin and gut painfully, to be met with welcome if disgusting blood and organs pouring over us both.
The bear roars, picking up antoher one to throw into the fire.
I look over and in a heartbeat realize Nemo isn't controlling it. His eyes are rolled up in his head as he puppeteers several and fights another beserker.
I hurry to help him, only to be bowled over from one out of the smoke. I raise my dagger to stab wildly, only for it to be pulled off of me.
Tove drags me back up, Lyra on her back screaming and holding a knife.
"Need a hand?" She asks, voice hoarse from smoke.
"I told you to run," I breath.
"Together," she says, smiling.
Nemo falls to his knees and I move to help him, only to realize it's relief. No more are coming. The bear lowers to all four feet, sighing, then it lies down.
I look behind us, Arthur is standing there, eyes rolled up in his head, hand extended. The bear lets out a sigh, and quietly dies.
Nemo is looking as well, something like grief in his eyes. We won this time but won't again? The boy if he lives will be just like him? Both?
"Don't tell me what to do," Arthur says, lowering his hand slowly as his eyes return to normal.
Nemo nearly smiles, but the grief is still there.
"If we die we together, got it?" Tove asks, slapping my back.
"Got it," Nemo breaths, choking on the smoke.
Together, we run out out of the smoke. Nemo and I are bloodied and coughing worse, Tove takes my arm and Arthur Nemo's to keep us from tripping off the edge.
We clear the flames blessedly quickly, we weren't far from the edge. I never bothered to retrieve my axe, and I know I'm bleeding decently in a few places, Nemo kept his bag and sword, but doesn't look a whole lot better. We have to keep walking, however, until we're well out of the smoke. Only then do we stop to rest, which for me is more like collapsing.
"It's a flesh wound," I say, hand on my stomach. It isn't deep but I'm nicked up pretty good in general.
"Here," Tove kneels down to help, taking off the bag and letting Lyra climb down. Arthur takes her hand.
"You okay?" I ask Nemo, who sat next to me. He nods, checking himself for bleeding. His neck is cut but it's not bleeding profusely.
"Shirt took most of it," he nods.
"If you're beyond being mad at me which you don't get to be anyway—that was fucking wild, man," Arthur laughs, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Yeah, animals are," Nemo smiles a little, "Weird though. You may get a headache."
"Yeah it hurt. I don't know how you do stuff while you do that," Arthur says.
"Flesh wound huh?" Tove asks, washing off my gut. I'm decently cut open.
"Ah," I wink, "I'll keep."
"You shouldn't have done that though. Seriously," Nemo says, "You could have gotten clean away."
"So?" Tove asks.
"I told you already, old man, this is our final fucking chapter. There is no more pages. Nothing left to this story. We're gonna die. So we'll walk backwards into hell, together, watching our lives end. I don't fucking care. I'm not afraid. And when I meet the God of Death I'll ask him why he didn't have the balls to take me sooner," Arthur says, very sassily, hand on his hip.
"Yeah we don't split up," Lyra says, lip quivering.
"Sorry baby girl," I smile, "We just wanted to protect you."
"Well fuck that," Tove says, "We are in this together."
"So we are," Nemo agrees, sighing a bit. Arthur winks at him and he actually smiles for the boy.
"Neither of you are in any shape to move. We're stopping here for tonight," Tove informs us.
"No objection from me," I sigh, leaning back. Past the smoke the stars are just beginning to appear. A clear, beautiful night.