Inner Discord

Chapter 12

I took Boeithe to the circular crack I had seen earlier. When she saw it, she immediately said: 'Yeah, it's definitely this we're looking for. Now, brother, it's up to you.'

I summoned my earth katana. I concentrated my strength into my fist via the katana, and hit the middle of the circular crack. It became red. As soon as Boeithe felt to it, she pulled away her hand. 'Ew, this is sticky! What is it?'

I looked more closely. When I reached a conclusion, I opened my eyes widely because of fear. I checked my hands to see if it was true. 'It can't be... blood?'

'Just how strong is that wall, resisting such an attack?'

I thought aloud. 'Maybe that blood means something... It must be a sign. It might be that the anti-teleportation screen is already broken, isn't it?'

That sounded acceptable. Boeithe took on that weird pose of hers again, and levitated. 'Come on, Boeithe, you can do it!'

Boeithe clamped her lips on one another, she began to sweat. Her face became all red. Then suddenly, as if she was struck by lightning, she screamed and fell down. A message appeared in the air. 'I told you there was an anti-teleportation screen, didn't I? Just figure it out, there's a much better way to handle this.'

I angered. Really, how could Aphron be this cruel? Boeithe did not move a single bit, it looked as if she had died. I shook her body, desperately trying to get a kind of voice out of her. 'Boeithe, answer me, please. You're not dead, are you? We only just met, you can't be dead, really, just wake up already!'

But she did not wake up. I refused to cry, I was conscious enough to realize I better did not do that. But I did want to continue. I wanted to see Aphron, to see if he would be able to do anything about this. I hate to admit it, but I wanted to save her. It was a kind of affection. Thus I decided to stand up again. I wanted to take a closer look at the blood.

I touched the place where I had hit the wall before. I put my finger, covered in the red liquid that grants life to mankind, in my mouth, tasting if it had that typical, coppery, sharp taste blood has. I am sure everyone has already tasted of his own blood? If you have not, then you will not understand what I am talking about.

Anyway, the liquid did not taste like blood should taste. On the contrary, it was sweet, it gave a nice feeling in the mouth. Before I was aware of it, I was already licking the wall to be able to suck up everything of that godly liquid I possibly could. However, it just kept coming, it was like an infinite water source, with water that, if you drink enough of it, will grant you eternal youth. Or that was at least the feeling I had.

After my stomach was full of it, after I was satisfied, my thoughts became cloudy, my body, especially my head, started to hurt like crap, my eyes felt like they could burst out of their sockets every moment. I began to hear a peeping sound, my vision started to tremble, the whole earth turned around me. I tried to scream, but no sound came out. The peeping noise got louder and louder, the trembling heavier and heavier, and to make matters worse, all of my skin began to feel like thousands of little needles pricked it. My throat was dry as the desert, I could not breathe properly anymore, my knees seemed to want to bend in the wrong direction, my sense of balance was messed up, I did not succeed in standing anymore, fell to the ground, and because of the pain I was already being tortured by, the slap of my head against the stone nearby felt like burying it in a bath of feathers. And all of that happened in the blink of an eye. And then, I ultimately fell unconscious, granting me the luxury of sleeping, not having to feel that pain anymore. I let my body glide away fully.

Aphron laughed when he saw the sight of Phoneus and Boeithe before him. That little Kratistos was smarter than he had thought when he had chosen her for his task. Anyhow, it seems she was not smart enough to figure all of it out. Although the hints were obvious. Phoneus had disappointed him. How had he not figured out what was going on when Boeithe fell?! But all of that did not matter. They were clearly not ready for their task yet. But it did not matter. He had considered this possibility. For now, he would leave them and give them one hint that should make them capable of solving this puzzle. Phoneus and Boeithe had maybe not realized it yet, but actually this whole training was mainly directed at solving puzzles, as that was what they were going to have to do mainly.

Ophelimos saw Aphron walking out of his office. 'Are they already done, Aphron?'

'No, they are down for the moment. However, I do hope that when they wake up again, they will finally solve this. Oh, and I decided to give them the hint. Ophelimos, you know what I had ordered you to do, right?'

'Yes, Aphron. Although I find it a little early.'

'Don't bother about that and do what I asked you to. Who's got the brains here, you or me?'

'Me, Aphron.'

'Hahah! Yes, that's right, maybe you have more than me. But, would you please do this for me now, Ophelimos? You should trust me more once in a while.'

'Certainly, Aphron.'

As he saw Aphron leaving, Ophelimos had to think back at when they were young. How they used to compete for the best points, how he had been better in science, but Aphron in strategy development and magic use. They used to play and study together a lot. If only that time could come back... But that was not important right now. he departed to carry out what Aphron had ordered him to.