Freedom Lies In Being Bold
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“It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?” I asked.
He nodded and turned back to the window. “I’m still trying to get my head around it.”
“And you think I know more about this than you do? You’re a fool, Lucas.”
I could feel the tension in his body as he looked at me with those ice-blue eyes of his. He was still trying to decide whether or not to attack me. He wanted to. I could see it in his eyes, but something held him back.
“You’ve been trained all your life to kill someone who looks at you wrong,” I said. “What if there’s a way out of that? What if we can fight back against these assholes without having to go down that road?”
I saw the decision hit him. I’d struck a nerve, and now he was going to have to decide how much he cared about the people he had trained to be killers.
“This is just an idea,” I continued. “A plan. A way to turn things around.”
He took a deep breath and then looked away from me. He didn’t want to look at me, because he knew what I was saying was right. He couldn’t deny it.
“There are many things we don’t understand,” he said. “But we’ve done well to make our way so far.”
“We’ve done well to stay alive. But we’ve never fought for anything. We’ve always stayed in the shadows, and now we’re being pushed into the light. What if we don’t like the light? What if we don’t want to be found out?”
He looked at me again. His eyes were hard now.
“Why would we not want to be found out?” he asked.
“Because we’re good guys,” I said. “We’re just trying to save our asses. We’re not killers. We’re not criminals. We’re just trying to live.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes,” I said. “It is.”
“You say we’re good guys, but I think you’ve lost your way, Lucas.”
I shook my head. “I’m not going to fight you, Lucas. I know what you are. I know what you’ve done. I know how ruthless you can be. You’re the best of us. The most deadly. And I respect that. But we need to stop them. We need to find a way to win. I believe I have a plan.”
“I’m listening,” he said.
“The only thing we’ve got going for us is the fact that we’re already here. We’re in New York. They’ll have to come after us, and when they do, we’ll be ready.”
“And if they don’t?”
“Then we’ve got a problem,” I said. “But at least we’ll have tried. We won’t have died without even trying.”
He looked at me with a cold stare.
“So, what’s the plan?” he asked.
“I’ll need time to get everything together. To get the weapons I need. And to gather some other people. But I will be coming to you as soon as I can. And then we’ll see who has the biggest balls in this room.”
***
A Plan Is Only As Good As The People Who Follow It
I sat back down at my desk and pulled out my phone. I had to call someone to let them know that I was okay. I knew that wasn’t entirely true, but I’d been trained to lie to myself, too.
I dialed the number I needed to call. It rang five times before I heard a familiar voice.
“Hello?” she said.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
“It’s okay,” she said. “I’m just glad to hear from you. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said. “Just busy.”
“What do you need?”
“I need someone to help me. I need a group of people to help me. I think I have a plan, and I want to use the skills you’ve taught me. But I need your help.”
“What kind of plan?” she asked.
“I can’t tell you over the phone,” I said. “I need to meet with you.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t trust anyone else,” I said. “Not even the people I know.”
“What do you need?” she asked again.
“I need a few things,” I said. “Weapons. More weapons. Some money. And then I need you to find me some more people.”
“How many?”
“At least ten. Maybe more.”
“And I can do that?”
“I believe so. You’re the best of us. I know you can pull it off.”
“Okay, Lucas. What’s the plan?”
“I’m not going to tell you yet,” I said. “You’ll have to come to me.”
“I can’t right now,” she said. “I’m at a friend’s house. But I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I really appreciate this.”
“No problem,” she said. “But when you see me, don’t expect to take me lightly. I may be small, but I’m tough. I’ve got claws. And teeth. I know how to fight.”
“I don’t doubt that for a second,” I said. “Good luck. And keep me in the loop.”
“Will do,” she said. “And Lucas?”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry about what happened.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said. “We all have our time. It’s just time.”
“Okay,” she said. “Goodbye.”
I hung up the phone and let out a sigh.
“So, I guess you’re coming,” he said.
“I’ll be there,” I said.
***
I stood on the roof of my building, watching the sun go down. The sky was purple with red streaks, and the air had grown cold.
I looked out over the city. It was a beautiful sight, even if it was an ugly place.
“There are only two things I know for certain,” I said. “The first is that we need to get ready. We’ve got to be prepared. We can’t just walk into a trap and expect to win. And the second thing I know is that I don’t want to die here. Not tonight. Not ever.”
“You don’t seem very concerned,” said Thomas.
“I am,” I said. “But I also know that I have to be realistic. If this goes wrong, then I’d rather go out fighting. But if I can help it, I won’t be dying without a fight.”
“Then you should have called me,” he said.
“I thought you didn’t trust anyone,” I said.
“I don’t,” he said. “But I trust you.”
“It’s not much of a recommendation,” I said.
“No,” he said. “It’s not. But I’m sure you understand why.”
“Yeah,” I said. “I do.”
“Well, we’ve got work to do,” he said. “I’ll see you at the meeting place. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Okay,” I said. “See you then.”
I watched him as he walked away. He was tall and thin, with a head full of blond hair. He was handsome in a way, but his eyes were hard. Like mine.
He wore a leather jacket over a long-sleeved shirt and jeans. A sword hung from his belt, and I could tell it was a real one.
He walked into the sunset.
I stood there and watched him until he disappeared. Then I turned around and went back inside.
I wanted to get some sleep before I met with Thomas, so I laid down on my bed. But I couldn’t. I kept thinking about what he’d said.
That we need to be prepared.
I tried to go to sleep, but I couldn’t. I tossed and turned for hours, and eventually I fell asleep.
When I woke up, it was night. I opened my eyes and looked at the clock. It was three in the morning. I yawned and stretched and got out of bed.
I pulled on my clothes and walked downstairs. I lit a candle and poured myself a cup of coffee. I sat down at my kitchen table and took a sip.
My apartment was small, but it had everything I needed. The walls were painted pale blue, and the furniture was all old. There were bookshelves along the wall, filled with books. A few photos were stuck to the fridge, and a calendar hung above the sink.
The doorbell rang. I went to answer it, and there was Thomas. He looked like he’d been sleeping in his clothes. His hair was a mess, and his face was still wet from the shower.
“You ready?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said. “Let’s do this.”
***
We left my building and walked across the street to where we’d parked our cars. I unlocked mine and climbed inside. Thomas did the same with his, and then we drove away.
I took us to the edge of the city. We parked our cars and got out. We’d chosen an abandoned lot because it was isolated. It was out of sight, and there was no way anyone could follow us here.
But that wasn’t why we’d picked it.
“Here?” I said. “Why are we here?”
“Because it’s quiet,” he said. “And because we need to talk.”
“I’m not sure I agree with you on that one,” I said. “We’ve got a lot of things to say, and I don’t think any of them are going to be very pleasant. If we’re going to do this, then I want to get it over with. We can deal with the aftermath later.”
“I understand,” he said. “But I think it’s important that we take the time to make sure we’re doing the right thing. It’s important for both of us. We have to be absolutely certain that we’re making the right decision. That means we need to be clear-headed, and we need to know exactly what we’re getting into.”
“So you’re saying we should sit around and chat?” I said. “Well, I’ve got a better idea. How about we just go back to my place and get some sleep? Then we can start fresh in the morning.”
“No,” he said. “That’s not going to work. This is something we need to do now. You saw what happened to your friend. The Archdemon has a new weapon. We’ve got to stop him before he uses it. Or else there will be nothing left to protect.”
“You’re right,” I said. “But I still don’t think we should wait.”
“What do you suggest?”
“I’d like to get this over with tonight,” I said. “If we leave now, we can probably reach the Archdemon’s palace by tomorrow night.”
“Is that what you want?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said. “It is.”
“Then let’s do it,” he said. “Follow me.”
We walked down the road toward the city. It was dark, but I could see the lights of the buildings. They were bright and vibrant. But they didn’t give off light. There wasn’t any electricity running through them.
They were magic.
The city had been built to look like it was powered by magic, and the people who lived there were all magicians. Magic was their life. It was the only thing that kept them alive.
There was no food. No water. No shelter. Not even any medicine. But if you were a magician, you could heal yourself. You could grow plants. You could manipulate the elements. And most importantly, you could make things happen.
The city was home to the Archdemon. He ruled over all of the magicians. His palace was a tall building made of stone. It was a long way from being finished, and I could see that he hadn’t lived there for a while. The windows were boarded up. There were no lights shining out of the windows.
But I knew someone had to be inside.
He was waiting for us.
We stopped at the edge of the city. It was silent, and we were alone.
“Why are we here?” I asked. “Do you have a plan?”
“I’ve got a theory,” he said. “And I need your help.”
“That’s all I needed to know,” I said. “Let’s go.”
***
We followed the road down into the city. It was dark, but we didn’t need to see to walk. The streets were empty, and the buildings were still. But we couldn’t be sure that was going to last.
“This is where we split up,” Thomas said. “You’ll head down the street. I’ll take the alley.”
“And then what?” I asked.
“Then I’ll come find you,” he said. “When I do, I’m going to cast a spell on you. It’s a spell that will make you invisible to the Archdemon. I think it should work as long as you’re inside the city. We don’t want him to know we’re coming until we get there.”
“That’s very clever,” I said. “How did you figure this out?”
“It was simple,” he said. “I realized that if we can make ourselves invisible, then we can sneak up on him. Then we’ll be able to hit him from behind. That will give us the advantage. But we won’t be able to see him either. I’ve got a feeling he might be able to sense our presence, and that would put us in danger. So I need to cast a spell that will block his powers.”
“I wish you’d told me about this before we left,” I said. “I could have done a lot of research on how to defeat an Archdemon. I mean, I’ve been studying magic for years.”
“Don’t worry,” he said. “We have plenty of time. You won’t need to know anything until we get there. I just need to cast the spell now so that it’s ready to use.”
“Okay,” I said. “How do I go invisible?”
“Just like any other invisibility spell,” he said. “You cast it on yourself. Just remember, it doesn’t work unless you’re in the city. If you step outside, you’ll be visible again.”
“Got it,” I said. “How far do I have to walk away from you?”
“No more than fifty yards,” he said. “That’s as close as I can cast the spell. You won’t be able to walk much farther without getting too far away.”
“That’s not enough,” I said. “I’ll need to get closer to the Archdemon. Fifty yards is a long way.”
“Then I suggest you don’t run,” he said. “And when we reach the palace, I’ll cast a second spell on you that will give you a burst of speed. We’ll need that if we’re going to catch him off guard.”
“Good,” I said. “But how do I know you’ll be able to find me once you cast the spell?”
“I’ll be able to hear your voice,” he said. “Once we reach the palace, I’ll cast another spell that will make it impossible for anyone to hear you. The Archdemon should have no idea that you’re inside the city. He won’t be able to sense you.”
“It seems like a lot of spells,” I said. “Do you think they’ll work?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “But I’ve got a plan, and I’m counting on it working. But we’ll need to move fast. I want to get into the city before sunrise. And I want to get the Archdemon while he’s asleep. We’ll have the advantage then.”
“What makes you think he’s sleeping?” I asked. “He could be waiting for us.”
“I doubt it,” Thomas said. “But you never know with magicians. It’s one of the things that makes them so dangerous. They always have a trick up their sleeve.”
“I don’t trust this plan,” I said. “You’re just guessing.”
“We’re all guessing,” he said. “I’m just the only one who has a chance of coming out alive.”
“Do you know what the Archdemon’s weakness is?” I asked.
“No,” he said. “I know nothing about him. All I know is that he’s powerful, and he’s not going to go down without a fight. We’ll need to be ready for anything. But I think we have an advantage. He thinks we’re dead. He thinks we’ve given up. If he’s expecting us to come at him from the outside, he’ll be less prepared than if he’s expecting us to come from within. The Archdemon hates to lose his powers. That’s why he keeps trying to regain them. It’s his obsession.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. “Why would he hate to lose his power?”
“Because it gives him the ability to hurt people,” Thomas said. “It makes him feel powerful. And he wants to be the most powerful creature in the world. He’ll stop at nothing to achieve that goal. You have to understand that. I don’t know if he’ll be able to kill me. But I know he’ll try.”
“What does he want?” I asked. “He doesn’t seem like much of a threat.”
“I don’t know what he wants,” Thomas said. “But I know that he’s powerful and that he has a lot of followers. We’re going to need all the help we can get.”
“How many people are there?” I asked.
“A few thousand,” he said. “But most of them won’t be a problem. They’ll be too afraid to step foot outside the palace. They’ll stay inside and let the Archdemon do as he pleases.”
“I wish we had more time to prepare,” I said. “But I guess we have to move fast now.”
“You’ll need to walk faster,” he said. “I’m casting a spell on you right now, so you should be invisible soon enough. Then I’ll cast another spell that will give you some speed. You’ll need to use it. The Archdemon’s magic is strong.”
“I don’t see how I’ll be able to get past him,” I said. “If I could just use my sword…”
“We’re not going to be able to use your sword,” Thomas said. “The Archdemon can sense it. I tried to fight him with it once before. He threw me into a wall.”
“He threw you?” I asked. “And you were able to do that to him?”
“I was a lot stronger then,” he said. “I think he was surprised. But it wasn’t long before he was casting spells at me. I’ve learned since then that magicians can see the power in others. They can tell if someone is a wizard or not. And they can read their powers. I don’t know what the Archdemon saw when he looked at me, but he was ready for me.”
“So how did you beat him?” I asked. “I thought he was the Archdemon.”
“He was,” Thomas said. “But I was able to cast a spell that made him forget I was there. He couldn’t sense me. It’s hard to explain. Magicians have a lot of power, but they’re not good at using it. I was able to cast a spell that put the Archdemon to sleep. Then I used my sword to cut off his head.”
“You decapitated him?” I asked.
“I was a lot stronger back then,” he said. “I didn’t realize what I’d done until it was too late. But I was able to heal myself and recover the Archdemon’s head. I buried it somewhere safe. Then I used magic to bring it back to life. The Archdemon had been dead for less than a day. I think he was confused by the whole thing. It wasn’t until years later that I realized what I’d done. I was supposed to destroy the Archdemon. Not resurrect him.”
The End