Year 2016: Capital, Accambus
We departed from Malaysia instantly once we had geared up and changed into our TSDA stealth outfit.
This trip to Accambus took us an hour. I rose up from my seat once the train screeched into a halt on its magnetic railway track. It had been four years though, since the last time I trod on this underwater civilization and the entrance that was linked up to Malaysia from the city Capital in Accambus.
I stepped out of the train before Haziq and Rong, eyes wandered around the spacious hall. None of these things had changed about this entrance in Capital, as far as I was able to tell from my past recollection—the day they sent me back to TOP four years ago. Its wall was still coloured with the obsolete dusty colour, and the floors seemed hazardous too, descriptively decrepit, and too archaic as if it would tumble anytime. Maybe this was just its unconventional design sometimes I wondered.
The guardian who was on duty was a young lady, at her twenties perhaps, with long silvery white hair based on my feeble memories four years ago. I remembered her as she, probably the only one, genuinely wished me luck while I was sent to TOP. As much as I wanted to greet her with warm big smile, like exactly how she bid me farewell last time, I'd hoped her memories weren't as good as mine too, as it would be quite troublesome if she happened to recognize my face.
“Report your names and the purpose of your visit,” a hoarse and hostile voice spoke just five paces away from my left. My eyes startled, as I couldn’t hear his superb silent footsteps. Through the corner of my eyes I found shock in Haziq’s eyes, and Rong’s as well, because of the surreptitious paces of course. The unfriendly voice continued, “I don’t have all day.” His eyes tinged with a tad of menace.
I darted my cautious scrutiny at the man. He looked almost as old as Hank, but was thinner, and with an insignificant appearance same as the entrance. The only significant part about this man was his polished bald head, which annoyed me instantly. For some reasons, I hated bald head, especially when it was a shiny one. And he was wearing a T.S.D.A. combat outfit with a noteworthy golden badge pinned to the thin protective cloth above the chest part. He should be the guardian of the entrance in Capital. But a question rose within me, where did the amicable young lady go?
“We’re under Hank’s order,” Haziq replied before I could. “Secret order,” he added.
“I don’t seem to have a record for your presences at this hour. In fact, I don’t seem to have any for the entire day. May I see your credentials?” he questioned professionally.
“There’s no need for that. It’s urgent. We’re given one day permit,” said Rong as she displayed a white silvery card, which Hank gave us, to the man.
He nodded falteringly after identifying its validity with a barcode scanner in his right hand. “You’re free to go then. Good luck,” he said, retreating his paces reluctantly.
Haziq and Rong rushed out first before me, but halfway before I reached the exit, I swerved to face the man again, brows furrowed. “Are you new here?”
“I’m afraid no. I was placed to look after this entrance three years ago,” He replied with an unruffled expression, and with a strenuous eerie smile as well. “I believe your objective is of utmost importance and you shouldn’t be wasting anymore time. Isn’t that true?”
"Yes. But I'm just wondering whether if you know what's happened to the former guardian," I queried. This didn't feel right. "He's my friend."
His eyes were chary, and I spotted a repressed chagrin across his features. “I don’t have the answer for the personal question about someone I don’t reckon. So why don’t you ask the former guardian yourself? If he is truly your friend and it concerns you so much.” His words were prudently crafted. “I’m really sorry I just couldn’t be of any more help,” he added.
He didn't seem sorry at all. My eyes were tracing every detail on his face just now. He didn't flinch, and he was studying me the whole time, too. He didn't seem to be bothered at all when I introduced the former guardian as a 'he' instead of a 'she'. I guessed he wasn't lying.
“It’s okay. I’m just curious...it’s just too abrupt for me.” Yes, it was, but it was just part of the reason. The main reason was, I was unsure though, as this was my first time hearing a guardian of the entrances was replaced. To be frank, this guardian position wasn’t really popular at all, and it was more like a penalty than a job. Most of the soldiers wanted to be in the frontline carrying out special ops. The only chance TSDA could authorize such replacement was either the former guardian was incapacitated or, worst of all, dead. Or maybe, a lot of things could happen in four years.
I resumed my walk to the exit, after three complete paces I turned again. “I’m Ting by the way. What’s your name?” I asked, seriously intrigued.
He threw me a wary look. “Daniel Williamson.” Then his face twisted a guarded smile.
“Well nice to meet you, Daniel.” So I faked a decent smile back and caught up with Haziq and Rong. I was annoyed though, by the conversation, even his dull ancient name that I could simply bump into in Accambus. Maybe it was his bald head that slightly aggravated me. Perhaps, my suspicion had exceeded the normal level, which I couldn’t even tell why.
But, most of all, I pitied the former guardian. Because whatever happened to her during the time that I was away, it wouldn’t be pleasant. For my own good sake, I didn’t intend to find out.
And it was a good thing his bald head wasn’t sharp enough to discern out my face, which once acquired quite a fame in TSDA. Not in a helpful and favourable way though given the circumstance.
We left the entrance through an elevator, leaving the obsolescence behind, and walked into an empty warehouse. They built the entrance below a discreet warehouse, which no one would even care to cast a glance at, in the middle of Capital.
We rushed out. Overhead, there was this nothingness that I was once so familiar with. And the deserted street still looked the same as before I left, only quieter. This street was near the central of the city and would be teeming with crowds in the afternoon due to the number of famous restaurants in this area. I could have a hard time trying to squeeze my way down the street with the whiffs of delightful dishes that my nose detected whenever I was on my way home with my mentors, Ina and Jack, after a tough assignment from HQ.
And I only realized I had been missing this place subconsciously the moment I inhaled in the artificial air, which was fresher and free of pollution, to greet this always familiar to me submerged metropolis.
I never really thought that it would be like this, my reunion with this submerged land, filling me with an unfinished excitement and with a tinge of anxiety as well...
***
Year 2008: Capital, Accambus
My soul was frightened in the darkest core within me, my sword quivered in my hands in the rhythm of fear, and my eyes failed miserably to register any sign of hostility, not even calm though. That was the kind of fear I had never dealt with before. It smelled and felt like death. I was only twelve and yes, I was dying. Though my body was in a perfect state and totally unscathed, and I hadn’t bled or spat a single dribble of blood, yet. But I was certain I was dying, or on the verge of dying, because of the most devilish man ever that stood just five paces away from me who was capable of killing anyone in cold blood, including a kid like me who scarcely knew how to brandish a sword. He didn’t even care.
My depressing height that time had only reached his stone chest, and his well-built arms that I couldn’t hope for was able to squish my brain into flat meat within seconds. I was too incompetent, not even close to be deemed as rival. I was a victim, a prey. And the worst part was there was no space to hide in the battlement. I shouldn’t have followed. I should have second thought before I neared the battlement.
And, oh my god, yes I wasn’t hallucinating. He approached. The first step he took in my direction crushed my heart and disrupted my heartbeats in brutality. I stood still, was too scared to move an inch. The second step he took my right leg cringed involuntarily. Then he raised his long sword in the air, poised to attack, his piercing eyes were merciless, choking my breath, and just a single slash my destiny would end, here and now.
“Ting run!” a voice yelled at me. I recognized the voice instantly before I caught a glimpse of the man—Jack. “Run! Don’t just stand there.” He was lying on the ground, bleeding. His conspicuous face was paled with horror, his blond hair was stained with his own blood, and his yell was even helpless to me. Sensibly, he couldn’t have rushed to my front chivalrously to block any assault that was coming in my direction.
No! I wasn’t planning to run, and I wasn’t planning to die either. In fact, I was planning to fight. That was why I rushed to the battlement, to protect people. That was why I was here standing. I steadied my sword, adjusting my breaths, sharpening my eyes, rearranging my features until I was as intimidating as the man in front of me, though, ineffectively to the devilish man.
Don’t you know how to raise your fists? I almost could hear Shirley howl. I had learnt that now in a cruel way, and not just how to raise my fists. I knew how to raise my sword.
Now you’re strong and angry. So if anyone hit you once, you double it back to them. For sure.
I was ready to fight in a guarding stance, and I could see the malicious face grinned, ridiculing my fruitless resistance. He slashed, and I lifted my sword to fend off the attack. But before the swords clashed an overwhelming fist barged in and the figure slithered in between us, forcing the man back to the very edge of the battlement which was ten yards away.
“Do you still remember what I taught you?” the slender figure who now stood before me protectively asked. Her dark hair swayed in unrivalled elegance and her pair of threatening dark eyes never shifted to me as she spoke. She was Ina.
“I do,” my voice regained the usual volume.
Her head turned and her gaze scrutinized me for a short moment before she locked her eyes tightly on the enemy again. “Then let’s teach him some lessons,” she said arrogantly.
Without dithering, the man slashed at the air in front and unleashed a devastating wave at us. I was flung backwards, and I hit the stonework with a big thump then I was stuck. My back was glued on the crenelated wall, and pain flustered though my veins across the left shoulder a second later before I realized; I was bleeding severely. The long sword pierced my skin and stabbed through my left shoulder deep into the wall behind. I couldn’t move. The man had hurled his long sword at me with his blinded movement. And he didn’t miss, most likely he never. The scarlet liquid gushed out like a flowing river down to the abdomen, staining my clothes with red patches.
And now I had a fragment of realization of how a terrible storyteller I was when fear impinged on my mind even deeper, I lied, I never had the courage to fight, and I was planning to die because I was terrified of everything, terrified to live on my life, to lift my sword, to raise my fists, to battle those men who were as inhuman as the man right in front of me.
Maybe outwardly, I seemed unperturbed just now, and I could steady my sword, adjust my breaths, sharpen my eyes, and rearrange my features as ruthless as if I was cold-blooded too. But I was afraid, scared of the scent of death. Nobody knew that, and I wouldn’t allow anyone to discover it because if they did, they would know that I was weak and fragile, easily broken like a vase. And those terrible memories in the orphanage would turn into reality again, haunting my life like I hadn’t had enough of awful moments in a lifetime. I would never let it happen that way.
With my only trembling hand that was manoeuvrable under my conscious mind, I used whatever leftover energy that still lingered within me to yank out the whole buried lethal metal in my flesh, of course, painfully. The flowing river of blood turned into unstoppable waterfall. I cried; tears sprang in intense agony, and I felt I could see my own face turned pale somewhere inside my head. I gave myself several seconds of respite to overcome the extreme physical sorrow after I got rid of the sword.
I chilled my mind before my eyes slowly glanced up to search for Ina. She had already engaged in a fists battle with the enemy. And, without any miraculous hope, the hostile man gained the upper hand. It was just a matter of time before Ina collapsed.
I grabbed my sword with my currently unaffected right hand−the pain across my left shoulder had impeded even the slightest movement of my left hand though. And my body arose with the same outward calm just now I obtained. I would never let anyone think I was weak, never again.
ns 15.158.61.51da2
