The Underground
Story Form By Panda (altered)
Originally by Nate Docken
Chapter 3: The Double Revenge
It rained lightly, as the clouds were also light and fluffy. The whole Underground crowded around a single grave. Koe's sword was stabbed in the fresh ground where he was buried. It was completely silent but for the pitter-patter of the rain. Not a single sob was heard because everyone, no matter how much their heart compelled them to, held back their cries because they knew that was what he would have wanted to see from them.
"And thus, we bury one of the best and secretaries of the Underground could ever have had." said Sinis, the leader of the Underground.
Kalia, on the other hand, was fragile and cried quietly. "...I'm pretty sure Koe would not have appreciated being called a 'secretary'..." she said quietly that only Sinis and a few people nearby could hear.
"Kalia, I grieve along with everyone for the death of Koe, but we must not let formalities cloud our honest nature." he smiled, patting her head. "While Koe is indeed, in the endless slumber of peaceful nothingness, he would be the one to make sure everyone would keep their honor and remain honest no matter how grim the situation, my poor girl. He had performed his duties with minor amounts of callousness, but mostly with the enthusiasm that he had ever since he joined out proud organization. If he were alive this moment, I would be sure of two things..." he circled slowly around his grave. "One would be that he would not be in this area and instead at the office filing endless amounts of paperwork, which is not unlike a secretarial job... and two, he would fight once again until his last breath had been forced out of him, as he did in his fight against those one's that follow Morpheus and Neo. I am also sure of one more thing, my friend..." he had returned near Kalia.
"What would that be?" she asked.
"He would regret nothing." he smiled to everyone, seeing several brightened faces.
"Yeah..." she murmured. "But he'd still not appreciate being called a 'secretary'..."
"I am only humbly fulfilling the duties of a friend, my poor girl." he walked over to Phoenix. He stared down at the sword, emotionless. "I am sure that this is quite a shock to you. He was a dear friend of yours, am I wrong?"
"Why didn't he call for me..." he asked quietly, almost if he was speaking to himself. "Surely, he must have realized that these plans should not have been revealed to any Prophet..."
"Have you gone senselessly blind?" Sinis slapped his forehead, causing him to jump back. It seemed like forever since he had been smacked on the forehead by his mentor. "Koe died of a slit throat. The one who killed him was not the one he was fighting."
Phoenix stared at him spectically. "What does this conclude?"
"Koe fought not one, but two." Sinis said, stoking his chin. "The one who killed him was not the one he was fighting."
Phoenix growled in the back of his throat. "The Prophets will pay for the life of Koe with their blood..." he scowled.
"Be calm, my boy. This is what they want you to do..." he grinned at the sight of Phoenix's confusion. "...to unwittingly charge into an affair you cannot handle."
"My powers are ten-fold of what theirs is!" he growled.
"You know, Apollo said that once too." Sinis smiled at Phoenix's stunned look. "You're falling back into old habits again... perhaps because a part of Apollo still lives on inside you. Do not let your past demons uproot your delicate grasp on reality, or in terms of the Matrix, false reality."
Phoenix nodded, looking back at the grave. "You are right. I will train harder and continue with the orders that are given to me."
"Good man!" Sinis put a hand on his shoulder. "Now, take your time, as I know how this will affect you. I suggest you make your way to the garden and you train your mind. Expand it, dig deep into the nature of the world and expand your already trained thoughts to not think, but to know."
"I will make my way there shortly." he said. Kalia's head lifted. "But I would like to stay a while longer."
"That is understandable." Sinis nodded. "I, however, must be off. This place does not suit a person of my magnificent stature, and Koe would understand that... Thus, I bid you all a good day."
An opening was made for him to get through the massive crowd. People on the outside began to separate, heading off onto their own business and work once again. Although it seemed there were too many to have the heart for Koe's time, he would never be forgotten, even after death and life again.
A small remaining ring surrounded the grave still, and over time, one by one everyone left. All until there were three people remaining.
"Kalia, I'm going to leave." said Arina, a friend. She didn't have many friends, seeing how she barely talked. "Call me sometime tomarrow, maybe we can go out for lunch." she left.
Kalia watched her leave until her eyes drifted to the last person, Phoenix. He hadn't looked away from the sword since Sinis had left. It almost scarred her to see him in such silent grief.
She decided to leave too, knowing he needed a moment to speak to his lost friend. She turned to walk away, but stopped beside him, facing the opposite direction from him.
"What's done is done." she said quietly, but in the silence, he could hear. "...The past in unchangable, you know." she turned to look at him. "I know exactly how that feels."
She walked away, saying nothing more.
Phoenix scowled. Not because of her words, but because he had felt enraged ever since he had gotten the news. He was mad because he thought Koe was being careless. He was mad because his worst enemies had killed him. He was mad because he let himself drown in grief at that moment. He sat, or more so fell. Fell into a river of constant misery and despair, leaving him suffering tears out.
TBC