Author's note: It's very difficult to change from past to present tense while writing, so don't blame me for any slip ups.
They stepped out on the other side of the world-gates to the hustle and bustle of the New York subway station. All around them were the sounds and smells of anxiety, annoyance, and confusion. However, there was one noise which only the ears of a cat or a wizard would be able to hear which drew their attention much more than the others.
"By the Tom't balls, hold that thing down!"
Dauhieh and Zach stared over at I'haach as Urruah's cursing continued. "They're having some troubles with the Track 2 gate."
"Apparently," Zach muttered.
When they reached the New York team, the reason for Urruah's yowlings was evident. The gate looked more like some sort of tentacled monster than an actual world-gate. Its hyperstrings were flailing about, striking at Rhiow, Urruah and Arhu as they tried uselessly to reach its core. Siffhah was crouched down in a spell casting position. The three wizards noticed that all the ehif seemed to be avoiding the area, and assumed that that was the spell's doing.
Rhiow let out a sudden yowl of triumph as she managed to dodge past the last hyperstring and reach the glowing nexus at its core. She sunk all of her claws into the burning light, and pulled out a few of the strings. The other hyperstrings suddenly stopped moving, dropping down limply to the ground.
I'haach, Dauhieh and Zach stepped into the area of the incident as Siffhah lowered her spell. Rhiow, who was still holding the nexus, breathed deeply and haggardly, her chest heaving. Siffhah staggered over to stand beside Arhu, who had stopped moving and was simply lying down and washing himself. Urruah stood beside his leader, conversing with her in low voices.
"Well," I'haach said, trying to sound bright, "I see you tried to get your gate working again."
"Oh, please don't make any jokes," Siffhah groaned. "I've been holding that spell for three hours while they've been fighting that thing, and it's not easy."
"Three hours?" Zach asked, his tail going straight up and his eyes widening.
"Yeah, three hours," Arhu muttered. "Trust me, you never want to fight a world gate. If you think that those hyperstrings hurt while you're working them, they're worse when they're whipping you across the face every few seconds."
"What did you do?" Dauhieh asked, staring at one of the limp hyperstrings.
"Well," Urruah said, walking over, "at first, we were thinking of just walking in here, doing some diagnostics, and then continue on from there. However, thislittle abomination decided that it didn't like us any more, and attacked."
"Sounds like fun," she said, surveying the scene. "What are you going to do now?"
"Well, my original thought was to gut the gate and then rip it to pieces, but Rhiow disagreed. Instead, we are going to go to the Old Downside to take it offline from the source until we figure out what its problem is."
"Well, would you mind if we helped out?" I'haach asked. "We were actually coming here to see whether or not we could borrow Arhu and possibly Siffhah to go down there with us."
"We were?" Zach asked.
"Yes, we were."
"Well," Rhiow called over, "I have no arguments so long as someone takes my place over here!"
I'haach looked over at Zach pleadingly. "Oh fine," Zach said, "I don't fancy a trip to the Downside anyways, even if it is cleaned out now."
Zach walked over to where Rhiow was arranging her strings. As the transfer was taking place, Arhu and Siffhah walked over to I'haach. Arhu asked, curiously, "Why exactly do you need me and Siffhah?"
I'haach related to them their last experience with the guarded gate, including its disastrous results. "So, I was thinking that maybe the two of you could See through that passage."
"Oh, for sure," Arhu assured him. "While Rhiow, Urruah and Dauhieh work on our gate, we'll do yours for you. It should be simple enough."
"I hope so," I'haach confided. "I'm actually afraid of going back there without the help of a Power at least."
"Well," Siffhah said, bumping her head against Arhu's, "while many have compared the two of us to a Power before, the compliment is still appreciated."
I'haach rolled his eyes at the young queen, totally used to her pretended audacity after their week working together in Rome.
"Okay," Rhiow said, walking over, "I'm ready. Let's get going."
The six cats parted ways soon after they had entered the massive mountain. I'haach, Arhu and Siffhah turned to the west, while Rhiow, Dauhieh and Urruah made their way deeper into the mountain's core, searching for the more important Grand Central Station branch of gates.
I'haach lead on from there, knowing exactly where they were going from his mad dash the previous day. It only took them about an hour to reach the site, and from there, he turned over the lead to Arhu.
"Alright, this is how it's going to have to work," he said as they stood next to the closed the gate. "I will be constructing and conducting the spell, seeing as I'm the only person here who can See. Siffhah, per usual, will be working as our power core, because she and I are so closely linked, and you're starting to get over your power surge, I'haach. Finally, you, I'haach, will be my key just in case the Lone Power has some special tricks in store for us; you were born and live in Zurich, so your identity will push us forward. Once we're in there, you'll have to do everything I tell you I'haach. Hey, this reminds me, you've never Seen before, have you, I'haach?"
"Well," I'haach said, "Not in this life, or in anything I can remember of my past lives."
"Well, it'll be an experience then. Are we ready?" Siffhah asked.
"We will be, just as soon as I'haach here fills a bit of information into this spell diagram for us," Arhu said, quickly padding a magic circle onto the ground.
I'haach inserted his personal information, along with the strange new symbol in his name, into the spell diagram, as well as the specifics of the gate they were hoping to reach and the passage which lead to it. As he finished, he looked up and asked, "Do we have to open the constructed gate for this to work?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Arhu said. "I realize that you don't want to, but we don't really have a choice…"
"That's alright," I'haach assured him, stepping over to the gate. He took a deep breath, and opened it.
He had to jump back as a claw scratched across the bit of the gate he had been accidentally sticking his nose through. Strangely, the claw didn't come out through the gate.
"Great," I'haach muttered. That was almost undeniable proof that the creatures had been sent there by the Lone Power.
"Well, this should be fun," Siffhah said, looking through the gate at the writhing insectoids. "Shall we get started?"
"Please," I'haach muttered, stepping onto his place in the diagram. Siffhah sunk her claws into the power grids, and Arhu took the final spot in the circle.
The tension built up around them, and the strange leaning-in of the universe to listen to a spell. I'haach suddenly remembered that Arhu read his spells in his mind, keeping them between him and the Powers.
Then everything got weird.
All of a sudden, nothing is happening as if it were then, it is happening now. I'haach, Arhu and Siffhah are in the passage leading to the gate, and it is completely deserted. The entire thing reminds I'haach eerily of what Zach described; complete silence, and then an attack.
They walk forward, cautiously. Arhu is in the lead, followed by Siffhah and I'haach in a 'V' formation.
"Everything seems to be going well," Arhu says, looking over at his two companions.
"We should still be careful," I'haach warns. "We don't know if this is a dormant trigger spell."
They move forward slightly faster now, casting around with eyes and magic. They are going along fine, until…
"Hey, what's this?" Arhu asks.
"It seems kind of like those barriers which were blocking us from saving the old ehif queen, remember?" Siffhah observes as she tries to push her paw through the solid air.
All of a sudden, I'haach smells something, and says on instinct, "We need to get out of here."
"What do you mean?"
"NOW!" he screams, and turns back.
The three start running towards the glowing space that is their exit from and entrance to the physical land. Part way down, Arhu and Siffhah smell it too, but they don't understand the significance.
"Motor oil?" Arhu asks.
"I just remembered it from yesterday. It's the smell that the insects give off when they— oof!"
I'haach has run straight into an invisible barrier, about two metres away from the exit. The smell of motor oil grows suddenly stronger, and the three turn around. Siffhah and Arhu gasp, but I'haach simply gazes onward with resolve in his eyes as the bugs cross through that barrier at the other end of the cave with an relentless look in their multi-faceted eyes.
"Quickly," I'haach says, "I'll hold them off, you two find a way through that barrier back there."
Not waiting to see whether they will obey him, I'haach runs forward, hoping to draw their attention away from his companions.
After yesterday, I'haach decides that he won't even bother with a shield this time around. As the first slash comes in at him, he throws himself flat down. The next bug in line sends a crushing blow down at him, and I'haach rolls out of the way. He comes back to his feet just in time to jump back from another hack.
Not wanting to give up any space, however, I'haach jumps back forward and is into the dance of the dodging. He jumps, weaves, rolls and dashes, always just a millimeter away from a blow. A slash goes by overhead, and I'haach jumps, already knowing that a low attack will follow. However, he wasn't expecting two claws to come at him at once, one high and one low. The high smashes into his side, slipping through his incorporeal skin and sinking to his heart.
As the bug touched him, I'haach's eyes fly open, and he screams, the scream of ultimate pain. Not physical pain, no, nothing that trivial. Pure mental agony is etched in every one of his characteristics. He flew sideways, smacking the stone walls.
Somehow he drags himself up, getting into position to dodge. However, his reflexes are much slower than before, and the first cut catches his tail as it passes. Again, that horrible scream, and instead of flying against the wall, he simply falls to the ground.
Hungrily, the three lead beasts form a semi-circle around him, and begin slashing at him repeatedly. His screams reach a climax, and his voice begins dying away.
I'haach opened his eyes. Siffhah, staring down at him, breathed a deep breath of relief. Arhu, however, had a strange look in his eyes.
"Are you alright?" Siffhah asked, concern still in her voice.
There was a long moment before I'haach answered. "I'm fine."
It was the tone of his voice more than the words which tipped Arhu and Siffhah off. It was flat and dead, not at all like his normal animated voice.
"I'haach," Siffhah began, "are you sure you're alright? Please just tell us the truth; your entire team could suffer if you don't get some help."
"I said I'm fine," I'haach snapped. "Now are we going to lie here or can we get going back to the others?"
I don't like this, Siffhah told Arhu mentally as they began walking back. He's never been that unkind or frustrated, even after that time we had to remove all of the Rome gates at once and they all went haywire. He was up all night that time, and he didn't even show it.
Don't worry, Arhu said back, his gaze never wandering from I'haach as he stalked along before them. There's a lot more going on than just frustration or fear with him right now. This is something that only him and his closest friends can work out.
How would you know?
It was only with you and Ith helping me that I could forgive myself for what I did to you.
Siffhah was silent, and then asked, So, he's having the same sort of problem?
Worse. He's got to forgive himself for what he's done to himself and every friend he's ever had seven times.
How do you know all this?
When we do that, I See every powerful emotion and its core that every person in the spell is feeling. It's the worst part of my power.
Don't worry, Siffhah assured him, I'm here for you.
It's not me who needs somebody to be there for him.
………………………………………………………………………………
I'haach was silent the entire way back to the entrance, where the other three were waiting for them.
"How did it go?" Dauhieh asked uneasily, having seen that look on I'haach's face.
Siffhah opened her mouth to speak, but I'haach spoke first, "It didn't work."
"That's it?" Rhiow asked.
"What, were you expecting more? It didn't work, that's all. Let's get back to New York, and then head back home."
Urruah was about to snap at him, but Arhu's voice entered his mind, begging him not to. Urruah glanced over at Rhiow, who had also received the message, and they decided to trust him. Arhu had become incredibly mature in the past few months, as far as others' emotions went, at least.
Dauhieh, however, would not let the issue go. "I'haach, what are you talking about? Stop acting so depressed and tell us what happened."
"Nothing happened!" he yelled directly at her face. "You don't have to be so concerned about every little thing that happens to me, alright?"
"Well, it currently seems that you're being extremely immature and kitten-like. I've never seen you with such an absolute disregard of respect to others."
"Well, you know what? I've put up with this horrible masquerade of being a caring individual who wants everyone to be happy for long enough. Isn't it enough for me to be giving all of my lives to wizardry?"
"No, it's not if you're going to complain and yell about it! Now tell me exactly what's wrong before I shred your ears and pelt personally!"
"I AM YOUR TEAM LEADER AND YOUR SENIOR, AND THUS I ORDER YOU TO LET IT GO NOW DAUHIEH! That's all!"
Dauhieh's mouth dropped open as I'haach turned his tail to her and began walking towards the gates. That was not I'haach. He never actually gave orders.
Be at your gates at 6 PM tonight, and I'll explain, Arhu said.
Dauhieh, her fur still bristling slightly from the confrontation, nodded, still glaring at I'haach's back. This had better be one heck of an explanation, or else I'll personally remove his throat with my teeth.
Arhu didn't respond, and that alone gave Dauhieh enough patience to follow her team leader through the gate, and all the way back through New York and Zurich to the butcher's shop. She left instantly, deciding that she had to be anywhere but with the bad tempered wizard.
That suited I'haach just fine. He slowly rolled over on the bed, trying to get a bit more sun on his underbelly. He feared that it was the last time he'd get to feel that sensation. He actually felt extremely horrible for how he'd acted to Dauhieh, Rhiow, Siffhah, Urruah and Arhu, but he needed them to hate him. For many reasons. Firstly, so that they wouldn't question his soon-to-come actions. Secondly, so they wouldn't miss him.
He slowly began making his plans for that night. Each single step he plotted in his head was agonizing, but he wouldn't stop. In his eyes, there were two clear emotions: resolve and acceptance.