Chapter 3
The Lost Souls
"We're climbing that?!" Corey exclaimed as he gazed up to the peek of the mountains.
"Yep. I don't see any other way…unless you want to lose two weeks by going around it." Derek replied.
Corey glanced over at him. "You serious? There are that many mountains around this area?"
Derek nodded. "So says the map."
"Great…" Corey said, rolling his eyes.
It was only a two-day sprint from the Valley of the Dead to the snowy mountains, and up until now the two had faced no problems. The mountains before them elevated over eight thousand feet, and there was already snow on the foot of the cliffs where the two warriors stood. It seemed like an endless snowstorm up ahead, with no chance of it stopping for the two friends. There really was no other way around it without losing a lot of time, so they had no choice.
"Well…I guess we got to." Corey said, gripping the collar of his cloak. "It's going to be hella cold, though."
"No kidding. This area of Demon World has the coldest temperatures anywhere. By the time we reach the top, it'll be well below freezing." Derek commented.
Corey glanced over at him with a slight smirk. "No biggie for us, though, eh?"
"If you say so…"
And so, the ascent to the top of the mountain range began. The two chose the easiest of the frightening cliffs, but even that one wasn't going to be a stroll up a grassy hill.
Checking their gear before hand, the two started their slow walk upward. The first thousand feet wouldn't be all that challenging, but then it began to go up at a larger degree. That would be the challenging part.
Corey and Derek made a slow pace as to not over exert themselves to quickly. They both knew that stopping would not be an option, for without the proper snow gear they would easily freeze to death. Every hour or so, they'd stop and warm themselves with Derek's demonic fire, and then continue up the treacherous mountaintop.
After they had made their climb to the three thousand foot level, they stopped to take a longer break. Finding some dead roots under the two feet of snow, they dried them and started a small fire. Because of the conditions, Derek was constantly feeding his demonic fire into the flames, keeping it from going out.
"G-geez, man…how much farther to the top??" Corey asked, shivering as he desperately tried to warm his frozen hands by the fire.
"At least…another five thousand feet." Derek replied, trying to keep the blaze going.
Corey began to do squats to keep himself warm. "I think we're being tested, dude. Like, someone doesn't want us to succeed in this mission."
Derek gave him a grin, and his teeth began to chatter. "Looks like were going to have to prove that certain somebody wrong."
The two broke out some of their food rations and began to eat to keep up their strength, and then set off once again up the mountain. The trek, like they had predicted, wasn't getting any easier. Derek noticed Corey slowing down a bit, and knew that his human body wasn't going to last much longer in the snow. They had to find shelter, even if that meant building an igloo.
Suddenly, as if a blessing from the skies had appeared, the two found a cave. They moved quickly towards it, and found the inside to be deep and dry. They also found some old dry wood and made a fire. They didn't even think to question where it came from.
"Oh, God, yes. This is like Heaven." Corey commented, taking off his soaked cloak and laying it next to the fire. "Jeez, my hands are blue!"
Derek smiled lightly. "Keep next to the fire, Corey, and warm yourself up. I think we'll be safe sleeping in here for the night…I really don't think we have any other choice."
"Fine by me." His companion replied, continuing to warm his hands by the fire.
Derek watched him and sighed quietly. He knew, in all honestly, that he would have been able to make it over the mountain if it were just himself, but with Corey here it was a problem. His human body wasn't used to these temperatures. With his demonic blood running through him, Derek would have made it without to much problem, but he dared not tell Corey that. He was having enough problems dealing with his 'lack of power'.
I don't see his reasons for complaining, though. Derek thought to himself as he stirred the fire. He's the strongest human in existence as far as I know…
The two warmed themselves fully, broke out their food and began to eat. They enjoyed their small meal and Derek watched as Corey fell quietly asleep. The young man was wiped out, and Derek knew this, taking the responsibility of first watch. The demonic warrior knew that there were probably ice apparitions in this mountain, and he really didn't want to take a chance of getting caught off guard.
The time went by slowly for Derek as he kept a watch on the main entrance of the cave, but finally he couldn't keep his eyes open for much longer. He awoke Corey and sat down next to the fire.
"There should be enough wood to keep the fire going until my next shift." Derek informed his friend, "Just keep an eye on it."
"Okay, mom." Corey remarked sarcastically. "You don't have to treat me like a kid, Derek. I know what I'm doing."
Derek had only just realized that he really had been treating Corey like a teenager, even though he knew that his best friend was perfectly capable of taking care of himself.
"I'm sorry, Corey. I didn't realize—" but Corey stopped his apology with a hand in the air.
"Don't worry about it. Just get some sleep. I'll make sure we live." Corey assured him, almost harshly. Nodding slowly, Derek lay down and closed his eyes, falling into a light sleep. Sighing, Corey stirred the flames with a nearby stick kept an eye on the mouth of the cave.
What is with everyone? First Liz, now Derek? I'm not a freaking kid! Damn it! What is their problem? Frustrated now, Corey stood up and walked over to the cave's entrance and stared out into the now gentle snowfall.
"Just watch…once I get this sword, I'll be just as strong as Derek…and then we'll beat Darkine to a pulp!"
"What are you doing here?!" Roared a voice from the white snow. Startled, Corey leapt back and held up his fists.
"Who's there?" Corey called out, ready to fight.
"That's my line, brat!" As if out of nowhere, Corey felt a large fist appear from the snow hit him in the chest. The young man was thrown backwards and hit the hard rock wall behind him, causing him to grunt in pain. Hearing the punch and the contact with the wall, Derek quickly arose and unsheathed his katana out of instinct.
"Corey?! What's going on?" Derek yelled at his now standing friend.
"I don't know! I got hit outa' freaking nowhere!" Corey yelled, moving up to stand by Derek. Both warriors watched the mouth of the cave, and gasped at what they saw.
The demon, and it had to be that, was over ten feet tall and covered in white fur. The first thought that crossed both their minds was a yeti, but it was just a myth…or so they had thought.
"Who…what are you?" Derek asked, gripping his katana carefully.
The creature moved towards them slowly. "I'd like to know the same about you two! This is my cave, and you are intruding!"
Corey grit his teeth. "Hey, we didn't know it was yours, man! We just came in because it just so happened to be negative fifty degrees outside!"
"That does not give you permission to enter ones home. Did your mother not teach you any manners, boy?" the demon asked.
"Boy?!!" Corey yelled, starting to move forward, but Derek stopped him.
"Corey! Enough." He turned to the demon and bowed softly. "We apologize for the intrusion and our behavior. We had no idea that this was your cave. My name is Derek Maison, and this is Corey Kartana. We…well, Corey…is a general of the Rebel Army."
"Rebel Army? The one that is fighting against Darkine?" the creature asked.
"Yea." Corey replied, regaining his cool. "We came up this mountain so that we can find something to help us in our fight." He paused for a moment. "Are you with or against Darkine?"
The thought hadn't occurred to him until after he had reveled part of their mission.
The creature sighed, and then sat down next to their fire. "I am a neutral party." He told them. "Darkine holds no threat to me up here. I am merely the guardian of the mountain. My name is Garrett."
Sighing in relief that there wouldn't be a fight, Corey and Derek both walked over to the fire and sat down opposite of Garrett.
"Why are you guarding a place like this, Garrett?" Corey asked, sitting Indian style by the burning flames.
"This is a sacred ground. On the top of this mountain is the Land of Lost Souls. I have been guarding this place for over one thousand years from anyone who came to disturb the peace."
"Land of Lost Souls? What's that?" Derek asked.
Garrett cleared his throat and straightened his back. He towered over both fighters, even while sitting. "It is a place where those who cannot enter Spirit World rest and await their judgment."
"What? Why can't people enter Spirit World?" Corey asked, but then the answer came to him. "Darkine…"
Garrett nodded. "Yes. I am afraid that during the dictatorship of Darkine, there have been no souls who have been able to cross over into the next world."
"But that means…" Corey looked over at Derek, who was wide-eyed.
"Garrett. Take me to this area." Derek requested, his voice sounding frantic.
"Why do you wish to go?" The guardian wondered.
"Please, Garrett." Corey said, looking from Derek back to the demon. "We need to check something. It's…very important. We promise not to disturb anyone or anything."
The demon paused for a moment to think, and then nodded. "Alright. You two both seem like trustworthy people. You'd have to be, if you are trying to beat Darkine. I will take you to the top of the mountain."
******
Once they left the cave, Corey and Derek noticed a dramatic change in the weather. It was no longer a blizzard, but a light flurry of snow that came at them. When asked about this, Garrett merely chuckled.
"I control the weather here. Being the ice apparition that I am, I can make even a few flakes of snow into a deadly blizzard. It is how I've protected this land all these years from intruders." He looked at the two and gave a large grin. "You two must be very powerful to have made it this far without dying."
The threesome continued on up the mountain at a much quicker pace then they had before, and finally after a few hours they reached the top of the summit. To both Corey and Derek's surprise, there was no snow here…only a dead looking land.
Bare trees were scattered about, and the ground was only dirt…as if nothing had grown out of it and lived in years. The sky was a light grayish color from the clouds that blocked the sun, but there seemed to be an odd light glowing in the air.
"Once you've finished your business, head down the other side of the mountain. You shouldn't have any problems." Garrett informed them.
"What about you?" Corey asked.
"I must continue my duty as guardian. I will start the blizzard again on this side of the mountain, and once you are gone, I will continue the full thing."
"We will be coming back this way when we finish our business. Is there anyway you can stop the blizzard again?" Corey requested.
Garrett grinned again. "Of course. You two are always welcomed here. I am glad I met you. Good luck on your journey and your battle against Darkine."
And with that, the yeti like creature left the way they came, leaving Corey and Derek alone on the top of the summit…in the Land of Lost Souls.
"What now, Derek?" Corey asked, but Derek was already moving forward. He stopped in the middle of the area, which was about one hundred feet in diameter, and closed his eyes.
"Jade?" He asked quietly, and reopened his eyes.
"Derek…" Corey said quietly, and began to walk towards him, but stopped at what came next.
Through thin air, dozens of figures appeared around them. They were all transparent, and had no faces on them. They began to walk aimlessly about, not paying any attention to Corey or Derek, as if they were the ones who weren't there.
"These are all souls?" Corey asked, glancing about, but Derek ignored him once again.
"Jade? Are…are you here?" His friend asked, looking about. Suddenly, one of the souls stopped in front of him, and the face of Jade appeared on it. She stared at Derek, the two making eye contact, and she had an extremely sad look on her face. It was a look of pure sorrow, one that would make the strongest willed person be in pain.
"Holy—" Corey said quietly, but wasn't going to disturb Derek, who didn't say a word. He only stared at his deceased wife with a look that almost mimicked her own.
"Can that really be Jade?" Corey asked aloud, and then looked at his side, where the soul of John Wolfe watched him. The sudden appearance of his old comrade made Corey jump, but he quickly regained his composure and watched his friend, who had the same look of sorrow as Jade had.
"John…damn it…I'm sorry, man. I really am." Corey said quietly, lowering his head. "If…if only I was stronger, I coulda… goddammit…" He couldn't finish his sentence, not with Derek around, even though he doubted his friend could hear him. Once again, Corey felt his power was not enough to do anything good. The same doubt that he had been feeling for the past few months. If he had been stronger, he could have saved Jade, and none of this would have ever happened. She and Derek would be living happily together, and John would still be alive, and Liz wouldn't hate Derek.
"It's all so damn stupid…" Corey grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Why couldn't I have been born a demon? Then I would be plenty strong…"
******
An hour passed, and still Derek had said nothing. Corey had leant against one of the dead trees, his eyes closed and John had gone back to being one of the faceless spirits. Finally, Corey knew that they had to continue on their journey. He walked up to Derek and gently touched his shoulder.
"Derek…let's go, man." Corey said softly, not wanting to upset his mourning friend.
Derek looked at him with sad eyes and nodded. "Yeah…let's go."
And without a second glance to Jade, Derek left. Corey stalled for a moment, looking back at the deceased woman and nodded to her,
"We'll be back. Maybe then he'll be able to say goodbye."
Corey quickly turned away and caught up with Derek and the two journeyed down the mountain, leaving the souls to continue there never ending walk around the summit.
