Chapter 10 The Middle Way

Alex

July 21st, 2017

6:23 AM

Caffarella Park, Italy

Castle Camelot Museum

The six of us make an attempt to find the entrance by touching the walls and feeling for a hidden tile within the stonework, but with no luck. While the other five of my companions searched the front walls, I peaked in the left corner of the pillars for a clue and recommended that we all check there.

"Hey, maybe around the corner," I said.

"Yeah, alright," said Rachel.

The six of us all gather around the corner to look for a way in. Except for Fernando who wandered without us to check the right corner of the pillars. As soon as he walked to the right, a dart had flicked into his neck. Feeling it sting as soon as it was fired by the menace himself, Elias Alkaline. Appearing out of nowhere with a pistol in his hand used to fire the dart.

With the dart stuck to Fernando's neck, he began to have weird reactions to himself. As Alkaline approached the drugged Hispanic kid, Fernando pulled out his pistol and aimed it directly at the ConDef general himself inches away in his sights.

"No," said Alkaline.

Fernando was now sweating and trembling as if he were nervous or afraid of something. He couldn't even hold his gun up straight. His hands were shaking on the grip and lowered it. Biting his lip with illusion.

"Give it to me," said Alkaline.

Fernando did as he asked and turned his gun over to Alkaline's hand. Still jittery from his drugged state.

"Good," said Alkaline. "Now the journal."

Alkaline lifted his hand to reach for the journal so he could retrieve it from the mentally controlled Fernando. The drug shot in him was still making him shaky. When he took the journal out of his pocket, he could barely keep his hand and arm straight. Fernando gradually handed in the journal he found somewhere in the castle and was now in the fingers of Alkaline's with Fernando's gun.

"Thank you," said Alkaline.

Fernando slapped his check in hopeless attempts to shake off the dose from the dart. Then Alkaline stepped closer to whisper through his ear.

"Don't trust Max," he whispered.

While the five of us without Fernando was checking the left corner, Max noticed he was missing in the group and wondered where he went. She turned her head around wondering.

"Where the fuck's Fernando?" She asked.

"Who knows," I answered.

Max stepped away from the corner to discover Fernando with Alkaline. She pulled her pistol out. Alerted by Alkaline's presence. I notice Max with her gun out and I run up to her to get my gun out and aim it at Alkaline holding Fernando. Everyone rushes with me to do the same.

"No, no, no," warned Max. Holding us back her hand pausing us.

Alkaline released Fernando with a gun on him as he turned his head at us and held Fernando's journal up high where we could it and smiled. Casually walking off from us with Fernando's journal and gun in his two hands. The five of us race towards the right corner to catch him. But as soon as we point our guns in sight of the corner Alkaline took off, no one was there.

"He's gone," I said. "How the fuck?"

"Hey, Fernando, are you okay?" Max asked approaching him. "Huh?"

"Fernando?" Kristen said.

"What the hell?" Max said. Noticing the dart in Fernando's neck and pulling it out like a tac. "Look at this."

Max showed us the dart in her fingers. Now we were onto something fishy.

"Oh, man," I said.

"What kind of black ops bullshit is this?" Frank asked.

"Let's just hope he didn't have a big dose," said Rachel.

"Yeah, let's hope," said Kristen.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no," mumbled Fernando. Experiencing his drugged state.

"Oh, shit," I said.

"Easy now," said Max. "Look at me, Fernando. Right here. C'mon, we've got to move now, okay?"

"Don't touch me!" Fernando snapped as Max tried to comfort him. "Get away from me."

"Alright, alright."

"No one's touching you, Fernando," said Rachel.

"What the fuck was in that dart?" I asked.

"Your face is peeling off," said Fernando. Hallucinating perhaps.

"Well, whatever it was," said Frank. "He's tripping balls."

"Fernan, listen," said Max. "Hey, you're okay."

"Get off!" Fernando growled. Shoving everyone surrounding him in his way. "I won't let you take me."

"Hey, nobody's taking you anywhere."

"Just, just come with us," said Kristen. "Okay?"

"Yeah," said Max.

Fernando kept mumbling under his breath. I'm betting whatever Alkaline shot him with, it had to be a hallucinogenic drug from the way he's acting.

"The floor is melting," said Fernando.

My cousin and I turn to each other in concern of Fernando's condition. There was less than time to figure out how it could be treated. We were adventurers. Not doctors.

"We can't stay here," I said. "We gotta move."

"How?" Rachel asked.

"Our only hope is to find the crypt entrance," said Max.

"Great," said Frank. "Any ideas?"

"Well, Fernando was onto something," said Kristen. "I just don't know what."

"The wand of the magician," mumbled Fernando.

"Oh, man," I said. "Without his journal, we're never gonna find it."

"Just let me think," said Max. "Hermetic…from the Greek, Hermes, meaning 'pillar'…"

"I think we got that part."

"The Seven Pillars of Wisdom?"

"Between mercy and severity," murmured Fernando.

"Wait," said Kristen. "Wait, we've got this all wrong. It isn't the space between the pillars, it's the middle pillar."

"Balance," said Fernando.

"What?" Rachel asked.

"It was in Fernando's book," said Kristen. "The Pillar of Balance between the two extremes. Between black and white, water and fire, female and male. The middle way."

"The middle way," said Fernando.

Fernando's murmurs in his hallucinating state worry me more and more. Next thing I know, he'll try to jump and strangle us to death. Makes me believe he had a big enough dose to do so.

This middle way Kristen mentioned must be a word to take for given the only viable clue we had left. Understanding what the middle way meant, Max walked over to the middle pillar and pressed her hand against the symbol marked on. Then she pressed the pillar with two hands and the whole pillar could be pushed forward to reveal something.

"That's it," said Max. "Alex, give me a hand with this."

I did as my cousin asked and helped her push the pillar into the wall. As the two of us together pushed it inside, it eventually found us a way inside as we discovered it when the pillar pushed far enough for us all to step inside. And then we had done it. Finally finding our entrance to the Reality Shard's crypt thanks to the final clue Kristen hatched for us.

"Alright," said Max. "C'mon.

"And where were my Blackwell brains when I needed them," said Rachel.

Max and I let everyone inside as Kristen walked Fernando in. Still suffering from his hallucinating issue.

"No, no, no," he said.

"No, it's okay, Fernando," said Kristen. "C'mon, babe."

Max

July 21st, 2017

6:25 AM

Caffarella Park, Italy

Castle Camelot Museum

I push the pillar Alex and I used to get inside back to where we pushed it to seal the entrance shut. That way none of Alkaline's men can find it as well. Got to hand it to Rachel though. Knowing her of all people with the potential brains to find this place would be the one to find this place. She and Kristen both saw Fernando's book, but I guess Kristen beat her to it. I knew how just as intelligent she used to be at puzzle solving back in Seattle. Even beat Fernando at Poker many times.

The group and I find some fire sconces inside the crypt we enter to light the tunnel. Kristen finds one to hold for herself and Alex finds one for me to hold. I was still worried about bringing Fernando in here. Whatever Alkaline did to him, it could've been more than to use him to make sure we didn't find the Reality Shard first. The drug could poison him after a short period of time resulting in death, assuming he could eventually snap out of it as it could wear off and wasn't fatal, that's only talking best case scenario.

"The way up and the way down are one and the same," he kept mumbling.

"Uh-huh," said Kristen.

"Here you go," said Alex. Giving me the sconce.

"This way," said Kristen.

Kristen and I have our torches lit for the rest of us to walk through the catacombs. Assuming Fernando could take it easy on us.

"I really don't like what's going on with Fernando, Max," said Rachel. "How much more can he take from that dart?"

"Let's just keep walking," I said. "Whatever he was drugged with, maybe it'll wear down. Eventually."

Walking through the crypts catacombs, the six of us had to squeeze through a tight space inside. Knowing how Fernando hates small spaces, it could be even worse for him in his drugged state. We had to try anyway.

"Looks like we'll have to squeeze through here," said Kristen.

"Alright, you and Alex go on right ahead," I said. "Rachel, Frank, and I will help Fernando."

"Alright," said Alex.

I let Alex and Kristen go through the space first. Fernando gets in front of me with Rachel and Frank behind me. Once Kristen and my cousin are in, Rachel, Frank, Fernando, and I step inside after them. I give Fernando a few pats behind his back just to help him balance himself through the space. Gently holding my torch straight too.

"Come on, buddy," I said. "You're okay."

"Where are you taking me?" Fernando asked.

"We're just gonna get right through here, okay?"

"Just why are you doing this?"

"You're gonna be alright, buddy."

"Stop touching me!"

"You're alright. Take it easy. Take it easy, Fernan."

"Alright, we're through!" Alex shouted outside the space. "Oh wait, there's another passage up ahead."

"Just go on!" I shout back. "I got him!"

"We'll light the way for you!" Kristen shouted.

"C'mon, gringo," I said. "We're almost there."

Fernando's mumbles seemed to be getting worse. His fear of small spaces was getting worse from his dose. Did the drug Alkaline give him made him face his fears? A fear drug perhaps? Does ConDef get their ideas from the Batman villain Scarecrow?

"This isn't looking good, Max," said Frank. "That drug is getting worse on him."

"I know you're an expert on drugs, Frank," I said. "But not the one Alkaline gave him. Stay focused."

"I can't breathe," murmured Fernando. "I can't breathe…I just…I can't breathe…I can't breathe…I've got to get out…I've got to get out…I've got to get out!"

"I'm telling ya, Max," said Rachel. "He's not gonna make it! It's already worse!"

"Will you be quiet!" I snap. "You're making it worse. We're almost there. He'll make it."

We're through the space and Fernando safely walks out catching his breath from his hallucinogenic state. Then Frank, Rachel, and I come out with him. Fernan looked sweaty from his condition. Either he was dying or he was nervous. Once Fernando caught his breath, Rachel and Frank walked ahead of me and him.

"Oh, god," said Fernando with a sigh of stress. "Oh, god…"

"Calm down," I said. "Alright?"

We had seen the passage Alex and Kristen mentioned where they must've gone down already. Rachel and Frank are the first two to go down. I decide to go down with Fernando behind. Before we could go down with them, Fernando didn't appear to be moving. I give him a pat behind his back to get him moving without him flipping out like before, but it does nothing.

"That's it," I said. Tempting to get him moving.

Fernando shakes his head and whispers 'no' beneath his breath. Then this is where things begin to go wrong for sure.

"Fernan, go on," I said. "C'mon, just one more."

"I WON'T LET YOU!" Fernando thundered. Flipping out harder than before.

The drugged Spanish kid shoved me so far away from his ass, I almost fumble and lose my grip. Causing me to drop my torch the puts out its own flames as it hit the floor. Now Fernando was furious and aggressively charged at me grasping my waste and colliding me against the wall. I was being attacked by my dosed companion who picked up a rock on the floor and was getting ready to bash my skull apart with it. Until I ducked under Fernando's strike as the rock hit the wall instead.

I shake my opponent off by holding his waist and shoving him off me. But the fight ensues.

"I don't want to hit you, Fernando!" I warned.

The two of us were now in an all-out hand-to-hand fist fight between me and him. Fernando throws a punch at me as I swift my head back to dodge it. He throws another punch at me as I dodge it and strike back with my own fist. Hitting him across the face with no option but to fight back. Maybe with a few hits he can take from me, his dosed state could wear down and he'll snap out of it.

We both dodge, punch, and kick each other like our own foes. I try holding Fernando by the shoulders to get him out of it, but he smacks my arms away as he strikes his fist towards me and I evade it and give Fernan a knuckle to his ribs and kick him away. The fight continues onward.

Fernando continuously threw his two fists in my direction as I evade in the opposite. Then I counterstrike his fist by catching it, turning his body around, pushing him to the side. And still, it's not enough.

The fight comes to its end by Fernando holding his two hands tightly around my neck like a crane claw. Who was now strangling me to death to choke the life out of me. I try calling to the other for help, but my voice stutters from the choking. My two hands around Fernando's arm for mercy as I bend down on my knees while Fernan asphyxiates the life out of me and I wrestle for my dear life.

"Fernando…no," I said with my choking breath. "Stop – Fer-"

"Fernan!" Alex screamed. Who now raced for help with Kristen, Rachel, and Frank.

Alex grasped onto Fernando around his waste to hull him off me. My other three companions surround us to try and get Fernan's attention.

"Jesus!" Frank reacted.

"What do we do?!" Rachel cried.

"Fernando!" Kristen yelled.

"He'll kill her!" Alex shouted.

While Kristen reached for Fernando's to make him look at her in the eye, Rachel helped Alex attempts to pull him off. I was almost out of breath as Fernando's hands were still latched around my throat, my hands holding his arms, and my knees on the floor. Frank pulled out his gun to try and shoot Fernan off me, but Kristen halted him.

"No!" She warned.

"Get back!" Frank barked.

"Don't! Fernando, you're killing Max! Okay?! You gotta listen to me. You are killing Max."

Kristen made Fernando look at her face my holding his head up by the cheeks with her hands. There was a sorrowful look in Fernando's eyes. As if he were finally pulling himself together and snapping out of it. And that's what he did.

At least, I am released from the murderous hands of Fernando Rojas as I catch my grip on the floor with my hands and knees and cough out the life still left in me. It feels a tarantula crawled in my throat as I did. I press my hand against my chest to hold down my heart and help keep my air pressure together and my heart rate steady. Rachel, Kristen, and Alex help me hold it together and pick me up off the floor.

Frank lowered his gun. Assured the situation was resolved. Fernando too fumbles on the floor and it would seem he had, at last, exited his hallucinogenic state. That he had. I wrap my hand around my neck to quell the pain from being suffocated by Fernando's hands. As everyone helps up on my feet and I assure everyone I still had more breath to draw, I look over to Fernando who stands there feeling guilty, embarrassed, and sorry for what was going on with him and what he did to me. As I stand back on my ground with my proper footing, I could tell Fernando was no longer hypnotized by the fear drug by the look on his face.

"Max," he said. "Max, Max, I'm really sorry. Lo ciento."

I give Fernan a pat on the shoulder to accept his apology. Understanding he wasn't at fault for trying to murder me. I breath was still just returning to normal. So I couldn't say the words out loud.

"We're even," I said.

I pick up the torch I dropped a minute ago and relit it from another fire sconce on the wall. Making my last cough for breath as I did.

"Hold on a sec," said Fernando. "You weren't…you weren't going to shoot me, hey Franco?"

"Like a rabid dog," said Frank.

"Wow."

"Let's try this again," I said. "I'll go first this time. Shit."

Note: Before I go everyone, stay tuned for a surprise character cameo I've decide to place in the following chapter. Can you guess what it is? Leave a review if you'd like to guess!

Until next time, stay tuned and golden!