Chapter 13: The Seven Rings

"Smoke of Seven Rings. Eat or Be Devoured."

Returning to their little hideout was less comfortable than the journey to the Command Station had been. At least, for Akikta, it was. The pain he felt during the walk back grew from terrible to nigh-unbearable.

It got so bad that Eight and Frye had to carry him the rest of the way because it became far too difficult for him to walk.

On the way back, Eight had updated everyone on what happened through their headset, so when they made it back to base, it surprised no one to see Akikta in his poor condition. Of course, Nakji was the first to run to his side.

Marina was nice enough to use her modified laptop to examine what was wrong with Akikta's internals—which, if he had known she could do that from the start, he would've had her do it much earlier.

To say Marina was mortified at whatever she saw was an understatement, as her skin tone nearly matched Pearl's with how pale she turned.

It was an octarian's guess as to what accurate human anatomy looked like. But whatever Marina saw, she instinctively knew it was wrong. The only good thing to come out of the examination was the confirmation that Akikta really was afflicted by parasites, so the Rejuvenation Center should be able to heal him right up.

Marina did not go into detail on what was wrong with his body, at least not with him. She didn't even show him the X-ray images her laptop was able to get, probably because she didn't want to scare him. Little did Marina know, her not showing her findings did exactly that.

No... She didn't need to show him how bad it was. Akikta, now that he knew it was parasites, had a pretty good idea of just how fucked he was.

From what he learned from those encyclopedias, certain parasites were already hazardous to humans. Until now, the most detrimental thing Akikta had ever been afflicted with was the occasional fever, which could easily be eased with medicine. But parasites weren't a cold. They were living organisms. What's worse? The new world's parasites were probably far more dangerous than anything Akikta researched for his school studies.

Parasites evolved incredibly fast, and Akikta was a simple human from over twelve thousand years ago. The fact that he could still breathe was nothing short of a miracle.

Luckily, the pain those parasites caused would be a thing of the past after Rick brewed up yet another concoction, this one more potent than the last. Akikta was relatively quick to take the bitter drink this time—anything to stop his terrible aches. However, Rick made it clear that this was the last lifeline he could give. Considering how things were progressing, the salmonid predicted that Akikta would be dead half an hour after the pain-numbing effects of the drink wore off.

Only a frown encompassed Akikta's face. He was not happy Rick gave him an idea of the time of his death.

To help ease some of his worries, Marina proudly presented him with the handheld tape recorder he had given her before leaving for the Command Station. Surprisingly, she managed to fully restore it!

She'd go on about how tricky it was, but considering her word choice on the matter, she had fun fixing the device.

Akikta was happy that the little side project was enjoyable for the octoling, but he couldn't find any comfort in it after what Rick told him. He slipped the recorder into his jacket pocket for the time being.

Afterward, the agents and Nakji huddled together to discuss their next plan of action. Saving Marie and Inka was still a priority, but it was clear that at the rate they were moving in, Akikta would perish before they actually saved anyone.

During the agents' discussion, Akikta spotted Rick and Biggie out on the office balcony and decided to join them for some fresh air.

They didn't react to his presence. Well, Rick didn't. Biggie acknowledged Akikta by giving him a small but friendly glare.

Then the three stared off at the city. The view was nothing special, but it did make Akikta wonder what Atlantis was like when its human residents were still alive.

The wind quietly grazed Akikta's ears, filling his head with a low 'whoo' noise. The sensation made him feel the need to apologize. "Look, I'm, uh, sorry about us harming your clan."

"Don't be. We are fighting to survive, so it's only natural." Rick said with a tone of certainty.

"No, really. I'm sorry. I can't imagine what it's like to go around killing people you probably considered family. That really blows."

Rick turned to Akikta. "Your sentiment is appreciated, human. But truly, it is unnecessary."

Akikta shook his head, unable to accept that. "How can you say that? Don't you care about them? It's your people we're killing!"

"There's no need to get so heated... Sometimes that's just how it is..." Said Biggie, siding with Rick.

Akikta was a bit stunned by their nonchalant reaction. It was almost like they didn't care about the lives being taken from their clan.

"Besides—" Rick started. "They wouldn't want it any other way. To die in battle is a great honor."

Akikta's face contorted into a heavy frown. "Great honor? What's so great about death?!"

Rick grumbled and made a pause in the conversation. It took him a long moment to answer. "Human, are you aware of the Seven Rings?"

"The seven rings?" Akikta repeated uncertainly, giving Rick his answer.

"All us living creatures hail from the seven rings. We have been brought to Mother Earth to fulfill our respective purposes. And once we do that, our bodies may be reclaimed by the world, so that we may ascend back to the seven rings."

Akikta tilted his head. "What's your purpose?"

"To continue the cycle," Biggie answered, looking straight forward. Akikta got the gist of it.

According to information from the old world, salmon often died after their monumental migrations back to where they spawned from. Their deceased bodies would provide nutrients for the new generation, helping them grow to adulthood and stake out on their own, just for the whole process to happen again.

It made sense the salmonids had a similar type of cycle, assuming that's what Biggie meant. But it still didn't sit right with Akikta, oddly enough. "I don't get it... you don't have to die to fulfill your cycle, do you?" Akikta wondered.

There were many things salmonids did that salmon didn't do, despite them supposedly being one and the same. So why was a salmonid's death regarded as honorable? What was there to gain from being dead besides prolonging new life?

"Human, death is a natural part of the cycle. But it isn't the end." Rick spoke with such wisdom Akikta only ever found in his grandfather. "When the clan fights, we fight as one. When one of us dies, we are not lost. Our bodies are simply returned to the Earth, and our souls return to the planes beyond. Where all things come from."

Something dawned on Akikta. "So... that's why you guys don't fear death."

There was always some slight confusion on why the salmonid hordes they faced threw themselves at the agents and took no precautions to preserve their own lives like them.

Rick nodded. "Fail, prevail, we're claimed by the sea all the same."

Akikta looked down at the broken streets, gripping the front part of his jacket tightly. How could he have forgotten his own beliefs?

It was a fact that all living things would eventually die and return to the soil. To some, it was a terrible fate. But to Akikta, that's what made life worth living. Besides, it's just as Rick said. Death isn't the end. At least, it doesn't have to be.

"Thank you, Rick." Akikta smiled.

"For what?"

"For reminding me of the Great Spirit."

"Great Spirit?" Rick turned to Akikta once more.

satisfied"It's... similar to the seven rings. The way Father Axe described it to me was that every living thing is connected to some cosmic force—the Great Spirit." Akikta nodded, content with his explanation. "We're all connected through this spirit. In life... and in death. I just forgot the latter until now." He finished, looking up at the red sky.

Akikta was so self-conscious about his nearing death that he started to see it as a bad thing. Sure, his life was being cut short, and he'd be leaving Nakji and Inka behind. Though he had to admit, the prospect of being reunited with his family and friends didn't sound so bad...

He just needed to handle Chaska first. The last thing Akikta wanted was to leave him alone for another twelve thousand years. He wouldn't wish that on his worst enemy.

Rick, who stared silently, gave a small grumble. This grumble wasn't like all the others, where he sounded cranky. Instead, it sounded... satisfied—like he approved. "Then, I suppose, in this way, we are the same."

Akikta's eyes twinkled as he looked back at Rick, but by then, Rick had already looked straight ahead again. He sensed it just now. The two had a genuine bonding moment for the first time since they met.

Although the inklings and octolings were a lovely bunch, it felt truly liberating for the new marine life, such as Rick, to validate Akikta. It proved that he had a place even here in this new age.

If Akikta were granted a second chance, he'd make the most of it. That, he swore.

He looked back up at the clouds, glad he was now on amicable terms with Rick.

Unfortunately, his gazing didn't last long before Biggie suddenly grabbed him and Rick. "Watch out!" The bigger salmonid shouted, seeing something the two of them didn't.

Before Akikta knew it, something big knocked right into Biggie, sending him, as well as Akikta and Rick, hurling into the office.

Whatever careened into Biggie was large enough to break the wall and the entire balcony window, causing a blanket of thick dust to fly up in the air.

Nakji went to help a dazed and startled Akikta, who was mostly unharmed, thanks to Biggie holding him. Eight went to the two salmonids, who were thrown further in the back. Rick was also mostly unharmed, whereas Biggie seemed to be knocked unconscious with a large bruise on his back.

Akikta turned to face whatever hit them. He could hardly see it due to all the dust that got kicked up, but the outline looked like a U.F.O. if his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

"Hey, A."

Akikta's eyes widened when the familiar voice reached his ears. He couldn't mistake it. Neither could Eight, who responded with that fierce expression he had seen back in the deep sea tunnel.

The voice caught everyone's attention. Accompanying it was a sickly chuckle as a towering figure stepped out from the fog of dust. The first thing Akikta saw was his horrid grin and sharp, yellow, rotten teeth.

"Long time, no see."