Chapter 3: Collecting the Players
DEMON'S CLAW: CHINA, LIAN YU – SHADOWSPIRE CAMP: 7 APR 2014
Shadowspire lost a jeep into the ravine. The driver died. However, all the remaining men were required to hoof the supplies from the bottom of the ravine to the location of their new camp. What little elation Reiter felt upon arriving on Lian Yu was lost with this first set back.
His men became wary of him. They were quick to accept any task away from him. Reiter wasn't blind. He knew that his temper was showing. He had already lost a man and all his men weren't even on the island yet. Conklin would arrive with the last of the slaves. He commanded the other half of Shadowspire not on the island.
Reiter regained his composure slowly. When nothing happened to his men as they established their camp, he began to relax. His men quickly built the slave barracks, the only hardened shelter they would have in camp. However, things began to go wrong soon after, when he sent out men to scout for other features of the island.
The first man he lost to the island fell into a ravine and broke his neck. He had no other injuries. Reiter was unsure why the man had wandered so far from his assigned path only to stumble down that ravine, but he assumed it was incompetence. His other men found the prison bunker easily enough. No matter. There was nothing in the prison. He marked the confirmed location on his satellite map. It held no magical glyphs. It was just a structure.
The second and third men he lost stumbled onto landmines. Their bodies were blown to shreds. Their loss noted because of the unease that swept through his men. He had warned them about the landmines. He created a new schedule and ordered his men to be more aware of their surroundings. He wouldn't fail because of their incompetence.
The second plane landed while he was dealing with the loss of a team. The team had fallen into a pit trap. One man was impaled and died quickly. The second was severely injured. A pit spike had been driven through his arm. Another through his stomach. Reiter didn't give him good odds. Brown goop was smeared on the tips of the other spikes. He assumed the spikes had been fouled with dirt or shit. The wounds would become infected. They did. The man died two days later.
After the third plane landed, Reiter created a schedule for the slam farmers and their guards. Finally, he could focus on searching the island. He was excited. He would hunt down the island's secrets, and he would make them his. He made it here. They were his. He wouldn't allow this place to hide its secrets from him.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S CLAW: CHINA, LIAN YU – THE TEMPLE: 14 APR 2014
Alqadar sighed as he finally made it back to their base camp at the temple. He was tired from observing the camp all day, but it was worth it. The intelligence they gathered on the mercenaries could only assist them.
"I'm back," Alqadar told the other two as he slumped. "The plane is still on the airfield. I don't think more are coming. I got a final count."
"How many?" Aldire asked leaving her computer room. She had been monitoring their radio frequencies She would become busier when she finally installed her virus on their equipment.
"Roughly sixty Shadowspire mercenaries. Roughly eighty enslaved workers," Alqadar replied. "They are centered on the open plateau. They are digging farm fields there. Well… the workers are doing the work while Shadowspire stands and glares."
"Have they buried their dead yet?" Sah-him asked. The trio had been tolerating the stench of the dead for several days. Their best observation post was near where Shadowspire had laid out their dead.
"Yes, finally," Alqadar replied with a happy sigh.
"I need to load my virus on their equipment," Aldire said. "Have we figured out how they set the camp?" she asked.
"Yes," Sah-him replied. "The worker barracks are inside the only solid structure so it can be locked at night. The Shadowspire quarters are the large tents that go from the barracks to the small tents. The first small tent near the field is the kitchen. Ration storage in the tent behind… by the hill. The other four small tents are command and Reiter's quarters. One tent has all their comm gear, although I suspect Reiter has some additional comm and a laptop in his office tent."
"I can work with that," Aldire replied with a thoughtful nod. "We need a schedule and then I can slip in to infect them. Reiter needs to be out of his office. The comm tent will be harder."
"It will be," Alqadar replied. "They are former military. They will always man that tent… but in the middle of the night… graveyard shift… it may only be one man."
"Let's find out," Aldire replied with a smile.
"Sah-him, you and I will start picking off their patrols once we figure out a schedule," Alqadar told him. "For now, try to make it look like the island is killing them. Drive them towards the traps and mines."
"Understood," Sah-him replied. "I hope we can get a bunch before they wise up and send larger patrols."
"So do I," Alqadar agreed.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S CLAW: CHINA, LIAN YU – SHADOWSPIRE CAMP: 21 APR 2014
"Reiter, we got to talk," Conklin pushed into Reiter's office space. He stood in front of Reiter with a confrontational posture.
"I take it you have more bad news," Reiter said where he was pouring over one of the satellite maps of the island. He didn't bother to look up.
"We finally found that lost patrol," Conklin started. "Landmines. This fucking island is riddled with fucking landmines."
"You knew this," Reiter pointed out as his finally looked up with a pointed glare. "You trained your men to detect and avoid them. This should not surprise you."
"The mines don't. My men becoming idiots overnight does," Conklin raged. "Something is affecting them."
"This operation is too important for them to lose their senses. Search them for contraband and dispose of it. What of the slaves?" Reiter asked.
"Uncooperative, but doing what they were told," Conklin replied. "The slam has been planted. We should see sprouts soon."
"While your men were getting lost in the woods, did they notice any of the marks I drilled into them?" Reiter asked. He wasn't concerned about the death of the patrol. He wanted to know if they had seen anything. He craved finding hidden mystical objects.
"I don't know if they saw anything because they are fucking dead," Conklin retorted angrily. The loss of his men bothered him. Reiter's attitude didn't bother him as much. He knew that Reiter didn't care. It was why he had named Conklin as his second. Conklin was the nice boss while Reiter was a prickly boss.
Reiter stood up. "I don't like your attitude, Conklin," he said in a threaten tone.
"What do you want?" Conklin demanded in exasperation. "Do you want me to be fucking happy that this island is kill us off? Fourteen of us have died already. We've only been here a few weeks."
"It is not the island you are afraid of," Reiter said as he examined Conklin closely. He didn't understand Conklin's care for the men under his command, but he understood fear. He relished it in his men. Care didn't make sense to Reiter, but fear did. "You are afraid of what we seek. Perhaps, you should be afraid of me instead." As long as his men obeyed him, they could be afraid of him. Time to reinforce that fear. He smirked.
"What…" Conklin stared before his breath stilled in his throat as Reiter spoke a foreign word. It had power, and that power sealed up Conklin's lungs. He started to claw at his throat. Reiter said another word, and suddenly, Conklin could breathe again. He heaved in lungfuls of air.
Reiter gave Conklin a quiet smirk. "Now we understand each other," he said smugly. "Goodbye, Mr. Conklin," Reiter said in dismissal as he turned his back on Conklin and sat back down at his desk. He needed to determine where to send his next exploratory team.
Conklin fled the tent.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
USA, WA, STARLING CITY – UoSC, SARA'S APARTMENT: 23 APR 2015
"Hey, Sara, I came over as soon as I could," Thea greeted Sara warmly when she opened her apartment door.
"Come in," Sara said after a quick hug to the teen. "Man, you are getting so big."
"I'm still a dwarf," Thea said deadpan as she strode over to the couch and plopped herself on one end. "What did you need?" she asked, her eyes bright with excitement.
Sara smiled. The one thing she knew about Thea was that she needed to be needed. It didn't have to be for much – movie night, boy advice, whatever. Thea relished it when Sara asked HER. She felt validated, wanted, and Sara could relate. She wanted her mother to love her that way. Not that Thea gets that from her mother.
"I need some advice," Sara started. "My first year at college is mostly general classes… stuff everyone takes… stuff that exposes me to the various subjects available. Second year is where my classes start to zero in on my graduation degree."
"Like High School, but more focused," Thea restated her question while agreeing.
"Exactly," Sara replied. "I can't figure out what degree I want to eventually get. I have no clue what I want to do. How do I narrow it down?" she asked. She mostly wanted a sounding board. She missed having her sister to bounce all these ideas off. She had grown close to Thea. They shared a loss. It bonded them together.
"What kind of stuff are you looking at?" Thea asked as she considered the question.
"Police work, medical, business… I don't know… I feel like I'm considering everything," Sara said with a huff.
"Okay, that's too broad," Thea said with her eyes screwed up. She gave a sad huff. "I know that Laurel always knew exactly what she wanted to do… She followed her passions, and Ollie and Tommy just followed her." She gave a shy smile to Sara. "Do you remember when she told the boys they wanted business and they just agreed?" she asked.
Sara smiled at the memory. It was not long after Laurel had been accepted at UoSC. Ollie and Tommy were going to different schools. She remembered them having the same discussion. The one she was having now. It turned into a bickering fest. Finally, Laurel just told them they were getting business degrees and that was final.
"I do," Sara replied with a grin. "I think they just didn't want to argue with Laurel any longer."
"True," Thea replied, and then her face dropped. She turned a sad smile to Sara. "The premise still stands. Laurel was passionate about the law and Ollie and Tommy were passionate about doing what Laurel wanted. They followed their passions. That's why the boys came back to Starling."
"They did," Sara agreed sadly. She remembered how Oliver had gotten kicked out of college to justify coming back to Starling against his parents wishes. Tommy at least waited until the semester was over before he returned to be with them.
"Then what are you passionate about? What do you like? What motivates you?" Thea asked sincerely. "Laurel loved to argue. What do you love to do?"
"I like helping people," Sara said as she considered the question. "I love animals."
"Okay," Thea started as she began to sort her thoughts. "You can combine the two; helping animals… That could also fall under your medical consideration. Do you want to be a vet?" she asked.
"I don't know," Sara said with a hint of whine.
"Hey, it's not like you get to do any of the cool stuff for a couple of years. This gives you an end goal," Thea replied with a smirk. "Take chemistry and biology next year… take a look at the vet prerequisites. That should help you choose. If you don't like them, then choose something else to study in your third year."
Sara nodded and grinned. "I like it," she replied and hugged Thea. "I knew going to you would help."
"Thanks," Thea said with a blush. Then her face turned sad as she looked at the photo of the five of them. "It looks like they are still helping us," she said sadly.
"Yeah," Sara replied, sadly thinking of their lost friends. Family. Lost family. Family that would want us to move forward. "Do you get to pick your classes as a Freshman?" she asked to change the subject.
"Unfortunately, no," Thea started. "I only get to choose a music or sports elective. I'm thinking sports…" Thea started to ramble about the limitations of High School. Sara basked in the presence of her baby sister.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S CLAW: CHINA, LIAN YU – SHADOWSPIRE CAMP: 30 APR 2014
Aldire found that planting her viruses on the Shadowspire equipment was easier than expected. The difficulty was in sorting through the vast amount of data that her viruses mined from their systems. She only had a small screen. It took days to sort through the majority of the data. Apparently, Reiter liked to be in frequent contact with the outside world. He wired a satellite connection. He was constantly searching for occult references to glean some idea about what magical items could be contained on Lian Yu.
Then Aldire found it. Proof that Shadowspire was a new suborganization for HIVE. HIVE didn't have sleeper agents in Shadowspire. Shadowspire was an active conspirator. However, their data mine did reveal a few HIVE sleeper agents in other organizations. The most notable were ARGUS, the FBI, and Interpol.
Aldire sent her virus to propagate. This should ensure that the HIVE systems were infected soon. She immediately informed Alqadar and Sah-him of her findings.
"Contact Dam Dhib," Alqadar ordered. "Provide him the names of the HIVE agents and the proof you have collected. He will track them and eliminate them. This is confirmation, notify the Fasir that we will enforce the will of Ra's al Ghul on the island. By the order of Ra's al Ghul, all members of Shadowspire will be eliminated. All slaves to be examined for balance. The Fasir may direct others to eliminate those off the island."
"It will be done," Aldire replied as she drafted the email message to Dam Dhib. It was not an unexpected development. The elimination of Shadowspire was now a higher priority to the League. Every HIVE sleeper agent found would be eliminated.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S CLAW: CHINA, LIAN YU – FOREST: 1 MAY 2014
Alqadar was trailing the latest Shadowspire patrol. They were heading to the southwest corner of the island. They were already out of sight of the main camp. This patrol was being extra cautious. It had four men instead of the usual two. The trio had been quietly eliminating random patrols. This would be the largest patrol they took out.
Alqadar grinned. It looks like we finally spooked them. Four men didn't present a challenge. He was more concerned with silencing them before they took action or radioed. It was challenging, but the possible negative consequences created greater difficulties. Shadowspire was still too large to confront directly.
The patrol stopped at the edge of the next clearing. They examined the ground closely before finally stepping out into the field. Then one of the patrol called out and pointed. Alqadar froze and waited. He couldn't hear them as they mumbled. Then the patrol leader grabbed their radio.
"Base, Patrol Four," the patrol leader keyed the mike.
"Go ahead, Patrol Four," the radio replied.
"We are about four klicks from the base towards the southeast. We spotted an incoming parachute. It is alone. It looks like it is aiming for our location," the patrol leader reported. "No visible markings. I don't think he spotted us yet."
"Copy. I'll notify the boss," the radio replied. "Capture for interrogation."
"Capture, copy," the patrol leader responded. He turned to the rest of his patrol. "You heard the man. We allow the blighter to land and then take them to Reiter. It's about time this cursed island handed us some luck."
The patrol spread around the clearing and concealed themselves from the inbound parachute. Alqadar took action. He darted each of the patrol in their hiding spot. Then he drug their comatose bodies into the edge of the clearing. He took their weapons and laid them on the ground. Then he melted back to the tree line. He waited and watched while the parachute landed.
The parachutist landed gracefully on their feet with a slight run. They turned and collapsed their chute behind them. Alqadar waited a few moments to give the new person time to adjust to being on the ground again. He noted that this was not a man, but a woman. Her fatigues were well broken in. She was lightly armed with a pistol and a single rifle. He identified at least one knife on her. Her movements were sure and practiced. However, her observation levels were low. She had not noted the downed patrol. He doubted that she would see him unless he chose to be seen.
Alqadar pulled up his hood and mask. He kept his weapons sheathed. He blatantly stepped out into the clearing beside the downed patrol. He knew that the obvious motion would attract the attention of the woman.
The woman spun at his movement, drawing and aiming her pistol in record time. Alqadar approved. He held his hands out in an open-handed gesture. She was white with brown hair and blue eyes. Her hair was cropped short.
"Freeze," the woman ordered in English.
Well, that makes communication easier. Alqadar stopped moving. "I mean you no harm," he replied in English.
The woman didn't move to relax her posture. She was evaluating him.
"I know you have no reason to trust me," Alqadar started. "However, this patrol radioed your arrival to the Shadowspire base. They were ordered to capture you for interrogation. I was unable to stop them before they radioed."
The woman glanced down and noted the four bodies in military gear. "You did that?" she asked, gesturing with her aimed pistol.
"Yes," Alqadar replied. "They are only unconscious. I recommend killing them before we depart. Your arrival was noted. This will change how my team has been thinning them out."
The woman's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You would kill them in cold blood?" she asked. She looked slightly ill at the thought.
"The guilty, yes," Alqadar replied honestly. "I have never taken an innocent life. It is never wise to give the guilty the ability to cause more harm." He paused as he noted the conflict in her eyes. She doesn't want to kill an enemy who can't fight back. She is moral. It speaks to her innate goodness. "If you cannot, I will do it with their weapons. They are marked for death."
The woman lowered her pistol. "You do it," she told him after a moment. She wouldn't kill them herself, but she understood that he would kill them anyway… eventually. Then she turned her attention to stuffing her chute back in her pack. She would have to repack it later, but for now it would let her move freely.
Alqadar picked up one of the pistols and shot two of the bodies before trading for a rifle and shooting the remaining two. He dropped the weapon and checked each of the bodies. One man was still alive. Alqadar pressed his blade into the leg of the man to sever the femoral artery. He waited and watched as the man rapidly bled to death. With his death confirmed, he radioed his team.
"Shield, Arrow," Alqadar called into the comm set as he turned back to examine the woman while she finished packing her chute. "A guest has arrived on Lian Yu. A patrol of four have been eliminated. Death is confirmed. I'm taking guest to Point A," he told them. "Meet me there in full gear."
"Copy," Sah-him replied. "Thirty minutes from Point A."
"Copy," Aldire responded. "Forty minutes form Point A."
"There are more of you?" the woman asked as he pulled on the pack with her chute. He had mentioned a team, but she had been unsure. She needed to gain intel on other people on the island. She knew about Shadowspire and the slaves. This group was totally new.
"Yes," Alqadar replied. "I would like you to follow me to a safer location. This one will be crowded with Shadowspire soon."
"I don't trust you," the woman told him. I might as well make that clear up front. They were confederates, allies, not friends. Trust had to be earned.
"I don't expect you to trust me," Alqadar replied. "However, Point A is a semi-hardened shelter that hides life signs from satellite images. Shadowspire has shown no inclination to investigate the site like they have the other ruins on Lian Yu."
"Very well," the woman replied. She started towards where a path was visible in the forest.
"Not that way," Alqadar told her. "The Japanese mined most of the footpaths. My team has used them to covertly eliminate some of the Shadowspire patrols."
The woman stopped. "How did Shadowspire not see the mines?" she asked suspiciously. "The mines have been on this island for over fifty years. The earth would have visibly eroded around them."
"The island doesn't like them," Alqadar told her. "It clouds their vision and fogs their mind."
The woman looked skeptically at him and then motioned with her hand. Alqadar led them into the forest, away from the Shadowspire camp. They would skirt the southern edge of the island to make it to the fuselage, which they had named it Point A for airplane. Sah-him relayed that he had lived with Slade in the fuselage while evading Fyers for months. Fyers had a contact with satellite access. While the plane was visible on the satellite images, what was inside was not.
They didn't talk as they walked. It was only when they neared the wreckage that Alqadar pointed out water and good places for hunting traps. Once they reached the clearing with the fuselage, Alqadar strode directly across the field and into the plane's structure. The woman followed more cautiously with her pistol drawn.
The woman cleared the whole fuselage before lowering her pistol. "Alright, what now?" she asked him.
"Now, you store your gear and make yourself comfortable," Alqadar replied. "This place should be safe from Shadowspire. I will meet the rest of my team and bring them in. They will be armed, but we mean you no harm."
"Well, I'm armed," the woman replied. "I have a mission to accomplish."
"We will share our Shadowspire intelligence once my team arrives," Alqadar replied. He gave the woman a polite nod and exited the fuselage. He quickly crossed the clearing and disappeared into the trees.
Alqadar had only circled the clearing once when Sah-him arrived. He motioned back from the fuselage. He wanted to talk to them before they met with the woman.
"Who is it?" Sah-him asked as he took a surveillance position next to Alqadar.
"I don't know who she is," Alqadar replied. "Military. Parachuted in. Competent. Ethical. She didn't want to kill the patrol I had darted. I watched her conceal her communication equipment there," he said pointing. "Aldire can infect it when you show her the Shadowspire camp. Show her one of our hides… the one near the workers."
"It will be done," Sah-him replied with the ritualized assent phrase. "She…" he said in a quieter tone. "Could she be the good servant?" he asked almost absently.
"The vision," Alqadar replied with a nod. "I considered it. It is one reason I brought her here. The good servant works for someone evil."
"I will verify that she is not tainted with evil," Sah-him replied.
"Who?" Aldire asked as she finally joined them.
"The woman who arrived today," Alqadar replied. "It is possible that she is the good servant from the vision. She will help us eliminate Shadowspire."
"She was seen parachuting in," Aldire replied. "I monitored the Shadowspire radio frequencies. They saw her come in. Why would she chute in on a clear day like today? Why not at night? Or at least an overcast or rainy day?" she asked. "It makes me wonder. Whoever she works for may have wanted to get rid of her. If she is good and works for evil, evil may be threatened by her, unable to turn her."
"One woman against sixty Shadowspire military-trained operatives… We'll mention it to the woman," Alqadar said. "Hoods up. Let's go introduce ourselves." He waited until the other two had set their hoods and masks and then led the way back to the fuselage.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S CLAW: CHINA, LIAN YU – FUSELAGE: 1 MAY 2014
Lyla was beyond frustrated. She had finally arrived only to have her mission blown before she started it. ARGUS had learned Shadowspire was gearing up for a large, long-term operation. She had tracked and followed the group as they collected men in one place and then bought slaves from Russia.
Lyla was disgusted with Shadowspire. They were former US military personnel, yet they took their skills and sold them to the highest bidder. They stole weapons, drugs, and valuables with their skills. Then they turned to war profiteering and human trafficking. She despised everything they stood for. Their existence offended her as a former member of the US Army.
It hurt that Lyle knew many of these men personally. She had served with many of them in Afghanistan. She hated that they turned on the core values of the US Army. They had turned on their brothers in the military to turn a profit. Now they were peddling in people. Only the worst scum felt that other humans were beneath them. Only the worst of humanity would condone brokering in human lives.
Lyla had gladly accepted the mission to stop Shadowspire. While this was not the typical ARGUS mission, it was personal to her. The military was her family and these men had betrayed her family.
After collecting all the intelligence that she could find, Lyla took arms and gear to the location of their drug farm. Shadowspire had decided to set up shop on the remote island of Lian Yu. It was difficult to reach by water. Most traffic came by air. The satellite photos had shown an airstrip… complete with a small military cargo plane. She formulated her plan and decided that an airdrop would be the least noticeable.
Waller was the one to recommend that she take the guise of a castaway. That was also Waller's reasoning for sending her alone. One castaway was acceptable. Two would be suspicious. More would be considered a threat. With her military training, she felt she could easily survive until she made contact with Shadowspire. She focused on selecting her gear while Waller coordinated the airdrop.
Lyla should have suspected something when she was told to airdrop during the day, but the reasoning was that the landmines were invisible at night. It made some sense. When she landed, she was shocked to find a strange warrior with his hands held open. His short explanation made her realize that her infiltration mission was blown. Shadowspire would be looking for the parachutist. Everyone they encountered would be suspect.
His rapid execution of the patrol disturbed her. Lyla understood the reasoning, but executing them while they were helpless felt dishonorable. Two phrases stuck with her as she reviewed her conversation with the warrior.
'They are marked for death.' The warrior made it seem like he was always going to kill them. Like it was inevitable that they would die. Perhaps the warrior was an assassin. Perhaps Shadowspire warranted assassins taking them out. Could he be an assassin? 'I have never taken an innocent life.' How did he know?
'The island doesn't like them… clouded their minds.' The warrior made the island sound sentient, like it could make decisions. She had seen enough in ARGUS to have an open mind, but a sentient island sounded weird to her.
Lyla's interaction with the strange warrior made her want to conceal her comm gear. She found a place to hide it, and she could reach it if needed. Waller won't expect me to report until tonight. I have time.
"We have returned," Alqadar announced from outside the fuselage.
Lyla drew her pistol and held it ready, but not aimed. "Come in," she called out. She reassured herself that they were supposed to be allies.
The trio entered the fuselage slowly with their hands open. Their hoods concealed their features. Their armor was the same. Then she noted the small splash of color on their shoulder. Each one had a different color. Lyla was certain that the first warrior she met was the one with yellow. She was surprised but gratified to see a woman in their ranks. All three of them were fit and moved with a feline grace.
"Have a seat," Lyla said as she gestured to where several boxes were overturned near what appeared to be a fire pit. She gently set herself on a box away from the three warriors. She was curious. ARGUS only had intel that Shadowspire was on the island. Who were these people? Why were they here on Lian Yu? The one with the purple was looking at her strangely.
Sah-him examined her closely with his inner eye open. The woman's aura was a light blue shot with red. Intellect and action. She showed some exposure to evil, but not enough to change her whole aura. He gave a slight nod to Alqadar.
Alqadar had been waiting for Sah-him assessment. With his approval, Alqadar called her attention to himself.
"You have had a rude introduction to Lian Yu," Alqadar stated. "I apologize for that."
"No one is introduced to Lian Yu politely," Sah-him said humorously. "Did you forget your introduction?" he asked.
"I sure didn't," Aldire replied with a hint of steel. "Lian Yu was my salvation. I will be forever grateful to it."
Sah-him felt Lian Yu's pulse of acceptance. He smiled under his mask. "Lian Yu thanks you for your gratitude," he relayed to Aldire.
Aldire ducked her head. The boys recognized her embarrassed quirk from their long exposure.
"Who are you?" Lyla finally asked.
"I am Shield. This is Hand…" Aldire replied in greeting. She pointed out the man with yellow. "… and Arrow." She pointed to the man with purple.
Lyla nodded. Code names. I can handle those. I'll use one of my aliases. "Agent Michaels, CIA," Lyla returned the greeting. It was one of her many covers.
"No, you aren't," Sah-him replied casually. He had watched her aura darken with her lie. "I can read your lies." he told her. He had never tried to use his gift this way before, and it was fascinating. We really can detect lies like this.
Lyla raised an eyebrow. Read her lies? What the hell! Is he a human lie detector? "My name is Agent Michaels… but I don't work for the CIA."
"Those are both true," Sah-him relayed.
"Who do you work for?" Alqadar asked. They already knew that she worked for someone evil. Placing a name and a face with evil intent was always good.
Lyla sighed in resignation. Crap. Both those statements were true. He IS a fucking lie detector. What ARGUS wouldn't do to have one of those… "ARGUS," she said softly.
"Truth," Sah-him replied. He turned to the two others. "We worked with ARGUS in Hong Kong. Agent Michaels likely works for Director Waller."
"I do," Lyla replied in surprise. Have they worked with ARGUS before? In Hong Kong? I wasn't on that mission. I know that it went badly for Waller. She was insufferable afterward.
"Then Director Waller is the evil that was foretold," Alqadar said in consideration. His mind flashed through the intelligence he had on ARGUS. "Does Director Waller want to eliminate you?" he asked Lyla.
"Uh… I don't think so," Lyla replied in confusion. "My last mission went well, but Waller wasn't happy with how it was resolved. I volunteered for this mission. It required a military background."
"Director Waller is an evil source. You are not yet tainted too deeply by her evil," Sah-him told her. "She has not converted you to her evil. She likely wants to eliminate the threat you represent."
"What?" Lyla exclaimed in surprise. "No! She wouldn't. I'm not a threat."
"Lian Yu has very few cloudless days," Alqadar pointed out. "You arrived on one. You were sent by parachute… during the day. The most likely time you would be noticed and discovered by Shadowspire... like the patrol I eliminated."
"Waller is an evil source. You are her servant, but good. It matches the vision," Aldire added smugly. She was happy that they had found a good servant. They needed assistance to eliminate Shadowspire.
"What vision?" Lyla asked. What are these people talking about? This is about drugs and mercenaries. Not mystical crap.
"A vision sent us to Lian Yu," Alqadar replied easily. "A vision told our organization to send the three of us to Lian Yu. Once here we would be assisted by a good servant of an evil person. This servant would help us eliminate the evil on this island."
"Shadowspire," Lyla said with a whisper. She had no doubt who the evil on the island was.
"Shadowspire," Alqadar agreed.
"Alright, what intelligence do you have?" Lyla asked. She wasn't surprised by the news that Waller was evil, but she had a mission. One she needed to complete. If she could pull off this mission and save the slaves, she would have a stronger position in ARGUS despite Waller. She would be in a better position to counter Waller's evil. She would be better able to defend herself against Waller's actions against her.
"Shadowspire arrived a little over a month ago with over sixty men," Alqadar told her. "They established their encampment on a plateau on the other side of the island. A week after they arrived, they brought in enslaved people to use as workers. They are growing slam, a narcotic. Twenty men guard the slaves. The remainder of the men are searching the island. The three of us have been killing the patrols and throwing them on the landmines to conceal our presence."
"How many men are left?" Lyla asked. She could see how the numbers didn't match what Waller had told her. It was a suicide mission to be alone against sixty men.
"Around forty men," Alqadar said. "Twenty men guard the prisoners. The others rotate between patrols and leisure. Their recent patrols contain more men. The previous deaths have unnerved them."
"Do you know who their leader is?" Lyla asked. She was sure that intel had not changed. Major Baron Reiter.
"Reiter," Aldire replied.
"Baron Reiter," Lyla confirmed with a nod. "ARGUS thought he might be here. He's obsessed with Lian Yu… has been for several years."
"Obsession indicates that he is an evil source," Sah-him replied with a nod. "However, Shadowspire is not working alone. They follow the direction of HIVE."
"HIVE? Shit!" Lyla swore as she realized that this group was working for the international terrorist organization. Her small mission ratcheted up in importance.
"Arrow, show Agent Michaels the encampment," Alqadar directed him. "We will return to Point One."
"It will be done," Sah-him replied. "Come. Mind the land mines. Stay off the path."
"Understood," Lyla replied as she followed Arrow out of the crashed plane. She had been warned about the landmines. It was the reason for the daylight airdrop. Local intelligence was very beneficial for identifying them. Even ARGUS had no idea where they were on the island. On the paths. Shit.
Once Lyla and Sah-him were out of sight, Alqadar stopped Aldire relayed where Lyla had hidden her communications gear. Aldire went back and installed the virus on Lyla's gear. It was important to track Waller and ARGUS. Evil sources should not be left unattended.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S CLAW: CHINA, LIAN YU – SHADOWSPIRE CAMP: 10 MAY 2014
Over the last ten days, Lyla had created a routine. With her infiltration mission blown, she was committed to freeing the slaves and helping the three warriors eliminate Shadowspire. She lost all her hesitation to kill them once she learned about their association with HIVE. HIVE was an insidious disease on the world. No one associated with HIVE should live.
Lyla made her way from the observation nest that the warriors had created. It was elevated and gave her an excellent perspective on the drug farming operations. Shadowspire overworked and frequently beat the slaves to ensure compliance.
Once a day, Lyla met with one of the warriors. Arrow and Hand seemed to meet her the most often. They kept her up-to-date with the men they had eliminated from Shadowspire. Six more men had fallen. Hand directed Lyla to focus on the workers. He showed her the place on the island's north side that was concealed and protected from Shadowspire. If their workers started to disappear, Shadowspire would become sloppy and unnerved.
Yesterday, Hand directed her to contact the workers and assist the most wounded or ill to safety. She was responsible for the care and coordination of the workers. He gave her no further instruction. He trusted her abilities. Lyla felt gratified to have the kind of support that Waller never provided for any of her operations. She verified that the safe zone was still clear yesterday. Tonight she would make contact.
As night fell, Lyla crept toward the back side of the barrack structure. She pried a back panel off the barracks and crept inside, loosely closing the panel behind her. It was not secured, but it would not be noticeable to the men patrolling.
"Who are you?" a woman hissed at her as the workers blocked her in.
"Harbinger," Lyla replied quietly with her code name.
"What do you want?" the woman hissed at her. Her anger and frustration flashing in her eyes.
"I want to help you," Lyla replied. "My allies and I are working on eliminating Shadowspire. They have given me the task of assisting you. I can lead the weakest, most ill, or injured to a safer place on the island."
"Take us all," the woman demanded quietly.
"I can't," Lyla replied. "If you all leave, they will track you to this place and likely kill you for escaping."
"Then we will all die there," the woman retorted angrily.
"Look," Lyla started. "I get it. This whole situation sucks…"
"Taiana," the woman interrupted.
"Taiana," Lyla responded with a polite nod. "We will get you all to safety, but it will take time. I want to move the sick and injured first. They need a quiet place to recover. They will die in these conditions."
"I cannot walk," one man replied. He showed her his injury. It was a nasty cut on his calf. The start of an infection was setting in.
"Is there someone who can assist you?" Lyla asked.
Taiana's face searched around the room. "Vlad," she indicated. "Vlad will assist and carry you if needed Boris."
"Thank you, Taiana," Boris replied.
"But I am strong," Vlad protested. "I will be needed here."
"The sick and injured will need someone strong to protect them," Lyla replied. He could only see the benefit to having an able-bodied man on hand.
"Very well," Vlad replied with some hesitation.
"I will secure this panel after I leave," Lyla told them. "Shadowspire will freak out and try to hunt us down. If they don't know where to start, they will fail."
"Then leave a panel on the other side unsecure," Taiana replied. "They will attempt to chase in the wrong direction."
Lyla smiled at her. "Perfect," she replied. "Give me a few minutes. When I get back, we need to leave quickly. Say your goodbyes now." Lyla slipped out the panel and set it back in place. She stalked to the other side of the barracks. This side was more exposed, but it was late enough that even the patrol didn't look on this side of the barracks. She loosened a panel and entered the barracks once again. She set the panel closed and moved the nearest bed back slightly. Then went to where the workers were collecting.
"We are ready," Vlad told her.
"Good," Lyla replied. "Collect outside until I secure the panel. Then we will go directly into the forest. Follow me closely. Try to step on rocks and avoid breaking the brush. We will walk in a stream for some distance. This is the safest way to the location."
"How far is it?" Taiana asked.
"Far enough," Lyla replied. "If you don't know where it is, they will be safer."
"I understand," Taiana said with trepidation. She turned to Vlad. =Be safe, Brother= she said in Russian.
I will, Sister= Vlad replied in Russian. =I will keep mine safe. You do the same. Take no risks. We will be free soon enough.=
No risks apply to you as well= Taiana replied with anxiety.
Lyla led the small group of six out of the barracks and into the forest. She would let the three warriors know about the escape. Perhaps they had medicine for the infection.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S CLAW: CHINA, LIAN YU – SHADOWSPIRE CAMP: 19 MAY 2014
Over another week passed. Sah-him was conducting observation today while Alqadar eliminated one of the patrols. Sah-him's observation post overlooked the entire encampment. Shadowspire was becoming paranoid. Aldire said that their radio and internal communication indicated they were still trying to figure out who had landed on the island. Since no parachute was found, they were speculating that an unknown hostile on the island was actively killing them. Someone who could eliminate four people from the air and disappear like the wind.
With Agent Michaels' arrival, the trio didn't have to conceal their kills. Without that requirement, they were more than eager to take out several more groups with weapons. Ten more men were culled from Shadowspire. Rieter was barely holding back his rage as his men died around him. Most of Shadowspire avoided Reiter if possible. They were more afraid of Reiter than staying out of the cursed forest.
The trio mixed up which patrols they targeted, which was likely why they missed the patrol that captured the man. A stranger. Someone who was definitely NOT Agent Michaels.
Sah-him watched as the patrol returned triumphantly to the camp with the captured man. He examined the new man with some confusion. He was tall and blonde, but he was skinny as a rail and not dressed for an island environment. He wore a brown trench coat over slacks, a shirt, and a tie. He has a freaking tie.
Even the Shadowspire mercenaries didn't feel threatened by him. The man's hands were secured in handcuffs in front of him. No one was even holding him to guide him into camp.
"Hand, Shield," Sah-him whispered into his radio. "Shadowspire caught someone on the island."
"What are they doing to him?" Alqadar asked through the radio.
"Taking him to Reiter," Sah-him replied. "Likely for interrogation."
"Get him out of there," Alqadar replied. "We don't need Reiter getting reinforcements. Shield and I are coming to you."
"Understood," Sah-him replied. He opened his inner eye. The man's aura was cheese yellow and shot with green and orange. Chrisma, compassion, and creation. Magic? Could he be the mage we are waiting on? A crowd of spirits followed the man. Two older spirits and two younger ones. They had the appearance of a family. He knew spirits attached to people they cared for. Is this his family?
Sah-him turned to his father. "Dad, can you ask those spirits to come over here?" he asked his father's spirit. I will talk to the spirits. They will tell me more about this man.
"I will try, son," Robert replied as he drifted down to the plateau.
Sah-him considered the man as he watched his father drift to the spirits. He watched the spirits slowly turn and followed his father back up the hill. Yes, the spirits will help. I can learn about this mage.
The four spirits arrived with his father. The two older spirits were a man and a woman. The woman looked motherly; a matron. The man held himself with the air of a father. The two younger spirits were kids – teenagers – a boy and a girl. Definitely a family.
"You wanted to see us?" a middle-aged male spirit asked with a thick British accent.
British? Interesting. "Yes," Sah-him replied. "I was wondering if you would tell me about the man you are following. Who is he?" he asked curiously.
"Johnny?" the matronly spirit asked in a pleased tone. "My son is a wizard," the spirit said proudly. "A right good one too."
"He is?" Sah-him asked. "Good. We have been waiting for a mage. I can see his aura. It tells me he is not evil."
"I should hope not," the teenage boy spirit exclaimed. "Johnny was scared straight after that whole demon thing."
"He was helping, son," the older male spirit said. "He was not doing evil. He was stopping evil."
"Is that right?" the teenage boy spirit asked.
"Yes," Sah-him replied with a smile. They likely wouldn't remember this, since it was new information, but he would reassure them. "Evil is intent. Just like an accidental death is an accident, but murder is intent."
"Intent?" the teenage girl asked in consideration. "I get that," she drawled. "Johnny didn't intend to kill us. I mean, he didn't know that he could call demon fire? That he had demon blood? Mum never told 'im."
"Demon blood?" Sah-him asked in surprise. He had heard of mages with demon blood while in training, but he had not met one. He knew that Merlin had demon blood, and he was known for being good. Demon blood made a mage stronger. They were remarkable magicians without the usual human flaws related to magic use. It was a part of his training that demonstrated how evil was formed by intent.
"I didn't know," the matronly spirit sighed in exasperation. "Not until I died. How could I have told him?" she asked.
"It's alright, dear," the fatherly spirit told her. "I don't blame you."
"Then the young man's name is Johnny, a mage with demon blood," Sah-him said, trying to get the spirits back on topic.
"He prefers John Constantine," the teenage girl spirit replied with her teenage tone of superiority. "I don't think he knows about the demon blood yet. We only found out after we died."
"Right," Sah-him said. "John Constantine, mage."
The four spirits seemed to agree with that description.
"Good," Sah-him replied. "Then it is imperative that I get John out of that camp. The leader of that camp is an evil man who will hurt John for information, especially information about magic. He will use him and eventually kill him if he discovers John is a mage. I will assist him in escaping. Will you four help me?" he asked.
"What?" the fatherly spirit asked. "How can we assist? We are bloody dead. It's not like we can bash blokes on the head."
"No," Sah-him replied with a smile. "While I would love your physical assistance, I don't expect to need it. I can see you; I can hear you, and the others can't. You can warn me when someone is coming."
"Well, right," the fatherly spirit replied brightly. "That we can do. It makes me feel bloody useful again."
"Good," Sah-him told him. Alqadar and Aldire had arrived while he was talking to the spirits. They had both stayed quiet until the conversation finished. "Hand, I need a diversion. We need to extract Constantine. He is a mage. His aura is good."
"Understood. Shield and I can attack on the other side of the base. Something to draw Reiter out of his tent. That is where they took him, right?" Alqadar asked.
Sah-him nodded.
Alqadar turned to Aldire. "We don't need to stay silent any longer. Explosions, arrows, then swords. Stay in the forest. Depart when Arrow gives the all-clear. You take there," he pointed at a point across from the tents. "I'll take there," he indicated a second point. "Arrow, wait until Reiter leaves the tent to infiltrate."
"Understood," Sah-him replied. "Come with me," he told the spirits. He kept his Inner Eye open.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S CLAW: CHINA, LIAN YU – SHADOWSPIRE CAMP: 19 MAY 2014
Sah-him crept towards the Shadowspire camp and waited. He heard the explosions followed by Reiter's departure with a scowl on his face. The distraction had started. Sah-him crept into the back of the tent. It showed only one aura.
Sah-him quickly scanned the whole tent, but stayed silent as he noted positions, entrances, exits, and equipment. This was the first time he had been in Reiter's tent. A skinny man with blonde hair was positioned by the main entrance sitting on one of the folding chairs. He was regarding Sah-him carefully with a neutral expression. His hands were still cuffed. Sah-him stayed silent until the spirits returned. The man, John Constantine, was staring at Sah-him intently The teenage boy slid through the tent wall with a smile.
"No one is around the tent, Mate," the teenage boy said with a grin. His eager appreciation for helping is still apparent.
"Good," Sah-him replied to the spirit. "We are clear," he told John.
"Who the bloody hell are you?" John asked angrily.
"Arrow," Sah-him replied. "We must leave before Reiter returns."
"Why would I bloody leave with you, you fucking assassin?" John spat at him. Distaste and anger on his face.
Sah-him gave a frustrated huff. "Is he always like this?" he asked the teenage boy.
"Ya," the teenage boy replied. "Not the most social person."
Sah-him nodded and turned back to the man eyeing him in confused hostility as he talked to the air. Sah-him crooked an eyebrow at him. "You could enjoy the hospitality of Baron Reiter if you desire, but it will be short-lived. Reiter is marked for death," Sah-him told the man.
"Good," John replied. "That damn blood mage is asking for death." He closed his eyes and chanted a short incantation and his handcuff popped open.
Sah-him nodded and led him out the back of the tent. He gave an all-clear to his partners as he and John were walking through the thick undergrowth of the forest. When they were far from the camp John stopped suddenly.
"Damn," John remarked. "I should have grabbed the damn map."
A map. Could this be the help he provides us? "I know the island. Do you remember the markers? I can take you to the same location indicated on the map." Sah-him asked. Perhaps he helps us. Perhaps not. He seems too hostile for a long alliance.
John looked at him sideways. "Yes," he said cautiously.
"What do you want to take?" Sah-him asked. He was keenly aware that Lian Yu was very protective of the magical items it stored. This man was a mage. His aura was not very tainted by evil. He was in balance. Lian Yu may not protest this man taking a less hazardous item.
"Why are you asking?" John asked. "You don't seem like the magician type. It will be meaningless to you."
"To me, yes," Sah-him replied in agreement. "However, to Lian Yu, it has meaning. Lian Yu is its guardian; Its keeper. I would ask Lian Yu if it would release this item to you."
"Ask the island?" John asked skeptically.
Sah-him smiled at him and then folded himself in the lotus position. It wasn't necessary, but he had learned in the League to use deception and theatricality when talking to those from the outside world. The more ritual they believed it took, the easier it was to deceive them.
"Fine," John finally relented. "Let's ask the bloody island. I need the Staff of Horus."
"The Staff of Horus," Sah-him confirmed. At John's nod, he closed his eyes and reached out to the Nexus.
-Child- Lian Yu greeted him. A warm presence surrounded Sah-him.
-Greetings, Lian Yu,- Sah-him greeted. -We are making progress in ridding you of the evil ones. We are grateful for your assistance on this hunt,- he told the Nexus.
-Progress. Welcome,- Lian Yu replied.
-I have a question. This being with me, John Constantine, is a mage,- Sah-him started. He could feel the presence change from welcome to hostility. -He is seeking the Staff of Horus. He is not evil. Will you allow him to have it?- he asked the Nexus.
-Constantine. Demon Blood,- Lian Yu replied. He felt the hostility change to neutrality.
-Yes.- Sah-him replied.
-Allowed. Assist. Wards,- Lian Yu replied. The pulse was tempered with caution, but willingness.
-I will assist him with the wards. Thank you.- Sah-him said as he drifted back to his body. He blinked a few times as his consciousness returned to the forest surrounding them. Connecting to Lian Yu always took him deeper than the Nexus at Lima. He found John smoking a cigarette next to him.
"Well?" John asked in a hostile tone as he focused on Sah-him.
"Lian Yu said you could have the Staff of Horus. It warned me of the wards. I will assist you." Sah-him replied.
"It was bloody yappy for an island," John replied. He jumped up and waited for Sah-him. "Alright," he said. "First we were supposed to find…"
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~
DEMON'S CLAW: CHINA, LIAN YU – STAFF OF HORUS CELL: 19 MAY 2014
Using John's memorized markers, Sah-him and John easily found the holding cell for the Staff of Horus. It was hidden and buried. Sah-him approved. This was a part of the island he and Slade had been through constantly. He never once suspected a hidden entrance.
Sah-him remembered the Staff of Horus from his research into the magical items safeguarded on Lian Yu. The Staff of Horus was one of the known items. It was not an evil magical item. It only contained knowledge. Hundreds of years ago, mages didn't have reliable books or computers. The Staff of Horus was the equivalent of a thumb drive for magical spells. Essentially, a spell book that was less likely to degrade. It was only secured on Lian Yu to ensure that the knowledge didn't fall in the wrong hands. Especially those who wanted to destroy magical items simply because they were magic.
The stone ladder at the entrance opened into a tight tunnel made of solid stone. In the tunnel, Sah-him felt the presence of magic. It was like a fresh breeze in the air; a scent. Sah-him recognized it from his experiences with mages at the Venom.
The tunnel ended before an open chamber. A row of magical symbols lined both walls of the tunnel. Sah-him was grateful to the Qas for teaching them to read the mystical language. It was a magical trap.
John noticed the symbols and paused. He was reading the symbols before attempting to cross the tunnel opening. Good. He recognized the magical trap. Sah-him had only seen a few magical traps in the Venom, but the Qas had been right. All were marked with mystical symbols.
None may enter with evil intent or demon blood.
Well, shit! Sah-him thought. No wonder Lian Yu insisted I help John.
"You should probably stay out here," John said as he strode into the chamber.
Seriously! I need to educate you about INTENT! Damn it. You only THINK I'm an evil assassin. Sah-him said as he quickly followed John. I also need to educate you about your demon blood. You cannot remain ignorant of it any longer. I doubt this is the only magical trap with that condition. Your ignorance risks your life.
John stood before a scepter with an orb. The scepter floated on a pedestal in the center of the chamber. He removed scepter with a grin. Sah-him leapt forward to tackle John. A physical structure made of cold iron and covered with wicked points crashed to the ground around the pedestal. The trap was meant to kill anyone who crossed the wards with evil intent or demon blood. The cold iron would have eliminated their ability to use magic if they were lucky enough to escape instant death.
Sah-him climbed off John as he lay stunned on the ground. Well, he's alive and he has the Staff of Horus. Assistance rendered.
"Thank you," John said quietly, in stark contrast to his previously open hostility. "I don't know why the bloody trap was sprung."
"I do," Sah-him said with a sigh. Time to tell him about his demon blood. "Your mother said that you may not know yet."
"How in the bloody hell do you know me mum?" John asked as his hostility returned.
"Long story," Sah-him replied with a sigh. "I can see spirits among other things… like talking to Lian Yu. Your mother is one of the spirits that's attached to you."
"Attached?" John asked. "Like a leech?" he was almost shrieking now. His eyes were blown wide with shock and fear.
"No," Sah-him replied calmly. "Benign spirits become attached to their loved ones. To watch over you. They feel responsible for you. They travel with you."
"Mum…" John whined. He fell quiet as his face was anguished.
"Your mother mentioned that you have demon blood," Sah-him told him. "She said that she only found out AFTER she died… in demon fire."
"Bloody hell," John said as he sank his head into his hands. Pain and anguish flashed. He didn't doubt Sah-him's story, but the memories pained him. "I tried… I wanted to summon fire. I summoned bloody hellfire. The hellfire should have killed me. Why didn't it kill me?" he asked in a pained, quiet voice.
Sah-him looked at the spirits that surrounded John. The matronly woman and the fatherly man tried to crowd around their son. Their attempt to comfort him. The two teenagers provided the support they could for their parents.
"Demon fire does not affect those with demon blood," the matronly spirit replied sadly. "We all died while he was untouched. He's been carrying this guilt for too long."
Sah-him nodded at her. "Your mother said that demon fire does not affect those with demon blood," Sah-him replied softly. "It was an accident. It wasn't your fault. Your INTENT was fire. You found a teacher. You got control. It worked out."
"After I killed my bloody family…" John replied sullenly.
"I'm not saying it wasn't painful," Sah-him said. "You aren't the only mage who discovered their magic in a very painful way," he told him, thinking of Tayir Alfiniq. "I'm saying it was NOT your intent. Intent matters. The intent is the source of evil. You did not learn magic to kill. That was NOT your intent." Sah-him gave him a long look. "You know I am an assassin, but what do you know about my organization?" he asked calmly.
"Your organization?" John asked. "It's the bloody League of Assassins – a group of people who kill."
"That is what the outside world calls us," Sah-him replied with a tired sigh. I'm not here to educate him about the League. I'm here to tell him about intent. "To some extent, that is what we do, but not why we do it. Our intent. We stand apart from the outside world. The outside world has failed most of us. We seek to eliminate evil from the world. To kill evil. To bring the world back to balance."
"Balance?" John asked. "What the bloody hell does that mean?" he questioned. He was less hostile now.
"There is good intent and evil intent," Sah-him explained. "Our order has been charged to restore the balance of the world – the balance between good and evil. Neither can be too strong. At this point, evil is stronger. We eliminate evil men doing evil deeds with evil intent… like Reiter. We assist good men doing good deeds with good intent… like you."
"How can I be bloody good if I have demon blood?" John said with exasperation. "Bloody demons are evil."
"Pure demons have evil intent, but having demon blood doesn't make you evil. Evil is in intent," Sah-him replied. "Your demon blood allows you to do great magic with little to no cost to your body. That is the gift of your demon blood. It is your INTENT that makes you good. I have seen your aura. It is not darkened with evil." Sah-him smiled. "You are not the first mage with demon blood to turn to the side of good."
John slowly looked up at him. "I'm not?" he asked. "Have you heard of someone else then?"
"I have. Where I was trained, mages are also trained," Sah-him told him. "One of the greatest mages of all time had demon blood. Trained by the fey."
"That doesn't sound so bad," John said. "Who was it then?" he asked.
"Merlin," Sah-him told him with a smile, knowing the famous name would stand out to the Brit.
John's eyebrows shot up. "No shit! The greatest bloody mage of all time was fucking demon blood?" he asked. "I have a new goal. I will get as good or bloody better than Merlin. That wanker will go down as the SECOND greatest mage in history."
"That's the spirit," Sah-him told him. He offered his hand and helped John stand. They slowly walked out of the tunnel.
"Can you do any magic?" John asked distractedly.
"No," Sah-him replied. "My gift is seeing, not creating," he said as they stopped at the ladder to the tunnel entrance.
"Then I want to give you something," John said with a solid nod. He climbed to the top of the hidden tunnel. Sah-him followed him. They closed the lid of the tunnel, and the entrance disappeared again. "Lift your shirt," he ordered Sah-him.
Sah-him gave him a look, but complied. He opened the armored shirt of his League gear to expose his stomach.
Using the Orb of Horus, John chanted and transferred a series of glyph tattoos to Sah-him. "There. That should help you in fighting evil. Especially that Reiter bloke."
Sah-him tried to read the magic glyphs upside down. Almost all magical glyphs formed spells. Static symbols didn't depend on a mage, like the magical traps. He gave me a spell. What is it? How do I use it? "What does it say?" he asked.
"Darkness cannot stand the light," John replied. "You fight evil. It makes sense that you will be exposed to dark magic. Reiter uses dark magic. To use it, think of something happy and light when someone attacks with dark magic. Their magic won't hold you. It should roll off you like water off a duck's back."
Sah-him nodded. "I can do that," he said. "Reiter mostly uses dark magic, not death magic. I don't think he knows how to use death magic yet."
"Death magic is dark magic. The darkest. Which makes me bloody happy that the wanker is going to die before he learns it," John replied. "Well, this is where we part ways," John told him. "I've got a boat off this rock."
"Have a good trip, John," Sah-him told him as he shook his hand.
"You too, Mate," John replied as he disappeared into the underbrush.
~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~AU~