Recap of June 10-June 13 for Kharon
Kharon Chapter 76
Kiarah is still unconscious in an ice cave as Simone bandages her leg with some rags torn from her own clothing. Once finished Simone starts to shiver in the cold ice cave. She takes out her fire sword and sticks the hilt in the ground so she can hold her hands to the fire. Kiarah starts to stir and come to. “What…what happened”, asks Kiarah.
“We were attacked by marauding snowmen”, says Simone. “They sliced your leg up pretty bad before my fire sword scared them away.”
“Your fire sword scared them?”
“It seemed to. Why?
“Perhaps we can use that to our advantage.”
Meanwhile back at the capital Jacob, Emma, Sparky and Luke are being shown by guards to their living quarters made of ice and snow. They are now bundled up in jackets. “I’m not staying in this arctic hell hole”, whispers Luke.
“We haven’t even got the grand tour. Maybe this place is like The Gardens that you’re so fucking obsessed with”, says Jacob.
“This is the exact fucking opposite of what I imagined The Gardens to be”, says Luke.
“Yea well life rarely measures up to your own imagination”, says Jacob.
“You can say that again”, sighs Emma.
“You don’t want to stay here either?”, asks Luke.
Emma shrugs. “I don’t know. I get a creepy vibe from this place ever since we stepped off the Kharon.”
“Thank you. So let’s do our little pyro or explodey thing we’re getting so good at and sink this giant ice cube so we can be on our fucking way.”
“If you haven’t noticed they seem to have a certain motif here which doesn’t lend itself to fiery destruction”, says Jacob.
Suddenly the guards stop and the lead one turns to the group and says, “These are your assigned quarters. Please make yourselves comfortable. The King and Queen like to welcome all new inhabitants with a sunset dinner at the palace. Someone will fetch you shortly.” With that the guards bow and walk off.
“We should at least here them out before we try to escape”, says Jacob.
Kharon Chapter 77
Emma, Sparky, Jacob and Luke are being escorted to a luxurious dining hall made of ice. The Ice King and Ice Queen sit at the table and smile when the group walks in. The guards standing around the room stay at their stations stoically. “So glad you could join us!”, exclaims the Ice Queen.
“Didn’t know we had a choice”, grumbles Luke. The three sit down on thrown like frozen chairs while Sparky sits on Emma’s lap.
“Are you satisfied with your accommodations?”, asks the Ice King.
“They’re fine”, says Emma.
“Good, good. Please enjoy this feast as a welcome to our nation”, says the Ice Queen as servants bring out platters of succulent food. The threesome begin scarfing down the meal.
“Hey now, this isn’t half bad actually”, says Jacob as he puts more food in his mouth.
“I’m glad you like it”, says the Ice Queen.
“We know that there are more of you on your ship”, says the Ice King coldly and abruptly surprising the others.
The threesome are caught off guard and stop eating as their eyes go wide and they all glance at one another. “Shit”, mutters Jacob.
Luke stares down the Ice King with cold malice. “So that’s why you brought us here. You haven’t been able to capture them yet.”
“Capture is such an ugly word. We simply have been unable to locate them”, says the Ice Queen placatingly. “We want you to help us find them so you can be reunited.”
“Yea so you can waste us all at once”, snaps Luke.
“We will only terminate them if they didn’t want to join this nation. I must add, however, that this island has many perils. I would think they couldn’t survive for long out there”, says the Ice King.
“Is that a veiled threat?”, question Luke.
“Simply stating the facts, my boy”, says the Ice King.
“What do you want us to do”, asks Emma.
“Just lead an expedition to their whereabouts”, says the Ice Queen. “Convince them that you will all be happy here with this as your new home.”
“We don’t know where they are”, says Emma.
“We think you do”, retorts the Ice King.
“Well you're wrong. We haven’t seen them since you're floating island showed up”, says Luke trying to control his temper.
“Two unknown individuals were encountered somewhere between the ice monoliths and the snow whirls”, says the Ice King dryly.
“This nation really takes a motif and runs with it”, notes Jacob.
The Ice King ignores him and continues. “You will go with our expedition to that area and either convince your friends to join us or help us terminate them.”
Luke stands up and leans over the table. “First off they aren’t friends. We’re just stuck together. Second off, why should we help you?”
“Because if you don’t that would fall under insubordination which requires immediate termination”, says the Ice King.
“We really don’t like terminating people”, the Ice Queen chimes in.
“Once again a persuasive argument is made”, says Jacob.
Kharon Chapter 78
Jacob, Luke, Emma and Sparky are marching amongst swirling massive snow patterns that could only be seen from a bird’s eye view. On the ground it just looks like mounds and ridges. But no one seems to be paying much attention to the landscape. Everyone seems sour. Ice soldiers march a few yards behind them.
“This is fucking stupid”, says Luke.
“Do you do anything but complain?’, asks Emma holding Sparky.
“Fuck you”, retorts Luke. Sparky lets out a tiny spark of electricity as a warning to Luke in defense of Emma.
“The sooner we find Simone and Kiarah the sooner we can get out of here is all I’m saying.”
“I still say we might be selling this place short”, Jacob chimes in.
“You just think that because they’re all conniving ego maniacs here and you’d fit right in”, says Luke.
Jacob stops walking and turns to Luke holding up the entire procession. “You know I’m getting damn sick and tired of your shit.”
“Oh yea? I don’t give a fuck!”
“One incident how many years ago and you just can’t let it go! Even after I rescued your sorry ass.”
“You betrayed me! I ended up in lock up you bastard!”
“Did you ever think that was the better alternative!”
“What the fuck are you talking about? What sucks worse than lock up?
“Try death!”
Emma stands before a wall of ice that is so smooth it’s like a mirror reflecting herself standing in-between Jacob and Luke arguing. She is becoming upset as she stares at the image in front of her and listens to Jacob and Luke who are now yelling at each other. She closes her eyes trying to push out long buried memories that are being stirred up. The ice soldiers stand nearby in amused confusion watching this scene.
“Marcus was going to whack everyone on the job! He wanted me to whack you too so I gave you the wrong location!”, shouts Jacob.
“You what? You’re lying! Why am I just fucking hearing this now?”
“You two stop and continue searching. This is your warning”, says an Ice Soldier.
They ignore the soldier and Jacob continues screaming at Luke. “Marcus doesn’t know I gave you the wrong location. He thought you just got locked up for good by accident. Why do you think I’ve been helping you hide out? Marcus is still out there somewhere?”
“You sent me to lock up instead of standing up to Marcus?”
“It wasn’t my finest moment, alright!”
“I would have killed Marcus myself!”
“See this is why I didn’t tell you! Marcus is a blood thirsty lunatic!”
“You had no right to make that decision for me! I was your partner, not one of your fucking toys to do with what you wanted.”
Suddenly Emma let’s out a scream. “I can’t take it anymore!” Both Luke and Jacob stop arguing and turn towards Emma who has tears streaming down her face. “Why do people always fight!? Why do people scream and hurt!? I can’t do this!” With that Emma runs off into the snowy maze leaving Jacob and Luke confused.
“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?”, cries an ice soldier as several run after Emma.
Jacob scratches his head. “Is this some kind of escape plan she cooked up?”
“I don’t think so. I think Emma is affected by our fighting”, says Luke.
“Why would she care? I mean her and I aren’t like a thing or anything like that and I think she hates you.”
Luke glares at Jacob. “Come on let’s find her.” Luke runs off after Emma.
More ice soldiers start running after Luke now as he disappears in the snow maze. “You get back here!”
Jacob takes advantage of this and grabs a chunk of ice off the ground and uses it to knock out the remaining soldiers who are trying to radio into their superiors. “What inept guards.” He then runs after Luke.
Kharon Chapter 79
The ice soldiers catch up to Emma who runs until she reaches a dead end with an ice wall too high and wide to scale. “Cease and desist immediately and come with us”, bellows the Ice Soldier.
Emma turns with anger and anguish on her face and clutches Sparky tightly. “Leave me alone!” Sparky then lets out a torrent of electrical pulses and charges. So much so that it coalesces into an electrical storm that moves towards the soldiers who are trying to figure out what is going on. Luke sees this and stops in his tracks astonished at the spectacle.
Jacob comes up behind him takes one look at what is happening and yells, “Hide!” He grabs Luke and they duck and burrow into a crevice in the ice. The electrical storm hits all the soldiers and the surrounding walls of ice causing it all to explode in a gush of electricity and steam.
After the storm has subsided Luke and Jacob squeeze out of their hiding spot and look around. “Alright it’s official. I’m not longer calling Sparky a little shit”, says Luke. He then gingerly approaches Emma who is now crouching on the ground still clutching Sparky. “Don’t electrocute me. I just want to talk.”
“Since when do you give a shit about anyone! All you care about is your precious Gardens.”
Luke sits down next to Emma. “I didn’t have a childhood. I had to struggle for everything. Always looking out for the next shit storm.”
“Boo fucking hoo.”
Luke continues, “I’m guessing it still wasn’t as bad as the nightmare your childhood was.” Emma turns to Luke surprised and they lock eyes for a moment till Emma turns back away. “That’s why I wanted to bring us to The Gardens. I want us to be able to play for once. To be like children without any cares or worries…or pain.”
Emma wipes a tear from her cheek. “What if we never find it? Maybe we can make this life work.”
“I would rather have The Gardens.” Emma looks down and away from Luke at this remark. Luke sighs heavily. “But while we’re looking for The Gardens I guess we could do worse than what we got.”
Emma’s head whips around to squarely look Luke in the eye. “Prove you mean it. Make peace with Jacob.”
“What?!”
Emma arches her eyebrows in response. Luke rolls his eyes and gets up and walks over to Jacob. “That was dirty what you did to me…but I guess what's done is done.”
“Really? Just like that you’re forgiving me?”
“I’m letting you off the hook so we can both try to get on with our lives. Are you going to fucking argue with that?”
Jacob thinks for a moment and then says, “I guess I’ll take it.”
“You’re an ass.”
“You’re a bigger one but it looks like I can't shake you.”
Luke smirks. “So we finally agree on something.” Luke turns to Emma. “Happy now?”
“Relatively. Now let's go find the others and get out of here.”
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