The Kyoto Ordeal (Tales of the Other Universe Book 1) Read online

  Tales of the Other Universe

  The Kyoto Ordeal

  Book One

  By

  J.G. Taschereau

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright 2012 by J. G. Taschereau

  For Ben, Juliana, and Spencer,

  and, as always, for her

  Contents

  Chapter One: The Ritual

  Chapter Two: The Winter Solstice Gala

  Chapter Three: The Angry Alter Ego

  Chapter Four: The Rescue Party

  Chapter Five: The Arrival

  Chapter Six: The Man of Legends

  Chapter Seven: The First Bloodshed

  Chapter Eight: The Master of Elements

  Chapter Nine: The Mountain

  Chapter Ten: The First Good News in a While

  Chapter Eleven: The New Problem

  Chapter Twelve: The Bullet Train

  Chapter Thirteen: The Test

  Chapter Fourteen: The Living Metal

  Chapter Fifteen: The Reunion

  Chapter Sixteen: The Old Friend

  Chapter Seventeen: The Prisoner of the Night

  Chapter Eighteen: The Gauntlet is Thrown

  Chapter Nineteen: The Dream

  Chapter Twenty: The Naivety

  Chapter Twenty-One: The Failure of Conscience

  Chapter Twenty-Two: The Prince’s Epiphany

  Chapter Twenty-Three: The Disappearance

  Chapter Twenty-Four: The Backup Plan

  Chapter Twenty-Five: The Beautiful Sunrise

  Chapter Twenty-Six: The Reconciliation

  Chapter Twenty-Seven: The New Plan

  Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Path of Philosophers

  Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Pain That Lingers On

  Chapter Thirty: The Courage and Serenity

  Chapter Thirty-One: The Final Preparations

  Chapter Thirty-Two: The Castle Gate

  Chapter Thirty-Three: The Vengeance

  Chapter Thirty-Four: The Damaged Mind

  Chapter Thirty-Five: The Wrath of God

  Chapter Thirty-Six: The Long Awaited Battle

  Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Aftermath

  Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Flight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Fugitives

  Chapter Forty: The Road to Home

  "No one who, like me, conjures up the most evil of those half-tamed demons that inhabit the human breast, and seeks to wrestle with them, can expect to come through the struggle unscathed."

  Sigmund Freud

  "Every mile is two in winter."

  George Herbert

  Chapter One

  The Ritual

  December 10th

  The sound of footsteps resonated down the dim dungeon hall. A pair of figures descended the spiral stairs into the hall and began their way down the stone path. The first, a youthful looking man dressed in fine azure robes with a gilded shawl draped over his shoulders, made every attempt to hide his building anxiety from his companion. He kept his gaze ahead and his eyes partially obscured by a small pair of round sunglasses that sat on the bridge of his nose. As the King of Magid, a symbol of the strength of the planet-nation, he could not allow himself to show any sign of weakness, even to those he considered somewhat familiar. Venting some of his worries in a quick exhale, Adam Evans continued his somber march down the foreboding corridor.

  His companion noticed the king’s uneasiness, even as he tried to hide the fact that someone as important as him had worries. Walking a few steps behind Adam, the young blonde woman raised her hand to her mouth and casually cleared her throat.

  “So, the big night, huh?” she asked in a poor attempt at small talk. Adam ignored her and kept walking. Her weak smile faded and she lowered her head, toppling her bangs over her eyes slightly to block the path ahead. “Are you nervous?” she finally inquired. Again there was silence. As if the moment was not awkward enough, her dress shoes stuck on a cobblestone, causing her to stumble forward with a squeal. She caught herself, flipping her waist-length hair back as she folded her hands in front of her, staring down at the floor.

  Her presence wasn’t necessary at the ritual; she kept telling herself that. She should go back up to the grand ballroom where all the guests were waiting. Dressed in an elegant pink gown with a sparkling blue gem around her neck, a dungeon was not the place she belonged. Still, she could not simply abandon Adam at this critical time in his life just because of a bit of tension. In the two weeks she had known him, she quickly learned that their conversations would be uncomfortable and she was used to it. Tonight was no different.

  As the hall continued to stretch on, lit only by a line of torches on the walls, Adam Evans collected his thoughts. For the last two weeks he had spent most of his time in silent reflection and meditation. He’d only taken a few hours to wash, eat, and counsel with the young woman walking the long path with him. Now he was just feet away from reaching the fruit of his conditioning, yet a grim feeling of dread still hung over him. Keeping his composure, he pushed his anxiety to the back of his mind and tried to clear his thoughts. It was only now that he heard footsteps accompanying him, and was reminded that the one who had helped him through his brief experience was still there with him.

  “You don’t have to be here for this,” he finally said. The girl brought her head up with a jolt, amazed that Adam had at last solicited a response.

  “No, its ok,” she replied. “I wouldn’t be a very good supporter if I left right before your big moment.” She smiled again, happy that he acknowledged her and that he wasn’t completely captivated with growing concern.

  Adam remained silent for the remainder of the walk down the hallway, keeping his gaze at the floor until the pair reached a large bolted door. Above painted onto the metal frame was the word “Abyss”. Wide and thick, the black metal door stood between Adam and the room beyond, where the ritual to release his anger would take place. Standing before the imposing door, a sudden fear overwhelmed him. He felt a chilling presence lying beyond the great door, subconsciously causing him to take a step backward. He felt warmth on his shoulder, turning to see the young woman greeting him with a comforting smile.

  “It’s ok,” she said. “You don’t have to be afraid.”

  Adam turned back to the door, which stared at him like a great steel devil. He could hear the monster’s breath surrounding him, growing louder each second. Staring back at the demon, with a quivering hand, he pushed the door open.

  The heavy door let out a long creak as it opened, revealing a room lit even dimmer than the hallway. Beyond the entryway was a square room coated with a layer of polished black stone. Each corner housed a pedestal topped with bowls of fire that illuminated the room in a soft, eerie glow, bringing out the strange white symbols carved into the floor. At the center of the room was an altar, the only object present on it being a transparent glass orb sitting on a gold stand. The chilling presence Adam felt just outside the door was amplified as soon as he stepped in, and he felt his whole body become heavier as soon as the young woman behind him closed the door with a loud clack.

  Stepping towards the altar, Adam noticed the white symbols on the floor beginning to glow faintly. He ignored them and approached the altar, kneeling before it and placing his left hand on his knee. The young woman waited at the door, watching with uneasiness as the king began the ritual. She didn’t deny she felt something
ominous about the room, but she remained silent. Without warning the flames in each corner jumped, sending shadows shifting on the walls as the symbols on the floor continued to glow. Every instinct told her to run away, to get out of this place while she could. She clutched her hands together in front of her and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and pushing the thoughts of darkness out of her mind. She replaced these with thoughts of how she hoped Adam would succeed.

  Adam looked to the hollow glass ball on the altar and closed his eyes, beginning a quiet series of incantations that only agitated the glyphs on the floor further. Then, as if in a rage, the fires at each corner burst upward in a mad dance. Adam cried out in pain, clutching his heart as he felt his innards clawing away at him. His aide, acting on instinct, began to step forward.

  “Are you alright?” she called to him.

  “Stay back!” he shouted, his voice laced with pain. She stopped in her tracks, knowing that it was better to follow his instructions in this dangerous situation.

  Adam regained his place and turned his attention back to the ritual, continuing to mutter unrecognizable chants. The torches around him continued to flame up wildly, as the burning within his chest intensified. His breathing became labored as he found it harder and harder to take in his next breath. Then, at the height of his agony, Adam closed his eyes and visualized in his mind the anger and hatred that had built up within his heart. He focused it, and with the last of the energy he could muster pushed it from his mind. The young woman watched in horror as a bolt of red light shot from out of Adam’s chest and rushed into the glass orb on the altar. The orb shook violently for a moment and then became motionless once more.

  As the flaming torches settled down and the symbols on the floor returned to normal, Adam fell to his side in exhaustion. His companion ran to his side, still in shock, and supported him by his shoulder.

  “Are you alright, Mr. Evans?” she asked desperately, hoping for some sign that all had gone well. “Please, answer me!”

  He groaned and then rolled over to look at her, his eyes now clearer than they had been before.

  “Yes, Dee,” he said. “I’m alright.”

  She was stunned that he had called her by her name, instead of the usual “woman” or just plain “you”. She helped him sit up properly and kept her hand on his shoulder as he slowly got his breath back.

  “Do you hurt anywhere?” Dee asked him.

  “I’ve felt worse,” he said. “I just need to rest a while is all.”

  He leaned his head back and exhaled before turning his head to look at Dee.

  “Thank you, Dee,” he said. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  Dee looked very surprised, her face flushing red. Adam gave her a confused look, causing her to smile sweetly.

  “That’s the first time you know,” she said. “The first time you thanked me. I wasn’t expecting it, really. The ritual must have worked. It already sounds like you’ve changed for the better.”

  A strange feeling came over Adam as he looked back at the smiling girl, a feeling he had not felt before. He felt his mouth curl upwards to a smile.

  A creak of the door caused the pair to look over at the entrance, as the heavy door swung open again and a new figure appeared in the frame. Dee and Adam recognized him instantly as the one who had brought them both there. Completely identical to Adam, save his green eyes, the Creator of the Other Universe greeted the two with a friendly smile and a wave. Dee instantly stood up and bowed slightly as the Creator entered the room.

  “You honor us with your presence, my Lord,” she said while still in the bow.

  “Now Dee, you don’t have to go through all that formality,” he told her, gesturing her to be at ease. He turned his attention to the king on the floor.

  “How did it go?” he asked. Adam, still somewhat shaky, got to his feet and brushed off his shawl.

  “It went somewhat as I expected it,” he said, turning back to the altar. The orb, which had previously been transparent, now held a dark red fog circulating throughout the orb. “It’s all over with, anyway.”

  “Good to hear,” the Creator said contently. “Does that mean you’ll be attending the gala with us?”

  “Yes, I suppose,” Adam replied. “Though I do hate those kind of formal events.” A gala was being held at the Palace of Magid for the Winter Solstice, which was intended to double as a celebration of Adam’s completion of the ritual.

  “Well, take some time to rest beforehand. We won’t be getting anything underway for a couple of hours.” The Creator looked over at the menacing glowing orb and cringed slightly. “I’ll make sure this is taken care of for you.”

  Adam looked back at the orb, and the uneasiness that followed him all down the hallway began to flood back simply by looking at it.

  “It’s ok,” Dee told him, as he turned back to her bright face. “You don’t have to worry about that anymore. Everything’s just going to get better from now on.” Her smile was enough to wash away his anxiety, so Adam relented and turned his back on the orb.

  “I’ve sent some fine robes to your room, Iilil-ja,” the Creator told his double, using a familiar form of address along with Adam’s true name. “I have some things to attend to upstairs, but I’ll meet you in the grand ballroom later.” The Creator turned to Dee and beckoned her towards the door. She replied and ran to his side.

  “I’ll see you at the gala,” she called back to Adam with a smile. “I have something for you when you arrive.” Adam smiled back as Dee departed the room with her true employer. He found himself alone now in the room, but decided not to dwell on it any longer. Adam walked to the door, ignoring the chill that still floated within the room, and closed the door behind him with heavy clack.

  Chapter Two

  The Winter Solstice Gala

  In the land of Magid, the change of seasons held a high place in the hearts of its citizens. At the time of the Winter Solstice, the world tilted the farthest point away from the sun, resulting in a short amount of daylight and an early and long night. Despite this seemingly gloomy time of year, spirits remained high thanks to the beautiful winter scenery that came about. Winter wasn’t seen as the temporary death of nature but as the time leading up to a great rebirth of all things. To the people of Magid, the Winter Solstice was a time to reflect on the year that had passed and prepare for a fresh start in the new year a few weeks ahead.

  By the time Adam descended into the palace dungeon, the sun had already set, and even if it had not it would have been obscured by the thick snow-filled clouds that loomed over the sky. To usher in the winter season, the Creator made sure that the Solstice always saw a bountiful snowstorm. Now having spent time resting and reflecting, Adam stood at his window, waiting for the light, fluffy flakes to begin falling outside. His attention was only broken by a light knocking at his door.

  “Come in,” he called.

  The door creaked open as Dee, still in her gown, stepped in cradling a small object in her hand.

  “Good evening,” she chimed. “I know you’re coming to the gala, but I wanted to see you beforehand.” She took a moment to admire the ornately decorated room, surely suited for a king. Though the room was large and spanned into other smaller rooms, it appeared that Adam rarely used any of it but a small portion of the entry room where the two now stood.

  Adam, now wearing a fresh blue robe, stepped away from the window over to Dee, noticing the small object in her hand.

  “What’s that?” he inquired, as she looked down to her own hands and held the object in front of her. It was a small piece of paper that had been folded to look like a bird with spread wings.

  “I made this for you,” said Dee. “The Creator taught me how to do it. This bird is supposed to be a symbol of peace. You can keep this to remember today as the start of your more peaceful life, ok?

  Adam took the bird and admired it in his hands.

  “Dee, I don’t know what to say,” he said with a smile. “You
’ve already done so much for me. I don’t know how to thank you for all of this.”

  With a playful smirk, Dee beckoned Adam to come closer to her. As he did, she leant forward to whisper in his ear.

  “Just be happy, okay?” she said.

  Adam gave her a puzzled look as she pulled away with a smile.

  “You’re about to start a whole new life, without those angry feelings taking over,” Dee said. “So be happy. That’s what you can do for me.”

  Adam took in what she had to say for a moment, before nodding in acknowledgement. She flashed him a smile and whipped her hair around as she turned towards the door.

  “I’ve got to go meet the Creator at the gala,” she said. “Come down soon, okay?”

  “Yes, I will,” he said. Dee skipped out of the room as Adam looked back at the folded paper bird in his hand.

  “A whole new life, huh?” he thought, looking back out the window. “I couldn’t have asked for anything else.”

  Adam was greeted by a palace attendant as he stepped into the crowded ballroom. The enormous room was packed wall to wall with lavishly dressed dignitaries sipping fancy imported wine and palace employees trying to brownnose their higher ups. The walls were strewn with light blue tapestries streaming down the walls along with several longer banners spanning the ceiling strung up along the many chandeliers. Tables filled with a spread of elegantly crafted food lined the far walls, while an impromptu stage sat along the opposite wall from where Adam stood. He could see that a few seats had been prepared there, along with a podium surely designed for the Creator to speak at later.

  Adam entered the cluster of people, making his way through at a slow pace in hopes of finding someone, anyone he recognized. He wasn’t used to being around so many people, and felt his unease growing with each passing second.