The Children of War Pt. 2

A dejected Akashi takes off into the night to try and solve the mystery of the vandalized city garden...

The way the lights reflected off the metal surfaces of Cain made it feel like a neon sunrise in the dead of night. The residential district Akashi lived in was quiet. He saw lights on in his apartment building as he walked away, but the streets were barren. Near the city center, the flashing lights of nightlife were dancing to music deep in the core of Cain. 

He had to pass through the thrumming recreational districts, past the garden, and through the industrial zone to get to the district Ollen lived in. She lived just past the industrial zone in a place called Steel Midtown. It acted as a transition zone between the factories and the compact skyscrapers the employees lived in. Steel Midtown flouted factories by day and clubs by night. How else were the workers supposed to blow off steam? 

Akashi continued through the city, trying not to draw attention. He lowered his head, staring at the sidewalk and pushed on. From his periphery, he saw a group of people sitting outside a building smoking wrap and eyeing him. 

“Aye, kid.” One called in a hoarse voice. Akashi sped up and tried to ignore them. A hand reached out from the shadows and blocked him.

“I think she was talking to you, boy.” 

“Oh - oh, me?” Akashi stammered out as he looked at the group. They were five in total, all dressed in their factory jumpsuits. They were a burly bunch of workers and they looked as irritated as ever. Their grease stricken faces were lit by a pink sign to the lounge overhead. A smaller man passed the blazing wrap to the woman. Her dominant hand was missing all its fingers. They were replaced by cybernetic sausage-like appendages that were kept in place by a leather glove that layered over her hand. The hand that reached out from the dark to stop Akashi was attached to a large man. He grabbed Akashi on either shoulder and pushed him in front of the woman and held him there.

“How old are ya, kid?” The woman asked as she took a deep draw from her wrap. The fabric of the blunt began to glow a faint sewer green and her mouth bent into an unnatural smile of euphoria.

“I - I - uh…”

“Boy,” The large man’s deep voice snarled in his ear, “answer the nice lady’s question.”

“14.” The woman’s eyes widened,

“14? Out on your own at…” She checked her datapad and then slid it back into her jumpsuit breast pocket, “...too damn late. You know what happens to kids out this late?”

“Well, do you, boy?” The man echoed.

“Do they… do they get mugged?” The squad bellowed with laughter,

“Are ya scared, kid?” A man with a wiry high pitched laugh cackled out. “Scared of us?”

“Now, Bo…” The woman took the wrap and shoved it to the wiry man, “Your nasty self ain’t helpin’ none.” She stepped forward until she was face to face with Akashi. She wasn’t much taller than him, but she stared down at him as though she were the size of one of the factories around them, “Young little Cainboy like you… got no place out this late. Where you headed, huh?”

“I - uh -”

“Buh-buh-buh.” She put the cybernetic finger up and in his face. It smelled something was burning inside circuitry. “No lies.” She sneered.

“I’m looking for my friend. She - she didn’t answer my messages.” He stammered out. His nose started running, as though something had ruptured deep in his sinuses as the fear overtook him. A sudden thought filled him with terror, I could die here.

“Ah... been there, ain’t we, Slim?” She turned to another person in the group and the man, Bo, passed them the wrap. They nodded and took a hit,

“Too many times. Lost my partner that way, you know. Holed up in a shop bathroom. Overdosed. Didn’t know until it was too late.” Slim shook their head and sighed. The draw didn’t leave the same euphoria that it did for the woman.

“Yeah…” She drew the words out as she turned and faced Akashi again, “I’m sure that didn’t happen to your friend though.” Her voice lightened. “Get across town quick kid. Weird shit out there these days. Shouldn’t be out without using the buddy system.” She thumbed back at her group and patted her friend holding Akashi on the shoulder, “Always have someone you can trust at your back, kid.”

“Always, boy.” The man echoed once more. He put another heavy pat down on his shoulder and then loosened entirely. The woman passed Akashi something. 

“Be safe out there boy. Oh, and uh…” She reached her hand behind her, and the hand of a ghost gave her the wrap, “... don’t smoke the wrap.” She gave him a wink as she took a deep deep breath in and smiled again. Akashi shuddered.

“Watch out for fiends.” An oddly sweet voice that had been silent up until then called as he ran away into the night.

.

.

.

Ollen’s apartment was on the 11th floor of the Steel Midtown veteran’s housing complex - the biggest housing unit in the region. Akashi stumbled up the steps to avoid any people who may recognize him in the elevator. He made it to her door, then hesitated to knock. He smacked his hand against his face when he realized her father would answer the door at this hour. He looked down the hall and saw the window to the outside scaffolding. The building was always being built up - built by demand, of course - so the scaffolding was never brought down. He pulled himself out of the window and balanced himself on the scaffold. He grabbed hold of the building’s exterior and felt the scaffolding lurch under him. The structure held and he began to walk around the side of the building to Ollen’s window.

A strange light emanated from behind the curtains of her window. Akashi knocked softly against the glass and there was a sudden shudder of the light as it seemed to brighten then dim with a violent collapse. There was a stillness in the air for several moments before Akashi rapped on the window again. He jumped back as the window slid open and her curly black mess of hair flew through. She blew the hair from her face, her blood shot eyes meeting his panicked ones in the dim light of the outside. Her eyes widened,

“Kash, what are you doing here?” She yelled in a whisper.

“I’ve been calling you! You haven’t answered. I have a lead!”

“A lead? A lead to wha - ohhh. I see what’s happening here. You really wanna play detective, don’t you?” Akashi blushed,

“You didn’t?”

“Well, honestly… no not really. I just wanted to convince you to do something stupid and reckless with me.” She shrugged and blew the hair out of her face again, revealing a devilish grin.

“Oh…”

“Well, you’re already here so come in, I guess.” Her face disappeared behind a jumble of curly hair and curtains. He started to step off the scaffold but Ollen called, “But hold on!” She put a finger out from behind the curtain, hitting him on the nose. “I have to clean some things up. And don’t peek.” Akashi shrugged and shifted his weight back, waiting as he heard things being thrown about frantically behind the curtain. He sat there wondering what she could be hiding, but quickly realized it wasn’t anywhere near as important as his discovery. She poked her head back out, “Okay. Come on.” She reached a hand out and helped him get in.

There was a candle already lit at her desk, and her chair was facing her bed. She proceeded to crawl in bed, bringing her knees to her chest and wrapping a heavy blanket around herself. Akashi sat in the chair and rocked it back and forth as he stared at the blazing candle. The steady creak of the synthetic wood was the only sound between them for several minutes. Irritation crossed Ollen’s face, “Kash, if you don’t have anything to say, I’m just gonna kick you out.”

“No no no hold on.” Akashi began fumbling for his pocket and pulled out his datapad. “Okay, so I was going through my aunt’s book collection. She still has some good lore stuff -”

“Like any smart detective would.” Ollen replied. Akashi nodded,

“Exactly. And I found a book about symbols and the gods and monsters and stuff like that.”

“Okay and?” Ollen was clearly tired, and was teetering on irritation.

“And I found the symbol from the garden.” She pulled a heated brush from her nightstand and began detangling her curls.

“Not bad, not bad… but this couldn’t wait till morning because...?”

“Well, if I’m right - which I’m pretty sure I am - then we’re dealing with a follower - or followers - of The Twins.”

“Really…? Plant worshippers?”

“I know, goofy right? But, it's not so simple. There’s Navia of the Wild and Cairo of the fields. Twin gods who ordain Astra with its bounty.”

“Duh.”

“Garden’s like Cain’s are one of the places where The Twin’s influence come together, each plant a child of their making after all -”

“Akashi, hush.” He shut his mouth. “What’s the one thing you’re forgetting?” He stared at her, a blank nothing flowing from him.

“Well - I - the uh… well - I don’t know, Ollen…”

“Strala.”

“Shoot, Strala, you’re right.”

“Blessed be unto he, Strala of the future.” Ollen echoed the words they grew up being taught. “You know, the whole reason the two tribes of Cain ever settled here? The god who gave us our garden. Our home. The god of electricity and advancement. And you think cultists are coming in, and what? Vandalizing?”

“Not exactly. And I never said cultists! Cultists are stupid - cliche, come on.” Akashi flicked on his datapad. He opened it to a page in the book, “Read here. I highlighted it to make it easier.” He flicked his finger across the screen in her direction and there was a soft chime that followed on her datapad. She opened it on her own screen and began to read, making small hums in cadence to the words. The final sentences seeped out of her lips with an uncomfortable ease,

“‘Leaving this sign of The Twins bound together upon a land of another god is to show sacrilege, heresy, and utmost offense upon Navia and Cairo... This sign is an evocation of judgment, left for the twins to choose… death to those who follow this land of one beneath or spare them as a patron of their own…’

Oh my - Akashi, they’re trying to place judgment on the garden - on Cain.” Akashi nodded,

“Not just vandalism…”

“We have to tell somebody. Detective Panshin will -”

“No.” Akashi stood up, “We can solve this, Ollen. We can. Not my aunt, and not the police. We have the information. Now we just need to track down who’s doing it and get them to stop.”

“Akashi, I don’t know about this. I think we should leave it to the professionals…”

“I’ve been trained by some of the best trackers and scouts Cain has ever had.” A small lie, but he double down, “My grandfather was the first scout in the Calt. Don’t you think I can live up to that?” He trapped her with his words and she sighed in defeat,

“That’s not what I meant, it's just that - I just - I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“Me? What about you?” Akashi asked, offense palpable on his face. 

“Oh, sore spot, huh? I guess I’m worried about me too, but not as much as you. Your aunt - she’s your guardian. Would you leave her to be the last person in your family?”

“When she chose not to have children she made her own choice. It’s not my job to keep a dynasty going.” He crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair. They were words he had clearly rehearsed. He looked to the side, an annoyed grimace on his face, “Are you with me or not?” The bitter bite of his words didn’t go unnoticed, but Ollen smiled as she jumped from her bed, her blanket showered down to the floor.

“Gosh, Kash. Only if there’s mischief.”

.

.

.

Once again they vaulted over the wall of the garden. This time Akashi went first and landed much more gracefully than before. He stumbled a little as his feet hit the ground. He felt his heel begin to ache, but as he took a few steps the pain quickly faded. Ollen landed behind him, quiet as could be, and rolled into a crouched position by the nearby bushes. Akashi looked around, trying to see anything that could be a clue. They needed to investigate more but he thought maybe they’d get lucky right away. 

Ollen snatched him by his collar, pulling him behind the bush, “Kash, do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” He whispered back. She put her finger to his lips and tightened her grip. He slowed his breathing and tuned into the silence. He heard the sound of footsteps moving through the garden. The footsteps were calm and steady, followed by quiet murmuring between two voices. He tried to listen in, but they didn’t make any sense. Maybe a language he didn’t know? Or perhaps just too far away. Akashi looked at Ollen, “Who do you think it is?” Ollen shrugged,

“Could be the vandals. Or could be guards patrolling.” Akashi shook his head,

“These aren’t vandals. They’re fanatics, Ollen.” Ollen shook her head,

“Whatever they are, just be quiet, would you?” She snapped as she shoved him down. Akashi slowly raised his head, glancing over the bushes. The people on the other side didn’t look like guards to him. They were dressed in civilian clothes. They were probably just people who snuck in like them. He relayed this thought to Ollen, but she just shook her head, “We don’t know that for sure. Don’t say anything.”

“Do you really think I wou -”

“Hush.” Akashi struggled to keep his mouth shut. He was itching to speak his mind, but the dirty look from Ollen held him up. The two figures passed by without incident and rounded a corner away from them. Ollen stood up. “Kash, if we’re going to do this, you need to get a hold of how… careless you’re being. You’ve gotta focus.” Akashi nodded,

“Okay okay, I’m sorry.”

“Alright.” She put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile, “Come on, Kash, let’s get going.” Akashi smiled and began jogging after her.

“So, what they don’t know is that the tip of the scythe should basically point to the originator of the creation. If we destroy the original, then we destroy the call of judgment on Cain.” Akashi explained. They stood over a freshly stamped symbol in the grass near the garden’s playground. Akashi kicked up grass around the scythe.

“Okay, let’s follow the arrows - or uh blades - I guess.” Ollen said and began walking the trajectory of the scythe. Akashi followed closely behind her as she dipped between gazebos and awnings. Every now and then they’d hear voices and see people casting shadows some distance away. Guards this time, Akashi was sure of it.

Akashi had never seen the garden at night before. The sky was a beautiful inky black. Many of the flowers had curled up in the cool night air, and the vines - Akashi’s favorite part - seemed to wilt in the dark. The sky of Cain cradled the darkness that left them clinging to life, waiting for the sun to return. The plants clung to the promise that the sun would rise another day; security for all plant life on Astra. It left a pang of pain as he remembered the pictures his sister would send from the Calt.

“Weird…” Ollen announced, pulling him back to reality. They had made it to the next symbol in the line but it was freshly painted upon the garden wall. It was still dripping wet paint from the fresh vandalism.

“Yeah. Definitely not the original.” Akashi replied. “Maybe we need to try and find another one? Let’s follow this one.” Ollen shrugged and agreed. They began trekking along the wall until they found the next one. It pointed back towards the previous one.

“Wait… this doesn’t make sense.” Ollen tapped her foot. “How can a two dimensional object on a three dimensional plane point to things on other planes…?” Akashi waved the words away, he didn’t fully understand the argument but he didn’t want to hear it either.

“We must just not be looking hard enough.”

“Let me check the exert again.” Ollen said and pulled out her datapad. “Come on, let’s sit down for a second.” Akashi shook his head,

“Go ahead. I’ll keep watch.” Ollen shrugged and sat behind a bush. She picked a large berry-like fruit from the bush and rolled it around in her mouth while she read. She spoke up with her mouth full,

“No, you’re right.” makes me wonder how serious these guys are because I think they did it wrong, Kash. Kash? You hear me?”

“Hm?” Akashi was staring down the path at two shadows approaching. He wanted to speak up, but a wave of fear overtook him and he was left staring, mouth agape, his mind racing.

“What the hell are you doing?” Ollen snatched Akashi by his collar and pulled him off the path and into the darkness. His body jerked and he fell back onto his bottom on the grass. “Kash, pay attention.” She snapped. The two figures had stopped from the commotion. Silence devoured the space between them. Akashi held in the pain from his fall. Ollen held her breath. There was a mumble between the two figures that echoed off the walls. Then one of the voices said just a little too loudly,

“Yeah, here works. You got the paint?”

“Kash, we’ve really gotta go.” Ollen whispered. The uncertainty of their choices was beginning to weigh on her. She started backing away, pulling on Akashi’s collar. He didn’t move. He was fixated on the distant figures. “Kash, please, snap out of it.” Ollen pulled harder. Akashi reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small pocket knife, and flicked it open. He stared down at the figures, his eyes focusing in. Ollen’s eyes widened, “Are you joking? Let’s Go!” She snapped. Akashi glanced back at her,

“We’ve got them right here, Ollen. We could just go question them!”

“No. Now isn’t the time to pull a knife on some randoms in the garden. Now is the time to go. This isn’t fun anymore, this is serious. We don’t know what we’re walking into. Enough games. Let’s go home.” 

“Ollen, it’s not a game!” Akashi snapped. The voices down the walkway went silent. Akashi felt his blood run hot and his body scream for him to get away. Why did he raise his voice? Why did he yell? He ventured a look back towards the strangers. They were looking in their direction. He tightened his grip on the pocket knife and continued staring, unsure of what to do. The strangers began walking towards Ollen and Akashi.

“Just let it go, it was probably nothing.” One figure called to the one leading the way.

“No, I heard something, I know it!” The other shouted back. Her voice sounded familiar, but Akashi couldn’t place it. He shook the thought away. Ollen grabbed him by his arms and looked him in the eyes,

“Akashi. Please. Let’s go.” He hesitated then nodded. She looked so terrified. So worried. He couldn't put her in the middle of this if she didn’t want to be there. Ollen took off and Akashi followed close behind.

“Hey! Hey get back here!” The voice yelled after them. Akashi pumped his legs and took deep breaths in and out as he bolted across the garden. They just needed to find a wall low enough to make it over and they’d be safe. Akashi stumbled over bushes and broke through caution tape, breaking symbols made from twigs as they went. Every time Akashi lost his step, Ollen’s hands caught him and balanced him. He could feel her holding him together. She was oddly calm now that they were moving. She trusted the process. He was too busy being terrified.

Akashi’s blood was pulsing in his ears. He was having trouble keeping up with his breathing. He felt himself going blind as he ran across the garden. Blind with fear? Blind with adrenaline? He didn’t know what was happening until he slammed into the wall. He felt nothing but the hard ground come to meet him. He heard the crack of something that didn’t sound quite right. His ears were ringing, and his face felt hot.

Akashi opened his eyes to see Ollen standing over him. She was crouched low in a defensive stance with his pocket knife in her hand. His vision was blurry. His head hurt, and something felt warm and wet against his cheek.

“Stay back!” Ollen yelled.

“Easy, little girl.” A woman’s voice said from the dark.

“I’m warning you.” Ollen answered with anger in her quivering voice. 

“Who has the gun here?” The woman replied. Another voice responded,

“Sen, calm down. Look kid, we don’t want any trouble. Let’s just pretend this never happened and -”

“I said stay back!” Ollen waved the knife at them. Who were they? Why did the name Sen sound so familiar? Akashi couldn’t think straight.

“If we don’t stay back you’re going to do what? Cut us?” The woman cackled. “You don’t have the upper hand here. I’m trying to help you, I swear.” The other voice replied. Ollen had fury in her eyes, that much was clear from Akashi’s place on the floor. How did they get here? How had it fallen apart so quickly? One moment he felt free, taking in the night sky in the garden. Then this.

“Sen, she’s a crazy little girl. Maybe we should just back off. The guards will deal with them when they hear all the commotion.”

“No, she’s seen us. We’ve gotta take care of them both.”

“Sen, come on I -”

“No! We’re finished here.” Akashi heard the gun click and he let out a raspy gasp. Ollen’s face looked disappointed.

Afraid.

But not of them.

“Astra, hold me in your embrace. Feel my will.”

“What?” Sen said, “What are you saying?” Ollen continued,

“Feel my life, and take this blood in sacrifice to you. To your land. Our life for your will.” Ollen took the little knife and pointed it down at Akashi. He saw a dark liquid rising from his head. Was it blood? Was he bleeding?

“What is wrong with this girl?” The nameless figure asked, terror seeping into her voice. They were stunned, staring at her in the early morning sunrise. Ollen’s face was filled with pain and fear as she called out to them,

“You should’ve left us alone.” The pocket knife fell to the garden, bathed in Akashi’s blood. Ollen lifted her hand up. The air grew hot. Akashi began to sweat, and the world stopped. He thought he heard the sound of the gun fire, but no bullet ever came. Plants around them began to bloom faster than he’d ever seen, then die as though they went through their lifecycle within seconds. 

Then, Ollen pushed.

She pushed her hand forward and dug her feet into the ground trying to keep her balance. Akashi craned his head around to see the two figures eclipsing the sunrise. He watched as their bodies twisted and contorted, their skin seeming to struggle to hold their bodies together. The ground around them roiled and contorted. The land rose up and wrapped around them.

Encapsulated them.

Devoured them.

By the end, they were encased in tombs that shaped their bodies where they stood, as though they were statues in the garden. In front of Ollen was a single bullet resting upon the ground. Ollen groaned, falling against the wall behind them. She looked down at Akashi. His dazed eyes met hers.

“Oh Kash… what did I just do?” She whispered it as though it were a secret. It was a secret. She perked up, “This can’t leave us, you know that right? Nobody can know - nobody.”

“Ollen…” Akashi whispered. “Ollen, you can’t -”

“Sh.” She put her hand on his forehead. His blood was drying on her hands. “I’m gonna get you out, Kash.”

---

Hey friends, thanks for tuning into part 2! Next week the much shorter part 3 of this section will hit Substack. Beyond that? Well, I can’t wait to share what happens to Akashi as he grows up. Stay tuned, and thanks so much for reading! So happy to have you all here on this journey with me. See you next week for the third and final part of The Children of War