The City of Ionia

A petite waterfall steamed down the glamorous rocks. Its visible, smooth structure could have acted as a stepping stone. The waterfall’s calming white noise was perfect, soothing the ear and mind.

It was quiet on the way here. Guvin spoke about Augustus, the leader of the murderous cult. Their ideologies clashed. Guvin wanted to do things peacefully, while Augustus yearned for violence. Guvin’s say was equivalent to a rat’s. Useless.

Ruby was surprised by how quiet Harley and Jeremy were. Considering how talkative they were when ambushed, it was like a coin flipped, and they decided to stay silent.

Ruby didn’t mind. In fact, they preferred this. The more silent they were, the less likely Jeremy would spout nonsense.

“We’re here,” Guvin said with a tone lower than usual.

A cave rested adjacent to the waterfall. Darkness touched the depths, making it impossible to see without candles. A few sharp edges were pointed down, alarming a severe head injury if one isn’t careful.

Their base of operations. The people who took her son. They’re all in there.

Ruby took a few breaths before following Guvin. She ducked a few times to avoid bumping her head on the rocks, warning the others who trailed her to do the same.

Guvin, who led the pack, stopped and faced Ruby. “May I suggest something before entering hell?”

Ruby gave a silent nod.

“Don’t tug the beast’s tail. Glitter him with pats and affection, and your lives should be spared.”

“Was I supposed to understand that metaphor?”

He continued walking with mumbled words that never reached Ruby.

They reached a scratched-up, dark curtain. Behind the curtain rested Augustus, the fearsome leader of the Three Heads of Despair. In a low tone, Guvin explained not to anger Augustus, though it was easier said than done since his anger would erupt if the tea served were lukewarm.

Ruby wasn’t too worried. The doubts she carried were stuffed into an unreachable area. If she displayed any form of weakness, Augustus would try to exploit it—there was no question about it.

She followed Guvin, who parted the curtain. She first noticed the ample number of people dressed in battle attire. They held various weapons, including spears, bows, and axes. They must’ve noticed Ruby since the room erupted with violent yells. Holding their weapons in the air, they chanted something Ruby couldn’t understand.

Straight ahead lay a lean man with little gear. It seemed as though he had stumbled on the cave at random while searching for a quiet lake to fish. Shorts and open slippers in a rocky cave were an odd choice of attire.

Make no mistake, though. That man wasn’t normal. Ruby recognized him as if they met last week.

He was right there. The man who snatched her child. The man who controlled the most feared bandit group on this planet.

Augustus.

“Try not to get confrontational,” Guvin whispered as he climbed down the steps.

Ruby didn’t hear a word through all the yelling.

The ceiling was well above their heads, almost like a dome-shaped arena. Even with everyone in one place, there was plenty of open space.

Augustus stood from sitting crisscross and climbed down a few steps of his own. He waved his hands down, attempting to silence the rowdy crowd. No one listened. The little snakes wanted to intimate the three mice in the serpents’ den.

Augustus walked up to Guvin.

“You killed the rest?”

“Tranquilizer darts.”

He smirked. “Pathetic shit. You could’ve killed them easily with a proper ambush, but I guess your mind isn’t strong enough. Hmph, Diego will get his job done, at least.”

Guvin hid his face with a sulk. “I’ll be better next time.”

“Shut the hell up and get out of my site.”

Guvin did just that. He kept his head low and disappeared into the hostile crowd.

“Whose this Diego dude?”

“Jeremy, just zip the trap.”

“What? He said, ‘Diego will get his job done,’ so I’m trying to figure out what that means.”

Harley opened her mouth only for nothing to come out.

Augustus spoke. “Curious about Diego? I’ll do you a favor and sprinkle reality before it surprises you. He and a small army are going to trample your little camp of yours. When you return, if you return, your home will be destroyed to oblivion. And after your main camp is decimated, the nearby village you are on good terms with will crumble to rubble.”

“Ha! Is that cockiness speaking? I’m sorry to spoil the mood. No one is beating Jill and Randy. No one.”

He looked at Harley with wide eyes. “Silver one. Are you not afraid?”

“Nope. I have full confidence in Jill and Randy to squash any opponent.”

“You amaze me. Speaking with a head emptied of fear, I admire your type. But lady, don’t be fooled. Diego isn’t going to be defeated. He has the power of God.” He paused to look around. “We’re getting sidetracked. I’m sure you want to discuss the current situation rather than the one miles away.”

“That’s right,” Ruby said. “Is Quinn unharmed?”

“He’s in perfect condition other than being a little hungry. Physically speaking, he doesn’t have a single scratch.”

“Where is he?”

“Somewhere. I’ll have him out in a few once we’re done talking as civil people.”

Jeremy spoke. “Civil people? You got any other jokes?”

Harley was on the verge of knocking the life out of him. She restrained herself, locking her hands behind her.

“Are you socially unaware of your situation?” Augustus asked, puzzled.

“I’m fully aware. ‘Civil people.’ Does this look civil to you? Is kidnapping a child civil to you?.” He clenched his fist hard enough for veins to pop on his bicep. “You’re lucky we’re outnumbered. Otherwise, I would’ve killed you by now.”

“The confidence is surreal. I love every bit of it. Unfortunately, it’s not a matter of fighting. Whether I die to you or I kill you, it doesn’t matter. None of that will bring Zen back.”

The connection between Augustus and Zen lived. Even after Zen’s departure, they must’ve communicated with one another. None of that mattered to Ruby. She didn’t care for the story or whatnot. She just wanted her son back.

“But harming us will?” Ruby said in a calm manner. “You said it yourself: nothing will bring back Zen. He’s gone. Yes, we’re the cause. We pursued him after hearing his whereabouts. We killed him. He’s gone. Forever. Useless revenge blinded by hindsight rage is dangerous. Harming us, killing us will not bring him back.”

He tilted his head like a dog. “I never said it would. I’m well aware of the fact that he’s gone. Sitting and doing nothing isn’t right. He can’t rest without vengeance. I’ll deliver that vengeance.”

“What you seek is revenge.”

“Same side, different coin. The fact is that my long-time friend is no more. He nor I will be able to rest unless punishment is delivered. And that punishment will be delivered today. With the destruction of your home and the death of a heart, proper vengeance will finally be delivered. We will be able to rest in tranquility.”

“Instead of death, may I propose something else? Do you want money? Food? Territory? Lumber? Connections? We could settle this peacefully rather than death.”

Augutus’s grin collapsed. “You can’t be serious,” he said coldly. “Settling things peacefully? Is this what you hoped for? Naive, naive, naive, naive. You will not be able to change my mind. Nothing will. Do you understand the feeling of your close friend, no, brother, dying? Do you? He was everything. Always there when I needed him. He taught me the good, the bad, the ways of life. He was a mentor to me, and you stripped that away!”

So did they. They stripped someone close to Ruby. Years ago, before Harley or Jeremy came along, Ruby glued onto her own mentor. Like Augustus’s mentor, Ruby taught her almost everything she knew. Hunting, fishing, archery, the way of the sword, plotting raids. Everything. Ruby, who was number two at the time, stood by Lexy, her mentor. Before Lexy, Ruby had trouble trusting. She grew emotional connections with the slightest bit of conversation. Ruby loved to be around others, investing in their stories. She loved it.

But it didn’t last. Bandits brutally murdered everyone around her. Everyone she loved was gone. She managed to escape and found herself on the Bariac Cult campgrounds. That’s when she met Lexy.

Ruby found it impossible to open up. She bottled herself in a corner, muttering the names of everyone she lost. It took time for Ruby to learn how to love again. Once she did, it wasn’t long till Lexy died. On that rainy night, she thought to herself:

It’s over, isn’t it

Her being able to love was over. Her being able to trust was over. She couldn’t handle being attached to anyone, so her cold persona emerged.

That cold persona diminished with time as she slowly learned to love again. Quinn, Jeremy, Harley, Jill, Nadia, Randy, Klay, and Uwayna all rested somewhere special within Ruby. They were the people who taught her how to love again. She owed them the world.

Lexy, however, deserved the universe. She taught Ruby to love again, even after death. She saved her. Maybe she could save Augustus, too.

“I’m sorry for what we did. We didn’t want to, but he terrorized a town up on the mountains. We had no other choice than to kill him, just like how you didn’t have a choice but to kill Lexy.”

“Lexy?” He tilted his head, pondering before a torch ignited within as if he unlocked a new memory. “Yes, Lexy. I remember her. The previous leader of the Bariac Cult. That Lexy.”

“I couldn’t handle her passing. Sleep was hard to come by. I couldn’t eat for days. I was devastated, always with a dark cloud above. You took her away from me. Even with all that, I never opted for revenge. I couldn’t bring myself to it because…”

She had Quinn and comrades who depended on her.

She continued. “I took someone you cared for just like you took someone I cared for. There’s a big interval between time, but we can claim evenness and move on.”

“Hah! Are you offering to call it even? You’re a petty fool if you believe I’ll take that offer.”

“What do you have in mind?” Ruby asked.

He turned around and nodded his head a few times. Within moments, a shirtless, lean man no older than twenty appeared with Quinn by his side.

Quinn, who appeared unharmed, stuck his hand out and squeezed. Those desperate eyes desired to be saved.

The violent urge to lunge at the lean man took over her veins, though it was only for a split second. Acting recklessly would only lead to more damage.

Remain calm. That’s all she could do.

“The kid doesn’t have a mark,” Augustus said. “He’s the same as before. We’ll give him to you under one condition.” He pulled out a knife from his pocket and pointed straight at Ruby’s nose. “Choose between the girl or the boy.”