Dust: AET - From the Ashes - Chapter 28

From the Ashes

Chapter 28

Considering the size of Felana’s capital, and the fact that a massive castle loomed at the center of it all, the streets were dead quiet. If there was someone walking around, they had their head down, and they looked as though they were clutching something in their sleeves or in the fronts of their shirts. The ones that had their heads up were wide eyed, meeting the eyes of anyone they saw while walking through the would-be crowded streets.

To Dust, the white washed walls of the buildings with the brightly coloured roofs were deceptive. There was no joy here. It made him wonder exactly what had happened and whether this had been going on before Steam had taken over the castle or it was a direct result from it. Regardless of what it was, all Dust could sense was fear.

“I don’t like it here...” Ginger whispered quietly.

Nix shushed her, glancing around nervously. It was a good call. Speaking didn’t seem like a good idea right now.

Dust kept moving, heading towards the castle. People stared as they walked through the marketplace, seeing the weapons they held in their hands. Nix had a tight grip on the hilt of his sword, his eyes narrowed as he searched for any potential threat. Ginger nudged him a few times to snap him out of it, but he ignored it.

The castle gates approached as they left the market. Dust heard Haley let out a breath as they approached, seeing the guards lock their eyes on them.

“Do the Cassius thing again,” Nix encouraged in a soft mutter.

“I don’t think that’ll work this time,” Dust replied honestly. But he decided to try anyway. He forced a slight glare on his face, but it didn’t feel right. As he approached the gate, he couldn’t help but think that Cassius had actually taken over back there. It was an odd thought, considering it meant that his spirit had actually been trying to help him.

The guards stopped them with their spears.

“Entry is forbidden! Leave at once!” The guard shouted.

Dust’s guise shattered. He couldn’t act like Cassius. It was against him. Instead, he felt something new.

“Why not?” He asked, sounding innocent, almost confused.

“Because it’s forbidden!” The guard said, sounding like he too was confused.

“But why?” He ran a hand through his hair. “I need to talk to someone and they’re in there.”

“And who might that be?”

“I’m not allowed to say.”

The guard narrowed his eyes.

Dust stared him down, looking as though he meant little harm to anyone. He saw the guards frowning slightly, wondering what exactly he was doing.

Quick as a flash, he raised Ahrah and cuffed them in the head, knocking them both out before they knew what was happening.

“That’ll work,” Haley said, staring at the unconscious guards.

Dust turned to look at his friends. “If any of you aren’t feeling confident enough to do this, turn around, alright? There won’t be any going back after this.”

“We’re right behind you, Dust,” Nix promised, smiling slightly.

Haley nodded her agreement.

“I’m here for you too,” Ginger told him.

Dust nodded. “Thank you, just please stay safe,” he shoved the gates open, heading inside. They’d barely gone halfway through the courtyard when bells sounded. The guards standing by the castle doors charged at them. Dust attacked, but their armour was tough, making it hard for him to hit them. Ahrah bounced off the spearheads and steel armour as he struck. When he finally found the weak points in the armour, he managed to take the two guards down. When he turned around however, he saw Nix and Haley defending themselves against the guards. Ginger was doing her best as backup, but she was struggling.

Dust rushed over and yanked her back. “Get the door open!” He told her. “I’ll cover you!”

Ginger nodded and rushed over to the door and began forcing it open, yanking hard on it. The door barely budged, but once she started getting it moving, it swung open freely. Dust was happy to see the other side had no guards.

“Let’s go!” He shouted at Nix and Haley.

They broke their battle and ran into the castle, Ginger and Dust following, yanking the door shut behind them. Ginger jammed her sword into the door handles, making it difficult for the guards to open it.

“Won’t you need that?” Nix asked.

“I’m...not very good with it...” She said, looking embarrassed. “I think it’s better off there.”

“You should’ve stayed behind,” Nix said, frowning.

She shook her head and yanked a long spear from the hand of one of the suits of armour. “Let’s go before they break the door open.”

Dust nodded and headed off down the hall, keeping his eyes open for guards. A few popped out in their path, but the vast majority had been locked outside. One burst out of a door nearby, startling Nix. He managed to block the strike from the guard and returned on of his own, his sword piercing the guard’s chest with one strike. He pulled the sword out quickly, staring at the blood in shock.

“I...” His hand trembled.

“Come on, Nix, quickly,” Haley said, grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the guard.

Nix nodded, his eyes still wide from the first person he’d ever killed. Dust knew how he felt. He’d felt like that after fighting Fuse. But this was no time to be hesitant. They still had to fight Steam.

The sound of a crash behind them startled them.

“The door!” Ginger cried. “They broke through!”

“RUN!” Haley shouted.

The thundering of the guards behind them were their motivation. They ran through the halls, taking corners and searching for any place Steam would be. They ran around the corner and Dust saw a pair of gold plated doors.

“In there!” He said, pointing.

“How do you know?” Ginger asked.

“They’re big golden doors! Where else would a king be?”

“Good point,”

Guards suddenly poured out of a hallway in front of them.

“Get out of my way,” Dust growled under his breath. He raised Ahrah and struck at the guards, his blade smashing heavily into the armour and making the guards stumble. Haley struck the guards as they recoiled, severely wounding a number of them. For Dust, they fell in front of him like flies. Soon, the guards backed away from him with fear, allowing him to break through the gold doors, Nix, Ginger and Haley right behind him.

Guards rushed after him but stopped at the sight of their usurper king standing in the center of the room.

“M-My lord, what are your orders?” One of them asked.

Steam turned, his amber eyes cold. “Leave us. This is not your fight.”

“U-Understood...” They backed out of the room, the door clacking shut behind them.

“So...” Steam said after a moment, watching Dust approach, his friends behind him. “You’ve come at last.”

“Yes, I have.” Dust said, staring back at him.

Nynia flew down and landed on his shoulder. She glared at him for a moment before she frowned in confusion.

“Where’d that failure Fidget go?” She asked.

“She’s not a failure!” Dust shouted, clenching his fists.

“Peace, Dust,” Ahrah said.

“Perhaps you can tell me now,” Steam said, scratching Nynia behind the ear. “Why did you save me on that volcano?”

“I don’t have the answer to that.” He replied.

“But you did it.”

“I did.”

“Do you regret it?”

Dust narrowed his eyes.

“Answer the question!” Steam growled.

“My only regret,” Dust said, raising Ahrah slightly, “is that in the end, we will fight once again.”

“Hmm...” Steam looked at Ginger, Nix and Haley behind him. “It looks to me however, that I’m outmatched.”

“Yeah!” Nynia shouted. “Four against one is no fair!”

Steam rolled his eyes. “As though that would matter to us.”

“I don’t want to fight you,” Dust said to him, “but if I must, I will.”

“And why not?” Steam asked. “Do explain, Dust.”

“We were friends in a past life, Steam,” he told him. “Cassius and General Gaius trained together. Jin and Fuse knew each other. You have to know that.”

Steam watched him carefully. “Those souls in you...do they...speak to you?”

He blinked. “What do you mean?”

Steam looked towards the wall. “I keep hearing voices in my head. One is telling me to destroy all who stand in my way. The other...the other just feels...broken and lost,” he trailed off slightly. “Almost like me.”

“I know how you feel,” Dust said honestly. “When I first woke up in the glade, I didn’t know where I was or what I was doing there. I was scared, lost and I just didn’t understand. Not until I found Fidget and Ahrah. They helped me find who I was.”

Steam didn’t respond, continuing to stare at the wall.

“Friends can help you too, Steam. I can help you. Just put down your sword, and we can end this now. Right here.”

Steam let out a sharp laugh, turning back towards Dust. “Oh we’ll end this here. Fate’s already decided it. It could’ve ended up on the volcano, but you decided to play hero.”

Dust swallowed.

“Did you honestly think it would change anything between us?” Steam asked, glowering at him. “The point is, I hate you. I will never be your friend. I don’t care what souls are in you, because the ones in me want you dead.”

“Do they?” Dust asked. “Or is this just you still trying to find yourself?”

Steam trembled. “NO! I know what my destiny is! I will destroy you!” He raised his blade and leapt at Dust, aiming for his face. “DIE!”

Dust blocked the strike with Ahrah and parried it, leaping away.

“You can’t win, Steam!” Dust protested, raising Ahrah once again to block yet another strike from Steam.

“I beat you once!” He shouted, his teeth gritted. “I would’ve killed you if your sword hadn’t come to your rescue! You’re the one who can’t beat me!” He leapt again, aiming blow after blow at Dust, forcing him to dodge, block and jump out of the way with every strike. Sweat soaked the fur on his face by the time Steam had finished his assault. They both stood, facing each other and breathing heavily.

Nix suddenly rushed Steam, swinging his sword towards him. Startled, he turned to block the blow but had to turn to block Haley’s right afterwards. Ginger stood back, holding up the spear she’d snagged, waiting to use it if she needed to.

Steam violently kicked Haley in the gut, sending her sprawling across the floor before striking Nix violently in the side of the head with Elsorah’s hilt. He cried out, falling to the floor with a faint whimper. Dust was sure he’d never been hit that hard in his life.

“You can hide behind your friends all you want, Dust!” Steam snarled, turning back towards him while Haley and Nix slowly crawled back to their feet. “But in the end, you’ll never defeat me!”

“You’re right,” Dust said, staring him down. “But friends are far more valuable than you think. Without them, I wouldn’t be here right now. Neither would you. Because it was Cassius’s friendship with Gaius and Jin’s friendship with Fuse that prompted me to save you. I know it is.”

“Hah!” Steam tossed his head. “You really think I’m to believe that the souls within us affect our friends?”

“Some friendships are so strong, they span eras as the souls reincarnate. Friendships that affect what makes us who we are,” Dust said.

Steam scoffed.

“Some are even strong enough that one even knows when the other is in danger. Fidget may be gone now, but she’s always been beside me though all the tough times. She’ll come back. I know she will. And this time, the two of us will defeat you!”

“You think so? Well why don’t you stand there while I kill you?!” Steam leapt at him once again, swinging his sword towards Dust. Just before he made contact, a bolt of lightning shot from the ceiling and sent Steam sprawling back onto the floor.

“Hey! Lay off on Dust!” A familiar voice said, the sound of wings reaching Dust’s ears.

“Fidget!” Dust cried, grinning brightly as the Nimbat landed lightly on his shoulder.

“Who else, dummy? Now let’s do this thing!”