Bone Diggers - Chapter Thirty Two

Loading... Chapter Thirty Two

One modern torture was watching someone progress in a meaningful way. At least Facebook allowed people to be mad about it in the privacy of their own home. What's worse is seeing the world change while being absolutely hung up on something else. Things that shouldn't have mattered did, and pixels cut as sharp as anything else.

When Owen wasn't working, he helped Em and her new child. He'd even fallen asleep with the baby on his chest once, since any minute the real world could spare was given to the virtual one.

Daniel was so close to finding something, a clue from the book he'd found in Santiago, about magic that shouldn't exist. If he could give Amilia's death meaning, then he could carry on himself.

Missions were filled with guessing and level grinding. Upon Daniel's return to the guild, he was placed at the helm of things. It took some haggling from his father and Lance, but dedicating himself fully eliminated any doubt of Daniel's commitment. All his time was spent making plans, deciding who would be best for the mission, and securing a ship. A few clues suggested it was here in Spain. However, Daniel personally believed that the stone aegis was in the Canary Islands. It was someplace new, and the promise of adventure raised his spirits.

The thieves guild was abuzz with a possibility of a shield that held powers that didn't exist anywhere else in the world. Only a few didn't buy into the rumors, believing it was nothing more than misread patch notes. Isidoro was part of this group, but his disbelief was for personal reasons. His rank wasn't high enough to join the party, and therefore didn't want it to be true. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to go quietly. "Please," he begged, "Please, please. Another hand never hurts."

Daniel completely ignored him, as he did most things that didn't help forward the mission. Lance filled in for his recent lack of social skills. "Try not to take it so hard," he said, "A party of five would be too many. Lucas, Abel, Daniel, and I are a proven combination that gets results."

As the day wore on, everyone headed home. "Hey, wait up," Lance called, running to catch up with Daniel on his way out. "So, I was thinking we should get some dinner." A man passed between the two, parting them briefly. "On me. Well, technically him." Lance smirked, and held up the stolen coin pouch.

Daniel stopped only after the act of thievery. "Can you go a single day without messing around?"

"I—uh," Lance stumbled to say anything at first. It wasn't like his friend to be so humorless. "But we always get free dinner like this."

"We have money," Daniel said, and started walking again. "There is no reason for the added bullshit."

"But..." Lance frowned, feeling daft that he wasn't catching on yet. "It's more fun this way."

Daniel spun around like he had enough. "Grow up. You can't act like a child on this mission."

Lance's footsteps came to a dead stop. He stared as Daniel pulled down on his tunic as if it, too, annoyed him. Lance knew better than most that Daniel had been acting different for a while now. But he had hoped, if given enough time... "Finding the damned thing isn't going to bring her back," Lance said. "Even if you do find it, then what? What are you going to do, without your prized Amilia, and without your beloved mission?"

With a growl, Daniel moved closer into Lance's face. "Don't you ever talk to me that way again."

"Or what?" Lance dared. Daniel was right about one thing, this was bullshit. "I'm done here."

They continued to work together, but not with the same smoothness as before. Their friendship was turning into a formality. When the morning of the mission came, there was a knock on Daniel's door. Lance stepped inside, but seemed far too uncomfortable to come in further.

Daniel looked up and instantly saw something was wrong. Lance was dressed in the same clothes he had met the man in. A style that hinted at money, instead of the light armor of a thief. "Why are you dressed like that?"

"There's trouble back home," Lance said. He had been meeting Daniel in the eye, but the floor seemed far easier now. "I've been putting it off because of...what happened. I didn't want to leave if you needed me, but now it's clear I'm needed elsewhere more."

Daniel's expression flickered over melancholy, but he seemed to crush the emotion. "Fine," he said, biting down on the word. "I have other people who value the mission."

Lance looked up with a slight nod. He took a shaky breath, like the room lacked enough air for the both of them. "Goodbye, Daniel."

Daniel thought about stopping him. Not letting things end this way. But in the end, he let Lance walk out. It was clear he lost both of his companions now. Daniel looked down at his plans, feeling as if they weren't enough for him anymore.

Daniel headed to the guild and found a young thief preparing the horses with a disheartened expression. Helping out without being part of the real action sucked. But it wouldn't today. "Isidoro," Daniel called, "You can come with us."

"Really?" He dropped the reins in surprise. "I'm so happy I could hug you!"

Daniel smiled. "Getting ready will suffice."

It was a long mission to get to the southern town of Cadiz. From there, they boarded a ship to take them the last leg of the trip. The open sea was more turbulent than expected, but the bad weather was just barely holding back. Isidoro's stomach was holding up equally well. He leaned over the edge of the boat, trying his best not to lose it.

"Still glad you came?" Daniel asked as he rubbed Isidoro's back. The kid was going to risk falling overboard, if he wasn't careful.

"Yeah," Isidoro said, before a wave made him stick his head back over the side. He flashed a weak smile as he slumped down against the side. "On second thought."

"Try not to worry, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it soon enough."

Their next port was in La Palma, located on the middle island. "The shield is close," Daniel said, moments after landing on dry land. "I can feel it."

"Right." Abel shook head, thinking that Daniel had gotten a little too much sea air. "Which way, then?"

They followed a passage along the cliffs that helped shape the shoreline. The four of them traveled until they made it to a waterfall. A beautiful thing that showcased shades of green they hadn't seen in a few days. Abel and Isidoro looked around for a suspected hidden entrance, but Daniel's mind went elsewhere. Hadn't he seen another waterfall like this before?

"Found it!" Isidoro yelled.

Lucas took a few steps, but stopped when he noticed Daniel wasn't following. "What's wrong?" He glanced towards the waterfall, not understanding why Daniel looked so bewildered.

"This is somehow familiar," Daniel said.

"Have you been here before?"

"No."

"Hmm, must be deja vu," Lucas smiled. "Come on, o' fearless leader."

Daniel joined up with the rest of them at the mouth of a cave that had been hidden behind the falls. They soon realized that calling this a cave would be an insult to the work put into it. Stone statues lined the halls, forever standing guard over the place. The farther in they went, the more impressive it became. Everything was carved from same the piece of stone that seemed to defy time.

"Wow," Lucas mused.

Something had to be here. Why else would someone spend countless hours working on this place? Lucas stopped to look at one of the statues that lined the hallway. "These statues are so well done. They look—"

"Real," Daniel interrupted, before he strolled on. The hallway opened up to a large round room, and on a pedestal sat a stone shield that looked far too heavy to carry. On the shield was a face in pain, with snakes twisting as if they shared the woman's troubles. The story of Athena's shield having Medusa's head was

"You have come far for what you seek," a disembodied voice said. The game displayed the text in English, but it artifacted with extra symbols as if unsure of what language to use. "The stone-hearted one may touch."

Daniel glanced back at the others, who looked equally as lost and amazed as he felt. Well, this was his mission and his responsibility. Why shouldn't he be the one to take the plunge? Despite previous bluster, his fingers hesitated to reach out and touch it.

The tips grazed the surface before he placed his palm down. The shield glowed bright and Daniel averted his eyes for a second. The snakes in the stone surface seemed to move. Just for a split second that made him want to jump back. But something greater pulled at him, as if digging for something hidden within his bones.

Lines of white flickered in everyone's vision, getting a chorus of complaints. The light pooled at Daniel's feet, then radiated out in a circle before flooding the whole room. Everything in reach turned to stone. Freezing looks of fear and attempts to flee solid.

The rings pulled back in with a blinding light that couldn't be seen with any of their stone eyes. Owen's headset flashed a warning before blacking out for a second. He felt like he had dropped to his knees when his vision came back.

Daniel was on his hands and knees, panting, as the shield laid toppled nearby. He tried to lift a finger, doubting that he could at first. Once that checked out, he slowly started to stand, and turned towards the others. Whatever was left of his heart shattered right then. Isidoro, Lucas, and Abel were still frozen in stone. The statues. That's why they looked so real.

He walked as if in a dream towards them. Lucas was the closest. His eyes had a divot where the iris was. Daniel glanced over to Isidoro and Abel, who also were masterpieces of themselves. "I'm so sorry." Daniel's words were so soft he wondered if he even had said them out loud.

Maybe if he put the shield back they'd be returned as well. Daniel turned to pick it up, but noticed a ghostly white bit of cloth in the corner of his eye. He rose to take in a translucent image of Athena. Robe, hem, and all.

"You shouldn't be here," she warned. "This was not meant to be part of your story."

Daniel coughed out a laugh despite himself. "Well, it seems it is now."

She seemed to smile. "You are correct. You resembled another."

Riddles were not desired right now. No matter what prize or favor it could provide. "Why did you do this to them?" Without breaking eye contact, he gestured back towards the others.

Athena seemed to blink an acknowledgment, but carried on. "Like Jason before you, you also seek treasures from the fables. There are many pieces not yet ready for this world. You desire the Argonauts' piece, but what you found cannot grant you the same wish. If you decide to leave the shield, I can try to give you something else."

What did one ask a Goddess upon meeting her?

Daniel thought about what he wanted. What he had really and truly wanted this whole time. He wanted Amilia back. He wanted Lance with him again. Wanted his friends to be okay, and wanted this device never to fall into the wrong hands. It was literally a game changer. "I just," Daniel sighed. "I want everything to be how it needs to be."

"A noble request," Athena said, and glanced towards the shield on the floor.

Daniel looked back down at it too. Fear darted across his chest realizing that she wanted him to pick it up again. Touching the cursed thing as the last thing he wanted now, but if there was no other way....

He picked up the shield with both of his hands, the weight somehow manageable at the moment. It took control again, pulling at his mind, what he had been, what he was, what he might yet be. His vision skipped like a stone, and saw flashes of Amilia, Lance, home. Images fleeting so fast it was impossible to hold onto any of them. Every cell was pulled upon, making him wonder if there would be any survivors from this mission.