Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

-Mysterious castle; Mount Everest; May 11th, 2009-

DJ and Lui snuck through the castle, avoiding or incapacitating guards as necessary. They thought they were being inconspicuous. They didn’t realize EDJ was watching the whole time with an evil smile. EDJ’s screens showed the pair move through the castle, clearing rooms as they went. “Here comes the cavalry,” EDJ said in a low voice. For a second, his smile slipped and his eyes held a distant, faraway look. Oh, for the days when we signed our names… He shook his head and pressed a few buttons on the control panel. “Took them long enough.” 

The entrance DJ and Lui found led them to a large, white room. From there, they went down a hallway and cleared a few different rooms before entering a lab. The lab was filled with desks, equipment, and specimen tanks, though there were no people around. DJ stopped to look over the equipment and opened one of the folders on the desks. He picked up a sheet of paper and read over the contents, eyebrows knit together in concern. 

Lui noticed. “What’s wrong?” he asked. He walked up to DJ and looked over his shoulder at the notes. 

“This is cloning tech,” DJ commented sullenly, holding the paper out to Lui. “Why is Iul messing with duplication and cloning tech?” 

Lui blinked at him, then took the notes to read over them himself. “I don’t know... He’s a bad guy?” Lui offered simply. 

DJ frowned. “Of all the people in the world, he’s the last person I expected to touch this stuff.” 

“Maybe we can ask him when we find him,” Lui suggested hopefully, putting the paper back where it belonged. DJ nodded and pressed on. 

DJ and Lui entered a room that looked more like a waiting room than anything else, fitted with chairs, tables, and a large tv screen. Seeing it was empty, they were about to leave when the door slid shut, locking them in. “Hey!” Lui ran up to the door and rattled the handle. “It’s locked!” 

“I was wondering when you would show up,” EDJ’s voice said over the intercom. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“What are you up to, EO?!” DJ demanded, spinning his spear forward and preparing for a fight. 

“Mmm, can’t tell you. It’s a secret,” EDJ answered. 

“Where’s Hanna?!” Lui asked. 

EDJ laughed. “Sorry, bud. Wrong castle.”

“Let us out!” Lui shouted, pushing and pulling on the door handle.

“And ruin the surprise?” EDJ asked with a grin. “Nah, we’re getting to the best part!” 

“What are you talking about?” Lui asked, stepping back from the door and drawing his sword.

“See for yourself.” EDJ flipped a switch, turning on the tv in the room DJ and Lui were in. 

They turned to the screen to see Hanna fending off a hoard of soldiers, monsters, and enemies by herself. 

“Hanna…” Lui’s eyes widened and he dropped his sword. “No!” He rushed to the screen and looked around, as though trying to find a way to jump through it or figure out which room she was in from the screen. Lui looked back at DJ, eyes pleading. “We have to help her!” 

DJ went to the door and rammed into it with his shoulder, trying to get it open. “Stop this, EO! Let us out!” 

“Nope,” EDJ’s voice answered. “I think she’s got it covered. You two can sit back and enjoy the show.”

DJ slammed a fist against the door. He turned back to Lui and thought, We can’t do anything while we’re stuck in here. 

That’s not fair! Lui responded. 

This is Iul. When has he ever fought fair? DJ huffed, turning his attention back to the door. DJ took a step back and delivered a powerful kick to the door near the handle. The door flung open and guards instantly flooded the room. DJ, not expecting the door to open, much less the number of guards entering, quickly jumped back and started fighting. He fended off the first three, keeping them at a distance and throwing light and wind attacks as he was able. Lui ran to pick up his sword, but a guard kicked it away before he could reach it. Lui stunned two guards with lightning attacks before he was backed into a corner. As hard as the two fought, they were swiftly outnumbered and overcome. The guards had them disarmed and pinned to the floor by the time EDJ sauntered into the room. 

“I normally wouldn’t have bothered coming down here personally,” EDJ started. “But you did put in the effort to visit me.”

“We’re here for Hanna,” DJ said, glaring at EDJ. 

“Please!” Lui called out, tears pooling in his eyes as he looked from EDJ to the screen of Hanna fighting and back. “Please stop this! You can stop this! Let us help her!” 

“Oh… you actually care…?” EDJ said somewhat surprised, head tilted curiously as he stared back at Lui with empty eyes. The corners of his mouth turned up. “That’s adorable.” 

“Please,” Lui repeated quietly. “Stop...” 

“Nah, I don’t feel like it,” EDJ answered lightly, strolling through the room with his hands behind his back. 

“Why not?” DJ demanded, trying to squirm out of his captors’ grasp. 

EDJ shrugged. “Hey, sometimes the voices demand blood. Who am I to deny them?” he responded apathetically. DJ narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his Evil Other. EDJ walked up to Lui and nodded back to the screen. “Does that upset you?” 

“EO,” DJ cut in with a warning in his voice. “I’ve already told you once to leave him alone. Don’t make me tell you again.” 

EDJ glanced at DJ then nodded up to one of the guards holding him. The guards lifted DJ up from the ground enough to punch him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him and dropping him back to the floor. “I don’t take orders from you,” EDJ said without emotion. He looked back at Lui and knelt to his level. “Well? Does it bother you?” EDJ asked again. “Seeing her alone out there fighting for her life, which could end at any moment, while you’re stuck in here? Helpless?”

“Of course it bothers me, you psychopath!” Lui answered, staring at EDJ with tears streaming down his face. “It would bother anyone!”

“...EO…” DJ interjected again between wheezes. “...Please... Don’t do this to him...”

“Why not?” EDJ asked curiously, turning to look at DJ. “What’s he gonna do?” EDJ turned back to Lui. “Cry me a river?”