Chapter 65: Interlude Seven: Maria - Phantom’s Maze

Maria grunted, keeping her thoughts to herself; she had to speak the truth if she responded, so she said nothing, her silvery eyes drifting to the kids.

You really think I’m just gonna lay down and roll over like that, Terrell? No way in hell you’re takin’ me to Venezuela and leavin’ my little brother to fend for himself. I’ll find a way out on my own then, and I sure as hell ain’t gonna leave these children to that devil bitch or take shit from these assholes.

Daran nudged his head toward the door. "This way...and thanks, Maria. Damn," he shivered, rubbing his healed arm. "I can still see that hare girl’s red eyes. Shit! I only saw that look for a moment—like I looked at death itself—and then that burst of light and cold heat... I don’t even know. Shit..."

Plotting her escape while following him up the stairs to another section of the building, Maria left Terrell to cradle his youngest boy, spewing curses. Maybe the fairy chick the gangsters talked about would be game for bustin’ out of this hell hole; it was worth a shot.

She would do anything to protect her little brother and block, but she wouldn’t sit by and watch another kid die. Maria resolved to take their place without a second thought if it came to that—it’s who she was.

All of her thoughts and forming plans vanished when Daran opened the building’s main reception area door. Adele was nowhere to be seen, but a transparent figure sat cross-legged, floating three meters in the air.

Relica stood beneath the ghostly personage as it gradually spun to observe them, hood obscuring its features, but the trance-like white haze over the demonic woman’s eyes made Maria’s stomach squirm.

It only lasted a moment before she straightened and started tapping the walkie-talkie’s antenna against her mouth. "Well, that is a, hmm...that could be thrilling. I’ve changed my mind. Akio, are you done looking menacing?"

The phantom laughed, an ethereal voice reflecting off the walls in strange patterns. "Meditating to better understand the supernatural dimensions of this space, but sure, make light of my needs. Get a vision from Hecate? What’s the plan, Witch?"

"You know I only joke," she said with a fond gesture. "Also, I prefer the term priestess to a witch, personally, but to each their own. Ah-ah-ah—don’t take her up there yet, Daran. I’m feeling rather frisky now!"

Maria came to a stop, glaring at her, unsure what she meant by the word.

The ’priestess’ laughed. "Don’t give me that look, dears! Actually, I’ve been thinking about what Adele said about Rachel and providing her with an impossible situation for her misfortune to overcome. I am really curious. I have to understand how it works! So..."

Relica pressed the button to communicate across the radios, making them wait for this supposed master plan she’d concocted. "Conner, you’ve opened up the possibility of your Legend Quest, correct?"

A male panther beastkin formed out of the shadowy wall to approach the ghost and terrorist, taking note of the situation, but the woman only had ears for the radio. Maria kept her unimpressed, disinterested demeanor so she wouldn’t appear weak as the man on the other end answered her. Yet, the conversation that followed made her want to run and just take her chances. These cartel hitmen were living in la-la land; the frightening part was that not one lie was spoken.

"Sure, but I ain’t jumpin’ in that ring until I can find a worthy opponent to match up against. You saying this bunny girl you mentioned will even the load?"

"I am! Isn’t this just too perfect?" Relica’s grin widened as she began to pace. "Gather ten men and ten women. Drugs, alcohol, sex, music, and all the ecstasy in between. Hehe. Then, kill them when you’re all doped up."

"The hell?" Maria mumbled, unable to believe things could continue to spiral to the point of devilish rituals. "I want no part in this satanic shit, bitch!"

"Oh, you’re only there to purify Conner when he’s done; he’s gotta be sharp for the whole encounter with Rachel! No need to sully those pure loins of yours—you are a virgin, right? Haha. I knew it!" she said at Maria’s scowl, which had nothing to do with the comment. "You should be in a Catholic abbey, but being a virgin in this day and age is certainly one in a billion, so I suppose a unicorn fits the hoof. Such a silly belief. Still there, Conner?"

"I’m listening now. Haha. A ritual to gain favor?"

"You know how fickle lesser gods can be! Prepare your Legend Quest while I go to set the stage for the performance. Ah! I’m getting chills just thinking about it! Ah, Luis," she clapped, finally noticing the beastkin. "How is our lovely fairy?"

"Our enchantments need to be redone soon," he muttered. "Are we expecting company?"

"Indeed! Get Eliza and Margaret ready. Is Abeer already here?"

"From what I understand, he arrived with that MI6 group you mentioned, but the blockade is making things rough; they said the transport ritual would be done in the next hour. Is Abeer finished, eh, feasting? I’m not going in if he’s not."

"So far as I’m aware. Don’t be a baby!"

Akio rubbed his transparent chin, lifting a few papers to use his supernatural powers to fold them into paper planes. "You’re playing it too close to the chest, Relica. I’m bored. What’s this about?"

"Hehe. It’s too bad you won’t feel the warmth of one ever again as a Lost Phantom Abarrentkin—too close to the heart?" she snickered at the ghost’s dull grunt, yet there was a sickly smile under the hood. "War, my dear Yakuza hitter! War! Gather the troops and have them take their positions."

She marched to the door with purpose and a song to her voice. "We’re spooks and ghouls tonight, loves! Oh. And, Akio, I want you to saturate this building with your presence... No one gets out alive—well, except for Conner, of course."

The hair on the back of Maria’s neck rose as he lowered himself to the ground, fingers digging into the tile. A ghostly light cracked it, infusing into the environment and spreading out before it was replaced by wood.

Maria backed away, but the ripple in space passed through her, chilling her marrow as a massive wave of negative energy permeated the entire building inward until a maze of hallways, doors, and rooms cycled around her.

Relica was now upside down on the ceiling, a double paper-and-wood door sliding open to a bright light that allowed her to leave. Daran choked, rubbing his throat beside her as the laughing woman exited.

"It’s...endless."

Maria felt the phantom’s presence all around her as a prickle ran across her spine, making her jump.

"No purifying my negative energy, sweetie... I wouldn’t want to get rough with such a beautiful woman. Now...if you could follow me. Welcome...to my domain."

Clicks and creaking wood erupted in a frenzy before silence took them, and one after another, dozens of doors slammed open to guide them to the room where they kept the fairy.

Knowing she was trapped for the time being, Maria didn’t say a word, cursing her luck. Perhaps her brush with Rachel had sent her down this path of misfortune. She followed Daran’s lead for now, but she’d find a way out; she had to find a way out.