Chapter 7

The Guardians' Abode. The Cell of the Guardian.

He had not been sleeping for three days in a row, and now the narrow bed in his room seemed unusually attractive. Having taken off his jacket, Eugene flopped down on the bed and instantly fell asleep. But he was not given a chance to sleep long. Milena rushed into the room with undue familiarity.

She pursed her lips, looking at her carelessly sleeping man, when terrible things were happening.

Milena tugged at Eugene's shoulder for a long time, saying,

"Eugene, how long are you going to sleep? Get up! We need to hurry up!"

"What happened?" Eugene was muttering, being in a doze.

"Our armory was robbed."

"Milena, are you out of your mind? How's that possible? And what for?

"How do I know? Tol is gathering us all. We need to search for outsiders in the Abode and eliminate them. Another group had already set off on the trail of several Murky Shadows."

Milena threw the jacket in his face. If she was not his woman, he would break her neck for that, but he had to control himself.

"Pull yourself together and let's go. I hope you haven't forgotten how to fight while you were babysitting."

Milena was a lousy Guardian, and yet the Guardians were never notable for kindness and obsequence. For decades, Eugene had been wondering why the Elders punished him by choosing Milena as his soul mate. They chose the worst and cruelest of all Guardian-girls. Even in good spirits, Milena was more like a formidable fury than the mother of his future child. He often imagined how she was choking the child for crying. Eugene could not stand Milena and considered her a terrible lover, a bad friend, and an obnoxious woman. He could not see them living happily ever after, so he secretly hoped to be killed at the battlefield, but not to share a bed with Milena. Even thoughts of his former mistress Melinoia, who cheated on him with more than a dozen of Murky Shadows, were much more pleasant than the memories of nights he spent with Melina.

No matter how hard Eugene protested the choice of the Elders, he had no right to question the decision and with a heavy heart had to put up with this woman.

They arrived at the armory a minute later. There were kept various weapon, except for the Swords of the Guardians, which every Guardian was carrying around all the time. Shields and helmets, the most durable in the whole world, maces, which had not been used for hundreds of years but had been heartily polished every month, various bombs with a magical core and much more made an impressive arsenal. It would be enough for a few thousand warriors. All of this was checked and kept in a special order. The armory was guarded day and night by more than a hundred Guardians, but somehow none of them saw anything. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

"Only training swords are missing..." Eugene stated.

"Look how observant we are!" Milena said maliciously.

Eugene did not answer, but quietly sighed and rolled his eyes. Even Darsy seemed a much better company to him now. He frowned. There was no place for friendship or love in his life but only for his duty. That's why he seldom talked to someone about other things, which happened to be nice... Eugene waved away strange thoughts and tried to find some sort of clue or trail.

"Swords were stolen for battle. We have lesser time than we think," the Commander emerged silently. Judging by his look, it was clear that Eugene was not the only one, who had not slept much lately.

"Is there any news from the Oracle? Do you know the time and place of the battle?"

"No news so far! Gods are agitated and angry after the invasion of dark souls into the Heavenly Palace. I was ordered to reinforce the guard at the Golden Gate. They believe that this is where the attack will start."

"That's stupid!" Eugene exclaimed. "It's easier to get to the Source through the Tart Desert, Tartarus and the Island of the Dead. It's closer to get through the Palace but it is suicide. I don't think Gods will sit idly by, while the army will attack..."

"I agree with you but the Elders gave the order. We need to obey."

"Who guards the gate to the River of Times?"

"Rick and Pipe. I sent them there at my own risk. If the Elders find out, I'll be in trouble."

"Only two Guardians at the main entrance? What can they do against a few thousand souls?"

"Eugene, the gate's sealed!"

"Tol, the same they were yesterday, but several souls broke through and began to transform right there! What if the souls from the river want to cross the desert?"

"You know that's impossible! The soul can be freed from the fetters of the river only when the gate is open!"

"I don't know what's possible and impossible anymore! I only believe in what I saw with my own eyes. They transformed when I arrived at the scene. If I arrived, several minutes later all would have ended before it even started. Everything that once was stable changes because of the ruined Balance. We have to get used to things that had been impossible before."

The Oracle foresaw their invasion but then went silent, not clarifying the important facts about the upcoming war.

"We don't need to know all the answers. We simply have to follow orders!" Tol was getting angry, and that was dangerous even for Eugene. "Now we need to find the thieves. Only Zeus knows what they can do with this weapon."

"It seems to vanish into thin air. How else can one explain the fact that a hundred people did not notice the invasion?" Milena said.

"That's what we're going to find out. Perhaps, they were hypnotized," Tol replied.

The armory was guarded not by the Guardians but ordinary elves, who were vulnerable to any forces, including hypnosis.

Tol left. Eugene shook his head and looked at Milena. Malice was written all over her face. She was pleased to witness such a scene. But Eugene did not care. He understood that the situation was not that simple and there was someone benefiting from the awakening of Chaos. And this "someone" was so powerful that he could take any demon through the Tart Desert.

Eugene would better go to the gate and help his comrades protect the entrance from anyone who could get inside but, instead, he was forced to investigate the already trampled traces of thieves. He was all fired up, he knew well where everything was going to. Darsy might not have time to restore the Balance before the attack of those who strove for the awakening of Chaos. In any case, it would be too late because now the enemy was arming its soldiers, and the only question was how many of them. There was still a chance to win. But if everything happened in the same way, then the war would be meaningless, because the power of Chaos was so great that it would wipe everything off the face of the Earth in a matter of seconds.

"It doesn't make any sense. There's nothing left to find. But I know what I can do..." Eugene told Milena, who was carefully studying the footprints on the floor.

"Where are you going? Are you refusing to obey the order?" Milena's eyebrows shot up and her eyes lit up.

"No, I don't refuse to obey. I'll just do it some other way."

Eugene did not hear her further comments but entered the portal and went to the gate.

The trip took him longer than expected, and by the time Eugene arrived, he was beside himself with impatience. But he came out of the portal right when Rick and Pipe needed help. They were surrounded by two dozen Demons and Nefarious. The Guardians looked like they were hanging on by their fingertips. When they saw their comrade-in-arms, they cheered up, and a few minutes later the enemy was defeated.

"Eugene, we're glad to see you. Did Tol send you?" Rick greeted.

"No. I'm here for another reason. How often do these attacks occur?"

"That's the sixth one in two hours. We need some backup!" Pipe said, and Rick nodded in support.

"When I return to the Abode I'll talk to Tol again, but now I need to meet with someone else."

"Eugene, can you tell us what had happened there?" Pipe frowned.

He and Eugene knew each other for a long time and could be even considered friends if not for their calling and complete lack of human qualities. But now Eugene was confused and did not know whether to tell about the incident in the Abode or not. This could undermine the morale of his comrades.

"We're waiting!" Rick insisted, and Eugene gave up.

He told his comrades how the armory of the Adobe had been robbed, only the training swords were stolen, and they were left with not much weapon.

"Tol ordered to follow one single trace of careless Nefarious, who would say nothing in fear of their masters. It also seems to me that this trace was deliberately left to cover up the real thief. Therefore, it's a waste of time. Personally, I think of talking to the only representative of the Kingdom of the Dead who I can trust."

"Do you mean Persephone?" Pipe was horrified.

"You're right. She's the only one who can help us. Persephone has always been on our side, and she's not benefiting by helping to awaken Chaos."

"Yes, but Hades won't let her help us..." Rick insisted.

"I think he has too much work to do but watch his wife's every move. Now he's likely to hunt for negligent servants who become too active since the Balance has been ruined and threaten his power, or is engaged in making his own devious plans..."

"She won't be happy to see you anyway," Pipe tactfully reminded Eugene.

All the Guardians were aware of Eugene's turbulent personal life. About fifty years ago, his insolence led to exile. He had to serve Radamant in the Kingdom of the Dead. It was an excessive price to pay for any wrongdoing, and all the Guardians were afraid of being exiled to such a service, but not Eugene — he saw the benefit in that. During his temporary exile, he was mastering the art of deception and was trained with the strongest opponents, while the Guardians in the Abode could only practice with their comrades. Thus, he perfected his martial art to such an extent that he was rightfully recognized as the best warrior of ever living Guardians.

Apart from training and fights, Eugene had the opportunity to hit on those few women in the Kingdom of the Dead. Fed up with the caresses of the local inhabitants, goddesses and maidens of Hades were throwing themselves at an attractive Guardian in search of new sensations. And the latter was not reluctant to satisfy the needs of beauties. As a result, he was long known as the lover of Persephone until treacherous Melinoia took Eugene away from the goddess of fertility, having tempted by subtle caresses.

Since then Eugene became the subject of discord between the two goddesses. Having chosen Melinoia over Persephone, he completely fell from her grace as she came to hate him for neglecting her. Soon Eugene regretted his choice, accidentally witnessing a sophisticated orgy of his beautiful mistress with Nefarious ones, but there was no chance to regain the trust of Persephone.

Having returned to the Guardians' Abode, Eugene somewhat settled down, coming to the conclusion that his adventures could play a cruel joke on him. By that time the Elders made a decision that could nurture the positive qualities of such a rebellious and unbridled Guardians – they found him a match before the required period.

As a rule, such a decision took place right before the resignation of the Guardian and the end of his service, before the beginning of a new stage – coupling for procreation. In Eugene's case, they thought that this would make him settle down and reconcile. It hardly helped but the decision was announced.

"I'll try anyway. It's been a long time since then. Persephone may have forgiven me," not that it mattered to Eugene, but under the circumstances, it did.

"Good luck, friend!" Rick and Pipe cheered him up.

They smiled and squinted, looking like they were waiting to witness the fascinating scene of former lovers’ reunion.

Eugene simply shook his head. He pulled out of his jacket the amulet that Persephone had given him and that he had been carrying everywhere lately, Eugene turned the two halves of the jewelry. A few seconds later, the red earth under his feet started trembling and the relay of four horses with long black mane showed up on the horizon. They raced with incredible speed and slowed down only approaching Eugene.

Persephone sat in the carriage. Her beauty, which made the lord of the Kingdom of the Dead, the great Hades, fell in love with her, seemed to remain untouched by the time. She slowly stepped out of the carriage. Persephone was dressed in beautiful clothes of black color, which rather exposed her beauty than covered.

Eugene thought that Gods had quiet strange manners. Being in service to the judge of the Kingdom of the Dead Radamant, he was lucky to become a part of their world for a while and plunge headlong into the vortex of perversions that the Gods tirelessly invented, seeking to entertain themselves and brighten up the endless hours of their eternal lives. At first, he liked it, but soon he began to hate himself and decided to forget about this short period of his service.

"Hello, my darling! What made you call me?" Persephone's voice was gentle and mesmerizing but Eugene was not deluded by her pretense.

"I beg your pardon, the greatest and most beautiful goddess! I'm here for I need your help," Eugene began.

"Oh, skip these formalities! Once you called me otherwise..." she smiled charmingly and Eugene felt like a cat on hot bricks. He remembered well the nickname he gave the goddess during their short love affair but it would be now inappropriate to mention it. She was still seductive and beautiful but something had changed for him, and he could not understand yet what exactly it was.

"Persephone, you're the only one who can help me. I know that someone of the gods helps the souls and demons to get to the Tart Desert. I need to know who that is."

"Why would I know that?" the goddess played fast and loose, making Eugene nervous.

"Oh, come on! You always know what's going on here."

"I really don't know anything this time," Persephone shrugged.

Eugene let out a doomed sigh. He knew the goddess's game well. She would not share such information for free.

"What do you want, Persephone? I'm ready to pay any price!"

"Oh no, I don't want anything from you! Those days when I was interested in you are gone. Bring me your Commander, and I'll tell him what you want to know for a humble fee.”

Eugene did not have time to say anything as the goddess left. He did not expect that. He planned to return to the Abode with answers that would satisfy Tol, but instead, he got his Commander involved in the games of devious Persephone. Tol would not be happy about that.

Having studied the temper of Persephone, Eugene was even afraid to think what cost she would require the Commander to pay but there was no other way. When God was helping demons and dark souls, methods of struggle were not to be chosen.

Now he had two debts that were hard to pay, and what's worse – another person would have to pay one of them.

"Eugene, what have you done? You disobeyed my order. Do you want to be exiled to Tartarus? Again?"

"I don't care! The main thing is that she knows what we need. Tol, I don't have to remind you what's at stake. If at least one demon can get to the Source and steal a drop of its water, we will not stop the Chaos. Last time, only the cooperation of the Titans and the Gods could put it to rest. Do you think after everything that's happened after the Gods will agree to get the Titans back? I don't think so. Is that better than Chaos itself? We just need to give Persephone what she's asking for, and we'll have a name."

"Let's say I've got a name. Who can guarantee that Zeus will believe and even help us?"

"No one, but he'll believe Persephone."

Tol sighed. He did not like the idea but it was better than doing nothing and living in agonizing anticipation. There had long been no news from the Oracle, and this silence troubled him more than the constant fights of his warriors with Demons and souls.

It was impossible to get into the Grotto, as well as to get out of it. Besides, the high priests always had a decent supply of food and water. Therefore, the greatest treasure in the world was safe, and he should not worry about it. The outside world could not communicate with the Oracle. Only the chosen could get a vision, so they had to wait.

"Okay. I agree. Have some rest and then go to the human. She's our last hope and must be safe."

Eugene nodded and went to follow the order.