The Final Fated Meeting

Morning comes with its usual call. The light breaks through the windows of the buildings lighting them up with a natural glow. Everyone regroups and everyone seems to make the same observation. They weren't able to sleep easily but none of them felt tired. As I join the group they all look to me for an answer. I just shrugged my shoulders. I don't have a solid answer for them. I also don't see how it's relevant to what we are doing.

Their gear is loaded up into their respective vehicles before we continue on the path. The beaten road runs for another hour before it just stops. Everyone piles out to try and get a gauge of where we are or where we need to go. No one knows where to go. This entire area is off the map. We passed through that forest and the world seemed to change. We have no choice but to keep going forward. These vehicles were built to go almost anywhere.

Everyone gets back in and heads in the direction that the road was pointing. They roll slowly to avoid rocking the vehicles too much. The hills are gentle but the dirt shifts under the weight of the tires. We roll over the hills until we cross one. The lead car comes to a hard stop at the sight before us. A castle, ancient but still standing, is located in the center of this weird area. The other vehicle pulls up with its window rolled down, "Is that where we go?"

I look forward to the castle. There's no mistaking it. "Yes, that's where we go." No one looks happy at that answer but they know what they need to do. The wheels start rolling down the side of the hill toward our new goal. The castle's size and scale begin to show the closer we get. The main gate is open with no one around.

The others take this time to check their gear before loading themselves up. "We go in quick and quiet." I stand looking at the gate until I feel a small disturbance. I look back and none of them felt it. I know that's Red. "There's no need to be quiet. He knows we're here." They all look at me confused. "He just knows we're here. Now you just need to be careful."

No one looks happy at this news. They change their tactics to go in slow, room by room, clearing out everywhere they cross until they find Red. I wish it was that simple. I don't think Red is going to grant us an audience without earning it.

They get themselves ready while I start observing what I can from the outside. I was never able to learn Red's scanning ability no matter how hard I tried. It was always interesting when he spoke about it. I could never piece together the technique to make it work for me. It just goes to show how capable he is.

"Odette, we are good to go." They've got armor on and their weapons at the ready. I don't know how survivable this undertaking is. He wiped out a small army with the flick of his wrist. We are just six people. No matter, we still have to try. If anything, I have to try to talk to him. "OK, let's go." I give them the order and they switch from the guys who were talking and chatting to warriors of deadly accuracy. They moved to have me near the center of all of them as they moved from the walls into the courtyard.

They scanned every window looking for movement and anything unnatural. We moved into the first room and they were quick. They moved to side rooms and hallways clearing and calling out what they found. A lot of empty hallways and rooms filled with furniture showing that this structure was once lived in.

They have me check every room to see if there is something significant. They only know the person they are looking for. I would know the clues he would leave behind. Or so they think. I'm not sure what I'm looking for. I only know that I'm looking for Red just like they are. We cleared the ground floor after about an hour. This place is massive and I feel it's not going to get any smaller the further up we go.

Everything started to get weird as we hit the first hallway on the next floor. There was one scream from behind me. We all quickly turned to see we were missing someone. The person who was last in line was missing. His partner turned to us. If I could see his face beyond the mask, I imagine that his eyes would have been wide as he exclaimed, "The floor opened up and he was gone!"

Red set traps. And not just simple traps. He knew we were coming well before we were here. Or he was expecting someone to show up no matter what. No one stops. We all know that we have to keep moving forward. They don't push as fast as they were before. They take it slower to scan the area with more detail for anything that may be off.

We clear the hallway and find the next main room. It appears to be a throne room of sorts. Someone of great power used to sit here. Everyone comes around in a circle to regroup and refresh. "Eyes open, we don't know what he's been able to set up in the time he's been here. We're going to need…" He stopped in the middle of his sentence. "We're missing someone." Another soldier spoke up, "Mattis fell through the floor."

"No, we're missing someone else."

They looked around. One more person was missing. There were only four of us now. It was so quiet that no one noticed he was gone. Everyone quickly felt the unsettling feeling that no one was safe. There was still time to walk out with who was left. None of them seemed to be accepting of that plan. They were going to push on. A tighter group, more movement, more lights, and tied to one another. If someone moved, everyone would know. They put me in the middle again.

We all moved through the second floor taking it one small step at a time. They would clear the rooms and watch behind all of us while I looked at everything in the rooms. Everyone is on edge. Myself included. There's no telling what else he has set up. We head back out into the hallway to go deeper into the center of the castle. Their point man has his flashlight on to see in every shadow that is cast. He passes a small circular section of the hallway with the rest of us behind him.

We hear something thunk behind us as we pass. We turn around in time to see something swing by slamming into the person at the rear. The mass swings into him and the crashing of glass is heard. The line pulls tight yanking all of us in the direction. We all brace against the stone as we try not to get pulled down ourselves. "You OK?!" The soldier right behind me calls out to the one now hanging on the side of the castle. There's a very weak response, "No. No, I'm not. Just keep going."

"Let's get you up."

"No, I'm not in a spot to move. Just… Go!"

The line went slack as we all fell. The guy hanging on the line cut himself off. The one who watched him slammed his paw against the stone. "Goddammit! I hate this place!" With only three of us, do we keep going or cut our losses and head back? They're still determined to go forward with my approval. I don't see how going forward could be fruitful. These men are highly trained professionals and Red is toying with them like they are nothing.

With that mindset, there's nothing to stop him from continuing this. But we press on. We're still tied together. Every little sound has us jumping at shadows. The grinding of stones caught us all off guard. The wall behind me shifted slamming into the wall. The rope I was tied to went tight as it pulled me. The only relief is that we can hear the guy who was trapped behind the wall yell to us that he was OK. I cut the line so the two of us can keep going. "I'm going to try to find a way around!" That was the last word we heard from him.

We still had to press on. We still had a job to do. But the last to fall did. Another swinging trap activated as he turned a corner. A spiked barrel slammed into him pinning him to the wall in a limp mess. There was nothing more I could do. It was just me. With the wall blocking my way back, there was no other option but to go forward.

Everything else is quiet. There's nothing here. Not even a breeze. I head to the next room to find a sight that I wish I never saw. Someone slumped in the middle of the room. They were sitting on their feet hunched forward with their long nose pointed towards the ground. I step forward recognizing their clothing. I lift her head to see her restful face, lifeless, and at peace.

I look into her closed eyes and I ask, "What happened to you, Anne?" The world around me shifts as I'm taken back. I can see it. Red talks to her. Makes her feel special. Makes her feel loved. And he asks her to die for him while ripping her with a blade!

I come back and look at the fur on her arms. It may have been self-inflicted but I know Red had his paws in this. I try to fight back the tears but the loss of Anne is too much. I've tried to be professional. I tried to be optimistic but this seals that Red is gone. "Red! Where are you, you monster?! Come out and face me!"

I yell into the room. My voice echoes off the stones reaching everywhere. The tapestries shift as though they are responding to me. "Red! You coward! You monster!" I grit my teeth as I shout out for him. No response. Nothing. I wipe the tears from my eyes as I stand up. There is no talking with him now. He needs to be brought down. I had hope but this is too much.

I walk around the room looking at the tapestries. I reach a side hallway that has a few more leading to a room that looks like a library. The shelves are lined with books that don't look like they were printed. More like they were made or used by everyday people. I go to grab one to see what it is when I notice it has no title. Opening it up, it's in a foreign language but it's handwritten. It's a journal. Every book in here is a journal.

"There is a lot in here." The familiar voice brings up a rage inside of me. I turn to see him standing there behind me. Deadpan with no real expression. His tails hangs halfway as he leans forward looking up at the shelves. I didn't even notice that I threw a punch at him. He took it on the chest with only a slight budge. "Did that help? Do you feel better?" He finally looks at me.

I can see the change in him. Since he left, I knew that he had been through something rough. It only looks like it got worse. He's tired. He was worn out. He's jaded to the world that he tried to change but just fought back against him with such a great force that he fought a literal army. "Why, Red?"

"I wish I had an answer."

"Why did you kill those men?"

He looked confused. "The ones who were with you? They're not dead."

"Don't you lie to me! I saw them die!"

"You saw what I wanted you to. I tried to instill a fear so that you all would leave. It was an illusion. If you had decided to leave, they would have been asleep in the vehicles you came here with. You could have driven out of here and let me be."

It was all an illusion? He tricked us all into thinking that he had picked us off one by one. No! I saw Anne! I felt her cold skin! "What about Anne?"

"That… is not an illusion. She willingly gave her own life so I could realize my full power. She gave me my last tail. The last gift I could give her was some peace while it happened."

"You're disgusting."

I step away from him just to get some distance. I don't want him near me. He took a deep breath as he turned to me. He didn't move. Just stood there as he spoke, "I wish you could understand. I wish that I could show you what is happening so you could believe it. I don't see the world in the same way anymore. There is so much that you should know."

"I know enough. You're not the only one who the universe answers. I saw what you did to Anne. You're a goddamn monster. All she ever wanted to do was make you happy."

He stops talking. His expression never changes as he continues to stare at me. "Odette…"

"Don't you say my name! You don't get to do that anymore!"

He stops again taking a deep breath at my outburst. "Can I share something with you?"

"What do you have to share that I would want?"

"I can tell you my story. All of it. Not just of this life. And of your family."

"I know. My family was sworn to serve you."

"Not just that. Your family has always been destined to kill me."

Now he's talking nonsense. "I can tell you don't believe me. What did happen to your parents? What were you told?"

"They died in a car accident. It was a quick death."

"If that were true. They died because of Royale."

The previous nine-tailed fox? But he had been dead well before my parents were around. "You said the universe answers you back. Then see what this has to show you." He tossed a book from behind him to me. I catch it looking at the cover. It's a journal like the others, but why this one? I open it up to see the clean handwriting. I'm not sure if I should trust him but… I don't know what else to do. "I won't do anything. Just listen."

He's been non-violent up to this point. I look at the pages and with a deep breath ask, "What story do you tell?" Everything shifts around me like before. I see it all. Royale coming to my grandparents. Him learning from a young age into adulthood. The birth of my father and the beginning of his health concerns. Royale went out into the world with someone special to him only to be brought here. My parents show and they killed them. But Royale got his before his passing as well. Even his final declaration to name Red as the next nine-tailed fox.

Everything comes back to the library. He only moved a few feet to lean against the stone wall. With his paw out he asks for the book, "Was it what you expected?"

"You've learned illusion magic. How do I know that's not what you wanted to show me?"

"It's a story that repeats time after time. Your family builds us up, trains up, and gets us ready, but when we don't help or outlive our usefulness, we are killed and the cycle begins again. Isn't that why you're here now? You may have been asked at first but what happened? Did you make the decision?"

He pushes himself off the wall to walk toward me. "I'll make this fair. If you want to kill me, I will give you that chance. You will have seven days to do so. Do you accept?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"We always have a choice."

He extends his paw. There's no magic. There are no tricks that I can sense or see. "I will kill you. I promise you that." He seems so sure of himself, "Very well, let the game begin."