Amir was in bed when everything started to dissolve around him. In the background, he saw a path. He got up frantically and watched as everything dissolved. He made sure not to move not knowing if he would dissolve with everything else. He looked around and there stood Aria, Oroc, and Art.
In front of them stood a Hell Ape. An all-red ape with pointy ears and piercing yellow eyes.
"Show me what you've got."
Solomon said and they turned to see him behind them. They charged. Until now they had never seen a hell ape. Hospice had taught them about a lot of creatures and the hell ape was one of them. He had told them they moved in groups but this one was alone.
Amir was surprised by his speed. He moved faster than he had before and he was not the only one. They all threw punches but it evaded each and every one of them. It seemed to tell what they were about to do before they did it. They kept attacking it but to no avail.
"If only I had my swords." Amir thought as he swung and his swords materialized in his hands. He sliced through the ape's neck, it fell and its head rolled towards him.
They all heard this in their head. Aria tried to talk to Amir but she could not.
For some reason, they could not talk to each other. They immediately found out they could read each other's thoughts.
"How did you do that? " Aria thought just as Aria thought ended, Art materialized his weapon. Unlike Amir's odachi, Art's weapon was a spear.
They did not have time to celebrate before they heard hoots and gibbers. They looked up to see red apes sitting on treetops. Leaves fell as they chanted. A few jumped down onto their path.
Immediately Aria and Oroc also materialized their weapons. Aria a bow and Oroc a kusarigama. Oroc stepped forward swinging his weapon increasing its range the further away he got.
Aria materialized an arrow with just a thought like she did the bow. As they were focused on Oroc she fired at them. Oroc used his weapon on anyone who got too close. Some more apes dropped down from the trees and ended up surrounding Oroc.
"Enough" Solomon yelled and put his arms up. Clouds gathered darkening the skies. The apes became jumpy. They ran climbed and swung from branch to branch disappearing in the distance. Soon it started to rain, and with a wave of a hand, they smudged. After a while, they faded into the background.
"They are too weak, I might not even make it to the bolder's gate. I need stronger allies." Solomon said then walked over to the dead hell ape.
"Sor Re" Solomon said and instantaneously the soul of the hell ape rose. It knelt before Solomon.
"I am Solomon Sane, heed my command and pledge your servitude."
The hell ape made ape sounds and Solomon sent him to the aporia with the wave of a hand.
"I remember, you came to me." Art said to Oroc who dragged them somewhere so they could talk.
He brought out light keys from his pocket.
"These can help us retain our memories. When the tower horn sounds it would wipe our memory.
"Hey, is that what you stabbed me with just before we were summoned?"
Aria asked then handed each of them a light key.
"That would not get you anywhere. I can get you more, what did you call them? Light keys."
A voice just said out of the blue. They turned and saw a man with a tattered shirt and ripped pants. They stepped back.
"Really, you have more of the keys?" Art asked and Oroc pulled him back by his shift.
"What's the catch?" Oroc asked looking around if he could find his keys.
"I am not an amateur, I would not be carrying something that valuable on my person." the man said and looked at Oroc's pocket. Where he was keeping his light keys. Oroc placed his hand on it as if it could fly out of his pocket.
"Come with me" the man led them into the tunnel. After some turns they arrived at a place deep within the tunnel. There were carved chairs beds and other stir that made it more lively.
There was enough space to walk around.
"Sit, I hate forgetting stuff. I would give you keys and you are to help me climb the tower. Once we reach the top, we destroy the horn and that's the catch." the man said and extended his hand.
"You give us twelve keys a day and you have a deal," Oroc said to the man as he watched his hand.
"Twelve keys, deal. First, there are other seekers. They search for keys, and might even kill you for yours. The quicker you do this the safer we will all be."
Amir pulled the others aside.
"Doesn't this all feel suspicious? Giving out twelve keys a day to strangers to help climb a tower."
"It's four against one, what are you afraid of?"
Oroc said and turned around only to see the man behind him.
"Ah, I see there are some trust issues. You can call me the Brooker. We are in the aporia, Argart's Aporia to be precise. This place is hell but worse, this place teases you of a better life that you would never get. No one will do this but to gain your trust I would. I am from 2040"
The Brooker waited for a reaction. They looked at each other and Art laughed. Aria on the other hand looked at him hoping to find proof.
Suddenly a pistol materialized in his hand. They all stepped back all of a sudden and then got closer. They looked closely then Oroc took it from him to have a closer look. Moments after he took it disintegrated.
"That is a soul weapon, a manifestation of a soul's defensive mechanism. Only the soul can wield their weapon. "
The Brooker manifested it again and shot at the tunnel wall. Art tried manifesting a gun but he got a spear instead.
"I am assuming you tried to manifest a gun. It does not work like that. The soul chooses, usually something you are familiar with."
Amir felt uneasy about everything.
"You say you are from the future, those that mean we survive?"
Amir asked and the other eagerly listened for the answer.
"I can tell you more but only after we destroy the horn."
The Brooker said then walked past them. Now Amir was invested, he wanted an answer to his question and more.