closer, Ari let out a groan, her face crumpling as she realized what they were. Corpses were hung on the barbs, hooking into skin that had been cut and maimed, now all in various stages of decomposition. They hung along the main road towards the city, traitors or blasphemers against the perverted laws of the Minotaur.
Sibyl reached for Ari’s hand as they stood, surveying the ruined bodies, and tears gathered in her eyes. Those of the Goddess considered life to be more precious after the Contagion but within the boundaries of Dis, life was still expendable. As they walked past hand in hand, gaining strength from each other’s presence, Ari looked at the distorted faces and remembered the ancient story of Tobit from her childhood. The legend told of a man venerated for burying those slain in battle, then punished by a wrathful king due to his reverence for the dead. Ari felt both a resolve to honour these dead as well as a deep sense of guilt at leaving them behind to their brutal fate.
“You were a child when you escaped,” Sibyl said quietly, as if knowing her thoughts. “If you had not, you would have ended up bearing the monster’s children, or dead out here with your own words of defiance carved into your flesh.”
Ari nodded slowly and then noticed a glimmer of colour in the shadows. Even here could be found a glimpse of the Goddess, for at the base of one of the bushes was a single rose, its petals stained red with the blood of the martyrs. Ari bent to stroke its petals and breathe in the faint scent, a hope of new life in this dark valley of the dead.
Walking on within the shadow of the protective trees, they soon came within sight of the guard tower at the gates. They ducked into one of the ruined buildings and Ari took off her pack. Inside was a dress she had found only days before, slightly stained with blood but still cut well enough to make the guards open the door for a closer look. She stripped off the camouflage uniform and pulled on the dress. There was no point trying to get weapons past the guard, so Ari was relying on her Corps training to find suitable arms within.
“That’s hideous,” Sibyl said, her rough hands stuffed deep in her pockets. “And I hate you doing this.”
“The only guaranteed way into Dis is as breeding stock,” Ari said, untying her hair from its scarf and letting the dark curls hang loose. “I know how it works in there and I need them to take me to him immediately.”
Ari pulled her dog tags, inscribed with the symbol of the Corps, an omega above the ohm of resistance, from around her neck. She handed them to Sibyl, whose face darkened.
“I’ve got enough of these from sisters lost, Ari.” She took the dog tags. “Please don’t go. It’s not safe. What if you don’t come out again?”
Ari pulled Sibyl into an embrace, overwhelmed with what she wanted to tell her friend, but these feelings were not to be spoken aloud, not now. After a few moments, they broke apart and Ari knew she must act now or she would give into her fears and leave this place behind forever.
“I’m coming back,” she said, “and I’ll be bringing Elyse with me, so I need you outside to cover our retreat and help me get away. I need you, Sibyl, and inside you’ll be a liability because they’ll split us up. I’m sorry.”
Ari adjusted the top of the dress to show more of her cleavage. Sibyl shook her head and whistled.
“They’re going to want to take you to that bastard right away.”
“They’d better, because time’s getting on.” Ari took Sibyl’s hands again, her eyes serious. “Promise me you’ll move to that tree near the gate after dark, and stay there? If I’m not out by first light, I’m not coming out at all, so you’ll need to get away from here. Get back to the Corps. Promise me.”
“Alright, alright.” Sibyl brushed away tears, pushing her friend away. “Enough of the emotion, just get in and get out again quickly.”
Limping out of the building,
Sibyl reached for Ari’s hand as they stood, surveying the ruined bodies, and tears gathered in her eyes. Those of the Goddess considered life to be more precious after the Contagion but within the boundaries of Dis, life was still expendable. As they walked past hand in hand, gaining strength from each other’s presence, Ari looked at the distorted faces and remembered the ancient story of Tobit from her childhood. The legend told of a man venerated for burying those slain in battle, then punished by a wrathful king due to his reverence for the dead. Ari felt both a resolve to honour these dead as well as a deep sense of guilt at leaving them behind to their brutal fate.
“You were a child when you escaped,” Sibyl said quietly, as if knowing her thoughts. “If you had not, you would have ended up bearing the monster’s children, or dead out here with your own words of defiance carved into your flesh.”
Ari nodded slowly and then noticed a glimmer of colour in the shadows. Even here could be found a glimpse of the Goddess, for at the base of one of the bushes was a single rose, its petals stained red with the blood of the martyrs. Ari bent to stroke its petals and breathe in the faint scent, a hope of new life in this dark valley of the dead.
Walking on within the shadow of the protective trees, they soon came within sight of the guard tower at the gates. They ducked into one of the ruined buildings and Ari took off her pack. Inside was a dress she had found only days before, slightly stained with blood but still cut well enough to make the guards open the door for a closer look. She stripped off the camouflage uniform and pulled on the dress. There was no point trying to get weapons past the guard, so Ari was relying on her Corps training to find suitable arms within.
“That’s hideous,” Sibyl said, her rough hands stuffed deep in her pockets. “And I hate you doing this.”
“The only guaranteed way into Dis is as breeding stock,” Ari said, untying her hair from its scarf and letting the dark curls hang loose. “I know how it works in there and I need them to take me to him immediately.”
Ari pulled her dog tags, inscribed with the symbol of the Corps, an omega above the ohm of resistance, from around her neck. She handed them to Sibyl, whose face darkened.
“I’ve got enough of these from sisters lost, Ari.” She took the dog tags. “Please don’t go. It’s not safe. What if you don’t come out again?”
Ari pulled Sibyl into an embrace, overwhelmed with what she wanted to tell her friend, but these feelings were not to be spoken aloud, not now. After a few moments, they broke apart and Ari knew she must act now or she would give into her fears and leave this place behind forever.
“I’m coming back,” she said, “and I’ll be bringing Elyse with me, so I need you outside to cover our retreat and help me get away. I need you, Sibyl, and inside you’ll be a liability because they’ll split us up. I’m sorry.”
Ari adjusted the top of the dress to show more of her cleavage. Sibyl shook her head and whistled.
“They’re going to want to take you to that bastard right away.”
“They’d better, because time’s getting on.” Ari took Sibyl’s hands again, her eyes serious. “Promise me you’ll move to that tree near the gate after dark, and stay there? If I’m not out by first light, I’m not coming out at all, so you’ll need to get away from here. Get back to the Corps. Promise me.”
“Alright, alright.” Sibyl brushed away tears, pushing her friend away. “Enough of the emotion, just get in and get out again quickly.”
Limping out of the building,
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