Chapter 48: Ten Massacres

"That's impossible." Una had been there on the day Zack remained behind to fight the Aresoul. "I saw his body burst in a swelling of flames. No one could have survived that."

"Well, Howard here is sure he did," Teacher Annibell grinded her fist into a ball. "If-if you told us sooner, we'd have had more time to plan! It-it took us weeks to form teams for when the Furnace opens. Now we have to go to Cantron? That's the opposite direction of the Ki Reservoir!"

"We-we spent so much time planning! Did you plan on sneaking away by yourselves? Do you have any idea how dangerous Cantron is. The Workalin… they… they attack anything on sight unless you make a deal with them! Compared to the Varlan, their technology is ten times as terrifying!" Teacher Annibell couldn't believe it, staring at a map with dozens of routes, written in permanent marker, had become obsolete. "They are right here! Barabin is going to be needed at the Ki Reservoir. The three of the other guardians will have to stay behind and protect the four bases!"

"The-the Night Lords are still unknowns! If only Barabin leaves, we'll be fine, but we can't spare anyone else."

"Me, Una, and Monica can get him." Howard said with a smile. "Zack already told me about a way to get the Workalin to like us. Don't you trust me?"

Howard had had more dreams with Zack in the last couple weeks, including one with the full architecture of Catron delineated with the tunnels, streets, and stores mapped out. Included in one of the dreams, was a ritual to identity if you belonged to the Workalin or not.

Unlike many other nations, the Workalin had Varlan's and Aresoul's visit. Since they were merchants, they went out of their way to recruit outsiders. After passing a certain test, each outsider received a special mark, allowing them to enter and leave the city. Luckily, Zack had been seen a few Workalin trade marks in the sand, when trading goods in front of his cell.

In Catron, goods could be traded in exchange for symbols, rather than money. If a Workalin wanted something precious, he'd reveal his most valuable symbol. Based on pacts of honesty, the system had worked well for thousands of years.

Each symbol possessed a special value that could be exchanged for goods at the various markets. However, these symbols extended passed the realm of money. It included greetings, and salutations, and even warnings.

Howard had gotten 'lectured' by Zack on three core symbols. The peace symbol, the open symbol, and the trade symbol. The peace symbol would allow him to enter the city, and the trade symbol would allow him to barter for Zack's life.

Zack, currently, had been placed inside of Catron, and placed under a debt seal. Unless someone paid for him, he'd be cursed to forever living locked in the shadows. However, as long as Howard and Una and Monica brought something of value, they could break him free of his sentence.

Howard, explaining this all to the group, caused Annibell's anger to slowly quell as a placid look appeared on her face.

"Howard, you're fourteen, so I'll forgive you. However, it be better we waited a year to get Zack. The Ki Reservoir is too important," Annibell nodded her head, "I-I know you don't want to wait, Monica. However, if he's under a debt seal, no one will disturb him. We-we can't let the Aresoul get that Reservoir. You don't know how much pain they've caused me in the last 200 years!"

"How dare you!" Monica slammed her foot against the ground, wanting to reach up and slap Annibell. "You-you realize he's a student of yours! How can we not rescue him!"

"I can go alone," Una said, "I-I'm the reason he got captured. Howard, can you write everything down you just told me?"

"No, that be stupid. Teacher Annibell, Barabin is much stronger than me. Why can't we just go?" Howard pouted, holding his arms akimbo. Knowing full and well that Monica's flesh and blood ran in Zack's veins, there was no way he couldn't go! "He-he can handle the reservoir by himself."

"I don't want them to know I'm there," Barabin slammed his hand into the wood table, shattering it in half. "Damn it, Reslan? You-you told me he got stronger, but what about his mind? How is this my previous student!"

"It's not his fault. It's mine," Monica stared up at Teacher Annibell with a forlorn expression. She didn't have the courage to tell anyone Zack was her brother, but now the words almost escaped her lips.

Long before her, her older brother Zack had grown horns, and got sent to the Furnace. When he arrived, he spent all his time learning at the library in the East Branch with Reslan. Reading the dozens of books written by the original four guardians, he learned many things. For one, there had been over 10 brothers and sisters with horns that come down to the Furnace, and all 10 sets had been involved in the 10 great massacres.

The first great massacre occurred during the first hundred years of exploration in the Furnace. Well before Barabon ever slacked his teeth into a beautiful woman's neck 500 years ago, there had been countless wars fought over the Furnace. However, those 10 massacres could be considered by far the worst result for the past students of the Furnace.

For some reason, brothers and sisters with Ki, caused strange Ki Fluctuations that impacted the fates of those around them. When she learned this, the day before Zack went deep into the Furnace, she figured part of him decided to sacrifice himself to try and change their history.

However, hearing that he was alive, even knowing that they might one day cause the 11th massacre, all she wanted was him to survive! Plus,s he had Howard right? That-that cute asshole would do anything for her! Even protect her the shadows of destiny that loomed over her!

"Anyways," Monica continued, "I-I'm not waiting a year to save Zack! He-he's like a brother to me! Besides, aren't there thousands of students we can use at other branches? Why is it so important that Howard and I go with you?"

"Howard can do things you can't believe," Relsan patted Annibell on the back. "We need him by Barabin. Unlike all the other students we have, Howard can learn stuff about the Aresoul we could only dream of just by being around them. He's also one of the only people that Authoritarian's seems to intrinsically respect. There are thousands of Authoritarians deep in the Furnace! We'd be stupid to have him leave the main team!"

"Then-then me and Una can go alone," Monica activated her ice marks, causing them to grow up her arm. "I-I'm already reaching the middle of the C rank! And I'm not just a student! I… I have a duty to get Zack! As his best friend!"

"Heh, why not?" Teacher Annibell shrugged her shoulders, letting her worries drift away. "Howard has lots of choices down here anyway. If you die, he can just date Harley and Reece. It might even be a good thing when he reaches the age to have children."

"I don't care! I'm going to save Zack!" Monica turned to Harley, smiling with a strange expression. "Harley! If I die, you have my word, Howard is all yours! Just-just treat him well."

"Why am I getting thrown into this?" Harley said with a smile, "You-you let me hug him a few days ago. Aren't we practically dating him together."

"No-no we're not," Monica said, stomping her foot. "Anyways, the point is! The point is I'm going with Una and you can't stop me! I'll-I'll fight you if I have too!"

"Hoh, you got bravery? However, Howard, are you okay with her going alone?" Teacher Annibell leaned down, gently touching his face with her finger. Feeling a strange calm emitting from him, she sighed, seeing his head gently nod like a boat floating in the water. "You-you are shaking your head yes."

"I-I have to let her go. Zack is important to her," Howard said with a smile, "You'd do the same for Reslan right? If he was trapped?"

Howard had seen Reslan and Annibell together, and felt a gigantic storm of love surrounding them wherever they went. Even though Annibell pretended to be mad, secretly in the shadows, she had begun to hold his hand and gently kiss him under a vale of sand.

"I-I know for a fact that Monica loves Zack, so I have to let her go!" Howard said, confirming his feelings with a gentle nod full of his passion. "You'd do the same for someone you love?"

"Wait, did you and Zack do stuff when you were alone," Una blushed, covering her face as she recalled them staying together at the convenience store late at night. "I-I knew you too were so close. Is that why he never asked me out?"

"I-I don't like him that way! We just talked!" Monica face palmed herself, looking at Howard with eyes that could kill. "I love him like a brother! Now stop making things worse Howard.��

Monica, till this day, still hadn't drunk an orange soda at the convenience store because that's what her brother did with her every night. She still refused to upgrade her building to a regular home, even after dozens had fallen from the Ki Storms because of the memories stored inside. And more importantly, she still had yet to go up to the gravestone that Annibell had made on the mountain because then he would've been dead!

Now, after Howard told her she was alive, deep down inside she just wanted to drink an orange soda with him!

"You and Una have five hours to map a path to the Workalin without entering into an Authoritarian territory. If you can do that, I'll maybe let you go. However, remember, the Furnace will only be open for a month! That means you have one week to get to the Workalin, and one week to get back! If you aren't back in the second week, we'll kick you out of the school!"

"So, I can save Zack! Really?" Monica jumped up and down, screaming at the top of her lungs. "Really? You really mean it?"

"Yes, but remember. I get Howard if you die," Harley shrugged and walked to the exit. "I'm-I'm feeling sleep. Howard, see you in my dreams."

"Ugh, she's so unbelievable!" Monica said, patting her face. "Howard, go back to training! I-I need some time to think!"

"Monica, be careful," Howard watched everyone leave, staring into her eyes. "If anything happens to you, I'll destroy everything remember?"

"Hmph, I-I won't lose to you ever!" Monica said, blushing while Howard leaned closer and closer to her lips, grabbing the back of her head, and pulling her into his warmth. "I-I'm going to miss you. Mmmm"

"Really? In front of me," Una looked down at the massive map of the Furnace, "Ugh, wait a minute. Howard, why don't you open what Indell gave us. Maybe it will be useful?"