Pantheon Book 2: The Way of the Tao

Blind Faith

        "Now, give Loki the treaty and we'll be off," Erlang says confidently, stepping back. Marcus slowly turns to Melody, his heart racing. The cuffs are gone. She can't control him anymore. If he really wanted to run, now is his best chance. Melody stares back, eyes wide with horror, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I'm fine," Marcus says, letting out a slow breath. He holds his hand out to her, closing his eyes. "Give me the treaty." Melody twists to the side, hiding her bag with her body. Marcus feels a stab of pain in his chest but pushes it aside. Of course, she doesn't fully trust him. But that doesn't matter right now. He steps in, grabbing her shoulders gently. "Mel, listen to me-"

"I-I won't let you," She whispers, her voice laced with emotion. "You can't go with him. We'll think of something else, we'll-"

"Mel!" Marcus snaps, the outburst sending pain pulsing through his skull. He's still sore all over, and his muscles feel stiff from the fight, but he does his best to smile at her despite that. He holds his pinky out to her, breathing heavily. "We promised." He says, his head swimming. Fresh tears bubble up in her eyes, and Melody throws herself on him, hugging him tightly. Marcus feels half a dozen bones pop as she squeezes him, and he has to hold back a yelp of pain.

"You better come back to me," She whispers, clinging to him tightly. Marcus nods, patting her head.

"I will." He whispers. Melody nods, stepping back and shoving her arm in her bag. Eyeing Erlang, she slowly pulls the treaty out, holding the old parchment out to Marcus. Marcus takes it, forcing another smile as he does.

"To be clear, Loki is to come with me alone. If any of the Kami follow, or if I sense you casting a spell to check on us, I will take the treaty by force," Erlang warns, his third eye blinking at them. "And similarly, if I detect any illusions or trickery from you, Loki, I won't hesitate."

"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Marcus says impatiently, rolling his shoulders. "Let's just get going." He absentmindedly rubs his wrists now that they're free of the cuffs. He can't help but wonder if that's why Melody is so on edge. Even though she's never had to use them, maybe she was only willing to trust him because she knew she had a leash on him. Now that she doesn't, she's freaking out.

"No matter what happens, I won't be returning," Erlang says, offering a deep bow to the assembled Shinto. "I wish you all well, and I hope that Amaterasu recovers quickly," He stands, spinning in place. "Come, Loki." He commands, striding away. Marcus follows, looking over his shoulder. Melody stands planted in place, and even as she turns into a blur in the distance, he knows that she's shaking all over.

Ten minutes pass and the farm disappears behind them. Erlang walks ahead, and Marcus hangs back a few steps, keeping a close eye on him. Silence hangs in the air, and it takes all of Marcus's energy to keep from stumbling. His feet feel like lead, and the longer they walk, the dizzier he becomes. His vision begins to swim, and his breathing becomes labored.

"You did well," Erlang says casually, glancing over his shoulder. "Considering you were fighting on your own. Your partner didn't seem to do anything at all."

"He did everything he could," Marcus snaps, panting heavily. "Talking wasn't part of the deal, so I'd rather we just get this done."

"I suppose that's fair," Erlang chuckles. He closes his eyes, his third eye blazing to life again. "But this is your chance. It doesn't matter to me if I take the treaty or if you do. As far as I'm concerned, if you don't return or the Shinto refuses to sign, my job is done."

"Let's get one thing clear," Marcus hisses, his voice dripping with venom. "I'm not leaving, and I'm not giving you this treaty. I won't betray Mel." Erlang flinches, his eyes widening. He spins around, walking backwards.