Chapter 28: Spirits of Aquarius

In a hidden base just outside of Retina...

"Those accursed relic users, Max, Kelly... I will make them all pay for the humiliation I went through."

He slammed his fist on a desk shattering it in the process.

"Commander, please calm down, if you leak your aura, the Region's sensory team might lock on to us."

He took three deep breaths and walked towards the screen depicting surveillance video of their surroundings.

He smirked as he noticed Rohan making his way into the Region.

"Guess the little traitor managed to survive. Doesn't matter anymore with what I have in store."

His phoned beeped and he pulled it out of his pocket answering the call in the process.

A faint muttering voice could be heard over the phone.

"Everything is ready for your arrival. You shall have what you are looking for and I shall become King."

The base at that time was filled with the maniacal laughter of the former general.

"This boy right here, what's his name?"

Ace and the crew have managed to pass all the difficult trials of the Aquarius zodiac crypt and have made it to the final trial which was a single question.

"What! how are we supposed to know the boy's name? none of us are psychics."

"You have only a single guess, think wisely before attempting to answer."

"You are not making things any better here!"

Max rarely loses his cool, but this was an exception.

After going through all they have been through, the thought of failing the trial over such a "dumb" was infuriating.

His tantrums increased as Maggie, on the other hand, was calm and pondering about something.

'Let's see... aha!'

An imaginary light bulb appeared on her head as she snapped her fingers catching the attention of Max in the process.

"I know the answer!"

"Y-you do!?"

"Well, yes and no, but I know how to get it."

She brought out her journal and brushed through some pages till she stopped at a page that had a drawing on it.

"These are the drawings from the wall for when we completed the first trial."

"Precisely, remember when we got here, Paris said he would test our observation too."

She points to a picture that depicted the image of a boy serving wine to a bearded man.

"Here! the boy in this picture and this boy are the same." Max leaned forward to get a better look at the drawing.

"There was a tale from one of the books in the library, it goes like this..."

She begins to narrate the story of the boy.

"A long time ago, there was a beautiful young boy that lived in a wealthy city. One day, he was visited by an eagle, this eagle turned out to be the god of Olympus, Zeus. The God abducted the boy and brought him back to Olympus to serve as his cupbearer and was made an immortal."

Maggie walked up towards the boy and continued.

"You are Ganymede are you not? A spirit of Aquarius just like Paris."

The boy smiled and nods his head.

Max and the rest of the crew cheered for Maggie upon solving the final trial.

"Congratulations, Band of Misfits. you have completed the Aquarius crypt challenge."

Paris struck his rod hard on the floor and they were all teleported to the aquarium that they were in earlier.

"Nice work Maggie!"

"Hmph, not bad for a historian."

"Without lady Maggie, we would have failed in the end."

"Cheers to Maggie."

Maggie couldn't contain her joy. All her life, she had always been ridiculed because of her passion for the unknown and the history of the world.

She would spend hours in the town's library studying from the few books that contained details about the world's lost history. She grew up isolated from most people because none of them truly accepted her for who she was.

Today, she made not one but four friends who didn't judge, abuse or mock her for her passion for history, and in that same day, she proved her knowledge was as useful as any of them.

Even Rex who has only mocked and made fun of her since they met complimented her for her contribution. She truly felt welcomed.

'This is where I belong.'

Max pats her head and caresses her hair like a little girl. She couldn't help but blush at his actions.

"When we get out of here, we are throwing a banquet for Maggie!"

They all cheered her name in joy and threw their hands in the sky together.

Paris smiled at this sight and summon 5 puzzle pieces, he gave each of them one.

When a clan passes a zodiac crypt, all members by heart and mind will receive a puzzle piece no matter where there are.

The crew didn't quite understand his explanation but were glad that everything worked out.

"Now there's only one thing left."

Paris struck his rod and the ground below them shook and began to elevate to the very top of the Aquarium. They were now in what looked like a stadium.

"Leader of Band of Misfits, Max Shadows, it is time for our duel."

He teleported everyone but him and Max to the audience section as he stands face to face with the leader of the clan.

"I have not forgotten or forgiven you for what you did."

Max clenched one hand and uses the other to point at Paris in a fist of rage.

"I will beat you to a pulp and have you apologize for what you did."

"Hahaha." Once again the unusual laughter of the keeper filled the room. "Let's see if you can manage to land those three hits in five minutes."

They both took a few steps back creating space between themselves.

"If you lose this challenge, you're mine, Max Shadows."

"Blah blah blah, shut up, and let's do this thing already."

Paris took up a battle stance with his rod and gestured with his for Max to come at him.

Max summoned his shadow daggers and charged towards the keeper.