by Cara Violet
Kaianan couldn’t breathe. She willed herself to be brave. Where was Xandou? She needed him. He couldn’t leave her; there was a sharp pain through her chest when she thought of him leaving. King of Forsda? Her eyes scanned the room in grief.
“Xandou,” she whispered.
He had emerged from the same-faced crowd. His long blonde hair flowed around him. Her heartbeat didn’t slow though. His face went from a smile … to sudden panic. Frantically, he moved and turned away from her. Her breathing escalated. It was too late to call his name, the Cleric had already lifted his white staff, and was summoning the Siliou to bend.
“Kaianan, Princess of Layos, born as the Rivalex Mark, now reborn into the enlightenment as a Gorgon of Layos to create supreme universal order!”
Cacophonous thunder and aggressive lightning struck, the same time, the Manor’s bluestone walls were fired upon. Kaianan knew then and there, they were under attack. Fire after fire came pounding against the walls.
She couldn’t do anything about it when the guests began screaming under the crumpling dusty rubble—her body had stopped responding. Another second past and her sight went blank. Inch by inch she started to vibrate.
With a gasp, Kaianan was propelled into the air; her body levitated in the middle of room, just beneath the chandelier, and the veil flew away from her with the second explosion of lightning.
A million worries flooded her brain as she started to choke; her skin became besieged in a green aura of smoky flames and with another vicious jolt her head shot upward. Struggling to breathe, pain relocated to her cranium: small tiny serpents emerged from her head, one by one out of the bone of her skull, and she shrieked and hissed with the serpents as they greeted the atmosphere for the first time. By this stage she was panting, death crossed her thoughts; swirling round again, her legs smacked together and formed into one long green-scaled tail, three metres in length, finally bringing her to a descent.
As she landed, a gold chestplate formed over her breasts and shoulders, gold cuffs rendered around her wrists, and blades flickered to her hands, all the while she was adjusting to a new green glow in her pupils, pushing her peripheral vision further than she had ever experienced.
It took her a moment to adjust and catch her breath. When she did, breathing out suddenly became easier and well, she felt normal, more than normal, she felt good.
“Well, this is unusual,” she heard her deep voice say. “Oh, holom. I sound like a man.”
Shock spun through Xandou’s veins; his hands suddenly dropped and his gaze widened as he staggered back. He had completely stopped moving; the screams around him continued and pieces of the Manor’s glitter gold walls collapsed; yet nothing took his blue eyes from Kaianan. She’d become something else.
Witnessing the huge transformed ten-foot serpent-beast of a Princess slither forward through the Manor and bang on the doors to get outside to the enemies firing upon them, left him speechless. His jaw agape, he took in her whole form—her overwhelming size, the small snapping serpents coming out of her head, that gigantic tail—she was just like the prodigy, Medusa.
He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
“She’s a damned anomaly,” he muttered out, distressed. “Was this what the prophecy was about?”
“Shall I kill the beast now that she has been let loose and become a heinous monstrosity?” Xandou, frozen to the spot took his eyes to Metrix, a pointed look in her eyes. “Never have the Gorgon seen a snake’s head since Medusa. She is as evil as her stone-turning ancestor.”
Xandou was sickened by her words. He pulled himself together and found his voice. “Right Metrix, shut your lips and bite your tongue. Kaianan is in dire need of our protection.”
“Why? She seems capable enough to stop them on her own. I mean the Necromancers were always coming for her, weren’t they?”
“What do you mean ‘why?’” Xandou felt his face burning. “Because you are a Giliou Shielder and you protect and serve those who need it. Laro thou Maiy.”
Her face contorted. “We don’t use that ancient language anymore, it means nothing. The question presents itself though: why not let them wipe each other out and allow Forsda and the Giliou free rein over Rivalex? It would be easy for us to rule together, Xandou.”
‘Free’ reign, more like ‘Felrin’ reign. How incompetent was she? He thought he knew her. “Metrix, just because we speak Vernacular as common tongue and don’t speak Giliou anymore does not mean we do not represent Giliou the Wise … I have just given you a direct order to fight against the Necromancers and protect the royal offspring. Did you hear me? Are you refusing my direct order?”
“No, Master Xandou,” her words rushed out amid fleeing Jugwugbugy’s and screams, “just making an observation.”
“Keep your thoughts to yourself. I want you to find Chituma and meet me at the east river bypass,” he instructed, locking his eyes on Kaianan’s huge fists pounding on the Manor doors and breaking them open. “I shall bring Kaianan and we will evacuate the heirs to safe locks until the Giliou arrive.”
“As you wish, Master.” Metrix said snidely, turned and headed out to battle. Xandou watched her go. A feeling of indifference seizing his chest, one that he prayed would disappear soon, because as much as Kaianan’s transformation shocked him, he was even more concerned about Metrix’s loyalties.
Kaianan released her grip after she had hammered open the Manor’s door; she stared at her long green fingers carrying blades. Irritation was coursing through every inch of her. What happened to her? Was this change expected? Eighteen years of preparation, and –
Bang! A shot of an aura beam hit into her arm.
Her concern was gone, replaced with boiling rage at the small incision near her elbow. When Kaianan lifted her eyes, against the moonlight, a manifold of sparkling red eyes and red-caped Necromancers were streaming past the bluestone bailey wall and stampeding into the Manor grounds, toward her.
It was all happening so quickly.
On instinct, her mouth opened and she started to roar; a screeching high-pitched sound similar to the shrill of the Ebel. How much had her body morphed with the Archaea cells? What had she become? All these questions kept going through her mind as she looked down to the smaller transformed Gorgon running past her straight for the Necromancers. They were smaller green-scaled reptilian hybrids, the lower half of them now a green snakes tail and the tallest, only reaching six feet—they also didn’t have a head full of snakes. Not only that, these were Gorgon with no use of aura, against Necromancer Arch Mages who were trained in Siliou manipulation. Kaianan knew they had no chance. She didn’t want her people to die for her, because this whole night was all her fault, and where were her family? She was teeming with painful guilt and fear. Her eyes searched the Manor –
Bright red lights blinded her. Several of the Arch Mages had fired up in aura and were sending beams Kaianan’s way. She used her arm to shield herself from the stinging sparks that were cutting small gashes into her skin. The attacks stopped when the Gorgon and Necromancers charged into each other; the sound of shouting and blades clashing filled her ears.
It was all out war.
Kaianan slithered forward, screeching; below her, dead bodies began to fall. She tried not to be nauseous; there was crimson and blue blood everywhere.
“Nice to meet you, Princess!” A Necromancer called out; he was chubby, red-faced and was suited in Necromancer armour that was bulkier than everyone else’s. On top of that, his red robes that hardly covered his masculine body complemented his inflamed crooked nose and mouth.
“General Krivta!” Kaianan heard a Gorgon yelling at the man. Their blades met and they were at war with each other.
A bald Necromancer fighting next to General Krivta, cocked his head toward Kaianan and headed for her. She grimaced at his appearance as he ran closer. He had a shadowy scarred face and mutilated skin, and when he opened his mouth, he had no tongue.
SWISH!
She was stari
ng for so long at his form, she hadn’t realised his blade was flying at her, she threw herself backward just in time to avoid it. With her huge size, she found it hard to move fast enough to defend herself; her massive tail had become problematic. She lifted her blade to the Necromancer, who unsheathed another blade after throwing the first at her, and she attacked him the best she could: with one arm and broken poise.
She got accustomed to her body after every swing, nevertheless the scar-faced man was smaller and much faster; a better fighter than she was in this state. She was wheezing just trying to keep up and keep him from slicing her open.
After a few more seconds of tactless swinging; a force of blue light shone to the left.
“Kaianan,” she heard her name called. Xandou?
She squinted round, what was wrong with him? Where was he? There. Xandou had beamed in, metres away, looking dishevelled. Then all of a sudden, she was knocked back, and the world stopped—along with the screams and blades clashing—and all became silent.
Kaianan felt a rush of heat course through her body, her heartbeat lurched out of her chest; this wasn’t like anything she had ever felt before, pain shot through every part of her. Blood pervaded her mouth. Lying on her back, her hazy vision was ambushed with multiple black spots; she was trying to process what just happened. Had the scar-faced man thrown his blade at her?
“Well done, Nake!” The red-faced Necromancer General called out while he swung his blade at another Gorgon.
She heard sniggering. If it wasn’t for the realisation that a blade was jutted deep into the corner of her gold chestplate, exposing and lacerating her green flesh and bone between her shoulder and neck, she would have thought she was paralysed. Then, the scar-faced Nake was above her, yanking the blade from its resting place and she screamed in severe agony, plummeting rapidly back into preform.
Homo captiosus skin resurfaced after the green scales disappeared and her tail and serpents spun away. She was bleeding all over her torso and neck; her brown hair covered in some type of stickiness. Her chestplate broken, she lay there half-exposed. There was no life left in her to do anything about it; blood trickled down her mouth and chin, and her neck rolled carelessly to the side—immobility overtook her.
“Kaianan,” she heard Xandou say as his robe soared through the air, then she heard another voice, the red-faced general, say in slight confusion: “Prince Addi?”
Kaianan’s eyes wavered upward when her neck didn’t move. Who’s Prince Addi? Fear consumed her as she saw another glowing figure coming toward her. She didn’t want to die. Not yet. Nake’s arms were in the air; she sucked the air into her lungs and closing her eyes, she paused for certain death.
The Gorgons and Necromancers battled on in their native forms behind her as Chituma stumbled through the Swamp Lands, fleeing the Manor. With her dress pulled up into her hands and her breath fast, her overexerted steps became slower. She glanced down to the mud thickening around her. One more step forward and she fell, dragging her dress down with her, sliding into the muck. Dirt splattered her face and her tears built up. She willed herself not to cry and clawed her hands a metre forward in the sludge trying to drag herself forward in any form of escape.
Chituma’s lungs squealed at the yank of her hair. She could smell the lingering scent of rotting carcases.
“It’s going to be fun torturing you, miss.” The deep voice said in her ears.
Chituma could barely open her eyelids, and when she did, it was to see raging red pupils and grey parted lips displaying two front yellow-stained teeth. She snapped her eyes shut again and yelled: “I command you to let me go!”
“You can’t always rely on your big sister, can you?” Chituma heard the female voice and peaked one eye open. Metrix had emerged from behind a pack of Necromancers not dressed in robes but filthy dark tunics and armour, and dismantled the armed Necromancer detaining her. Chituma gagged watching the Giliou slash his throat and shove his corpse into the leftover pack.
Metrix lit up in blue aura. “You ready to play, leeches?”
Chituma noticed the Necromancers’ panic. They cocked their mangy heads to each other. She is slightly intimidating, Chituma thought, lucky she’s on our side. Metrix sliced her way through the rest of them with Necromancer limbs thrown left, right and centre.
The Gorgon Princess frantically ran from the bloody mess and, without warning, was plucked away by the arm, hauled through the air, shrieking at the top of her lungs yet again.
The Necromancer clapped his hand over her mouth and wrenched her backward against a coarse tree trunk. “Chit, be quiet. It’s me.” The Necromancer embraced her, trying to hone in on her chocolate eyes full of tears and fear. “Breathe,” he repeated.
Her vision and heart rate steadied. This voice she recognised, and her cheeks curved into a smile as he gently detached his hand and diminished his aura, leaving grey skin and beaming red eyes facing her.
My love. She had a sense of calmness wash over her. “This is what you look like when you transform?” she asked in wonder, touching his grey hair. “I don’t even recognise you.” She tilted her head to look into those eyes that never failed her—although now they were bright red.
She caressed his face with her fingertips and smoothed over his grey cheek, taking her eyes to his black and red armour and royal attire.
“Have you seen what you will look like when you transform?” he said. “Your sister is a sight to behold.”
“What are you doing here?” she said angrily.
“I’m making sure you’re alright. I couldn’t find you at the battle, but I could sense your fear. I told you not to be afraid; we can feel the fear in people. It draws us to them.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t see how I could not be frightened when the entire Necromancer Army is invading my home,” she said, storming out of his grasp. “Come to think of it, I don’t want you here; please leave.” She whined, trying not to show her distress.
He seized her, dragging her back into his arms and she allowed the rough conduct. He hugged her tight and rested his head in the small of her neck.
“I can’t take this,” she unsuccessfully tried to push him away.
He leaned back to look into her expressionless regard. “Chit, you know I love you.”
“I don’t want to hear this now. I can’t even look at you like this. My family and my people are dying. Can’t you stop them?”
He could see the desperation in her plea and hear the angst in her words. “I’m not the king.”
“Some prince you are.”
He inched his face closer, nearing his lips to hers. He tried to kiss her, but with a face of contempt, she withdrew. He frowned in hurt and disappointment. “Chit, I have to go now. At least I know you’re okay. Stay with this Giliou Shielder; she seems capable enough to protect you. After I’ve completed my obligations to the current Sile governance, I will come for you and I will work out a way for us to be together. We can be free. It will be different, our world … with Addi … I just know it. With him it will, I promise.”
He has to go? Her face had lost all colour. She felt dread at his words. She looked up at him and kissed him desperately. He held her tight in embrace and—realising he did have to go and her fate was now being held by the Giliou—she let go with difficulty.
She watched each step he made as he sprinted off into the distance.
Chituma then turned back to see Metrix scrutinising her and quite confidently knew her secret was exposed and wasn’t sure if Metrix was willing to keep it that way.
“Princess, we must evacuate,” Metrix said.
“Where am I going?”
“I can’t tell you. I’ve let Xandou know we are leaving and I’ll be in contact with him.”
“Will Kaianan be coming with us?”
“No, you are being sent to two different locations. It’s for your own safety. The less you are tracked, the better. The hunters will be after your sister more than you.”
“I
want to stay here.”
Metrix swore under her breath. “This is your duty. We must get to the Conductor now. I cannot reiterate enough the danger you are in. Please, Princess.”
Metrix held her hand out for Chituma, who stared from the burning Manor to Metrix. I feel like I live in a damn circus. “I’ll concede, but I want to be kept updated as to my parents’ and my sister’s wellbeing.”
“Very well.”
Chituma placed her hand in Metrix’s. The air swirled blue and they disappeared in a flash of light.
Kaianan’s heart beat rapidly in her ears. Petrifying vibrations were pulsating through her as Xandou’s azure robe fell on her. Gasping, she searched for light in the blackness.
Waiting. Waiting for death. Seconds felt like hours. Shaking her head slightly, she was able to peer above the Giliou robe.
To her shock, she caught a glimpse of the Necromancer—the red-faced general had called him Prince Addi—light up in a huge circle aura of red flames and using the Siliou, his aura slid up around Nake’s blade and stopped it inches from her sternum. The aura moved around the blade and Nake shook against the aura’ power. Kaianan did not believe it. The prince than waved his hand away and the blade fell away and Nake fell back.
His red aura glowed, bigger and bigger around him. Kaianan knew he wasn’t an Arch Mage, he was something else, no aura user could move other objects and have that much control of the Siliou. He was something much more powerful.
