Dutybound

by Mark Aaron Alvarez

  Lucia brushed off her clothing. “So, did your father agree to help us?”

  Luzanna nodded, pushing back her long blonde hair and placing her mask back on her face. “My father’s briefing the military as we speak, preparing our weapons. There has been no sign of an imminent attack, not since the incident. But he’s not taking any chances.”

  “Well, I’d trust your father’s intuition on this one,” Leo said while pointing to the pendant. It was pulsating. “The darkness is near. We were attacked by what appeared to be something of its lesser minions. Not far from where we standing now, actually. I’m sure the real monstrosity is a lot closer than we realize.”

  “He’s right,” Lucia said, raising her voice with utmost authority. “I can sense it. Whatever it is, it’s not far. And”—Lucia shook her head, trying to release it from the dread seeping into her every thought—“there might be more of them. Whatever’s coming, it doesn’t feel the same as what I saw in Moz or Pinea. It’s different altogether.”

  “So, you’re saying there are three of these beasts?”

  Lucia shook her head again. Damn, this dread. She thought. “No, there are four. At least, that’s what the Light Wings are telling me.”

  “Well damn them all to hell!” Leo roared. “Let’s hurry and find Talon before this gets worse than it has to.” He pushed past Luzanna, whose eyes were low, seemingly drifting into the shadows.

  “Luzanna . . . ” Lucia reached out and touched her hands. “Everything is going to be okay, remember? You saved us. Because of you, there’s hope.”

  Luzanna blinked. Somehow the words resonated with something in her heart. Her right hand tingled. The pain returned, but she forced it back as she brought a smile to her face. “Right, there is always hope.”

  “Exactly.” Lucia looked to the doorway. Within moments, her face hardened as she realized that this would be her first real battle. She had never seen war before. When her mother spoke of it, it was just a story. But now, she was on the verge of witnessing its bloodlust firsthand. More people were going to die. In order to maintain peace, one must be willing to sacrifice. Her mother’s words reverberated as her senses moved into critical overdrive. Every ounce of dark energy within the city was tuning into this power, a force deep within the depths of the earth. It was growing and heading closer and closer to the surface. She yanked Luzanna through the door. “Come on. It’s coming!”

  “The darkness?” Luzanna asked, the fear prematurely blooming in the core of her stomach.

  “The very demise of Aldric would be that of its own folly,” Lucia said, her words not her own.

  Leo narrowed his sapphire eyes. Slowly, he withdrew his dagger as he hastened his stride. “Lucia, earlier you called these monsters ‘manifestations.’ Would you care to elaborate? We need to know what we’re getting into here.”

  “Oh! You mean about the beasts and there being more than one?” Luzanna interjected, curiously. She obviously was eager to know herself.

  “All linking to one,” Lucia corrected. “There is one darkness. That is certain, but—” She heard the whispers. The secret knowledge flowed through her, given to her by the light itself. “The darkness has its remnants, its sins. That’s what the phantom in Pinea called itself.”

  “Wait!” Luzanna stopped to catch her breath. “That’s exactly what my father called it. He said ‘the darkness is fueled by the sins of those it devours.’ He also said that faith alone would not be able to keep the sins at bay, and that we needed to restore virtue to the world.”

  “That’s a bit too cryptic, don’t you think?” Leo asked. “He didn’t by any chance tell you how we’d go about doing that, did he?”

  “No, he didn’t. But he said I’d learn more soon. After all of this.” Luzanna blinked. “Honestly, I should’ve probed him for more information.” She looked over to Lucia. “I’m sorry, Lucia. I was in shock.”

  “So what we’re about to face is another one of these ‘sins’?” Leo asked grimly. “And not the sin that destroyed your home or mine—but the incarnation of Aldric’s own . . . sin?”

  “Yes. They are the incarnations of our sin. Now that I remember, in Pinea the darkness called itself ‘pride’ and it said that we’d bring about our own destruction. That’s why the war . . . ” Lucia hesitated as she pieced together the story. “That’s why the war ended as it did. The bloodshed and the malice manifested into its own sin, or many, and it terrified all those who witnessed it. That was the beginning of the end. That’s when—”

  After hearing Lucia’s words, Luzanna’s body shook with panic. “The covenant was broken,” she whispered as her eyes went blank. “We have to find my father, right now. If what you say is true, if the prophecy is true . . . ” Luzanna sobbed. “He will die! Can’t you see? Your father foretold it. My tribe, my country, it will all be vanquished!”

  “There is much more at stake here. All of Terestria is in danger,” Leo said. “Aldric is only the beginning.”

  “Whatever’s coming is strong. We can’t let up for even a moment. I don’t even think we can defeat it. Not at this point. Not if there are more than one,” Lucia said.

  “You don’t think you can take them?” Leo asked. “The Light Wings are strong enough.”

  Lucia glared at him. “But they only act on their own.”

  “Only because you don’t try to control them. They take over when you’re in danger and at your most vulnerable. They sense what you’re feeling and save you. Your emotional state is what draws their power. If you could control your emotions, you could control the Light Wings.” Leo had learned by now that Lucia’s weakness was indeed her strength. That sensitivity Lucia was ashamed of was the only thing that could save them.

  Lucia’s voice rose in her throat. “What if I don’t want to control it? What if I don’t want anything to do with it?” She stepped in front of Leo. “You don’t understand how their power makes me feel.” She moved back by Luzanna. “You never did!”

  “Not this again,” Leo said. He scoffed before nudging past the girls. “I’m growing tired of your negligence. I admit, you’ve grown since we met, but you still lack the sense of a true leader. You refuse to acknowledge your destiny, you forget the strength of your own voice, and you choose to accept what’s right in front of you rather than what lies beneath. Your emotions don’t make you weak, Lucia. Your naivety does.

  “Since when have you forgotten that I had a voice too, that I’ve lost just as much as you have, if not more. Aren’t I a noble with a duty just like your own? What makes us so different? I know my own strength. I have just as much of an obligation to this world as you do—and you know what?” He calmed himself and approached her slowly. “You would have never gotten this far without me. I was the one who saved you in that damned forest. I was the one who opened the door and released you from your cell before the Carist could have tortured, killed, or worse . . . .

  “The way they talked about you . . . . Do you truly understand how you make me feel about the things I do? Who are you to judge and decide what actions another should take? You refuse to control the Light Wings because they are above you, but everything else is beneath you, isn’t it? You like watching everyone bend over backwards and literally sacrifice their lives for you. Admit: you’d rather others make your choices for you!” Leo scoffed. “Free will is no illusion, Lucia. Not when you’re so willing to reject it!”

  Lucia stepped back, her heart sinking, almost breaking. She knew it was true, but she dared not admit it. However, there was something in his eyes still sympathetic. Tears welled up in her gaze. Since when had she become so selfish? Or was that simply who she was? Privileged. Special. Selfish. Far from perfect.

  “I’m sorry,” he said with a soft face, his impulsion melting away. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

  “No,” Lucia said, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware of how much I had burdened you.
I was consumed by my own self-pity. I simply forgot and disregarded everything you were going through. Well, not disregarded, but simplified and set aside. To think I didn’t appreciate—”

  “All is forgiven.”

  “Still, it doesn’t change how I feel.” Lucia sighed. “I admit, I fear its power. I fear how overwhelming and all-consuming it is. Every time I use it, a piece of it melds itself to me. I don’t want to depend on it or anyone. That’s how I really feel, but I’m afraid. More than anything, I fear the death that follows my every move.” Lucia knew she couldn’t tear the pendant from her neck. She was eternally bound to it. If she lost control would she be herself again?

  Luzanna held back a sob. “So what are you going to do? We can’t just let my people die.”

  Lucia knew the answer. It was dreaded, but it was the right one. Even if it defied fate, it was what they had to do. It would be difficult. Everything up to this point already had been, but it was not at all impossible, right? Not with hope by their side. Not with free will. Could she fight against the very nature of what her father had predicted? Could she break the curse once and for all? Could she choose a better outcome? “We are going to find your father and save him. It might not be what we are supposed to do, but it is the right thing to do. We must save him at all costs.”

  Luzanna’s eyes lit up with optimism, and her body jumped with joy.

  Then Lucia felt the despair as it coiled around her core. She sensed it coming, rising from the depths of a vast dark ocean. It broke free from the trenches of the deep, spewing from the chambers of the darkest shadows, and crept its way to the surface with its scarlet glare.

  Chapter Thirteen:

  The Prey of the Serpent

  Leo was unsure how to feel about saving the man who had ordered Lucia to be killed. But he trusted Lucia’s instinct. There was a strength blossoming from within her, one he knew would somehow find its way to the surface and save them all. He had to believe in her unyielding faith. After all, who was he to go against it? It was her faith that had gotten them this far, despite her reluctance to use her new power. It was her faith that had saved them over and over again. Her constant refusal to let the darkness take her had accomplished what no man could. It had solidified her resolve. It was fitting that she’d been chosen to hold the light. The light was all-powerful, but not without weakness. No despair was too great to shatter through its holy might, yet still, it was as fragile as Lucia was human. But, like the light, Lucia was seemingly incorruptible. That was why she chose to save Talon, the man who almost killed her.

  Because she could do what Leo could not: forgive.

  This was what Leo had come to accept. Lucia believed in all things. She believed the world could be a better place, despite seeing it only at its worst. And because she believed, she sacrificed. Was this why the Light Wings chose her to carry out their will? If this was true, he would have to push her. If they were to survive, she would have to face her limits. Even if she didn’t want to, it would have to be her choice. Her sacrifice.

  Though his pride was bruised and damaged, he would have to place his faith in Lucia. He would have to be as incorruptible as she was. No matter how angry he was at the men who sought the destruction of their very lives, or at the monster that had framed him and destroyed his kingdom, he could not let himself fall into the darkness of despair.

  ***

  The three entered the main room of the tower. Lucia surveyed the area. It was dormant and seemingly frozen within ruin, yet there was no trace of anyone having been there. The last time they were there, Lucia had heard the screams. She had smelled the blood. But now, it was as if no one had died there. It looked as if the tower had been abandoned for some time.

  Piles of rubble replaced the stairwells. The walls were fractured, scarred by the quake that had shaken them. The bookcases were broken and covered with a haze of dust. It made Lucia wonder: how long had she been sleeping?

  Luzanna pointed to the citrine crystal above them as they crept over broken glass. Her eyes widened as the crystal darkened. A storm rumbled overhead, the thunder sending an ominous and threatening chill. This made Luzanna’s heart jump once or twice. Lightning flashed, and a shock of terror struck a nerve in her body. “We’re running out of time,” she said softly, her voice trembling as she fought the knot in her throat.

  Lucia narrowed her eyes while tilting her head. “I sure hope not.” She moistened her lips before following Luzanna further.

  Leo hurried behind her, caressing the hilt of his dagger with deep anticipation. He sensed it too, the budding animosity, as if the air itself was tainted with negativity. It hung over his shoulders, pulling him down.

  Luzanna led them to one lone surviving stairwell and instructed them to go forward. “Watch your step. I’m not sure how well this will hold, but the barracks are this way.”

  They hurried up, turning their steps into a full-force run as the lightning became louder, stronger. It wasn’t long before the ground began to vibrate. Lucia’s senses ached. She touched her forehead, slowing as the sound of a strange hissing rang in her ears. It hovered over her head nearly overwhelming her.

  “Lucia, are you alright?” Leo asked, pulling her to his side. He noticed that her skin was lightly coated with sweat. Obviously, she was growing anxious. “You’re burning up.”

  “I’m fine,” Lucia said, nearly shaking the band out of her hair. She kept her eyes tight as the ringing painfully heightened, reaching pitches she never thought possible. She was breathing harder now, trying to suppress the sound, but it was encompassing her mind. Still, the harder she fought, the more the noise subsided. Eventually, the ringing faded. She was finally gaining some control over it. “It’s approaching the city,” she said, taking her hand off her head and staring straight forward with regained composure. “And I think”—she looked up at Leo with a heavy nod—“I know where it’s going.”

  “Where?” Luzanna asked, pacing toward her nervously.

  “The shore. It’s coming from the sea,” Lucia whispered. Luzanna’s eyes drifted into a trepidation, and Lucia felt her heart halt with her step. It started again, the ringing. It slowly rose as Luzanna and Leo stood in their silence. The air was growing dense, and the only sounds were the roar of the storm and the patter of rain. Their breaths drifted from their mouths like puffs of smoke, and for a moment it was as if all time had frozen. “It’s too late. It’s here.”

  There was a lingering hesitation, one that possibly dragged out longer than it should have, but there was no helping it. The three of them realized that as much as they rushed, as much as they had tried to fight fate, nothing could change this reality.

  The lights flickered around them. Luzanna’s eyes welled with tears. “It really is too late,” she cried. “We must hurry to my father! He must be in the elder’s quarters.” She started to bolt forward, but Lucia caught her arm, pulling her hand back.

  “He isn’t,” Lucia said, closing her eyes. She saw the image within her mind. It was heavy and thick. She could hardly see past the darkness, but she could see the color of onyx and bright orange clashing in a thick fog of gray. “He’s on the shore below the city already. He’s attempting to fight off the darkness.” She closed her eyes tighter as the image cleared. “Other Carists are with him. It’s an army. They’re fighting together and these . . . .” She saw them, the bodies of the serpents rising from the water with their blades. “There are so many of them. They’re outnumbered and outmatched. Their weapons aren’t working.” Lucia heard her own emotion swell in her voice as the Light Wings leaked in the horrible vision of the beast’s breath destroying the Aldric army’s cannons. “Their efforts are futile. They’re dying.”

  Luzanna shook her head wildly, letting the ribbons in her hair fling into the front of her mask and back. “No, they can’t be. It won’t win. My father knew his fate. They need to retreat right now!”

  “Perhaps
that’s why he chose to fight,” Leo said, his eyes broody. “Better to die defending your homeland than to run from your fate and die anyways. Would you rather die a coward or a hero? I’m guessing he chose the latter.” Leo took a step backward, down the stairs. “We must move the Light Wings from here. They need you on the beach.”

  Luzanna dropped like a weight to her knees. The clash of her armor rattled against the marble floor as she covered her mask with her hands in shock. She looked up to Lucia, almost pleading with her. “We can’t just let him die! My father told me to hold on to my hope. I can’t let those words die in vain! We must fight with him.”

  Lucia placed a hand over her heart, sharing Luzanna’s pain as she stared into her deep sea gaze. Lucia had come here in search of Talon, and to rid him of his fate. She had sought to prove her destiny limitless, but it did indeed seem so hopeless. She couldn’t possibly save Talon now, not with the darkness so near. Time was wearing thin, and Aldric was near its destruction. This was indeed its end, but as she looked into Luzanna’s eyes she could not let go of the emotion hidden beneath her sorrow.

  Lucia sighed in the peril of the forsaken tower as the earth shook with a heavy surge of thunder. She couldn’t just abandon her mission now. She had to hold on to that hope. It was hope that would redeem them from this curse. With Luzanna’s hope, Leo’s resolve, and her own conviction, they could change fate. She just had to believe. “We’ll go to the shore. It’s the only way to change the course of this wretched prophecy. Leo, while I use the Light Wings to keep the darkness occupied, you need to take Luzanna to Talon and get the survivors to safety. Get as many people as you can and escape Aldric. No matter what, don’t look back. I’ll come find you when this is all over.” Lucia bit her lip. Her mind was filled with thoughts, each eager to prove her worthy and able enough to hold this power. If only her mother knew how much she had changed. If she could only see how determined, how devoted she was. “Remember, duty above all else. There isn’t much we can do, but we can save these people. Luzanna, we will save your people.”