by Zel Spasov
Cayden looked at the front gate once more. Could he do this? Was he going to do it? As he thought about it, his curiosity grew. As much as he was afraid, he wanted desperately to find out what was calling to him from inside the castle.
He followed a pair of antelopes in fancy outfits, who presented their invitations and were let in without any trouble. Maybe this isn’t going to be so difficult after all, thought Cayden.
It was his turn in line, so he stepped up and handed over his invitation. The boar looked at it and furrowed his brow, then looked at Cayden.
Uh-oh. This wasn’t good.
“This says here that you’re the son of Mrs. Eidetic, the Master Rhymester.”
“Yes, indeed,” said Cayden, trying to sound noble and laid-back. Did those two concepts even go together? Noble people were famously stuck up; maybe he should act a bit arrogant.
“Mrs. Eidetic, the famous goat opera singer.”
“Yes, well, I didn’t want to go into it, but I was adopted after my birth parents perished in a tragic accident,” said Cayden in a hurt voice. “Thank you for bringing up these painful memories. You ruined my night, you…” Cayden looked at the boar, thinking about his next words very carefully, “… brute.” Nailed it.
The guard looked at him, then at the invitation, then back at him. He handed him the piece of paper and said, “All right, go in, Master Rhymester.”
Cayden walked past by the boars, holding his breath.
“Smooth,” said the Frog, once they passed the guards and went into the inner courtyard leading to the inside of the castle.
The yard was surrounded by high walls and defensive towers. Situated in the courtyard were also the great hall and the central tower of the palace. Usually gray and depressing, they were now brightened with beautiful decorations and lights illuminating the gathered crowd with a soft glow. Cayden still felt terribly out of place in his plain T-shirt and pants among all these well-dressed creatures, not to mention that he was the only human being around.
“What now?” he asked the Frog quietly.
“Just enter the castle through that big door over there,” the amphibian said. On the other end of the yard Cayden saw a gate leading to the inside of the castle. “Just keep it casual and everything will be fine.”
“Would you stop saying ‘casual’? It’s starting to freak me out,” said Cayden.
“You didn’t use to be such a whiner…” murmured the Frog.
“What did you say?” asked Cayden.
“Nothing, just talking to myself,” answered the amphibian.
Cayden decided to disregard the Frog’s remark and followed the crowd into the castle. They entered a long, brightly lit hallway that seemed to go on forever. Eventually, they reached a big hall with stained-glass windows. Servants were walking around with plates of food for the guests. Although the food looked tempting, Cayden’s stomach was tied into a knot from anxiety.
“Don’t get distracted,” said the Frog, as if having read his thoughts. “Take the corridor to the left; it will lead you to another room.”
Just as Cayden was about to say helping the Frog was getting to be a bit too much for him and maybe it was time they went their separate ways, the thumping sensation became much stronger. It was coming from the left, exactly where the Frog had told him to go.
“What’s in there?”
“You’ll see.”
Entering the next room, Cayden was blinded by a bright red glow. The room was smaller than the previous one and somewhat quieter. The gathered creatures here didn’t talk with each other but were admiring an object in the center of the room, from which the red glimmer seamed to radiate. This has to be it, thought Cayden. The source of the sensation in his head. The answer to his question.
He stepped closer, drawn by the warm glow and the vibrations in the air. They came from a ruby, placed on a pedestal in the middle of the room. Cayden was hypnotized by it, drawing closer to the object, not noticing the other guests or the guards in the room. He reached out toward it.
“It’s so… beautiful…” he said.
“What are you doing?!” whispered the Frog from his pocket. “Do you want to be thrown in prison?”
The Frog’s comment brought Cayden back to reality. He snapped out of his trance. What had just happened? The pull of the ruby was so strong; it was easy to become entranced by it.
“Do you understand now?” muttered the Frog. “We have to wait for a better moment. We’ll take it when no one’s looking.” Cayden nodded—he wanted to steal the ruby too.
Cayden turned around, heading toward the exit, when a figure wearing a dark cloak stepped into his path. He tried to go around it, but the creature blocked his path again.
“If you try to run, I am going to slit your throat,” said the stranger, growling.
Cayden locked up in horror. Had they been caught? The creature pulled down the hood of its cloak, revealing a wolf-like face that was currently showing its teeth.
“You are helping a criminal by the name of Jean Dieudonnè. Tell me where he is and I will show mercy.”
“Jean?” asked Cayden. The name sounded familiar, but he couldn’t remember why. He looked down at his pocket. “You are a French frog? That can’t swim?”
“How about we get out of here first, then we can talk about me?” said Jean.
The wolf immediately drew his sword and said, “Hand him over!”
“Run for your life!” yelled the Frog from Cayden’s pocket, but even before the words left his mouth, Cayden had already dashed for the exit. The wolf followed him.
Cayden rushed through the crowd, knocking guests and servers with platters to the ground. The ensuing commotion slowed his pursuer down and allowed him to reach the exit of the inner courtyard. He crossed the wooden drawbridge but tripped over a stone and fell.
The wolf caught up with him and pointed his sword at Cayden’s throat. He raised his weapon high above his head for a strike. Cayden put his hands in front of his face in a desperate attempt to protect himself.
Suddenly, mighty crack shook the sky. Dark clouds covered the stars. Danger permeated the air. The rumble from above distracted the wolf, who lowered his sword.
A white shadow pierced the clouds. A huge, white-furred creature appeared in the sky, its body like an eel’s and its head like a dragon’s. It flew with the help of broad wings. An upright figure in a silver armor and a helmet stood on its back. Dozens of similar creatures appeared moments later, each with a rider on its back.
“Windhaven army!” cried out the Frog.
The creatures swooped down on the city, spitting fiery balls out of their mouths. The burning projectiles crashed into the earth with thunderous explosions.
One exploded near Cayden and the Frog. The blast threw the gathered citizens, Cayden, and the wolf in all directions. Chaos ensued as the crowd scattered every which way.
***
In Mercy Hospital, Persephone Dimitriou sat behind her desk in her office. A dim light emanated from a small lamp on her desk, which she preferred to the blinding light coming from the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, which she referred to as “the small sun.”
It was night already, and the patients were sleeping in their rooms. She had extended her initial seclusion order regarding Cayden and Jean so they could be observed and controlled. Persephone wasn’t taking any risks. The importance of her mission was far too great for her to allow any mistakes. With the Starosta organization behind her back, and Angela breathing down her neck, she had to be simply flawless.
Angela Starosta. Persephone felt her forehead furrow, which she immediately hid. As executive director of the organization, Angela was giving the orders, all from the comfortable setting of her estate. Indeed, she was committed to the cause, but she lacked real appreciation for what it took to get the job done. That was why people like Persephone were out in the field, carrying out tasks, making the world a safer place. If she had a leadership position in the organization, things
would be so much better.
Persephone snapped out of it. She couldn’t allow herself to be lost in such meaningless dreams. Her time to rise would come, and then things would be done the way she wanted.
The phone on her desk rang. Angela’s number appeared on the display. The doctor regained control over her emotions and answered.
“Mercy Hospital, Persephone Dimitriou speaking. Good evening, Miss Starosta.”
“Good evening, Persephone,” said Angela in a polite, but cold, tone. “I take it everything is going fine over there?”
“Everything is in order, madam,” said Persephone. “There is no need to worry.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” said Angela. “I’ve made some arrangements. Expect visitors very soon. I trust you will make room for them?”
“Miss Starosta,” said Persephone carefully, “sending additional people to the hospital right now might attract unwanted attention…”
“Are you opposing my orders, Persephone?” said Angela. “Do I need to remind you of your place?”
“It will be taken care of,” said Persephone.
“That is fantastic,” said Angela. “We don’t want to take any risks when it comes to… him.” The last word she said with a mixture of hatred and fear in her voice. “We’re on the same page, then. Oh, one last thing I almost forgot. I’ll be coming to visit my brother the day after tomorrow. I am very concerned about his well-being. I’m sure that won’t be a problem, will it, Persephone?”
“No, Miss Starosta, we’ll be expecting your visit.”
“Fantastic,” said Angela in an upbeat voice. “Have a good night, Miss Dimitriou, and try not to lose any sleep.”
Persephone hung up the phone. Although her outward appearance remained unchanged, she was fuming inside, and her hand played with her keys. A red ruby dangled from the keychain. Angela didn’t trust her, and she was sending people over to control her and make sure everything went according to plan. How dared she? After all Persephone had done for the organization? After all the centuries of work…
She took a breath in and got a hold of her emotions once more. Although sending in more people could endanger the secrecy of the organization, it would give the institution more control over the hospital.
In any case, Persephone didn’t have much say in the matter—she wasn’t making the decisions here. As people from the organization were coming to the hospital, she needed to make room for them. Some of the old hospital staff had to be let go. The doctor touched the ruby hanging from her keychain. The feeling of the warm, smooth crystal gave her security. Without its powers, she wouldn’t have been able to accomplish any of this. Persephone put the ruby back in the pocket of her lab coat and picked up the phone.
“Come into my office, now,” she ordered.
A minute later, an older man, dressed in white scrubs, entered the room.
“Yes, Doctor Dimitriou?” he asked.
“Gabriel,” she said, “I want you to gather the assistants on shift tonight and tell them to go home.”
The man’s forehead wrinkled.
“Doctor Petrov has informed me he’s received a phone call from high up. There have been big changes, Gabriel. You’re being replaced.”
“What?!” said the orderly in disbelief. “You can’t just fire us! Who’s going to replace us?”
“That is none of your concern,” said the doctor. “All you need to know is that you’re being let go.”
“Please, Doctor Dimitriou, I beg you,” the assistant said. “Some of the staff have families; they need to provide for them. They have worked tirelessly for this hospital; they deserve more than this—”
“That will be all, Gabriel,” said Persephone. “I expect you and the other assistants to have left the grounds within an hour.”
“You can’t do this!” protested the man again. “I can’t believe Doctor Petrov has approved this. Something’s going on.”
“Director Petrov already authorized this action. It’s not my decision, Gabriel. There are powers that are bigger and more important than you and me, and they have the authority here. I’m sorry.”
Persephone really felt remorseful about letting the hospital assistants go. She was aware of the fact that they were just people doing their jobs and didn’t intend to harm anyone. However, they had been caught in events they couldn’t hope to understand. What she was trying to achieve was for the greater good; at least, that was what she kept telling herself to justify her actions. In the end, all she was doing was removing innocent bystanders out of harm’s way. This was a sad but necessary loss.
“I don’t trust you,” the man said. “I’m going to the director. I don’t believe for a second this decision came from him—”
“You will do no such thing.” Persephone rose from her chair with precision. Her gaze cut into the man’s body, stopping him mid-sentence. The doctor felt the powers of the ruby flow through her, giving her control over the ward assistant, paralyzing him. “You will do exactly as you are told. Now, when I let you go, you will leave the room and order the rest of the assistants to gather their things and leave the premises of this hospital. Am I clear?”
The man went silent. He simply nodded, and Persephone released the hold she had on him, letting him leave the room.
It was done. The old techs would leave the premises of the psychiatric hospital within the hour. The organization members would arrive shortly after that and take over. Persephone had to make sure everything transitioned over as smoothly as possible. The nurses and the rest of the doctors would surely find their colleague’s sudden dismissal strange, but she could take care of them. She stroked the red ruby in her pocket. Its warm glow gave her confidence. It was a powerful tool, but using it came at a great cost. Nevertheless, she was prepared to pay the price. Everything would be fine as long as she had the gemstone by her side.
***
In front of the palace at Agapea, Cayden stood up amid the chaos, shaken up from the blast but luckily unharmed. Fireballs exploded around him. A human boy carrying a length of red ribbon appeared before him.
What was he doing outside at a moment like this?
The child quickly disappeared into the mass. Cayden chased after him, but it was as if the child had vanished into thin air. The red tape popped up again and went around the corner of a building. Cayden followed it, and soon the ribbon was within his reach. He held out his hand to try to catch it, but it disappeared again mere moments before he could grab it.
A fireball crashed into a nearby house. The explosion tossed Cayden into the air. He fell hard on the road but managed to twist to the side in order to protect the amphibian who was still in his pocket. He caught a glimpse of the house; the fireball had turned it into a burning wreck. His ears rang.
“Jean, are you okay?” asked Cayden after the ringing subsided.
“I’ve been better,” said the amphibian from his pocket.
Thick black smoke covered everything. The fog scattered as one of the flying creatures landed nearby. The beast shook his head and growled. His teeth were almost as long as Cayden’s arm. His fur was not just white; it was radiant. The rider, clad in silver armor and a helmet, noticed Cayden and jumped to the ground, drawing her weapon.
Cayden rose to his feet and limped toward a nearby street. He only made it two steps away from his foe when two huge black creatures, a combination of a hound and a wild boar, with an expanding throat sac, charged from the smoke on the other side. Riding them were two members of the city guard, wearing black armor and carrying leaf-shaped spears. The hound-like creatures inflated their throat sacs and spewed hot lava at Cayden. He jumped away, dodging their attack at the last moment. The lava covered the stones where he had stood just milliseconds before.
While the mysterious rider was busy dealing with the city watchmen, Cayden ran into a small alley to his left. He moved in a zigzag motion, hoping to avoid the fireballs raining from the sky. He rounded a corner and encountered another one of the flyi
ng eel-like creatures, who was swallowing a soldier from Agapea's army. The animal focused its golden eyes on Cayden. Fear clutched at his heart. He froze.
Blink.
Cayden stood in the corridor outside the seclusion room. An older psych tech by the name of Gabriel had left his door unlocked. He had told Cayden that Doctor Perfect had fired him and the rest of the orderlies on night shift and to look out for the new assistants. He should run away, Gabriel told him. Persephone Dimitriou was evil and was going to harm him if he didn’t escape the hospital.
Cayden wanted to free Jean from his room as well, but before he could, two strong male techs, dressed in white, appeared behind a corner. Cayden didn’t recognize them—they were probably the new staff Gabriel had warned him about. They rushed toward him as soon as they noticed the open door.
Blink.
Cayden ran into the maze of small streets. His body was full of adrenaline, which dampened his fatigue. However, it didn’t matter how fast he ran, because the beast chasing him was much faster, with his four legs and snakelike body.
Blink.
The techs were breathing down his neck. Cayden knocked over a stretcher on the ground, slowing down his pursuers. He frantically searched for an exit.
Blink.
The creature's sharp teeth were centimeters away from Cayden’s neck. He made a sharp turn to the right at the next exit. The animal crashed into the wall, not able to take the turn at such a high speed. The white beast was quick in a straight line, but turns slowed it down. It took a few moments to regain its balance. As soon as it recovered, the beast chased after Cayden again. Its sharp teeth were getting closer to his head.
Blink.
The orderlies were drawing near. Cayden’s strength was at an end. If he didn’t find a way out soon, they would catch him and lock him in his cell, a thought that filled him with dread.
Blink.
Cayden reached a long, wide street without any turns ahead. A hundred meters separated him from the exit. At this distance, he had no chance of outrunning the beast, but he had no choice. He was out of breath, and his legs were barely holding him. His pursuer was close. Amazingly, he managed to reach the exit at the last second.
