Rebellion

by J. D. Netto

  “Stay here, in case something happens,” I said. Considering the fact that my ability had failed me, I had to assume our enemies were close.

  “I will also stay with them, Isaac,” Devin said.

  Nathan came at me. “I will ride with you. Let the other book-bearers remain in the castle while we patrol the area.”

  “Pathmus.” King Demyon turned to the boy. “Be sure to give them swords prior to their departure.”

  “Right away, my lord.” With great reverence, Pathmus bowed his head and headed out of the room.

  “You have two hours. Return before nightfall.” King Demyon climbed his way up the stairs, grasping the chalice of wine before sitting back on his throne. “Do not fly beyond Bellatorian borders.” He turned his eyes to Sathees. “Lead them to the Dragon Tamers. Prepare a dragon for Xylia and the soldiers.”

  Xylia’s eyebrows shot up on her forehead. She looked confused. “What about them, King? Do they not get dragons?” She cocked her head in my direction.

  “They can fly, girl,” King Demyon replied in a snide tone.

  Xylia shrugged her shoulders, walking to Nathan.

  Pathmus walked back into the throne room holding three swords inside their scabbards.

  “Here.” He handed a sword to each of us. I gazed at mine as I removed it from its case. Its black grip was adorned with purple stones. At its pommel was engraved the symbol of the white dragon. I caught sight of the other swords that had been handed to my companions. All of them were of similar design and shape.

  “Follow me.” Sathees turned and walked toward the exit of the throne room. Xylia, Nathan, and I were at his heels.

  The moment we crossed the limits of the throne room, there was a loud rumbling sound. Behind me I saw the wall mounting itself up again, hiding everything behind its massive structure.

  IV

  We made our way through the somber halls of the castle. The crackling sound of the blue flames on silver torches sounded like a well-rehearsed symphony. Oil paintings of landscapes hung on the monumental pearly white walls. Sathees led the way without making any effort to have a conversation.

  Hopeful, I tried to read Sathees’s soul, but my attempt was unsuccessful. My fingers clenched into fists. I let out a sigh of frustration.

  “Nathan,” I whispered. “I can no longer read souls. I don’t know what is going on.” The troubling thought that our enemies were close shrouded my mind. Creases appeared between Xylia’s eyebrows as she wrinkled her nose.

  “When did this start?” Nathan looked at me, confused.

  “After I—”

  “You had the ability to read minds, Isaac?” Sathees interrupted, glancing over his shoulder.

  “Yes.” I was astonished at his attempt to carry a conversation.

  “And I am assuming you lost that ability ever since you returned from the Wastelands, correct?” There was coldness to his voice.

  “What business is it of yours?” Xylia spread out her arms. “What do you know about his abilities?”

  Sathees came to an abrupt halt.

  “My dear.” He turned to face us. “I am part of the Seven Wise. I may know more than you give me credit for.” Sathees’s eyes narrowed. “You saw an enemy.”

  My heart accelerated inside of my chest.

  “Yes…” My voice trailed off as the memories returned to me.

  “Now, was there a reason why you would see this enemy? Do you have any unresolved situations with the one you saw?” He sank his eyes into mine.

  I bowed my head, cracking my fingers. “If you are as wise as you say, you know the answer to that question.”

  A soft smile brushed his lips. “Dear one, only a man may know his own heart.” He turned his back to me. “You have not lost your ability. It has,” he clicked his tongue as he raised his finger, “changed.”

  “To what?” There was urgency in my voice. “Changed to what?”

  He looked over his shoulder. “If I am correct, Isaac, you entered your enemy’s mind. How you were able to do so, that I cannot answer.” He shied his eyes away from mine. “We must carry on.”

  My hands tightened into fists.

  “Damn it,” I whispered, frustrated.

  Ahead of us was a set of silver stairs; their rails were made of pure iron, shaped like trees. As we descended, I noticed Sathees’s face growing grim; his lips curved, his fingers clenched. For some reason, he avoided looking at one of the canvases that hung in front of us.

  Amidst the paintings that depicted beautiful landscapes hung one showing a woman.

  “Who is she?” Xylia stopped, raising her eyes to the painting.

  The woman depicted on the painting had a sorrowful look in her chestnut eyes. Her long dark hair cascaded down her shoulders; her smile was thin and shy. She wore a simple scarlet dress.

  Sathees turned to face the canvas. In silence, he gazed at the depiction of the woman with a smile on his face. He extended his right hand, trailing the tips of his fingers across the painting.

  “That is Queen Lylith—King Demyon’s deceased wife.” He cleared his throat.

  “What happened to her?” Nathan inquired. “How come we have not seen her yet?”

  Sathees lowered his head as sorrow overtook his face.

  “If we were to see her, endless joy would fill my heart. She died when giving birth to their son, Isakaar.” He tightened his eyelids; a soft smile brushed his lips as he shook his head. “I can see her in my memories, walking down the castle halls as the servants readied for the birth of the child.”

  “Where is the child?” Nathan watched Sathees. “What happened to him?”

  Sathees unveiled his eyes, looking at the painting once again.

  “He died.” He trailed his hands across the canvas with a sorrowful expression. He turned his back and continued to make his way down the stairs.

  If only I had my abilities now, I thought while we all exchanged a confused look. I did not need my powers to know that Sathees was hiding something.

  The stairway ended in front of a wooden door with corroded black handles.

  “Get ready for the soft breeze.” There was a snide tone in Sathees’ voice. He reached for the door handles, twisting them. At the creaking sound of the opening of the door, the chilling wind touched my face. I shivered, setting my eyes on the snow that descended from the ashen sky.

  Sathees made his way out of the door, his long white robe dragging on the ground, merging with the snow. He walked through the storm as if he was immune to the sub-zero temperature.

  My companions and I followed him. With every step we took, there was the sound of the snow being crushed beneath our feet. Sathees looked like an apparition as he walked ahead of us. His robes moved with the blowing wind.

  Nathan and Xylia walked to my right. Xylia rubbed her hands against her arms in an attempt to protect herself from the cold.

  “I figured you’d be used to this weather by now.” A soft smile brushed my lips as I watched her.

  “How can you endure this weather?” Her teeth chattered at every word.

  “It has been so long since we have seen sunlight that I am used to it by now.” I took in a deep breath as memories of the bright summer mornings in Agalmath flashed through my mind. I missed the sound of the chirping of birds, the smell of freshly baked bread, the sound of my parents’ voices while they talked in the early hours of the morning.

  She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “It does not matter how long I walk under this weather, my body could never get used to it. I grew up in the village of Dragonhall, close to the kingdom of Watermiles. Our summers last ten months.”

  “Sathees!” Nathan shouted, raising his head in an attempt to better see him. “Are we close?”

  I gazed ahead, trying to see Sathees through the falling snow.

  “Indeed we are!” he yelled in response. Amidst the snow, the shadow of a hill appeared. The closer we got to it, the more trees I saw. They bowed in the wind; the sound of breaking branch
es merged with the relentless howling of the storm.

  I narrowed my eyes, trying to see the landscape ahead.

  Without any warning, Sathees started making his way up the hill.

  He raised his right hand, turning his face in our direction.

  “Stay down there,” he ordered. He turned his face away from us. His hands grasped the branches of the trees as he struggled to climb.

  “What is he doing?” Xylia had her eyes fixed on him.

  Once he reached the top, he knelt down. He lowered his head, sinking his forehead into the snow. He buried his hands under the coat of white that sat on the ground. Not long after, the markings of the white dragon that were on his body glistened with a silver-blue light. The light irradiated from the markings, making them visible even amidst the storm.

  Nathan, Xylia, and I watched in fervent curiosity. None of us uttered a single word or turned our eyes from him.

  Cracks and holes emerged on the surface of the hill. The ground trembled as the strength of the light increased. A cloud of dust arose, merging with the falling snow, making it impossible to see Sathees. A loud rumbling echoed around us.

  A few seconds later, all that was left of the hill was a pile of dirt and dust. In haste, I approached the location where the hill had once stood.

  Xylia walked beside me.

  “Where is he?” she asked with an edge to her voice.

  “What is this place?” Nathan surveyed our surroundings. “I should fly and survey the area.”

  “No, Nathan.” I set my eyes on him. “I am sorry, but with this wind, it is too much of a risk.”

  “We must help him.” Xylia hastened her way toward the remains of the hill.

  “Sathees!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.

  I narrowed my eyes once I caught sight of the shadow of a man emerging from the cloud of dust. Xylia’s stumbled back as she took in the unusual sight.

  The shadow strolled its way in our direction.

  “I apologize for the mess. This is the only way to get to the dragons.” It was Sathees. He dusted off his white garments while looking at us.

  “You could have given us some type of warning. We thought you were dead.” Xylia rested her hands on her hips.

  “There is a price to be paid if one chooses to carry the magic of dragons,” said Sathees with a serious tone. “I do not owe you an explanation, young one. You must trust me.”

  There was anger in Xylia’s eyes.

  A low rumble came from behind Sathees. He bowed his head, shutting his eyes.

  I watched in disbelief as a short gray-stone well emerged from the ground behind him. Its rocks were covered in mold, foliage, and branches.

  “How did that just appear?” I shot Sathees a confused stare. “What is that well?”

  Sathees opened his eyes. “Our way to the dragons, of course.” He turned his back to us. Without any trace of fear, he climbed atop the well, standing on its edge. “This is how we will get to the tamers.” He took one step toward the nothingness that stood between him and the mouth of the well. I tried to grab ahold of him as his body fell inside but I missed his hand.

  “Is he mad?” Xylia ran to the well. “Does he expect us to follow him? We could die.”

  The darkness of the well was intimating.

  “What other choice do we have?” Nathan lowered his eyes, gazing at the blackness of the well. “We cannot just linger here in this storm.”

  As the words drifted from his mouth, the rumbling noise resounded once again. I looked behind me to see the hill rising from the dirt.

  Xylia took a deep breath, climbing on top of the well.

  “Since we have no other option.” She looked over her shoulder, setting her gaze on me. “I will see you on the other side, boys.” She lowered her head and jumped.

  “Well, if she can do it.” I gave Nathan one last look before I jumped inside.

  My eyes could not see anything around me. I felt suffocated while I plunged down. Not long after I had fallen, I heard Nathan follow me.

  After a couple of seconds, I felt my ankles touch the water. When I’d least expected it, I was submerged under frigid water. My wings slithered under my skin in a sign of defense.

  Though my eyes were open, the darkness of the water hindered me from seeing anything. I swam through the dark, struggling to bring my body to the surface.

  I gasped for air once I reached the surface. There was a dim light shining from what seemed to be the shores of an immense lagoon. I flapped my feet and arms, making my way toward the light. The water was so cold it felt as if my skin was being pierced by one hundred blades at once. It was not long until I caught sight of Sathees and Xylia standing next to a torch that burned against the walls of a cave.

  “Over here!” I heard Sathees’s strong voice as he beckoned me closer with a slight flick of his wrist.

  While I swam my way to them, I realized that no splash had followed mine. Alarmed, I surveyed the water, trying to find Nathan, but there was no sign of him.

  “Where is Nathan?” I asked, walking out of the frigid water.

  “Come stand close to the fire, it will warm you up,” Sathees gestured the way with his hand.

  “Where is Nathan?” I repeated in a stronger voice, approaching the blue flames of the torch.

  There was tension in the silence that had now settled.

  “We heard no other splashes after you—”

  Xylia was at a loss for words, when suddenly the sound of beating drums reverberated inside the cave. Guttural sounds and terrifying roars joined the repeated beatings.

  A cold shiver shot down my spine, and my heart accelerated inside of my chest.

  “I know what that is,” I wailed as I recalled the last time I had heard those roars.

  “What is it, Isaac?” Xylia asked. “What is making this sound?” There was a soft tremor coming from the ground beneath my feet.

  “Capios,” I answered, turning my gaze to Sathees. “Where are the dragons?”

  “They are not far.” Sathees stood as still as a statue.

  The roars were closing in, growing louder as the beating of the drums increased.

  “Lead us to them. We have to leave this place,” I said.

  Through the darkness we ran. I had the ability to run faster than all of them, but I was clueless as to where the dragons were. I also knew I could not leave them behind—not now.

  After my eyes had adjusted to the darkness, I saw that the roof of the underground cave was high; its dark walls dripped with water. The smell of mold lingered in the air.

  Ahead of us, a sudden flash of light broke through the darkness.

  “There they are!” Sathees cried in tone of relief.

  Suddenly, my body was tossed against the cold walls of the cave. A sharp pain spread through my back as I felt the tips of sharp rocks penetrate my skin as I thudded on the ground. A loud, terrifying roar echoed. Disoriented, I reached for my sword.

  “Isaac!” I heard Xylia’s fearful voice. To my left, I saw her body being dragged by an unseen creature. She tried to claw her way out of the creature’s grasp, but the Capios’ strength overcame her own.

  My wings sprung forth, ripping through my skin and clothes. At full speed, I followed Xylia and the Capios.

  “Help me!” She kept on screaming while the Capios let out a high-pitched screech. After a short while, the Capios pulled Xylia deep into the darkness, disappearing from my sight. Her screams faded into silence.

  “Xylia!” My breathing had grown shallow. I tightened my hands, squinting my eyes in an attempt to peer through the dark.

  I heard the echo of the Capios’ distant growls, followed by Nathan’s agonizing screams.

  “Nathan!” I attempted to run through the obscurity of the cave.

  The screams were followed by the sound of massive rocks falling to the ground. In a matter of seconds, a dust cloud that lingered in the air invaded my nostrils.

  Once again my ears were stung by Xyl
ia’s cries for help. I rested my body against the moist walls of the cave as weakness crawled into my heart.

  The sudden sound of wings flapping through the darkness stirred me with hope. I pushed my body away from the walls of the cave, narrowing my eyes in an attempt to see whatever approached me.

  “Fly toward the light, Isaac!” Nathan’s voice boomed from the blackness. A strong wind blew as I heard him fly above me. With my wings spread to their full length, I followed him.

  Is he holding Xylia? I kept thinking while I headed to the light.

  The light shone from a gap in the walls of the cave. Once I flew through it, I found myself staring at an open space that sat high above the ocean. The sound of crashing waves merged with the howling of the wind.

  I landed next to Nathan, losing my breath once I caught sight of Xylia lying on the ground, unconscious. Most of her nails had broken off of her fingers. Her face was covered in scratches and wounds.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked, relieved to see them.

  “I will be fine,” Nathan responded with a whimpering voice, looking at the gashing wound on his arm. The cut was deep, and the skin on his shoulder and forearm dangled, revealing his muscle tissue.

  “We must go back.” I narrowed my eyes, disturbed at the sight of his wound. “We cannot carry on like this.”

  The smell of burnt charcoal entered my nose. From the corner of my left eye, I saw a shimmering cloud of silver smoke flowing through the cracks in the wall of the cave. Piercing shrieks and growls echoed from the other side.

  Nathan rose to his feet, staring at the rising smoke.

  A sudden thud created a long gap in the wall’s surface.

  In an attempt to better hear what was taking place on the other side, I pressed my face against the cold wall. Amidst the growls and roars was the sound of the distant agonizing screams of men.

  My eyebrows came together. “There are men on the other side. I believe the Capios are attacking them.”

  “We must help them,” Nathan said.

  The muffled screams pained me as, in my mind, memories of the Wastelands once again tried to take over.

  I tightened my grasp on my sword as I stood in front of the wall. How would we break it? How would we help the men on the other side?