A Crimson Tale

by K. L. O Johnson

  That in itself proves I have a bounty on my head.

  “You know the world is your oyster, should you want It.” says the Father.

  “I know but like you say should I want it that I have to say I don’t.” That’s how the day went me spending time alone, far away from any other form of living being or animal, my mind is filled with the most recent killings and I lay now on the snow staring at the still grey sky while the frost icicles fall towards me—still and unmoving. I can’t help but feel the need to crush them with my bare hands but don’t bother. I have no energy at the moment and I have no idea where Varden is but at the same time, Father Mialo convinced me that Varden is fine and safe within the walls of Contuse. Still now the information that floods my mind and the fear that the other members of the Order had when the Grattican wonder the streets.

  They told me to be wary and stay within the walls, that’s not just me but Dante and Altair since where the only Nephalem here and I wonder if Nerelda will come back for me, she told me years ago that a portal will arrive to return me home but I had to turn down her recent offer. I honestly hope I don’t be stuck on this world forever but at the same time I really don’t mind. At that moment, Varden’s face flashes in my mind, his smile and his voice that always sounds two octaves deeper around me, I have to admit I find very alluring but I can’t help but feel anxious for him. He is the prince. I try to tell myself. The sight of the Grattican, the enemies that continuously attack us because they don’t want him to regain his rights and I know they won’t stop.

  “Kalverya,” I hear Varden’s voice below me and I sit up. There he stands in red sweater and overcoat, a scarf is draped around his neck as his brown breeches are kept within his black knee high leather boots. His clothes of a white tunic, brown breeches and boots with an a thick overcoat and scarf is now gone but it would makes sense he’s been wearing it for a while and probably felt dirty in it when at times I would stumble upon him using the ice to clean his skin as well using to keep himself hydrated.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask.

  “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” I’m taken back by that statement but I try not to show it but allow a small smile to pull at my lips.

  “You have?” I was looking for you too, until I was told I need not to worry.

  “Yeah, I was told you were looking for me too.” I nod and pat the snow beside me. He smiles and moves over to sit down beside me, we gaze out into the frozen forest, and nothing is in sight, nothing other than several winter birds. Beyond the forest are the large walls of the Contuse Sector, placed all around their three hundred acre land. This is the smallest of sectors since it’s in the largest city and weren’t given much land.

  “I was.” I admit.

  “That’s good to hear.” he says and I look at him and now his smile stretches more across his face as it becomes a crimson color. I place my hand on his forehead lightly and trace it across to his temple and down to his cheekbone and finally along his jaw line. He’s still under my touch and I smile before removing my hand.

  “Why do you do that?” I mutter I know he’s heard my words but he seems to have lost his and I quirk a brow. He turns form me and clears his throat staring at the high gray walls where birds just touch the towers along it.

  “Was it true?” he asks. I turn to him.

  “What was what true?”

  “You and Dante being attacked by the Grattican,”

  “Yeah…it’s true.” Even reflecting on it makes my heart sink; it’s strange this feeling isn’t foreign to me. When will I stop feeling guilty? When will I be able to pick up the pieces?

  “Are you okay?” he asks, his eyes are sincere and full of concern. I smile and nod.

  “I’m fine, you needn’t worry.”

  “Aw, isn’t that sweet.” sings a familiar voice through the clearing in a tranquil manner. I glance at it and see Lifet smiling at us from behind a tree. Why didn’t I notice him? Is it because I was too focused on Varden?

  “What are you doing here? How did you get here?” I ask and stand on my feet, suddenly feeling worried, what will happen if someone saw him? What will happen if they saw us talking and not fighting? Then again, I know what will happen. I will be prosecuted and Lifet will be shot on sight. I really didn’t want that so I try and force him back.

  “I’m an Assassin,” he says before I force him to turn around and push him away from where Varden and I are. “Whoa, are you trying to get rid of me?” The sarcasm in his voice is evident that in turn tells me he’s aware of the consequences of his actions. Doesn’t he care he’ll be killed?

  “Yes!”

  “So eager, hey?” He turns around and faces me, once he’s forced his foot down. I’m taken back by how easily he managed to slip out of my hands but then again I shouldn’t he surprised he is an Assassin after all, they are trained not to be caught. “Don’t you care why I’m here, so far all I’ve heard is what and how?”

  “Hey, Lifet,” I hear Varden say as he stops beside me, his tone is sincere. He’s honestly happy to see the man who tried to kill him, I quirk a brow and cross my arms. He notices my actions, “What?” I roll my eyes and click my tongue in annoyance. I begin to tap my feet on the ground.

  “Hey, Varden, settling well?” asks Lifet and I give him a side look. Noticing the expression, purposely pulled on my face, “What?” These boys, honestly!

  “You could be killed at any time and you’re catching up!” I growl and he holds up his hands. I see the expression on his face and feel the tension in the air—Varden’s heart races beside me. Are they honestly scared of me? You have got to be kidding me; I’m not going to hurt you guys! I think with annoyance but don’t say anything.

  Ever since I’ve met these two I have been showing more expression than normal, I have been acting like a normal person or should I say a person with expression. The only people I’ve done that with is Dante, he knows me well, and he’s known me ever since I can remember. I just have to say that I feel comfortable around these two, I don’t know what it is but I feel like I can trust them. Maybe it was because I didn’t have to pretend to be something I’m not. On Earth, I had to do that a lot. That only added to my frustration, guilt and sorrow. I was fairly pathetic than. I think. “You guys should know I’m not going to hurt you!” I growl in a low tone and Lifet smiles.

  “Are you sure? Because I can run now if you want me to.” I give the familiar side look and he shrugs.

  “Let me know and I’ll run too.” comments Varden and I glare at him. “Or not.” he quickly adds. I place on hand on my hip, my fingers brushing against the thick utility belt wrapped around my waist which only makes my muscles have to exert more along with the armor, now I know why the human Military don’t wear armor, it’s heavy. My head falls into my free hand and I sigh, letting out all my frustration right now and begin to laugh, I can’t help it but the situation right now could call for it.

  “Is she okay?” asks Lifet in a whisper and I feel Varden shrug beside me.

  “You two…honestly,” I say once I’ve calmed down, that is the first time in a hundred and ninety years I’ve really laughed that I can remember anyway. “Fine, tell us why you here.” I state and place both my hands on my hips. Lifet’s face is grim and I know I’m not going to like the sound of this.

  “Are you aware the Grattican are here?”

  “They’ve always been here.” I say, repeating the very words I said to Dante and Altair.

  “Do you know their plans?”

  “No.” A smile pulls across Lifet’s face. “Are they after the Prince?”

  “Yes, and there’s more. Apparently the blood of the Prince has the power of the world to open the gate to the Underworld.” I freeze.

  “How much blood?” asks Varden, there was a part of me that feared he will ask the question but there was a part of me that wanted to know, either way they aren’t getting their hands on him and next week is the last week of the month. Since I’m determined
to keep him, I’ll have to improvise.

  “Every drop,” Varden gasps.

  “That will kill him!” I growl.

  “True but they want to take him alive.”

  “I won’t let it happen.”

  “Neither will I but the Grattican are hunting the city for him. The question is: ‘how did they know he was in the city?’.” How did they know he was in the city? We didn’t go anywhere else and Varden wore my cloak covering his features as we passed through the market place—we avoided the other areas like the plague, using the market place since it had a hidden access to the Order, it was either that or be caught by the Grattican and the guards of Midra. The only thing I can think of is…

  “The Duke,” I say.

  “You mean he’s responsible for all this?” growls Varden as he gestures to Lifet.

  “Hey!” he growls, “I’m on your side, remember?” he taunts and I glance at him. “What? He said it.”

  “I didn’t mean you.” states Varden. My mind twirls around with images of when we entered the Order and when we first entered the Sector. Something didn’t seem right then and I was right, I wasn’t being paranoid.

  I can’t help it when people insist on trying to betray us, than at this point in time who am I to talk. Though, I still haven’t handed over Varden. I glance at him as he continues to argue with Lifet about how the Grattican managed to find out and Lifet states that it’s our fault. Varden reluctantly defends me but I have a feeling that it is my fault and because of it. He’ll be killed. He’s either going to be killed by the Grattican or by Golgotha. I have yet to find out what she wants with him probably the same thing Midra wants. Why would they need access to the Underworld? Normal beings without any supernatural protection will be soul-bound to the place and unable to return to the world of the living? In other words, they’ll be dead and will have no choice but to spend the rest of their life in the Underworld not even with a chance to try and go to heaven. There’s too much and so little time.

  “It’s not her fault!” I hear Varden yell.

  “I know that but if it weren’t for her you wouldn’t have everyone after you like some common criminal!” he snaps.

  “We should get going.” I say staring at the snow, still deep in thought but I have enough of my sense to be able to pull myself from my thoughts a bit more. There’s silence for a moment, I take this opportunity to voice my thoughts. “People, are after you Varden. That’s the main concern here. Not how it happened and even before we entered Midra. People were still trying to get a hold of you.” I say as I reflect on the previous events. “Now, we know why they are after you, we might need to find out what their plans are and if it threatens the rightful crown we will stop it.” I say with a very determined expression on my face.

  18:The Dome

  © 2014—All rights reserved by author

  There’s silence once more. “But Kal?” I hold up my hand.

  “No exceptions Varden, you must be protected at all costs.” I say and turn to Lifet, time for the first phase of the plan.” I need you to track the Duke from now until next week; I want to know what he’s doing, who he’s meeting and above all his agenda both formally and informally. I need to know if this is his doing.” Lifet nods. He turns and leaves.

  I turn to Varden.

  “I need you to stay by me all the time. Even though we may be safe here, I don’t trust anyone. We don’t know if we have a spy on the premises. Also, at night, I’ll have Dante stand guard outside your room. Understood?” He nods. “Good.” I glance at Lifet’s retreating form. “I pray the Lord is on our side.”

  *.*.*

  “Altair!” I say and he looks up at me. Varden and I stop before him where he works studiously upon an oak desk in one of the many libraries in the Sector. “I need you to transform.” I say. He blinks before closing the book slowly.

  “Why do you need that?” he asks, his eyes skeptical as he scans my form.

  “Information,” I say, “Varden here is being searched for that much we know, the Grattican are at our gates and the people of our Order fear they’ll infiltrate our defenses in order to take him. I know we won’t hand him over without a fight but I need someone in Midra. I need someone to pose as a member of a parliamentarian.” He stares at me.

  “I’m a front-line Knight, not a recon one.” he says, flatly. His voice bounces off the silent walls of the round study room.

  “I know but you are all I have at the moment,” I confess and he crosses his masculine arms, his cloak parting slightly away from his fierce statue.

  “I’m all you have?” he teases and I hear Varden growl. I place a hand on his forearm to calm him. Altair notices and his gaze becomes dark, directly upon Varden. I step in front of Varden to block Altair’s glaring assault.

  “Now is not the time. I don’t trust anyone other than our group.” I say.

  “And who is a part of our group?”

  “You, Dante, Varden, Lifet and Me.” I say.

  “Than what about Dante?” I shake my head.

  “I need him to help me stand guard.”

  “What are you going to do in the meantime?” he asks. Slightly taking interest in what I have to say.

  “I’m going to keep Varden around me, during the day. At night, I’ll spend my time going through the Vault.” Altair gapes at me and stands, forcing the chair back.

  “That’s suicidal.”

  “You have another plan, we need information. We can’t go accusing the Duke of something that may be false. Our lives aren’t the only thing on the line right now.” I reason, and his jaw clenches, I see the muscles flexing slightly out of irritation. I would ask him to back down but at the same time I’m his superior and what I say goes.

  “And if I refuse?”

  “It’s an order.” He stiffens and glances down at the book.

  “Fine,”

  “Meet me tonight, after sundown and I’ll give you the name and information.” Altair leaves the room and I let out a sigh, the air was so tense previously and I have to say I’m happy he finally accepted. Altair will deal with finding the perfect person to pose as and I know who exactly. I’ll give him the information on the person I have in mind.

  That’s how Varden and I spent the day, wondering around, mainly following me as I had to map out the whole Sector for possible escape routes, guard shifts and guard stations. “Will I be doing anything?” he asks.

  “You will.” I glance at the walls and see silhouettes of men with bow and arrows. Archers. “I need you to also, help gather information, we have little time but I’m sure if were thorough will be able to execute it perfectly.” Varden and I wondered the Contuse Sector, from the frozen gardens to the frozen lake, from the lake and to the eastern wall. That seemed to be enough for me; a route for both Altair and Lifet to give us information. With guards changing at every six hours at mapped out sectors if careful the boys will be able to leave and enter undetected, well as long as they stick to the time limit. This, I know they can do.

  Night time came and I find myself sliding through the shadows, passing standing guards. The Vault will be secured tightly—I’ll have to find a way to break in otherwise, I won’t find out the truth. There are several motivational reasons as to why people will want Varden dead. The room is quiet and uncharted; the guards were easy to slip past after I let of a nosy grenade. It was easy they investigated the noise as predicted and I cracked the combination of inverted patterns and musical notes and entered—the door had locked me inside as a security regulation. Good thing this room had a stained glass window high above the numerous shelves covered in scrolls, ancient texts and rare books.

  Scrolls upon scrolls lay scattered about and I click my fingers, a green flame appears and lights my path. “Where do I begin to look?” I mutter to myself and stop. Seeing, the book shelves wrapped around a circular void of darkness I peer down, my flame doesn’t penetrate it—leaving the darkness as obscure as the exit. Great! I think and force my mind to f
ocus on the task at hand. I will not give the Duke or anyone in Midra not to deny the evidence is insufficient because of the estrogen coursing through my system. My brain may be wired differently to the men of my race but that doesn’t necessarily mean I don’t have one—otherwise, I’ll be a corpse.

  An Un-walking; an un-living corpse!

  I open and close countless books and scrolls, scanning their contents for anything in relation to the previous Royal Family. Nothing! There is nothing so far, I can’t tell how long I’ve been in here but by the time I’m pulled from my thoughts, voices ignite from the other side of the door. I stand around the pile of books and scrolls I have scattered around me from the layout of this place, it wouldn’t appear as someone was in here, and the place wasn’t well kept when I entered. “What do you mean something went off last night?” came the voice and I slipped over the balcony and climbed down under the balcony. Footsteps approach and the door begins to creek and grind as cogs move, the door flings open and the voice is louder. “I doubt someone would enter this Vault, unless they have a death wish.”

  “But boss, you have to believe me!” says a man, his voice is higher not as forceful as the one before him.

  There’s silence and I hold my breath.

  I don’t know how long I’ve held my breath for but the footsteps approach and now stands above me. “Search the room and the library below. If someone is here, I want them found and I want them found now. This room has valuables many will die to get their hands on.” The footsteps retreat and I hear the call of orders from leaders to the squads and more clutter of footsteps. My hands are firm against the stone that I had to climb down to after the main man left. My heels make it difficult for me to keep myself up right but I just remind myself that it’s another test. I allow the pressure my limbs hand-holding me in place—I slide down away from the vault and down into the darkness.

  The library below the vault is covered in dust and dirt, the parchments are brown, and the smell of moldy parchments fills my nose. I sniff here and there to attempt to quell the tingle in my olfactory sense, a sneeze will pull them to my presence. This just may be a long night. I think as I peer around a corner, there’s nothing but darkness and my eyes adjust, the rough stone walls line the large blocked stone flooring. I hear footsteps in the distance, and I calculate I’ll have enough time to find another hiding spot even though this place is like a maze, I may have to continue to move around.