by Emma Glass
“But… I can see colors usually...”
“Can you?” She paused to point the tip of her cane at a nearby palm. “Tell me, then, what color is the trunk on this tree?”
“Oh.” I squinted at the tall, swaying tree. “Um. I don’t know. Brown?”
Chuckling, she shook her head. “You expect it to be brown because that’s what you’re used to. After all the things you’ve seen with your last few weeks, I’d think you might have learned by now.”
“Learned what, Grandma?”
“Abandon everything you thought you knew, Clara Blackwell, because from here on out it only holds you back.”
I looked at the tree again, lost in thought.
“You have experienced ethereal travel – twice recently, in fact. It perfectly stands to reason that shifting into another world causes things to be, how can I word this…” Her eye twinkled craftily. “Lost in translation, as it were.”
“Like colors,” I wondered aloud. I turned back to her curiously. “So, what color’s the tree, then?”
“It was a trick question,” she smiled impishly. “You were right before. This tree has no color, that tree has no color... nothing in this place has color because there is no color.”
I looked at her. “Why?”
“What do you mean, ‘why?’”
“Why isn’t there color in this world?”
“Because this isn’t a world, per se. At least, not by the conventional definition of the word.”
I groaned. “So I am dreaming then?”
“Yes and no…” She began walking again, and I followed. “You were always dreaming, Clara, but that doesn’t make this place any less real than the ones you’ve already seen,” Grandma clarified with a playful glance. “Your mind can exist without the body, so long as the body is kept safe. What you’re experiencing here is still actually happening to you, just in a way you’ve never seen before.”
I nodded, considering all of this.
It was a lot for me to process.
“Now then. I enjoy a closed circle just as much as the next old bag,” she grinned to me before she repeated herself. “So what do you see, Clara?”
I stopped. “I see…”
She paused, turning to observe me. “Yes?”
“You know, it’s taken some getting used to… being here, I mean.” My drifting gaze glided across our silent jungle environment; my answer almost came as an afterthought. “Especially the colorless moonlight. Everything I see is in black and white, crisp and clear. It feels like I’m walking through an old photograph. Or maybe a wispy veil of something I don’t understand, thinly draping a grayscale filter over my eyes…” I turned to her in a sudden moment of clarity, looking her directly in the eyes. “It’s beautiful, all of it.”
“Tell me more,” she delightedly urged.
“The geography…” My distracted gaze drifted again; I faintly smiled to myself. “I guess growing up in the green heart of the West Midlands hasn’t really done me any favors. I don’t think I’ve ever even actually been to a beach, not before any of this. Let alone, seeing anything like the sweeping palm trees in the jungle here…”
She watched quietly as I stepped off the sandy trail, idly placing my palm against the thin trunk. Clumped, frizzy fuzz grew up the brittle bark, but I felt nothing. Against my bare skin, the lifelike textures were little more than a hard surface that I couldn’t pass my hand through. Another small casualty of dreaming my way here, I guess.
Turning my eyes further up the trail, I could see how it wound deeper into the jungle. The path twisted through the brush, slicing towards a pair of majestic twin peaks. Distantly, they pierced the brilliant night sky with their stretched tips.
“Never seen mountains, either,” I continued. “Not outside of movies or watching the telly. But these ones are incredible.”
“You seem to be rather enjoying it here.”
“It’s wonderful!” I nodded fervently. “It’s just that… oh, how I wish I could feel the waves on my shins, or enjoy the earthy smells of these hanging coconuts…”
“You understand why you can’t, of course.”
“Yes.” I lowered my head. “I’m asleep.”
The elderly bohemian woman gave a small, kindhearted nod. “That’s right, Clara. While your mind is here, you body sleeps in another world.”
“You haven’t explained how that’s possible,” I looked at her out of the corner of my eye.
“Explain? Why, what’s there to explain?” She chuckled, whacking away a stray branch with her cane. She was leading me into the trees now, off the beaten path. “Your foolhardy friends fiddled with magic far beyond their capabilities. Your body rebelled. You lapsed into a coma, and your mind was left to drift…”
“But it didn’t drift, did it?” I asked, following her example. “You said earlier that you brought me here, purposefully.” The darkness was parting ahead of us, and we quickly found ourselves on the edge of a cliff, far above placid waves.
My grandmother leaned on her cane, her gaze lazily trailing over the sea. I trailed loosely after it, over the monochromatic ocean under a colorless, starry night sky. I felt in my heart that I stood on the edge of the world here… but this wasn’t really a world, and I wasn’t really here.
It was enough to make my head hurt.
“Yes,” she finally replied, turning to face me. “I brought you here with purpose in mind.”
“And why’s that?”
“Same reason that spell didn’t work on you, or that you were ever able to travel between worlds. For the reason why you’ve always felt you might be primed for something bigger, something much more than the shoddy life you were handed…”
“Winding up in the vampire world was a total accident,” I protested. “A crazy gypsy woman was chasing me! I didn’t know what was going on, and I just did what felt right…”
“Of course you did,” she nodded caringly. “But what that’s just it, Clara. What felt natural to you then… that separates you, my child, because that was no, uh – how did you put it?”
“What, the crazy gypsy woman?”
“Ah, yes. That wasn’t any mere ‘crazy gypsy woman’,” she chuckled. “No, that woman you met put something into play that was never meant for you. Yet, you inadvertently took it from her.”
She laughed at how my expression changed.
“No need to be downtrodden, these things can happen sometimes. But when you met her at that moment, things changed forever. You wound up mixed up in powerful things far bigger than you realize that day – things that transcend both your world and the one you just left. All because of your heritage, and the truth of your blood.”
“My blood? My heritage?” I quizzically shook my head. “Grandma, what are you telling me?”
“Understand that you won’t remember any of the things that you learn here,” the old, bohemian woman smiled sadly. “The nature of dreaming is that one does not retain the memories gained in their slumber – but your subconscious?”
She tapped a fingertip to my forehead.
“That will imprint, and that is how I must prepare you for what is coming. You must learn, Clara, and we don’t have the time. So I’ll hide the knowledge deep in your mind for you to use when you are finally ready…”
“I don’t understand, Grandma.”
“It doesn’t matter that you don’t. Your mind will hold these sleeping memories that I will give you, waiting inside you for when the right time comes. But as a result, I suspect that anything beyond this point, you will forget as soon as you return to your friends.”
“I’ll forget meeting you again?”
“It’s likely,” she shrugged. “But who knows? If we’re lucky, I just might get to see you again. Sadly, I doubt such a thing will be for a very long time. But more importantly, for now…”
She smirked knowingly and leaned closer.
“Clara Blackwell… you’re a witch.”
3
Elliott
Atop my throne, I listened to the prattling speech of my elderly high chancellor, Silas. Insufferably boring and tedious, I’d spent the duration of my life strictly avoiding him.
But now that I was the sitting vampire lord of Stonehold, the people’s whisperer had become an unfortunate daily necessity to my duties.
“Might I say, Lord Elliott, I’m delighted you’re finally listening to reason.” The thin, bothersome old man stood near the base of the throne stairs, wringing his slender and bony hands. Everything he ever did was composed with an air of haughty exaggeration, and it seriously got on my nerves. “My utmost hope is that we aren’t acting on this matter far too late…”
Unimpressed, I wearily rolled my eyes. The aftermath of Clara’s spell had kept me exhausted. I was far too tired to deal with him right now.
“When our human guest appeared within the castle, the world didn’t screech to an end, Silas. I fully expect our problems over on the mainland to wind up being more of the same.” My eyebrow arched disapprovingly. “I trust that you’ve taken the obligatory measures, yes?”
“Of course, Lord Elliott,” he graciously bowed. “I’ve sent word of your impending arrival to your attendants at the nearest junction. Once you have settled in, you’ll meet with the miner’s guild to discuss the matters at hand.”
“Are they striking?” I asked him pointedly.
Silas wilted under my direct scrutiny. “I… am not entirely sure, I’m afraid. Even I struggled to get close enough to unearth the truth, to no avail. One thing is certain, however.” Unusual for him, he straightened his back and looked me squarely in the eyes. It’s how I knew he was being serious. “Whatever is going on in those mines, my Lord, it is of paramount concern. The hold cannot abide these slowdowns any longer.”
Leaning back in my throne, I nodded.
“We are in agreement, Silas.”
He blinked in surprise. “We are? If I may be so bold, Lord Elliott, I never thought I’d see the day.”
It was the first time he’d ever said something that made me smirk. “That makes twice in a row. You’re on a hot streak now.”
But I couldn’t stay amused for long. I’d told myself for three centuries that the moment Silas and I agreed was a definite sign of the apocalypse. Not only that, but Clara Blackwell’s life delicately hung in the balance – and I was being forced to leave her side, made to settle some petty squabble that could jeopardize the entire world.
Maybe we’ll get that apocalypse after all…
An hour later, in the company of six veteran royal guards, I finally stepped on a teleportation node.
Brilliantly glowing crimson in chrysm might, the circular platform acknowledged its master’s presence by quickly thrumming to life. A column of bright red light shot up from the node, bathing my entourage and me in soothing luminescence.
Within the blink of an eye, we were instantly halfway across the castle, standing together on another node.
I descended the stairs with my guards in tow and left the semicircle of nodes. When my mother had spearheaded the chrysm initiative, she’d had upwards of thirty node pairs installed within the castle. Half of the set was here in the chrysm hub, divided into five separated groups to keep energy overloads at a minimum. Their sister nodes were scattered around the castle at strategic points.
But Lorelei Craven, in her strategic expertise, had ordered a DNA lock over the entire network. The nodes never activated without a member of the Stonehold royal family nearby; the two of us alone had complete and unrestricted access to the castle, moving unimpeded at our own whim.
When I led the guards through the dark and narrow passage to the main chrysm hub, with its gigantic screens and vertical machinery, I realized that I’d forgotten a small exception to that rule.
Nikki Craven, my deranged and erratic sister, stood near the two chrysm attendants. Oh right. In all the trouble lately, I hadn’t remembered that she returned recently… what an unwelcome sight. With a mischievous look in her eyes, she gave me a meaningful glance as I held out an arm to stop my guards.
“Give me a moment,” I ordered them.
She met me halfway; we quietly stepped aside into the shadows. Even with our advanced night sight, so much of this large, hulking chamber was drowned in darkness.
“You know, I constantly forget you wandered back at all,” I observed coolly. “I suppose a century apart will do that for you…”
Nikki stuck out her tongue.
“Well, little sister, you have my attention…” I sternly folded my arms across my chest. “Unless you weren’t planning to tell me why you’re down here, sulking around in my way?”
Her eyes flashed sadistically.
“Oh, I just wanted to see you off, in case this was the last time I saw you for a while…”
My eyebrow arched. “Why would it be?”
Nikki pulled herself closer from the shadows; her eyes gleamed with a twisted glint. “These are dark and dangerous times, Elliott. You are leaving the castle at a pivotal moment, and…” Her wide, demented grin faltered. “I’m worried about you.”
I laughed. “You’re worried?”
“You sound surprised, brother.”
Truth be told, I didn’t understand these little mood swings of hers. In our many years apart, it seemed that her insanity had only deepened – and I still didn’t trust her, not after the things she had done. Certainly not after what first drove her from the castle in the first place, I thought to myself.
But she was still my sister. Her unpredictable nature made her an utter liability, and there was just enough truth tucked behind those heartless, idle threats she loved to make that rightfully concerned anyone in earshot, but… her moments of lucidity, no matter how brief, prove Nikki Craven is still quite a formidable friend to have.
I placed a hand on her shoulder.
“I need you right now,” I told her truthfully. “The Isle of Obsidian is being left in our mother’s care, but she clearly doesn’t want the task. I doubt she’ll even lift a finger while I’m on the mainland. Please be my eyes and ears during my time away. If necessary…” I winced to even say the words, “If you truly have to, take charge.”
Nikki stared into my eyes thoughtfully. Deep down inside her, I could see insanity clutching at the fringes of her mind. But my sister valiantly held a straight face and nodded placidly.
“What about your human?”
“You leave her alone,” I insisted darkly.
My sister tilted her head and lost the battle as her eyes turned slightly deviant. “Oh? Why, she’s not using all of that blood inside her… wouldn’t it be a downright shame to waste such a perfectly good reservoir? I won’t even bleed her dry…”
I dug my fingers into her shoulder deeper. In a lot of ways, pain seemed to be the only language she understood.
“Do you think that hurts?” She grinned.
“No, but I think it gets your attention.”
Nikki smirked, but her eyes told me I had it. “Fine. I’ll behave, and I’ll leave the girl alone…”
“I’m glad we could reach an understanding.” My grip on her shoulder slowly released. “Watch the castle, keep an eye on our mother dearest, and stop threatening to murder half the servants.”
“What?” She politely feigned ignorance. “I haven’t done anything of the sort!”
“Nikki, you’ve been here half a week, and I’ve already got complaints pouring in from the staff over you.” I took a stern step closer. “Please don’t make my job any harder than it needs to be.”
She lowered her gaze.
“Fine. I’ll try to keep myself under control.”
A half-smile crossed my lips. You’re a liability, but at least you know it… Just hold yourself together for me a little longer, Nikki, please…
“When I said I needed you, I meant it,” I tried to reassure her. “The night you arrived, you told me that war was coming to the world. Whether or not it has anything to do with our sudden gue
st, there’s no denying the danger in the other holds. Sooner or later, I’m going to have to deal with the other vampire lords…”
“That’s true,” she replied calmly. “We’re in an era of peace. They’re growing restless.”
“One has already stepped foot on this island, searching for Clara.” I remembered the recent and unexpected arrival of the oldest, most dangerous of my brethren – Akachi Azuzi, smug ruler of the Falvian Badlands to the south. “It’s only a matter of time before the vampire lords convene again… and when before that happens, I’ll have to rely on you for the things you’ve learned off this island...”
My sister did something unexpected then: she pulled me into a long and heartfelt embrace.
“Take care of yourself, Elliott.” She released me, holding me at arm’s length. “Come back to me in one piece. When you’ve gotten the mines back on track, we have much to discuss.”
I nodded solemnly. “I’ll be fine.”
“Good,” she spoke unsteadily. “I believe you.”
I summoned the guards and walked over to the nearest spread of chrysm nodes. With folded arms and a reluctant, heavy heart, I stepped onto the teleporter node for the Dawning Mines.
My eyes stayed on her as the node hummed to life under my boots. She gave a small wave with a saddened look plastered across her face.
‘I believe you,’ she said…
It wasn’t like Nikki Craven to lie to me.
The heavy, constraining darkness of the chrysm hub instantly blinked away; in its place now stood the hardy cavern walls of our discreet exit point, hidden in the mountains.
Looming powerfully at our backs thrummed the chrysm machine that solely lent its energy to the two-way node. As were all the mainland-side node engines, it was a self-regulating design that required only the slightest maintenance – and we had a specialist that checked it once every decade.
With my guards flanking, I stepped outside to confront the dizzying snowcapped peaks on the horizon. Forested hills formed a rolling carpet at the feet of the mountains; sprawled out far below us and within their secluded, rocky heart laid the Dawning Mines. This mountain range dominated the southern edges of Stonehold, impeding access to the two major peninsulas on the other side – but it offered beautiful vistas and remarkable sights seen nowhere else in the world…
