Seed of Life

by D.E.P.

Two disregarded armed men stood on the sides of the last step of the staircase, both of whom wore golden helmets, an unnoticed belt of useful weaponry, and an odd shield. They each wore a long red cape that extended from the shoulder to a centimeter above the ground. They stood tall and still, despite the king’s steady stare upon them. The armed men looked straight ahead at the small fountain of water that sprang a few feet away from the staircase, as if in a trance. The color of the water changed in accordance to the temperature. At that instant the water changed to a bright red color due to the temperature being close enough to cold, but warm enough to not be considered freezing.

  The king overlooked them before responding. “You are my two most honored men. Would you accompany me to the residence of Sapientem?”

  The armed men continued staring at the fountain as if ignoring the king. The king pierced his lower lip before remembering to state a line of secrecy. “Regelo!” his voice echoed.

  At once the armed men’s eyes blinked a couple of times until readjusting to the bright environment. The king quickly restated his intentions.

  “For the king and with the king I shall go,” stated the man on the left side whose name was Invicta. He had long brown hair that curved to a few centimeters above his eyes. He had piercing dark green eyes beneath the bushy brown eyebrows. His shoulders were broad and he had devoted several years for a chiseled back.

  “As those beside me go for justice, so shall I,” stated the man on the right side whose name was Magni. This man had short blondish hair, in a sort of fohawk, with a hint of brown. His eyes were a mystifying blue color that trapped the viewer in a gaze. The man’s body was much like the man beside him, except his arms were seen as more protruding, the veins visibly standing out.

  “Very well then,” stated the king, “We will need the ship to be ready before our departure.”

  “Which ship should we take? Which do you feel more confident, in the waters or the sky?” questioned Invicta.

  “Sapientem’s residence lies high above the sea. I believe the wisest decision would be to go with the winds,” replied Fortis.

  The two men walked off toward the direction of the roof in which the ship of the skies was patiently waiting their departure. The king stood in front of the stairs blessing his wife secretly. He walked towards the room in which the twins had been gently laid. The king went up to the statue that guarded the doorway. The statue of a faun retrieved his illuminating sword until realizing that it was in fact the king. Carefully he bent down his head in respect, stating his apologies. “I am quite sorry, my king. Only protecting the twins,” the faun stated in a whisper.

  In acknowledgement, the king touched the head in between the horns of the faun and continued his way toward the door. He grasped the handle of the door until the metal engravings separated to make a passageway for the king.

  The room was a bright white color that made the king blink rather quickly for the first few seconds of appearing in the room. A spirit of a flower tree formed in front of the king. The rich orange color seemed similar to the warmth the sun provided. These small but detailed flowers floated into the air to form the body of a slender woman. Her hair moved with every motion of the wind, seemingly like the flames of a fire.

  “I am grateful for your protection Flos,” said the king while bowing down.

  “The pleasure is all mine,” replied Flos as she placed her hand on her hip.

  “It is unfortunate that I will have to leave for some time for important matters,” informed the king. He looked straight into the flowers that formed the eyes of the tree spirit.

  “It is a sacrifice that is needed for the continuation of the greatness the land has already provided us,” reassured Flos.

  The king sadly asserted by nodding. He stared at the two twins that were both asleep on small clouds that hovered only three feet above the ground. The girl on the left contained the piercing blue eyes, while the girl on the right contained the dark purple eyes. The girls could not be told apart with their eyes now closed. They both slept on their backs with a soothing facial expression. Their skin was smooth and moisturized, more than the clouds that contained these jewels. Only small strands of hair, no more than 5 inches long, covered the king’s daughters’ scalp. The king bent down to both his daughters and kissed them on their moist foreheads, leaving a small amount of watery substance from his moistened lips.

  Flos frowned in pity, shaking her head as if understanding the king’s feelings. She smiled reassuringly as the king looked up to her with saddened eyes, clouded with tears that were already starting to form. The king, however, stood up firm and tall, rejuvenating his strong self. He touched the hilt of his sword, making sure he was armored and stepped outside of the majestic doorway without looking back. The doorway quickly closed behind him.

  The king did not know what items were needed in such a journey. He had gone to Sapientem’s palace before with ten soldiers in his company. The king had not questioned the protection of himself or those alongside him. The situation had changed since he now had a task that would greatly jeopardize the queen’s life. With only two of his most trusted men, the king needed more items for the dangers the journey may have in store for them. He went towards the Hominem de Magicis, the Man of Magic.

  The man was often thought of as strange and peculiar. He was rarely seen away from his study, and was hardly even known. His long white beard stretched long and far, around 4 feet in length. The long strands of white hair that made up the beard had a peculiar color to it. A slight tone of silver was deeply wrapped around the strands of white, sometimes producing a magical dust. A long white mustache stretched around his lips three inches in length. The man was said to have a truly saddening story about his family who have long been forgotten. If one was ever lucky to see the Hominem de Magicis, it was the king. The Man of Magic had been a family friend for centuries.

  The king entered quietly into the study of the Man of Magic, careful not to disturb the man from his magic studies. The man, however, already knew of the king’s presence. The Man of Magic continued with his experiments nevertheless.

  “It is an honor to serve you in whatever it is that you need on your journey,” stated the man without the questioning of the king. The man had traded his sight to the King of the Sky in return for glimpses of what the future could become. Consequently, his pupils were removed and all that lay were cloudy white pearls. Due to this, the man was able to have a stronger sense of his surroundings. The man searched on his desk until reaching a flat blue shell, much like a plate, that held a light purple powder. The man grabbed not more than a pinch of purple sand and flung it into the air in front of the king. The tiny speckles of purple sand floated into the air as if caught in a web.

  “Ah, now I could see you,” the Man of Magic asserted while looking from the kings feet up towards the top of his blonde head, “What is it that you need? I only have a few minutes before my vision only becomes a picture in my mind.”

  “That is why I came to you Magicalis,” answered the king, “As perhaps you might have already known, a task has been recently brought to my attention which has now resulted in my journey to Sapientem. What items would you find essential for my survival?”

  “How did you come to find out you might crash that silly ship of yours?” asked Magicalis as his voice crackled.

  “I didn’t,” replied the king, “Are there to be disastrous events while I am away?”

  “It is most fortunate you have come to me,” reassured the Man of Magic, “My visions of the future all point to an unfortunate event that involves the crashing of a ship whether it be by wind or by sea. However, it is to my greatest extent to assure you that there will be no losses, only gains.”

  “Very well then, my destiny is upon the Sky King’s hands,” stated the king.

  “Why do you believe in such nonsense? All through your family’s generations that Sky King has appeared in your minds. It is just a story Fortis! I strain to tell you this each time, on
ly to be received with a saddened look. But do you ever change in your beliefs? Have you ever thought of changing? Of course not! You rely on your faith in something so little as a book of legends,” yelled Magicalis with a sudden rage seen even in his cloudy eyes. He pounded his desk with every remark he made. His eyes, despite the blankness, became a mystifying green color horrid in appearance.

  The king, regaining his authority, yelled back in a dominating manner stating, “It is no secret that you have become a hypocrite in your own beliefs that had shaped your family! Ever since the unfortunate events that occurred with the passing of your family, your heart has been ripped from your body and soul, only to be against what you had once believed! Is it not the King of the Sky that gave you the capability of the future in your hands?” The king’s face was swollen with anger. His eyes were also narrowed, but in no way did they show signs of a demonic appearance.

  “I see this is not going anywhere,” stated the elder in sadness. His eyes were now their original white color, “It is true, my friend, I did once believe in such stories. It had truly filled my life with happiness.” The man looked towards the ground in pity, forming a deep frown in thought, “But I was given bones for bones. That, Fortis, is what changed me. That imaginative figure you hold in your heart never gave me the visions of the future. You people find any little miracle or wonder, right away giving credit to the ‘Sky King’”

  “Whether we are believers or not, we still must live on this land,” stated the king, “I have to leave soon. Is there anything you would offer me? Otherwise, I shall be leaving.” The king began walking away from the study, not believing the elderly man wished to bestow him a gift after the brief argument.

  “Do not step out! I will not let you leave without trying my new inventions that I have recently composed. I will give you useful guidance. After all, this journey is not going to be like any other, this is the starting of a new chapter for this land. First of all, I encourage you to also have Sicarius in your company. She is part vampire, you know,” said the Man of Magic.

  The king turned towards Magicalis, glad to have the help. “Are you only attempting to have my blood sucked from within me?” responded the king in a sarcastic manner.

  “I’m serious!” Magicalis said opening his eyes wide, “You should surely take her. Oh do I have something for you. Remember when I tried creating a replica of the stone of fire and ice? Those didn’t turn out too good, but I finally created a sword I’m sure you will be fascinated with,” said the Man of Magic after throwing another pinch of purple powder into the air. The man went towards the wardrobe that was beside the desk. He opened it carefully, quickly looking back at the king in mystery before taking out a long thin silver case, primarily made with the silver of the trees. Magicalis opened the case, revealing a long sharp sword, shining in every angle. “This sword, my king, enables the user to petrify his enemies.”

  The king carefully studied the weapon of petrification. The jewels, orange, red, and yellow, gleamed in mysterious ways on the black hilt. Strange engraved designs wrapped the jewels like a tight net. He could clearly see his reflection on the spade, a dignifying stare with signs of suffering. The king quickly looked away from the sword and nodded in compliment.

  “This sword, I have named Torpesco,” said Magicalis, “I have much to show you. Although I have not yet mastered a creation of invisibility to last infinity of times, I have formulated a pill that allows the user to become invisible for a short amount of time. See, it changes the appearance of the skin to match that of the background. Two other seeds have also been experimented to produce a tree of life and a fountain of water if it is needed for your survival. The only drawback to this is the need to sacrifice, primarily a drop of blood. Lastly, a ring has finally been capable enough to allow quickness to the user as long as the user has enough energy for extreme circumstances.”

  Magicalis decided to throw another pinch of purple into the air before showing the king his inventions. Magicalis took out a small wooden box from the wardrobe. The box, a radiant orange in appearance, had an engraving of a snow creature, much like a cat, which switched sides as fast as its speed allowed. “Velocitatem,” the Man of Magic whispered before blowing onto the wooden box. A series of noises were heard inside the box until it opened ever so slowly and quietly, revealing a floating ring sparkling in the light. Unlike other rings, this ring contained a small gap in the middle with engravings of wings. The ring had a golden tone to it on the edges of the dull orange jewel. The middle of the ring bore a sparkly orange pendant, a world of its own, much like fire.

  “Remarkable!” exclaimed the king, widening his eyes and capturing the true energy the ring bore, “May I?” The king motioned to the ring, his eyes looking anxiously at Magicalis.

  “I intend for this Ring of Velocitatem to be worn by Sicarius due to her flexibility in combat,” Magicalis stated strictly, “However, I’m sure it wouldn’t cause any harm to be worn for the time being.”

  The king eagerly placed his pointer finger in the middle of the ring. The sight was quite magical until the ring had no appearance of functioning.

  “My king, why do you believe the ring finger was made?”

  “For the ring? Is this supposed to be some sort of humor?” asked Fortis.

  “Of course not, the ring finger has the true power in the hand. A vein not visible to the eye runs from the finger to the heart. The ring has been experimented to contain the gene that produces the swiftness of the celeri creatures that run through that exact vein. The impulses cause the nervous system to react to the swiftness of the celeri,” explained the Man of Magic.

  Fortis took off the ring that had been connected to his body for hundreds of years. While holding his wedding ring in the other hand, Fortis slowly brought his left ring finger into the Ring of Velocitatem. The ring tightened along the king’s protruded finger before relaxing the pressure. The ring felt cold around the warm finger as a sudden impulse seemed to travel around the king’s body, strengthening his nervous system. A slight orange glow came from the orange pendant as the king suddenly felt rejuvenated.

  While examining the new creation, the king suddenly felt an awkward sensation. His vision enhanced as he spotted a glimpse of black from the corner of his eye. The king turned swiftly to his side and grabbed a cane that was leaning against the brown wall. The cane was ordinary in a manner, bronze in appearance. Fortis grabbed both ends of the cane, swiftly positioning it in a horizontal manner to defend himself. Fortis stared in bewilderment at two blank eyes blazing at him. Magicalis’s smile broadened in content.

  “You would have been a mighty statue, my king. It’s never too early,” snickered Magicalis as he put the sword back into its case.

  “With the power this ring contains, you are lucky I did not grab the sword from beneath you and struck it until it pierced your heart as my mind suggested,” the king stated in a serious manner until finally smiling about the recent incident. The king bent over and placed the ring back in its floating place.

  “Well stated my friend. This ring is one of my powerful creations, that and the sword Torpesco. Use them wisely,” advised Magicalis before pinching another bit of purple powder into the air.

  “I will. I often wonder Magicalis, what is it that the powder contains that makes you able to see?” Fortis questioned.

  “The small purple crystals float in the air for some time. In the process, the crystals react to the oxygen, producing the color of the background. These colors are then reflected to my eyes. It is the only substance I can see!”

  “How extravagant. You have truly defined what nature had intended to be,” asserted the king.

  “Are you kidding? I am the ruler of nature. Let’s leave it at that,” smirked the Man of Magic as he bowed in front of the king, lifting up his cloak slightly in the process.

  The king touched Magicalis’s shoulder in acknowledgement. “Of course, you have proved it time after time,” said King Fortis.

  “I
f there is anything else, the king pleases, let him ask and it shall be given,” stated the Man of Magic.

  “There is one thing actually,” said the king, “I am in need of a waterproof safe.”

  “In fact I have just the thing. Everything I make serves a purpose even if I store it in a corner hidden from my vision. Essentially everything is hidden from me,” laughed Magicalis as he once again took a dash of purple powder. However, he did not throw it all at once.

  Walking around the room and touching the objects around him, he finally threw the powder in the air in front of the golden brick wall along a fireplace. The fire blazed with purple and blue flames that seemed to wrap around the bricks. “Revelare,” croaked Magicalis softly as the bricks behind the flames started forming an arch. The bricks split through the middle as each brick moved toward the sides in a jagged manner. Slowly, a wide tunnel began to appear from behind the flaring flames.

  “Servus, come at once. I am in need of the Cistam of Enchantment,” Magicalis stated in a deep tone as his voice echoed through the bricked tunnel. For a few minutes it might have seemed as if Magicalis was only yelling into the tunnel without recognition of his own words.

  Unexpectedly a grey cloud formed at the feet of the Man of Magic. As the smoke invisibly disappeared, a tiny figure visibly stood at its master’s feet. The figure was bluish in appearance. Its feet were large compared to its body. The face was much like an inhabitant’s except for the long extended ears, oval shaped head, and a nose that seemed oddly swollen. The slight version of a goblin presented his master with a glossy white box, slightly clear in appearance.

  “Go off,” stated Magicalis as he motioned his hand away. Servus disappeared once again, leaving a grey cloud of smoke behind. Once the smoke cleared away, the flames were visible once again. Magicalis turned away from the fireplace and walked toward Fortis, bearing a chest within his arms.

  “This treasure box is not like any other. This one was made from the horn of a unicorn. Much like the Vines of Fatum, this box is capable of reconstructing itself as to not be damaged. I’m sure you will find your items, whatever they may be, to be safely hidden in here during your journey. I must state, however, that the box will disintegrate with time. The box will only open if it is needed to do so,” said Magicalis.

  “I don’t quite understand,” stated the king slightly perplexed, “How will the box open?”

  “Do not worry, the box will know when the time is truly essential,” the Man of Magic answered. Magicalis searched underneath his desk until feeling a velvet bag. He carefully placed each of his inventions into it in a silent manner. “Claudere,” he shouted, and the bag slowly began to shrink small enough to be retained in one’s pocket.

  “My time to leave has long surpassed. I must start my long journey,” stated the king.

  “Your journey will be like no other. It will not be easy. The land as you once knew has yet to be revealed. Glimpses can be seen from the air, but it is much more dramatic by foot. Why couldn’t you speak to Sapientem through the Mirror of Reflexio?” questioned Magicalis, “I have glimpses of the future but are all too unclear.”

  “I cannot risk the importance of my task. There are others beside you that may be able to interfere in my conversation with Sapientem. His castle is the only one that is able to bypass those with magic,” replied Fortis.

  “I understand the situation; everything that has ever happened has happened for a reason,” stated the Man of Magic, “Be gone.” With that, Magicalis threw a pinch of white powder into the air. The elderly man that was once in front of the king dissolved until he was seen no more. The king quickly opened the treasure box and put the seed gently against the interior of the glossy figure. Quickly, like the ring, the seed intact with the stem floated into the air in its steady place. The king walked out of the room, shutting the chest with its remains tightly closed inside. A series of mechanical noises echoed in the box’s hollow inside until a click was sounded. The king attempted opening the box once more, a useless gesture.

  The king raced to the Mirror of Reflexio that was in the west wing of the palace. Once arriving, the king observed his surroundings. The room was rather small with only some neatly cleaned desks in which paper and feathers were neatly stacked atop each other. With a certain phrase, the pen would float in the air, dip itself in the pitch black ink, and write the message intended by the user. The room contained a fireplace much like the one in the study of Magicalis, but this one contained vibrant green and yellow flames. On top of the mantle stood a mirror with golden edging in the form of the flames of fire.

  “Apparere,” shouted the king. The edging around the six foot mirror sprang to life with yellow and green flames moving wildly around it. However, the walls in which the mirror laid upon were not destroyed by the fingers of the fire. The sudden green glow reflected onto the king’s wise face that was once a warm color.

  “Combatants ward!” shouted the king in a dignified manner. A face suddenly appeared on the mirror, the green flames intensifying the man’s facial features. The man had emerald green eyes, matching the color of the waving flames. His face was clearly strong and his thick dark blonde eyebrows stayed in their dominant position. The man’s nose was slightly large, but nonetheless suitable with the piercing stare the eyes produced. All in all the man was young but strong.

  “How may I, Fefellere, please my king?” questioned the young man.

  “I am in search of Sicarius,” stated Fortis. The king had only heard stories about the great woman assassin and had only congratulated her once before she was off onto another quest.

  “I will call upon her,” said the man, “You are in luck, she has returned from the Mountains of Tonitrui.” The young face of the man was suddenly transformed to that of a woman–the face of Sicarius illuminated the reflection of the mirror. Sicarius was attractive in her own way. Her hair was short compared to that of Angelus, although it was the same pitch black color. She wore spiral cone-shaped earrings which gleamed in a silver tone. She formed a crooked smile that was smothered with a dark red lipstick. Her eyes were what struck out the most, being a dark blue in color as they seemed to stare malevolently into the soul of the king. The eyebrows, long and thin, emphasized the questioning stare of malice on her pale face. She in fact, had the appearance of a living demon, a vampire, an assassin. As if waiting for the king to respond, Sicarius narrowed her eyes without the slightest movement or blink.

  “Sicarius, I am in need of you,” stated the king after a long period of silence.

  “As you request, I will be there shortly,” responded Sicarius. Her voice was husky and slightly scratchy, but nevertheless dominatingly pleasing to the ear.

  The fire’s green and yellow flames grew brighter and thicker. Green smoke started forming until the flames were only slightly visible. The king squinted in front of the cloud that now illuminated the perplexing flames the fireplace contained. The flames were not the only thing visible in the fireplace once the cloud of smoke cleared out. The dark outline of a figure could be remotely seen through the green conflagrations. The figure approached the king. Every step that reflected onto the white stone made a noise. Nevertheless, the loud noise that filled the small room in an echo did not startle the king. The king stood up tall and bold, staring with a strong and questioning look only to see the reflection of Sicarius. The fireplace was not a portal, however, only a passageway from the ward.

  “I am Sicarius, I believe we have met in person. Pardon my urgency in other matters during the tributes made to me,” Sicarius stated abruptly as she walked swiftly toward the king. Instead of stopping in front of him, she continued walking toward the entrance of the room. She slowly brushed the small amount of green ashes atop her shoulder. As she passed the king, a small amount of air brushed around him in chilliness.

  “I am glad for your arrival despite the late urgency,” stated the king. He followed behind the steady quick pace of Sicarius, The woman was young in appearance. She wore a black
armory around her shoulders that spiraled in a smooth texture along her arms. A purple vest covered her chest and silver and black necklaces framed her pale neck.

  “Of course. I am always up for a challenge. I do hope this journey proves worthy enough,” Sicarius replied while rolling her eyes despite the fact that the king could not see her negative behavior.

  The king followed Sicarius to the stairs leading to the roof of the palace. Each step was a regret of agony the journey would provide. The king was certain it would not fail in piercing his heart. It was a journey that would have gone through nevertheless. The sky was a deep purple in color and the wind seemed to have calmed down for the moment.

  Chapter 4

  To the skies