by D.E.P.
The king’s two most trusted men had already prepared the gigantic ship that was now ready for departure. The ship was magnificent, one that showed a power great enough to be ridden with the winds in the deep purple skies that were presently found in such a land. The ship, several feet in height, had long blue sails that matched the metallic blue of the body. The sails were not ordinary squared in shape; in fact, their shape were much similar to the form of the wings of a dragon. Two sets of these wing-shaped sails extended on both sides of the ship.
Much to its form, the figure head in front of the ship beheld the form of a majestic and robust creature dominant in the skies in certain appalling ranges of the land— a dragon. The eyes of the dragon stretched out long and produced a stare into the deep ocean that was below the castle. Two long horns, about three feet long, protruded from the surface of the solid head of stone. The neck of the dragon had a considerable amount of detail, seemingly flourishing with life. The dark blue scales of the curved neck shined and reflected the flags on the castle’s roofs as if dominating the view, the presence, and above all, the skies.
The deck of the boat was wide enough for the four of them; the body of the dragon could be visibly seen on the sides of the solid ship, leading to a long tail at the end of the vessel that stretched out high. Many compartments and rooms were a few feet below the black boards that made up the deck and creaked with any slight movement. The group of four stared around the ship, making certain the ship was ready to be ridden in the skies as it was made to do so.
“Are we going to stand on the back of the dragon or are we actually going to ride the bloody thing?” asked Sicarius, “And by the way, congratulations on those twins of yours Fortis. If they turn against us, it will be the last time you will ever see them.” Sicarius turned her back on the king and walked toward the tail of the ship. Sicarius had a diamond ditcher dragger clutched in each hand. These sharp daggers took the form of curved bolts with the color of white silver. The daggers would seem like a laughing manner, but a laugh could and would potentially end in death.
Since the king was one of the few that had such a creative masterpiece in the skies, captains were not essential in such cases. “Auferet!” shouted the king. The metallic blue ship sailed not into the waves, but right above it, in the purple sky. The ship seemed identical to a fierce dragon of the heavens. The king walked towards the middle of the ship in which double doors in a dull black color lay. Fortis opened the two doors, delivering an eerie sound that echoed through the sides of the vessel. Many ships had been used to fly in the skies, but none of them had been made as special as the king’s personal ship. It was smaller than many of the battle ships at the defense of the land, but had a stench of magic through the cracks in the walls. A parchment lay on a table in the captain’s cabin, a parchment that contained powerful words—the key to a tranquil voyage.
Holding the parchment towards the light, the king easily whispered the magical words of the land, “Tempestas.” The crystal goblet that also lay on the table had the form of the dragon ship. A blue light wrapped around the chalice and filled the room with a colossal tornado. Tempted to avoid such extreme power his words had produced, the king took a step backwards, inching his way toward the entrance. The room had been dark due to the small windows that produced very little light. With the sudden elimination of such a strong blue in color, the king could clearly see that the walls that bordered the room also had the scaly appearance as the surface of the vessel. A small chandelier, made with the metallic horns of a true dragon, hung three feet above the king’s head. The light calmly reflected onto these horns, producing a small glow.
The vessel had been flying rather slowly, only reaching a mile away from the massive castle that guarded the small island. The castle was still visible at a long distance, which prompted the swiftness of the ship as if it were anchored onto such a building. The winds were steady and the wing-like sails moved slowly to the rhythm the breeze produced. “We should have ridden one of those war ships. This ship is slower than a dragonisfly,” shouted Sicarius while putting her hands around her hips. The hands were soft and pale, only streaks of dark red could be visibly seen on the sharp nails.
The ship suddenly started to shake, and the bluish tornado that had hypnotized the king in his position passed through him as it filled the deck of the vessel. “What is the meaning of this?” asked Magni aloud as the ship began swaying from side to side as if it were in the waters of the sea. The dark purple paddles, decorated with ancient symbols and used for the ships progress in the heavens, swayed frontwards and backwards as if a steady hand was guiding the ship forward.
The ship, still swaying from side to side in an agonizing manner, caused those on the ships to roll to the movement the ship produced. Hanging onto a durable net, Invicta struggled to hang on. Sicarius dug her diamond ditcher draggers into the black wood of the ship. The small blue sapphires on the sides of the white silver weapons became a steady blue glow on the surface. Magni had providentially grabbed onto one of the sails as he almost flew from the chaotic ship. The king steadily grabbed onto the sides of the doorway to the captain’s cabin, smiling in despair. A steady blue fog covered the ground of the ship, covering every object, every person, and every thing.
The extreme movement of the boat started to subside as the steady movement slowed down to a sway. Seemingly, the fog slowly and steadily drifted off into the sky. The outlines of those on the ship slowly started to become visible. A steady glow was clearly seen to dominate the surface of the vessel as the outlines of the true power of the ship appeared rather oddly. The outlines were seen as a steady blue glow; however, one could clearly see through the immortals. “I should have known, spirits,” said Sicarius in a disgusted manner. Her piercing dark eyes narrowed and her small pale nose wrinkled in contempt.
While the spirits were transparent, a steady blue glow followed their every movement. They rowed the purple metal paddles, producing a stable progress into the long excursion. Most of the spirits were older men, distinguished by the markings on their faces as well as the beards that were elevated by the calm breeze.
“The Warriors of the Lost Ark,” stated Magni in bewilderment, his eyes widening as he pushed away the leaves that prevented the enchanted sight from being seen.
“Oh it’s those people,” said Invicta while his frown turned into a facial expression of comprehension, “In order to hide the power the lost ark contained from the kings of the land, the warriors gave up the bodies that contained their souls.”
“I don’t understand. Why would they still serve the kings?” asked Magni.
“Prophecies state they serve the kings to pass on the power in the ark,” said Invicta, “The ark was only hidden for a time of need.”
Irritated, Sicarius walked towards the two men at a fast pace. Breaking the discussion, Sicarius disputed, “These are the same men that stole my father’s creation!”
The king, Fortis, stood at the doorway still amazed of the power that was created with the simple words from his mouth. It was no secret that he had already spoken words that produced a similar effect. However, every occurrence had a different meaning. He stared at the argument that had begun before him between Sicarius, Magni and Invicta. Despite the anger of Sicarius, her face did not have the least complexion of redness. Magni and Invicta were calm and spoke in a profound manner.
The king continued to stare at the spirits now guiding the ship in the direction of Sapientem’s royal castle. The expressions of the spirits did not have the slightest outlook of contempt on their faces; neither did they have a facial expression of happiness. Their faces were blank, producing an awkward stare upon the king and his designees.
The king unobtrusively approached his three companions despite the strong voices they produced. Sicarius looked at the king with hateful eyes, regretful of having agreed to join the expedition. “How could you? You know those men stole what was rightfully my father’s!” shouted Sicarius while pointing one of the diamond ditcher
dragger towards the spirits in a threatening manner. A thin piece of black wood from the ship was on the tip of it while the blue sapphire continued glowing with the anger of the beholder.
“I did what was needed and essential. Those men have honored our land,” replied the king, ignoring the fact that a blade was inches from his sight.
Sicarius turned her back towards the king once again, facing the spirits. “These are not men, Fortis. These are villains, these are crooks, these are demons.” Magni silently snickered at the fact that Sicarius looked slightly demonic herself. Sicarius turned around vigorously, holding the side of the blade towards Magni’s neck. “Don’t think I didn’t hear that. Next time it will be me laughing at the sight of you limping before me,” said Sicarius serenely while her plump red lips formed a wicked smile. She loosened the tension on the blade against the resilient neck. Magni stood still and silent, careful not to swallow, for fear that his throat would bulge and be pierced by the knife’s steady edge.
“Calm yourself Sicarius. Are you much different than them?” questioned Invicta, “They are desperately needed.”
“No one tells me to stay tranquil, not even the king!” yelled Sicarius in disgust as she quickly looked at the king himself, “I have proven my loyalty for this land.”
“That you have. These men know what is right for the land as well. They are loyal and wise. They did not steal the ark. The ark was given by your father. But of course you already know that?” stated the king, slightly questioning his statement.
Sicarius formed deeper wrinkles around her face, “Given? That’s blasphemy! My father died in the ancient wars long before any of you were alive. He protected that ark as if it were greater than any staff, any rock, or any power.” Her anger seemed to burn her irritated body, yet it stood its stance before the others.
“You are right, he did protect that ark. Being who he was, the Vines of Fatum provided him with elements to produce such a power. He understood that power, Sicarius. He entrusted this power to these men to then be used in circumstances of need,” stated the king, “Your father is greatly honored in this land.”
Sicarius looked at the ground, uncertain of what to say. She tightened her dark lips before looking up at the king. “He was a great man. That I am certain,” she whispered more to herself than to the others. She turned away slowly and walked towards the front of the vessel, not wanting to remember raging memories.
Magni and Invicta stood side by side, staring at the ground with regret. The king walked towards the tail of the ship, peering down to the white clouds now blocking his view of what was down below. The palace could not be seen from afar, only hills and mountains were visible at such a distance. Feathered creatures seen from far away lifted their beating wings as they dived down below to be swallowed dismissively by the many clouds around them.
The ship, making traces in the clouds, cleared the sky from the clouds as a ship clears thin ice in the waters. The king finally realized he had not presented the manners at hand to those on the crew. He walked steadily toward Sicarius, not wanting to upset her further. Her elbows were positioned on the curb of the ship and her eyes stared at the lurking purple color of the waters in dismay.
“The waters are beautiful, are they not?” asked the king who stood at Sicarius’s side and stared several hundred feet below.
After a long silence Sicarius replied, “And dangerous.”
“Of course. A young woman once told me she enjoyed a challenge,” stated Fortis.
“That young woman has long awaited such an encounter,” replied Sicarius as she tilted her head in agreement, “I feel the presence of it already.” She smiled slowly as her eyes narrowed. “I have a feeling this voyage has more to do than meeting an old friend.”
“Your back is never turned from the matters at hand,” said the king looking up to the heavens, “I wish to speak to you all.”
“Very well,” said Sicarius, “Magni! Invicta! The king wishes to speak with us!” shouted Sicarius, proving her dignity once again.
The two men walked towards the king as he walked towards the captain’s cabin, waiting for all to enter. He closed the huge black doors behind him. “Revelare,” he recited, producing a bright glow above their heads. The room had no windows which meant there would not be any light besides the one coming from the chandelier. “Revelare” said the king once more. The scales of the dragon that covered the walls shook violently, producing a small amount of smoke to unveil itself. The edges of the scales were slowly engraved with a slight trace of red and orange colors of lava.
My lord, pardon my questioning, but what is the meaning of this?” asked Invicta, his green eyes glowing with the lava’s brightness.
“Wait to be enthralled!” shouted the king, forming a firm smile.
Now covered with the vibrant red and orange colors, the scales seemed to melt to the ground. However, the lava failed to gather into a mound. Instead, the lava disappeared when touching the dark wooden floor. The top of the wall was the first to reveal what was behind the blue scales of the vessel. Slowly, the entire wall of scales disappeared to the last drop of lava, revealing a long bright room with an extensive table for discussing important matters as the one at hand. Magni and Invicta seemed surprised while Sicarius rolled her eyes in contempt once more.
The table was a light green and seemed as if the stones that made up the elegant tabletop were moving like waves across the surface. The table had 14 chairs in total, six on each of the longest sides, and one at each end. The table top, the surface in which the participants put their arms upon, was a pure black with slight forms of spiraled white.
Unlike the room they had been in, this room was bright due to the many windows made of dark glass. A silver fireplace was positioned at the very end of the table, containing green flames that sprang up rapidly. The floor, an off-white, reflected the movement of the king and his followers as they took a seat on the chairs to the east side of the table. The back of the chair was ovalish, containing an admirable decoration of spiraled metal. The chair, like the table, was also made of the same green stone.
“I have much to say,” said the king as he sat in the chair at the end of the table, positioning his hands in a crossed position. His chair stood out more than the others, being a darker green in color and taking the form of a rectangle with three thick spikes at the tip.
Sicarius crossed her legs. Similarly, she crossed her arms on the table top. “Continue,” she spoke.
The king placed the metal chest on the surface of the table. “This box provides the meaning for this journey. A seed bearing the life of my dear queen is found inside. If a single drop of water lands on such a seed, it will be the end of life for the queen of the land.”
“I have failed to meet such a woman,” stated Sicarius silently, elevating her eyes and forming a crooked smile.
The king stared at the tabletop, not knowing what to say. Feeling a great guiltiness put upon him, he still felt there was more to this journey. His eyes glittered as he lifted his head and spoke wisely, “There is more to this expedition. We are all sure of such circumstances that are prone to happen in the future from the hints provided: the markings on the wall, the birth of the only twins this land has boar, and the visions of my dear friend Sapientem.”
Magni and Invicta seemed convinced as they stared at the king boldly, their eyes narrowing in assurance and loyalty. Sicarius, however, pierced her lip in disdain. Her eyes darkened in hatred as the king’s image reflected off of her penetrating eyes. “How can you continue feeding your daughters, only to find out that one of them will deceive you and the kingdom?” she questioned malevolently. A small glittery tear slid past her soft nose as her eyes became a questioning look.
“Because they are my daughters. I am weak in such circumstances,” the king replied slowly and quietly. He could not stand looking into the now innocent eyes of Sicarius. The king knew the vicious warrior before him had a valid argument.
Magni, now realizing t
he dispute at hand, stood up. “The king has always defended this land when in need! Let us do the same for him!” he shouted, now annoyed by Sicarius’s sudden anger. His robust arms spread across the front side of the table as the veins seemed to bulge out of the tan and firm skin. His neck stood out the most as it began to redden in bitterness and pulsate at a rapid rate. His forehead wrinkled in contempt as he lowered himself to be seated once more.
Sicarius frowned in disappointment. Her eyes showed the expression of sadness as she looked at Invicta for support. Invicta brushed away his long brown hair and stared back at Sicarius, shaking his head in disapproval. The anger she had produced due to the spirits had been one thing, but deceiving her king was another.
To break the silence, the king spoke once more. “This is a very unfortunate time for both our land and its inhabitants. I do not judge Sicarius for taking such actions. I should have brought the task to your attention much sooner. I have been selfish in my own terrible way. I will not force you to carry on with this voyage. However, Magicalis stated this will be the beginning of the issues our land will face in the near future, the turning point of our time as we used to know it.”
This time Invicta stood up. His cape was now a green color, matching to the surroundings. He and Magni had taken off most of their armory. “Do not apologize, my king. It is us that have not come to understand you,” he stated while taking a brief look at Sicarius, narrowing his eyes in distress, “I will surely stand by my majesty’s side as I have for centuries. Invicta held his upright position, having the golden armory around his body reflect the dazzling emerald flames to his side. The stunning armory, with several undulations, produced a vibrant shine, a glow in the already lighted atmosphere.
Without further delay, Magni stood up rapidly before the king. “My lord, do what you feel is right and I will not blame you. Do what is wrong and I will not judge you. I will stand by your side.”
Fortis acknowledged the young man’s faithfulness by putting his hand, containing the ring of immortalitatis, on his shoulder. “You have proven your allegiance as Invicta has.”
Magni stepped off the ground and approached his seat; he glared at Sicarius. There was a strong silence in the long room. Only the flames calmed the dead awkwardness that was produced.
“I have something to say if I must,” stated Sicarius while fiddling with her fingers. They became pink with such rapid movement. “While I am not sure of where this voyage will lead us and am not aware by what circumstances led me to behave so rudely, please excuse such utter behavior for I am part vampire. With that in mind, I realize my father would have done the same as you, my king. He would have saved the one of the few things that kept life in him, his daughter; even if in fact she was a beast.” With the last sentence she spoke, Sicarius pushed her chair backwards with ease and looked at the king’s dignified expression. She pulled out a diamond ditcher dragger and held it up in the air as the light coming from the windows reflected off of it, producing a powerful shine. “What would you do without me anyways? I will continue honoring this land as I always have.”
Similarly, Invicta and Magni took out their gold and silver swords towards the light, careful not to touch each other’s weapon for fear a scrape would turn the other’s sword to gold or silver. The swords contained the power to turn most things into gold or silver with a vital gash.
The king stood up, as well as whispered, “Crescere.” The small bag briskly transformed into the large velvet sack that it had once been in its original state. Carefully taking out the silver case that contained the sword of Torpesco, the king looked up at his companions mystifyingly. He opened the case, revealing the red, orange, and yellow stoned sword that brightened with the slightest touch. The blade contained engravings with ancient symbols, the history of the land. After studying the blade for more than a second, the king raised it up for all to admire it, also careful to not touch any of the swords, or his companions for that matter. “For the land we have fought for and continue to!” yelled the king, holding up his sword all the more.
The crowd’s eyes gleamed with renewed admiration and inspiration. “Elevare,” said all of them as the swords floated in the air one by one. Green colors reflected off the multiple colors of the swords’ surface, filling the darkened ceiling with light. The ceiling had a giant mural of a dragon, realistic to the eye and terrifying at heart.
After glaring up at a glorifying sight, the fighters reunited with their swords. Seeing that their king had repositioned himself on his seat, the others followed his movement. The chairs squeaked onto the shiny cream floor until settling down in a comfortable position. The king brought out the red velvet bag once again. While taking out some of the magical supplies Magicalis had supplied them with, he stated, “The sword in which I have lain in the case was given to me by Magicalis as all these supplies have. The sword has the capability to petrify most of what stands in its way; it is the Sword of Torpesco. We shall be grateful for such an ingenious man. I have much to show you.”
The king brought out several small vials containing seeds, and pills, and sand. Lastly, the king brought out a small wooden box in which the powerful Ring of Velocitatem floated. “This small wooden box is for you,” he stated while handing the small gift to Sicarius.
“Not to be rude my highness, but what exactly will a small wooden box do?” asked Sicarius, not comprehending that the box only contained what was waiting inside.
“It is not the outer features that determines one’s power, it is the power that determines one’s identity,” replied the king wisely.
Slow to comprehend the king’s wisdom, Sicarius carefully tried to open the box, etching her red nails into the grooves of the closed opening. “I do not know by what means, but this box does not open,” she said having her left eyebrow elevate above her left eye.
“Oh my, I do forget what the surreptitious wording was for the opening of such a small box,” stated the king while gazing up at the ceiling once again. The eyes of the dragon stared down below at him in a threating manner.
“Oh please try to remember, my king! Such matters are important or Magicalis would not have entrusted me with such a peculiar object.”
“Ah yes, ecce,” spoke the king, his smile widening deviously. He heard the words silently slip from Magicalis’s lips as he had shown him his creation.
The wooden box popped open after a series of mechanical noises were produced. Much like the king, Sicarius was mesmerized by the colors and form of the floating ring. She carefully put her ring finger through the ring until the golden wings of the enchanted object wrapped itself on the pale finger. At once, Sicarius felt a sudden energy pulsate through her soul. Her eyes brightened and her hair floated into the air for the time being. “My soul feels the energy and my body feels the rhythm,” spoke Sicarius as she extended her hand for all to see.
“It enables you to produce more energy, you will be many times quicker than you already are,” stated Fortis.
“Do we receive such a gift?” asked Magni jokingly, yet it was notable that he destined such an object.
“With that sword of yours, you two are almost invincible,” replied the king.
“Surprise us,” dared Invicta, motioning him to explain the meaning of the vials containing pills and seeds. Finally, a small parchment of paper was neatly folded and stood at the side of the provisions. “While I do remember most of the supplies given to me, I do not remember these golden pills,” stated Fortis as he extended his right index finger and pointed to the clear vile containing several golden pills with the engravings of knives. “I will explain what I know.”
The king grabbed the vile closest to Magni and held it in the air. The vile contained several green seeds with protruding spikes on the surface, much like a small sea urchin. “These,” stated the king, “are our salvations, our life, for it produces a tree of life.”
“Please do explain,” said Sicarius.
“With a drop of blood a tree will appear containin
g nourishment. That is all that I know. The more drops sacrificed a bigger a reward is gained,” replied the king. Fortis prudently pushed the crystal vile to the center of the table for all to admire. The vial looked mysterious with the black and white waves of the table seeming to encircle the flask.
Holding up another vile similarly in shape, the king said, “These are the seeds for the fountain of water.” The seeds had a similar shaped as the seeds of life. However, these seeds seemed a moist blue in color, opposite of the green seeds.
“Does blood need to be sacrificed as well?” asked Magni.
“A sacrifice is always necessary for life,” responded the king. He also pushed this vile across the table, next to the vile containing the green seeds. Next, he brought up the vile containing blue pills that seemed to be made out of liquid, for it was made in different textures, producing waves like the sea. “This pill,” the king stated, “allows us to stay invisible…”
“Enough said, my king! This is by far one of the most essential gifts for our survival if there are in fact enemies to erupt in our land. Such a pill has not been heard of, which makes it all the more valued,” said Invicta, smiling all the greater.
“That is true. However, this pill has something else in mind. It only allows invisibility for a moment, about five minutes,” retorted Fortis.
“Only five minutes?” questioned Magni in pity.
“A lot could be done in such little time,” said Sicarius while examining her ring, “After all, I do have the ring to essentially double our time.”
The king gave the vile to Magni to examine it further. Fortis examined the two flasks remaining, each containing the forms of pills and powder. Lifting one of the vials, he quickly placed it in its recent position and brought the parchment to his attention. Quickly reading the note Magicalis had written to him, he understood the meaning of such vials. “Each vial contains a different element. The pills that seem to be golden, the color of fresh blood, is in fact what it appears, fresh blood from the creatures known as Dolorem,” stated the king.
“Those creatures come from my birthplace,” stated Invicta, “I fought with them, I trained with them, and I killed them.”
“And that is why you are well known for your invincibility and valor,” said the king, “As you well know, these creatures are difficult to kill, for they too are invincible. If their thick armor is not enough to defend themselves, they cannot feel the tiniest drop of blood fall from their own bodies, let alone feel a knife piercing their chest as it sinks further in. They cannot feel the very presence of the knife, only see it. They feel no pain because they are pain.”
“Very well said,” stated Sicarius, repositioning herself on the seat and crossing her legs and arms in interest.
“Magicalis, as stated in this parchment I now hold, has created such a pill to allow our nervous system to act much the same way as the creatures Dolorem do. Meaning the somatic sensory area in our brains will be incapable of functioning for a given time,” said the king.
“The somatic what?” asked Sicarius while expressing her emotions with a frown.
“It’s the area that receives the impulses from the senses,” replied Invicta.
“And I should have known that why?” Sicarius questioned.
“You would not have known. Where I come from, these creatures were carefully studied,” Invicta answered. Sicarius seemed awestruck, but continued observing the king.
The king continued, “The blue pill allows one to walk upon the surface of the water for a given time.”
“These supplies will surely help us if there is to be a catastrophe in the land,” stated Magni.
“There is one thing I have not told you,” replied the king.
“And what is that?” questioned Sicarius, narrowing her eyes in deep concern. She straightened her back as she looked upon the king’s eyes for a quick answer.
“My heart is beating at the very thought, but this ship is to crash during our journey. This was in a vision of Magicalis. It is to happen. The crashing of the ship is the only way in which the secrets of the land will be brought to our attention,” whispered Fortis, as he fiddled with one of the vials.
“If it is to happen and it must, so be it,” shouted Invicta with a renewed pride. The others stood up and agreed.
“We have all learned a plethora during this journey, one of which has not even begun. I am glad to be so fortunate of a king to be provided with such acquaintances. Go sleep now, for tomorrow will be for all changeful,” ordered the king himself.
“You trick us, my king. Those stories of a race similar to our own are nothing but a simple tale in which such fragile creatures cannot compare to our advancement,” stated Sicarius laughing hysterically. Her eyes closed uncontrollably as she spoke.
“Such tales may be real, it is a legend we still face,” replied Fortis, showing no sign of deceiving his companions. He clapped three times while his companions stared at him in concern. The black and white waves on the tabletop showed images of variations of food springing up to the surface. Baskets of a variety of fruits, meats of all sorts, and goblets of divine drinks appeared before them.
“Help yourselves, do not believe I forgot to feed ourselves before such things are to transpire,” spoke the king, a smile spreading across his face as he chuckled in excitement.
“I was beginning to feel worried about my appetite,” stated Sicarius, grabbing an ocul from the basket of fruit. She quickly bit into the blue eye-shaped fruitlet slimy in appearance. It produced a dark red liquid that squirted out from beneath the thin skin that restricted such power. Small black seeds were contained, lining up in a star to form the middle.
“My blood throbs for it still has not been sucked from beneath me,” sneered the king in regret.
“Don’t you dare bring such a thing into the conversation!” shouted Sicarius in dismay, her eyebrows tightening in distrust. She calmed down with a proceeding bite of the gentle fruit, smiling in deception. “You know I hardly do such things, only if necessary,” she said, lifting up a golden goblet. The chalice was molded with leaves that sprang upwards to form the cup containing a rich red drink.
Invicta grabbed a small sea creature in the middle of a leafy garment. The creature was light purple with streaks of pink bordering its surface. The fish was long, having fins spiked in an odd appearance. A small thin white horn protruded from the surface of the fish, between the now closed eyes. Invicta took hold of one of his small daggers, piercing the head of the creature until sliding the blade vertically to separate the head from the tail. The fish was raw, yet tender. The warrior bit into the soft cold meat, sinking his sharp teeth until succeeding in biting a large piece off the fish.
Magni searched the surface of the table until eyeing a turtle shell on the other side, hidden from where he sat. He walked to the left side of the long table, tossing the small shell up in the air and catching it with his other hand. With the practice of the art of magic, before tossing the shell up once again, he took a drink from the goblet and breathed out a small flame of fire. The flame was green in color, similar to the flames dancing in the fireplace to the side. The flames floated into the air until catching onto the small shell. Just then, time seemed to stand still, but that was not the case. Fire met with shell and shell met with fire. The flames eagerly wrapped around the smoothness of the blue shell, having ripples form along the shiny surface.
The fire produced a small amount of smoke to come off the shell before returning to the hand of Magni. He slowly walked to his chair, placing the shell in the round plate that stood before him. The shell shriveled from the underbelly of the creature as if it were a blossom, revealing a dark blue meat, appetizing to the heart.
The king grabbed the nearest food source, a long leg with fur attached. The fur was thick and soft, with long black stripes spiraling the exterior in mysterious ways. The king took out a small but useful blade that was curved in a precise angle. With a steady hand, the king sliced the thick fur borde
ring the meat inside. The meat was red and appeared soft and mushy. The king produced a small wooden pipe from his pocket and blew on it towards the meat in front. A small amount of blue smoke puffed from the pipe and engulfed the leg before revealing the transformation. The leg turned into a strong pink color, appealing to the king as he bit into the soft surface. He chewed around the black bone that was only slightly visible.
As all finished eating their meals, the food disappeared once again into the table top where it had appeared just minutes ago. “Must the meals end so quickly?” questioned Invicta, as he finished his last bite.
“It must,” stated Magni blandly, “I challenge you to a fight.”
“Are you serious? This is a challenge I accept to face despite the amount of food I recently devoured,” acknowledged Invicta as he pushed the plate aside.
“Let us go to the deck where the spirits will act as a crowd to honor the victorious,” said Magni as he proceeded outwards.
“Please do not end up cutting each other’s heads, that’s my job,” stated Sicarius getting up as well, “I also accept this challenge.”
“It shall be as you say. Would you like to duel with us, my king?” questioned Invicta.
“I have other matters to face. Possibly another time,” replied the king sympathetically.
Chapter 5
Breaths of Fire
