by D.E.P.
A flapping of wings came towards the small group. In the distance a shadow lurked in the midst of the sky. Due to the soft blue leaves that bordered the sharp branches, none of the inhabitants were able to observe what was above them. It would have been obvious that it was Sicarius, but what if that was not the case? What if by some miracle, benefiting the red dragon, had caused its destiny to be fulfilled as surviving the inevitable with the attack of its fury? Neither the king, Magni, nor Invicta knew for sure. It was a terrifying event indeed. All three of them reclined on a silver trunk, trying to evade the dragon’s sense of smell and sight in the mist of the forest.
Before the time of the other’s escape, Sicarius was still at the mouth of the red dragon, trying excessively to aim the one arrow she bared into the one heart of the dragon. Raising her arm upwards, her fingers tingled with the flames at the tip still blazing brightly. The flames were eager to engulf the skin and taste the purple blood some inches away. Pressing onto the ring, the eyes of Sicarius opened wider as they became brighter and keener.
She flexed her arm and slashed the bloody arrow down the throat, knowing there was no other chance for victory or avoidance of death. Sicarius stared at the hatred the dragon’s eyes produced; they narrowed with defeat and widened with utter pain. The arrow traveled through the long but hollow cave, inching further with each split second that passed between the two opponents. Until, yes! At last the arrow pierced the heart that was oddly positioned at the very base of the neck. The beating soon dwindled until it seemed as if the dragon had no last breaths to praise upon. The blue heart protected by flames, was decaying in its own manner, unable to grow as immense as the weak heads that began to limp downwards with each breath of pain. In dismay, Sicarius’s eyes darkened as she fell off the dragon. Like a limp dead figure, she was carried by the wind down to the surface of the land. The land she loved would kill her.
The ruby dragon stayed in the air, its body swelling and its heart bleeding profoundly. The purple blood easing from the heart, exploded out of the deep red body, engulfing the ship with an exploding substance. The ship was degraded, as if a mass number of termites gnawed at the strong wood. No splinters were scraped from the ship to fall to the ground. Neither did sails or pieces of wood fall from the sky. The vessel was simply turned to dust as it failed to exist.
The king and the two men could slightly hear the sound of the ship at its last seconds of misery. A crinkling noise overpowered the minds of the group as they stared in anger and anguish. The shadow that had lurked above had finally disappeared.
“Let us hope Sicarius has been saved. We will wait for a time being, anticipating her return,” instructed the king in pity.
“And if not? If she does not return, what then?” asked Magni, suddenly angry. He did not comprehend the possible outcomes.
“I know she was very dear to you, but we must see the invisible. What if perhaps she perished? What an unfortunate event it would be for the land. She would be honored for her bravery in the years to come. But my friend, we must shake that thought out of our heads and hope for her return, though we should also be realistic,” stated the king, his eyes glowing with sympathy. He put his left hand on Magni’s hunched shoulder, “She will come again, that I am certain.”
Magni, realizing the king’s words were true, tightened his face. His eyes were the only thing that sparkled as they narrowed with sadness. Silver logs reclined against some of the trees. Picking them up, the three sat on them as they huddled together.
“What shall we do next?” questioned Invicta.
“We shall continue to Sapientem’s palace; it is the only possible way for survival. If we go back, we will surely be tricked into misery. Forward is what we shall go to, to the east.
“Very well, the dragon has not appeared. Cannot you call it?” asked Invicta.
“A king’s life lays on the cold stone, do you wish to sacrifice your own blood?” asked the king, a bit angry at the fact. Nonetheless, he reclined, controlling his temper.
“I was not sure if that would be considered magic. What lies before us?” Invicta continued conversing.
“Only stories. Since the days of Malum’s defeat, the land has not been investigated for it was believed to be filled with a mass of demons. Black demons had been said to protect Malum’s land until his return. He had been a normal ruler as have all kings. The question is what is essentially normal to inhabitants? He was triumphant and calm. Why even kings pierced with sudden evil could be calm and triumphant. But this man defied the normal behavior of any other king, for he turned selfish and greedy, not to mention the envy that bit his back like a serpent,” replied the king, “He was a traitor to the land. Such traitors had to be dealt with. To overpower. To kill. But many honored the man, many of which were fearful of honoring the righteous. They had little faith for those opposing Malum. Because of this, Malum became more victorious as he began forming new creations such as the unpronounced beasts roaming the land that had once been calm. A stench of sulfur filled the air, crinkling the noses of the righteous while the wicked went throughout their day, immune to the evil lurking around them. They had no ears, much less, eyes, for they did not see evil, pain, or suffering. They saw victory and power, defeat, and tranquility. Nonetheless, the righteous, generations tracing back to Sapientem and the forefathers, were able to defeat the stupidity of Malum. Seeking power, seeking dependence, and seeking wickedness, Malum had a power against them,” he continued, “Some say Malum could have overpowered the righteous, something most are sure if it weren’t for his greed that had clouded his genius mind. He was the most victorious of all kings. With a great mind and toned body, he seemed like a god to his followers. But one night all was enough and he perished from the land, not one knowing for sure if he had perished forever.”
Since no one had entered the land, no one knew what to expect, what creatures may be gated inside. The forest had been formed around the land in order to contain the evil in Malum’s terrestrial land.
“The path may be just a misconception of evil or it may be a truth as most stories are,” answered the king as he was silently thinking of the many stories that flooded his mind.
“We must prepare,” said Magni at last, gaining his dignity.
“And how will you prepare for the invisible?” asked Fortis in awe, raising his eyebrow in question.
“The least we could do would be to search our surroundings,” stated Invicta in an obvious manner.
“You would be lost in your own footsteps. If one goes, we must all go,” said Fortis, “However, before we go, we should wash ourselves and prepare as you have stated,” said the king as he walked towards the back of a white silvery trunk.”
“Very well, sire,” stated the two in frustration, each choosing a given silver tree.
The king produced a regular blade, examining his worn face in the reflection until bringing the shining blade upwards to slice a branch above him. A bluish liquid came out, much like water, except for its chilliness upon his bare skin. The two other warriors did the same, realizing it was safe to do so.
“Do not drink the water!” yelled the king, suddenly remembering that the water could potentially put the drinker into a deep sleep.
Invicta removed his shiny armory and carefully placed in on a log, producing a sharp sound as metal scraped ever so slightly against the metal trunk.
All three men, began to remove the sweat that had bordered their faces. The ground was a deep white in color and powdery in appearance. After moments of rest with the tranquility of the water, the small waterfall stopped abruptly on each of the trees. All three men waited for the droplets across their faces to dry.
It did not take long for each man’s flesh to dry. The light blue liquid evaporated into the air. Goosebumps began to form onto the strong muscular bodies of each warrior. Quickly, each of them strived to put on the armory they had reclined against the trunks. The armory was similar to the elemental swords each fierce man was equipped with. The product was itself
magic, but the magic was not the product. Invicta walked out with the same armory except for the deep red color it was composed of.
Magni walked swiftly to the metal logs, wearing a deep black smooth armory. After some time, Fortis walked out in a gracious manner, his head astute as he looked at the silvery distance. He wore a silvery armory, but a white cloak covered the illumination of day’s brightness. He seemed like death itself, a white angel of magic.
“Must we eat?” asked the king, he himself not having an appetite.
“Much later,” answered Invicta for both of them. He brushed his long brown bangs that had covered his aluminous green eyes. He moved forward, his broad shoulders stretching out with each movement in an attempt to expose a chiseled back beneath the armory.
“Are you all sure of this decision?” asked the king as he continued walking forward, “Sicarius I am sure will find us in unexpected ways.”
“Of course. She always does,” said Magni, his head standing up with pride and assurance. The veins around his neck were slightly visible, producing a small throbbing as blood traveled around the muscular body preparing for what was to lie before.
“A horse would help, wouldn’t it?” asked Invicta while breathing out air, breaking the silence.
“Anything would be of help,” said Magni as he stepped onto the dead leaves in his pathway. The king had ignored the question, or perhaps he was not listening, for he stared at the ground, whispering words both men failed to understand. Magni and Invicta walked besides each other, following their steady footsteps as they led to the unknown.
The forest was mysterious; a small amount of fog wrapped around the trees like a white vine. Only a few feet could be seen beyond. Small noises could be heard in the midst of the trees, none of which Invicta, Magni, or Fortis paid attention to as they walked blindly forward. It would have seemed as if the group was walking in circles, something that could make one utterly cry out in despair.
“How are we certain we are not walking in the same footsteps?” asked Invicta, slightly agitated. The king lifted up his head and took out a compass from inside his cloak. The compass was carefully encased in a whitish metal casing. This compass, however, was not ordinary, as it was not entirely circular containing arrows driven by a magnetic force. A clear white stone stood in the middle of a rounded black rock covered with pinkish crystal shavings. A small wooded stick protruded from underneath the rock, leveling the pinkish crystals until coming to a halt. A red italicized letter appeared on the side of the opaque white stone. Surrounded by a thin golden border, the letter O stood for Orientem.
“We are going the correct way, eastwards,” assured the king, proud to show his proof.
“A neat device you have there,” stated Magni enthralled by the wondrous sight, as if the pinkish crystals lured him for more examination.
“It was a gift from the Man of Magic himself. It has served me well,” replied the king. They continued walking, their feet producing an awful crunching noise beneath each footstep. An eerie feeling flooded each of their bodies with each proceeding, as if events were soon to turn around.
The fog was still in the midst of the men, ever so slightly transparent, yet blinding. A sudden yell was heard. The yell crackled as if a phlegm was trapped somewhere in the throat. There was only a short distance from the creatures they knew scurried around them. Invicta stopped, holding his arms to the sides to motion Fortis and Magni to end their steps as well.
“I have enough sense not to walk further,” stated Magni, not comprehending the meaning of the arm movement. Invicta stared at the distance as Magni stood to his right side at an angle. Fortis stood on the opposite side diagonally as well. With all three of them, they formed a mighty trinity, a triangle capable of seeing everything for each other. Each of them took out their elemental blades, silver, gold, and black, producing a clinking metallic noise. Waiting without further delay, the three stood side by side, shoulder by shoulder, anticipating what was before them. But nothing did appear.
The branches began shaking above them as if they were not strong enough for the creatures they carried. All around them, the branches rattled like that of a snake. A mass of creatures were in the midst of the branches around them, not showing any sign of their appearance, for there was a slight fog that prevented such things.
“What could it be?” asked Invicta, holding his golden sword in the light. The sword had an immense amount of design with precious stones that would lead the viewer in awe.
“Whatever it is, be ready,” yelled Fortis, his eyes narrowing. He was ready to defend himself and use the skills he was trained for.
The branches’ claws extended before them as Fortis saw the creatures fumble within them. It was only a scurrying noise that brought one of them to leap down towards the king. Without hesitation, the king lifted his sword, striking the black shadow with one swift move. The creature lay sprawled on the ground. It was bat-like in appearance, but the body of that similar to a rat’s. Still, the creatures were far bigger, around four feet in length. The black chubby and furry monster had long protruding teeth, sharp enough to cut through defenseless flesh.
Without further due, the monsters jumped from above, with a sharpness of teeth shinnying through the dark. There were four of them, those terrifying beasts. Their eyes narrowed, forming a snarl on their snouts. Their eyes glowing like fire, hypnotizing the men without any lasting effect. With great dignity, Invicta sliced through the animals’ flesh with one slight movement of the wrist. Gold gleaming bodies lay on the white ground, only a few blotches of deep blue blood spread across the surface of the pearlish floor.
Magni, on the other hand, took out two spades, too short to be called swords and too long to be called daggers. With skills, he swiveled the blades with a rhythm in his hands, waiting for a challenge to approach him. One of the creatures leapt up, only being rewarded with a deep piercing and the slashing of its neck. The eyes glowed all the more, as if trying to terminate Magni’s soul. Magni swiftly took out the blades that were deep into the flesh, letting the body fall to the ground in a silent manner. The animal did not have the breaths of life to let out its piercing cry. Magni, noticing a wounded beast moving slightly upwards, slashed violently at its neck. Now it was deeply wounded. Now it lay dead.
“There are far too many!” yelled Invicta, struggling with one of the monsters as it viciously attempted to have a taste of his neck. Invicta blocked the creature’s long canines with his blade as he kicked the beast against the tree. The creature clashed with the trunk, causing the tree to shake until the body slowly dropped to the ground.
“Must we abort?” asked Magni as he dug both spades into one of the animals. Back and forth, Magni moved the spades in a mechanical-like way, causing rich blueness to escape the flesh. Drops of blood splattered against Magni’s soft facial expression of disgust. Digging both blades into the middle of the creature’s side, Magni moved the blade in the opposite horizontal direction until revealing red ribs sparkling with a blue coating.
“Look around, you fool!” yelled the king above the piercing growl of the monsters that had barricaded them in a tight circle.
Magni stared in the distance as orange eyes returned the gaze. The creatures growled at him with discontent as if the sight of seeing him observing them was revolting. Magni, gaining renewed energy, attacked the first monster in front of him, one that was stealthily approaching him from the side. Raising both hands, he swiftly jabbed the rat-like creature through the skull. The monster’s jaws gaped open in agony as two blades beneath its thick skull were slowly brought to the surface.
The creature’s voice was raspy as it attempted to yell out in pain; but not even a growl was heard from the creature again. Like a fountain, thick rich blood poured out from within, covering Magni’s hand with divine blue snot. Magni, preoccupied with his small victory, failed to see one of the creatures leap from above. The creature soared downwards, its front feet stretched far with sharp claws raging for damage. Its m
outh, agape, revealed a set of thick red knives and its eyes showed no mercy.
“Damn it!” cried Magni in pain. The monster had dug its claws one inch into his flesh. The armory proved to be defenseless, as two holes were easily made. Promptly, he hunched forward. Bringing his arms to his back, he grabbed the arms of the creature, and pulling ever so quickly, launched the monster at the group of rats that were heading at a rapid pace towards him.
Fortis, concerned, looked towards his side. He saw Magni’s back aglow with thick golden paint. It slowly poured out, covering the armory with a golden shine. Magni showed no immediate sign of pain since the king had given him one of the pills to evade agony for a short period of time in case such an incident would happen. The king lashed out with his sword, tired of calmly injecting the weapon into his enemies. He slashed out at the creature’s heads. His blade easily sliced through the necks, causing the eyes to wonder up into the air and slowly fall away from the body.
The monsters, as if noticing the defeat, cried all the more. Standing on their hind legs, they moved their filthy claws while opening their mouths to call their master— their queen, their killer.
“Kill them!” yelled Invicta. Invicta kicked one of the monsters, his metallic foot going through the open jaws. Noticing his unfortunate wisdom, he continued hitting the animal with his blade in fear that he too would lie down by Magni. It would surely be a defeat in his part.
“What do you think I’m doing? Magni is down. We have to get out of here!” shouted the king in frustration. The king turned around, sliding his sword through the creature’s flesh in an attempt to release the tightened grip on Invicta’s foot.
Magni was lying in the middle of Invicta and the king. His agony was too much to bear. His blue eyes closed, and he began to sleep as his frowns slowly disappeared. The king and Invicta continued to fight the beasts, fearing their defeat in the land. The fog was not evading, making the attempt of killing the beasts a difficult task. Hundreds of creatures were forming; only the stoned and golden carcasses separated the king, Invicta, and Magni from their enemies.
A loud yell was heard from afar. A piercing yell. A scream more of that. How degrading it was, capable of forcing one to tear their skin apart. It was time. The beast’s conqueror had arrived from her dwelling. Yes, it was the ruler, and she was fiercer than all.
The king and Invicta continued using their weapons, lashing endlessly at the beasts until the beasts themselves separated from them, forming an honorable path for their ruler.
“Is that the shrew? What cowards,” stated Invicta as he dug his spade into the ground.
“That is her. Be strong and we shall cry victory.”
Except for her size, the beast was similar to her offspring. A steady purplish glow on the fur signified she was much more powerful than the rest. Her eyes opened, trying to entrance the king who was now in front of her.
“Don’t stare at her eyes! She will surely hypnotize you enough to bite into your flesh. One bite will contaminate your blood, forcing your body to transform itself to one of these deadly creatures!” informed the king.
“How are we supposed to kill that thing?” asked Invicta as he stared at the sovereign’s feet. He tried ruthlessly not to come in contact with her eyes.
“I’ve been wondering that myself,” Fortis replied, smiling even though the circumstances seemed grim.
The queen was far bigger than her offspring. Around five of her progenies could fit into her large muscular body. Being a queen in her clan, she was quite the beast. The eyebrows narrowed, not that the king or Invicta were able to see such a ferocious stare. The presence of the beast was frightful enough. It might have been a miracle for not being able to see the monster that walked around them.
The beast continued to look upon the men, the king and Invicta feeling her unmerciful stare. They bowed their heads down as if the beast had just pronounced herself queen. With a loud wail, she drove her head upwards and prepared to run towards her enemies. Her children, deathly as they appeared, screamed in delight. The king and Invicta were long from any known victory as they continued standing bold and tall, immobile from their positions as they stared at the ground. They only had limited senses to guide them to their target.
The footsteps sprang upwards. The beast jumped and ran in a rhythmic form, much like a ‘rat’ in a human’s world. The king lanced at the shadow to his side, only to blindly dig his spade into the ground. The ground began to form a small amount of stone around the spade.
Invicta, feeling the creature’s presence on his side, withdrew his golden weapon. He attempted to stab the beast in any vital organs pumping inside. The spade dug into the beast’s stomach, causing no damage whatsoever.
“What happened? My sword was supposed to turn that beast into a golden art piece,” shouted Invicta in disbelief.
“Yes, I did believe I forgot to mention some vital information. The beast can withstand most magical capabilities. Only Sicarius’s diamond ditcher draggers could provide harm,” stated the king as he covered his eyes with his arm.
“We are surely doomed, aren’t we, my king?”
“That we are, but let us not show her our weakness,” replied the king, nodding in concern.
The beast was not far away. Its huge body was merely recovering from the small tingling at its side. She raced with such force towards the king that she knocked him sideways. The king hit the trunk of the trees, his back feeling the impact of sudden pain. Quickly taking one of the pills, his pain soon transformed into comfort.
“Are you all right, my king?” asked Invicta with deep concern as he saw the king slowly getting up from the ground.
“Never been better,” said Fortis with an expression emphasizing his words.
The beast did not let the two men recover; it jumped into the air, landing atop Invicta. Invicta’s sense did not allow him to turn his head away from the creature’s face. The beast’s eyes reflected upon his emerald jewels of sight. The pupil of the beast widened, as if getting a perception of Invicta before finishing him off. The creature’s mouth was open, a small amount of saliva dripping down the red armory that had been shiny only minutes ago. The beast sniffed, causing Invicta’s hair to glide above him. His eyes were petrified as they stared involuntarily upwards. His eyes turned to stone, staring at the rat-like creature as if his body was now hers.
The king ran up to the ugly queen. Noticing the king’s movements, she had her tail slide underneath the king’s feet. Fortis fell once again to the ground. His hands glittered with a sprinkle of gold. The monster stared once again at a paralyzed Invicta. As if realizing what it was meant to do, the beast moved her snout towards the sky and yelled for all her offspring to hear.
As if replying, her descendants also let out a shriek as they ran towards the three men: Invicta under the queen’s grasp, Magni sprawled besides a tree a few yards away from Invicta, and Fortis laying on the ground, slow to stand on his feet.
The queen swiftly lowered her mouth only inches away from Invicta’s throat, now defenseless. The spade was by Invicta’s side, neatly tucked, unusable by its user. The jaws of the beast stopped working its way to the flesh. Its golden eyes blared out in dismay. It gasped. It gaped. Its nostrils flared.
A loud metallic noise was heard, a blade was released from flesh and flesh released by the blade’s sharpness. The beast’s head fell, revealing a cloaked savior. As if the queen of the beasts was their only valuable procession, her offspring screamed in horror as they saw her fall to the ground. Around 20 pairs of eyes stared at the cloaked figure. They snarled with their jaws open as thick saliva dripped down from their protruded lips.
Invicta was still in a trance. Long pale fingers slowly worked their way to the tender face until suddenly slapping it. The quick movement slowly caused a redness to form. The green eyes tightened until breaking like glass. Invicta moved his head, finding a figure atop of him. Awkwardly, Invicta squirmed his legs from underneath the figure and stood up. Without questi
oning, Invicta grabbed his spade, slicing through one of the creature’s head to his side.
The cloaked figure also got up, stabbing both of the figures behind her. The cloak flew around the mere shadow, gliding into the air as the fingers worked quickly in stabbing the beasts with two small spades. They were quickly taken out as they were pierced in. Bluish blood dripped with every slash of the blades.
The king quickly stood up, for the creatures raced from the trees, landing either in front or behind him. The king turned around, only to find a small group of beasts blocking his escape. A small noise was heard from the throats of the monsters; their eyes blared like flames failing to escape the wood’s burn.
The king smiled in contempt, not believing the extreme circumstances. Waiting patiently, the king released his wrath when one of the beasts lanced out at him. The beast fell to the white sand as a statue, hitting hard against a tree as it deformed the frightful face. The others continued to stare. Three jumped into the air, using their muscular and slick legs to cause damage. The beasts shined through the darkness but were soon petrified in midair as the sword met with the terrifying bodies. The king had jumped as well, somersaulting in midair. As he saw the underbelly of a beast, he did not think twice before jabbing the sharp weapon into the abdominal area of the monster. As for the other two, their fate was not much different.
Invicta, noticing the two shaded creatures, stabbed them. The golden figures fell down on both sides of Invicta. The cloaked figure was knelt down beside the frail body of Magni. Having a cone-shaped purple leaf, the cloaked figure squeezed until a bluish thick liquid slowly poured upon Magni’s now bare back. The liquid sizzled, slowly turning into a reddish smoke. The smoke swiveled around the wounds, as if it were a spirit traveling through the body. Eventually, small amounts of red smoke escaped through the nostrils. Magni’s eyes blared out as he took a large breath of air. The blueness of the eyes had been pale, having no life. Now the blue began to return. The lips began to show life. And the paleness of the face began to evade.
Magni coughed some of his own blood. A golden liquid dripped from his bluish teeth. Small drops shown on the white sand like pebbles at a shore.
“I owe you much,” Magni was barely able to say. An extreme pain was still felt on his back. Slowly it was disappearing.
“Actually I saved you all. If it was not for me you would all be dead. What type of fighting was that anyways?”
“Where were you?” asked Magni
“Away. Long story,” stated the cloaked figure. The figure stared at Magni’s blue eyes. The shadow lifted up the blade and lowered it down, piercing the heart. A strong moan was heard. The ground seemed to shake with such a screech, with such a horror. Blood dripped along the blade and down the pale fingers. Smiling, the cloaked figure said, “Get up now.”
Magni quickly stood up, noticing the creature’s dead body by which the cloaked figure had killed. Several bodies, stoned, golden, and black, lay on the white floor. The dead opened eyes stared at all of them, threatening to curse their souls. How it pierced one’s heart to see such malicious flames brighten the darkest of places. How one wished even such light was not shown in the dark and gloomy place.
There were too many of them all around. Look towards the heavens and golden daggers would look towards the viewer. The jaws were what bothered anyone; the beast’s expressions seemed emotionless except for the gaping mouth. Was it smiling or was it merely laughing mischievously?
The cloaked figure and Magni raced across the white ground, killing every beast in their path. Invicta battled against three creatures that were eager to taste flesh once again. The king on the other hand killed off all the weak bodies that lay on the carpet of death. One by one the eyes were closed, and the beasts dead. All the live ones (which were a few) sprinted away, hoping to escape the death their relatives had endured. Some climbed the trees, making high pitched screeches as the branches of the trees moved, shook, and settled. Their slender bodies, their fur slick as a seals, was the last thing shown as their eyes raced by.
The king walked slowly, limping on one leg. The queen of the beasts had driven into him, causing primarily one of his bones to break and splinter. Fortis used his sword as a cane, digging the spade into the white ground and gradually moving his body to the blade’s place. The king’s eyes, however, did not show pain. They were confident. They were victorious. Standing still for a while, having his back towards the hooded figure, the king asked, “I owe you my life, for you have given it to me.”
The hooded figure took off the hood, revealing a feminine body. Her face was as pale as snow and her short black hair shown like the puddle of dark mud, much like the beasts. Her jaws were slightly different from others, yet seemingly normal.
Invicta sat along a tree, looking at the ground at his reflection in a small puddle. Noticing the familiar face he smiled and shook his head in incredulity. He looked up at the figure, “Sicarius.”
Sicarius smiled. The smile never seemed as happy as it should have. It always seemed as if an evil thought was lurking. It was always mysterious, that smile. “Of course. Who else would it be otherwise?”
The king turned his head as he faced Sicarius. He did not smile nor did he congratulate her for the victory she helped to achieve. His eyebrows lifted up above his eyes. This was the only movement the king produced. Sicarius lifted her right slender eyebrow as if not understanding the situation at hand.
“My king, you seem unhappy?” stated Sicarius. It could not be deciphered whether she was asking a question or stating a fact.
“I am not sure what to believe,” stated the king frowning. He had remembered his brother at his queen’s side. Could it be that Sicairus was merely a traitor to the land? “I cannot trust anyone.”
“You are talking blasphemy my king. I am Sicarius. What more do you seek?”
“There are things I have seen. My step brother attempts to take over the land. With me away, his power will be too great. My queen has already fallen into his hands.”
“Furtim should have died. I was the one that killed him,” said Sicarius as she looked down to the ground.
“Of course, you’re the one who ‘killed’ him! Or did you let him go as the others have?”
“My king, do not think such things,” said Magni as he walked by Sicarius’s side. Yet small, the tear could still be slightly seen as it eased to fall down her cheeks.
“Behold a traitor has been brought to the surface!” stated the king pointing at Sicarius with his rigid finger. His face wrinkled in disdain and utter anger. His words trudged the surface of the ground.
“My king, you do not understand,” Sicarius forced the words before tightening her eyes in refusal to hear the king’s wordings. Her mouth narrowed downwards, causing her lips to protrude outwards.
The king began to turn around; he walked towards the distance, not wanting to see the traitor again. “It was an awful thing, it really was. My daggers, not the ones that the vines had bestowed me, failed to cut through the strong flesh of such a man. I remember the day; it was cloudy, probably much like today. I had spotted him perched on a rock by the shores. Surprisingly he had been alone; many of his defenders had wandered off and I began to think it was a set up. Nevertheless, urges crept up my body as I wanted to kill him. His eyes showed the jealousy of his brother’s triumph over him. He destined to kill you! I held the blade across his neck. He had known, nonetheless. He grabbed my arm with such speed it gave me hardly enough time to kick him in the jaw. My blade had fallen along a rock, slid in a corner out of my reach. I lay on the ground for I had to bear the fact of defeat. But I stood up, wanting to challenge him further. He held the blade by which I had destined to kill him. Yet, he did not kill me as I had suspected. Seeing such a beautiful body in front of him, it was obvious he had other plans. He brought his arm around me; I could feel his coldness touch my bare back. How I loathed such a feeling! But it was all in my favor. He held my jaws as if I were a manikin and brought my lips c
lose to his. I bit above those plump lips I so despised, leaving only a small bite mark as a token of my pride,” stated Sicarius silently as she stared upon the ground.
The king had turned around, intrigued by Sicarius’s story. “Please go on,” he spoke.
“He had known then my secret. He said some words quietly to himself. A green cloud of smoke had enveloped me as I was pushed away from the scene. I do remember, however, that he lay sprawled on the ground. I had hoped and thought that such bite would kill him as I had not done such a thing in the past. I awoke but did not see him. I was hidden beneath the sands”
“I understand Sicarius. Because of this bite he may be in search of you. Your bite may enable you to see him, and with time, control his very thoughts. It is quite a complicated procees I am afraid,” replied the king. He walked towards Sicarius, using his blade as a cane once again. “I am sorry for doubting you. Is this why you left so quickly when I tried to congratulate you?” He knelt on the ground and kissed Sicarius’s tender hand.
Sicarius continued to frown even though no tear dripped from the sides of her eyes. “I tried so hard to tell you, but my tongue failed to say such thing until it was already too late.”
“I saw him through the fires in the fireplace,” he said.
“Ah yes, that was when I nearly won the duel,” sighed Magni as he narrowed his eyes at Sicarius. Sicarius smiled malevolently, elevating her eyebrows in domination.
“How did you survive anyways?” asked Invicta as he encircled around her while she stared at the king.
“The dragon saved me as the king had requested it to do. The red dragon had exploded and I fell below it. The underbelly was clearly visible from my view. I could not see the ground, for I was facing upwards as in a sleeping position. And then I closed my eyes. When I woke up I was by a fountain. A mixture of trees, much like these, bordered the woods. I stared into the waters, a silky silver substance shown my reflection. I did not understand until the slightest touch of my finger showed what I wished to see. The fountain was magical, more than I had anticipated in such a dark place that contained no magic. I saw all three of you in the shadows. I was able to see all three of you walking and hearing a mixture of screeches. Creatures walked above you and I knew what loathsome monsters haunted through the trees. I began to run towards the path I felt was correct, but before I did so, a cloak floated on the thick silver liquid. I lifted it up and wrapped myself with it.”
“The fountain only appears when necessary. I have never encountered such magical artwork. You are very fortunate. As for the cloak, its sole purpose may only be for camouflage. I have no real certainty of its capabilities,” informed the king as he studied the gift.
“Neither do I. But does it not look awfully marvelous on me?” asked Sicarius, modeling herself before the others. Noticing she was among only men, she quickly felt awkward, “Why am I always the only lady among you men?” Invicta and Magni laughed as the king smiled.
“It’s because no lady is worth enough to be in our company,” stated Magni while holding her hand.
“It is true. Magicalis recommends you again and again,” Fortis stated.
“It is so!” yelled Sicarius, “But enough of this sweet talk. We got to be going!”
“Of course!” said Fortis. He pulled out his compass and waited for the letters to be inscribed onto the rock. He moved around until he was able find the letter he wished to see—O. “We must go forward from here. I do not know what else may lie in our path. Castles possibly, maybe graves…”
“How about more beasts?” asked Magni.
“Possibly. What we saw is surely not the last. For a dragon to be seen in the air is by far the greatest sign that this dark land has evolved,” answered the king.
All three proceeded along the path. There were slight noises to be heard in the distance, possibly caves in which the wind was trapped in. It made a whistle screech-like noise in the quiet environment. The fog was starting to diminish, but as far as the eyes could see, only darkness lay in the path. The trees were much taller, the trunks protruding high into the sky as the branches stretched out long and far. The purplish sky could not be seen or dreamt of. Only a slight glow was seen from the reflection the silver trees produced, a glow which enabled them to see in such gloomy hollows.
“I must say, this placed is quite the eeriest I have ever been in,” opinioned Sicarius as she frowned at every corner of the deep woods.
“At least the beasts have forever left us,” said Invicta.
“I’m quite hungry actually,” said Sicarius randomly.
“Very well, however, I must note that a drop of blood is needed as a sacrifice for food or water,” informed the king. He opened his hand to be offered for sacrifiction.
“My king, we are the ones here to serve you,” said Sicarius as she offered her own wrist.
“A king must always serve his land, not the other way around,” said the king wisely. He grabbed the red sack and searched for the small crystal vile. Finding the vile containing the seeds for the Tree of Life, Fortis unscrewed the nicely crafted crystal cap. A shimmering sound was heard, echoing ever so calmly through the forest.
“The seeds are alive,” informed the king. Only one seed fell on the king’s palm, rolling until stopping at the center. The seed, being green and spiked, rolled along the king’s flesh. It stood still for a few seconds until it drove itself into the king’s skin. It disappeared except for the slight movement that could be seen above the skin’s surface. The seed was essentially in the king’s blood stream, moving through it with a profound quickness. The seed stirred along the palm, the spikes protruding the skin outwards until making a small sliver into the skin.
The small seed escaped as a small golden drop covered the seeds surface. The king dropped it onto the white ground. As soon as the seed touched the smallest grain of white sand, the small spiraled trunk of the tree began to form. The branches extended outwards and buds began to take the form on each border. The tree was a deep white color, much like the ground even though the ground itself could not compare with the pureness of the tree. Once the tree grew to its full size, the buds began to blossom slowly. The petals that were once curled up so tightly that air could not surpass, uncurled to reveal small star-shaped golden flowers.
The flowers did not stop there, however. From the hollow middle of the flower, a fruit of some kind grew outwards. The tip of the golden fruit could be seen from afar as the middle half protruded out of the flower head. This quick movement caused the petals to fall down and reveal the gift of the tree. Four of these fruits were found along the branches of the small tree.
“Are we eating your blood?” asked Sicarius as she noticed the fruit’s deep golden color similar to the king’s blood.
“Logically it is my blood, but the tree has made it pure enough to eat. It is much like filthy water for a plant. The plant uses the water but it does not necessarily produce a fruit with dirt,” answered the king.
“I have long given up the taste of blood,” said Sicarius calmly. She raised her toes up enough for her to attain the small golden fruit that hung above her head. The fruit was medium-sized, much like the size of a mango. It seemed moist, despite the metallic appearance. Sicarius gently opened her mouth, exposing sharp canines as they dug into the fruit of life while the others watched in bewilderment. It was nothing Sicarius had ever tasted before; the fruit was moist and warm. The fruit had small fibers that wrapped around her tongue with each bite, producing a taste that had never been felt. It tingled her taste buds to their full power. The fruitlet was sweet and the texture produced calmness to her soul.
While the surface of the fruit was a vibrant golden color that shined even in the darkness, the inside of the ovalish fruit was a lively silver color. Sicarius ate the last bit with enchantment, causing the silvery juice to drip down her reddened lips. She pressured her lips, taking in more of the sugary juice. “What am I? The fruit is not poison!” sneered Sicarius, her eyes blaring from
the delight the fruit had given her.
Invicta, Magni, and the king each plucked the fruit from the tree, taking slow bites as Sicarius had done before them. Each felt the sensation and power the fruit produced as the fruit’s juice raced through the blood stream of each of them. The tree stood bold and tall, illuminating the area with a bright light before wilting into the ground.
Invicta let out a long sigh, tasting the last pieces of flesh of the sugary fruit. “I cannot wait much longer my king! Take out the seeds for the water!” said Invicta in exasperation.
“Of course!” shouted the king as he smiled gingerly. His velvet sack grew wider and longer with a simple magical phrase. It was not a word of magic that had converted the bag, for the bag was already elemental. Feeling inside the sack, the king felt the different vials until he touched the metal box in which his wife’s life was placed into. The king’s eyes widened in horror as he comprehended his brother would be after such a seed.
“My king?” asked Magni with concern as he saw the king’s mind race before his eyes, “The seeds?”
“Ah yes, I just had the vial in my hand. Here it is!” the king said, raising the small vial containing the small spiked seeds that were seemingly moistened. They waited patiently to taste a drop of pure golden blood. The vial, like the Tree of Life, reflected the light. It shined like a star in which several rays of light came off of the crystal bottle. The king changed his face of admiration to one that seemed to question, “Who will sacrifice this time?”
Understanding the king’s concern, Magni offered to sacrifice a drop of his blood. “I will contentedly offer my blood for sacrifice,” he stated as he walked towards the king.
The king nodded in a serious manner before opening the small vial. A small pop was heard that echoed through the small or potentially vast forest. Holding his hand open, Magni allowed the king to let a small soft seed to fall atop his palm. At first it seemed as if the seed was too soft to drill itself into the flesh to retrieve what it so delighted to taste—blood. The seed, however, refused to drill itself as if waiting for the blood to come before it. This is essentially what happened. Magni stared at his palm as blood began to surpass the flesh and onto the surrounding of the seed’s moistened spikes. As if the seed had commanded it to do so, the blood raced along the skin. Slowly the liquid moved onto the seed as the seed began drink the juice much like a sponge.
The seed succumbed to the golden liquid, tasting it until it swelled twice the size. The spikes became to bulge, seemingly exploding if the seed was not dropped in the white ground. Magni slowly moved his right hand downwards until his hand was in a vertical position. He watched as the mystifying blue seed fell onto a deep white blanket. As it fell, the surrounding area became a mixture of a blue pigment, as if a brush containing the blue metallic color had been randomly flicked around the path. The blue pigment did not stop there, however; friskily it spread around the surface like invisible air spreading across one’s very nose.
Within minutes the blue color rose up, creating the outline of a majestic white fountain finished with outlines of a blue metallic color. The fountain was almost as tall as the tree, having three fountains that were positioned from smallest to largest. The sides of the fountain had engravings of fauns, their horns boldly standing out of the center of their heads. A small harp stood in each of their hands, and in some engravings, swords defined the weapons the creatures used for the battle before them.
Four golden goblets rose from the water that was springing out of the heavenly fountain. They floated into the air, motionless for all to observe. However, the goblets began to vibrate and tilt until they fell to the ground. The trees around prevented such magical event to take place.
“It’s the trees,” stated the king as Invicta began to question the falling of the golden cups.
The sound of the fountain’s springing water was filled with mystical and rhythmical sounds as the four warriors knelt down before the fountain to retrieve the goblets.
The goblets also contained engravings and red jewels that sparkled with every slight movement. Sicarius wiped her cup with her cloak, removing the small amounts of white powder which had been trapped between the crevices of the engravings.
The men simply blew off the excess of the dirt and went up to fountain’s enchantment. A small amount of mist seemed to come off of the silver waters. The king dipped his golden goblet and raised the filled chalice to his lips. The liquid was thicker than water but thinner than a fruit’s tender juice. The liquid slowly moved to each side of the king’s mouth. A slight sting was produced from the refreshing liquid, but it was one that was kind to the surface of the tongue. Slowly the sugar calmed the spiciness. All four of them drank their last cupful of the fountain’s water until even the sight of the spring seemed to make the thirst for the water disappear.
“It was truly water from the heavens,” said Invicta as he licked his lips one last time.
“We must be leaving; the forest is only the superficial part of the land. There is far more to come, either for good or for bad,” stated the king who was already walking in the distance even though the fog was thickening. It spread across the branches of the trees like spider webs clinging through any harsh weather.
All four began walking, not too slow and not to briskly as to conserve their energy. The distance could hardly be seen, only the trees before them stood tall and bold, bold and tall, silent and still. They had no idea of what was to be before them or what was to come. They did not know where their fates lied or if they had a deathly fate to begin with. Their fate was like the fog and the fog was like their fate, hiding their destiny from their eye’s reach.
Chapter 7
In Shades of Darkness
