Chapter XXVI

Lucius's intoxicated mind mixed up pain, anger, and dizziness. But all this was still nothing compared to the burning sensation coming from somewhere deep inside. The sight of his sister's face tortured him, with its unspeakable fear and the mystery of why she was so scared.

“What happened?! What is happening?!” - He heard questions from somewhere, far away. Rufus and Jahna, accompanied by several other wizards, went into the room.

Lucius's befuddled mind could not grasp why there were so many officers, wizards, and servants in the hall. It's likely that something occurred, so they all got together to figure out what happened. However, Lucius really could not think more than that.

Now he was just trying to deal with the feeling he got when he saw his sister’s eyes, along with the feeling of dizziness and a racing heart. Wandering senselessly in the storm of these sensations, he realized Vittorio had entered the hall full of people. Angela, Michael, Uriel, and Livia were all sitting drunk in the seats and, amazed by the behavior of the children, could barely say anything. Instead of them, the caregivers answered what happened a while ago during the meeting with the four children. Vittorio paid close attention to what they were saying and then took one of the kids to observe for himself...

Wizards silently gathered around. One of them gave Lucius a strange liquid that quickly relieved his hangover from the day before.

Michael, Uriel, and Angela were sitting and waiting for the conversation to start. Only Livia was nowhere to be seen.

Eventually, the wizards started talking, but it was not a language Lucius was familiar with. Lucius felt his heart sink with each word Vittorio spoke. Then Rufus, the long-haired one, and two or three wizards spoke, but what they said was still unknown to Lucius.

Finally, when everyone finished talking, Vittorio stood up, took out his dagger, and start walking toward the youngsters.

“I’m sorry,” - frowned the wizard.

“Wait! Why?” - cried, Blondy.

“Even though the vessel was destroyed, the traces of it were not completely gone and the children noticed it. We have no other choice.” Vittorio replied.

"If I'm not mistaken, you weren't too knowledgeable regarding the Red Regad. How do you know that our killing is the only right solution?" Uriel attempted to start a conversation. Vittorio hesitated for a second. He was already dangerously close to them.

“The majority decided so...”

“I am Uriel Arch de Ludgar, son of Ryan Arch de Ludgar and Prince of Al-Moravid. I will not allow you to kill us here just because most of you have decided so!” - Uriel did not lose his temper.

“It doesn’t matter if you are a prince or a slave, do you have one last thing to say?” - Vittorio was about to plunge the dagger when Lucius shouted - “Hold on, I want to tell you something!” The dagger only barely scratched Uriel’s skin who was frozen like ice statue.

Lucius could see a query in Vittorio's expression.

I would like to explain to you the dream I had and then you could decide about our fate.

“We don't have the time to listen to your fantasies!”

“This was a vision unlike any other. I'm uncertain if it was a dream or a conscious one.”

“Say it shortly,” Vittorio said, despite the reluctance of several wizards.

“When the red-eyed invaded the city, Marcus guided us to the wall, where we stayed in the commander's house. The next day, Lord Felix asked me to join him in his room to talk about the wizard. We were in the middle of our conversation in Felix's office when the officer showed up. Fear had him struck mute, and he only croaked out Marcus… Gate... The commander hurried out of the office and I trailed behind. As we scaled the wall, I noticed Marcus on the other side, surrounded by people. He had painted the gate as it seemed with the blood of these people, and when he finished, the hands that came out of the paintings dragged the murdered people inside. Smoke ascended from six painted places on that gate.”

Stolen story; please report.

“Heavenly Demons, listen to my cry! - After hearing those words, I lost my mind, and when I woke up; I was still in the room with Uriel and others. The officer stood nearby to let me know the commander was summoning me. Although I had never seen it before, I knew what the room looked like when I walked in. I hadn't encountered the Commander before; I hadn't even heard his name was Felix, however...”

“Does anyone else have the same vision?” - asked the black man.

No one said a word.

“Vittorio, that's utter nonsense. He dreams up some deceptions to pass the time,” - remarked a wizard.

“That's insane!” - Lucius distinguished Jahna's voice from the rest. Regardless, his attention never strayed away from Vittorio, the only one who wasn't in a rush to kill them.

“Can you recall the locations Marcus painted?” Vittorio's question filled the room with a tense silence.

”I can't guarantee that I'll be able to find them all, but I should have no trouble finding the gate.” said Lucius.

Silence fell again for a long time. The black wizard said nothing while he was sitting on the edge of the table with a dagger in his hand, lost in thoughts.

“What are we waiting for? Let’s kill them all!” - shouted someone.

“We are wasting time in vain... Vittorio, what shall we do?” A question from the redhead woman woke up the black wizard.

“We have to look,” he said.

“How should we check?” - asked someone from the group of wizards.

He gave no response, just told the attendants to bring the youngsters and then departed from the room.

The early morning chill could be felt outside while the city was still shrouded in slumber. At the commander’s command, several officers followed Vittorio’s group. A few wizards walked with the Vittorio, while the rest were spread out in small groups going to the gate. So that a massive group of magicians walking together wouldn't spark the public's interest.

Lucius heard shuffling footsteps as they approached the ramparts with Michael, Angela, and Uriel.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” - asked Michael in a whisper.

“I didn’t know how to explain... I couldn’t grasp the moment...” - muttered Lucius.

They had almost reached the arch, after passing through which the noble district ended. The street was full of magicians, but it was hard to tell they all had the same goal in mind. They opened the first gate. No one said a word to Lucius as he walked towards the closed gate.

He felt the coldness of the rusty iron when he touched it. Lucius stepped back to give the black wizard some room and joined his friends, who were standing far away. Vittorio rested one hand on the gate. From far away, he resembled a sculpture. The only sign that he wasn't made of stone was the part of the mantle flapping in the breeze.

Time passed by and nothing happened.

“Let’s run, maybe at least one of us will survive this way,” - whispered Uriel

“There’s no point, they’ll catch us anyway,”- Lucius was losing hope.

“Look!” - Lucius could just about recognize Angela's thrilled voice. He turned slowly. Somewhere, inside his heart, he seemed to desire that nothing would be found at the gate and the story would remain a dream. But, in the depths of the metal gate, a reddish color was emerging and forming a painting. This painting gave someone a feeling of intensity that you had never experienced before. Lucius felt like he was being submerged in the ocean - the scarlet ocean...

“What the hell is this?” - His voice was shaking, making the black wizard look like an average person.

Vittorio turned away from the gate, watching the gate from a distance, while the others approached the painting.

“If only this did not happen,” Lucius felt hopelessness in Vittorio’s voice. Everyone expected an explanation, but he remained silent. A mysterious feeling overwhelmed Lucius. His body trembled. The morning's chill was not the cause. It was an inner shiver...

“Vittorio! Tell us what’s going on,” - Jahna broke the silence.

"It surpasses my imagination…" the wizard muttered.

“The vessel did not disappear. It looks like my delta was ineffective against him.”

“This doesn't make any sense to me.” - The redhead's voice was trembling.

I can feel the power of the Red Regad at the gate. The vessel was not here by accident; it was summoned...

“Do you recognize what this painting portrays, Jahna? Gate of the White Phoenixes. Are you comprehending what I'm saying? Are you aware of the meaning of the red regad on Pandora's wall?” - Vittorio's speech shattered the chilly quiet.

"The gate can be broken..." Hearing Jahna’s voice sent a chill down Lucius's spine.

“These children will soon become vessels themselves. Our assumption that we were dealing with a simple marking is already ridiculous,” - Vittorio pointed to the four.

“One more reason to kill them!” - One of the wizards unsheathed his sword.

“Stop! Killing them will not make it better. The vessel is not attached to them. We will kill them and the redness will wake up in others.”

“So, what should we do?” The weapon remained in the wizard's grasp.

“We must take them as quickly as possible!”

“What fate awaits the city?” - Rufus asked.

“If we take them away, there will be no more danger, at least from the vessel’s side...” - frowned the black wizard.