“Did you see anyone?” Lux shook his head, a motion that served to clear the thin tendrils of smoke creeping past the door. However, his answer was futile. The symphony of screams and metallic clinks told more than he ever could.
The king’s eyes fell to the ground, his gaze heavy and clouded, but his resolve unwavering. As each pathetic shriek tore off a piece of his soul, he couldn’t allow himself to fall prey to sadness. He rose to his feet, his ear stuck to the door the three were leaning on. No sounds in their vicinity.
“How is she?”
“Unconscious. She must’ve had quite a sensory shock.”
“I’ve heard rumours of their sensibilities,” the king said melancholically, glancing fatherly at the motionless girl.
Many thoughts ran amok inside Julius’ head, however his stoic expression managed to keep them locked inside. The situation was uncertain, but the consequences were evident. The assailants unknown, but the victims painfully clear. Why? That was the first question he needed to answer to himself. Whilst in time of doubt he would’ve called upon his advisors, he was certain that their guts now lined the spotless marble floor they had partied on mere moments ago. With no one to turn to, he resorted to the one who probably knew as much about the situation as anyone else.
Any clue what’s going on? He thought to ask, but stopped himself right as the words were about to be spoken. At this point, countless people of great importance were massacred, people whose great importance served the kingdom he was ruling over. However, as his panic subsided, the king couldn’t shrug off a lingering suspicion. The minstrel seemed distraught during the feast, his attention awfully close to the assailants’ point of entry. Adding onto that the bizarre string of coincidences that led to his presence there, the uncertainty was obvious.
“Do you know anything about this?” His words were steelclad, much like the piercing eyes with which he sized up the boy. Lux’s surprise couldn’t be hidden, however it was only brief. Gently laying Ari on the floor he stuck his ear to the door, a bizarrely calm smile on his face.
“How would I?” he answered quizzically, which only heightened the king’s scepticism.
“I want a clear answer.”
“Then ask a clear question,” Lux continued, unabated by his frankness. Julius’ gaze speared him.
“I want to know if you have any involvement with this situation. I’m sure you know why.”
Lux’s eyes drifted towards the window. He walked a couple of paces towards the pale moonlight, leaving only his downtrodden shoes to bask in the silver gleam. The swords he was holding suddenly began to glow, as he calmly separated them before the king’s unsettled stare. Julius grit his teeth as his attention rested now undivided onto the minstrel. At this point he didn’t know a thing. Not about his intention, his part in this crisis, or his thoughts. When he turned around, his face was unchanged, the same dumb, lackadaisical grin mocking the king’s sanctified seriousness.
“I will soon. I’m going to help you out of it,” he replied simply. Julius would’ve sighed relieved, but his rational mind had already anticipated this answer. His response came to no one’s surprise. Amidst the cavalcade of strikes and screams, his peaceful follow-up was more disconcerting than any of the bloodcurdling cries for help.
“Why? You owe nothing to the kingdom. You gain nothing from helping us. You have no reason to be involved.”
“Perhaps. I’ll still do it, though.” To that, the king’s ear left the door’s polished surface. He turned his back to the door, hands behind him, as his exposed chest acted like a blockade to the minstrel’s selflessness. Lux didn’t flinch or marvel at his reaction, instead choosing to warm his smile even further.
“Nothing in this world is done selflessly. We all follow our own goals in the end, minstrel. You will save me, I will allow that. However, I won’t…”
“I do have a motive, sire,” Lux interrupted him. Julius’ eyes widened then returned to their scrutinous fire.
“Pray tell.” To that, the minstrel approached him, the two crimson blades he effortlessly split at the ready. Slowly, he stepped closer to the king, his grin now in the moon’s shadow. His features became all the more monstrous in the fleeting light, his disheveled hair, the sharp contour of his face, the skeletal arms that ended with two deadly swords that shimmered a bloody hue. In front of that, the king remained stoic, in spite of his judgement telling him that this would be his end.
“My reason is the most selfish of them all.”
Hearing that, Julius’ body tensed up. He walked up to Lux, his eyes impaling the boy to the floor. With one pace left between the two, the king finally looked down at him, meeting his clear, icy stare.
“Then let’s hear the plan.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ari found herself under a heavy softness when her senses returned back to her. Her head was spinning, her view foggy. She tried to move her arms, but to no avail. Her movements were sluggish, her body barely responding to her commands, as the light thing covering her felt like a coffin. Dizzily, she managed to wrest her arms free, and then, with great effort, push herself out of her prison.
She straightened herself up, her head instantly spinning the second she was sitting upright. Confused, her eyes scanned the room, looking for anything that could reassure her, but to her dismay, she couldn’t spot neither Lux nor the king, and her memory was foggy. As she realised that she was alone and with no one around her, she jerked awake, anything bogging up her senses gone as panic settled in. One more time, her gaze darted around, trying to find the two, but once again her search yielded no result. Scared, she instantly jumped on the floor, the boards creaking pathetically under her weight.
The sound, although very faint, was thunderous to her damaged eardrums. She knelt down in pain, as the intense ringing slowly subsided, leaving only a dull throbbing in their wake. Any hint of drowsiness evaporated as memories of the night flooded back to her. The windows smashing, the insufferable screech, the smoke and then the blackout, she could see them all replaying back in her mind. But the most disconcerting part was that now, in the dead of night, a tranquil silence reigned over the world.
Her thoughts became messy, as too many emotions conflicted inside of her. She slowly curled up in a ball, hugging her knees tightly as she weighed her choices. On the one hand, there was clearly something threatening afoot. Only something strong and scary would give such a terrifying sound to announce its presence, whilst smoke was dubious in it of itself. And more importantly, Lux and the king were nowhere to be found. A small spark of determination shone in her eyes, as she glanced at the door. On shaky feet, she got up and resolved to find her friend.
Careful so as to not trigger any other loud squeaks, she opened the door only to be greeted with a thick cloud of smoke, completely static. An odd aura spread from it, a cautious prodding with her arm confirming her doubts: it was filled with Aesther. Ari stuck her hand out, thin spears of blue mist spreading from her fingertips. Opening her palm, her sapphire Aesther corrupted the air in front of her, creating a safe place for her to enter.
At this point, her fear took the backseat, as she navigated the hallway, scanning the area with utmost care. She knew that whatever was waiting for her out there would use this smoke to detect her, so she had to hide her presence. One thing was clear to her, though, namely that she didn’t have any idea where to go. In the dead of night, the once glistening and luxurious hallways all blended together creating a labyrinth she couldn’t find her way out of.
The quiet was discomforting for her. Noise was a way of communicating for her, that was the way she knew the world through. With nothing to hear, she felt lost, out of touch, her universe being limited to the blue sphere she’s created around her. Her sight and Aesther network limited by the smoke and her other senses unable to register anything more, she felt lost. The only hope she was leaning on right now was that maybe her wandering will make her run into anyone known and friendly.
Intrusive thoughts started to sprout in her mind. What if Lux wanted her to wait there, that’s why she was restrained under there? She couldn’t find her way back. What if something terrible happened to him? She needed to find him. What would she do without him? She had to make do. As more and more tragic ideas sneaked into her head, her breathing hastened.
She had to stop. Her heart began to pound as a door appeared in front of her. Looking at it, she couldn’t recognise it, the details being blurred by the smoke. Touching the wood didn’t tell her a thing, the ridges being nothing but small inconsistencies in the otherwise smooth surface. Hopelessly, she raised an ear and stuck it to the door, only to be greeted with a silence that made her fur stand up.
The mist was growing thicker in the other room, trickles of gray oozing heavily around the keyhole and hinges. Whatever caused this was surely lurking inside of there. Ari got down on her knees, her deafened sense of hearing trying to catch even the slightest clue of any presence behind there. She knew she had to go through there. An instinct told her that was the exit out of this maze. But as it always was, the shortest route is never without its perils.
Her hand reached for the handle. She knew that she had to press down and push, but her strength couldn’t do as much. Nothing told her that danger wasn’t lurking behind there. Nothing could give her the guts to enter. Nothing could make her decide whether to stay or go forward. Trapped in her blue shelter, trembling like a leaf in the wind, cold sweat began to soak her vision.
Then a pause. Her mind blanked. The only sound in her head was her ragged breath. Go, don’t go, these two choices clashed in her head, instinct versus ration. Paralysed, she tried to move, but the only way was forward. Glued to the door, she pushed in her mind, but her body did nothing. Flashes of the events played one after the other, the party, the Prince, the scary men, the noise, the smoke. Then, the barkeep, the shopkeeper, the king, Lux. She blinked once. Then she was in the room.
With no hesitation, she slapped the ground, a perilous gust of wind blowing away all the smoke. It crept out of the window, leaving only a very thin mist in its place, clear enough for Ari to see the wretched display in front of her. All the adrenaline she mustered up in her search for Lux was gone as her eyes flooded with tears.
It was as if a hurricane ravaged through, its unbridled force hurling tables around, biting tiles off the floor, scarring the walls and cracking the stone columns. However, Ari’s attention was drawn to what all this sheltered within. Bodies. Splayed on the tables, adorning the ground, upholstering the chair, their insides painting the white marble with a horrid and pungent crimson hue.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Sheepishly, Ari approached the gory scene. She passed through the graveyard of corpses, taking note of all their expressions. Her eyes jumped around frantically, as her legs subconsciously slid her forward. Mortified gazes, grimaces of terror, pained scowls, they were all drawn on the faces of the slain. Most of the people wore garments similar to hers, clothy and smooth, but noticeably fewer donned a full suit of metal, black and sharp.
Any other details were lost on her, as fear began to invade her mind. She didn’t want an explanation, she didn’t care to analyse, she just wanted to run. Run far away from all of this. Run somewhere safe. A quick scan revealed the stairs to be the safest option. Little to no smoke spread there. In one leap, she was on the padded landing. Quickly, she looked left then immediately chose the right path. She couldn’t bear seeing anymore bodies. It didn’t matter, though, because the 2nd floor was full of them. But more concerning was the harrowing silhouette atop of the stairs.
Without thinking, she tumbled behind a corner, her back glued to the wall. Instinctively, her ears perked up, turned towards the threat in order to scoop their every move, but no sound came through. A tingle ran down her spine, a singular bead of sweat that sent her anxiety into overdrive. She could only cover her mouth in an attempt to muffle her breathing, as her little chest puffed quicker than a hummingbird’s.
She covered her head and sunk it between her knees, too afraid to look towards the danger. Her eyes welled up, as soft hiccups escaped her throat, unable to be contained. Everything around her slowed to a halt, as time became only a measure of how many times her ragged breath fled her lungs. It was one, then nine, then thirty, then too many for her to count in her head, as her thoughts became nothing but simple scribbles. Run, nowhere to run without being seen, her legs wouldn’t move, her body was paralysed.
Ari’s ears were suddenly pulled up violently, ripping a pained shriek from her. The silhouette now evolved into a man’s face, marked by a messy beard and eyes that shone with relentless violence. He mouthed some words that she couldn’t hear, then threw her into the wall, as if he was tossing a piece of rotten fruit to the side. However, Ari’s fear only led her instincts to take control, as she flipped in the air, cushioning the impact then landing right next to the wall. With her path cleared, she instantly darted down the hallway.
She didn’t care about the doors she passed, nor about the splatters of blood every here and there. All that mattered was that she found shelter, somewhere she could go and seal him off from. She could feel him still giving chase, his eyes boring a hole into the back of her head. That cold, impossibly cruel stare, that’s what she was running away from. Suddenly, an opening came into her sight, as she instantly leapt and shut the doors behind her.
Looking around she spotted a large wooden square behind her, looking heavy enough to lock him out. Without hesitating, she snuck her slim fingers behind it and, with a smooth motion the box moved effortlessly towards the door, until with a final push it blocked it completely. As she finished it, she rushed to the opening in the wall, but her heart instantly sunk as she saw the height she had to jump down from. She couldn’t make that drop. Fearfully, her attention was drawn back to the entrance and the piece of wood that was her last hope.
A hope that soon dwindled as a crimson blade impaled the edge of the door, basked in a pale, orange glow. With an effortless swing, the fired up metal cut through her makeshift barricade in an instant, revealing her pursuer’s disinterested expression. Taking a step back, he put all his weight in the next attack, as the barrier she created got blown to smithereens. Ari didn’t hear anything, but she could see her assailant sighing dejected.
Spinning his blade, he began stalking towards her, a disappointed scowl strewn on his face. Ari threw her hands towards him, strong gusts of blue-tinted air fleeing from her fingertips. Her assailant’s blade cut through all of them, not even fazed, as he continued to approach her. The girl’s motions became more desperate and her attacks more powerful as he got closer, but to no avail. His weapon cut through everything. Her mind was frozen in fear, as she could only pointlessly flail her arms with no result.
With a bored expression, the man kicked her back on the bed. Ari tried to ward him off again, but her strength has long left her, as the mighty gusts turned into nothing but soft breezes that merely tickled her soon to be killer. She let out another cry, much to his chagrin, as he raised his blade up high, readying for the final blow. Her wailing resonated through the quiet castle, but no one was there to hear her. The tears in her eyes finally forced them closed as she continued to plead wordlessly. The last thing she saw was the crimson shimmer of the blade as it plummeted towards her.
A warm liquid splashed her trembling lip. She didn’t move, she couldn’t, and yet she felt no pain. Her eyes were bogged down by the sticky substance, but still she managed to open them. The figure of her assailant was looming over her, but his expression was petrified, his features trembling ever so slightly. Ari instantly recoiled, crawling away from him and as soon as she was a safe distance, the man fell forward, a long blade looking just like his sticking out of his head.
In the destroyed doorway another shadowy figure appeared, panting tired as his head hung low. A long chain connected crept away from his hand, tying the weapon to his glove. With a blue spark, the sword yanked itself out of the man’s skull and slowly slithered back into her saviour’s hand where it remained firm and steady. Still heaving, he slowly rose his head, showing a recognisable, yet visibly pained smile. Ari’s heart skipped a beat when she finally saw a familiar face, that of her trusty companion.
Weapon still in hand, he made his way towards her. Without any warning she leapt from the bed and rushed to him, locking him in a terrified embrace. After a night of fear and uncertainty, she finally had something that she could hold on to, a warm and nurturing presence. She didn’t know how long she’s stayed like this, but she only wanted to relish the feeling for as long as it lasted. Lux was the one to break the spell, as he knelt down to her level. He tried talking to her, but her ears were still stiff and throbbing.
He tried talking to her, but quickly realised that she couldn’t hear a thing. Her skin tingled a little when he carefully rubbed her ears, his hands engulfed in a faint blue flame. At first she could hear only a faint, high-pitched sound, but as he kept steadily nursing Aesther into her, a little more sound came forward.
“That’s all I can do for now,”he said warmly, as he rubbed her head. “I’m not very good at healing, but it should be enough for you to hear me. Although he sounded as if talking from the inside of a barrel, she could still understand what he said. She beamed a smile back at him, as his head jerked back.
“In here!” he raised his voice, prompting the king to appear in the doorframe. His gaze was first consternated on her, as he noticed the splatter of blood on her face, but then, seeing the dead knight behind her, it eased into a paternal warmth. However, the time for pleasantries was not now, as Julius instantly changed gears, back to his stern self.
“How many is that?”
“Sixteen, unless you got more on the way here.”
“Two more. You leapt over them and I was left to deal with them,” the king scolded the minstrel.
“Ari,” Lux turned to her, abandoning his serious expression for a more jovial one, “did you go through the banquet hall?”
A single nod.
“Take a good look at that guy and tell me, did you pass by anyone alive dressed like him?” Lux continued, his serious tone severely contrasting his face
Ari gulped, but shook her head.
“Let’s hurry, who knows when they might come back,” the king almost ordered as he stepped out of the room.
“Can you run?”
“Y-yes,” Ari replied prompting Lux to blink twice in disbelief.
“Okay then,” he replied warmly. “Run out of the room. The king and I will follow.”
Nodding, Ari immediately fled. She understood the severity of this situation and knowing that she had her back guarded, she ran with a new vigor. She nearly leapt over the first staircase, stopping only when she reached the landing. However, she immediately stopped upon seeing the four metallic men shooting threatening glares at her. Without even having any moment to register, one of the guys threw a spear at her.
The two noticing the girl stopping instantly gauged the situation. Lux jumped over the bannister, whilst Julius rushed to Ari’s side. With one precise swipe, the spear was sliced in half, the scraping of metal to metal causing her to flinch and jump behind the king.
“Try to take one alive! We’ll bring them in for questioning in the barracks!” he yelled to Lux, as the minstrel cautiously approached them, his sword drawn and ready. The four snickered a little, as they all rushed to him.
In an instant, they split in two teams, half of them jumping up, spears at the ready, whilst the others rushed him headfirst. Lux retreated, throwing his sword at the ones still on the ground. His weapon flew to an easy parry, but his opponent wasn’t prepared for a little Aesther infusion. As if enchanted, his sword’s trajectory curved pust the raised spear planting itself into the rogue’s side. He collapsed to the ground, but his three allies weren’t abated.
They regrouped swiftly and charged, this time all at once. Lux knew that he couldn’t fight them all at once, not with their weapons outranging his by a long shot. With his sword still off-hand, he couldn’t do anything but jump, however he wasn’t quick enough. A short upward stab found its target in his calf. Lux winced, but didn’t say a word as his balance was thrown off and he fell to the floor, taking a couple of tumbles before rising to his feet. His left leg was bleeding profusely, but his determination allowed him to still stand upright, painful as it was.
Julius has swiftly escorted Ari downstairs and next to the windows, as far away from the fight as possible. Ducking under a table that was half outside, half inside, the king motioned to the girl to stay put.
“Stay here. Don’t show yourself and listen closely. If I tell you to run, you run out the window. Run straight ahead, jump over the wall and keep on running. Don’t look left or right, the first building you’ll see is your destination. Knock on their door, tell the people what happened and lead them here. Do you understand?” The king spoke hurriedly, but clearly, his monotonous tone spouting orders quicker than Ari could comprehend. Still, she nodded frightened, as Julius’ attention was turned to the fight.
The second he joined the fight, the three targeted him. One threw his spear, drawing the king’s attention instantly. Dodging it, he was quick to spot the other two rushing in for a quick follow-up, whilst the disarmed one was nowhere to be seen. Knowing that he couldn’t help himself with just a sword, Julius took a couple steps back. The two separated a metre before their target, ensuring that he could only deal with one at a time.
Stepping on the spear at his feet, he sent it flying upward, catching it mid-air and instantly impaling the enemy on his right. Leaning in the strike, he managed to avoid the other one, that nearly missed his hip with his deadly charge. But, in spite of seeing his weapon glide by, he couldn’t help a cry, as he felt a grueling pain running in his abdomen. Looking down at himself, he saw a growing red spot near his stomach. The man he stabbed chuckled.
“Not all of our attacks are seen, your Highness,” he mocked as he choked on the blood gushing in his mouth. The king offered him a leer in return as he drove the spear deeper into his chest. Instantly after he felt his strength starting to flee, as his legs gave way and he fell forward, turning mid air to face the ceiling. Julius felt his throat fill up, as he coughed violently, his fogging eyes barely registering the man rushing in with a spear. He felt another hot breath above him, but he couldn’t tell whose it was.
Ari jumped when Lux’s sword dug deep into the man leaning over the king. The rogue, armed with nothing but a dagger, felt his hand unclench, as he spat the last ounce of blood that was going to run into his veins. Julius was saved, but not for long, as one more threat remained. A blue spark lit up the chain, as Lux pulled himself towards the frey. In one swift movement, he grabbed his sword still stuck in the corpse, flipped the rogue’s body and threw it overhead, hurling it towards the last man left alive.
Unable to process his rapid movements, the rogue took the full brunt of the impact. The minstrel knew that it wouldn’t stop him for long, so he instantly regained his footing and senses and planned his next move. A sharp pain struck his lower body, just as he was about to charge again. All the air in his lungs was let free in a violent cough, as his head slowly swiveled behind him. The faint smirk of the man beneath the king taunted him.
“Die...traitor…”
Lux heard a thud, as the last rogue pushed his companion’s body aside and grabbed his spear. A cold swarmed over him as he fell to his knee. The spear impaling him barely held him upright as he had just the right amount of strength to look his murderer in the eye. If Ari were to see him now, she’d probably be terrified. His eyes oozed pain and malice, as he glared at the man who was going to take his life.
“You disgust me.” The rogue’s voice chided the half-conscious minstrel. “The sparrow’s nest welcomes you,” he uttered solemnly as he raised his spear in one hand. Lux spat out a handful of blood as he shot his killer a wry, trembling smile.
“May you...rot in it…” Those were the minstrel’s last words. The spear had begun its descent long before those words were uttered, but the eternity of the strike was more than Lux’s fading senses could register. He let his eyes fall shut, as his final effort was to let his smile be known to the world. The sudden warmth enveloping him drove away all the cold that death blew in his veins, a sudden weight on his chest suffocating him. That’s calor mortis, he thought to himself.
He couldn’t have known that a blue fireball vaporised his would-be killer as Ari rushed from her spot, fingers still scalding.