The Lost Shell of Mahon

by Casey Phelps

  The four prominent families were Leones, the Unicorns, the Dragons, and the Mere.

  Leones, this group was chosen by many of their relative felines, and most preferred to leave the leadership to this ruling family, they were thus named of course the L’eonis, or Leon. Passing on the name to the oldest, or most capable princeling, or princess marked the next in line for the throne. In this line either male or female can inherit. There was also the prophesy which names the line and mentions the shell. In the dark times, no Princess has been named and the title was passed on to the mate of choice for each Leon, lessening the power of the title.

  The next line was the unicorns; these are passed to the oldest male living descendant that can pass the trials. At the end of the trials the princeling can then wait for the reigning king to pass on the crown, or choose to force a council vote and a popular vote among the citizens, thus upon gaining this vote would take the crown, by either abdication of the former king or by force.

  The next line is the dragon, if you notice so far that the beast behind the person also controls the line of royalty, the ruling families frown upon any multi-bestial relationships to bring forth any children. The offspring is generally an outcast of society not claiming either bestial parentage and not in line for the throne.

  The dragon is the top of the hierarchy, even though their numbers are few, their powers are much wider, and their abilities are much stronger than most other beasts. They are solitary unless they find their human counterpart and can pass their extra gift on to the human they choose.

  The ruling class will not choose a human for this reason, because their bond is so strong that the dragon does not outlive the breakage due to the death of the human. Most dragons then do not actually search for their human bondmate until they reach one-hundred years. This allows them to reach the adolescent stage of their lives and they are more likely to outlive their bondmate’s death. A bondmate bond that lasts for more than one-hundred and fifty years tends to cause the premature death of the dragon as well, the longer the bond, the stronger and therefore the harder the breakage is on the older dragon. With the passing of the laws to eliminate humans in the realms we have found that dragons have become recluse and are not found in any society, though they have their governing laws, and their king, they do not have a community, and find solitude the best balm for losing their bondmate. Most humans or beasts will defer to the judgment of a dragon on any matter, as they can speak to others in their subconscious minds, no matter the distance separating them. The highest punishment from the king is to lose that bond to the other dragons, and therefore becoming separate from the combined consciousness.

  These are the highest forms of the royal lines on land due to their organized authority and established communities. There are smaller communities within these groups they are governed by a noble class beast from the ruling entity. There are of course others but these are the ones that rule the majority of Dalthimus.

  The underwater creatures have their own system and they are run by the Mere, or the mere-people. The Mere are vicious, and cruel, they rule the waters with iron control, and are not challenged for power. The Mere rulers are all male, they are given a species to rule and they are tested on their competency from the Mere king. The king usually appoints his sons which are many based on their favor with him. The penalty of betraying the king or inability to command their responsibilities results in death. If no male heir is in line for the throne the throne may be graced to the eldest female offspring should the King choose to do so, this is not common however.

  Not much else is known about this realm, as those above the water are not generally invited below. Those who are generally meet a watery end.

  Many of the watery creatures enjoy luring those from above to drown in the depths below, enjoying the ethereal beauties that few behold.

  So went my “training” as I should know of all these things as not only dragon marked but as the L’eonis. Apparently an L’eonis had not been tried in a thousand years; the title was just given to the princesses that married the kings. I was not the first, but certainly one of the few, and definitely the only human named, though I kind of lost my human status…. So who knows what I am now.

  I also learned that only dwarves are dragons, and feline beasts are “human” in their other form, as well as the unicorn are always giants.

  They tried teaching me some astrology, or astronomy never did figure out which meant what. I like the stars they are twinkly and bright, but I cannot tell one from another and his brother or constellation. It was all way over my head; they really tried to stress to me the importance of the moon, as the daughter of the sun. I get that there are phases but not sure how it was supposed to mean anything to me.

  Apparently it is her turning her face from the creation, her job is reflecting the Lord Sun’s light and she was angry at her father, and thus began the cycle of the moon. She sounded like a spoiled teenager to me, but what do I know.

  ****

  Chapter 22

  “And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”

  Mark Twain

  Daltim wrung his hands together nervously. He hated meeting with the Magistrate, the man’s scarred visage was enough to put nightmares to shame. The bloody colored robes that gradually fell into black shadows at his feet added to the menacing presence. Power hung to the man like a second skin. His darkness manacled the high councilman in his thrall.

  Daltim was worried about what the Priest would say of the failure to find the Princeling. They had sent the fanatic boy to learn of the whereabouts of his brother and the ‘princess’. The Magistrate had become enraged when he learned of the escape at the hands of the king. He had gone in to meet privately with the ailing king upon his death bed; no one questioned when he pronounced the king dead within the hour.

  He could feel the noose of fingers tightening around his neck, in fearful anticipation of his arrival. The darkness touched him first, seeking out his fear like a drug writhing and encasing him in tendrils that fed hungrily.

  The Councilman sank to his knees and awaited the Magister’s words to even raise his eyes from the rough ground. Knowing that if their plots and schemes ever came to light and the deprivation of the weaker men of his company there would be no mercy for the atrocities they had committed. He cringed as the bony fingers rested heavily on his neck, wrapping like death around him.

  He waited for whatever fate hung in the Magister’s dead eyes.

  “Your trembling is beneath you, I have need of you for now. You do not need to fear a death sentence at this time. Though, I am admittedly angered.” He spoke as if he hadn’t a care in the world belying his violent temper.

  “Rise.” He commanded.

  I stood keeping my eyes from meeting his gaze showing difference but wary at the same time. His voice was only this calm when he was close to losing control and ripping through whoever happened to be closest.

  However, one could always count on his smile. You do not ever wish to be the object he gains interest in, it will be a tortured end for that individual. More so if you feed his shadows with your emotions and cries. He had only seen the man smile one time, and had carried the mutilated remains of what had been a hysterical young girl from the dungeons.

  He was only glad that he was not initiated or asked to participate in the rituals or ‘worship’. It was truly something of nightmares the screams rang and the smell of blood permeated everything that the shadows touched.

  “I have a request.” The Magister smiled, and my blood ran cold in my veins.

  ****

  Chapter 23

  In the times before the Ladisians took control of the council and began their crusade to end the human’s existence from Dalthimus, and the time of Darkness had come. There was a wealthy family, this family was strong in the gifts, each child was presented to the Lord Sun upon their birth and in return his blessing was given to each child by the mark on their faces. It came to pas
s that on the dawning of the time that the laws were passed to enslave or slaughter those who possessed magic, and lead to the slavery of all the humans, a child was born into the family. This was to be their first and only child; the mother’s family was a lesser noble of the royal house, and the father a gifted human. The mother under the stress of bearing the child during these troubled times died during the birth of the child. The family was aggrieved and knew that this was an evil omen, thought to kill the child thus not allowing the taint of this omen to touch their blessed family and they might be spared the slavery that was passed to all those who were gifted. The husband aggrieved of the death of his beloved wife, knowing of his family’s desire to end his child’s life, took pity on this little girl. He stole her away to the temple of the Lord Sun. He went and asked for the blessing to be given, surely his family would not kill a blessed child. He was heartbroken when no blessing came forth from the Lord Sun, knowing then that there was no hope for his child he left the infant on the steps to the temple. He ran to the watch tower overlooking the sea and cast himself into the chilling waters.

  Unbeknownst to the family, or the man, the priestess had watched the man’s distress and had immediately fallen in love with the child. The Lord Sun looked upon the desires of his priestess knowing that she too would be killed if she were to stay, and that he no longer would be welcome among the hearts of the people, he gave her the child, and sent her to another world, with no knowledge of what they had left behind.

  As we travelled yet another part of the realm the grasses waved us on. There came up a breeze and we were huddled to the warmth of our steeds. Wrapping our cloaks around to warm ourselves, the Hunter’s Moon waned and the wintry wind beat down upon us. We came to a road, it looked as though it hadn’t been used for years, and was in disrepair. Deciding that there might be water or shelter we followed the shallow path of a road. The scenery slowly changed as a few trees popped up and we were glad to have the covering.

  We camped beneath the canopy of shade and I started humming it was a melody my mother hummed to me when I was a small child, and started singing the song as she had done to me as I clung to her in my fear.

  ****

  The trees are singing

  The lullaby child

  The grasses are swaying

  It adds to their guile

  Pulling the sleepy one

  Deep into dreaming

  And all the while

  Baby in my heart keeping

  ****

  It was a melancholy tune, haunting me from my mother’s whispered lips comforting me and filling my heart with longing for my simple life I left behind. I remembered the many nights I had woken to strange dreams of frightful places and nightmares plagued and haunted me. The night was something I dreaded and my room looked like Christmas. The lights illuminated my reality and banished my fright. I had always had dreams, only now do I realize the scope of this gift. I had continued humming as I pondered these things, when Artileon’s deep voice added a harmony to my tune; it filled the camp and floated on the breeze.

  “My mother sang that lullaby to me when I was a small child, every time I was afraid, she always said there was more to it, but couldn’t quite remember where she had heard it and it seemed no one else had ever heard it in the small town I lived in so I didn’t know where it came from,” I said.

  “It is a lullaby here as well though I have never heard it in a human family, it is strange that you would have the same lullaby,” Artileon murmured. Yes, curious I thought.

  That night I was taken into a dream.

  I watched a heart wrenching story of a family torn apart and of a small child loved by a priestess. At the man’s demise I screamed for the man to not lose hope, but my words fell upon deaf ears as I watched him plummet to his death. I cried as his wife died giving birth to her child, and whispered the name that was to be given.

  Raechelle L’eonis, it was her dying breath.

  In a haze of confusion I watched this infant given to the priestess and as she turned to face the night, it was the face of my own mother.

  I awoke to the stillness of the night, tears streaming down my face. I grappled with the enormity of the tale I witnessed and resigned myself to the truth of it. The dragon chimed mournfully in his slumber, but Artileon was watching me warily.

  “You cried out in your sleep, you had another vision?” He asked.

  “Yes,” my voice was hoarse, I was too numb to speak, and he came to sit by my side. He placed his hand on my shoulder and grasped my hand in the other and simply said “show me.”

  I sent him the images from my dream; new tears retraced the paths the old ones had already taken. He wrapped his arms around me and I leaned into his embrace and took comfort from his understanding.

  I cried myself out, and fell to sleep. This time my gift was silent and I found rest. I woke this time refreshed and snuggled in the warmth until I realized with a start that I had fallen asleep and I was snuggling Artileon. I looked up at his face as I realized he too had fallen asleep and hopefully hadn’t noticed me snuggling him, though my face was beet red.

  “Yes I noticed,” Artileon was chuckling laughing at me deepening my embarrassment. I scowled at him, until he said “now stop moving I was comfortable and you were keeping me warm.”

  I was taken aback at his ease, he was normally so aloof. I hadn’t seen him interact with very many people. He never seemed comfortable in other’s presence nor did he ever engage in any physical contact. In fact he made a point to stand apart and his body language warned any of the danger of getting too close.

  I thought that it was a shame I had not seen him interact with his mother, and family. I mustn’t have been guarding my thoughts well, since he grunted. He sighed and began to explain. He was never fond of his brother, and his mother was very fond of Aremi, and his father was in love with his job as a ruler, his heart was with his people. He had no time or love for his offspring or wife. They were necessary, a means to an end, procuring an heir for the throne. So he had a nurse maid with a scowling and demeaning personality, and he mirrored her quite well. He upset the friendly Brothimus at the academy and the old teacher was never able to get what he wanted from the young princeling always challenging him. Copying his father’s aloof behavior and never managing any relationships that did not in some way profit him.

  The banter Brothimus had earned with years of constant upkeep wasn’t something that came naturally or willingly from Artileon. Until the man he had been imprisoned for, a mere slave, but his friend. His only friend. He found that to have friendship, or love meant to know loss and that was too great a cost. This only compounded the problem and lead to his imprisonment and lead to their current predicament.

  His eyes glistened, and then he shifted as if to get up. I stubbornly said, “Hey quit moving around I was comfortable and you are keeping me warm.”

  I smiled at him, inwardly wondering where that came from.

  He shrugged and pulled me closer, and we sat and companionable silence and watched the sun rise lighting the grasses as they swayed and glowed from the new days beginning.

  Jyar awoke and was grumpy that we didn’t invite him to snuggle. I couldn’t contain my giggles. We all got up and started arranging our supplies for the day’s ride.

  Remembering my dream I recounted all I had learned that night. Seeing my parents deaths and my own birth and adoption by my mother and leaving this world for the safety of the world I grew up in.

  I belonged here.

  “Yes you do,” Artileon answered in my thoughts.

  We started up the road we had found the day before and before the sun had risen to its highest point we saw on the horizon a citadel. As we neared I was swept into a dream I had as a child.

  It started every time the same. I was looking out across a panoramic view. I was standing on a terrace looking across the cliffs below, the turbulent surf crashing against the black granite stones. The gray waters sparkled and frothed as the
stones gathered the warmth of the sun, and radiated it upwards casting its shimmers across the scene. The clouds kissed the horizon and erupted with the last rays of the sun as it slipped beneath the waves. My hands gripped a worn and weathered rail, a solid bastion of safety.

  “I know this place.” I said.

  Artileon said “we are nearing the black cliffs, and the Sea of Gray. The citadel was once owned and then abandoned by a distant relation to the royal line.”

  I remembered my hands in the dreams and in every dream as I looked at my hands I noticed a ring I had never worn; I described it to Artileon, and Jyar. The ring was carved with a vine up one side its leaves encasing a faceted jewel, and an L was chiseled in to the other side. This Artileon explained, marked one as a member of the royal house, it was given to the child through whom the line passed, but he couldn’t explain why I had seen it or why I had worn it in the dream. He showed me the ring he wore, though similar something was different about the ring from my dream. We rode ahead, towards the citadel.

  The closer we got the more dismal the surroundings, it wasn’t merely abandoned it was crumbling. The grounds were covered in withering vines, the trees were dried and emaciated husks. The stones were a testament to their craftsmanship and stood the windows and doors, were shattered and decayed. We pushed into the crowded courtyard and surveyed the ruined structure. I was compelled to go inside I had to find the place I had dreamt of. I walked assuredly my feet guiding up through the gaping doorway, and into the grand hall. The tapestries were ragged and faded, furniture overturned and ravaged by the elements. I strode across the hall and continued to the staircase, I could hear my companions following, and Jyar’s warning chimes to be careful. The first landing had no effect on me so I continued upward, as a neared the second landing I happened to look down and saw a small doll. I picked her up and brushed the dust from her face, I caught a glimpse of a laughing child her dress billowing as she ran frivolously through the hall, dropping her favorite dolly in her haste. I took the doll with me as I climbed the last few steps and took off down the hallway passing door after door, after I reached the fourth door I peered inside to where the sun glinted through the broken glass of the windows and I walked carefully inside. There was fear in this room, I was gripped by a dream and I watched these terrible events unfold.