by Cale Madison
“Wzywam cię…” I stammered, “wolę mistrza, aby odsłonić.”
I noticed a brief indication of alarm in the Djinn’s eyes as I said the words. He shook his head, acting as though my actions would come to no avail, shouting from all around me, “It’s over, boy!”
“Wzywam cię , wolę mistrza, aby odsłonić.” I repeated, watching as the reflections began to quake and vibrate. The mirrors shattered, showering the floor in shards of glass as I walked past them, continuing to recite the summoning spell. I noticed that, as I said the words, every false mirror would quickly explode. His face now shone with incredulity, rather than the smug, superior expression he once wore.
I recited the spell, locking my trained eyes on the Djinn’s every move as he jumped between reflections. Bursts of glass and white clouds erupted from the false mirrors behind me, leading me closer to the edge of the tower. “Wzywam cię , wolę mistrza, aby odsłonić!” I commanded for the last time. Every mirror had shattered into thousands of fragments which cascaded down from the tower’s ledge - each mirror except the one that stood before me. The Djinn shrieked, his eyes becoming red with fire as he realized that he could not escape from behind the glass. This particular mirror that he chose to hide behind was different than the others: Martok’s mirror.
“Found you.” I whispered into his glaring eyes. Without a moment’s hesitation, I then lifted the mirror and heaved it over the ledge. His screams loudly echoed as he fell to the hard ground below, smashing against the grass and exploding into hundreds of tiny fragments. A blinding light erupted from the point of contact, followed by a billowing cloud of violet smoke and then, nothing but silence.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
The darkness vanished after the magic dissipated, revealing us to still be atop the Crescent Moon. We awoke in puddles of warm water; the Baron stirred from where he lay and rubbed his temples as if fending off a terrible migraine. I rushed to Aketa’s side, checking for her pulse. It returned, along with the rosy color in her cheeks and the light in her blue eyes as they slowly opened.
“You jumped for me.” she whispered, faintly through hardened breaths, smiling as wide as on our wedding night. I offered her the same, wiping away the dirt and grime to give her a more appropriate sight to look at.
“I made my girl a promise, didn’t I?”
“You still jump like a princess, Caine,” she laughed as she kissed my neck, “with the grace of a peacock...but I still love you and what you’ve done.”
Skalige peered over the ledge of the tower, admiring the busted mirror frame lying at the base below. He spat in its direction before returning to us to ask, “How can you be sure that was the last of him?”
“I can’t be sure,” I replied, vaguely, never moving my eyes from Aketa’s gaze, “but for right now, he’s gone. Nothing else matters.”
“An optimist and naive friend, I daresay,” said Skalige, “on the other side, after we went under...what happened? I can’t recall anything.”
Aketa shook her head, indicating that she was indeed exhausted from the excitement and ready to return home. We had enough excitement in the past week to last us a couple lifetimes. I pressed my forehead against my wife’s and answered him, simply, “Doesn’t matter.”
The glorious sun rose above the mountains to the west, showering the isles in its warm, loving embrace as we rejoiced on the tower. Our perils seemed to have ended at last. I held my wife as if for the last time, barely allowing her to breathe. She buried her face in my chest, holding tightly, as if she’d lose me again if she lost her grip. I loved this woman to the edge of possibility and to see her endure such a hardship, only to find her way back into my arms was a miracle in itself.
* * * * * *
“More drinks around,” Skalige announced, “praise the dead and celebrate the living. May their souls rest in eternal peace.”
“Live for the battle, die for our brothers!” the party exclaimed, raising their mugs and goblets to their mouths to drink the wine. We sat at the head of the Baron’s dining table, drinking expensive alcohol and feasting on an abundance of delicious food. Roasted turkey and cobbed corn were brought out on plates, barrels of whiskey and wine emptied from the many attending guests and all were welcomed inside. I smiled at my wife before she promptly added, “We both know you want to. Just go ahead.”
I laughed and then began devouring the turkey, feasting with the appetite of a starved militia - a hunger that could only be satisfied from four gourmet buffets by a most renowned chef. Aketa laughed wholeheartedly as I consumed my meal.
“To think,” she said while giggling, “to think you might have learned proper etiquette after all of this. Clearly not.”
“Clearly not..” I agreed amidst chewing.
The Baron beckoned for the crowd’s attention, raising his glass towards my wife and I, announcing, “Raise a toast to the two most fascinating people in the world: Caine Mercer and his most exuberant wife, Aketa. He came on ill tidings yet, through a most intriguing turn of events, shall leave our lands a hero - a hero we will always welcome back with open arms. Now, clear the room for the true reason of tonight’s celebration.”
Skalige ordered his servants to clear the table, pulling them apart to give enough space for a cluster of knights to stand, shoulder-to-shoulder. Unaware of what was happening, I could feel my heartbeat racing, given the amount of intensity from the previous week and its sudden surprises. The Baron beckoned for me to step into the center of the room, standing before him and the remaining Elite guardsmen. In his tight fist, he clutched a gleaming sword with rubies embedded into its hilt. I was partly surprised that he hadn’t chosen to use his bloody mace from before.
“I invite you all to this grand ceremony for our dear friend, Caine,” Skalige announced with pride, “dream-jumper, vampire-slayer and our newest Tourney champion. Never in my days have I met such a brave and triumphant soul - one who would cross oceans, stare death into its fucking eyes and fight to the tooth and nail for the woman he loves. Caine came to us on a journey to save his lovely wife, Aketa, and is now leaving as a legend - one that the bards shall sing tales of for centuries to come and will serve as eternal inspiration for generations ahead.”
The Baron stepped down towards me, still holding the sword as he walked. He placed the tip of the blade on each of my shoulders, pausing for a few moments as he did.
“Say the oath.” he commanded with a smile.
“Live for the battle,” I said, fixing my eyes on the Baron who stood with his sword on my shoulder, “die for our brothers.”
“Then rise, Caine of Mercia. Rise as a friend and a fellow Knight of the Elite. Protector of the Southern Isles and Guard of the Badlands.”
I froze with a feeling of admiration washing over my exhausted body. The invited guests applauded and cheered after the knighting words were spoken, loudly showing their gratitude and appreciation. My wobbly knees found the strength to stand as he presented me with a metallic crest, the Insignia of the Isles - a silver dragon with two maces interlocking. I smiled up at the large man as he returned the same expression, neither of us saying a word in that moment but understanding everything. Aketa grabbed my arm and pulled me close. In those few seconds, I wondered if I had ever left the Djinn’s world; maybe this strange, fortunate turn of events was merely his way of evening the score. I cared not, realizing that right here in the Baron’s castle with my wife at my side, surrounded by dear friends was where I felt a true, fulfilling happiness.
“He nearly shit his pants!” Tameron cackled in Aketa’s ear. We shared stories of our venture while we feasted, laughing heartily. I could barely keep my food from spewing across the linen cloth beneath our plates.
“God damn lies, the lot of ‘em,” I said to my wife, “none of them could find their way into the vampire’s lair. It was fate that we-”
“Blind LUCK,” Croix interrupted, jokingly, “so you solved an age-old riddle by an old vampire, what, do
you want another fucking medal or something?”
“Wait, you think there’s one for that?” I replied, laughing.
Croix kicked at me under the table, already feeling the effects of the white wine we were drinking. Having polished off three glasses, I could feel my senses beginning to fade and weaken. I was amazed at the man’s good humor, given his previous tragedy but I forgot in my drunkenness, anyway.
“Comical, really, how you’re wearing that medal.” Tameron said to me.
“What does that mean?” I asked, lowering my cup.
“Wearing our crest when you practically maimed our mascot?” he replied, laughing, “I just find that to be hilarious. It should be your face you’re wearing, not some pansy pet. Its credibility has been seriously tarnished after that incident.”
“Jests and drunken spite aside,” Croix interjected, quickly switching the tone at the table to a serious manner, “we owe our lives to this man here. Would not have made it home if he had not been the bravest, most hard-headed son of a bitch I’d ever met. Many safe tidings on your journey home. You’ll always have a place to stay in the Isles.”
“That’s why I fell for him. Brave and stubborn as an ass, sometimes with a heart of gold. Sorry, boys but he’s mine for the next few months.” Aketa interjected, resting her hand on my upper thigh. I shook my head in mock modesty.
“It was each and every one of you,” I said, “I left a quiet, homely village with no experience in adventures to come across werewolves, vampires and dragons - you’d think I wouldn’t fear losing anything by now..” I looked into Aketa’s eyes and continued saying, “anything but her.”
“Fuck. Making me vomit over here,” Tameron blurted, pretending to puke across the table, “you two should seriously consider a form of marriage counsel after this.”
“Not a bad idea, considering the circumstance.” Aketa replied, snickering.
“The Southern Isles will have the most peaceful sleep tonight,” Tameron exclaimed with pride, “our victor - what shall we call you: Dragon-Evader or Vampire-Stabber? All compelling titles, yet none really speak your worth.”
“He is Caine the Gallant, Beast-Slayer of Mercia and the world shall remember him as such.” Skalige announced gleefully, joining our table with a bold entry. He downed his fifth glass of wine, spilling it onto his celebratory armor. I had not slain any beast apart from the vampire and certainly never rode any dragons beforehand, so the titles were a bit grandiose but I appreciated the compliments.
“Not a bad title, Gallant Caine. Suits you.” Aketa whispered. I enjoyed the festivities but the constant praise invoked me to cringe at times. I had never been one who chose to revel in accomplishments or vanity.
“Caine, may I have a word in private?” Skalige suddenly asked me over my shoulder as I laughed alongside Aketa, Croix and Tameron at the head table. I agreed, pardoned myself from my company and followed the Baron into one of his castle’s many hallways.
* * * * * *
“What will you do now?” Skalige asked me after leading me to the highest veranda overlooking his city. The candlelights and lanterns lining the city streets shone brightly from far below his fortress, like fireflies dancing in the night. Music roared with the gleeful festivities in the village and the celebration inside, now that their nightmarish monster had been killed.
“Begin the long journey home, I suppose. Starting to miss the tranquility of Mercia, to be honest. Don’t misunderstand, the Isles are beautiful,” I said to Skalige, “but they stand no match against Mercia.”
The Baron chortled to himself, walking to the veranda railing to peer over into the darkness. The light of the full moon cast a shimmering glow against the sea beyond the tree-line, revealing the path I had taken to reach this other world. I could see the outline of wrecked ships in the distance that created a barrier between the Badlands and the countries beyond.
“You know,” he said to me, “I was sitting in there, looking at the turkey on my plate and I saw you with your wife...something feels strange now. A recurring thought that I had: what if we never left the Djinn’s world and this is his twisted idea of vengeance? Everything since has felt damn-near perfect.”
“I have considered that,” I admitted, “but if this is his revenge..or if this is our purgatory, it’s not at all that bad of a punishment. I’d say so, at least.”
The Baron laughed and nodded, replying, “Right you are, Caine.”
“I’ve never missed Mercia so badly - the trees and their morning dew, the cool morning air from the hillside, drinking with our friends in the village. I miss it all, Skalige. More than I thought possible.”
“I must see it for myself someday,” he replied as he stared into the distance, “much to tend to now that the vampire is slain. People will no longer have to lock their doors or barricade themselves inside...all because of you, Caine. You saved them.”
“Wouldn’t go so far as to say that,” I argued, “but I couldn’t have made it without help.”
“Modesty is a fine trait to have. Something I wish I could inherit in your absence. Nonetheless, my people need guidance now. Couldn’t convince you to stay a while longer, could we?”
“We’ll be back,” I said, “can’t let things get too dull around here.”
“You breathed a fire back into this country, Caine - a fire that died out many, many years ago. Fan the flames, it will consume all or snuff out but to learn from it and rekindle over time, the fire will grow. The fire of -”
“A hundred suns,” I interjected, “I know the phrase. Be honest, how long did you rehearse that in the mirror tonight?”
Skalige turned to me as he leaned against the balcony railing, shaking his head, “When you leave, you’ll be taking sarcasm with you, my boy. Not many here are like you. It’s refreshing to encounter you in this manner - when we first met you grovelled at my feet and practically begged for your life.”
“I did no such thing.”
“Not as the bards shall remember.”
I chuckled and looked into the horizon, feeling the warm gusts of wind run across my face and allowing the smell of falling leaves fill my nostrils. I had never felt so alive. The music playing inside, knowing that my wife was alive and well after such an adventure brought a natural smile to my face. Admiration and gratitude seeped from the Baron’s next words as they left his lips.
“You saved my life, Caine. I could feel my soul preparing for death when it was not nearly my time. I wanted to join them so badly. If you had not intervened, I would be in eternal torment under his rule. Luna and Abbi would’ve never wished that fate on me. For this, I thank you.”
I nodded and grabbed his shoulder out of respect, asking, “Will you be okay?”
“As well as I can be, I suppose. My people need a leader now that their tormenter is slain. It always ends the same - one monster dies, only to allow another to take its place. I’m afraid the madness will never end.”
“I’m only right across the sea there,” I reassured him, pointing into the dark, “should another come knocking, we’ll answer that door together.”
The Baron scratched his jawline and leaned against the railing, crossing his arms as if he were preparing his next endearing speech. He cared about me, I understood that perfectly. In the midst of our great adventure, something had awoken inside of him that I knew had lay dormant for many years.
“How will you fare? Personally, I mean, not as the ruler of a kingdom.” I inquired.
“I guess, as for myself,” he replied, “one day at a time. I cannot keep it bottled up inside, just brewing and boiling until it eventually topples over. I must be strong for my country now - for my people. The day shall come when I cross over to the White Shores and the mystic plains beyond...I won’t waste one second tainting mine until that day. You risked your life to save mine. I’ll never forget that.”
His eyes, peering off into the darkness of the night, seemed more focused than ever. He stood with such a compelling desire to lead, ha
rdly showing a shred of doubt or anguish for the loss still resonating within the confines of his soul - a massive transformation from the blood-thirsty ruler I had met just days ago.
“Three dozen men will accompany you to Mercia’s shore on two of our strongest flagships.” he announced, “but should I ever require your assistance in the future, you are still an honored Knight of my Elite. You shall answer the call accordingly.” I understood that my allegiance would forever lie, twisted into the helix of his fate.
“Well, you’ll know where to find me.”
* * * * * *
My beautiful wife stood alone on the starboard side of the Baron’s ship. Dressed in a fine azul robe, fitted from Skalige’s most intricate tailors, she balanced against the rocking waves with the grace of a goddess. I could hardly believe that the hardships we had undertaken before were already in the past. I stepped to her side and ran my fingers through her blonde, flowing hair as it dangled behind her back. She said nothing, only rested her cheek against my chest as we watched the rolling sea pass us by.
“Let’s not travel for about a year after this.” she said.
“Fine by me.”
As we passed the Shipwreck Graveyard, I reflected on my travels and past ventures, of how fortunate I had been to have survived the many terrifying ordeals. With my beautiful wife by my side and the chaotic world passing us by, I could finally feel a moment’s peace. Everything slowed down as I looked at her. I memorized every detail of her face, still as clear as the day I had left.
“We’ll have a story to tell our kids someday,” I said to her, “quite an interesting story. More interesting than if I had not left, at least.”
“You know, I never faltered for a second when you were away. I knew in my heart you would make it.” she stated as she withdrew the necklace pendant from beneath her dress. I revealed mine and connected the two pieces in her hands, forming the complete heart.