Game of Survival

by T R Tells

  “No . . . No, Dominya!”

  “Where do you think you’re going, Thea!” Nobius yelled at the top of his lungs, and the chilling presence of Hel appeared. Thea’s eyes turned red as she let her demon out.

  Kill.

  Thea let out a scream that didn’t sound mundane and stretched out her hand, her magic and Hel’s demonic aura mixed, flinging Nobius in the air. Thea didn’t care at that moment whether he lived or died, and Hel wanted to destroy hi.; Thea was dimly aware of the voices cheering Hel on in the back of her mind.

  “Let me help,” Hati said as she aided Thea, helping Dominya stand.

  “Thea, your eyes,” Audalai said, recognizing the redness from when Clovis let his demon out. Thea focused for a moment and she felt Hel withdraw, her eyes slowly returning to their usual hue.

  The girls managed to drag Dominya, with Audalai and Eileen throwing attacks to any undead that stood in their way.

  When they saw the boat, Clovis was the first to rush over to them in greeting. It was brief, but Audalai and Clovis looked at one another—their eyes meeting shared their deepest feelings for one another without words. He then looked over to Dominya, and his face fell.

  “Nobius, he shot her,” Audalai said.

  “Let’s hurry and get back to the ship, now!”

  The girls piled into the boat and rowed as fast as they could. The sky turned a dark gray and lightning began to flash in the sky above them.

  Thea held Dominya’s head in her lap and heard her mumble something she couldn’t make out, but Kii’s words were circling in Dominya’s head: “A storm is coming . . .”

  ***

  Nobius had barely survived Hel’s attack, and he had just enough energy in him to create a storm. A storm he hoped would destroy the entire ship that carried enough magic to save his entire homeland.

  “For you, All-Father . . .” Nobius breathed as a menacing smile spread across his bloody and broken face.

  ***

  The moment they reached the ship, the boat began to rock from side to side and the temperature dropped. Dark clouds obscured the moon and the thunder roared with anger. Underneath the moon, the rain pelted down wrath of misery and sorrow. A violent wind tossed the ship’s mast from pointing in the correct position. Clovis tried to grab onto the steering wheel as he gritted his teeth, but alas, the raging storm was no match for him.

  Thea saw the flashes of white from the lightning, making the darkening sky look straight out of a nightmare as if she were sucked into the belly of a beast. Beneath them, the sea rose as high as mountains—anger in the form of water, turbulent and unforgiving.

  “Everyone, hold on!” Someone shouted in the distance.

  Thea’s eyes widened as she stared at the massive wave coming overhead. She hurriedly grabbed a rope and tied Dominya to the mast of the ship. Thea could feel the stinging of tears attempting to breach her eyes, knowing she only had time to save one of them.

  “Thea . . .” Dominya pleaded, but she was far too weak to speak further.

  “Go to Kingsland, raise my daughter!” She yelled over the raging sea and the thundering of the roaring skies. The sisters looked at one another for one brief moment as the massive waves collided into the ship; splashing thick torrent of water as it tried to drown the passengers. Dominya and Thea reached out for each other, but in the end, the sea swept Thea out from her sister’s grasp. She thought she could hear the cries of her sister with the storm screaming around them, but she couldn’t tell if it was real. Everything went cold, dark.

  Thea felt as if she was floating in a sea of nothingness.

  She didn’t fear.

  She didn’t cry.

  She did nothing.

  At least, Dominya is safe. She will get to Kadda. I did something right.

  Darkness crept in Thea’s thoughts. She blacked out.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  What are you doing still asleep, My Gift? The familiar male’s voice said. He rubbed the side of her face. Again, Thea couldn’t see his face, but she could tell that he was smiling. There was something about his aura that exuded brilliance.

  Just a few more minutes, I promise. Thea whined and the male's rich and hearty laugh made Thea's heart pound wildly.

  You know we have guests coming. Remember your sister said she was stopping by? You know Kadda has wanted to see her Aunt for the longest time.

  Thea sighed and sat up from the satin bed that she rested in. You seem always to know how to get me up.

  He shrugged. I'm just your good luck charm, My Gift.

  The two shared a passionate kiss, their lips lingering for a moment as an unfamiliar scent wafted up Thea’s nose.

  Now wake up, Thea . . .

  Thea . . .

  Thea.

  Thea's eyes snapped open and she gasped, coughing up spurts of seawater. She continued to hack as she took in deep and shallow breaths until she felt someone's hand on her back.

  Thea immediately stilled as she looked up at the person who had touched her. She felt a warm sensation run through her body as she looked at the person. The first thing she noticed about them was bright amber eyes.

  No, it can’t be, Thea saw the long, brown hair of a reddish-brown skinned man in front of her, with a gold band around his head and jewels on his arms and hand.

  “You abe, Rona. Yeh?”

  The foreign words left the man’s lips, but Thea felt the wheels in her head turning as if she knew and understood the language: You are, Roma. Yes?

  The moment the translation clicked into Thea's head, she gasped in relief. In front of her was a Roma, and he wasn't alone. Behind him, more Roma emerged from their hiding places.

  Thea couldn’t believe her eyes or ears. She looked at the man who had spoken to her and spoke back in her native tongue, “Yes.”

  Somewhere on the coast of the Isle Waters

  Thea was in shock at the presence of the Roma in front of her, alive. Their physical presence silenced so many stories and so many waking moments, wondering where her people were and if they were still alive. She was even more astounded that she was able to speak their language as clear as if she had practiced it in her sleep.

  "How am I able to understand you?" She asked the brown-haired man who had greeted her upon washing up on the shore.

  “You are Roma. It is in your blood, Thea Frey.”

  Upon hearing her name come from the man’s lips, Thea furrowed her brow in curiosity.

  “H-How is it that you know my name? Who are you?”

  The man grinned, making the jeweled piercings on his lip move. He stretched out his arm for her, where Thea could survey his clothing and much like the rest of the Roma, he was wearing some red and gold cloak.

  "Follow me, and we shall take you to get your wounds healed and your belly filled. You shall meet the Horai king and any questions you have will be answered. You have been afloat for several weeks."

  The sting on Thea's hands made her look down to see dry blood and scrapes that looked similar to rope burns. Her thoughts instantly went to Dominya and the shipwreck.

  "My sister! I have to save my sister. We were on a ship . . . A-and then there was a storm!" Thea shouted. She was practically barking hysterically. She had her sister so close in her arms and just like that, she was gone again.

  "Thea, Thea, calm," the Roma man's voice said as softly as he could. Thea wasn't sure how, but she suddenly felt at peace the moment he spoke and she found her speeding heart slowing. "You will have your answers, I promise. But, for now, just follow Gaius-Sey." The man called himself him in the third person, Thea furrowed her brows at the name trying to remember where she heard of it.

  "Gaius-Sey?" She asked and then it dawned on her as she gasped. "Jiran . . . That's right, do you know him? He met you once and –"

  Gaius grinned and nodded. "I do know Jiran Hunt, traveler of worlds. He is one of the very first Mundanes to be claimed as one of us. Now come, Thea, King Kalevus awaits your presence."

  ***
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  From the stony hill path and thin rooted forest, Thea followed Gaius-Sey and the other Roma. She was faintly aware of eyes watching her and when she turned to look, she was able to see forest animals— from deer to squirrels; bears, owls; and even a gray wolf. They were watching Thea from the trees as if they knew of her arrival.

  “The animals . . . They watch me as if—”

  “The animals always know,” Gaius-Sey said briefly, turning around to look at Thea, before looking forward again. “Your presence was told to us by Ansem and Kii, that you were in great danger on your way to Audalis' shores."

  “The Twilight Vale of Audalis?” Thea questioned. she was astounded that she had managed to drift several thousand miles away from the Bastion of Amac’s coordinates. "Than that must mean my friends, my sister, is near. Surely, you have to know where they are?" Thea asked, she was eager and frantic, but Gaius-Sey didn't react to anything that she said. He continued to walk even after Thea stopped, staring at his back before catching up to him and grabbing onto his arm.

  “Gaius!” she yelled at the Roma. The reaction brought the other Roma to stop moving. Their amber eyes had turned a bright amber and they could kill her without much trouble if Gaius commanded, but all Thea wanted to know was if her sister was alive.

  Gaius-Sey didn't look at her for a moment. Along his reddish-brown skin were faint traces of tattoos all along his bald head. They were finely intricate markings and swirls with symbols along the edges that Thea didn't know but were vaguely familiar. The circlet around his forehead was just as bright as his amber eyes and as gold as the ring that hooked in his nose or the gold holes in his ear.

  When Gaius-Sey finally reacted, he held out his hand to stop the Roma from attacking Thea and replied to her, “Its location is unknown to those who are not permitted to enter.”

  “Then, why was I allowed to pass through?”

  "You are Roma and most importantly, if it is the Gods will then it shall come to pass. Now, let us take heed to the Kingdom of Audalis."

  Thea let Gaius-Sey’s arm go and he continued walking, where Thea followed shortly after. After a few more short steps, they reached the top of the hill. Gaius-Sey turned around to look at Thea and stretched out his arm to overlook the surroundings.

  Thea reached the edge of the forest and stood next to Gaius-Sey, looking over the view. The land covered with a blanket of thick green forests that spread thickly across the area; there was a thick rocky layer of stone that surrounded the forest as a wall, even more, significant than the ones that surrounded Kingsland. The entrance to the Twilight Vale of Audalis molded into the side of the rocky wall; a waterfall cascaded into what Thea believed to be a lake. In the middle of the forest, the farmhouses and six-foot tower like homes, spread out evenly throughout the forest resting on top of trees or small grassy hills. Thea found herself enraptured by the fantastic beauty of the palace, the very place of the Horian people that many had thought were extinct. Something suddenly passed through Thea's vision when she continued to look up past the top walls.

  She was unable to see the sky, rather she saw a flash of purple strobe light that disappeared again.

  “What was that? That light that I just saw?” she pointed forward and looked to Gaius-Sey.

  “It is the Equinox Barrier,” Gaius-Sey started to explain. The confusion on Thea’s face of what exactly the barrier was prompted Gaius-Sey to explain further. “Beyond the Twilight Vale of Audalis is Spelhim and Vellir. They are home to monsters, Titans, and some of the Asur gods.”

  With news of other beings, monsters and gods, Thea's head spun, and she felt overwhelmed as the information that physical godly beings lived on the Realms grounds. A sudden shiver traveled up the length of her spine and sprouted up to the back of her neck, making her hairs stand on end. A vision overtook her mind: The forest covered land was no longer in Thea’s line of sight because all she could see was the dark sky bleeding red as lightning lit the sky and thunderstorms shook it. The sound of thunder and lightning crashed together like a horrific battle was being played out in in the high heavens. Suddenly, a gaping black hole ripped through the sky and a strong and powerful aura came from beyond the eye of the black hole. An elongated part of a snakes tail curved around the outer shell of the world, but it was impossible to see where the body ended and began. The boisterous sound of an intense roar echoed across the lands, making the entire world shake.

  Thea gasped, the moment she was pulled from her vision. A strong grip onto her shoulder made her look up at the expressionless face of Gaius-Sey.

  "Do not trouble yourself with these thoughts, Thea," Gaius-Sey told her as if he knew what she had seen. Thea felt something wet on her cheek and reached her hand up to wipe the tears away.

  "Now is not the time to concern yourself with these things, we must head down the path to Kingdom and there it will be explained."

  Thea gulped and felt the sudden sickness start to fade away. She couldn’t seem to erase the images of the blood red sky or the monsters that plagued the Realm, but she didn’t throw up and suspected that it was Gaius-Sey’s doing.

  She gingerly nodded and turned around to follow the rest of the Roma walking down the side of the mountains edge.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  To be a great king, you must have your subjects fear you.

  Angeal’s father, King Godfrey, said to him in hopes that he would follow his teachings. However, no matter how many times King Godfrey spoke the words, Angeal never believed in them. He didn't think that fear would rally votes with the people – unless they were masochists and enjoyed pain and inflicting it. Angeal hoped to eradicate people like that when he came to power; and he was doing that now, with Donnie by aiding a brothel house known as the Meretrix out of their heinous situation. It wasn't much, but when Donnie had told him all the horrors seen there, Angeal couldn't sit back any longer. Even if he wasn't able to hold them to any laws, he could at least stop certain things from happening. He would prohibit further trafficking in the said brothel and would slowly start making leeway at such other establishments.

  Angeal was getting ready for the morning, looking into the mirror and pushing the curly blonde locks away from his eyes so he would be able to shave without anything in his line of vision. Once done, he wiped his wet face with a towel and then went to throw on a tan cotton shirt, exposing the blonde chest hairs that poked through the V-neck of his shirt.

  There was a knock on the door that alerted him just as he was putting on his boots. He shouted, "Come in!" to the person on the other side of the doorway. When the mahogany gold lined double doors opened, a girl with dirty blonde hair wearing a bountiful gown came in with the sound of her heels clicking behind her as she walked.

  "Shame on you, brother for not coming down to the shipyard and picking me up. I was expecting you or Donnie to be there."

  Angeal turned to see his sister, Khloette, with a pearly white smile on her tan features. He always thought, like most of Kingsland, that she resembled so much like their mother with her heart-shaped face especially her baby blue eyes and pink lips.

  "Ah, forgive me, sister. I lost track of time and had forgotten when you would be back from Wrenada," Angeal said, he stood up from his position on the side of the bed and walked over to Khloette where she stood just a foot shorter than he did. If anyone didn’t know that the two siblings were only three years apart, they would have thought they were twins.

  "Well as long as you apologized, I suppose I could forgive you." Khloette grinned. The two released from their hug, "Are you going somewhere? You and Donnie must be very busy."

  “I am going somewhere. While you were away, Donnie managed to stumble upon a brothel—”

  Khloette rolled her eyes and smirked. "Tell me something I don't know. How is Donnie? Has he finally found a wife?"

  “I believe he’s still looking,” Angeal said, teasing his brother, “But, no, he was telling me about the horrible conditions there at this brothel called the Meretrix. I
know I’m nowhere near my coronation but —”

  “And I support you all the way. I don’t agree what father allows in this kingdom, but no matter how much of ‘daddy's princess’ he calls me he won’t listen to what I have to say.”

  It was true. Aside from Angeal, Khloette was the apple in her father's eyes and favorited her since she was small, but he only saw his daughter holding hands in marriage with a mighty king to rule beside and make heirs. Khloette that she was nothing more than a carrier for some king's children, she wanted more out of life than just that and always supported everything that her brothers as they saw her more than their sister or a woman, but a person.

  Before Angeal could say anything else, a sudden pain entered the side of his head, he grabbed the base of it, gritting his teeth in pain. Khloette seeing her brother losing his balance caught him before he could topple over. "Angeal!" She cried out, that was the last thing Angeal heard of his sister as her voice began to fade out and his vision grew blurry. At first, everything was dark and Angeal saw nothing, but slowly the darkness faded and he realized that he was no longer in his bedroom. However, he knew he was still inside the castle walls, but something felt vaguely off.

  When Angeal moved his feet, he felt his boots squish underneath him and when he looked down, he saw blood displayed along the wooden floors. When Angeal’s eyes trailed up to where the source of the blood was coming from, he felt his insides turning and he wanted to throw up. On the floor was a child’s body, he couldn’t make out the face since his vision prohibited him. Suddenly, by reflex alone, Angeal felt his entire body move by some unforeseen force and reach out his hand, grabbing onto someone’s arm.

  The image before Angeal made him gawk with surprise, but some inner part of him was not afraid. Nor was he afraid of the gaping black hole that tried to suck the stranger’s arm inside of its reaches.

  “Don’t you dare let go. Do not give up, do you hear me!” He found himself shouting, he hadn’t realized that the person was the same girl from his dreams. He instinctively found himself gripping onto her hand tighter, not wanting to let her hand go