“It’s because you are.” That did it. My strength to stand up to him vanished and I glanced up at him with glassy eyes. I could see the pain on his face and the regret twisted about his features. It wasn’t fair—why did he have to say that? Why did he have to be so much older than me? I stepped passed him as I felt the tears stream down my features. He will always think of me as a child. I didn’t know what hurt most, losing Kal or losing my pride. I felt something dangerous ahead and I glanced up.
A man in black armour stood there. He held a black blood-smeared sword and vanished from my sight, I stepped back in the same fight stance I was taught. He was coming from the side? The back, perhaps? What about the front? What caught me by surprise was a sweep at my ankles. I hit the ground hard and evaded black sword in time, that would have staked me. Zarlach threw forward an uppercut that caused the man in black to stumble back—he too stood in the exactly similar fighting stance. I felt the blood drain from my face—he knew our fighting style, did that go for the techniques and combinations? Or were they all his own?
Like that, Zarlach was in the mist of battle throwing punches kicks and cross jabs here and there. He leaped onto the wall and flipped backwards, grasping the man in black by the arm and tossing him behind us. Beatrice and Kristian moved in time and I watched as the man slid along his neck before falling unconscious at the junction. “Let’s go.” Zarlach ordered, gently and I ignored him. He knew I was ignoring him but I couldn’t help it—he made me so mad sometimes.
I felt Zarlach behind me, “Left,” he said and I followed his order without any argument. “Right.” We meandered right and he added, “Through those doors.” At the end of the hall were silver automatic doors that were supposed to remain open. I came to a stop before the doors and they wouldn’t open. I heard crashing and smacking on the other side. I glanced at Zarlach, he nodded and knew what to do. “Step back.”
I did and stood between Kristian and Beatrice. Zarlach’s fingers smashed through the door a tearing sound of metal rang out and I was certain everyone on the other side of the door could hear its grinding echo. The doors were yanked open with ease and when we entered we witnessed a battle I never thought possible. Demons, serpents and pirates all worked together to target a Nefaliem woman—the empress. She dodged, blocked attacks, flipped out of the way and severed the heads of demons, knocked pirates unconscious and chopped with her sword at the serpents, that threatened to strangle her alive. The sight before me amazed me, she was fierce and took on that group as if it were child’s play.
When the battle ended, she wiped her forehead and stood. Her silver armour was smeared in red and green blood. All that lay at her feet were unconscious pirates, only as she began to round up the pirates, did she notice our approach, “Zarlach.” greeted the empress.
“My lady,” Zarlach greeted in return.
“I see you’ve found the little one.” The empresses eyes landed on me.
“You’re majesty.” Kristian, Beatrice and I greeted.
The empress pulled out small pellets from her silver utility belt. She pressed one and shackles appeared large enough to wrap around the wrists of those contained. She pulled one pirates hand in front of him and shackled his wrist. She tossed a few pellets to Zarlach and some at us. “You wouldn’t mind helping would you—the Council prefers to keep these lot alive.”
“I thought it was the death sentence for them.” Zarlach replied.
“Normally it would be but considering this group may have connections to the upper ranks in the Dark Cartel we can’t allow them that mercy.” The empress countered. She continued to shackle the others while Kristian shackled two, Beatrice shackled two and I shackled two—the rest were left up to Zarlach and the empress.
By the time they were done, I realised Beatrice and Kristian’s wrists were still shackled. How they managed to endure the uncomfortable nature, astounded me. “Wait.” I said. The empress regarded me as did Zarlach and my friends. “Beatrice and Kristian need to be unshackled.”
The empress glanced at the two and then smiled. “Of course, my apologies for not noticing sooner,” she motioned and stepped over the unconscious bodies and started with Kristian first—she unshackled his wrists using her energy which glowed an alien green then began on Beatrice. The shackles fell to the floor, Beatrice and Kristian rubbed their wrists.
“Thank you, you’re majesty.” Kristian thanked and Beatrice was quick to follow with a “thank you” of her own.
“There’s no need to thank me children, it was the least I could do,” the empress responded. “After all, you are my daughter’s companions in one form or another.” I wanted to say that Kristian and Beatrice didn’t know Kal that well, but something glimmered in her eyes. It was as if she knew something we didn’t—I wouldn’t put it past her if she did. “Speaking of my daughter—where is she?”
I glanced at Kristian beside me and caught Beatrice’s worried brown idol eyes. “What is it? Has something happened to my daughter?” the empress gently asked.
“Well we don’t know.” Kristian managed.
“How do you not know?” Zarlach asked, a little sharply, I glared. Kristian may not be my best friend but he’s a friend just like the others so I knew I couldn’t let Zarlach bully him.
The empress placed her hand on Zarlach’s shoulder and instantly his glare softened and I couldn’t help but glare. The empress caught my glare and I glanced away from her surprised expression. She removed her hand from Zarlach and eyed me in shock. She didn’t say anything—not that I expected her to. Instead she moved from us and over to the unconscious men, “Will you lot be kind enough to help?” she asked. I could see the order in it and nodded.
She smiled and tossed two men over her shoulder and walked towards an area under the black metal stairs. Stairs that led to another level where what looked like a meeting room existed or did exist so far the glass has been smashed where shards lay near her feet. She walked over the shards and I heard the grinding of her boots as she marched. In my Vampieruz form, I tossed two men easily over my shoulder and walked to where the other pirates were. The empress stood near in case they were to pull out a weapon or something along those lines I assumed. I felt the others behind me follow, I glanced over the bodies over my shoulder and saw everyone picked up two in their Vampieruz forms and moved to where I had placed down the bodies.
The empress thanked us and I nodded, acknowledging her gratitude even though I was well aware of her strength and her ability to do that all by herself. I concluded she wanted to share the job rather than do it all herself. Something which displayed her unfathomable leadership. She was a woman worth respecting but I’d like to see how long it lasts, my recent experiences tell me otherwise. “What now?” Zarlach asked the empress.
“Now, we find my daughter.” Her eyes fell on me and I felt that I was put on the spot. She wanted something from me that I didn’t want to give. Like her daughter being turning into a child and abducted by the man in black. That most definitely wouldn’t do. I felt the silence in the air and the tension it held. I wanted to know what I could and couldn’t say but no one was willing to be my guide.
“We know where she is but . . . you’re not going to like it.” I replied.
I held her level gaze and she said, “Try me.”
I regarded her carefully and thought, here goes. “Kal isn’t exactly herself.” The empress held my gaze as she appeared to want me to emphasise something I really didn’t want to do. “She’s younger and vulnerable.” The empress’s expression remained blank at least, now I knew, where Kal got it from. I thought it would have been her father but it appears that wasn’t the case. He just may be the gentle one in this family.
“So you have found her?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said. “Before we lost her again.” This was painful, when was someone going to snap me out of this nightmare? Having to tell anyone that the person they love, was in the hands of someone else, made my skin crawl and my spine shrivel in f
ear.
“How?”
“I took my eyes off of her for a moment and someone took her.” I finished quickly feeling my heart rate increase and I knew the empress sensed my fear.
“Who took her?” the empress pressed.
“I don’t know—like I said I took my eyes off of her.” I reminded. I saw the cogs turning in her mind the pieces were beginning to fit together.
“Why do you beat around the bush, child?” she pressed.
“Because I’m going to make you hate me.” I muttered and continued, “Kal is in the hands of the pirates, I think. But the catch is—she’s a toddler.” I felt Zarlach and the empress tense. I fearfully glanced up and the look on the empress’s face was an expression I never thought possible pure anger as she glared down at me—Zarlach to my surprise was angry but wasn’t taking it out on me.
“How did that happen?” the empress demanded in a cool steel voice.
“A side-effect from a potion someone gave her.” I managed hoping not to pull Astaria into this as well. She made a mistake and sadly Kal may pay the price.
“Who?” the empress managed.
“Um—”
“Who?”
“Astaria,” I said and made a promise to myself I’d apologise to her later or make it up to her later—strangely given the mistake she made I could tell she was genuinely on our side something which I never noticed I lost sight of.
I heard the empresses last words, “Sweet heavens.” She turned her heel and headed to the back of the room. I glanced at the others and collectively we trailed after her. The empress wasn’t happy and I didn’t need to be a genius to figure that out. She seemed wound up so tight, I was afraid she’d shatter. Even Zarlach remained silent. Kristian and Beatrice were even more quiet in their Vampieruz form; their breathing was almost inaudible. As we left, the cargo bay we entered a wide hallway—a glass window stretched itself all along one side of the hall, revealing the stars of the milky way and Earth on approach.
As we meandered down the deathly silver halls—I knew what needed to be done but I also knew that Kalverya was going to need our help. The empress stopped and so did we, her eyes gazed upon a map etched into the wall—something I just noticed and internally scolded myself for the lack of perception. “Do you know what the pirates are after?” the empress asked.
I had no idea who she was talking to until I spied her gazed rested upon me. “No.” I said at last, surprised by her patience. Hoping that what I thought wasn’t actually the case—no one in their right mind would consider it.
“Very well—”
Static bounced around us and the queen glanced at the pixilated screen that beamed before us. A man was displayed on the screen and it wasn’t just any man instead it was . . . “Marquith,” I breathed.
“My lady.” Marquith greeted through static and poor transmission he proceeded, “Lady Kalverya is in the hands of the Dark Cartel. And I fear the worst has happened, she’s a newly bred hatchling once again.”
“I know.” the empresses voice was deep and daunting.
“What do you proclaim we do?” he asked.
“Stand by. I’ll be heading back to the primary hanger bay.” she said. What could she possibly want to find there I wondered, the hanger bay was where vehicles and jets departed the ship.
“Understood, my lady.” Marquith replied before disappearing. The empress was quiet for a moment longer, before she turned from the map and rounded a corner. Zarlach and I glanced at each other before we sped walked after her quick strides.
We followed after the empress but as I stepped forward the world around me disappeared—the air was thin and warm. “Cecelia!” I heard Zarlach’s voice flutter in the distance.
“Zarlach!” I called as I chased the sound of where his voice and saw the fuzzing outline of his physique, splattered in deep crimson blood. I saw the fading outline of the others too; I knew what happened but I never believed it was possible let alone real. I was trapped in limbo. A place where demons and those of demonic or angelic descent could walk freely releasing their power—a place at the edge of Hell. I heard the sound of scraping metal and popping bones—that was when I knew, I was no longer alone.
I heard gargling growls and turned over my shoulder to see lowly demons; some wore plated armour others had limbs as sharp weapons while the large tiger looking beasts growled and snarled. I stepped back aware as I stepped back a wall was near but wasn’t really near, instead I phased straight through it. I could hear Zarlach’s voice, I could see he saw me but how I didn’t know.
All I knew was that the empress disappeared. They charged at me and I turned and ran, I knew how to fight but my body responded to fly from the impending danger—they kept their pace and I recalled something Kal had told me a while back, “When pulled into the interdimensional world of Limbo, to escape you need to remove the threat.” I stopped and spun around. Aware that my next decision could be my last.
“Come on, bring it!” I snarled and bared my fangs, they charged. Several swung their weapons and I evaded them all, spinning around I rolled out of the way of the large thickly armoured demon in black and avoided his large mace. The mace shattered the ground beneath where I was. I was quick to remove myself from the danger and heard the dulled voices of my friends, wondering how the ground shattered when I knew what happened—I also had come to understand that Limbo affected the outside world too.
“Cecelia!” I heard the empress call, her voice was more clear than the others. “I need you to follow the light.” I glanced around, what light? I dodged more attacks as I attempted to find what she asked. Did she realise how difficult that was? I knew I could do two things at once but I also knew I needed my attention solely upon my enemies or risk dying—something I really didn’t want to happen. Seeing in my peripheral, I spied a demon’s arm transformed into a sharp blade baring down on me. I blocked, grasping the blade which shattered under my hand and leaped bringing both my feet up I pushed him away from me and landed on the ground in a perfect break fall before rolling back. I swept the first demon and booted him away from me, before evading the strikes of the others.
I glanced around once again; the light, where’s the light? I spied it in the distance, I flipped out of the way and slid between the legs of the largest demon, leaping I perfectly executed an airborne spin kick—I landed on the ground in a couch before taking off towards the light. As it inched closer to it, I felt the demons chase after me and before I knew I leaped into the light and landed on the floor of the silver halls. “What was that?” I demanded.
“That was Limbo or what we like to call Paranella.” The empress replied, “Sadly because of your demonic descent Vampieruz, sirens, fae and many other Resoncretalians are unfortunately pulled into an interdimensional world at the edge of Hell. That is where spirits wander as do weaker demons.” The empress helped me to my feet and Zarlach was quick to bombard me with questions.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure because I can’t have you broken, your parents are going to flip?” he asked.
“Speaking of my parents, where are they?” I asked.
Zarlach glanced at the empress and said, “I’m not sure but—”
“—They’ll most likely be with those captured.” Lovely.
“But they are okay, right?” I asked.
“They should be, they’re pretty tough your parents. Not even Ivan could shake their core.” Once I was free of paranella and the empress was satisfied I wouldn’t be pulled in again. We wandered down another hall passing the shattered ground, this time we arrived at a wide dark room, “What’s this place?” I asked out of curiosity.
“It’s the training centre.” Zarlach replied and the empress remained silent. If you give me something—I’d do whatever needed to be done. If you asked for something unattainable all I could do was try and that was what I intended to do. With Kal in the hands of the enemy that was all I knew I could do.
When we entered a rounded room, red
warning lights silently flashed at the far end. It was silent but given recent events, I knew I was in my right to be on guard, nothing ever came good of silence. A screen emerged before us and I knew I was right; it was still against the shadows. I regarded the sight curiously instead of fear like I suppose, I was expected to do. It was a pixilated head of a man with high sharp cheekbones that were sharp enough to cut your finger on and a sturdy jawline so strong it appeared to bounce back a quick jab. “It’s about time I found you—wherever on this ship you may be.”
“Ivan.” The empress replied, she seemed at ease, I wondered if it was because Ivan didn’t really know where we were and if so, how was that? Weren’t there supposed to be cameras? This was a battleship after all?
“Yes, greeting, as well I suppose.” The voice portrayed a form of formality—it was generous yet cynical at the same time and I could hear in the distance the sound of clawing nails against a chalkboard or linoleum floorings. “I trust the Vampieruz princess is with you you’re majesty.” If he had eyes in this holographic protection, I knew the look upon the empress’s features said otherwise. This was a replay, given that the head remained still and stared on a head, I recalled seeing something like this back at Castle Haven. It was often used for evacuation drills we had to do a few times.
“What makes you say that?” the empress smoothly asked, her voice remained so steady it was almost frightening that it reminded me of the woman from Castle Haven.
“Because she hasn’t been captured yet, as I had planned.” For a bad guy, he sure had a bad way of keeping the suspense.
“So you’re the one that’s sent the pirates.” Zarlach demanded, the eye sockets of the holographic projection began to glitch upon him and I remained silent, unsure what to say. Aware that Ivan wanted just that to compromise our already fragile position.
“Aye,” he mocked, “But since I’m feeling a little—to very—generous, I propose a trade of sorts.” he prompted and I knew something horrible was next to come.
“A trade?” the empress asked.
Crimson Knight (Crimson Series Book 0) Page 31