The Esoteric Design: Civilization Lost

by A. R. Crebs

  “No,” he whispered harshly against his hand. Choking, he groaned. “NO!”

  Another man landed softly at the base of the cliff. It was his grandfather; he could feel the breeze of his wings.

  “Young Gaius,” the older man whispered.

  The sound of his grandfather’s voice set him off.

  “AHH! NO!” Dovian’s father roared. “This did not just happen!”

  Sir Gaius gently placed his hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “Listen to me,” he gently spoke.

  Young Gaius refused, shaking his head back and forth. He kept his hand clamped over his mouth; his eyes squeezed shut.

  “I want you to calm down for one moment. Can you do that?” Elder Gaius asked.

  “Calm…” Gaius III growled, “…down?” He dropped his hand and turned his fiery glare toward his grandfather. “My child has smashed into the ground, and you want me to calm down?!”

  Elder Gaius locked eyes with his grandson’s. His own glare fixed the younger man in his place. “That’s what I said, was it not?”

  Gaius III tried to tear his gaze away.

  “Don’t you dare look at that boy one more time, you hear me?” the Elder shouted.

  Young Gaius’ lower lip trembled, two tears dropping from his eyes. “But why? He’s my boy. I need to see him.”

  Elder Gaius moved his attention to Dovian only for a moment. “You will get to see him,” he whispered. “Just give him some time.”

  Dovian’s father laughed. It was a crazed sound as he sobbed. “Give him? Give him time? Are…are you mad?”

  Elder Gaius looked back once again; this time a crooked smirk formed on his lips. “Only partially.”

  Gaius III noticed his grandfather’s smile, and he tore his sight away. Looking over his shoulder at Dovian’s body, the grown man gave a loud wail.

  “Ah! My boy!” he shouted.

  Lying in a puddle of blood, Dovian struggled to move. The child appeared confused, if not slightly irritated. At the sound of his father’s voice, he winced.

  “Father. My head…it hurts.” He lightly touched the back of his head and then eyed the red stain on his clothing with fearful eyes.

  “Dovian!” his father shouted. The man lunged forward, wrapping his arms around the boy. He cried out with a mix of frustration and joy. “How? How are you alive?”

  “I…I don’t know,” Dovian groaned. “What happened?” Then, his little blue eyes bulged. “What do you mean? Am I supposed to be dead?”

  Sir Gaius crouched beside Dovian. He placed his palm on the child’s head, further healing him. “No, great-grandson, you are meant to be alive.”

  Dovian held onto his father, letting the panicked man rock him back and forth. “Your mother…she’s going to end me.” His fingers combed through the boy’s red-stained hair.

  Dovian looked to his great-grandfather. The older man winked and gave a large smile.

  “No,” the boy whispered. “Mama is going to end me. She’s not going to have any apples for her pie.”

  His father laughed between sobs. “That will be the least of her worries.”

  "Apples"

  Chapter 2

  2,838 S.F.

  "Coming to Earth, as flesh and blood, was the only way Sir Gaius could persuade the Lord to allow humanity a second chance. Much like before, the sacrifice would be heavy. Fallen, our people had lost our full divinity. Communication was severed between our loved ones back in the Kingdom. Our memories of before are no longer with us. We must trust ourselves, in our current state, to be the best representatives of the Kingdom. Saving mankind was our mission and forever will it be." Gaius III turned on his heel, a long finger pointing at the map beside him. His brilliant eyes glimmered against the beam of sunlight that flooded into the room. "Sir Gaius, your great-grandfather, was the first to arrive. His powers are the strongest. As part of the agreement, he remains the closest to the Kingdom, his divine connection nearly fully intact. He knows all and sees all, yet cannot say a word of it for it shall ruin history. We must allow history to run its course."

  Clearing his throat, Gaius III moved toward his desk, lifting a hefty book he had previously written. With his palm hovering over the tome, the pages flipped to his desired section.

  "The prophecy states that a great Sorcēarian will rise and take claim of Ives. He will judge the world. Whether for the favor of humanity or not remains a mystery. The judge is known as the Arbitrator. It's an imperative role which will be strenuous, full of sacrifice, and difficult choices will test his resolve." The man eyed Dovian sitting at the window. The boy's expression was void of interest as he watched the scenery outside. "It is also imperative that you listen...."

  The boy did not move.

  Slamming the book closed, Gaius frowned. "Dovian! Are you listening?"

  The boy jolted, his eyes widening.

  Running his hand through his hair, Gaius sighed. "And what gains so much of your attention that you are distracted from your lessons?"

  Dovian smiled, pointing a finger toward the lake. "There's a rather large lizard out there. I saw him dive into the water and catch a fish."

  Gaius, his eyes narrowing, mumbled, "Yes...they do that from time to time."

  "When do I get mine?!" The boy looked to his father.

  Setting the book on the table, Gaius moved to the window, eyeing the lizard. "When you take your bio-genetics class."

  "When will that be?"

  Pressing a finger against the boy's head, Gaius gave a stern look. "When you pass your history lessons."

  Dovian frowned. "But history is so boring!"

  "It's not boring! It's crucial!"

  Dovian twisted his mouth and wrinkled his nose. "Having a pet lizard is more important."

  The man folded his arms. "And how is having a reptile in your quarters more important than the fate of your civilization?"

  "Because...it teaches you to care about things. It teaches you about love. A book with boring history doesn't do that," the boy argued.

  Gaius' shoulders slumped. "You are often far too much like your mother."

  "And that is a problem?" Elysia's voice interrupted. Gaius inwardly cringed.

  "Not a problem in the slightest, my dear." He turned to his wife, a smirk on his face. "Your endless love and caring are my favorites of your attributes."

  Elysia grinned, strolling toward Gaius and Dovian with a tray of brownies.

  "Ah, I take that back. Your brownies are my favorite." Gaius stole one of the treats.

  "Don't eat too many, they are meant for dessert later. I wanted to tease you boys a bit while you were busy studying." Elysia looked upon Dovian who took the largest piece he could find. "And how is it going?"

  Gaius watched the child as he returned his gaze to the window.

  "The boy is distracted...once again...by the goings on outside," Gaius murmured.

  "And how long has it been since he had a break from his studies?" Elysia asked, running her hand through Dovian’s unruly hair.

  "More than a while as he is not retaining the information very well, especially when there are lizards around."

  "Hm, he is only ten years old. You cannot blame him for desiring adventure."

  Gaius leaned toward his wife. "He needs to be ready."

  "For a future with an unknown timeline? Gaius, he is a child. Let him be one for a day. You keep him cooped up in here far too often. Look at how pale he is!"

  Gaius looked the child up and down. "He has my complexion."

  "Exactly the problem! Let him see the sunlight!" Elysia laughed.

  Dovian turned in his seat. "I see Euclid and Orin outside!"

  Gaius' face fell. Elysia matched his expression.

  "You cannot keep him locked up, Gaius. The boy requires social skills as well. You will not be around forever to protect him." Elysia placed her hand on Dovian's shoulder.

  "I can still do all that I can while I am here." The man watched Orin and Euclid from afar, worry in his eyes
.

  "What happened in the past is not your fault, and until you learn to forgive yourself, you're going to make the boy miserable with your overprotective actions." She giggled as she watched the two boys outside cartwheel down a hill. She could sense Dovian's eagerness. "Dovian? Why don't you go outside for a while? Have some fun with Orin and Euclid. They've been asking about you all day."

  Dovian jumped from his chair. "May I?!"

  Gaius gave a disapproving look to his wife. He opened his mouth to speak.

  Elysia cut him off. "Of course! It is most certainly alright! But be back before dinner. I'm making something special!" She then lightly traced her fingers along her husband’s cheek. "Your father needs a break as well."

  Before anything else could be said, Dovian sprinted out of the room.

  "You spoil him," Gaius whispered, looking into Elysia's emerald eyes.

  "No more than I spoil you," she returned. "So...are you going to help me?"

  "Help you? With what?"

  Elysia wrapped her arms around his neck, careful with the platter of brownies in her one hand. "Ohh, I was thinking about rearranging the bedroom."

  "Oh? Whatever for?"

  Giggling quietly, she said, "I think we should start by moving the bed."

  "Moving the bed? Well...I kind of like it near the window...I...." Gaius paused, catching the woman's playful expression. "Oh. Oh, yes. Yes! Let's certainly start by moving the bed."

  Elysia cackled with laughter, pulling on Gaius' hand as she led him out of the study.

  "It's been far too long, old man. Do you think you can manage without breaking a hip?"

  "Ah, your flattering flirtations leave me heated with desire," he dully replied.

  Elysia further laughed, bringing a smile to Gaius' face. The sound echoed down the halls as Dovian tore off toward the front of the cathedral, pushing his weight against the front doors. Instead of taking the stretching bridge, he hopped over the railing and ran around the side of the building toward the hills where Orin and Euclid had previously been. He shielded his eyes from the afternoon sunlight, trying to catch a glimpse of his friends. With a slight trip, he darted up the hill, holding up his troublesome black and white robes. Nearly stumbling over the side, Dovian caught himself on a nearby tree. Quickly looking left, he came face to face with Euclid and screamed.

  "HA! Scared you!" Euclid shouted with a giggle.

  "You did!" Dovian searched his surroundings, his smile falling slightly. "Where's Orin?"

  Euclid scoffed and dropped to a seated position atop a broad, twisted tree root. "Eh, he had to go home."

  Dovian eyed the horizon, barely catching the sight of a figure far off in the distance. He sighed. "It's been a while since I've seen him. Perhaps we can all meet up tomorrow." He took a seat beside the other boy.

  "Yes, yes. Perhaps," Euclid mumbled digging through his satchel. His intense gaze drifted only for a second to Dovian's hand.

  "Oh! My mom made brownies! Would you like some?" Dovian quickly split his treat in two and offered a small piece to the dark-haired boy.

  Euclid smiled kindly and accepted the treat, shoving it in his mouth. He continued his search through his large bag.

  "What are you looking for?" Dovian leaned forward in interest, trying to gain sight of the mysteries inside.

  Euclid eyed him over his shoulder. Swallowing hard, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "I found something," he whispered.

  "Yeah? What?"

  Euclid removed an item and quickly hid it in his lap, covering it with his arms. "It's important that you keep it a secret."

  Dovian's eyes glimmered with interest. "What is it?" His face fell into a look of trepidation. "It's not something bad, is it?"

  Euclid waved a hand dismissively. "Bad?! Why would you think that?" He quickly lowered his hand again to cover the item.

  Dovian chewed on his lip. "Well...you do get in trouble a lot."

  Euclid rolled his blazing blue eyes. "Where's the fun in life if you always follow the rules? You'll never learn anything if you don't take risks!"

  Dovian frowned. "It is something bad, isn't it?"

  Euclid lifted his hands, revealing a large leather-bound book. He folded his arms. "And since when was a book bad?"

  "Whoa! That looks old!" Dovian inspected the archaic tome.

  "Literacy, Dovian. I'd say that's important." Euclid lifted a finger to prove his point.

  "Yeah, suppose so." Dovian lightly traced the engravings on the cover. The words lit up. A spell tightly sealed it. "It's locked."

  Euclid smiled. "Cuz it's a spell book."

  "Euclid! How, how did you get a spell book?"

  "Shh! Quiet!" Euclid leaned forward, pulling him closer. "It doesn't matter how I got it, what matters is...I know how to open it."

  "Really?!" Dovian quickly lowered his voice. "How? Show me."

  Euclid smirked and held out his hand. With a quick whisper, he chanted a release spell. There followed a click, and the book jolted just a bit. Dovian slowly grabbed the corner of the cover to open it. The pages glittered in their native language of Legacy, yet contained words Dovian had never heard nor seen before.

  "What is this?" His brow furrowed.

  "Spells!" Euclid exclaimed.

  "I dunno...these don't seem like normal spells." Dovian shook his head. The boy may not have been interested in history, but he was top of his class for reading. He had seen spell work before, but nothing like this. Some of the chants spread over numerous pages. As he and Euclid flipped through the tome, they found some to be entire chapters. "This is insane. How would anyone memorize spells like these?"

  "I will." Euclid stared intently at the sparkling page, his eyes absorbing their light. "Someday. Someday I will know all of these."

  Dovian gave a small chuckle. "Maybe, but that will take you a long time!"

  Euclid grabbed a chunk of pages and flipped toward the back. In an instant, an unsettling hum generated from the item. A deep vibration resonated within Dovian's gut, and he suddenly felt unsettled.

  "I, I don't know, Euclid. I don't think we should have this."

  "Don't be such a baby." Euclid sneered. "You're going to have to learn these eventually!"

  "Yeah, but we've barely learned how to stabilize our energies. We don't even have our wings yet! This...this seems advanced." Dovian stared at the title of the current page. He heard a soft whisper in the back of his mind, a menacing hiss that sounded awfully similar to 'dark summons.'

  "That's the point. If we have it now, we can get a head start on everyone else! You and I can be masters by the time we get our wings," Euclid excitedly whispered. He seemed enthralled by the book, his pupils thinning to specs.

  "Where did you get something like this?"

  "I have my ways," Euclid simply replied. After catching Dovian's concerned stare, he reached into his bag once again and revealed a circular device.

  "A frequency tuner?! Where did you get one of those?!"

  "Quiet!" Euclid covered the boy's mouth. "Gosh! You're such a loudmouth! I borrowed it from my father."

  After he was released, the silver-haired boy pondered a moment. "Is that how you got into the training facility that one time?"

  Euclid remained silent a moment. "It doesn't matter! Check this out!" He pressed a finger against a page. "Many of the spells don't make sense, but this one seems simple enough."

  Dovian averted his gaze back to the book. Squinting, he tried to make sense of the words. "What is it?"

  Euclid squint. "It says something like...summoning...a...portal. Summoning a portal!"

  Dovian's mouth dropped. "A portal? To where?"

  Euclid grinned. "Anywhere, I bet! Maybe, maybe we can open a portal to your mom's kitchen! Or...or better yet, to the mountains!"

  "Or the beaches in the Caribbean!" Dovian added.

  Euclid squeezed Dovian's shoulder. "To the American theme parks!"

  "Oh! Yeah! I've heard about those!"

  By this time,
the boys were bouncing with excitement, eager to try out their portal-making skills.

  "Forget frequency tuners! We can get instant travel to locations! No more walking outside of time." The raven-haired boy rubbed his hands together. "Okay! I'll go first!"

  Dovian leaned to the side, giving the boy an unsure look. Euclid traded glances between the book and him. "Um, maybe you should sit a little further over there. Just in case." He pointed.

  Dovian nodded and scooted away. He watched with interest.

  With a dramatic wave, Euclid threw his arms outward. Reading, he muttered some sloppy spell, struggling over the words. After giving the paragraph a read through, he frowned.

  "Maybe you're not saying the words right," Dovian suggested.

  Euclid tried again, this time halting at the last few words.

  Dovian leaned forward to read it. "Oh! Depths of the inferno!" He announced proudly.

  Euclid repeated the words, "Depths of the inferno."

  Dovian, realizing the meaning behind the words, gasped. "Wait! What?!"

  Euclid turned his head, his mouth gaping as he also realized what he had just said. "Uh oh."

  A loud pop occurred before the boys, making them jump. Next, a deep hum kicked up. Dovian and Euclid pressed themselves back against the tree, watching as the visual plane swirled before them. Neither one spoke. They remained frozen in fear. With a crackle, an oval static-filled shape waved with light, fluctuating in brightness and speed in an unreadable pattern. Euclid's frequency tuner sputtered, vibrating in his bag. He reached for the item, but the disturbance boomed, and the scene shattered. After a low whine, the portal widened, casting a golden glow that gave off a sweltering heat. From the spiraling gateway came a shrieking noise. The sound oscillated, sending rippling waves of screams, howls, moans, and whimpers.

  "Eu...Euclid," Dovian managed to whisper.

  An enormous shadowy form lunged toward the boys. With a howl, the black mass clawed the air but was held back by shimmering diamond chains. A horrible hissing followed, and the shadow sank back. Another form took its place. As it slowly moved from side to side, the silhouette grew larger in size as it neared the entrance of the portal. The light shimmered against its scales, casting the creature in a golden hue. It had long ragged teeth; a gigantic smile seemed to cover half of its face, and tiny nostrils sat between two black eyes. It was tall and thin. The sight of it caused Dovian to hold his breath. Euclid, however, seemed enthralled by the thing.