The Esoteric Design: Civilization Lost

by A. R. Crebs

I’Lanthe promptly removed the ice blades from his feet as he held onto her for support.

  “May I ask what this is about?” Dovian grumbled.

  One of the human officers stepped forward, his hand at the ready beside his pistol. “Two humans were killed last night. One eyewitness says you were at the scene, most likely the one responsible.”

  Dovian’s heart stopped. I’Lanthe inhaled sharply, goosebumps covering her arms. “What?!” they simultaneously cried.

  “I…have no idea what you’re talking about. What humans? Where? Who was the eyewitness?” Dovian asked.

  “Further details will be given at the precinct,” the officer curtly explained.

  “This is ridiculous. Father, I was in my room last night. I….” Dovian sighed. He had no alibi.

  I’Lanthe chewed her lower lip. Now she wished she had risked lying to give Dovian some form of support.

  “The witness said your name, Dovian. She described your appearance,” Sir Gaius explained.

  Dovian’s eyes widened. “How is that possible?”

  “You and your father will join a lineup at the human precinct. The eye witness will pick who she saw out of the group. To add variety, we’ve added Karter as the report indicates the Sorcēarian at the scene was shrouded in red robes.” Gaius’ explanation did nothing to calm Dovian’s nerves.

  “Quentin, too?” Dovian asked. He wasn’t sure why, but knowing he would be standing by his teammates was somewhat comforting.

  The Elders all remained silent, their expressions further falling. Devastation struck Dovian.

  Gaius looked down upon his great-grandson. He appeared bold, yet his eyes held a type of sorrow that Dovian had only seen a few times in his lifetime.

  “Dovian…I’m so sorry to tell you,” the Elder spoke softly. “Quentin passed away last night.”

  It felt as if Dovian had been kicked in the gut, and he nearly lost his balance. “Pardon? Did…did I hear that right?”

  His father heaved a heavy sigh. “We will explain that later. For now, we must leave. These men have work to do.” He gestured toward the police officers.

  “No! I’m not leaving until someone explains to me what happened to my friend!” Dovian raised his voice.

  “He killed himself,” Gaius II simply stated in his rough way.

  “Killed himself?” Dovian gasped.

  Elder Gaius halted his son. “Further explanation is prohibited. Suspects involved in that case may have a connection with this matter as well. Let’s deal with one trial at a time, shall we?”

  The other Gaius men silenced themselves.

  I’Lanthe quickly took Dovian’s hand.

  “I know this is a lot to take in, but we do need to get you to the facility. Karter and the others are waiting.” Sir Gaius held out a hand.

  Dovian nodded slowly, giving an unsure look toward I’Lanthe. She patted his shoulder.

  “Go ahead. Get it over with,” she whispered.

  Dovian was innocent. As soon as the lineup was finished, he’d be able to return home without issue. It was surely some misunderstanding.

  Dovian nodded and approached the Elders. Before he could say anything else, Sir Gaius teleported them to the police department, leaving I’Lanthe behind. The woman gaped at the open landscape, her great-grandmother lingering.

  “I’m so sorry, my sweet angel,” Narita said in her rich voice.

  “He’s innocent. He’ll be fine.” A loud crack sounded behind her as the ice on the lake melted into the water.

  “The world is full of many curiosities. How I wish you had been with him last night. The following days are going to be very difficult for the boy.” Narita approached I’Lanthe, gently placing a hand on the younger woman’s shoulder.

  “Oh, how I wish I never let that man leave my side,” I’Lanthe whispered.

  “The Elders will notify me as soon as the tests are complete. I will waste no time in forwarding the results to you.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Shall I walk you home?” Narita gestured toward the horizon.

  I’Lanthe nodded slowly, her eyes cast on the grass.

  She wasn’t sure why, but her heart was slowly breaking. To describe and give Dovian’s name was more than a simple coincidence. Something was surely wrong, and it didn’t feel right. I’Lanthe would spend the remainder of the afternoon in her room praying for her beloved.

  Likewise, Dovian prayed over and over in his mind that it was some simple misunderstanding. Anything. To be picked for a lineup was no big deal, but to be listed as a suspect, by name no less, was like receiving a death sentence. And to find out that Quentin suddenly took his own life, something was fishy about this entire situation, and Dovian couldn’t help but feel that this was all some kind of sick setup.

  When they arrived at the station, Dovian felt nauseous. He and everyone else involved in the lineup were handcuffed. Azera hummed a spell over the metal bindings, adding extra hold against Sorcēarian strength. Dovian looked to his father, the man appearing paler than usual. He smiled in support, and it only made Dovian feel worse.

  “I didn’t do anything wrong,” Dovian whispered.

  Gaius III’s smile widened. “I know, boy.”

  “Quiet!” One officer shouted.

  A moment later, Dovian and the others were escorted to a room at the back of the station. Ahead of him was Karter, the young man heard Dovian’s voice and peered back; he appeared terrified. As they moved along, Dovian’s mind filled with the distasteful thoughts and verbal remarks of those in the station. Even the officers despised the angelic race. It only caused Dovian’s heart to ache. Where had they gone wrong? Humanity once appreciated and loved his people. Now, they tried desperately to steal from, kill, and frame them. It was depressing.

  “Just watching you is making me anxious.”

  The words gave a chill down Dovian’s spine. Euclid occupied the back of the line. The blood in Dovian’s face drained at the sight of his Azure friend. Of course, the lineup was made up of Sorcēarians who fit the description and of those who didn’t. Euclid was as far off from Dovian physically as anyone could get with his tall stature, dark hair, and blue robes. Dovian sighed, suddenly feeling a bit more at ease. Having his family and friends nearby certainly was more comforting. If anything were to happen, he knew they would have his back.

  “I said to keep quiet!” the officer shouted again.

  The Sorcēarians entered the brightly lit room. A two-way mirror covered one side. Dovian and the others lined up before a wall with markers for height. He glanced to the side, noticing that he was the shortest of the bunch, as usual. The others nearly reached the ceiling. Dovian’s father had to bow his head slightly just to stand. Most faces were recognizable. However, there were two men each with silvery hair, one being of violet status with gray eyes and another a civilian of Ives with teal. A quiet snicker erupted from one side, and Dovian eyed Euclid at the end.

  “Eyes up front,” a voice called from the speakers overhead.

  Dovian took a deep breath and stared ahead into the mirror. The sooner this was over with, the sooner he could go home and run into I’Lanthe’s arms. It seemed pathetic, but nothing would be more comforting. Even though he was innocent, he had never been in this kind of situation before. It was unnerving. He would rather be on the battlefield.

  “Take your time,” Sir Gaius spoke quietly.

  He stood on the opposite side of the mirror, looking at the line of his people. Azera stood beside him, his eyes inspecting the female witness, Ivan. She glimpsed the two threatening Sorcēarians to her right and then looked to her left at Fardon. He observed her as well, which made her even more uneasy.

  “Would you like some coffee?” Fardon asked, sensing the female’s nervousness.

  “Uh, yeah, sure.” Ivan nodded. Anything to get one of the giant men away from her.

  An officer allowed Fardon to leave the room. Having at least one other human by the door eased her somewhat. Ivan never had a p
roblem with Sorcēarians, not until last night.

  “Can you tell us what you saw?” Sir Gaius questioned.

  “You don’t have to respond to them,” the officer quickly sputtered.

  Ivan sighed, nodding quickly. “It’s okay. I don’t mind.” Just then Fardon re-entered with a styrofoam cup of coffee in hand. He gingerly handed the item to her. “Thanks.”

  She took a sip of the warm brew and then hummed. It was perfection. How on earth he could procure such an amazing coffee from this slummy building was a mystery to her.

  “I, uh, closed up the bar as usual last night. Sometimes, I stay behind,” Ivan explained. “You know, to have some drinks and watch some shows. It’s kind of lonely at home by myself, so I like to stay late. I sometimes feel safer…because of the apartments up above. I know those people. Knew Teresa.”

  “What happened?” Gaius asked.

  “I heard a loud noise. I wasn’t sure at first because the music was still on. Bobby and the others like to throw in as many quarters as they can, to see if they can keep it playing until they arrive the next night.” she gave a weak smile. “But, uh, I ignored the sound. Things do get noisy up there from time to time. Those dancers always bring customers into their rooms. It’s usually a bunch of rowdy drunks and noisy sex.” Her face reddened. “Sorry.”

  “Please, continue.”

  “Well, I heard what sounded like a gunshot. That’s when I ran and unplugged the machine to turn off the music. I listened a while longer and could hear some noises, maybe some shouts.” Ivan looked over the lineup. “I decided to go upstairs, to check on Teresa. I know she brought a customer up to her room, Ronnie. She does that a lot, but her and Ronnie were always on and off again. As I got to her door, I heard a terrible scream. And….” Ivan stopped, catching a quick breath. Her hands shook, the coffee slopping over the edges of her cup. Fardon quickly took it from her grasp. “I’m sorry. It’s just…she was a real pain in the ass, you know? But, she didn’t deserve that.”

  “What happened next?” Gaius asked. Azera continued watching the woman, his eyes swirling.

  “I kicked in the door. It’s an old rundown place, so it didn’t take much. And I saw…him.” She pointed directly at Dovian without any hesitation. “He was standing over her. Just as I came into the room, Teresa shot herself. He was just standing there, looking over her. And Ronnie, he was dead too. They both had shot themselves in the head.”

  “Suicide?” Gaius folded his arms. “And what makes you think that Sorcēarian had anything to do with it?”

  Ivan shook her head, fighting with her feelings. “I…I mean; why else would he be there? Listen, two people shot themselves in the head, and he was just standing there. And the look in his eye. It was like…he had told them to do it. He wasn’t shocked, not until he saw me. Then, he disappeared.”

  “Do you know that man? The one you pointed to?”

  Ivan nodded. “His name is Dovian. He’s been to my bar. I talked to him for a while the other day.”

  “The other day?”

  “Yeah. He…he seemed really nice.”

  “Do you recognize anyone else from this lineup?” Sir Gaius asked, a frown settling on his face.

  Ivan nodded once more. “Yeah, Euclid.” She pointed again. “I always figured, if anyone were to hurt one of my friends, it’d be him.”

  “Why is that?” Gaius questioned.

  “He had a thing going on with Teresa if you know what I mean. She liked Sorcēarian men.”

  Gaius and Fardon exchanged worried glances. “So, the two humans apparently committed suicide, but you say a Sorcēarian manipulated the situation? And you’re positive you saw Dovian, not someone else?”

  Ivan bobbed her head once again. “I know what I saw. It was not Euclid. It was most definitely Dovian. Red robes and all.”

  “What would Dovian’s motive be?” Gaius asked.

  Ivan shrugged. “Perhaps he didn’t like the fact that Euclid was having some sort of relationship with Teresa. Maybe he didn’t like Teresa sleeping with another human man. Teresa wasn’t a one-man kind of girl. She usually had multiple partners. Judging by your kind’s lifestyle, perhaps Dovian didn’t like the idea of Euclid’s girl having another man on the side.”

  “Can we get them to step to the side?” Gaius asked aloud in desperation.

  The officer pressed a button on the wall. Leaning forward, he spoke, “Face your left. Face your right.”

  Ivan shook her head and pointed at Dovian each time. “I told you. It was Dovian. There’s no doubt about it.”

  “She seems to be telling the truth,” Fardon spoke up.

  Sir Gaius’ face fell even further. He looked to Azera with worried eyes.

  “I haven’t picked up any lies either, sir.”

  Gaius turned toward the woman. “Would you mind, miss, if Azera looked at you? Standard Sorcēarian procedure. It won’t hurt. I would like for him to review your memories. Some Sorcēarians specialize in the field of illusion. If anyone can see through the spells, it would be Azera.”

  Ivan peered at the officer. The idea made the man shift from side to side uneasily.

  “Of course, you don’t have to. I would simply prefer it, to make sure the wool hasn’t been pulled over our eyes.” Gaius bowed slightly.

  Ivan tucked her hair behind her ears and then folded her arms, covering herself. “Uh, yeah. Yeah, sure.”

  “You’re okay with this?” Gaius asked.

  “Yeah. I mean, if you think that some kind of spell was cast, I would like for you to see through it. I mean, Dovian seemed like a really nice guy. Killing two humans just doesn’t feel like something he would…do.” Ivan’s sight flitted to Dovian only for a second before she gaped at Azera, shivering beneath his silken stare.

  “It won’t hurt. You have nothing to worry about. It will only take one moment,” Azera droned.

  Sir Gaius stood to the side, allowing Azera a clear view. Pulling in power, the golden warrior peered into the woman’s mind. It took only a second to the outside world, but Azera went through the woman’s entire memory two days before the event took place. He saw the exchange between Dovian and her. He watched her interactions with the strippers and customers, observed as she drank too much and sang and danced alone in the bar, flipping through television stations, all the way to the point where she kicked in Teresa’s door and saw Dovian standing beside the two corpses. Azera replayed the last few minutes of her memory over and over again. There was no doubt about it. Ivan clearly saw Dovian in the room. It wasn’t right, Azera could feel it. As much as he wanted to believe Dovian was innocent, it was without a doubt the Scarlet Warrior. Azera kept digging, looking for something to give him insight to it all being an illusion, but he caught absolutely nothing.

  “She is telling the truth,” Azera stated. He quickly tore his sight away, staring at the cement floor in disbelief.

  “You’re…sure?” Sir Gaius asked. It took everything inside of him to keep calm. There was absolutely no way Dovian was responsible for the deaths of those humans.

  Azera, ashamed, turned his attention to the Elder. “I can’t find anything that proves otherwise, sir. I’m…sorry.”

  “Unbelievable,” Sir Gaius mumbled.

  “If you’d like me to call upon the other Truthseers—”

  Gaius held up a hand. “Not necessary, Azera. You are the best of our kind. If you can’t find any spell work, nobody can.”

  Azera nodded dismally. He understood. He, too, believed Dovian was innocent, but if that were the case, it meant someone had mastered their powers which bested even his.

  Ivan timidly tapped the toe of her boot against the floor. “Is…there anything else? I’d like to go home.”

  “No, that will be all. Thank you, miss. I appreciate your cooperation,” Sir Gaius bowed to her.

  Ivan quickly walked past them, exiting the room by officer escort.

  “There’s one more thing, sir,” Azera spoke quietly.

  Fardon
and Gaius gathered.

  “In the memory, I saw something worth noting. As Dovian reached for his tuner, I caught a glimpse of something inside the pocket of his overcoat.” Azera’s hands tensed as he spoke. Gaius watched him, hanging on every word he spoke. “It was your missing spell book.”

  Fardon scoffed as he scrutinized the Sorcēarian lineup. “This doesn’t sit well.”

  “No, not at all.” Sir Gaius’ nostrils flared.

  “Okay, they may leave. Cuff number five,” the remaining officer spoke through the intercom.

  Gaius scowled and nodded once to Azera who hesitantly lifted the palm of his hand. Clenching his fist, Azera watched with saddened eyes as golden bindings gathered around Dovian’s wrists. The Scarlet warrior locked in place, his eyes bugging.

  “Sir Gaius?!” Dovian shouted.

  Dovian’s father clenched his teeth, glaring at the mirror. He didn’t fight against the officers who guided the rest of the line out of the room, though he wanted to. He knew his son, and even with his dark power, Dovian was not capable of killing a human being. It wasn’t in his nature, no matter how stressed he had recently become.

  Dovian remained frozen, saturated with fear. In all his life, never would he have imagined something like this happening to him. He stared ahead, his vision blurry as he focused on no single point. Whispers of the precinct swirled in his mind.

  ‘Murderer, filthy Fallen, demons, evil.’

  “No,” Dovian whispered. “I…I didn’t do it.”

  Euclid passed him last, a crude smile on his face. “My, Dovian, look at what your precious humans did to you.” The dark-haired man placed a hand on Dovian’s shoulder. “Doesn’t matter how pretty they are, they always end up betraying you.”

  Dovian warily watched Euclid.

  “What do you know of this?” Dovian’s whisper cracked.

  Euclid snorted. “At least Ivan didn’t get herself hurt in the process. I always did like that bar.” He passed his shackled friend. “Don’t try to remove your bindings. They burn.”

  Dovian’s expression of confusion quickly twisted into a look of hate. “Euclid?! What did you do?” He tried to move, but Azera’s power held him in place.