A Rising Tide

by Ross Buzzell

  At the moment of her impact, the ground gives way and Konner falls for a brief moment. With a hard ‘thud,’ Konner lands just a few meters down, his knees buckle under the weight of his newly cumbersome armor and he catches himself from slamming face first in the ground by throwing his hands out. Konner raises his head and looks around. Everything is black and not as if everything had been painted black but as if Konner has landed in the void between locations while teleporting. The blackness is thick like oil around him and is both tangible and intangible at the same time; the prince can almost taste the void in his mouth. The prince’s eyes dart throughout the blackness to try and find either his weapon or Jil but to no avail. Quickly he turns around to be met by a horrid image of his sister whose face appealingly is made up of black ice. A psychotic grin is cracked across her solid icy features and her eyes are as black and dead as the void in which Konner stands. His heart leaps into his chest as he staggers backward only to fall under the clumsy weight of the armor to reveal that his sister’s entire body is comprised of solid, smooth black ice. She moves toward him, her icy body creaking and cracking with each labor intensive ice snapping movement. This causes her movements to be jagged and staggered. Her voice echoes from her frozen lips like sound echoes through shattered glass. The simple sound alone sends chills down Konner’s spine.

  “You could have stopped it all!”

  she lunges at Konner who throws his arm up in front of his face and closes his eyes. After a moment there is no impact, only the deafening echoed silence of the void. Slowly Konner lowers his arm and opens his eyes only to behold a horror that wrenches within his gut like a fish on a fisherman’s hook. Man’Sanfur is on his knees, slumped over before Konner with his arms limply extended and the back of his hands shallowly on the ground. The behemoth’s hair covers his face but his size and armor scream to Konner who lies slumped before him with the only object that keeps him from lying flat against the black floor is his own massive sword thrust through his back and into the ground below. Konner slides back away from the image as terror begins to grip the prince until he feels something warm and wet against his hand. Not wanting to look at the source Konner forces himself to gaze behind him although every fiber of his being screams for him not to. Konner sees three spears before him; one comes straight out of the ground, the other two exit at an angle in such a way that the three cross paths about half way up. Konner’s heart lurches within him as he sees Disa’ani lifted from the ground, impaled through the back by his own three weapons. Konner stares in dark terror at his friend as he slowly pulls himself to his feet. Konner extends a trembling hand toward his friend as his eyes are locked on Disa’ani’s head and ever so Konner sees movement. For the briefest of moments the prince believes his eyes are playing tricks on him only to realize that they are not as Disa’ani’s head moves to look directly at Konner through cold dead eyes.

  Without a moment’s hesitation Konner turns to run from Disa’ani only to be greeted by his mother, father, Na’era and dozens of the natives that died earlier that day. For a moment Konner feels relief as his mother father, and Na’era all have kind looks on their faces and hold their hands out to Konner, welcoming him to them. Slowly Konner walks toward the group who look happy and at peace before he notices something tiny that causes concern to grow within the back of his mind, a small blister. Everyone before him has small blisters on their foreheads as if from heat. Slowly those blisters cascade down their bodies as Konner physically feels the temperature rise before him. Without screams or any indication of pain Konner’s parents, Na’era and the group of natives before him, all burst into flames. They are engulfed so completely that as the fire flairs out all that is left are their bones, ash and a single azure blue stone ring which lays amongst Na’eras skeleton.

  “Why did you do this?”

  A soft voice cuts through the dark. Konner’s head turns to see Bara’Helor, dressed in the same manner as in the hospital only without the bandage covering what is now a scar. The soldier is covered in blood, her soft, bouncy, blond hair now caked with dark crimson coagulated liquid and her fit frame hidden behind a thick layer of muck. The scent of blood burns Konner’s nostrils the closer he gets to her.

  “Bara, what happened?”

  Bara holds her hands out to Konner as if to embrace the prince. Her words are soft and monotone.

  “You weren’t strong enough. You stayed and he killed you, then he killed us all. You did this. By not stopping him you damned us all.”

  In the blink of an eye she vanishes, only to be replaced by mirrors reflecting Konner back at himself. Konner’s eyes quickly scan his own image; his armor is tattered almost beyond recognition, his family crest is no longer aglow and there is no cape on his back. A soft glow catches his attention on his lower right side just above his navel and directly below the inside of his shoulder. As his eyes move to the azure glow, a bright light instantly erupts from his side in the form of his energy spear. A fiery shock bursts throughout all of Konner’s body as he lets out a primal roar in pain he has never yet felt before. This, as he is impaled by his own weapon. Konner drops to his knees as he holds the wound. The spear shuts off and Konner looks up to see the reflection of a massive being that stands well overhead, and shoulders higher than Konner at full height. The figure draws a massive blade off his back. It is curved with a jagged edge on the back end designed to catch an opponent’s weapon or meant for a painful decapitation. The hilt is carved of bone. Konner tries to see the face of this monster but to no avail. With a quick flash of gleaming light, Konner sees the blade fly toward his neck.

  With a violent thrash the prince shoots out of bed, sweat pours from his body, his heart races and his breathing is labored due to his lungs burning. Konner frantically looks around the room. Everything is as it should be. The day sun’s light fills the room. There is no smoke and his towel sits beside him on the bed. After the realization sinks in that it was just a dream Konner tries to relax only to be met with a blinding pain in his side, the agony is familiar as is the location, as the painful sensation of being run through manifests itself in the prince’s side. Quickly Konner looks down to see no wound or damage of any kind. Slowly Konner pushes himself off the bed. Bending down he picks up the towel and wipes the sweat from his brow. Each movement causes his side to flair with pain, yet at the same time each time the ‘wound’ would flair the pain would gradually become less. Konner gives a sigh of relief as his reality sets back in and the grip of the nightmare dissipates. The prince makes his way to his bedroom door. His armor and bracer slowly forming in the same way they dissipated, only in reverse. Konner drops his towel into a basket as he leaves his room. Konner’s hand grasps the handle of the door. He hesitates a moment before he gives it a gentle pull. But the door gives way just as it should. He breathes a sigh of relief. As he exits the door, Konner throws his hand out. In a matter of moments he feels the warm metal of his weapon find its home within his hand. Konner spins the weapon and places it on his hip. Konner’s heart rate gradually returns to normal as he walks through the palace and sees the guards about their usual routine. The nature of the aftermath of his nightmare intrigues the prince; wishing to learn more about it he makes his way to the library. His plans are instantly put on hold as he opens the library’s doors to see his entire family standing before him awaiting his arrival.

  “How did you know…”

  Konner speaks with intrigue.

  “The guards reported you walking this way.”

  Lei retorts almost instantly.

  “Why are you coming to the library instead of the dining hall?”

  Lei continues, her voice ripe with the taunt she had not used in years. Her taunt makes Konner laugh and rub the back of his head.

  “I just need to do some research. Is everything ok?”

  Konner looks at his father.

  “Were there any complications during apprehension?”

  The High King shakes his head.

  “None whatsoev
er. Apprehension went smoothly. The rest of the Cryptea have been round up and interrogated. Aside from you it appears the entire institute was corrupted from within. An investigation has been launched but seeing as their mission was to eliminate you and then me; it is safe to say the investigation will clear you of any suspicion.”

  “Thank you father. If you do not mind though, may I be excused to my research?”

  Shey shakes her head.

  “Not yet dear.”

  Her voice is soft and loving as always.

  “We are here to congratulate you; mom and dad seem to have found you a wife.”

  Lei adds on with her taunting tone hiding laughter. Konner looks at his parents with a mild case of confusion and frustration. He knew that royal lines were unable to marry outside of other royal lines. He had just hoped that his father would have figured out a way around the system before it was Konner’s turn to be married.

  “And who is it that has been chosen for me.”

  Konner’s voice is cold with no desire to give into arcane practices such as arranged marriage.

  “You remember Na’era.”

  The High King declares.

  “You two use to play together as children.”

  Konner nods, obviously he remembers her. He had just rescued her last night.

  “Is that why I was chosen for the rescue mission?”

  Konner’s voice carries a weight of accusation toward his family. They remain silent, partially because he was right and partially because his tone took them by surprise.

  “Oh it was! So you are saying that I must marry Na’era although I have no romantic feelings for her. Do you have any idea how heavy that news weighs on me? It does not help that she was witness to the greatest failure in Boronian military history by my hand. Even if she feels some attraction to me, that alone would doom our chances, even if we were allowed to select!”

  Failure is never an option for Boronian military leaders and although his mission was a success Konner, in his heart of hearts, feels that his mission was a catastrophic failure, especially with the number of casualties that he should have been able to prevent.

  “It is already done my son. We have spoken with her father and the wedding is to take place at the end of the week.”

  This news hits Konner like a hammer to the chest. The prince is still attempting to process the fight from the night before, and then this is dropped on him. Not having rested enough the previous night, Konner wishes he could argue the point with his father but the energy required for him to do so just cannot be mustered. Konner takes a deep breath and shakes his head. His mother speaks up in an attempt to help her son feel less stressed.

  “We will leave you to your research.”

  As always her voice is agreeable and filled with a nurturing soothing tone. Konner waves his family off before he begins to turn and walk away, as his desire to research his nightmare is quickly replaced by the sensation of being trapped without the freedom to choose.

  “I don’t need to anymore.”

  Chapter 13

  A soft cool breeze blows through Konner’s hair. The pressures of gravity do not bind his feet as they dangle lazily off the side of a cliff face. The prince’s cape flaps lethargically in the soft breeze as Konner’s eyes scan Caelum far below. An invisible, intangible weight presses upon Konner from all directions in a way that even he cannot describe. Try as the prince might nothing lifted the burden so he decided to come to the one place that always seems to grant him peace. High above the world everything is quiet and peaceful. The worries and stress of the people below could never reach this high, not even the circumscribed laws which hold the royal family in their place. While no negative emotions emanate through the prince, joy and most of all peace elude him like a shadow in the night. It has been almost an entire cycle since Konner’s hands touched the top of this particular cliff. The wind blows past the prince before it is swallowed by the cavern behind him, where a soft ‘whoosh’ is devoured by the dark silence of the blackened cave.

  Footsteps catch Konner’s attention. He slightly turns his head toward the cave as the steps are echoing from behind him. Still looking forward the prince smiles to himself as the scent of an old friend catches his nose.

  “Are you thinking about going down to the Festival of Life. my prince?”

  A soft yet masculine voice echoes from the cavern with a hint of jesting on its coattails.

  “I am unsure. I have not had time in the past. I fear I have no right to partake now.”

  Konner pauses for a moment. He takes a deep breath as the Emissary grows closer.

  “Nonsense, you are their High Prince. You have more right than anyone to partake in this festival.”

  The Emissary retorts.

  “I’m sorry it has been so long since my last visit Emissary.”

  “I understand your duties High Prince, and Cryptea did keep you busy.”

  The Emissary’s voice replies from the darkness. The footsteps that accompany the man slowly cease echoing as the grinding of stone quickly replaces it, accompanied by the gentle flapping of robes.

  “That is no excuse to not see a friend.”

  Konner states as he looks up to see a thin framed young man around his own age, adorned in Emissary robes. His short black hair does not give way to the breeze as Konner’s does, but his piercing white eyes gaze over Caelum as well.

  “Have they gotten any better my friend?”

  The Emissary sits down next to Konner as the prince shakes his head.

  “Not as of recently. For a while there I felt it under control. I had no sense of being lost. But twenty one cycles ago I cannot seem to shake, they only get worse. That is why I have come up here, in the hopes that maybe in this peaceful place I can finally find relief.”

  The Emissary turns his gaze to Konner as the prince states the period of time.

  “Twenty rotations, is that not when you were sent to rescue Na’era?”

  The prince nods, as he remains silent the Emissary continues.

  “Have you spoken with anyone about it?”

  Konner shakes his head.

  “I have tried but none show concern. They feign interest but because they cannot relate I can see my words fall on deaf ears. Which is why I’ve come to you my friend. You have fought this beast before and won. Do you have any legendary Emissary wisdom you wish to impart on me?”

  The Emissary chuckles at Konner’s view of him before shaking his head.

  “That is not how it works, my prince, I have not won and I struggle nearly every day as you do. It is not like your battles where you face your opponent, defeat them and never need to worry of them again. This beast that you face will follow you for your entire life, like my father’s did him and mine does me. You cannot view this battle as a onetime event, nor can you view it as a marathon. In order to beat what you feel, you must confront it each and every time it shows its face. Prove that you are stronger than it and be un-relenting. Then and only then will you feel peace; this is, however, an unending battle.”

  “So I am to struggle with this until my dying day?”

  The Emissary nods in confirmation to his prince.