The Complete Four Worlds Series

by Angela J. Ford

  The Mermis stood waiting at the top of the stairs. When the five reached the top, the golden doors swung open and moonlight streamed out of the castle, leaving them no choice but to step inside.

  26

  Mist And Feathers

  White mist covered the castle floor, hiding it from the five as they reluctantly followed the Mermis through the wide halls of the castle. At least they could feel something solid under their feet, so they did not utter a complaint. Psychedelic Mermis floated past, taking no heed of the late hour. They ignored the visitors from below, but Marklus could hear the hush of their voices and chanting song drifting through the castle.

  At last, Malaseya threw open a heavy door to reveal a circular lounge. Rich throws and cushions covered the low-lying divans, while mist curled dreamily across the floor, giving the furniture the illusion of floating on clouds. A table in the middle sat low to the floor, covered with delicate fruits, silver goblets, and a carafe of blushing red liquid. Archways opened into even smaller chambers with beds made of mist and feathers. “Rest here for what remains of the night,” she told the five as they filed into the room. Crinte was last to enter, and she caught his shoulder. “Do not fret.” Her purple eyes bored into his. “And do not think little of the hospitality of the Mermis.” Before he could reply, she grabbed the door latch and pulled. It slammed shut, rustling the mist near its edges. A second later, the five heard a distinct click as the door locked.

  Crinte turned to his warriors, who looked more than a little alarmed at the rapid turn of events. “I am sorry,” he began. “I did not know the Mermis would treat us like this.”

  “Are we their prisoners?” Starman said on the edge of panic.

  “No.” Crinte impatiently raked a hand through his blond hair. “But I feel a fool. We went to Srackt the Wise for information and he failed to tell us of the curse of the Mermis. We are wasting a day in this, I must admit, beautiful Kingdom. We don’t have time for games like these.”

  “We could look into the Clyear,” Alaireia offered.

  Crinte shook his head. “There is no point. We should have looked before.”

  Legone perched lightly on a deep blue cushion near the table of food and drink. But, seeing as he did not fall through the mist, settled down more comfortably and picked a bunch of red grapes. “Crinte, how are you surprised? You have been here before.” He carelessly popped grapes into his mouth, looking at Crinte pointedly.

  Crinte shook his head as he walked over to pour a glass of the sweet liquid. “No, I have never been to this Kingdom. Yes, I have been with the Mermis before but…” He trailed off. His previous conversations with Mermis had led him to believe they actually cared about something other than themselves. But now the seeping, deadly poison seemed to have changed their frightful minds.

  “What do we do now?” Marklus asked, taking the goblet Crinte offered him.

  Crinte continued to pour drinks. “Rest here for the night and don’t worry. We will escape from this mess tomorrow.”

  “I wonder though,” Legone muttered in disbelief.

  Starman threw himself down on one of the divans. “No one at home would believe this. We’re in a Kingdom in the sky and we’re still alive. And to think a short time ago I did not know Mermis even existed!”

  “Aren’t you glad you came with us?” Marklus remarked sarcastically as he picked up a piece of fruit. But Starman was already lost in the intoxicating liquid that flowed from the goblets.

  “This tastes like flowers.” Alaireia sipped the liquid hesitantly as she settled down.

  “I think they intentionally meant to trap us here,” Legone wondered aloud as he lay down his bow and took off his quiver. “With the perfumed air and this sweet drink and these delicious fruits. They mean for us to stay here. Forever. Away from the poisoned land. Think about it. A year ago, wasn’t that when the turned creatures first started appearing?”

  Crinte nodded. “This is no coincidence. If we are to meet the King of the Mermis, I have questions of my own for him.”

  Pensive and thoughtful, the five ate and drank. Words dropped away and as the night deepened, their eyes closed where they lay. If any Mermi had dared enter the room, they would have found the five warriors no more than sleeping forms wrapped in brightly colored blankets.

  Starman was first to wake in the morning. At first, he could not recall the night before, but as he yawned, stretched, and tumbled off the chaise lounge, it all came rolling back. He stood slowly, glancing around the room. Marklus snored gently on the floor, mist tangling the curls of his brown hair. Crinte slept half sitting, half leaning back, a goblet still in his hands while his head nodded into his chest. Legone lay on his stomach, stretched across a divan with blankets scattered on the floor. His bow he held in one hand, while his quiver rested on the floor beside his other hand, arrows spilling into the mist. Alaireia had curled tightly into the corner of one sofa, her dark hair spread out on the cushion holding up her head. One hand held her sword, clasped tightly to her chest. Starman swallowed hard as he watched their peaceful faces, briefly wishing they could stay safely in the kingdom of the clouds. Taking his sword, he walked into one of the adjoining rooms. One wall of the room was pure glass, a picturesque window, offering a preferred view of the glorious sky. In front of it, a welcoming white bed was piled high with feather pillows and blankets, looking as if one would melt inside it. A basin of water had been placed by the door, and Starman took a moment to freshen up before walking to the window.

  Outside, a sea of blue and white waves traversed the sky. The castle sat fixated atop of blanket of clouds. Everywhere Starman’s eyes fell, peach colored bubbles as big as his head drifted. Male and female Mermis flew or floated, some riding the bubbles, others flying in herds as if they had a priority destination. They all appeared to be the same age and there were no children to speak of. Yet they seemed happy, singing and shouting and dancing through the mist. Occasionally, giant silver horses rushed by with a pair of vibrant Mermis on their backs. They galloped and dived, heading back to the lands below. Starman blinked as he watched them, the loss of his family potent again.

  “Starman?” a voice asked behind him.

  He turned, quickly blinking away tears as Alaireia walked up. “Look.” He pointed to the window.

  “Oh.” Alaireia’s voice became awed and she walked up to the window. “It is beautiful!”

  Starman shook his head, thinking of the tall tales he would have told his younger brother and sister. His two older brothers would have laughed and teased him, claiming he had a runaway imagination. His older sister would have listened eagerly, asking lots of questions, but in the end, they all would have shuddered with their arms around each other, thankful they were at home and safe from the strange wonders of the Western World.

  “I’d heard there was a Kingdom in the sky,” Alaireia said with reverence. “But I did not dream it would be like this.”

  “Would that we could stay here,” Starman wished. “It seems this Kingdom should be immune to the woes below.”

  “Maybe.” Alaireia searched Starman’s face worriedly. “But you heard the Mermis; the change in the land affected even them. I’m not sure they, nor anyone, could live off air forever.”

  A knock on the chamber door interrupted their conversation. The lock turned and Marklus rose hastily, shaking wisps of mist that clung to his curls. Ima and Ena entered, carrying platters high above their heads. Their long manes of orange and wheat hair were braided back demurely but their dresses had not changed. They smiled wordlessly at Marklus as they swept into the room, gathering the feast from the night before and whisking out again. Before Ima disappeared down the hall, she pushed the door open and whispered, “You are free to roam, but come back before noon. You meet with the King at midday.”

  Crinte stood as soon as she disappeared. “I’ll be back,” he called to Marklus who was sitting down to sample hot foods steaming on the table.

  “Crinte?” Marklus started to say, th
en changed his mind.

  Crinte cautiously stepped out of the room and found himself standing in a great white hall. His heartbeat quickened in anticipation as he gazed about the splendor of the Kingdom of Spherical. At first, he had thought the castle was an actual building, but now, as he looked, he wasn’t quite sure. Yes, his foot stood on solid matter, but it wasn’t stone nor iron nor wood. Above him, the ceiling rose and curved away with light streaming in from every direction. He walked down the hall, feeling the itching vibration in his feet, calling him to explore and wander and lose himself. He wanted the knowledge the Mermis held, he wanted to know how they came to be and why they built such a castle, and more importantly, how the antidote was created. For brief moments, the night before, he had questioned the truth of the so called curse Malaseya claimed. Why would his father hold such pertinent details from him? He remembered a decade before, when he and his father had walked through Wiltieders only to come out of it into the visionary beauty of the Mounts. Those days, he had seen the same purple eyes, watching and following him. It unnerved him that the creatures of the air had a greater ability than him, eyes to see above and eyes to see below with a wider range of the world.

  Crinte continued down the hall until he reached the end and the castle opened before him. It was a clearly a structure meant for those with wings. He was standing on a high balcony, and looking down, he saw levels below him, staircases and ledges, as Mermis flew back and forth, carrying round objects. What they were doing he could not tell, but they all seemed to be preparing for something. He turned when he felt eyes watching him, and Malaseya floated down beside him. Her aura was friendlier than the night before, yet he could tell something weighed on her. His breath caught for a moment when her deep round eyes met his. “Crinte, I was hoping we’d meet again under different circumstances.” She placed her hands on the railing around the balcony and looked out over the Kingdom. “I did not mean to be hostile, but you will understand once you talk with King Vincsir. There is a reason you are here, but what you desire to do is near impossible. You should be more careful whom you trust with your concerns.”

  Crinte listened calmly, remembering years ago when it had begun. A plan much bigger than him was in motion. He remembered the moment he was swept away in the enchanting song of the Mermis for the first time. It never failed to thrill his heart and he snuck after them, watching, listening, until she caught him at last, her purple eyes just as hostile them. “You,” she had hissed. “I have seen you in visions. The last of the Order of the Wise.”

  “How?” he had asked half-heartedly, distracted by the perfume of her body and the close proximity she kept as she whispered secrets into his ear.

  “They say a spark, a change infiltrates our World, dwelling in the west where none dare go. An ever-shifting evil growing in form and shadow, fed by power, destroyed by love. The last One will rise and go forth, calling all to his side and receding evil until the end of time.” Her voice was sing song, attempting to rhyme the rhythm-less words.

  He had stammered in confusion, “You think I am the last one?”

  “The One,” she had stressed.

  Since then, every time he returned to the Mounts, he felt her eyes watching, tracking him. When the turned ones began appearing, he knew exactly what to do. At first, he thought he was in charge, but now he began to realize he was only a pawn. As he listened to Malaseya, he began to wonder if the idea to go to the Great Water Hole was even his own, or if it had been implanted by a series of incidents. He felt it for the first time, what others around him felt: uncertainty and doubt.

  “Malaseya,” he said quickly, to distract himself. “If I have learned one thing in my life, it is this. As soon as you let hope fade, the darkness will take over. As soon as you give up, you have lost the battle. Never give in to the desperation taking over, even if you are secluded from the World up here.”

  “Do you know what death is like? Have you felt its dark, cold arms reaching out for you? The antidote is only a temporary solution. Soon, all the Western World, even this Kingdom, will fall.” Her voice broke as she turned, moving her fierce face closer to his. “Do you know what it is like to stand by, knowing you are powerless to do anything? I would go with you and fight beside you, but my death would only hinder you.”

  Crinte’s voice dropped as he replied, “Do you know who I travel with? I have a Healer who can put a stop to all this madness.”

  Malaseya shook her dark head, placing a finger on his lips. “No. This is a malicious poison; the power of a Healer will only be a short-lived antidote at best. If you succeed in destroying the creator of this evil, you and your Healer must return to restore us to the way we once were.”

  “I see.” Crinte pulled away from her with a question in his eyes.

  “Remember the days when you first walked the Mounts?” she asked him. “We were young, and all was well. Yes, those down below squabbled and fought, but we let something slip past our sight, and it has come to this. The people of the Western World can never again be left to their own.”

  “There will never be one Ruler for the entire Western World.” Crinte’s voice was quiet in rebuke. “The people groups run free and wild. That is how it has always been. That is how it should be.”

  “Maybe, but even so, if you do succeed, there are those who should watch over this World. This should never have happened.”

  “Do you still believe the prophecy? That the One will come to destroy the evil in the west? Do you still believe I am the last One?”

  She moved closer to him, cocking her head as she remembered. “The Order of the Wise has fallen. You are the last. But the last One? I know not. Visions of the future are dark and unpredictable. There are no guarantees of loss or victory.”

  Crinte, noticing how lovely she smelled, turned to leave. “I know. I carry this burden too,” he reminded her.

  “Yes,” she agreed as the strength of her voice faded away. “Crinte, please save us.”

  He turned back, sensing how tiny and insignificant she felt at her failure to help. Now he understood the wrongness that stood out in each Mermi, the imperfection of poison and the pallor of indubitable death. Her purple eyes swam before his, and resistance dropped away. Giving in to impulse, he gently placed a hand on her cheek while brushing the other past her feathered garb. Placing a hand on her hip, he pulled her into his arms and looked down at her.

  “Malaseya, I promise to do everything in my power to free the Western World.”

  “Everything?” she dared him.

  “Yes,” he swore, holding her securely. “And when I succeed, I will return with The Healer to free you and your people from this prison in the sky.”

  She squeezed his arms as she held onto him. “Sixty days. That is all the time you have left.”

  He looked searchingly into her eyes for more. “You tell me this now? After you delay us here?”

  She smirked at him then, lighting the air. “For one of the Order of the Wise, you do not know all.”

  “No,” he gazed at her, “but I do know what to do with the time I have now.” At last giving in to temptation, he bent his mouth to hers and tasted her for the first time.

  27

  An Audience With A King

  At midday the Mermis, Malaseya, Melair, Ima and Ena came to lead the five to the hall of the King. They appeared at the door dressed in pure white gowns, beckoning the five to bring everything and follow them. It seemed they walked in a dream as they glided through the wide halls of the castle. Clear bubbles floated above them, rising towards the highest towers. As the five followed the Mermis, the tune to their song changed and voices rose throughout the castle in a wailing song of honor and respect.

  Looking behind, Marklus could see a multitude of Mermis falling in line behind them. The females wore long, flowing white gowns with their hair braided back, tied together with silver horse hair. The males also wore white with silver diadems on their heads, leaving their bright hair long and free. In both hands,
each Mermi carried a small, solid, circular object, composed of a palpitating liquid. Their sweet harmonies blended like a spell as they filed into the heart of the castle. The floor, if it could be called that, was clear with clouds drifting below it. Elegant white columns that shot up to the open air far above them held up the room. Mermis cascaded into the heart, looking east towards a dais where their King stood.

  King Vincsir was an ageless Mermi whose very presence commanded respect. He stood over six feet tall and carried a golden scepter with a globe undulating on top of it. On his head, he wore a golden circlet, simple like the ones the other male Mermis wore. His sleek black hair fell to his shoulders and one could tell his solemn face had seen many joys and unspeakable woes. His slim but muscular body was covered in a gold tunic made of feathers, and he wore a long, flowing, purple robe. He stood unmoving as the five warriors entered his shrine of light. As if performing a ritual, each Mermi walked to their places while Malaseya led the five to stand in front of King Vincsir. Malaseya took her place on the right-hand side of the King’s dais, with Melair beside her. Ima and Ena moved to the left-hand side, facing the five warriors.

  When the last Mermi had filed into place, they closed their mouths and the music faded. Above their heads, bubbles continued to rise into the sky, and the sweet perfume they produced grew even stronger. The five could hear the audible intake of breath before the Mermis began chanting. “All hail King Vincsir of Spherical!”

  King Vincsir raised a hand to silence them. Then, he turned his gaze on Crinte, and Crinte found himself surprised to find the King’s golden eyes mirrored his. “Welcome, Crinte the Wise, to Spherical. We have long awaited your presence here, and have prepared a gift for you and your companions.” Without waiting for Crinte to answer, he turned his gaze on the multitude of Mermis standing before him. “Prepare the serum,” he commanded.