Twisted Souls

Chapter 13

I don't know how, but I somehow managed to make it all the way back to the castle and back to my bedroom.
The first thing I do is kick off my riding boots and undo my hair- which is a complete mess by this time. Secondly, I open the chest where I hid my necklace and the ring, ignoring the fact that more of the jewelry has turned to stone. Finally, I drag myself into bed, bury myself between the sheets, and hold my necklace to my chest.
After I calmed down on my way to the castle, I realized how tired I'd become. Now it felt like heaven being back between the cloud-like mattress and the heavy, welcoming covers. As I'm determined to fall asleep and dream away the troubled morning I've had, I force my eyes shut.
"I should be drifting at any moment. Just let the morning roll off my back."
After about a few restless minutes of lying with my eyes shut, I can't ignore the growing feeling anymore. The 'ping' of guilt kept building louder and louder as I lied there. Almost like a ship being detected by a sonar. It kept getting more intense.
Finally I can't take it anymore. Sitting up, I swing my legs out of bed and get to my feet.
"You're too much of a good person sometimes. You know that?" I grumble to myself as I reach the door only thinking for a second before heading out.
The hallways are completely deserted- like usual- as I make my way to the staircase. I curse myself for forgetting to slip on my shoes since the floors are freezing.
I check in the throne room first but peering in results in discovering an empty room. Part of me feels disappointment, the other part is slightly relieved. But ignoring my relieved side I continue down the hall until I come across the dining hall.
There's a few servant girls bustling around to prepare for the upcoming meal, but other than that no one's there. I continue on my search, determined but at the same time exasperated.
I discover a few rooms I haven't visited before; a massive library furnished with the darkest materials found, a room with only a round table in the middle but with one lone chair, and curiously enough a game type room with the heads and furs of different animals; along with what appears to be the entire skeleton of a dragon. But despite all these new rooms, none lead me to where I want to go or who I needed to find.
"Of course!" My mind suddenly remembers one specific place I have yet to look.
It takes me some time, but I eventually reach the outdoor balcony garden. The views are still as stunning as the first time I witnessed them, but the person I needed to see isn't here.
"What now?" I ask myself. Giving up on my search, I decide to take advantage of the marvelous view I have in front of me. Sitting down on the marble bench, I stare out into the tranquil valley.
The mountains seem so grand and powerful. I don't live near any breathtaking scenery- surprising seeing how I live in such a picturesque state. Cauldron's finest view is an acre poppy field that only blooms in the spring and summer but then promptly dies before the first leaf falls. Plus they're all red- every last one- so the view never changes and most of the time half of them don't bloom at all.
Here, though, the valley always appears to be changing. Fowl flying through the air with their partners by their side, the sun casting shadows during sunrise and sunset, everything always changing for the better.
I let out a content sigh of relief. Looking over this sight has helped me relaxed. So much so that I don't even hear movement behind me until I feel the presence of someone hovering at my back.
My first instinct is to turn around and look behind me, but unfortunately that doesn't agree with my head and causes an instant headache. Trying to get my bearings together, I stand up and face him.
Once my head stops spinning I sheepishly turn in the right direction.
Then there's just an awkward silence. He doesn't say anything to me and I don't say anything to him. His expression is unreadable. It's almost like talking to someone in Cauldron. All those painfully silent conversations I had with people. Forced small talk and bland bantering.
"Hi." It's weak, but it's all I can think of. You gotta start somewhere.
He doesn't respond- he doesn't even look at me. Awkward silence returns.
"Ok. If he's here it means he needs something." Suddenly a grim thought crosses my mind. "He could be here to kill me! After all the crap I talked, why wouldn't he. But if he was going to kill me, wouldn't he have already done it?"
Since I haven't been run through with a sword or spear (or both) I decide to start up the conversation again.
"Hey, um...I just want to say sorry for what I said before. I was completely out of order. I- I don't usually curse so...freely like that. I didn't mean what I said and I wanted to let you know..." I wasn't too use to apologizing too often, seeing how I never hung out with anybody. But my parents taught me well and with my ever so present guilty conscious I could always know when an apology was needed- no matter how twisted the person might be who's receiving it.
Xalale doesn't say anything, leaving the awkward and now tense silence to refill the air. I don't know if he's upset, anger, unwilling to forgive, nothing. He's still not looking in my direction or seems to interested in me. After a few seconds tick by I decide that to leave before something drastic happens.
"Ok. I'm going to go now...if you need me I'll be- I'll be in my room-" I start to walk away, but before I reach the door he finally says something.
"Mallory, wait."
I pause, waiting for whatever he has to say. He's still not looking in my direction and seems to be fighting himself about something.
"Forgive me. I didn't mean to upset you. I- Please forgive me."
As much as I was a stranger to apologizing, I don't think Xalale has ever apologized in his life before until now. He still doesn't look at me, but I could hear something hidden in his tone, something foreign from him- sincerity.
"I'll accept your apology if you accept mine." I say.
He finally faces me. "I accept your apology."
"Then I accept yours."
I don't know what to say after that so I continue to walk away, but again he calls me back.
"Mallory. You probably have your misconceptions about me at this point-"
"A lot of them." I think to myself.
"But whatever they are, I want you not to judge me for my actions, but more for the person I've shown myself to be. I just want us to have a good start."
"So he wants me not to judge him by his psychotic behavior, but by his psychotic personality? Ok..."
"We started off on the wrong foot," I begin. "How about we just start over again."
His expression is still hard to read, but he nods and replies, "That would probably be for the best."
I don't know why, but I linger for a few seconds before I look away from him and begin to head towards the door for the third time. Before I can reach for the handle, a "whoosh" of air hits me as the door flies open and a guard rushes in.
"Excuse my interruption your Majesty, but your presence is needed in the throne room." The tone of the guard's voice seem to carry an urgency to it, making me feel strangely uneasy about this news.
"By whom?"
The guard shrinks a little at the sharpness of Xalale's tone, but replies, "He wouldn't give us his name your Majesty, but the situation is dire."
Xalale mutters something under his breath that I don't catch, but he dismisses the guard and turns to leave.
"Wait!" I catch up to him. "I'm coming with you."
He doesn't respond or stop so I continue going along.
"Why are you so hard to read- or better yet- understand?"
We arrive at the throne room, where a older man with a long beard in a red cloak is waiting. With him, a young jittery boy.
As Xalale takes his seat on the throne, I study the two visitors. The young boy seems nervous, no doubt, but whether it's from meeting the king or just his everyday nature, I'm not sure. His big brown eyes scan the room at lightning speed. He reminds me of a squirrel. The older gentleman is not as apprehensive as his younger companion. His eyes are still laced with worry though.
"Who are you?"
The boy seems to jump at the sound of Xalale's voice. The old man, though, speaks out, sounding steady.
"My name is Eniorad, your Majesty, and this is my assistant Olivos. I mean not to disturb you my king, but there is dangerous magic stirring in the kingdom."
"Dark magic?"
The old man continues, start to the point. "I have never seen this kind of magic before in all my years and I worry- I worry it will be devastating to the kingdom once it has reached it maximum potential."
"And how do I know you speak the truth. You claim you've never seen such magic." Xalale doesn't seem the least concerned about this potential "dark magic", meanwhile the gears are already in full motion in my head.
"You're right. I have never seen this type of magic before, but I have heard of it." Eniorad's tired eyes meet with Xalale's as he continues. "You know of it, your Majesty. You possess it."
I could literally feel the ice fill the room. The same rage I saw flash in Xalale's eyes yesterday, is now back; hotter than ever. He stands up so quick, that if it were me I would have fainted with so must blood rushing from my head.
"Who are you to come in and speak deceitful lies against your king?"
The old man doesn't seem to take in Xalale's anger and responds in a calm tone of voice, "I speak nothing but the truth on that matter. I can sense magic in a person, especially strong magic. Even when you try to hide it, it'll eventually come out."
That dark cloud of anger was back and it was coming off in tidal waves.
"What is he so anger about? What magic are they talking about?" These thoughts flew through my mind at rapid speed.
The boy by Eniorad's side, Olivos, is trembling like a leaf hanging by the stem. I don't blame him, I was almost in the same state when I first meant Xalale. But that was when he was calm. I couldn't imagine what I be like if I met him in this mood.
There are some people who never get anger or upset, but when they do it's one of the most intense rages. It may have been that I was beginning to understand Xalale's behavior- as scary as that may sound- or it maybe that I was finally gifted this one time with the ability to act before thinking it through, but whatever it was had caused me to move off the platform and make my way toward Olivos.
My mind isn't thinking things through, only my instincts function. I've never felt time tick by in such excruciating slowness before in my life- might never again. Time was at a stand still, like I was a super hero with time bending abilities. But I'm nothing more than a foolish girl who's about to stand in the way of death.
Xalale has already begun to swing the double blade battle axe. The only sound is the thud of my heart as it knocks against my ribcage, threatening to pound out of my chest, and the sharp sound of metal as it cuts through the air. My hand stretched out, I squeeze my eyes shut, praying to God that I lived a good life and that'll see Him by the pearly gates.
The moment time returns to its normal pace, I'm waiting for the immediate shock of pain to rip through my body and render me helpless. That feeling never comes.
I open my eyes and am looking at the point of a freshly sharpened axe- mere inches from my face. I realize my outstretched hand on the handle is part of the reason my face isn't split in two right now. I have God to thank for Xalale's quick reflexes.
I hear shallow breathing and discover the source is emitting from me. Behind me, Olivos is frozen stiff in fear- the most he has stood still this entire time- and glancing over, even Eniorad is in stunned silence. I just saved someone's life, but was this close to losing mine. I'm in such shock that I forget to cry.
For a second, the anger evaporates from Xalale's eyes, but the moment he turns his attention back to our visitors, the anger flares up again.
"Your Majesty. This dark magic will keep tearing apart the land until something is done. The people are suffering and are terrified." Eniorad says regaining his informative tone. "You have the power to stop-"
"Get out." It's a simple command said in a hostile tone.
Eniorad stands there for a few tense seconds before pulling a still shaken Olivos with him towards the door. Xalale turns back towards the platform, anger still lingering. I'm half surprised my knees haven't given out already.
The visitors are almost to the door, which relieves me somewhat, but my relief is short lived when I hear a grasping sound behind me.
Wrapped in coils of black mist, Eniorad struggles for air. His tired eyes now fighting to stay open. Olivos- the poor traumatized thing- stares in terror as his master, his friend is being suffocated before his eyes. Flashbacks of the two guards appears I my memory.
I rush over to Xalale, finally finding my voice.
"Stop! Don't kill him, please! Please don't kill him!"
The old man doubles over, desperately trying to pull air into his lungs.
"Xalale! Please just stop!" My cries are hoarse and tears of frustration swell in my eyes. I grab at his arm, pleading with him to stop. Unlike the time in the dungeon, though, there isn't that bloodthirsty gleam in his eye. In fact he doesn't seem to be in the moment right now.
I remember a time in my life where I wasn't in the moment was at my 3rd grade school play. I was the apple and the moment I turned to look at the crowd, I froze and forgot my lines. Everything blurred into one blended, smeared vision of color. It took someone splashing water in my face to wake me from my spell. Its a feeling of being living but detached from your senses.
My brain is already scattered and disoriented, I'm not thinking. I'm running on adrenaline and fear- not the best mixture but it caused me to act. I shove Xalale to the ground, harder than I intended, but it does the trick and the wisp of death vanish.
Behind me, I can hear the old man inhale ragged breaths into his lungs.
I turn my attention back to Xalale, who seems to have recovered from whatever just occured. But when he attempts to stand, he staggers and leans on the arm of the throne to support himself.
"Are you ok! Did I hurt you?" I didn't mean to slam into him that hard. Just enough to break what ever trace he was in.
He holds up a hand and rejects my help. "It's not your fault." He sounded like he's in some kind of pain, but I can't determine what exactly.
"I need to be left alone right now."
As strange as it is, I feel concerned about him, but it might just be my frayed nerves talking. I want to say something, but instead just nod my head and go over to help Eniorad, who has now stood up again.
"Are you ok?" I ask. Me and Olivos help escort Eniorad out of the throne room. The old man is still breathing hard, but at least he's alive.
"I will recover." He glances over at me. "Thank you for what you did. I don't know many people who would stand in front of harm's way twice in a row, especially when its from the king. I don't know whether to call it brave or foolish."
I offer a weak but warm smile and shrug my shoulders. "Both I guess."
"Ah yes. But I guess we could call me a foolish man for going to the king and upsetting him."
"What were you talking about when you said 'dark magic is stirring'?"
Eniorad lets out a weary sigh. "It is very complex. You see, there is light magic in this world and then there is dark magic. The two even each other out- it is a perfect balance between the two. As perfect as it is, though, it is also a very fine line. When something in our world goes awry, then one magic may overpower the other. It is quite easy to fix the problem if dealt with appropriately, but when something shifts the universe out of harmony, then that problem is not so easy to fix."
Olivos speaks up for the first time. His voice is as shaky and skittish as his traits have exhibited.
"We- well- well what d- did you mean when you said the ki- king possessed da- dark magic?"
I lean in for the answer as well.
"The king has a rare magic- a very powerful kind, that can either help the kingdom or devastate it. This dark magic that is on the rise, can be contained and placed back in its place, but that requires the aid of someone you possesses such magic."
"And that person would be Xalale. Great."
Eniorad's grim expression tells it all.
"Bu- but," Olivos stutters. "What caused the un- u- universe to fall out of balance in the first place?"
"There are many things that could cause the universe to be unbalanced. For example, if a wandering soul from another dimension would happen to somehow be transported to our world..."
I almost stop cold in my tracks.
"Was it that obvious that I'm not from here!?"
Olivos didn't seem to get the hint, but Eniorad glance at me from the corner of his eye. There wasn't accusation in his glance, but mostly sympathy and understanding.
Once we reach the staircase, two guards come to roughly escort Eniorad and Olivos the rest of the way out of the castle. Before the guards come to pull him away, Eniorad turns to whisper something in my ear.
"Mallory. This kingdom won't survive the havoc brought on by this dark magic. The king has the power to stop this force from rising, but it will take his willing participation for the threat to be stopped. You seem to have shared a bond with him that I can't understand, but if you can talk to him and persuade him to defend the kingdom against this threat, then you would be worthy of a thousand thanks."
The guards finally pull him away. But as he heads down the stairs, he turns back and addresses me again.
"Persuade the king and you'll save this kingdom and the people in it."
As he disappears around the corner, I'm left with a task bigger than I imagined I would ever have or be able to handle. The weight of an entire world rest on my shoulders and that of tyrant.