To Be Wanted

Close Observation

      Pironem stumbles into Xieren tower, rubbing his eyes and stretching his wings. Pironem had spent all night trying to find the girl he had seen the previous day, he was about ready to pass out onto the floor out of exhaustion.
      During his search, he was informed that one of his colleagues had been killed in action. His body had been found at the bottom of Cielis Tower, mangled and bloodied, it seemed rather unusual. Pironem could only make the connection that he had found the queen and that she had assistance.
      Pironem was not looking forward to confronting his brother, being so exhausted you can barely fly is one thing, however, he knew how bad a temper Altridem could get and was sure he would lose his wings altogether.
      He waves to his coworkers as he stomps on by, plastering the most believable smile he could muster across his secretly panicked face, and luckily, it worked long enough for him to reach the elevator.
      Yes, the elevator, he was a little too worn out to fly up to the meeting room after completing a long night of searching. As he is making his way back through the stone halls he once made quick work of racing through upon discovering the new queen, he stops dead in his tracks upon hearing his brother's voice.
      It was rather odd given these halls were normally deserted until it was time for a meeting, after all, Xieren tower worked like clockwork.
      He peers around the corner and watches as his brother backs up against a wall, clearly in a heated argument with a shadowy figure. The being was dark red, almost black, however, he reflected enough light that you could just about make out what he looked like.
      At first, Pironem though it to be a dark version of his brother, as though he were fighting with his inner demons, however, this being has no wings. It seemed to be a man, stronger built, glowing white eyes, presumably short hair that was hidden by a helmet, which has two horns cut down into stumps on either side and was surrounded by small spikes. The entire helmet appeared to be engulfed in an almost transparent black flame.
      His shoulder plates scalloped into scales and are held on by leather straps that wrap around his chest and connect to a long cape. Stitched onto the straps that wrap around his shoulders and upper arms were more spikes, poisoned with the waters of the underworld.
      He also appeared to have what seemed to be jean pants on with the strips of fabric hanging from the belt and tall boots. This being seemed increasingly intimidating and he appeared to be the only thing that Pironem had seen his brother fear. The creature's voice was deep and rough, sending chills down the spines of the two brothers.
      "Your brother has failed in his task, Altridem." It spoke, small sparks of fire emanating from its mouth. "I would have hoped that your influence on him would have been more... Encouraging. I did not recruit you as a mere child and train you myself for you to fail, now did I?"
      "It shall not happen again."
      "It had better not, I do not think you would enjoy being forced to bear witness as the life is stolen from your kid brother.
      The task would then be given to you, and should you fail even once, then you shall join him as my minions in the farthest corners of the underworld. Do we have an understanding, Altridem Zeties?"
      "Yes, Lord Hades."
      Pironem's jaw drops as the figure disappears into thin air. Altridem quickly shuffles into the meeting room, keeping his head low to the ground whilst he begins preparing for everyone's arrival.
      Pironem takes a minute to process everything he had just witnessed before slipping into the meeting room as well. He stands against the wall whilst Altridem lurks in a corner in the darkness, only his face and arms visible by the light of a torch.
     Pironem managed to successfully fool his brother, pretending that he had not witnessed the confrontation between his brother and the being whom he seemingly had been associating with since the pair were children.
      As the board members begin to quickly flood the room, Altridem quickly passes by his younger brother and gives him a threatening look. It didn't mean much to Pironem as he knew that underneath, he was secretly scared for him.
      "We shall discuss your punishment later." Altridem hisses before heading to his seat.
      Pironem sits to supervise the meeting, as per usual, uncomfortably huffing as he listens in on their rather daft schemes.
      Meanwhile, Jetimel and I were making our way back to the High Grounds when I notice a lake below us that seemed to be glistening as though it were filled with jewels.
      I smile, now filled with curiosity, before diving down to check it out, Jet following closely behind me. Trees were plentiful around the lake, having long branches sprouting moss, draping down like a curtain, creating a sort of wall around the lake.
      "Woah! What is this place?" I inquire happily.
      "Lake Corrisea. It was once home to the largest group of water nymphs in Iveska, which were known as the Uriiempes.
      They were proud creatures who cared for the beings which looked after those who lived alongside them, quite similar to how the queen treated her subjects." Jet explains, staring fondly out at the shimmering water. He seemed to be recalling great memories from his past. "Queen Taima took me here often soon after bringing me here... I would play in these waters all day.
      The empress of the Uriiempes, at that time, would swim with me, twirling beams of water all around me. I remember watching all kinds of fish swimming circles around me as though they still remained in the lake. How I miss those days."
      "What happened to them?"
      "Some went off to other worlds to start new colonies whilst the rest remained here. Though, as far as I am aware, they... Didn't make it through the war."
      "I'm sorry." I look to the saddened god before stepping closer to the water. "They can't all be gone... There has got to be-"
      As I take a step further, I feel something latch onto my ankle. I peer down and there is a fist-sized band of grass blades around my right ankle. I try and pull my foot through the grass, causing it to latch on to my other ankle as well.
      My eyes widen, I only manage to take a quick breath before I am pulled into the ground. The heavy mud causes my chest to press in on itself, making it difficult to breathe. It drags me deeper and deeper until my foot is able to wiggle around and I slip into a hole, which happened to be filling with water.
      I could only propose that there was protective enchantment placed on the lake, and when I stepped too close, it dragged me down to drown. That was until I saw the egg.
      Atop a pile of rubble, dirt, rocks and what appeared to be clay, sat a large egg, encased in a shell of aquamarine, the jewel of the sea, which was falling apart gem by gem. The aquamarine shell was glowing brightly, illuminating the sort of cave I was in, allowing me to have a good look at the area. Whilst there was water pouring in from all sides, there were no visibly open holes to allow in that much water so quickly.
      It was then that I realized that the glow of the aquamarines was not to light up the hole, rather was a signal of sorts. Many of the fallen aquamarines from the shell around the egg were scattered around the cave, near where the water was coming in from. It was the aquamarines pulling in water from the lake, presumably to doom anyone who attempts to steal the egg.
      Something in my gut was telling me that I needed this egg, not to steal it, abused it or otherwise, rather that I needed to save it. The egg seemed old, however, it still appeared to have life within it, don't ask me how I know, I can just feel it, and if I am meant to be the next so-called queen as Jet says, then it was my duty to rescue it.
      As the water reaches my knees, I slosh over and begin to break apart the jeweled protection, causing the water to pour in faster and faster as I do.
      As I take the egg in my hands, the water surges above my head, quickly reaching the top of the cave, giving me only a split second to take in a quick breath. I swim up, the egg in the bend of one arm, kicking my way to the top before I begin digging away at the soil and mud above me.
      I had hoped that as I dug, I would create an air pocket to be able to breathe, however, the water level rose as fast as I could dig. My energy, as well as my time, begins to fade, my vision beginning to grow darker and darker as I dig.
      My lungs burned and yearned to take in oxygen, however, I held on as long as I could because if I didn't, I would only be breathing in water. I dig as fast as I can manage, my fingers poking through the grass as I blackout.
      As I begin to sink, my body burning with pain, I feel a hand grasp around my wrist, quickly dragging me upward. Another hand slips under my arm and I am quickly pulled out from the water, gasping desperately for air whilst still holding onto the egg for dear life. Jetimel keeps me sitting stably as my body was far too weak to keep itself up, even my wings were drooping.
      "Your majesty! What happened? Are you alright?" He lies me down, having completely collapsed in his arms.
      "Jet..." I wheeze, still trying to catch my breath. I hand him the egg and his eyes widen.
      He seemed rather taken aback, as though I had managed to bring back Queen Taima. He holds the egg to either of the twin suns and inside, sloshing around, lie a long-necked bird-like creature, still alive inside its shell.
     Jet smiles with pure joy and hope, he positively lit up. He places the egg by the water for a moment, long enough to burst out in a fit of laughter.
      "Do you know what this egg is, my queen?" He happily exclaims.
      "No?..." I cough, unable to fully understand the elated expression on his face. He almost had a childlike glow, as though he were a kid who just received the toy they had been wanting for forever.
      "Oh, my queen, this is a Marrow egg. Likely the last one left in Iveska."
      "What are Marrows?"
      "They are by far the rarest creature in the dimension. They are a species of large birds that, not much unlike yourself, have black AND white feathers."
      "Really?" I sit up rather quickly, which was a mistake as it caused my head to spin. Jet quickly places a hand under my back so that I do not collapse again.
      "Yes. They were thought to be extinct for many years. They were hunted for their feathers as the Veltsen intended to use them to genetically mutate spies so that they might change the color of their wings, making it safer for them to hide out in enemy territories. It is my belief that these creatures played a role in making you so unique."
      "What? You think that they tested this out on me when I was a baby?"
      "No, your majesty. On your father."
      "What?"
      "Your father was a spy. It is my belief that that is how he met your mother, he disguised his wings. It is my belief that the Veltsen government tested a serum made from the feathers of a Marrow on him, which resulted in his ability to change the color of his wings and fly within Sevitan land without detection."
      "And how does that affect me?"
      "It altered his DNA. He had both the DNA that causes white wings in a Sevitan and black wings in a Veltsen due to the multi-pigment DNA that he'd have absorbed from Marrow Feathers.
      When your mother began to carry you, you inherited some of your father's altered genetics and, subsequently, the color of your wings became fixed halfway between that of a Veltsen and that of a Sevitan. If your father had not fallen for a Sevitan, then the prophecy would have become null."
      "Ok, well, how am I supposed to take care of a dimension when I can barely take care of myself?"
      "The Marrow. They are the most difficult creatures to take care of, aside from perhaps a baby. If you can care for this sweet egg then you, my queen, can take care of Iveska. And do not worry, I shall be here to help you."
      He carefully places the egg in my hands and together we hold it up to the sun to gain a look inside. There it was, the beautiful Marrow cygnet. I smile and suddenly, the cygnet begins to slosh around, and from beside it appears another.
      Even Jetimel seemed surprised at the sudden appearance of a twin to the lone bird. It was as though, I don't know, these little darlings were a sign that there is always someone by your side, perhaps you don't always know it, however, they will always be there for you.
      I'd like to think that for me, that person is Jet. I smile, at least I am not alone in this journey. The journey that is not over just yet.
      Suddenly, Jetimel stands up, looking around with narrow eyes, he seemed focus however also suspicious. He then quickly scrambles around trying to find something, running to the trees and pulling off a branch or two.
      He collects some moss from it and begins soaking it in the water from the lake. He quickly mushes it into a sort of paste, as he does, Veltsen soldiers fly in from above, each of them brandishing swords. I could only presume that he sensed their presence approaching from whatever heightened senses he has.
      He quickly puts some of the unusual moss mush on the sides of his neck before doing the same to me with the rest. It disappears almost instantly, as though our skin absorbed.
      Before the Veltsen have the opportunity to attack us, Jet grabs my hand and leaps into the lake, much to my dismay. Quite frankly, I was not ready for more water after nearly drowning just a few minutes ago, however, I do not think I had much of a choice with a hoard of soldiers on our backs, intending to kill us.
      As soon as the water reaches my neck where Jet smeared the moss mush, it felt as though my throat had closed, almost the same feeling as a bad allergic reaction.
      My neck was swollen and I couldn't breathe, I couldn't see and there was one problem. His hand. I lost my grip. Where is Jet? What in the world did he do to me?