The ground shook. Phantom's determination slowly turned into despair just as his pace slowed down to a stagger. The island in the sky was slowly descending towards the ocean. The tremor from the moving island was enough to cause cracks on the structures nearby, but everything remained intact. Phantom was expecting panic and screaming from the islanders, but there was none. Instead it was laughter; from the garden nearby, a lady stood. Feeling lost, Phantom stumbled towards her, reaching out to the trees for support. The lady stood there, arms opened, embracing the moonlight, as if oblivious to the chaos around her. She turned towards Phantom.
"Its too late. There is nothing you can do. Not now. Not before. Not after."
Phantom tried to fathom what she meant; overwhelmed by her beauty. It was as if she was challenging him.
"There is nothing you can change. Not now. Not before. Not after."
Phantom's eyes widen as he realised who was taunting him. She was no longer a shy and timid girl. She was now a proud and confident lady. But at what cost?
"There is nothing. Not now. Not before. Not after."
Phantom lost his balance and landed on his bum; a shock from the island crashing onto the ocean surface. In the distance, cries of a majestic beast could be heard. Phantom stood up on his feet as the island stopped shaking. The lady was unaffected by the shock; she continued her chant.
"There is nothing. When the Shinsoo cries."
Is there nothing I can do? Is there nothing I can change?
Is there nothing? When the Shinsoo cries?
Is she challenging me? The legendary thief?
Phantom chuckled at the thought. He closed his eyes to calm himself.
"Its not too late." Phantom replied.
He opened his eyes; glowing with magic to analyse the threat in front of him.
"There is something I can do."
What he saw was an immense amount of magic that surrounded the whole island.
"There is something I can change."
With that amount of power, she could have vaporised him instantly.
"There is something."
There was something. Her transformation was incomplete. Because he was there. Because he hadn't given up. Unlike the rest of the people on the island. Whom with their soulless eyes, they muttered, 'There is nothing' repeatedly. It must have been a condition: for everyone on the island to give up hope.
"There is something. Before the Shinsoo cries."
"You are not very original, are you?" The witch folded her arms.
"No, I'm not. I'm a thief. And I just stole your lines." Phantom replied with a grin.
A few hours ago.
The Lumiere drifts gently across the setting sky. Phantom rests his arms on the window frame; eyes scanning the Victoria Island landscape before setting his sights on the pirate ship, The Nautilus. He can't help but feel envious of the technological advancements of the crude whale that surpasses his own relic of a ship.
"Do you know what this ship needs? Weapons!" Phantom held up his arms in front of him.
"Master, we do have some guns to shoot down stray balrogs and dragons." the butler replied.
"We need missiles. And lasers!" Phantom waved his arms about in enthusiasm.
"Good grief! What have you been drinking? I don't think that would suit the elegant Lumiere."
"The bloody pirates have more firepower!"
"I feel that they are unnecessary! The Lumiere can outrun any ship!"
"We can't keep running forever." Phantom calmed down.
"Well, I guess you do have a point."
"Looks like it has to come down to this."
Both of them got into a boxing stance.
"You think you can beat me, old man?" Phantom taunted.
"I am younger than you, technically." said Gaston with a smirk on his face.
"Rock! Scissors! Paper!" they shouted.
"YAAAYY! La-sers! La-sers!" Phantom chanted with his fists up in victory.
"Sigh...I will make the arrangements. I suppose you have a temporary place to stay?"
"I could entertain a Queen for a while."
"You've always do have a thing for royalty. Is it your elven friend? You two seem close."
"Ah, she is one difficult character. Scary. Do not be deceived by her looks. She is actually a few hundred years old! I prefer someone younger."
"Oh, so that's why you keep visiting Ereve. Banking in on that investment eh?"
"Hahahahahaha!" both laughed.
"AHEM!" Christiane entered the room and interrupted them, causing an awkward silence.
"A letter for you." The Intelligence Analyst handed a letter to Phantom.
"Christina... I didn't know you thought about me that way...Oww!"
Christiane stepped on her master's foot.
"It's from Neinheart!" Christiane blurted out.
Dear Phantom,
Its been about a month since The Empress has been acting strangely. I feel like she has become a totally different person. I could see her talking to herself sometimes, and she would always go missing at night. There are these strange incidents among our citizens which happen quite frequently. I do not want to accuse The Empress for any crime without real proof. I tried to investigate, but it leads to no avail. The knights are also acting strange. They seem to be rather lifeless. But when I ask them about our Empress, they would get angry and question my loyalty instead.
I do not know who I can trust. I do not know who else I can ask for help. If this rumour goes out to the public, it may cause chaos throughout The Maple World. Please come to Ereve to help investigate this matter secretly.
Yours Sincerely,
Neinheart
"Christina, tell Renault to set course for Ereve immediately." Phantom ordered.
Christiane stared at Phantom with a displeased look on her face.
"Christiane, can you Please, tell Renault to set course for Ereve." Phantom repeated with a precarious smile on his face.
"Yes, master." Christiane unwillingly left the room.
"Gaston, what do you think of this?" Phantom passed the letter to his butler.
"There are three possibilities.
One: Neinheart is overreacting to a normal misunderstanding.
Two: There is something wrong with The Empress, but it has nothing to do with the incidents.
Three: The Empress is causing the incidents.
The fact that he did not explain what the incidents are, is worrying. However, I feel that way the knights are acting is quite expected. In this troubled times."
Gaston adjusted his monocle before continuing.
"Let us not rule out the possibility of a trap."
"Well, I did promised Neinheart that I would offer him my assistance. I must go, even if it's a trap."
"I think you should get reinforcements. In a worst case scenario, you'll be up against a whole army!"
"I see. I'll send a letter to the older Queen. Just in case..."
"She would make good backup." The butler interrupted.
"...in case the younger one is seeing someone."
Gaston placed his palm on his face.
A few minutes later, The Lumiere closes in the island in the sky. Just as the ship passes over the island borders, the sun disappears into the horizon. Phantom casually enters the palace through the balcony. Stepping on broken glass, he felt a jolt. Turning on the lights revealed a broken full length mirror. After detecting no other abnormalities, he left the empty bedroom to look for Ereve's tactician.
In the hallway, he passed by some guards who took no notice of him, as he turned on the lights along the way. They were sitting on the ground, backs against the wall, mumbling to themselves. Phantom's eyes had been glowing this whole time, scanning the area for details. Phantom found Neinheart in his office, slumped in his chair, his dead eyes staring at the table.
"Neinheart!" Phantom grabbed Neinheart's shoulders and shook him.
Neinheart remained unresponsive. Phantom could not decipher the complex magic that possessed the palace's inhabitants. He wasn't a real mage after all.
On Neinheart's table, there were piles of books and documents. He took the piece of paper nearest to Neinheart. It was a report, probably the last thing Neinheart wrote before being in that state. Phantom scanned through it quickly, left it back on the table, and hurried off in search of the Empress. He moved cautiously, but swiftly, surveying each level of the palace from top to bottom. It was the same, everywhere he looked. Everyone was paralysed with their eyes open, mouths chanting endlessly. And their leader was nowhere to be found. Phantom finally left the creepy palace, running into the pavilion. He realised that he hadn't been at the pavilion since a few years ago, when he made his grand entrance. He took out his pocket watch.
What? Two hours had passed since I've reached this island?
Is something messing with my perception of time?
Phantom froze in the middle of the pavilion, pondering if he had already been affected by some kind of magic. That was when something huge suddenly fell at where he was. Phantom leapt backward, emerging from the cloud of dust. The cloud dissipated to reveal a ship's anchor, a thirds of it lodged into the ground. The chain linked to it was being pulled, dislodging the anchor and flinging it back to its source. A man, who was holding the chain with his left hand, caught the anchor with the other, and rested it on his shoulders. The anchor was at least twice his height, but the man handled it with ease.
"Where's your cane, old man?"
"Hawkeye! What is going on here?"
"I'm kicking your ass, that's what's happening."
"Where is..." Phantom was interrupted with a flying anchor to the face.
Phantom fell to the side, on all fours, gasping in relief that the huge lump of metal had only knocked off his hat. He wasted no time in getting back on his feet as Hawkeye retrieved the anchor back like before, tugging on the thick chain.
"What happened to 'Weapons are for the weak', Hawkeye?" Phantom tried to stall Hawkeye's next attack while regaining his composure.
"I'm not some cheap buccaneer copy."
"Of course you're not. Sharks would be proud of you. Now would you mind telling me..."
Phantom was interrupted again with another flying anchor. Phantom backflip, up the sitting gallery. Hawkeye retrieved his weapon and walked slowly towards Phantom. Phantom was convinced Hawkeye wasn't going to tell him anything. The pavilion felt more liked a Colosseum; with their ongoing fight.
The thief raised his arms slightly to his sides, channelling his power to his fists. Glowing wire-frames formed around his fists, taking the shape of a pair of knuckles. Hawkeye tossed his anchor to the sky, restraining its flight with the chain, causing it to pivot towards Phantom. Phantom leapt out of harms way, back on to the ground, as the anchor sliced through the concrete platform like butter. This time, Hawkeye continued the offence immediately, pulling hard on the chain. The anchor flew towards Phantom just as he landed on the ground. Phantom had solidify his pair of silvery knuckles just before he delivered a strong punch to deflect the ridiculous weapon away. The impact caused a loud CLANK which shook all the trees nearby. The anchor crashed to the ground, just beside Hawkeye.
"Are you taking this seriously? It's almost as if you are just trying to stall me..." Phantom asked.
With that realisation, Phantom ignored Hawkeye and started running towards the forest.
"Looks like I have no choice." Hawkeye's words were followed by the sound of thunder.
Hawkeye appeared in front of Phantom like a flash. What happened next all happened within a few seconds. They both traded a punch. Phantom received a punch in the stomach, which lifted him two feet up into the air. Hawkeye took one on his face, causing him to lose focus. Hawkeye's sudden momentum had caused his anchor to come flying towards them, as the chain was wrapped around his left arm. They were both aware of this. Hawkeye crouched down. Phantom, in midair,turned his body to face horizontally to the ground. As the anchor passed below him,he pushed it down with his palm. He then performed a spinning kick to the rear of the anchor, causing it to crash towards Hawkeye, with an increased force. Hawkeye, who was still shaken from the first blow from Phantom, couldn't react quickly enough to dodge his own weapon. Hawkeye and his anchor flew into the forest, creating a long crater and a cloud of deforestation.
Phantom touched his tummy lightly, scowling in pain. He picked up his hat that was knocked off earlier and started walking towards the forest. After passing by the unconscious knight lying beside fallen trees, he quicken his pace and continued his search.
And that was when the ground shook.
"Is this real?" The witch started a new chant.
Her aura changed completely. Phantom prepared himself for the upcoming battle.
"Or is this fiction?"
The whole area lit up. The moon was shining brighter and brighter, turning night into day.
"From what you feel; to all your actions."
The witch opened her arms and continued basking in the moonlight.
"Take a look clearly; its time to see. What was really meant to be."
Phantom raised his hand to shield his eyes from the blinding moonlight which suddenly envelops them.
Author's notes:
My first time writing anything this long.
My English isn't that good, but I think most people can understand me.
To be continued -
(18 Nov 2014)