Peace. It is Lance again, with the second chapter of my new story. I would've had this up sooner, but I've been rather busy. I hope you enjoy reading it. If you have any thoughts, be they positive or negetive, please leave a review or IM me.
I won't keep you. Here's the second chapter. Enjoy.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Janus: I think you'll be a good council member...
Janus was again seated on Schala's bed as she looked herself over in the mirror. She was combing her hair for the twelfth time that morning.
Schala: This... this is really a new step for me.
Janus: Don't be so nervous.
Schala smirks.
Schala: You're one to talk. Some days you're practically forcing yourself into your lessons.
Janus: (blush) That's... that's different...
Schala: Sure it is... How do I look?
Schala does a small twirl.
Janus: I think you're really pretty.
Schala: Thanks... You don't have classes today. What do you think you might do?
Janus: Gaspar said he was give me a new book before the meeting started. I was gonna take a look through it.
Schala: Alright... Wish me luck.
Janus: Good luck, ne-chan...
Schala walks out of her room and into the bustling hallways of the palace. The maids and servants moved about, each with their own specific tasks to see to. Yet they were all smart enough toform a path for her,and to nothinder theprogress of aRoyal Council Member. She came closer to the large twin doors leading to the Council's Chambers, when she heard her name.
Belthasar: Schala! There you are, my dear.
Schala: Oh... am-am I late?
Belthasar: No, you're right on time. I almost didn't make it though. Had to drop what I was doing to get here...
The two walk through the doors. Schala had been expecting a round table, surrounded by chairs, and with glasses of water or papers on top of it... Instead, the focal point of the room a throne, identical to the one in the palace's throne room. Right down to the small velvet-covered steps leading to it. Small inntables were strung around the walls, with pitchers and glasses of ice water upon them. The members of the council could be seen standing around idlely. The Prophet was at the top of the stairs, standing like a statue at the Queen's right side. Dalton was at the bottom of the steps, arms folded and an annoyed look on his face. She spotted Melchoir looking over some papers in a corner. Belthasar walked toward him, and Schala moved to follow.
Zeal: Right on time, Schala. Come sit up here by me.
She turned, to see her mother motioning to a smaller jade chair beside her. Seeing her mother's motions, she walked up the stairs and sat down. While it certainly looked expensive, the chair was devoid of the jewels and gold that covered her mothers, and the fact that her mother was seated much higher thenshe wasmade her very self-conscious.
Zeal: Is everyone accounted for?
Belthasar: Gaspar still isn't here.
Zeal: Eh. Same as every week.Before we begin, Belthasar?
Belthasar: Hm?
Zeal: I understand you need more Dreamstone for the Mammoth Machine, correct?
Belthasar: How did-
Zeal happily points to The Prophet, who's casually standing beside her reading a ragged, dusty book.
Zeal: Take as much as you need and continue with production.
Melchoir: M'am, there's no Dreamstone in stock. We'll have to wait until we've extracted more from the Terra Continent. We've found a new reserve, but it'll take some time for the Earthbounders to mine it out.
Zeal: Double their hours and supervisors. That should just-
Schala: Mother!
Melchoir: Your highness, the Earthbounders are already workingtwelve hours a day under brutal conditions. It'd be cruel to push them even harder.
Zeal: I want the Mammoth Machine completed as fast as possible. For that, we must have Dreamstone.
Schala: But-
Zeal: Believe me, Schala, this is definately for the best.
The Prophet: Milady, if I may...
All eyes turn to the Prophet as he stands beside the Queen's throne.
The Prophet: There is another way to increase Earthbound productivity.
Dalton: (Under breath) This should be interesting.
The Prophet: Belthasar, what do you call that cutting tool you use at Kajar?
Belthasar: Ah, the lacerator? What about it?
The Prophet: Is it effective?
Belthasar: Yes, very. We use it to cut and form new peices of machinery and weld wires.
The Prophet: (To Queen) Milady, if we equip the Earthbounders with those tools, they could move through the rock easily. It would be easier on their muscles, and would undoubtably increase moral.
Dalton: Highness, my men use lacerators all the time. I don't know if the Earthbounders are intelligent enough to properly operate them.
Melchoir: They're not savages, Dalton.
Schala: I think it's an excellent idea. If the productivity rose enough, we may even be able to decrease work hours.
Zeal: Yes... It would be an easier solution... Very well! Belthasar, how many of those do you have in stock?
Belthasar: Well, our supply station keeps about two-hundred in reserve for both my workers.
Zeal: Give one-hundred to the Earthbounders, and order five-hundred more. I want every Earthbound man with a pair of legs to be working toward the Mammoth Machine by the end of the week.
Dalton turns his back to the others. Hepulls a small metal flask from under his shirt and takes a large swig from it.
Zeal: Now then, Melchoir, I want you opin-
The door opens and everyone looks up. Gaspar walks in, sweating. He closes the door behind him, looking rather apologetic. He has a large paperbag in one hand.
Gaspar: Sorry I'm late. I forgot we had a meeting today.
Melchoir: Again.
Belthasar: Jesus, get a calander.
Gaspar: I did... I think I lost it...
Schala: What's in the bag, Gaspar?
Zeal: Is that the status reports for the Sun Stones I asked for?
Gaspar reaches under his coat and takes out some stapled papers which he hands to the Queen.
Gaspar: Uh... no, that's right here... The bag's just a little something I'm lending the Prince. I was on my way to give it to him before I realized I was supposed to be in a meeting... Um... Majesty...
Zeal: (Looking over papers) Hm?
Gaspar: Now that you have those reports, I was wondering if I could drop this off with him... He was rather looking forward to it...
Zeal: No. I need to speak with you and Melchoir about the Shell.
Schala: (Getting up) I can take it to him, mother.
Zeal: Nonsense. It's your first day. You stay right here, dear. Dalton, why don't you take it to the boy?
Dalton turns back to group, surprised.
Dalton: Me?
Zeal: Yes, you're not doing anything. Take it to the boy and come back. Take as long as you want.
Dalton looks at the Queen for a moment. He then angrily walks up to the Red Guru and snatches away the bag. He moves toward the room of the door as slides it open.
As he steps into the Royal Hall, he hears a voice. Not behind him, in front of him, or even on the air at all. One inside of his own mind. A brief question injected into his head through magic.
The Prophet: While you're up, bring me a coffee, would you? Cream, no sugar.
Dalton spun around for a brief moment. He could see the Queen was engaging in conversation with the Gurus. Right beside her, still leaning on the wall, was the Prophet. He was smirking in the General's direction. Dalton narrowed his eye angrily before turning out. He began to storm down the hall toward the Royal Bedrooms.
Dalton: Fucker! That fucker in a bedsheet! Who the hell does he think he is?
While storming the general swats a vase on a table, knocking it into the ground. Pottery, flowers, and water pour onto the castle's carpet.
Dalton: (To nearby maids) Clean this shit up!
As the maids ran to attend to the vase, Dalton continued down the hall.
Dalton: What the hell is wrong with that woman? Doesn't she see this guy's a fraud? He's just leading her around by the nostrils! I swear to God I'm going to rip off those drapes he's wrapped in and strangle him with them!
He stopped for a minute panting. He looked down at the bag in his hand.
Dalton: What the hell's in this anyway?
Dalton reaches into the bag and takes out a thick, torn book. Upon the cover was an emblem resembling a large purple octopus. It's red eyes seem to pierce the cover eerilly. Dalton peers at the title.
Dalton: "The Call Of... Ul.. Ultruthtu... By Dr. Strangelovecraft"
The general blinks.
Dalton: Does he really expect a kid to get this book?
He puts it back in the bag and continues down the hall. He comes to the side-by-side doors that led to the Royal Children's bedrooms.Bitterly, heopens thedoor on the leftand steps inside. He stands in the doorway not bothering to close it behind him.
Dalton: Kid.
He gets no reply. Alfador is on the Prince's bed, bathing herself in the light from the window. As Dalton walks in, she stops and as turns to look at him. Janus is at his desk. He's hunched over the surface, apparently looking at something. He doesn't show any interest in Dalton's entrance.
Dalton: Kid!
Janus jumps. There's a noise of a book slamming and he spins around quickly in his seat.
Janus: D-Dalton?
Dalton: One of the walking corpses sent this for you.
Daltoncarelessly drops the bag on the floor.
Dalton: What've you got there?
Janus shifts in his seat. He casually moves closer to the desk, hiding the item from Dalton's sight.
Janus: Just some... schoolwork...
There's a momentary pause in the room.
Dalton: Hmmm... How old are you again?
Janus: Seven.
Dalton: Not quite old enough to be doing that, then...
Janus: Doing what?
Dalton: So then what are you looking at?
Dalton begins to move forward.
Janus I-I told you, it's just some homework...
Dalton: Gimme.
Janus: DON'T!
Dalton reaches behind Janus andeasily snatches a thin, tiny book. Janus gets out of his seat and attempts to grab it, but Daltonholds it level with his eye where Janus can reach it.
The book's cover it very soft. It's decorated with drawing of a rather stupid-looking Zealian family. They're looking around in awe at specks of magical energy decorating the cover. The title above them in bright, colorful letters. Dalton smirks.
Dalton: The Magic Power...
Janus stops attempting to grab the book. His eyesgaze slowly and become fixed on the ground.
Dalton: This is your homework? You said you were seven.
Janus: I-I am...
Dalton: You know what this book is, right?
Janus: It's a... um... beginner's guide...
Dalton: Beginner's guide?
Dalton laughs loudly as Janus's usually pale face begins to glow red.
Dalton: Shit, kid, this isn't a beginner's guide! This is like- a pamphlet for pre-schoolers! Parents read this to three-year-olds just starting their accidental spells! And you're seven, right?
Janus: Right... Right...
Dalton: Jesus, you should be learning your elemental by now! Espicially with your supposedly "invincible" family. The queen was seven when she got an element. So was your sister.
Janus: Four.
Dalton: What?
Janus looks uncomfortable for a moment. He puts his hands into his pockets shyly.
Janus: When... when Schala started elementals she was only um... four...
Dalton: Who told you that?
Janus: Gaspar...
Dalton: Huh...
Dalton's grin become slightly wider.
Dalton: So does your sister know you read this?
The prince began to shuffle his feet.
Janus: No... I uh... I didn't...
Dalton: No wonder she's so persistant about this. Somebody as weak as this...
Janus narrowed his eyes. He was beginning to feel ripples of anger under the embarressment that had been gripping him.
Dalton: Maybe you should tell her about how far behind you are. That might knock some sense into that girl. God knows she needs some.
Some of the points Dalton was making was true. He was weak, but this wasn't right. Dalton was a General. Even he knew that in Zeal, that position meant nothing. There were no other lands to fight Zeal. The only other society was the Earthbound one, and they were of no threat at all.
But Janus was a Prince. He was going to rule one day. Yet Dalton somehow thought that he had the authority to mouth off to him. The man who would soon be his boss.
Dalton: How do the Gurus train you day after day? No wonder they're so senile. I'd have lost it too if I had to go four years with no progress.
That wasn't right. He was shy. He was a kid. And he hadn't cast a spell in his whole life. But that didn't mean this drunkard could forget his place and talk down to him like he was some peasant.
Dalton: I'd heard rumors of the "Earthbound Prince", but I at least thought you could do some magic.
Janus: THAT'S NOT TRUE!
Dalton: What?
There was a brief pause. Janus suddenly felt the angersoar out of him, and he once again felt embarressment and shame. Looking back, he was actually rather surprised at that outburst. It was so unlike him to yell at someone. He'd never really felt that angry at anyone before. Not even Dalton.
Dalton: What's not true, tough guy?
The prince blinked. He started to wish he was still angry. Then maybe Dalton wouldn't seem so intimidating.
Janus: The um... Y'know... what you said...
Dalton: What? That you can't do magic?
Janus: Y-Yeah, I mean... I can do some magic.
Dalton smirked.
Dalton: Really? Well, I'll have to come by your lessons sometime.
Dalton turns and walks out of the room.
Dalton: Oh, and uh... the old man's present for you is on the floor.
There was a pause as Janus sat in his chair in thought. After a moment, he stood up and walked over to the bag on the floor. He reached in and took out the book.
Janus: Huh... I didn't think he'd really lend it to me.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
After Dalton walked out of the room, disgruntled,business continued with the council. The Prophet leaned back relaxed after his unprovoked taunt of the one-eyed general.
Zeal: Right then, next order of business?
Gaspar: Uh... Yes, Highness, I have some information about Lavos that I think you may wish to know.
Zeal: Information? What sort of information?
Gaspar: Well uh... several days ago, Belthasar had managed to maintain photographs of the creature using uh... one of those new... Uh... what do you call... Red Cameras?
Belthasar: Infrared.
Gaspar: Right. Infrared Cameras on the Ocean Palace...
Zeal: Belthasar, is this true?
Belthasar: Yes, m'am. We'd never be able to get actual photographs as the beast lies at almost the outer core of the Earth, but the new cameras placed in the Ocean Palace worked beautifully.
Gaspar: Milady, after comparing these new photographs with some data in my files, I've confirmed that the late King Leoric's theory on Lavos' origin was in fact, the truth.
The Prophet looks up from his place on the wall.
Schala: My father knew where Lavos came from?
Gaspar: Well, in a way. You all remember how my archeological department discovered the bones of the mythical Thunder Lizards all those years ago, correct?
There is a slight murmur of agreement throughout the room.
Gaspar: Well, his lordship was the one who made that happen. He had an interest in history, and for as long as I knew him, he regarded the myths of the Thunder Lizards as reality. He was kind enough to grant me a budget to examine the bones discovered in Terra Contin-
Zeal: (annoyed) I remember the grant he gave you quite well, Gaspar. Get to the point.
Gaspar: Uh... Yes, milady. When he discovered the existance of a creature living within the Earth, he gave it the name of the mythical Lavos.
Melchoir: Lavos had a part in mythology?
Gaspar: Yes. You see, in the ancient Zealian tongue, Lavos translates into "Big Fire" or "Fire Bigger then Sky". Now it's said that the war against the Thunder Lizards ended because a red star fell from the sky, and became an all-consuming flame that ravaged the land. The whole of the Thunder Lizard species was destroyed. They say that afterward, our ancestors witnessed the star burrowing into the Earth. It obviously being the source of the flame, they called it Lavos.
Zeal: A star falling to Earth?
Belthasar: Impossible. Stars are several times Earth's size. While the Thunder Lizards existed, this part of the legend is an obvious fabrication.
Gaspar: He might not have been an actual star, but I compared the cave drawings of the beast to the photographs Belthasar took. Here, see.
The guru again reaches into his coat and takes another two pictures. One a red-and-black photograph, and another a shot taken of a cave-wall. He hands them toward the Queen, as the Prophet moves to look over her shoulder..
The first photograph looked like it had been taken by an infrared camera. It was of a huge black shape on a background of red. The form of spherical, but large spines appeared to be on the sides. At the center of it, looking into the camera, was a huge red circle that looked strikingly like an eye. The other shot was of a grady stone wall of an old cave. There is a dried-on red drawing over it. It was a rather poor drawing, little more then a huge ball of spines, but on one end was an eye similar to the one in the more recent photo. Upon the bottom of the ball seemed to be clawed feet.
Gaspar: As you can see, Milady, they are practically identical. Lavos is indeed the same as his namesake.
The Prophet: Hmmm...
Zeal: ...
Schala: So if my father knew about Lavos' existance, then that means we've known about him for some time.
Melchoir: Yes, your father and Belthasar first discovered that it was alive in around ten years ago. It wasn't until his death though, that we began to utilize the creature as a power source.
Gaspar: What are your thoughts, highness?
The Queen says nothing. Her eyes glaze over as she stares at the infrared photo taken of Lavos.
Gaspar: Milady?
Zeal: So what you're saying is... Lavos is a star.
Gaspar: Ummm...
Zeal: (Quietly) A star...
The Queen looks up again, a sudden resolution in her eyes.
Zeal: It is more obvious to me then ever before! Lavos is a gift from the gods themselves!
Belthasar: Madam, please-
Zeal: Our ancestors were saved from the maws of the Thunder Lizards by his presence, and today he reaches out to aid modern manto achieve his dreams.
Zeal turns behind her and gestures to the Prophet.
Zeal: This is proven more, by our new gift from the gods. The Prophet who will lead us to wakening the mighty Lavos. Who will lead us to Godhood!
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
The meeting continued for about three hours. Far shorter then typical. When the Queen's Circle gathered in the morning, it was expected for them to stay in Council's Chambers until dusk. Yet today the Queen called an early dismissal. As the council left its chambers, the Gurus decided to enjoy their unexpected time together. After making sure Schala didn't want to come along, they headed to a balcony on the castle's East Wing, sat down at a small round table, and ordered some service from the nearby hands.
Belthasar: I admit, it's good to get away from the lab. This Prophet business is getting the Queen to ease off me a bit.
Melchoir: She been hounding you much?
Belthasar: Of course she has. Every bloody day for two months now, she's been after me about how the Mammoth Machine's coming. She just won't stop about it.
Melchoir: Everybody's like that now. There's no patience in the world.
Gaspar: Come, sir. I think you're being a bit harsh on the public.
Melchoir: Oh, no. I see it all the time where I work. It used to be, back when the King was still alive, that if a client wanted both a sword and a shield forged in one week, it was considered a rush job, and they were lucky if they got it. But now that the Queen is using Lavos to fill everyone's desires, they all want everything instantly.
Belthasar: I'm surprised you still sell so many swords. It's not like we have any war in Zeal.
Melchoir: I think alot of nobles are paranoid about people attacking them for their job.
Gaspar: Yes... that seems to come with power. Even King Leoric had a little bit of paranoia about him.
Belthasar: He did, but the King was always there for his people, letting them actually live their lives. Have you been to Ehnasa lately? They're in bed all day there. The Queen's content to just let them dream without looking at the waking world.
Melchoir relaxes in his chair and stretches out his bad leg.
Melchoir: Ooooooh, that feels good. Just getting some time off work is great, eh?
Gaspar: My work's been so slow nowadays, I don't even notice the difference.
Belthasar: What do you mean?
Gaspar: The Queen just keeps making more and morecuts into my budget. I can't really afford that many new researchers for my next project.
Melchoir: Eh. Your next project was insane, anyway.
Gaspar: Are you mad? If the Queen would let me finish it, the Time-Egg would be able to preform miracles Lavos could never hope to.
Belthasar: I must admit, we would gain alot of knowledge from beinging back the dead.
Gaspar: Well, technically, they'll have never died, so you're not truly "bringing them back". But still, all the things I was meant to accomplish as Guru of Time. Gone.
Melchoir: I'm sorry, but she just wants the Mammoth Machine now.
Gaspar: That's all everybody wants now. The Mammoth Machine. Dreams. Lavos. What about the questions of where humans are supposed to be? Where we are. Where we came from. Where we're going. Nobody cares about those things today.
Belthasar: If you wanna know about the history of man-
The other two gurus groan.
Melchoir: Not that Nu-Theory again.
Belthasar: I'm telling you, life begins and ends with the Nu. He's the cornerstone of existance.
Melchoir: I saw him in Kajar the other day. He's set up a desk is selling magizines.
Belthasar: Yes, some of my workers complained about him, so now I can't bring him into the laboratory anymore. He wanted to do something useful so he set up shop. I think I might be neglecting him.
Gaspar: He seemed fine last time I saw him.
Belthasar: He gets lonely pretty easily. Maybe I should take a day off and-
Both of the other Gurus take mock-gasps.
Melchoir: Good god, Gaspar! The mighty Belthasar is considering a day off!
Gaspar: The world is ending!
The blue-clad geezer looked back and forth between his two comrades angrilly.
Belthasar: You guys suck.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
"There had been aeons when other Things ruled the earth, and They had had great cities. Remains of Them were still to be found as Cyclopean stones on islands in the Pacific. They all died vast epochs of time before men came, but there were arts which could revive Them when the stars had come round again to the right positions in the cycle of-"
Schala: Janus?
Janus looked up suddenly from his spot on his bed. He had been lookingthrough the thick book Gaspar gave him which was open in his lap. He turned to see his sister looming over him, her hands on her hips and a rarely-seen look of anger on her face.
Schala: Janus, is that another Strangelovecraft book?
Janus: Uh... well...
The boy shifted his weight nervously as Schala gazed at him, tapping her foot. In a fast move, she snatched the old tome away, despite the book's large size and weight. She tucked it under her arm while keeping her eyes on her brother.
Schala: I said you weren't allowed to read any more of these. Everytime you read one of these stories, you wind up getting nightmares.
Janus: Um...
Janus would've pointed out that he usually got nightmares anyway, but decided not to push his sister. She was now flipping through the book, still looking slightly peeved at the grotesque diagrams of beasts and illustrationsof horrible bloodshed.
Schala: How'd you get this, anyway? I thought I told the library you weren't allowed to have these anymore.
Janus: Well...
Schala slowly brought her gaze up from the pages to look at her brother.
Schala: Gaspar gave this to you, didn't he?
Janus: No! I just sort of-
Schala: Don't lie Janus. I know Gaspar was giving you a book today, and this was it, wasn't it?
Whenever his sister gave him an angry look, it really hurt Janus. He was somehow always compelled to tell the truth in those situations. He had occasionally wondered if that was a spell Schala knew, or if she could just be intimidating like that.
Janus: Yes...
Schala: I knew it. I'll have to talk with him about that. I told you not to read any more of these, Janus.
Janus: I know...
Schala: You're going to have even more nightmares tonight, so it might be best if you slept with me, but don't think you and Gaspar are getting off the hook.
Janus: I'm... I'm sorry, ne-chan...
Schala sighed and sat down in a chair in the corner of the room. There were magical energies between herself and her brother that she could read and feel his emotions. She knew that he never just tried to get out of something, and when he was sorry, it was always genuine. That effected her inability to stay mad at him. It wasn't often that she had to scold him, anyway.
Janus: So... how was the meeting?
Schala: Pretty good. The Gurus said that mother was acting nicer then usual. Probably because it was me and The Prophet's first day.
Janus: Is that why you got out early?
Schala: I think so. The Prophet did a good job. He made a good deal to keep the Earthbounders from overworking.
Janus: That's nice.
Schala: Yeah. Seems like a nice guy.
Janus was silent for a moment. He thought about his meeting with the Prophet in the hallway, and how that creature was now walking through the Zealian palace unchecked, accepted by the populace. He tried to imagine him and Schala in the same room, but the horrible misery of that monster and the hope and joy that he felt in his sister's presence was hard to place side-by-side.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
The Prophet was walking downthedeep hallways to his room. He gazedthrough the large arch-shaped windows of the palace that looked out onto the green feilds of Zeal. Some idiot children were fooling around, kicking sand at each other on their day off from school. Beyond them their parents talked amongst each other, never looking at themselves and just spreading gossip about the council members and the people they worked with.
Since he returned to his own time, his growth in magical power had allowed him to feel the emotions of people around him. While normally Zealians may occasionally have a very vauge idea of what others think, only someone truly powerful like himself or Schala could read thefeelings and ideas of those around him. He noticed a particuarly strong bond existed between Schala and himself (Both of him). He had made sure to mask this from his sister and keep her from knowing his true identity. It was much easier then he expected. Feeling his sister's power and awarenesshe was surprised to find thatthey were much less then his own.
But the populace had no idea that a powerful mage was reading their thoughts at all hours, both collectively and individually. As he went through more and more minds of people from all points in the social structure of Zeal, he wasn't surprised to find his suspicions as a child were correct. The Zealians were consumed with pettiness and only thought inwardly. Even as he scanned the minds of the mothers in the feilds, he could see that they were spoiled and annoyed at the nuisence that their children made for them. They were swapping ideas as to how to control their offspring. Make the daughters like themselves, and the sons more submissive. They felt little love for their husbands and wanted more outlets for themselves.
The children were no better. He could see the subject of their parents and what troubles they may have in their marriage didn't effect them at all. They only seemed concerned about which parent would give them things and if arguments meant they could get away with more. They seemed to veiw adults as a collective enemy best kept blind to their antics and thought of themselves as so dramatically misunderstood they could appear in a work of Shakespere. They had small minds involving those they knew of their own age, and would make judgements based on sex, hair color, and most particuarly magical prowess.
He had also been surprised to find a few things in the Earthbound world. They had a problem with self-pity and thought of themselves as hopeless victims that deserved better. While they did feel true affection for The Gurus, particuarly Melchoir who went out of his way to help them, they also had a feeling of resentment to the Zealian public for keeping them like this. But at the same time they were cowards who didn't wish to face the wrath of the Zealian's spells. Schala had won them over and helped them with their businesses and to control the beasts that would wander into the caves from Mount Woe.
He would certainly have to do something about this pettiness once he was king.
Looking ahead of him, he saw the figure of Melchoir leaning on his cane as he unlocked the door to his room. In his hand was a little white box.
The Prophet kept from directly reading the minds of the Gurus or his sister. In addition to being dangerous for him to read the minds of people so aware, he had particuarly large amounts of respect for their privacy. But he could tell that the Guru was filled with excitement and anticipation. There were also magical vibrations emminating from the box that signaled it was filled with small Dreamstone pebbles. As Melchoir walked into his room, locking the door behind him, the Prophet put it out of his mind and continued on down the hall.
He considered heading toward the library but thought better of it. He hadn't been able to properly care for his scythe since he arrived in Zeal, and he needed it to be in perfect working condition for his strike on Lavos.
As he began to turn the doorknob to his room, he heard a angry voice from down the hall.
Dalton: Hey, asshole!
The Prophet slowly turned his cowled head in the direction of the general who was currently storming toward him.
Dalton: I wanna talk to you!
The Prophet: What do you want?
Dalton narrows his eyes and points his finger warningly.
Dalton: Where do you get off with those telepathic communications? You think you're better then me?
The Prophet: Yes.
Dalton: Listen buddy, you don't wanna make an enemy out of me. I've been working my way to Queen's favorite ever since the King died. If you think I'm just gonna let you take over in your first week, you got another thing coming.
The Prophet: I've got more important and enjoyable things to do then listen to you make pitiful threats.
Dalton: Pitiful? I'm the leader of Zeal's entire reserve task force! They could kill you in your sleep, and never get caught. So I would-
Dalton stopped. The hallway was not as it was before.
The hall now seemed endless, stretching as far as he could see. The walls and portraits were cut and faded. Someone had written the words "Don't let him" over a portrait of the Queen in blood. Outside, the lands were bleak and barren, with nothing but dust and withered remains of vegetation.
He felt something warm drip onto his face. Looking up, he saw that blood was drizzling from the ceiling, forming pools on the marble floor. He turned again to the Prophet. He seemed center in his sights, standing there with his robes strung over his relatively small frame. At his feet were dark, unmoving shapes Dalton couldn't make out.
The Prophet: For each man you send to kill me, I will bring you back a corpse.
The General blinked. The Prophet was gone and the hallway normal, but the image of his new rival standing in the Hellish ruins of their nation lingered in his mind.
And that's all for now. The next chapter will hopefully be finished and uploaded quickly. Again, please leave a review with your thoughts on the story. I'd love to hear from you...