A.N. Thank you, ben and archsage328, for reviewing and thanks to everyone for reading. Please enjoy.
A Rose among the Ashes
Chapter: 21
The rebel party had slept soundly within the abandoned courtyard of the Kashuan Keep along with the newest addition to the group of Wild Rose warriors, Prince Gordon.
The fresh dawn painted the once-dark sky a multitude of brilliant, pure shades and set the surface of the lake, encircling the castle, into an inferno of glittering sparkles. Song birds and other wildlife could be heard in the surrounding dew-covered forest, adding more serenity to the already beautiful morning.
"You don't know how appreciative I am that you and your companions found me. I thought it might have been the end for me out here," Gordon stated as he stood, without clothes and waist-deep in the shallows of the lake, washing the filth accumulated upon his person from his days spent fending for himself in the Kashuanian wilderness.
"We're happy to have you. I am sure you will be a worthy aid to us," Firion commented while extending his hand out to the prince to help him back upon dry land.
"T-Thank you," Gordon said as Firion handed him a bundle of clean clothes.
"I had these to spare. They will probably be a little loose on you, but they should do," Firion stated as Gordon unfurled the clothes and began to dress himself.
"Where is your weapon?" Firion inquired not recalling spotting it even when Maria discovered him in the foliage the night before.
"I lost it in the woods days ago, when I was chased by a pack of wild monsters. Since then, I've been hiding here, in the shadow of the castle I once called my home," Gordon explained solemnly as he finished dressing. He placed his hands upon his hips with a sigh and allowed his olive-green eyes to drift up beyond the treetops to the tall spires of the Keep.
"I was born and raised here alongside my older brother. It was magnificent in those days, so full of life. Look at it, now. A forgotten ruin littered with the corpses of my kin and countrymen, people I once knew. Everything I've ever known...gone in the blink of an eye," Gordon stated before he lowered his head and clasped his hand over his watering eyes. Firion placed a hand on his shoulder, as the prince inhaled deeply and shook off his sorrow.
"The last time I was here, I had departed on a visit to Fynn with my brother. I never thought it would be the last time I would set eyes upon it. When I first arrived here several days ago, it was a...lonely homecoming to say the least. I'm glad you and your comrades are here with me, now. Things don't seem so hopeless, anymore," he added while blinking away his tears and walking back to the campsite in the courtyard followed by a silent and solemn Firion.
"More sorrow...more tragedy and loss brought on by the Empire. Will it ever end, or is this the 'norm' for our world, now?" Firion questioned in his mind as he stared at Gordon with saddened, grey eyes as he walked away.
For a while, Firion wandered the Keep's grounds that were littered with the bodies of Kashuanian soldiers that had fallen during the Empire's invasion. Many months had passed, since that battle took place. Every corpse had been reduced to sun-bleached bones dressed in tattered clothes and rusted armor.
After some time spent searching, Firion discovered what he was seeking and returned to his comrades in the courtyard.
"It's not much, but it should do. As long as we don't come across any Imperials, you shouldn't have much to fear," Firion stated while dropping a heavy bundle of battered armor and a dull and rusted weapon before the prince. Gordon jumped timidly at the clamour before examining the items Firion had sought for him. The young prince's green eyes hesitantly climbed the length of the battle-worn lance, as he rested its surprisingly light weight in his hand.
"Do you know how to use it?" Firion questioned with a slight smirk, as Gordon shot him an offended expression.
"D-Don't be foolish! Of course I do!" Gordon responded as Firion glanced at Maria, who smiled at him, and then to Guy, who frowned and shook his head. Firion nodded in response before stepping in front of the sitting prince and extending his hand.
"Come, let's see what you can do," Firion stated as Gordon's eyes widened in fear, before he accepted the rebel's invitation and was pulled to his feet. The pair moved to a small clearing a short distance away from the camp, and Firion withdrew his sword.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you. Guy and I spar all the time," Firion informed when he noticed the hesitant expression on the prince's face, as he stared at the young warrior's razor-sharp, mythril sword. After a brief moment, Gordon gave a slight nod agreeing to trust Firion's words and readied his battle-worn spear.
"Show me what you got!" Firion exclaimed while simultaneously instigating the sparring match.
Not even five minutes later...
"W-Wait...(pant)...h-hold on...(heave)...I need a breather...," Gordon stammered as he planted his lance in the ground and fell to one knee. The sight was almost laughable to Firion, who hadn't even broken a sweat. Guy and Maria sat in the shade of a nearby tree, watching the spectacle. Maria stifled a giggle, as Guy clasped his hand over his face and shook his head, once more.
"What was that? It's like you've never fought a day in your life!" Firion exclaimed while sheathing his sword and placing his hands on his hips. Maria left Guy's side to stand beside Firion and placed her hand upon his shoulder.
"Firion, I don't think he has...," she whispered as the young rebel's grey eyes widened. For a moment, all conversation fell silent, and the only thing that could be heard was the sound of chirping songbirds and the wind rustling the leaves in the tall, Kashuanian trees.
Finally, Gordon stood up from the ground and turned his back to the rebels in shame.
"It is true," the prince informed softly.
"B-But you're a prince! You've never seen battle...ever?" Firion questioned in disbelief as Gordon shook his head.
"When I was born, I was very ill and weak. I learned basic swordplay, when I was younger, but my parents were always overprotective and sheltered me. They were convinced I was unable to do anything on my own. My older brother, Scott, is the one who led our armies and protected the kingdom. He was the true crown prince, the pride of all Kashuan. Even Lady Hilda chose him over me. Compared to him, I am not a prince at all, just a useless burden," Gordon stated before swiftly walking away from the group in the direction of the lake surrounding the Keep.
"What we do, now?" Guy inquired after a moment, as Firion sighed and shrugged his shoulders.
"Whether he can fight or not, we need him to lead us to the Egil's Torch and the Sunfire. I'll go talk to him," Firion muttered before Maria stepped in his path.
"No, let me handle this. Sometimes women are more...skilled when dealing with these types of situations," the violet-haired archer stated before pulling the forgotten lance out of the ground and walking in the direction of the lake.
"What's that suppose to mean?" Firion questioned under his breath slightly insulted, as he watched his female companion exit the courtyard and vanish into the woods surrounding the lake.
Maria stepped onto the pale, sandy shore of the large body of water, and allowed her dark eyes to search for and find Prince Gordon. He was sitting upon a fallen log on the beach, solemnly gazing out upon the glistening water.
"I think you forgot something," Maria stated as she sat down next to the disheartened prince and placed the body of the lance upon his lap.
"It is a tool I cannot use. You saw it, yourself. I am not a warrior," Gordon replied softly as he lightly rested the weapon in his palms and stared down upon it.
"It does not mean you cannot learn! Traveling all the way here, alone and without aid, is proof of the vast reservoir of courage you harbor deep within. You have the makings of a great warrior and leader, but all your life you have been denied the chance to prove yourself. This is your time to prove to everyone who you really are and wish to be," Maria said as Gordon's eyes drifted up to her's, filled with surprise and inspiration.
"Your brother saw it in you, and we can, too," Firion added approaching from behind accompanied by Guy. The young and speechless prince turned to look at them with mouth agape.
"I-I did not know you all thought so highly of me," Gordon commented when he found his voice, again, as Guy took a seat next to him and Maria upon the log followed by Firion.
"Give Guy spear," the large rebel requested while holding out a strong and calloused hand. Gordon handed over the weapon, and the large youth next to him withdrew a small whetstone and began to sharpen the blade.
"We didn't become warriors over night, either. Before the war, we were just normal youths living a peaceful and happy life with our parents. Our father was a builder, and our mother was a spinstress. Firion wanted to become a blacksmith. I wanted to find work in the castle, and my older brother, Leon, was the only one of us interested in combat. He wanted to be a soldier in Fynn's army. When the war began, we knew little to nothing about fighting. It was like running blind through a forest in the dead of night, but we knew we had to do something to avenge our families and reclaim our home from the Empire. You are just like we were, and you will learn as we did," Maria explained as Gordon glanced down at his knees before nodding his head.
"Y-You are right! I will learn...I must! For Kashuan and Fynn! I will prove to everyone what I am truly capable of!" Gordon exclaimed as the young rebels each put their arms around his shoulders.
"You are one of us, now. Let us enter the Keep and acquire what we came for. Then we will be one step closer to destroying the Empire's foul warship and saving our home from further hardship and tragedy," Firion stated as each of them gazed out at the lake from their seats on the log, silhouetted by the rising sun.
...
"Where...am I?" Princess Hilda questioned as she slowly woke from her long and dreamless sleep.
All around her was pitch-black darkness accompanied by a strong, metallic odor. Her body ached and felt cold, and she realized her cloak had been taken, leaving her clothed in only the thin nightgown she had slept in the previous night aboard the Sky Ferry.
She reached her slender hand up to the top of her head and felt the cold and hard gems of her crown, still resting safely amidst the lengthy curls of her hair. She was surprised they had allowed her to keep her crown, the only mark, beside the quality of her blood, that proved her lineage as the Princess of Fynn.
The floor beneath her body felt like frigid steel, and a vibration accompanied by a low, rumbling hum reverberated through it and every surface she touched.
"They must be holding me within the Dreadnought," Hilda concluded in thought as she lay upon the hard floor, staring up into the never-ending blackness. Her memories of everything that had taken place previously aboard the Sky Ferry came flooding back into her mind, like a river rushing through a broken dam.
The sight of the Empire's massive warship, the Dreadnought, soaring over the clouds through the morning sky with its fiery artillery spewing forth from its cannons. The swift deaths of the guards sworn to her, as well as Cid's sudden disappearance. She had no thought as to whether he was alive or dead, but his most valued possession, the Sky Ferry,had burned and plummeted from the heavens. She was snatched up by a man clothed in black armor, but she could conclude it was no rescue. He was of the Empire, of that she was certain. It was clear to her that she was a captive, a prisoner, and she had naught to do but wait for whatever came next.
Time moved slowly for the princess in the dark, metal room. She had pulled herself up from the floor and blindly felt around the small chamber, but there was nothing to discover, just four metal walls and the floor beneath her. It felt like she was trapped inside of a box.
When a loud metallic click echoed throughout the chamber, she halted her blind fumbling. It sounded like a steel bar withdrawing into the wall. Afterwards, the door to her prison swung open with a deafening screech accompanied by a flood of blinding, white light.
Princess Hilda fell back onto the floor and flung her hands before her eyes to shield herself from the intense light stinging her retinas. Heavy footsteps entered the chamber, before the door closed, again. This time, instead of returning to the pitch-black darkness, a steady, dim light filled the room from a place the princess could not see. It illuminated the small compartment revealing dark, pipe-riddled, metallic walls and nothing else.
"Good morning, Princess," a deep voice suddenly and casually greeted her. She lowered her hands from her eyes, and after she blinked away her blindness, her gaze found the form of a man leaning against the opposing wall with his arms folded. She instantly recognized him to be the man that had retrieved her from Cid's airship.
"I am General Leon, commander of the Imperial forces," the man added in introduction as Hilda continued to gaze up at him from her, seemingly frozen, position on the floor.
She studied him for a moment. His face seemed young, but the expression in his eyes revealed he had already seen and done much in this bloody war, though that was not what peaked her curiosity. When she first saw him, she was far too dazed and in shock to have given it much thought.
"He is human. A lone, mortal man serving in an army of hellish creatures, and a General, no less," she thought impressed and bewildered at the fact that he was not one of the seemingly limitless, armored monsters that continued to slaughter and enslave the rest of the world, but he, a mere human, commanded and controlled them. Her blue eyes found his dark ones, again, and she noticed that they had left hers to travel down the length of her body. Her lip curled in disgust.
Hilda rose to her feet to maintain some degree of dignity in her current situation. Being a half-naked prisoner did not make her cower and lower her head in shame, as most women would do. No, for she remembered who she was and the strength and grace that was expected of her in all situations. Even in times of perilous war and dishonor, she would hold her head up high and meet her challenges head on, like her father, King Rayan of Fynn, who raised her.
"Has it been that long, since you have seen a woman, General?" Hilda questioned while feeling her stomach twist in disgust.
"Forgive me, my lady. The last beautiful woman I laid eyes on almost killed me with her trickery. Ever since, I have been in the sole company of his majesty's soldiers and a slave boy. Can you blame me for, at least, looking?" Leon responded bluntly as Hilda stifled an angry and annoyed chuckle.
"I need also apologize for the crude means used to bring you here. I realize what bare accommodations this ship has to offer. This vessel was not originally intended for the transportation of royalty, forced or otherwise," Leon explained while habitually folding his hands behind his back. He could not reason to himself why he was being so courteous with the quite beautiful Fynnian princess, but he almost felt as if it was expected of him to do so.
"You need not bother with mock pleasantries, General. I know the reason why this hideous vessel exists. It was made for the massacre of my people. I see it everyday. The corpses of my loyal subjects stacked in piles so high and vast, they remind me of the lofty hills surrounding the land of my birth. Of course, they are not so green or pleasant to behold," Hilda replied with venom oozing from every word, as she marched up to her captor and stared fiercely and fearlessly into his dark eyes.
"Whatever you are here to do, I bid you get on with it or leave me in peace," she added as an expression of surprise captured Leon's face, before it morphed into a smile of amusement.
"It is rare for a woman to possess such fire in this age of turmoil. It would be far wiser for you in the long-run, to abandon such an unbecoming trait. Especially when I bring you before his majesty, Emperor Mateus. I do not imagine he will find it as entertaining as I do," the young General suggested as Princess Hilda felt her wrath growing at the very mention of the man responsible for everything that has befallen her, the kingdom of Fynn, as well as the entire world.
"So, that is the name of your master? Such a good and loyal hound you are. I do so hope he appreciates your steadfast obedience, while he hides in his castle reaping the glory and spoils of every kingdom and village he orders to be conquered, pillaged, and burned. Do you realize what hardships and sorrow my people have suffered at the abominable whims of your Emperor?" Hilda spat as Leon remained silent for a moment.
"No, nor do I care. Finding you was all I cared about up till now. That was the mission I was given, and it was a long and taxing hunt that has costed me more than you can imagine," Leon responded before leaning up from the wall and slowly moving around the princess, as if he wanted to take in every detail of the woman he had been hunting for so long.
"Why not just kill me?" Hilda questioned.
"It would have been far easier to do so, but that is none of my concern. It is not my place to think. My only duty is to obey, and his majesty bade me to find and bring you to him, alive. He awaits you in Palamecia, as we speak," Leon responded continuing to pace slowly around her. He was silent again for a moment, before he paused beside her and allowed his gloved hand to trace a long lock of her wavy hair that rested against her upper-arm.
"You do not look anything like what I imagined you to be as a child," Leon commented taking the princess off guard at the sudden revelation. She snapped her head up to him with ocean-blue eyes widened in shock. As if reading the question upon her face, he smiled and turned away from her.
"It should be of no surprise. Every Fynnian boy harbors secret fantasies of the beautiful Princess Hilda. It was what put them to sleep on restless nights," Leon added while opening the door to the small cell.
"You...are from Fynn?" Hilda muttered in shock at learning that, besides Borghen, there was another traitor from her kingdom.
"After everything my father sacrificed for his people, is this all the loyalty he inspired?" she thought before the General's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Rest now, my lady. Once in Palamecia, the privilege may no longer come so easily. I won't lie to you. It never bodes well, when the Emperor desires an enemy brought before him with their head still on their shoulders. It usually means he would rather deal with them personally than have his men do the work for him, and you have yet to learn the rare significance of that. You and your little rebellion have caused him a great deal of trouble. I would take advantage of this time, were I you. No one will harm you here. They have their orders, and they fear the Emperor far too greatly to disobey them," Leon informed before exiting the cell and closing the door behind him, leaving the troubled and stunned Princess to her thoughts.
...
The halls of the Kashuan Keep were dark and vacant, with the occasional appearance of a wild beast come to make the abandoned castle its new lair. The rebels proceeded through the, once grand, corridors of the palace, guided by torchlight.
Corpses littered many of the ruined halls and rooms. The skeletons of soldiers sprawled out with sword still in hand, killed while attempting to defend the Keep. The elderly were found put down in their beds, and the women were slain in their various hiding places while trying to protect their children, who were put to the sword as well. It was a sad scene, but not one the young rebels were unaccustomed to.
Prince Gordon's green eyes were heavy with sadness, as the rebel group proceeded through the castle.
"The treasury is just ahead," he spoke as the rebels ascended stair after stair, until they came to a, once sealed, door broken into with brute force. The rebels stepped over the corpses of the slain guards and entered the chamber.
Firion, Maria, and Guy froze with their mouths agape behind Gordon, who continued to move into the treasury unfazed.
There was more gold, silver, and precious stones than the three Fynnian youths had ever seen in their lives. Chest upon chest of treasure filled the large room, accompanied by piles of golden coins and silks, jeweled containers of rare spices and perfumes, and ceremonial suits of golden armor and weaponry.
"It appears the demons were not interested in taking any of the treasure," Firion commented, still in partial disbelief as to how wealthy of a kingdom Kashuan really was, as he walked the narrow pathways between the mountains of expensive goods and currency. The rebels' torchlight reflected off the treasure causing glimmering specks of light to dance feverishly around the chamber.
"The Empire was here for one purpose. To remove Kashuan entirely from the fray. They took the castle by surprise. My people never saw them coming, and by the time they did, it was too late," Gordon explained as he proceeded deeper into the golden chamber with torch in hand.
"I suppose they didn't count on the two princes being away in Fynn," Maria commented.
"What is two princes worth, when their kingdom has been stripped away and destroyed? I am sure the Empire felt they had little to fear from either of us. Now, they have killed my brother, too. I am all that remains of this place besides the sacred flame of the Sunfire, and its value far outclasses my own," Gordon responded a little more blunt than he meant to be.
"Kashuan has always sensed that some powerful force dwelled beyond the mountains, deep into the southern desert, but we never expected this. My family...my people...Everything is gone," the prince added as he paused before an old, small chest setting upon a table covered partially by a transparent, silken cloth. A ghost of a nostalgic smile painted Gordon's face, as he pulled the cloth away and opened the chest.
"How is Lady Hilda faring in these troubled times?" he inquired suddenly and unexpectedly as Firion stepped up beside him and glanced at the chest he was staring at. It was small and resembled a woman's jewelry box.
"Her majesty is as well as can be expected. The war has taken its toll on everyone, especially her, but she perseveres and continues to be a beacon of hope for the Wild Rose. She instructs the rebel army in her father's place. King Rayan's health continues to decline. Minwu cares for him, but I hear he is not expected to live much longer," Firion informs as a saddened expression took the young prince's face.
"I see. Kashuan and Fynn have always been good friends. My brother and I grew-up with Lady Hilda. I have known King Rayan and the Fynnian royal family, ever since I can remember," Gordon muttered as he opens the small chest causing chiming melody to play.
"A music box," Maria spoke with a smile while moving forward, as she listened to the slow and sweet tune continue to play.
"Yes, it was my mother's. She died long ago, when I was small. After my father took another wife, he had most of her belongings stored here, in the treasury," Gordon stated as he pulled a delicate and stunning diamond necklace from the chest and allowed it to hang limply from his fingertips. The group stared in awe of its beauty.
The pendent was a large, pale-pink diamond cut to resemble a rose surrounded by emeralds fashioned into its leaves. It hung from a thread-like, golden chain and sparkled like a star in the torchlight.
"Gorgeous," Maria whispered.
"My mother loved roses. She always expressed how she envied Fynn's sigil. She believed it was far more beautiful than the 'flame of a fallen star'. My father had it made by a master jeweler in Paloom," Gordon explained as Firion whistled.
"I wager the stone alone costed him a small fortune," the grey-haired rebel commented.
"I intend to present it to Lady Hilda along with the Sunfire," the prince informed as he placed the piece of jewelry into Maria's hand.
"Do you think she will like it?" Gordon inquired with a nervous expression in his green eyes, as the violet-haired archer examined the diamond necklace in her hand.
"I do not think I know a woman who wouldn't, and it is carved like a rose, the symbol of her kingdom. I am sure she will be very pleased, and not only with the necklace, but with you as a man and the bravery and courage you have shown," Maria responded handing back the necklace, as a blush spread across Gordon's cheeks.
"W-We should move on. The chamber containing Egil's Torch is very near," the prince spoke after nervously clearing his throat.
The four rebels proceeded through the vast treasury, until they came to a large, arched doorway of stone. Kashuan's sigil, a falling star, was carved into it, and all around the archway was embedded emeralds, glistening in the torchlight like little green eyes.
"It's sealed," Firion commented in a disappointed tone, after trying to pull the doors open.
"By magic, too, no less," Maria informed after placing her hand upon the door's surface.
"That's odd. Never in my life have the doors to the torch been sealed," Gordon commented while standing dumbfounded with disbelief in front of the sealed room.
"Guy, help me," Firion requested as the two rebels pushed their bodies up against the doors in an attempt to force it open. Maria folded her arms and shook her head.
"Brute force cannot open a door sealed with magic. Only magic can undo magic," the violet-haired archer explained.
"Was this journey all for nothing?" Gordon questioned more to himself as he fell to his knees in front of the locked chamber and cradled his head into his hands. Maria kneeled down next to him and placed her hand onto his shoulder.
"Don't give up. We will find a way," the female rebel reassured.
"What are those words around the archway?" Firion suddenly questioned drawing the group's attention to a cluster of characters carved above the door.
"Those are rules for the priests who care for and guard the Sunfire. There are certain ceremonies, where the priests must clean the Sunfire's shrine, and the Egil's Torch is the only way of removing and transporting the Sunfire safely," Gordon explained.
"What they say?" Guy questioned as Gordon stood up and strained his eyes to see the characters in the dim light.
"Cast thy seal when sword is broken, only by Rafaela's key shall doors, again, be opened," the young prince read as the other three rebels looked at each other in thought.
"Perhaps Father had the priests seal it, as a precaution, to prevent the Imperials from taking the Sunfire," Gordon commented before noticing the strange expressions on the other's faces.
"What?" the prince questioned.
"Rafaela's Key. Firion, do you know what that means?" Maria inquired with a sparkle in her dark eyes, as the grey-haired rebel retrieved the Goddess's Bell from his satchel.
"What is that?" Gordon questioned as Firion turned the relic over in his hands. The emeralds embedded in its silver body sparkled beautifully in the torchlight.
"It is Rafaela's Key, the Goddess's Bell. We found it enshrined deep within a cave in the Salamandian mountains with the help of a comrade. Unfortunately, he lost his life in the search. Without his aid, we would not have been able to obtain it. We shall use this key in gratitude and in honor of him and all those who have died in this war, and I vow to destroy the Dreadnought and the Empire, for all that they have stolen from us," Firion spoke before he rang the bell. A pure note resonated beautifully from the bell filling all the treasury with its angelic sound.
The sealed doors to the chamber housing the Egil's Torch began to slowly pull open of their own accord, causing little streams of sand and debris to fall from the ceiling as a result of the intense vibrations.
After the doors opened and the dust cleared, the rebels approached the new chamber, and within it, setting on a pedestal, was Egil's Torch.
"The bell!" Maria suddenly exclaimed while pointing down to Firion's hand. The young warrior lifted the artifact up in his hand, as the other three gathered around him. The celestial silver of the Goddess's Bell had grown tarnished and softened. The emeralds embedded in its surface no longer glowed and sparkled, and finally, the entire structure of the bell became deformed and collapsed upon itself until there was naught left but grey ash in Firion's hand.
"Josef said you could only use the Goddess's Bell once. It seems he was right," Firion commented allowing the dust to slide off of his palm and become a small cloud as it collided with the floor.
"Come. Let us get the torch, now, and finish what we set out to do here," Firion stated as the group turned to face the mystic presence of the Egil's Torch.
...
Countless hours had passed, since Princess Hilda was left alone in her cell. The dim light that had illuminated the small, metal chamber during the General's visit was, by now, long extinguished. She knew not the hour, nor even if the sun was still in the sky. She lay curled up in the corner of the dark cell shivering from the cold and awaiting whatever fate lay ahead of her. She felt the presence of fear worm itself into her heart and begin to eat away at whatever courage remained, but she still feared for her people more so than for herself.
What would happen to them, now that she was captured? Would they lose faith in the rebellion and surrender to the Empire, or would they continue to fight, even without her leadership? Either way, after all that has happened, she couldn't imagine the Empire treating them with leniency and forgiveness. Whether they surrendered, fought, or fled, she knew, deep within her heart, that the Empire would kill them anyway.
"Gods protect my people," Hilda whispered as she wrapped her arms around herself in a vain attempt to keep herself warm and perhaps, for comfort, as well.
Other than the roaring and monotonous murmur of the Dreadnought's engine, silence was all that met her ears for what seemed like an eternity, and then, she heard it. A noise at the door. A screeching of metal against metal, as if the lock was slowly withdrawing.
Hilda sat up and looked in the direction of the sound, as the door suddenly cracked open. The princess prepared herself for the worse. Was it the General come back to interrogate her, a soldier come to torture her, or had they already arrived in Palamecia?
Hilda stood up and pressed herself flat against the wall, before a small shadow, followed by its owner, wandered in. The door closed behind him, but like the last time, the cell did not return to darkness. The stranger had a small, spherical lantern in his hand that filled the cell with warm light. He also carried along a small bundle that was tucked beneath his arm.
"A child?" Hilda said softly, more to herself than to the little boy that stood before her. She studied him and took a mental note of his short brown hair, pale skin, and how bone-thin he was. He gazed up at her with fearful but curious, large brown eyes.
"Fynn...princess?" the child addressed carefully with a very thick and strange accent Hilda had never heard before.
"Y-Yes?" Hilda responded feeling a little strange as to why a little, human boy was aboard the ship. She stepped closer to him before noticing the look of apprehension in his eyes.
"Don't be afraid. I will not hurt you," Hilda reassured kneeling before the child, who continued to gaze at her timidly.
"You don't understand me, do you?" Hilda inquired with a small but kind smile. She, suddenly, raised her hand to touch his face, and the child's entire composure seemingly turned to stone.
"It is alright," she reassured softly as her slender fingers met and caressed his pale cheek. After a moment, he seemed to relax and a warm blush spread across his cheeks, as he looked up at her and smiled.
"I...slave...Calix," Calix introduced after a moment. Hilda felt a bolt of pain stab her heart at the horrible word that left his lips.
"A child so young made a slave? Or perhaps, he has been a slave since birth," Hilda thought as the boy, oblivious to her thoughts, continued to smile at her, before he reached down and retrieved the bundle he had brought with him.
"This...for you," Calix stated while unfurling his bundle. He handed her a leather canteen filled with fresh water, a half-loaf of bread along with some dried meat, and a small, rolled-up blanket.
Hilda stared at the items in surprise and then to the child's face, which seemed to be studying hers for any inclination that she was pleased with what he had done. The princess smiled before she pulled the young slave into an embrace. At first, the boy's brown eyes were widened with shock, but he soon he melted into the comfort of her arms and closed his eyes. It was the first time he had received any affection like this, since his mother died.
"Thank you, Calix, for this kindness. You do not realize how much you have done for me with this small gesture," Hilda spoke, even though she knew he probably didn't understand a word of it, but she was sure he could feel her immense gratitude.
The boy grinned at her, again, with a cute and giddy expression, before rising to his feet and heading back to the cell door. Before he departed, he glanced back at her.
"Soon...I come back...Don't tell...Master," Calix stated before he gave her another smile and a nod before departing, leaving the foreign princess with some means of comfort.
...
Calix crept back down the metallic corridors from Princess Hilda's cell, while avoiding and sneaking passed each patrolling Imperial guard and soldier. The slave swiftly retreated back to his master's chambers, hoping he had not yet been missed.
The child approached the door and quietly squeezed the handle before slipping inside. When he entered, it was apparent neither Leon or Althalos had noticed his brief absence. They were busy in a conversation about the many happenings going on within the ship.
"Even though it is a small matter, Commander, I thought you should know," Althalos began as Leon sat at his large desk, with a quill in his hand, neck-deep in scrolls and parchment, When he was first made General, he hadn't the slightest idea how much paperwork was going to be involved.
"What is it, now?" Leon inquired not even bothering to look up from his work.
"A report came in from the kitchens. Apparently, a brawl broke out between the crew members on duty, in which one of them was assaulted and beaten to death over a half-loaf of missing bread and some dried meat," the half-demon informed as Leon glanced up from his desk in disbelief and exasperation. Calix felt his head begin to try and shrink back into his shoulders, like a turtle, at the very mention of the incident he knew he caused.
"How senseless! A casualty over a bit of missing food, and not even enough to miss," Leon vented while dropping his quill and clasping his hands together before his lips in thought.
"Assign extra guards and surveillance to the kitchens, mess hall, and anywhere else that my be tempting to thieves. Tell them that if one more soldier dies or is seriously injured outside of an actual battle, I swear to the gods, I will go down there and kill them all myself," the young general ordered angrily as Althalos bowed and attempted to make for the door, before Leon's voice stopped him, again.
"I have one more command for you, Althalos," Leon spoke as the half-demon paused and turned toward him.
"Yes, Commander?" he inquired.
"After you are done, go stand watch at the princess's cell. I will not chance anything happening to her, before I give her to the Emperor," Leon said as Althalos was silent for a moment before bowing, once more.
"Aye, sir. That is a very wise decision. The presence of a human female, especially one from an enemy kingdom, creates a very dangerous situation aboard this ship," the once-nameless Imperial responded before continuing to walk toward the exit. His red eyes caught sight of Calix, and he paused for a moment before carrying on. The young boy watched him leave, before the sound of Leon's voice demanded his attention.
"Where have you been?" Leon questioned as Calix's head snapped toward the young man still seated at his desk.
"Nowhere, Master," the child responded while slowly creeping forward, until he stood in front of the large desk. It was so tall to the child, he could barely see over it. Leon leaned back in his chair and folded his arms watching, as Calix stared down guiltily at his bare feet.
"Nowhere? Are you certain that is the truth? Althalos has been looking for you, for quite a while," the young General revealed while getting no response from the boy.
"Come here," Leon ordered while beckoning the slave with his hand. Calix moved around the desk and came to stand before the young General. Leon lifted him up under the arms and sat him on the edge of his desk that wasn't covered in papers and tomes.
"Althalos made this for you, did he not?" Leon inquired while tugging lightly at the sleeve of Calix's white tunic. The child smiled and nodded happily.
"He has been very good to me, Master," Calix commented as Leon was silent for a moment, as if he was mulling over his next words.
"I heard what happened, yesterday, in the med-ward. Are you alright?" Leon questioned as the young boy blinked a couple of times and shrugged his shoulders.
"Master Althalos saved me, but I've taken worse beatings from my old master. So, I'm alright," Calix replied as Leon squinted his dark eyes and frowned.
"Old master? Ah, Lord Ciprian, right?" Leon said while remembering Calix had never gone into details about his life, before they met in Leon's chambers back in Palamecia.
"You never told me about what happened to you, while you were his slave. In fact, you've never spoken of him at all, except for when you told me he had died," Leon stated as Calix gripped his knees and a look of unfathomable pain and sadness filled his brown eyes. His body became as rigid as a statue, and his bottom lip began to quiver.
Leon watched the silent boy for a moment before reaching out his hand and firmly patting the child's thigh.
"You don't have to say anything, if you would rather not," Leon commented as the young slave nodded and rubbed the excess water from his eyes. The young General began to work, again, and Calix watched and followed the ink quill with his eyes.
"The princess is really pretty, isn't she?" Calix suddenly spoke after a moment, causing Leon to smile partially and glance up from his work.
"Do you like her?" Leon questioned causing a hot blush to flare-up on the boy's face.
"I-I don't know...," the slave muttered as Leon chuckled and resumed writing. It was silent, again, for another moment, before Calix decided to speak, again.
"She doesn't seem like a bad person, Master. Why is she locked away in a cell?" the child questioned as Leon laid down his quill and looked at him.
"To the Empire, she is bad. She is the leader of the resistance that continues to defy our emperor. Since she would not surrender, it was decided that she should be dealt with, personally and swiftly. With her captured, the heart of the rebels, the core of all that they are, has been taken. Soon, their morale will begin to fail them, and they will realize how futile and pointless resisting Palamecia really is," Leon explained.
"Then what will happen?" Calix questioned.
"They will surrender, and the war will be over," Leon responding simply with confidence and conviction in his words. Calix did not respond, and the young General could see he did not fully believe his words. He was a child, after all. Matters of this nature were probably quite complex to him.
Leon sighed and ruffled the child's brown hair before helping him down from the desk.
"Never you mind about these matters. I still have much work to do, and I also have to find my missing canteen. By dawn tomorrow, we should be back in Palamecia. Go and rest for awhile. There is some food on the table near the bed, if you are hungry," Leon commanded as Calix nodded and smiled before scampering off toward the bed.
...
The, now unlocked, chamber was made of stone and hexagonal in shape, and had a small and solitary window high up on the far wall that allowed a dust-speckled beam of sunlight to shine down upon the Egil's Torch,resting on its pedestal. The four rebels cautiously entered the chamber and stood round the artifact, studying it.
The body of the torch was long, silver, and pointed at the bottom. It was ornately decorated with ancient embossings and gemstones, and the top of the torch ballooned out, like a bell, but shorter and wider to house the flame of the Sunfire.
"This is the Egil's Torch. The only thing capable of housing the Sunfire and all its fiercesome energy," Gordon stated while reaching out and carefully lifting the relic from its pedestal.
"It is beautiful, like the Goddess's Bell," Maria commented as the prince handed the torch over to Firion, so he could store it in his satchel.
"Now, let us go to where the Sunfire burns and draw its flame into the torch. We are almost done here. Soon, we will be able to set back out for Altair, and you will be a hero for your courage," Firion stated while smiling at Gordon and patting his shoulder. The young prince sighed and grinned partially.
"Do you really think that is how Lady Hilda will see me, even after I left Scott to die, when the Empire took over Fynn. I know she blames me still...she must blame me. It was all my fault," Gordon responded.
"She will forgive you. I know she will. Princess Hilda isn't the type to hold grudges against someone like you. Come, let us go," Firion reassured as the party began to exit the chamber.
Maria paused suddenly, as the group approached the exit, and smelled the air. It was heavy with the scent of smoke, and the atmosphere around them began to grow hazy and hot.
"Do you smell that?" the violet-haired archer inquired, as the others paused and surveyed the environment.
"Fire?" Guy questioned as the others continued to look around but saw no sign of anything, until a bright light, like a ball of flame, materialized from the shadows.
"Gods, what is that?" Gordon gasped as the rebels readied their weapons.
It was a floating face made of intense flames. A fire spirit of sorts with burning, hollow eyes and a wide, open mouth. A crown of short horns protruded from its fiery body, and it moved with a horrible, echoing, and hissing scream.
"It's a Red Soul, or sometimes call a Shrieker. Minwu talked about them at times, during my lessons. They are elemental spirits, and this one happens to be a spirit of the fire element," Maria informed while readying her bow.
"This must be the Empire's doing! That creature is not of Kashuan!" Gordon exclaimed while clutching his spear. His hands were shaking making the battered lance vibrate and rattle.
"Don't be afraid. Forget what happened when you sparred with Firion, this will be your true test. You must focus and let go of everything else. Save the thinking for later. There is no room for it in a battle. You must operate on instinct," Maria stated before firing off a few arrows at the monster.
Gordon nodded and solidified his composure, before he lunged at the creature and sliced at it with his lance. The young prince dodged out of the way, when the Red Soul's flames lashed out toward him
"Not bad!" Firion commented while striking the fiend with his own sword. It released a heinous scream, as the mythril blade cut its strange body.
Maria's dark eyes studied the creature intensely, as the other three continued to strike it with sword, axe, and lance. She could feel some incredible power rising in the monster's core.
"Back away from it! Something's coming!" the female rebel suddenly shouted as she quickly chanted a Shell spell and casted it over the party. Firion and the others jumped away from the creature and watched, as the greenish veil of Maria's spell cloaked them in its protective magic.
The Red Soul suddenly released a high-pitched roar, and a high-level fire spell set the chamber ablaze with an inferno. Maria gasped in exhaustion and pain, as she felt the strength of her protective spell weaken at the intensity of the monster's magic. As the inferno died down, Maria collapsed to one knee.
"Maria!" Firion shouted while rushing to her side and helping her back to her feet.
"It's strong. Perhaps too strong for my magic. We have to defeat it quickly," the archer explained as Firion's grey eyes wandered with thought.
"But how? Our attacks barely have any effect on it," the grey-haired rebel replied watching as Guy and Gordon continued to keep it at bay.
"Put out flames!" Guy suddenly shouted as he struck the Red Soul, again, with his axe.
"Guy is right. We need to extinguish it, but we can't do it with magic. It is the type that will just absorb it as its own energy," Maria stated.
"Then how? I doubt dumping my canteen on it is going to do anything," Firion spoke, while thinking that it might be smarter to flee with the torch than to continue to face such a creature. Maria thought for a moment, before her eyes lifted up to Firion's in revelation.
"The lake! The lake outside of the castle," she responded as a blank look stole Firion's expression.
"Are you mad? Do you know how far we had to climb up this castle to get here? The lake is all the way back down those steps," Firion reminded feeling that his female comrade had gone delirious with her weakened state.
"The torch! If Egil's Torch can restrain and house the immense power of the Sunfire, the difficulty of it housing a Fire Spirit would not be any greater than a grain of sand in comparison. Firion! Throw me the torch!" Gordon shouted while slicing at the Red Soul again. Firion thought for a moment, before he dug through his satchel and retrieved the artifact.
"Quickly! I can feel its foul powers growing, again!" Maria urged as the grey-haired youth tossed the torch to a waiting Gordon, who caught it and put it to the Red Soul. The torch glowed an amber light, that caused the creature to howl all the louder, before it was drawn inside, leaving nothing but a few floating embers in its wake.
Silence engulfed the chamber, as Gordon stared at the, once again, quiet relic in his hand. He handed it back to Firion. The torch was, now, slightly warm to the touch.
"We go to lake. Release soul underwater. It not survive that," Guy explained as Firion stored the torch back in his satchel before looking at Maria. She was pale and weakened at taking the brunt of the Red Soul's magic to protect the group.
"Can you make it back down?" Firion questioned as Maria smiled and shook her head.
"Alright, hang on to me," the rebel stated as he lifted the female rebel up into his arms and began to descend down the stairs followed by Gordon and Guy.
The sun was already hanging low in the western part of the sky, when the rebels emerged from the Keep, again. They traveled down to the lake and held the torch under the water's surface, as they released the Red Soul from its prison within the artifact. With a final, bubbling scream, the monster vanished into nothing beneath the surface of the lake.
"Are you ready to go and get the Sunfire? I can take you all, right now, to its shrine," Gordon stated as Firion looked to Maria and Guy.
"Guy, stay here and protect Maria. I will go alone with Gordon," the rebel explained as Guy glanced at Maria and then back to Firion, before nodding his head.
"Come back safely," the violet-haired archer commented as Firion gave her a smile and a nod, before grabbing a couple of lanterns and following Gordon back into the Keep.
The castle had grown dark with the setting of the sun, and the pair lit their lanterns and continued down the pitch-black passageways with Gordon in the lead. After a while of walking in silence, the young prince glanced over his shoulder at the other rebel.
"I know this is incredibly rude and personal to ask this, but are you and Maria...?" Gordon questioned as Firion shifted his grey eyes suspiciously over to the prince.
"What?" Firion questioned completely missing what Gordon was saying.
"You know what I am talking about," Gordon responded with his blond eyebrows shooting up into his hair.
"NO!" Firion exclaimed while feeling his cheeks turn the color of roses. Just the thought of Maria and himself in that sort of way made his heart flutter.
"Hey, don't get so upset! I was just curious," Gordon added apologetically, as Firion began to cool down and rethink his words.
"I mean, I would like to be, but no, we are not. I have known her and her family for most of my life. They were friends of my parents, you see. I was born in Salamand, but when the plague struck, my parents died. They learned of it and had me brought out to Fynn. They adopted me and raised me, like I was their own," the grey-haired rebel explained as the prince nodded understandingly.
"I am sorry for your loss. That was a hard time for many cities, especially in the north. I believe they were struck the hardest by that foul plague," Gordon commented as the two continued to tread down the void-like corridors.
"Aye, countless people died, and like now, the smell of death was always present. But now, it is the Empire's doing, not some uncontrollable force of nature," Firion responded while watching the countless shadows dance throughout the Keep due to the flickering light of their lanterns.
"Don't tell Maria this, but I have loved her since we were small children. I was just always too afraid to profess it to her, because I knew her older brother, Leon, would beat me to a bloody pulp, if he ever learned of it. I guess it is just an old habit, now, that I still do not say anything," Firion stated.
"Where is her brother? I have never seen him with you in Altair," Gordon inquired curiously.
"He went missing right after the Empire invaded Fynn. I suppose it would be wiser to presume him as dead, by now, but Maria still holds on to hope that he is alive out there somewhere," Firion responded as Gordon remained silent, probably thinking about the loss of his own older brother.
"So, what about you and Princess Hilda?" Firion suddenly questioned as Gordon snapped his head to the rebel and widened his green eyes. A slight blush was splayed out across his face.
"What? Oh, please," the young prince responded as Firion skipped up to him and poked him with his elbow.
"Hey, I told you about my feelings, now it is time for you to fess-up. You must agree, it is only fair," Firion stated with a wide smile, as Gordon frowned before releasing a sigh.
"Fine! I...I like her, okay?" the prince admitted as Firion rolled his grey eyes in response.
"Is that all?" the rebel questioned as Gordon began to fidget.
"Whether it is or not, she always loved my older brother, and he loved her. They had just became engaged, before the Empire began the war. They were going to be married in the Great Hall of Kashuan Keep. Their union would have united the kingdoms," Gordon explained sadly as they finally came to the large, ornate doors of the Sunfire's shrine.
"I was always so jealous of my brother. Whenever he came around, Lady Hilda forgot I even existed, but even though I was envious of them, I was happy, too. Their love was strong. It was as if, they were made for one another. I could never compete with that, not even now," the prince added as they just stood outside the doors with lanterns in their hands.
"You sell yourself short. You should tell her how you feel, when you see her, again," Firion said as Gordon smirked at him.
"I will, if you tell Maria how you feel," the young prince suggested as Firion thought for a moment before turning toward him with his hand extended.
"Deal!" the young rebel replied as Gordon furrowed his brow and bit his lip nervously, before finally, responding. He wasn't expecting Firion to actually agree.
"Fine, deal," Gordon replied with a tone of surrender, as he accepted the other man's hand.
"Shall we?" Firion questioned as the two turned and faced the doorway, once more.
"Yes," Gordon responded before the pair pushed the doors open with ease.
Even though it was called a shrine, the scene that greeted them was more like a vast garden hidden by the Keep's large and secure walls. The two rebels strode their way inside, passing through beautiful and lush vegetation. Fountains and small waterfalls murmured, as they continued to walk in the silver light of the full moon. Stars blanketed the black sky, and crickets and other nightlife could be heard in the surrounding environment.
"There it is," Gordon suddenly stated pointing toward a glowing, spherical light in the distance. As the two approached, they could see that it was a beautiful and wild amber-colored flame burning in an ebony, bowl-like altar.
Firion could sense the strange, alien energy that resonated and pulsed from it in warm and powerful waves.
"This is the symbol of my great nation, the Kingdom of Kashuan. The Empire tried to extinguish our flame with their bloodthirst and greed, but it did not yield to them nor will it ever," Gordon spoke as he drew the amber flame into the torch.
"Kashuan's symbol shall be the embodiment of the vengeance my people deserve! This flame will bring Rafaela's judgement upon the Empire, and they shall know the sorrow, pain, and rage my people and all of Fynn have been forced to feel throughout this war. They will know it tenfold. I swear it to you now, my father, mother, and brother. You will be avenged," the young prince of the fallen star stated while holding the glowing body of the Egil's Torch up toward the dark heavens.
"You will be avenged. I swear..."
To be continued...