Chapter 18: Pause
Sometimes, in the middle of a traumatic event, time suddenly stops. The world becomes a picture and everything is frozen in space, like a scene in a film paused for a long time. You remember what the room smelled like, or what you were wearing from the shirt color to if your shoes were tied or not, and you remember the emotions felt. You remember the emotions more than anything else.
Markl's world paused and he remembered it all - Howl unconscious in Kenta's arms, Kenta slapping his face and chest and yelling at Howl to wake up. He smelled the rancid sweat building up inside; he heard the excruciating pain in Kenta'a cries; and he saw the tightness of the space as the cage felt like it was growing smaller by the second.
But worst of all, worse than anything the young boy had witnessed, were the monsters.
The smell of their uncleansed breath, like the smell of sewer water, breathing through the tiny windows that lined the cage. Markl felt their jagged claws grazing against the metal that sheltered them from the outside. His skin crawled with bumps at the sound of each scratch. It was like hearing nails on a chalkboard over and over and over again.
Kenta's voice was loud, Markl knew that. But for some reason, his thoughts rang louder in his head. The older magician's voice faded away as Markl's mind turned to his newfound adrenaline, calculating each and every possible solution.
The nightmare spell, the titan's strength spell, even the noteva and sadi enchantments in a combination to create the gavidere curse, a simple way to render the monsters powerless. Just from his memory, those were some of the most effective and exceptional spells for the situation at hand.
Yet Markl only remembered their names - not the chantings.
One monster slobbered through the tiny slits on the cage. The saliva dripped down the side, but Markl scooted to the middle of the cage to avoid the drops. He thought about Heen's drools and how disgusted he was whenever he found something the dog had salivated on - usually something of Markl's. Even with that nasty remembrance, these slobbers were far more repulsive than Heen.
Focus, the boy thought. Focus on the spell book. Markl racked his brain, trying to recall the lines of the spells he studied right before Gwenda entered the flower shop the previous day. Even though none of them would help Howl heal from this, Markl remembered at least one or two that may get them out of this mess. Though Howl had wanted to teach these himself, Markl was too eager and wanted to learn on his own.
So he had borrowed Howl's mage spell book.
The mage's spells were powerful. Howl had used a countless number of these old rituals around him, and Markl was always enthralled by them. After Howl provided the young boy a demonstration of the spells, Markl then snuck up to his room to try them himself.
Though most of them never worked, he remembered two that did. The first one, he turned his room into the galaxy, where stars and planets surrounded him. He was able to touch the blinding lights and push the planets around with a light touch of his fingers.
It felt strangely familiar to be in the presence of stars, almost like how Calcifer felt remembering his years as an actual star. Markl had never seen such beauty in his room.
The last one, Markl found more appropriate for this situation. He used this spell to revive a small rodent that was on its last leg, cursed by Howl and left for dead. And before Gwenda interrupted him in the flower shop earlier the day before, he had just gone through that exact spell...
"Come on, Howl. You must fight." Kenta said, holding back a stream of tears. "You can come back from this. I know it." Kenta was working on only one plan: waiting for Howl to somehow get out of this mess on his own. His emotions almost never clouded his training; he relied on logic to guide his years of studying magic and perfecting his form and trying to be one step ahead of everyone in their class.
But now, in the moment his friend needed him most, he had drawn a blank.
Kenta noticed Howl's animalistic side evolved over his true form. His fingers turned to bird claws; black raven feathers covered his fair skin; and his face slowly began morphing into a haunting creature. Kenta shook his head and tried snapping some sense into him before it was too late.
The creatures pushed and shoved the metal cage back and forth, causing a disturbance among the three wizards. Kenta held on to Howl with a fierce grip while Markl attempted to balance himself, at the same time repeating a spell he had only recited to perfection once before.
Markl tightened his eyes shut and drowned out all the noise around him. He concentrated all his power for this one moment, this one spell. "defahr fouvics, aselk dogaf etere..."
Kenta looked up at the boy, watching as his hands wrapped around a glowing ball, a beautiful light shining brightly from within. Kenta recognized the spell he was repeating, though he hadn't thought of it until now.
"Markl..." Kenta whispered, but the young wizard continued the spell undisturbed. He was determined to save his master.
"...defahr fouvics, molied youte artel."
The light grew stronger, and as Markl repeated the spell, the light honed in on Howl. His lifeless body slowly regenerated, regaining the strength he needed to survive. His monstrous form halted and began reverting back to normal. His breathing regulated, and his skin turned its natural color – his life was coming back again.
"Markl, keep going." Kenta said. The young wizard continued the spell as Kenta regained his own inner strength. He breathed in and out elongated breaths, calming his heart and mind. Though small in numbers, these two could outmaneuver the countless monsters that trapped them inside.
Kenta crossed his legs and whispered a curse from the Elven traditional spell book. Kenta remembered this curse from a long time ago, and found it appropriate for this situation. The curse entailed that any creature harboring vile intentions be placed under a deep sleep, only to awaken when the mind purified the creature.
As Markl repeated his spell one last time, Kenta began his curse. He waved his index finger in the shape of a V, keeping a steady beat as he hummed and whispered words with which Markl was unfamiliar. However, as the older wizard continued chanting, the attacks outside their cage gradually silenced.
Kenta only needed to say the curse once for the effects to occur. By the time the last syllable left his lips, all commotion ceased. No snarls, no scratches, no bloodthirsty cries – the monsters had fallen.
Kenta opened his eyes and immediately turned to a frightened Markl. His arms shook with fear as he held his wand with both hands. Kenta eased the boy's worry with a confident smile. "We did it, kid."
"We... we did?"
He raised an eyebrow, gesturing to the tiny slits of windows. "I don't see the monsters attacking us anymore. And Howl..."
They turned to the once lifeless Howl who had now returned to a full-fledged mastery wizard. He fluttered his eyes, but before he regained full consciousness, a blackened ghost emerged from his mouth and departed from the cage, vanishing in the air.
Howl's breathing was arduous and labored as his senses heightened. He pushed himself forward, resting a hand on his forehead. He squinted his eyes in pain as a migraine pounded inside his head.
"Howl..." Kenta knelt next to him and grasped his arm. "Howl, you're awake."
The nearly transformed wizard grunted and dropped his head into his palms. "Ugh, I feel like a giant weight just slammed into me."
Kenta chuckled. "Yeah, you might feel like that for a little bit." He helped him sit up and recover from his traumatic torture. Kenta had been through the same ordeal, though his torture was far longer and more strenuous than what Howl just experienced. He had almost forgotten how quick the effects of the glowing orb were.
"Master Howl, you're alive." Markl smiled wide and wrapped his arms around his master's neck, almost to the point of choking him. Howl grunted from the force, but soon embraced his young apprentice who had worked so hard and diligently to free him.
"Markl, I am so proud of you."
Markl froze when Howl spoke. He had never heard him say that to him before, and for such a long time Markl thought he would never be as good as Howl wanted him to be. Howl was proud of him; he was truly proud.
"You... you are?"
Howl nodded. "Although I was unconscious for most of the events, I heard you repeating the purifying heart spell. You must have been practicing on your own, and it most definitely paid off today."
"I remembered the spell once he began the incantation." Kenta said. "I was surprised that a wizard of his age was capable of enacting such a challenging spell."
Howl titled his head, a crafty smirk on his face. "He's my apprentice - never underestimate his abilities." The three laughed heartily and for the first time, they were all able to feel some semblance of joy.
Kenta busted the metal door that locked them inside the cage and it flew across the room. The three wizards emerged from the prison, only to find an army of deformed wizards in a deep slumber around them. They slyly evaded the vicious creatures, all while shielding their minds from the blinding light of the orb as they made their way to the opened ventilation. They had all been affected by its power in one way or another, and were not prepared to go through the same turmoil again.
"Howl, we couldn't find Sophie." Kenta sighed. "We waited until nighttime when the guards were less active to restart our search, but by morning we still had no leads."
Howl growled under his breath. "She's trapped in the highest tower in the Palace. I met her there late last night..." Howl's mind traveled back to the wondrous memories they created during their time together. The feeling of their bodies molding together, the vulnerability both felt in each other's presence, and the love they shared. He had never felt that way with anyone he'd been intimate, never thought that such an act could possess such virtue. He had never been that vulnerable with anyone other than Sophie.
They climbed inside the vent and flew up, one by one. "How are we supposed to get her back, then?"
"We'll find a way." Howl said, determined to not let her go through any more pain caused by him.
Sneaking through the main entryway of the Palace was simple for three cunning wizards. The invisibility spell that Kenta and Markl used earlier came in handy, and in no time they had found themselves in the Palace Gardens. Though glamorous shrubberies and flowers blossomed in Suliman's personal oasis, Howl was haunted by its terrorizing beauty.
"Howl, look!" The older wizards turned to Markl as he pointed toward rows and rows of fighter jets, all lined up in perfect unison under a wide dome.
Howl tilted his head in confusion. The war was over; it had been for a year. The army bases should have locked away the artillery and war vehicles for future purposes.
Why would King Roland hide them behind the Palace?
He shook his head. It was their only way to get Sophie. "I guess we're flying."
Kenta froze. "Suliman may be able to track us if we take them."
Howl sighed. "We have no other choice. Sophie doesn't have powers, and we can't just walk on air all the way to Market Chipping."
"Yes, but–" As Kenta tried persuading Howl otherwise, they were too distracted by the piercing screams echoing from the highest point of the Kingsbury Palace.
. ❀ 。• * ₊ ° 。❀ ° 。
Sometimes, when in a situation with seemingly no solution, time suddenly stops. The future seems bleak and bleary and nothing can stop the predictions from coming true. You see things differently than what you had imagined; you see the end result you never thought would come to pass. And time stops simply so you can have a moment of peace before the rage of battle.
Sophie's world paused - the slamming door; the harsh breeze against the large window; and the terror of a former friend turned psychotic enemy. The goosebumps trailed along her skin as the room froze into an icy wasteland. She thought for a moment she would join the frost and become more vulnerable than she already was, but that wasn't an option; it could never be anymore.
However, in Justin's presence, alone and no safeguard to protect her, she was susceptible to anything coming her way.
Justin paced back and forth parallel to the window and Sophie. She stood against the bed, anxious of being any closer to him. While she felt her best bet was to jump out the window and climb down the shingles of the tower, the faint, invisible barrier was still intact. Without magic, she had no way of breaking the pesky shield.
He shook his head as he spoke under his breath, then punched his fist into his palm multiple times. Justin continued pacing as the anger inside of him rose further and further until he stopped dead in his tracks, his thoughts ruptured.
"I am completely and utterly disgraced by you." Justin whispered, his voice low and raspy. "You agreed to marry me knowing that in return no harm would come to your precious Howl and his crazy family of magicians. You would have received everything you wanted: gold, jewels, private servants. You name it! And this is how you repay me for my generosity?"
Sophie stood up straight, completely baffled. "Generosity? You think all that you've done to me was out of generosity? Have you lost your mind?"
Justin was about to retract, but Sophie walked toward him, her finger pushing him back to the wall with her steps. "You proposed to me when you knew I was happy with Howl. You lied to me about being in love with my sister, and then you had her killed. You kidnapped me and then forced me into a marriage with you with petty threats against Howl's life. All of these things... and you think that was being generose?"
Justin retreated, his back pressed against the wall next to the window. Sophie's finger pushed his chest with force, her anger building up inside. She was directly in front of him, her courage so filled with rage and determination. It was quite alluring to the Prince, and he reminisced on what piqued his interest in a girl who had fallen victim to a curse, same as him. He reminisced on all that he yearned from her, and dared not waste a moment waiting to fulfill his desires.
Instead of arguing or admitting defeat, Justin cupped Sophie's cheeks and forcefully leaned in to her. His kiss was so vigorous against her exposed lips, and Sophie felt him push farther and farther away from the window until her back legs hit the edge of the bed. His lips were aggressive and violent against hers, and it was hard for her to even catch a breath. No matter how many times she denied him, no matter her professed love for another - Justin refused to let her go.
She yanked his arms off of her with as much strength as she could muster. As she flung them away from her, she slapped his cheek, the sound resonating throughout the room. Sophie held fists at her side, breathing in and out with unfathomable bitterness. Justin had gone too far in the past, but this was blatant abuse.
Justin bent over, a hand lightly brushing his reddened cheek. He hadn't expected Sophie to react with so much fury, so much hatred. He thought she would see things his way once they shared their first kiss. Not some kiss on the cheek that ultimately broke a spell on him, but a true kiss. A true test of how powerful their love was.
She obviously needed more convincing.
Justin shook his head, the corner of his mouth crooked. "You love me. Somewhere deep in your heart, you know you love me."
"No." Sophie said with trembling lips. "No, I don't. I never have and I never will. My heart belongs to Howl."
Justin stood up straight and held his hand over his chest. "The one thing you can always count on is that hearts change."
Sophie tensed. "Then I'm counting on you to stop this madness."
Justin chuckled softly, taking fragile steps toward her. "You'll see things my way soon enough."
In an instant, Justin lunged for Sophie. She quickly rolled to the side away from him, watching as he fell directly onto the bed. He twisted around and laid on his back, Sophie already on the other side of the room. She rushed to the writing desk looking for anything she could use in defense. Her eyes focused on a vase filled with Justin's precious roses. Somehow those flowers always appeared, and right now it was the only thing she had against him. It was an impulsive move, and Justin was already behind her as the idea formed in her head.
He grabbed her arms and tried pulling her back, but Sophie fought hard. She cried for help, her screams sending a flight of doves outside the window fleeing from the scene. She held onto the desk, her nails scratching the wood surface. Blood pooled underneath her strained nails, but refused to let go. When she finally had a better grip, she lifted one hand and grasped the vase.
In a split second, she smashed the glass against Justin's head.
His clawing, obsessive hands pried open as he lost consciousness and plummeted to the floor. Sophie shut her eyes, whispering soft and silent reassurances to her lonesome self to end this nightmare. A menace, an obsessive and manipulative scourge - she pleaded that it was over, that he could no longer harm her.
Eventually, she fluttered her eyes open and witnessed the result of her actions. The blonde Prince was lost in a deep slumber surrounded by shards of glass and a small pool of blood trickling from his forehead. The white roses that lay on the ground around him were dotted and stained with his red blood.
She screamed louder and sharper, piercing her own ears. She clamped onto her arms with a scathing grip until her skin burned. She leaned against the edge of the bed, sitting on the floor barely away from Justin. He was a monster; he forced himself upon her - forced her to choose between love, and then between their lives. He was prepared to go to extremes just to hear the words 'I love you' come from her lips.
Had she just killed him?
The tears pooled out from her eyes. She never wanted it to come to this. She never thought he was so desperate for her love. He kidnapped her, manipulated her, and abused her - all due to an infatuated obsession that one day, she would share his affection. He killed her sister, blinded her with a false sense of romance, all in the hopes that Sophie would somehow fall in love with him.
As Sophie cried helplessly, she couldn't begin to imagine the depths of his twisted mind. It was too demonic to fathom.
Moments later, two fighter jets appeared at her window. She heard the wings vibrating outside of the window, and she wiped her eyes clean. At first, she worried that it was the King and his guards, but quickly her worries drowned into immense joy. Her three wizards had come; they had all finally come for her.
"Howl..." Sophie stood up and ran toward the window. She hurriedly stood on the windowsill with shaky legs. Her nerves made it difficult to stay balanced, yet her relief was far too ecstatic that she would soon leave this wretched place.
Howl stood at the end of the fighter jet, whispering an enchantment that visually appeared to do nothing. However, when he stretched his to hers, she was able to clasp on with no effect of the barrier. Finally, they were together again.
She reflected back on all the events that led to this moment: Prince Justin's mysterious disappearance, Sophie's transformation into an elderly woman and eventually falling in love with the wizard Howl, only then to save Justin from his own transformation. If only she knew these events would occur merely from standing up to the Witch of the Wastes and being in the same alley that Howl had walked down, if only she knew she would feel overwhelming happiness and utter despair simultaneously.
Would she still have made the same decisions then, knowing her future?
Howl noticed the motionless Justin. "Did you...?"
Sophie nodded, bowing her head in guilt. She never wanted to be a killer, but she also never wanted to be taken advantage of ever again. Howl pulled her closet and embraced her with his familiar warmth. She held onto him for dear life, finally feeling safe.
Howl kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back. "Everything will be okay now. We're safe."
Sophie shook her head. "No, Howl." She looked up at him, her tears shining against the bright sunlight. "We may have beaten them this time, but we will never be safe. Not now, not ever."
Sad yet happy ending to this chapter? The world may never know. Also, I kinda want to apologize for the words I made up in Markl's spell. When I read them I thought to myself, "The readers probably think I'm crazy."
Side Note: I wasn't going to put anything in with Justin and Sophie that would have been uncomfortable 1) for you to read and 2) for me to write. It seemed more appropriate that she got of there mostly unharmed. I was just thinking, like this scene could have totally gone another way, but that's just... no. No one should ever go through that. I knew she was strong enough to fight him off. And now look what's happened! Hopefully our favorite characters can come back from this (sorry for those of you who like Justin in the movie/book).
