8/2/05 Chapter 6. For the sake of authenticity, I'm not going to change anything in the chapter, except for whatever grammar mistakes I pick up. That's because there isn't anything anything I need to add, so why bother? Might as well upload asap.
Disclaimer: I do not own CT, only the original characters in this story.
Date: 12005 B.C.
"Hello, your Majesty." Lucca muttered humbly, facing the monarch, and bowing her head. The situation was more mortifying than it was awkward; Lucca didn't think she would ever have to see her Majesty again, but being in such close proximity of the latter only added to Lucca's anxiety. Queen Zeal smiled, placed her hand on Lucca's chin, and lifted it so she could look into the inventor's eyes. Lucca, paralyzed with fear, did not jerk back, but only stared into Queen Zeal's face, peering into the Queen's eyes. They were somber and blue, almost like a pool of murky water; yet, the blue fluctuated between a light sky blue to the deepest shade of turquoise Lucca had ever seen. All this, set against an imposing smile on the Queen's countenance, frightened Lucca even more. She could see herself in the Zealian's pupils, small and harmless, easily killed like the rest that Queen Zeal had murdered.
"Sit down, please." Queen Zeal answered, motioning Lucca to a chair. They were inside her Majesty's chambers in Kajar. Another deviation from the narrative must be made here, for the nature of Queen Zeal's quarters were something to be expounded upon. Queen Zeal had quarters in each of the three cities in Zeal Kingdom (Enhasa, Kajar, and the capital, Zeal), and as expected, they were each the size of a small province and decorated with the most exquisite items possible. There was velvet, silk, gold, platinum, all other precious metal Lucca had ever known, along with a fine helping of mithril, whose rarity has already been discussed. All for this mad woman. Lucca almost cursed herself for coming to this place. She had seen all the pain the Queen had inflicted, seen Janus' transformation into a killer, fueled by the loss of his sister and his home. It wasn't very surprising then, that she couldn't help but hate the woman asking her to be seated, no matter how much logic reminded Lucca that Queen Zeal hadn't committed any atrocities yet, and no matter how many times she reminded herself that she should have been executed on the spot for standing and looking at the Queen directly in the eye, regardless of its unintention. Lucca sat down, hiding her detestation unsuccessfully.
"You seem troubled. Is there something wrong?" The Queen asked with sophisticated poise, sitting opposite to Lucca. The latter jumped at the Queen's question. Could the sovereign of Zeal read minds, or was Lucca just not very good at hiding her thoughts? The latter seemed truer, though Lucca did n.
Lucca stammered for a second, looking for an excuse. When she couldn't find one, Lucca blushed and stared at the ground. Zeal continued to smile, as she always did, for some reason. And she never seemed joyful as that daunting grin adorned her face; just superior and haughty, the way a master chess player smiles when he knows he has a guaranteed checkmate in three moves, and the opponent doesn't know it. Yet, one could not accuse her of that, because she had sacrificed so much for her people to live the lives they lived now. Furthermore, it seemed she always smiled that way, not unlike the way Lucca cackled deviously even when she had no devious plot in mind, so there was no reason to blame her for ulterior motives.
"Well then. What is your name?" Queen Zeal asked. Her grin disappeared and was replaced by a curious expression. When Lucca finally looked up from the designs in the carpeted ground, Zeal gave an expression of relief, appearing more motherly than any image of the Virgin Mary. Lucca lost all her dislike for the Queen at that moment. Maybe she wasn't such a bad person after all?
"M-my name is Lucca. Queen Zeal, I presume?" Lucca asked. The Queen laughed softly.
"Is there anyone who does not know my name? Sometimes, I wish I were one of the masses. Then I wouldn't have so much responsibility." Lucca raised an eyebrow at this. "So, Lucca, where are you from?" Lucca frowned. She was reluctant to tell Zeal of her origins, even though it would make no difference. Maybe, she could act as though she was from these islands.
"I am from Enhasa. My family has been there for seven generations. I am the first to venture out of it." Lucca said, trying to sound as truthful as possible. Queen Zeal grinned and got up.
"I would believe you, but Enhasa was built five generations ago. 3500 years ago, to be exact." Lucca groaned inwardly. Why did her lies always get exposed? "Now, where are you really from?" There was no point being dishonest now.
"I will be born about 13000 years from now. Zeal Kingdom ceased to exist by some catastrophe-," Lucca shut up almost immediately when she saw Queen Zeal frown. Her blue eyes demanded Lucca to continue, but Lucca excluded the fact that her Majesty had brought Lavos' wrath upon her people. "Anyway, I was attacked by some monsters one day, and some kind of freak accident occurred, and my magical powers spun out of control. I used my time machine to get to Kajar and research what was wrong." For the first time since Lucca's initial visit here, she saw Queen Zeal confused.
"How is it that you possess magic if Zeal was destroyed? The Earthbounds have not even an ounce of magic in them!" Lucca regretted telling the truth that time. If she gave out any vital information, Queen Zeal may not summon Lavos. But that would mean that Zeal Kingdom would still exist. But then, there would be no Telepod because of the focus of magic rather than technological advancement, and Lavos would never be discovered until its arrival in 1999 A.D. And with no Earthbound domes, the human race would die out! Lucca thought all of this quickly, and didn't realize that she had spent almost 5 minutes silent while the Queen awaited an answer.
"Well!" Lucca jumped, being snapped out of her thoughts.
"There were survivors. They must have mated with Earthbounds somewhere in my ancestry." Lucca answered plainly. Zeal was still flustered, and somewhat angry.
"Ancestry? Then how would you know of this said catastrophe? Is this some sort of story passed down through generations, or something? What are you even doing here? Sabotaging us, perhaps? Are you the catastrophe!" Zeal asked, frustrated at Lucca's declaration that the Queen hard-earned dominion would be annihilated. Lucca punched herself inwardly. She couldn't let this conversation go on, or something could change in the course of history. There was too much of a risk. A plan suddenly formulated in Lucca's mind, and she smirked. Upon seeing Queen Zeal's eyes narrow at her display of pleasure, Lucca felt sick.
"Your Majesty, you are more gullible than I thought!" Lucca said, faking amusement. Queen Zeal stood up abruptly, obviously furious and confused.
"What are you talking about!" Lucca looked down like a scared child, but could help but smile at her Majesty's expense. "Speak, you fool!" the monarch said, her voice rising. Lucca felt an urge to hide herself, but for her scheme to work, she would need to summon a fabricated impression of confidence.
"I was only testing you, your Majesty. I live in Kajar, and I fell across a book that was ominously geared towards me, almost as if I was destined to read it. You startled me when I turned around, that is all. You should have seen the look on your face!" Lucca chuckled, honestly amused at both her success in sounding realistic, and at Queen Zeal fuming. She hated the Zealian so much that any thing bothering the monarch was a plus in Lucca's eyes.
"Do not dare attempting such pleasantries in my presence, or I will have you executed." Queen Zeal said, her voice colder than the ice covering the Earth's surface. Lucca felt a lump in her throat and realized the seriousness of her statements. A prophecy of Zeal's destruction to a Zealian, particularly the ruler of the kingdom, was certainly not amusing. Lucca bowed down and began asking for pardon. The Queen's tone as she threatened Lucca was the most frightening thing Lucca had ever experienced. Well, besides the video of Lavos violating the Earth in the year 1999 A.D.
"I-I am sorry." The Queen said, walking towards a window. Lucca rose to her feet, and stared with amazement at the back of Zeal's head. She expected her Majesty to execute her right then and there. Maybe she did have a soul.
"No, no, it was my fault. Such a joke is extremely inappropriate." Lucca said, sincerity in her voice.
"It's just that…I've sacrificed so much for my people. I always dread what would happen if Zeal was destroyed." A pause. "Enlightened Ones, they know nothing of survival. They can't even light a match without magic. But we have gone too far to relearn these basic skills. We depend of magic too much, so much that I fear a new source will need to be found. The Sun Palace by itself is not enough." Lucca gasped, but placed a hand over her mouth so the Queen couldn't hear her. The need for energy is what drew the Queen to build the Undersea Palace and awaken Lavos, thereby destroying her kingdom. How ironic…
"Please forgive me. I was extremely inconsiderate." Lucca said meekly. The Queen turned around, smiling her normal smile to Lucca's relief. She walked up to Lucca and started talking again.
"So, what book were you reading?" The Queen asked, changing the topic. Lucca grinned herself, glad that that episode was over. She felt a bit sorry for Zeal, now that she knew the torture the monarch went through, knowing that the magic the Enlightened Ones relied upon so much would eventually be their downfall. Regardless, she could never forgive the monarch for what she had done, regardless of what torment Queen Zeal endured.
"It was a book on magical feedback. I am suffering from a condition much like the one described in that book." Lucca said. She sat down again, and the Queen followed her example.
"How old are you?" Lucca didn't find this question completely unexpected. After all, the primary symptom of magical feedback was looking older than you really were. Unfortunately, Lucca had no idea how old a typical Zealian teenager was. If 5 generations of Enlightened Ones spanned 3500 years, the life expectancy must have been over a millennium! The magic sustained even the aging of these people.
"I-I'm 16 years old." Lucca stuttered, unable to think of an appropriate lie. To her relief, Zeal's expression did not change. The fabrication was realistic, at least.
"You look far past your years." The Queen commented plainly. Lucca nodded, and looked down, glancing at her nails. They were extremely long, even though she had cut them in Khadgara's cave, that morning. Looking out the window from the corner of her eye, Lucca noted that it was dusk.
"Show me some magic." Queen Zeal said, snapping Lucca out of her thoughts again. Lucca blinked.
"Pardon me?" Lucca said. She pretended as if she didn't her the question, when she really felt anxiety over Queen Zeal's sudden request. Maybe she was becoming paranoid…
"A spell. Of some kind." Her Majesty added. Lucca nodded, inwardly annoyed and yet desperately wanted to please. As long as she avoided execution. She had come a bit too close last time.
Walking to the middle of the room, Lucca closed her eyes and felt the magic roar in her veins. The intricate robes began to levitate from the expenditure of energy, and Lucca's long hair because to lift as well. A light coating of embers surrounded her, and her eyes began glowing red, the color of fire. Queen Zeal looked pleased, standing across the room and sighing. Lucca ignored her, her thoughts completely turned towards her display. She felt an unusual sense of elation every time she did this, more so than any other spell, almost as if chains binding her ankles were suddenly broken. Lucca opened her, a wide grin adorning her gorgeous features. The embers turned into a full-fledged flame, all of it flowing towards her right arm. She drew her palm out, the nimble fingers surging with magic. Without any thought, Lucca thrusted her palm into the ground, and drew an intricate crest on the ground with her index finger.
"Quite impressive. I assume you are gearing up for the grand finale?" Queen Zeal said, yet it all sounded distant in Lucca's ears. She looked at her crests, smiling maniacally, her eyes glowing bright red, flickering as if on fire themselves. The natural glow has disappeared, and a remote rumble shook the room. Seconds later, a pillar of flame arose from the carpet, vaporizing it and heading for the ceiling in its path of destruction. The pillar engulfed Lucca, who was laughing inside of it idiotically. Before colliding with the dome above the two women, however, the pillar turned ice-blue, it's temperature falling to a horribly low temperature. Three seconds later, the pillar shattered and turned into shards of hail all over the ground. Lucca looked around in bewilderment, trying to find what had shut her spell down. Queen Zeal was the culprit, apparently; she had her arm extended to where the ice has first assailed Lucca's pillar.
"Remarkable. Simply remarkable." Queen Zeal said, clapping softly and walking towards Lucca. Lucca was confused and slightly dizzy from her exertion, falling forward and being caught by the monarch, who led her back to her chair. "Though you should be less reckless." Lucca had heard that one before and grinned at the familiarity. She wondered how Khadgara was at the moment. No doubt still guarding that cave, not seeing any sign of life for hours at a time. And her brother would probably be harassing someone else in Kajar.
"Lucca, let me propose an offer." Queen Zeal said after Lucca had seated. Lucca raised her eyebrows lazily. She was still exhausted from her effort. "How about I train you in the arts of magic? You seem to have quite a lot of potential, power that should be harnessed, and not left to waste." Lucca sat up, and looked intently at the Queen's face, waiting for her to continue. "What say you? I'm sure it will be quite an experience." Lucca smiled lightly, spotting no malice in Her Majesty's tone.
"Of course. I would think well of this!" Lucca answered gleefully.
Date: 12005 B.C.
Lucca dragged her feet across the open fields, heading for a place to get some sleep. Considering there were no records of her living in Kajar as she had claimed, Lucca had a tough time convincing the queen that she was a native. In the end, however, Queen Zeal gave Lucca a signed document practically forcing the residential directors in Kajar to give Lucca a room. Along with this document was a list of books that Lucca would need to read before her training begun in a week.
"Great, just great. I'm back in elementary school. With my own private tutor, to top it all off." Lucca said to no one in particular. She and her Majesty had met in the adjoining mansion of an eloquent courtyard in the recesses of Kajar, so Lucca was stuck with a five-mile walk back to the main ground. She was tired enough as it was from trying to show off, and the added strain on her legs wouldn't help.
"I wonder what the witch is going to teach me. Probably how to invoke Lavos, or a procedure for massacre through the Mammon Machine." Lucca muttered cynically. But then again, there was no Mammon Machine yet. The plans for that would come in a few years.
"C'mon Lucca, you're being too hard on her. The poor lady has a lot of responsibility on her shoulders." Lucca said out loud, once again. There was no one around for miles, being as no Zealian could enter the Queen's residence without an appointment. That gave Lucca a sense of security, considering she was badmouthing their matriarch.
"Bullshit," Lucca answered to herself. She knew she was exaggerating in her attacks. Queen Zeal really did have a lot of responsibility, particularly having to quench her people's constant thirst for magic. As if they didn't have enough magic to begin with…
"I think the lack of sleep is making you cranky." Lucca's reasonable side said matter-of-factly.
"Shaddup…" Lucca said. She could see the large gate that would lead her into the main grounds, and the soft bed that would carry her away to a land of dreams.
"You really are tired, glorifying sleep that much. 'A land of dreams?' How fruity."
"Why are you still here? Go away!" Lucca said, more annoyed than angry. She said down for about a minute to catch her breath; her desire to repose had made her pick up her pace.
"Unfortunately, I can't do that. And don't worry about the lessons either. I bet Queen Zeal can teach you a thing or two about fire." Lucca said softly. She got back on her feet and resumed her walk towards the city gates.
"Yeah, she'll show me how to burn Earthbound villages."
"She did no such thing!"
"Good point."
"Sometimes, I can't believe I'm you. It seems so awkward. You are the most ungrateful person in existence."
"That's because I'm tired."
"So what? That's no reason to slander her Majesty!"
"So, sucking up to her already, you traitor?"
"What do you mean? I'm you! YOU'RE SUCKING UP TO HER!"
"Don't try that reverse psychology crap, I practically invented it…"
"And you are me, so I invented it! Ha, take that!"
"I need to get to sleep soon so you can shut it."
"…I'll be back!"
Date: 12005 B.C.
After retrieving her robes and a few pointless items (namely the holster for her Wondershot, which was still laying on the ground somewhere, Lucca had finally reached her destination: the room given to her by her majesty. Ironically, the definition of "room" in Zeal was the equivalent of the Mayor's Mansion in Porre. House here meant castle in Guardia.
"Finally, for some shut – HOLY-!" Lucca gasped. Having expected a small wooden chamber with an adjoining bathroom (Lucca took it to her head that the Queen was out to make her miserable), she was stunned when she saw a waterfall with massive trees everywhere. Her bed was about the size of a room, and she had natural sunlight for a lamp. It must have been one of those enchanted ceilings again.
"You see, her Majesty wants you to be comfor-" Lucca's reasonable side said unexpectedly.
"Hopefully, when I wake up, I will not hear voices in my head!" Lucca said out loud, making her seem insane. She had always been a bit on the insane side, what with her different moods popping up and talking to her, though she was nowhere near schizophrenic. For some reason, the desire to sleep always spawned a conversation with herself.
"Fine, fine. I'll go join the rest of you like a repugnant slave." Lucca's sensible side said. Lucca grinned.
"Good girl…" That being done, Lucca splashed some water on her face, waking her up enough to get rid of her amicable friend's yapping. Looking about the room, she came to the conclusion that it was a result of magic, like everything else no doubt. The waterfall seemed to come from some imaginary cliff, though none could be seen, and the roots of the various trees stopped halted their growth exactly on the doorway.
Lucca went over the list of books required to read, and noticed that she had 25 books assigned to her. Queen Zeal had taken the liberty of listing the number of pages they had as well, which came out to, on average, 1000 pages. Throwing the list down on the bed, Lucca continued to look around the room. There seemed to be no mirror, a major insurgence in Lucca's efforts to blend in with the rest of Zeal Kingdom.
"What kind of idiot would go through all the effort making waterfalls and not put a mirror?" Lucca said in irritation. Well, at least she was going to live in here rather than on the surface. As Lucca turned towards her bed, intent on recuperating all the energy she wasted impressive Zeal's monarch, a gleam caught her eye, and she spotted a mirror laying against a tree. It was about 7 feet tall, in a wide oval shape, and adorned with various designs etched in silver.
"I guess I have my mirror after all…"
I finished this story 10 days late… Sorry everyone. You see, I have to be in the right mood to write well, and any time I'm in this mood, something comes up, and by the time I'm done with that something, I'm not on a roll anymore…Chapter 7 should be done soon, though!
R&R! Next chapter, Lucca starts her training. That should be fun!