In the vast pale floating castle, an honorable man was walking with a purpose in his steps. His distinguished figure was decked in white fabric. With a closer look, the material glittered with golden and silver threads upon every movement, unlike the humble uniforms everyone else wore. It was his only luxury in this dreary boring place, as the man could not be any different from the crowd. He was cordially greeted by the passersby but with dismissive nods in their direction, the man did not stop for any conversation. When nobody saw the polite face melted away revealing a contemptuous sneer at the never-ending serenity and ghastly whiteness of the enchanted castle. Oh, how he detested and secretly desired this sacred place. The expansive magic in the air was exquisite, but the local inhabitants were nothing but senile old men and obstinate women. Endarno was a patient man. He vowed to himself to radically improve everything. Even the roots of this place will be ripped away in his rule. He merely had to bid his time, silently eliminating away the opposition.
With gritted teeth, the man smiled greeting another Elder, but inside he snarled. All his carefully laid plans in the past were destroyed because of one royal brat. He will make him suffer and revel in his enemy's pain, taking everything away until there will be nothing left, only ruins. One clever Queen and her offspring ruined everything he so painfully worked for. If not for them he would already rule one Kingdom. Yet by a mere chance in his most vulnerable moment, when he lost everything something better was gained. An unexpected bystander, an official ambassador from the Kandrakar…
There was always a better, bigger, higher prize. Before long Kandrakar will fall under his rule and from there on no one would oppose him. All the delicious magic in the world would be at his fingers. He merely had to wait… And he was good at it. Centuries came and went as he weaved the plans and devoured the magic of the Worlds. One host after other, one planet after another and now this was his ultimate award for all the defeats endured. The bitter taste of it never left him. He will ruthlessly destroy the princeling starting with his most beloved things. The man smirked, his intelligent face stretched into the delighted look. It has already started. It did not matter for how long the Prince will vainly struggle to delay the inevitable, there was no going back. The figures on the board were moving in his favor and now he will be gaining another weapon at his disposal.
Before his eyes was a room, enormously vast and saturated with magic and brilliant colors. The distinct sensation hung heavy in the air and hummed like the invisible strings, creating a harmonious melody. In the middle of the hall were gently flowing glowing orbs. They sparkled and danced in the tightly knitted circle never stopping moving just changing their brightness or size like the small suns.
Endarno licked his suddenly dry lips, inhaling the charged air. They were so bright to look at. It almost hurt his eyes. As the dazzling colors mesmerized him, he failed to notice a woman standing behind.
'What are you doing here?' the sudden question startled him out of the daze.
'Good afternoon, Luba, I did not notice you here.' regaining his polite appearance Endarno greeted the lady.
'I asked you a question?' she raised her bushy eyebrow looking unimpressed by his greeting.
'We had a deal. I will get rid of the current Guardians and you will select your students as the new potentials looking away from my dealings' he hissed at the sudden audacity of the cat woman.
'Perhaps, I have mutually agreed to those terms, but you possess no right to be here. As the Guardian of Aurameres, I request you to leave.' she calmly showed the door.
'I cannot do that…' he hissed and quickly as the snake struck her, for a second his eyes flashed black as the spell was cast. With eyes rolled inside her head, Luba slumped to the cold floor with a silent thud. Without any remorse, he turned around and approached the shining orbs. His hand unconsciously reached for the power thrumming beneath the fingers, but suddenly the defensive magic reacted and he swiftly withdrew. Shaking the severely burned arm, Endarno narrowed eyes into the tiny slits and looked at the already healing pink skin on the palm. The shield was not here before. The pent-up rage seething inside him ignited creating a black ball of flames. Sending it flying inflicted no damage, it harmlessly crashed on the sheer protective bubble of energy. Snarling the man thrown spell after spell in rage to no visible effect. Abruptly he stopped, patted down his disheveled hair, and took a deep breath rolling his shoulders trying to get rid of the lingering tension. If the physical attacks did no lasting damage, there was no use to be angry. It was not the first time unexpected circumstances occurred. A confident grin flashed on the eager face and in his hands formed a microscopic black worm. It slithered on-air wriggling with black tendrils, searching diligently for any flaw of the shield. Soon the magic crackled as it wormed its way inside the bubble. The foul thing creepily crawled on the colorful orbs, before settling on the red one. As if discovering the weakness it wriggled before disappearing inside the glistering magic. The room shuddered and became eerily silent as Endarno smiled with successful accomplishment. One by one the Guardians will fall under his influence. It will begin slowly by sowing discord among them. He looked at the pink orb in apparent disdain and envy. When he finishes with her, the Guardian of the Heart will willingly give up her magic, if not… well, there are always more brutal alternatives. Silently laughing under his breath Endarno looked around the room. Nothing was altered, but he could distinguish a tiny black dot in the middle of the red Auramere. It seemed Fire was the weakest of them all. Good… let it burn and consume everything until it goes out with smoldering embers. Without a glance at the unconscious woman, he left the hall in smug satisfaction. She will not remember a thing…
Somebody was knocking on the door. The insistent thumping penetrated the thick fog in his mind, and he opened his eyes with a tired groan.
'My Lord, is everything alright? My lord?' a butler persistently asked trying to open the door.
'Guards! Guards!' the voice moved away probably to get the nearest soldier for help. Phobos sighed realizing he fell asleep in the middle of the untidy room in an undignified fashion. He was tired to the bones, the usual magical reserves running through his blood were depleted. Standing up and languidly taking a clear pitcher of water he filled the glass and quenched his thirst. Why was he so foolishly wasted power? His brain worked at a snail's pace. The recent events slowly resurfaced and Phobos grimaced. Elyon made a mess not only she tried to kill the single person he had an interest in, she even managed to cause damage to the common subjects. Fixing his appearance and getting the stray glass shards from the hair Phobos released the defensive wards and strode out.
'My Prince?' a nervous butler asked meeting him in the corridor followed by two impassive guards.
'Clean the room and gather the Court for a meeting, only the leading members. Guards find Cedric and Elyon. If they refuse, drag them by the hair for all I care. I want to see everyone in the throne room in an hour. ' he commanded passing by.
'Very well, my Lord.' with received orders they bowed respectfully and hurried away.
After getting to the bedroom and closing the door he leaned on the wood in the privacy of his wing. In this place, no servants would dare to disturb him if the room was occupied. The only one who could is busy gathering the Court and he never crossed the threshold unless it was for the cleaning. Phobos knew most of the previous Queens made their bedrooms a grand spectacle for the Ladies in Waiting. He defiantly refused to turn the intimate resting place into a performance of the Court etiquette. Here he could remove all the masks and be just a man, not a ruler. Sometimes the faithful butler silently complained about not being able to attend to the Prince's needs. However, the old servant never made any deliberate attempts to call the valet for the getting dressed or washing up, precisely aware of his preferences.
Carelessly dropping the shirt on the backrest of the chair and stepping into the bathroom he tapped on the hot water to fill in the massive white tub. Grabbing a crystal bottle from the shelf and pouring a few drops of the amber-looking oil in the bath he let the rich aroma spread around the room. Stripping as soon as the bath filled with a silent hiss the male submerged into the water.
Resting head on the edge of the tub Phobos looked at the vapor making strange shapes. With a sweep of a hand, it got denser and gathered creating hazy womanly figures. Another motion and they started gracefully dancing around the room.
Phobos chuckled at the silly game, recollecting a time when Weira produced magnificent creatures before bedtime. He was so tired, but there was no rest, just a small reprieve where nobody could see. Slowly Phobos let himself sink underwater. Looking at the distorted light display above the surface he relaxed. Here were no expectations, just memories of better times and plans. He had to handle Elyon. The girl possessed too much freedom. If it continues, she will place everyone in even more danger. He couldn't take the chance and let her hurt Will, not anymore. Maybe their connection was risky and inadvisable, but he could not lie to himself, the desire grew. Not for the magic or the power of the Heart of Kandrakar, just for her. A courageous, bold, and attractive woman she could become. Why, after all this time someone got under his impregnable armor? Why now? When he is losing everything and has nothing to offer, just darkness and a miserable end. Is this what the universe is telling him? Enjoy your last moments until it runs on? He did not know, but the truth was it was already too late to stop. Not after her sweet surrender of familiar magic and feeling the fluttering pulse point under his lips or their impressive display of the conjured storm.
Taking a few deep breaths Phobos sat up flicking the dripping hair away from his face. There was no time to waste. The Court was waiting. Getting out of the bath, he let the air currents dry his body. Elemental magic for convenience was the first thing young children learned. The small displays of practical application were most useful in everyday life. From the things observed the Guardians still had to learn this lesson but he doubted Kandrakar offered any help on that. It did not fit with their glorious purpose. Phobos smirked, wondering about offering Will magical lessons, she had powers but was still unaccustomed to using them. Maybe one day, she was still too distrusting and suspicious of his actions. He cannot disagree, she had sufficient reasons. Hopefully, someday he could reveal the whole truth, even if that meant losing her forever.
Stepping into the walk-in closet, he carefully chose the suitable clothes. Dressing in dark pants with knee-high leather boots and black silk high collared shirt he finished the ensemble with a purple mantle embroidered with ornamental patterns. The rich-looking fabric had a silver thread sheen. Sitting beside a massive ornate mirror and plaiting the hair into his signature braids Phobos decided to forego the usual crown. Choosing a silver circlet with purple gems fixed onto the thick, spiky band he seamlessly weaved it into the hair. It got around his head holding the braids in place with small glittering gems and in the middle of his forehead sat entwined metal piece with a purple diamond. Putting on the leather vambraces and fixing the ceremonial sword onto the belt the Prince walked out presenting an intimidating figure.
As he entered the throne room escorted by the guards, the hush descended over the gathered crowd. Flicking his robe out of the way, Photos sat on the throne looking disapprovingly over the people who avoided his intense gaze. Elyon and Cedric stood cowered in the middle of the hall guarded by the soldiers.
'It seems some of you think my orders can be blatantly ignored. I gathered you here to correct this foolish notion. They are absolute!' his authoritative voice boomed in the hall and Phobos smirked seeing some of the people nervously fidgeting.
'Merely a few hours ago the rebels caused great damage to our city while the Guardians breached the castle walls breaking out the prisoners inside the dungeons. Where were you, when my people needed aid?' he asked the question releasing the fraction of his magic to create an intense pressure in the hall.
'Deliver me the damage report!' he growled menacingly adding in the anger to the air, enjoying the fear it created.
'My liege…' the treasurer bowed before him 'the most destruction was caused to our weapons storage and soldiers barracks. The fire extended to a few roofs in the streets but was suddenly extinguished by the rain. Most people were injured by the stampede to get away, but it is primarily bruises or fractured bones. Regrettably, I have to inform you five of our soldiers died in the initial blast. We still count the damage inflicted to the dungeons, but the work is slow because of the collapsed tunnels.' the diligent man bowed even lower afraid that the displeasing report will cause anger to the prince. Phobos narrowed his eyes in displeasure, but let the man return to his place in the crowd.
'Vathek' he called on the captain of the army 'erect temporarily tents for those who have no shelter. Commander Frost, gather the army squad to clear away the rubble. Treasurer Meric, authorize all the blacksmiths around the capital to focus on weaponry until the requirements are met. Summon the stonemasons and carpenters to repair the dungeons.' he issued the commands and the crowd started to move after receiving their instructions.
'Now imagine my surprise when I learned all this unfortunate mayhem was created by General Cedric, my right hand…' Phobos remarked with a frown on his face. A shudder went through the people as Cedric and Elyon were escorted before the throne and pushed to their knees.
'What do you have to say for yourself?' he asked mockingly, wanting to prolong the considerable anxiety.
'No, my Lord…' Cedric instantly lowered his head in a silent apology.
'It was my idea!' the clear voice of Elyon resounded across the hall as she stood up ignoring the pushing of the soldiers. Phobos scoffed at the audacity of the girl and loathing filled his heart because he could not do anything against her. The situation was too complicated for him to sufficiently punish her in such a public setting. When the Court learns about her official status as the missing heir of the throne the potential consequences will be very damaging.
'Silence!' his magic reacted bringing suffocating air all around. Elyon paled and the guard forced her on the knees once more.
'Lord Cedric restrain your impudent pupil or I have to instruct some manners into her!' he gritted his teeth in evident frustration.
'I apologize, my Lord, she is a senseless girl. She did not mean anything by it.' the blonde man prostrated himself and hissed something to Elyon, pushing her head down. Phobos pursed his lips this political spectacle was getting annoying. Cedric always skirted the line when given the orders, but he was loyal, unlike Elyon. For a second the Prince closed his eyes deciding the fate of the accused. This could not continue as it is, he had to maintain his notorious reputation and make an example out of him. Overhearing the people in the crowd whispering like the snakes in the grass waiting for any opportunities to strike he decided to take the initiative.
'Lord Cedric, you will be publicly flogged. Five strikes for every deceased person and five more for your pupil's disobedience and disrespect. Your duties will be appointed to Captain Vathek until you will be capable to return. The punishment will commence now. Lady Elyon you will be restricted to your apartments until further notice. Executioner!' he called the only individual everyone was afraid of. The tall hooded man wearing the leather uniform and the black cloak emerged from the shadows carrying a dark wooden box. The people parted in his way as if afraid to touch the undesirable person. Cedric was the only one left in the middle of the hall as Elyon was forcefully dragged away. When the man approached Cedric he unlocked the box pulling out the black sinister-looking whip.
'Strip.' his silent direct order was heard by all and they waited with their breath held in for the penalty to begin. Cedric stood up with head held high and stony face, but his hands slightly trembled with personal humiliation as he was forced to undress. Quickly discarding the pale blue robe and unbuttoning the white shirt underneath, he carefully folded the elegant clothes gently placing them on the ground. With resolved expression, he knelt pulling away long hair from the back. The first slash struck with an unexpectedly loud sound leaving a red stripe on the pale skin. With the second he closed his eyes and scrunched his face trying to disassociate from the pain. As the third fell the muscles rippled under the puckered skin just as the magic was trying to repair the immediate damage. The enchantments on the whip forcibly prevented it from happening. The fourth drawn the first blood and Cedric swayed with a grunt biting his lips until it bled. As the violent strikes continued, his back became a terrible mess and he could no longer withhold the agonized screams. With the final hit, Cedric collapsed with the blood freely flowing down on the marble floor. He trembled uncontrollably and gasped for every shallow breath in the gravely silent hall.
'Escort him to the healers.' Phobos spoke to the guards in an impassive voice and a mask of callous indifference.
Elyon watched the horror happening in front of her eyes in disbelieve. No one lifted even one finger to fight for this injustice. Also, it was the most awful and gruesome thing she ever witnessed. Nausea stirred in her nervous stomach as the brutal punishment continued. She could no longer observe it, but the sickening sound of the tearing of flesh continued to haunt her. Monsters. Everybody over here was cruel monsters. She undoubtedly saw some smiling faces genuinely enjoying the excessive violence and calculating ones merely wanting to exploit the given opportunity to climb the noble ranks. Considerable doubt started to cloud her heart. She equally contributed to this hazardous incident. With the acute realization, her vision swam with unshed tears, and Elyon frantically ran to the doors followed by guards to vomit into the shady corner. Feeling disgusted by the weak stomach and unsettled mind she hovered anxiously at the edge of the crowd desperately trying to catch a glimpse at how bad Cedric was.
'You will come with us.' the burly uniformed man forcibly seized her by the elbow. Even if she wanted to know how Cedric was holding on Elyon reluctantly nodded too afraid to object. Willingly surrendering to her faith, she dutifully followed the armed men out through the winding corridors of the castle until they reached her rooms. The unfortunate girl was nudged inside and left alone to deal with her confused and turbulent emotions. The dull sound of locking the door sounded like a prison sentence.
I am grateful for all the reviews and comments, because of you this story continues going as every reaction gives me the confidence to continue :) Once again, thank you :)