Fall of a Hero: Hearts Without Foundation (a Fantasy Adventure)

Escaping Serpo

The glass crystal dragon rippled in a wave of millions of shattering shards and delicately showed onto the floor like sharp rain. I defensively raised my arms above my head as the whole stature fell to its knees in a matter of seconds, releasing a thunderous and explosive cloud of shimmering glitter.

Its force flung me flat on my back. Serpo hurriedly slipped on the glove and began quickly picking the shards off my stomach. I groaned. I sneezed, caked with the powdery dust all in my hair, up my nose, and stuck on my face.

"Lucky for you," said Serpo as he worked, "for some reason, the stuff isn't spreading all over you. I'm still not going to touch it, though..."

"Uh..." I mumbled, barely lifting my head from the floor. Serpo kept pecking off the slivers. I wanted to speak, but couldn't breathe right away. It had knocked the wind completely out of me.

After he had gotten the biggest pieces off, he step a stride back and observed my state. I peered over at him as I laid there. His fingers were slightly curled with uncertainty. His face was contorted with disgust.

"What? What is it? Is there blood...am I bleeding?" I coughed, raising a dusty hand from the floor.

He merely whispered, "Ugh. That's just...ugh!" and tossed his head in a full body shiver. I glowered and demanded him to answer. He turned around and closed his eyes so he didn't have to see me.

"You've just got the-the...um...basically the thing's ancient bone dust all over you and in your mouth," he gagged.

I sluggishly pulled myself up and began shaking loose the bone grains.

"I thought you said it was alive," I grumbled, running my fingers through my curls to knock free some more of the glowing powder.

Serpo yanked off the glove by the fingers and cocked his head. "Well, it is..." he shrugged, "It's weird to you but a Quasid's life source is locked away in its bones. If its death was caused by something other that illness or natural death, its bones will reconstruct, and it will go through a series of phases until it hits its original state...but this can only happen if its magic bones are not destroyed."

"That's nice," I merely replied as I snorted and sneezed.

Serpo deftly leapt to the far side of the cave. I rubbed and itched my nose and brushed my torso down with my hands. Why wasn't the stuff coming off? I looked like a giant glow moth. The whole cave now was lit up by the dust on me.

"Sticky," I murmured clapping my hands. Finally, I just gave up. It was hopeless. The stuff had no intent of coming off. At least it would keep Serpo at bay...

Suddenly, it was obvious. I could use this as a means of escape! If Serpo hates it so much, he probably wouldn't bother to touch me, though he might follow. I smirked. His only advantage over me was all physical, I reasoned. Great! This being discovered, I began to make my way out of the cave.

When Serpo saw me leaving he called after, "Hey! Where are you going?"

"Home," I replied, feeling very courageous. He rushed close behind me, eyes furrowing.

"You can't leave," he said.

"Watch me." My heart raced upon challenging him. I knew he'd do anything to get what he wanted. Serpo had a stubborn nature, and he wasn't about to let me get away that easy.

"But Fetoven, you saw the Etchings. Once Mundus sees it, he won't rest until you and all your brothers and sisters are dead so he isn't overthrown!"

That stopped me.

The worst thing about liars is that they know how to take and weaponize the truth. Now what was I to do? Did I go back home and take my chances or did I stay and allow Serpo to do or get whatever he wants from me? In fact, what was there for him to him even want from me at all? I had nothing.

But did have something. I had a future-a dark one. I was to be a heartless conqueror that rules over a vast wasteland of hundreds of devastated kingdoms. I was probably going to be rich and powerful with only a few other militant leaders to share it with. I was not about to let this happen, not on my life.

Oh no, Serpo. I was not about to let you take advantage of me again.

"Oh well," I said, picking up my steps, "If I die, then I'm supposed to die because I'm not supposed to know about my fate."

I heard Serpo's voice from behind me in the tunnel, steadily getting more aggressive.

"Fetoven, how could you say such a thing? Don't assume. You don't even know if it's you or not. It could be anyone of your siblings. Listen, he who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. Turn back and don't be so stupidly rash," he sternly commanded. I knew for sure then.

He wanted to protect me so that I'd live to fill out my evil sentence.

"You like repeating proverbs, don't you?" I asked, now running. I could see the end of the tunnel. "What are you even quoting?"

"Fetoven! Come back here!" he growled.

Pushing upward, I was at last in the eternal fire. Relieved, I placed one foot up on the floor and tried pulling myself up as fast as I could.

Right at that time, before I could react, rough, clammy hands were clasping onto my ankle. I hollered and reared my other foot to kick Serpo in the face, but something absolutely terrifying happened!

Just as my foot should have hit him, his face dissipated into a black smog and recombined as soon as I missed. I was momentarily stunned, and he took the second to grab my other ankle and begin to drag me back into the fireplace.

"Let go!" I screamed and thrashed uselessly. Serpo simply kept pulling my legs.

"Sorry Fetoven, but I can't let you do this," he grunted, with grinding teeth.

My fingernails dug into the floor, scratching the rotten wood, emitting a shrill screech. Instantly, without doing it myself, my left hand let go and snake into my deep pockets. I gasped, and Serpo gained another two inches.

I felt my hand contract do the bandage fell free and then plunge into a piece of material inside...although I didn't remember putting anything in there. Then, I finally managed to gain control and get my hand back out. It was wearing Serpo's glove!

I felt suddenly so safe and good. I wasn't afraid. This glove was all I needed.

Serpo gaped in horror. "What!? How'd you-"

I faced back at him. When I directed the glove at him, it vibrated as if I hit something with polarity like with the magnetism stick if we used if lost nails. It sent the shiver all the way up my arm, pulsing into my body, and I gained the sensation that I could control whatever I had targeted. I threw up my left hand and thrusted Serpo up the chimney and into the sky. Just like that he was gone.

What had I done?

I tumbled out of the fireplace. I could hear Serpo's screams. With no time to lose, I skittered across the floor. My heart was insanely pumping. I was gasping. I had to get away.

I set my hand on the knob and turned. I swung open the door.