Lasting Hope .5

Prologue

He looked at the worn faces of his people. He sighed in empathy. He shook his head and silently climbed up to his chambers. How his blood boiled just thinking of them. How dare they, coming into his world, where they were supposed to be unable to enter. And to top that, they conquered his kingdom, robbing it of all its riches. Jewels, animals, food, and everything else that gleamed under the two suns. Stopping at a barred window, he pressed his face to the cold bars. He bit his lip, the surprise of his lands hitting him. Luscious green fields, gone. Only an endless sea of reddish brown soil remained.

Sobs reached his ear, and he followed the sound. Reaching a corner, he halted. Silently again, he bent down, and embraced the poor girl. "Don't worry love, it'll get better." He murmured lovingly into her ear. The girl just nodded, hearing, but not believing. She watched her mother get carried away by those horrid creatures with glistening copper eyes . The last family member she had. Giving her shoulder one last squeeze, he left. His cape flying out behind his steps. A face of stone settled in. Nothing he could do to ease her pain. Nothing he could promise and carry out.

His weakest people had begun to go, with barely enough food to feed them. The creatures, they didn't even care. They never communicated with them. So he had no idea what their intentions were. But they wanted them alive. That much he knew. Everyday they gave the large community about ten pounds of flavorless mush. Considering that there were almost two thousand of them, it wasn't even close to enough. But everyday, there were less and less of them. Perhaps within a month, it will be sufficient. The castle was the largest place to put all of them in. The castle was built to be big enough and strong enough to take care of their whole community. It's purpose was getting abused now. It was even more spacious now that all the arts and furnitures have been possessed. But their source of heat had been taken, and the once elegant marble structure, served nothing more than a cold prison that they huddled together for warmth. It is pathetic. The greatest kingdom in the universe for millennium, fighting for survival under beasts that shouldn't have come back.

He opened his chamber doors, the usual pang of heartache filling him. He looked at his missing parent's painted eyes. He wondered, what guidance can you lead me, restore victory to our selfs? Feeling someone else's presence, he turned around. "Oh, I see you got my message. I was afraid you wouldn't get it." He greeted the hooded person, some tension lifting off his shoulders.

"Well, you know me, Meeks. How could I ever ignore your call for an audience?" The girl pulled her hood back, letting an untidy mass of tomato red curls frame her pale face.

His smile was the only warmth on his face. "Yes, I don't expect less of you. You always strive to achieve, do you not Opal?"

The smile reached her eyes and she asked," Well? What's in your mind sire?"

He walked to the wall, facing the boarded window. He laughed, low and cold. " You're not blind,Opal. You saw. You've seen what happens. And you know what'll happen if we don't do something now. We need her."

"Sire, well, we, um...,well, well we don't know if she'll help us. Getting forbidden to a world that belongs to her too, well, the odds aren't exactly in our favor. Besides, the king would never approve." She kept her face impassive, her voice free of emotion.

"We know that. I wouldn't be doing this if we had no choice. I need your help into bringing her here. Come on Opal, do it for the better tomorrow." He begged, still facing the wall. The conversation had him on his breaking point, and seeing no other way, he let it fall. One tiny silver tear, falling from a tiresome aqua eye.

"Meeks. I'm just doing as I promised your father I would. But I can see there is no choice. And I hope you can come to forgive me sire." Her voice trembled, her large golden yellow eyes cast downward in shame.

At last, he turned around. His eyebrows raised in concern and suspision. "What? What is it? What have you done Opal?"

Taking a deep breath, as if trying to fill the emptiness inside her, she looked at him in the eye. Fear written in her face, shame reflected onto her eyes through her soul. "I burrowed magic from the other mages sire. Its not as if they were going to use it anyhow. I've been working on a spell to get us to earth, and learn more about the girl. This will give us the highest chance for success sire. I just created it. The magic of powerful ones, to teleport us from this inferno to the girls world. We could leave now, if you wish." Her voice dropped down to a mere whisper.

"Opal. I'm glad to see the shame written along your soul, as you should be ashamed of what you've done. But I don't blame you. Desperate times take desperate measures. And within time they'll get it back. Well? Let's get going then. We haven't got a moment to waste." He informed her, wonder and pride filling his words. Then a thought stuck him. The beasts had put a complex spell on the castle that made it nearly impossible to use magic without the spell taking on lethal mode. "But how are we supposed to use magic? Won't the effort alone kill us?"

"Sire, that why I need the magic of the others. Their magic allows us, just for a couple seconds, to use magic. It'll penetrate a hole into their spell, that I cracked. And with mine, we teleport. Now sire, a feather, if you please." Golden flames danced in her palm, illuminating her face.

Without a word, he raised his wing and plucked a teal feather. He gave it to her, and let a darkness surround him.

The others, who watched this exchange smiled. Though they were filled with worry for their young prince, it was good news they were gone. A chance to save their world, and more importantly, just two less mouths to feed tonight.