Broken Providence

(5) Reason Obeys Itself

Claire arrived at the great city of Beelzebub, the capital city. She had one problem that she had not yet realized. How was she going to get into a castle that was in the sky? You see Beelzebub was the great capital of the Infernal Kingdom, but the dungeon and the home of King Dale, the immortal, and Lady Sahamid, his advisor, was in a floating castle that only infernal generals knew how to get on.

She had disguised herself as a poor beggar and under her cape, she had her taser hidden. Her stomach twisted as she passed through the gate's security check. In the middle of a war, they weren't going to let just anyone in. Claire had to even traveled around the capital to avoid coming from the front line direction. The guard just glared her way and looked down at her but didn't stop her. She took in a breath as she walked in.

When she had heard of the Infernal capital she heard that misery laid waste to every person. That the tyranny of their king and his advisor had sucked the life out of them,

but as she approached the middle center, the happier it got as if they weren't in a war. People looked her way with sustain unknowing why she was this far in the kingdom.

"The peasants are in the lower ring, begger," one man said with venom in his spit. Claire only nodded and whispered pardons. 

"Someone order a whore?" Another man called out laughing. His fat belly giggled as his diamonds chains clicked together. Claire sneered in disgust but turned away.

Perhaps this was not the best place to look for information... she thought to herself as she began to head backwards into the poorer areas.

At high noon the sun began to rain it's beams of hatred through the lands. Claire burning up sought solace  in a shady ally. She sighed. She obviously didn't think this through.

"Hey pretty," a guy said slyly appearing out of the shadows farther into the ally. Claire glanced and saw he was accompanied by two more. She flinched, she had never been much of a fighter. She slid her hand carefully to her taser, if she caused a commotion here, it would be harder to get to the castle. His growing grin sparked anger in her, she gripped her taser. "Wanna have some fun?" He asked greasily, Claire stood up.

"I'm good," She said looking off.

"C'mon, what are you hiding underneath your cape," he said nearing her. She grit her teeth and her muscles got ready.

"Leave her," a voice behind them coming from the Main Street. They both looked that way and it was a woman standing tall with a scowl, she wore old tattered warrior clothes. "You better not be trying anything, Judas," she said warningly. Claire turned back to the main guy and he narrowed his eyes but stepped back slightly and raised his hands.

"We're only talking, chill, Quadira," he said spitting somewhere on the floor.

She stood firm and strong, Claire just continued looking back and forth between the two.

"Well tough luck cause I need to talk to her, now. Leave," she said glaring at them. They scoffed and slowly walked away glancing back to check if she was still there.

"Thank you... I was worr-" Claire began but stopped when she noticed Quadira's intense brown eyes on her. Her glare sliced through Claire.

"What are you doing here?" The hard woman asked her. Claire blinked.

"My name is Claire, I wanted to thank you for your intervene.."

"I asked what are you doing here?" Quadira interrupted her harshly. Claire swallowed the knot forming in her throat.

"I'm looking to get into the castle," she said carefully. Quadira stayed quiet. She seemed to still be pondering what move to make.

"Are you Trinity?" She finally asked. Claire looked down and kicked a pebble.

"I'm not here for them, I'm here for-" she stopped, but something in her wanted to continue. "I want to go for someone inside. They were taken by soldiers," she confessed. Quadira narrowed her eyes, then she just turned and began walking.

"Come with me," she stopped walking, "I'll help you get up there," Claire hesitated. No way it was this easy.

"Wait," she spoke softly but Quadira managed to hear her. "How do I know you'll help me? Why would you?"  She asked full of suspicion. Quadira scowled but her expression softened slightly.

"My sister used to be obsessed with that castle... so much so she gave up everything and I watched her be consumed by it." She said not turning back. But Claire could see her back muscles tense.

"I'll do anything to get up there," she admitted. Quadira nodded and turned around.

"My price. Tell my sister I'm sorry... For failing her," she said gently before she continued to walk. Claire nodded. She'd ask for details later, but for now, follow the big muscular woman.
....

"And how'd you find this path?" Claire asked as Quadira opened an old rusty door. Quadira only grunted and shrugged.

"I tried everything to get my sister back, even almost became a general for the king," Quadira said, Claire even managed to her say under her breath. "Disgusting old man," 

Claire glanced at her, would she really be able to send a message to her sister? She had more important things to do instead of just running amok looking for some girl.

"Why didn't you become one?" Claire asked softly as they traveled through the deserted building. Quadira sighed.

"When I realized my sister was too far gone," she responded shortly. Claire nodded and they walked on in silence for awhile.

After awhile Quadira stopped at a door slanted in its state.

"We're here," she said standing before it. "This is an old guard door that leads to the dungeons," she said stepping aside to give way to Claire. Claire stepped forward, her hands shook but certainty filled her. She was going to get Arielle back. No matter what. She reached for the door and it opened. Groans and screams met her. Before she walked in, Claire stopped and turned to Quadira.

"Thank you for this," she said before stepping in. Quadira nodded and grabbed the handle to close the door.

"My sister... her name is Sahamid," Quadira said before quickly closing the door.

Claire's heart dropped. Sahamid? The right hand side to the king?! That was her sister? She gripped her taser handle. How was she supposed to relay a message to the corrupted advisor, the one notorious for doing cruel experiments on prisoners and merciless killing??  She shivered. She'd cross that bridge- if she ever got to it. She turned and met a dark hallway obviously forgotten.

Beginning her search for her love.