Abel's Tale

VIII. The Children's Fall

Malachi sat in his maroon leather chair behind his mahogany desk dimly lit by red candles hanging on the black wood walls. In his hand was a white quill with no ink as he overlooked a document he didn't care for. The knocking on the door, whether it meant good news or not, he didn't care, he was just glad to have a distraction from politics.

"Prince Malachi," A small voice said from the otherside.

With a harsh tone he snapped back, "Come inside."

"We've received reports that Abel has been found," The meek naval officer, Captain Anfra, cautiously approached the prince, shutting the door behind himself. "We believe he's attempting to commandeer The Invicta. The-"

"Duumas's ship. One of my knights. Good, I knew that girl wouldn't be able to resist our offer. Steal a ship in the nearest port town to our city?" Malachi seemed to relax. He was still boiling under the surface, but physically calmed.

"You planned this, Sir?" Anfra asked.

"It was simple bait. I knew they'd need a way into the city, so I gave them one."

A hint of a smile began to form across the rat-like Captain's face. "Then they have no idea what's waiting for them. Outstanding, Sir!"

Malachi's face twitched at that comment. 'Outstanding.' How dare he compliment his superior in such a fashion. In a fit of rage he reached his arm out toward the officer, and in a blindingly fast motion Anfra slid across the room till his throat met Malachi's palm. Malachi leaned in close, whispering into the captain's ear: "Do not speak to me that way."

Anfra attempted to speak but it came out as desperate attempts to breathe instead. He simply nodded as best he could.

Malachi smiled. "Good," He released his grip on him, who promptly collapsed to the ground and held his throat. "You are released. Leave me."

Soon after the captain limped out the room, Malachi tenderly removed his glove and felt his hand. He winced at the pain. He closed his eyes and began to reach out, to search. He searched for that feeling he felt only around him, that signature Abel always left behind. That feeling of familiarity. He only felt it from one other person in his life. But she's gone now. Dead and buried.

Incorporeal images flashed through his mind. Feelings, auras. He latched onto something warm, warm like the desert under a dying star. Warm like his Mother. Warmth like Abel. Warmth like a time before memory. Maybe that's why he couldn't bring himself to kill him yet, he missed this feeling.

He saw a crowd of dirty peasant peoples. He saw a massive ship mast towering over the docks. He saw two people, a boy and a girl, far too pleasant for the peasants there. Two who stood out. Abel and Elise. They were docking a ship, and they looked determined, expectant for something. He had to reach into the depths of himself to achieve this. He wished not to speak, but to observe.

Abel was immediately struck with something he hadn't expected. Something cold. It sent shivers down his spine. This wasn't like what he'd felt moments earlier, this was new. No, this was something else. But that couldn't matter now.

Two guards with shortswords stopped Abel and Elise at the entrance of The Invicta. "What business do you have here?"

Elise grinned and stepped forward. "This is our ship. And we will be boarding."

"Funny," The guard said without a hint of humor. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Go away before you get hurt. This isn't any place for a girl like you."

Bad move, Abel knew all too well how Elise loved being underestimated. She drew her dagger and quickly plunged it into the guard's abdomen, but not in a lethal location, it would just hurt, and even quicklier removed her blade, letting him drop and bleed. The remaining guard lunged for her, she merely sidestepped and kicked him in the gut. He fell and tried to catch his breath. She was like a feline playing with her food. Her enjoyment of a good fight was more than obvious.