The Way Caraval Used To Be

The arch

Another stone went into the arch. Aric tried to calm himself down. Maybe it was for a good reason. Jacks smirked as he looked at the other two shimmering stones.

And now it was Alessandra's turn. The guy with the mask came closer to her. He pulled out a dagger and slashed her palm. She screamed.

"You were only supposed to prick my finger, you idiot!"

She put her hand on the arch. He smiled. Maybe it wasn't for a good reason. The tall boy pushed her aside. He entered the arch.

From the arch, there was this subtle light coming, inviting you to come closer and have a look inside. And Aric did. He peeked inside. He saw a few other people and the tall guy, but the guy with the mask disappeared. Or the mask disappeared. A surprisingly handsome man turned around and seemed to look at him. But it was impossible. He could barely see anything. They couldn't see him.

"Mother, father," He turned at two people. On the floor, there were chains. "I want to present to you the fools who helped me get here."

The doors were magically opened. They could see him now. He gasped. They laughed.

"Because you've helped us, we won't hurt you, but leave you here, in the arch, to die." The tall guy started. He held a woman's hand. Maybe he and the other one were brothers. "But, if any of you try to do anything to stop us, well, we will forget what you did."

"What are you planning to do?" Asked Jacks, like he already knew, but wanted to present their evil plan to the rest of them.

"Kill the queen and resettle the glory of the Valors."

The glory of the Valors? They were Valors?

"I won't let you."

Heroic act from Rafal. He shouldn't have said it. Jacks giggled. He passed a hand through his blonde hair. His blue eyes were shimmering like the stones in the arch at that point.

"And who are you to stop us?"

"The greatest sorcerer the endless woods have ever seen."

Alessandra looked at Jacks. She started laughing. She wiped her hand on her dress, leaving a huge red stain behind.

"Well, my boy, we aren't sorcerers. If you had listened to what we said, you should know you don't stand a chance."

The woman raised her hand, smashing Rafal to a wall. He fell down on his knees, with his palms on the floor, coughing blood.

"Does any of you want to say anything else? We're listening to you. Go on."

No one said a thing. But Aric wasn't no one.

"I do."

"Good. Say it."

Japeth nodded in disapproval.

"Is there any chance you would let us go?"

They laughed.

"If you beat any of us in the battle, which I doubt is possible, we will. But you don't stand a chance. I will have mercy and interdict the use of magic."

The tall guy stepped closer. He grabbed a sword from a wall. Aric followed. It was heavier than he thought, but it wasn't time to complain.

And he attacked. His hits were powerful. Aric couldn't let his guard down. The sound the metal produced when it hit the sword was so loud you could hear it from far away. One hit. Two hits. Five hits. The sword flew out of Aric's hand. The boy smirked. He slashed him across his chest.

Aric ran up some stairs. The other was a few steps behind him. He let his sword down. He didn't need it to finish him. He pined him to the balcony. The other ones clapped.

"It's over, Aric."

"It's not over until I get what I want."

Aric grabbed him and threw him off the balcony. The guy screamed and crashed the floor. The others crowded around him. Aric came down the stairs, pressing his wound with his hand. The woman gave him a murderous glare.

"How dare you, you piece of trash?"

She lifted her hand and threw him across the room. He hit his head onto the floor and fell unconscious. The last thing he heard was the guy with the mask saying, "Mother, he won."