Into the World of Twisted Wonderland Pt 2

🐍 Schemer of the Scalding Sands: Chapter 25 🐍

"I'm so sorry about this, Kalim," Jade apologetically says as the two walk down one of the many hallways. "I wasn't expecting you to already be in bed for the night. This can wait until tomorrow, honest. I know it's selfish of me to ask to see the treasury again..."

"No worries!" Kalim happily assures. "It's totally fine! What did you want to see?"

"I was curious about the tapestries and carpets further in the back," Jade says. "You don't see many textile handicrafts under the sea you know. I've always been fascinated by Scalding Sands culture. After all, what could be further from the bottom of the ocean than a world of arid sands?" He smiles.

"Ooh!" Kalim exclaims. "Speaking of carpets, I've got one with color that would be a perfect fit for your dorm," he says. "It would be a shame to let it keep gathering dust in the storeroom. Why don't you take it back with you?"

Jade's eyes widen in surprise. "Are you sure?" He asks in surprise.

"Absolutely!" Kalim says as the two stop in front of the familiar door. "And here we are." The two enter the room, avoiding the piles to walk towards the back, seeing that their surroundings went from gold to various handicrafts and textiles, seeing clothes, pots, materials, and rugs scattered around. Jade heads towards a light gray rug, seeing designs decorating the fabric, admiring the way it feels and how soft it was, despite being made from hand.

"Ahhh...It's even more amazing when I study it up close," Jade says as he carefully looks at the carpet, taking in the details. He glances at the corner of his eye, seeing that there was a light green fabric that caught his eye and heads over to it, touching it while admiring it. "Kalim, what's this lovely peacock green fabric?" He asks.

"Oh, that's woven out of silk," Kalim states. "Long, long ago, back when they first reformed the law stating that royalty could only marry royalty, there was a princess who wedded a common man raised in the slums. She often wore that color. It's a popular color among men and women alike in the Scalding Sands." He thinks for a moment. "Oh! This color would go great on Angel! I should ask if she wanted some more!"

Jade chuckles at the statement. "Oh yes, I'm sure she would like an outfit in this color, just like the outfit she has on now. I must say, I was quite surprised when I saw her. She looked like another person."

"Oh yeah! The outfit she had on was a replica of what the princess of the Scalding Sands wore a long time ago, but I'm sure she would like to have more clothes like that! She was happy when she got it," Kalim says with a smile.

"Incredible," Jade says in awe as he looks at the other textiles. "If the mer-princess fascinated with the human realm were to see these treasures, she's have been desperate to have them all. It can't be easy keeping track of so many luxuries."

"I leave all the organizational stuff to Jamil," Kalim states. "He airs them out on occasion."

"Jamil is quite the competent right-hand man, isn't he?" Jade states in awe. "Azul was saying the same thing."

Kalim chuckles. "Heh heh! Isn't he, though? The guy's pure amazing. It was Jamil who taught me magic and tutored me," he smiles. "He was a way better tutor than any of the ones my family hired. Oh, and he's a great dancer, too! Not that he does much of that around others..."

"If he's that competent," Jade says while crossing his arms, "why doesn't he speak up to you about what you've been doing?" He asks.

"Huh?" Kalim asks in confusion.

"Keeping students from going home on a long holiday and forcing them into harsh training every day...I strain to imagine you doing such a thing. So why?" Jade asks in concern.

Kalim closes his eyes in thought. "Oh...Well..." He thinks for a moment. "It's because we really needed extra training, I guess...?" He says uncertainly.

The tone didn't get by Jade. "You 'guess'?" He asks. "It was your decision, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it definitely was, but..." Kalim says, thinking back on the situation. "I've been...spacing out a lot lately."

"Why is that?"

Kalim opened his eyes and looked at Jade. "Jamil says it's probably fatigue from me becoming housewarden as a sophomore."

"Come again?"

"I've always had this habit of nodding off when I start working my brain to hard," Kalim explains. "My tutors and Jamil were always on my case about it."

"What are you finding difficult at present?" Jade cautiously asks.

"Our loss in the interdorms, our bad grades in the exams...My responsibility...Remedial measures..." Kalim sadly lists. "When I dwell on those, I end up just spacing out. Ha ha, I'm a pretty lousy housewarden, huh?" He sadly chuckles.

"Wasn't it your decision to keep the students over the holidays for special training?" Jade repeats.

Kalim hesitates. "I, um...I think it was." He looks down.

"Another noncommittal answer. Hmm..." Jade mumbles while looking at Kalim. So be it. He thinks. It's got a fifty-fifty chance at best of paying off, but I think I'll gamble on my trump card. "Ah...Ow!" Jade exclaims in pain as he closes his eyes.

"Hm?" Kalim hums as he looks at Jade. "What's wrong?" He asks in concern.

"Sorry, I think I got a speck of something in my eye," Jade says in pain. "Could you take a look at it for me?"

Kalim nods and heads over to him, looking at him in concern. "Are you all right?" He tenderly asks as he looks up at Jade. "Here, let me see. Which eye?"

"My left eye," he says as he slowly opens his eyes, glowing a bit. Kalim looks at his eye in a trance as the light grows brighter. "That's it, look in my left eye..." Jade says as Kalim continues to look at his eye. "Don't be afraid. I want to help you. Shock the Heart."

The light flashes and Kalim blinks, shaking his head at the light. "...Huh?" He asks in confusion.

"I'm going to ask you some questions, and you will answer them honestly," Jade says. "Do you know..."