Worlds Apart

Chapter 45

Z E R O • H O U R

Nov. 07 2020 00:00 IT

The Craven Castle, Izol, Province of Ahn

Neàl stalked the cold halls, black tiles melting into an abyss, a single line of red leading him through. A lifeline through the depths of the ocean—a stream of lava leading them to doom. Doom, doom, the end—the end they had all predicted for him. A monster of their own creation.

Screams, running, empty. Empty.

The door parted—more black, more night, black holes of stars pieced together, wrapped in plastic—artificial. Wrong. Tainted. They would cleanse it.

Silhouettes at the edge of the room, red stripes shifting, shimmering in the dim, hellish light. Bleeding, bleeding, but it wasn't his. It wasn't her's. Neàl was delighted.

Sickening.

The stars were here—within reach and the woman moved, panic seizing her stoic, set features. They would be set forever, a beheaded statue at the bottom of the ocean, lava spilling from the hole in its head.

A hand grabbed his boot, curling around his ankle, undeserved protection. Not for a tyrant like those—those monsters. More red, a thick night blanketing them all. Fingers skittered and crawled—now motionless and Neàl kicked them off. Adalina smiled over his shoulder, lean arms wrapping around his, resting her curls on his shoulders—little Ri danced around them, giggling in silent laughter, her right arm dripping, dripping, dripping—

Dripping from the eight-point ruby, dripping from the throne, dripping in rivulets through the stars, spattered across the night sky, gleaming, glinting, shimmering with justice for all to see.

Bubbling, gurgling, freeing laughter, echoing in the empty halls, a pile of bodies skittering towards them—away from them—crawling up the walls—lava flowing up, up, up.

Solid hands grasped their shoulders, whispering, hissing, laughing with him, through him—fire in his veins, out his fingers, down his cheeks, screaming, screaming for freedom.

And freedom it was.

Tile on their knees and out and out, the city air shimmering, warping, and people looked up to the sky and fell—down—down—down. Through the streets, through the alleys, something rumbling up from the depths.

Eruption—the ground parting and kadin—huge, solid, twisted crystals of kadin—emerging and melding together. The skies roared, granite curtains descending from the heavens, pattering against the impenetrable wall sealing off the sleeping city of Ahn.

‡    ‡    ‡

Nov. 06 2020 22:00 EHT

Eahil Gate, Province of Eahil

"Hey," the boy hissed, his little hand waving Riona over. Her tiny legs scrambled up the narrow staircase. A single bulb swung overhead, unlit. The walls gave way to a vast, endless night sky at the end. Riona took it all in with wide eyes full of wonder.

"Come on, come on," Neàl whispered confidentially. "It gets even better." They glanced over the edge of the terrace wall, then clambered over.

"Wait!" Riona cried frantically. "Ma said that's dangerous!"

Her big brother was unfazed and he grinned even wider instead. "She won't know if you don't tell her. Promise me. You won't tell."

Riona pouted. She hated keeping secrets, but she nodded. If Neàl said it was okay, it was okay.