The Tragedy of Renya

5.4 Wanting Power

"The problem with humans," Lea walked around the table Hendri was seated at, "the problem with you humans is that you always want more."

Hendri glared up from the book he was looking in. Scattered on the table were other books, all on dark magic. One of the books was the one he'd found the spell in. The spell to stop time.

It had been simple enough. There had to be clearly defined outlines of the area, which had been the walls of the city. Then there was a ritual, and as long as nobody left the city the spell would not be broken.

So naturally he'd used his influence to ensure everyone stayed in.

But now. This. This was not what he'd wanted. Was the spell breaking, he wondered. Was there someone who had left the city? Impossible. The only person who'd asked questions so far worked for him, and she would not, could not leave the city.

"Your family in particular," Lea said, hiding her smile behind a hand, "has tried to mess with things you can't understand. Things you can't control. Time is something that humans don't understand."

"Why do you think you'd understand?" Hendri scowled, "I've got it all under control."

"That's why you're hiding in the books? Your library doesn't have the answer."

Hendri slammed his fist on the table as he grabbed another book. There was nothing in it, absolutely nothing, about what was going on with the city. Black spots in everyone's memories? Time stopping for people? He knew it had something to do with his curse, but that was all he knew.

"You don't understand," He snapped, "why would you? You don't know what it means to be human. For you it must be all so easy! Just resign to time, don't worry about it, everything is already decided on!"

He waited for a moment before adding: "I can't live with that."

Lea sat down on one of the chairs.

"That's why I said you can't understand," Lea said, "it's already been decided on. Even that you married me, that you used magic to keep me here. It has always been in the past. That's why I came to activate your magic."

"So you knew?"

"From the very start," Lea whispered, "from the moment I met your ancestors I knew you'd love me."

Hendri frowned: "You don't love me."

Lea got up from the table and left the room. Before she went she only said one thing: "I'll never be able to love anyone other than him."

The shrine to the Pentel Ancestors still freaked Alice out. She knew she'd been here before, and something had happened. Something bad. But whenever she tried to think of what had happened she got a headache and black spots in front of her eyes.

Now she hoped that it would all come back to her if she once again went to the basement. In the dark she slowly felt her way past the wall to the curtain, and then went down the stairs.

The large door downstairs was locked.

Hendri Pentel had habits, Alice knew. Very particular ones. For example, if he wanted to keep somewhere secret he'd never carry the key on him. Too dangerous if someone pickpocketed him, or he forgot to take them out of the clothes. Instead he'd keep the key under a stone next to the door it belonged to. So with her foot she felt around until she hit something hard. She picked up the rock and took the key from under it. Then she unlocked the door.

"I died." Alice whispered as soon as she saw what was in the room. A magical circle, a pentagram, candles, books...

Everything was as it had been last time. But Hendri Pentel didn't come in this time. Alice slowly entered the room and looked around. At the end she looked at the pentagram. She suddenly felt the urge to step inside.

In the middle of the pentagram the room changed. There was dust everywhere, spiders had taken refuge in the room, the candles had died. But the pentagram was still the same, clear and recognisable. In front of her she saw two shadows. People?

"Who are you?" she asked. One of the two shadows appeared to answer but the other stopped it.

The next moment the strange room and the shadows disappeared.

"What was that?" She whispered.

No. There was no time to waste here. She quickly shut the door and closed it and put the key back.

Then she ran back upstairs.