CHAPTER FOUR
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There are many different thoughts a human can have that range in many different varieties, but words that are said can be spelt the same way, only the tone will differ due to the situation. For example, "what will I do now" on a boring Saturday morning, or "what will I do now" as my final hours are quickly approaching. This was the same question that was asked at that moment when a young woman stood at the peak of a mountain, debating whether or not she was going to blind herself. Would it work? What would happen if anyone noticed her eyes were falsely painted white? What if someone noticed that her eyes were playing dead? The thought of punishment always loitered in the back of her head. An explosive mine ready to be stepped on when the time comes.
"It's... not permanent... is it?"
Evangeline shook her head. "No, but you would have to be a very good actor... can you do that?"
"Y-yes, I suppose... and... you're sure that this will work?"
"Attention!" Interrupting them, the guard began to clear his throat once again. When Elenora directed her attention, it was like her heart acted as a broken elevator, crashing to her stomach as she shot her hand in the air like the others. Something about his presence shook her, apart from the fact that any human would be deeply terrified. Madam swallowed.
The Tier Head immediately took over. Kneeling in front of the hand cannons, they positioned their weapons on the rocks and waited for the queue. Silence on the mountain. Shouting from the city below desperately climbed its way into the air, struggling to be heard.
"Ready your weapons!" His voice was stern and fast. The child's eyes shot to her palms and her little hands began to glow like a fresh candle flame. Bright blue, Madam could feel the misty coldness pulsing from them. A tiny sphere of ice compacted itself between her hands. Sweeping across it, slowly hovering and rolling above like a clear little ball of snow, it grew bigger. The illumination bounced off their faces, and a sudden pop of red in the middle flashed on their cheeks. Fire, burning brightly in the center. The rush for time was breathtaking, the suspense nerve wracking, gut wrenching. It built a wall. Abruptly, the glow shut off and the little girl caught the sphere. Elenora slowly grabbed it, set it on the tip of the cannon and watched it roll inside. The cries in the air were cut short.
"Fire!"
Simultaneous explosions erupted from the mountainside like the roar of muskets. A terrifying harmony that could be heard across the city joining the same chorus of church bells. Knives swiped the air, some tearing through flesh. Fighting on the street as something like glowing stars danced across the sky. One of many Mortems brawled with what was left of the Hominums. Hands to shoulders, one held a knife to a human's throat, daring the Hominum to give out and fall into the blade.
"Disgusting breather!"
The humans dark eyes locked on the Mortem's bright yellow irises. The human gasped, pushing back and regaining his footing. "Who are you... calling disgusting? I'm not the... dead one!"
A soft clink on the pavement next to them. Both their grips subsided and the human's eyes widened as he began to realize what it was he was looking at. The Mortem smiled a sinister dark grin, baring his teeth at the human.
"Yes... You are."
Tiny razor sharp shards of ice impaled him after the sphere blew like a frag grenade, soon followed by a hellish flame setting the fragile human body ablaze. Agonizing screams came from the city grounds. Elenora's eyes filled with the sight of flames and shards. Rumbling and ear splitting explosions raged the city and echoed the mountains.
"Send the flare!"
Screaming through the atmosphere was a sound like a giant boiling tea kettle or a firework. It pierced through the noises as a bright flaming ball was sent into the air. It lit up their faces, shooting into the sky, the flare wanting to touch the moons. The Tier Head's voice hollered over it, ordering to load the hand cannons once more. The child began to form another Glacium Igni, and Madam prepared to load it. Now the Rixam group barreled down the mountain and from the buildings, shrieking and hollering as their legs flew down the rocky terrain and to the streets holding other worldly weapons. They disappeared into the city, completely ridding the humans in the clearing smoke of the bombs, like you would do if you were wiping off a counter full of crumbs. Humans were blinded in the thick fog, oblivious, afraid. Yet, they knew not of the second wave that was coming. How the poor little girl worked so quickly, only to get nowhere. The little seven year old completely took care of all of the spells, making Elenora feel sorry, even if there was not a single thing she could do to help her.
"Ahhh... Hurry! Hurry...!" Evangeline urged the spell as if it took commands. It simply wouldn't obey her.
Her hands quickly swept the tiny ball she was creating but it disobeyed her orders to expand.
Again, the order to fire.
"Please!" The child pleaded "Please, work! Work!"
The surrounding cannons fired. The pair stood out like a sore thumb. A child of that age knew that panic stopped the focus of casting even the simplest of spells, yet the child couldn't help it, and the panic grew and the bomb did not. In the eyes of the beholder, the adult paired with the child wasn't helping her. Only Elenora knew that she couldn't. It was apparent to all that only a single weapon hadn't detonated. They had failed to carry out The Tier Heads orders.
"What...? What is going on here? Why haven't they fired?" The Tier Head murmured partly to himself and the guard next to him, watching closely, narrowing his eyes at the woman.
"I'm not sure, sir..."
Evangeline focused so hard on the tiny ball but it wouldn't grow past the size of the marble.
"Ahh...! Why won't you get bigger?"
An anxious hand shook Evangeline's shoulder. She jumped and dropped it. The little ball died out like a snuffed cigarette.
"Hurry! Blind me!"
Crunching of the dead leaves ceased as soon as his black shoes stopped and waited over them. When he stood among them, he said not a word. He just stared at them, towering from above. Elenora's eyes began to burn. Shutting them, her hands flying to her face as she completely went out of her way to try and keep her composure. Wiping her watery eyes, she stood up straight and shot her arm out like the little girl in front of her. She blinked a couple of times, and stared up at him, his eyes piercing through her soul.
"What is the meaning of this ceasefire, Madam?"
He watched her for an answer, and her heart dropped to the floor. Her palms began to sweat and her breath ceased. Tendrils of terror curled in her stomach as she stared.
"She's blind... Sir..."
The man's gaze turned to the little child below him, and he kneeled down to her height. A deep ominous voice made Elenora nervous beyond compare, but didn't phase the girl as she was normally honored to see him.
"Is she now, little one?"
"Yes... That is why it is taking longer than everyone else... She cannot use her powers, sir..."
The leader of Death did not answer, but he stood up. Elenora had this in common with him, for the man was also skilled in hiding his emotions. The feeling of numbness washed over her body when he turned to her once more, The Tier Head lifted her small chin up with his finger, shifting her eyes and attention right to his. His stare locked on her dead white eyes, daring her to move or twitch and the breathing was shut down. The man's eyes were misleading, soft and harmless, even though she had just seen him order to kill countless invading humans. A smile, revealing his sharp teeth slightly, and his gloved hand retracted. Madam's head fell slightly.
"Very well." He stood up straight again. "Carry on, Madam."
Death turned on his heel, and left briskly, saying not a word. The misleading smile was left in the air for her to ponder. Evangeline began creating another bomb like it was elementary to her.
"Do you..." she muttered. "Do you think he noticed you, Madam Bordeleau?"
"I... I'm not sure, little one..."
The third and final order to load the cannons. Madam was numb, the sound of his voice just lulled over.
"Here you are, Madam... Hurry... He's watching..."
The cannon was loaded and fired precisely by his orders. Thunderous explosions stabbed at their ears. Icy mist blinded the view from the mountain, and the noises gradually subsided. Glaring down, the Ignis group waited patiently for the fog to clear. Building peaks first, then the people, then the streets. They gradually became visible once more, and smiles on their faces did as well. A victorious shout from the city floor. The uproar of happiness washed upon the skies, the serious and nerve wracking demeanor was discarded for pure joy. Madam brought her gloved hands to her soft face and a smile determined the unusual emotions that she had felt. Victorious, joyful, at ease. The feeling of exhilaration and happiness had long been unusual to her, but when it finally came, she wished she could feel like that forever. Lost in the noise and cheer, she told herself that it was over. Williams raid was over.
Mortems began to trail down the mountain. They headed for their houses to rest, celebrate, and settle. Madam stayed. Just for a little longer, the feeling of being on the other side made her heart flutter with joy. A small tap on the shoulder, and she turned confidently, unafraid. A radiant woman bowed to her, her hand on her child's shoulder.
"Thank you, Madam Bordeleau, for looking after my little girl through all of this! I'm very grateful that she had come to Ignis instead of staying in the city!" she said. "Bless you, Madam."
"Anything I can do to help is my pleasure!" Elenora smiled and slightly bowed. "And you," She knelt down to little Evangeline. "thank you greatly for helping me, little one!" Madam winked at her and the little girl laughed. A secret she wouldn't tell even as a young woman. Her mother smiled and began her way down the mountain, glad to have her child with her again, glad to go home.
"Evangeline!" Elenora shouted. "Evangeline, my eyes!"
The jubilation of the crowd overpowered her. They couldn't hear.
"Evangeline, I..."
"Madam Bordeleau."
A firm grasp clasped around her upper arm.
"The Tier Head would like to have a word with you."
All of her happiness completely sucked out like a vampire and replaced with fear. Her heart fell again. The man glared at her, and turned around, giving her no time to respond on the spot.
"Sir, Wh-"
"Quiet."
Elenora jumped and stayed silent. Never mind. It was most certainly not her paranoia that told her not to speak, just a team of fear and common sense. The man wore clothes of a Mortem guard, but it appeared to be a bit more complex and fancier than the ones in the city. A two metal. Dragging her through the crowd and down the mountain, he pulled her away from the small trail of people going to the city to their homes and through the towering, bony, trees. Was one measly moment of happiness too much for a pained and harassed young woman to ask? Briskly, they strode toward the mansion, his strides were almost faster than her feet could carry her. Invisible ropes bound her wrists together. The next sight was almost sickening, as if she did not feel petrified enough.
"Hurry, on the boat."
Onto a small wooden rowboat she went, sitting on the shore of a river with water as black as their night sky. The man propped his hands onto the wooden boat frame, digging his heels into the ground, and he pushed, hopping into the boat when it began to float off. Thumping in her chest was her heart as they began to float away, the rickety boat slightly rocking in the water, the sound of a small splash that was determined to disturb anything that lurked in the dark mass. When the reflection of the moons and mansion bounced off the unfathomable dark water, the nausea spiked and her hands unintentionally shook. Her now pure white eyes lifelessly gazed into the pool, and the more and more she stared at it, the more it began to look like a mass of little black spiders mixed on top of each other, climbing and jumping, but if you touched your fingers to the surface, it rippled like silk. The way this solemn situation caught her off guard, struck her in the most unexpected way imaginable. A happy joyous time to be celebrating, only to be interrupted by the last thing she could've possibly wanted. Yet, it didn't sink in. Madam was scared, but the same numbness pricked her beneath her skin. Elenora knew in the back of her mind that the guards in the city noticed when they arrested William, the unexpected questioning from the Tier Head was simply the deal breaker. They knew. The two metal guard continued to row, floating in the middle of a black trench to the prisoner's death. Like the last grain of cereal floating dead center of a bowl. In the corner of her eye, she could make out the guards glowing eyes staring at her as he threw the water side to side with the oar. Elenora sat quietly, keeping her mind off of it and gazed up to the approaching sky scraping building and each and every dark brick that put it together.
They were now nearing toward the shore. The boat slowly rocked and abruptly hit the shoreline, digging it slightly into the ground. The man stepped down from the front and onto the marshy floor.
"Get up." He barked as he tied the boat to a stump, and she did so. Steadily, she hoisted herself up without using her hands, carefully stepped over the rim, and out. Now the man turned quickly on his heel, making his way to the stairs. Stairs that were vast and long, climbing its way higher than anyone can see from the ground, like a stairway to heaven. Only quite the opposite. They climbed, solid, all the way to the door, each and every footstep closer and closer to her death as she knew it. The soft taps echoed off of the smooth stone.
At least she now knows what she is in for, instead of standing in dark rooms waiting around for who knows what, only to be caught in a matter of time. Now, this uncertainty left her conscience, only to be replaced with more terror because she knew what was in store for her. It was by far the most terrifying thing, although, she had already came across it herself. The difference then, was after she had drowned, she knew that she would arrive here. Now, where will she go when she dies in the afterlife?
From the mansion steps, the city and its buildings looked flat and small. Glowing under the moonlight, every building, every little shop. Mortem's merrily making their ways back to their homes, just like the raid was water under the bridge. She stumbled. Madam turned around, realizing that she was above it all, lingering at the top, simply convincing herself that there were more steps, only to figure out that she was mistaken. The woman felt as if she were shrinking, standing in front of the tall black door, lit ablaze at its sides with small lamps that burned and snapped. Breaths came frequently, but short, like an inferior mouse in front of a cat. Weight in her chest pulled at her.
"This..." she thought " is Death's Door." It was different to joke about it with friends now. Foolish to joke about, entirely. Fun, until you were there. The five metal gripped the handle and pulled the door open. It hadn't made a single sound as it slid open to a small crack, revealing the inside.
"Proceed." The man voiced from behind her.
Never was there a time that Elenora did not want to walk in a building in her life more than now, but she did. The door shut behind them, and she swallowed.
It was very dark to a human, but it was like how you would keep a house lit if it were night time. The orangish glow spread a great deal, liting the open room. Flags hung from the walls, the Mortem insignia printed across it. The ceiling climbed high, and the roof was decorated in a meticulous and exquisite fashion, topped with a massive chandelier, glowing with candles. It was as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside. This only welled up more fear in her timid little body. Even the creaking floorboards underneath them poked at the quiet atmosphere. The guard, walked straight through the middle of it, headed to the large, unsupported staircase. It swept all the way to the second floor, and stopped. Expeditiously, the man made his way up the old steps. She felt as if any minute, she would fall through the wooden boards, it was so old and rickety and by the time she had made it to the top, the fear had tightened its grip like a python. All the woman could bring herself to do was stare. It felt like it was growing longer and longer by the second, like looking down on a ferris wheel. Death was so close, but her pupils never trailed.
"Move it!" He shoved her in the back and she tumbled to the floor, kicking her as he walked past her. "Get up, human. You don't want to end up like your little comrades."
Comrades... They couldnt think that she was in on the raid. She contributed to the Mortem victory. Quickly she scrambled to her feet. Elenora stared at the back of him as he steadily lead her down the hall. It was like he just jammed fear down her throat.
"Damn... If you weren't such a goddamn... Prize, I would of killed you myself... Stubborn little lamb..." he laughed. A smirk wiped across his face.
"Don't worry... The Tier Head will take care of that..."
Finally, reaching the dreaded door, she took a deep noticeable breath. The sound of blood streamed in her head. Steadily, the tall, slim door opened to a crack, and instantaneously, she was shoved inside. The entryway slammed behind her and right there, before her eyes, was the very man himself. The exact thought made her want to go completely limp and collapse on the floor. He sat, drinking blood red wine, as if to mock her.
"The human, sir."
He shoved her to her knees. Elenora's hands hit the floor, and she began to pant in fear, pieces of her long angel hair falling in front of her sad, blind-colored eyes.
"Leave her." The Tier Head commanded as he stood up. Faint echoing of the hinges bounced off of the walls, and the door was sealed. Her restraints disappeared and soft hands flew to her wrists, rubbing them to relieve the pain. The silence was deafening. Madam planted her feet on the ground and picked herself up. The poor young woman stood in the slight darkness her eyes locked on her murderers harmless misleading ones. He turned, making his way back to his wine glass.
"So..." His voice boomed and she jumped. "Fugitive... You decide to go through the trouble to discard your... human life to come here... and hide like a coward... "
No answer.
"Is that it... Elenora Elizabeth?"
In no time, her heart hit the floor. She felt faint. "H... how do..."
"Is it not obvious?" He quickly answered. " Your soul is like an open book, Madam."
The woman was speechless. Everything Katherine had done to hide Elenora's soul and provide her oxygen in the beginning was nothing for this man to decipher. What was she to say?
"All for what, Human?"
He brought the wine glass to his lips and sipped it before continuing. "Just to get caught, and killed by me...?" He laughed as she stood there, terrified. The wine overworked his nonfunctional body. He was intoxicated. She could tell.
"Was it worth it?" He cackled.
"Please... I just..."
She thought he would cut her off, like there was no time for her pointless babbling, but surprisingly, he let her speak, so she continued. Her soft velvety voice barely carried, but the patient man still payed close attention.
"All I wanted... was... to start over... I just wanted to come here and... live amongst you.. I just wanted to be like one of you..."
Elenora's eyes began to fill slightly. She was going to address herself and her business. Madam decided that she was stronger than he thought. Every word she spoke either saved her, or brought her one step closer to the guillotine.
"I've always hated my people. The Hominum's... I just don't want to be weak anymore."
"Is that so, Madam?" He stared at the floor the man himself deep in thought. She was silent. Elenora watched as he poured another thick glass of wine into a clean transparent glass, the smooth dark liquid falling in a thin rope. Between a blink, he was standing directly in front of her, his tall shadow cast on the wall, lengthening far past her's. A small and quick shout filled the room. You could cut the fear like butter.
"If you're one of us, then why not celebrate our victory?" he murmured.
The Tier Head's long slender fingers clutched the glass, holding it out to her, waiting for her to retrieve it.
"M-me?"
"Of course, take it Madam. You will celebrate, now won't you?"
She took it, bringing it to her chest, but unwilling to bring it to her lips.
He grinned. Now, she was the disgusting insect and the arachnid was beaming down on her.
"How long..." He began to take lengthy, ghastly steps toward her. But poor Elenora was far too soaked in her own thoughts to notice. She just listened to his growing voice, oblivious to his growing shadow.
"How long did you think you could make it before I killed you...?"
Her eyes shot up, her heart hit the floor, but her head stayed down. Without haste, Elenora dragged her feet back. One by one, unknown to what the next action will be.
"Please, sir... Please don't punish me... Please..."
She clutched the wine glass so forcefully, that one would think the thin glass would cave and shatter in her palms. The woman continued to take small, ambivalent steps behind her, as both the Tier Head and the wall grew closer.
"Did you think that with all the attention on a breathtaking woman like yourself..." He whispered, and began to snicker under his breath, drunken.
"Did you think you would make it, Elenora Elizabeth?"
The scared woman's back hit the wall and knocked all the breath from her lungs as he pinned her to it, blocking her path out with his narrow arm. The small pupils in her eyes shrunk, terrified out of her mind, but she could not move. No expression, no tears. She felt drained, dehydrated, empty. There was nothing she could do. This, or her life. All she wanted to do was weep. She was completely helpless and the spider was consuming her. Frightened out of her misery like a child alone in a graveyard. Her voice sounded like a scratched tape, hoarse and jumpy. He looked over her, his bright yellow eyes like daggers.
"Would you like to make a deal, Madam...?" He whispered. A cold shiver shot down her spine as his soft drunken voice slipped from his lips next to her ear. She did not answer, only stared into the jet black distance with her pupils no bigger than crumbs off of a cake. His voice gave her goosebumps down her arms, the intimidating yet velvety words.
"Carry the blood and heir of the next Mortem Tier Head..."
Her eyes widened with a dead expression. "And... I won't kill you."
The tall leaning man beamed right into her soul and she stared right back. A small smile crept onto his face as he glared.
"What do you say...? Is that a deal, love?"
Her jaw wanted to open and speak and her legs wanted to carry her away as fast as she could, but there was a lock on her lips and a weight that kept her feet in the ground. She, not even once in her miserable life, had ever felt more alone than now. She was cornered and Elenora wanted nothing more than to burst out in tears. But she didn't. She was not going to show weakness. Their was nothing she could do to save herself. Normally, she would immediately tell a guard and they would proceed to tell the Tier Head, but... This was the Tier Head, drunk and out of his mind.
"Sir..." The woman began to inch past his arm and to the door. "If... there is... nothing to be done, I... really must be going... I'm sorry." And with that, she meticulously, like an insecure cowering puppy, made her way to the door. Elenora wanted nothing more than to just leave. Within a matter of milliseconds, he was standing in front of her, and quickly snatched her wrists. The wine glass dropped, shattering with contact from the floor, sending blood red liquid in every direction like branches from a leafless tree. Madam's hands were frozen like claws. The man hissed through his teeth.
"I'm not finished with you!"
The door next to them opened slightly.
"S-sir, I..."
Another voice boomed from the corridor, but slowly trailed after realization. The guards attention was everywhere, from the Tier Head, to the spilt wine, to Elenora, to broken glass. His eyes were like simultaneous ping pong balls bouncing back and forth. The man's voice cracked when he spoke.
"I-I, uh... I didn't... mean to..."
The Tier Head's grip unlatched from her wrists. "No." He's sighed. "What... is it that you... need?"
"We... Uh... Need you for further instruction on attack, if you will..."
"Yes, of course..."
The Tier Head cleared his throat and brushed himself off briefly before continuing. "I will make my way there... In the meantime, escort this fair woman to the hotel in the city..."
His eyes trailed to her, staring at her soul sucked face. It was almost as her face alone was the slap that shook him awake, to realize what he had done.
"... safely, understood?"
"Yes, sir." The man turned, facing the hallway for departure. "Follow me, Madam..."
As if still in a daze, her feet carried her to the door, following the man out of it and out of the hallway to the same large open room she had seen when she came. He lead her outside and shut the door. It was like it happened in no time. The only thing she desired at that moment, was to be alone. He could have killed her. But he didn't.
"Alright, human." The guard held his arm out to her. "If you want to live, hold on tight."
Moving like a snail she latched on like he had told her. The man nodded his head. An exhilarating pulse swept her body, starting from her feet. Shocking as her body went from the feeling of a dead corpse to something like a caffeinated child. Their bodies began to glow like a faint lantern. Elenora could feel tingling in her blood. It felt like all the circulation was being cut off. Like all of her limbs were asleep. Everything was black. It was swallowing her. Walking in the darkness, she began to feel numb, like she was dizzy and going to faint. Elenora had completely lost all feeling in her limbs, and was beginning to lose consciousness, but before, her body went limp, the nerves in her feet and hands sparked back to life, followed by her legs and arms, then hips, followed by her entire torso, and her head, slowly and methodically. Small dots like tiny pixels began to cloud her vision, beginning from the edge, and working its way to the center, putting a picture together, molecule by molecule. Finally, it was completed. The lobby. She was standing in the lobby of the hotel. Poor Elenora was still sunken too far into what had happened, she could not be surprised in the slightest. The numbness was now there to stay. Like an echo in a shut off cave, the man's voice chimed it.
"Alright. My job here is done." It pulsed in her head.
"Th... th... thank..."
The man smiled slightly, but shut it down, trying to keep his emotionless composure.
"Yes. Of course. You're welcome."
Her double vision squished back to a single visible object, and in a split second, he disappeared in thin air.
