The Bright Wood

Chapter 13

In the distance above the castle,  a huge winged creature quickly approached.  Its roar could be heard for miles across the land.  Each time its wings beat the air, it was like listening to long distance thunder cracks. By the time its shadow loomed over the castle, I could see each black scale flickering in the sun like a thousand dark candles.
    
Suddenly, the dragon folded its wings and turned its long neck towards the palace.  It dove straight for the entrance we emerged from only minutes before.  It opened its mouth and spewed liquid fire, which soon covered the doors and ground around it.  Huge flames quickly swallowed that area as the dragon flew upward again then back down to ignite another part of the castle.
   
I watched, stunned as the dragon finished its job and flew straight toward us.  Not knowing what to do, I turned towards Ronan.  "What did it say in the legends about this?!"
    
"I told you all of that story I know! Run!"
    
Hamian, still carrying Emerella, quickly jumped onto Ronan's back as he turned to run, but I was not so quick.  The dragon was already upon us, and I felt its massive claws close around me.  I screamed, and Ronan turned.  The dragon began to lift up and my feet left the forest floor.
    
Ronan savagely barked and growled, and Hamian screamed my name.  Soon, I could not see them because I was far above the trees and the dragon flew so quickly.  The air became thinner and thinner, and I began to feel the same sensation I had when in the bottom of the lake with the naiads.  My head felt too heavy to carry, and my vision blurred.  Then, the black abyss of unconsciousness overcame me.

***
    
A cold splash erupted in my face.  All sensation in my body came in that moment.  My wrists felt like everything they touched was fire, and my entire body ached.  I was laying on a cold, hard stone floor which pushed into my hips and shoulders.  I coughed and sputtered as cold water ran down my face.  I opened my eyes, but all there was to see was the back of a dirty cloth.  Someone had blindfolded me.  I moved my hands to wipe my face, but they were restrained by chains attached to the wall behind me.  The movement sent another burning sensation through my wrists, and a whine escaped my parched mouth.
    
"Oh come now, Prince Connor.  I thought you were meant to be a big brave boy."  It was a male voice.  It was deep and harsh, and I didn't recognize the accent.  The man took a few steps, and the rag was ripped from my head.
    
"Be gentle," said a man standing behind the first one. ¨We don't want our little prince to hate us, do we?¨
    
"Yes, Lord Krolyn."  The first man gave a small bow and walked out of the room, which was more like the cell I was in just hours earlier. 
    
The man who was called Lord Krolyn walked over to me and crouched down. He was very tall and had a pair of feathered, black wings on his back.  His hand moved to my shoulder in a sort of reassuring gesture.  My fear became confusion.  "I am very sorry that my servant treated you unwell, and I can assure you that he will be punished accordingly.  I am also sorry about the trip here.  Voden didn't realise that you would pass out from the height."
    
I found my voice. "Voden?"
    
"The dragon."
    
I blinked a few times. "I don't understand. Why are you treating me like this?"
    
"Because you and I are friends," he said, as if it were obvious.
    
"No, you're a monster.  You betrayed your family and kingdom.  You became consumed in dark magic."
    
"Ah.  Such are the words of my enemies.  They were lying to you, nothing less.  I would never lie to you, trust me."
    
"Trust you?  What reason have I to trust you?"
    
"We are friends."
    
"I don't befriend monsters."  I spat in his face, and he reeled back in surprise.  I immediately regretted my decision because I knew what this Lord Krolyn could do.  Perhaps I should try to not make him angry.  To my surprise, he only wiped his face and gave a slight smile before walking out.  The look in his eyes was nothing like his face though.  All that I could see in them was pure hatred and madness.  The thought made me shiver.
    
Again, I was alone.  What was this game he was playing?  Did he really think we were friends?
    
Suddenly, a different man walked into the room. He couldn't have been much older than me. He wore the same rugged clothes that the other servant wore, so I assumed him to be another one of Krolyn's people.
    
"The Lord Krolyn has ordered that I take you from this place and show you to your room."  His voice, strangely enough, had a Sky Kingdom accent.  He came over to me and unlocked the chains around my wrists.  I immediately pulled them in front of me and analysed the red, burning welts left by the rubbing of the metal.  I noticed that everything I had on me but my clothes had been taken.
    
"Where am I?"
    
"You are in Lord Krolyn's castle in Ansia."
    
"Ansia?  As in, not in Galoddem?"  I stood.
    
"Yes.  We are in what you call the lands beyond the sea."
    
I wasn't sure if I could trust this person, but I would get as much information off of him as I could.  He began leading me out of the cell, and I followed.  I opened my mouth to speak, but the man was faster.  "I know what you're going to ask.  I cannot tell you why you were taken."
    
"But... you know that I was taken."
    
"Yes."
    
"Are you loyal to him?"
    
"Honestly, I've no reason not to be.  He has never treated me nor the other servants with terrible brutalness.  Well, unless we do something wrong."
    
"Do you know what he plans to do?"
    
"I know that he plans to wage war on Galoddem.  He wants to ensure that his magic stays with him, though I'm not sure how war will accomplish that."
    
"What did he say about me?  Why would he want to hold me prisoner here?"
    
"I already told you.  I cannot tell you the things I know."
    
"Why not?"
    
"I'll not disobey my master."  He seemed almost distressed and reluctant to stand by me any longer.
    
I huffed at his refusal to talk to me.  I needed to find out why I was brought here.  What would be the point of taking me from a prison just to imprison me again?  Maybe he knew I would escape, or maybe, he wanted to keep me closer to himself instead of in Galoddem.  Perhaps he also wanted to use me as bait for the princess, but he thought that Queen Gracella wouldn't be able to do the job.  So many questions flowed through my head when the servant slowed and stopped in front of a large door.
    
"This is my room?"
    
"It is."
    
I hesitated before placing my hand on the handles of the door.  I moved to go in, but I had one more question. "Why does Lord Krolyn treat me like a friend?"
    
The boy was already walking away and paused when I spoke.  His head turned slightly in my direction.  In the smallest voice, he said, "I don't know, but I do not think his intentions are pure." He whispered, "Just take this small piece of advice: beware." He then hurried off.
    
My hand still rested on the handle of the door, but instead of going in, I slid my hand off the golden knob and stepped back.
    
The servant told me to beware. I decide to retrace my steps back through the castle.  I would not sit cowering in a decadent room while I could be finding out all I could about this place.  I walk all the way down one hallway, then another.  This castle seemed shaped more like a maze than the organized halls and rooms of Arpton Palace.  I turned another corner and was surprised by the presence of a guard.
    
The soldier took one look at me and shouted, "You, halt!"  He drew his sword, and I bolted.  I ran back down the hallway I came from and the next, but there was a now a guard at the end of that one as well.  I turned and ran down the only hallway left for me to go.  I hurried as fast as I could, but I could still hear the heavy footsteps of several guards behind me.  I turned another corner and found a small door slightly ajar. I ducked inside and quickly pulled it shut behind me.
    
Through a small crack in the edge of the doorframe, I watched the soldiers run past, shouting and sending other guards off in different directions to try and cut me off.  I backed further into the strange dark room.  As soon as it looked like the coast was clear, I looked around at my new environment.  I couldn't see anything, but there was a small light coming from behind a pile of books and papers in the very back.
    
I went to move the books and looked through a vent in the wall.  I saw another room that was really big and well lit.  It looked like a council room, but there was no table or chairs in the whole thing.  It was just vacant.  Then, suddenly, the door to the room opened and in walked Lord Krolyn and another man who seemed important.  I looked on at the situation through my safe hiding place.
    
"This will not work, my Lord.  They boy's companions will be searching for him."
    
"Oh come now, Sir Enric.  Be joyous, for our plan is unfolding perfectly."
    
"You do not even know yet what he is capable of.  All you know is that he is powerful.  You've no idea what to do with him.  I can hardly call that a plan."
    
"Yes, but now he is mine, and I can manipulate him in any way I want."
    
"Must you talk so freely?  Anyone could be listening, even the boy."
    
"The boy?  Please, he is immature and weak.  He would not have the courage to venture outside the place my servant has taken him."
    
"And where is that, my Lord?"
    
"A room filled with aluvimeen berries."
    
"Aluvimeen, sir?"
    
"A poison of magic, used to infiltrate the mind and erase all morals.  The only thing the boy will know after a night breathing in the fumes of the berries is that he is here in Ansia.  All of his knowledge about good and evil will be gone, and we will be free to replace them with thoughts of hate and vengeance.  He will be made an ally and a powerful one at that.  Just think of it, Enric.  An ally at the heart of Galoddem."
    
"Still, my Lord, you've no idea how the boy works.  You've no idea if he can even help you."
    
"The legends say he is powerful.  Once he is our ally, we will search him further, figure this information out as we progress."
    
"Yes, my Lord.  Now that this is underway, we must discuss our relations with Lildea..."
    
The men continued talking, and I kept listening, soaking in all of the new information when a low creak of wood broke my attention from the vent.  The sound came from inside this dark room.  Someone, or something, was in here.  My heartbeat became fast and heavy.  I could feel a pair of eyes watching me.
    
"Hello?"  I whispered quietly.  I don't know if I was hoping for a response or not,  but when I got one, it was not what I expected.
    
"You should not be here."  It was the voice of the servant who had escorted me to my room.
    
My fear practically evaporated and turned to relief, but I was still wary of the fact that this one person could still cause a lot of damage.  He could tell Lord Krolyn that I had snuck away, or he could send me back into the room that supposedly contained the magic berries.  Still, it was a lot better than having sat right next to a guard or worse. "You'll not disobey your master, aye?"
    
"I have my reasons."
    
"And I've mine."
    
"So now you know why you're here.  What will you do, run?"
    
"I might."
    
"You would not make it."
    
"You suggest I stay here and allow him to change my morals and beliefs?"
    
The young man gave a sigh of frustration. "I do not agree with my master, but I also will not betray him.  I believe that his reasons are corrupt and unjust, but I must respect him because he has never paid me great harm."
    
"You say this man is not cruel?"
    
The boy hesitated.  "I- I cannot say.  I have seen him treat those who cross him brutally..."
    
"Do you know that his mind is filled with dark magic?"
    
"I- we...well, yes, but we turn a blind eye."
    
"Out of loyalty or fear?"
    
"I-"  he was interrupted by loud bell sounds bursting through the entire castle.  He quickly looked through the vent which urged me to do the same.  With our faces pressed together to each see through the small hole, we watched Lord Krolyn and Sir Enric look at each other in surprise.
    
"The boy," said Enric.  "He is not as weak as you say."
    
"No!  I had a servant make sure he made it to his room!"
    
"Do not blame the servant.  You have misjudged the situation, and this is not the first time."  His tone sounded harsh and dangerous, but he would be no match for the corroded lord.
    
Lord Krolyn brought up his hand suddenly and grasped at the air.  At the same time, Sir Enric's eyes went wide, and he grabbed at his throat as if he was being strangled.  He slowly rose into the air.  "You will not tell me how to judge what is mine to judge."  Enric continued to violently gasp and claw at his throat.  Then, suddenly, Sir Enric was dropped and he fell to the floor lifeless.  Lord Krolyn simply stepped over his fallen friend and went to the doors to exit.
    
The servant pulled away from the vent and looked at me.  "Why couldn't you have just entered that room?  You've just earned me a violent beating."
    
"We need to get out of here."
    
"No, I need to turn you in."
    
"You saw what he did and what he is capable of.  You cannot say that that is not evil."
    
He stepped forward and attempted to grab my arm. "I will lessen my punishment by taking you to Lord Krolyn."
    
"I have had not yet three conversations with you, and I already see that you do not want this."
    
"I don't want what?"
    
"You don't want to serve an evil master, and you certainly don't want to stay in this evil place."
    
"I haven't a choice!"  The sudden outburst of his voice quickly made us both quiet as the grave.  A group of running guards stopped outside the door.  We could hear their voices through the thin wood.
    
"Shh-sh.  Did you hear that?" the first guard said.
    
"Sorry, no.  I burped.  That may be what you heard."
    
"You are disgusting, Rallentor."
    
"Aren't we all, Reivus?"
    
The guard called Reivus sighed in frustration and walked off, quickly followed by the other one, Rallentor.  
    
I breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the servant again.  "I need to get out of here, and I need you to help me.  Please... please help me." The look in his eyes told me that he hated the fact that his master was truly evil, but he was also scared to agree to help me. "Don't continue to live in fear of your master.  Fight against him for what you know is right."
    
Slowly, the servant nodded and stood from his crouched position. "What do I need to do?"
    
"Okay, thank you!  Um, where are my things?  There would have been... a connecting stone, several gold coins, and..." I gasped when I realized what I had been carrying when it was taken. "I had a seeing crystal.  I need that back." 
    
"I know where your things are. Stay here."  The once cowardly servant suddenly showed a sense of power and leadership.  His back was now straight and he stood with confidence.  He opened the door slowly and stepped out.
    
"Wait," I said.  "I never learned your name."
    
"I don't think now is the time."
    
"I'm making it the time. What is your name?"
    
"Ruphean."  He then rushed out.