Calliope

Chapter 3 - The boy in the crystal

    "Princess Calliope! Are you alright?" Harvey asked, kneeling down to my level.

    He somehow was able to pull me up and get me standing. With him as support I was led to my parents bedroom. My father had been placed on the bed. The sword from his chest had been removed and dressed accordingly with white bandages. A little red dot shined through the white indicating he was still bleeding heavily.

    "Listen my brave daughter." He said slowly, motioning for me to come closer.

    I approached the bed and took his hand.

    "You cannot let them have the crown. You are familiar with the three week rule right?" He asked me.

    I nodded as I had done my studying.

    "Good girl.." He said, coughing. "I need you to retrieve it." He said.

    My eyes widened in surprise.

    "Father surely you understand that I am incapable..." I started, but was interrupted by him.

    "Nonsense. You're my daughter... Our family never gives up.... Not now, not ever.." He said sternly.

    The pauses between his words grew and slowly build on the pressure of tears I had in my eyes. I remained quiet as the rest of the room in respect.

    "You will... awaken... Cole.." He said. "Only you... can..."

    A chill ran down my spine. Cole was the deadliest most feared sorcerer in the world. He was sealed within a crystal by a queen he priorly tried to kill, who was my ancestor. He had been sealed for about 50 years or so. Why would my father awaken him. He was a bad person. A really bad person. He couldn't care less about what's happening to the realm..

    "What you know... of him... is wrong... "

    "Huh?... I mean excuse me?" I corrected myself.

    I saw his eyes close slowly and the spirit they always held vanished.

    "Father..?" I called "Father!"

    I took his hand with tears streaming down my cheeks. I repeatedly called his name and kept during so until I was, against my will, removed from my father's bedside. Harvey and some other servants dragged me outside the room. My mother came out shortly after with glossy eyes.

    "Listen child." She said, with a slightly shaking voice.

    It was clear to hear that she was on the brim of a breakdown. I froze in the hand of the servants with tears slowly rolling down my cheeks.

    "Fulfill your father's last wish. Awaken Cole and retrieve the crown."

    She spoke to me while walking. I was urged forward by the servants.

    "Cole is the greatest known sorcerer in the world. No one has stood up to a queen as long as he did. He is without a doubt powerful. You know the told story about Cole, but not the real one. Cole is originally from the Moon realm not Star realm. He became a bounty hunter yes, but he was doing good deeds. The deceased queen of the Star realm acknowledged his strength and wanted him to work for her." She explained.

     We walked further and further down under the castle. I knew where we were heading. The only place in the whole castle I'm prohibited from entering.

    "Cole refused at first but was swayed by the money that followed. The queen, or your ancestor, thought she tricked Cole as she only wanted him for power. See Cole was smart. He had month prior to their battle received a letter telling him to kill the queen. He was cocky and thought he could take on the queen, needless to say when their battle began it was heated. The queen won however as she had awoken as queen and used her royal magic as it's called. The queen used her magic to seal him in a crystal that is underneath the castle right now." She finished her speech, just as she opened the heavy doors to the deepest cellar in the whole castle.

    "How cruel.." I muttered to myself.

    Inside was a radiating blue crystal that sealed a human man inside. The crystal was made out of high level ice magic. Only a queen had he power to seal someone like that. To my surprise he looked to be around my age and not some elderly man. It must be the powers of the deceased queen that has stopped time for him.

    "Only you can do it as you have already received my powers as queen." She said. "I will stay out here."

    She was right. When a crown princess turns 18 the queen power is transferred from the current queen to the crown princess, hence my mother lacked the queen's power. She could still use a tiny magic though, although it was less than me. I stepped into the room and heard the doors being shut behind me. I turned around but just as my mother had said: She stayed outside. I sank once and turned towards the crystal once again. I walked closer to the crystal which glowed by itself. The light was pulsating like a heart. The man inside was incredibly handsome. His head was slightly tilted upwards. He had closed eyes and slightly open mouth making his face look calm, like he was just resting. His black hair was blown slightly upwards. It was short although it still had some length. His body was tall and muscular. He wore old fashioned clothes, which consisted of some worn out white pants and a formal shirt with a jacket. The style didn't look like him as although his face was calm he looked fierce. I felt a strange sensation go through me and I stepped closer. As if drawn to the crystal I placed my hand flat on the crystal's warm surface. Just on the on top of where his hand was. By my mere touch cracks started to form immediately under my hand. A sharp light shined through my fingers and blinded me. Having no choice I closed my eyes. There was a loud crash as the crystal shattered into tiny pieces. I felt something warm glide between my fingers. I opened my eyes seeing the man stand before me. He still had his face resting in the calming expression although unlike before it wasn't turned upwards but slightly downwards. In my hand I saw his hand had gilded into mine and our fingers had intertwined. His heat flowed into me and warmed my cold body. He opened his eyes suddenly and stared directly at me with cold hateful blue eyes. As expected he didn't look like a peace-loving person, instead he had the eyes of a coldblooded killer.