The Seer's Trial

Chapter Eight: Mistaken

My brain hurt as it became more and more confused. "Wait a minute," I told Densel as part of me began to feel numb "why did you kidnap me if you were searching for me in the first place. I mean, I would have gone with you willingly..." I could barely hear what I was saying anymore; my mouth felt like it was speaking of its own accord.

I couldn't bear to look at Densel anymore. After a few minutes, his voice softly said,  "I guess that we were both stupid then. I wasn't thinking with my head...and I don't know what I'm doing." He hung his head low and exhaled loudly.

"I guess the one thing I couldn't bear to tell you was what made me like this..." He gestured to his arms, and upon closer inspection, I noticed that there were cuts all over them.

I gulped quite loudly, took a deep breath, and tried to steady my breathing. No one, as far as I had known, ever did this to themselves on purpose. "W-What made you do this, D-Densel?" I spoke softly, my voice quivering.

He looked down, and for a long time we just sat there until he wiped his eyes and sniffed loudly. With horror, I realized that he had been crying, and Densel never cried.

"I k-killed m-m-my m-mother," he sobbed.

At first, I didn't register what he had said, but slowly, my brain caught up to his words. I felt as if I had been struck with a lightning bolt several times. My mouth felt numb and a bad metallic taste took over. Slowly, my vision began to wobble, turning a dark maroon red, and I blacked out.

I woke up standing outside the Riverdome's luxurious home. A quick survey of my surroundings sent me into shock because standing just two feet away from me was...me. I looked a lot younger than I did now, and standing by my side was my mother.

As I watched, unseen by anyone, Densel, his father Ian, and his mother greeted the second me and my mother. A wave of nausea overwhelmed me as I realized that this was a scene from the past -from the first time I had met Densel and his family. I watched, my heart beating in my chest as Ian threw up his hands in a fit, and stormed into his house. My mother chased after him, shouting angry words that no nine year old should ever hear.

My hands shook as I heard my past self ask Densel's mother what was wrong with Ian. I mouthed the words with her as Densel's mother answered, "There's always something going on with that one. Best to stay away, you know. For your own safety, of course."

My mouth twitched as Densel scolded his mother for speaking wrongly about his father. A small part of me nagged, even then he disapproved of his mother. Is that not enough proof for you that he murdered his mother?

I blinked hard, muttering angrily, "I won't believe it till I see it." The voice replied, see what? Her dead body? You know you can't trust Densel, it said in a soothing voice, he has constantly lied to you for his own needs and purposes. Remember this, when the time comes for a hard decision...

The voice ended in a snarl. I shook my head to rid it of the voice's last sentence. I looked up, surprised to see no one there. I turned, trying to look for anyone.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when an old, haggard woman limped toward me. I tried to move back, but suddenly, a wall came up behind me. I clawed and scratched at the brick, but to no avail.

The woman hissed, and when she spoke, it sounded like an entire hive of bees. "You should heed the voice's words, you know. He only comes to you in great times of need."

My breathing slowed. I didn't dare speak, but yet, I found my mouth moving of it's own accord. "And how are we in a time of need? The kingdom has never been this prosperous, and--"

"The kingdom is built on lies and deceit," she snarled. I tried to look her in the eye, to identify her in some way, but she just seemed to be an outline of a human body. She looked down at where her body would be and bared her fangs in a vicious smile.

"Ah, you see that I am not human. You have your new king to thank for that. He is not all that he seems. I used to be a beautiful woman, married to the king. No one talks about me for a reason, you see. The king set up a test for me, a test for his own wife! He wanted to see if I was magical."

" When he found out I did indeed possess the quality of magic in my blood, he took me to the altar of Drakus, lord of the Underworld, and slaughtered me so that he, too, could possess magic. My body was never given a proper burial, and no one even knew that the king had ever had a wife."

"Why do you speak of this tale now?" I whispered in a hushed tone, afraid the king would hear me.

"Because, my dear, the time will come when you will have to face a choice, a choice that would usually be made by someone with much more experience than you." She reached behind her back, and produced a silver amulet with a stone as deep and as beautiful as the rolling waves of the sea.

"Take this. When all hope is lost, use it."

"But how will I know how to use it?"

She slowly began to fade, and just before she was gone completely, she whispered to me, "Trust no one and you will succeed."

I slowly peeled open my eyes to find that Densel and I were surrounded by London and his men.

"Hey buddy," I said cheerfully to London, "how are you?"

He only growled in return, and seconds later, lunged straight at me.