The Heroine [COMPLETED]

8. Interlude

"REVENGE." "WAS THE ONLY REASON YOUE FATHER FOUGHT FOR THE KEYS."
"He probably did it for a good cause." Alexandra immediately retorts.
"He did. I suppose." Felix replies.
"So why did he want the keys?" Felix gives her a half serious, half insolent look before answering,
"The keys belongs to the elf. To make this key, the best artisan will use his entire lifetime to carve out the key's intricate features which uses pure sapphires and tanzanite. And to seal the key, a ancient spell from the elf species is placed upon it."

"Is the key that important?"
"It's the key that will open the door to a secret stash... of, gold." Alexandra looked bewildered, she frowns instantly.

"You mean to say that this key that my father worked so hard for... is for a gold stash?"

"Yes. But that stash of gold is more important than you think."
"It's just wealth. It's money."
"Miss. Gallagher. I guess you have never truly understood our situation. It must be your father, who have shielded you from the truth."

"What truth?" Alexandra knows her father, the hero of her life would not commit his life to a key that only leads to a stash of god damn gold. But what if... he didn't know?

"Arga has been in a very difficult position due to all the conflicts Gare has stirred up with us. Our national treasury is nearly drained out of real wealth. A few years back when Lord Lucifer ordered General Gallagher to set foot on Bapsin, the forbidden island of the elf, there was already a problem with the treasury. Lord Lucifer foresaw it, your father foresaw it. That's why, despite all the dangers and negotiations, ultimately your father decided to take the risk and head to St. Bapsin, hoping for a peaceful way to borrow the keys."

"But it didn't go peaceful at all." Alexandra adds. "I was with my father that night. He merely had the manpower of a battalion.  He brought only ten men with him, set out on a peaceful negotiation. Me and Jeffrey waited for him by the island where we entered. It was dark. Then, there was gunshots. But Jeffrey didn't let me leave. He told me we had to stay, and when they came back, the ten men that went with my father were all dead. Only my father came back, bruised and injured very badly."

"But he got the keys?" Alexandra nodded.
"He risked his life for it."

"He's a honorable man. But things didn't go well. The keys are a treasure to the elf. They were outraged, thus, they decided to ally themselves with Gare. I suspect that's what they wanted all along. To put Arga into this difficult situation. They can just stand behind and watch become the targets of the powerful elf. Now, if we can get the keys to open the gates to the hidden treasure, we can save Arga, and we will finally be able to declare war on Gare."

"But..." Alexandra begins uncertainly. "If the elf had the keys all along, why didn't they open the gates themselves?"

"Because they can't."
"Why?"
"The person who created the treasure stack and the keys was a prince of the elf species. He was actually in very good terms with the humans, and even married Princess Diana. They bore a child. Then Princess Diana died, leaving the baby in the hands of the prince. The prince was framed for killing the elf king and charged with treason for allying with the humans. The prince felt defeated and hopeless at the power struggles within the elf. He was able to escape the jail, then make a artisan carve out the key using the tools he gathered and he used it to guard the gates to the treasure which belonged to him and his ancestors. He didn't want it to go into the wrong hands, so he decided that the person who will open the doors must be the descendant of Jose Lancaster, a young boy back then, but he saw right through him, that he'll be a great leader. He appointed his daughter to marry him. Then they bore several children. But, the keys went back into the hands of the king, when they caught him. Fortunately, they couldn't activate it." Alexandra pondered for a moment, still trying to absorb every new information. At last she decided.

"Ok, we must save Josefina then. She's our last chance."
"We won't be able to."
"Why not?" Alexandra asks with undisguised anxiety.
"Lord Lucifer only cares about himself. And his own benefits. The only reason he wanted the keys was not only to keep peace, but maintain his powers. Do you think the Gares would've so simply captured a royal princess?" Alexandra pauses, her mind racing with a thousand different thoughts.

"You mean.... Lord Lucifer was behind it? But why?"
"Because he changed his mind. As long as he controls the people, even if the treasury is out of money, he'll still make the people work, and go to war."

"But then... I mean... does he not want the gates to be open?"
"He wants to maintain peace, and sacrificing the last Lancaster descendant seems to be his way."
"WHAT about the keys?" Alexandra panics, she does not want her biggest fear to come true.
"Yea... but there's someone else." Alexandra cocks her head.
"Who?" Felix smirks as he lifts Alexandra's chin with his index finger.
"You, Alexandra Gallagher."