Medice Ceres

Chapter 58

"Be it true that Raste would bring this Darkness to you?" Kori grasped the bars of the cell door.

"You heard, Kori?"

"Forgive me, my Lady, but I listened at the door. And that he would then make you bring the End Times?"

"Kori..." Ceres paused as Waithe shook his head, cautioning her not to reveal too much. "Kori, I would not allow that."

Her eyes moistened. "My Lady, I have seen what this Darkness does, how he blackens men's eyes and steals their will. I would not let it take you." She glanced both ways down the hallway. She whispered. "I shall try to steal the key so that you may escape."

"No Kori. I would not put you in such jeopardy. I intend to face Raste."

She pleaded, "You do not understand how cruel he can be, what he would do to you." Tears overflowed her eyes and dripped to the floor as she leaned her head against the bars. "I know of this."

Ceres reached through the bars and placed a hand on Kori's shoulder. "Was it Raste who abused you?"

Kori sobbed as she nodded.

Ceres leaned her head forward such that her forehead touched against Kori's forehead. "I am so sorry, my dear friend. No woman should ever suffer that."

"Then you must somehow leave."

"I need you to trust me, Kori. I must face Raste. The fate of the world is at stake." Ceres stroked Kori's hair. "You are a brave true woman. I know not my fate, but I am blessed to have met you and to call you friend. Now go before the guards become suspicious."

Kori wiped her eyes, looking back once as she disappeared down the corridor.

Ceres turned toward Waithe. "I had hoped to convince Scias of his Shaman's treachery, but I failed."

"I be not so sure, daughter. You planted the seed. Let us see if it takes root."

"Something else is of greater concern, what Scias said of Lord Gerald's army."

"Aye. I heard it too, that he would deal decisively with them soon. I fear an attack is coming and if so, it would come soon before the snows close the mountain passes."

Ceres widened her eyes. "Eira and Alden is with them! We must give warning, but I know not how. Kori may help, but I do not want to put her in danger with this and a message may arrive too late."

"Perhaps there be a way, by your link to Eira via Phy."

"But how do we send a message that a little girl would understand and then convey?"

Waithe grinned. "I have an idea, but we would have to ruin the dress you wear."

Ceres scoffed. "Gladly."

She changed out of the fancy gown behind the dressing screen and tossed it out. Waithe reached into his boot to pull out a knife. He smirked. "I know not why our captors never think to check my footwear for weapons."

With the knife, he cut out a triangle piece of cloth from the silky red dress. He explained, "Back in the Land Wars, we used a system of flags to communicate. A red flag such as this means danger comes, usually that the enemy attacks. Lord Gerald and Jenn would know of this, and perhaps Alden too. If you could get Eira to relay this..."

"I shall try." She raised a hand. "Phy, we have need of you."

Phy's green light popped into existence immediately and hovered before her. Ceres held up the red triangular swatch prominently before her. "Eira, this is important. Show Alden and Lord Gerald this red flag. Warn them. I love you, my dear little girl."

With a nod from Ceres, Phy disappeared.

Ceres slumped back in her bed. She muttered under her breath, "Please let this work."

*****

A black hooded figure appeared before the bars. His presence sent shivers through Waithe. The figure said, "So, we meet at last. Much difficulty have you caused me."

Ceres jumped back at the grating voice. The figure pulled back the hood of his black robe. Long sparse strands of dark hair stood out from his nearly bald scalp. A smile broadened on his face, one like a predator would make to the prey.

Raste's black eyes seemed entrances to a dark abyss, where hid a monster that fed on any good soul that wandered too near. His face was pale and ashen with dark circles under the eyes. If not for the twisted smile and piercing eyes, he would appear more like a corpse than a man.

Waithe's daughter had taught him that there was redeemable goodness in everyone, but it seemed not so for this Shaman. For whatever reason, invited or not, the Darkness found a cozy home in him. And this unholy alliance had no regard for anything but itself. Whatever good there was in the man had been ripped out and discarded like trash. Even Lord Scias, in all his glory-seeking entitlement, had something of a heart and an eye for beauty, but Raste must have abandoned his heart long ago.

Ceres slunk back and grasped Waithe's arm, her eyes frozen open. It occurred to him that Raste was the shadow opposite of her: the dark to the light, ugliness to beauty, and disdain to compassion.

"Have you nothing to say, my Lady?" Raste shook his head and motioned at the guards who stood behind him. "No matter."

A prison guard gulped as he unlocked the door, then crept away. Four guards entered the cell, two carrying sets of chains, while four more waited outside. Waithe eyes widened, these guards wore the uniforms of the Medice Guard. Their faces were emotionless, but their eyes had the same blackness as those of Raste.

In the next cell, Quar banged on the iron bars. "Raste, you bastard! What have you done to my men?"

Raste strolled over to her cell and looked her up and down. "Reverend Quar, you failed in your task to deliver Ceres to me. I have no more use for you, but for some reason, Lord Scias wants you to remain alive. As for your men, I merely opened their eyes to a new reality. One that your former young student will experience herself."

Quar banged the bars again. "Let her be, you sadistic monster!"

Raste turned back to her and frowned. He raised his hands and a Spirit appeared above him, flashing a violet light laced with blackness. Ceres gasped. Waithe recognized the spirit, Nyx, the one that nearly ripped all hope from his heart that night in Tarne. The one the Lady of Light warned him against.

Quar screamed in agony. The pure despair in her cries twisted his gut. Ceres openly wept for the woman that once betrayed her. Raste smiled, apparently taking a sick pleasure in her torture. Eventually, the screams faded to despondent whimpers.

With a grunt, Raste turned back to the other cell. The guards continued their task, wrapping chains around Ceres and Waithe's waists and then shackling their wrists to them. The Shaman approached Ceres, raising his dark bushy eyebrows as he gazed at her. She backed up to the wall.

Raste leered. "You are quite attractive, my dear."

Her chin trembled as Raste ran his fingertips across her cheek with one hand while the other traced its way down to her breasts.

Waithe gritted his teeth as rage overtook him. He charged. With his hands restrained at his waist, he barreled shoulder first into Raste, knocking him away. Two guards grabbed Waithe and slammed him to the hard floor, face down. The heel of a boot on his neck held him there.

Raste barked at the guards. "Hobble him!"

Another guard ripped the boot off of Waithe's right foot. Waithe grunted in pain as a knife slashed across the back of his right heel, slicing through the tendon. Blood leaked onto the floor. He grunted again as the boot was shoved back on.

Ceres cried out and moved toward her father, but Raste shoved her back against the wall. He brought his twisted face only a breath away from hers. "Eventually, my lovely, you will learn to desire me. And then we shall spawn a new breed of Shaman in a new world." He cupped her cheek then turned toward the guards. "Take them down to the lowest dungeon! And drag the old witch there, too." He grinned at Ceres while narrowing his dark eyes. "I think some time there will make you more agreeable."