The Shattered Night

46| Piper

My pounding heart thumps in a repeated motion as the clattering steps of the court follows us. A pulsing course of adrenaline rushes through me like a sea serpent on a hunt for its prey, like a lion chasing a deer.

The strange thing is, through all the turmoil rising in a brewing storm, I find the metaphor my mind whispers almost too similar to what I am currently experiencing. In this case, one could say that the monsters of the ocean were the guards, while my comrades and I were trying our hardest to make an escape from merciless fate.

Could a group of rabbits possibly weave around the grasp of many hungry wolves? Most likely the answer would be no, and the situation we are all trying to pull away has a slim chance of letting the chains fly loose. If my life really ended here right now, would that make any difference whether or not the kingdom will fall to ruins? After all, the Blood Moon is growing heavier by the second, and the moment scarlet takes over the night's whole surface, everyone will be done over for good.

As the lantern lit shadows of the night creep up the walls like crawling spiders, I can almost imagine the whole scene as if my mind is in an illusion. Each movement is so immediate and skewed, yet, everything feels so worldly. The pieces of reality never fail to surprise a human in the darkest of hours. The looming hands of destiny will always come back to you no matter how much you try to tug away. I can think of it as a bird chained down in a cage. Never will the animal ever feel the cool breeze of the wind or flights of freedom. Each idea functions similarly to demons of the inner mind. It is a place where there is no door back out to light. No door back out to an escape.

"Where can we possibly run to! Do you have any idea how dangerous the steel guards of the kingdom are even? These men were trained like bots made only to serve the king, they have no mercy. All everyone knows is how to kill!"

Violette's wide pupils move frantically up and down our surroundings, each movement getting more intense by the second. The whites of her eyes are as visible as a moon under the blanket of a bleak night. Although I know that her intentions are made to warn us, nothing really helps to keep my cool. The words that had spilled out of my friend's mouth only added to my furiosity and panicked mind.

"Hush girl, do you really not trust me at all?"

A brisk whisper echoes across my vision as Violette clamps her mouth shut. The woman we had recently met sounds annoyed, as if she had been forced to do something hideous.

"Know that I'm doing this for your safety when I don't have a practical reason to save human souls. Being alive for centuries now, I, Adaria, can get around each despised corner of the court." The tone of the lady's harsh voice darkens as more footsteps start to approach. "I realize that you people might think the throne is unfair, but you should never underestimate the power of corruption. If you think the heart and mind is headed towards the right path, even just a hint of victory can turn the purest souls to stone."

The strange woman leads us to a cracked corner of the cavern walls, and we all bundle together in tense motions full of unknowingness. There is a flicker of candlelight behind the shadows of the ceiling, and my heart starts to shatter even more. The guards ought to find us any time soon, and when they did, I am sure everyone will have to get on their knees to beg. It was such a pitiful and useless way to die, but what other choice did we have? I knew deep down that there was no way a person would willingly invite an enemy to kill them.

The strange lady beside me inhales deeply and closes her eyes. "I can sense the moving currents of all the guards' walking patterns. It seems as if we have run out of time."

I don't reply to the whisper as the woman reopens her lids. After all, there is nothing beneficial to say. I know that by very soon, spears and weapons will be pointed at everyone's throat. No optimist can lighten the mood during these dark moments. The truth has come to break us all into small fractures.