Nychta - The Bloodrose Kingdom

Chapter 17 - The Serpent's Shadow

“The raven, that is my pick for this Divination,” a gruff voice said.

“Definitely the last girl,” another one said.

Voices of different colors and tones filled the arena as they said their picks, with my ears perking up every time I heard a name reminiscent of mine. I had been named a lot by now: the black-haired girl, the last one, the raven. “The Queen” was the next that I was aiming for.

I looked back at the line of carriages and contestants, the latter’s glances peering through my soul. Some were smug, while some looked in curiosity. Alice the Trickster looks at me while holding a monocle with a pink lens, seeing through any disguises I may have. Adelaide of the Woods looked warily at the feathers in my gown, noticing how real the ravens from before had seemed to be. She looks at my eye next, with a heat in her eyes.

I returned to a face of uncaring coolness, my feet in contrast by barely being able to keep me balanced from the heels.

But through all the looks and glances they gave me, there was one who looked deeper and more interested than anyone. None other than Hilda of the Knives herself.

She looked at me, studying every feature while I did the same to her. I imprinted every knife, every flexible part of her that in my mind, making a mental note to make sure which of them to particularly give attention to. Not that any of them was less lethal than the others.

But there was something more behind the fear of danger and the obvious death that anyone here can conflict. It wasn’t the feathers, the dark power that radiated off me, or the knives that clung dearly to her.

It was our past, a parallel cloth that now interweaves as we both acknowledge the presence of Eman in our lives.

Should we be friends? Should we be allies simply because of our common birthplace?

That remains to be seen, the gem replies, a steel response in a cold, unsure world.

And as I finally took my position besides Hilda, I made sure to never put that mask down. Let her assess me in whatever way she wants.

Faeric of the Gems, from afar, looked quite pleased. His sculpted face was smiling, his elegant auburn hair shining brightly with the sun. The blue streaks of his hair now shone brighter than ever, an obvious charm to keep the crowd interested.

He stands up once again and makes his way towards the colorful gem.

“And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the candidates for the Divination!”

Applauses and cheers came from all over the arena, a positive response to our wonderful show of illusions and speeches. We were dolls, pretty and colorful for this day, but tomorrow, we will be everything deadly.

“Never have I seen such a promising cast of young women. And might I say, they manage themselves quite well,” Faeric says, looking at some of us. His eyes glanced for a while in my position, before looking at the crowd once again.

Rosemary did her job well.

But as I looked back at the grounds once again, I noticed a dark movement by my peripheral vision. It was as if smoke was coming from the sides of my head.

I turned my head to the left, trying to find the culprit. But it only moved farther from it.

I was about to appear busy in front of the crowd, but I did not care. If this was Eman once again, he would be truly in danger as the crowd distractions was now over.

“Eman,” I tried to say in my mind, trying to call him silently.

“The boy is not in here anymore,” the gem replies.

I looked at my right, and found the shadow making its way slowly behind me.

“Aquamearn showed quite some potential. The tides of the Bloodrose will be filled with the blood of our enemies if we picked the right leader, after all,” Faeric continues.

But I turned around this time, eager to catch my shadow.

And as I turned right, I noticed that one of the girls did the same too.

Clad in white, her veil trailing behind, was Lucia of the Light. She also noticed the shadow, but she was more eager than me, now fully turning behind.

But both of us were shocked at we saw when we did.

Right behind us was a complete duplicate of our shadows, the real one now behind us.

I looked at Lucia from my left, trying to see if she made sense of what was happening. As if on cue, she looks right back at me, her aqua blue eyes looking troubled.

I raised my left eyebrow, asking her. She responded by raising her shoulders, a pout appearing in her lips.

“Catquoise was a shocker! An illusionist and a creature of the light. Now that’s a fancy!” Faeric continues.

But now the shadow morphed. It was slowly transforming, hard lines and defined figures coming out of it. It was Eman once again, but this time, much more cohesive in the shadow.

It only took a second for a black fume to shoot out of the shadow, leading right to my forehead and entering my brain.

“Machiavellian! Listen to me!” Eman’s pleading voice says once again, a despair never heard from him now emanating in his wavering voice.

“And who could forget Silverfang? I think, for everyone here attending, the main display of the day, was Lucia of the Light and Machiavellian of the Raven. The light and the dark fighting for the crown!” Faeric says, as the crowd responded with excited cheers.

“You’re taking Lucia too” I say through my mind. Did she have any connection with this? What was happening now? “I thought that you were calling me to escape with you?” I followed with.

“She’s... part of it too,” Eman says.

“The Divination will start tomorrow! Believe in Bloodrose and flourish! Fight for Bloodrose and win!” Faeric ends, the crowds cheers echoing all around the place in response.

“I told you, I will not!” I say.

As if sensing the tightness in my voice, the shadow instantly disappeared. What is this? Was he finally letting go of me?

By my right, Lucia’s duplicate shadow also disappeared. She gave a curious look to, one of her softly-arched eyebrows raised. I pointed to the ground where mine had a duplicate too.

But as I looked back to the stage, I noticed that Faeric’s head was in our direction too. The other contestants seemed curious too, as their heads now went in Lucia’s and my direction. Curious to see what it was that made us bothered.

The crowd, which started to leave, now also stopped in their tracks. Something felt wrong. We were supposed to be stiff now, after all, but we were now in a state of confusion.

Something was wrong, and everyone knew it.

And as if on cue, shadows appeared on top of the arena, blocking sunlight. Like tiny raindrops falling, tiny shadows appeared out of it. They fell to the ground, scattering all around the whole field.

The crowd started to panic as the shadows moved quicker. They were like dark tendrils of sharp blades, ready to slice through every target. They moved at a fast pace, circling around the whole arena.

“Call the beasts!” Faeric’s voice said, steady and calm amongst the fear around.

A sudden opening by the right side of the arena gave way for an exit. Someone must’ve opened it, or maybe it was the shadows itself. Whatever, it was, it caused the crowds to now run to it like swarms of panicked ants, their screams and shouts heard everywhere.

But the shadows had seemed to forget something. The arena itself was now filled with weapons, 12 powerful girls in pretty gowns and deadly abilities. As if they had realized too, sounds of different abilities came from each of us, water swishing, thunder roaring, and metal whirring.

But it seems that it wasn’t necessary as the beasts came out from the sides of the arena, from a doorway thoroughly hidden behind an elaborately carved wall.

Lions of a gigantic size, as tall as a human came out from within, primal rage roaring out of it. It was only a creature from the tropical parts, but now, it seems so real. But there was something different. These lions were of a purple color, their manes burning brightly, coated with fire and a certain zapping noise. Electricity and fire combined.

Thousands of muscles rippled from them, obviously of abnormal sizes. Their fur were also designed with vines and leaves, a never-ending motif of Bloodrose.

The shadows seemed to recognize the four beasts that came from within the sides, as its masses faltered in moving for a slow bit.

The lions roared, a terrifying sound that made my heart pound hardly.

Do not be faltered! The voice from within said, making me jump back to my senses.

I analyzed my surroundings.

It was all a blur of moving guards and Faeric from the top of the arena, crossing his arms in a seemingly normal state. He was unfazed by everything happening, but he was still curious as to where the shadows came from.

He put his gaze on us, and then started to speak.

“Contestants of the Divination, enter your carriages immediately!” He said, the first sound of rush now present in his voice.

In an instant, I turned my back, as the other contestants followed. With heavy footsteps, I ran back to the carriage, my hand instantly touching the cool metal. I opened the door, folding my gown to fit inside.

I was putting the feathered gown inside the carriage when I noticed something creeping in front of me. Like a snake slowly making its way to its prey, I saw a shadow moving towards me.

I panicked, my breath coming in short breaths as I stared at the commotion outside and dragged my gown inside the carriage.

Hurry! The voice said, a tinge of panic present in its tone.

When the cloth had finally reached the insides of the carriage, I immediately flung my arm to the door, pulling it to finally close the carriage.

From afar, the guard were now circling around the whole arena, their swords aimed at every direction. Their red armors looked dark within the shadowed arena, a maroon shade of fury and anger.

But as I looked at every point in the field, I noticed that one of the girls did not go back to her carriage. One of the girls stood bravely among the fields, both of her hands clenching by her sides, her left foot backwards. She was ready to fight.

It was Emeline of the Tides, whose powers was to control the waves of the ocean, coming from the town of Aquamearn.

“Emeline!” I shouted, my head trying to ignore the shadow now creeping faster towards me. Just another ten seconds and I would be reached to the skin.

“Emeline! Go back to the carriage!” Here I was, about to be attacked, but I still felt a deeper responsibility for the girl, whom I didn’t know. She was the scared one earlier, the one who made a whale as an illusion. For all the lack of wit she had earlier, she seems brave now.

But she still looked across the field. I followed her instead, to make her stop her foolishness.

As my footsteps crunched through the ground, I began to notice something different. It was something in her face.

Hopelessness. This wasn’t courage I wasn’t seeing. Her empty eyes reflected an empty soul underneath, willing to die just to escape the Divination. What horrible fate did she meet to deserve this? How much did life give her that she simply didn’t want to continue anymore?

The tribal designs of her back reflected years of culture and knowledge, intricate waves and beaches drawn beautifully. But it seems that it now betrayed her, the power. The sapphire blue gem in the middle of her forehead turned out to be her curse.

I wished that it didn’t do the same to me.

I took both of her shoulders, curly blue hair on top of it, shaking her.

“Emeline! Listen to me!”

But her eyes looked far away. Distant. Helpless.

“Emeline! Please!” I try, my own voice unsure anymore.

I looked behind me and saw that the shadows was now attacking the guards.

Scattered in every part of the arena, like unseen warriors fighting the red-studded sentinels. It seemed that every s***h of the guards only led to that shadows multiplying in form, barely seen but capable of killing.

I try to shake her shoulders again, but she was only stiff in response.

“J-just let me stay. I don’t want to do this,” those were the words that came out of her mouth.

I looked around the arena and saw the chaos erupting in intensity. Glinting sword were blocked by the dark shadows. I wanted to help, but I didn’t want to cause further war.

But as I stared at one particular spot, right in front of the gem that changed color at the stage at every second, I saw that the shadow was back to trailing me. But now, it only moved faster.

“Emeline,” I try to budge her again, my hand gently clawing her shoulders as to make her jump back to her senses.

“Emeline,” I said again, the shadows crawling faster. It passed through every guard’s feet, passed through every fighting sentinel. It was like ink spreading through water, fast and dark and evil.

There was no more time to talk. It was do or die.

I grabbed Emeline with full force, basically dragging her. If it was what it took to keepher alive, then I will do it.

Her blue hair was carried by the wind as we ran through the field, trying to go back to the carriages. They differed in colors, blue and red and brown, signifying powers. The black carriage by the end, my carriage, looked sinister among these colorful spectacles.

“You run back to your carriage, and you hide with the others!” I say, my voice as jumpy as my steps. She was now running too, a good sign that she was reciprocating my actions.

But as she looked at me, her aqua blue eyes watering with tears, I can sense that she was going back to normal now. From whatever it was that caused her to act like that. Maybe there was hope in the darkness, and it seems that I was the one to bring it to her.

“W-why are you doing this?” she manages to ask, her voice half-crying. I looked at the carriages and saw that some of them now came out of their rides. Margaret of the River, the confident one, and Millicent of the War, stoic as ever, now waited by. They were willing to help, but they didn’t want to risk the danger of crossing over the shadows. It was fine though, for I know that what I did was dangerous in itself.

“Look behind you and see why,” I answered her. She turns her back, her eyes widening as she sees the shadow now closely trailing behind us. Ten steps was what it took for it to finally reach us, and was gaining speed as it moved.

She only cried more, her steps becoming faster. I wasn’t dragging her now, for she ran along with me.

“Go faster!” Millicent’s dark voice said, her eyes intently looking at us.

As she spoke, I felt a sudden rush in my veins. This was part of her abilities. A charisma only a commander carried, capable of increasing morale.

Emeline ran faster, inspired by Millicent’s voice.

But as we ran, I felt a sudden thump in the ground, as I felt my feet hit a rock. Of all the times to be careless, it was definitely not now. But I only cursed at myself as I fell on the ground. I pressed my arms to the ground, but the pain was too painful to even stand up instantly.

“Machiavellian!” Emeline said, only knowing my name from my introduction. She offers a hand, which I take.

“Call me Mach!” I say, instantly hitting the ground again as I realized that I was too weak to stand up.

“Just run over there!” I say, putting her hand away and pushing her.

She looked at me and saw the shadow behind me gaining more speed. She looks at me one more time and then goes by my side.

“What are you doing?!” I say, my voice cracking.

In an instant, her blue gem lights up, giving light amongst the shadow. Her power. She was going to use it.

Blue light came out of her skin, as if it was something natural. And then after, water, blue as the ocean, came out, enveloping her like an exterior suit. And then through her will, she focused the water in front of her hands, the water leaving her body and instead pulsating in front of her open palms.

Like a cannon ready to fire, she looked in front of her. She opened her eyes widely and unleashed the water, attacking everything in front of it.

The guards made way for the water, barely dodging the immense amount of liquid that was now flung straight to them.

But the shadow did not recede, and only went for the water’s direction. Towards us.

“Just run!” I told to Emeline, as she obviously struggled, her arms shaking.

The shadow was a huge beast now threatening to penetrate through the water shield that Emeline has formed. It was moving, trying to drill through the water. It took a toll on her, seeing that sweat was now running through her face.

“Don’t waste your power now, just go!” I told her.

When it was clear that she wasn’t listening, her full force on the barrier, I looked behind for help.

Millicent looked back at me, steely eyes wanting to help.

I looked long at her. But it wasn’t just a normal look. I looked at her eyes and saw past the gray irises. I looked beyond her façade, beyond her defenses.

It was war.

Total chaos and icy snow covering everything. It was noisy, and bloody. Red and white mixing through every area. There was explosions, cannons and the powers of different elements being used.

But through it all, I heard Millicent’s voice, booming for every unseen soldier. There was a lot of them, but I couldn’t see past murky images of battles.

This was her brain. This was the brain of a young commander, honed and skilled through her youthful age. And I now entered it, tried to talk to her past the mouth and through the mind.

Millicent of the War! If you are hearing me, taking this girl right now! I tried to say it as loudly as I could, screaming inside my head.

Gunshots and the sounds of electricity answered back.

Millicent! I shouted again.

Cover me! She answers back.

With a heavy force, I retracted back to reality, feeling the wind of the arena and the lack of light from the abundance of shadows again.

Millicent, from afar, looked at me, as she realized that I have talked to her through her mind. She knotted her eyebrows, irritated by the invasion of mind. But this was not the time to complain. Instead, she only dipped her chin, a soldier’s agreement.

“Emeline!” I say back again, seeing the girl now almost being overpowered by the shadow. Her large wall of water was decreasing in length by the second, the shadows now leaving some of the soldiers to join force against her.

And then I looked back and saw that Millicent was now running, the gown a hybrid mix of armor and silk. Her short hair bobbed along with her.

“Emeline! Go with her. I’ll deal with these,” I say, my voice barely heard as the sound of water gurgling covered the battle echoes from past it.

“I-I won’t leave you here,” she says weakly, her voice strained from the battle with the shadows.

Millicent now comes by our side, her hands quickly grabbing both of Emeline’s shoulder.

“A soldier does not wander into the battlefields,” Millicent’s angry voice said, struggling to grab Emeline. The latter tried to push her power more, but it looked like her inner capacity was now depleting, judging by the faltering wall.

“You sure you can handle yourself?” Millicent asks to me. I was now able to recover, standing up slowly as my foot corrected itself.

“W-we’ll see,” I say, as I finally stood.

Millicent now grabs Emeline fully, as the latter leaves the wall of water alone, with only few seconds before it finally dissolves from the lack of source.

As they start to run back to the carriages, Emeline looks one last time at me, tears in her eyes.

“T-thank you, Mach,” she says. In an instant, they both dodge as a shadow hurls towards them. Millicent punches through it with her left arm, a sturdy and solid one that made it back away.

And now I was left with the problem of facing it.

There was nowhere to go. I knew where the shadows came from, after all. It was none other than from the Serpent’s, Eman’s gang. This was not his power, but it was certainly one of them.

“Just take me!” I say, as the wall of water finally crumbles down. Whatever force kept it intact now dissolved fully the full force of the shadow now going past it.

As if in answer, the shadow now went towards me. It was as large as a lion, and as long as a crowd joined together by whatever magic the Serpent was capable of.

I looked one last time at it before it finally went towards me, making first contact.

I didn’t feel anything, didn’t do anything as the shadow entered me.

As if somebody was trying to replace the soul that was inside my body, I felt the shadow fight for the space inside me, trying to control me. My vision became blurred, the surroundings becoming a blur as I struggled to fight it.

I looked around trying to shake the shadow from inside me. I fought with every strength I had, with it also diminishing as the seconds came.

“Mach! Listen to me,” Eman’s voice said. I knew it. It was him. What was it with him now? What made him this persistent? Maybe there was really a bigger reason. Maybe there was a bigger faction. I surrendered fully, to see what it was. To see the greater thing that he was talking about.

“Should I trust you?” I say, my voice unsure of its self.

He didn’t answer back as I felt my body completely being controlled. The most sensitive parts of my body responded back as the shadows felt every part of it. Goosebumps trailed by my back and shoulders.

I felt myself be a spectator all of a sudden. I was in a plane in my body, but at the same time, also not. I was only a watcher, a soul lost somewhere in the back of my own eyes. I looked as I saw that the shadows was now overpowering the shadows everywhere.