Playing With Fire (33 page)

“Al!”
Vaze dashed at the shocked boy as his wings ripped through the back of his
shirt, but still tucked in close as the beast descended towards them.

Al
caught on just in time, thrusting his arm out to Vaze not a moment too late.
The two grabbed each other’s arms, and with one mighty sweep of Vaze’s wings
they were launched into the air, leaving the beast dumb struck. Vaze flapped
his wings furiously, until the top of the mountains felt like just a short drop
away.

“Vaze!”
Al called over the rushing wind. “We have to go back! That was our only way in!” 
Vaze sighed. Al was right—it
was
their only way in. But he knew he could
never face Scarlet or her brothers again if something happened to Al while he
was with him. He probably wouldn’t forgive himself either for losing the first
best friend he had ever had.

“It’s
too dangerous, Al,” Vaze said while veering around the mountain. The ocean
behind it was as black as night, and Vaze couldn’t help thinking that if set
against it his hair would be invisible. “We should go back to the camp for
help.” Vaze’s heart ached as he said those words. He knew that was not what he
wanted to do, but at the moment it was the only rational choice. Al didn’t
reply.

“I
know it’s difficult, Al,” Vaze managed force out in a cool and calm tone. It
almost seemed to Vaze that his words were for his own reassurance rather than
Al’s. “But we have to have faith in the rest of the group that they will—”

“
Vaze,
”
Al cut through suddenly. “
Look.
” Al pointed with his free arm down
towards the mountain. At first, Vaze saw only pitch-black nothingness. It was
by pure chance, that Vaze’s eyes caught the tiniest prick of a torchlight,
glowing against the mountain like the first star in a night sky. Through the
one bit of firelight, it seemed as though a hole opened up around it, revealing
more than just the inky black mountain. It was clear immediately, that there
was where they were meant to go. Vaze arched towards the little dot of light,
and with a deadly speed descended upon it.

~

Pain
throbbed throughout his body, and every time the demon fastened a rope onto his
limbs, Alastair wished for nothing more than to be taken back into
unconsciousness. The demon sensed his pain, and giggled in satisfaction. The
moon glinted off of its pointy small teeth, and it’s black lizard like scales
clenched and unclenched up and down it’s skin in delight.

“Not
so fun, is it?” the demon rasped through a small slit of a mouth on what could
be considered a head in the minimal requirement. Its scales blended in with the
dark rocky shelf, and made it almost invisible, but due to the dragging sounds and
the scrape of its toe nails it made with each step it was easy to detect. “You
might have had a chance to think twice about crossing master Enzio, if only you
hadn’t shown love for the horrid girl.”

Alastair
didn’t respond. It had been clear to him that no matter what he would never be
able to regret befriending Scarlet. That was the one thing he had become
absolutely certain of. Alastair concentrated on the torch resting on the edge
of the shelf. The flames were beautiful as they wisped around against the dark
backdrop of the ocean. The warm glow reminded him exactly of hers…

The
demon drew a dagger from its ill fitted belt. Alastair knew what its orders
were: kill him. Though no specific way was given, even a fool could guess that
a demon would never be generous enough to kill quickly. He could practically
feel the pure malice and blood lust jutting from the disfigured demon’s body as
it neared him. Alastair sighed to himself as he closed his eyes and visualized
being in an open field, the one place he had wanted to see.

“Closing
your eyes will make no difference boy,” the demon said as it snickering
sinisterly. “Seeing your death is this world’s last gift to—”
CRACK!
Alastair’s eyes flipped open a millisecond after the demon’s neck snapped with
a sound resembling snapping a wet twig.

Alastair
paid absolutely no attention to the dead demon as it fell from its attacker’s
hands, hitting the ground with a thud as Alastair bore into icy blue eyes. An
immediate hostility sparked in his mind.

~

Al
didn’t know which was more shocking: how easily and quickly Vaze killed the
demon or a mountain half disappearing being replaced by the largest castle Al
had ever dreamed of. Great towers seemingly punctured the sky as the jutted up
from walls of stone. There was nothing primitive about the castle. In fact Al
could say with certainty that it was the most intricate, beautiful, and complex
structure he had ever seen in his life. Al couldn’t see anything else over the
walls, but he could only imagine what wondrous architecture lay inside.

He
could hardly keep his mind together between the dead demon, the castle, and
Vaze and the boy on the stake glaring at each other. It was as if the moment
they saw each other they had become enemies.

“Who
are you?” Vaze and the boy hissed at each other in unison, making Al’s spine
shiver from how cold the two sounded. Al may not have been able to see it, but
Vaze could see it clearly with his Sight. The boy before them had no Guardian.
He was either like Vaze, or a demon himself.

“Does
it really matter?” Vaze replied coldly with an unbroken glare. His wings were
fully out, and they gave him an incredibly menacing appearance, making the
starry sky behind him disappear, covering it with a blanket of inky blackness
revealing only his deathly gaze. It terrified Al, even though he knew Vaze was
on his side, until he snapped back into reality.

“Vaze,
for the sake of time, can we please avoid getting into every fight possible?”
Al drew his dagger and walked to the post, being more wary of the drop behind
the boy than the boy’s glare.

“Al!
Don’t! He could be an enemy!” Vaze didn’t even try to hide his concern. Al
ignored him and cut the boy’s bindings. The boy jumped off of the post with
ease, but Al could tell from his twitch that he was still in pain.

“Wait,”
the boy said rubbing his rope marked wrists. “You’re Al? By any chance, are you
Scarlet’s brother?” Al’s heart skipped at the mention of Scarlet’s name, and a new
hope flooded inside him.

“Do
you know where she is?” Vaze jumped at the question before Al could, his former
hostility seemingly dissipating at the mention of Scarlet.

“I
have a vague idea of two places where she could be now, but we may not have
much time.” The boy looked to Vaze, eyeing his wings. “I think that splitting
up would be best.”

Vaze
shot him a glare of complete and utter disapproval.

“That’s
a horrible idea. I can’t leave you alone for fear of betrayal and I can’t leave
Al alone either.” Al felt a small feeling of rejection at Vaze’s last
statement, but he decided not to say anything.

“Then
you could leave us together while you check her room, and we go for the
dungeon,” the boy replied. “The more time we argue the less time we have.”

Vaze
didn’t respond right away, unsure how wise leaving Al with a stranger was. But
the thought of Scarlet slowly fading away drowned out all of his other
thoughts.

“Which
way is it?”

Vaze
had never seen it before, but he knew without a doubt that that castle was the
lost kingdom Moraj, the very kingdom of which he was the heir to. It bore a
haunting feel as he laced through the sky to the tower Alastair had pointed
out. There was no noise, save for the occasional flap of his wings. He tried to
imagine it before it had gone through the Convergence, a time when it was lively
and bustling with activity. Vaze could even imagine his mother strolling
through the courtyard, tending flowers or watching little birds as they
scampered across the plants. The thought of her smiling face stabbed Vaze’s
heart with longing, but he quickly dismissed it.

Behind
the dark drawn curtains of glass double doors he could faintly make out a
flickering light, possibly from a candle. Vaze practically rolled onto the
balcony as he landed, his wings disappearing the instant he touched the solid
stone. Without hesitation he threw open the doors and burst through the
curtains, emerging into an extravagant room.

His
eyes shot to the candle resting by a large bed. What rested in it took his
breath away with pure happiness. Scarlet lied in the very center of the bed, seeming
extremely small compared to the enormity of it. Her dark hair was spread out
against the pillow, and her snowy white skin seemed to glow against her dark
dress and the sheets of the bed. Vaze’s heart leapt at the sight of her, and
nearly ran to her before he stopped short.

 What
would he say to her? The last time they talked had been after he had kissed
her, and that hadn’t gone too well. His heart ached with anxiety and longing,
but he knew no matter what she said, he had to get her out. He walked to her
bed side, and touched her face.

“She
won’t wake up, you know,” a voice snickered from a chair next to the fireplace.
Vaze whipped around, dagger drawn, and gasped.

“Surprised?”
The girl giggled as she arose. “You sure look like it.”

Vaze
couldn’t find the words to speak. Leaning casually against the arm of the
chair, was Scarlet—or so to say, the demon version of Scarlet. Her red eyes
danced with pure malice as she brushed back her white hair.

“That’s
a fake,” her voice sounded exactly like Scarlet’s. It pained Vaze to hear that
voice come out of the demon’s mouth. “The real one is elsewhere, but dead.”

“You
lie,” Vaze hissed hatefully. “She isn’t dead.” The demon just laughed, and
Vaze’s eyes narrowed.

“You
really are stupid, aren’t you?” she said, a fanged smile playing across her
lips. “Don’t worry little love bird, you can join your beloved soon enough in
death’s cold hands.” Black fire began to lace across the walls, and snake its
way towards Vaze.

Without
a second’s hesitation, Vaze made a mad lunge for the door, just as the black
fire exploded behind him. Curtains, carpets and furniture burst into flames as
the demon laughed maniacally. Vaze could feel the searing heat from the fire,
but didn’t turn around to see the burning room that mirrored hell. Sprinting at
full speed, Vaze raced down the dark hallway, his feet hardly making contact
with carpet as he ran.

Pictures
burst into flames as he ran past, as if they were trying to reach out and grab
him. Generations of his ancestors went up in flames yet Vaze kept his pace, not
even giving them a second thought. There was not enough room in the hallway to
bring out his wings, but Vaze knew his only chance against the demon was going
to be in the air, not on the ground.

~

Al
found it odd how dead the whole castle seemed as they were nearing the dungeon.
They didn’t come across a single guard or demon and had no trouble getting back
into the castle. Even Vaze, who when flying to the window of Scarlet’s room
must have been nothing if not easy to spot, had no problems at all. It was
wrong no matter what way it was looked at—it was all too perfect. The truth
finally dawned on Al.

“He
knows we’re here,” Al said, stopping suddenly. Alastair paused before he opened
the rusted dungeon doors, turning around and looking at him with a bit of
guilt. The torch light was flickering to the point of nonexistence, but it was
just enough to see the worry on Alastair’s face as clearly as the robust cracks
in the stones of the floor.

“He
probably does,” was all Alastair could say back. Alastair had no reason to lie
to this boy, but he had a strong urge to say no. It wasn’t out of pity or
compassion that he wanted to reassure Al, but from a small voice in the back of
his head that kept egging him on to do so, as if trying to convince him to its
will. The voice did not belong to him. Alastair tried his best to ignore it as
he opened the door. The door was stubborn, groaning in protest it slowly opened
while scraping the ground as if trying to keep itself shut.

Al
followed Alastair without question as they descended into the darkness. A faint
echo of a woman crying found Al’s ears, and suddenly his walking became running
as he pushed past Alastair, using dying torches to avoid running into walls.

Mold
and rusting bars were the most reoccurring sight that Al could catch from the
blurs moving past him in empty cells, and all that could go through his head
was of his sister suffering in a similar place. The thought only motivated him
to run faster.

 The
crying became louder until finally he came upon his worst nightmare. In the
only occupied cell sat Draco Hale, a woman he did not know, and his sister. The
first thing he felt when he saw her was happiness, for he had finally found
her. But then he realized something was wrong.

She
was dead.

Pure
rage welled up inside Al, and was stronger than any feeling he had ever felt
before. Draco lifted up his head, and his eyes widened as he saw Al, but Al
said nothing.

“Alphonse,
wait!” Draco cried with a booming voice, but it was too late. Al bolted back
down the corridors of the dungeons past Alastair. Alastair lifted a hand to
stop him, but before he could call out, a burning sensation ripped at his skull.
Alastair crumpled to the ground clutching his head as menacing words seared
through his mind.

“
You
will not cross me again, Alastair
,” he knew the voice all too well. “
You
will obey me, whether by free will or not.
” Alastair could not argue.
Alastair could not disobey. The voice was his master, Enzio’s. Alastair ran
after Al, a new wave of obedience washing over him. Alastair caught up with
ease and grabbed Al by his shoulder.

Al
whipped around with an angry expression, and to Alastair he seemed like a
completely different person. Gone was the calm yet somewhat timid Al. In his
place was a poor grief stricken soul bent on revenge.

“Follow
me. I can show you where Velkire is.” Alastair said breathlessly.

~

“
Scarlet…
”
A hushed voice brushed against my ear, filling my blank mind with a soothing
feeling. “
Scarlet…
” The only thoughts in my head were: I was dead (or
about to be) and yet, I was absolutely, undoubtedly safe.

“
Scarlet,
”
the voice said again. “
Open your eyes my child.
”

I
cracked open my eyes slowly, and was greeted by a world void of light. The only
indication that my eyes actually were open was the strain one has when trying
to keep their eyelids ajar on less than an hour of sleep. But the small feeling
made a spark of hope inside me. I could feel it. I may have not been dead.

“
Very
good child, now arise, and face me,
” the voice hummed. Filled with an urge
to obey the voice, I forced my stone arms to move, though their sluggish
movements were like rusted door hinges. As I tried to sit up however, a deathly
pain ripped through my torso, and with a yelp I grabbed it.

“
Child,
do not be afraid of the pain,
” the voice said, and I directed my eyes
towards it. “
Take my hand.
”

Out
of the darkness a glowing white hand emerged and reached out to me. I was
confused, but I felt completely at ease. My usual wariness seemed to dissipate,
because I felt nothing but trust. With a trembling grip, I took it.

Warmth
flooded throughout my body, the pain disappearing as the wound patched itself
back together and my heart began its steady beat once again. My vision began to
clear, and the white hand grew an arm, then a torso followed by an entire body.
I was pulled up onto my feet as I looked upon a face in which was not a face,
but a blank surface. It was not terrifying, but strangely beautiful.

“Am
I dead?” the question panged against my skull, but the person simply shook
their head. I might have been imagining it, but I could feel as if they were
smiling, though I could not see it.

“
It
may have been extremely convincing, but I simply slowed your heart beat and
your breathing to make Velkire believe you were dead,
” it said, and my head
practically exploded in wonder.

“Who
are you?” I asked. The person smiled at me.

“
I
have many names, dear child.
” The words hung in the air with a sweet tone.
“
But the one you are familiar with is the Healer.
” I didn’t know how
long the silence lasted after that, but I was so shocked I couldn’t break it.
It could have lasted anywhere between seconds to hours. I had so many questions
and accusations for the one who called themself the Healer, the one who had
started all this and yet could stop it with ease. But the only thing that I
could clearly make out from my jumbled thoughts was a solitary question that
seemed more important than anything else.

“Why
did you do this?” I accused as my voice began to rise, referencing to myself.
The resentment of myself and my power had finally led me to believe that I was
an abomination, flawed beyond anything good. Rejection had finally turned into
bitter hate and anger, and I had someone to pin the blame on. “Why did you do
this to me, and make me a monster!”

The
Healer shook his head. “
My child, your gift does not make you a monster. It
is a part of you, and it is what makes you. I created you this way, and it is
the only way you can be.
”

“The
only way I can be?” I could feel anger welling up inside me and alongside it
guilt. I didn’t want to see him angry at me, as if getting mad something
punishable. The one thing I knew was that my rage didn’t feel right. “Why? Is
it because I need to defeat Velkire? Or is there anyone else I’m supposed to
kill!”

“
Scarlet,
you were not born to kill Velkire,
” the Healer said, and my argument was
caught in my throat. “
I may have given you the power to kill him Scarlet,
but it is up to you whether or not to rid this world of him. It is true that it
is the task I have set before you, and I am calling you to it, but you are so
much more than a simple solution.
” My anger left my body like a bursting
dam. My entire body shook as I dropped to my knees.

“I…I’m
scared…” My voice sounded so weak and fragile that I hardly recognized it. I
felt the Healer’s hand on my shoulder and I felt like a small child lost in an
unfamiliar world. The Healer embraced me, and an intense sense of safety
overwhelmed me.

“
Trust
in me, my child,
” the words seemed to echo, yet at the same time were as
soft as a whisper. “
Trust in me, and I shall deliver you from your trials. I
hold the world in my hand, and I shall not abandon you. Trust in me always, and
I will be with you.
”  I lost my mistrusting nature. I had been offered
safety. I decided to take it.

“…What
can I do to defeat him?” I asked slowly. It was insane, but I didn’t just
believe every word the Healer said to me, I knew it was true.

~

I
could feel my entire body and the feeling of weight was something alien after
being in weightless space with the Healer. I felt damp stone beneath me as
devastated crying met my ears. Slowly I opened my eyes to find Madam Gale
holding me, weeping. With a sore hand I touched the old woman’s face. Her mouth
broke into a smile as she touched my hand as her face filled with recognition.

“You’re
alive,” she whimpered.

“Of
course I am, you old bag,” I giggled dryly. “You can’t get rid of me that
easily.”

“Scarlet,”
the sudden grave voice caught my attention immediately, and my eyes bore into
the old Bookworm’s. “Your brother is here, and he is after Velkire as we speak.”

“What?”
I exclaimed. “Why would he do that?”

“Because
he saw you, Scarlet,” Madam Gale said solemnly. “He thinks you are dead.”

“I
have to stop him or he’ll die!” I looked around the cell desperately, but saw
no way out. “Can you get me out of here?” The Bookworm and Madam Gale shook
their heads.

“Velkire
cursed our shackles,” Madam Gale sighed as she lifted up her chained hands.
“Both of our powers are gone. It is quite likely if we try to remove them
without our powers returning, we will die.”

I
got up, releasing myself from Madam Gale’s weak arms. I was pleased to find
that though my dress was torn and bloodstained, my wounds had completely
disappeared and the unfinished pentagram had faded slightly beneath the chain patterened
seal. Fire laced my hands, the flames gleefully licking my cold skin.