Crowned - 16 | On A Mission (part one)

 

“We won’t blast a church!” Kairo snapped, ever the voice of reason.

Elvira agreed, nodding vehemently. “It would bring too much of unnecessary attention,” she established.

“Villainy is all about grand scale chaos, both of you are too afraid to agree,” Kaeo huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Let’s leave the plan making to Kairo, yeah? The one who has actual magic to clean up after you,” Elvira pointed.

“Said the leech,” Kaeo smiled at her, sarcasm pouring off his soft features.

“Okay, okay, halt it!” Kairo clapped his hands, “Even a literal wall cannot stop the two of you,” he gasped and clicked his fingers to make the wall disappear. “Wilhelma will provide us weapons for the mission. To avoid any mistakes and collateral damage, it will only be the three of us who will continue with this mission.” Kairo explained.

“Yes, take an illegal, non-magical citizen to the Church of mages to avoid mistakes and damage, of course, what a noble pursuit!” Elvira grinned sarcastically, “I’m loving it!”

“You cannot die,” Kaeo stated, looking her in the eye.

“Of course, if you value your life.” Elvira rolled her eyes.

“Now, then, what weapons do you desire! Cloaking spells are deceptive and won’t work in holy grounds so choose something that is efficient yet concealable!” Kairo declared.

“Do you have any options?” Elvira asked, at the same time as Kaeo said, “I’ll take the usual.”

“Options, yes!” Kairo flicked a hand over the floating hologram and the dragon’s projection disappeared into a million dots which reconnected to make an arsenal of weapons floating over the tabletop. “Here you go! I’d recommend a lasso with a blade, it is natural, magical and works long distance and short distance,” Kairo suggested.

Elvira gazed over a hundred weapons, more than eighty of which were unrecognisable to her. Was this how her mother summoned her weapons? Elvira wondered.

“Choose the poison blades and darts. You can throw them around and one stab would be enough to get out of a fight, considering you have the practical battle experience of a unicorn,” Kaeo grumbled.

“Well, it’s a good thing that we’re not going to battle,” Elvira scoffed, “I’ll take the lasso,” she said, just to spite Kaeo even though she personally liked his idea a lot.

“Using a lasso requires actual practice and good wrist movement,” Kaeo snapped, “Do you think these danglers,” he pointed at Elvira’s slender pale wrists, “Would be able to do anything?!”

Elvira gasped, her auburn eyes carrying offence, “Do you want me to slap you for demonstration?” she scowled.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, we know you’re dying to touch me,” Kaeo snorted.

“Ah-ah-ah!” Kairo, once again, jumped between them before Elvira could attempt strangling Kaeo, “I genuinely suggest you go with the daggers, Elvi, they’re a wise choice!”

Elvira narrowed her eyes at Kaeo’s pouty smug smile and seethed through gritted teeth, “I accept it only because you said so,” she looked at Kairo, “You.”

“Of course, of course, no one would think otherwise,” Kaeo mocked.

“I’m going to –” Elvira couldn’t complete her sentence as Kairo grabbed her hand and teleported her away. The new room was a plethora of shining swords, studded scabbards, sharp knives and curved daggers decorated on walls and small shelves, all over the place. Kairo picked up a rust-coloured dagger from a shelf on the right along with a thigh band and a bunch of vials and darts.

“Here you go,” he handed the curved dagger to her, “Remember to unsheathe it before using it and DO NOT scratch the blade on YOUR skin or you will pass out!! But, even if you accidently do, here’s an antidote,” he pointed at a bubbling violet vial in his hand, “Keep it with you AT ALL TIMES!!”

Elvira nodded like a diligent student.

“And here are a few poison darts, there’s twelve you can fit in one band. Make sure to COLLECT THEM BACK AFTER SHOOTING THEM because we do not want to leave any traces, right?”

Kairo looked at her like her primary school teacher.

Elvira nodded, biting her lower lip.

“Are all of these weapons created by Wilhelma?” she asked.

“Yes, she’s an excellent example of an Alchemy Type. We found her on the outskirts of Willow two years ago; she’s been very loyal ever since.”

Elvira wondered why Kairo and Kaeo would take her on such an important mission and not someone as exceptional as Wilhelma. She had actual magic and actual use. Unlike the burden Elvira would create.

Elvira sighed as she pocketed the dagger, the antidote and the darts in her pant-pocket.

“When do we leave?” she asked.

Kairo noticed the sudden shift in Evira’s mood but did not acknowledge it. “Around two, there will a mass held at the Church to pray for Count Aramia’s land. The sudden fire and the rumour of the dead Count and Countess coming back to life has been unsettling the people. It’s very funny,” Kairo ran a hand over Elvira’s head, “You did as best as you could and I am proud of you for that.”

Elvira’s breath hitched.

You did as best as you could…

I am proud of you…

They were foreign words for Elvira’s ears.

She hadn’t expected to hear them in this lifetime.

After trying her best with her townsfolk, after working to her bone at Helif’s Estate, after coming to terms with her scars, Elvira was trying her best. Had always been. Yet, not a single soul had uttered the words of encouragement for her.

Though sudden, the words gashed past all her walls and left her raw and bleeding out tears in front Kairo. Her knees buckled but Kairo’s quick reflexes caught her by her waist and pulled her into his chest. Elvira cried into the silence, hoping the words would come from her parents instead.

Kairo wrapped his arms around her and caressed the back of her head, burying her sobs within his arms. He held on tight and perched his chin over her head, hoping to calm her tumultuous senses.

At the doorframe of the arsenal stood a scowling Kaeo with his hands crossed over his chest and a glint of glare in his amethyst eyes.

. . .

“Are you feeling better?” Kairo asked as they stood in front of the pristine white back walls of the Church Dianthia.

“Yes, I’m ready to cause chaos!” Elvira grinned, throwing a punch at the sky which involuntarily elicited a cracking sound from her elbow.

Kaeo grimaced, nostrils flared and eyes narrowed at Elvira’s bright smile directed towards Kairo.

“You should warm up,” Kairo laughed out loud as Elvira held her hands behind her back, growing red with embarrassment.

“I-I will, it’s just that Willow has such a pretty weather!”

Kairo had teleported them from the continent of Kalmia on the outer-world to the Continent of Willow in the Inner-World. Willow was known to have the biggest landmass with a pleasant weather and the most diverse population on Wreath. It was a place which accepted everyone, be it mages or creatures.

“Even the air feels free-er here,” Kairo sighed, inhaling a long breath.

“There is no such thing,” Kaeo grumbled. Brilliant blue magic circles appeared over his fingertips and underneath his shoes. “Watch and learn,” he said and proceeded to climb the towering walls with the agility of a sticky insect-creature.

“So, there are times when he is useful…” Elvira snorted a whisper.

Kairo nodded diligently, eyes shining with admiration for his brother.

Kaeo charted the walls while Kairo and Elvira kept watch underneath. As soon as he reached the top, he peeked inside and mapped the guards in attendance. There were five of them, stationed at equivalent distances, guarding the perimeter. Their silver metal armour clanked with every step they took, softened only by the crème holy robe they wore above it. Each of them had a golden sword in hand and their lips were constantly moving in recitation of some lost language.

Kaeo stuck his right palm on the wall and used his free hand to shuffle out a bunch of blades from his back-pocket.

“He was carrying sharp, unsheathed, blades in his pockets?! Just like that?!” Elvira gasped, properly scandalised.

“That’s Kaeo for you,” Kairo coughed out a laugh.

Over the wall, Kaeo placed one blade over the edge and grabbed the rest between his lips, undeterred by their sharpness. He picked up the remaining blade and positioned it with one eye closed and a magic circle enhancing the sight of his other open eye. Then, he threw the blade with just enough force for it to pierce through the air and stab onto a guard’s forehead.

Before the other guards could take a note, Kaeo dropped them in a line.

“All clear, come along,” he called to the ones behind.

“I’m afraid you will have to carry us,” Kairo whisper-called.

Kaeo nodded and jumped down, feet landing the ground as light as a feather.

It evoked a memory in Elvira’s mind. The first time she had met him. The sun shadowed his sapphire eyes but illuminated his dazzling smile. He was upside down, yet ecstatic to catch her gaze.

Suddenly, her eyes caught his gaze again. After all those years, he wasn’t ecstatic to meet her anymore. His amethyst eyes were cold and he wished she were dead, like everyone else.

Elvira instantly evaded his eyes.

“I’ll take you first,” Kaeo pointed at Kairo. The blonde nodded and jumped over his brother’s back, giddy to get a free ride.

“Woo-hoo! Let’s go!” he grinned as Kaeo flung at the wall and climbed it with a natural fervour.

Elvira couldn’t believe she would have to be dependent on Kaeo again.

Crowned - 15 | Crash Course

 

Kairo led them to the laboratory on the west end of the Helmire Castle. It was a black tiled tower on the outside, standing upright at an awkward angle to give an illusion of a natural hilltop. 

Kairo led Elvira and a reluctantly dragging Kaeo to the ground floor room, the doors of which opened when he pressed his right palm over it.

A dimly lit room greeted their sight. Elvira felt a chill run down her spine and covered her chest to rub her hands over her arms. The walls were lined with wooden shelves which displayed strange organs floating in bubbling glass jars. Thin white smoke lurked around the shelves, as if guarding the objects at display.

From the farther right, Kairo picked up a mauve vial and held it out for them.

“Do you remember this?”

Elvira nodded, recognising the vial’s contents instantly. “Linch blood,” she stated.

“Indeed!” Kairo exclaimed, “It’s for the research we were supposed to do five years ago! I halted it so that we could complete it together,” he chirped, grinning ear to ear.

Kaeo rolled his eyes, “So that is your research error that you have been droning about for the past years?” he threw a disgusted look at Elvira.

Kairo’s grin turned sheepish. Elvira glared at him.

“What if I were dead and gone for good?” Elvira asked, “Would you just shut the project down?”

“What! No! of course not! We did this because I knew you were alive,” Kairo reassured as he took the vial and led them out of the first room and into a second room on the ground floor.

“So, what’s it about?” Elvira asked.

The new room seemed mediocre with its plain white walls and the floor covered with elongated tables and wooden chairs as its dominant aesthetic. Kairo placed the vial on the first table in front of the door and banged a hand over its top. Instantly, a three-dimensional projection appeared over it.

“Linchs may be E tier Creatures but they are classified under LLL by size. Their sheer mass and ability to utilise the poison they consume make them a predatory species. I want to combine their genes with that of a dragon and create a blood sucking, poison consuming, lethal, end-of-the-world-harbinger dragon!”

“To conquer the world,” Kaeo added.

Brows raised, nostrils flared and mouth pinched on both ends, Elvira uttered, “Obviously.”

“Nothing makes conquering territories easier than a dragon’s invasion!”

There was an ecstatic glint in his green eyes that made him look like a perfect villain as he spread his arms in front of a holographic projection of a dragon over the tabletop.

“And pray tell, how would you acquire the dragon gene considering they have been extinct for about—four centuries and counting, now?!” Elvira demanded, trying to make sense of the idealistic plan.

“Where do you think you can find a dragon skull?” Kairo countered.

“The black market…”

“That’s not how villains work!” Kaeo snapped at Elvira’s reply.

“At the Church Dianthia, of course, those who protect Virae’s direct bloodline more than their own flesh and blood!” Kairo supplied.

Elvira’s brows threatened to jump off her forehead and walk away. “What do you mean a skull; how do you know that it is not the skull?!” she intentionally lowered her voice to a whisper as she shouted.

“Well, who’s to say that your Church is safekeeping the real religious artifact – unless we prove it otherwise?” Kairo giggled.

“Having the skull’s genes would be better though, naturally,” Kaeo supplied.

Elvira’s brain wandered off to history classes back in school.

The skull in question would be the head of the first dragon on their planet Wreath. There was a time when shadow-Earth only harboured two species, the originals being the Dracionious, or Dragon-kind and other being Dinorious, or the Dinosaurs, who were warped onto Wreath after a meteor hit the real-Earth.

The sudden appearance of the Dinorious species was considered as an Act of God, obligated by the Stars, and suddenly, the dominant Dracioniouses not only had competition but also a war of resources at hand. Every giant creature took immense space and Wreath could only host so many.

Amongst the angry dragon-kind, there was one dragon who was able to transform into a human owning to his patience, high affinity to magic and insane spell-crafting skills. He was Virae, the first mage on Wreath who was later worshiped by the Dianthia supporters.

During the Great Evolution Era (F526 – F528) Virae taught the transformation spell to his fellow dragon-kind because he found it more convenient to live as a human. Suddenly, tables were turned and once again, the Dracioniouses had an upper hand when it came to lasting survival. They fell into a leisurely life, calling themselves Blossoms, and discovered the pursuit of sexual pleasures.

Thereafter followed the Sin Era (F527 – F777) until the great curse Morana, created by Virae, wiped the majority of the Dinorious population. The genocide was frowned upon by the Stars and the Heaven. Instead of the curse affecting the rest of the Dinorious population and killing them off, it caused mutations amongst them, altering them and birthing into existences a myriad of Creatures, who were now known as Creatures of God.

The Church of Melantha supported the Creatures and their rights whereas the Church of Dianthia worked in line with Virae’s principals of eradicating all Oddities and establishing Blossoms' sovereignty over Wreath.

It was just a part of Wreath’s extensive history which Kairo lent in order to conquer the world.

“But if we’re caught…” Elvira said through gritted teeth.

“Then we don’t have to go into an elaborate monologue to reveal all our plans, okay?” Kaeo snorted.

Elvira rolled her eyes at his lack of seriousness. Kairo was not proposing just petty villainy anymore, no, he was proposing global religious artifact theft! Elvira wanted to be of help, truly, but at what stake? She never had any qualms about religion or the politics of her world. She could care less since she was rejected by the very people who birthed and raised her. Still...

“How are we getting in?” Elvira asked, licking her lips.

“Now we’re talking!” Kairo exclaimed and clapped his hands. As he separated them, a sheet of paper appeared between his fingers. He held onto it by its corners and Elvira squinted at the blue lines and realised it was a map.

“Where did you get a map of the greatest Church in the world?” Elvira sniffled with admiration.

“I punched it out of saint,” Kaeo stated.

“Diabolical.” Elvira seethed.

“He was drinking at a pub and harassing the barmaid, I didn’t even have to try hard,” Kaeo scoffed.

“Are you defending yourself so I don’t judge you?” Elvira snorted, a laugh edging on her face.

“No, I am stating facts!” Kaeo snapped.

“Let us focus on the task at hand, shall we?” Kairo clapped, “Burn the image into your brain!”

Elvira nodded aggressively and stared at the blueprint, not understanding a thing. Her nose whiffed a burning stench and before Elvira could realise, the paper held between Kairo’s fingers burst into flames and ashes.

“I – I couldn’t even look at it!” Elvira complained.

“Don’t worry,” a jade magic circle appeared over Kairo’s hands which he flicked over in Elvira and Kaeo’s direction, “Your mind will remember it when you’re there.” He explained.

“What?!” Elvira cried.

“Or, just eat this ash if you don’t trust Kai’s magic and the map will appear before your eyes.” Kaeo supplied.

“Are you trying to kill me again?!” Elvira snapped.

“Oh my, was it so obvious?” Kaeo drawled.

“Elvi, don’t worry, that is exactly how the spell works. The ash isn’t harmful at all!” Kairo clarified before Elvira could jump on Kaeo and start pulling his hair.

“Okay,” Elvira nodded. Somehow, Kairo was naturally trustworthy.

“What! You trust him with the same thing and not me?!” Kaeo exclaimed, eyes widened with surprise.

“He’s better than you,” Elvira shrugged.

Kairo flicked his finger and created a wall in between them before Kaeo could lunge at Elvira and indirectly harm himself.

“Now, you must know that Dianthia is a Church so, obviously, it is surrounded by Holy Grounds. There are anti-teleportation wards so we cannot have an easy entry and only natural magic would work within the grounds. Which means no deceptive magic like illusions or creation magic like this wall would work there. The grounds are blessed with divine magic so, spells which have a cause-and-effect relationship with nature would be our only escape.”

Elvira raised her hand.

“Yes?” Kaeo asked, containing a genuine smile at her scholarly antics.

“What is divine magic? Aren’t there only four types?”

“Ah, to work at a church or any holy place you have to pass an exam full of ethics and religious morals and stuff. If you pass, you are hired and taught the Divine Script, it’s a dead hidden language unlike the usual spell writing languages like the Conjuror Runic I use and the Stryn Script used by Alchemy Type Mages. Spells are written in order to satisfy a need, right? That need, depending on the recipient, changes the medium, which is the language.”

Elvira nodded, frowning.

“Like the shape-shifters of Kalmia, they are able do it so easily because they have their own Beast-Script spells. Languages are passed down only to those with abilities,” Kaeo clenched his teeth as he peeked over the wall to mock Elvira.

“No wonder I did not know about them,” Elvira huffed and shoved a middle finger in Kaeo’s face.

“Yeah, the more languages you know, the more powerful of a mage you become! Conjuror Runic lends magic from the world and uses it for a cause. Stryn Script lends magic from the mage and uses it in a cause. That’s the main difference between the two basic ones.” Kairo explained further.

“For example, creating a sword out of thin air would require a Conjuror Runic based spell and crafting a sword and then giving it the ability to throw fire, water or air blasts would require a Stryn Script spell,” Kaeo dumbed it down.

“What is this? A heist plan of the villains or a crash-course in theories of magic?” Elvira scoffed. Though her face feigned nonchalance, her eyes sparkled with gratefulness.

“Right! Now, how do we get inside?” Kairo asked.

“We blast the grounds, send in the troops and steal that head like it always belonged to us.” Kaeo grinned.

Crowned - 14 | An Identity Crisis

 

Helmire Castle was built on top of the Northern Hills of Kalmia, bordering the submerged continent of the Narkissa on two sides. Their natural crescent shape moulded the castle’s territory, giving Helmire height and security from all directions. The elevation of the black peaks veiled the castle towers, embracing them as one of their own.

Nature was never an antagonist to magic.

Tough the land was dry and unhabitable by Kalmia’s Creatures, mages from Lunaria had transformed Helmire into grounds of scenic beauty which rivalled that of tourist hotspots of the world, like Matholia and Willow.

As per usual, Elvira sneaked out of prying eyes and found the sloping gardens a perfect place for private respite. There, surrounded by flowers, she sat cross-legged, and pointed a finger on a wilted flower in her lap.

“Alive!”

“Live!”

“GROWWWW!”

“RE! BIRTH!”

“BLOOOOOOM!”

“Thrive?”

She exclaimed, for the nth time but the wilted flower remained unmoving and unbothered by her flashy hand movements and tonal-shift advances. Sighing, a recent habit she had acquired, Elvira flopped backwards and rested her head amidst the flowers.

“I really, really, don’t think I have powers. It’s not working, no matter how hard I try, nothing happens,” she huffed to the birds and the bees, “I have never had so much free time on my hands. Now that I don’t have to slave away at the Count’s Estate, life is so much easier!”

She inhaled a breath of fragrant fresh air.

“I’m so useless,” she grumbled, instantly grounding herself.

Maybe Kairo was avoiding her, maybe she was avoiding Kairo, but it had been two weeks ever since their last conversation. Though, whatever the deal was with Kairo, Elvira knew that she was purposefully avoiding all of Kaeo. She did not know how to face him or Clary or any of the other dead people. Formerly dead people.

“At least being trapped by familiar people doesn’t involve doing chores…”

Elvira raised her hands up at the sky and chanted, “Magic Reincarnation, go, go, go!”

Obviously, nothing happened.

Elvira sighed again as her hands fell back on the flower grass. “This is so bad, I’m essentially worthless, why am I even here?” she got up with an ambition to charge inside and make demands for her freedom.

Almost immediately, realisation washed over her like a cold shower.

“Where would I go? I know nothing, I have no connections, no—well, I have friends but they’re all busy. The Count and Countess would begin paying them from the next month so they’re working hard. They’ll be financially independent soon and here I am,” she fell back into the grass, “Absolutely lost in life with a promising yet absent power,” she glared at her hands, “Can you be good at anything?”

She was allegedly good at something but she had never witnessed her own abilities first-hand, only the harsh consequences they brought along.  

“Elvira!” a voice called out.

Elvira groaned out loud and curled up into a ball, hoping the person would walk past her.

“Elvira! I see you there! Quit floundering with the flowers and make some use for yourself! Come, have tea with me!”

Elvira would rather eat Linch dung but she did not voice her avoidant dreams. Instead, she clawed up and forced her face into a smile, “Wilhelma!” she exclaimed, “Fancy seeing you so early!”

“Early? Girl, it is ten in the morning! It might be early for jobless folks like you but I, an employed person, just got off morning duty. Come along now, I’ll treat you to tea!” the tall girl exclaimed.

Wilhelma was considerably taller than Elvira and held a more poised sense of self. Her shoulders were always squared and chin held up high. Even with the harshest of comments, the smile never slipped off her lips. Her dark hair was always in a loose bun, so meticulously pinned that not a strand escaped from her head by the end of the day. She had a pair of dewy siren eyes which she used to convey her displeasure in order to not inconvenience her mouth.

“Treat me, you shall,” Elvira mumbled as she dragged her feet behind Wilhelma.

“Mhm, we’re drinking Hibiscus today,” Wilhelma replied, airily.

“I don’t even like tea,” Elvira grumbled.

“Nonsense! All ladies like tea! That is not how you will wed Kaeo! I’m going to end up grabbing him!”

“Please, make haste, the floor is all yours,” Elvira huffed.

“I would never do that to a friend…”

She had no idea how or why Wilhelma had decided to latch onto her, but this misfortune happened a week ago. She had been having an identity crisis amidst the flowers when the pretty girl showed up and offered her a sweet drink.

Elvira, having never had an overthought human interaction before, simply considered it a kind gesture and drank a sip.

Though, instead of watering the seeds of friendship with that drink, Wilhelma held out a hand and demanded compensation. Elvira, not having a morsel in her name, declared so.

Henceforth, they Wilhelma had established an uncanny sort of claim on Elvira’s time and presence. To a distant viewer, the girls drinking tea together, choosing clothes, running in the garden, petting creatures, would all look like acts of friendship.

But to Elvira’s distaste, it was hours of, “Oh, isn’t the tea marvellous? I know you do not like it, worry not, you shall develop the taste soon!” or, “Oh my! You’re horrible at coordinating an outfit! With that sack of a dress on you, do you think you will reach any man’s bed? Don’t worry, I’m here to guide you!” or else, “STOP RUNNING AWAY! ONE BITE FROM THE PAIX BEE AND YOUR INTERNAL INJURIES WILL BE HEALED, TRUST ME! IT ALSO MAKES YOUR CHEST BIGGER IF BITTEN IN THE RIGHT SPOT!” or maybe, “Yes please, wash the Hornstriders tonight, I’m so exhausted by chasing after you all afternoon. Won’t you help a friend out? You’re the kindest!”

Friend.

Elvira scoffed.

“…but if you take too much time, who knows, he’ll just end up in my bed instead!” Wilhelma giggled at whatever wild imagery her head conjured.

“I hope he does,” Elvira grumbled. “It’s not like I have known him for fifty years,” she scoffed, “five hours, give or take, at best.”

“It’s seldom about time and more about the hows, the whys, the whats and the what’s nexts!”

Elvira rolled her eyes. She wished she could straight up reject Wilhelma’s advances and walk away, but to her dismay, she had few hiding places and too much time with too less work to be excused for.

The only perk of being by Wilhelma’s side was facing the other residents of Helmire. Each and every recruit was an exceptional mage or entity, personally recruited by either Kairo or Kaeo for this elaborate mission to take over the world.

They were all useful minions and she was a useless burden they decided to weigh upon them, one unfortunate afternoon. A liability which roamed with freewill in a heaven of their creation.

“Ugh, I hate this,” Elvira mumbled. Having too much time on her hands had made her an overthinking mess of insecurities.

“Hate what? Tea time? I told you that you will develop the taste soon enough. It is refinement, trust me,” Wilhelma waved a hand in Elvira’s face and led her inside the gleaming black castle.

Misfortune tipped the balance of her life, once again, as they bumped into Kairo by the door.

“Oh, Sire Kairen! Sire Helmire! Hello! Pleasant day, is it not? What are you doing up so early?” Wilhelma exclaimed, going out of her way to demand a greeting.

Elvira rolled her eyes and slipped past Wilhelma in order to avoid brewing awkwardness in their morning greetings. The last push she needed to spiral was Kairo urging marriage. Her face wore a scowl, unintentionally so, as she sped past the greeting people in the hallway. She did not understand what ticked her off but she did not wait to comprehend either.

In her haste to escape, Elvira bumped into a person. Their papers flew out of their hands and fluttered up in the air. She burst in to a flurry of apologies as the person shrugged her off and waved their hand to gather the dropped material.

The exchange could have settled as yet another embarrassing memory to cringe over at 3 A.M. but fate had Kaeo witness the whole shenanigan and pursue a snide remark, “Is it too hard to watch where you are going or do I have to lend you my sight now?”

“It was an accident,” Elvira grumbled, “And it’s not like I want to siphon your magic off of you, okay? You don’t have to whine about it every time you meet my eye.”

“Kairo insists I marry you when I could easily have your pretty little head off your shoulders and up on my display wall.”

“Aw, you find my head pretty?” Elvira scoffed and fanned her hands around her face, “Obsessed with me, even when I'm dead? Sounds a bit loony.”

 Kaeo shrugged, leaning against a wall. His face exuded all the leisure a person could aspire to achieve.

“You should feel blessed that killing you would kill me.”

“Wow, makes me wanna slit my wrist and see what happens next,” Elvira rolled her eyes.

Though she had said the words with much nonchalance, Kaeo’s face darkened at the prospect. She was quick to recognise the hardness in his jaw and corrected herself, “My bad, I love my life too much to waste it over the likes to you.”

“Said the one who brought me back from the dead.” Kaeo scoffed.

“I did it for the Kaeo I liked,” Elvira said, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Oh! You like me?” Kaeo mocked, throwing his head back in disbelief.

“What! No! not at all! the old you, who doesn’t exist anymore! the nicer person! I liked him, like I like Kairo, of course, like nor—”

“Oh, you like me?” Kairo whispered from behind her, scaring her enough to jump away. “Is that why you have been avoiding marriage with my brother? Why did I never consider this?” he wondered in a serious conspirative tone.

“You like my brother now? After all the leaching you’ve done with me? You want to marry my brother?!” Kaeo bellowed.

“Elvira, if you want to, I can—”

“NO! I DON’T LIKE EITHER OF YOU!” Elvira shouted before any misunderstandings could prosper.

“Is it me who you like?” Wilhelma jumped into perspective, grinning ear to ear as she pointed a finger at her face.

Elvira sighed, emotionally and physically exhausted by the exchange. “I’d like my magic if I can find it,” she grumbled to no one in particular.

Suddenly, Kairo perked up, his jade eyes glinting as he exclaimed, “I have an idea! Let’s go on a mission together, for old time’s sake!”

Crowned - 12 | Payment Settlement!

 

CHAPTER 12

Elvira remained skeptical of the tomfoolery brewing under her name and the alleged magic associated with it. Only cold hard proof – other than Kaeo’s estranged body – could soothe either Kairo’s delusion or her troubled mind.

“I will accept it only if you take me back to the Count’s Estate,” Elvira demanded.

“Why would you want to go back to a place you were trapped in?” Kairo sighed as he leaned in and placed his elbows on the table.

A portion of food separated them. Though, surprisingly, even after being unconscious for five days, Elvira did not have the urge to scarf down the free meal.

“I need to make sure that my friends are alright,” she replied.

“You have friends?!” Kairo exclaimed, at the same time as Kaeo banged his fist over the table.

“I knew it! You were the one who caused the fire!” he rejoiced.

Elvira and Kairo turned to face at Kaeo, who was busy scarfing down breakfast on the opposite end of the table.

“I was trying to save my friend,” Elvira mumbled and let her head hang.

“Arsonist,” Kaeo supplied, “You’re truly one of us.”

“I cannot believe you made new friends…” Kairo sighed, “I spent five years trying to locate you and you were busy forging fresher bonds…I halted my research on Linch Blood because I wanted to complete it with you…” his words faded into a whisper.

“Woah,” Elvira gasped and backed into the cushioned chair, “That is so nice of you. I didn’t even know that you were real…I never tried escaping because,” her voice cracked, “because I had no home to go back to. At least I had people I cared for, back at the Estate,” Elvira sniffled.

“You were our first friend,” Kairo mumbled, “Of course I would never give up on you, like you did not give up on Kaeo.”

Teary-eyed Elvira and a pouting Kairo turned to face Kaeo. The ravenette paid no heed to them as he was busy shoving rolls down his throat.

Elvira grimaced at the sight.

“Can you leave me back at the Estate?” Elvira asked again, turning to Kairo.

“Can I come along? I want to see these friends of yours,” Kairo narrowed his eyes at the food, ‘I want to see which friends would let Elvira be abused on the regular and still be worth a second thought.’ he thought.

He stood up and with a snap of his fingers, a magic circle appeared under his feet. “Let’s go, I’ll protect you this time,” he said as he held out a hand for Elvira.

The brunette got out of her chair and walked around the table to stand by Kairo’s side.

It was Kaeo who took Kairo’s hand instead, “Leffs goh, brafa!” (Let’s go, brother!) he exclaimed with a mouth full of food as he stepped over the circle.

“Why is he going?” Elvira frowned.

“Gof sum payments to settle,” Kaeo brushed her off.

Kairo passed her a sheepish smile before snapping his fingers.

To say Elvira missed this magic would be an understatement. In no more than a second, they were halfway across the nation and inside the Count’s Estate without the hassle of travelling or showing identification involved. 

Elvira made a mental note to ask Kairo about the rules of Teleportation Magic because there was no logical way for them to be standing inside the East Wing Hallway without him ever having visited it.

“You stay here, I’ll go,” Elvira whispered and stepped out of the circle.

Instantly, Kaeo pushed past them and walked ahead.

Frowning, Elvira took two longer steps to walk ahead of him.

The ravenette scowled and jogged past her in order to be at the front.

By the end of the hallway, Elvira and Kaeo were squabbling like children competing to walk past a door.

Kairo, willingly behind them, shook his head in utter disappointment.

Elvira elbowed Kaeo and walked through the door first, frowning at how silent the Estate was. This time around, maids should have been busy cleaning the window crevices and dusting the doorknobs and hinges.

Kaeo swore under his breath. “First you poach my magic and now you attack me ever so violently!” he seethed in her ear.

Elvira paid no heed to his words for her eyes caught sight of Sinclair walking toward the Count’s meeting room. Elvira ran up to her side, panting, as she called out her name.

The butler’s assistant turned to face the voice and her eyes widened at the sight before her. Instinctively, her feet shuffled backwards and her grip on the tray in her hands loosened. The ovular metal fell to the floor, its thunder echoing in the silent hallway.

“E-e-elvira?” Sinclair gasped.

“Sinclair,” Elvira stated bluntly.

“Y-you are alive…as well…?” Sinclair raised a finger to point at her face.

Kaeo and Kairo walked up to Elvira’s side, which cued a scandalized Sinclair to back into the charred walls.

“A-angels of death! Has my time come?!” Sinclair wailed, backing into a corner. Her mouth quivered and her eyes barely held Elvira’s gaze.

“Sinclair, are you okay? It is me, Elvira, I did not die—is anyone else dead? What happened to Clary?” Elvira asked, stepping in front of Sinclair.

Sinclair furrowed her brows, scrutinizing Elvira’s face. When her assessment deemed Elvira worthy, Sinclair stuttered out a response.

“O-oh, you, you disappeared, everyone thought you died…and Clary, um…Clary is sort of gone…?”

“Gone?”

Tears overwhelmed her eyes but Elvira could only blink them away. A tear slid past her cheek and caught a glimpse of sunlight. It sparkled like the crystal shards rushing towards her, all those nights ago, when Clary pushed her out of the window.

Clary saved her.

Sinclair picked up the metal tray, “Come with me,” she said as she grabbed Elvira’s wrist and led her into the meeting room.

A scowling Kaeo and frowning Kairo followed.

The meeting room was where Count Aramia hosted the commonfolk to hear out their grievances. It was a room on the farthest west of the estate, with its own entry and exit-ways for the commoners. The detached nature of the hall would be the only reason why it survived the massive fire.

A wall of maid-backs greeted them upon entrance. Like the rest of the estate, the meeting room was also a picture of glazed hardwood, antique furniture and tapestries. The commoners had an entry door on the far left, in front of which Elvira spotted Yuna and Lira. Her eyes widened as she followed their line of sight; horror struck her gaze as she backed into a hard chest. Her nostrils flared and squirmed while her ears were assaulted by the screams of agony.

On the small elevated stage at the end of the room were two gold carved chairs, designated for the Count and Countess. Since Count Aramia was unmarried, the smaller throne chair remained empty.

Until a few days ago.

“Is…is that what I see it is?”

Sinclair nodded.

“A-aren’t they supposed to be…?” Elvira frowned.

“A decade ago,” Sinclair replied, her tone equally chill.

For, on the thrones, were seated two people whom Elvira had only seen in pictures before. Their portraits were in the Count’s office, Elvira remembered glancing upon them everytime she cleaned. The pointy chin and upturned moustache of the beady eyed former Count and the triangular face and hooked nose of the former Countess.

Elvira could not believe her eyes when they substituted the people from the pictures on the throne chair.

The dead Count and Countess were sitting on the throne chairs, smirking, with an evil glint in their eye as—

Elvira clutched her heart.

It was Clary.

She was standing beside the Countess, dressed in a shiny black suit, wielding a whip in her right hand. She struck the whip against the ground and a shaggy haired man, curled up on the ground, whimpering.

“Told you, Clary is gone.”

The whip wielding, curly-blonde haired and newly dark eyed Clary burst into a hearty laughter.

“Yeah…well…”

Am I still dreaming?

Elvira couldn’t make sense of reality anymore. All of Count Aramia’s household staff stood in attendance, witnessing the shaggy haired man being whipped while the supposedly dead Count, Countess and Clary, bellowed in mirth.

“They’ve been doing this ever since the day after Salary Day. Head Butler suddenly called everyone here and we witnessed Helif going mad over his parents standing in front of him. Now they do this every morning, whip him in front of everyone, that is. The maids seem to enjoy it a lot.” Sinclair explained.

“Oh? So, he is the one who has been causing me misery,” Kaeo grunted.

Elvira felt a shove before Kaeo walked past her and she came to an embarrassing realisation that she had been leaning against him all this while. She cursed under her breath as Kaeo made his way through the crowd of maids.

“Count, Countess,” he greeted as soon as he was within sight, tone cold and hard.

The nobility passed him a nod of acknowledgement.

“May I?” Kaeo asked.

The old Count nodded, his mouth pushing up in a grin.

“May I what? What? Do dead people have telepathy? The dead people stare-understanding?!” Elvira whispered into Kairo’s ear, exasperated by the whole scenario.

“Your guess may be better than mine, it’s your magic after-all,” Kairo shrugged.

Elvira rolled her eyes and Kaeo grabbed the shaggy haired man by his tattered collar.

“Helif Aramia?” he questioned, looking him in the eye.

“I-I am the COUNT! D-do not say my name, y-you peasant,” the man spat blood, “You are all being fooled by these impo—”

He couldn’t continue for Kaeo’s fist met his face. Elvira spotted a sapphire blue magic circle over his knuckles, aiding the impact of his hits, and her breath hitched. He was Kaeo.

A more…unhinged version though, Elvira realised, grimacing while Kaeo shoved punch after punch into the slender man.

“The young man seems impassioned,” the Countess remarked from her throne chair.

“All well-deserved,” Clary scoffed and threw the whip towards Kaeo, “Use it as you please.”

Kaeo picked up the whip and began wrapping it around Helif’’s neck when Elvira shouted, “Stop it! You’re going to kill him!”

 

Crowned 10 - Lost and Found!

CHAPTER 10

     Heavy footsteps thumped against the dark floor as a man hastened down a spiral staircase through a flurry of men, drinking and dancing in between. Heads turned and eyes followed his hastening back.

“Lord Kairo, congratulations on winning over Bestia!”

“Brilliant party tonight, Lord Kairo!”

“Looking handsome as always, Your Highness!”

“Where are you rushing to?”

Kairo brushed past many a talking figures, letting their calls fall on deaf ears. He jogged past the dance floor and entered the room opposite to it. He locked the door behind him before calling, “Brother? Are you okay?”

The little room was dimly lit by a lamp placed on the center table, opposite to which was a wooden seat. It was a resting room for the servants, which had been taken over by Kaeo’s impatient grunts and whimpers.

“Kae, what’s happening?” Kairo asked as he kneeled beside the wooden seat, his eyes wandered over Kaeo’s pained expression.

“I—ugh, I can feel it, her magic,” Kaeo seethed through gritted teeth. His fist was clenched around a fork which he dragged over and over into the wooden seat.

“Close your eyes,” Kairo said as he placed a finger over Kaeo’s forehead and gently pushed him backwards, “Tell me what you see.”

Kaeo writhed under his brother’s touch and the fork was further pushed into the wood. “Arrgh, the’rre, there’s a, a fire,” Kaeo huffed as pain clutched his abdomen, “A big place is on f—ugh, fire, argh,” he grunted, voice deepened with controlled agony, “I can feel her stripping my magic.”

“It’s okay,” Kairo reassured, “She might need it. Tell me, what do you see? Give me a hint.”

Kaeo swore under his breath as he tried to concentrate. His body felt like it was being stabbed by invisible daggers and every hole was releasing his magic into the universe. Exhaustion took over his limbs and he let himself slip further into the curve of the wooden seat.

“There is a, um, trees, she is outside. The build—aargh, it’s on fire. There’s a magic circle, r-r-red and, guards, the crest, it’s the Count’s crest. Aramia. Ugh,” he grunted as pain ripped through his body, threatening to split him in half.

“Good work, brother,” Kairo smiled and knocked a finger against Kaeo’s forehead.

The ravenette fell limp, rolled off the seat and crashed against the marbled floor.

Kairo cringed at the loud thud Kaeo’s head made after hitting the table’s foot. “That’s gotta hurt…” he mumbled before a brilliant jade magic circle appeared under his feet and swept him away. “To think you had been so close…” Kairo muttered as he materialized in front of the burning occido wing at Count Aramia’s estate.

He whispered a spell and a small magic circle appeared within his right eye. Through it, he could clearly see the crimson magic circle over the estate. The circle throbbed furiously, unlike anything Kairo had seen before. He could feel the spell lending power from the very atmosphere around him. The roaring winds, the shivering leaves, the crackling fire, they are all sustaining the circle overhead.

“This…this is magic,” Kairo gasped in a whisper.

His bespelled eye caught sight of a pulsating red wave on the farther left of the magic circle. It seemed to be connecting something on the ground and something else in the burning building. The purest thread of gold was encased within, as thin as an eyelash, fragile beyond belief. Kairo wondered if he stared too hard, it would break apart.

He ran towards it and found a body being dragged by two guards. The pulsating red wave had one end connected to it and an orb of powerful crimson throbbed around the body.

Kairo looked up and spotted the other end of the magic entering the first floor of the burning building.

He snapped his fingers and a magic circle appeared under his feet, levitating him off the ground. He floated to a broken window and found a similar throbbing body, surrounded by raging fire and protected by the crimson magic. From his height, he could see two more waves pulsating on the opposite side of the estate.

Kairo casted a quick spell and brilliant jade magic circle appeared underneath the crimson. It sucked the fire away until all that was left was smoke and wails. As soon as his magic circle disappeared, Kairo entered the burnt ballroom, picked up the person and floated back to the ground.

“It’s a miracle!”

“The fire is gone!”

“All hail—”

With another snap of his fingers, the wailing guards were knocked out cold.

Kairo placed the two bodies beside each other and almost instantly, the overcast magic circle disappeared. The wind rested and the trees came to a standstill.

“It’s like the magic has a mind of its own…” Kairo whispered with fascination shining in his eyes.

Though, as soon as the throbbing orb disappeared from the two bodies, horror caused his eyes to widen. For whom he remembered with warmth now laid cold and scarred. His feet scurried to her side and clammy hands picked up her curly brown head. Tears threatened his eyes as he pulled the limp body against his chest, whispering, “I-It’s okay, you’re safe now, nothing like this will ever happen again…”

The gnarly bite marks disappeared from her body as a magic circle appeared underneath Kairo’s feet.

Five days later, her eyes fluttered open.

There was a heaviness in her limbs that weighed her down and a clog in her throat that made her croak out, “Ah.” She closed her eyes again then reopened them as memories began spiralling in her head.

“Clary!” she shouted hoarsely as she shot up, instantly regretting both the actions. A violent cough wrenched her momentarily motionless. Her world spun as her head throbbed, threatening to burst open.

She swore under her breath as her eyes scrutinized the strange surroundings. She came to a very obvious realisation that she wasn’t in Count Aramia’s basement or her hardwood charpoy.

No.

She was in an unfamiliar lap of luxury, settled in between an army of soft pillows and a sinfully addictive bed. A calming scent wafted in the rich air surrounding her, accentuating the obvious wealth around the four-poster bed. Opposite to the bed, a fireplace of black stone crackled a warm glow.

Clary.

She raised her hands to get rid of the silk sheets and spotted colourful pins attached to her wrists. She pulled out a pin and seethed as a few droplets of blood marked the sheets. The pins were a healing tool, she recognised. Their needle tips were supposed to prick the veins of a patient and the tiny glass blob on the opposite end stored a healing spell or potion, whatever the caster deemed necessary. The pins were an Alchemy Type Mage’s speciality.

Oh.

She had almost overlooked it.

She was so used to them and suddenly, the scars were…gone?

‘Did Count Amaria finally sell me off?’ she wondered as she slipped out of the bed.

Her feet landed on the softest carpet known to existence and she could not resist the urge to rub her feet against it.

Clary. Her mind reminded.

“Yes,” she whispered hoarsely and pulled out the remaining four pins before getting up.

Dizziness overtook her sight and she grabbed the bedframe to stabilise herself. It was then when she caught sight of her attire. Her eyes widened as she faced the full-length mirror placed beside the fireplace.

She hadn’t seen herself in anything but the maid uniform for such a long time so it came as no surprise when an audible gasp escaped her lips. Though, instead of fascination, hers was scandalised.

For on her body was the very familiar and very classic, pearly white, iridescence embroidered, fae-woven, wedding dress.

Alarm bells raged in her mind.

‘Count Aramia totally sold me. Some creep wants to marry me. I need to run away, as soon as I can, as far as I can.’ She concluded and limped out of the bed room, which was connected to its own living room, past which was an opaque glass carved door. She gulped and limped to the circle widows. A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she realised that she was on ground floor.

She looked around the living room and picked an umbrella from the stand by the door. She would use it as a contingency weapon, she decided as she unbolted the window and jumped out. Her limbs were still weak and instead of landing gracefully on her feet, she plopped on the hallway, clutching her thundering heart and sweaty limbs.

“Elvira.”

The sudden acknowledgement made her jolt backwards. Her head hit the wall and a loud groan escaped her lips.

The person in front swore under his breath as he rubbed a hand on the back of his head.

Elvira looked up and found a pair of dark eyes glaring at her with annoyance. He seemed bothered by her presence, if not disgusted, yet the odd familiarity in his face made her breath hitch.

Her eyes narrowed at his face. The frowning thick brows, center-parted raven hair strands caressing the flashy eyelashes. Odd amethyst eyes wandering over her face, the high nose bridge representing the pride in his almond shaped eyes, easing into a philtrum and pouty peach lips.

 No way.

She had never noticed it…but there was a mark under his left eye.

Had it always been there?

She wouldn’t know.

She was so sure she dreamt them up.

But—no, was it a dream again?

Elvira reached out and her fingers grazed over his shirt-covered-stomach. The hard touch felt real. Her eyes widened to their brim as she whispered, “Kaeo.”

“Good that you have your wits intact,” the man replied, voice deep and so unfamiliar, “Now that you are up, I can finally use my room again. For star’s sake,” he swore under his breath.

No, it wasn’t Kaeo. The Kaeo she knew had brilliant blue eyes and a smile that would light up her world.

It was a smile worth dying over.

And Kaeo died five years ago…

I should find Clary.

Elvira used the umbrella to stand up. The stranger shadowed her frame with his lean build.

“Ex-cuse me,” Elvira muttered as she limped past him.