"Welcome back, my Lord..."
The multitude of royal guards, soldiers and villagers kneel in reverance to their king and queen, in the great Hall of the Kings.
Just a day ago, King Benedict and Queen Hazeline, psychologically affected due to the exposure of the layers of realities casted upon them, could not remember fully their true existence and identities. Even Mary, Mistress of the Heart Knights.
But Lord Milifen, with his superior knowledge and skill in the arts of wizardry, filled their memories back to their correct states... And thus, all is well now. The king took his crown again. The queen stood by her king again. And Mary, was back to doing what she does.
It was only not too long ago that the king and queen had lost their way among the darkness, not knowing between reality and imagination. One was a humble piano player in a bar, the other a lost girl with a supposed mental condition. And of course the third one being a clumsy, less than competent nurse.
"My Lord, your loyal subjects await..."
The king takes a moment to pause and think. It has been a while since he last addressed his people.
"My people... First, I'd like to thank all of you for coming here today, on such a momentous occasion."
**********
"It has been a while since I was last here, until my capture, as well as the queen's and Lady Mary's. But from the accounts of what had been written and seen by my advisors, I have come to know of the events that took place here in our absence. And many, if not all of you, have truly done me proud..."
To his two loyal companions to his right, he turns his head to them.
"Joseph... Milifen... My dear friends and confidantes... Both of you have led well in my absence, and I'm sure you both have shown exceptional courage and valour in those dark times."
He looks to Fel, the knight in shining armour, standing to his left.
"Fel, brave captain of the Heart Knights... We thank you, for coming to our rescue and enabling to do something that we have failed to do... To exit that nightmare, and still keep your sanity intact. You shall be rewarded accordingly."
He then turns to the masses.
"And to all of you... You have fought well. Together, I'm sure that all of you have managed to drive back the demons that invaded our lands, and drove back them back into the desolation from which they came. I also, am grateful for your prayers and continued hope that we would make it out of the nightmare safely.
He then looks down, adopting a more solemn tone in his voice.
"Indeed... We have lost many in the battle. Perhaps, if I were here, then many of their deaths could have been avoided. They shall be remembered in our hearts and minds for as long as our generations exist..."
Then, he lifts up his head again to the audience.
"However, though we may mourn for them, let us not be dampened in spirit! They have not given up their lives in vain, just for us to lament over their sacrifices. With their efforts, and ours, peace has been once again restored to the land at last. The Homunculus scums will not be bothering us for a long time to come. We must keep watch, be prepared always so that history may never repeat itself. But also, let us honour the fallen, and congratulate ourselves, the living, by remembering this victory."
With that, the king unsheathes his sword, and raises it high, pointing it to the heavens above.
"To Magandus!"
And the entire audience roars in thunderous applause.
(Man... That felt cheesy...)
***********
*Click*
"Dad... I'm gay!"
"No you're not... You're Harold! That's your name isn' it?"
"No Dad, I didn't mean it that way! I'm saying that I'm gay!"
"Oh... You mean like, you're happy, right? So... You won the jackpot or something?"
"No! Are you that dense?? I'm mean that I'm ho..."
*Click*
"Come on! Come on! Big money! Big money!"
"$5,000! Sherry, what are you gonna pick?"
"Is there a C?"
"There is no C... I'm sorry. Reginald, you're up next."
"Yea! Come on!"
"And... $600"
"Er....... A C!"
"Sherry already asked for a C, and nope... There's no C haha... Gotta pay attention there. Anyway, Karen..."
"Oh... No, no! Move some more!"
"Whew, that was close... $700."
"A........... C?"
*Click*
"...appears to be putting some quail eggs into the mixture. Seems like some secret recipe that he formulated during his time in the French restaurant that he worked in for most of his career."
"Fu-kui-san?"
"Go!"
"Might I comment that I think he's trying to thicken the mixture a bit here. But I heard that he has a special reason why he's specifically using eggs of a quail instead of, say, normal chicken ones."
"Haha... Looks like Iron Chef Sukaido has some pretty nifty..."
*Click*
"...and... I just can' stop thinking about you! I need you!"
"Oh! I... I... I need you too! Martin... I love you!"
"I love you too, Clarice!"
"... It's June..."
"........ Sorry, wrong number..."
*Click*
"... please somebody, get a letter already!"
"Ok... Ok... Alright!"
"$500 Sherry..."
"Can I please have a C?"
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU ID..."
*Click*
" And in other news, the local general hospital in the town centre faced a temporary scare earlier today, as it experienced a significant power shortage for about over an hour, leading to blackouts, failure of most equipments.
Fears arose amidst the event as medical staff were worried that the out-time of the electronics could have affected the health and safety of the patients, especially those who were in more critical condition. Fortunately, there were no serious casualties sustained, thanks to the effective back-up system of the hostipal.
However, several seemingly unused equipment were found scattered and destroyed in certain rooms, believed to have been unoccupied, though there had appeared to have had been used very recently. Investigators have been called to..."
*Click*
"So, come on down to the Goodtimes Cafe, for a night of great food, drinks, friends and entertainment! This weekend, we're going have a spectacular show for you... Featuring that dynamic musical duo, the piano and singing duet... Benjamin Locks and Hazela Elfie! They will..."
*Click*
**********
In a more familiar (and somewhat believable) reality, where Ben and Hazel once existed, a man walks along the streets. Slithering his way through the mid-day crowd, he avoids eye contact with any one whom he brushes against, seemingly focused on a task at hand. He then turns into an alley... A rather dark alley behind an old, derelict musuem, where only rodent and refuse resided (What kind of rubbish is this?). We continues to walk deeper and deeper as it gets dimmer, until, he hits the dead end, and was completely out of sight.
Suddenly, he opens his palm, and in the wall, appeared a strange circular blue light. It looks like a portal. But it is not, for as he talks into it, he speaks with someone else on the other end of this channel. When the other speaks, we can only see the light varying in brightness, but we cannot hear. Only this man understands the replies...
**********
"I am here, my Lord."
"................." (The other speaks)
"Yes, this is Zarbak. I'm alone. Except for these people, but don't mind them. Their knowledge is limited only to what they can see here..."
"................."
"I am sorry, my Lord. Forgive me for my eccentricities."
"................."
"Yes, I know... That is why I came here as soon as I can."
"................."
"I understand. The king and queen have returned to their kingdom safely, much to our demise. If only they knew the truo necessity of our actions, and..."
"................."
"I see... Then in that case, I think that we'll just have to wait and see, my Lord."
"................."
"I've done my best to make some 'adjustments' and take care of the mess left behind by Valin here. That impudent wretch... Looks like Destiny can be twisted after all. I managed to get him out in the nick of time. But I couldn't 'clean' up the rest of it. I wouldn't worry though, our tracks have been covered well enough."
"................."
"Yes. No one knows about the rest of us. Perhaps apart from Valin, they don't know about us. You, myself and..."
"................."
"Understood, I shall stay here in this reality then..."
"................."
"Alright."
"................."
"Yes. Thank you. Goodbye..."
The light fades away. The man turns around en route back to the streets.
"...... Lord Milifen."
To be continued?
Tuesday 25 September 2007
Saturday 23 June 2007
The Infinidex - Part 10
The thunderous applause of the thousands of guests shook the four elephants big golden chandelier forty meters above as the King and his soon to be Queen entered the Grand Hall and stood at the foot of the crimson carpet.
The hall was humongous, 100 long magnificently crafted wooden benches which sat 1400 anxious yet excited guests lined the hall’s left and right. In between the left and right rows of benches was a vast empty space with a beautiful mosaic pattern right in the middle of it. The path of the carpet split at the entrance to the left and the right, going around the mosaic pattern at the center of the hall. It joined back after the pattern ended. And at end of it, a smiling elderly wizard wearing a golden robe and a weird golden cap was waiting on the upper platform. Just behind the wizard was a matching black velvet curtain which spanned the width and height of the Great Hall, blocking the whole back from everyone’s view.
The wizard’s already golden clothes, coupled with the strong sunlight which shone through five huge windows on both sides of the hall made him glow as if fairylight were present.
“I present you! The Sillian Royal Orchestra!” He spoke loudly when the Bride and Groom were ready.
After a while, the slick curtains started to rise and the Wizard hurried himself to the side of the hall. A plump man in a brown dress coat standing in the middle was the first to appear behind it. As the curtains rose, it revealed something more; 100 people holding various instruments sat on a long bench like platform,- another 100 people on the row above it, - and another 100 people above it and so on totaling 5 rows.
The plump conductor raised his ‘stick’ and the musicians of the Silian Royal Orchestra prepared their instruments…
A man in white wearing a huge wig appeared and started the song by singing in a mix of Silian and common tongue…
(Play the song)
(Use earphones if you have lousy speakers)
…
…
…
The sweet melody of the orchestra accompanied the vocals and spread throughout the hall like the scent of Jasmine in the fields.
The King grasp the tiny hand of ‘his Queen’ and both of them strolled towards the left path of the carpet with the brilliant violet train following, dragging some littered flowers with it. All eyes were on them, but both their eyes were in each other’s.
…
…
…
…
…
…
“My Love… Finally…” the Bride thought, grinning shyly at him.
“My Dear… This song is for you…” The Groom grabbed her hand even tighter.
…
…
…
…
…
…
As they reached the end of the crimson carpet, the music softened and slowed down. The gold draped Wizard was already back where he was on the upper platform, and the man in white disappeared into one of the doors behind the orchestra.
He smiled and gave a slight bow.
“My King, My Lady”
“Shall we begin?”
“…”
“The Royal Magandus Family! Honourable Lords, Ladies and Guests!”
“Today we have gathered, to witness the joining together of our beloved King Benedict the Third, and our much-loved Mistress of the ‘Cruser Knights’ Lady Hazeline.”
*Squeeze hand*
“The Marriage Vows…”
“My King…” The Glowing Wizard gestured towards King Benedict.
Staring into Lady Hazeline’s gleaming brown pupils, King Benedict took a breath and said aloud:
“I, King Benedict the Third, take you Lady Hazeline of Kuupi, to be my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish you and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust and respect you, laugh and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we meet. I give my hand, my heart, my love, my all to you from this day onwards, for as long as we both shall live!”
Lady Hazeline’s face turned scarlet and she tried to look away.
“Don’t you want us to be together?” King Benedict teased her whisperingly.
“I Do!” Lady Hazeline whispered a protest back as she looked up towards him.
“Lady Hazeline…” The Wizard grinned at Lady Hazeline.
“It’s your turn”
“I, Lady Hazeline of Kuupi, take you King Benedict the Third, to be my friend, my husband, my lover, the father of my children. I promise to always be by your side, in sickness and in health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow. You will always be in my heart, whether separated or together, now or in the future. I promise to cherish you, to encourage you, comfort you, care for you, and stay with you for eternity.”
The shy Lady Hazeline looked bashfully to the ground for a moment and looked back up again.
“Both King Benedict and Lady Hazeline have said their vows!” The Wizard shouted excitedly as the hall erupted into another thunder of applause.
“Can we have the gifts now?” The Wizard asked when the applause died down.
A petite lady wearing a frilly red dress stood up from one of the front rows and walked towards them holding out a mid-sized red box with both her arms. This box had no keyhole, just the box, and its lid on hinges.
When she reached them, King Benedict gestured at her and she brought the box up to her lips and whispered something to it. There was a faint click sound and the lid slowly opened around its hinges.
King Benedict slid his hand into the cushioned insides of the box and took out a strange ball like thing. Sounds of muffled gasps and chatter could be heard from around the hall, and some guests even stood up trying to get a clearer view.
“Thanks Mary…” He whispered to the red lady.
Now facing Lady Hazeline, he said:
“Hazeline, this is the Key of Aperito. I want to give you this, not because it is valuable. But because I want you, Hazeline, to always be able to return to Magandus safely. I will never forget that incident… Magandus is your home… our home. Lady Hazeline was speechless, all she did was to stare at the metallic thing embedded in the ball. And her face turned red again.
“Well then, it is my turn to speak now.” The Wizard said joyfully.
“With the power given to me, I hereby declare you King Benedict and Queen Hazeline of Magandus, Man and Wife!”
A soft but sweet melody of the music came from the Orchestra again and the King took the hand of his future queen and led her to the mosaic pattern at center of the hall.
As was the custom of Magandus, King Benedict and Queen Hazeline had both apples of their eyes tightly fixed on to each other’s and danced to the slow and romantic ballad in each other’s arms.
…
…
…
…
…
…
The dance ended with a kiss. A small firework of romantic red exploded above them, dazzling everyone.
------------------------------
1 YEAR LATER
------------------------------
“This is a disaster! Summon all the Knight Masters and Mistresses to me at once!” King Benedict Yelled at Lord Joseph as he tugged his cloak loose.
“Yes, my King! Right away!” Lord Joseph hurried himself from the Military Room to the adjacent room.
He paced to and fro by the fireplace, with the portrait of his father watching him.
Lord Joseph arrived at a wooden desk by the window. There was a sky blue staff which looked like a long piece of stick on it.
“Accio cniht eh Magister, Migula!” Lord Joseph muttered as he raise a sky blue staff toward the skies.
“It is done my King…” Reported Lord Joseph when he came back.
“Where are they, what’s taking them so long?!” Bellowed the King.
After a few moments, the scuttling of footsteps could be heard from the lit stairway behind them.
King Benedict turned to face the stairway and went over to meet them.
“Master of the Talon Knights! My King.” A flustered looking tall and thin man said.
“Finally!” The King snapped impatiently.
“Mistress of the Heart Knights! My King.” The small lady who was the giftbearer at King Benedict’s wedding said out loud.
“Yes yes, I know!” The King was trying to get everyone’s attention so that he could speak.
“Mistress of the Vi-…“
“Ok already!” The King interrupted before the Mistress of the Violet Knights could continue.
The rest who came behind them kept silent and waited when they heard him.
“This is a disaster!” The King yelled again.
“Those foul Homunculus are attacking our border forts!”
“But aren’t we at peace with them?” The master of the Talon Knights asked curiously.
“PEACE? We were NEVER at peace with them!” King Benedict retorted.
“The war 20 years ago was the biggest we had. Both sides sustained a lot of losses and when these were too great, the fighting ceased suddenly.”
“We never made peace with them! It was an unspoken truce!” The King declared.
“They were extremely lucky that WE let them live! And now they grow arrogant and plan to wipe us out!”
“What shall we do my king?” Lord Joseph asked.
“The town of Gaido lies near the border. We must protect it!
“Send two-thirds of our forces out! 35000 of them to the front line! 5000 to Gaido. The rest shall remain in the town.” The King replied.
“Your Mithril Knights will be in the palace under my command. You shall command the 40000 knights to war!”
“Is everyone clear!”
“Yes my King!” Everyone replied.
“We will shield our lands from the filth. We cannot let them befoul our ground! We shall drive them out and keep our lands!”
------------------------------
The palace garden was a place of tranquility, away from the central square. A cute little stream flowing through the little forest provided the peaceful tune as the waters rolled toward the other end. The trees provided a lot of shade and the scent of flowers felt crispy and cool. Two squirrels were jerk-moving on a tree.
“Oh, Hunny. Look at the little squirrels! They are looking for food!” Hazeline gasps as she held her Lhasa Apso dog up for it to have a better view.
“Woof!”
“Aren’t they cute little things?” Hazeline said with a smile.
“Woof! Woof!” Hunny barked and the two squirrels jolted and fled.
“Bad boy! Hmph!” Hazeline frowned.
Something moved out of the corner of Hazeline’s eye.
“What was that?” Hazeline thought as she looked behind her to the back of the garden. Her eyes watching for movement as they scanned the suspicious trees.
“Hazeline!” A voice called from the entrance.
Hazeline forgot about the movement and looked to the entrance gate. Benedict came running down the path towards to.
“Have you been here all day? I’m sorry I neglected you all these while.” Benedict said as he hugged her.
“It’s alright, matters of the country are much more important. And I have Hunny here to keep me company.” Hazeline replied.
“Sigh… I wish I wasn’t King. Then you wouldn’t be so lonely. I want to be with you. But I can’t.” There was a tear in Benedict’s eye.
“A husband is for his wife, and his wife is for his husband. I will cherish you and love you more each day than I did the day before…”
“I will trust and respect you, laugh and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we meet…”
“I give my hand, my heart, my love, my all to you from this day onwards, for as long as we both shall live…”
“I still remember the vow I made Hazeline.” Benedict said earnestly.
“I am glad that I have a husband of love, and not an ungrateful king.” Hazeline said and smiled.
“Hazeline… This… this might be the last time we are together.” Benedict broke the news to her unexpectedly.
“HUH? WHY?” Hazeline burst out.
“I don’t want you to leave!” She continued and cried, holding on to Benedict ever tighter.
“Hazeline, I am really sorry!” Benedict said as he stroked her Jet black hair.
“I have to do this for Magandus. I have to lead a legion to battle. I can’t watch my men die while I enjoy the defenses of the palace!”
“Waaa! Aren’t you supposed to stay in the castle? The council forbids you from engaging directly with fighting a war!” Hazeline wailed.
“I am the King and I see the need. So I must go!”
A black thing swooped down upon them from somewhere above and its feet collided with Benedict’s head. The force detached his tiara like crown from his head and it flew into the stream.
“BENEDICT!” Hazeline screamed.
Still feeling groggy, Benedict picked himself up and looked up. There was Hazeline, wriggling like a worm in the talons of the big black flying thing with a huge jaw.
He drew his scepter from his girdle and took aim at the black flying thing.
“Orastiga-…” Benedict broke off his chant when he realized that his spell is going to hit Hazeline.
“Use the Aperito, Hazeline! The key!” Benedict shouted.
Hazeline fumbled around her dress and drew a glass orb.
“Dragonp-…” The black flying thing slapped Hazeline’s cheek with its tail and Hazeline was seen trying to pry open her lips.
“Oh no… the muting spell…” Benedict said in dismay.
The black flying creature seemed like it was going to fly towards the skies and away. But it looked back at Benedict and torpedoed towards him.
------------------------------
“Fire at will!” Lord Joseph shouted as he released a yellow signal to the sky.
Tens of Thousands of trails of various spells bore through the air and rained on the black enemies on the other side. Some burned with a white flame, others had their limbs flying all over the place, spewing black liquid following it. High pitch screams were heard all over the battlefield.
Thousands of Homunculus soldiers began to fall one by one, their weapons clanged as they hit the ground sounding as if thousands of pots and pans were being hit at the same time.
“Charge!” Lord Joseph shouted as he released another signaling spell to the sky.
Ten thousand knights cried out loud and drew their weapons; a mix of lances, large shields, short and long swords and advanced upon the black creatures.
As they neared the Homunculus, the scene was horrifying. Hideous roars came out of creatures which as no face, just a huge jaw where the face should be. They have arm-like things without fingers coming out of their chests. Some holding axes, some unarmed, the monstrous jaws were enough. However horrifying the scene was, the Knights were sure of one thing.
To eliminate, or be eliminated.
Human heads were bitten of by the jaws of the Homunculus and spat all over the place. Black stuff too, were strewed all over the battlefield; black flesh was sliced off by swords and black goo oozed from the wounds penetrated by lances.
A little woman was seen struggling in the claws of a black flying monster high above the air, flying towards the evil lands.
------------------------------
“Valin, lock them in the Lair of the Shadows… Muhwahwa” A gleeful booming voice said.
“Yes my lord.”
A black man wearing a black coat from stood up from his kneeling position and walked out the door, his tentacle like limbs wriggling from his back.
------------------------------
Ben
It was raining, the air was cool. The perfect time for sleep.
“Ahhh…” Thought Ben relaxingly.
“RRrrriiinnggg!!!!”
*Slam*
“RRrrriiinnggg!!!!”
*Slam*
“RRrrriiinnggg!!!!”
*Slam*
*Tick*
“Wake up! Ben” A voice called from outside.
“You have a café to run!”
“You don’t want to be late!”
“Yes, Oz…”
“Our first day...” Ben thought with a dreamy grin.
She had told him it was her favorite song after she saw the way he played it on the piano. “Your fingers tell a story,” she said, with a genuine sincere smile. Her bright smile shone through his heart and melted it then. Ever since then, her jet black hair, her soft brown eyes continued to mesmerize him. They would meet everyday at the same jazz bar and then they would spend the day talking and laughing. He marveled at her vast knowledge and intelligence, even though she was only eighteen. With that she had replied, “Oh yes, they said I am gifted... but well, I have my flaws too...” She said it with a tinge of sadness in her eyes, of which he must have overlooked then, because he was more interested in how beautiful her eyes were. But now, he understood what she had meant.
She tried to escape again the other day. I almost lost her for good. There was a thunderstorm and so after I collected Hazel's favourite lunch at the usual time of 1pm, I hurried back. I found the main door to the shop left ajar and immediately took off to look for her. Luckily I found her at the field just up ahead. Poor girl, she fell on the muddy ground and got so dirty. I almost yelled at her, angry at her for trying to escape when I am already trying so hard to cope for our sake. But that's when I saw the glass ball rolling out of her hand. Warmth overwhelmed me then and the tears that rolled down from my eyes were camouflaged by the rain that had already drenched us. That glass ball was my first gift to her. The fact that she still held on to it showed that I am still in her heart, despite everything else....
When did I give the ball to her anyway? I can’t really remember…
“Whats with that lousy smile you have on your face? I am doing you a favor by getting you out of bed” Ben’s roommate said feeling a little annoyed.
Valin
“Make sure they don’t meet. It may break the spell” Valin said to the black prison guards.
“Yes my lord” They replied.
“Where shall we put them?”
“Special treatment for royalties, a fully human illusion, make them feel comfortable so that they wouldn’t want to leave.” Valin said smiling.
“Our Lord wants them” Valin Continued.
Hazel
It was after my lectures. I was walking home when I saw this café which recently opened. I went in and bought some Willhamson Tea and two slices of raspberry chocolate cake. When I sat down on an empty sit, someone went over to the piano at the corner of the café and started playing a beautiful piece of something. I took a few bites off the cakes, sipped on the Tea and went over to the piano. It was a man who was playing the piano. He had ear-length silky yet wavy black hair and fingers which moved like the waves of the sea. The way he played this song made my heart quiver. After he finished, I told him that it was my favorite song after I saw the way he played. I will never forget when he tried to reply me; all that came out was blabbering. “I…I… you…you…hehe….” He was so adorable that I smiled at him after a while. His personality had unintentionally charmed her.
I don’t know why I keep seeing things recently. There was once when I ran out of a burning house and jumped into a nearby pool of water to douse my burning skirt. Ben came running to me pulling me out of the muddy pool and back into the ‘burning’ house.
It wasn’t burning I guess…
Valin
“You FOOLS!”
“How did they get together?” The councilman roared.
“We…we… d…d…d…don’t know s...s…sir…”
“Prepare another layer of illusion for the Queen!”
“Yes sir!”
Ben
Hazel has been acting strangely recently.
Who is this Locks guy?
----------------------
"How long will she have to be sedated?"
"As long as it takes to find a cure for her"
"What if you never do?"
"Then she might have to stay this way all her life"
"You can't keep her sleeping forever! ... What difference is that from killing her? Just let me talk to her!"
"Stop kidding yourself! You know that won't work. How long have you been doing that? A year? And the result? She's back here again, worse then ever"
"At least she is herself some of the time"
"And when was the last time that happened?"
"... three months ago"
"There you have it, the period of her dementia has been getting longer. That only proves you should have listened to us and let her get treated here"
"A whole world of good that's doing her! At least she can still be happy dreaming her life away when she's awake. Now she can't even dream with that drug you're giving her."
"Would you rather have her confined to an asylum then ... as you said it yourself, what would be the difference?"
I left Hazel to wonder in her own world as I sadly took care of her everyday.
Missy
The moth and flame embrace and exploded in a bright flash. The object curled up in a fetal position opens her eyes.
Who am I?
The silence rang in my ears. A spherical object went in and out of focus, as my eyes adjusted to the surrounding. The blurry images slowly sharpen and I see it is a ball, a transparent ball lying in the shadows that extended in front and to both sides of it.
After staring at it for a long time, the silence got unbearable, as did the silence in my head with regards to what I was doing on the floor.
I don't think you'll get an answer just waiting here and not moving. I thought. I uncurled myself from the fetal position I was in and was pushing myself up when I dropped back to the floor, reached underneath the table and grabbed the ball. I sat up, propped my hands against the table and looked at what I was holding.
It was a transparent glass ball with a golden star sealed within. The star however didn't look solid, but rather it was more like a star-shaped hollow in the ball holding some golden liquid that shone like the sun when light reflected off it. It looked really pretty and expensive. Instinctively, I slid it into the front pocket of my dress.
I looked around and I saw a door, a painting, a weird window, and a mirror.
I did not recognize the girl in the mirror, I know it’s me, but it’s not me.
When I was outside, I realized that I was actually in a cottage. There I met this ugly and disgusting fellow named Locks. He kept stopping me from leaving this cottage. I think he is keeping me a prisoner here. I will find a way out.
--------------------------
A talking table told me of a way to escape. I followed his instructions to a waterfall and used my key.
Valin
Valin: I'd assume that you know why we are here for at this point of the millenia?
Voice 2: Yes indeed... We are aware of the situation.
Valin: As you might have heard, one of them has 'awoken' from slumber, causing a ripple in the space-reality continuum.
Voice 2: I am aware of it. And I've initially tried taking the appropriate measures in an attempt to control the situation. But I cannot comprehend how she could have done so by herself. And for what reason?
Voice 4: I concur... No way any one of them could have woken up... Unless, the cycle were to be broken.
Valin: I am aware of that. But unfortunately, that is exactly what had happened. There has been some tampering in the cycle.
Voice 3: Now that's a bummer...
Voice 2: What??? How could that have happened? Or... who could've done it?
(Jonah: It’s Love hehehe The power of love brought Benedict and Hazeline back)
Voice 4: So, do we stop her at all costs? Do we have to resort to erasing her existence?
Valin: No! We must not kill her. We cannot! Lest we worsen the situation. We need to make sure she follows the right path to fix this predicament. As Zardak has mentioned, she alone is the key to solve it. Speaking of which, she also has the key which can open most doors in both realities. I shall charge the three of you to try and stall her. But be careful of any ploys by whoever started this in the first place. I shall try and get to the bottom of this, and find out who is responsible for this cataclysm.
Valin: Non of this must be spoken of. If our Lord hears about this lax in security, we face death.
Valin: This meeting finishes here, my councilmen. I have a plan and I will be going to 'her' to test this Muhwahwa.
-----------------------------
“You two, come with me.” Valin commanded two rookie guards.
“Attack Queen Hazeline in her cell”
"Errararrrrrrrr". A hideous roar issues forth from a pair of jaws blocking the doorway. Hazel jumps back and lands on the floor, just as the jaws clamp down with a sickening clash.
Hazel stares in horror at the the monstrosity in front of her. They have no face, just a huge mouth where the head should be, but from the chest down they are dressed in the nurses' uniform and look completely human. However, before Hazel can react to the bizarre sight, what looks like a pair of black spear punctures the two creatures from behind, the point of the spears protruding from the monsters mouth.
"Eeeeeeeee". The monsters emit a high pitched scream as their bodies crumble into a black dust that is absorbed into the open mouth of a man all dressed in black and standing just behind where the creatures stood. The spears are actually wriggly tentacles that seem to originate from his black coat.
"Tsk, Tsk, Dark Homunculus', is there nothing more powerful? Well their loss, my gain." The man says as he walks over to Hazel. The tentacular appendages have disappeared back into his clothes. He kneels down on one knee in front of Hazel and leans forward with a hand on the other.
"Come with me. The darkness have taken over this place. You are no longer safe." He says, his steely green eyes fixed on Hazel waiting for her reply.
"No. I have to get to Ben, I have to warn him if there're more of these things around" Hazel replies in spite of her shock.
The man cocks up his head and says "Listen, do you hear anything?".
"No, there is nothing" Hazel says straining to pick up whatever it is the man wanted her to hear.
"Precisely. It is too late for your friend Ben, but it is not too late for you ... IF you come with me." the man says.
"That's not it. The song's ended, that is all." rebuts Hazel "What's more, you .. you are like them, those creatures .. you even ate them" Hazel says in disgust.
"Yes, I am from the darkness, but I am not of them. I am, as the expression goes ... one of the good guys." The man continues saying with a flourish of his hand.
"How do I know you are not lying?" Hazel asks, directing the mistrust she had for Ben/Locks at the man.
"and how do you know your dear Ben is not lying too?" The man asks, throwing the question back at her.
"Because I finally remember who I am and who he is" replies Hazel defiantly.
The man makes a little sigh and continues saying "You are mistaken. Those memories are a level two cipher. You have just been implanted with yet another layer of deception, in order that you never see the truth."
"What?" says Hazel, shocked at the suggestion that what she just remembered is yet another illusion.
"But if you come with me, I will show you the truth, and when you do, many will be saved." The man says, and stretches out a gloved hand to Hazel.
"I am Destiny. Take the red pill and together we shall see how deep the rabbit hole goes."
Meanwhile, Ben is attacked by an elongated tongue Homuculumous
Hazel/Missy
Should I take the red pill? Should I? That…that man says that if I were to follow him, I’d see the truth. But Ben has told me the truth! There’s no other story…is there…? Hazel’s consciousness drifted off for some moments, drowning in her ocean of thought.
Ahhhh! I must not be swayed so easily! I must trust in Ben and in myself! Her elfin frame gave a little shiver, as if she had just snapped out of hypnosis. She stole a deep breath discreetly, willing herself to be calm and rational.
“Destiny? Pfft. Oh puh-lease, that whole “Destiny” is really quite overused. Try something new, would you?” Hazel rolled her eyes with vigour, feeling a new-found sense of courage creeping in.
“Ah?” blurted the man in black, his eyes wide in disbelief at Hazel’s speedy recovery from shock.
“Anyway, there’s no way I’m going to eat anything from a thing,” mocked Hazel.
The man became noticeably blue upon hearing that. He looked uncomfortable and agitated, as if he was suppressing some desire within him. His eyes were no longer cocky but shifty, and he started mumbling incoherently under his breath.
“What? Our Mr. Destiny is actually at a loss for words? Wow, why am I not surprised!” Hazel dismissed the man with obvious, intentional disdain.
That touched his raw spot and he burst with rage, purple in the face. “YOU… YOU LITTLE CRETIN! HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT! I, VALIN OF THE COUNCIL OF FOUR, WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE SO IMPUDENT!” screeched the man in an inhumanely high-pitched voice.
“Oh my, Va-lin? What a horribly old-fashioned name! Probably very apt for an obsolete, old thing like you,” provoked Hazel even further. Valin…Valin…haven’t I heard this name somewhere before? She thought to herself.
Valin, now shaking uncontrollably with furor, raised his hand in mid-air, preparing to strike his provocateur. “I don’t care what he says anymore. I cannot allow such audacity in my presence. You shall die for your…” A very flustered Mary burst opened the door, interrupting Valin’s curse in time.
Fel
“Lord Milifen, I am ready to save my mistress” Heart Knight Fel said
“I must do it right this time.”
The golden wizard gave a slight smile and pointed his staff toward an empty circular section on the ground.
“You must save her this time, be thankful that you have a second chance. Haiz… I am getting old and it takes a lot of energy to open a portal without the Key of Aperito. Since we now know where your mistress is, we might as well save her before she gets lost.” The wizard replied.
“Forgive me my King and Queen” Lord Milifen whispered to himself.
Pzzzzt! A beam of blue light shot out of the wizard’s staff.
The room was filled with a blinding white light. A loud whirling noise emitted from the circular section.
The blinding light made both of them shut their eyes and shield them with their arms. Knight Fel managed to peek out and saw an indefinitely shaped thing floating in the air above the circular section.
“Step in there!” The wizard yelled.
Fel cautiously inched nearer to the weird thing and stepped into it.
He felt as if he was being pulled through a pipe as well as being stretched and compressed.
When he materialized, he saw a Homunculus plunging his tentacles toward two women. Decisively, he drew his lance and drove it into the Homunculus. He fell down and lay motionless at his feet.
“Hail fair Mary, Mistress of the Heart! Is there anything which your heart desires of me to do?” bellowed Fel who was clearly trying to hide his joy.
“Can you see that?” Mary asked Hazel in a hasty whisper, unable to believe the sight in front of her. Hazel gave a cautious nod in reply.
“Okaaay…Erm…Get us out of here safely,” said Mary uncertainly, pushing up her spectacles with one hand.
“Don’t forget Ben. He’s still here, I know he is,” interrupted Hazel with vehemence.
“Well, yes, yes. Get all three of us from this place quickly!” urged Mary.
“Forgive me, my Mistress. For me to do that, I’m afraid you’ll have to say the magic word”, said Fel with his head bowed.
“The magic word? Erm… ‘Please’?” whimpered Mary.
“Dragoneptra,” said Hazel, taking the Heart from Fel, and holding it tightly in her hands. With that, it grew to be an even more brilliant shade of crimson, and the star spun faster and faster.
“I apologise for sounding so much like a genie, but your wish is my command, my Lady,” said Fel with deference, taking note of Hazel’s presence for the first time. “We will need the key on your neck to escape this place of peril though.”
Hazel’s hand instinctively went to her neck, and she felt the key which she had been acquainted with. So it was still there. Ben was a significant part of her life, and so was that key. She had yet to reconcile all her memories into one single quilt, but there was no doubt that the key had once opened a door to a place of enigma. Yes, it was there where she overheard a secret conversation, one which she was not supposed to hear. It was there where she first knew of someone called “Valin”. Yes, that key was real, and it was hers. She knew its grooves all too well, and she loved the fact that the ruby was soothingly cool to her skin.
“It’s a pleasure to render the services of my key. Now what’s next?”
“I know that girl from somewhere. That girl… she knows me too.” Fel’s thoughts raced inside of him. But Mary is my Mistress, so why does the other girl know the magic word? Could she be the one instead? And she has that powerful key on her neck…
They reached the entrance of the hospital, and unsurprisingly, it was locked.
“My Lady, please open the door with your key,” said Fel.
Hazel took the key from the necklace around her neck, and proceeded to open the door with an overpowering sense of curiosity. This key led me to a mysterious place the last time. Where will it lead me this time, I wonder?
She turned the key, and the door opened wide. Both Mary and Hazel gasped in astonishment, but Ben was still too weak to react. None of them realized that Fel had already disappeared into thin air, because what greeted them was a sight that was too inconceivable to behold. It was totally another world of its own, and they could not believe their eyes.
"Welcome home, My Mistress!" Knight Fel exclaimed as they flew through the morning sky of Goshen, bright green grass carpeted most of the ground here. Rivers flowed through the land like patterns through a piece of garment. The Palace of Magandus could be seen just ahead.
"That place... I think I've been there before." Ben awoke suddenly and said as he gazed at the magnificent structure.
"Of course you have my friend" Fel replied.
"This is the capital of Goshen. We'll find out who exactly you are in our records and send you back to your family." Fel continued.
"Oz... The cafe... Hazel! Will I get to see them again" Ben asked sadly.
"That was a prison you were in just now. An illusion prison. It places you in another world so that you will feel comfortable in prison would not want to leave and escape or something." Fel explained.
"Hazel... She's gone..." Ben cried.
"Ben, I'm right here." A voice said matter of factly from behind him.
"Oh, thank goodness!" Ben tried to push himself toward her.
"You can't do that now! You are halfway-..." Fel suddenly stopped and glared at Ben and Hazel.
"WAIT A MINUTE. BEN AND HAZEL! KING BENEDICT AND QUEEN HAZELINE! AND THAT KEY IS THE KEY OF APERITO! YOUR SERVANT IS EXTREMELY DUMB YOUR MAJESTIES!" Knight Fel shouted as he tried to kneel in midair.
"You can't do that now! You said we are halfway in midair isn't it?" Ben replied almost as loud as Fel.
"Besides, I don't remember anything about being a King. All I remember is that I am an average guy with a talented girlfriend." Ben said now smiling.
…
...
The hall was humongous, 100 long magnificently crafted wooden benches which sat 1400 anxious yet excited guests lined the hall’s left and right. In between the left and right rows of benches was a vast empty space with a beautiful mosaic pattern right in the middle of it. The path of the carpet split at the entrance to the left and the right, going around the mosaic pattern at the center of the hall. It joined back after the pattern ended. And at end of it, a smiling elderly wizard wearing a golden robe and a weird golden cap was waiting on the upper platform. Just behind the wizard was a matching black velvet curtain which spanned the width and height of the Great Hall, blocking the whole back from everyone’s view.
The wizard’s already golden clothes, coupled with the strong sunlight which shone through five huge windows on both sides of the hall made him glow as if fairylight were present.
“I present you! The Sillian Royal Orchestra!” He spoke loudly when the Bride and Groom were ready.
After a while, the slick curtains started to rise and the Wizard hurried himself to the side of the hall. A plump man in a brown dress coat standing in the middle was the first to appear behind it. As the curtains rose, it revealed something more; 100 people holding various instruments sat on a long bench like platform,- another 100 people on the row above it, - and another 100 people above it and so on totaling 5 rows.
The plump conductor raised his ‘stick’ and the musicians of the Silian Royal Orchestra prepared their instruments…
A man in white wearing a huge wig appeared and started the song by singing in a mix of Silian and common tongue…
(Play the song)
(Use earphones if you have lousy speakers)
…
…
…
The sweet melody of the orchestra accompanied the vocals and spread throughout the hall like the scent of Jasmine in the fields.
The King grasp the tiny hand of ‘his Queen’ and both of them strolled towards the left path of the carpet with the brilliant violet train following, dragging some littered flowers with it. All eyes were on them, but both their eyes were in each other’s.
…
…
…
…
…
…
“My Love… Finally…” the Bride thought, grinning shyly at him.
“My Dear… This song is for you…” The Groom grabbed her hand even tighter.
…
…
…
…
…
…
As they reached the end of the crimson carpet, the music softened and slowed down. The gold draped Wizard was already back where he was on the upper platform, and the man in white disappeared into one of the doors behind the orchestra.
He smiled and gave a slight bow.
“My King, My Lady”
“Shall we begin?”
“…”
“The Royal Magandus Family! Honourable Lords, Ladies and Guests!”
“Today we have gathered, to witness the joining together of our beloved King Benedict the Third, and our much-loved Mistress of the ‘Cruser Knights’ Lady Hazeline.”
*Squeeze hand*
“The Marriage Vows…”
“My King…” The Glowing Wizard gestured towards King Benedict.
Staring into Lady Hazeline’s gleaming brown pupils, King Benedict took a breath and said aloud:
“I, King Benedict the Third, take you Lady Hazeline of Kuupi, to be my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish you and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust and respect you, laugh and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we meet. I give my hand, my heart, my love, my all to you from this day onwards, for as long as we both shall live!”
Lady Hazeline’s face turned scarlet and she tried to look away.
“Don’t you want us to be together?” King Benedict teased her whisperingly.
“I Do!” Lady Hazeline whispered a protest back as she looked up towards him.
“Lady Hazeline…” The Wizard grinned at Lady Hazeline.
“It’s your turn”
“I, Lady Hazeline of Kuupi, take you King Benedict the Third, to be my friend, my husband, my lover, the father of my children. I promise to always be by your side, in sickness and in health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow. You will always be in my heart, whether separated or together, now or in the future. I promise to cherish you, to encourage you, comfort you, care for you, and stay with you for eternity.”
The shy Lady Hazeline looked bashfully to the ground for a moment and looked back up again.
“Both King Benedict and Lady Hazeline have said their vows!” The Wizard shouted excitedly as the hall erupted into another thunder of applause.
“Can we have the gifts now?” The Wizard asked when the applause died down.
A petite lady wearing a frilly red dress stood up from one of the front rows and walked towards them holding out a mid-sized red box with both her arms. This box had no keyhole, just the box, and its lid on hinges.
When she reached them, King Benedict gestured at her and she brought the box up to her lips and whispered something to it. There was a faint click sound and the lid slowly opened around its hinges.
King Benedict slid his hand into the cushioned insides of the box and took out a strange ball like thing. Sounds of muffled gasps and chatter could be heard from around the hall, and some guests even stood up trying to get a clearer view.
“Thanks Mary…” He whispered to the red lady.
Now facing Lady Hazeline, he said:
“Hazeline, this is the Key of Aperito. I want to give you this, not because it is valuable. But because I want you, Hazeline, to always be able to return to Magandus safely. I will never forget that incident… Magandus is your home… our home. Lady Hazeline was speechless, all she did was to stare at the metallic thing embedded in the ball. And her face turned red again.
“Well then, it is my turn to speak now.” The Wizard said joyfully.
“With the power given to me, I hereby declare you King Benedict and Queen Hazeline of Magandus, Man and Wife!”
A soft but sweet melody of the music came from the Orchestra again and the King took the hand of his future queen and led her to the mosaic pattern at center of the hall.
As was the custom of Magandus, King Benedict and Queen Hazeline had both apples of their eyes tightly fixed on to each other’s and danced to the slow and romantic ballad in each other’s arms.
…
…
…
…
…
…
The dance ended with a kiss. A small firework of romantic red exploded above them, dazzling everyone.
------------------------------
1 YEAR LATER
------------------------------
“This is a disaster! Summon all the Knight Masters and Mistresses to me at once!” King Benedict Yelled at Lord Joseph as he tugged his cloak loose.
“Yes, my King! Right away!” Lord Joseph hurried himself from the Military Room to the adjacent room.
He paced to and fro by the fireplace, with the portrait of his father watching him.
Lord Joseph arrived at a wooden desk by the window. There was a sky blue staff which looked like a long piece of stick on it.
“Accio cniht eh Magister, Migula!” Lord Joseph muttered as he raise a sky blue staff toward the skies.
“It is done my King…” Reported Lord Joseph when he came back.
“Where are they, what’s taking them so long?!” Bellowed the King.
After a few moments, the scuttling of footsteps could be heard from the lit stairway behind them.
King Benedict turned to face the stairway and went over to meet them.
“Master of the Talon Knights! My King.” A flustered looking tall and thin man said.
“Finally!” The King snapped impatiently.
“Mistress of the Heart Knights! My King.” The small lady who was the giftbearer at King Benedict’s wedding said out loud.
“Yes yes, I know!” The King was trying to get everyone’s attention so that he could speak.
“Mistress of the Vi-…“
“Ok already!” The King interrupted before the Mistress of the Violet Knights could continue.
The rest who came behind them kept silent and waited when they heard him.
“This is a disaster!” The King yelled again.
“Those foul Homunculus are attacking our border forts!”
“But aren’t we at peace with them?” The master of the Talon Knights asked curiously.
“PEACE? We were NEVER at peace with them!” King Benedict retorted.
“The war 20 years ago was the biggest we had. Both sides sustained a lot of losses and when these were too great, the fighting ceased suddenly.”
“We never made peace with them! It was an unspoken truce!” The King declared.
“They were extremely lucky that WE let them live! And now they grow arrogant and plan to wipe us out!”
“What shall we do my king?” Lord Joseph asked.
“The town of Gaido lies near the border. We must protect it!
“Send two-thirds of our forces out! 35000 of them to the front line! 5000 to Gaido. The rest shall remain in the town.” The King replied.
“Your Mithril Knights will be in the palace under my command. You shall command the 40000 knights to war!”
“Is everyone clear!”
“Yes my King!” Everyone replied.
“We will shield our lands from the filth. We cannot let them befoul our ground! We shall drive them out and keep our lands!”
------------------------------
The palace garden was a place of tranquility, away from the central square. A cute little stream flowing through the little forest provided the peaceful tune as the waters rolled toward the other end. The trees provided a lot of shade and the scent of flowers felt crispy and cool. Two squirrels were jerk-moving on a tree.
“Oh, Hunny. Look at the little squirrels! They are looking for food!” Hazeline gasps as she held her Lhasa Apso dog up for it to have a better view.
“Woof!”
“Aren’t they cute little things?” Hazeline said with a smile.
“Woof! Woof!” Hunny barked and the two squirrels jolted and fled.
“Bad boy! Hmph!” Hazeline frowned.
Something moved out of the corner of Hazeline’s eye.
“What was that?” Hazeline thought as she looked behind her to the back of the garden. Her eyes watching for movement as they scanned the suspicious trees.
“Hazeline!” A voice called from the entrance.
Hazeline forgot about the movement and looked to the entrance gate. Benedict came running down the path towards to.
“Have you been here all day? I’m sorry I neglected you all these while.” Benedict said as he hugged her.
“It’s alright, matters of the country are much more important. And I have Hunny here to keep me company.” Hazeline replied.
“Sigh… I wish I wasn’t King. Then you wouldn’t be so lonely. I want to be with you. But I can’t.” There was a tear in Benedict’s eye.
“A husband is for his wife, and his wife is for his husband. I will cherish you and love you more each day than I did the day before…”
“I will trust and respect you, laugh and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we meet…”
“I give my hand, my heart, my love, my all to you from this day onwards, for as long as we both shall live…”
“I still remember the vow I made Hazeline.” Benedict said earnestly.
“I am glad that I have a husband of love, and not an ungrateful king.” Hazeline said and smiled.
“Hazeline… This… this might be the last time we are together.” Benedict broke the news to her unexpectedly.
“HUH? WHY?” Hazeline burst out.
“I don’t want you to leave!” She continued and cried, holding on to Benedict ever tighter.
“Hazeline, I am really sorry!” Benedict said as he stroked her Jet black hair.
“I have to do this for Magandus. I have to lead a legion to battle. I can’t watch my men die while I enjoy the defenses of the palace!”
“Waaa! Aren’t you supposed to stay in the castle? The council forbids you from engaging directly with fighting a war!” Hazeline wailed.
“I am the King and I see the need. So I must go!”
A black thing swooped down upon them from somewhere above and its feet collided with Benedict’s head. The force detached his tiara like crown from his head and it flew into the stream.
“BENEDICT!” Hazeline screamed.
Still feeling groggy, Benedict picked himself up and looked up. There was Hazeline, wriggling like a worm in the talons of the big black flying thing with a huge jaw.
He drew his scepter from his girdle and took aim at the black flying thing.
“Orastiga-…” Benedict broke off his chant when he realized that his spell is going to hit Hazeline.
“Use the Aperito, Hazeline! The key!” Benedict shouted.
Hazeline fumbled around her dress and drew a glass orb.
“Dragonp-…” The black flying thing slapped Hazeline’s cheek with its tail and Hazeline was seen trying to pry open her lips.
“Oh no… the muting spell…” Benedict said in dismay.
The black flying creature seemed like it was going to fly towards the skies and away. But it looked back at Benedict and torpedoed towards him.
------------------------------
“Fire at will!” Lord Joseph shouted as he released a yellow signal to the sky.
Tens of Thousands of trails of various spells bore through the air and rained on the black enemies on the other side. Some burned with a white flame, others had their limbs flying all over the place, spewing black liquid following it. High pitch screams were heard all over the battlefield.
Thousands of Homunculus soldiers began to fall one by one, their weapons clanged as they hit the ground sounding as if thousands of pots and pans were being hit at the same time.
“Charge!” Lord Joseph shouted as he released another signaling spell to the sky.
Ten thousand knights cried out loud and drew their weapons; a mix of lances, large shields, short and long swords and advanced upon the black creatures.
As they neared the Homunculus, the scene was horrifying. Hideous roars came out of creatures which as no face, just a huge jaw where the face should be. They have arm-like things without fingers coming out of their chests. Some holding axes, some unarmed, the monstrous jaws were enough. However horrifying the scene was, the Knights were sure of one thing.
To eliminate, or be eliminated.
Human heads were bitten of by the jaws of the Homunculus and spat all over the place. Black stuff too, were strewed all over the battlefield; black flesh was sliced off by swords and black goo oozed from the wounds penetrated by lances.
A little woman was seen struggling in the claws of a black flying monster high above the air, flying towards the evil lands.
------------------------------
“Valin, lock them in the Lair of the Shadows… Muhwahwa” A gleeful booming voice said.
“Yes my lord.”
A black man wearing a black coat from stood up from his kneeling position and walked out the door, his tentacle like limbs wriggling from his back.
------------------------------
Ben
It was raining, the air was cool. The perfect time for sleep.
“Ahhh…” Thought Ben relaxingly.
“RRrrriiinnggg!!!!”
*Slam*
“RRrrriiinnggg!!!!”
*Slam*
“RRrrriiinnggg!!!!”
*Slam*
*Tick*
“Wake up! Ben” A voice called from outside.
“You have a café to run!”
“You don’t want to be late!”
“Yes, Oz…”
“Our first day...” Ben thought with a dreamy grin.
She had told him it was her favorite song after she saw the way he played it on the piano. “Your fingers tell a story,” she said, with a genuine sincere smile. Her bright smile shone through his heart and melted it then. Ever since then, her jet black hair, her soft brown eyes continued to mesmerize him. They would meet everyday at the same jazz bar and then they would spend the day talking and laughing. He marveled at her vast knowledge and intelligence, even though she was only eighteen. With that she had replied, “Oh yes, they said I am gifted... but well, I have my flaws too...” She said it with a tinge of sadness in her eyes, of which he must have overlooked then, because he was more interested in how beautiful her eyes were. But now, he understood what she had meant.
She tried to escape again the other day. I almost lost her for good. There was a thunderstorm and so after I collected Hazel's favourite lunch at the usual time of 1pm, I hurried back. I found the main door to the shop left ajar and immediately took off to look for her. Luckily I found her at the field just up ahead. Poor girl, she fell on the muddy ground and got so dirty. I almost yelled at her, angry at her for trying to escape when I am already trying so hard to cope for our sake. But that's when I saw the glass ball rolling out of her hand. Warmth overwhelmed me then and the tears that rolled down from my eyes were camouflaged by the rain that had already drenched us. That glass ball was my first gift to her. The fact that she still held on to it showed that I am still in her heart, despite everything else....
When did I give the ball to her anyway? I can’t really remember…
“Whats with that lousy smile you have on your face? I am doing you a favor by getting you out of bed” Ben’s roommate said feeling a little annoyed.
Valin
“Make sure they don’t meet. It may break the spell” Valin said to the black prison guards.
“Yes my lord” They replied.
“Where shall we put them?”
“Special treatment for royalties, a fully human illusion, make them feel comfortable so that they wouldn’t want to leave.” Valin said smiling.
“Our Lord wants them” Valin Continued.
Hazel
It was after my lectures. I was walking home when I saw this café which recently opened. I went in and bought some Willhamson Tea and two slices of raspberry chocolate cake. When I sat down on an empty sit, someone went over to the piano at the corner of the café and started playing a beautiful piece of something. I took a few bites off the cakes, sipped on the Tea and went over to the piano. It was a man who was playing the piano. He had ear-length silky yet wavy black hair and fingers which moved like the waves of the sea. The way he played this song made my heart quiver. After he finished, I told him that it was my favorite song after I saw the way he played. I will never forget when he tried to reply me; all that came out was blabbering. “I…I… you…you…hehe….” He was so adorable that I smiled at him after a while. His personality had unintentionally charmed her.
I don’t know why I keep seeing things recently. There was once when I ran out of a burning house and jumped into a nearby pool of water to douse my burning skirt. Ben came running to me pulling me out of the muddy pool and back into the ‘burning’ house.
It wasn’t burning I guess…
Valin
“You FOOLS!”
“How did they get together?” The councilman roared.
“We…we… d…d…d…don’t know s...s…sir…”
“Prepare another layer of illusion for the Queen!”
“Yes sir!”
Ben
Hazel has been acting strangely recently.
Who is this Locks guy?
----------------------
"How long will she have to be sedated?"
"As long as it takes to find a cure for her"
"What if you never do?"
"Then she might have to stay this way all her life"
"You can't keep her sleeping forever! ... What difference is that from killing her? Just let me talk to her!"
"Stop kidding yourself! You know that won't work. How long have you been doing that? A year? And the result? She's back here again, worse then ever"
"At least she is herself some of the time"
"And when was the last time that happened?"
"... three months ago"
"There you have it, the period of her dementia has been getting longer. That only proves you should have listened to us and let her get treated here"
"A whole world of good that's doing her! At least she can still be happy dreaming her life away when she's awake. Now she can't even dream with that drug you're giving her."
"Would you rather have her confined to an asylum then ... as you said it yourself, what would be the difference?"
I left Hazel to wonder in her own world as I sadly took care of her everyday.
Missy
The moth and flame embrace and exploded in a bright flash. The object curled up in a fetal position opens her eyes.
Who am I?
The silence rang in my ears. A spherical object went in and out of focus, as my eyes adjusted to the surrounding. The blurry images slowly sharpen and I see it is a ball, a transparent ball lying in the shadows that extended in front and to both sides of it.
After staring at it for a long time, the silence got unbearable, as did the silence in my head with regards to what I was doing on the floor.
I don't think you'll get an answer just waiting here and not moving. I thought. I uncurled myself from the fetal position I was in and was pushing myself up when I dropped back to the floor, reached underneath the table and grabbed the ball. I sat up, propped my hands against the table and looked at what I was holding.
It was a transparent glass ball with a golden star sealed within. The star however didn't look solid, but rather it was more like a star-shaped hollow in the ball holding some golden liquid that shone like the sun when light reflected off it. It looked really pretty and expensive. Instinctively, I slid it into the front pocket of my dress.
I looked around and I saw a door, a painting, a weird window, and a mirror.
I did not recognize the girl in the mirror, I know it’s me, but it’s not me.
When I was outside, I realized that I was actually in a cottage. There I met this ugly and disgusting fellow named Locks. He kept stopping me from leaving this cottage. I think he is keeping me a prisoner here. I will find a way out.
--------------------------
A talking table told me of a way to escape. I followed his instructions to a waterfall and used my key.
Valin
Valin: I'd assume that you know why we are here for at this point of the millenia?
Voice 2: Yes indeed... We are aware of the situation.
Valin: As you might have heard, one of them has 'awoken' from slumber, causing a ripple in the space-reality continuum.
Voice 2: I am aware of it. And I've initially tried taking the appropriate measures in an attempt to control the situation. But I cannot comprehend how she could have done so by herself. And for what reason?
Voice 4: I concur... No way any one of them could have woken up... Unless, the cycle were to be broken.
Valin: I am aware of that. But unfortunately, that is exactly what had happened. There has been some tampering in the cycle.
Voice 3: Now that's a bummer...
Voice 2: What??? How could that have happened? Or... who could've done it?
(Jonah: It’s Love hehehe The power of love brought Benedict and Hazeline back)
Voice 4: So, do we stop her at all costs? Do we have to resort to erasing her existence?
Valin: No! We must not kill her. We cannot! Lest we worsen the situation. We need to make sure she follows the right path to fix this predicament. As Zardak has mentioned, she alone is the key to solve it. Speaking of which, she also has the key which can open most doors in both realities. I shall charge the three of you to try and stall her. But be careful of any ploys by whoever started this in the first place. I shall try and get to the bottom of this, and find out who is responsible for this cataclysm.
Valin: Non of this must be spoken of. If our Lord hears about this lax in security, we face death.
Valin: This meeting finishes here, my councilmen. I have a plan and I will be going to 'her' to test this Muhwahwa.
-----------------------------
“You two, come with me.” Valin commanded two rookie guards.
“Attack Queen Hazeline in her cell”
"Errararrrrrrrr". A hideous roar issues forth from a pair of jaws blocking the doorway. Hazel jumps back and lands on the floor, just as the jaws clamp down with a sickening clash.
Hazel stares in horror at the the monstrosity in front of her. They have no face, just a huge mouth where the head should be, but from the chest down they are dressed in the nurses' uniform and look completely human. However, before Hazel can react to the bizarre sight, what looks like a pair of black spear punctures the two creatures from behind, the point of the spears protruding from the monsters mouth.
"Eeeeeeeee". The monsters emit a high pitched scream as their bodies crumble into a black dust that is absorbed into the open mouth of a man all dressed in black and standing just behind where the creatures stood. The spears are actually wriggly tentacles that seem to originate from his black coat.
"Tsk, Tsk, Dark Homunculus', is there nothing more powerful? Well their loss, my gain." The man says as he walks over to Hazel. The tentacular appendages have disappeared back into his clothes. He kneels down on one knee in front of Hazel and leans forward with a hand on the other.
"Come with me. The darkness have taken over this place. You are no longer safe." He says, his steely green eyes fixed on Hazel waiting for her reply.
"No. I have to get to Ben, I have to warn him if there're more of these things around" Hazel replies in spite of her shock.
The man cocks up his head and says "Listen, do you hear anything?".
"No, there is nothing" Hazel says straining to pick up whatever it is the man wanted her to hear.
"Precisely. It is too late for your friend Ben, but it is not too late for you ... IF you come with me." the man says.
"That's not it. The song's ended, that is all." rebuts Hazel "What's more, you .. you are like them, those creatures .. you even ate them" Hazel says in disgust.
"Yes, I am from the darkness, but I am not of them. I am, as the expression goes ... one of the good guys." The man continues saying with a flourish of his hand.
"How do I know you are not lying?" Hazel asks, directing the mistrust she had for Ben/Locks at the man.
"and how do you know your dear Ben is not lying too?" The man asks, throwing the question back at her.
"Because I finally remember who I am and who he is" replies Hazel defiantly.
The man makes a little sigh and continues saying "You are mistaken. Those memories are a level two cipher. You have just been implanted with yet another layer of deception, in order that you never see the truth."
"What?" says Hazel, shocked at the suggestion that what she just remembered is yet another illusion.
"But if you come with me, I will show you the truth, and when you do, many will be saved." The man says, and stretches out a gloved hand to Hazel.
"I am Destiny. Take the red pill and together we shall see how deep the rabbit hole goes."
Meanwhile, Ben is attacked by an elongated tongue Homuculumous
Hazel/Missy
Should I take the red pill? Should I? That…that man says that if I were to follow him, I’d see the truth. But Ben has told me the truth! There’s no other story…is there…? Hazel’s consciousness drifted off for some moments, drowning in her ocean of thought.
Ahhhh! I must not be swayed so easily! I must trust in Ben and in myself! Her elfin frame gave a little shiver, as if she had just snapped out of hypnosis. She stole a deep breath discreetly, willing herself to be calm and rational.
“Destiny? Pfft. Oh puh-lease, that whole “Destiny” is really quite overused. Try something new, would you?” Hazel rolled her eyes with vigour, feeling a new-found sense of courage creeping in.
“Ah?” blurted the man in black, his eyes wide in disbelief at Hazel’s speedy recovery from shock.
“Anyway, there’s no way I’m going to eat anything from a thing,” mocked Hazel.
The man became noticeably blue upon hearing that. He looked uncomfortable and agitated, as if he was suppressing some desire within him. His eyes were no longer cocky but shifty, and he started mumbling incoherently under his breath.
“What? Our Mr. Destiny is actually at a loss for words? Wow, why am I not surprised!” Hazel dismissed the man with obvious, intentional disdain.
That touched his raw spot and he burst with rage, purple in the face. “YOU… YOU LITTLE CRETIN! HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT! I, VALIN OF THE COUNCIL OF FOUR, WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE SO IMPUDENT!” screeched the man in an inhumanely high-pitched voice.
“Oh my, Va-lin? What a horribly old-fashioned name! Probably very apt for an obsolete, old thing like you,” provoked Hazel even further. Valin…Valin…haven’t I heard this name somewhere before? She thought to herself.
Valin, now shaking uncontrollably with furor, raised his hand in mid-air, preparing to strike his provocateur. “I don’t care what he says anymore. I cannot allow such audacity in my presence. You shall die for your…” A very flustered Mary burst opened the door, interrupting Valin’s curse in time.
Fel
“Lord Milifen, I am ready to save my mistress” Heart Knight Fel said
“I must do it right this time.”
The golden wizard gave a slight smile and pointed his staff toward an empty circular section on the ground.
“You must save her this time, be thankful that you have a second chance. Haiz… I am getting old and it takes a lot of energy to open a portal without the Key of Aperito. Since we now know where your mistress is, we might as well save her before she gets lost.” The wizard replied.
“Forgive me my King and Queen” Lord Milifen whispered to himself.
Pzzzzt! A beam of blue light shot out of the wizard’s staff.
The room was filled with a blinding white light. A loud whirling noise emitted from the circular section.
The blinding light made both of them shut their eyes and shield them with their arms. Knight Fel managed to peek out and saw an indefinitely shaped thing floating in the air above the circular section.
“Step in there!” The wizard yelled.
Fel cautiously inched nearer to the weird thing and stepped into it.
He felt as if he was being pulled through a pipe as well as being stretched and compressed.
When he materialized, he saw a Homunculus plunging his tentacles toward two women. Decisively, he drew his lance and drove it into the Homunculus. He fell down and lay motionless at his feet.
“Hail fair Mary, Mistress of the Heart! Is there anything which your heart desires of me to do?” bellowed Fel who was clearly trying to hide his joy.
“Can you see that?” Mary asked Hazel in a hasty whisper, unable to believe the sight in front of her. Hazel gave a cautious nod in reply.
“Okaaay…Erm…Get us out of here safely,” said Mary uncertainly, pushing up her spectacles with one hand.
“Don’t forget Ben. He’s still here, I know he is,” interrupted Hazel with vehemence.
“Well, yes, yes. Get all three of us from this place quickly!” urged Mary.
“Forgive me, my Mistress. For me to do that, I’m afraid you’ll have to say the magic word”, said Fel with his head bowed.
“The magic word? Erm… ‘Please’?” whimpered Mary.
“Dragoneptra,” said Hazel, taking the Heart from Fel, and holding it tightly in her hands. With that, it grew to be an even more brilliant shade of crimson, and the star spun faster and faster.
“I apologise for sounding so much like a genie, but your wish is my command, my Lady,” said Fel with deference, taking note of Hazel’s presence for the first time. “We will need the key on your neck to escape this place of peril though.”
Hazel’s hand instinctively went to her neck, and she felt the key which she had been acquainted with. So it was still there. Ben was a significant part of her life, and so was that key. She had yet to reconcile all her memories into one single quilt, but there was no doubt that the key had once opened a door to a place of enigma. Yes, it was there where she overheard a secret conversation, one which she was not supposed to hear. It was there where she first knew of someone called “Valin”. Yes, that key was real, and it was hers. She knew its grooves all too well, and she loved the fact that the ruby was soothingly cool to her skin.
“It’s a pleasure to render the services of my key. Now what’s next?”
“I know that girl from somewhere. That girl… she knows me too.” Fel’s thoughts raced inside of him. But Mary is my Mistress, so why does the other girl know the magic word? Could she be the one instead? And she has that powerful key on her neck…
They reached the entrance of the hospital, and unsurprisingly, it was locked.
“My Lady, please open the door with your key,” said Fel.
Hazel took the key from the necklace around her neck, and proceeded to open the door with an overpowering sense of curiosity. This key led me to a mysterious place the last time. Where will it lead me this time, I wonder?
She turned the key, and the door opened wide. Both Mary and Hazel gasped in astonishment, but Ben was still too weak to react. None of them realized that Fel had already disappeared into thin air, because what greeted them was a sight that was too inconceivable to behold. It was totally another world of its own, and they could not believe their eyes.
"Welcome home, My Mistress!" Knight Fel exclaimed as they flew through the morning sky of Goshen, bright green grass carpeted most of the ground here. Rivers flowed through the land like patterns through a piece of garment. The Palace of Magandus could be seen just ahead.
"That place... I think I've been there before." Ben awoke suddenly and said as he gazed at the magnificent structure.
"Of course you have my friend" Fel replied.
"This is the capital of Goshen. We'll find out who exactly you are in our records and send you back to your family." Fel continued.
"Oz... The cafe... Hazel! Will I get to see them again" Ben asked sadly.
"That was a prison you were in just now. An illusion prison. It places you in another world so that you will feel comfortable in prison would not want to leave and escape or something." Fel explained.
"Hazel... She's gone..." Ben cried.
"Ben, I'm right here." A voice said matter of factly from behind him.
"Oh, thank goodness!" Ben tried to push himself toward her.
"You can't do that now! You are halfway-..." Fel suddenly stopped and glared at Ben and Hazel.
"WAIT A MINUTE. BEN AND HAZEL! KING BENEDICT AND QUEEN HAZELINE! AND THAT KEY IS THE KEY OF APERITO! YOUR SERVANT IS EXTREMELY DUMB YOUR MAJESTIES!" Knight Fel shouted as he tried to kneel in midair.
"You can't do that now! You said we are halfway in midair isn't it?" Ben replied almost as loud as Fel.
"Besides, I don't remember anything about being a King. All I remember is that I am an average guy with a talented girlfriend." Ben said now smiling.
…
...
Thursday 31 May 2007
The Infinidex - Part 9
Hazel/Missy
Should I take the red pill? Should I? That…that man says that if I were to follow him, I’d see the truth. But Ben has told me the truth! There’s no other story…is there…? Hazel’s consciousness drifted off for some moments, drowning in her ocean of thought.
Ahhhh! I must not be swayed so easily! I must trust in Ben and in myself! Her elfin frame gave a little shiver, as if she had just snapped out of hypnosis. She stole a deep breath discreetly, willing herself to be calm and rational.
“Destiny? Pfft. Oh puh-lease, that whole “Destiny” is really quite overused. Try something new, would you?” Hazel rolled her eyes with vigour, feeling a new-found sense of courage creeping in.
“Ah?” blurted the man in black, his eyes wide in disbelief at Hazel’s speedy recovery from shock.
“Anyway, there’s no way I’m going to eat anything from a thing,” mocked Hazel.
The man became noticeably blue upon hearing that. He looked uncomfortable and agitated, as if he was suppressing some desire within him. His eyes were no longer cocky but shifty, and he started mumbling incoherently under his breath.
“What? Our Mr. Destiny is actually at a loss for words? Wow, why am I not surprised!” Hazel dismissed the man with obvious, intentional disdain.
That touched his raw spot and he burst with rage, purple in the face. “YOU… YOU LITTLE CRETIN! HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT! I, VALIN OF THE COUNCIL OF FOUR, WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE SO IMPUDENT!” screeched the man in an inhumanely high-pitched voice.
“Oh my, Va-lin? What a horribly old-fashioned name! Probably very apt for an obsolete, old thing like you,” provoked Hazel even further. Valin…Valin…haven’t I heard this name somewhere before? She thought to herself.
Valin, now shaking uncontrollably with furor, raised his hand in mid-air, preparing to strike his provocateur. “I don’t care what he says anymore. I cannot allow such audacity in my presence. You shall die for your…” A very flustered Mary burst opened the door, interrupting Valin’s curse in time.
“Hazel? Oh Hazel, thank the heavens that you’re alright! I don’t know what Bea would have done to me if you…” She stopped short upon noticing Valin. “… Eh? Mister, what in the world are you doing here? Visiting hours are long over, and I’ve told you, the Missy girl that you asked for does not exist!” Mary ranted with a tinge of annoyance.
“You shall die together with Missy today, you ignoramus!” said Valin in a scream that was 2 octaves higher, rattling the window panes.
Out of his coat came the menacing tentacles at top speed, as if they had been hungering for human flesh and were waiting for this moment for too long a time. Then, there was a familiar bright flash that blinded all in the room for 5 seconds or so. The flash subsided, and there, Valin was lying motionless on the floor, eyes permanently wide in shock. The same knight in armour which Mary previously thought to be part of her imagination was standing beside the lifeless body. The star ball lay in the place where his heart was supposed to be. It was bright with a magnificent red glow, and the star was spinning in a frenzied manner within the ball.
“Hail fair Mary, Mistress of the Heart! Is there anything which your heart desires of me to do?” bellowed Fel, who looked awkwardly incongruous with his mediaeval suit of armour. He had taken the Heart of Venperlion from the body of Valin, and was now presenting it to Mary on bended knee.
“Can you see that?” Mary asked Hazel in a hasty whisper, unable to believe the sight in front of her. Hazel gave a cautious nod in reply.
“Okaaay…Erm…Get us out of here safely,” said Mary uncertainly, pushing up her spectacles with one hand.
“Don’t forget Ben. He’s still here, I know he is,” interrupted Hazel with vehemence.
“Well, yes, yes. Get all three of us from this place quickly!” urged Mary.
“Forgive me, my Mistress. For me to do that, I’m afraid you’ll have to say the magic word”, said Fel with his head bowed.
“The magic word? Erm… ‘Please’?” whimpered Mary.
“Dragoneptra,” said Hazel, taking the Heart from Fel, and holding it tightly in her hands. With that, it grew to be an even more brilliant shade of crimson, and the star spun faster and faster.
“I apologise for sounding so much like a genie, but your wish is my command, my Lady,” said Fel with deference, taking note of Hazel’s presence for the first time. “We will need the key on your neck to escape this place of peril though.”
Hazel’s hand instinctively went to her neck, and she felt the key which she had been acquainted with. So it was still there. Ben was a significant part of her life, and so was that key. She had yet to reconcile all her memories into one single quilt, but there was no doubt that the key had once opened a door to a place of enigma. Yes, it was there where she overheard a secret conversation, one which she was not supposed to hear. It was there where she first knew of someone called “Valin”. Yes, that key was real, and it was hers. She knew its grooves all too well, and she loved the fact that the ruby was soothingly cool to her skin.
“It’s a pleasure to render the services of my key. Now what’s next?”
*****
Ben/Locks
Every part of his body was hurting badly. His head was bleeding so profusely that he had become numb to the pain. Blood ran from his temples and made meandering rivers down his cheeks. The flesh of his palms had corroded from the acidity of the monster’s tongue, and the whites of his bones were exposed in some parts. Somehow, all that had happened had unfolded like a reel of film in his head.
How did I get such a flashback? Ben wondered.
Stricken with terror and injury, the only thing that was keeping him alive was Hazel. He had to make sure that she was safe. He had to see her. He had to be close to her. He would die without her. They had to be together forever, or else, he would be in pain forever. With all the willpower that he could gather, he struggled to keep his mind alert. It was all he could do to prevent himself from losing consciousness again.
Ben trudged painstakingly towards Hazel’s ward. A few more steps, and I’ll be able to see her again, He thought hopefully. His hand was finally on the door knob, and he was about to turn it. The sheer anticipation clouded whatever visual and sensory abilities that remained, and he did not notice more Dark Homunculus shuffling down the corridor toward him.
The door opened before Ben could turn the door knob. Out of the ward rushed a figure donning an antiquated suit of armour. Ben’s mind was no longer lucid enough to register the knight’s battle cry, and the lance and shield in the knight’s hands flashed past his eyes in a blur.
“All of you shall burn in hell this very day, O perpetrators of evil!” roared Fel with righteous anger. Again, he pierced his lance through the distorted bodies of the Dark Homunculus. Everything seemed to be in slow motion except for the movements of Fel. As his lance impaled them effortlessly one by one, each Homunculus gave a animalistic, hair-raising growl before expiring on to the ground. All of the monsters disintegrated into what seemed like a few strands of hair in foul-smelling animal manure.
Fel sheathed his lance again, and bowed his head in greeting toward Ben. Finally seeing his Hazel, Ben’s knees grew weak and gave way. Hazel instinctively supported Ben, placing his arm over her shoulder, and Mary placed his other arm over her own shoulder. Without a word, Fel marched into the darkness of the hospital, and all three followed him closely, fearing that more evil would befall them.
*****
Fel
I know that girl from somewhere. That girl… she knows me too. Fel’s thoughts raced inside of him. But Mary is my Mistress, so why does the other girl know the magic word? Could she be the one instead? And she has that powerful key on her neck…
They reached the entrance of the hospital, and unsurprisingly, it was locked.
“My Lady, please open the door with your key,” said Fel.
Hazel took the key from the necklace around her neck, and proceeded to open the door with an overpowering sense of curiosity. This key led me to a mysterious place the last time. Where will it lead me this time, I wonder?
She turned the key, and the door opened wide. Both Mary and Hazel gasped in astonishment, but Ben was still too weak to react. None of them realized that Fel had already disappeared into thin air, because what greeted them was a sight that was too inconceivable to behold. It was totally another world of its own, and they could not believe their eyes.
Should I take the red pill? Should I? That…that man says that if I were to follow him, I’d see the truth. But Ben has told me the truth! There’s no other story…is there…? Hazel’s consciousness drifted off for some moments, drowning in her ocean of thought.
Ahhhh! I must not be swayed so easily! I must trust in Ben and in myself! Her elfin frame gave a little shiver, as if she had just snapped out of hypnosis. She stole a deep breath discreetly, willing herself to be calm and rational.
“Destiny? Pfft. Oh puh-lease, that whole “Destiny” is really quite overused. Try something new, would you?” Hazel rolled her eyes with vigour, feeling a new-found sense of courage creeping in.
“Ah?” blurted the man in black, his eyes wide in disbelief at Hazel’s speedy recovery from shock.
“Anyway, there’s no way I’m going to eat anything from a thing,” mocked Hazel.
The man became noticeably blue upon hearing that. He looked uncomfortable and agitated, as if he was suppressing some desire within him. His eyes were no longer cocky but shifty, and he started mumbling incoherently under his breath.
“What? Our Mr. Destiny is actually at a loss for words? Wow, why am I not surprised!” Hazel dismissed the man with obvious, intentional disdain.
That touched his raw spot and he burst with rage, purple in the face. “YOU… YOU LITTLE CRETIN! HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT! I, VALIN OF THE COUNCIL OF FOUR, WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE SO IMPUDENT!” screeched the man in an inhumanely high-pitched voice.
“Oh my, Va-lin? What a horribly old-fashioned name! Probably very apt for an obsolete, old thing like you,” provoked Hazel even further. Valin…Valin…haven’t I heard this name somewhere before? She thought to herself.
Valin, now shaking uncontrollably with furor, raised his hand in mid-air, preparing to strike his provocateur. “I don’t care what he says anymore. I cannot allow such audacity in my presence. You shall die for your…” A very flustered Mary burst opened the door, interrupting Valin’s curse in time.
“Hazel? Oh Hazel, thank the heavens that you’re alright! I don’t know what Bea would have done to me if you…” She stopped short upon noticing Valin. “… Eh? Mister, what in the world are you doing here? Visiting hours are long over, and I’ve told you, the Missy girl that you asked for does not exist!” Mary ranted with a tinge of annoyance.
“You shall die together with Missy today, you ignoramus!” said Valin in a scream that was 2 octaves higher, rattling the window panes.
Out of his coat came the menacing tentacles at top speed, as if they had been hungering for human flesh and were waiting for this moment for too long a time. Then, there was a familiar bright flash that blinded all in the room for 5 seconds or so. The flash subsided, and there, Valin was lying motionless on the floor, eyes permanently wide in shock. The same knight in armour which Mary previously thought to be part of her imagination was standing beside the lifeless body. The star ball lay in the place where his heart was supposed to be. It was bright with a magnificent red glow, and the star was spinning in a frenzied manner within the ball.
“Hail fair Mary, Mistress of the Heart! Is there anything which your heart desires of me to do?” bellowed Fel, who looked awkwardly incongruous with his mediaeval suit of armour. He had taken the Heart of Venperlion from the body of Valin, and was now presenting it to Mary on bended knee.
“Can you see that?” Mary asked Hazel in a hasty whisper, unable to believe the sight in front of her. Hazel gave a cautious nod in reply.
“Okaaay…Erm…Get us out of here safely,” said Mary uncertainly, pushing up her spectacles with one hand.
“Don’t forget Ben. He’s still here, I know he is,” interrupted Hazel with vehemence.
“Well, yes, yes. Get all three of us from this place quickly!” urged Mary.
“Forgive me, my Mistress. For me to do that, I’m afraid you’ll have to say the magic word”, said Fel with his head bowed.
“The magic word? Erm… ‘Please’?” whimpered Mary.
“Dragoneptra,” said Hazel, taking the Heart from Fel, and holding it tightly in her hands. With that, it grew to be an even more brilliant shade of crimson, and the star spun faster and faster.
“I apologise for sounding so much like a genie, but your wish is my command, my Lady,” said Fel with deference, taking note of Hazel’s presence for the first time. “We will need the key on your neck to escape this place of peril though.”
Hazel’s hand instinctively went to her neck, and she felt the key which she had been acquainted with. So it was still there. Ben was a significant part of her life, and so was that key. She had yet to reconcile all her memories into one single quilt, but there was no doubt that the key had once opened a door to a place of enigma. Yes, it was there where she overheard a secret conversation, one which she was not supposed to hear. It was there where she first knew of someone called “Valin”. Yes, that key was real, and it was hers. She knew its grooves all too well, and she loved the fact that the ruby was soothingly cool to her skin.
“It’s a pleasure to render the services of my key. Now what’s next?”
*****
Ben/Locks
Every part of his body was hurting badly. His head was bleeding so profusely that he had become numb to the pain. Blood ran from his temples and made meandering rivers down his cheeks. The flesh of his palms had corroded from the acidity of the monster’s tongue, and the whites of his bones were exposed in some parts. Somehow, all that had happened had unfolded like a reel of film in his head.
How did I get such a flashback? Ben wondered.
Stricken with terror and injury, the only thing that was keeping him alive was Hazel. He had to make sure that she was safe. He had to see her. He had to be close to her. He would die without her. They had to be together forever, or else, he would be in pain forever. With all the willpower that he could gather, he struggled to keep his mind alert. It was all he could do to prevent himself from losing consciousness again.
Ben trudged painstakingly towards Hazel’s ward. A few more steps, and I’ll be able to see her again, He thought hopefully. His hand was finally on the door knob, and he was about to turn it. The sheer anticipation clouded whatever visual and sensory abilities that remained, and he did not notice more Dark Homunculus shuffling down the corridor toward him.
The door opened before Ben could turn the door knob. Out of the ward rushed a figure donning an antiquated suit of armour. Ben’s mind was no longer lucid enough to register the knight’s battle cry, and the lance and shield in the knight’s hands flashed past his eyes in a blur.
“All of you shall burn in hell this very day, O perpetrators of evil!” roared Fel with righteous anger. Again, he pierced his lance through the distorted bodies of the Dark Homunculus. Everything seemed to be in slow motion except for the movements of Fel. As his lance impaled them effortlessly one by one, each Homunculus gave a animalistic, hair-raising growl before expiring on to the ground. All of the monsters disintegrated into what seemed like a few strands of hair in foul-smelling animal manure.
Fel sheathed his lance again, and bowed his head in greeting toward Ben. Finally seeing his Hazel, Ben’s knees grew weak and gave way. Hazel instinctively supported Ben, placing his arm over her shoulder, and Mary placed his other arm over her own shoulder. Without a word, Fel marched into the darkness of the hospital, and all three followed him closely, fearing that more evil would befall them.
*****
Fel
I know that girl from somewhere. That girl… she knows me too. Fel’s thoughts raced inside of him. But Mary is my Mistress, so why does the other girl know the magic word? Could she be the one instead? And she has that powerful key on her neck…
They reached the entrance of the hospital, and unsurprisingly, it was locked.
“My Lady, please open the door with your key,” said Fel.
Hazel took the key from the necklace around her neck, and proceeded to open the door with an overpowering sense of curiosity. This key led me to a mysterious place the last time. Where will it lead me this time, I wonder?
She turned the key, and the door opened wide. Both Mary and Hazel gasped in astonishment, but Ben was still too weak to react. None of them realized that Fel had already disappeared into thin air, because what greeted them was a sight that was too inconceivable to behold. It was totally another world of its own, and they could not believe their eyes.
Monday 7 May 2007
The Infinidex - Part 8
"Hail? There ain't gonna be hail in a roofed hospital like this. Mistress? Last time I checked, Thomas Bart wasn't married, so how could I possibly be a mistress. Furthermore I only went out with that fella twice, that doesn't qualify me to be a mistress does it? Although I do agree that my silky fair skin makes me all that attractive that maybe Bart would have hired this fella to come grab me like some romantic love-smitten desperado, or I could be going insane..." thought Mary as she spaced out.
The cold and hard grip of a wet wrinkled hand on Mary's leg shocked Mary out of her extremely long and a total waste of time imagination. The hand however quickly went limp as a bright flash enveloped the room and all that was left in the room was a disintegrating body with a gaping hole in his chest region that belonged to Alex. In the hole laid the star-ball.
In the matter of seconds, the room was empty, devoid of Toby, Alex and that strange glowing armor. All that remained was the star-ball and cracked marble. "Erm, Ok..maybe I need some suppressants too..." Thought Mary confusedly as she picked up the star-ball and placed it back in her pocket and stumbled out wondering how she was going to explain herself to Bea.
********
"Darn! What is wrong with this hospital!" thought Ben angrily to himself as he ended his playing prematurely. The room was dark and windowless, and so was the corridor outside. "What kind of hospital will experience a blackout!" shouted Ben loudly as he slammed the covers of the piano back down. Of course Ben could play "Forever Love" in the total darkness. That was the result of constant practice over the same song that surpassed his counting ability. Of course all musicians had to know how to do the basic counting because music had the beautiful infusion of mathematics within but when the number of playthroughs have reached a number so high that the (x^) function had to be used, no one sane would keep count.
Ben felt his way out of the room and stumbled into the corridor expecting that the pathway be less dim then this void of light. To his dismay, it was strangely dark too despite the presence of windows that should have allowed the midday sunlight to pass through. "Geez, looks like there is going to be rain..." thought Ben to himself as he reasoned out an explaination for this phenomenal darkness. Memory flashes of him and Hazel cuddling in the cafe in the music of the raindrops as well as the tightening of Hazel grip whenever thunder shook the cafe walls sprang to his mind.
Ben took a deep breath and felt his way down the corridor to where he remembered the staircase was. It was sure strange that this hospital seemed to lack a blackout contigency plan thought Ben to himself. Slow paced footsteps besides Ben's could be heard but from the looks of it, the other patients would have rather stayed in their wards and await instructions, or they are unable to have left their beds anyways.
"Sorry!" exclaimed Ben as he bumped into a clammy body passing along his path. The figure merely grunted a reply and continued along his way. He kept his body leaned on the left wall which was where the staircase would be.
A bone chilling scream suddenly thundered through the corridor.
"HELP!" screamed the person and futher cries were muffled probably by the perpetrator.
The scream came at the wrong time for Ben however, as it came exactly when the left wall gave way to the stairway and it distracted Ben long enough as his hands lost his grip and his feet lost his footing as Ben tumbled down the stairs hitting his head violently against the wall, his weight acting against him, drawing blood and causing a deep blackness to cloud Ben's vision as he lost consciousness.
******
"Julie, how's dear Mr Patterson reacting to the new medication?"
"His appetite has improved a lot but recently he has been complaining of constipation."
"Oh that poor man. Please check with Dr Brown whether the dosage should be reduced"
Huh, what is happening, who is Julie and what am I doing here?
"Can anyone hear me outside? The door's stuck. Can you help us? Anyone out there?"
What am I seeing? I never seen this sight before...
"Ahhh! My arm!"
Huh?? The arm is gone... But I am not feeling any pain.. Is this me?
"I am losing blood...somebody help..."
Is this a different person? Thats the other person who lost the arm... What is that black figure over her... I cannot get a clear focus...
"Yah, my mama told me she was from outer space too, the other day I when I visited her."
"But you know what, you might be right, seems like there's a pair of invisible sunglass blocking out the light. Everything's a notch darker than usual. This isn't natural"
"Holy ..."
Huh...This is another room...Oh no! The guy has been sucked into the washing machine...The water is starting to turn red...
"There's no escaping the darkness"
"AHHH KAREN! What are you.... NO MY NECK!!"
What...another blackout... what happened to these people... are they in this hospital?
"Oh so sorry sir, I didn't see you there...would you please proceed back into your room while we get the electricity fixed sir? There is nothing to...Sir...you are gripping my neck...AHHHHHHHH!..nmmnmmnmm"
This was.... just now???
"Ben!"
HAZEL? Who is that figure before you??
"Come with me. The darkness have taken over this place. You are no longer safe."
No!! Don't follow him... who is he???
"No. I have to get to Ben, I have to warn him if there're more of these things around"
Yes!! I am coming for you!
"Listen, do you hear anything?"
"No, I can't hear anything"
"Precisely. It's too late for your friend Ben, but it's not too late for you, if you come with me."
"But if you come with me, I will show you the truth, and when you do, many will be saved. I am Destiny. Take the red pill and together we shall see how deep the rabbit hole goes."
No!! Hazel... NOOOO!!!
"The warm trickling of blood flowed down from my forehead. I could feel it flowing over my eyelids but it didn't matter, it was too dark to see anyway. But as I opened my eyes, I saw the staircase I fell down from, a figure passing across the staircase. My vision was all red, probably from the blood, but I could see. The figure stopped, turned her head towards me and her tongue sticked out of her mouth AND CONTINUED TO ELONGATE TOWARDS ME!" Ben's hand stuck out in reflex and grabbed the disgusting tongue/spear thing. The fluid around the tongue stung like acid but Ben wrapping the disgusting muscle around his palm and pulled, dislodging the tongue and sending out a spray of blood before the figure fell backwards and writhed in pain.
Ben looked at his burnt hands and his twisted feet. It was painful, but for Hazel's sake, Ben placed both hands on the acid coated floor, pulled back his legs and stood up painfully, and continued down the stairs seeing through his red tinted vision.
The cold and hard grip of a wet wrinkled hand on Mary's leg shocked Mary out of her extremely long and a total waste of time imagination. The hand however quickly went limp as a bright flash enveloped the room and all that was left in the room was a disintegrating body with a gaping hole in his chest region that belonged to Alex. In the hole laid the star-ball.
In the matter of seconds, the room was empty, devoid of Toby, Alex and that strange glowing armor. All that remained was the star-ball and cracked marble. "Erm, Ok..maybe I need some suppressants too..." Thought Mary confusedly as she picked up the star-ball and placed it back in her pocket and stumbled out wondering how she was going to explain herself to Bea.
********
"Darn! What is wrong with this hospital!" thought Ben angrily to himself as he ended his playing prematurely. The room was dark and windowless, and so was the corridor outside. "What kind of hospital will experience a blackout!" shouted Ben loudly as he slammed the covers of the piano back down. Of course Ben could play "Forever Love" in the total darkness. That was the result of constant practice over the same song that surpassed his counting ability. Of course all musicians had to know how to do the basic counting because music had the beautiful infusion of mathematics within but when the number of playthroughs have reached a number so high that the (x^) function had to be used, no one sane would keep count.
Ben felt his way out of the room and stumbled into the corridor expecting that the pathway be less dim then this void of light. To his dismay, it was strangely dark too despite the presence of windows that should have allowed the midday sunlight to pass through. "Geez, looks like there is going to be rain..." thought Ben to himself as he reasoned out an explaination for this phenomenal darkness. Memory flashes of him and Hazel cuddling in the cafe in the music of the raindrops as well as the tightening of Hazel grip whenever thunder shook the cafe walls sprang to his mind.
Ben took a deep breath and felt his way down the corridor to where he remembered the staircase was. It was sure strange that this hospital seemed to lack a blackout contigency plan thought Ben to himself. Slow paced footsteps besides Ben's could be heard but from the looks of it, the other patients would have rather stayed in their wards and await instructions, or they are unable to have left their beds anyways.
"Sorry!" exclaimed Ben as he bumped into a clammy body passing along his path. The figure merely grunted a reply and continued along his way. He kept his body leaned on the left wall which was where the staircase would be.
A bone chilling scream suddenly thundered through the corridor.
"HELP!" screamed the person and futher cries were muffled probably by the perpetrator.
The scream came at the wrong time for Ben however, as it came exactly when the left wall gave way to the stairway and it distracted Ben long enough as his hands lost his grip and his feet lost his footing as Ben tumbled down the stairs hitting his head violently against the wall, his weight acting against him, drawing blood and causing a deep blackness to cloud Ben's vision as he lost consciousness.
******
"Julie, how's dear Mr Patterson reacting to the new medication?"
"His appetite has improved a lot but recently he has been complaining of constipation."
"Oh that poor man. Please check with Dr Brown whether the dosage should be reduced"
Huh, what is happening, who is Julie and what am I doing here?
"Can anyone hear me outside? The door's stuck. Can you help us? Anyone out there?"
What am I seeing? I never seen this sight before...
"Ahhh! My arm!"
Huh?? The arm is gone... But I am not feeling any pain.. Is this me?
"I am losing blood...somebody help..."
Is this a different person? Thats the other person who lost the arm... What is that black figure over her... I cannot get a clear focus...
"Yah, my mama told me she was from outer space too, the other day I when I visited her."
"But you know what, you might be right, seems like there's a pair of invisible sunglass blocking out the light. Everything's a notch darker than usual. This isn't natural"
"Holy ..."
Huh...This is another room...Oh no! The guy has been sucked into the washing machine...The water is starting to turn red...
"There's no escaping the darkness"
"AHHH KAREN! What are you.... NO MY NECK!!"
What...another blackout... what happened to these people... are they in this hospital?
"Oh so sorry sir, I didn't see you there...would you please proceed back into your room while we get the electricity fixed sir? There is nothing to...Sir...you are gripping my neck...AHHHHHHHH!..nmmnmmnmm"
This was.... just now???
"Ben!"
HAZEL? Who is that figure before you??
"Come with me. The darkness have taken over this place. You are no longer safe."
No!! Don't follow him... who is he???
"No. I have to get to Ben, I have to warn him if there're more of these things around"
Yes!! I am coming for you!
"Listen, do you hear anything?"
"No, I can't hear anything"
"Precisely. It's too late for your friend Ben, but it's not too late for you, if you come with me."
"But if you come with me, I will show you the truth, and when you do, many will be saved. I am Destiny. Take the red pill and together we shall see how deep the rabbit hole goes."
No!! Hazel... NOOOO!!!
"The warm trickling of blood flowed down from my forehead. I could feel it flowing over my eyelids but it didn't matter, it was too dark to see anyway. But as I opened my eyes, I saw the staircase I fell down from, a figure passing across the staircase. My vision was all red, probably from the blood, but I could see. The figure stopped, turned her head towards me and her tongue sticked out of her mouth AND CONTINUED TO ELONGATE TOWARDS ME!" Ben's hand stuck out in reflex and grabbed the disgusting tongue/spear thing. The fluid around the tongue stung like acid but Ben wrapping the disgusting muscle around his palm and pulled, dislodging the tongue and sending out a spray of blood before the figure fell backwards and writhed in pain.
Ben looked at his burnt hands and his twisted feet. It was painful, but for Hazel's sake, Ben placed both hands on the acid coated floor, pulled back his legs and stood up painfully, and continued down the stairs seeing through his red tinted vision.
Friday 4 May 2007
Appendix 1 - Lyrics to "Forever Love" by X-Japan
もう独で歩けない
代の風が強ぎて
Ah 傷つくこと何て Ah
れたはずだけど今は
Ah このまま抱きしめて
ぬれたままの心を
わり続けるこの時代に
われない愛があるなら
Will you hold my heart
受けとめて
もう壞れそうなAll my heart
Forever love Forever dream
溢れる想いだけが
激しく切なく時閒を埋め尽くす
Oh tell me why
All I see
is blue in my heart
Will you stay with me
が過ぎ去るまで
また溢れだす All my tears
Forever love Forever dream
このままそばにいて
夜明に震える
心を抱きしめて
Oh stay with me
Ah すべが終わればいい
りのないこの夜に
失うもの時て Ah
何もないあなただけ
Forever love Forever dream
このままそばにいて
夜明に震える
心を抱きしめて
Oh stay with me
が過ぎ去るまで
もう誰よりもそばに
Forever love Forever dream
これ以上歩けない
Oh tell me why Oh tell me true
教えて生きる意味を
Forever love Forever dream
溢れる淚の中
く季節が永遠に
わるまで
Forever love
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I can no longer walk this path alone,
the winds of time are too strong.
Ah, I used to think I can live with this pain.
Ah, this tight embrace, and this tear drenched heart.
In this ever changing world, if love will never change,
Will you hold my heart and stop my flowing tears?
Again it is broken, all of my heart ...
Forever love, Forever dream.
Only intense and painful dreams bury the sands of time.
Oh tell me why
all I see is blue in my heart.
Will you stay with me,
in the passing wind that draws out all my tears.
Forever love, Forever dream
Stay with me like this.
Hold my heart that trembles at the coming dawn.
Oh stay with me...
Ah, let everything end in this unending night.
Ah, let me lose all if I can only have you.
Forever love, Forever dream,
stay with me like this.
Hold my heart that trembles at the coming dawn.
Oh stay with me...
until the wind passes,
stay with me again.
Forever love, Forever dream,
I can't continue on this path.
Oh tell me why, Oh tell me true,
teach me the meaning of life.
Forever love, forever dream,
within flowing tears,
bright seasons will remain,
Forever love...
代の風が強ぎて
Ah 傷つくこと何て Ah
れたはずだけど今は
Ah このまま抱きしめて
ぬれたままの心を
わり続けるこの時代に
われない愛があるなら
Will you hold my heart
受けとめて
もう壞れそうなAll my heart
Forever love Forever dream
溢れる想いだけが
激しく切なく時閒を埋め尽くす
Oh tell me why
All I see
is blue in my heart
Will you stay with me
が過ぎ去るまで
また溢れだす All my tears
Forever love Forever dream
このままそばにいて
夜明に震える
心を抱きしめて
Oh stay with me
Ah すべが終わればいい
りのないこの夜に
失うもの時て Ah
何もないあなただけ
Forever love Forever dream
このままそばにいて
夜明に震える
心を抱きしめて
Oh stay with me
が過ぎ去るまで
もう誰よりもそばに
Forever love Forever dream
これ以上歩けない
Oh tell me why Oh tell me true
教えて生きる意味を
Forever love Forever dream
溢れる淚の中
く季節が永遠に
わるまで
Forever love
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I can no longer walk this path alone,
the winds of time are too strong.
Ah, I used to think I can live with this pain.
Ah, this tight embrace, and this tear drenched heart.
In this ever changing world, if love will never change,
Will you hold my heart and stop my flowing tears?
Again it is broken, all of my heart ...
Forever love, Forever dream.
Only intense and painful dreams bury the sands of time.
Oh tell me why
all I see is blue in my heart.
Will you stay with me,
in the passing wind that draws out all my tears.
Forever love, Forever dream
Stay with me like this.
Hold my heart that trembles at the coming dawn.
Oh stay with me...
Ah, let everything end in this unending night.
Ah, let me lose all if I can only have you.
Forever love, Forever dream,
stay with me like this.
Hold my heart that trembles at the coming dawn.
Oh stay with me...
until the wind passes,
stay with me again.
Forever love, Forever dream,
I can't continue on this path.
Oh tell me why, Oh tell me true,
teach me the meaning of life.
Forever love, forever dream,
within flowing tears,
bright seasons will remain,
Forever love...
Wednesday 2 May 2007
The Infinidex - Part 7
*************
Distant voices drift into focus.
"How long will she have to be sedated?"
"As long as it takes to find a cure for her"
"What if you never do?"
"Then she might have to stay this way all her life"
"You can't keep her sleeping forever! ... What difference is that from killing her? Just let me talk to her!"
"Stop kidding yourself! You know that won't work. How long have you been doing that? A year? And the result? She's back here again, worse then ever"
"At least she is herself some of the time"
"And when was the last time that happened?"
"... three months ago"
"There you have it, the period of her dementia has been getting longer. That only proves you should have listened to us and let her get treated here"
"A whole world of good that's doing her! At least she can still be happy dreaming her life away when she's awake. Now she can't even dream with that drug you're giving her."
"Would you rather have her confined to an asylum then ... as you said it yourself, what would be the difference?"
The voices are again enveloped in darkness again.
*************
Ben sigh and shift his gaze to the view outside the window. A gentle breeze is blowing, and the street and buildings outside are cast in a shade of crimson, reflecting the red-gold leaves of the trees lined neatly along the pavement. In the field across the road, a few boisterous children are playing football, laughing as they tackle each other and fall onto the dewy grass all muddied up.
It is a beautiful day, but his is brewing up a thunderstorm.
It is a beautiful day, but his is brewing up a thunderstorm.
Just then the sound of a cart being pushed is heard from the corridor. It turns into the room and stops.
"Hi Ben, time for her medication." The nurse says.
Ben stands to the side as the nurse goes about attaching the new drip. She lifts the drip-bag off the cart and struggles to hang it on the metal stand.
"That bag looks awfully big" Ben remarks absently.
"Oh yeah and it weighs a ton" reply the nurse, as she keeps missing the hook due to her shaking hands.
"Let me help you with it" Ben says after realizing who it is doing the drip change.
"Oh no no, this is my job, you aren't stealing it from me" replies the nurse as she tries to stop Ben who is reaching out for the bag.
"Hey, don't worry about it Mary" Ben says as he makes a grab for the bag. He has been going in and out of the hospital for a week, and got to know all the nurses attending to Hazel. This one is Mary, a blonde with a penchant for doing and saying things wildly out of turn with her petite and usually demure appearance. This has gotten her into trouble quite frequently and she now ranked first on the headache list of the head nurse.
"You, just stay out of the way" Mary huffs as she pull the bag away from Ben. Ben tries to make a second grab for the bag and she pulls it back so fast it flies from her hands and right out of the window. A loud smacking sound is heard from the street below. Mary and Ben rush to the window and looks down. The bag had fallen onto the sidewalk and exploded in a shower of clear liquid. A few passer-bys, apparently shocked by the liquid bomb that fell from sky are frantically scanning the area for the culprit. Mary quickly pulls Ben down, then gets up to take another peek before stooping down again.
"Good, nobody saw us. Let's keep it that way." Mary says while adjusting her glasses.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have interfered." Ben says sheepishly.
"Don't worry about it, there is no escaping the curse that is Mary Ravenloft." Mary says nonchalantly. "Just put up your right hand".
"Like this?" Ben asks as he raise a hand into the air.
"Ben Calamange, you are hereby sworn to secrecy about the disappearing drip-bag." Mary says solemnly. "If this incident is leaked to a third person, may you suffer from multiple prolapsed hemorrhoids and not be able to take a dump for a month, which will then require a bowel excavation that is so bad you'll be screaming like a little girl. Say Ee Ne Me Ne Mi Ne Mo".
"Er ... Ee Ne Me Ne Mi Ne Mo." Ben replies, unsure of whether it is safe for his intestines to have made such a vow.
"Very good." Mary says and nod in satisfaction. "Right then, I'll go get another bag. This time, don't help." She gives Ben a pat on his shoulders before slinking out of the room, trying to get another drip covertly.
Ben moves away from the window and slumps back onto the chair. He sighs again and returns to his watch over the figure lying on the bed. His gaze fills with anguish and yet is full of hope, hope that Hazel will one day have the peace that she can only have when asleep nowadays. He strokes her silky hair and listens to her soft rhythmic breathing.
If this moment could be frozen forever, then I could at least have her like this, peaceful and not having a care in the world, if .. if she never returns to normal .. Ben thinks, then immediately shakes himself out of this dark thinking. He clasps her hand in both of his and gently kissed it, tears rolling down his eyes.
"You're so beautiful and crazy, and I'm hopelessly in love with you." Ben whispers through his tears. "Which is why, Hazel, you have to come back, you have to come back to me."
*************
"No! Don't go! Why am I being hunted?!" Hazel screams as she fly awake, disoriented for the umpteenth time. She finds herself in a white-washed room, a stark contrast to the darkness of the place where the “council” took place.
"No!! Not another room!" She moans, her eyes wild with despair.
A pair of hands grab her by the shoulders and shakes her hard.
"It's ok Hazel! This is the hospital. You're safe now!"
"NO! NO! you're lying this is another room, it's always a room. Let me out of here! I need to get to the waterfall!" She screams and struggles against the vice like grip.
"Hazel ! Look .. Hazel ! Look at me ! It's me, Ben!".
She continues struggling and screaming at the top of her voice. Suddenly, the grip on her shoulders disappear, and instead a pair of warm hands cup her face and turns her towards a familiar face. A face framed by huge locks of hair.
For a stunned moment, she stares at the face, then slowly says "Ben? Who's Ben? You're not Ben, you .. you're Locks."
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!" She lets out a particularly long and piercing scream. Ben quickly claps his hands over his ears, grimacing in pain.
"Stop .. stop screaming, for the love of my ears, please stop!" Ben shouts to be heard.
Hazel continues screaming like it is the end of the world. She doesn't care anymore, she doesn't want to listen anymore because when she falls asleep or unconscious, it will all happen over again anyway. Ben looks around furtively, then runs over to the door, and closes it. He immediately runs back and tries to clamp his hand over Hazel's mouth saying, "Be quiet! Please! You're disturbing the other patients".
"Get away from me you monster! Get away from me! Ahhhhhhh!" Hazel screams, and claws at him with all the fury she can muster. She feels her nails scraping against soft flesh.
"Arghhh!" Ben cries out and backs away. Five red lines appear on his face, and soon start dripping down his face. The sight of blood on Ben's face shocks Hazel out of her hysteria, and fear, fear of what he will do to her next, instead takes hold of her.
"Oh .. I'm sorry .. I'm sorry, please don't hurt me, please.." She whimpers, as she draws herself into the corner of the bed.
"Hurt you? I could never hurt you. I'd rather die .. and ..you know that, at least you did, once." Ben says in a broken voice. He wipes the blood from his face, but more just come pouring forth. He walks over and sits by the bed. Hazel shrinks as far into the corner of the bed as she can, all the while making a strange gurgling sound. Ben put out his hand and touches Hazel's face. She stiffens, and stops moving. He caresses her face, plastering it with the blood on his hands. Hazel holds her breath and looks at him with pleading eyes, pleading him to stop toying with her. His hands then moves to the tender of her neck, making them tingle.
That's it. He's going to slash open my neck with those claws of his, and it'll be all over. Hazel thinks and closes her eyes, preparing for the inevitable.
"Hazel, listen to me. There is no waterfall. That night, you escaped from you room and somehow found the key to the derelict storehouse at the back of the cafe." Ben says.
He better do it cleanly, or else I hope he gets the blood all over himself. Hazel thinks.
"You opened it and went in, but in the darkness, you didn't notice the stairway had missing steps. You fell through one of the holes and knocked yourself out.".
He better sever my spine at the same time and spare me all the pain. Hasn't he tortured me enough? Hazel continues with thoughts of her impending doom.
"Good thing I followed you and immediately brought you to the hospital, which is where you are now"
Hope it won't take long for me to die too. I don't want to still be struggling for breath an hour from now. That would make me look so ugly. Hazel continues thinking, but it is getting harder as she starts to feel the strain of holding her breath.
"The doctors feared you would harm yourself again, so they sedated you the whole time you were here, while they worked on finding a cure for you."
Man, why are you so long winded! Hazel thinks as her lungs feel like they are on fire.
"Hazel ... Hazel why are you turning purple?"
"Hearrrrrrrr" Hazel gasp as she takes in a deep breath. Startled by her sudden reaction, Ben lets go of her.
"Oh just kill me already! Or I'll do it myself!" Hazel shouts, frustrated that Locks still hasn't killed her yet, even though she was already mentally prepared.
"Kill you? Why would I want to do that?" Ben asks incredulously. "Are you still thinking I'm this Locks person? That was just me playing along with you"
"Don't lie to me! What about the cottage, the room with the .. the talking table and shelves of empty books?" Hazel asks, furious that Locks is still trying to play with her mind.
"The “cottage” you're talking about would be the cafe I'm managing, and the room would be your room on the second floor of the cafe." Ben replies calmly even though he is delighted that Hazel is finally speaking to him. "The books on the shelves were blank because books were the cause of your illness in the first place. I had to placate you by placing empty books in the shelves. In the throes of your sickness you were quite adept at pretending they contained all the stories you loved."
"What about the talking table?" Hazel demands.
"That would be a figment of your imagination, just like the waterfall. It is just a normal mahogany table." Ben says.
"But I walked on water! If everything you purport I imagined had a real life counterpart, then what about the lake?" Hazel asks, determined to expose the lies he is telling her.
"That would be the pond in front of the storehouse. It is very shallow and you can definitely walk across it." Ben replies.
"The grandfather clock?"
"Part of the furniture in your room"
"The mirror?"
"As real as the sweet girl it reflects"
"The picture?"
"A portrait of a scene from your favourite book"
"The star-ball?"
"That .. That was my gift to you a long time ago .."
"The sinister serpentine candle-holder?"
"That would be ... wait there is no such thing."
"Ah ha! Liar! Can't cook up any more stories can you?" Hazel says, happy she finally got Locks tongue-tied for an answer.
"Why would I lie to you? What good would that do me?" Ben asks.
"That's because .. because ... " Hazel stammers as she tries to come up with a reason. "... you want to keep me as your slave forever." She says remembering how Locks had asked her to be his assistant.
"I do want to keep you by my side forever, but not as a slave. Never as a slave" Ben says softly.
"Then for what reason?" presses Hazel.
" 'cause I'm in love" Ben says softly.
"With whom?" Hazel asks.
"You" Ben says looking forlornly into her eyes.
"Ewwwww, you're so old!" Hazel says horrified at the thought.
"Old? What are you talking about?" Ben says and instinctively touched his face and hair.
"Get away from me you pedophile!" Hazel shouts and immediately shrinks back to the corner of the bed.
"Wa .. What, loving you makes me a pedophile? Oh, sure our age is not that close, but still.." Ben says alarmed at what Hazel just said.
"Not that close? For goodness sake you're an old man, old enough to be my grandfather" Hazel says.
"What? Are you still delusional? Look at me carefully, I'm Ben, don't you remember? Ben and I'm only 26." He says vehemently, once again grabbing Hazel by the shoulders.
"NO! You're lying! You're Locks and you look 62!" Hazel shouts back.
"Wake up Hazel, wake up please. Why can't I get through to you?" Ben says, tears rolling in his eyes.
"So my name has gone from Missy to Hazel is it? You liar, you can't mess with my mind anymore, I won't let you. Now let go of me!" Hazel screams, and starts kicking him.
"Like I said I was just playing along with you when I called you Missy, that's all." Ben says, trying to both hold Hazel still and protect himself from being kicked.
"Liar, Liar, pants on fire!" Hazel shouts the more loudly.
In desperation, Ben suddenly remembers something. "Forever Love!" He says as he gripped Hazel tightly "Don't you remember that?" For a moment, Hazel stops her struggling and images of a young man playing on a piano and a girl sitting back to back with him flashes by in her mind.
"That's your favorite tune. I used to play it to you almost everyday." Ben says, seeing he was getting a reaction.
"Wait I'll play it for you" He says and looks frantically around. "Oh shoot, there is no piano." Ben exclaims remembering this is a hospital. Letting go of Hazel, he paces to and fro about the room trying to think of a solution.
"I'll sing it to you then" Ben suddenly says, and pulling up a chair, sits besides Hazel. He takes her hands in his, and surprisingly, Hazel doesn't feel the urge to pull away. Somehow he has created a sense of anticipation that got to her in spite of all the misgivings she has. Ben closes his eyes.
*************
Alright! The coast is clear. Mary thinks to herself as she peeks out from the corner of the hallway leading from the patient wards to the nurse station. Beatrix the matron nurse is no where in sight. She adjusts her glasses, flattens her skirt and walks towards the medical supply room situated across the nurse station.
"How's Hazel?" asks Karen who walks pass.
"She's looking good, but you know she still has to be sedated." replies Mary, feigning a tinge of sympathy in her voice.
"Yah, it's to be expected. Mental illnesses have to be battled on the long term" Karen replies. "Well I better be on my way. Don't be late for the meeting it'll be starting in ten minutes time" Karen says and goes on her way.
"I won't" calls Mary after her. She waits until Karen disappears around the corner, then quickly goes over to the supply room and closes it's door softly behind her. Mary rummages through the shelves, looking for another bottle of sedative. She finds it and with a speed that surprise even herself, filled up an empty drip bag with it. She opens the door and looks around again. No one was in sight. Mary glances at her watch. It is now half past five. The nurses meeting had already started.
One crisis at a time. Mary thinks, and quickly runs towards Hazel's room.
I'll just have to pretend I had an upset stomach and couldn't make it for the meeting. Mary thinks as she runs along and at the same time tries to come up with a strategy to worm her way out of this predicament.
"Hey! Mary! Wait up!" says a voice from the distant.
Mary jumps and nearly dropps the bag. "No ! It wasn't my fault! I swear! There was this man in black and he ..." She spouts.
"Mary, if you're heading to Hazel's room, could you help me put this together with her other stuff?" says a puzzled voice that now emanated from behind her.
Mary turns around and sees it is the orderly who is in charge of the washing and changing of clothes.
"It's you Alex! You nearly scared the crap out of me!" Mary cries out in relief.
"So are you going to Hazel's room?" asks Alex.
"Er, yes. What's it you want me to put in her room?" Mary quickly asks, happy to oblige with anything the orderly wanted her to do.
"Here, the clothes Hazel came in with. It's been cleaned but somehow it was missed and never returned to her, that is until I found it among the latest batch of washings." Alex says and shoves a stack of neatly folded clothings onto Mary's arms. On top of the stack is a ball with a golden star in it.
"Now what's this?" asks Mary as she looks at the ball.
"No idea. It was found among her clothings." Alex replies with a shrug of his shoulders.
"I'll leave these with you then" He says and walks off mumbling to himself "Heh, man in black indeed. She must be in trouble again."
Mary finds it hard to balance the ball and walk at the same time, so she puts it in her pocket. She looks at her watch again. The meeting will be over in another twenty minutes time. She had to be in the toilet before that time, otherwise her ruse wouldn't work. She picks up her speed. As she rounds the corner, she stops. A man dressed in a black suit and black coat, with jet black hair that is slickly swept back and holding a bunch of roses is walking down the corridor. The shadows seem to gather around him, making it look like he is trailing a pool of ink. He looks into each room as he goes along as if searching for someone. Mary blinks her eyes. The man is still there.
"Sir, how may I help you? The visiting hours are over for today" Mary says after she gets over her initial shock.
"They are? What a pity, I was hoping to see my niece who is quite sick you see. You are sure you can't let me stay for just a few minutes and, at least say hello?" The man asks in a strangely flat voice.
"Well if it's that important, I'm sure we can bend the rules a bit. What's the name of your niece?" says Mary empathizing with the poor man.
"That would be Missy .. erm ... Missy Serpico" says the man in black.
"Missy Serpico? ... hmmm sorry, I don't seem to recall such a person. Maybe you can check with the reception counter downstairs" Mary says thinking it weird for anyone to be called Missy.
"Well, I think I'll do just that, thank you for your help and for making an exception in my case" says the man and tips an imaginary hat at Mary.
"No problem. Have yourself a good day." replies Mary with a smile, and quickly walks off as she hears shouting coming from the direction of Hazel's room.
*************
"Julie, how's dear Mr Patterson reacting to the new medication?" asks Beatrix, as she looks at the tall and skinny nurse, who stands almost a head above the other nurses gathered around the meeting table.
"His appetite has improved a lot but recently he has been complaining of constipation." Julie replies.
"Oh that poor man. Please check with Dr Brown whether the dosage should be reduced" Beatrix says with genuine concern in her voice.
"Yes Ma'am" Julie says and makes a note of it in Mr Patterson's records.
"Next up, Mary, have you charted Hazel's sedation time to dosage level?" asks Beatrix.
Silence.
"Mary?" Beatrix looks up and takes off her pince-nez.
A murmur runs through the nurses as they look at each other.
"What is she up to this time?" Beatrix says wearily as she starts rubbing her temple.
"I'll go look for her. I just saw her at the station a while ago." Karen says helpfully.
"You're a right dear. You do that, and we'll continue with the meeting" says Beatrix as she smiles warmly at Karen.
Before Karen reaches the door, the light starts to flicker. Everyone turns to look at the sole fluorescent lamp. As if sensing the many eyes on it, it stops flickering. Karen pulls her sweater closer together as she feels a sudden chill coming from the hallway. She continues walking towards the doorway.
Bang. The door slams shut. Karen turns the knob and pushes, but the door does not budge.
"The door won't open" She says. Some of the other nurses come over to help but the door seems stuck fast.
"Can anyone hear me outside? The door's stuck. Can you help us? Anyone out there?" Karen shouts through the door. The other nurses join Karen in shouting for help. From the outside, their voices are almost completely muffled. Suddenly the light shining through the slit under the door goes out. Screams and sounds of running and banging are heard. Following that, there is complete silence.
Dzzz. The light goes on again and the door opens.
*************
"Alex, switch on another light will ya?" shouts Toby as he lay crossed legged on a bed of clothings, reading the latest Harry Potter book.
Chaga, Chaga, goes the row of washing machines, as they slowly churn through the soiled beddings and stained hospital pajamas.
"They're all turned on" came the reply from within a washing machine. Alex had crawled halfway into it and is pulling clothings out.
"Really? Then why is it so dark?" questions Toby as he throws down the book and sits up.
"You must be going blind then" replies Alex "Haven't your mama told you never to read with a book less than a feet from your face?"
"Yah, my mama told me she was from outer space too, the other day I when I visited her." retorts Toby. He squints and looks around the room. "But you know what, you might be right, seems like there's a pair of invisible sunglass blocking out the light. Everything's a notch darker than usual. This isn't natural" Toby says.
"Might be something wrong with the mains." Alex says as he begins to back out of the washing machine. Suddenly the washing machine turns itself on, and Alex starts twirling along with the remaining washing.
"Switch off the damn thing!" He screams, as he lifted his legs every time the washing machine is turning up, so he would turn along and not get entangled with all the cloth.
"Holy ..." Toby says as he rushes over. Before he could reach the machine, Alex is suddenly sucked head, feet and all into the washing cavity and the door slams shut.
Toby furiously taps the off button, but the washing machine doesn't stop.
"Ohhh rightttt, how 'bout this then?" Toby says as he reaches behind the machine and pulls the plug.
Chuga, Chuga, goes the washing machine, as Toby stares in disbelief, holding the pulled plug in his hand.
"You should worry about yourself" came a voice from the back.
Toby turns around and sees that it's Karen.
"There is no escaping the darkness" says Karen with a grin that stretched from ear to ear.
*************
"What's with all the commotion!" says Mary as she bursts into the room.
She sees the awoken Hazel. "Oh no, I'm dead, she woke up ..." Mary mouths silently and drops Hazel's clothes, "... Bea will have my skin for this". She is feeling a little faint.
Just then, Ben draws in a deep breath and starts to sing.
『もう独で歩けない
代の風が強ぎて
Ah 傷つくこと何て
れたはずだけど今は
Ah このまま抱きしめて
ぬれたままの心を
わり続けるこの時代に
われない愛があるなら
Will you hold my heart
受けとめて
もう壞れそうなAll my heart
Forever love Forever dream
溢れる想いだけが』
代の風が強ぎて
Ah 傷つくこと何て
れたはずだけど今は
Ah このまま抱きしめて
ぬれたままの心を
わり続けるこの時代に
われない愛があるなら
Will you hold my heart
受けとめて
もう壞れそうなAll my heart
Forever love Forever dream
溢れる想いだけが』
Both Hazel and Mary stares at Ben with eyes wide open.
"What are you singing?" Hazel asks.
"Dear lord, Ben's gone off his rocker too!" exclaims Mary and gripped the new drip-bag so tightly she punctures the bag. Liquid begins squirting out.
"Focus on the tune" Ben says and quickly returns to his singing.
『激しく切なく時閒を埋め尽くす
Oh tell me why Oh
All I see
is blue in my heart
Will you stay with me
が過ぎ去るまで
また溢れだす All my tears』
"I know, what this is ..." Hazel says, slowly realizing what he is singing.
"It's all my fault, now we have two mad persons on the loose!" Mary cries and sinks down to the floor in despair, still holding the leaking bag.
Ben nods excitedly at Hazel, and grasps her hands tighter, tears of joy flowing from his eyes. He smiled as he sang.
『Forever love Forever dream
このままそばにいて
夜明に震える
心を抱きしめて
Oh stay with me Oh』
"It's the unknown language I saw crafted into the door of the cottage!" Hazel exclaims.
"What!?" Ben says, the smile wiped clean off his face. "No! It's Japanese, and some parts are in English too!" He says. Exasperation once more fills his voice.
"You're lying! Psychopath! Pervert! Let go of me and get out!" Hazel shouts and begins to attack Ben with all her might.
"Ok I'll go, I'll go, don't get so worked up." says Ben as he reluctantly lets himself be pushed out of the room by Hazel.
"You get out too!" cries Hazel as she grabs the inconsolable Mary "Get out all out you!" She shouts and pushes Mary and Ben out of the room, locking the door after them.
Ben slumps against the wall, all his energy spent. It was futile, just like the doctor said.
No! I can't give up! Not now! Ben thinks, though he feels his insides being shredded to pieces.
"Mary, is there a piano in this hospital?" asks Ben. Mary is still mumbling to herself on the floor and adjusting her glasses which had slipped when she was pushed out. The drip-bag is no where to be seen.
"Mary! We got to get ourselves together! Do you know if there is a piano here?" repeats Ben, as he picks up Mary and shakes her like a rag doll.
"Ye.. Yes, there is one in the classroom on the third floor" says Mary as she is shaken out of her self-pitying and her glasses are flung off again.
"Which classroom is that?" Ben inquires.
"There is only one there. You can't miss it." replies Mary.
Ben lets go of her and runs off. Mary flops to the ground again.
"What do I do? What can I do?" shouts Mary after the receding Ben.
"Get someone to open the door and keep her down. Otherwise she might try to escape or do something worse." shouts Ben back as he pushes open the door to the stairwell and runs up to the third floor.
Mary picks up her glasses and rushes to look for help, determined not to let her imminent sacking turn into a court case. None of them notice the darkness that had befallen the hospital.
*************
Hazel sits on the floor, back against the door, staring out of the window. Her mind is a complete blank. After trying to piece together the events that had transpired since she woke up on the cottage floor, she just got more confused. What is real and what isn't? Is locks lying or telling the truth? Did it all matter?
Maybe I'm dead, and this is my personal hell. Hazel thinks. like people punished for the sin of gluttony are doomed to forever repeat the experience of seeing the most delicious food to be found anywhere, but not be able to eat it, because their mouths have been taken away.
With that, Hazel is finally able to find a reason for all that has happened, and she just lets her mind wander off.
On the other hand, Mary had run off to the staff room to look for Alex. He would usually be there drinking coffee with his friend Toby whenever he had time off from his work. There was no one there.
The laundry room! Mary thinks as she races down to the basement. However except for the rumble of the washing machines, there is not a soul there too.
Oh well, I guess I'll just have to inform Bea then. thinks Mary bitterly. Apprehension at the punishment Beatrix would lay on her having stalled her from getting the nurses help until now.
Bump. Mary stops in her tracks. Bump. Bump. She turns and looks at the washing machines. The sound is coming from one of them. She walks cautiously over to the first one on the right. Nope, not this one. She moves to the second, the third and finally stops at the machine in the middle. Chuga, Bump, Chuga, Bump. She gingerly reaches out for the off button and presses it. The machine dies down.
The shadows shifts and pools behind Mary, rising up in a bubbling black fountain to form into a humanoid shape. It is Toby.
Mary pops open the washing machines door and Alex's head lolls out, white foam simmering at his mouth.
"Holy cowbells! Alex! What happened? How did you do this to yourself?" Mary asks incredulously as she tries to pull him out of the washing machine. However Alex is too heavy and she only got half of him out before falling on her bottom "Oufff". She cried as Hazel's ball drops out of her pocket. Mary checks Alex's pulse. Good, he hasn't kicked the bucket yet.
Toby advances towards Mary, opening his mouth so wide it splits his face in two. Multiple rows of pointed teeth pops out.
"Wake up! Can you hear me Alex? What the hell happened here?" shouts Mary as she slaps Alex on his face, sending white foam flying all over the place.
"Bleh, Bleh, Bleh ..." came the response as Mary continues slapping Alex left and right even though he is beginning to come around.
Toby's mouth continues widening until it looks like someone had stuck a barrel of beer in it. His face is now all mouth. With a hiss, he jumps at Mary.
The star-ball glows a bright white, and a blinding light explodes forth before the leaping Toby.
*************
A covered grand piano greets Ben when he walks into the classroom. He rips off the cover in one sweep, sending layers of ancient dust into the air. This piano is ivory white, yang to the ying of the ebony grand at the cafe. Ben runs his fingers across the key cover and then flips it open. He presses a key. A solid note resounds through the room. He plays a few more notes and is glad to discover the piano is still in tune.
He sits down and empties his mind of everything except for the memories of Hazel in happier times. Immediately a flood of emotions happy, sad, and bittersweet comes over him, and he begins playing “Forever Love” as he had never played it before.
Hazel hear this and remember who you really are! Ben thinks, as he pours his battered and bleeding yet still beating heart into the song, all the while willing Hazel to hear it, hear it and come to her senses.
Hazel hear this and once again be mine!
*************
A soulful tune reaches Hazel's ear and something clicks within her. A great sense of nostalgia is dredged up from deep within. It bespoke of a time gone by, a time spent in many happy hours listening to each others stories in winter, helping each other serve the customers as they lunched out in the cool autumn breeze, chasing after “faeries” in the woody green of spring and tinkering on the piano as the warm summer sun reflected prettily off the lacquered keys.
But who is the other person?
The image of a young man playing on the piano flashes once more across Hazel's mind. But like a photograph taken out of focus, his face could not be seen.
Hazel stands up and presses her ears against the door, straining to hear the wafting melody.
The image of the young man starts to become clearer and clearer until he looks just like Locks.
Locks? No that isn't it. The image begins to tremble as the music reaches a climax, and then like a mirror, the face shatters into a million shards, revealing a handsome young man with a crooked smile and golden eyes.
Ben. Hazel thinks and suddenly she falls to the ground clutching her head as memories of her
real life came out in a flood from the deep recesses of her mind.
"Arrgggghhhh" She cries out in pain, yet she doesn't want them to stop.
She finally knows who she is. She finally remembers her life.
She finally knows who she is. She finally remembers her life.
"Ben!" She cries. Remorse and anguish pierce her heart as she recalls how she had treated him. She gets up, unlocks the door and pulls it open.
"Errararrrrrrrr". A hideous roar issues forth from a pair of jaws blocking the doorway. Hazel jumps back and lands on the floor, just as the jaws clamp down with a sickening clash.
Hazel stares in horror at the the monstrosity in front of her. They have no face, just a huge mouth where the head should be, but from the chest down they are dressed in the nurses' uniform and look completely human. However, before Hazel can react to the bizarre sight, what looks like a pair of black spear punctures the two creatures from behind, the point of the spears protruding from the monsters mouth.
"Eeeeeeeee". The monsters emit a high pitched scream as their bodies crumble into a black dust that is absorbed into the open mouth of a man all dressed in black and standing just behind where the creatures stood. The spears are actually wriggly tentacles that seem to originate from his black coat.
"Tsk, Tsk, Dark Homunculus', is there nothing more powerful? Well their loss, my gain." The man says as he walks over to Hazel. The tentacular appendages have disappeared back into his clothes. He kneels down on one knee in front of Hazel and leans forward with a hand on the other.
"Come with me. The darkness have taken over this place. You are no longer safe." He says, his steely green eyes fixed on Hazel waiting for her reply.
"No. I have to get to Ben, I have to warn him if there're more of these things around" Hazel replies in spite of her shock.
The man cocks up his head and says "Listen, do you hear anything?".
"No, there is nothing" Hazel says straining to pick up whatever it is the man wanted her to hear.
"Precisely. It is too late for your friend Ben, but it is not too late for you ... IF you come with me." the man says.
"That's not it. The song's ended, that is all." rebuts Hazel "What's more, you .. you are like them, those creatures .. you even ate them" Hazel says in disgust.
"Yes, I am from the darkness, but I am not of them. I am, as the expression goes ... one of the good guys." The man continues saying with a flourish of his hand.
"How do I know you are not lying?" Hazel asks, directing the mistrust she had for Ben/Locks at the man.
"and how do you know your dear Ben is not lying too?" The man asks, throwing the question back at her.
"Because I finally remember who I am and who he is" replies Hazel defiantly.
The man makes a little sigh and continues saying "You are mistaken. Those memories are a level two cipher. You have just been implanted with yet another layer of deception, in order that you never see the truth."
"What?" says Hazel, shocked at the suggestion that what she just remembered is yet another illusion.
"But if you come with me, I will show you the truth, and when you do, many will be saved." The man says, and stretches out a gloved hand to Hazel.
"I am Destiny. Take the red pill and together we shall see how deep the rabbit hole goes."
*************
Mary turned around when she heard the explosion and saw the bright flash illuminate the whole room. She falls back to the floor at what she sees.
The Toby creature is hanging in mid-air, impaled through it's yawing mouth by a silver lance glowing brightly in the dark room. The other end of the lance is fitted into the arms of a gigantic silver armor which glows just as brightly. In it's other hand is held a large silver shield.
"Claim your judgment, tainted one!" thunders a sonorous voice from the bowels of the armor's helmet. "An eternity you shall have, to chew on it."
The Toby creature lets out a scream and crumbles into nothingness. Like an engine being shut off; the pulsating aura around the armor begins to fade away as it turns around to face the shaken Mary. From the sapphire visor of the helmet shines two fiery beacons. Mary stares at the colossus in dumbstruck awe, one hand on her glasses which had slipped once again.
The armor sheaths the lance on it's back and drops on a knee, planting the shield firmly onto the floor and promptly cracking the marble. It must really weigh a ton.
"I am Fel, guardian of the Heart of Venperlion, and protector of it's true owner" proclaims the silver knight as he picks up the ball which Mary dropped and is now shining brilliantly.
"Hail fair Mary, mistress of the Heart!"
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