Lance had spent the night lying in bed, starring up towards the ceiling. Dressed only in a black, red trimmed gold laced night robe, he spun around and stood from his bed, making his way across the chamber to draw the curtains from the windows. The light of moon had displayed brilliantly amongst all it touched, the solar object much brighter and more captivating the usual, the colors of cool-grey glowing around him. He had gone to the next curtain to do the same, his mind wandering off.
He had thinking of the last several moments he had spent within his mother’s company. Aquarius had been sitting across from him still, her eyes closed once again, awaiting his response to her question. She had asked him of the scroll’s contents and Lance was trying frantically to dodge answering her directly. He had already tried several attempts but the efforts got him no where. He looked up at her then, seeing her studying him. He gave a sigh.
“Upon the scrolls, I have written the methods in which to summon those from the void.” He muttered with the up most reluctance.
Aquarius starred at him, her expression emotionless, no worry nor curiosity present. “And?” She replied.
“And they took it. What more do you want me to say?”
“Tell me what exactly you are able to call forth.” Her tone was unchanged.
Another sigh escaped Lance. “I don’t know exactly how to explain it. But I have been able to label one of them.” Aquarius’s gaze was unnerving him. “Guardians of a lost… I call them Agony.”
Only for a brief moment did Aquarius’s eyes dart to the windows, looking about the windows. Her attention refocused to her son. “And this agony… it does… what?”
“I’m not sure yet, honestly I don’t’ want to know.”
“And this void you speak of, I have heard of it before, the portals which our enemies have been trying to control, have you seen it? Or even ventured into it?”
The hint of a smile that was almost invisible to the naked eye was present at the corners of her mouth. Her expression displayed boredom with the topic, but Lance could see in her eyes, that she has also seen the void at some point in her life. Whether she ventured within it is a completely different matter. Although, Lance had in fact, been within the void, but unfortunately, his audience wasn’t one made upon his own will. He remembered that night as clear as if it had just happened. The incident occurred nearly two years ago, shortly after leaving the east lands and his time with Mita had come to an unwanted end. He had been in his chamber back in his castle in Ienotha, sitting at the desk, writing and drawing words and symbols he couldn’t understand. He had drawn an image of his bedchamber from multiple angles, though the room wasn’t illustrated in mimicry. The room had been drawn dark, the walls, ceiling, floors, and all objects had been drawn burned to some great degree and illustrated to be soaked in dead blood. The detail was beyond gruesome, the tapestry was mangle and rusted and the walls sported many faults and holes. The bed posts were distorted and shattered and the sheets were completely unusable. The mirrors were mostly coated in blood and although the windows had been illustrated shattered and the glass destroyed, no light purred from the outside world, the only luminescence imitating from a single hanging bulb. He had spread the sheets about the room, closing the curtains so the sunlight wouldn’t bleed so obvious into the room. Once the images had been randomly placed he stood center in the chamber, his placement wasn’t important at all, but precaution was his present motive. Mental warnings had flashed into his mind the moment this method or ritual had been concocted into his mind, a way to open a portal to the void, warning him of self intended demise. He ignored this of course, pressing himself to carry on with his experimentation. Fear had taken hold of him before the sheets were scattered about the room, he had no idea what would happen to him, wasn’t sure what he would find, bore no idea if he could come back, and had no idea if he would live to tell of his findings.
There was a knock at the door, and Lance was drawn from his memory, and hadn’t realized that something was wrong until the maid who had rushed before him, he mouth moving at the speed of light but no words escaped her. Sound suddenly could be heard and it was then he understood her questions. She was asking him what happened and who had attacked him, and what happened to the room. She was checking him, feeling his body for injuries, trying to hoist him to his feet. Sanity was returning and he found that he was on the floor, his back to the wall, eyes wide and blank with terror, his heart erratic, his hand gripped the night table beside the window and his fingers dug into the stone. Others began to come, maid and medical staff, but all of which stopped before his chamber door, gazing into the room, all wondering with horror if they would venture into the room and be killed by someone…or something. Queen Aquarius had come to the commotion, dressed in a bath robe themed of seas and waves. She stopped before the room as well, but her common sense to her to go to her son. She crossed the dark room, the light switch had been damaged in the room transformation. As she crossed to him, she noted that every inch of the walls, ceiling, and floor was charred to a near unrecognizable feature, the bed had looked the same as Lance’s robe, charred to some light degree and altered by the large amount of dried blood upon them. She studies the windows as she stood before her son, they were intact this time as apposed to the first time she found him in this situation, but only they were fogged with a thick heavy black substance. A section of the ceiling had cracked on the far side of the bed chamber and began to cave in, staff had scrambled out of the way and most had retreated from the room. Aquarius had dismissed the staff, though the one maid who remained had rushed to his side. She was insisting on staying with him, but Aquarius, who never disrespected the staff, had merely suggested that the matter be left in her care. The maid had been overly reluctant to leave his presence, even as Aquarius had walked him down the hall and up a flight of stairs to her bed chamber. The maid hadn’t followed into the room, but told the queen how she had come to discover a problem, then had bowed her leave.
She turned to her son as a change of day clothing was brought to the room. “Are you okay?” She asked him, allowing the concern to be heard in her voice.
Lance wasn’t as shaken as he were when he left his bed chamber. He was sitting on his mother’s bed now, recollecting himself. He had plans for the night and hadn’t counted on any interruptions to befall him. Summoning the void was a complete accident and apparently happened when he had a lot on his mind. Lance had forgotten it, but the truth of the matter was sound. Discovering techniques and rituals wasn’t skill or talent, it was a risk, and before today, Lance hadn’t know that the void could be manifested by simple memory of it.
Though he was sound enough to recognize concern in his mother’s voice. “I’ll be fine,” he answered, not looking at her.
She sat beside him, resting the clothing beside herself and used a hand to turn his head to her. She mentally debated on whether or not to interrogate him about what had just happened, deciding it to be better to allow him time to recuperate himself. Trying to jog him about the event may provoke the manifestations again, and this is something she didn’t want to happen… not yet… “These are your clothing for your outing,” she told him starring him in the eyes.
He looked to her, gazing into her eyes, unable to read her thoughts or intentions, her expression giving nothing away. The clothing she handed to him were those of peasant ware, brown working pants and a beige t-shirt. There was also a matching brown faded robe, probably a disguise for whom ever he sought to venture the town with. “You didn’t want me to-”
“You need the fresh air, after what you’ve just been through.” Aquarius cut him short, pushing the garments into his arms, and although Lance found it hard to believe, but his mother was aiding him to defy her, and he wasn’t going to complain. She stood. “Go ahead and disrobe, then you can exit through my window.”
There was a lot on his mind as he finally neared the neighboring mansion. Each estate only catered to fifteen families of royal descent, and each one is spread at the least of ten miles apart. Each estate is also constructed differently for the protection of the leaders and they’re spawns. Ryan had beside him, running into Lance as Lance descended from his mother’s bedchamber window. The meeting wasn’t planned, Ryan had planned to be out with his newly found girlfriend whom he had shared intimacy with in the audience hall restroom. She too was with them, held closely to Ryan as her violet hair sued in the soft wind. Ryan had introduced her as Valerie.
They were beside the building now, hidden in the shrubs, watching as several guards patrolled the building. Lance waited for the two guards before him to cross paths before he rushed forward, literally running up the wall, grabbing hold of a window ledge and used his wings to boost himself another two flights up the building. His nose was in the air, sniffing for the lipstick he carried in his pocket, trying to sniff out the window marked by Mita. He scaled the wall till he was just holding onto the roofing tile, seeing that there were several guards here as well. If Lance didn’t remove himself from view, the guards on ground patrol will spot him in the moon light, and they were already making for another pass. Instead of risking a confrontation from the guards atop, he down scaled a flight, and placed his hand flat and firm against a window. Using a spell developed by Middle Eastern Muslim assassins, the window transformed soundlessly into a liquid, keeping its glass properties, but allowed him access to the room. He stepped lightly from the window, noting the room which he had just entered, just so happened to be occupied by Mita’s arch nemesis and rival… Vivian. Vivian is a beautiful young woman, one of the prettiest princesses amongst the royal covenant. She was slightly taller than Mita, about Lance’s height, sporting violet hair and memorizing green eyes. As beautiful as she was, most people treated her in the same manner in which Queen Aquarius was treated, generally un-approached unless the circumstances called for such transaction. Vivian is best friends with his mother, the two power ridden maidens tossing their pawns to their pleasure. Lance had the urge to scare her to death, jumping beside her and screaming some childish scare word, though Lance knew this was a person who slept with more weapons than that can be carried. She probably had knives hidden all over the room, a mace stashed between her legs and a double edged broad sword under her pillows. Boy did he pick the wrong window to slip into. If she were to wake and see him crossing the room, he’d be a dead man, and it would be totally legal for her to kill him as well, with the room only being lit by the bright moonlight and Lance masquerading as a simpleton.
Lance crossed the room with out uttering so much as a single sound. He slid the door open softly and a hand stopped his progress, forcing him around as slammed him into the wall. Vivian beamed at him as she held him with one hand. “What the ******** are you doing?”
Lance returned her cold stare with one of his own. “Passing through, what’s it to you?”
“Look here you ********, don’t test me! Okay! You came in here to rape me, right?”
Lance had been open mouthed. “What?! You’re kidding me, right?” Lance saw her tense with anger, it didn’t appear to him that she carried an extra weapon, but it didn’t mean she wasn’t armed. “No! Who the hell wants you?”
She sent him a fist shot to the stomach and he doubled over. She hoisted him upright. “You maggot, you’ve already raped that blonde girl.”
I’m not disparate enough to sneak into your sheets. Honestly, I’d rather try Medusa.”
She looked like she wanted to hit him again. “What are you saying?”
“I’m having a really bad night,” je said, wanting to end this un-foretold visit. “I’m trying to find princess Aka’s bed chamber-“
“So you can rape her again?” Her fist clenched when she said this.
“I plan to take her into town, kinda like a date you know?”
There was something behind Vivian’s death glared that was probably detecting whether he was lying or not. She didn’t look all that satisfied with her results, releasing him and moved back to her bed. Lance had always had a secret lust for this woman, probably everyone did. Being intimate with someone of a no nonsense attitude and bore absolute power to her disposal was only a fantasy. She probably didn’t divulged herself in the childish actions of relationships, though all the same, if Lance hadn’t found Aka, he’d definitely try to fondle her, even if it would cost him massive blood lost from multiple stab wounds.
“Down the hall, make a left, third door to your right.” Vivian said as she crawled into bed. “The next time you pop up into my personal haven I’ll decapitate you a** and flush your eyes in a urinal.”
Well damn!! Lance thought, stepping out of the room and closing the door behind himself. He appreciated this confrontation with her, even though there was a good possibility that she could have killed him. It lifted his spirits that she actually spoke to him without trying to murder or spit on him. However, he was a bit confused none the less. She gave him direction as to reach his destination, not only that, but she had only insulted him once, and only hit him once too. First the behavioral change in his mother, and now the secretly known as “b***h from the netherworld”.
Now that he was standing in the hall, he noticed the corridor stretched from one end of the building to the other, and what were the odds that the room he just exited had been centered in the hall? He swore under his breath, knowing now she wasn’t being much help. Making a mental note to taunt Vivian with his unwanted presence later in the future, he ventured his way down the hall, heading right and rounded a junction hall to the left. He found Mita standing before the room door. She was about to knock when she noticed him form the corner of her eyes. She half skipped toward him.
“Good evening, Lance,” she said, her voice slightly quavering. She a night robe of sorts as well, though she held peasant robes in her arms. She was preparing to venture into town as well.
“Hi,” he responded, looking down at her. Lance mood had been a little better since leaving Vivian’s bedchamber, but now that he was standing before Mita, his mood had depleted.
The two fell silent for a moment, neither of them knowing what to say. The conversation earlier that day had raised a nonverbal confession to the demise of their relationship. Having her stand before him with no one else around was highly intimidating.
“Lance, about us…”
“Mita, could we discuss this more privately on a later night?”
Mita knew he didn’t want to discuss this topic and knew he didn’t want to seem rude about it. “Okay, I understand. She is in that room there. Good night.”
“Wait,” Lance said as she turned to leave. “Please, come with us. Ryan and Valerie is waiting for us just outside the building.” He suggestion felt more like a plea, but he didn’t care. He wanted Mita to know that he wasn’t disgusted with her, nor did he hate her.
Mita pondered the offer for a moment. “No thanks, but it’s a couple’s night and I have no date. I will see you at Haven Isle.” Mita said as she bowed her leave. Lance couldn’t say anymore after that because she was right. Ryan had another woman, one who soon would be carrying his legacy, and Lance wanted to spend time with Aka, so she can be used to him and his features. She walked away from him teary eyed and Lance couldn’t do anything about it. He promised in a whisper that he’d make this up to her, and at the far end of the hall, she stopped, hearing his whisper. She turned to him, smiled, and disappeared into her bedchamber. The moment Mita had gone, a door much closer to him opened and a servant stepped into the hall. The woman wasn’t surprised to see that the hall was vacant, no one should be about at this time of night.
Lance had retreated into a bed chamber closest to him, finding it to be Aka’s parent’s bed chamber. They shared a bed, both of them sound asleep. He crossed the room and put his hand to the window and once again, glass became more like liquid and he slipped through. He was on a different side of the mansion now, hanging from the window ceil, and crossed over about seven windows to reach one of Aka’s chamber. Lance knew it was the maiden’s room because Mita had left an imprint of lipstick on the window’s bottom left hand corner. He braced himself to maneuver his way into her room, but stopped when he noticed her sobbing. He had presumed her to be asleep but there she was, sitting with her knees tucked into her chest and sobbing. Seeing the fair woman like this put such a strain on his heart and he hadn’t the faintest idea of why he felt this way. Lance definitely admitted to have a strong liking for this princess, made sure that she knew of it, but so much has happened to the both of them that he sure that he was the cause of her current state. As he hung onto the window pane, he counted the luck he had that her room was located on the shadow casting side of the building, and being spotted by the guards was a low risk now. For a moment, he wanted to use the accessing spell slip into the room through the window, but what a start that would give her, and definitely wouldn’t be a smart way to win her over if he showed no interest in her privacy.
As to not to alarm the ground patrol of suspicious noises, he knocked on the window lightly, taking a deep breath as she looked up at him.