《Blood of the Heir》


 Something in the phantom town

    1


    Cedric escaped from under the collapsed building because he was a special boy.


    It was storming all day, trembling the earth. Cedric and his older brother Ronan, were riding in their rusty car. The old vehicle struggled against the bad storm, creaking along the lonely country road. The uneven bumps in the ground made the car jump and the occasional engine coughing kept the boys awake. Cedric felt like he was trespassing into another world hidden within the night and veiled by the heavy rain as the headlights cast long shadows ahead; the light cutting through the deep darkness.


    Pulling the blanket tighter around himself was the only warmth Cedric had known in years. He thought about the last time he had a hot meal alone with his brother, instead of eating old food on dirty floors with strangers who, like everyone else, had been fleeing the world war for years.


    A thin, sharp line of blood slowly flowed down Cedric''s forehead, weaving into his unruly black hair. He had a scar along his sharp jawline and another under his eerie gray eyes. A bit of mustache showed under his nose, though it wasn''t as much as he would''ve liked. He wiped the blood and looked at the stain on his hand. So deep and red, that one could almost think he had squashed a mosquito that had drunk too much of his blood. Cedric thought he was lucky to escape from under the wreckage today with only a scratch.


    The boy then looked down at his arms. What had once been white cloth was now tinged with yellow and torn in places, revealing protruding crimson veins. When he was little, he thought the veins inside his arms, running like rivers of blood, were the roots of a tree spreading within his body, lifting his skin, and making his blood pump so fast he sometimes felt a boiling sensation through his whole body. Therefore he was always cautious not to hurt himself, so he hid his arms all his life, wearing long sleeves and bandages.


    Cedric looked away from his arms in shame, remembering how he had been called a freak by the teenagers who picked on him just a few days ago. He hated the high school they fled today, hated the people, hated the lack of privacy. The only place he could hide to bandage his arms was in the bathrooms, but even there he didn''t feel safe. During war times teenagers were hosted in universities and high schools, where they were offered education. It was a rough place to be with so many teenagers, all sleeping there, eating there, learning there. Hallways filled with sleeping bags, classrooms too, some of the people knew each other, some were strangers and Cedric had the bad luck to share the high school where he''d been living for the past six years with a group of teenagers that were there for as long as Cedric and Ronan. They grew bored and mean, Cedric told himself many times, but the boy knew he was a freak for a reason and he was aware he couldn''t show his powers, but he wished many times to take revenge on the way he was treated.


    Staring darkly at the empty road ahead, the boy would tell himself that every day was just like the other, and all he wanted was to end the war. He could hear the planes and helicopters taking over the skies. Sometimes, the starry sky was shiny, filled with twinkling lights, red and green, shining through the dark clouds, carrying victims... ©¥ Cedric guessed.


    A few hours ago, he and his brother were hiding inside a school hosting over a hundred people. They were there for years and when the school collapsed, Cedric could only escape and help Ronan because he was special.


    Cedric was fortunate to have powers and move objects at will without even touching them. He moved massive pieces of debris that fell on him and his brother, but he couldn''t do anything for the others because he had to run. Cedric wouldn''t stop thinking about the people who died today; their bodies crashed, and he didn''t lift a finger because Ronan ordered him to run, run fast to the car!


    Cedric pressed his fingers to his temples, trying to soothe the throbbing headache, frowning at his brother, whose eyes were fixed on the road ahead. Ronan''s eyes were red and tired, his face covered in dirt and scars, his clothes stained with blood and hanging loosely on him from the weight he had lost in the past few months. He couldn''t eat well and Cedric saw his brother trying to save the limited food they had for the younger ones. Yet Cedric wished Ronan would''ve eaten, he had never seen his brother like this before¡ªnever seen him so tired and weary. Ronan looked older, perhaps because of the dark shadows under his eyes, hinting at countless sleepless nights; his hazelnut hair fell in soft waves over his forehead, and his beard, growing unchecked, made him appear older¡ªhe''d never have the energy to trim it.


    ''I can drive. You should sleep a bit,'' Cedric said.


    Ronan shook his head.


    ''Not old enough to drive,'' Ronan said in a whisper; his voice losing strength, and his mouth was dry.


    Cedric was fifteen, five years younger than his brother. He was no longer a child, and Ronan could barely stand upright.


    ''There is nobody on the road,'' Cedric tried again.


    ''It doesn''t matter.''


    ''I can drive. It''s been four hours, just let me¡­''


    ''No!'' Ronan interrupted him sharply, losing patience.


    ''You did the same back there,'' said Cedric. ''You couldn''t let me deal with them.''


    Ronan acted as if he didn''t hear anything. Cedric knew this was an occurring thing his brother would do to look superior and a know-it-all, yet he tried to understand that his older brother was left with an enormous responsibility in the world. Ronan had the role of a father; he was trying to be a protector, but this led to something Cedric hated.


    Authority.


    They used to be brothers, play together, and forget about the war together until Ronan was forced to change. Ronan spent nights and days away from Cedirc, training for the military with the other teenagers in hopes that he could protect his younger brother all his life.


    Rain pounded the car as the night shrouded the byway in darkness, creating the illusion that something was lurking in the bushes and overgrown trees beside them. But there was nothing there; they were completely alone.


    Cedric turned his exhausted eyes to his left, looking darkly at the wheel. The car abruptly turned and came to a screeching stop at the edge of the road. The sudden stop did not surprise Cedric, as he kept maintaining eye contact with the wheel while Ronan was trying to gain control of the vehicle. Cedric saw that Ronan had given up and put his hands in the air. The car almost hit the fence that was limiting the forest off the road.


    Nobody said a word for a few seconds. Cedric was cutting his brother with piercing gray eyes, looking straight at him. Cedric was always told that his eyes were ominous, and that is why nobody ever looked straight at him, but Ronan would have no problem doing so. The brothers were both throwing acute looks at each other as if they were enemies of ages.


    ''Why?'' Ronan said firmly, gripping the steering wheel tightly again. ''You need to calm down.''


    Cedric felt that Ronan would never listen to him unless Cedric made it clear that, even when he wasn''t the one driving, he was still in control¡ªnot Ronan. Cedric was merely trying to help his brother keep the promise he made before their father died a few years ago, trying to save Ronan from a burning building. Perhaps their father knew he would eventually die in this world torn by war and talked to Ronan before his death, but at least he died knowing his sons were alive and that his older son would be responsible. Ronan promised to be a father, but Cedric was no longer a child, and he had enough of running and taking orders. He wanted his brother back.


    ''I can bend their weapons and crash their tanks. I can do everything I think about! Yet you want to flee¡­'' said Cedric. ''I¡¯m in control!''


    ''And I will keep telling you the same thing over and over until you come back to reality, brother,'' Ronan said, defeated, his voice was telling Cedric today was not the day to repeat this. ''I wish I had the powers you have, maybe there is someone else in this world that can bend their weapons and crash their tanks like you say but now you are all alone, and you can''t do anything about this,'' Ronan said gloomily, and took a deep breath. The engine was cracking again, struggling to start. ''You will need an entire army and without one, I am not letting you do anything.''


    Ronan was right; Cedric was the only one. Even if he could control his powers, he would still be one against the entire world.


    2


    After one more hour of driving in the car, sunken in silence, they arrived at an abandoned town. Their old house was there, obscured by overgrown bushes and dead trees. Ronan parked in front of the rusty metal fence guarding the ghostly house. None of them could ever think that their childhood town would look like an ancient graveyard. The steady patter of rain, sometimes interrupted by the distant rumble of thunder, were the only sounds the two brothers could hear.


    Surrounding them were houses standing in ruins and covered in creeping ivy, muddy ground reflecting the night sky and only the headlights casting light on the long street. Cedric thought the street had no end in the darkness.


    The two-story house, covered in withered plants, had a wrap-around porch and three big red glass windows for the terrace, which were the focus of the building. The windows, unlike the others black and stained, were beautiful, making the place stand like a church, yet the sight of the old house made Cedric feel like he was looking upon a place where only the darkest things happened; it felt haunted by its horror past. Yet it was once the most beautiful place he ever had until the war started one hot summer night as he was helping his father prepare the cake for Ronan, who was just about to turn nine. Then he could only remember the distant sound of the explosion.


    Ronan was shining the flashlight at the house, making it look frightening and casting enormous shadows in the forgotten yard. They entered easily as the front door collapsed on the floor, filling the air with dust. The smell of mold was strong, and forced the brothers to breathe through their mouths, letting out cold puffs of air.


    The living room welcomed them. It had a fireplace and a beautiful archway leading to the terrace, where the red stained glass stood grandly even though the house was lifeless. It used to be their grandparents'' favorite place to have tea during the cozy Christmas nights when Cedric would sneak out of his room to look for presents. It was as if a monster had taken a bite out of the roof, leaving them only with the first floor. What a shame it was; the house''s three bedrooms, including their shared childhood room, were on the second floor and the stairs had collapsed and debris blocked them. They had a kitchen and a bathroom, a terrace, and a small pantry room. It wasn''t much, but at least they could start a fire.


    ''Help me with this,'' Ronan said.


    Ronan was trying to move a big bookshelf in front of a window in the living room, under which the couch used to be. They had to find a way to keep the rain out, as the glass was completely missing, leaving only the frame. The street was in front of them, so lonely and dark. They used to peek through the window at the houses decorated for Christmas in their childhood days when the world was gleaming and happy.


    ''Let me do it,'' said Cedric.


    Ronan didn''t hesitate at all. He stepped back and watched as Cedric raised his arm, commanding the bookshelf to move. Without touching it and with remarkable ease, the bookshelf glided slowly across the room, driven by Cedric''s powers right in front of the window.


    Soon the fire was cracking and struggling to heat the big room. They carried the blankets stored in the car and some water. Cedric was making the wood levitate around the room and throwing pieces inside the fire. Ronan was watching curiously.


    Night fell deeply over the forgotten town, pressing it with a heavy silence. Thunder shook the earth with fury. Neither could sleep; they had no food, and the cold inside was biting.


    They had their heads towards the fireplace, far enough so their hair wouldn''t catch fire but close enough to warm their faces.


    ''How long are we going to stay here? This place stinks,'' said Cedric gloomily.


    ''You don''t like the old house?'' asked Ronan jokingly.


    ''I want to fight,'' said Cedric firmly. ''I am sick of running and living like this. It''s been years, Ronan.''


    Ronan couldn''t answer. They both jumped when a high scream was racing the sound of thunder. Cedric hurried and pointed his hand toward the bookshelf, blocking the window, making it levitate away from the view. They were trying to spot what was going on outside.


    Someone was running chaotically, lost, falling into the mud, and crawling away in fear ©¥ a woman. They could barely see anything; there were no street lights, but she was close, right in front of their house. Perhaps she saw the smoke and ran towards the only place where she knew she could find a soul. Ronan hurried outside to help the woman, and Cedric followed in a heartbeat.


    The brothers brought her inside, letting her lay on the blanket close to the fire. The woman was offered every blanket they had as she was pregnant; she needed the warmth desperately. Only her milky face was visible inside the cocoon of blankets she crawled into.


    She was feeble, weak, and tired, about the same age as Ronan. Her face was full of scars from falling, but otherwise beautiful like a princess from a fairytale. Long golden hair touched her ankles, youthful big green eyes filled with tears, and full pink lips reminded Cedric of flower petals. She was a beauty and both boys could agree with their looks, especially Ronan, who wouldn''t stop admiring her as he sat down next to Cedric.


    Cedric was looking at her too, but not with the same soft gaze his brother had. Cedric was thinking about her strange appearance. The woman looked like a character who had come to life from a story. Perhaps a princess or a queen, imprisoned and isolated for a long time. Her eyes reflected fear and confusion, but she had no other way to escape the cold than to accept the help of strangers. She was probably wandering lost for a long time. Underneath the blankets she was dressed in a rag dress, handmade, reminding Cedric of a potato sack, yet her hair was so shiny making him wish to pass his fingers through it and feel something nice for once. Looking at Ronan, he guessed his brother thought the same.


    ''Are you feeling better?'' Ronan asked.


    The girl nodded, trying to gain control of her body. She was shaking.


    ''It''s alright, take your time,'' Ronan said gently. ''We don''t have any more blankets. You will get warm soon.''


    Cedric never heard his brother talk that way, mesmerized by the beautiful girl.


    ''What happened?'' Cedric asked the important question.


    ''There was something after me outside,'' she said, whispering darkly.


    ''Someone?'' Cedric corrected her. ''Who?''


    ''Something,'' she followed quickly. ''Something!'' she said louder, thinking they couldn''t understand her crooked voice.


    ''We didn''t see anything,'' said Ronan, and Cedric agreed. ''Nor hear anything other than you,'' added Ronan. ''What is out there?'' he asked as he saw the girl confused and frightened.


    ''A monster,'' she whispered as if the monster could''ve heard her.


    The brothers were trying to comprehend her words. She must''ve hit her head, Cedric thought, or something worse happened to her in the war, which seemed to take a mental toll on people. Cedric arched his eyebrows and looked at Ronan, whose expression was warm, trying to let the girl know that he understood her story even if it was hard to believe.


    ''Perhaps the military is here,'' guessed Cedric.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ''Military?'' the girl asked, confused. ''I know nothing about this.''


    ''The war?'' Cedric asked, his eyes big as he never thought on this planet could be someone who didn''t know about the soldiers stomping every bit of land and spreading blood and flesh on the streets. ''Were you here for a long time?'' asked Cedric.


    ''I don''t know, I can''t remember,'' she said touching her head which was hurting thinking about any memory. ''There is a monster outside.''


    ''What about the father of the child?'' asked Cedric. ''Where is he?''


    ''I don''t know,'' the girl intervened. ''It will come after me again,'' she said, frightened by her own words.


    The night was long. Cedric couldn''t stop thinking about what the girl said. He was alone on the terrace looking out the red window, but nothing outside made sense. It was so dark, that no shape was in his sight.


    He could hear his brother and the girl talk. Ronan was trying to figure out where she came from, and he was listing some places nearby and none of them were familiar to her. Neither the names of the shop vendors that used to own the places around made any sense to her. Ronan came close to Cedric, and they both looked confused at each other.


    ''She went through a lot,'' said Ronan. ''She knows nothing. She doesn''t even know when she got pregnant.''


    Cedric peeked over his shoulder at the girl, who was looking into the fire.


    ''What about the monster?'' asked Cedric.


    ''What about it? Do you believe it?''


    ''I think there are soldiers around. Deserters perhaps.''


    The deep breath Ronan took was enough to fill the air with cold clouds of mist, looking like little ghosts.


    ''Don''t you think that is weird?'' Cedric asked and came closer to his brother. His whispers were ghostly. ''We didn''t hear anything, and we drove through the town. She just appeared, and she is talking about a monster.''


    ''We can''t leave her outside,'' Ronan said, thinking that his brother was right about the sudden appearance of the girl.


    ''Yes, I know. I was thinking we may not be safe here and we should leave soon. If she called people monsters, she had a reason to do so; she is frightened, Ronan.''


    ''I know, I know¡­'' Ronan said, tired. ''I will think of something, but don''t worry, I wasn''t planning on staying here forever.''


    ''Where do we go then?''


    ''Let me think. I will figure something out. Before this we had another problem, we have no food and the girl is pregnant. I thought there might be some food left in the nearby shops.''


    ''I am going,'' said Cedric confidently. ''Pete''s is close to us.''


    ''You stay here with the girl. I am going. If there is someone out there¡­''


    ''If there is someone out there, I have powers,'' Cedric said, spreading his arms. ''Or I am coming with you.''


    ''You can''t leave her alone and we can''t take her with us outside in that cold. You stay here and I will go check.''


    It wouldn''t help to fight Ronan against his command. Cedric learned this lesson after years of listening to Ronan, who took the authoritarian behavior from their father.


    ''I am so sick of everything.'' Cedric started, his voice lowered in a threatening tone. ''I can''t stop thinking about the people that you just wouldn''t let me save, and now you want me to stay here with a stranger while you go out there alone.''


    ''I want you to be safe until you realize you are my little brother¡­''


    ''If you die¡­'' said Cedric.


    ''There is no monster, no people, no nothing. She is hurt, lost in her thoughts. Realize that you are my little brother, I won''t ever, ever put you in danger while I am alive. This discussion is over, brother. I will try to get some sleep.'' Ronan finished angrily and sat down next to the woman who fell asleep, leaving Cedric alone in front of the red windows.


    3


    The thick mist was covering the town, making it feel like a phantasmal painting. The frosty morning air made Cedric''s bones freeze as he was standing on the dirty floor watching the woman wake up covered in all the blankets they had. The boys stood all night close to each other in their attempt to share body warmth, while the mouth of the fireplace would spit heat at them. Cedric moved his eyes from the girl to Ronan, who entered the house with one bottle of water and handed it to the woman.


    ''Drink slowly,'' he said softly while the woman almost choked on the water as she woke up from a slumber of ages, thirsty.


    She looked Ronan deep in the eyes as he was holding the bottle from her. She had no clue how to drink from it.


    ''I need to go outside for a bit,'' started Ronan with a carrying voice. ''If I can find something¡­''


    ''Don''t go outside!'' said the woman, choking. ''Stay here, it has to be still around!'' she grabbed her belly, and due to a sudden pain she fronded. ''I am alright.''


    ''What is your name?'' asked Cedric.


    Cedric sounded cold and Ronan and the woman could tell. While Ronan was throwing disappointed looks at his brother, reading that he should mind his tone, the woman was frightened.


    ''I don''t know¡­'' she said shyly.


    ''Did you see the monster?'' asked Cedric.


    The woman shook her head.


    ''Did you hear it?'' Cedric tried again.


    ''Yes, I heard it,'' her voice was high pitched like a kitten''s cry. ''It was moaning. I think it was hurt or weak, or¡­ I am not sure. It talked to me, calling me¡­'' she said darkly.


    ''Calling you? How?'' Cedric kept going despite his brother''s concerned looks.


    Ronan could see that Cedric was more interested in hearing more about the monster than about the woman who was nearly keeping up with her crooked voice, speaking as if the monster itself could hear her at any time. She went through horrors.


    ''I don''t remember! He was calling me, but it can''t be. He was saying he! Him! He¡­''


    ''Who''s he?'' wondered Cedric.


    ''I don''t know. There was nobody else with me. I swear!'' she said, agitated.


    ''Easy,'' said Ronan as the woman grabbed her belly once more, holding herself from throwing up.


    Cedric had a puzzled gaze.


    ''I need to go look for some food,'' said Ronan, waiting for the woman to calm down, but neither she nor Cedric heard him.


    ''There''s someone outside. It can¡¯t be a monster...'' Cedric said, his voice breaking.


    ''There is something! SOMETHING!'' the girl shouted.


    ''Silence!'' Ronan ordered louder than any. ''There is nothing outside. You are both safe. Listen to me, we can''t die of starvation here and you need to feed your baby!'' Ronan pointed to the girl''s belly, which she was hugging.


    ''I am coming with you!'' said Cedric, getting up fast.


    ''No! Don''t leave me alone!'' said the girl.


    ''Stay with her. I will be back shortly.'' Ronan ordered.


    Cedric''s eyes found his brother''s and once again Ronan wasn''t scared to look into the gray eyes that were staring him down intensely. Cedric couldn''t believe his brother was about to leave him all alone with a stranger. Their whole life was only Cedric and Ronan everywhere they would go.


    ''I am coming,'' said Cedric sharply.


    After a brief break, Ronan spoke wearily.


    ''Come with me to the car,'' Ronan said and then turned to the girl when he heard her gasp. ''We will be right back. I need to talk to my brother.''


    Cedric followed Ronan. If a sound could wake the dead up within the pure silence, it would''ve been the gates creaking when Cedric opened it. Ronan pointed towards the end of the street, which was splitting into a fork. The fog was thick as curdled milk.


    ''The shop''s there on the right,'' Ronan said.


    ''I know where Pete''s is,'' said Cedric. ''I am coming with you and we''re taking her with us.''


    ''We don''t have to bring a pregnant woman outside. It is too cold.'' Ronan took a while, staring his brother down, as Cedric wouldn''t move. ''Look, I am tired and I am starving, you are aware that we can''t die here like this. I promised dad I''ll take care of you and I intend to do so. Please stay with her inside,'' said Ronan. ''There is nothing out there. Do you hear anything? It''s quiet.''


    Cedric knew what his brother was doing. Showing the short distance to the shop was a way to convince him that there was no need for three people to go through the bone-freezing cold.


    Cedric entered the house, and the girl faced away from the fire and turned. Her shiny eyes watched Cedric slowly approach her and sat down after adding more logs to the fire.


    ''My brother will try to find some food,'' he said. ''Don''t expect something too fancy.''


    ''I don''t remember when was the last time I ate something,'' she said. ''But I am hungry.''


    ''Same. So you say you don''t remember anything, not even how you got here, in this town?''


    ''Nothing.'' she said.


    ''Any names then? Do you know anyone?''


    Cedric watched the girl getting lost in the flames. She was thinking and thinking, and¡­


    ''Ko¡­ Kovac,'' she said, unsure. ''I think it is the name for my baby.''


    ''How do you know your baby is a boy?''


    ''I don''t know, but Kovac sounds beautiful.''


    Half an hour passed, as Cedric was counting in his mind. He became pretty good at keeping count of the hours in his head after someone stole his handwatch a few years ago during a chaotic evacuation from a library where they used to sleep. He was walking in circles around the room and watched the girl fall asleep.


    But something wasn''t quite right with the woman. He stood still and gazed at her. Cedric was feeling as though he was drifting off to sleep and dreaming. The way she said the name: Kovac, it felt so personal, so familiar. Kovac was a good name for the baby, Cedric agreed to himself.


    The girl was sleeping with her belly uncovered and heated by the fire. The flames of the fire were shining on it, warming the baby inside of her who was moving. Cedric''s gaze was glued to the movements like a cat''s to a rat.


    The baby was moving a lot. The woman¡¯s skin was stretching as the movement of the baby was intensifying; the baby lifted its arms and Cedric took a few steps back as the hands poked through the skin. They were abnormally big, as if the baby was already a toddler. The woman¡¯s skin was a soft veil, behind which the baby was stretching. The child was big, and long, kicking its legs through the belly; almost ripping the skin off. What Cedric was witnessing wasn''t normal, it was like a bad dream or an omen. The baby was too grown inside of her body and she was too feeble to carry that¡­ How big was Kovac?


    ''Wake up!'' yelled Cedric and turned his back to her. ''Wake up!'' he repeated, afraid.


    The girl woke up confused and, judging by her calm voice when she asked what was happening, Cedric knew that the baby stopped moving.


    ''What happened?'' she repeated.


    Cedric looked at the girl. She was fine, but he couldn''t stop looking at her belly anymore.


    ''I need some air. I am right outside,'' he said and, after receiving a baffled nod from the girl, he left the house.


    Cedric waited for Ronan in front of the gate. He was ready to run whenever he would get the chance, as long as he could be away from the girl. Around him was misty gray, washed like his eyes. Cedric could not see anything, only the sky and the dark shadow clouds that were forming in the distance. After fifteen more minutes, Ronan''s car stopped in front of the house.


    ''What happened?'' asked Ronan, getting out in an instant. ''Why aren''t you inside, Cedric?''


    ''There is something wrong with this girl,'' Cedric said sinisterly.


    4


    An ill harrowing of agony was coming from far away and the noise stuttered the brothers. The scream echoed through the town; a sudden strong wind made the bell of the church toll. The boys had their eyes fixed on the sky when a monstrous harrow shook the dark clouds and the whole earth. The girl was running towards them as Cedric looked at the house. She was crying and the rag she was wearing fell down, revealing her shoulder.


    ''It''s coming! It''s here!'' she cried.


    Ronan grabbed her arm and held her, sinking her face into his chest, making her look away from the sky where there was nothing they could spot¡­ nothing¡­


    They''ve read stories before in fantasy books. Stories of massive dragons roaming the skies, such a beast, loomed larger than their house, perhaps even bigger than their house and the neighbors combined. It had six heads, five hanging limply, emitting a putrid stench around its body, while one was moving about chaotically as if it was a burden for its massive body to hold.


    It was about to faint. Ronan grabbed the girl and helped her fast on the back seat of the car and Cedric followed quickly, sitting next to Ronan, who was trying to start the car. Cedric thought his brother decided well, if they were to hide inside the house, the dragon would''ve landed on it and crashed it like nothing. Ronan''s hands were shaking like crazy, and his lips all dried out, while the girl was petrified, and wouldn''t take her eyes off the window, watching the dragon circle around.


    ''It''s not starting!'' said Ronan, trying in despair to start the car.


    ''Let''s leave! Leave!'' the girl yelled.


    Trying to balance in the air, the monster howled again, getting closer to them. Ronan turned the car, and they were zooming through the mist. Cedric looked at the enormous shadow above them, getting closer and closer.


    ''It will drop on us!'' said Cedric.


    Cedric didn''t expect a response. Every time his brother was focusing on something, he wouldn''t talk. Ronan was trying not to crash the car as they were passing through narrow streets hidden inside the fog. The dragon was hitting the trees with its wings, throwing them down like they were pieces of a huge domino.


    They gasped and yelled as a gigantic tree fell right in front of them, blocking the road. Ronan turned the car so fast and they stopped just before hitting a gate.


    ''Get out now!'' said Ronan.


    Cedric was stunned. He was following the dragon through the mirror and it was approaching fast.


    ''OUT!'' Ronan screamed, grabbing Cedric''s attention. Cedric glanced at his brother briefly and exited the car.


    They were sprinting towards a recreation center. Ronan was yelling into the basement! The building had a basement. They used to spend time there with other children after school before their father would pick them up. The recreation center was in ruins, but the basement could be intact. It would be a place where they had the most chances to survive if the dragon would drop on them, even if they would be stuck under debris, at least Cedric could move those but he was scared as the dragon was too much for him to even think about approaching.


    The dragon collapsed in the middle of the street, its breath felt by Cedric so close, so putrid as it was opening its mouth slightly to let the boy see his sharp teeth. The creature was so close to Cedric, making him unable to continue running.


    Ronan and the girl were standing still a few meters away from Cedric.


    Silence fell over the empty roads. Cedric was seeking Ronan''s help through his eyes, while Ronan gazed back, wanting to reach for his little brother, but moving will be the end of them. Ronan crunched his mouth, signaling the need for absolute stillness. The dragon was shaking the ground as it was slowly coming closer to Cedric.


    Cedric looked at Ronan, who silently yelled desperately with his glare to not move. Begging him.


    But Cedric felt like his movement wouldn''t save his life... they needed to run and hide. Cedric wanted to run and grab his brother and the girl. He wanted to run and get them inside the basement fast. If he stayed still, he would die¡­


    The dragon was approaching and gained more speed as Cedric ran for Ronan and grabbed his arm. Ronan didn''t have time to react, being shocked by the decision his little brother made.


    Ronan was not moving. He and the girl were standing like statues in shock and fear. Both their eyes were so wide open, that Cedric thought they were looking at a ghost.


    ''Come!'' Cedric yelled, but Ronan was not responding, only looking at him in horror.


    Cedric realized the look on his brother''s face was a grim one. The dragon¡¯s long skeletal hand seized Cedric and lifted him above the power lines in no time, and Cedric stared down at Ronan in terror. Both Ronan and the girl were frozen in shock.


    Nothing was moving but Cedric and the dragon, flying up above it all.


    The creature accelerated, flying aimlessly. Cedric refused to look below, paralyzed by the height as he closed his eyes. The dragon descended, aiming to crash and shatter the asphalt. Overwhelmed by nausea, Cedric was fast thinking about breaking the creature''s hand, bones, head, neck... wings... eyes.


    Cedric opened his eyes and stared at one of the dragon''s heads, the one standing up. Its small onyx eyes, shiny and empty, were looking back at Cedric.


    Dangerously close to crashing into the solid earth, Cedric focused intently on the creature''s eyes. Seeking strength, a sudden snap and a scream pierced the air. The creature''s eyes bloomed into an ocean of blood and flesh.


    Cedric closed his eyes once again.


    He thought a minute passed or two. He soon felt the grip loosening as he started to breathe more deeply with no pressure on his chest. The dragon¡¯s roar seemed distant as if submerged underwater¡­


    Cedric opened his eyes to darkness and water surrounding him. Cedric was falling through the dark ocean with remarkable speed. He turned his head to his left and saw the wounded dragon struggling to move to the sides and gain force, but the pressure of the water wouldn''t let it fly. The dragon was getting further and further away from Cedric, disappearing into pure darkness.


    Wide-eyed, Cedric realized he was no longer held captive. He was the witness of the water clearing to reveal a deepening blue. Descending through the ocean, he saw rooftops made of hay and moldy streets approaching rapidly; the wind brushing against his face. He used all the strength he had to turn back, risking falling on his back.


    Looking up he saw the endless ocean that replaced the sky he once knew, an immense water surface floating above the lands.

 Crows Bog

    5


    Cedric opened his eyes slowly to realize he was covered with a heavy blanket filled with hay, some strands bruised his skin and he felt a slight pain. The numbness of his limbs was vanishing, and he felt like moving again.


    He immediately removed the blanket and stood in bed, stunned. First, he checked his arms. The bandages had been removed; then he looked around, forgetting to breathe, and pushing his hand on the mattress to feel it. It was filled with hay.


    The small room was a barn, Cedric could swear, but it didn''t smell like a barn. It smelled like cinnamon and freshly baked dough. The bed was hugging the wall made of clay, to Cedric¡¯s left was a wooden table with one stool under it, and a big oven right in the middle of the room. Above him, he could see the wooden skeleton of the house. Some spiders were watching him from the cold corners. The sudden loud cracking of the fire burning inside the stone stove made him jump.


    Getting up proved to be a challenge for Cedric. His back was hurting and all the bruises and the room''s warmth melted his body. Someone was here not long ago, he figured, by the fresh bread on top of the oven and the fire being well kept. The thought made Cedric open his eyes wide, more aware of his surroundings. His arm clenched and ready to push anyone that would have jumped with a dagger at his neck from the shadows.


    Not even the window above the bed would let him peek to the outside. The glass was too foggy from the rain that was rumbling outside. A storm that Cedric never thought would end. Listening to the echoed sounds of the thunder made him remember one dream he had, probably more than once, as he could know. Cedric could always hear the rain, never stopping. A knight above the skies was fighting a beast as frightening as the one he saw. He was so brave, fighting it on a dark horse, but soon his pitch-black armor turned red, made of flesh, and the rain turned into blood. The beast was feasting in the skies on his corpse.


    Cedric took a few cautious steps towards the cookstove. There was a wooden bucket next to a chair where some clothes were nicely folded. They were pitch-black, as black as the armor of the knight in his dream. They were old and smelled as if they were kept in a chest for a long time. It was a fur-lined cloak, a pair of trousers made of leather, a tunic made of silk, and next to the chair there were some boots, under his knees, he guessed, laces going all the way up. The tunic had a crest embroidered in the middle of it; at last Cedric grabbed the cloak. The same crest was on its back. It was a lion with the head of a goat on its back. The head of the goat turned towards the lion''s tail, which was replaced by a snake and the crest was all red, big, noticeable from miles.


    The cloak fell on the floor as Cedric stood scared by a slight tap on the window. The face of a small boy was glued to the glass and smiled at Cedric, who was trying to inspect him closely, but the boy disappeared shortly.


    Cedric hurried outside in his ragged clothes, the cold and the rain were piercing his skin like needles. The ocean above him was bursting with thunder, and its depth and darkness sent a shiver down his spine.


    As fast as lightning Cedric took his eyes off quickly and looked down at the earth. The ground felt the same as always, and the air, too. He was on the same planet, yet the sky was unnatural. Cedric gathered the courage to look up again.


    The sound of massive waves whipped by the strong wind and the rain coming down like thousands of cascades made the hair on his skin rise. The ocean would not fall on him, it would stay afloat above the misty lands. It was such a heavy rain, like none he had ever seen before. Cedirc took a few steps to his left as he heard something running through the mud; splashing and giggling sounds.


    There was a dim light.


    It was a cabin, bigger than the one where Cedric slept. The mist was nearly making it visible, but the single candle lit inside a lamp and hung above a wooden door guided his steps. He slowly opened the door that almost collapsed on the floor. Inside was dark, the smell of fire and burning meat was strong.


    6


    The face Cedric saw at his window was there. The little boy of about six years old saw Cedric and smiled from behind a stack of baskets filled with mushrooms. Cedric heard the boy whisper: told you he woke up. The woman stopped as she was about to add another log into the cooker and looked at Cedric. She had long black hair, running her fingers through it like water. Her skin was pale and her eyes of a deep blue, almost as eerie as the depth of the ocean above the lands. The woman was skinny and had a motherly gaze; Cedric thought she was trying to take good care of herself and make the place in ruins more welcome. His cabin was clean, even if it looked like a chicken coop.


    Cedric opened his mouth, yet no words came out. Looking around him, the kitchen was old, stacked with shelves on the walls, filled with jars with jam or pickles. The walls were painted beautifully; a wavy, dark stormy ocean was depicted carefully, almost sacred. Hay on the floor, covering the dirt beneath. Some chickens were walking about and two goats were sleeping next to a wooden table.


    ''Where am I?'' asked Cedric for himself, but the girl heard him.


    She threw the wood piece into the fire, grabbed her dirty dress, and wiped her hands on her apron.


    ''How are you feeling?'' she asked, taking a few steps towards Cedric, whose heart skipped a beat when he heard the girl speak in a language he understood.


    He had no answer to her question.


    ''Are you hungry?'' the girl asked further, unsure of what Cedric was doing standing like a statue in front of her. ''You didn''t have food in three days, nor water. Come, take a seat here¡­''


    ''No... what? Three days?'' Cedric shuddered.


    Three days was too much. His heart skipped a beat, thinking he was away from Ronan for three days, three days in which his brother must''ve been dead worried looking for him, and three days in which the dragon that attacked him could''ve regained strength and it would come again. He left out a grimace, thinking that he survived.


    ''Yes, three days. I took care of your room and kept it warm. You would sometimes yell in your dreams, and I was there, but I couldn''t wake you up,'' she whispered.


    ''Where am I? Was there anybody else with me?'' he asked hoping Ronan was around too but the girl was confused.


    Cedric looked over the shoulder through the window. He couldn''t see anything, the storm was fierce. The sound of rain suddenly became more intense as he regained focus on his surroundings; the sound of thunder was more horrifying. ''What is wrong with the sky? What is this place?'' Cedric turned back to the girl.


    ''Are you sure you are alright?'' she asked. ''You may need more rest, I suppose.''


    ''No, no¡­'' he shook his head. ''Listen, I don''t know where I am, I know how I got here and, trust me, you would not like how that sounds, but please, I need to get back to my brother. It has been three days, and he has no clue about me.''


    ''And where is your brother?'' she asked.


    ''I don''t know. Tell me where I am.''


    ''Crow''s Bog,'' she said softly. ''Some call it the Orphan''s Bed. We are about three days away from the Lord''s palace,'' she said, trying to give Cedric more indications.


    ''What?''


    The panic settled in again. Either the girl didn''t know what she was talking about, or he was dead and this was a ghostly dream.


    ''How do you not know of it?'' said the boy, coming into the discussion. The boy was very skinny, almost like a skeleton. His clothes were standing like rags on a piece of wood. ''You hit your head, lost your thoughts? Do you not know of the Lord''s palace?''


    Cedric didn''t lose his memory; he remembered about Ronan, he remembered about the pregnant woman they met, and he remembered the blood coming from the dragon¡¯s eyes and the sanguine meat, leaving the creature to see darkness forever.


    ''This one is curious,'' said the boy, and the girl agreed. ''You nursed a mad one.''


    ''Don''t speak like this,'' the girl said in a motherly tone. ''Prepare the table for him.''


    ''I don''t need to eat. Help me somehow.'' Cedric said coldly, raising his voice at the girl. He realized he scared her for a moment, and he whispered an apology.


    ''You seem scared. You should try to calm down for a while. Let your body rest, let''s talk.''


    7


    Cedric sat with them at the wooden table. He was trying to regain control of his breath and the rapid beatings of his heart as he was waiting for the food to be spread on the table. Cedric couldn''t even look at the girl or the boy, so he would stare into the window where nothing could be seen. He would listen to the sound of the rain that had never stopped since he woke up. The horror of knowing he had been asleep for three days overwhelmed him and something inside was fighting against him being dead and him being alive. He was breathing, he was walking, he was talking, he smelled around him. He tried to convince him he was not a corpse somewhere deep inside the earth.


    The table soon filled with food. They had some sausages, and fish cooked in flour and coated in cornmeal with a crunchy crust around it, making Cedric''s mouth wet. Some freshly baked bread, goat cheese, some baked potatoes, and chicken breast, along with a blueberry tart for dessert were served. The meal was steaming hot, and the fire was crackling loudly, warming up the hut. The little boy began to eat like a starving dog who was offered food from a friendly hand for the first time.


    ''I am sure you are not a bad person. I nursed you,'' she said, cleaning a bit of mud off the boy''s cheek with some of her saliva. ''I am begging now that I nursed a good person,'' she said, turning to Cedric, and looking right into his eyes but the moment she met his smokey look she turned away warily.


    Cedric understood in shame that he yelled at the girl for no reason. It wasn''t her fault he was here.


    ''I didn''t mean to, I don''t even know what to say¡­'' Cedric said.


    He paused a while, and the room was left in silence, the girl and the boy waiting for Cedric to speak. ''Am I alive right now?''


    ''Your nose was bleeding,'' she said. ''If you bleed, you are alive.''


    ''I have been sleeping for three days¡­'' Cedric couldn''t believe it.


    ''How did you fall through the roof?'' asked the girl, curious, while side-hugging the little boy, who was sucking the meat off a chicken bone and seemed interested in what Cedric had to say.


    Cedric wasn''t sure if he should mention the dragon. He scared them already, he would scare them even more.


    ''Do you think there is someone who can help me find my way back?'' he asked, avoiding the question.


    ''You don''t want to talk about what happened?'' she said and Cedric could sense dissatisfaction in her voice, as she was eager to hear more.


    ''I don''t want to scare either of you,'' he said grimly.


    ''You are a stranger, this is enough reason to be scared of you but you don''t seem to want to harm us. Did your brother leave you alone here?'' she guessed.


    ''No, I need to find him. I was with him and then a¡­'' Cedric''s voice was breaking as he recalled the grotesque face of the dragon when Cedric was so closely held in a tight grip, a sensation he would never forget. ''A dragon got me. I fell through the earth and an ocean appeared. A few moments later, I was looking up to it. It is not crashing us, it is floating above...''


    ''What about the dragon?'' jumped the little boy.


    Cedric sensed the girl thought he was absurd. She didn''t say anything, being merely pleased that the little boy slowed down on eating just to listen to Cedric''s fairytale.


    ''Have you seen your clothes?'' the girl asked, turning away from the subject.


    ''Yes, but what about the dragon? Do you know anything about this? Have you seen anything?'' asked Cedric.


    ''No, nothing. It was quiet while you were asleep. But I did let the Lord know of your arrival and he is the one who sent this food and the clothes. You should wear them, they will keep you warm.''


    ''You don''t believe me?'' Cedric couldn''t care less about the clothes.


    ''I am not sure but we saw nothing for three days.''


    Cedric didn''t revolt. He was tired and wasn''t in the mood to prove anything.


    ''Do you think there is someone that can help me get back to my brother? Someone I can talk to about what happened?''


    The girl nodded.


    ''The Black Sir, they just left yesterday. They were sent by the Lord after the cat he received from me and I received the order to nurse you until the convoy arrives.''


    ''A convoy?''


    ''Yes, it was too risky to take you on horseback. I couldn''t wake you up, it was as if you were dead but you were breathing,'' the girl added rapidly, as Cedric was about to wonder why nobody woke him up.


    ''What''s the Black Sir?'' asked Cedric.


    ''They are good people, knights that will take care of you until you arrive at the Lord''s palace.''


    ''He will help me, I suppose,'' Cedric said, resting his back on the uncomfortable chair and gazing upon the table, starving for something to eat.


    ''Perhaps.'' She said cutting the blueberry tart for the little boy who kissed her cheek for one bite. ''You will have to tell them your story.''


    ''Isn''t there another way to let them know that I want to talk to the Lord now?''


    ''You have to wait. If you leave on your own, you will not be the only one, but I haven''t heard from anyone back and it has been years.''


    ''You have nursed many people before?''


    ''Yes, by choice, in your case, the first two nights were my choice, and the third one became an order. So please, have patience.''


    Cedric couldn''t think about anything but Ronan. His mind was fogged by the thought that it had been three days in which he was all unconscious. What if Cedric woke up on his deathbed? It couldn''t be.


    ''It was quiet,'' Cedric repeated to make sure.


    When the girl approved once more with a soft nod, fear settled inside Cedric. He wondered where the dragon could be, knowing it couldn¡¯t simply vanish into thin air, not even in his happiest dreams.


    ''I don''t think we are safe here,'' said Cedric, leaning forward and slightly moving the table and the candles on it flickered, making the phantom shadows dance sinisterly in the room. ''Is there a place we can hide until the Black Sire arrives?''


    ''There is nothing but the crows in our swamp,'' said the girl. ''It was always like this: if you don''t bother the forest, the forest won''t bother you back. Do you remember where you come from?''


    ''You would not believe me when I told you about the dragon, would you believe that the place I come from has a sky above my head and a war of the world, which lasted years and it keeps going?''


    ''No, I wouldn''t, but a battle sounds alluring. Perhaps I will paint such an image, a beautiful painting to ship to the Lord¡¯s palace.''Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ''There is nothing beautiful about war,'' said Cedric darkly.


    ''Why not stay here then? There was never a battle and it will never be.''


    ''My brother is there and I won''t leave him alone. I have been with him since I was a child.''


    ''Is he all alone?''


    ''No, that''s the worst part. Whoever is with him is not normal.''


    ''I hope the Lord can help you find your home. Just tell him everything and he will understand.''


    ''He sent me the clothes, you say? Did he do this with everyone you ever nursed?''


    ''No, never. I just told him I saw you fall through the roof as soon as the mist let me see your body. I couldn''t tell if you were thrown from far away or fell from the Waters Above, but the Lord seemed interested.''


    ''Is there someone else that rules besides the Lord?'' asked Cedric.


    The room flooded with silence. The boy lost the light in his eyes, and the girl''s lower lip was shaking. Nobody said a word until Cedric repeated the question, his voice breaking.


    ''Yes, his father, the Crown, we call him. He is far away in the north and rarely visits the south. We don''t know much about him.''


    ''He feeds the gods human flesh,'' said the boy in a grim voice.


    ''Don''t say this! This is but a story.'' gasps the girl as if the Crown could hear her.


    ''Fin told me!'' the boy cried.


    ''Is this why you let the Lord know before his father?'' wondered Cedric, ignoring the child.


    ''The Lord will know what to do better before letting his father know that you, a stranger, set foot on his lands.''


    Cedric understood very well. The Crown didn''t seem fond of strangers.


    ''You will be safe,'' added Celia, seeing Cedric''s face. ''The Lord is the only one knowing about you and he is a good person.''


    ''How do you know?'' wondered Cedric.


    ''He helped me when I found shelter at his palace, I was just a little girl. He let me go with supplies and clothes and a convoy, him himself coming with me along. So I have been here since then.''


    ''With your child?''


    ''Yes, that is why we left. Luther wasn''t safe there even if we were under the wing of the Lord.''


    ''The Crown would''ve killed me!'' the little boy added, and Cedric immediately opened his eyes wide.


    ''Why?'' asked Cedric.


    ''Luther, I wouldn''t let him do such a thing,'' said the girl.


    ''He would''ve killed me,'' the little boy repeated sadly. ''Nobody wanted me.''


    ''I want you,'' the girl said and hugged Luther.


    Cedric didn''t ask any questions even if he was dead curious as to why would the Crown want a little boy dead.


    ''What if something would''ve happened to you here? The Lord left you all alone,'' said Cedric.


    ''He can''t take care of everybody. I learned to protect myself.''


    The words were grim. Cedric could feel it, and he wasn''t happy about it. He thought the girl had been through a lot and he would rather not make her remember about it.


    ''Eat something,'' she said, but Cedric wouldn''t touch the food.


    8


    Cedric had his sheets changed by the girl after the meal. He was standing next to the fire, looking deep into it. The small chamber was sunken in smoke as the chimney was blocked out by something. It smelled strongly of burnt wood and candles.


    ''I never asked your name,'' said Cedric.


    ''Celia,'' she said while gathering the dirty sheets off the ground.


    ''I am Cedric,'' he followed. ''What was that about Luther? Why would the Crown want him dead?''


    Celia lost the glimpse in her eyes the moment Cedric asked such a question. She took a few moments to think. Cedric thought he wasn''t worthy of an answer, but then Celia opened her rosy lips.


    ''Are you sure you are not from around here?''


    ''I swear.''


    ''Hm, I believe you. I am not sure how much I believe the dragon story, but you do seem to not be from around. The Lord seemed very interested in you as well.'' She said, looking at the clothes the Lord sent. ''The Crown loves the gods, respects them. Well, everybody does, me included, but I was once mushroom-picking near the palace as I was helping some knights in the kitchen. I found Luther when he was a baby, abandoned in the swamps nearby.'' She put the dirty sheets on the tiny stool next to the table and took a few steps closer to Cedric. ''I took him.'' She said, her eyes were starting to tear. ''So the Lord found out and he sent us here before the Crown''s arrival at the palace.''


    ''Because the Crown would''ve killed Luther?''


    ''Yes. If only he saw him, he would''ve sent Luther back into the woods.''


    ''But why would he do that?''


    ''Luther was a gift for the gods. I took him, therefore I dishonored them and the punishment for not respecting the gods is a cursed life if you get to live it, if not execution at the word of the Crown, the protector of all the gods. The Lord was kind to us and he stood against his father with such a secret, I will never forget what he did for me and Luther.''


    ''What do you mean he was a sacrifice?'' Cedric said.


    ''You are indeed clueless,'' she said, fascinated by Cedric''s lack of knowledge. ''Do you want to take a walk outside while the smoke goes out? I can tell you more,'' she asked and Cedric nodded, agreeing. ''You should wear this.''


    Celia took the cloak off the chair in her soft skeletal hands and handed it to Cedric.


    ''Do you have something too?'' he asked, gripping the cloak. Celia was wearing a ragged dress and an apron. The dress was so thin he could almost see through it if it wasn''t for her apron. ''You wear this,'' said Cedric.


    ''Is yours, I can''t.''


    ''Come here.''


    He gently covered Celia with the cape, gliding his hands along her shoulders. The girl grabbed the cloak and lifted it since it was too long for her. She smiled at him and the smile was so warm and true, Cedric thought she hadn''t had someone be nice to her in years, maybe since she was little, and left the Lord''s palace.


    They both went outside under the strong rain. The ocean above was still giving Cedric goosebumps, almost feeling like it could fall on them at any time. Celia took him to the kitchen. They entered, being welcomed by a warmth so strong it melted Cedric''s bones. Celia checked on Luther who was sleeping on the floor on an old bear pelt next to the oven. The boy soundly asleep like an angel, deeply in the world of dreams.


    Soon Cedric would feel the heat of Celia''s hand grabbing his as they walked along the village that was slowly flooded in darkness when the night fell slowly. Cedric wondered where the sun and moon could be. Maybe both of them fit inside the never-ending ocean, so big it could eat the planets.


    Celia took him to the edge of the cliff. Cedric could look down at a dark and deep forest, sunken in water that covered the trees letting only their crowns above. Way ahead was a hill, standing grandly above the massive flood. A lonely dead tree was resting its long branches on top of the hill, as a crown of black spikes on the head of a king. Celia put her lantern next to the big stump covered in soft moss and Cedric sat next to her, both looking over the forests under them as if they were the owners of the lands. Celia rested her head on Cedric''s shoulder and he let a soft smile out. Cedric never in his life felt the touch of a girl. She grabbed the cloak and covered both under it, protecting them from the rain.


    ''It will get very dark soon,'' Cedric said, looking at the forest. The dead trees looked like the legs of gigantic black spiders spreading over the lands.


    The darkness settled in.


    ''I found Luther in a forest like that,'' she embraced the warmth of the cloak. ''He was sleeping soundly on a bed of leaves. He only woke up when I brought him to the palace.'' she turned her face to Cedric, and he looked into her blue eyes. ''I let him suck at a goat until I could feed him soft foods.''


    ''You said he was a gift?''


    ''In those woods you see, and many more around the land, there are the gods. Is their home and mad to be to wonder there,'' said the girl. ''Men and women would let their children that were born weird to be the gods¡¯ supper in the woods.''


    ''How was Luther born?'' asked Cedric, not taking his eyes off the forest.


    ''With a tail. I suppose his parents thought of him as something evil. The only way to cleanse evil is by the gods'' fangs.''


    Cedric creeped out when he heard. He could only imagine what those gods looked like, thirsty for sacrifice of human flesh. All the horrors that must be lurking within the shadows and all the children... their blood on the trees and leaves, and the smell of death the woods must have. Cedric was terrified.


    ''Are you scared?'' Celia asked.


    Cedric didn''t reply.


    He was scared and overwhelmed. Never thought a world like this could exist. Only looking down at the never-ending forest, all under the massive dark ocean, made him uneasy.


    ''I have to go back home. There has to be a way,'' he said to himself, ignoring Celia.


    The girl kept looking at him and leaned out for a kiss on his cheek. Before she could kiss Cedric, they were both startled by an atrocious sound coming from the desolate hill. A howl Cedric heard before. It was rumbling the ground, disturbing the Waters Above , and making the crows fly from their nests hidden inside the treetops. Cedric and Celia looked at a faraway hill. There was something there, waking up from a long slumber. Cedric knew what it was. It was coming towards them.


    ''Is there a basement where we can hide?'' He asked Celia, but she was so distracted by the profound whine she didn''t hear him. Cedric had to repeat.


    ''A cellar, yes¡­'' Celia said dazed.


    From the mist and wind howling, the tree''s leaves were thrown away. Huge wings, bigger to cover two villages, six heads, only one up and alive, bloody beast revealing itself. Flying above the lands towards the settlement; Cedric grabbed Celia''s hand and hurried inside the kitchen, closing the door tightly shut. He was all sweaty and scared.


    ''We have to hide!'' Cedric said.


    ''Where''s Luther?'' Celia asked.


    ''What?'' Cedric said scared, hearing the creature closer and closer.


    Celia was searching desperately around, and she couldn''t find the boy. Cedric looked too, but Luther was nowhere to be seen.


    ''Come!'' Cedric said as a huge earthquake shook the building. The dragon landed in the middle of the village. He grabbed Celia and forced her down into the cellar. He followed quickly. ''Stop it!'' he ordered her as she was trying to push him away from blocking the ladder.


    ''GET LUTHER!'' she yelled.


    The girl was kicking around and crying, yelling at him to let her go. Cedric looked haunted and couldn''t move his eyes. They were stuck wide open, and he was trying to listen to the beast''s steps. He couldn''t decide what to do, and the noise was too much. Celia was screaming, so he covered her mouth, keeping his hand glued to her lips. Cedric felt her trying to bite him, but that wouldn''t loosen the grip.


    He was staring into her eyes, soaked in tears and anger. He couldn''t die... He had to get back to Ronan.


    And so his hand wouldn''t stop covering her mouth, as her tears were flowing down on Cedric''s cold skin and her sobbing was a cruel soft sound for Cedric to hear. He felt like a torturer.


    Almost an hour had passed by Cedric''s guess. For a good while there was no sound coming from outside. The moment they stepped outside the cellar, the creature was gone. Celia hurried to look for Luther, Cedric, right after her, looking around he couldn''t accept the dragon was truly gone. Celia was screaming after the little boy, yelling his name. No trace of him. Nobody responded, but the wind howled back.


    The rain was pouring slower, allowing them to see through the veil of darkness cleared around them by the lights of small candles trapped inside the iron lamps both Cedric and Celia were carrying. Celia didn''t say a word to Cedric, and Cedric didn''t even question why. He was telling himself that they could all die back there if not for the cellar and Cedric''s quick judgment.


    He couldn''t afford to die.


    They looked for a good while around. The few buildings that were left in the village, abandoned and crooked, crashed under the weight of the monster. Wreckage buried under the muddy ground, reminding Cedric of the bombing of the day he left the school with his brother¡­


    Celia yelled and screamed. She was mourning the torso of the child. Cedric backed away, almost fainting. He couldn''t look at the small body, Luther''s legs nowhere to be seen. The girl was screaming in pain and sobbing, beating her lower lip until it bled, hugging Luther''s torso. The dragon stepped on him, cutting him in half like it was a twig under its weight. Cedric couldn''t look, his lips plucked, he couldn''t speak, he wouldn''t. He was not allowed.


    9


    Cedric was staying in the house, staring at the clothes he was wearing while kneeling, trying to start a fire. Lost in his thoughts, he didn''t want to talk to Celia. She wouldn''t want to see him. He spent his time alone with a bit of bread and a sausage he prepared himself on the stove, ate alone, and barely finished it. He wanted to leave, but there was no place for him outside. He was so uncertain about the world around him and scared of the unknown. All he wanted was to live. He was all isolated and too gutless to go and see if Celia was still in the village or if she left. He was too cowardly to face the world. He was here without his consent.


    Cedric fell on a stool in front of the fireplace and looked into the flames. He needed a break. The war back there made him grow tired; what happened today made him grow fearful. It was all dark, the fire was casting shadows on the dirt floor.


    It was freezing and the fire couldn''t resist it. Cedric was walking in circles, and he couldn''t find his peace. In his head, the steps of the dragon were still echoing as well as Celia''s cries for mercy, but that look in her eyes he would never forget.


    It''s been a while since he locked himself in. He threw up everything he ate in the bucket and the fire ran out. He didn''t have any wood to add to. He rushed and glanced through the window. There was nothing he could spot outside.


    It was dark. Cedric opened the door and stepped in front of the house. Left and right, it was quiet. There was a faint glow he could spot from the kitchen hut.


    He opened the door and saw Celia in front of the fire sobbing while adding logs. Next to her was firewood in a crate. He took a deep breath and stepped in, thinking he could gather some.


    He gasped and stopped as a log came flying towards him. He stopped it mid-air and the piece of wood was touching his nose before the log fell on the ground at Cedric''s feet. Celia grabbed an ax and jumped at Cedric, but he stepped away, throwing her against the wall without even thinking, without even touching her. Whenever he would make anything levitate was so easy, and Celia was no different from an object, she felt like a feather. Celia looked at him in pain.


    ''GET OUT OF HERE!'' she yelled with all the strength she had left. ''GET OUT!'' she threw the ax at Cedric in anger, and he stopped it mid-air.


    Cedric ran outside without even grabbing any wood. He hurried inside the cabin and locked the door, moving the table in front of it.


    ''I couldn''t die,'' he said, trying to hold back his tears and panic. He realized he let Luther die and drove Celia insane. ''I have to leave. Stay alive!'' he said.


    Back to his isolation, he spent all night and the next day, too. Cedric didn''t eat; didn''t go outside; didn''t sleep.


    10


    Cedric curled up next to the stove. Dead ash gathered ghostly remains of fire, and the bricks were cold. Cedric took every sheet from the bed and everything he could to embrace himself with. Weakness and a deadly cold took over his body, yet he couldn''t die; he had to see his brother again.


    Outside horses galloping covered the everlasting sound of rain. Cedric raised his eyes with a sparkle of hope within them but trying to stand up was nearly impossible with his numb legs and body ice-cold. Everything around him halted when he heard knocking at his door, and then again, and then¡­


    One tall man, wearing dark armor and a red cloak wrapped around his shoulders, broke the door like it was nothing. His face was hidden behind a dark silver mask with the face of a lion with goat''s horns and a snake''s head in the middle, ferociously watching its victims and showing its sharp fangs. The stranger seemed like a devil, behind him the thundering storm fuming. The knight, one of the Black Sirs, took a few steps towards Cedric and Cedric took a few back. The knight invited him to go outside, pointing towards the door elegantly. Showing some respect to the stranger that was Cedric.


    Soon Cedric found himself outside, cocooned in a blanket and shaking like a wet dog, waiting in front of the old house. A long dark wood carriage, covered with a large black flag (it had the sigil of a lion with the head of a goat on its back and a snake tail at the end) was protecting the wood from the pelting rain, it grabbed Cedric''s attention as well as the two dark horses both covered in the same flag.


    In a few moments Cedric saw Celia step out of the kitchen, Celia was burning with anger, watching him like a rabid dog, prepared to jump at his neck. Something broke inside Cedric when he noticed the rough state in which the girl was. She probably had no rest just like him, the dark circles underneath her eyes were as deep as the ocean, obscuring her beautiful gaze. Cedric followed her in silence only moving his eyes, the only ones that were not frozen. All he knew was that he couldn''t die, but he didn''t know what to say to her, how to explain his need to go back alive to Ronan, and his feeling that everything was but a bad dream. He wished she would understand that the dragon''s grasp would have crushed them both if they had gone outside.


    Thrown away into hell and has in his consciousness Luther who was dead and a blameless, nice girl who was passing by him like a phantom, not saying a word. One knight handled her with a crate with iron bars bearing two chickens. She could nearly carry it as she was losing balance. Cedric couldn''t move nor talk to offer his help (not that Celia would want it), he was standing like an ice wall. The knight followed Celia inside the kitchen with another crate that had two piglets inside of it.


    The tall knight that broke into his hut was standing by Cedric''s side. After Celia faded behind the curtain of rain with the other man, Cedric looked at his watchful guard. He was a head taller and seemed well-made, but it was perhaps due to his armor that made him stand towering and assertive. On his back, he carried two swords in an X shape. The swords both had spikes coming out of them, reminding Cedric of hedgehogs.


    His guard was not moving, the armor probably felt like two walls getting close to each other and slowly reaching a collapse point, trapping the human inside a tight place; causing the knight to stand like a figure made of shadow metal. Cedric wanted to say something, but he had a feeling the knight would not answer him, yet he was curious to hear the voice behind the iron suit.


    ''Are you going to leave the girl here? There is a dragon roaming about,'' Cedric said, his voice cracking and quivering.


    He received no answer but the knight mostly understood that he was cold and showed him forward towards the carriage. Cedric was not wearing any chains; he was not their prisoner, yet he had no right to say something against his guard''s order. The air was heavily pressing on his chest just like the guard''s rigid aura. Cedric was facing the carriage with his heart pierced in his throat. The carriage was near, and he could see the horses peeking at him, observing him, their whiffs wheezing chilly air through their nostrils as he was stepping slowly and getting closer and closer to enter the carriage and leave for who knows what place¡­


    ''Wait!'' Cedric said and stopped.


    The guard stopped as well and looked at him. Behind them, the other knight was coming and Celia was by his side.


    ''I don''t know what is happening. Nobody talks!'' said Cedric trying not to look at Celia.


    He got no answer.


    The guard put his hand on Cedric''s shoulder and slightly pushed him to move forward. ''No, stop. You do not understand, I am not from here, please! I need to get back to my brother. There is a monster roaming about. What about Celia?''


    Cedric looked at her, and she looked at him with such hate in her eyes, letting him know that she didn''t want to see him again or hear her name on his lips. Cedric was so lost in her bottomless blue eyes, reverberating like the ocean above, disturbed and grim.


    Cedric didn''t resist the push of the guard. He stepped inside the carriage and sat down, having only one image in his mind: those blue eyes, dark ocean, wavy, stormy, and full of spite; wishing him death. He was all alone.


    The guard followed him inside, facing Cedric, staring him down, and showing him some dead eyes hidden behind the helmet. The second knight bounced the carriage when he sat down and grabbed the reins of the horses. Cedric closed his eyes and whispered to himself that nothing could be real. Everything that happened couldn''t be real and he wasn''t alive. Yet he was looking at his cold breath, freezing small clouds of air filling the tight cabin; his blood racing inside his body. The whips slashed the air striking the horses, and the carriage took off.