The Kingdom To Kill For

Chapter 8 - Into the Dungeon

They break the surface, gulping at the warm air. 

Seid's head is pounding. Every cell in his body is screaming for oxygen. He opened his mouth, gasping for air. A desperate hot wave comes over him, warming even his frosted hands and toes. His heart was beating rapidly in panic.

They were all catching their breaths with a dizzy feeling and the need to get low on the ground as they reached upon the white rocky shore. The fear they had moments ago almost subsided, knowing the mist and the hideous creature didn't pursue them and gone.

Seid slumped his body upon the smooth rocks. He never felt that kind of fear in his life and was lucky not one of them had gone with the creature.

"Having a good swim?"

Their face paled, knowing who it was.

Morpheus glared, sucking something out of them. The four of the selkies return to their humanoid form, visibly wilted before Morpheus clipped a word that uttered.

The guys exchanged glances. All look doubtful to tell about the place they've discovered and the dreadful incident that happened to them. 

Seid gathered the courage to speak up -even Morpheus's looks already not convinced what he was about to tell- on his feet, decided to relay the story.

Morpheus remained silent after hearing the incident. He motioned toward one of his companions and whispered. Later, all of them are getting off from Blue Lake and returning to school. The class dismissed earlier than they expected.

At the surface of the lake, it looks as smooth as blue glass, as a single head merges on the still water, radiating ripples that catch the sunlight.

The pair of two hollow eyes look at their surroundings from their bony and eerie sockets, peering into the leaving students getting inside the bus.

The creature made a soft rattling sound as it crept back under the water. 

After it sank itself, then once again, the lake looked like glass.

When they got back to the academy, upon entering the building, a pair of guards came over to Morpheus. Then, to the four students, ask them to remain, and lead them to the other hallway, as the rest of the students are going to their next class.

Persis did notice something weird is happening, but none of them ask what's wrong and why Morpheus and his senior companions didn't say anything and acted like nothing. 

She grabbed Sekhmet's arm, leading at the corner before entering their next classroom.

"I was sure there was something happening between those four lads, and Morpheus knew about it, but he didn't tell us," Persis whispered. There is tightness in her voice when she speaks.

"I know," Sekhmet nodded. Unlike Persis is fidgeting, she remains calm, and she said, "it was just like us, you know."

"What?" she stood straight, "I mean, we are there, and there is something wrong, why can't they just tell us?"

"And that, I am not sure, maybe it was too vulgar to let everyone hear it or something."

"Or something." Persis muttered, "you can see their eyes with fear. And I noticed Feno's hand and Seid's. They were all bruises and wounds. There is something wrong."

"And what are you going to do about it?"

"Me? I mean, we,"

Sekhmet shakes her head, "No, we are not going to do something, okay? We are out of this. And besides, we have our secrets, too, that no one needs to know."

"Morpheus did know something about us, too."

"You're right, but we don't know what else he knows from anyone here."

She rested her palms on Persis' shoulders, turning her around, and gradually pushed her back. "Let's not be bothered about that now, Persis, okay? We still have class today, and let them take care of the situation, they're into it,"

"Fine," Persis sounds disappointed, and Sekhmet was right. They don't need to stick their noses on that matter. But, for now.

***

That night, Sekhmet just finished taking a half-bath and changed into her sleeping garments, a plain black A-line dress.

The floor was cold cement to her dainty feet as she crossed the room. The only light she has come from a slit between the light curtains at the window, the feeble brightness barely enough for her to make out anything.

Sekhmet moved on past her single bed to a bookcase. She ran her fingers across the spines. Dragons. Elves. Orcs. Dragonic Potions. Supreme Artifacts. At a glance, it was dust jackets, saddle stitches, hardbound assembly of expensive paperbacks. She pulled something big behind the books and off the shelf.

It was a box, a treasure chest by design.

She sat on her bed as she lay it on her lap and reverently rubbed her fingers along the soft, delicate curved decors and dragon's scales on its chest. It had come from their kingdom and a gift given from her late father to protect and seal whatever you put something inside with such power.

Sekhmet held a 14-inches long conical shaped in her hand and lay it there just as heavy as a natural rock. Its size was still small for the Blue Longhorn dragon. 

Even there is a little light in her room- the brilliant gold hue was so vivid; crystalline blood growths run down on its body of the horn. Its reptilian stone-like scales were surprisingly smooth to the touch. She still wondered why a Snowdonian prince gave her something so exquisite. 

What if someone else will find this thing and accuse her of a thief? She doesn't want that to happen. Maybe she'll try to return it. She had read that dragon's horns are sorcerous horns used to control other dragons.

But what kind of dragon might she take control? All of them? She wanted to pay a visit to the Longhorn dragon, but was not sure if anyone was permitted to come and see it.

After several moments, she let it back into the chest, closing the latch and hiding it back behind the books.

***

The road is midnight under the cloud, covering the last of the twilight, and the air is cold. And even though the colors of the surrounding hills and rocks become less bright, as if the figure was wearing it through dark glasses. It strides on, eyes wide, as it was wearing a long dark cloak to hide its identity in the dark.

A giant fallen tree in a murky hill ranges mark the entrance to the place the figure has been looking, the dungeon. Beyond the fallen tree lies a modest, stone room. But it's covered in large bones and remains of some creatures.

Its torch allows the shadowy figure to see broken mining pieces of equipment, deteriorated and taken by time itself.

Further ahead are three paths the shadowy figure takes the left route. Its twisted trail leads past several empty rooms, and soon it enters a clammy area. Countless traps, swinging axes, and other devices move all around. They're either still active or just activated. 

He marches onwards, deeper into the dungeon's secrets, passing various passages, most of which are far too ominous looking to try out. He eventually makes it to what is likely the final room.

An ominous granite door blocks his path. Ash and soot are all over it, somehow untouched by time and the elements. You step closer to inspect it and - wait- what was that sound?

"You're early, you know?" a female voice came from behind.

He spun around. He was taken by surprise at the sight of the female framed on the same path as him.

"Princess Cendis," he gasped, bowing his head. 

"Cut that crap, Prince," she smirked, "you don't need to do that, and you're hiding behind your mask, again, afraid to be seen?" she mocked.

It was just a half mask, but he needs to care around him. This Dragon's Cove island is not safe for someone like him. 'It's better to be safe, princess." His bemused gaze skimmed lower, taking in the dark robes that draped over her breasts and the ancient silver necklace that hung around her slender neck. 

Farther down, the leather of her pants comfortably fitted at long legs and offered a glimpse of her leather boots. The boots are made upon a somewhat uncommon leather but are an otherwise simple design.

The smoke smell drifts out of the door as strongly as a hundred incense sticks. Looking at the princess happily inhaling the smoke, he wondered whether his nose was sensing the awkward smell as she was inhaling flower-scented soap.

As they get closer to the end of the chamber, the ground shakes, and the breathing from the unseen creature is loud and rasping. The stench of its breath is becoming thicker, and the moisture exhaled from its lungs makes the atmosphere like sitting in a cloud, and it was hot.

It knows they are here.

"Behold, prince," she announced. 

Princess Cendis waved her hand in the air. Her palm came to life with the red flame, and the whole-cell and a medium-sized dragon came into view.

Large flaming eyes that sit deep within the creature's narrow skull that gives the creation a rather menacing looking appearance.

He watched through between the gaps in the bars. It's sniffing so hard. Instead of scales on the creature's body, but a rough green-brown skin, thick, leathery, and dry. Its wings are scythe-shaped, the inner sides of the wing are full of minor holes, and each bone structure ends in a curve. Thick saliva oozing out at the corner of its mouth between a few large teeth and down the sides of jaw lines. There's something wrong about this dragon.

"Have you noticed something, Prince?" asked the princess. But it's in her eyes that she knows already that there is something wrong with the creature.

"What have you done with that thing?"

She waved her hand with the flame and let it disappear into the air. Everything in that dark cell, the princess will only be the one who can give light in it.

"It's a new experiment from them. Turning humans into dragons. This one is the latest and barely made it alive."

His eyes open wide, stood stiffened, "You let humans into what?"

The princess tilted her head to the side, "you heard me, prince. And of course, isn't this nice to hear? Once this dragon could transform back into human form, then we are successful. Their new technology in this era will rise,"

"This is far from what I expected to see, princess." He could think of several possibilities and alternatives other than using humans. "Not to humans,"

"You don't need to worry about that. That creature was nothing worth it, even volunteered to become one." She meets his gaze with her red eyes without even feeling remorse. "They did use other creatures, and if this one is not going to make it, then, they can try another being. What do you think of a Fire'ian? You think she'll make it?"

A line appeared between his brows. "What are you talking about?"

She raised a brow with a grin, "You will see, prince. Sooner.