Mirrored Shadows 2

Together again

Quite early in the morning, Basilia returned to its busy routine. The servants walked through corridors, carrying whatnot to god knows where in that hive of courtiers, politicians, staff and guests. It seemed like no one ever stops moving in that place once the day starts.

Dion was up and dressed in his formal mystic attire, trying to bypass the crowded hallways. The demons were so busy, they would've hit him on their way had he not moved from their path.

It took him a while to find a way out of the structure. He forgot how easily one might get lost in its web of rooms and halls. When he came out, he noticed two demon guards discretely following him. At first, it looked like they were on their own way, walking behind him by coincidence, until he stopped in the valley at the monument to Monika. The guards stood about 30 meters away from him. He gave them a displeased look to let them know he saw them, but they remained where they were. Of course they did. They were sent after him. It was an order. Upset, Dion returned to Basilia and searched for the library, hoping for some privacy, only to find the guards still following him. He had enough.

A long line of people stood in front of king Victor's cabinet, waiting to be received. Dion passed them by and got many complaints thrown at him for skipping the line.

- My lord, his Majesty is busy. - said Elvira, in charge of the order at the door. - You will have to wait in line with the rest.

- Unlike the rest, I'm not here to get a favor, but to give one, or so I was told when I was brought to this place. I demand to speak with the king.

- My lord, you can't just expect to-

The cabinet door opened and Victor came out, alarmed by the commotion. The line of people bowed immediately like one.

- What is going on in here, Elvira? - he asked.

- Your Majesty, Lord Dion is-

- Ah, you're up! - he said cheerfully. - Is there a problem?

- I was about to ask you that, your Majesty. I am being followed by your guards the whole morning. What is the meaning of this? Am I a prisoner here?

- By the gods, of course not. The guards are mere escorts, for your protection.

- My protection? Let me rephrase the question: am I in danger here?

Victor looked at the people staring at them and gently pushed Dion into his cabinet. Silent protest darted the cabinet door.

The king sat in his armchair and showed Dion to another one in front of his desk.

- I wish I had a better explanation of all this, but I am being kept in the dark as much as you. So far, every ruler of Hell has brought us nothing but war crimes. Now I'm paying the cost of that. I'm being looked at as another mad king and I can't blame them. The penalty for every evil done under this crown now falls on me. I'm excluded from every political subject outside the borders of Hell. They don't trust us. They don't trust me. For every problem, they check on us first, to make sure we're not the responsible ones. Some of my own people even believe me to somehow be involved in Lady Monika's disappearance.

- Why?

- She is Azura's heir. According to them, she was standing in my way of getting the crown.

- I'm surprised demons would even consider that option, given the fact that she's an heir of someone they call a traitor.

- You'd be surprised how evenly favored and disfavored Lady Monika and I are as rulers. Her as an heir of a traitor, me as the father of Zana.

- I'm sorry to hear that.

- But as I was saying, given my delicate position as a ruler, the list of superiors who disregard the crown on my head had grown larger two days ago when I was visited by The Sacred Three. They wanted your presence here. They demanded it, in fact. And they never explained why, other than the need to know whether you had contacted Lady Monika or not. I was reduced to a mere messenger in all this. Understandable, however. The previous balance keeper, madam Janaduri, was tricked by Hell into the insanity of Durun-bar. I will forever be the potential threat who would try to pull something similar. But they glance you with suspicion. Thus the escort. They want to know your every move.

- But why? And why hide in the shadows instead of talking to me?

- Lord Dion, they need Monika and they doubt you will tell them how to reach her, which is true, isn't it? After all, you two WILL be punished.

Dion laughed shortly.

- I just love the way these homo superiors have no clue or proof that I've ever contacted her and never will.

Victor leaned forward on the desk, looking at him worryingly.

- You are mistaken, my lord Dion, if you think they are taking time to prove this. If they grow tired of your denial, they will give you an ultimatum and force you into admitting.

- Oh? Threats due to incompetence? My, my, even with insanity, Jana was much better at this.

- The Sacred Three will be here again, tonight. You will have your chance to talk to them and, hopefully, resolve this. But a word of caution, my friend: trading clever words won't do with them. The existence of a balance keeper is narrowed to a single task, to prevent any threat to the universe and anything less than that is not their concern. They don't care about your life or mine. About your friendship with Lady Monika, or who will suffer if they issue an extreme punishment.

Dion got up and started walking in a circle. He tried to seem calm, but it was clear that he is upset.

- This is so typical. The acts of heroism get forgotten and the heroes treated like criminals. Why can't they just leave us alone?

- Because this isn't really about punishing the two of you. Something is going on. Something bigger... And this whole charade about who contacted whom seems to me like a mask.

***

The new era brought many changes to Basilia, but Dion appreciated one particular the most. The clocks. It used to be impossible to tell the parts of the day, since darkness always ruled the eighth circle. Now a clock on the wall of his room was showing 6 pm.

He patiently waited for the night, when he would finally meet this The Sacred Three and get to the bottom of what's happening here.

The commotions in the corridors were dying out and, as the time passed, Basilia was looking more and more like the old, abandoned fortress he had found the first time.

Distant voices came from the outside. Dion approached the window and looked down. Several demons pulled a big, wooden box into the castle.

- Never a dull moment around here...

He sat down by the desk, took a quill and started writing:

'' Dear Lela,

I'm letting you know that I may stay here longer than I intended, because it is no longer my choice to make. No, I'm not a prisoner. But something is happening here and my presence is required, though I am not yet sure why. I will find out tonight.

Things are rather strange around here. I was followed by guards throughout the day. King Victor calls them my ''escort'', but surely I'm the only one having it. Not even the ambassadors walk around with guard dogs.

Speaking of strange things, a big crate of god knows what was brought here a moment ago. Of course, that alone wouldn't be so odd if it weren't brought at this hour and taken in by the deliverers, not by the servants. Without checking what's inside.

But I'm bothering you with nonsense. I hope the kids are well. I miss you all so much. Kiss them for me. And tell them to keep skipping.

Love and blessings,

Dion.''

He placed the letter in an envelope when someone knocked on his door.

- Yes?

- Sir, king Victor is expecting you. - came from the other side.

- Alright, thank you.

The footsteps marched away down the hall.

The hallways of Basilia were empty. Silent. Dion searched for the correct path when he noticed his escort, not far away behind him. He decided to ask them for directions.

- It's this way, my Lord. - said one of them.

They led him several floors down, all the way to the back entrance lobby.

- Outside? - he asked, staring at them. - Is this a joke?

- No, my Lord. If you will. - they pointed at the door and he went out.

A narrow path took them down and around Basilia, until they came across a moldy wall with a mirror on it.

- It's here, my Lord. This is a-

- Salmisran... - he finished for them and touched the mirror. - I've been here long ago. Azura's army slept behind it. Is this where the meeting is being held?

- Yes, my Lord.

- That's odd. What could be the reason for all this secrecy?

- His Majesty Victor said you know how to enter, my Lord. We shall leave you to it.

They bowed and left him alone. His hand touched the mirror, followed by a quiet murmur of words. After some time, the inscriptions on the mirror's frame started to shine like little stars and slowly departed into mid-air. Dion's reflection shivered like it was on a surface of water and disappeared, leaving the frame hollow for him to enter.

What was once darkness and the abyss beneath the numerous staircases, now was a grandiose chamber, illuminated by candleholders that hung all over the sides of the stairs. He wondered how many candles these people spend throughout the year.

The staircases were repaired and the handrails were finally put on them. Dion looked down into the abyss. That would make a 2 minute fall. The flickering of the faraway candles underneath him looked like fireflies.

At the end of the path he took, stood a large circular platform of stone and it seemed like it didn't have a foundation, but floated instead. Many staircases led to it, diving into its surface like stony waterfalls. Four figures were sitting on chairs. Dion could only recognize Victor among them. The other three were obviously The Sacred Three. A demon with an expression of complete apathy, a human with a glance full of wisdom and an angel that carried a mother-like concern on her face. Victor's elite guards stood around.

- Approach, child. - said the angel.

He walked forward, until he found himself standing on the platform, with an empty chair waiting for him. The chair was excluded from the semi-circle that they formed, making him feel like he was on a trial, rather than an attendee of a meeting. After his proper bow, they pointed at the chair.

- Sit. - said the demon, less welcoming.

Once he took the seat, his eyes met Victor's. He looked as much as worried.

- We've summoned you here to-

- An introduction is in order, is it not? - he interrupted them.

- Our names don't matter, least of all to you in this moment.

- Am I to address you as triplets?

Victor nodded at him not to do that.

- You are here to answer our questions, child.

- You will have to forgive my paranoia, but the previous Seer proved to be the Seventh Muse. If I am to speak, I want to know whom I'm speaking to.

- I am Zeal. - said the demon impatiently.

- I answer to the name Hope. - said the angel.

- And I'm Bernard. - said the human. - Rest assured that the incident with the old Seer will not repeat.

- I know. I was the one who took her power. And it was such an easy thing to do.

- Is that a threat? - Zeal asked.

- It's a reminder. Long have we lived under the shadows of ill-willed superiors. Andromeda, Callisto, Janaduri. Your position will not spare you from doubts. You have brought me here to interrogate me like a criminal, as if I'm the one with a stain in history.

- What you think of us is not our concern. An universal rule stands clear, long before we came to this position: the use of the summoning circles between the material and the abstract plains is forbidden until said otherwise by those in charge.

- Indeed.

- Yet you and Monika have contacted each other.

- Can you prove this?

- No, thus the meeting, not a punishment. - said Zeal.

- Conveniently, however, another contact with the Dreaming was made right after your arrival here. - said Hope.

- You will have to do better than convenience, your grace.

- Enough. - the human got up. - This is leading nowhere. Their stories match. Their lies match.

- Can we be sure of this, Bernard? - Hope asked.

- Yes.

- Will somebody explain to me what's going on in here? - Dion interrupted, as they were talking among themselves.

- We have contacted Monika and you in order to check if the communication between the plains is mutual.

- Why does that matter?

- If the contact was one sided, we would have all the reasons to doubt that this isn't really about mere sending letters, but something more. You see, child, your friend remained in the Dreaming to prevent Defiler's taint from spreading further, yet we fear a leak might have happened.

- A leak?

Bernard nodded at Victor, and he gave a sign to his guards. They marched away, only to return short after, carrying a wooden crate. Dion recognized it. It was the crate they brought to Basilia earlier.

- This was never about punishing you or Monika for contacting each other.

- You don't say.

- This was about caution. If there was a leak, there's no telling who is affected and who amongst us is truly what they claim to be. He takes so many shapes.

The crate was placed at the center of their gathering circle.

- After the fall of Defiler, the strange darkness of the Unknown was destroyed. But now the veil that separates the Unknown from the Planes beneath it is torn apart. Strange creatures are emerging from that uncharted world. In small numbers, for now. Nothing to be alarmed about. Many see them as ''leftovers'' of Defiler's corruption. But we cannot know if their numbers will remain low. What comes out of the plain is neither demonic, nor angelic. Yet, it looks like a mixture of both.

- This is where you and your friend come in. - said Zeal. - We need the one who united all the races under one sword. Only she may walk through Heaven in order to reach the Unknown, without being seen as a provocateur, or a spy. They will listen to the heir of Azura.

- ... Monika? - he looked at them in confusion. - You are aware that she is unreachable, far in the Dreaming? And if she returns, might she bring the taint of Defiler with her?

- I'm afraid that doesn't matter anymore.

- Open the crate. - Victor ordered and looked worryingly at Dion.

One of the guards unlocked the chains and stepped away. Once he was at a safe distance, he removed the lid from the crate with his spear. Dion leaned forward. An unbearable stench came from the box, making everyone cover their noses and mouths. Then maggots started crawling out. Big, white maggots. Finally, a rotten arm emerged and grabbed the edge of the crate's opening, dragging itself up. A corpse-like woman stood before them. Her angelic wings are now bones with webs of decaying meat between them. But she also had horns. A hole yawned where her stomach was supposed to be, and in it lied another head that seemed human, but dead.

- My god, this is Justice! - Dion gasped and looked away. - No! What happened to her!?

- After the fall of Defiler, her grace Justice believed that a certain condition of hers that made her wings go black is gone with him. Only a few months later, her wings started getting dark again.

Justice's moves were controlled by the chains that the guards pulled each time she attempted to move to one of them.

- Does her appearance remind you of anyone other than her former self?

- Defiler...

- Somehow, the taint must've found a way. Thus, we observed closely every connection between the plains.

- These abominations are walking between the plains without being affected by their veils. - said the angel, with the softest voice among the three. - Only one person was able to do that until now.

- Azura. - said Dion.

- Whatever allowed Azura to walk freely through the veils remains a mystery, but we believe it has to be the same thing that lets these creatures do that as well.

Dion tried to look at Justice, only to look away.

- And just what do you expect from Lady Monika?

- If this threat proves to be greater than expected, we will need an army. Not an army of just angels, or just humans or demons. But an army of all. And they will only rally behind the savior of all three.

Victor gave a sign to his guards again, and they pushed Justice back into the crate and locked her in.

- And... when can we expect Lady Monika to arrive...?

- Lady Monika is already here, with her family. - said Bernard. - We had this same meeting just before you.

Dion's eyes slightly widened towards them.

- Monika is here...?

- Yes.

- Where?

- That will have to wait-

- She's on the balcony of his old room. - said Victor.

Dion quickly got up and started running.

- Wait, the meeting isn't over! - Zeal yelled after him.

- I guess it is. - Victor smiled, glad they got stood up. - I'll be off too. My lady. Gentlemen.

Dion ran through the hallways. He was smiling, but his eyes were full of tears. He burst into Monika's old room, but it was empty. Then the breeze came from an open balcony. And they there were, like a vision, too good to be true. A red-haired girl, held tight by a tall demon, and a child, poking a bellybutton of a statue on the balcony.

- Monika...

She turned around and smiled.

- Dion.

- Monika!

He almost tripped over his own feet in attempt to run to her.

- I can't believe you're here! - he hugged her. - I've missed you so much!

- I missed you too!

- Let me look at you! My god, it's really you!

- Yes, it is me. I find it hard to believe it myself. It's been so long...

Amadeus's arms had wrapped around her from behind and he gently leaned her against him.

- I kept her warm, worry not.

- Hello Amadeus! Congratulations to both of you on your engagement! By Alzhara, I wish we'd met again under better circumstances so we could celebrate properly.

- There will be time for that too, my friend.

- Uncle Dion! - Bruno ran to him.

- Hi there little buddy! Oh, you have so many friends waiting for you at the orphanage, they only talk about you and Monika.

- And not about me? I'm offended. - Amadeus crossed his arms.

- About you too. Sadly, your portrait makes our kids reach puberty too soon, so we had to put it away.

They all laughed.

- In truth, the kids think of you as their hero, Monika...

- They know of me...?

- Of course they do. The orphanage is yours. They know everything about you. They want to be you!

- It warms my heart to know you kept the memory of me alive. Thank you, Dion.

- That wasn't very hard. Are you aware that you're a hero of the Plains? History books talk about you!

- They are? Oh my...

- Yes, you are famous.

- See, my love? My fears have proved to be true. We have only just arrived and people are stealing you from me.

Still closed in his arms, she gave him a comforting smile and kissed him.

- I'm sure no one knows what I look like, sweetheart.

- Your statue down in the valley sure looks realistic, though. - said Dion.

- I have... a statue?

- Monika, you've saved billions of lives. Of course there's a statue! People visit the place where you disappeared ever since the fall of Defiler. They still mourn and come to pay their respect.

- I'm just... That's so... I...

- You broke my wife. - Amadeus teased.

- Mom, dad, can we go see the statue? - Bruno asked.

- Later, little explorer. - the demon poked his nose.

- ''Mom'' and ''Dad''? - Dion whispered, smiling.

- Yes, we decided to become a family. I love the little guy too much anyway.

They sat down on the wicker chairs.

- We have so much to talk about, so many things to catch up. How is everyone? How is Lela? How are our friends?

- Lela is great. She grew up to be a wonderful woman. Currently, she's in charge of the orphanage. I never heard from Aaron again. And Justice... well...

- Yes, I saw...

- I just can't believe it.

- This whole time she thought her wings were getting dark due to some emotional family dispute, yet she was sick... If only we knew, maybe we could've done something.

They both paused, looking down. Winds blew from the valley beneath them, toying with the flame of the torches.

- Whatever happened to that b***h Jana after my departure?

- I took her powers. So I'm guessing she has died by now?

- You didn't! - Monika slapped her knees and burst into laughter, looking at Amadeus. He seemed really pleased to hear this.

- My wife and I were sure she got away with all she did.

- We were a bit concerned that she would come after us in the Dreaming.

King Victor joined them on the balcony. The three of them bowed, while Bruno curiously walked behind him.

- Your horns are big! - he said, touching them. - Bigger than my dad's!

- Bruno, come here teddy, that's not polite.

-That is quite alright. - Victor smiled. - Go ahead, dear boy. Satisfy your curiosity.

- Would it hurt if they got cut?

- No, it wouldn't. - he laughed.

- Were they ever cut?

- Never, not in hundreds of years.

- Hundreds of years! Wow, that's like a million years!

- Your Majesty, it is good to see you again. - said Monika. - The crown suits you.

- And the title of a hero suits you, my lady. Welcome back. I have ordered my servants to prepare you a welcome festivity in your honor tonight.

- That is most kind of you, your Majesty, but unnecessary.

- The people also need this, my lady. They will want to see their hero and celebrate her return.

- What comes after that?

Victor sat with them, sighing.

- I don't know, children. It appears that you are being set off on another journey... Like The Sacred Three said, they want you to see into this problem with the Unknown and I won't be allowed to get involved directly.

- It's like the plains need us only when there's dirty work calling. - Dion complained.

- If He... If Defiler, is truly a part of this... Then we have no choice. - Monika said and looked at Bruno. - For a while, I was sure all this was over.

Amadeus took her hand.

- We don't know yet if he's truly back, my love. Do not worry yourself without a solid reason.

- Amadeus is right. - Dion agreed.

The demon picked Bruno up and placed him on his shoulder.

- Now, let's see if they still have the hall of bones in here. It contains the skeletons of the largest animals of Hell!

- Really!? Can we touch them!?

- What's up with you and touching bones?

Dion looked at Monika as she stared at her husband and Bruno leaving.

- You look happy. - he noticed.

- I am happy. I love them so much. I'm the luckiest woman in the whole world. And that terrifies me.