The Elusive Prince

The Lighthouse

While the son and father argued near the sick bed, a hooded figure entered an abandoned lighthouse. The crow had come a few hours ago and the figure had hurried to the tower. The preparation was already done, the only thing remaining was its activation. The old lighthouse was dilapidated, dangerously tilted, but the figure inside it didn't mind. This was the source of their power. Its use of the lighthouse was a clever ruse. It sat on a rift, a portal to another world. A world sealed away for now and which needed to be freed. A world undergoing unrest, a war which was locked until it was breached by someone from the human world. The changeling prince was the only one who could.

The tower looked hazardous, but The Magic held it together and could withstand almost anything. Its shabby and perilous appearance also discouraged kids or junkie kids. Once or twice a few horny kids did try to make it their hookup spot, but the enchantments made them so scared that they denied ever even setting foot there. It had the reputation of being haunted. It scared off humans. It was dank, grim and full of debris. Its original woodwork had swollen and shrank from years of neglect. Various windows were cracked and dirty. The wind whistled and brought in water from the ocean. A layer of salt had coated everything. All hardware had rusted and inoperable. The tower was inhospitable and perfect.

 The figure fully swathed in black velvet  glided an inch above the rusty nails, baked-in dirt and various insects scurrying on the floor. The various insects and animals avoided the figure, their senses spelling out danger. The figure usually came here only on a few new moons. Today was an exception, the sign had come and the plan needed to be put in motion. Too much depended on today.  The hood was drawn low on the face, only skin visible was the thin mouth. Leather gloved interlaced fingers were tightly clenched. Anticipation had passed into fear. As the figure passed the hallway, the scones were aflame on their own accord and lit the way. The air had an unnatural stillness to it. The figure approached a heavy wooden door with ancient symbols carved into it. Protection enchantments to be opened by the only one who engraved it.

The figure opened the door with a flick of the wrist. The door swung open smoothly to reveal an ornately decorated room which was in stark contrast with the rest of the tower's decor. Heavy red velvet curtains draped the huge gothic windows, streaming moonlight glinted off the silver tassels of the bows. White marble tiles were pristine. Every hardware gleamed golden. High ceiling painted with gorgeous murals. Books filled every shelf, magical artifacts competed for space. A deep ivory sofa with an ottoman was too inviting. 6 love seats were scattered around the room. A gigantic table stood at the far left. The figure stopped at the table covered in books, wands and various silver items. In the dead center of the room was a pentagram, lined with candles. In the center of the pentagram was an orb, pulsing with purple electricity.

The figure raised both hands in the air, beseeching for the Supreme one to sanctify the magic and bless the enchantment. The candles came to life. The orb now glowed red. Various faces rushed in its glass. The figure placed their palms in inverted position, right near his chin and the lower hand near his navel and concentrated. Purple light emerged from one hand, warm yellow from another. The figure started murmuring. The silent noise amplified, throbbed in the dead silence. A huge snake slithered in, circled the figure in a perfect round. Its mouth resting on its own tail. The figure now upped its tempo and almost shouted the last of their spell. Win or lose, what they started 33 years ago, needed to come to an end. The victory would be beyond glorious, the loss… unspeakable. The orb now settled on Victoria's face. She needed to be alive for the next stage to begin. She was the bait to bring Adrian back. The status quo was in a very precarious position. Adrain needed to accept and the war needed to be waged.

As the last words were spoken in a thunderous voice, 3 window panes smashed on their own in a violent sync. The snake lay dead, desiccated. 10 miles away Victoria opened her eyes and hoarsely croaked.. “Adddddrian”