Carmine

My head racked with the subliminal ideas falling into place. I sat on a broken column slab in the woods outside Ersury. Valor, Janilla, Five, and Sandream, all of them sat on fallen logs around me, again.

I felt comfortable here, with people I knew. Something that resolved my internal distraught, and raised it to the surface were the nagging levels of weakness amongst them.

Sandream conscious rested in a weaker non-combat shell with a fractured arm. Janilla was Janilla, and Five had a new body, but his shell had no glyph, hence no special powers.

Valor remained the only useful one. Fantastic, it would have been a while before Sandream got her shell back.

The wind whistled through the leaves, and my nose inhaled the tangy odor in bliss.

My half-sister sent Five to kill me, but he heard I had the forbidden burden of Erot’s death within the deep confines of the coven.

Whether it was true or not, he could certify nothing beyond her words. Billasoia acted without her mother’s authority. If such was the case, what would my mother gain where my half-sister lost?

Corona was another one. She allowed me to leave, because I promised her a battle to the death, I guess? Plus, she helped me back there. I knew it. I doubt it was because of me, she treasured assisting in the death of Excular I believed.

I asked, “What is next?”

Valor shrugged his animal pelt pack-laden shoulders spotted with blood drops. Janilla looked away, and brushed strands of unkempt hair off her forehead. “I say we keep moving, but since we are stuck here maybe we should set up defenses.”

I asked, “Why? If they come, no defense will work. You saw how those Elamnites saunter in whenever they please.” Especially with Valor alone being here, I hoped they never attacked, but I knew better. Those times were the best times to come at my neck.

“I was thinking Tiam’s army,” Janilla said.

“I do not fear them, not right now.” I patted on my hair. “Corona will come soon—not sure how my mother will react to me leaving her side in that manner.”

Maju walked out of the bushes and toward us.

Valor said, “I am glad you left with Sandream and did not attack Corona. Revenge is not the right way to live.”

I snorted at him reminding me of my weakness. Yes, the decision was the smart one, but it was not the one I desired. What I wanted were all my enemies under my mud-caked sandals. “So says the murdering assassin that probably gets contract hits from vengeful employers.”

Valor stared stone faced.

Maju reached and read the atmosphere, so she cleared her throat.

I said, “Yes, is Wale finished?”

Maju nodded her head. “To repeat, that will be some days from now. What I came to say is that the wedding of Aconm will be happening in a week. My husband has been invited so I will be going.”

I made a face of confusion as I wrapped that idea in my mind.

Janilla saw my confused scowl, and wagged her finger. “She was brought here to marry a King, the next in line is naturally Aconm, so I guess he got lucky in that regard.”

Valor replied, “Is he lucky? He is getting married, that is nothing more than torture. No better prison exists than marriage.”

I rolled my eyes. “Valor silence. We are not talking about you here.”

Valor replied, “You know, the more I look at you, the more I feel the walls closing in on me.”

This arrogant bastard never failed to amuse me. “Again, you can leave my presence,” I retorted.

“You do not mean that,” he replied.

“If you are asking me if I want to go. I have little reason to care about this matrimony.”

Maju said, “There are guests coming, like the King of Ascus.”

My brows peaked up. “The King of Ascus?” I looked back at the others, seeing Valor’s and Janilla’s shock. Five's and Sandream's faces looked unfazed as usual.

Valor said, “I do not think you should go.”

I waved my arms wide. “I do not see no reason why not. He is my half-brother. If there is someone that can protect me it would be him.”

Valor replied, “Your half-brother? Your competition to the throne he sits on? He is more likely to kill you on arrival.”

“The King of Eathen said he desired my presence. Besides I need to know if he and his God Ashuor really are my enemies. I need to be sure.”

“Carmine, no, like are you mad?”

“I want to know.”

“Why? What does knowledge get you, except death?”

“Me amor, Valor, I will know where my situation is and what I am to him, from there I can know how to move. I am not doing this, for the sanctuary of making me feel better. No, my target is set by the flow of the wind, and the weather given to me. Through stratagem, I will win every battle I face.”

“Everything’s a battle for you, we should be hiding, not fighting.”

My hand waved with an aggressive rejection of his idea. “My father hid me, not anymore.”

Valor opened his lips, but said nothing as it twisted into a pout.

I spoke, “Listen, best way to find out is to go to him directly.”

Valor drawled on with annoyance. “Going back there will be suicide, Carmine.”

I got up, closed the gap between us, stood right under his great height, and planted my hands on my chest. “Look at me, I am a death sentence as your friend so eloquently put. Makes no difference if I stayed here or not. Best to go forward and take on the danger than let it come to me.”

Valor groaned, turning away from me.

I said, “Five can you tell how large his procession is?”

Five glanced up with his dead gaze, a mix of purple and green, but it became a deep blue. “My apologies, Mother, I lost the ability to empower my empath when I lost my glyph. I cannot see that far.”

I groaned aloud, for I forgot. Valor cuts in, “Went from a stupid shell to useless shell, the story of your life I guess.”

I was about to rip into Valor when Sandream shrugged, saying, “Sorry about that.”

Five replied, “No need to apologize, Sister.”

I gave Valor a dangerous stare, so he averted his gaze.

Sandream said, “He does not know what she looks like right? Maybe—” She looked down at herself. “I can use this garbage shell to lure him. If I lose it, then we know he is out for you.”

Valor gave her a dire stare and was about to retort, but I interceded with, “Sounds good, but there is one problem you are not mentioning there, you losing it which will be the death of you. The answer is no.”

She extended her hand outward, the lines of her glyph twirled from nothing to the surface in thick black lines. Sandream pointed at a circle that glowed a shimmering blue in the black sea planted over her wrist. “If need be, I can transport my consciousness out of this shell.”

My fingers rubbed my chin. “Corona mentioned something like that. In an emergency, you can remove your mind out of it, right?”

“Yes. So, I will be fine as long as I have something to transport my consciousness to.”

Valor leaned back with crossed arms. “The shell is not finished though, the last time, I allowed you to transport to my original shell, we have no spare shells.”

Maju nodded. “He will be finished by the time you reach Tiam.”

My arms swung in carefreeness. “Thank you, Maju.” Maju bowed her head before leaving our presence. “The beauty of shells and bodies, it’s something else. I wished I can come out of this body right now.”

“You best served as you are,” Sandream said.

I narrowed my eyes at her. “According to what?”

“Because in that body you are a singularity.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“The reason I say you should not worry so much is, because you are a singularity. According to myth, you can shape the world with your hands.”

“This is all myth and unsubstantiated knowledge passed down through the ages, but no one is completely one hundred percent sure. You forget that all the prior singularities are dead. Just like Carmine might be in the near future,” Valor interceded.

I twisted strands of hair around my fingers. “As will I, but how can I make it one hundred percent?”

“By chance.”

“And that chance is determined by?” I asked.

“Who knows.”

I could not control what I knew nothing about.

"What I meant was no one stopped them from achieving their goals," Sandream said.

Valor glared in annoyance at Sandream. "And once their goals were achieved, they died."

I asked, "So once my mother is dead, I die?"

Valor opened his lips, but Janilla raised her hand. “I think we should prepare before going there. This might be our most dangerous trip yet.” Valor shot a tense look at her, but I smiled at Janilla for she tried to save me from myself, too many times.

I replied, “She’s right. Sounds good, but what do you think? Valor?”

Valor tilted his head to the side. His eyes widened. “Ahhhhh—you still have those rings?”

“Yes.”

“Try that sage? If he is willing to receive us.”

I replied, “You sound unsure?”

“Because we might die. I do not know him.”

“A big strong man such as yourself cannot protect me?”

He sighed. “Do not butter my vanity, Lady.”

Sandream said, “He is right, he would taste bad, like all the words flowing off his nasty tongue.”

Valor scowled then turned towards Sandream with a perilous glare. Sandream looked away and smirked.

The Jester within Sandream returned to the fore. I said, “I will take the risk. Valor I will be counting on you to do what you do best.”

Valor wagged his head in annoyance. “What will that be my Lady?”

“To kill all things that displeases me.”

Valor motioned at Sandream. “Can I kill the shell you said you never liked?”

I laughed as I bid Five in following me to prepare for the journey.