Lord Canien came to meet Rex a few days later. He had circles under his eyes and his red hair was rumpled and uncombed. Rex smirked at him turning around in his chair.
"What brings you here to my humble abode, Duke Mcrose?", Rex asked playfully.
"You know what it is", Canien muttered rubbing a hand over his face and sitting down. "We need to do something. Julie's been missing for four days. Reirs and Lord Emore has been hunting for them ever since which by the way I'm glad for....", he said with a pleased look on his face. "But it also troubles me that Julie's still missing. If this were another one of her schemes I feel like she should have returned back by now"
Rex nodded. "The missing prince is causing quite an uproar at the palace"
Canien laughed. "They're saying Julie kidnapped the prince and all. Apparently Lady Julianna was in cohoots with the underground folk too. Man....I never knew side characters were this important"
Rex leaned his head back in his chair. "I wanted to take a break from all this and search for Julie myself but the creature from Caleste is being a pain in the back for me"
"The what? You mean Princess Nele?", Canien asked frowning that he called her a creature.
"No no the sandworm. That reminds me, Princess Nele's home country is Caleste right? That is also where the sandworm came from", Rex said getting up suddenly to look around for the reports.
"That can't be a coincidence ", Canien agreed his face ashen.
"See" Rex muttered opening the map Astin had provided him earlier. He pointed his finger where the desert lining Liere began. "Caleste lies north of Saule's region and that is where there were reports of sighting the sandworm at first"
"I thought the sandworm didn't attack humans", Canien muttered inspecting the map.
"No it doesn't. But there were reports of people going missing in the North, around the same time the worm was seen. People began to make up their own theories obviously....but..."
"But?", Canien asked raising an eyebrow.
"I don't know....I...I thought the mages always had the sandworms under control. It seems rather weird that they aren't taking care of this issue", Rex muttered.
He then sighed rubbing his eyes with his fingers. He had to meet with the foreign patrol head after receiving reports from around the capital and central Liere. No time to sleep today either, he worried.
"Why don't you ask Saule about this when she arrives?", Canien asked leaning back.
Rex looked at him wondering what caused his dark circles. Canien's life seemed much worry free than his
"I don't think I'll have time to", he said sighing. "In case I'm not able to meet with her, can you talk to her about this issue?", Rex asked sitting back down again.
Canien nodded. "I hope Julie will be back soon. She still hasn't told us about what happened with the Emperor's meeting"
"I doubt she would have been able to persuade that rock-heart man", Red muttered slowly.
He remembered his first meeting with the emperor. His golden green eyes, which were just like the Crown Prince's eyes and yet, with an unending void within them. Those eyes had glared at him as if it could see through the wall behind his flesh and bones.
Rex shivered slightly. "I hope Reirs find the two of them soon."
**************************************
Eyes suddenly split open against the yellow mound. Something invisible crawled and clutched against Julie's throat and she couldn't breathe.
A tremor ran through her body like a wave and her hands started shaking. Goosebumps rose on her skin as more eyes split open, blood peaking from its corners.
Sbe couldn't feel anything. She couldn't feel Kale's touch behind her anymore, nor could she feel the cold air of the clearing. The form in front of her was a vaccum sucking in her emotions. She felt her vision tilt to one side suddenly-
Julie was falling again.
To be more accurate, she was rolling down from the sand mountain. She barely had any time to think before Kale grabbed her by her shoulders and tossed her down the sand mound.
The clearing had turned into a small mountain and apparently it was the huge worm's body that had made up half of the ground they had been standing on.
Julie tried to grab onto a nearby rock, or anything she could find to stop her momentum. But then Kale came darting down right after her and she was pushed down by his weight.
There was sand everywhere, in her ears, in her eyes and inside her shoes,clothes and even in her mouth. She fell down on the sandy ground, which she hoped was sand and not the creature's body. The sound of rhythmic beating continued and she heard the worm etch out an triumphant cry, trashing against the ground.
Panic clouded her mind. She was going to get eaten alive by the ugly creature. The number of eyes it had on its body repulsed her so much it still sent shivers down her back. She crawled against the sand, hugging her knees to her chest trying to calm herself down.
What on earth was even happening to her anymore? Was she fated to die just like this? What about going back home? Will she get to go back home if she dies here?
"Get up Julianna!", she heard the Prince yell from somewhere around her.
But all she could see was the sand mounds, sand spilling, the ground trembling and more more sand. It was everywhere, the yellow dust and amoung the yellow grains, she found a crawling body with cresent shapes swirling through the ground with zero effort.
Julie screamed when another pair of eyes opened on the creature's body.
The sight was so repulsing that she couldn't think of anything else but those pairs of blood eyes, bulging out of their sockets. Julie ran, terror clouding her mind. She didn't want to think about Wrel, the Prince, Caine, Rex or anything. She just wanted to escape. The sickening feeling of nausea overcame the terror and Julie fell down on the ground gagging and spitting.
The creature moved with swift strokes now, like a snake, the eyes on its body opening and closing in rhythm.
The mound which earlier appeared to be it's head was facing her again and it stood still as if it was inspecting her, as if it was having fun with her terror. Julie grabbed two fists full of sand and threw it at its open eyes, her voice breaking into pure terror.
The creature didn't even blink.
A small voice inside Julie head told her the right instructions then.
'ππΆπ―'
But her feet wouldn't move. Her hands stayed where they were on the ground twisting and grabbing at the empty sand that made shape to nothing. No matter what she did, she was immobile in front of this creature, it's form paralysing her very core.
Julie didn't realise she was crying till the tears spilled over her neck.
The creature writhed with a satisfied expression, the hundreds of eyes blinking and closing at the most random of times.
The thumping got louder and louder in her ears and she clutched her eyes in a weak attempt to silence it, silence whatever was going on over here.
Thousands of thin spikes opened beneath the mound to reveal a red mouth.
Julie caught a sight of red stains on the so called spikes that were supposedly it's teeth and closed her eyes ever so slowly.
A loud crunching noise.
The spikes dug into her hands and waist and Julie found herself suddenly screaming in pain. She opened her eyes to find herself in darkness with something moist and sticky covering her till her abdomen. The spikes dug into her skin, tearing her clothes as the creature took a bite of Julie hoping to snap her in half.
The intense pain made her writhe but it was a desperate and weak effort as the spikes dug into her some more. Her breathing stopped altogether although there wasn't any air to breathe in the creature's mouth. Julie felt the warm blood spilling from her abdomen down till her feet. Her hands were still at her ears silencing the creature, her screams and the world.
Soul transfer or not, Julie was very much dead at this moment.
She stopped breathing altogether, stopped trying.
She waited and waited for the darkness to arrive.
But it never did. What only came for her was more pain, the blinding pain of her bones cracking against her will.
The pain was endless but with it suddenly came a searing burning at her back. She heard a scream again through her covered ears but this time, it wasn't hers.
Cold air suddenly touched Julie's face again and she opened her eyes and found a red firestorm in front of her.
The firestorm clung onto the creature's skin, evaporating it's body into thick black smoke. She saw her blood on its teeth disappear into a black mass of flying ashes, she saw the air above the clearing dance as if someone was rewinding a video. Her vision was getting cut off at the sides as if someone was folding a piece of black blindfold around her eyes.
She strained her eyes and saw the worm frail and thrash against the burning pain, it's hundred eyes crying blood, but this time it was it's own blood.
Julie forgot how to think. She forgot how to breathe, She had to breathe.
Inhale..... Inhale.
Exhale.
The world tilted again.
Then, darkness.
**************************************
Saule's mind went back to a memory, a few centuries ago, like every other time she saw him. He wasn't dressed as fancy as he did now, but there was still that golden aura around that that he took with him everywhere he walked, like body armour.
She used to believe that his golden eyes were the source of his yellow hair, but nowadays she wasn't so sure.
He wasn't alone today. A girl with pale red hair was standing next to him with a disgruntled look. Her features were oddly feline and she had fluro-yellow eyes.
"Welcome to the Central Palace, Lady Veyyes", the head butler greeted her. "I was sent to accompany you and Sir Reirs to the Emperor's tea room"
Saule raised an eyebrow and looked at Reirs. "You're not staying at the central palace?"
Reirs pulled the lady beside her by the arm as if to make it even more obvious. "No...not at the moment"
Saule ignored him and walked forward with the butler leading her way. From the corner of her eye, she caught the girl kick Reirs on his toe and he made a small strangled noise, hoping that Saule wouldn't notice.
Saule closed her eyes, suddenly feeling the need to throw something in his face.
Maybe the enchanted book she had tucked inside her robe would do the work.
The Emperor was waiting for them in his private garden. He raised his eyebrows once he saw the female extra tagging along with Reirs.
The girl bowed in front of the Emperor. Judging by her appearance and her conduct, she was a noble, no doubt. Reirs and Saule greeted the emperor with a single nod. They had too much history to be bowing towards each other after all.
"Would you like to join, Lady Mcrose?", The Emperor asked. He had that look in his hollow eyes that merely translated to 'Get out'.
"She'll stay", Reirs finalized.
"This isn't the time to play your petty pranks Reirs", Aristian Liere thundered.
He seemed angry. Must be because of the missing prince she heard about when she arrived. Apparently he went missing in the Emore Maze tunnels. She was rather more surprised that he hadn't sent the entire fleet to look after the Prince yet.
"You can sit still and listen, can't you Lillian?", Reirs cooed tapping the woman's chin with a finger.
Saule looked at the girl. She seemed like she wanted to very much throw up at his face.
She felt sorry for her, having to deal with men who still were embracing their inner child.
"I looked into the library as you suggested", Saule began not bothering with Reirs's tantrum. "It is as you had suspected. A mage of skill level 6 or higher has broken into the tower. They stole one of the maker's series; namely the sand maker"
"Have you put a tracing spell yet?", the king asked twisting the ring on his index with his left finger.
"I did, but I doubt that would do any help. The mage who broke through the tower's defence would easily be able to set up a block. The only way left is to detect its presence when the book is in close proximity"
"Have you discovered which one of the mages went rogue?", Reirs asked, his eyes half lidded.
"None, in fact", Saule said closing her eyes. She felt slightly insulted by his remark. "The mage who broke through seemed to use a different technique than what is taught at the institute"
"Southern magic?", Aristian asked with a frown.
"Quite impossible. We had made sure that there were no mages left in the south ourselves. Unless someone had any reason to hide them", Saule countered eyeing Reirs who originally came from the south.
"I hate mages",Reirs declared. And that was it.
Silence followed for a few minutes after Reirs's comment. Saule tried to calm her nerves before continuing.
"Have you not found Kale yet?", Saule asked with a worried look. It would be troublesome if the only heir of the Empire went missing.
"I still can't deduce what possessed that kid to go over and stay over with the filthy Emores", The king began.
From the corner of her eye, she saw the woman, Lillian wince.
"That too he ran away with my weird eyes girl", Reirs continued. "I heard she was trouble before also but I heard that the Emores said that they had her in control? What on earth are they doing letting a woman like her wander around anyway? She should be searching for marriage candidates, not go around spewing prophecies"
"That was just the nobles way of gaining attention", Saule said tapping her fingers on the table. Her eyes strayed to that woman again. She was trembling now, and Saule wondering how long it would take for her to lash out.
"That prophecy. I want you to look into it Saule", Aristian murmured deep in thought.
"I can, but I'll need the girl. That is, if she even manage to make it out of the maze alive", Saule stated.
"Can't you try a tracking spell?", Reirs asked glaring at her. "Would make the job of finding the missing prince much much easier"
"My mana fades easily in those tunnels. There's something inside there blocking my magic", Saule said remembering the last time she had visited the Maze. She had been there the day the Liere phoenix was brought there. Mere words couldn't explain the feeling she had felt then, that cramped space of four walls trying to crush her inside. Another memory resurfaced but she pushed it further back down inside her mind.
"I'll try to do what I can, but I won't be stepping inside the maze", Saule said.
"Coward", Reirs said under his breath.
"I heard that", she said angrily.
"Was meant to be heard", Reirs began, then was cut off when the Emperor raised his hand again.
"I heard something else though Saule. My general brought me a few interesting reports today. They mentioned about a creature that escaped from your lands", the King said, his hollow eyes more empty than ever. "Heard any news of a sandworm loose?"
Saule's eyes widened. "Impossible. The sandworms have been under control of the dark pits for ages"
"Is it possible for the very same mage who broke into your tower to break the sandworm's chains?", Reirs asked, his yellow eyes serious now.
"The ritual to break free something from the dark pit is quite risky. It requires a sacrifice, in other words, a human sacrifice", Saule explained.
"Suppose the enemy did procure a human sacrifice. If then, will it be possible?"
Saule didn't want to speak. The very possibility of admitting it was shameful for her. To think that her preventive measures and security had been infiltrated so easily...
The Emperor seemed to understand her response. "Send a letter to Veyyes and ask your associates to enquire. Check if there is a sandworm loose"
"Aw don't sulk Saule", Reirs taunted. "It wasn't your fault the enemy was far advanced in magic arts than you"
"That's enough Reirs. Get back to searching the maze now. I want atleast one lead about my son's whereabouts today", The King said standing up. "This meeting is adjourned. We'll meet again for dinner tonight Saule. I need you to take a look at Evela for me"
Reirs pulled a face and walked away from the table angrily muttering something about 'kids' under his breath. Saule was about to take her leave when the Emperor motioned for her in the direction of the Lady Noble.
"On it", Saule murmured approaching the woman. She noticed that her yellow eyes had a small reddish spot in them. Pretty.
"I'm sorry but you're gonna have to forget our little talk here", she told her placing two fingers on her temple.
The woman staggered back, her eyes widening with fear but Saule held her firm by her thin wrist.
"It'll be over soon. Don't worry, you won't remember anything. And even if you do, your memories would be way to messed up to even try to recall anything"