Part II of VI
Written in a Tree house
Castle Twoson
--A small cell in the dungeon
The sound of water dropping into a puddle could be heard now and then.
After being closed for a few hours, Ness’s eyes began to open. After being open for a few seconds, those eyes began to look around.
He was in a dark, quiet place. A cell he figured, judging by the door with a small barred window just ahead. There was a touch of firelight shining in from the hallway, but it wasn’t really helping enough.
He sat up, leaning his back against the wall and arching his knees, thinking for a moment about the incidents that had led him here. A calm, serious look was on his face. It slowly became a determined one.
He looked at his left wrist and pressed a button. Immediately, a little green light helped him find out what time it was.
Not that he didn’t know anyway.
“…Time to die, Tracy,” said the Prince of Onett. Ness stood up, clenched his fists, and walked to the door.
That was when a blast of mystical thunder flew from behind him and slammed into the wall beside the exit. KRA-KOOM Ness leapt back in shock, his eyes widening and his knees bending a little as he turned.
The sound of soft drops falling somewhere from the ceiling continued.
Ness saw a figure, cloaked by the darkness, taking a few steps from around a corner and moving closer to where he stood. Eventually, the light shinning in from the hallway revealed the face of an angry Princess Paula.
She spoke, “There’s a price that comes with trying to conquer Twoson and failing. This is it.”
“Wait…”
Thunder struck again. Ness barely dodged.
“Wait!” he yelled.
The violent attack arrived once more. Ness somersaulted to the side, picking up dirt as he hit the ground.
The girl in the gown swung her head.
This time, Ness chose not to take the peaceful approach. A burst of colorful energy appeared on his command and hurled towards Paula. But suddenly, for some reason, the attack seemed to bounce right off the princess and fly straight back at the prince, as though something had intercepted it.
Ness’s eyes widened again, soon more out of pain than shock. “AHN!” he yelled, as his own signature move sent him a few feet away.
As he struggled to stand, and eventually succeeded, he felt yet another attack—a strong, cold one—pick him off the ground again, propelling him into the wall. That was where he remained, pressed against it with his arms spread out as a thick coating of icy matter covered almost everything but his head.
The princess began approaching again.
Naturally, Ness tried breaking free. Not surprisingly, he found he couldn’t.
The princess was getting closer.
Ness looked up and saw, struggling even more. He looked away again.
“Why did your kingdom attack mine?” she asked.
“I…I don’t--”
Suddenly, the thunder struck out at the helpless boy again…hitting just beside his head on the wall.
…After Ness’s eyes opened, they locked onto Paula’s.
“Don’t lie. Not to me,” said the princess.
There was more fear in his eyes now, because Paula hadn’t said that with her mouth. Somehow, Ness could hear her words in his head, and in the middle of one very unsettling moment, he thought about those words…and got the message quite clear. There wouldn’t be anything he could hide from her.
She spoke up—with her voice. “Now I’ll ask you again--”
“Then maybe you’ll let me answer this time,” Ness interrupted with anger. “I don’t have anything to do with this thing.”
“This ‘thing’?” she cut in. “It’s called an attempted invasion; breach of treaty; Strike One.”
“And I’m trying to give you the details behind it. It’s called an explanation.”
“I think I’ll call it a possibility.”
“Call it what you want.”
“And seeing as how you’re the Prince of Onett…and seeing as how shame has led you to euphemisms…I think I find it hard to believe you’re somehow innocent in all this.”
“Listen! You don’t…” he held his tongue, trying to calm down a bit. “Listen…what I’m about to tell you is the truth. Do that thing. Do that thing with your mind if you want confirmation.”
She stared.
“Princess…you’ve got to let me down from here. Please. I can’t take…” Ness tried struggling again. “I won’t try to fight,” he said, staring at her. I owe you…an explanation.”
She remained silent.
“…” Ness sighed and looked away. Suddenly, he felt the hold on him weaken a little. He looked her way again.
With a steady stream of PSI Fire, Paula was freeing the prince. Moments later it was done.
Wiping his shirt down and trying to get warm in his own embrace, Ness eyed her once more. “Thank you.”
“Don’t chalk it up to faith,” said the princess. “I did a telepathic scan and could tell you meant what you said.”
Ness paused while rubbing down his arms.
She held still, watching him quietly for a moment. “Got that explanation ready?”
The prince brought his arms by his sides again, and both teens stood face to face.
Ness thought back…
* * * * * *
Castle Onett
--A room upstairs overlooking the Great Field
Two siblings stood across from each other in opposite directions.
The wide round chamber was regally designed with a large carpet bearing the kingdom’s crest.
One of these teens was a young man, staring out of the large open window. “Tracy, look at this,” he said with a bit of awe.
And the other was a young woman with a cute ribbon in her blonde hair, and a very, very serious look on her face. She stared quietly at the wall; she wasn’t going to respond to anything he said.
Ness kept looking outside while holding the sill. Sunlight was slowly fading from view a bit earlier than usual. There was a good reason for this: “Dalaam is starting to descend,” said the Prince of Onett.
The princess, however, kept facing the wall with that look of hers.
“Look, it’s coming down slowly,” he continued, not quite able to take his eyes away from the distant sight of the floating island.
“…”
The room was getting darker.
“It must be that legend,” said the boy.
“…”
And darker.
“The one that says that when the King of Dalaam is dying, the island itself somehow starts to fall—quickly or gradually, depending on his condition.”
“…”
And darker.
“Until a new king is crowned. I…wonder if the prince up there is ready.”
“…”
“It seems to have slowed down for now; it’s just floating there again. I…” he turned around.
She didn’t.
“Tracy.”
“…”
…Ness turned again, looking as though he’d gotten used to this lately.
“…”
Two siblings stood across from each other in opposite directions.
* * * *
In a certain other chamber, two hands were slowly extended. One was holding a knife. The other was empty. Both belonged to Princess Tracy.
Ness was passing by in the hallway—just in time to see the knife cut into the empty hand.
“Tracy!” he ran inside.
She looked at him.
Pretty soon, he reached her and pulled the knife away, grabbing at the other hand, too. “What are you doing?! Let…let me look at it.”
Her hand was closed.
“Let me look at it!” he shook her arm.
Tracy opened her hand.
Ness couldn’t spot a cut.
Without really looking, she shoved him away and walked off, leaving the room.
“…” Ness stood there, the weapon hanging by his side as he stared at the doorway. After a moment, he looked down, finding a drop of blood where she’d stood.
* * * *
It was another large, round room, but without any windows, dimly-lit by a few blue flames.
Near its center stood the Princess Tracy, wearing a concealing brown robe.
There were four openings around the circle, each of which revealed nothing but darkness. Ness emerged from one of them.
“This is certainly a change of pace,” he said tiredly, “you wanting to speak about something.”
She didn’t turn to him. She didn’t say anything.
He came to a stop. “Look, if you’re acting like this today, then I’m just going to go back to my room.”
“…It’s time.”
“What? It’s time for what?” asked the prince.
“I’ve been organizing.”
“Organizinnng…?”
“…”
“That’s a question.”
“Let’s take over, you and I,” said the princess.
“…”
“First Onett…”
“…”
“Then the world.”
“…Tracy,” Ness closed his eyes a moment, running a hand through his hair, “you need to talk to someone. Don’t take this the wrong way…but you are seriously screwed up in the head right now.”
“…”
“Where’s the sister I’ve known all my life? Huh? Where is she?”
“I need to know you’ll stand by me on this,” she said.
“There is no ‘this.’ You’re deluding your--”
“No…” she turned around, facing him.
Ness felt surprisingly uncomfortable.
“I’m telling you I’m going to do it. Today.”
“…”
“Look around,” she continued. “Onett deserves to rise above all other kingdoms.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The four heroes who banished Giegue were from here. If not for them--”
“What difference does it make where they were from?” he frowned in irritation. “That’s ancient history anyway.”
“The point is: the world owes us—ethically and economically. This is payment. From now on, Onett will lead all.”
“Even if such a thing could happen. Mom and Dad would never consent to it.”
“That’s why I said we need to take over. By tonight, Mom and Dad can be executed.”
“Tracy…” he shook his head, “…Tracy, I’m going to speak to our parents, and then you’re going to speak to a therapist.” He turned and began walking away.
She turned away as well, “I had a feeling you’d say something like that.”
Ness stopped. Appearing in the two openings before him now were several Starmen.
Tracy’s expression was unchanged.
The beings standing there looked somewhat familiar to him. “What…who are they? How did they get in here?”
Tracy said nothing.
Ness hesitated, then turned around. Expectedly, he saw his sister’s back. Unexpectedly, he saw more Starmen standing in the other passageways. Suddenly, Ness heard a distant scream, and realized that this wasn’t the only room in the castle where this was happening. Not by a long shot.
The Starmen began converging on the prince.
“Tracy…” said Ness quietly. Using his PSI attack during the imminent struggle would be too dangerous with her so close.
She didn’t budge as the henchmen moved past her.
* * * * * *
The soft drops of water could still be heard.
Ness told Paula the rest of the story, including his capture and escape.
Afterwards, the princess crossed her arms, shuffling her evening gown a bit. “So, what I heard before really was true. She launched the attack.”
“That’s right,” he replied in a defensive tone. “And one way or another I’m getting out of here so I can get back there and do what I have to do,” he turned towards the door again.
“Don’t…” said Paula, raising her voice a little.
“What is it you want?!” he swung around.
“To apologize.”
“…”
“You owed me an explanation…now I owe you an apology. I’m sorry for what I did.” She looked off. “You’re not the one who’s to blame.”
“…Accepted,” he calmed down somewhat. “Just tell me…why’d you let me live after I collapsed, if you had this suspicion?”
“Because I still wanted answers. When I attacked you just now…I was angry and it got carried away when I saw you just trying to leave.”
“…”
“I’m sorry for that. All right?”
“…Why’d you even let me sleep?”
She paused. “Because part of me was thankful for what you did out there.”
Ness took a moment to hear her out.
“What about you?” asked Paula. “Why are you suddenly coming to help a kingdom you’ve never even visited? How’d you even get here?”
“Teleportation. And running…a lot of running,” he whispered. “I mean, I, I can only teleport somewhere I’ve already been, so I used that to get to Winters and ran the rest of the way here, taking a few breaks along the trip.”
“…I see. And the other question?”
“What?”
“Why’d you even bother coming here?”
Ness looked down. “I couldn’t find Tracy when I escaped. I knew it was too late to do anything for my parents…”
Paula listened quietly.
“…I knew what her first ‘test’ was—Twoson,” he was still looking away. “So I knew I had to come h… I chose, to come here. I decided to help where I could while there was still time and settle things with Tracy later.”
“…Thanks,” said the princess.
“You and I don’t really know each other, but I’ve watched and heard about you on the news for…quite a while now.”
“You’re like a friend who I’d never met before today.”
“What I mean is, I know what you must’ve gone through after you lost your parents.”
She stared at him.
“And right now you must know what I’m going through,” said Ness.
“…”
“I was…I was never really close to my dad—kingly business saw to that—but I loved him. I loved him and my mother…and my sister has got to pay for what she’s done.”
“…”
“…Do you understand anything I’m saying?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Okay, ‘cause you’re getting me confused.”
“I’m wondering how your sister got so much manpower in the first place without anyone knowing about it,” said the princess. “Where did those…things, come from?”
“They look like the ones in legend.”
“I know they look like the ones in legend. I asked--”
“She told me she’s been making copies. I’m still trying to figure out how, exactly.” He paused. “Princess…Paula…”
Her gaze softened a bit.
“For my kingdom, and yours…let me out of here.”
“There’s nothing stopping you, now that we understand each other. Go, but…”
“What?”
“…Nothing.”
* * * *
Moments later, Ness was outside again, and he didn’t waste any time. Just before he could teleport, however…
“I’m sorry, for what I did,” said an apologetic-sounding message in his head.
“…” Ness teleported.
Inside, someone was watching on a monitor. She leaned back in the chair. “Take care, Ness,” mumbled Princess Paula.