Chapters A young scientist sat hunch over his desk, goggles clasped to his face as he tinkered away at the large device in front of him. It had been his magnum opus. Well, his latest magnum opus. He had worked on many things ranging from small items that made daily life easier, to large scale projects that made history. This would only be the latest in a long line of achievements. He slaved away, eyes darting in between the interior of the large device to the notes hastily scribbled on the various papers scattered across his desk. The sound of ticking and sparks could be heard as he gently turned screws with his hands and fiddled with wires. Often times shocking himself and reeling back in pain. This was normal however. This was his life. Simple and worked filled. There was always something to do. Always something to fill his time. He was never bored, not in the slightest. But of course, one could argue he slaved away just to keep his mind off the outside world.
He stopped, the thought entering his head as he worked. His hands were still as he began to ponder the world outside of his small lab on the outer rim of Agartha. A total recluse, he hadn't spoken to anyone in quite some time. Save for his servants and friend. Who now that he thought of, was running late. He turned to the clock hanging on the wall. It was the Eighth Bell, late in the Agarthan afternoon. Though, his friend was busy, almost as much as he, so he couldn't blame him. Still he wondered what kept him. But his tangent of wonder had been interrupted when he heard a rap on the door. Projecting his voice, he said "Enter.", and a small, frail old man opened the door and bowed his head.
"Lord Khalifa, His Majesty has arrived."
The old man, Rafinar, had been his family's servant for three whole generations. And very loyal.
"Thank you, Rafinar. Tell His Majesty I wait for him." the young man said.
The frail old man then bowed his head and exited. Some time later, returning with the man who had caused him to wait so long. Prince Judea. A tall, handsome man with broad shoulders and long auburn braided hair that trailed down his back. Gold hung around his neck and bracelets, rings, and two small earrings adorned him in a sort of regalia. His face was very defined, a stone image of his father's. His skin was tanned and a very light beard traced along the edges of his jaw. He entered with a smile, his robes dancing across the floor as he hurried his way over to Khalifa. With open arms he greeted his life-long friend.
"Solomon Khalifa! How long has it been? It feels like ages since we've spoken. I see you still like to stay clammed up here on K'veer."
He rounded Khalifa's desk, pulling him up from his seat and into a very firm hug. With a groan, Khalifa managed to squeeze out a very quiet laughter as he endured the prince's surprisingly bear-like strength.
"It's only been a few weeks Judea, we've spent longer apart."
Khalifa said, fighting against his constrictor. Judea then subsided, calming himself and stepping away.
"Even so, both of us have been so busy. We hardly have time for anything anymore. I would have come sooner, but found myself buried under Father's paperwork." Judea said, leaning on the hard sturdy desk and folding his arms. He then went quiet. Thinking of his father.
"And how is His Majesty? What do the doctors say?" Khalifa asked.
Judea only shook his head in uncertainty.
"We've brought in the world's best physicians, the wisest old men, and the most talented magicians and shamans. But none of them know exactly what it is..."
Khalifa listened as he walked over to the long table on the side of the room, pouring a glass of wine for himself and the prince.
"...Do you think it's the Sickness?" he asked, looking over his shoulder. Judea visibly tensed. Gripping his arms as he closed in on himself. He never liked to give the possibility any thought.
"That's what it seems to be. I've been moved to an entirely different wing of the palace. Everyone is afraid I'll somehow catch it, though it isn't contagious. They've all gone and written him off as dead now. Placing everything on me."
He then took the glass from Khalifa's outstretched hand and leaned further on the desk, crossing his ankles. Khalifa sat in his chair again, pulling it out so he could face Judea.
"Come now. He'll pull through. There hasn't been a sickness bred that could kill a human king!" he said cheerfully. But Judea's frown only fell farther.
"Have you ever seen or heard anyone recovering from the Sickness?" the prince asked.
He didn't bother looking at his friend. He only downed his drink and stared ahead. Distracting himself from the thoughts by counting how many books sat on a shelf on the wall.
"Well, no. But that doesn't mean none ever will."
The scientist then began to pilfer his own drink. A long silence following. In the quietness of the room, Khalifa began to think to himself. The Sickness had been spreading. But by a means none knew. One day a man would be as healthy and strong as an ox; only to falls flat on his back, weak and sickly. It was unlike any plague ever seen. Judea had placed his glass on the desk with a clink, the sound interrupting Khalifa's thought.
"Enough of this talk. I had just forgotten why I came here in the first place." the prince said.
"Other than visiting me?"
Judea then laughed. Something that hadn't been common as of late. He then stood up right, pulling Khalifa out of his chair.
"Yes yes. But I heard you were working on something and I wanted to see for myself."
He then shifted his focus to the large machine sitting on the desk.
"Is this it?"
Placing his glass down, Khalifa leaned over, peering into the device's innards. "Yes. Though I have a long way to go before it's complete. I was actually contracted by the king, before he took ill. He wanted a weapon that could turn his enemies to stone."
Judea cocked his to the right, shifting his stance in thought. He raised an eyebrow as he inspected the machine. It certainly looked like a weapon. The barrel was very large and wide, giving it the resemblance of a small cannon. As he looked it over, he saw that along the hilt were odd empty vials injected into the chamber, two on each side. Then he found what seemed to be the trigger. The handle placed on top. The trigger on the same handle. It was much too large. Too large to be moved by a single man anyway. Still he found it odd that his father would want such a weapon, when Agartha was capital of the world. What enemy required the use of such a weapon? As far as Judea knew, his family bore no enemies.
"Did he ever say what it was for?" Judea asked.
Khalifa only shook his head. He had pulled off his goggles, letting them hang below his chin.
"To be honest, I haven't asked. I figured it was none of my business."
"As you always do?"
"Well...yes. When you put it that way."
The prince stared at the scientist. Just then getting a proper look at him. Khalifa had always been so detached. Only devoted wholly to his work.
"What is your business then?" Judea asked, waiting for an answer that hadn't been heard before. Khalifa only paused, rubbing the back of his neck in long, deep thought. Then finally, he smiled.
"That's just it. Nothing is my business."
They both then broke out in a fit of laughter. It was rare that either of them had any downtime. Moments like these were sparse in between their time together. And with the king falling ill, those times would be fluttering away in the near future. This saddened Judea, but he didn't let it show. With one hand he gripped Khalifa's shoulder and smiled.
"When was the last time you've been out?"
Before Khalifa could even answer he was already being lead by the hand out into the halls of his home. Judea dragged his friend through the lab and out into the hall, an intricate glass dome illuminating the foyer. Rafinar said nothing as he watched Khalifa be dragged from his home and out the door. He knew better than to try and stop the prince when he had such a smile on his face. The prince threw Khalifa out of his own door, leaving him to stumble on his feet nearly tripping on his own robes.
"I said I'm not interested!" Khalifa insisted. Judea only ignored him as he brushed past Khalifa and continued to the steps.
"Staying inside for too long isn't good. One must climb out from under his rock and mingle with his own kind."
Khalifa only sighed. He hardly saw any point to going outside anymore. It had all become boring and uninteresting. But if the prince willed it, then so be it. He followed Judea to the steps and they both descended together. The stairs were carved from pure stone, winding down the cavern wall and into the town of K'veer. It was a quiet town, south-east from the main city. The distance to either bridge wasn't too far, but certainly not walking distance. Khalifa looked out at the city as he descended the stairs. And he had to admit that it was a view he had missed. The main city stood in the heart of a giant bowl of shimmering water. Four great bridges traversing the calm waters. From a distance, Agartha was a city of fireflies, each light reflected in the lake to create a sparkling sky of stars above the cavern.
The outer towns were just as brilliant. Decorated with vibrant flowers, trees, and children who ran with their dogs. Each lantern was always lit, lighting the way through the towns small roads, giving the small town a sense of nocturnal peace. That afternoon, K'veer had been busy. With Judea's visit, many shop keepers and merchants hastily put their finest in their stalls and gave beckoning glances at them both as they passed. For Khalifa, it was always like this. Being a lord and all. But with Judea there, it seemed that merchants and peddlers were coming out of the woodwork.
"Was it always like this?" Khalifa asked, trying to keep up with him in the sea of merchants.
Judea only looked back, laughing as he politely sifted through the crowd.
"Not particularly. Only when I visit the outer rim."
Khalifa followed the prince through the thick crowd. Suddenly, Judea stopped in his tracks, ignoring the many peddlers surrounding him. He stared to the right, his gaze bypassing ever man and woman around him. Khalifa followed his stare. At first he saw nothing, and then he caught the sight of a woman leaned up against the side of a wall. Without saying anything, Judea approached her, brushing past everyone. Khalifa followed, curious. The woman was a poor sight. Her eyes were seemingly empty and she smelled like months of dirt and sickness. Dried blood surrounded her mouth and stained her dirty robes. She coughed, fresh blood falling from her agape mouth.
"Internal bleeding?" Judea asked.
The woman slowly nodded. She then broke into another cough, blood spouting from her mouth and onto her robes. Khalifa nearly jerked the prince away from her.
"It must be hard for you. I was sickly as a child, so I can sympathize with you. I wish to help you. Is that alright?" Judea said softly. So softly, that seemingly only she could hear him.
Her eyes went wide, a sudden life welling behind them. She said nothing but Judea understood. The small crowed watched as Judea outstretched his hand, a ring on his finger glowing. With his index and middle finger, he prodded the woman's throat. A light trailed along his fingers and into her, it was magic. The woman began to sit up right, feeling his magic work its way about her. In her throat, the light surged and mended her internal wounds. Judea then pulled his hand away, standing. She looked up at him, unable to speak. But all could see that tears welled in her eyes. Many stared in wonder. That woman had been an outcast. Feared for her sickness and avoided at all cost. But to see a prince approach her so casually, and then mend her was a compassion that not many had seen.
Judea smiled at her. It was a warm, caring smile. One that very few had seen in history. For very few men were ever so kind. Without a word Judea turned and began to walk away into the crowd, motioning for Khalifa to follow. Khalifa took one last look at the woman as she slowly stood. She outstretched her hand, reaching for the man who showed her such compassion. She was grateful beyond all words. She looked at him, humbly bowing her head, the tears flowing freely now. Awkwardly, he returned the bow. He was perplexed by the whole experience. He quickly turned, not wanting to be left behind. It had been awhile since he had saw something like that. Judea was kind, very much so. It was in times like these that his kindness really showed. It inspired him, and as Khalifa followed his friend, he felt so small compared to him. In his heart, he could truly say that Prince Judea was a good man. In every sense of the word. The crowd was then thinning, all moving aside like they were the calm waters of the sea, and Judea was Moses.
"What you did back there..." Khalifa started.
"I hate sickness. Particularly because very few move to help the sick and leave them to suffer. Even doctors, they only treat you if you have the money. And with this new plague, people are exiled from entire communities and left to die. What's worse is these people aren't missed..."
Khalifa couldn't see the long dreadful frown on Judea's face. But he knew it was there. He then remained silent as he followed. Finally, the pair pull through the crowd, coming to a protrusion of rock that jutted out from the upper tier of K'veer. Below them was the main road that spanned across the entire perimeter of the cavern. Many walked along it, going place to place. Everyone on their own tasks and errands. It made Khalifa somewhat nostalgic. Before graduating at the academy, he had often ran errands with Judea for the king. Back when he was still well and healthy.
The two young men then sat, overlooking the lake that teemed with life and the city. Small fishing boats and other ferries moved across the lake, parting the water like knives through cake. There had been a long silence between the two. But neither of them had noticed. It was soothing just to sit with one another and think. Khalifa and Judea had been friends ever since they were children. Hardly ever apart, which was found odd by many of the people. Though Khalifa had been a noble son, it was still peculiar that he spent so much time in the palace. Judea was very sickly back then. Sometimes days would go by before he could even lift a finger. And Khalifa would always be there to keep him company. Sometimes getting sick himself and having to be visited by Judea.
"It's been so long. Hard to believe we've managed to stay friends." Khalifa said aloud.
Judea shot him a sideways glance. Then he leaned back on his elbows, spreading his feet apart.
"Is it? Father says that we are intertwined. He's always been of the idea that we would remain friends forever. And I choose to see it that way."
"Forever? ...God help me.."
Judea gave his friend a playful shove. Sending Khalifa rocking to the side.
"Still. I guess it isn't so bad. Being friends with royalty has it's advantages."
"Oh? Well, I suppose being friends with a genius doesn't hurt either."
"Right then. We remain friends solely out of mutual gain!" Khalifa then gave the prince a strong pat on the back. Making him tense up from the sting.
"Oh come off it!"
The both then exchanged banter well into the sixth bell. The sound erupting out from the great city and resonating around the slick walls of the cavern. It had done Khalifa some good, getting some fresh air. He had forgotten how wonderful it felt to just sit around. Alone, he would think himself bored and get back to work. But having a friend beside him made the moment grand and full. It was late. Many of the townsfolk had already withdrawn to their homes and shut the doors. Only the public torches were lit and there was no longer a crowd of boats floating in the lake. Judea stood, brushing dirt and small pebbles off his white robes. Extending his hand, he helped Khalifa up with a pull.
"It is late. Father must be worrying."
"Nonsense. This is K'veer. Nothing happens here. He has no reason to worry."
"Oh but he does. He keeps going on and on about the celebrations. 'The indulgent and sinful nature of our people is heretical!'"
Judea then made a fist. Furrowing his brow and frowning to imitate his father. Khalifa chuckled. He hadn't seen the king in quite sometime, but he knew his feelings towards the state of the world. Everyone knew. It was just that none cared to heed his warnings. But it also unnerved him too. It was rare that Khalifa himself left Agartha for the surface. But each time he did he was met with needless celebration that spanned the globe. It was like humanity, in his vanity, was celebrating his own existence. The church was jumping through hoops, sending out missionaries and monks to the four corners.
"I'm sure His Majesty is just worrying; like the good king he is. We've both seen what goes on on the surface. And with the way the Sickness has been spreading...it's easy to see it as a plague from God."
Judea then shifted uncomfortably. Khalifa thought he saw him shutter, but it was so slight that he couldn't be sure.
"If it is a plague, let us hope that it passes."
The pair turned to make their way back to Khalifa's home. With everyone in their homes, there were only guards stationed sparsely around the town. Each bowing to Khalifa and the prince as they passed. Judea didn't follow Khalifa as they reached the stairs. He stopped, grasping his friend's attention.
"This is where my visit ends. I have to admit, our talk just now has given me slight worry and I feel I must return." Judea said politely.
Khalifa nodded. Understanding the situation. His father was practically dying and there was seemingly nothing that could be done. It would make sense that his only son wanted to stay by his side for as long as possible.
"Very well. I appreciate the visit. Perhaps I'll come and visit you later in the week. It has been awhile since I've gone into the city."
"Oh I'd like that very much. Believe it or not, being regent ever since Father took ill has been greatly boring and tedious. I could use a distraction now and again."
"Alright. I'll see what my schedule allows." Khalifa then bowed to Judea. It being customary, rather than mandatory. "Will you be alright heading back to the city?" he asked.
Judea had already turned to leave before stopping and looking over his shoulder. He gave him a wry smile. Amused at the idea that his friend would think he could not take care of himself.
"My servants wait for me on dock. I came here by ferry. You think I walked all the way here?" he asked jokingly.
"Well, you've been known to take more absurd actions."
Judea only waved him off as he began to make his way towards the small docks at the base of the cliff. Khalifa watched him go before continuing up the steps and into his home. Rafinar was waiting for him when he returned. With a bow, he welcomed him back.
"I trust you enjoyed your time away from work?" the old man asked.
Khalifa stepped inside the main hall, walking out into the center of the glass dome. He removed his goggles from around his neck and handed them to Rafinar. Looking up, he saw the cavern sky from outside the curved glass. If there was one thing he liked about the surface, despite its brutish culture and heretical sociology, it was the sky. In Agartha, there was no such sky. Only the darkness of the air that not even the many torches and lanterns illuminating the streets could fill.
"Rafinar. Have you ever been to the surface?" Khalifa asked.
The old man only shook his head humbly. Claiming the surface wasn't where his masters were and thus, voiding all his interest.
"You're about a two hundred and fifty, yes? I'd like you to see it before you die. I've been thinking of building a second home there, once Prince Judea becomes king. He too likes the sky and air. And I think it'd do him some good to see it once more."
Rafinar simply nodded his head as he listened. Not really caring for anywhere they were to go, so long as Khalifa was there.
"The Prince seems to take kindly to the endless land and boundless sky. I'm sure he'd like to join you, My Lord."
Khalifa then nodded. With a smile he bade Rafinar goodnight and headed into the back and into his lab. Usually, he'd still be up working. But now he saw fit to simply retire and sleep. It was nice to take breaks and be lazy now and again.
Khalifa awoke from his sleep a month after Judea's last visit. It was warm in his room and he had not yet moved to get out of bed to ready himself. He had completed the weapon for the king the previous week and now teemed with excitement as he mulled in his bed. With this project now complete, Khalifa would have more free time to pursue his own projects. He remembered hearing long ago that before the king took ill, he had been working on a way to sustain the sun. Years ago, the surface people had noticed how hot the days were. The sun was in its final stages of life. Given a thousand or so more years, it would completely die and engulf the globe.
For years, they've extended the sun's life via magic and technology, but there was only so many shamans who could wield such magic, and even then, they would die within a few years of practice. The king saw it necessary to create a race of creatures who would keep the sun in check. However, theoretically, these creatures could not live forever. They were flawed and after so long of maintaining the star, they would eventually lose their magical abilities. There would have to be a completely new community. An entire race of helpers to assist man. Khalifa laughed at the name the king had wanted to give them. Unicorns. Named for the king's favorite mythical creature. Now fully awake, the young man arose from his bed. His feet met the cold stone floor and he shivered, feeling the floor for his sandals.
"Rafinar! Prepare breakfast!" he called out.
From beyond the door he could hear the old man's reply. Khalifa then got dressed, slipping into his fine robes and combing his hair. He was going to the palace that day and wanted to look his best. News had reached him that the king was feeling particularly better and was now able to make public appearances. This was great news for the world, but many had resigned themselves to celebration, fearing the king may put a stop to it after coming into his health.
Clasping his hair to the base of his neck, he brushed it aside his face so that he could see more clearly. Stepping out into the main hall he saw Rafinar along with his other servants moving about. His breakfast was already sitting on a table along the wall. He sat and enjoyed it. As he ate, he looked over letters sent from the palace. They were from Judea and they had came the previous day. They were nothing but Judea exclaiming how he was bursting with excitement to see the new device put to work. Many were; it was an achievement on par with the invention of magic. Speaking of magic, Khalifa pulled a ring off his finger. A heavenly celestite embedded in gold. A ring given to him as a gift from the prince. With magic now possible for all humans through use of enchanted items, he could channel the strange energy through the ring and will it to do almost anything.
Magic was regulated around the world. Common citizens usually obtaining levitational spells and weak elemental items. Khalifa, being a noble and lord, had access to great magics seen only by a select few. If he chose, he could ignite a fire within a man's skull, but he was against such barbarism. Finishing his meal, he stood. He moved to the center of the dome to look over the weapon which had been placed on a pedestal. It was now complete and fully operational. All that was left was to present it to the king. Before he could gather his things to leave for the palace, there was a hasty knock at the door.
Rafinar then approached the door, carefully pulling it open to reveal palace escorts standing in the doorway. Khalifa then shifted stances, not liking the look of things. Carefully he approached the armor clad men, guns strapped to their hips and long flowing capes trailing down their backs.
"Is there something wrong? I was told you'd wait for me by the jetties."
The younger guard looked to his elder, not wanting to speak first.
"His Majesty instructed us to make haste in bringing you to the palace. He has grown suddenly weak but would hate to cancel the presentation. He wants you in his presence immediately. You understand, My Lord." The eldest guard then placed his palm over his heart, giving a bow. A bow so deep that his heavy helmet almost fell off his head. Khalifa nodded, the slightest bit of worry dictating the action.
"Understood. I won't take long."
With that, he closed the door and started preparing to depart. He instructed five servants, all young and healthy to carry the device down to the docks. Rafinar supervised them as they left the house. Khalifa soon followed, watching over them anxiously as they slowly descended the stairs. As they made their way through the small village, many people stared at the convoy, silently questioning the nature of the machine that was being toted by five men. They chatted amongst themselves, exchanging thoughts and guesses as to what it might be. Some followed, careful not to get too close. Soon, there was an entire stream of people that flowed through the town and down to the docks.
Carefully, they loaded the machine on board a sturdy wooden boat that waited alongside the jetty. Two rows of oarsmen lined the sides of the craft with thick, long oars jutting out from the sides. There were long chairs that sat at the stern of the ship, reserved for important passengers. Khalifa took a seat in a chair, lulling his head back in comfort. Once everything was in place, the escorts took no extra time in casting the small ship out onto the lake. The boat creaked and moaned as it began to glide across the water, oars plunging down and propelling it forward.
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The movement of the boat gave the illusion of a breeze in which Khalifa took comfort in. It wasn't often that he traveled by boat, but it was something he often loved; spanning the great lake with the sound of drums like metronomes against the rowing of the oars. For a moment, Khalifa had dozed off. It was rather early, only third bell. He didn't always wake at that hour. He often chose to sleep in before waking and continuing his work. The sudden break in the cycle left him with a drowsiness that would follow him the entire day. Before too long, the main city towered over the boat. Khalifa was now awake and moved to disembark the vessel as it smoothly came along side the jetty.
A small mass waited for them on the dock and a carriage waited along the road. Behind the carriage was a cart where the weapon would be carried. The gangplank was lowered onto the stone jetty and the previous five men heaved the machine onto their shoulders and were the first to make their way off the boat. The city was alive and well, the dock being crowded with coming and going ships and merchants. Along the roads, people made their busy way through District Five. At this time of day, Agartha was rather busy. District Five was where most industry took place. Countless workers ran place to place. The smell of oil and burning incense hit Khalifa like a strong wind; it nearly made him stop in his tracks.
An escort lead him into the carriage that waited for him: a tall black box with gold trimmings. He stepped in, minding his head as he took a seat. The seats were softer than a bear's fur and it molded to him as he sank into it. His servants loaded the machine into the cart behind him; a loud thud and a collective of grunts reaching him from inside. Once everything was in order, the coachman placed his index and thumb into his mouth and blew hard. A whistle commanded the two beasts in front of him began to stir until finally pulling forward. These beasts- horses- were brought down from the surface and were possibly the largest animal that dwelled so far below the ground. They pulled the carriage along the smooth stone roads. The sound of their hooves was similar to a metronome. It was almost enough to put Khalifa to sleep.
He stared out the window of the carriage, watching the many faces that passed by. They were all relatively happy. Good, hardworking people going about their day. They all seemed to enjoy their work, and rightfully so; there was hardly anyone in the world who didn't enjoy their work. Khalifa then thought of Judea. As regent, he was now in charge of most dealings in not only Agartha, but the entire world. In the past month, he had been so busy that he was no longer found on his morning walks. There had been reports of signs of the Sickness increasing. There were now a total of fifty-four million who contracted the disease seemingly overnight, and that was in the western continent alone. This strange plague was definitely getting worse. With time, all of humanity would contract it and fall victim to it, and that was only one of humanity's troubles.
Khalifa sighed as he withdrew from the window. Staring ahead, he gently felt the slight rocking of the carriage as it climbed up and turned corners, making its way to the palace. With that, he began to doze off as the passage of time became something he couldn't notice. Without his knowing, they had reached one of the five bridges that spanned over the city and into its center. The sound of a heavy wooden gate could be heard creaking as dense, iron chains lifted it into the air. The carriage then started to move again. Guards stood on each side of the gate as they bowed to the carriage. Taking to the window again, Khalifa looked down into the city. From so high, people looked so small. He watched as many of them scurried through the streets and entered and exited the many businesses.
A long, looming shadow swarmed the convoy as they passed under the gate. It gave the sense of going underground even though they were all subterranean dwellers. Torches lined the inside of the gate, as well as tall and proud statues of past kings. This particular entrance was named for King Gilgamesh, the first king and man of Agartha to make contact with the surface world. After a brief moment's absence, the light returned. They now were inside of the palace ground.
The palace itself stood high above the city, being constructed atop a hill of rock in the center of Agartha. From below, it looked like a giant black monolith that overlooked everything. It really gave the feeling that the man who sat on the throne saw all and knew all that went on in his city. The carriage came to a courtyard with a very large fountain in the center. The water glistened with a certain chemical that was added into the liquid. Many of the common people believed the myth of Queen Khadijah trapping a nymph in the fountain by the use of a beautiful harp. The horses came to a stop with the word of the coachman as they rounded the fountain and stopped by the entrance. Khalifa waited for one of his men to bring the step ladder. As the door opened, Khalifa could see the doors to the palace. Carefully, he descended the steps, cautious not to mistep and trip over his robes.
A man with a crooked back but kind eyes stood by the doors. He was as old as Rafinar, and just as pleasant and loyal. He was Prince Judea's caretaker. His name was Abdul. A man with looks that made him look younger than he appeared and had the wit of a man who could trick the devil. Khalifa always had a sneaking suspicion that he was who Judea took after. Khalifa bowed, but not before Abdul. The action was done with grace, yet it still felt awkward for the young lord. It hardly pleased him to have any one bow their head to him; but he allowed it, for it was customary.
"Welcome to the palace, My Lord." Abdul said with a smile.
"It is a pleasure to be back. How is His Majesty?"
Abdul then shot his eyes to the ground. If anyone cared for the king, it was Abdul. A true king's man.
"As you know, his sickness has been showing signs of getting worse. Final stages, in fact..."
"Ah, I am sorry to hear that. As such, I shall be quick. I don't want to keep him from his doctors for too long."
Abdul locked eyes with him again. His expression was that of slight optimism, and yet it still was weary and gloomy. Khalifa noticed this. With great care, he placed a hand on the old man's shoulder. He understood that there was hardly anything that could be done. Despite that, he'd at least try and give the old man the strength to surmount the coming grief. Abdul smiled, nodding his head.
"Why don't you go ahead, my lord? The prince and His Majesty wait for you on the throne."
"Aye. I will wait for you all there."
Khalifa then turned to Rafinar and instructed him to supervise the rest as they hauled the device up from its cart. With that, Khalifa continued on. Moving past the large doors and into an extravagant hall, he was somewhat blinded by the sudden flash of light. He always forgot just how bright everything was on the inside of the palace. The hall seemed to stretch on forever. Rows of luminescent lanterns ignited the hall in light. Rows upon rows of pillars and carvings ran along the walls. The floors were a reflection of the ceiling and the walls. An impossibly long carpet tailed down the center, as red as a bull's rage. Khalifa loved the palace, but he had to admit that it made him uneasy. So much history had been carried out there. So many decisions that influenced mankind. And the walls gave him the feel that past kings were constantly watching him. As he trailed along the carpet, he wondered if Judea felt the same.
Nearing closer to the throne room, he could hear music creep into the halls from beyond the massive obsidian door. Two gigantic guards stood at attention, large decorative spears clasped tightly in each of their hands with an iron grip. They were the honor guard; the most elite soldiers in all the world. Not that the world needed soldiers. Khalifa stood before them, a tad bit nervous and hesitant. They hardly took at gander at him before bowing their heads and yielding. With a single motion, both the guards placed their palms on the doors, pushing them open with a loud rumble. Slowly, the doors opened. Khalifa stared ahead as he watched the small schism between the stone entrance. From the other side, he could make out a very obscure image of a king on his throne, surrounded by officials and other such lords. Soon, the doors then parted fully, allowing him a complete vista of King Kerath Ahlsendar Ayatollah XXIII.
He sat lazily and comfortably in his throne, leaning to the right, his arm holding his head up as he watched the dancers. He was very old; ancient, in fact. He was three-hundred twenty-two years of age, and it showed on his elderly face. His eyes gave the illusion that he was blind, two pale orbs of pure white. However, he could see further and clearer than most. His face was as hard as a mountain's face. A long beard hugged his face as it trailed down to split in the center. His old bones were made of steel and in his chest burned the fire of a star. In spite of his sickness, the king looked well. He had survived the plague longer than most. And many suspected it to be from willpower alone. Where most died after two weeks, the king had been alive for three months.
Seeing Khalifa, the king erected himself in his throne. He was then bored of the dancers and with a mighty clap he silenced them. All was silent as he parted his hands and returned them to his arm rest. The dancers and musicians then cleared the floor, making way for Khalifa to enter.
His steps echoed off the floor as he entered, the clicking of his heels echoing back to him. He took a stride that made him look extremely confident. For when one entered the world court, they couldn't help but feel all nervousness be banished in the presence of the king. Stopping about ten paces away from the steps to the throne, he went to his knees. He placed his forehead to the floor in a very deep and humble bow. He then waited for the king to speak.
"Stand." the king commanded in a hard, stone utterance. Khalifa stood quickly, nearly hopping to his feet. Once up, he could see that Prince Judea, standing by his father's side. His friend looked pale and slowly swayed left and right. Even still they met eyes and nodded each other in silent greeting.
"Your Majesty, I am proud to say that the device has been completed; a weapon capable of turning any living thing to stone."
As he said all this, five men entered the court. Servants and nobles alike felt their vision pulled to it. There were soft murmurs among the crowd as the weapon was carried along before stopping just behind Khalifa. He then turned round, reaching under the device as the men held it aloft. He tugged and pulled out four thick metal rods that formed the legs, two on each side. Carefully, they lowered it. A loud collective sigh along with metal meeting marble could be heard. The servants stepped away as Khalifa then turned to face the king once more. The king now sat forward in his throne, now interested wholly.
"The device works by locking the target in magical stasis. Next, they are suspended, their body encased in a rough stone-like substance, molded to their features. Think of a rough cast one would use to mold an object. Then, underneath the surface, the skin, organs, and bone all transmogrify into hard stone. Finally, the rough outer shell breaks away, and the body is completely petrified."
Khalifa had been pacing, moving his hands erratically as he explained. King Kerath hung on every word, marveling at the new device. Khalifa came to a stop with the click of his heels as he concluded the explanation. He looked about him, seeing that all eyes were now enthralled by him. Judea, through his sickly paleness, looked proud and excited to see the magnificent work completed.
"But does it work?" a stray voice hung in the air.
Khalifa could see that the king had raised an eyebrow at that and, looking at the young man, leaned back in his chair.
"Well, young lord? Does it?" The king asked.
If Khalifa had any doubts, they weren't shown in his face and stance. With the confidence from before he simply nodded and stood aside. A young, stout man with boyish features stepped forward. Without a word he stood in front of the device and Khalifa stepped behind it.
"As you will see, Your Majesty, it is quite capable. Observe." Khalifa put his hand on the trigger, gripping the handle "This is Surosei. He will be my subject." He pointed to the man in front and then continued. "The device is equipped with a timer. I will set it for exactly one minute. In that time, you will see Surosei turn from man to stone in a matter of seconds!"
King Kerath leaned forward now, gripping the edge of his armrests. Judea was also leaning forward, as well as everyone present in the room. Khalifa and Surosei locked eyes, Surosei nodding and confirming he was ready. Khalifa nodded back, and with the flip of a switch, the weapon roared to life like a lion. The four vials attached to each side depleted slightly, pouring into the large machine. The operational end of the device hummed as it began to admit an ethereal light. The light was almost tangible. It swirled around the barrel, shifting in and out of visibility as the machine began to then rumble. Khalifa held it steady and Surosei stood motionless. An intense focused glare staring into the machine.
King Kerath was staring intently and the light bounced off his eyes. Judea was now trying his hardest to maintain his focus as the roaring of the device became equal to a train whistle. Then with a sudden burst of light, everyone was blinded. Even Khalifa had to look away and shield his eyes. There was a moment's panic; people gasping and shouting in excitement. Then came the king's mighty stomp of a foot and all was silent. As the light faded, he kept his focus forward. Everyone turned back to look at the gray silhouette in the center of the chamber. None was able to turn their gaze away. Surosei was then completely rock. A giant slab of stone that stood motionless.
Khalifa turned back around to see him standing still. He then approached the statue and the the rough exterior of the stone began to chip and fall away, revealing a more detailed statue of the man. Khalifa leaned in closer, eyeing the man's chest. There was a carving of the number one etched into the Surosei's chest. He then smiled, standing upright and turning to the king.
"As you can see, completely operational!"
For five whole seconds there was a complete silence. None dared breath as they all looked to the king and awaited his approval. There was no clap. No uproar of praise. There was only a smile as the old king leaned back in his throne.
"I have seen all I need. I am very pleased, Solomon."
With that, the entire court began to clap modestly. Khalifa then looked the prince, who was now approaching him a he applauded. As he approached, Khalifa took into account that he had looked very pale. Up close, his eyes seemed discolored and his skin was almost as white as ivory. He kept that to himself and instead shook his hand.
"Well done! Father is quite pleased." Judea said in a whisper.
"Are you sure? He hardly said anything."
"Nonsense. That's as much praise anyone can get out of that man."
The two then took that brief moment to catch up on things. Nobles and officials were now flooding the floors, trying to get a closer look at the stone man. Many questions were thrown at the scientist. What magical method he used for the stone, what chemicals he used to induce such petrification. Khalifa took time with each question, not really telling all that was to be told, but enough to satisfy their curiosity. Soon enough, the statue began to glow. Everyone turned their heads and backed away as the stone began to grow riven with cracks. Little by little the stone pealed away to reveal flesh. Then Surosei fell to his knees, clutching his stomach and coughing up chunks of stone that were still inside him. Khalifa then nodded to Rafinar who took Surosei up with the other men and began to carry him away.
Everyone watched him go. Some wanted to chase after him and prod him with questions. More conversation picked up then. Their voices grew in volume as they discussed the topic of what had happened. But then there was a clap that echoed all throughout the great hall and all eyes were on the king once more. Prince Judea then broke away from his friend to rejoin his father. There was a long pause as everyone waited for the king to speak. Then finally, he trained his eye on Khalifa and spoke.
"Lord Khalifa. You are truly a rare mind. There hasn't been one such as you for seven thousand years. The completion of the weapon was only a test. Not one man has been able to completely transform something into another, but you managed to do it with both the help of both science and magic!"
The king then coughed. A rough, dry cough that seemed to scorch his throat. Judea stepped closer, placing his hand on his father's back.
"Men are born, then they live until finally, they die. This is universal law. To avoid death would be a sin; this is a truth that everyone knows. However, given enough time, I'm sure you'll eventually unlock the secret to immortality."
Khalifa concentrated on his words, unsure of what he meant by it all. Immortality, as the church taught it, was seen as a great sin. Those who ought it or tried to replicate it were put to death without any exception, for God did not create man to be eternal.
"Your Majesty. While I appreciate the compliment, I cannot-"
"Of course, I am not saying you will become immortal. In fact, I trust that you'll never succumb to such temptation, which is why I want to appoint you as the head of a project."
Khalifa was then taken aback. Before the device, he was only appointed to development teams, working with others to achieve one singular objective. To be head of an entire project leading others was something more than a dream for him. Before he spoke again, the king ordered all those present except for Khalifa and Judea to withdraw from the throne room. With bows and various graces, the nobles slowly depleted out into the hall. The three remaining men watched them all go. Finally, the room was empty save for the three, and the king beckoned Khalifa to approach him. For the first time in a long while, he felt nervous as he moved up the steps to stand in front of King Kerath's throne.
"Our sun is dying, but you know this. Correct?" the king asked. Khalifa only nodded.
"And you've heard of the Unicorn Project, yes?"
Khalifa slowly nodded again, raising an eyebrow. Then the king smiled, his teeth as white as light.
"What if I told you that we have done it? Created an entirely new race of creatures, capable of powerful magics?"
Khalifa then looked to Judea who only shrugged, never hearing any of it until then.
"Your Majesty, does that mean the sun has been saved?" Khalifa asked.
Then the king's smile fell and he shook his head.
"No. The project was completed thirty years ago. All that time we've been monitoring them. We found that within a few years of practice, they would lose their magic. Not only that, but become completely sterile. You can see why that is such a problem." Judea then stepped in front of his father's throne, coming to a realization.
"And, you wish to create an immortal being. One that can sustain the sun forever?" he asked.
The king then nodded. He looked to the both of them now. His white eyes moving from right to left.
"Yes. And I know what you both might be thinking. 'It is a sin.' Yes, I've heard this many times. I am old. You think I don't know what it is to sin? In the beginning I had my doubts, of course. But as time passed and I thought more on the subject, I realized that the law of God only applied to us humans. Any other creature, created by him or man was completely out of his jurisdiction. So, I concluded that for the sake of mankind, this was the only correct choice."
"Your Majesty....I'm not sure if I can-" Khalifa started. But the king wouldn't have it. There was no changing his mind now.
"I ask you because I know you are a man of vision, of ambition. Not only that, but your keen sense of morality. You, and only you can be trusted in leading this project."
"With all due respect, why won't you head the project?"
King Kerath then slouched in his chair, suddenly looking more sickly than before.
"Do you really think I'll live that long? If it weren't for this damned plague, I would have. Even so, I am too old. I am neither a scientist nor mage. So many of our top minds are very young; too free-willed. They would rather someone of their own talents lead them."
What the king said clicked well enough in Khalifa's head. He -was- a man of vision. Mysteries and the unknown always pulled him in. It was always the same thing that pushed him to discover. Curiosity . The curious nature of mankind. Khalifa had realized this at that moment. If such a possibility were within his grasp, then it was is obligation to reach out to it. Judea thought something similar. He too had always wondered if such a concept were possible, though he was too afraid to pursue such an interest. Both of them looked identical to the king as he sat and studied their contemplative faces. He found an amusement in it and he waited patiently for the young lord's answer. Finally, Khalifa looked up, staring Kerath in the eye.
"My lord, there would be no higher honor."
The following weeks after the presentation were hectic. Khalifa had been busy reading up on reports and commentary regarding the Unicorn project. So far, there were seven hundred and twenty-two unicorns present in the world. He found this amazing. The first unicorn, whom he was actually traveling to meet, was a mare. Her name was Amalthea and she was supposedly born from molten diamond. Though the diamond could only be liquefied for a short instant, they used that instant to strike the pool of diamond with creation magic. The purest form of magic known to man. The report then went on to state that as she stood before the men who had created her, she shimmered like morning dew. She was unable to speak, yet she showed obvious signs of wanting to learn. Ever since then she had been learning.
That was thirty years before. Since then, unicorns had been able to prosper among each other. They were even capable of producing offspring. This aligned perfectly with humanity's intentions. Far to the east on the surface world, the unicorns lived in a land that would serve as their home. Amalthea, being first among them, serving as their queen. Leading the unicorns in magical practice to maintain the sun. Khalifa shaded his lens-covered eyes as he, Prince Judea, and King Kareth made their way across the calm skies of the surface world. The wind fought against them as their ship plowed through clouds like a train through snow. It was a small ship yet fit for a kind. The railings were gold and deck was covered in a very deep royal purple. It's engines spewed a marvelous white and gold fire that trailed through the sky. The figure head a brass griffin, spreading its wings along the port and starboard, its claws bared in pride. This was the Anzu.
The king sat lazily in his long chair near the bow, quietly gazing ahead. Khalifa and Judea sat idly by the railing passing time as they waited for their arrival. Khalifa was staring down into the passing fields as they whisked through the air. Agartha was only moments behind them. He look to the side, leaning further over the railing to see the platform in the distance that served as the entrance into the city. Surrounding that platform was a large town. Babel. The town was growing smaller by the seconds and Khalifa found himself already growing somewhat homesick.
"And from what Father has told me, she is as big as a man. Almost twice his size!" Judea said, raising his arms.
Khalifa only gave him a sideways glance, just then remembering he had been talking.
"Impossible. In the pictures she is just a head above Lord Malik'hen. Has the king seen her?"
Judea then leaned back on the railing, folding his arms.
"No actually. He never had any time to. He's only heard reports from the original team. Today will be his first sight of her."
"Then how can you be sure? Though, there are a lot of rumors about her. I heard that she is so beautiful, she could tempt a priest into sin!"
"A horse? Impossible."
Judea was then silent. Khalifa watched his face shift in and out of curiosity as he pondered the thought.
"Really?" he finally said.
"Apparently."
"How about you then? Would she tempt you? Could you love a unicorn?" Judea asked jokingly.
But Khalifa considered it regardless. He had to admit to himself that he did find the idea of a unicorn extremely appealing. He thought maybe it to be an infatuation with the supernatural world. Things outside reality waiting to be understood and known fully. He at least loved -that- idea. Though, he supposed in the end, it would come right down to xenophilia. But he never thought too much on the subject, and never did he openly express his opinion about it.
"Maybe. Stranger things have happened in both myth and reality."
"So, you would...?" Judea then leaned in, getting too close for comfort. Khalifa backed away, trying to keep the prince from coming any closer.
"I don't know. Well, I suppose if we got to know each other first..."
Judea only stared at him, resting his elbow on the railing. For a long while he was quiet, mulling over the words in his head. Khalifa stared back, now unsure of himself. It seemed like a few hours past until Judea finally spoke again.
"Freak."
Khalifa then shoved him, the pair laughing. The king looked over his shoulder to see them both shouting at one another. In his eyes, they were still the young children from long ago. Shouting at one another over petty insults and trivial matters. It made him smile. Through his sickness, few things gave him reason to continue living. He was ancient. Three centuries of age. Very few things were new to King Kerath, but his son's friendship remain a mystery to him. To him, friendship was fleeting and friends never stayed in one's life for too long. Eventually, friends came and went like the passing of time. It was very rare one could find a friend who would stick with them for a lifetime. Both Judea and Khalifa were of the same age. For forty years they had been friends. And that was just the start of their life. Humans live much longer than they did in ancient times. Some scratching the surface of four hundred.
Humans aged very slowly. Where a man would be fifty, he'd look as if he were still spry and as young as a twenty year old. But even then age was beginning to catch up to the old king. Had he not come in contact with the plague, he would be nearing death's door regardless. He leaned back in his chair and savored the sweet air around him. Like most Agarthan people he loved the surface. But he still held a resentment towards the people who indulged in meaningless celebration. The king then huffed a great big sigh as he began to doze. Though he was somewhat excited to finally meet the unicorn- Amalthea- he wouldn't stay awake for the entire trip. And so he slept a deep sleep one could only get when sailing among the clouds. Khalifa and the prince finally settled down and sat by the railings. Their feet were spread apart and their hands were placed in their laps. The both of them stared high into the sky, somewhat trying to look past the blue and into the black that stretched beyond into nothingness.
"What if we are not the only ones to have created unicorns? What if unicorns had already existed on another world?" Judea asked. Khalifa then folded his arms in thought.
"Another world? Judea, there is no other world but ours. It's what the church says."
"Well, let me rephrase what I said. Suppose that there is another world. Heaven."
"Heaven?"
"Yes. God's realm. Do you suppose he had already created unicorns, and that we merely discovered how he had done it?"
"...Perhaps. But why? What brought this on?"
Judea then shot a vacant stare at his father who slept peacefully. He had done a lot of thinking recently. Mainly brought on by that woman in K'veer, and something more.
"If God had already created unicorns. Would it be impossible to say he created this plague? And thus, creating a cure?"
"Well, I don't rightfully know. But if you were right, then what?"
A long dreadful pause came from Judea. He was staring straight ahead and his mouth hung slightly open. It wasn't until Khalifa nudged him that he regained his thought. Judea then turned to Khalifa. His gaze chilling, similar to a dead man's.
"Khalifa. I have it. I have the Sickness."
Khalifa's eyes shot wide open and he jumped to his feet. Judea didn't bother looking up at him and instead stared at the floor.
"Why haven't you told anyone!?" he shouted.
"What good would it do!? My father will soon die and soon I'll have to take the throne! How would the people feel if they knew their next king was already in his grave?"
Judea then stood. He was but a hand's width away from Khalifa's face. Khalifa had noticed just how pale the prince was. And his mind played back to the demonstration of the weapon. He was very pale then.
"Judea....tell me. How long have you known?"
Khalifa grabbed him by the shoulders in a panic. He shook him roughly and asked him again. Judea only moved his hands away from him and stepped back.
"A few weeks ago. I awoke in agony. It was a pain I've never felt before, and can hardly describe. It encaged my heart and I found myself unable to breath. I looked into the mirror, and in my eyes....there was a mist in them. A white mist that gave the appearance of blindness."
"The same as the kings?!"
Judea nodded.
"Yes. It was then that I knew. And for a time, I fell into despair. ...Do you remember what I said to you? In K'veer?"
Khalifa then paused, thinking back to his visit a month ago. After he healed the woman. It was then that he realized. Judea was afraid. Afraid of being alienated. Hated and feared. He was afraid of being left to die alone and be forgotten.
"I remember."
Judea hung his head low. He was quivering and his knees threatened to buckle over. Khalifa looked inside himself for anything to say. Anything that might ease that pain in him and his friend. He dug deep. So deep that he had reached the bottom of his heart, and then dug through it. He came to only one conclusion. But as he did, he immediately tried to find others, but saw none. Each time he thought of a method, it only looped back to the first conclusion. But that conclusion, was a sin. The ultimate sin. Even still, in that moment, he considered an eternity of damnation for his friend.
"Heaven." Khalifa said the word aloud and Judea shot his eyes to attention. "I don't know if God created unicorns. Or if he spread the plague to punish us for whatever his will may be. But I think I know where the answer lies. And that is in Heaven. I'll get you there. I'll figure out how."
Khalifa then looked into Judea's eyes. For the first time he saw how pale they were. Judea then stifled a laugh. With his right arm, he struck Khalifa on the shoulder.
"Careful what you say. Had I been another, I may have reported you to the church."
Khalifa scoffed and turned away, crossing his arms angrily. Judea laughed aloud. His laugh was like an ignition of flame.
"But thank you. It means a lot."
Khalifa had stiffened to his touch. It felt like a brisk wind had blown over him. But he soon relaxed and turned to his friend.
"I mean it, Judea. Even if it means throwing down all my morals, I will help you. What you said to me, on K'veer. You said you hated sickness. That you'd like to see a world without it. Just now I realized, the solution may be in the Alicorn project."
Judea stepped back. His hand fell to his side and a look of cautious fear overtook him.
"...You mean, immortality?" he asked.
Though he was afraid to hear the answer.
"If it comes to that. Think about it. An alicorn would be the perfect being. Suffering no sickness. No blight of age. An alicorn would be eternal and never dying. Think about what we could do with that!"
Khalifa outstretched his arm, appearing bigger than he was. Judea seemed to close in on himself as he shied away from his friend. He turned his head away, his pale eyes looking at the floor again.
"Khalifa..what you say is blasphemy. We aren't meant to live forever. It is law."
Then Khalifa threw his arms downward. The air blew in between them as they stood in silence. Never had he seen Judea so withdrawn on a subject. Many times they had discussed ethics at length. So much as challenging the very word of God. But to see him so small and shying made Khalifa feel like he was suddenly a stranger. Judea then returned his stare. And as he did, Khalifa felt a wave of relief.
"I am very lucky to have you for a friend. It means the world to me that you'd be willing to do so much."
"You know I would. Think on it. Who knows, immortality is only one solution. There are endless possibilities Judea. All we need is one."
A flash of confidence then shot across the prince's face. He stood upright, now level with Khalifa. He never figured him to be so generous. So committed to him that he'd be willing to even speak such words. It made him happy, even if his plans would never come into fruition.
"One possibility then? Right. But before all that, you have business. Try and concentrate on one task alone, won't you? You tend to get sloppy and forgetful when focusing on more than one project."
Khalifa smiled and nodded. It was then that he had decided on his great ambition. To see his friend's dream realized. A world without the sick.
The land of unicorns was very far. Further than the horizon and as distant as the sky. If a man wandered in, he would not know that he had slip into such a realm. It was a land hidden in plain sight. The land of unicorns, was a forest. Trees sprang up from the ground to stretch their branches across the bases of clouds. It was rich with life, from the biggest cat to the smallest mouse. Not one animal stood absent. The Anzu gracefully touched ground in a pasture just outside the magical forest. It was night, a chill following them as they disembarked. The pale moon sat contently parallel to the ground. Stars blinked in and out across the sky and dark purple clouds circled around the perimeter of the forest, not wanting to obscure the view of the night.
As the party stepped down the gangplank, there were none to greet them. All that stood before them were the shadows that creeped out of the forest. The king was the first to step forth, his robes brushing over the tall grass. He held open his palms and raised his arms. With a single motion he clapped, the sound as loud as thunder. Soon after, men emerged from the thickets and bushes. These men were not dressed like normal guards. They were dressed in darker colors and wore shining silver helmets that covered their eyes. Long black cloaks covered them, only allowing you to see under them when they moved across the pasture. There were five of them and they all came to the king's feet and bowed their heads low.
"Your Majesty." they said in unison.
Then they arose, greeting both Judea and Khalifa.
"I will have no delay. Take us to where they reside, and see that they know we are here." Kerath said commandingly.
A single guard bowed out of the gathering, placing his hand over his heart. If Khalifa hand't been watching, he wouldn't have seen the man's insane speed as he took off into the dark forest. Now that Khalifa studied them closer, he saw that they were Umbran Guards. The Umbran Guard were an order of immense secrecy. There were never more than fifty in the order at a time. They were the elite of the elite. And at times, they were the king's special forces, secret police, viziers and other such rolls. That had been the first time Khalifa had actually seen them and he found himself shifting nervously in his stance.
"Take us to the unicorns." the king commanded.
The guards then formed a line and began to march ahead. Khalifa and Judea followed the king as they left the open air and melded into the forest. Darkness seemed to slowly wrap them in layers. The canopy above was so thick that the moonlight could hardly breach it. The quickly approaching darkness was unnerving. Sounds followed soon after the loss of visibility. For a moment the sound of the entire earth could be heard in that darkness. Then the forest floor began to illuminate with each of their steps. A trail of magical blue dust marked their path through the dense wood.
Looking about him as they moved through the darkness, Khalifa swore he saw movement in the dark. Though it were impossible to see more than a few feet around him, he trained his eye on an object in the dark. It was still. Almost like a statue. But he was sure that it was there. He stared at it and he could feel that whatever he was looking at, stared back at him. Then in an instant, it was gone. Judea nudged his shoulder from behind and whispered into his ear.
"Did you see that?" he asked.
Khalifa's eyes then went wide.
"You saw it too?"
"It was massive.... like a great beast. It was still as stone, I nearly thought I was seeing things. But then it leapt away into the dark."
They walked on, keeping their eyes trained on the blackness around them. As they journeyed further into the forest, they saw more and more beasts in the darkness. They all watched them, and some even followed. Around them they could hear whispers. But they were almost in another language. Finally, they came to a clearing in the forest. The moonlight encompassed it, bathing the large clearing in its pale light. For a moment they stood in silence. Then they heard the twigs and leaves begin to snap under hooves and animals part ways to allow the beasts that followed them. Khalifa could do nothing but stare as he saw the beings come into the light. Unicorns.
They came in many colors. Colors that were unnatural. Their horns were as sharp as mountain peaks and their hooves as light as feathers. They stood in silence, their eyes staring into the humans. None dared to say anything. Not even the king who was blown away. His words were taken from him as he stared at their beauty. King Kerath nearly wept as he spun around, taking in the sight of all of them. "Real unicorns!" he thought. Both Khalifa and the prince were equally dazzled, though that dazzle was but a precursor. Another approached.
It was a unicorn, yes. But much more than that. It had been the first. She had been the first. She was their queen. And in a sense, their mother. She was tall, much larger than the rest. She walked with the care and stillness of a deer and it wasn't clear if her hooves exactly touched the grass beneath her. Her ears were thin, sticking up like needles. Her tail that of a lion's; long and trailing behind her with silver hair sprouting at the tip. She was a white mare. Whiter than white and as pure as Christ. Her mane was molded from snow and her eyes the largest blue diamonds. Her fetlocks were long, trailing down her cloven hooves. And in the center of her head, a single shimmering horn that came to a point sharper than the sting of love she instilled within longing hearts. She was Amalthea.
The three men felt their breath fly out of them and for a second they struggled to breath. Kerath felt himself bend over and bow to the creature as she came to a stop in front of him. The prince and Khalifa did the same; Khalifa wanting more so to throw himself at the ground. Amalthea stood over them. For a long while she observed them, craning her head in curiosity as she looked them over. Though she towered over the three, she did not appear as though she judged them. She was merely inspecting the new men who came into her forest. Her expression was empty. Vacant of any signs of hostility or hospitality. Her gaze settled on the king and she stared deeply into his white eyes. Kerath could not tear his gaze away from her and he felt a power come over him. A power he nor any poet could ever bring to life in words. And then she unexpectedly bowed her head low, her horn coming inches away from his face. Kerath drew a sharp breath in surprise. The motion was so swift and graceful that it felt like he had seen the wind pass through him. Finally she spoke. A voice as quiet as a psalm but all the more imposing.
"I welcome you to our forest, my king. I am Queen Amalthea. Your humble servant."
Around the three, the other unicorns began to bow their heads as well. The idea gave the king a sense of irony; such creatures bowing to him and calling him 'king'. He felt it was improper, yet he allowed it.
"There has never been a servant so beautiful and majestic in the reign of fifty kings. I must consider myself lucky." Kerath said. He then moved aside after regaining his composure and motioned to Judea and Khalifa.
"This is my son. The Prince Judea. And this is Lord Solomon Khalifa. He is to head the Alicorn project."
Like before she bowed politely. Khalifa returned the gesture, feeling he had to out of respect. He had to admit to himself that she was indeed beautiful. By far the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on. He found himself instantaneously drawn to her and felt he had to know more of the first unicorn. But there would be time for that. Khalifa figured that for the time being, he would simply watch her.
"We all look forward to your discoveries, My Lord." Amalthea said.
"And I look forward to working with you." Khalifa replied.
Amalthea then went on to Judea, who found himself avoiding her deep blue eyes.
"Hello to you too, my prince."
Judea's pale eyes then snapped to her and like his father he was caught in her trap. She smiled at him. A gesture that seemed new to her, as she did not know how to properly mimic the expression. For unicorns never smiled nor frowned. Judea found himself smiling back and it put his racing mind at ease.
"I have been waiting for this day. For a very long time. Since my birth I had longed to meet the man who conceived me."
The use of the word conceive made Khalifa shift uncomfortably. True that King Kerath was responsible for the method used to create Amalthea. But he never really applied the concept of conception to it. But he supposed that in a way, she had been correct. As far as she was concerned, the king was her father.
"And I have longed to see the day when I would meet you, and your wonderful people. Had I been a more younger, foolish man, I would have given myself to love at first sight." Kerath chuckled.
Amalthea tried once more to smile, the second time coming off a little less awkward. Again Khalifa shifted in his stance. It didn't sit well that the unicorn's 'father' was coming on to her.
"So bold, Your Majesty! Had you indeed been younger, I feel I wouldn't be able to resist."
The pair laughed into the still air. Khalifa stepped closer to Judea amidst their chatter.
"What do you make of her?" he asked.
Judea only stared, unable to take his eyes off her.
"Well.....she certainly is beautiful. It's hard to believe she is even there."
"Aye. She has an aura about her. One that implies that she cannot be ruled. Hard to believe we created her."
Judea's eyes snapped from Amalthea and looked down in thought. Though she was queen she was still a servant of man. But she seemed too unruly and independent. Too good for the world. A mere man could never hope to hold such a creature. The two men watched the king and the unicorn for a little while before looking about them. The other unicorns were all absent. Gone back into the dark. They hadn't noticed that the conversation had died and Amalthea was then standing over them once again.
"They are preparing for dawn." she said.
Khalifa and Judea were startled and they felt their skin frost over in fear. Not only did she startle them, but she knew what they had been thinking.
"I see. I was thinking where they had went off to. How did you know?" Judea asked.
Amalthea then shook her head, her sharp horn cutting the air.
"I did not. I only assumed."
She then turned back to Kerath. He was standing with the Umbran Guard and had been waiting to move on.
"If you all would follow me. I will show you to the city."
Amalthea didn't stop to wait for them. Instead she continued on her own, half forgetting that the humans had even been there to begin with. They all followed, rearing behind her like moths drawn to a flame. Stepping back into the dark forest, the trees began to glow. It was a light as delicate as dandelions. It illuminated the dark forest, giving light to the trees and nocturne animals that scurried by. The animals all watched Amalthea, for no mind could resist the alluring form of a unicorn. The men watched as she pressed on. The wind that flowed along the forest floor now rushed to them. Trailing around them and tossing their hair around. The light then left the trees, shooting into the sky and like a firework, exploding into a multitude of colors.
The sound was deafening. It was like listening to the roar of a star as comets and asteroids crashed into it. Around them the trees began to bend and misshapen. They curled around themselves and dissipated. Only then had it been apparent that they were only illusion. In fact, the entire forest was a conjuring of the unicorn's power. A camouflage to conceal their presence. Where the trees and thickets once stood were structures that hadn't been there. Roads and streets replaced the earth beneath them. Towering spires and turrets. All capped with colorful onion shaped domes. Each structure a master mason's work of marble and polished stone. Now that the mirage of the forest had been dispelled, the whole of the city revealed itself to them in a blinding light. Even more unicorns walked the streets, no longer hiding. Lights from lanterns and torches lit the streets, making the city come to life. The forest was no longer dark and mysterious. But bright and comforting.
Amalthea still walked on, feeling more at home. Her tail swayed happily behind her and for the first time her hooves touched the ground. She was no longer in the world of man. They all had crossed over into the unicornian utopia. This was her home, as well as the home of all unicorns. Judea struggled to keep up. He tried to take in everything about the newly appeared city. Trying to take in ever detail, every aspect of unicorn life. But he found that he could not focus on one thing. Where he'd train his gaze, another thing would catch him and pull him in. Multiple times he stopped walking and slightly strayed off the path to go investigate. Khalifa was very similar. He was excited. Dangerously close to running off and exploring. He was curious and he felt that at any moment he would give into his curiosity. But they ultimately kept their way forward. Following Amalthea they came to gigantic steps. It was a pyramid. Massive in height. Taller than any structure Khalifa had seen in his lifetime. It stretched into the night sky like a monolith. It was four sided, the same massive steps trailing up each side. Unicorns could be seen making their way to the top. Kerath then stopped. Amalthea felt this and halted, turning to him.
"Your Majesty?" she asked. Kerath smiled and waved her off.
"Steps have become challenging for me in my old age. I will wait here."
Judea moved closer to his father and took him by the arms.
"Are you alright?" he whispered.
Kerath nodded over and over, patting Judea on the back.
"I'll be fine. It's almost third bell. The sun will be rising soon. I will watch from here. I'm sure Amalthea would like to show you both sunrise. Go on."
The old king then shooed Judea away. The prince was hesitant but ultimately complied. He then wondered how long he had before he would be like his father. Old and sick, unable to move as freely as he liked. Judea fell solemn as he stepped away from his father.
"We won't be long." Khalifa said, breaking the silence.
Khalifa took Judea gingerly by the arm and lead him up the stairs. They passed Amalthea, who had been ever so still. She stared at the king who avoided her. In her presence, he felt ashamed of his sickness. Then she moved her gaze to Judea's back as he moved up the steep steps. She said nothing. But she understood. Giving one last glance at Kerath, she found him staring. His eyes chilling. Almost defeated. She had noticed that it was a lot like his son's. She felt it unnatural and it sickened her and filled her with great sorrow. But as she stared at him, she remembered the other man that had came with them. The young Lord Khalifa. It was then in that moment that she felt a connection with the three. Predominantly in Khalifa.
"Well then. Don't keep them waiting. I expect you to give them quite a show, Amalthea." Kerath said.
Amalthea was still silent. But she bowed and left him to continue with the others up the steps. She did not know what plagued the king and his son, but she knew Khalifa was the one who would rid them of it. But quickly she put away her thoughts. A unicorn never dwelled on anything for too long. Especially omens. As they climbed, the stars around them seemed to grow closer. As if they had been walking onto the edge of Earth's domain. Nearing the top, Judea saw that many unicorns had gathered in a circle. There were about fifteen and they all waited patiently for the queen. Amalthea glided up the stairs and walked out onto the dais in the pyramid's center. She stood in the heart of the circle and her fellow unicorns looked up to her in waiting.
"So how is it done?" Judea asked.
Khalifa brought his voice down to a whisper. Knowing that the ritual required immense focus.
"From what I've read from Lord Malik'hen's reports; the unicorns gather and link their magical essence to the sun. In a way, they tie themselves to the sun and 'pull' it upward. But such a connection literally burns away their magical capabilities in time. The average serving time for a Solar Herald is usually about seven years."
"Seven years? But the queen has been doing it for far longer. How does she participate?"
Khalifa was now watching the ceremony begin. He was making note of everything he saw. From the stillness of each unicorn. To the soft light that swirled around their hooves and undersides of their eyes.
"The queen has long since lost her magic. But, due to her means of creation, she is quite unique. Have you noticed her slight translucent nature? You wouldn't be far off if you said she were made of glass. She acts as a lens of sorts- a catalyst. Though she herself has no magic, she can harbor the magic of others and amplify it. A process which originally took thirty unicorns, now requires only fifteen."
Amalthea stood calmly in the center as magic began to pour into her. For her, it was like liquid fire being poured into her veins. Though she wouldn't describe it as painful. Rather it was very pleasant. She could feel the magic swirl within her core. Like an angry sea of energy it surged within her. Her hooves left the stone beneath her as she began to slowly rise into the air. Around her, unicorns swayed and chanted. The peak of the pyramid was now overcome in a warm aura. Khalifa and Judea felt like total strangers. They were witnessing something only a few in the world would ever see.
Every unicorn's horn pointed directly at Amalthea, light radiating off them and swirling in a spiral around Amalthea. Her eyes were gigantic orbs of white light. The horn atop her head was encased in ethereal energy as she raised her head as if to drink from the night sky. The queen's mane now lashed out in separate directions, changing color. It was like her mane had become an aurora borealis. The two men who had came to the unicorn's forest were now speechless. Never in all their years had they witnessed such a beauty. They found themselves struck with inspiration and wonder.
Just over the horizon, the sun began to peak out from the distance. Its golden light igniting like a fire across the far off mountains and trees. Amalthea was now high in the sky. Shining like a biblical star. Wings of light began to protrude from her back. They encased her, wrapping around her and forming a sphere. She looked like an egg. Inside she incubated her magical tie with the sun. On her flanks a magical projection of the sun burned brightly. In an instant, she burst from the sphere, her wings spread wide and casting light in all directions. A single stream of magic blasted from her horn and into the horizon, catching the sun. Amalthea then pulled. With all her might she pulled the massive sphere into the air. The unicorns below still chanted and channeled their energy. Each chant a drum beat in the heart of man.
Everyone below the pyramid looked up. Every unicorns. Every creature of the forest. The king. Everyone around the world witnessed dawn. Amalthea then summoned all her remaining strength and with one final pull she shot the sun into the sky. With the sun taking its rightful place in the sky, Amalthea gently floated down back onto the dais. Her eyes were still shut tightly, tiny streams of light still leaking out like steam. Khalifa would have hurried to her if he weren't caught in a trance. He was still trapped by the beauty of the sun, and Judea fared no better. Around them, the unicorns began to rise. They themselves were dizzy and stumbled about themselves. Amalthea slowly came to, opening her eyes to see the blurry forms of those around her. Her eyes trained on the two men who stood wide eyed and slack jawed.
Slowly, she steadied herself on her hooves and began to cautiously trot her way over to them. Her eyes returned to their deep blue, her mane was once again the color of sea foam, and the sun glyph on her flanks was now long gone. Once again she stood over the humans, proud and imposing. Khalifa found himself questioning if she really was a product of human creation. He felt it impossible for anything less than a god able to create such a creature. Judea's pale eyes nearly swelled with tears. He turned away, hiding his face.
"I will go and meet my father." he said hastily.
He didn't waste time fleeing from her and descending the steps. Though he wouldn't admit it, he felt a surprising amount of fear within him. He had to get away as quickly as possible before he became slave to her beauty. Every other unicorn descended the pyramid as well, leaving Khalifa and Amalthea alone, baptized in the morning light. He didn't dare speak first, and she would not utter a word unless spoken to. For a very long while they simply stared at each other. Finally, Amalthea smiled, now more accustomed to the expression. It was genuine and calming. Without a word she passed him by and followed after Judea. Khalifa didn't turn to see her go. Instead he continued to stare into the sky.
"Unicorns, a creation of man." he said allowed.
Then he quickly turned on his heels and stared at Amalthea as she moved away. Khalifa found himself filled with the fires of ambition. After witnessing such a display, he was determined. Before, he had secretly doubted the possibility of an alicorn. But after seeing what was possible with the work of magic, he was sure of himself. He was confident. And if an alicorn were possible, so was a cure for the plague. Amalthea was a key. She would be necessary in his plans to eradicate the sickness and capture the sun. The first unicorn would be the first alicorn. Judea would live to see a world without sickness. And his curiosity would finally be sated.
He balled his fists at his sides and felt the wind on his face. The surface was such a magnificent place. There were so many wonders to explore there and he felt it calling to him. He inhaled deeply, indulging himself in the clean forest air. Now that there was a new driving force behind him, Khalifa descended the steps to join the others. There was a lot of work ahead of him and he was more than excited to get to it.
A month had past. A month spent working to the bone in order to complete the Alicorn Project. Ever since the day Khalifa witnessed Amalthea's sunrise, he had busied himself with work. In the past month, the news of the unicorn's existence had been revealed to the public. At first, many were astounded. Baffled by the creation of such a creature. But over time religious extremists and ethic preachers began to make themselves known. Not only extremists, but the church had declared unicorns unlawful by divine law. They all figured that men creating new life meant the king tried to play God. Which of course wasn't true. But you could never reason with extremists. King Kerath had been pressured to take action. Many nobles and advocates of the "cause" were flocking to him daily. Trying their best to convince him to eradicate Amalthea and her people. Of course, he'd never agree. But as time went on, and his health fell drastically, Kerath began restricting unicorn freedom. Unicorns were no longer allowed to leave their forest. Which was exactly Khalifa's reason to leave Agartha. He had moved his laboratory to the unicorn city, Empyrea-Larsa.
Khalifa was in his lab, bent over his desk and writing commentary on the project. Judea had unfortunately gotten worse. But he still kept his life. He was back in Agartha, helping his father with business. Just like the king he had managed to survive past the first few weeks. But the plague had crippled him and he now required the use of magically enhanced legs. He had been away for weeks, leaving Khalifa alone with Amalthea. Khalifa looked up from his desk, eyeing the unicorn who moved about his lab.
Like wind she moved though the large room. She eyed the various instruments and apparatuses that hung from the walls and lay on tables. She was like a child on an expedition. Khalifa sighed softly. He had been working constantly and he never allowed himself any breaks. But seeing Amalthea so carefree about his lab made him envy her. Setting aside his pen, he stood from his seat. Then he rounded the table, approaching Amalthea. As he did, he fell into her shadow and stood beside her. She had been staring at the painting that lay mounted on the wall. A painting of people in the market. Busy with errands. She stared at the painting in silence. Khalifa moved to say something, but he was cut off by the unicorn.
"What is it like? The city of humans?"
"Agartha?"
She nodded.
Khalifa folded his arms and looked up to the ceiling. Now that he thought of it, he hadn't been home in a whole month. He began thinking of Rafinar, Judea, and the others he left back at the capital.
"It is a city that lies deep beneath the surface. A colossal cavern miles wide and filled with sparkling water that forms a lake. And in the center of that lake, Agartha stands. A magnificent city. Not one just like it. Known as 'The World beneath the world'."
He turned his head to her to catch her staring. Her ears tilted forward, listening to every word. The look on her face was hard to read. But then again, he could never read her faces very well.
"And do all humans live there?" she asked.
"Well...no. Most humans live on the surface. All over the world."
"Why stay below and not live above? Beneath the Earth, you cannot see the sun."
Khalifa then went silent. She had a point. Though Agartha was a wonder of the world, it was very limited. There was only so much space and sooner or later the entire cavern would be filled. It was sometimes dark and hallow, despite the thousands who lived within the cavern. And one could never see the sky. Khalifa then nodded in agreement.
"Yes. Honestly, I had been thinking of moving all my things to the surface. I like the surface. Here, the air is never still and the seasons always change. But mostly it's-"
"The sky?"
Amalthea was incredibly close to him. Her muzzle just a few inches from his face. She stared down at him, tilting her head to the side. Khalifa adverted his gaze and turned from her. He wasn't used to staring at her for too long.
"Yes. The sky is what I love most. It's so vast and boundless. A man could live a thousand years, but never hope to contain it all. In a way, I suppose I view the sky as I view science. Limitless potential and millions of secrets. -I- may live for a thousand years and never understand everything. It's all just too vast for any one man to fully grasp."
The unicorn then smiled. She was happy for him. It filled her with joy to know that he had found such a passion. The joy confused her; for not many unicorns found great joy in anything other than themselves. Amalthea supposed that in a way, Khalifa reminded her of herself. Eager to learn, thirsting for knowledge. They were the same. Over the course of a month they had grown close. Learning everything they could about each other. Khalifa was probably the only man in the world who knew so much about the first unicorn. And Amalthea the only unicorn to know so much about man.
"Would you be interested in staying here? In Empyrea-Larsa?"
Amalthea's words were quick and agile. Almost like she hadn't said them at all. Khalifa had barely heard her. But he -had- thought about it. Living among unicorns didn't seem like such a terrible thing. But..
"I would be interested. But the prince.... I must stay close to him. I may be his only hope."
"For?"
Khalifa didn't explain further. He never did. Though he had been assigned to head the Alicorn Project, Judea was his top priority. Day and night he researched ways to create immortality. And each day he cursed himself for not finding a solution. There was no telling how long Judea would remain alive. And if he died, Khalifa would never recover from the failure. He looked at Amalthea, remembering she was still there. He feigned a smile and stroked her neck. Something that always calmed the both of them.
"Someday. Maybe someday I'll live among you all. But in the time being, I will need your help to create the first alicorn. All I ask is for you to be patient. Together we will birth an immortal."
Amalthea's smile returned, almost a wide grin. She lowered her head in a nod.
"Well then. I wait for the day when you join us, Solomon."
Khalifa perked up after hearing his first name. A name that was used too rarely. But lately, Amalthea had taken a liking to addressing him as such. Not that he minded.
"Aye. As do I." he replied.
The both of them then went on to conversate more. Well into the afternoon they exchanged words, growing closer by the hour. Despite Amalthea's strange nature, she had been incredibly easy to get along with. She felt the same about Khalifa and found that around him, she felt things no unicorn had ever felt. Those new emotions were thrills for her. Egging on her curiosity even more. She felt drawn to him like a moth to flame and felt that if she stayed with him, she would learn more and more. Sooner or later, they found themselves on the topic of the project. Which had seen very little progress.
Khalifa had found it infuriating that he could not come up with anything. Not only that, but Amalthea was also at a loss. They talked hours about it. Exchanging different theories and hypotheses. Well into the night they talked about the first alicorn. What its name should be. What it'd look like or what it'd think of the world. The last time Khalifa looked at the clock, he saw that it was eight bell. Instinctively, he yawned. A loud tired yawn that dragged out the seconds.
"It is late. Would you like to retire?" Amalthea asked.
Khalifa only waved a hand at her as he slumped in his desk chair.
"Not yet. I've never been one for sleep anyway."
He then leaned forward, balancing his elbows on his knees.
"What about you Amalthea? Do you sleep?"
The question surprised her.
"Yes? All things require sleep. What makes you think otherwise?"
Khalifa then shied away and admitted to himself that the question was a bit odd. He figured because he saw Amalthea as something unnatural, that she would not need to abide by normal laws of nature. But he then abandoned the question and suddenly stood.
"Nevermind. It is late, the sun would be rising soon, yes?"
Amalthea nodded and stood herself, once again covering the man in her shadow.
"In just a few more hours. I must leave you now, Solomon."
Amalthea then moved towards the door, already deciding to depart. She always ran off around that time but Khalifa never thought to ask where. He had figured she'd go off to prepare for dawn, but lately she had been poking her muzzle in other affairs. There had been rumors circulating in the city. Rumors that were slightly unbecoming, but cute in a way. Word on the street was that the unicorn queen had taken a liking with the population's second oldest member.
"May I ask about you and Bucephalus?"
Amalthea paused, she did not want to but felt that her legs simply stopped moving and locked in place. She glanced over her shoulder to see Khalifa leaning back on his desk with his arms folded.
"....Ask away."
"You and Bucephalus. You're close, yes?"
"In a manner of speaking. Why?"
Amalthea then turned to him completely. It was barely hard to noticed, but she was prodding the floor with her hoof and averting her eyes from him.
"Bucephalus is the second unicorn to be created out of the original ten. He's as old as you. The unicorns look to him as somewhat of a king. And he doesn't-"
"Solomon. Where are you going with this?"
She interrupted. The first time she had ever done so. It made Khalifa raise his brows and lean back further on his desk. She was getting defensive and he found it to be very surprising. As did she, for a unicorn never needed to defend anything.
"You both compliment each other quite well. I wouldn't be surprised if the both of you were to marry."
Unicorns- as Khalifa understood- were much like humans in the fact that they mated for life. Though only rarely, considering the sterility of many. Amalthea lowered her head in a blush that burned her face like an iron.
"Solomon, you are too bold. I am like a mother to my people. I could never-"
"Why not?" Khalifa interjected.
He was already off his desk and walking over to the mare.
"You know. I've spoken to Bucephalus a number of times now. He's very pleasant. Wise, humble, generous, and kind. He thinks very highly of you as well. He often speaks of you whenever I have him in the lab working."
Amalthea's blue eyes were giant pools of sapphire. It excited her to hear that Bucephalus thought so much of her. Over the years, long after her magic had been claimed by the sun and she was left barren, she had given up hope of ever forming a pair with anyone. Not that it was ever a priority in the first place. But it always sat in the back of her mind, prodding her, pushing her to at least try.
"You're growing old Amalthea. Nothing can stop that. The first alicorn may not be born for a hundred more years. Think of this as...an encouragement to get the most out of your life. I don't want to keep you in this lab forever. You are not mine, nor the king's despite what you think. A man could never hold a creature such as you. For unicorns, it may be hard- impossible even- to see life this way. But make the best of it, before it passes you by and fills you with regret. Before others pass you by."
Khalifa spoke with absolute sincerity and it made Amalthea widen her eyes at him. She studied him, every detail. He had a sadder look on his face. His eyes were looking down at the floor. It was then that she thought of the prince in Agartha. He was a very dear friend to the both of them. The unicorn could sense Khalifa's sadness. She knew he was terrified of failing and losing his friend. As a unicorn, she found it hard to understand. To her, life was merely as state of being, as well as death. Whether or not someone died was almost irrelevant to her. But at that moment, she found herself caring for the first time. She chuckled. Something that was very rare. Her white mane bounced as she through her head back in full on laughter. Khalifa then looked up in surprised and in slight embarrassment.
"Solomon. I never knew you cared so much. Very well then. I will speak with Bucephalus and I will try to see "life" through your eyes."
She turned again to leave but stopped when she was halfway out of the lab. Her horn flickered in the moonlight as she turned her head.
"Men may go a long while without alicorns. But not forever. Remember that. Keep to your ambition. You must be willing to do whatever it takes. Though you refuse to tell me the full story, I know you mean the best for Prince Judea. Whatever this project has connected with him, I hope you both find what you are looking for."
She then left quickly, her swaying tail being the last thing out the door. Amalthea's encouragement lingered in the air, circling around the young man.
"Whatever it takes.." he said to himself.
A yawn followed and he stretched his arms far and wide. Looking over to his bed, he decided to sleep for an hour or two. The next few months he would work tirelessly. Willing to do whatever it took in order to find a way to birth an alicorn.
Shouting could be heard coming from Khalifa's lab. The whole of Empyrea-Larsa looked northwest of the city in the early morn to the source. The scientist was found scrambling about his lab, searching frantically for his journals of commentary. Loose papers and various other contraptions were laid in curious places across the floors. He had been up all night reading, writing, thinking. And he had finally come to a conclusion. Well, a theory. The doors to his lab flew open and Amalthea, along with two guards rushed in. They found him at his desk scribbling away in his journal.
"Solomon? What has happened?" Amalthea asked.
She quickly went to him, rounding his large desk to peek over his shoulders at the hard leather book.
"I've done it! At least, I think I've found a way!"
He stood, rushing over to a bookshelf. He started to pull at the many books, glancing at their spines for half a second before pushing them back in place. Khalifa was sifting through the books in a haste, trying to find the correct volume. His index finger stopped at a rather small binding and pulled. Returning to his desk, he retook his seat and placed the new book atop the old one. Amalthea sighed, nodding to the guards to beg them leave.
"I have to say. I have never seen you this excited." she said tiredly.
"You've never had reason to. Not much excites me these days."
"But this does?"
"Very much so!"
Amalthea was silent, waiting for Khalifa to explain what grasped his excitement. But when he returned her silence with the sound of pen on paper, she huffed.
"Well?" she asked impatiently.
"Magical Binding! The act of weaving together two entities!"
".....Explain."
"Think about about it Amalthea. What would happen if you bound one living thing to another? Their life forces would be intertwined, no? They would become dependent on each other."
"Well, yes. I suppose."
Amalthea craned her head, not really sure where Khalifa was going.
"Consider this. Specimen A is bound by magic to Specimen B. Naturally, they would feed off each other's life force. They become a fire that provides its own fuel. One entity that is product of an infinite loop of energy due to the binding. In this case, we find a unicorn, find a way to bind their life force to the sun, and create this single entity. In other words, an alicorn! An everlasting immortal being."
Khalifa immediately stood, causing his chair to fly back from under him. He quickly gathered his things and once again paced the lab.
"I make for Agartha. Judea and the king will be excited to hear this. We'll need an entire team for this. A bigger space for testing."
The man went on like a child as he spoke aloud more so to himself. Amalthea only watched him with wide eyes. She would have been jumping for joy, bursting with pride and excitement at her friend's discovery. But she found that she couldn't. A feeling was crawling up her back. It was the same hesitant maliciousness that halted her on the pyramid their first time meeting. Amalthea moved to speak, but found that she could not. She was, in a sense, scared. Khalifa had finally stopped rambling when he paused at the door. He was fully facing her, his things gathered up neatly in his arms. His hair was a mess and big saggy bags hung from the under lids of his eyes. A beard was beginning to set in and there was a suspicion that he hadn't changed his robes in a couple of days. He looked comedically pitiful.
"Amalthea? Is everything alright?"
"Solomon, I am very excited for you, truly I am. But I worry."
"Worry? Worry for what?"
Amalthea changed stances to a more passive one. She rubbed her leg with the other as she tried to find the words.
"When we met that day, on the pyramid. I felt something. Like a black cloud hanging over you and the prince. An omen. I can't say for sure what it might be, but I worry for you."
Khalifa then thought to himself. What could she have felt to make her act this way? Amalthea- or any unicorn- was never known to feel emotion so strongly. But she was beginning to change. Khalifa had noticed this a long time ago. The more time they spent together, the more empathetic, genuine, and human-like. He supposed she could be exaggerating. These new emotions being a completely different experience for her. Ultimately, he shrugged it off in his excitement and felt that he couldn't be bothered by her premonitions.
"Amalthea. Everything will be just fine. We have a chance now, and should everything go as planned, we will succeed. You look sick; your eyes are faded. Why not spend some time with Bucephalus? He's been coming around asking for you lately. I think it'd do you both some good to spend time with each other."
Khalifa then moved to out the door, his journals in tow.
"I won't be long. A week at most. In the mean time, enjoy yourself."
Amalthea chased after him, her hooves carrying her across the lab and outside in seconds. She was standing over the man and he stopped in her shadow. Khalifa didn't turn around to meet her. Instead he only sighed and rubbed his head. He opened his mouth to speak, but Amalthea interrupted him.
"Solomon. I only ask that you be careful. I fear the road you walk can lead into an abyss that will swallow you in your ambition. Be vigilant, of the prince, of the king, of anyone around you. And most importantly. Watch yourself. Ambition is a very fine thing to have, but left unchecked it could devour you. Keep this in mind."
Khalifa was still for a long while. So long that he felt the blades of grass creep up around his ankles. Then he sighed for the last time and threw his hand up in a wave and continued on without a word. It was unclear whether or not the unicorn's words took root in him. He certainly couldn't say. But he kept them in the back of his mind just in case. He then turned to thoughts of home, and smiled brightly.
Khalifa's private ship- The Aristarchus- docked in Babel, the town that surrounded the giant platform that lead down into Agartha. It had been a long flight and he was slow to move from his bed. After a quick bathing, change of clothes, and grooming, he emerged from his cabin and out onto the deck. Rafinar had been standing on the air-dock and patiently waited along with his fellow servants. Once Khalifa stepped onto the gangplank and descended, they all bowed their heads in unison. Khalifa smiled and threw out his arms and hugged each of them tightly. It had been a long time since they had seen each other. Much too long for a simple 'hello'.
"Welcome home, Lord. I hope you'll excuse us. We received word of your arrival on such short notice that we hadn't time to prepare the carriage." Rafinar said humbly.
But Khalifa only threw up a hand and walked past him.
"No worries. I prefer to walk."
The scientist was already moving far away from the group of servants, a man closely following him and carrying his books. Rafinar and his team all sighed with a chuckle and moved to follow him through the crowd. Babel was as lively as always. There was music constantly in the air and performers lining the streets. It all came rushing into Khalifa's senses so suddenly. He had grown accustomed to the tranquility of Empyrea-Larsa that he had almost forgotten the world he had left. A world of non-stop celebration. Even in the day the people shot fireworks. Even though one could hardly appreciate them. Great big bonfires stood tall in different sections of the town. They all burned brilliantly in the day like beacons. Elegant dancers and entertainers roamed the streets in brightly colored feathers and brilliant beads. They all approached Khalifa, blocking his way. It took a whole hour before they all finally reached the platform. Khalifa was hunched over and panting for breath.
"I forget how difficult it can be to move through that sea of people...."
Rafinar was patting him on the back whilist the others called the elevator that lead down into the cavern. Loud gears began turning and clicking under them as they waited for the elevator to ascend. Khalifa looked down into the circular chasm, watching a shadow draw closer to them by the second. A servant handed him his key, a circular stone with engravings on it, and he placed it carefully into his pocket. Soon enough, the gears stopped and the elevator was level with them. They all stepped on, a lever resting in the center. All the servants took a seat, folding their legs as Khalifa wrapped his palms around the steel bar and tugged.
The platform seemed to free-fall and the bright day was replaced by the dark shaft lined with red lights. Air raced past them as the elevator plummeted to the center of the Earth. In no time they reached Agartha, aligned with the South Bridge, Charon. Everyone stood and they all began to make their way through the small tunnel that lead into the outer rim of the cavern. Seeing Agartha again filled Khalifa with a homely feeling. Something he had missed in his time away. Immediately they headed for the docks, not wanting to walk along the mile long bridge. They would go across the water by ferry. The trip to the palace was uneventful. Everything was just as Khalifa had left it a month ago. Still busy and bustling with life. All the way from the market to the palace.
Finally Khalifa reached the palace and was standing outside of the throne room. He tidied himself, straightening his hair and asking Rafinar for a second opinion. Rafinar assured him that he was presentable and calmed him, like he always did. The guards standing on both sides of him then opened the massive doors. Khalifa's eyes followed the dark red carpet as it trailed all the way to the steps of the king's throne. But to Khalifa's surprise, Judea was sitting upon the throne. As he entered, he saw that none had been in the court aside from Judea. Neither said anything as Khalifa moved towards the throne. Then Khalifa came to a stop a few paces away from the steps and bowed. He maintained the gesture for a long while, waiting for Judea to tell him to rise. But the word never came and Khalifa looked up slightly to see Judea sitting back with his eyes shut. He erected himself, cocking his head to the side in curiosity. Judea had been asleep.
Judea's chest rose and fell slowly with the sound of a breeze blowing through trees. His face was pale and gaunt, much like his fathers. And from the distance, Khalifa could see the slight aura around the prince's legs. Magical enhancements to help him walk. Rafinar humbly approached his master with a bowed head and said,
"Perhaps it's best if we come another time? His Majesty has been very busy as of late."
Khalifa considered. But shoved the idea off. He didn't come all that way with news, just to be delayed. Stepping forward, he cleared his throat loudly in an attempt to wake the prince. When he didn't stir Khalifa then raised his voice.
"I had hoped my friend would at least give me a warm welcome." he said loudly.
Then Judea cracked open his eyes weakly. And seeing who had come to see him, they shot open and focused on the man before him. He sat up in his throne and pushed himself to stand. It was a grim sight. Fully standing, one could see how thin he was. Almost like a dead man and his robes did little to hide that fact. Khalifa would have recoiled had he not known what to expect. Regardless, he smiled, as well as Judea. They moved towards each other and embraced one another.
"Khalifa, you've come home!" Judea exclaimed.
He rested his bony hands on Khalifa's shoulders, more so to keep his balance.
"And I've not returned empty handed. I come with news."
Judea's face then dropped its smile and adopted a more serious expression. The prince looked around for any other presence, but seeing only Khalifa's servants, he spoke again.
"About the project, yes?"
Khalifa nodded. Judea then flashed his eyes to the others, gaining Khalifa's attention. The scientist nodded and then turned to his servants.
"You may all leave us."
With a very deep bow Rafinar and the others withdrew from the room, leaving the two alone.
"Go on then. Tell me what you've found."
The prince then made for his chair and over the next few minutes, Khalifa explained his plan. As he went on, he realized how right Judea was to remove the others from the room. It sounded down right heretical. As Khalifa finished his explanation, he watched for any sign of Judea's disapproval. He would get none. But Judea was still hesitant. Khalifa saw this in the way Judea avoided his eyes. The room was silent once more and the only sound reaching their ears was the crackling of torches.
"You can see why I am still apprehensive..."
"Yes yes. I know this. But I do intend to convince you. Think of it. You said that the cure may lay in heaven. What if it literally does?"
Khalifa leaned in close, his eyes staring into his friend.
"....What do you mean? Binding a unicorn to a celestial body is all well and good. But a man?"
"Forget about mere celestial bodies. What I'm planning for you is much grander than that."
Judea then thought to himself. And as he did, he felt a twinge of excitement and dread spring up within him.
"Mettatron." he said allowed.
Khalifa nodded, a broad smile on his lips.
"But that's-"
"Judea! Look at you!"
Khalifa pointed at his friend who sat on the throne. More so to his legs.
"Look what this plague has done to you. Too many of our people. Think not of yourself, but of them. With this, we can find a way to end it for good."
"But Khalifa. The church wouldn't have it. They'd never allow such a thing."
Khalifa was then silent. He had over looked the church. As well as the extremist. If any of them found out about the project, there would certainly be complications. Still, Khalifa persisted. Leaning in close, placing his hands on the arms of the throne.
"How long do you think you have? Even the king is on his last leg. He won't last much longer. And with you ascending the throne after him and already plagued, who knows how long you'll last. Judea, this is a matter of time. I've found a solution, all I need your word."
Judea inched back, intimidated by his friend. But he still admired Khalifa's conviction. He had always admired his ability to fight for what he wanted. Always committing himself wholly to an idea. But it was also what made him so stubborn. Judea supposed it wouldn't hurt to be more like his friend. After all, he proved a point. How long would he last? How long would it be before he was no longer himself? A walking amalgamation of magic and machinery? This was his only way out and as he thought more about it, the more his thoughts began to align with Khalifa's.
Through this entire internal struggle, Khalifa awaited the prince's answer patiently. He knew Judea would be fighting a war with himself.
"Very well Khalifa. You've convinced me..... I'm willing to do whatever it takes."
"Whatever it takes." The words echoed back at Khalifa like a recording. The phrase resounded within him and froze him in place. It implied a sort of maliciousness. An evil that if left unchecked, could haunt the both of them. In that moment Khalifa began to doubt. He stared further into Judea's pale eyes, now bright with determination. For a moment, he felt he should back down. Take away his proposal and pursue another means of creating an alicorn. But this self doubt only lasted as long as he willed it and he soon threw it away. His hand met Judea's with a loud clap that echoed off the walls of the throne room.
"Whatever it takes." Khalifa repeated aloud.
Judea moved to his feet with Khalifa's help, standing taller than he had previously.
"We will begin immediately. You'll need a team. Agartha's top minds. And a laboratory. Little K'veer would be ill fit for this big a project."
"While I hate to admit it, you're right. How about Empyrea-Larsa? Isolated, calm, none to poke their noses in business that isn't theirs."
Judea only shook his head as they both walked along the carpet.
"No. I want you close. Here in the city. I want to have immediate access to you at all times. The unicorns' forest is much too far. And I would rather keep as many humans as possible out of Empyrea-Larsa."
"In the city? Then what about District Five? There is a space we can use."
"The military academy? It's been abandoned for years. And it's much too small."
"Yes. But we can add to it. Build more facilities. Though, that'd cost some money..."
"Money is not an issue, Khalifa. The issue is Father. I doubt he'd sit well with me just going off and building a lab. Especially with our intentions."
Khalifa paused. The king was a variable he had overlooked. In his head, Judea was practically king. It'd make everything definitely easier.
"What do you plan to do then?" Khalifa asked. The both of them were standing by the large doors that lead into the hall when they turned to each other.
"I will simply ask him. I just won't tell him what it's for. And if he asks, I'll tell him 'it's strictly for the Alicorn Project.'"
The prince chucked softly, surprising his friend. For all the time he had known the prince, he had never known him to lie. Especially to the king.
"In the meantime. I want you to gather a team. Lord Malik'hen would be a valuable asset to the project."
And that was true. Lord Malik'hen had headed such a project before thirty years ago. Judea imagined he'd jump at the chance to take his research on step further. Malik'hen and Khalifa were very like-minded, in his eyes.
"I will see what can be done. Though I imagine there will be many who decline..."
"Even so. I want you to choose carefully. And try to be discreet. We wouldn't want the project to go up in flames before it even began."
"Aye."
Judea then gave a resounding clap in imitation of his father. It was powerful, yet empty. It lacked the same commanderous impact his father's carried. Yet it still compelled the guards outside to throw open the great doors to allot Khalifa's exit. Khalifa stepped out, nodding to his servants. Now in more so in public, he gave a bow to the prince. Judea returned the gesture and spoke to him before he turned to leave.
"I expect you within a week. By then I should have everything prepared." the prince said.
"Then I'll return with a list of names. Until next time."
The two waved each other goodbye. Getting one last look at Judea, Khalifa noticed that he no longer look as frail as he was.
The large door to Judea's chambers flew open with a loud resounding boom. The sound of Khalifa's heels on marble soon following. He was worried. Hours ago he heard that the prince had suddenly collapsed while in court and was bedridden. Had his physicians not been present, he very well could have died. And to think Judea would have died the day of their meeting. Khalifa halted at the prince's bedside after pushing through the many visitors. Lords and friends all huddled around the large bed to lay their hands and bless their prince.
Among them was Master Ro'Dahni, a friend of the both of them and also one who had a roll in Amlthea's creation thirty years ago. But Khalifa hardly greeted any of them. He was too busy staring at the prince who had his eyes shut tightly. His breathing was as rigid as a mountain peak and sweat poured from him like rivers. His hands trembled by his sides as the doctors tended to him, injecting him with medicine and providing magical treatment. Eventually, the doctors left the room and soon after Judea willed his eyes open to see his bed surrounded.
He moved to sit up, but as he did everyone in the room rushed to him. Telling him to remain flat, but he failed to listen. As he struggled to sit up right, the covers fell from his chest, revealing a matted and mangled torso. Judea's body was wracked with scars and burns. Much like other plague victims. One particular scar ran along he chest, slithering up his body like a venomous snake. His eyes were even paler than before. Now even much paler than his father's. His arms were thin, almost like tree twigs and you could see his bones poke through the underside of his skin. Still, Judea smiled yet. He looked around, eyeing each of his friends and confidants. But once his eyes trained on Khalifa's worried face, he opened his mouth to speak.
"Out."
Everyone in the room jumped back at the sudden ejection. Some moved to protest but Judea wouldn't listen.
"Out. The lot of you. Lord Khalifa and I have urgent business. We must be alone."
The room was then filled with worried murmurs, followed by the shuffling of feet as each man made himself absent. All exits leaving a 'Well yourself soon, my prince.' Soon enough, Khalifa and Judea were alone in the empty room. There was a silence that oppressed them. Neither of them could find words for one another. And as he sat in his bed, Judea could feel his friend's eyes slowly trace his body in horror.
"It's fine for now. Though I'd say I cut it rather close this morning. I was overexerting myself. They say I'll have to be more careful if I wish to avoid anything like this in the future..."
Judea tried for conversation but all the while he refused to turn his head to look at his friend. He was clutching his bed sheets, almost pulling at them and wanting to cover his body. They remained in silence for a long while until finally Judea spoke again.
"This body... It's withering. I can feel this body decaying. I'm more or less a shadow now. Everyday I grow further and further from the others. Everyday I must endure their magic and medicine. Every single day I have to fight just to move an arm or a leg. I'm not my father, Khalifa. I can't keep this up. I'm scared. Honestly I am. I don't want to die; certainly not like this. I'm not ready. Yet I can't stand the treatment day after day. The magic that swirls within me burns like coals in my lungs. I need braces just to keep me upright. My muscles are so loose that I can hardly hold a quill. Almost half of me is artificial. Soon I'll be nothing of my original self."
Judea then snapped his head to the side to stare at Khalifa. Tears were in his eyes and rolled down his cheek to mix with the sweat from his brow.
"I don't want this! I'm willing to do anything! I'll damn God in Heaven if I have to!"
He fell over coughing. It was an ugly cough, one that made Khalifa cringe and look away. He wanted to cover his ears, just to escape from the horrible sickly sound.
"I've nearly lost faith in everything, after this morning. No amount of prayer or medicine will help me."
The sickly prince then leaned over to his bedside, clasping Khalifa's wrists in his weak hands. Khalifa was then kneeling, his heart pounding in his ears and shaking.
"I believe in you. Deliver me from this great sorrow. Support me in all my bouts with this damned plague and save me!"
Khalifa was speechless. Never in all their time together had he ever seen Judea so broken. So afraid and distraught, it was like talking to a different person all together. A total stranger. He was a completely new and different man. Yet he felt a connection with the stranger in Judea's body. And like before, he felt a warm friendship with him that was stronger than ever. Khalifa felt a sliver of doubt cut into him. What if they couldn't find a way to make him immortal? Even if Judea survived through treatment and magic, there was no telling what that'd do to his mind. Judea certainly wasn't his father or any great man of mental discipline and fortitude. He was a simple man now. A man that shared the same fears as any other.
"Judea. I promise on all that I am that I will save you. Even if I must climb down into Hell for you, I will do it! Without hesitation! You are my friend and to see you like this is greater than any sting or wound. You just tell me what I need to do."
Khalifa was standing tall on his feet, filled with the same passion that compelled any man to act. Judea stared up at him, his long hair slightly obscuring his view. To the prince, Khalifa looked like a great man who stood high among the people. A man that Judea felt he could never be. At least in his current state.
"Khalifa. You are truly a great man, one I can wholeheartedly admire."
Judea then looked down at the bed that seemed to rope around him like bindings. He hated it, he even grew to hate sleep. His bed was like a prison and he so desperately wanted out. But he then smiled, knowing that soon he wouldn't have to be bound. But in order for him to achieve that goal, the both of them would have to deal with an obstacle. And now that he knew Khalifa was truly on his side, he felt it right to tell him what said obstacle was.
"Father has ordered the cancellation of the project."
Khalifa snatched his hands away, balling them into fists.
"What!?"
"The church. They found out about the attempt to conceive an immortal being. The Pope offered him a deal. Either he cancel the project, or have the news reach the public. He would be viewed as a heretic by all, and naturally face execution by the church. You can see why he chose the former. And not only that. Sense he named you head of the Alicorn Project, the church has ordered him to confiscate everything you've worked on. You will lose everything you have. From your projects, inventions, magic, and even K'veer. They want it completely swept under the rug."
Khalifa then felt weak in the knees and felt blindly behind him for a chair. Finding one, he collapsed into it with his face still in shock. For a moment he was deaf and blind to everything around him, still recoiling from the shock. His life would be ruined, completely erased. Everything he was would go up in flames and he wouldn't be able to do anything. The world began to fall down around him and despair coiled around him like vines.
"But. There is a solution." Judea said.
A light shined in the dark that was Khalifa's current mind and he looked up to see Judea smiling.
"You have a plan?" he asked excitedly.
Judea had always been good in getting himself out of a bind. And Khalifa always loved to see how. But the smile fell from Judea's face and was replaced by a deadpan stare.
"What I'm about to tell you is very dangerous. You'll be putting yourself at risk. I need to know what you're willing to do for me."
Khalifa insisted that Judea could trust him. And there was never a time when he couldn't put faith in him. And so Judea relented, steeling himself for what he was about to suggest.
"We kill him."
Khalifa's jaw fell, his eyes bulged, and he gripped the arms of the chair tightly. A sudden wave of illness and nervousness swept him away and he felt like he was going to be sick.
"And the Pope. For what we're planning, I will have to rule all. The world, and the church. I must be absolute! Make it so none can interfere with the project!"
"And you would murder your own father?"
"Look at me! What alternative do I have!?"
Of course, there were no other options available. Like Judea said, he would need to be able to move freely without any restriction. Even if that meant regicide. It was then that Khalifa had nearly completely shut down in thought. Once again he found himself struck with doubt. He doubted if he himself were even capable of something so heinous and terrible. He had always been a selfless man, but to murder someone on behalf of another was something that conflicted with him greatly. But then he looked up, ready to make his decision. He considered, pondered, and broke down every mental barrier that stopped him from agreeing. And the last wall fell when he looked into Judea's eyes once more. Those decaying, sickly pale eyes that mourned the loss of a body and mind.
Khalifa nodded in agreement and as he did he felt his stomach knot and something get stuck in his throat. All in an instant he became paranoid and nervous. Glancing over his shoulder even though nothing had been behind him but a wall. Judea sighed, relieved. Then he chuckled, a sickly laugh only produced by demons.
"When do we move?" Khalifa asked.
Judea moved to get out of bed, throwing his legs down onto the floor so that he may stand.
"Now."
"Now?!"
"Is there a problem?"
Khalifa moved to speak but held his protest. He figured that sense he had already agreed, it wasn't his place to pick the time or place. Instead he watch Judea walk lightly over to the armoire at the edge of the room. Opening the doors he reached inside with his thin arms and Khalifa could hear the clanking of glass vials and bottles. Then the prince pulled his arms back, retrieving a flask of clear liquid.
"We poison him. We can make it seem like an assassination. If need be, we can blame it on extremist and radicals. They already made an attempt on his life weeks ago."
"I had heard. A man approached the court and held him at gunpoint."
"A reckless extremist. But we have an advantage. We aren't strangers here; we are able to move freely through the palace. No need to conceal ourselves."
He closed the armoire and moved to his wardrobe. As he got dressed Khalifa took that time to think of every scenario. Various different paths and methods crossed his mind. What he should do in the event that X happens, or how to act when Y happens. Through his thoughts there was the ever present nervousness and shakiness. Khalifa could hardly believe he was actually going through with it.
"Khalifa? Are you listening?" the prince asked, throwing on thick robes that hid his thinness. He hid the vial of poison in his sleeve and then moved to tie his ragged hair behind him.
"Sorry. Just fell into thought." Khalifa replied.
Judea gave a weak smile, the best he could muster given what was about to take place.
"You never stop thinking, do you?"
"I'd say I think too much."
"Ah but that's good. Never stop thinking Khalifa. I need your ideas."
Judea slowly glided over to his friend who still sat lazily in the chair. He raised him to his feet, both of them now standing eye-to-eye.
"Ready?"
"Aye."
When the both of them stepped into the hall, they found it empty. The corridor was dark, lacking torches and only receiving dim light from outside the windows. It did little to hinder their movement though. Both of them knew the palace by heart and were able to navigate it like the back of their hand. There was nothing said between Khalifa and Judea. They carried a silence within them that muted their mouths and gripped their hearts. With each step they found themselves walking further and further into dread. Especially Judea, who would do the deed personally. He wouldn't dream of forcing such a burden on his friend. When they came just in front of the king's chambers, Judea held his arm out to halt Khalifa. He then turned to him laughing out of worry and nervousness.
"I want you to wait here. Don't worry about the guard, I've payed them off. None will be able to stop what's about to happen. The attack on the church will also be taking place around this hour. Thankfully, the Umbran Guard favors me more so then my father. They'll make quick work of the pope."
"You bribed them? Then you had already came to a decision long before this?" Khalifa asked, a little bit too loudly.
Judea then stepped back to hide his embarrassment.
"Yes I must confess. As soon as he denied my request and halted the Alicorn Project, I began to plan. I would have done it regardless, but then I'd have to keep it from you. And to be honest, I'd rather remain truthful to you than conceal it. That being said, I'm glad you're here. Your presence will give me the strength I need."
Khalifa couldn't help but smirk at his friend. Judea hadn't changed at all, ever since they were children. He always looked to others for his strength. He actually told Khalifa once that he had no strength of his own. That he called upon others to empower him and without any of his friends, he would be vulnerable. Khalifa didn't comprehend what he meant back then, but as they stood in that darkened hall he began to understand. Before Khalifa could reply, Judea pulled away and made towards the dark wooden door that lead into his father's room. For a moment he hesitated. He then took several deep breaths and pushed on the door slightly.
He peeked through the door to see King Kerath standing by a window that looked down into the harbor below. He stood tall, hands clasped firmly behind his back. Still the centuries old wise man that commanded the world. For a moment Judea backed away, but felt some force push him forward further into the large room. Kerath still hadn't noticed his presence and maintained his half-blind stare out onto the cityscape. Judea closed the door behind him and as he did, Khalifa moved closer and stood by the door and waited. Judea took another step, a step that locked him into the room and alerted the king. Kerath slowly moved his head to the side to see who had come to him. Seeing the prince, he slowly turned his gaze forward again.
"Are you doing well?" Kerath asked.
"Yes. I came to see if you were well yourself. You've been confined to your bed for a few weeks now."
"Pha! What I wouldn't give to rid myself of that damned bed. Come, sit with me."
The king motioned towards two ancient-looking ornate chairs. He sat in one carefully, not wanting to plot himself down too hard. Quickly Judea went to seat himself, shaking as he lowered himself into the seat.
"How has court been for you?" Kerath asked, as he tried to keep up conversation.
"It has been bearable."
"Are you seeing your physicians daily?"
"Yes."
"I hear Lord Khalifa has returned. Haven you told him the news?"
Judea didn't reply. He only gripped the arms of his chair, digging his nails into the wood work. A long pause blew between the two and for a moment, only breathing could be heard.
"....I am sorry. But you must know that I was hardly given a choice. I did what was best for our family."
Though Kerath gave an apology, it didn't feel sincere. It felt like he was merely making a business deal.
"Where is Khalifa? I had hoped to hear his findings at least. And his time with unicorns."
Kerath laid back lazily in his chair, covering his mouth as he yawned. Having spent so much time in bed he constantly felt labored and tired. As if his body had grown accustomed to the soft sheets and plush pillows. It was like his body craved sleep.
"He says Amalthea and her people wish to have you again. And she sends her regards, wishing you well in your bout with the sickness."
Judea maintained a stone face, looking at his father, but in away that he avoided eye contact. Kerath nodded, smiling and happy that the unicorn wished him well. 'If only I could ride her. Just once.' he thought wistfully to himself. But his thoughts were severed from him when Judea suddenly stood.
"I'll pour you something. You're healthy enough for wine, yes?"
"I'm not healthy enough for much these days. Oh but what does it matter? It has been a long time since we've shared a drink. Pick what you like, most of them have gone untouched for a very long time."
Judea nodded and went to the long table that lined the opposite wall. He was now behind Kerath, able to lace the wine with his father's death. Kerath only continued to stare out the window, watching his city. Judea took his time selecting a bottle. All of them looked rather expensive and aged perfectly. Each bottle was different. Whereas some were tall with skinny necks, others were very short with wide necks. Judea selected from the tall selection, a foot high black bottle that smelled of berries. He uncorked it, blessing the wine a chance to breath. Retrieving two crystal glasses he began to pour the tasteful wine into their vessels. Then he paused and took a deep breath. He glanced over his shoulder from paranoia of being watched. Then he glanced at the door, gaining confidence from his friend who waited. He then reached into his robes and retrieved the vial of poison. He said something under his breath, something that no man would ever hear but him.
He opened the vial and carefully poured its contents into his father's glass. It melded perfectly with the black wine, causing a spiraling stir. Then he waited for the waters to calm and hid the vial. Eventually, the wine was still once more, only stirring when he took the glasses in his shaky hands. His hands passed one glass into the hands of his father and he sat back down adjacent to him. This would be the last cup of wine they'd ever share together. Judea took solace in that tender moment as he watched Kerath slowly nod his head and lift the glass up to his parted lips. Kerath calmly drank, savoring the fine taste of forty-year-old wine. As it turned out, Judea had selected a bottle that was stored on the day of his birth. Only recently had it been given to the king as a 'get well soon' gift. Had Judea known, he'd find it laughable. The wine his father drank was in commemoration of his son's birth. And now that wine and his son had come to kill him.
Judea and Kerath both lowered their glasses at the same time, with only milliseconds separating them. Kerath was silent, smiling and humming a soft tune. He had enjoyed the wine and was trying to think of another instance where he had been happier. For what greater joy was their in sharing wine with one's own son? But suddenly, the king's bright smile fell into a frown and the humming came to a crashing halt. The glass dropped from his trembling old hands and he grasped his throat. Kerath began rocking back and forth, stomping his feet and coughing. Judea then stood, his bangs falling over his face to hide his hallowed pale eyes.
[PLAY ]
Kerath's own white eyes were filled with a fiery rage. He knew. He knew his son had murdered him and he stood as well. Judea was then surprised, seeing his father stand so suddenly. And in that moment, he realized just who he was trying to kill. He was trying to kill the man who ruled the entire world. A man who held together centuries of empire. King Kerath would not fall so easily. Kerath shouted, overcome with rage and struck at Judea. His old iron fist hit like a smashing meteor and Judea fell to the ground. The king then stumbled around, trying to cough up the poison as it lit his blood on fire.
"Ju-.....Judea! W-what have you done to me!? You traitorous d-dog! How dare you!"
Judea then stood, finding his own strength. A quiet simmering rage had exploded within him, pushing him to his feet like an engine. Kerath saw this as a taunt. Seeing his own son and murder standing over him as if he had one. Kerath lunged at his son, throwing his fists at him. But Judea was determined. He stood his ground and caught the old man's sluggish movements. He grasped his father's wrists in his arms and threw him to the floor. The sound of the old man's bones hitting stone echoed off the walls, along with a blood churning groan of pain. But Kerath wouldn't relent. He would not succumb to his son's hatred!
He began tearing at Judea's legs, trying to pull him down to the ground. Mercilessly Judea kicked his feeble hands away. Seeing his father try and cling so tightly to life infuriated him. He was everything that was standing in his way of immortality. He was the embodiment of everything that opposed his goal. The thought possessed him, wrapping puppet strings around his arms and legs, causing him to attack the old man on the floor. Judea hollered, throwing kicks into his father's side. Kerath moaned in pain with each infliction of belligerent thrashing. Blood began to spill out of his mouth and his face began to swell. Each kick was the sound of someone splitting wood, Judea's foot the ax and his father's rib cage the log.
The prince continued relentlessly, unable to stop himself. His heart pounded in his head and hands, sending a rush of power all throughout his body. It seemed that in that moment, he was no longer sick. He was no longer a walking corpse. He was a man, all powerful and frightening. His father would not cry for mercy or show any sign of relenting. It only fueled Judea's anger more. His father would not give up. He was so determined to stand between Judea and his life. His kicks became more violent. Sloppy and uncoordinated. He began digging his heels into Kerath's ribs cruelly and out of disdain. It was then that Khalifa had entered the room, hearing the commotion. What he saw struck a chord in him. It made him freeze in fear and made him go numb. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the murder, almost as if he was enthralled by the sheer ferocity. He watched every second from then on and observed quietly.
Kerath eyes were swollen and blood coated his face. But he could still see. He could see the manic look in his son's eyes and the horror filled gawk of Khalifa. Blood, as well as bone was flooding his lungs and he struggled to draw breath with each inhale. His vision was blurring and his hearing and sight depleted rapidly. All the while Judea delivered his savage kicks. Eventually, he fell numb and cold. Khalifa watched the king's hand drop to the floor in a thud. It was a thud that seemed to be even louder than Judea's own screaming and thwacks of his foot. King Kerath was dead.
The fall of his hand snapped Khalifa out of his trance and he gasped. Then he saw Judae, still kicking away. He rushed to him, wrapping his arms around the prince and trying to pull him away. But Judea over came him with surprising strength. It became a struggle between both friends, but Judea was rapidly losing as Khalifa slowly pulled him away. He then lost all energy suddenly, going limp and falling to the floor. The adrenaline flew out of his body, sucked away by the disturbed air. Khalifa fell back into a chair, heaving and in a slight panic. But Judea could do nothing but stare at his frail hands. His eyes kept darting between his hands and the dead man who lay across from him. Grief, disgust, and guilt wracked him about and tears instantly fell from his eyes. Judea closed in on himself, huddling over in his robes, his hair now loose and cascading over his eyes. He wrapped his arms across himself, pulling at his sides and digging his fingers into his ribs. He howled, and it was more terrifying than any demon or phantom that stalked the night. He was a murderer. Guilty of patricide, and regicide. A king slayer and savage.
Khalifa could only stare, making no move to console his friend. He could only listen to his ghastly howls that escaped into the halls and seemed to fill all of Agartha. Prince Judea lived no more. He died right there in that room, along with his father. But from the corpse bloomed a different man. King Judea, a man who'd give anything for immortality was born. Hours later, the world would fall into chaos and mourn their king. The church would witness the death of the pope and the Vatican would crumble. A new king would sit on the throne, and with absolute power, achieve his immortality. Little did he know of the consequences that would come from his greed. King Judea Enoch Ayatollah VIII would be the harbinger of the end, and slayer of all man kind.
