Whisper of the stone heart

With a sudden golden movement, a dragon arched its great back. Instinctively, I hid behind a tree, avoiding any contact with its eyes. I didn't know it was a dragon, a big one on top of it. In fact, I never dreamt such creatures existed. Until now, I believed only humans existed... Everything started with a letter, which I still had in my pocket; a note left by someone I never saw and nobody realized he left something for me.

I pressed my hands against my mouth and nose, strangling any sound that may come out; I didn't want to die, I cherished my life like a treasure and didn't want to lose it. I confronted my sister Dina because I didn't want to die. I didn't have a choice. I know I did something cruel but I didn't want to die. I didn't have any choice...

The dragon raised its head and sprang into the sky, wings wide with an unbelievable speed. I curled into a ball, wishing I could be smaller. It was night but I still closed my eyes. Maybe if I don't peek at all, it won't notice me. Its red eyes filled me with dread.

I didn't know if I should surrender to the fear in me or the urge of curiosity that engulfed my half; The dragon was so beautiful, with its black scales and red eyes. Yet, I was still scared. The price to quench my curiosity was no other than death.

When I was a child, my sister Dina used to tell me stories, right before bed. I was fascinated by the creatures she described and the sceneries she elated. For me, they were imaginative stories and I admired her brain for coming up with them. Nonetheless, I never expected them to be real. As I felt the dragon soaring the sky, I opened my eyes gazing at the moon. I was cold; cold with more than the chill of the everlastingly clammy stone walls I used to run between; cold with the prescience of a danger I experience, whispering with terror.

What should I do?

Growing up listening to her stories, I came to believe the world was much more interesting than the walls I used to stay in. however, I never expected my fear of the unknown to come and plug my heart, standing like a tall mountain in my path. I curled into a tight knot of bones after spreading my legs unconsciously from relief, hugging myself ta ease the strain across y tense shoulders. Then, I forced my body to relax, muscle by muscle, joint by joint.

"I will be fine. I am alone but not lonely. I won't die today. I gained another day."

I got what I sought for, but at what price? I sacrificed a young boy I found in the woods to take my place. I dreamt of roaming free but I didn't want to leave the village this way. I didn't have a choice; If I stayed I would die. My choice made me a villain. I clenched my fists and squinted my eyes. There wasn't enough light to see anything. I walked a little following the hint of a lantern; it was moving slowly but moving. My heart almost pounced from its place realizing I could finally talk to a human again. It has been a week since I left and my tongue didn't address a word to anyone. I ran towards it but stopped midway; I held my breath; turned away facing it with my back; and waited for the Lantern Loitering to leave. I breathed a sigh of relief when it got further away from me.

Lantern Loiterings are bad spirits born from regrets; if you faced it, it would swallow you could turn it into fireflies imprisoned in its lantern. You can't mess with the dead. I climbed a tall tree and made myself comfortable on a branch. I missed my bed, next to my sister.

A drop of rain startled me; I wasn't ready for it. My gaze jumped from my hands to the sky; I was fixing the letter intently and now in my pocket. Rain meant water. Water meant I wouldn't be drinking dirty liquids for a day. I would be healthy and my stomach wouldn't hurt again. I shuddered from the cold but I didn't mind for I had clear water again. I jumped down searching for any container, anything to store water. Unfortunately, I didn't find any but I sat down under the tree and stuck my tongue out, getting as much water as I could, with my hands spread wide.

I gulped down mistakenly swallowing a fly and I didn't mind, flies could be nourishing for my poor body. After clearing my throat, I noticed small dots in the sky, moving quickly. I was certain it was a fight, with the clashing sounds and the thunderous weather. I got used to it, to everything; lying down on the lush grass and sleeping on thick branches. It was wildlife. Yet, it was the first time I saw two beings fighting in the air. From the silhouettes, one of them was the dragon I met earlier, the other one was different. While the dragon I saw earlier breathed fire, the other one sent lightning.

Each time my sister Dina described a story, it felt like she wanted to tell me things. From her words, I learnt about the outside world. She said humans had it tough outside. Slavery was a normal occurrence and life were cheaper than bread. When nobles needed money sometimes, they would light up flames to huts and rob lands taking everyone weaker than them and killing anyone with the potential to become stronger. I didn't like those parts and worse, she described everything as if she lived them. She said the world was divided between stronger races, while humans were at the bottom, with a land that became smaller with each passing day.

There was a war that sent everyone to their demise. It was over a stone capable of realizing your wildest desires; the gem was stolen by someone believed from the human race, as they didn't have enough power to protect themselves. It was believed humans had to scheme to have a land; the land is known as Dotoria, which no one could take from them.

Now, the gem wasn't found anywhere and all races were searching for it.

I watched their fight with keen interest as it developed into chaos; the woods caught flames and thunder struck near the place I was in. I was forced to take shelter under a giant tree, I saw a Lingering strolling with a spooky noise. A chill ran down my spine as I focused on holding my breath when it walked closer. I wasn't stupid enough to hold my breath while it was away. I waited until it came closer to me. Lingering were different from Lantern Loitering, they were spirits that stuck to the living absorbing their life forces.

I was so absorbed in my task that I couldn't see the lightning coming at me. I lost consciousness in the midst of all this and ended up on the ground.

I woke up feeling pleasant energy penetrating my body, it made me numb, the sensation of burning I had before dissipated I tried to stretch my fingers but I couldn't; I was too heavy to move a muscle.

"Look! She moved a finger and blinked," an unknown voice said.

"Just do your work properly. With her burnt skin, I don't think she can be sold as a sex slave."

"Too bad! The remaining features of her face would have said she was a beauty... How much can she bring us?"

"I have my own plans for her. There is a mad scientist I know who would be interested in her. She is a fine lab rat."

"But will you still put her in the auction house?"

"You know how those nobles can be crazy sometimes. Maybe she could catch someone's eyes."

I looked around me and saw the Lingering I tried to escape from; it was sharing my shadow, eying me with contempt. It was grey with empty eyes and a shady look, in the form of a small girl seeking something in me, sniffing the air each time a hand examined me. I felt scared, since when it was watching me. My sister Dina said it wasn't good to have a Lingering on your shoulder, that they brought misfortunes. I closed my eyes again, too heavy and tired.

The despondent shape of my sister's back appeared in my mind. She is a hero. A sad, weak and unlucky hero. She was trapped in that village, unwilling to leave it. I suggested to her to follow me several times... for us to see the world and learn its secrets. The dark gaze she directed at me and the sad words she told me made me hesitant.

"Fate played us as jokes. I don't want you to understand this place is better than the outside... At least for you, it is. This place must be your peace. Don't go out and ruin what someone fought hard for."

Yet, I escaped from that place I called coffin and regretted it, but the fear of dying made me reluctant and unwilling to return. The ritual wasn't meant to be an excuse for me to go outside, but I made it possible. I fought for freedom I craved for years and now, with these faces gauging my worth, I truly wished I was in that place, I promised I wouldn't call it a coffin again but a home. It had to be an excuse for the ritual and the letter, it had to and I would fight for the way back home.

I was in a cage. We were in a cage, like birds in captivity, meant to be sold. The cage I was in had sturdy wheels and in the middle of an army of barbaric men, using giant axes as weapons. They were drinking and laughing as if slaves were the most normal thing in the world. Furthermore, I was horrible. I was like a lamp of burnt meat. My sister Dina used to tell me about the atrocities of the world: to remove any thought of escaping and she was right. I used to dream about the outside world and lie to make her at ease. I lied to everyone and kept my thoughts to myself.

The night... Another sleepless night with the noises of females screaming... and there was another noise, a different one. It was a very distinct sound; a noise no one paid attention to... The slave trader was a man with a long beard. From all the men sitting here, he was the only one with a pipe and slightly noble demeanour; he pulled slaves from another group and put them around him. He refilled his pipe with his special strawberry tobacco mix and gazed at the sky noting with passing interest that clouds were beginning to gather on the far horizon. A storm was coming. Another one, I trebled feeling my skin electrified again. It didn't hurt. It mustn't hurt. I wasn't allowed to feel hurt.

I glared at the slave trader, observing the erotic movements around. I didn't understand why he touched the women or why they touched him. My eyeballs moved to my surroundings, looking at the Lingering still standing near me sharing my own shadow. I needed to escape; my sister said the life of a slave was full of hardships. I looked at the girls from my group; they were sleeping soundly like used to this situation. I picked my way amongst the sleeping drudges, huddled together for warmth, and glided to the empty corner. No one would want a Lingering on their side, a Lingering no one saw. I curled hugging my knees. I couldn't think of any way to escape. Furthermore, the forest might be more dangerous; you couldn't know when some horrid creature would come and gulp your body in one bite. Time went by and I couldn't sleep. Guards took turns and the erotic slaves moved to a tent followed by their master. I heard them scream and noises of their pleading came to my ears. Yet, I felt they enjoyed it.

The cook and his assistant laid on a long table before a hearth, to the warmth of the banked fire, discordantly soring. They had small satchels containing big objects; it had to be magic. I checked my sandals and shivered as the predawn air penetrated my patched garment; one which was made with speed from the rags the cook was about to throw. My previous one was torn and burnt.

I glanced upwards, my eyes drawn to the red star that had recently begun to dominate the dawn sky. It wasn't a red star; it was the dragon I saw before. Was it still fighting that lightning jerk that ruined my appearance? I cheered for you black-scaled dragon. Destroy it to prove the might of karma and the rightfulness of justice.

I wondered why they felt at ease. My heart pounded hard threatening to escape and my mind has restlessly reverberated with the prescience of danger. I stretched inhaling the sweet untainted wind of the morning. However, the sky turned black with clouds one moment, the next it cleared as nothing happened.

"I had heard Meina was dead," a guard replied a question I didn't hear. "So Mizenth struck hard. All the slaves started begging for mercy, being bought by that man was equivalent to a death sentence. His cruel fame has reached all Dotoria," he continued, his eyes darting from our group to another. "Nobles sure have it easy; killing various slaves. We already raided all the lands sheltering farmers and outlaws. Soon, we will have to plunder lands outside Dotoria."

The other guard fixed me intently then spat next to his feet disgustingly.

"Do you think she can understand us, the ugly one?"

"Even if she heard or understood us, she can't do anything. I heard she didn't know our language. I bet she ended like that by pure mal fortune. Even if she is ugly, if she has a hole, everything drops to water. Those nobles would accept even a dog to fuck."

"Have you heard the latest news? The Princess is missing. They say she is such a beauty. Who do you think kidnapped her?"

"The Duke of Mizenth might have done it. I bet he snatched her right under her brother's nose," he laughed." I would pay money to see the reaction."

"No, the Crown Prince conducted a huge searching party, no manor escaped the investigation."

"Ooooh! Such an aggressive Prince he is!"

The rest of the conversation wasn't something I wanted to listen to. I could understand all that they said. However, they didn't understand me. All the words I articulated didn't seem understandable; my language was different and I could hear myself being different and it was the weirdest thing ever happening to me. Yet, I acted the opposite, like I didn't understand them at all. I turned my eyes to the red-eyed dragon; he was near us now. His eyes looked upon us shortly then turned his heels higher. They were battling ferociously but it seemed they found something to agree for, I was disappointed; I expected them to wage a ruckus that I would use to escape. I would do anything to escape, I apprehended a harsh life and a long time of free labour, that if I didn't die early.

The sun rose high in the sky and I was blinded by it. I opened my eyes and it looked like I fell into slumber shortly. I noticed how everything was rearranged into boxes and put into the magical satchels. How time went fast! It was just a second when I closed my eyes.

The horses were put on the road and the guards stationed around us were ready to leave. I peeked at a guard who smiled at me. "The sleeping beauty is awake! Care to share your dreams with us!"

I rolled my eyes, annoyed. Suddenly, a slap landed on my face, sending a wave of pain through my body. He grabbed my neck and I noticed how he had a long moustache and blue eyes. My sister Dina had blue eyes.

"Did you roll your eyes at me? Wench? Do you want to die?"

I was taken back by a wave of fear, I was scared, terrified. No one had ever treated me this way. Even if I have to admit it bitterly, the ones I grew up with never treated me this way. They acted like I was some kind of a peer. Even if they forced me to do painful things, they didn't do it this way. It was wrong, his actions were wrong. I couldn't accept it. Coming from a stranger was intolerable. I glared at him, defying his claim. If it came to it, if I had a weapon, I would try to escape. With bare hands, it was hard and showing skills might put more eyes on me. I yielded and lowered my gaze; the guard took it as an act of submission.

"Leave the girl! She doesn't understand what you trash about," the slave dealer said in a tight, hard voice, ground out from somewhere deep in his chaste.

I crawled back and hit a girl who frowned, seeing me with pity. I hated those eyes, looking at e like I was some kind of unfortunate.

"Here!" the slave trader handed me a platter of food." You might need this for later. What awaits you all might be the last thing you experience," he said with a roar.

The aroma that reached me as the platter was placed on my knees distracted me from the dread and anger I felt. It reeked of charred meat and fried potatoes. I caught my breath and started eating slowly, remembering I was a slave I dug into it like a starved cat. The first good meal I ever got since I got out of the village made me think about his words. If I had to do, why did I even escape from the village?

There were approximately fifty slaves in our group; with me fifty-one, the slave trader found it a necessity to leave the number untouched, therefore, he changed the position of one girl putting her with the beauties, and letting me in her stead. I needed to stay calm; my heart was beating hard but I needed it to stay still. If I panicked, my mind would shut down and my heart would act on its own.

He said it was the last moments of my life like he was hinting to enjoy life and from the look of it, food was the thing I had to enjoy. It took me a few moments to realize I wasn't in this alone. For the first time, I noticed the other girls shivering, nodding at each other gossiping. I leaned closer to listen to their conversation; I wanted the complete image of the situation we were in. No matter how hard I tried imagining it, it couldn't be worse than Lilith training sessions.

"I prefer the Duke of Mizenth than the madman; we are doomed if it's him."

DINA :

Whatever personal misgivings we may have had, she didn't have to escape. Like it or not, I had to accept she wasn't here anymore. I was worried; she didn't know anything about the outside world. We were at the bottom of the sea, surrounded by many traps and protections. And until the place she was in was known, travelled to, and safely arrived at, she was fully at the mercy of the unusual world.

"This is all your fault!" Charles, an old man doing literally nothing all day, said to me, his voice shaking with anger. "Did you think we wouldn't know what you were doing? Teaching her all that. Telling her about the outside world, if you hadn't done it..."

"If I hadn't taught her, she would be already dead," I interrupted. "Furthermore, none of you cared. Stop showing those faces like you truly wanted the good for her, shall I remind you how we ended up here? It isn't a funny story to remember."

"She is right, Charles," said Lilith, the best swordswoman in our group, kicking her spear towards the others. "Dina. Don't take it wrongly. You were the only woman with a motherly sense of kinship and we cared about her; I taught her my swordsmanship. You know how I care about my techniques."

"I agree," said Allyssa. "Whatever situation we were in now, it's better than if we'd disappeared back then. Although," she added, checking her basket full of ingredients she wouldn't ever use again probably. "It would be nice if we had an idea how to get to her or snatch a baby from outside, that if we can do it."

"This is the question, isn't it?" I said. "One of several I expect you have. And I have questions of my own, and then perhaps we should make room for civilized conversation and discuss the best course of action. She is practically my daughter. I raised her before you could learn about her connection with the heart while you just let her cry under this cursed barrier."

I looked at the statue holding the gem, trapping us in this realm even after death and noticed the vines wrapping it and overgrowth dissipating. The statue was like a throne where a woman sat down holding a cube in a majestic demeanour; she was definitely a woman but her clothes were of a man, with a drawing on her forehead in the signs of a star similar to the one I saw in Dahlia while being a baby, years ago. No one had seen it besides me and the woman who brought her to us. It was my guess; Dahlia appeared next to a portal, the same one she took to escape, and I heard the chant of a lovely voice accompanying her.

"What are you doing, you idiot?" Allyssa exclaimed, incredulous. "What are you pushing your hands for inside my basket?"

"Sorry, I had to check," replied Charles. "There was no time to argue with you but I think things are returning to normal. The illusions are shattering."

The companions ran around the island while I steered out of trouble. Instead, I observed the young boy Dahlia brought, he stared at the statue like studying it. It wasn't that strange the illusions would disappear; they were all created by the small Dahlia, what she believed in was a reality in this small space, her power manifested and she wasn't even aware of it or more like we were the ones who made her that way. Everyone started teaching her things to get what they wanted, those hypocrites. Even Lilith, who missed her swords, taught her only to touch a weapon again.

The leaves on the trees didn't stir and the clouds didn't drift. Even the insects in the air were frozen in place as if trapped in a time freeze; we were the only ones that moved. With anxious glances, the others turned back.

"It seems we became ghosts again," said Jack, a man who liked immersing in alcohol more than anything. "I won't taste beer again, such a shame!" he sat down his hands on his head, lamenting.

"It is expected," I said. "We shall embrace the boredom again," I sighed. "I miss my little Dahlia but anything happens for a reason. Our meeting again was meant to be and we shall stay here ignorant of what the world became. Tell us, young boy! What brought you here?"

The young lad, dressed in common clothes with a hat hiding his brown hair, raised his head looking at me and I knew how much my premonition was true; the one standing in front of me was an old man with a rusty demeanor. He approached the statue, grinning.

"I was looking forward to it. This magnificent looking puzzle. It took me years of searching and here I am... in front of it. If you'll excuse me, I shall embrace my prize."

I sighed, looking at the horrified gazes following the young boy. My companions could be so clueless sometimes. It didn't take you to touch it to have it and any way that thing was cursed by Victoria.

The boy climbed the statue and put his hands on the heart, with eyes full of joy and triumph. However, as we all expected, the boy turned to ashes leaving bones and clothes behind.

"As I thought, his fate was sealed," commented Jack. "Only the little Dahlia could touch it without the curse consuming her. So, old comrades, what now?"

I sighed.

DAHLIA:

"Why do you think I do?" I said and again no one understood me.

Here were the basic facts. The person they called 'madman' or 'madscientist' had one session with each of us; it took an eternity of waiting in a cell and my butt killed me. That man believed in some kind of inexistent disease; like we were sick and we needed a special pill to cure us. He asked us questions and didn't care much for the details, also I lied.

"My name is Natalie. I am twenty. I have a younger sister who is more beautiful than me and more intelligent, she is thirteen. My parents are still married to each other but my father cheats on my mother. I have a point on my neck which I got from a vampire and a bite in my butt that I got from a werewolf. I soared the sky riding a dragon and saw the sunset under the wing of a wica..." Pretty much, he didn't understand what I said.

I basically sat down for hours saying anything with dull eyes. HE tapped his pencil against the pad of paper he was holding and just stared at me. His stare made me feel helpless but I didn't forget to avoid showing I understood them. I saw the hint of a smile then he told me to go. Apparently, the weird language I spoke with didn't interest him that much. The second day was weirder. I suppressed the urge to cry while he checked me. His hands trailed over my body exploring everything. Everything was weird, even the places he checked us in. The third day was the last day of the examination. Well, I thought it was but it wasn't. He transported us to a forest and put us in a cage next to hyenas. I felt horrible next to them, they had wide teeth and sharpened claws. I looked back and forth from the madman to the hyenas then stopped on a tall man with visibly changed eyes.

We exchanged a look, he seemed so handsome. Truly, I had never seen handsome guys; I thought Jack was one with his short blond hair and pale blue eyes; I even had a crush on him. I even lied about learning languages to speak to him, but I learnt nothing and tasted beer instead. My heart pounded fast and my cheeks heated every time I saw the stranger.

That man had a playful aura around him. He had black hair with a long tail at the end that reached his knees. Long hair is beautiful like Sister Dina; she is such an elegant Lady. He had a fake smile. Well, everyone possessed one and there were other handsome men too. My eyes seemed to relax on him. The other girls had weird stares; keeping away from the hyenas as much as possible. Although we had iron bars separating us, they still stood leaving a distance. I didn't talk to any girl or befriended them; it wasn't like they understood me. Furthermore, any attempt to befriend them would be useless; I was a burnt steak of meat after all.

The man looked bigger than the others, with his muscles and mysterious aura. As square-jawed and handsome as ever, but with a steely glint in his eyes that I've never seen before. If I were outside, I would definitely gather my courage and talk to him. I would obviously lie to find a topic to share with him. Lies protect from betrayers. Suddenly, I got an idea; I would lie and see if he turned, if he did I would try my best to approach him... If not...

I put my hands around my mouth and shouted. "I know where the heart of gems is."

Their reactions were priceless; they looked at me like I was some kind of psychopath and laughed. However, the one my eyes didn't leave opened his eyes widely. I could almost swear his pupils dilated. I smiled like an idiot when he looked at me.