Off Course

I hear the distinct sound of metal rumbling in the background increasingly getting louder until I am jolted awake by what felt like a sharp turn thrusting me to the side. What the hell is going on?

Chuka-Chucka

Chucka-Chucka

What I thought was only moments ago, I had fallen asleep in my designated bedroom at the Ruby Castle. Now I'm sitting awake in a long dimly lit room clustered with two lanes of plump plum cushioned benches, dark mahogany panneling and windows for days. The misty air smelled of the reek of lonely men that dwelled in places they ought not to be in the dead of night. A tavern or brothel? No, there's not enough drunkards or brutes looking for a fight. I did a quick scan through of the room before me and noticed the Queen's gargoyle guards stationed at every couple of seats monitoring what looked to be the Red Court's outlaws and scum chained to their lavish booths.

I peer down to my own body to find my nightgown covered in a shimmering citrus coloured powder and my wrists shackled to the floor. I sniffed myself and the familiar scent of the powder engulfed my nostrils, ipnotaysia. A coma-like sleep inducing drug that was used on me to smuggle me into the Faerie realm. Someone really wanted me here.

I turn to my left to look out the window and can't quite make out my surroundings. It had to be dawn. The hues of orange and violet indicate that much. However, the sky blurred with the mountains and the mountains blurred with the trees in a myriad of blended streaks moving in the same direction. As if someone was frantically painting colourful brush strokes on the earth's canvas right before my eyes. Whatever I'm in is moving at an ungodly speed.

Chucka-Chucka

Chucka-Chucka

This had to be some sort of train. Clearly not like any train I've ever been in but, then again, growing up in the mortal realm doesn't exactly accustom you to the wonders of Lukrinthia. Peering through the window down the horizon, I could see that it stretched for miles on end and it was covered with an intricate pattern. The vehicle was raptured with iridescent black scales and ran on tracks that nestled on thin air but were riddled with twists and turns. A flying midnight serpent. I shuddered. I am travelling in the belly of a gargantuan asp, going at a speed the light of day would envy and heading to God knows where.

A cloaked man plopped himself next to me and I recognized him in a heartbeat. The Queen had designated him as my castle escort. During my stay at the Ruby castle, he followed me around under the pretense of "bodyguard". Never so much as uttered a word in my direction or dained take off the crimson hood that hid his face.

"Wanna tell me why the hell I'm chained to a demon train instead of soundly asleep in my bed?!" Nothing was adding up and I was prepared to wrap the chains dangling from my wrists around mystery guy's neck for answers.

Still looking straight ahead of him, he replied to my surprise. "We don't have much time . I'm sure you have many questions but for now just keep your head down and do as I say", he whispered. I don't know why but his mysterious presence gave me a shred of reassurance and I complied to his demand. He turned his head to face me putting on display his handsome face for the first time. He had a devil may care smile plastered on his full pink lips and I could see his dark locks hanging from underneath the hood, long enough to reach his square jaw. Almost intimidating if it weren’t for the kindness that lay behind those almond eyes. Still dangerous, I thought.

Chucka-Chucka

Chucka-Chucka

“Sorry about the cuffs. This is the Train of the Damned, you’re bound to get a few fools thinking they can escape their sentencing by jumping off. Little do they know, meeting the creatures that lurk outside our trajectory is a much worse faith. And that’s if they survive the jump”, he said nonchalantly but never breaking eye contact. As if being on this train was the most mundane thing he’s done all day. His words made the little hairs on the back of my neck go up.

I had heard of this passage to hell through the whispers and shadows that lurked in the Ruby Castle. It’s where the Queen sends her city’s low-life criminals and war prisoners to drown. They say the water emerges like octopus tentacles and pulls its victims in. The deathly liquid feels ice cold and boiling hot at the same time; making for an excruciatingly painful end.

I felt a pit at the bottom of my stomach and my palms were moistening with sweat. Why in the hell was I here? I had been a guest at the castle for weeks now. The Queen herself invited me to dinners and banquets. What could have changed in a night? All the rushing questions coming to mind were interrupted by a loud sensual female voice that echoed down the train: “ The decimation shall begin in 10 minutes. Ready the prisoners." The terror amongst the passengers is almost palpable now and I feel as though I'm already drowning in fear.

Chucka-Chucka

Chucka-Chucka

As if on cue, a man and a woman wearing matching crimson leather suits appeared amongst a cloud of violaceous mist a few benches ahead of me. The former was a tall olive toned brute carrying thin circular blades between all his fingers. His suit was laced with subtle compartments everywhere, likely containing other interesting daggers, knives and blades. The latter had a slick back white ponytail and violet eyes that could pierce stone. No weapons in sight but something told me she didn't need any. Both their eyes shot to me and I never wanted to curl into myself more than under their stare. My cloaked escort mumbled something which seemed to give them the ok. Right away I noticed a familiar glint in both their eyes, the 'this is going to be fun look'.

And then it started.

With a flick of his wrists, the leather clad man's round finger blades were launched into the air. Spinning, scratching and scathing at the gargoyle guards, they flew like bullets and moved with a mind of their own. All while the man stood peacefully still in the middle of the isle as if he was aware of every single movement around him. It was a terrifyingly beautiful scene that unfolded. His deadly twin started waving her hands in intricate ways and shimmers of purple slid from the tips of her fingers and travelled toward the motley crowd of passengers. One by one, all of their bodies went limp until every last one of them was knocked unconcious. Except me.

I started frantically pulling on my cuffs, the panic spreading in me like wildfire. "No need for that now" , the cloaked man said while handing me a small rusty silver key and gave me a wink. He was completely unphased by what his companions just did. I quickly unshackled myself and moved to get out of the seat.

"We need to get to the front of the train before-"

The woman was cut off by the sound of all the windows slamming open letting in a strong blast of wind that made me stumble back a bit. Black dense liquid slithered its way through the windows and before I knew it I was being propelled into the air, swinging in every direction. The air left my lungs, my heart was racing faster than this god foresaken train and the pain inflicted by the dark substance wrapped around my torso was agonizing, unlike anything I've ever felt in my life. I could no longer think of anything else and my ability to scream vanished. My soul, body and mind were surrounded by the pain.

My former castle escort unsheathed the sword hanging from his waist and started slicing at the water tentacle holding me while his male companion sent his flying blades at it but their efforts were futile. The violet eyed female waved her hands in the air in the same manner as before. I was no longer being whipped around like a rag doll and my body came to a stop. The liquid slowly solidified and was wrapped with what looked like violet vains growing and intertwining themselves around the newly formed black rock. The cloaked man raised his sword above his head and went for the final blow. He sliced the petrified tentacle and shattered it to a million pieces. I fell to the ground, gasping for air, drinking it as if it was the last pool of water in the middle of a blazing desert. I looked up to notice that all the other prisoners were gone. Faith had a different path for them today.

Chucka-chucka

The liquid finally retracted itself from the train.

Chucka-Chucka

The man hauled me up and all three of them directed me to the front of the train to what I assumed was the conductor's chamber. Although, there definitely was no conductor, this train is driven by dark magic and its engines are fueled by the fear of all the sorry fellows that were unfortunate enough to set a foot on board this death trap.

"I suppose we're all headed back to the Ruby Castle now that that's over, right?" I asked with desperation and exhaustion lacing my voice.

"Where the Queen resides? You know the one who sent you to your death? Yeah, I don't think so darling." The white haired woman answered with a sneer. She looked ahead and curled her fingers again in different ways. The twisted floating tracks ahead bent and contorted themselves into new pathways. We're going off course.

I noticed a little bright orange light far ahead. It seemed to be getting closer and closer, brighter and brighter. No one payed any attention to it except for me.

"Umm, guys."

No response. My eyes widened realizing what was right in front of our faces.

"Guys...There's a fucking train heading straight towards us!"

"Hang back little lady, it'll all be fine."

Chucka-Chucka

It was about 10 feet away. Five. Three. Two... I squeeze my eyes shut anticipating a gut wrenching impact. One.

Chucka-Chucka

I opened them to see that we had travelled into a much darker and serene field. There was no grass, no trees, no sign of life for that matter. All that resided here was a blinding darkness.

"We just passed through the Mirror Bricade of the Dark realm. We're headed for the Obsidian Palace."

The Obsidian Palace. I couldn't believe it. The place even the Queen shuddered at the sound of its name. The prophecy had warned me of this castle of death since before I made it to Lukrinthia. Had these strangers known that? It seemed a new chapter of my journey was thrusted open and I had no choice but to partake in it now. Here we go.

Chucka-Chucka