Dear Ms Lady Demigod: Twelve Days To Doom

4 4 The Septor And The City

Annelece got up from his meditation and walked towards the window, looking at the vast sketch of snow before his eyes. The same old white scenery in a land where spring never occurred ever since prince Galkin died. Maybe it was too quiet or maybe it was his deafness taking away every melody from his soul. His silver matted hair and beard covered his bare chest as he stood before the window in his brown trousers. It was almost a decade since he was trapped there in those four walls.

He would sing, but even then, he couldn't hear himself or what he was singing. So, he'd spend his day medicating or looking out of the window. The sky was grey, the wind was loud, his eyes felt heavy and his heart, uneasy. The Earth seemed to shake, crying out to him, and suddenly, a sense of warmth covered his surroundings. He looked back and saw that the door was on fire. 

"Did you do what I asked you to?" Delph asked as he stood at his balcony with a glass of wine. A knight stood behind him and bowed,
"Yes, sir,"
"Poor Annelece. Dying such a painful death,"

The ceiling began breaking down, with burning wood falling on the wooden floor, like rocks from a volcanic eruption. All the books around him, all the instruments, his clothes, him, everything was on fire. A red burning flame enveloped his throat, the pangs of pain bit through the layers of his skin. He ran towards the door and called for help, but nobody came. 
"PRINCESS ADELAIDA! ATLEAST YOU COME FOR ME! PLEASE!" 

Nobody came. Just like always, he was alone. Smiling, he moved away from the burning door and sat on his knees. He knew his end was near and nothing could stop his death. He joined his hands and closed his eyes, 

"Even if my body burns before my death, and I lose my voice,
My soul will call for you till my final breath,
Lady Gatekeeper,"

Slowly, the fire felt less hot. Slowly, the pain faded away and his heart felt light. A fluttery feeling covered his chest as his skin began healing. He looked at himself in disbelief,

"You don't have to do that," He heard and looked up. With the dark sky behind her, she stood  at his window, with nothing but a worn out tunic covering her breasts and her legs. Her black hair flew sideways, covering half of her face, her blue eyes shining through her hair, as deep as a dying witch, gladiator sandals covering her calves, with her pale skin covered with blood, she carried the smell of death upon her.

His eyes went plump. As she stepped her feet on the burning floor, the fire vanished. She walked towards him and stood before him, "I heard your prayers for me, mortal. So, here I am, as you like it. What do you wish for?"
He fell on his knees, with eyes fixed upon her as if he were a child, "I hear you, lady Gatekeeper!"

. . .

"I'm tired. I can't run anymore," Ariel sat on the broken bark of an old tree in a frost covered forest. Nataniel stood in front of him, "You are so weak,"
"I'd hear you say that if you got this heavy body to carry around, bitch boy,"
"Not my problem you can't stop eating," Nataniel crossed his hands.
"I guess it'll be a while before we reach city of the dead," Jevelene looked at him.

"If we reach it. We don't even know if we're going the right way," Nataniel shrugged.
"We'll find a way somehow," Jevelene smiled.
"Well, it would be pointless to return empty handed after coming all the way here," Nataniel suddenly heard something from the ice and got on his haunches.

He pressed his finger tips over the surface of snow and closed his eyes.
"Do you hear something unusual?" Jevelene asked.
He could hear something really loud, but he recognized it. Horses, dozens of them.
"I'll be right back," 
He skated his away in the snow.

"At least tell us where you are going!" Ariel screamed but Nataniel disappeared in the snow. Jevelene turned back and looked at Ariel. He shook his head and got up, "Ow! Something bit me!" He looked at his leg and saw a white snake, wrapping itself around his leg.