Shadows' encyclopedia - The Prodigies of Arahsmurd book 1

Ralph Aquin 🎀

Screams, whistles and projectiles smashed into Rebecca's face. She slowly woke up with an unpleasant sensation and an urge to vomit. A puff of ash caressed her nose. Mysterious smells circulated and mingled in the air. They were indescribable... Rebecca leaned her head back, shaken. She was transported by the two people who had arrived at her house. With a little light in her face, she was finally able to see where she was. A huge crowd and some exceptional individuals were taking their places. A citadel where humans and fantastic creatures lived side by side. A huge troll was carrying a gigantic barrel of alcohol. He was walking in the opposite direction. Within the high walls of the city, men kept an eye on the citizens and others stood at the entrance and exit of the citadel. Flags were flying with the same coat of arms that appeared on the mysterious book: a snake. The atmosphere darkened and became misty. Rebecca and her captors crossed the bridge that linked their kingdom to an underground road. Covered in cogs, the bridge was gigantic. It had a mechanism that ensured it could be raised and lowered.

As Rebecca crossed the footbridge, she caught sight of a building hidden behind tall trees. The crowd booing her withdrew, as if they were not prepared to go any further. They took her for a criminal, hence the insults and projectiles she had received. Added to this was the startling sound of the rigorous footsteps of the people carrying her. Rebecca had no idea what awaited her at the end of this journey... 

As they passed through the woods, they came to a building guarded by two green trolls. The two individuals ordered them to give way. The large doors opened with a loud bang. No smell, not even an emotion, rose from this place. The floor looked so smooth you could see its reflection. Rebecca was perplexed and tense. Men without hoods were holding parchments in a deep and immense corridor. The place looked like a cathedral. There were old doors everywhere and wooden galleries. The men holding the scrolls were dressed in long robes, rather like priests. Their faces were camouflaged by the length of their tunic, which made them look ominous. In the centre of the corridor, they could see a blinding ray of light from the ceiling. The old men greeted Rebecca at the centre of the beam of light, where inscriptions in the shape of solid gold cogs appeared. The old wise men surrounded them, uttering magical incantations. Before long, the scenery changed; Rebecca was in a room lit by a false starry sky. It was like being in an opera house in Paris. Fireflies fluttered around the audience, and around Rebecca, who was escorted to the stand. The young Gothic girl was in a court of law, an assize court where the three individuals sat in gigantic bleachers in the dark. Her captors were standing right behind her, handcuffing her with chains. The audience was silent and ready to hear her story. One of the old men spoke in a deep voice.

"Welcome to the Courtroom. This is the Court of Justice. Rebecca Moon, you have violated the fundamental laws of the Hunter World and exposed us to great danger. As such, you are liable to the death penalty."

The death penalty! Rebecca's voice sounded hoarse... She had just arrived in their world and found their punishment unrealistic. The man had nicknamed her Rebecca Moon. The name reminded her of one of her old visions.

"Wait, sir, you've got the wrong person. My name is Rebecca Laurence and I'm not from this world. I know nothing of all the laws and even less of what I may have committed," explained the distressed young woman.

A woman emerged from the shadows wearing a long green leather coat. She wore the snake emblem on her back. Her brown hair was very long and greasy. The terrifying inspector was called Rolls. Her perfume reeked of vinegar and her hair of cat urine. She used a magic stone to show where Rebecca had been during the attack in Paris. Rolls was allowed to speak after she stopped projecting the images.