Canto 10 The Infernal City

Early the next day, the trio set foot on their journey and stumbled upon an unexpected sandstorm. The grounds were covered and replaced by grits of sand. The wind blew in different directions, causing a dust storm on their sandy path.

The City of Minos sat in the distance on a mold of sand casting a dark shadow and looked rundown. Its stone exterior chipped away, and a broken shambled building scattered the area.

There was an air of uncertainty that settled as if the City were a person of its own will.

“I’m not so sure of this place,” Keisha said. The three of them stood on the hill, looking at the city mound. “It looks a bit…,”

“—Shady,” Celra finished her sentence. Keisha nodded.

“Yeah, forgot to mention that Minos is a bit of a cut-throat city, and it’s best to mind yourself and your wallets. They don’t like Shikari or Legacy,” Verona said. She didn’t look at Keisha and Celra as she walked down the hill.

They stared after her with their jaws dropped.

“Uh, that would have been nice to tell us. I’m guessing they don’t like Demi’s either,” Celra said. The two of them catching up behind Verona.

“I don’t understand, though,” Keisha said. “If the Monarchs have authority, why don’t they keep them in line?”

Verona laughed. “Most of them stay out of sight and out of mind. They capture Demi, and the Monarch’s don’t see them as any trouble.”

Keisha and Celra glanced at each other, unsure about entering territory where they weren’t wanted. They couldn’t go a different route as this was the quickest path.

They slipped their cloaks over their head and entered the village part of Minos. But once inside the dark, laden streets, Verona stopped walking in the middle of the beaten road.

“Veron—” Keisha started to say, but Verona held up her finger. She surveyed the area.

“Something isn’t right,” Verona finally said. They walked the quiet and dark streets, where several villas sat across from one another. “There’s no one outside. No word, no sound.”

Keisha looked around, sensing the creepiness from earlier. It was barren and void of life. She turned to Celra, whose ears flickered underneath her hood.

“I heard someone, but it got quiet again like they heard us approach or something,” Celra said.

“Hey, look, there’s someone!” Keisha shouted. A window opened, and a pale hand stuck out. She rushed to the stone house with the open window. “Hey, you there, are you okay? We’re not going to hurt you, we’re—”

The window slammed in Keisha’s face before she could say anything further. She turned to Verona, who shook her head.

She snorted. “Smooth. Did you think that was going to work?”

“I don’t understand. Why are they scared like this?”

Someone answered with a ‘pspsps’ sound. Everyone turned to the corner where there was an inn, and an older man ushered them to hurry inside—they did, and the door closed behind them.

The inn was warm, with a stone fireplace and antique furniture in the living area. The Innkeeper was a middle-aged man with stark black hair and streaks of gray, his thick beard the same color as his silver eyes.

“Thank you, sir, but why did you let us in?” Keisha asked the Inn Keeper.

“What happened here?” Verona jumped in to ask.

“You seem good-natured. Everyone here is afraid and doesn’t want to anger it or the Monarch any further.”

Celra tilted her head. “Anger who?”

The Inn Keeper looked around at the walls before speaking and whispered, “A Snake Beast Demi gorged the town and took the souls of the Minos’s civilians, including the Monarch’s daughter.”

Everyone’s eyes widened.

“Why didn’t you send word to Aspara or Dolent and ask the Monarch?” Keisha exclaimed. “I’m sure he would have opened the Gates for your safety.”

Verona shook her head. “Remember we were the exception. I’m sure he wouldn’t have allowed access to anyone in case they would have brought dangerous Demi’s to them.”

The Inn Keeper was off to the side fixing a stack of books that sat above the fireplace and back to his desk where a wooden nameplate read ‘Fredrick’ sat.

“I am afraid no one dares to step foot outside the village for fear the Beast will find out and they may not survive the Acheron. And the other roads are far too long and treacherous.”

“This is madness,” Keisha stated. Celra and Verona looked at her. Her hands were in tight fist. “We can’t let this town suffer—Mister Fredrick.” Keisha approached the man’s desk as his eyes met hers. “We’ve survived the Acheron, and we’ve faced against Demi’s. We can help bring the people back.”

Stolen story; please report.

A tug pulled Keisha backward, and she turned to see Verona giving her a pinched look. “What are you doing? We’re on a time constraint.”

Keisha shook her head. “Someone needs our help. I have to do something. My mamma always taught me to do what you can to help others.”

Celra sauntered to Keisha’s side and grunted in agreement. “If that’s what Keisha wants, I agree.”

Verona rolled her eyes. “Of course, you’ll agree.” She huffed and walked to Fredrick, who stared at the three of them quizzically.

“We’ll help you, if you can accommodate a room and food, we can head to this Beasts’ lair at first light.”

Fredrick’s eyes extended in surprise, but he nodded and urged them to follow him upstairs.

***

Dawn came fast approaching, and the girls had a quick dinner of fruits, cheese, and freshly baked goods. Once they were finished eating, they headed out to leave when Fredrick came down the stairs carrying a satchel in his hand.

“Extras for the road,” he said as he handed them to Keisha to put in her bag. “The Snake Beast is called Menoos, and he took them to the high mountains.”

“Mount Glugg?” Verona asked, raising her brow.

Fredrick nodded. “Yes, but a three-headed dog guards the way. So you’ll need to be careful.”

Verona thanked the man for warning them, and they left the inn into the quiet city. They headed toward the intersection to the left where Mount Glugg was located until guards on horses came from behind them.

“What are you travelers doing here?” one of the guards with a thick auburn beard said. “Monarch Palino has passed a decree that anyone who steps on this road must be processed…and it would seem an Earthborne is among you.”

Keisha’s heart leaped. Verona stood in front of her protectively. “We don’t have time for this. We need to stop—”

“You won’t be doing anything but coming with us to the Monarch’s palace—Guards, detain them.”

The other guards on horseback surrounded them. Celra’s lip curled as she growled when they drew closer, and Verona’s fist was raised in waiting.

“Wait,” Keisha cried out, seeing their swords drawn. “We shouldn’t cause a scene. If we explain to the Monarch the same way we did Monarch Augustus did, maybe he’ll let us through?”

“I told you, not everyone is going to—”

“We have to try, Verona; maybe the Monarch will be different.” Keisha pleaded with big eyes. The two girls looked at one another for a moment.

“Okay, fine, alright, we’ll come quietly!” Verona shouted with her arms raised in surrender.

The auburn-mustached guard smirked. “The girl has common sense, wonderful.”

Verona sneered and mumbled, “I’ll show you common sense.”

Keisha’s hand grabbed Verona’s, making her jump. She looked at interlocked hands. She looked over to see Keisha also holding Celra’s hand, making her roll her eyes, but it was Keisha’s words that sent serenity to her ears.

“Everything’s going to be okay.”

***

THE GUARDS BROUGHT THEM to the sand-colored temple of Monarch Palino’s castle. Inside resembled a museum with tiled marble floors and some columns held up the ceiling.

“You, Earthborne,” the auburn mustache guard named Gerad said as he gestured at Keisha. “You will speak with the Monarch, alone.”

Both Celra and Verona jumped, but two guards brought out their swords and blocked their path.

“She’s not going anywhere without us,” Verona snarled behind the swords, glaring at the two guards. Celra nodded in agreement.

Keisha turned back with a sheepish smile. “I’ll be fine.” Keisha hoped she would trust her.

She followed Gerad up the stairs to the double doors at the top of the stairwell.

The doors opened, and Keisha followed Gerad inside. The inside was like Dolent, except the floors were marble and the color of emerald. The walls were off-white, and the sound of sand scratching the glass made the faintest of sound in the large throne room.

Gerad bent the knee and bowed his head.

“Monarch Palino, I have found an Earthborne lurking in the Illicit, accompanying with her is a Legacy and a Demi. I do not know their intentions, but they may have been planning to escape to Ciacco.”

At the end of the hall, a gentleman sat on his mantel. He was older-looking with a few wrinkles adorned on his bronze face. He wore a gold crown on his gray locks. His silver gaze looked at her in curiosity, and he rubbed his tapered beard.

“Have you no decency,” Gerad snapped at Keisha. “You do not gawk at the Monarch; kneel before him!”

Keisha yelped and knelt, stumbling, when Monarch Palino raised his hand to stop her mid-bend.

“You may leave, Gerad.”

Hesitant but not wanting to be insubordinate, he stood and bowed to the Monarch before leaving, and the doors closed behind him.

“Who are you?” Monarch Palino asked. His poker face gave nothing away, and his silver eyes stared at her, unblinking, making her nervous.

Keisha chewed her lip and flexed her hands. “Well, si—uh, sire, Monarch? My name is Keisha…,” she paused.

“Yes, go on.”

“My name,” she sucked in a breath and released it as she spoke, “is Keisha Alighieri.”

His thick brow raised, and Keisha saw the silver in his eyes twitch.

Keisha explained her reason for being here and why they were headed on their path. The Monarch did not interrupt and listened, nodding every so often.

“—And so you see Monarch Palino, that’s my reason for being here. I know my papà wasn’t supposed to leave, and I’m hoping people don’t judge him for past actions and throw them onto me. As a Legacy, I want to help your people. My friends and I can do that and stop Menoos, save the people, like your daughter.”

Monarch Palino folded his hands together. His brows pinched together.

“You know, the Monarchs put out a hunt for his arrest.” Keisha gulped. “So I do not trust you as a Legacy when your papà has sworn as a Shikari and left; it is treason.”

“I-I swear it, though!” Keisha blurted out without thinking. She bit her lip. The Monarch raised her brow at her sharp tone. “Words have power. I know that. I swore another promise, and I am upholding it. I am my papà’s blood, which makes me strong, but I am my own person, so please don’t toss me aside like you’re doing to my papà…Let me prove myself.”

Monarch and Legacy stared at one another as the sound of dust scratched against the windowpane.

“I shall give you a chance. Should you betray me, we too will hunt you.”

Keisha licked her lips, bobbing her head wildly. “Y-Yes, sir. C-can you release my friends, please? I can’t do this without them.”

With a flick of his hand, the doors opened. Keisha turned around and saw her friends running toward her. Verona reached her first and whispered. “What happened?”

Celra pulled her into a hug, nestling her cheek against her arm as Keisha rubbed her head.

“I swore to the Monarch that we’d help find the people.”

Verona groaned heavily. “I told you about swearing allegiance. Grave things will happen if you can’t keep that promise or break it.”

Keisha wrapped her hands into a fist. “I don’t plan on breaking it.”

“If you are done scheming,” Monarch Palino’s voice boomed. He stood from his throne. “I shall give you something to help climb Mount Glugg—and if you diverge from your route, I shall know.”

Keisha turned to face the Monarch and stood her ground. “I shall return them all, sir.”