Castling

The castle was dark, damp and cold. This deep into the water, there was no way that any changes happening with the seasons on land would impact it, but it was cold. It reminded Saif that didn’t have much time. If he didn’t find the Greater Being of Creatures, Bron would be killed.

Saif pushed on, wrapping his cloak tighter around his body. Oppo’s teeth were clattering, Yabko was starting to lose the freshness of its green.

Not just cold, the castle was empty. Barren. Abandoned, even. Despite the bubble messing with the water outside, there was a thick coating of dust covering every possible surface.

They made their way to the center, or so the map told them. From here, there were no exits other than the one they came in through. People were once welcome here. That much was made clear through the remains those people left behind.

Watches, purses, shoes and other such accessories littering the floors, left to dust and rot away. What could have happened here that caused such a panic?

Oppo warned Yabko not to touch anything, talking to it in a low voice. “we don’t know if anything is a trap.”

“What’s that?” Yabko tried to whisper, not exactly getting a hang of its voice just yet. “What does trap mean?”
“It can mean a lot of things, but for now it means something that will trick you.”

Trick… Well, Saif knew this whole thing was a trick already, but what else?

Saif debated climbing up one of the walls, wondering if he could get a better view of the room from higher up. He stepped over a broken tile, a shoe, a hat and then another broken tile to properly make it to the wall.

No… something was missing here. He stepped over the sequence again, broken tile, shoe, hat, broken tile.

He crouched down, inspecting that second broken tile. It looked clean, or at least missing that layer of dust that everything was covered in, something was missing.

Saif tried moving the broken tile, but nope. All that was underneath it was a layer of cement attaching it to the floor. Ah, scarab. He was really expecting to find some sort of leaver that he could pull and uncover more paths though the castle.

Just in case, he tried the other broken tile.

No way.

“Woah, way to go beetle!” Oppo came up to him, patting him on the back for finding exactly what he thought he’d find. “Let’s pull it.”

With a rumble and a sprinkle of dust, the pathways all revealed themselves from behind fake walls.

That can’t have been luck or instinct. That was manifestation at play. It had to be.

“What other choice do we have,” Instinct repeated back to him with his own voice.

“Look there,” Yabko pointed to a vine towards a glowing hallway up ahead. “It’s the only one that has lights.”

They followed the light into a white, sterile, clinical looking room. It was filled to the brim with tools halfway between a surgeon and a dentist, complete with an exam table in the middle. A person walked in though a door on the opposite side with gloved hands raised up. They had a scrappy beard, tired eyes and a thick belly covered by a buttoned up lab coat.

Oppo rushed forward, dropping the blanket from their shoulders. “DAD!”

Oppo hugged him, receiving only a blank stare in return. “It’s me! I finally found you!”

“Um, who are you, exactly?”

He faltered, letting go of his dad.

“Dad. It’s me! Opportunity! I- I know you might not recognize me, you left when I was seven, after all-”

“What brings you here?”

“Are you serious? You’ve been missing for thirteen years! I came to find you!”

“Who allowed you to come here?”

Oppo took some steps back. “You’re messing with me, right?”

“Im asking you who you’re working for. You’re a threat.”

“NO ONE! I WORK FOR NO ONE! NO ONE WANTS TO HIRE THE ORPHAN, DAD!”

Oppo was shaking, hands clenching. “I built a submarine boat! With Chance and Hope and Victory and Liberty back home! You know, the kids you’ve left behind? Where’s mom?”

“You need to leave.” He said.

Yabko came up to place a tendril around Oppo, glaring daggers into Oppo’s dad as he dragged his son away.

This was too familiar, twisting with memories of Saif’s own life. He found himself looking down at his pincers as they flickered to fingers and back. He gripped them, steadying himself.
“What choice?” Instinct echoed.

“Origin of filth. Abandoner of kin.” It spat, finally causing Oppo’s dad to look away in shame.

The two left, leaving only Saif and the father behind. The man didn’t seem to notice Saif, heaving a massive sigh. It picked up the blanket that Oppo dropped, putting it up to his nose for a moment, holding back tears.

He then threw it in a bin, tossing his now-contaminated gloves in behind it.

“I’m sorry, son.” He whispered, retreating to the backroom.

Saif debated pulling the blanket out of the trash, but he wasn’t sure if it would be too much for Oppo now.

He left it there, walking back to meet up with the others, wherever they were. He pitter-pattered down a hallway, but found no sign of life. He continued on, making his way to the original dust room, but the door was locked shut.

“Well, well, well.” Shivers ran up Saif’s spine. He twisted, pulling out his sword in one swift move. “If I knew you would so willingly come to me, I wouldn’t have tried so hard to catch you, Vessel.” They spat out the word like it offended them.

A figure walked out from the dark, the stalker from the forest all that time ago. “A curious thing you are.”

They stalked him, circling around him like a hunter would its prey. Saif raised his sword.

“I’ve been busy with my projects here for years. Imagine my surprise when a strange new larva made its way onto my workbench here, in the middle of the trench at the bottom of the ocean. I was very scientific with my approach. I located and dissected the creature that ate it, assuming, perhaps, that it was an issue with its digestion. But no…”

“It was the larva that was the issue. I shouldn’t even call it larva at this point, should I? Vessel?” Saif swung, but the stalker disappeared before his sword could land the hit.

“I gathered samples. Strange little eggs, larva crawling around, eaten but not destroyed. Does that sound familiar?”

Instinct twitched, threatened. “I thought so.”
Saif held on. “If you did your job right, none of us would be here.”

“My job? This is my job! My duty and domain is for creatures all over the Earth, you vile thing.”

“You’re supposed to check in with the others.”

Creatures rolled their eyes. “I know you are new to this world, but even you should know that the so-called ‘Council of Greater Beings’ does NOT include every Greater Beings.”

“Not them.” Saif didn’t back down. “Your own underlings. You’re being a prick about it.”

“I have NOT been anything of the like! In fact, I am the most hardworking of any on the Council!”

Saif swallowed. “They say you are the devastation.”
Creatures was knocked a little off guard. “There is no such thing.”

“The Greaters are getting weaker. All of them. When you stopped showing up, they started blaming you.”

“Curses be upon Law for I know they caused this. The most wretched of Greaters, allowing a world of suffering.” They shook their head. Saif swung again, not finding them still.

“You are also suffering. You don’t want to admit it.”
“My world is perfectly balanced.” They twitched.
“Your underlings would say otherwise. Bron of Creatures is being tortured in your place, and you nary bat an eye.”

“That can’t be! For he’s right here!” Creatures unlocked all the doors, “BRON! I summon you!”

Saif saw Yabko and Oppo rush in from a different passageway, ducking down close to the exit passage.

Oppo’s dad came from the glowing hall, with his tired face and thick belly, pale as a ghost. “O’ Greater Being of Creatures-”
“Who are you! State your name!”
“I am Bron of-”

Saif shook his head, pointing to Oppo. “Don’t lie,” he threatened.

“You have named me Great Bron, O’ Greater-”

“I named you?” Creatures gasped, preparing to launch into another spiel.

“He’s not Bron, Creach.” A Greater walked in, wearing sunglasses, an open flower-print shirt, short shorts and carrying a mojito. “Sorry. Your real Bron was on the council with us while Earth was out. He’s a great guy. Very clever. ”

“Then, who are you?” Creatures turned to his servant.

“I am Bloke Aitcto-O.” Oppo couldn't bear to hear anymore, placing his head on Yabo's shoulder. “You’ve taken my wife and I as hostages until we helped you with your project.”
“And where is this wife of yours?”
Bloke shrugged, “You’ve kept that information away from me, Greater Creatures.”

“Listen Creach, the bug’s right. You’ve been a huge piece of shit for a while now. You being here sent all the critters up into the surface, it’s ruining the resort.” He sipped the drink, “That force field you got on isn't good for the environment. You’ve been stuck here too long.”

“I HAVE DONE NO SUCH THING!”

“Okay, suit yourself.” Greater Water surrendered, not dropping his drink as he put both hands up by his head. “I can’t believe they’d claim to care about being scientific only to make baseless, unprovable assumptions like that.”

“LEAVE!”

“Only if you prove your innocence to the council. Or else I’ll be here all day buddy”
Greater Water leaned onto a wall, kicking some of the junk on the floor around while loudly sipping his mojito.

Creatures caved quickly, rolling their eyes. “I’ll meet you at the steps up the mountain.”

“Catch ya there!” Water said as Creatures made their leave.

“Thank you, Greater Being of Water.” Yabko spoke.

“Woah, a Florian in the Deadline. That's new. No prob kiddo.” They turned to Said. “I should be thanking you. I never figured out how to get out of the round room. Now come on, let's go save your dad.”

It was a tight fit in the submarine, as Yabko, Oppo, Oppo’s dad and mom, and Water all tried to get in. Thankfully, with Water’s help pushing the currents in their favor, everyone made it back to land faster than they could get claustrophobic.

Saif wished he could go with Yabko and Oppo to meet the rest of his family, but he knew first he had to fix his own.
“Okay, little guy. To the mountain! I’m sure Law can’t wait to hear about this.”