Chapter 19: King's Curse

JAck and Cacyie has been summoned by the king, and the king has a lot of questions for them

          The king sits in his throne, waiting for the two prisoners to crawl out of the dungeon. The supposed noblemen are there to witness the first duty the kingdom has done. Ever since we were disconnected from the rest of the world. We quickly established peace throughout the entire city, establishing a food source and a stable population that lasted for many generations. Crime no longer existed in the bubble the city created, the dungeons were always empty, a perfect utopia, sealed away from the outside. It was at least until recently, when the orb that held the barrier cracked; lifted the barrier that kept them safe from everything, slowly dissolved into the air, leaving the orb hollow and lifeless. Charles was the first to discover this, leading to the events that will scare everyone moving forward.

 

“That is the report of what happened, your majesty.” A scout bowed his head to his leader, closing the scroll in his hands. “Thank you, you may leave now.” The scout raised his head and fast-paced out of the room. The king laid back comfortably to his chair, scratching his outfit here and there. “Is there something wrong?” Charles said, “It’s nothing, its just the outfit is…. uncomfortable to say the least.” The king continues to shuffle in his chair, unable to find the right spot. “I think it looks good on you, your majesty.” The king couldn’t help but to take off the itchy red robe that surrounded his body, throwing it behind his chair. “Wait, your majesty, why would you do that?” Charles said with question. “I’m sorry but that robe was just uncomfortable.” The king was feeling relive now and sat back down. “By the way, did you find a way to fix the orb yet?” Charles replied to him, “Yes, I did fix the orb, but the magic with it is lost.” King: “Well can’t you just conjure new magic into the orb, bringing back the barrier?” Charles: “If it was that easy, I would have done it already; The barrier requires a lot of magic to preform and sap into the orb.”

The two were interrupted by the sound of the double doors opening at the other end of the room. Both Charles and the King got into position to receive anything thrown at them, they see Jack and Cacyie are being escorted by guards to them. One of the guards yelled out, get on your knees, and both complied fast. The king observed the two again, Jack looks the exact same as before, and the little girl seems to be doing better than last time. These two showed up at the same time the orb broke, the king was determined to get some answers. “Hello again, as you may know, I brought you two here to ask a few questions before determining your punishment.” Jack spoke softly, “Then we will answer anything you ask of us” The king find it surprising that they are rather obedient, he expects some outcry first,” Then let me begin, what business do you have with us in the city of Gerik?” Jack extends his cuffed hands to Cacyie beside him “We wanted to know if this girl’s parents have escaped here when a fire broke out in her village.” The kings turn his attention towards Cacyie, with tears silently running down her face. The king couldn’t help but feel sorry for her, “I’m sorry but I don’t think your parents were able to make it here.”

Jack stands up, “Then I’m afraid we no longer have business here. Come Cacyie, lets try another town.” Cacyie also stands up, nodding at Jack. They were stopped by the guards blocking the exit. “I still have more questions for you.” The king was irritated now, he can’t tolerate the disrespect Jack displays to the king. Jack turns back to face him, “Then what are your questions?” The king clam himself down, before asking his questions. “I like to know how you know Gerik exist in the first place?” Cacyie was also interested in this answer, she has been wondering how Jack knew about Gerik for a while now; she was never told of the city close by the South. “I got an old map from a lady that told about Gerik.” Silence fell into the room. “Is that all?” The king asked, hoping for more. “Yup, that’s all.” The king thought to himself, this is going nowhere fast. “Do- do you still have the map?” Jack: “Nope, I discarded it long ago.” Cacyie interrupted the both, “Jack you liar! You checked the map before coming here, you even tried to hide it from me.” The king and Jack were shocked to this confession, the king now is suspicious of Jack. “Is this true Jack?”, the king said with a wicked smile on his face. Somehow, Jack still didn’t change his expression, and sat down on the floor, “I wish you haven’t said that Cacyie, now we’re both in trouble.” Cacyie looked down at Jack, defeated, she turned back to the king, who is very happy.

“I have determined your punishment.” Cacyie is very scared now, her legs are now shaking, making her fall to the ground, regretting her decision. “Charles, curse them.” The wizard focuses his staff onto the two prisoners and fired a blast at both, Cacyie screamed for her life, as the magic hit her. Whatever happen finished faster than she thought, and with relatively no pain as well. She is in question of what it did, she discovered a mark of her right hand, a mark that was the same on the walls of this room, residing in the palm of her right hand. “Both of you have been placed under a curse of Gerik, if you attempt to leave the city, it will leave you but horrible pain to our entire body; any attempts to remove the curse will only make the pain worse, enough to send you to an early grave.” Cacyie was in horror, her eyes can’t stop staring at the mark on her body, she finally looked away to Jack, who was in silence to this. “From now on, you two will live here, enjoying your life here in this wonderful city. Now, get out of my sight.” The king announces their future. The guards dragged the both out to the streets.

Cacyie yells in pain from being thrown to the cold hard ground. A single streetlamp dims down on them in the nighttime sky; recovering from the fall. Cacyie barley got back up to her feet. She looks down at her hand again, almost mesmerizing it, it was short lived was Jack was walking away with his hands in his pockets. Cacyie was shocked, “Jack, wait.” She ran to Jack, as he stops walking. “Please don’t leave me behind like that.” She felt something wrong, an unpleasant feeling. Jack turns to look at her, “You don’t need my help anymore.” She didn’t know what to say. “Why?”, She said with nervousness under her breath. “We couldn’t find your folk, and now we are forced to be here. My help here is done.” Tears starts to form under her eyes, she hugs Jack tightly, begging “Please don’t go Jack, don’t leave me.” Her sobbing and tears become waterfalls. “You’re the only person I got left, everyone else left with the fire. Please don’t leave me alone.” Her crying was the only sound in the quiet sky, Jack looks down at the little girl letting out her tears on his pants.

After some time has passed, Jack finally leans down to her level and looked directly in the eyes. “I’ll help.” Cacyie put a smile on her face to hear those words.” But.”, said Jack as he puts a finger in the air. “Only until the king lift’s the curse.” Cacyie rubs her eyes and said, “How can you be sure that he will lift the curse?” Jack stands up to look at the moon, “I don’t know, I just have a feeling it might happen.” Cacyie still got tears in her eyes, but she is feeling better now, “I will hold you on it.” Jack nods on the notion. “Come, lets find a hotel for the night.” Cacyie Lets out a yawn, covering her mouth. “I would like that.”  Jack and Cacyie searched for a hotel, or at least a place to rest. Some time passes, and they were able to find one.

But the building was abandoned, cobwebs surrounded the place, showing signs of age. Not a sign of life here. Jack tries to open the door, no luck. Cacyie was already starting to look elsewhere, but Jack said,” Let me see if there is a back door.” Jack left quickly to the other side of the building before Cacyie had a chance to say anything. She sits down near the down, waiting for Jack. She heard the door unlocking and it opens. Jack comes out of the other side of the door and said, “There is one, come in.”

Cacyie didn’t had time to relax, as she stands back up and walks inside the abandoned hotel. The doors close behind her, and the building became pitch black. She couldn’t see anything, not even her hands up close to her. “Jack.” She said in a whispering voice, “Where are you?” She slowly put her one foot in front of another, trying to not bump into anything. “Over here.” Jack said. She quickly follows the voice in this pitch back maze. “You know, this would be easier if you just grab me or something.” Moments later, she felt a hand grabbing her hand, “Ok then, just follow me then.” She quickly nodded, even though no one will see it.

Jack lead Cacyie upstairs to a hallway of doors. “Alright, I’m going to let you go to open a door.” Jack said. Cacyie gave the ok, putting her trust in him. She no longer felt his hand, and kept close to herself, a knob is being turned, a click can be heard, and creaks of a door slowly follows, light was finally being brought to the hotel, a soft blue light enters and Cacyie can finally see. She goes through the door, pushing Jack out of the way to find a bed. She immediately jumps to the bed in high spirits, dust came out into the room as she landed, making her cough in disgust. “I was going to say something, but you beat me to it.” She frowns on her own actions, but sleeps on it anyway, she wasn’t going to complain about getting a night’s rest. She hears the door closing before falling fast asleep.