Alcingeria Chapter Fifty Four: Dark Magic

Everyone at Queen Yuka's castle finds out that the dark magic witch is Alice! Alice bargains for her life with the evil queen herself, and she makes an offer the queen can't refuse...

            Chapter Fifty Four Dark Magic:

Tuesday July 6^th 1690

Queen Yuka’s medical examiner studied the body of the servant that Francella had found for a whole day. Francella and Ceberus were sent for, as they were in their rooms. A servant came to each of them as the Queen had asked and they were brought to her throne room. Beside her throne stood a young man with a scroll in his hand. This was probably the medical examiner. When Francella and Ceberus were ready, the man spoke.

            “I tried to pin the servant’s condition on any disease or illness that fits the symptoms and description of the body, I didn’t want to believe that dark magic is involved. Alas, I have confirmed that it is indeed dark magic that caused the death of the servant.” The man said.

He opened his scroll and read from it.

            “You see, the man was killed instantaneously. I found a bruise under his shirt on his side where he must have fallen on his arm. If we was killed by a disease, the illness would not have taken effect so quickly. This suggests that he was killed very, very quickly and dropped to the floor. I believe that since it was dark magic, he was dead before he even hit the floor.” The man said.

            “This isn’t good, there is a dark magic witch roaming around and we have no idea who it is!” Ceberus shouted.

If Queen Yuka was stressed at all, she didn’t show it. She remained composed and turned to a servant who was standing behind her throne and was now in view.

            “Send for the guards. I need a team to search every room in this castle. Tell them to keep an eye out for anything suspicious, anything odd. Tell them to be on their guards, too. We are dealing with a dark magic user and it will no doubt go down swinging if we try to kill it.” Queen Yuka said.

            “Yes, your majesty.” The servant said as she walked quickly out of the throne room.

The Queen turned to face her audience.

            “We are going to find that dark magic user and put a stop to the killings.” Queen Yuka said to everyone.

            “I have no doubt. You have some very competent guards.” Francella said.

He couldn’t help but wonder as he said this at how easily he had evaded the guards while spying on Estaire.

            “Indeed. You may go now. We will have the dark magic user found and executed. I thank you sincerely for your assistance.” Queen Yuka told Francella and Ceberus.

They both smiled in appreciation.

            “You’re welcome, your majesty.” Francella said with a bow.

They then walked out of the throne room. They both breathed a sigh of relief.

            “The guards have this under control now.” Ceberus said.

            “Good thing, too. The sooner the dark magic user is caught, the better.” Francella said.

They walked out of the throne room foyer to see at least one hundred guards in total running back and forth in every which way, scattering to find the dark magic user. They went upstairs, where the sound of doors being opened, knocked on and closed could be heard. They went in the throne room foyer and began checking rooms there. The guards were searching all over the castle.

            “It’s crowded in here, we don’t want to be in the way. Let’s go to the garden and wait for more news.” Ceberus said.

Francella nodded and they both walked off into the garden, where they found Erin, Martha, Raymond and William.

            “There you two are! What are all those guards doing?” Erin asked.

            “Queen Yuka’s medical examiner confirmed the fact that dark magic killed that servant. All those guards are searching the whole castle for the dark magic user.” Ceberus explained.

            “I have no idea who it is. If it’s not Estaire, then I don’t have a clue.” William mumbled.

            “I suppose we’ll find out soon enough. A dark magic user won’t be able to hide for very long with all those guards around. One of them is bound to notice something strange.” Francella said.

Francella was right. About ten minutes after he said that, a familiar witch was being dragged down the staircase that led to the lower class residence wing. It was Alice! It looked like she was unconscious.

            “It was Alice?” Erin asked.

            “The guards themselves brought her here! Why did they allow a dark magic witch into the castle?” Raymond asked.

            “Maybe they didn’t ask her magic type and just let her in?” William asked.

They, along with all the other law enforcement officers, followed the group who now held the unconscious Alice. They brought her to the throne room. They could see that Alice was starting to come to. They presented her to the Queen.

            “Your majesty, we have discovered the dark magic witch!” One of them exclaimed.

Just then, a witch stepped out from behind Queen Yuka’s throne. She held a hand out to Alice.

            “Magic drain!” She said.

A dark glow radiated off of the witches hands. The witch must have drained Alice’s magic power. Queen Yuka looked surprised as well as annoyed.

            “Those guards! The task force! They brought her here!” She shouted.

            “What should we do, your highness?” Asked a guard.

            “Kill her.” Queen Yuka said sharply.

The guards both threw her to the floor roughly and one of them drew his flintlock. He aimed it at Alice’s head. She then stirred and slowly sat up. She saw the flintlock aimed at her head and flinched away with a girlish eep!

            “Stop!” Alice pleaded.

Queen Yuka held up her hand. The man lowered his weapon.

            “What do you want?” Queen Yuka boomed.

            “You don’t understand! You don’t understand why I killed those rats, and that servant!” Alice shouted.

Queen Yuka looked bored, yet faintly amused.

            “Why did you do it?” She asked, interested.

            “I have a horrible curse! I must kill other living things, or else I’ll die myself! I did what I had to!” Alice shouted.

Queen Yuka just shook her head.

            “If you were looking to kill people, you shouldn’t have done it in my province.” She said.

She then turned to the guard with the flintlock.

            “Kill her.” She ordered.

The man raise his weapon and took aim at Alice’s head.

            “No! Stop! I have something to offer you!” Alice begged.

Queen Yuka held up her hand. The man looked irritated now and lowered his weapon.

            “Make it quick. Keep this up and I sure won’t.” Queen Yuka snapped.

            “I know of a weapon, a revolutionary weapon. One that could help you conquer and gain Vulrock power.” Alice said.

Queen Yuka was thoroughly interested now, but seemed skeptical.

            “Is that so? Tell me, who has this weapon? Who makes it? What’s it called?” She asked.

            “It’s in possession of the mafia, and the mafia makes them. That’s why they took all your magic users. It’s called a machine gun.” Alice explained.

            “How do you know all this?” Queen Yuka asked.

Alice cleared her throat.

            “When I was taking a walk in town I stumbled across a bar. It was deserted, but there was a trap door hidden behind the counter. I went down and found the mafia’s hidden base. I overheard guards talking about this new weapon they were making called a ‘machine gun’. They had said it was the ‘offspring of science and magic’. It’s enchanted so that when the user holds the trigger, the bolt flies back and forth, setting off bullets and discharging them faster than any weapon can. At the same time, bullets from the vertical magazine are being pushed into the chamber by the enchantment.” Alice told her.

Queen Yuka looked stunned. Alice then continued;

            “However on my most recent outing, I found something that makes the machine guns seem like the least of your worries. There was a rally in the mess hall. The mafia is planning to use the machine guns to kill you.” Alice said, flipping her dark orange hair over her shoulder.

Queen Yuka look like she had been punched in the stomach. She gasped, her jaw hung open. Her grey eyes were wide with shock.

            “Alice. If I let you live, do you promise to do your killing in the city, not the castle?” Queen Yuka asked.

Alice grinned evilly, her sapphire blue eyes sparkling in the torchlight. She nodded.

            “Yes, I promise.” She said.

Queen Yuka nodded in return.

            “There are conditions, however.” The Queen added.

            “Oh?” Alice asked.

            “You must agree to get me some of these… Machine guns. As many as you can get your hands on. I have had plans for a long time. Plans that weren’t possible until now.” Queen Yuka said ominously.

            “I’ll take care of it. What is your other condition?” Alice inquired.

            “You must pledge allegiance to me.” Queen Yuka ordered.

Alice nodded and curtsied.

            “Of course, my Queen.” She replied with a smile.

            “Very well. As a security measure, my witch will keep her spell on your until she sees fit. I thank you for warning me about the mafia’s impending attack. I suppose without the task force bringing you here, I wouldn’t have known about it. Perhaps I won’t kill them after all…” Queen Yuka said thoughtfully.

She then turned to all the guards who filled the room.

            “Guards, I want you to double, no, triple our defences. Be on your guard, the mafia is sneaky.” Queen Yuka ordered.

Author's Note

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