Betrayal of a Masterpiece

Mine Imagination: Flight of the Hummingbirds
By: T. M. A.

Flower 0: Betrayal of a Masterpiece

“It’s like a recurring nightmare but I know it’s really a memory.”

Something impeded the sun's light as a great shadow surrounded the city. I turned my head to the sky to see a massive creature with black wings ascending rapidly. Before I could say anything, there was a sudden explosion. I was thrown off my feet and caught by a stone column. My head hit the ground and a warm liquid spilled down my face. My head throbbed painfully as I struggled to my feet. 

The heat from the fire ball made the air thick and hard to breathe. Black smoke obscured my surroundings, the ground shook and the roar of the dragon echoed.

I choked as I tried to take a deep breath and felt my way around. My vision was blurry and all I could smell was the burning city.

“Admiral Mine,” someone’s voice called out to me, “This way.”

In the smoke, I could see something glowing above me like a setting sun. I felt a hand grip my shirt and pulled me forward.

“What’s happening dear?” I asked as I stumbled into a building’s foyer.

The person who grabbed me, slammed the door shut behind me and said, “The dragon appeared, what do you think?”

I tried to wipe my face and adjust my glasses but nothing worked.

“Why didn’t we see it coming?” I asked, “I sent my Charm ahead to scout.”

“Where are they now?”

“I’m not sure,” I said, as the taste of my own blood reached my lips. I winced when I touched my forehead and snapped my fingers instinctively. My head stopped hurting, I regained my senses, and the cut was gone. When I saw who my savior had been my heart sank.

“It doesn’t matter,” Elliston said as he stepped into the building from the foyer and looked around, “How many dolls do you have left?”

“I just used one.”

“I know,” Elliston said, “I asked how many do you have left.”

I reached in my pocket and cursed before answering, “Two left.”

“That means you’ve got two lives left right?” Elliston asked.

“Something like that.”

“In that case, you’re no good in a fight, if you don’t have enough dolls to take the damage.”

I was appalled, “I’m plenty damn useful.”

“Maybe,” Elliston said as he shrugged, “At the moment you're in my care and Mama White would kill me, if something were to happen to you.”

“Where have you been?” I asked. I’ve never trusted Elliston, a man with no expressions and a literal sun for a head, and I’m not going to now.

“Looking for Tucy’s Tome, just like every other member of Mama White’s Flock,” he opened his arms and said, “I think I’ve found it.”

“Ah, well then, good luck with your search dear,” I said as I turned to leave. 

Elliston’s hand pushed the door close again. I looked up at him, he was at least two feet taller than me. “As an Admiral I order you to move,” I demanded.

“You can’t do anything for your Charm with only two dolls,” Elliston said, “Come with me and I’ll let you take the credit, if we find the book.”

I hate not being able to read his expression and never knowing what his ulterior motives are. However, with only two dolls at my disposal I’m more fragile than anyone else. 

“Mama White, sure would hate it if something were to happen to her precious treasure from Omphalos,” Elliston chimed, as he walked away from me.

I hated that nickname, Mama’s precious treasure, I snapped and appeared in front of him with my knife to his throat.

“I’m more than a treasure, I’m an admiral of Alistor White’s Flock as such I demand respect.”

Elliston lifted his hands and said, “I do apologize, Admiral Mine.”

I lowered my knife and stored it back in my coat's breast pocket.

 I stepped back and allowed Elliston to lead the way.  

Whatever was happening outside of the building was muffled, by the stone walls. The massive building was more of a fortress and as we moved through it I noticed the empty shelves of what once was a library.  I couldn’t help but wonder if Tucy’s history was truly kept in a book. 

The book is only known as “Tucy’s Tome” and is one of those things that shouldn’t exist. But it does, and has been searched for since the beginning of time. The tome is rumored to hold the secrets of the powers that are the breath and life of Tucy itself. Mama White’s goal is to obtain the tome and take me home. 

Why take me home? 

That’s simple, it’s because I’m from the birthplace of Sway, the lost planet of Omphalos. A planet where Sway is abundant and everyone is free or at least that’s what she believes. I’ve got no recollection of it but I do yearn for it.

The hairs on my neck raise and I reach out to stop Elliston’s stride. He stops before I can touch him and holds out his arm, “Do you feel that?” He whispered.

“The burden that’s swirling?” I asked. 

Elliston nods his head in response. I begin to feel light headed as the supernatural forces of the universe interact with my sway. 

“I thought it was just me,” Elliston said. He reached in his coat, pulled out a laser pistol and checked the ammo cartridge. “I’ve got forty rounds. I’ll go first to see what it is. If anything happens, snap back to the door.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” I growl through clenched teeth. Before he could respond, I reached for my knife and snapped. I reappeared in the middle of a throne room  with my knife reverse gripped ready for war. 

“It’s residual,” Elliston said from behind me.

“I knew that,” I said, knowing damn well, I had no idea what he spoke of. I looked around the room and took note of the giant empty throne in the middle of it. 

“Right, it’s up ahead,” Elliston said as he walked past me and disappeared behind the throne.

“Where are you going?”

“Hush,” Elliston snipped, “I’m not sure what’s beyond this point.”

“You’ve been down here already?”

“I told you I was looking for the tome.”

“Did you find it?” I asked as we walked down a narrow corridor.

At the end of the corridor was a door larger than any I had ever seen. Heavy chains held the door shut with a massive padlock on it.

“I think it’s in there,” Elliston said, looking up at the door and holstering his laser pistol, “Help me pick the lock.”

“Why should I?”

“It’s your specialty,” Elliston said, “You snap your fingers and locked things get unlocked.”

I lift my eyebrow questioningly, “Am I some kind of master key to you?”

He shrugged as if it were an answer and placed his hand on the door, “The burden is coming from inside so be careful.”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” I growled again as I snapped. 

The padlock clicked and opened up. It fell to the ground with a loud crash. We watched in awe as the chains retreated from the door as if they were alive. We stepped back as the door swung open and in the center of the room a massive tome glowed on a podium.

I looked up at Elliston and he was lost in a trance and took a step forward. I grabbed his arm and he snatched away from me. He crossed the threshold and I watched from the doorway. Once he reached the podium he looked back at me, “Come on in Mine. The water's fine.”

I had no idea what water he was referring to but I noted that he didn’t set off any traps and proceeded to follow his steps. As I approached the book I noticed a feather tipped pen and ink sat on a smaller podium beside it. The pages gave off a soft blue light and I read the words sprawled across it to myself.

“Rejoice! Rejoice! The tome has been found, sign me and I will be bound, to you of course.”

I looked up at Elliston and as always couldn’t read him. 

“You can read that?”

My brow furrowed, “you can’t read?”

“Of course I can,” he quipped, “I just don’t understand whatever language it’s written in.”

I looked back at the page and realized the words were written in a language, I had never seen before but I was able to read it.

“What’s it say?” he asked. I could tell by the tone of his voice he was excited.

I smiled, “Nothing too important I guess.”

When I attempted to turn the page a surge of electricity moved through me and I was thrown across the room. 

Elliston’s boisterous laugh echoed throughout the dark room as I pushed myself back onto my feet. A searing pain moved up my arm and when looked at my hand it was burned to a crisp. I snapped with my other hand and my arm was healed.

“One doll left,” Elliston chimed.

“Don’t remind me,” I said as I made my way back to the book. 

“Uh-huh,” he said, “What’s the book say?”

“Someone has to sign it.”

“Then why didn’t you?” Elliston asked, he reached for the feathered pen and dipped it in the ink.

“Wait,” I yelled as I snatched the pen, “you said I’d get to claim it.”

Elliston chuckled and lifted his hands, “Be my guest.”

“Never,” I said as I pushed him out of the way. I tapped the side of the ink pot with the pen before scrawling my name across the page, as I finished signing my name I smiled confidently.

Blue words rose from the book and circled my head like a halo. I smiled as I was bathed in its glow. Elliston started to laugh and I frowned, “What’s so funny dear?”

“Cassidy was right,” he said.

A pit formed in my stomach, “The witch?”

“Ding ding,” someone said.

I turned to see a feeble hunchback woman, with a staff taller than her, shuffle from the shadows.

“Such a good boy you are,” she said, as she blew a kiss in Elliston’s direction, “I told you my master would return.”

“What is she doing here?” I barked recognizing Cassidy the Witch, Fleet Admiral Alistor White’s mortal enemy. 

“She’s my ticket to the top,” Elliston said, as he clapped his hands together and rubbed them.

I snapped to retreat but I was stuck. I couldn’t return to the entrance of the building, let alone back to the city. I looked to Elliston, “What did you do?”

“Me? I haven’t done anything,” Elliston said, “You on the other hand signed Tucy’s Tome and are now it’s resident owner.”

“What?” I lunged at him but he caught my hand and tossed me across the room as if I were made of feathers. I was about to snap, when something behind me caught my attention. I whipped around and gasped.

‘This can’t be real,’ I thought. I couldn’t believe my eyes. A daunting creature I had only heard stories about stood before me. 

“Impossible,” I whispered as I crawled away. 

The red skinned bipedal creature had jet black hair, black eyes, and small spikes protruding from the bridge of its nose. A gold ring adorned its lower lip and a black jewel stud jutted from its chin. Its body was rippled with muscles and its right hand was replaced with an elaborately decorated and gaudy sword. 

It growled at me and I snapped. I reappeared at Elliston’s feet. He looked down at me and for the first time, I could see him smiling. 

“Galva’s are real,” he said.

I snapped again and appeared over him and thrust my knife towards his throat. A blue barrier appeared around him and I was stuck in mid air. I could hear Cassidy muttering an incantation but managed to snap my fingers. 

I appeared behind her and thrust my knife forward, aiming for her eye.

“Hoo, hoo, you really are something,” Cassidy said, “Your sway is nothing compared to my burden.” Blue markings on her staff started to glow and she disappeared. 

My momentum was so great, I fell forward and had to snap to regain my footing. I was surrounded by Galva, the rumors were true. They all had a hand replaced with a decorative and gaudy weapon. I gulped as they glared at me with their dark greedy eyes. 

“Careful Admiral Mine,” Elliston chimed. “You’ve only got one doll left and after that one’s gone, all that hurts is here to stay.”

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and began to expand my sway. 

‘Fill the bowl,’ I told myself. I imagine myself in a bowl and my sway as water fills it, until I’m swimming in it. I take another breath and as I exhale, my sway gushes from my being like a tidal wave. 

My heart lifts, as my sway surges forward like a mighty wave. When I open my eyes I expect the room to be filled with my presence and the absence of the Galva. Instead, I was still surrounded and Elliston’s laugh boomed.

“Your attempts will always be fruitless,” Cassidy stated as she cackled, she appeared in front of me and placed her wrinkled hand against my cheek. “See, you’ll be here until you're forgotten.”

My nose wrinkled and my upper lip quivered, I wanted to slit her throat and watch the life pour from her being, but I can’t... I can’t move.

My body feels as stiff, as stone and my breath feels forced. My body no longer complies with my thoughts. My vision starts to fade, followed by my hearing, I can’t speak the words I want to… They linger in the darkness… my desires burn from within. 

I want to kill Elliston…

I want to tell Mama White… 

I want my Charm to find me… 

I… I…I want to go home…’