Beyond Time Ch6: The Untamed

A/N: I don’t really have much to say other than that this story still lives. I know most of you don’t read this, but I’m still writing this because I want to. : P By the way, I’m starting to steal names now, hope you don’t mind.

Chapter 6: The Untamed

--Red Ore Kingdom, 14th March, 20XX

She woke up with a start, her ocean blue eyes snapping open fearfully and her hands holding the sheets over her in her sat up position, as if it would shield her from danger. She blinked a few times, but as her vision cleared, she realized that she was in her own room, the candles on her bed stand next to her was still burning quietly, its dim light barely lit up the large, dark room, and it seems like the small flame was about to go out. She frowned, trying to recall what happened in her vivid dream.

She couldn’t really remember that much of her dream at first, but what she was certain of was that she had defiantly heard screaming. It sounded… real, to say the least. The scream had struck fear into her, it sounded enraged, as if the owner of the voice was about to tear his victims apart with bare hands.

She rubbed her eyes. Where was she in the dream again? All she knew that it was quite dark, though there was a tiny bit of lighting… Dreams were usually your mind speaking to you in a different way, right? So maybe this was some place she knew about? All she could think of was the Dungeons of the Red Ore Castle… She had been there once when she was still a little girl. Her Father had brought her to the Castle with him so he could keep an eye on her during his work. Yet she had somehow slipped away from her Father and accidentally wandered to the Dungeons of the Castle. She didn’t know what that was at that time, so she didn’t realize the dangers that were in there. When her Father found her, he told her to never go near that place ever again.

The sound of a gate opening and closing below her brought her out of her musings. It was probably her Father returning from the Castle.

Sometime during the morning, her Father had left to attend a meeting in the Castle. As always, she never knew what the meetings were about, or why they were so important, because her Father had kept her away from such things. All she knew that her Father was barely at home anymore because of these meetings. Her Father always told her that these things had nothing to do with her, and that she should keep away from them. But these ‘important’ things were also keeping her Father away from her! She had the right to know!

Jumping out of bed, she quickly slipped on a thick coat before flinging open the door and bolting downstairs. She caught sight of her father, clearly sleep deprived, in the empty hall of the mansion as she was going down the stairs.

“Father!” She called out as she jumped down the last steps of the stairs. “Father, where have you been? Why have you been gone for so long?” She asked as she caught up to her Father, looking up at him with her bright blue eyes, hoping to receive an answer.

“Natalie!” Her father took a moment to recover from the surprise of his daughter’s sudden appearance before he regained his composure. “What are you doing up so late? You should be in bed!” He said, his voice stern, but not at all threatening- he was just worried for her daughter’s health, after all.

“But father, why is that you are always gone so early in the morning and only return late at night? What’s so important about those meetings?” The girl, Natalie, said, frowning slightly.

“I thought I told you, my child, those things are not of your concern!” That was the same answer she’d gotten every time she asked her father why she barely saw him anymore.

“Can’t you at least tell me what’s it about? Why is it so important?” Natalie yelled, though she shouldn’t have done so; it was rude, especially to her father, but she was too frustrated, too annoyed at the moment to care about her attitude and politeness.

“No. I will not get you involved in such things, Natalie, and if you know what is good for you, you will stay clear of it. Did I make myself clear?”

She knew that was final, her father had never wanted her to know what has been taking up so much of his time, so why should he tell her this time, unlike all the other times? Hanging her head in defeat, she sighed. “Yes, father.”

“Good,” he said, as he placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at her father’s face; worn by age, and grey eyes that matched so perfectly with his now white hair. “Now, off to bed with you; and don’t catch a cold, it’s quite chilly outside so you might want to close the windows.” And with that, the elder had lifted his hand from her shoulder and silently walked away, his daughter only staring at his shadow as he left.

She should have listened to her father; should have gone back to bed; should have left whatever it was alone- but she didn’t.

She wanted to know what it was all about. After all, she deserved to know, and she knew a certain person who has spent years reading through the archives that can, maybe, provide her with an answer.

-- Red Ore Castle, 14th March, 20XX

He flipped through the pages of a certain file in the archives, frowning slightly as he did so. The place that had stored much information of that of the Kingdom’s was a dark, lonely place, filled with historical things. Though to most people, it was merely a dimly light room filled with books, files, and other paperwork that was piled up year after year.

As he continued to read through the files in his hands, the only light source being the white light emitted from his wings, composed of white feathers and fur, he couldn’t help but think back to the time when he didn’t spend hours upon hours patrolling the shore, or burying his head into the archives, reading through history books and profiles trying to find a link, or a cause from the past that had caused what was happening now. He ran his fingers through his messy white hair as he let out an amused chuckle. He rarely saw his eaglet’s daughter nowadays.

‘I wonder what she’s up too…?’

“Pesdolone!”

Speak of the devil…

“Natalie?” Said Skyloid looked up from the files he was skimming through, and looked at the young teen before him; her orangey hair and blue eyes where still the same as he’d remember last he’s saw her… When was the last time he’d saw her again? When she was eight? Nine?

Time sure flies.

“Natalie, what in the name of Skylandia are you doing here?” The contour Skyloid asked as Natalie approached him- to her, he looked like a human male in his early twenties, with the exception of, well, wings sticking out of his back. “How did you even manage to sneak out?”

“I… I climbed out through the window on the second floor of the mansion… I climbed out from my room, because there was a tree right next to the window, and I climbed down that tree- The main entrance was locked by the time my father returned,” The girl said, her voice betraying the slight guilt that she held. “But please! You have to tell me what’s happening! My father, he always leaves so early in the morning and then he doesn’t come back- not until late at night, at least, but he wouldn’t tell me what’s wrong! He never tells me anything, even if I’m just worried about him!”

Stunned by the younger’s speech, Pesdolone furrowed his brows slightly as he spoke. “Natalie, I understand that you are worried for your father, and if I were in your place, I would feel the same way as well, but if he wishes not to tell you of the things that are currently happening in the Kingdom, then it is not my place to tell you-“

“No! Don’t give me that answer again!” And that had nearly caused him to jump back in fright at the girl’s sudden aggressive words- she was not at all hostile by nature. The girl, realizing that it was probably unwise to speak to a Skyloid with such a harsh tone, continued with a gentler one. “Look- You don’t have to go into details, I know that would be asking too much of you, but at least, just tell me something that has happened recently. It doesn’t have to be detailed… just, let me know what’s keeping my father so busy. I deserve to know,”

“Very well,” Pesdolone sighed, accepting the girl’s ‘bargain’. “Well… earlier today, we found a boy, probably around your age, if not older. He wasn’t from this kingdom, since we don’t have him in our records, and even if he was, it was a surprise no less that we’d found him in a boat several miles from shore, too far away of that to be traveling around the shoreline. When we found him, he’d been unconscious, when he’d awake, however, well, the least to say, he was, uh, violent,”

Curious by the other’s choice of words, Natalie spoke up. “Violent? How so?”

“Some of the warriors of our Kingdom had already wisely disarmed him; he had quite a few weapons, a wide variety of swords, some of which we are still figuring how it had been crafted, or how it can even be wielded, as the handle of the sword is rigid, with shape edges here and there. However, they had not decided to properly bind him, though, as they did not saw him as a threat…” At this, Natalie could see Pesdolone grimace at the memories.

“When he woke up, though, they were proven wrong- terribly wrong. Even without weapons, the boy had fought them- A boy of your age, without weapon or amour, had fought against fully armed men! He was wild, and untamed, and he’d fought furiously. He severely wounded four of our best warriors, and when one had finally managed to blind him, it still took three men to restrain him! He’d screamed and thrashed against their hold even when his hands were bounded behind him, Natalie… he fought like an animal.”

To say the least, she was startled by what the elder had just told her. “But… why? What was so special about him? True, he does sound dangerous, but what was that made them take such a huge interest in him?”

“It had something to do with what happened eight long years ago, Natalie,” The Skyloid said as he smiled sadly. “Countless of children had been taken from their families at that time, and we believe him to be one of them. Even though he was not born in our Kingdom, further research had told us he was born in a place north from here- far away from the ocean. But that’s not what we’re interested in- we’re more interested in what has happened to him during the last eight years before we found him. You see, no one knows why their child has been taken, nor do they know where, and we hope that with this boy, we might be able to shed some light onto these questions,”

“Wait, you said he’d screamed, right? What did he… sound like?”

“I do not know how to put this, Natalie, but it was the most… disturbing thing ever, it was as if someone had taken away his most prized possession right before his very eyes… it sounded as if he was about ready to kill anyone that had set their eyes on him-“

“And it sounded as if he was going to tear his victim’s head off with his bare hands…” Natalie finished for the other, who promptly stared at her, bewildered.

“Yes, that was it, but how is it that you know?”

“I had a dream that woke me at night.” Natalie confessed. “It was cold and dark, like the dungeons, when I heard a scream that had woke me from my sleep…” At this, Natalie eyes widened, as if something had struck her, then, she quickly added, “Can I see him?”

“Natalie, no.” Pesdolone replied almost instantly. “I’ve already told you way more than I should, and the boy is unstable, so who knows what else he may do?”

“Please, just one more thing. Let me see him, and I won’t ask for anything else,” Natalie pleaded, too curious to meet this boy for her own good, the boy who’s scream had woke her from her sleep.

“I feel like I spoil you, Natalie,” Pesdolone smiled, “Alright, you may meet him, but I will accompany you, less something were to happen if he is to get violent again, and after that, you will ask no more of this, alright?”

“Yes, yes. I promise,”

-- Red Ore Castle Dungeons, 14th March, 20XX

The Dungeons were indeed as dark and scary as her dream had made them to be. The only light that allowed her to see was that of the torches that were hung from the walls. The taller of the two walked beside her, with his hand on her shoulder, as if afraid of her going astray as he led the two down the dark corridors.

“Why would they keep him here?” Natalie asked after a while, though her voice was soft, as if she were afraid that any loud noises would awaken the hidden horrors that lurked within the depths of the dungeons.

“It would not do for them to keep him in the Kingdom’s prison, said they. It was too far from the Castle were the majority of them were stationed. Besides, the security was another thing that they took into consideration. If the boy had no trouble wounding their best men, then murdering a handful of guards would be child’s play to him.” The elder of the two said, shaking his head slightly as the two continued to walk onwards, down the long dark corridors that were composed entirely of stone and gravel.

It took another while before the two had reached what seems to be a door made out of heavy wood. “If I am not mistaken, he is kept here.” Pesdolone said as he placed one hand on the door, the wood splintered in many places. “Do be careful now, I don’t want anything to happen to you; you already know what he is capable of doing, and I wish you will not do anything that is much too reckless, okay?”

“Yes, I know,” Natalie said, nodding. Satisfied with her answer, the Skyloid pushed the door open, leading them into a small room, not as dim as the corridors of the dungeon, though, as it was lit on four sides of the room. As Natalie entered after the Skyloid, she was quick to notice that the room was spilt into two by the use of bars that had dropped down from the ceiling and buried themselves deep into the floor. The door to the cell was locked, and Natalie soon figured out why.

She had wanted to walk forward for a clearer look of the person that was lying on his side, back facing them on the cold surface of the floor, but a hand on her shoulder had stopped her, so instead, she just observed the other from where she stood, a good meter away from the bars. Long blond hair had been stained with red were tangled in a mess as it snaked down onto the floor. It was such a contrast to the person’s dark clothing that had been torn and seemingly burnt in so many places. She had winced when she thought she’d saw an ugly bruise on the person’s arm.

‘So this was the boy that Pesdolone had been talking about.’

Natalie could hear- and almost feel- the blonde’s rigid breathing, and, true to the other’s words, she could see that the boy’s hands were bound to his back; thick cords that were stained red had been tied around his wrists to prevent him from moving much, and Natalie could not help but feel pity towards the other teen. True, she was weary, and somewhat frightened by the other, as it seemed to be true that he was indeed as violent as Pesdolone had described him if he had caused himself such wounds, but she still felt sorry for the other, nonetheless, being bounded like a mere animal and locked in this cold cell until the others figured what to do with him.

She looked up at the elder of the two as she gently slid his hand off, smiling, reassuring him that she would not do anything that would bring harm to her, and she slowly made her way towards the bars that separated the two teens.

And, as if the boy could feel the vibrations caused by her footsteps, his body shifted, as if he was suddenly forced to be woken from his slumber by the girl’s footing. The boy had coughed the first time when he had attempted to speak, chocking on what had been clogging his windpipe. The other teen had succeeded in his second attempt to speak, however, and his voice was rough and thick and was accompanied by a sharp edge as well, and, ironically, it sounded like the surface of that of the splintered door that the two had just passed through.

“What do you want, old man?”