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Lottie:
This damn emerald jacket itched my skin, the onyx silk pants hugging my bump. Lord Karama and Kanama stood by my side, the portal had only allowed three to enter. Our matching black raven mask, the boys wearing simple black servants uniforms. This felt wrong, they were royalty not me. The golden ornate walls blinded me, a bunch of masked figures turning to look at me. Rolling their eyes, Karama adjusted the shirt underneath the plain jacket. The black heartbeat throbbed in my ears, the emerald gloves on my hands irritated me. The bag of coins felt heavy on my wrists, my scythe hidden underneath an invisibility cloak. Rubbing my boots on the scarlet carpet, several slot machines clanged away. The noise was too much, Karama leaning into my ear.
“You will have to play to not stand out. These places are full of many prying eyes.” He whispered calmly, his brother grabbing my other shoulder. “Half of them are spies for the house. Right now you look like a foreign royal. Act like a pompous asshole. ” Gritting my teeth, a snarl curled on my lips. Clenching my fists, Kanama relaxed my hands.
“Why couldn't one of you be in charge?” I grumbled under my breath, my hands crossing. “I don’t like casinos. I never went to any at home.” A sharp clearing of my throat caught my attention, a man with slicked back navy hair. His golden eyes shimmered with excitement, his hands running up his navy pinstripe suit with golden stripes. A curious grin spread across his golden lips, his energy sending chills up my spine. Staring into his eyes, all of my nightmares played out in his eyes. Stepping back, my body trembled. Cold sweat drenched my skin, his evil born soul causing nausea to wrack my fragile body. Unable to look away, my magic flickered for a minute.
“Lottie? Is that your name?” He mused playfully, sauntering up to me. “I am intrigued to finally meet you. Unfortunately as a servant of the dark lady of the mirror and her son, I vow to stop you. Oh forgive me. I am Sir Nightmare, the bringer of many ends. I was born evil, so you will have to kill me. I will be the new king.” A lump formed in my throat, knowing full well that he wasn’t wrong. His soul was far too gone, almost as if it was made from the darkest of all human emotions. The only way to free him would be to kill him, the black heart beating in his chest. Raising his hand, he flicked my forehead. Golden marble crumbled over me the moment I crashed into the nearest wall, chaos. Horror widened my eyes, black blood dripping down invisible strings. One by one they rose, the boys trembling behind me. Wishing that I had brought Somata with me instead, they didn’t need to see what was about to go down. Tears welled in my eyes, the husks of living beings were the puppets. Even though they were dead, my heart still broke for them. Untying my scythe, Dackworth cursed wildly.
“You picked a fight with the son of your enemy.” He whined venomously, his one eye rolling. “You guys need to run before he overwhelms you with his blasted toys.” Knowing to listen to him, it was time to find a place to make a plan. Motioning for the twins to follow me, the hot air lashing at our cheeks as we leapt over everyone. Pounding down the twisted halls, our breath was growing short. Skidding into the kitchen, Karama shoved a metal bar into the handles. The door rattled, the yellow lights flickering wildly. Moans rang in my ears, my hands cupping the side of my head. Glancing around at the white tiles, a shrill scream exploded from my lips. Black flies buzzed over buckets of rotting flesh, hot vomit flying up my throat. Wiping the corner of my lips, the smell caused me to wretch again.
“We need to get out of here before we end up in one of those buckets.” I wheezed, ripping the hem of my jacket. “Rip up the hem of your jacket and cover your mouth. Toxins are curling off of those body parts. He played us well, and cornered us into his trap.” Tying the pieces of fabric under our masks, the cloth barely stopped the fumes from getting into our system. Kanama kicked at a golden door, Karama assisting him. The metal gave way, a maze looming in front of us. Who the hell puts a maze in the middle of a casino? The twins lead the way, several white wolves snarling behind Kanama, a chain wrapped around Karama’s hands. The chain had always been his preferred weapon, loose soil crunching underneath our boots. The desire to take off my mask, Dackworth snapped at me to keep it on.
“The next chamber is in the center of the maze.” Sir Nightmare bragged gleefully, his voice sending chills up all of our spines. “It is there you will find the next challenge. Welcome to my game of luck. I am so glad you made it past my kitchen. See you soon.” Kanama snapped his fingers, the wolves sniffing the orange soil. Dashing into the maze, the tall black brick walls taunted us. Racing after his wolves, the energy shifted as we skidded to a halt. His wolves snarled, several of his puppets dangling in the way. The broken smiles on their faces haunted me, cloudy eyes streaming tears. Whipping his chain around all of their strings, he turned to me.
“Cut the strings!” He ordered sharply, my muscles aching as I leapt into the air. Swinging my blade, my lips moved a mile a minute. Blue flames roared to life, the blade slicing through the thin strings with ease. Both of the boys lost their breath as the bodies decayed to a flurry of blue rose petals, my nose bleeding lightly. Landing gracefully next to them, a petal floated into my palm. The surface glittered in the pale blue moonlight, a single breath accidentally sent it back into the sky. Marching forward, the walls began to shift. Whining in confusion, an idea flashed in my mind.
“Jump on top of the wall.” I commanded boldly, pointing up. “He didn’t say that wasn’t against the rules. Launching into the air, our balance suffered as the walls rumbled to a stop. The view was much better from up here, thousands of his puppets hanging from the sky. Without having to be asked, Karama whipped his chain around all of their strings, he motioned for me to do my thing again. Rolling my eyes, his demands bothered me as he yanked them into a thick cyclone of bodies. Swallowing the vomit in my throat, the horrific sight forever trapped in my mind. Flipping into the air, a shadow figure attempted to stop. Snapping his fingers, several giant bats swept the shadow out of the way. Flames roared to life, the scythe gliding through the strings without a hitch. Bouncing off of a couple of bats, my boots landed on the nearest wall. The golden door was several miles away, blue rose petals floating aimlessly. Gazing up at the empty blackness, tears streamed down my cheeks. No one deserved their fate, ninety percent of his puppets gone. He would use the remainder of them on the other side of that damn door, the boys thudding down next to me. Our boots pounded along the walls towards our next destination, the walls moving more often. All of us begged for air, the door swinging open. Stepping through, panic gripped me at the lack of companions. Glancing around, my fingers clutched my scythe a hell of a lot tighter. Blood pooled at my feet, all of my friends lay in pieces. Darwin stumbled towards me, Boran’s head swinging in his hands. Both of his eyes darkened to an inky black, his hand raised towards me.
“It is time for you to die, Mommy.” He sang happily, his wicked grin never leaving his face. “The God of Death requires it. I had so much fun with you.” My face paled, sweat drenching my skin. Darwin would never do this, he had made a deal with that freaking god. Spinning on my heels, a tortured wail left my lips. Unable to stop crying, my eyes quivered with fear. A shadowy hand slid over his shoulder, his loving gaze meeting my enemy. Splashing through the endless sea of blood, Dackworth’s voice faded in and out. A frustrated groan escaped my lips, my body only ending up in the same spot.
“Quit being a fucking idiot and snap out of it!” Dackworth roared thunderously, a green hand slapping my face. “Darwin would never do this to you. I happen to know the God of Death himself, and he always keeps his words. Just say none of this is real.” Swallowing the lump in my throat, the words struggled to come out. It was as if a pair of invisible hands held my throat.
“None of this is real!” I shouted desperately, my voice cracking. The scene faded to a sea of colorful flowers. Kanama and Karama stood frozen in terror, my heart rate slowing down. Walking up to them, an older version of Somata in a regal white suit towered over a ruby haired woman in an ivory corset dress. An argument ensued between them, their father raising a dagger into the air, the boys flinched with each stab. Endless tears poured from their eyes, my touch causing both of them to swing their fists in my direction. Catching both fists, shame dimmed their eyes. Trembling away, they collapsed into my arms. Sadness soaked my shoulders, their white hair tickling my chin.
“I am assuming that was your family and how that all went down.” I whispered sweetly into their ears, rubbing their backs. "Say none of this is real, and you will be free. You have to mean it in order for it to work.” Fresh tears flooded from my eyes at this tragedy.
“None of this is real!” They chanted together, holding each other’s hands. A humming noise crippled us, all of our ears beginning to bleed. The scene faded back to the decaying entrance of the casino, a disgruntled Nightmare gritting his teeth. Running his hand through his hair, dual sleek shadow blades spun in his palms. Shadow figures stepped out from the walls, Kanama snapping his fingers.
“We will handle them.” Karama promised, silver wolves descending on the hoard of shadows. “Kill the black heart,” Shock rounded my eyes, one of Nightmare’s blades cutting off my mask. The tip had cut the tip of my eyebrow to my cheekbone, my eyeball narrowing avoiding a bloody fate. Jumping back a few feet, I needed room to figure out what to do. Bouncing from slot machine to slot machine, his blades kept whizzing by my head. All of this would be for nothing if I couldn’t figure out his fighting style. Spinning on my heels, his heel smashed into the x-crossed arms. Crashing to the floor, my whole body ached. Struggling to my feet, his speed lagged a bit. There was my opening, the heel of my boot slamming into his neck. The sharp crack of his neck echoed in my ears, horror rounding my eyes at his head spinning three hundred sixty degrees. Grabbing his head, he snapped it back into place. Raising my scythe, it tripled in size. Sinking from the wait for a minute, a pale green tickled the blue flames. Both blades swung down at me, my blade clashing with his violently. Leaning into my attack, both of our arms quaked in our locked positions.
“Holy flames of Mina.” I commanded boldly, his mouth moving a mile a minute. “Destroy the shadows in his hands.” The flames roared higher, his heel smashed into mine as the flames devoured his blades. Tossing them to the side, his boot knocked my scythe to the carpet. Cracks echoed in the air, our fists each other’s faces. Guiding him back to my weapon, relief washed over me as I grabbed my scythe in a cartwheel. Bouncing off the wall, his cold hand wrapped around my ankle. Swinging my scythe through his back, shock haunted his face. Half of my blade quivered on the other side, the shadow minions fading away. The boys watched in horror, his other hand snapping my leg in half like a twig. A steady stream of curse words escaped my lips, the ivory tip sticking out of my leg. Swinging me down, vines crept up my arm. Mouthing a silent spell, a thorny rose burst through his chest. His hand punched through my chest, my fingers digging around her his heart. Ignoring the blood pouring from my mouth and eyes, a battle cry burst from my lips as I ripped out his heart. The heart beat in my hand, blue flames traveling into his chest. Stumbling back, tears of pain slid down my cheeks.
“Devour this heart.” I wheezed, coughing up blood. Howls of agony echoed all around us, the flames turning his heart to ash. His world crumbled around us, a train whistle capturing our attention. The emerald train hissed to a stop, Emmie popping his head out.
“All aboard!” He called out, winking in my direction. “Let’s get out of here before the track no longer exists.” The last of his body decayed to ash, Karama tossing me over his shoulder. Hopping on just in time, a wave relief crashed over me as the last car barely made it out. Thick fog rested on either side, Emmie bowing to me in his adorable uniform. His golden lips curled into a gracious smile, his golden eyes twinkling with joy.
“Thank you so much.” I sobbed violently, the sight of my leg sickening me. “You came just in time.” Cocking his head to the right, he snapped his fingers. The velvet seats changed into a large bed with emerald blankets, tiny versions of him carrying me to the bed.
“I am a conductor after all. It is rather important that I am on time.” He joked blithely, his servants jamming my bone back into place. A tired groan escaped my lips, the train whistle covering up my cuss word. Wrapping it up into a hard white cast, they all scurried back to him. Everything hurt, my baby kicking my hand. At least they were okay, my head crashing back onto the pillow. So many questions raced through my mind, the migraine competing with them. Emmie skipped over, a cold cloth draped over his hand.
“So did I call for help without my knowledge?” I queried jovially, flashing him my real smile. “I don’t understand.” Emmie hopped onto the bed next to me, Karama rolling his eyes. Laying down on his stomach, he placed it on my forehead. Swinging his feet, his w grin never left his face. Resting his head on his hands, he held out a golden pocket watch.
“Mine glowed. The connection told me that you were in trouble with no portal.” He bragged, his expression making him look his age. Cocking my brow, this wasn’t the time to be picky. Shooting Kanama and Karama an apologetic smile, they both shrugged. Munching on the sandwiches next to them, their eyes rolled. Sitting up, his brows raised as I patted my lap. Setting the cloth to the side, my patience was wearing thin. Dackworth closed his one eye, Emmie crashing onto my lap. Wincing in pain, his arms wrapped around my neck. Pecking my cheek, a tender blush rose to my cheeks.
“Did you ever think of becoming the queen of this realm?” He suggested seriously, my heart stopping for a moment. “We won’t have one once you defeat the evil spirit running the kingdom now. What do you think about that?” Conflicting thoughts flashed in my head, both the boys perking up. Mina wanted me to become a living goddess at home, but these people wanted me to lead them. Could I be a queen?
“I don’t think that I could be the queen you all-” I began, Somata bursting in from the next car. Marching up to my bed, he slammed his palms on the bed. Jumping back a bit, fury seethed in his usually calm eyes. His brow cocked, Emmie holding me tighter. Clearing his throat, he dusted off his simple black silk suit. His brothers shook their heads, both of them leaning forward.
“You will become our queen.” He yelled with conviction in his voice. “You are the only one who has solved any of the problems, and Miss Mina would understand if you chose to stay here and be our queen. I would gladly pledge my fealty to you, and they would too. What do you think?” Shame dimmed my eyes, my hands shaking worse than before.
“I don’t see what you see. I can’t be everything you want me to be.” I mumbled brokenly, fresh tears flooding from my eyes. “I am an outsider, a nobody to most of your kingdom. How the hell do you think people would just trust me over any of you three?” Sighing deeply, Kanama jumped to his feet. Rushing next to his brother, he rested his hands on his hips.
“You know nothing about our realm, don’t you?” He growled coldly, leaning on Somata’s shoulder. “We haven’t had a queen for centuries. The legend said that a blonde haired goddess would come and ascend to her rightful throne. They even mentioned something about a blue scythe. We can safely assume that they described you to a tee. Shut up and take the position.” Pressing my lips together, everyone waited with bated breath.
“I guess I will be your queen, but the transition won’t be easy.” I accepted with a sharp warning, everyone cheering. What was I going to do now.
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