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zok4 — The Illusion Castle: Part 26
Published: 2010-11-18 22:43:45 +0000 UTC; Views: 130; Favourites: 0; Downloads: 0
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Description Location: Somewhere in the Castle of Illusion
Xilef sat on Prince Taiden's shoulder, watching the back of the other Prince. As asked he had told them where Lucifer's quarters were. In one of the halls Taiden stopped, as if to inspect something, allowing Aizentine to continue on his way. Once he had gone from sight and ear shot the Prince of the Morn asked his next question,
"Is Lucifer in his rooms?"
"No," he answered, "When did you figure that out?"
"It's the way you are smiling. You do realise that he will tear that room apart."
"After tonight we leave, so it doesn't matter. When you invaded there was only three of us here."
"The rest, what – "
"Luc sent them back to the Land of the Silver Moon. He doesn't want any innocents to die tonight."
"So he didn't kill them?"
"Luc tries not to take blood from his servants."
"He hasn't taken blood from my sister has he?"
"Not that I'm aware of. Though I cannot say I know all of his actions, or his reasoning behind them."
"Why has he taken her, why do you believe so?"
"Understand this Prince of Morn, I am not Lucifer, I don't have his judgement," Xilef paused, wondering if he should continue, "Everyone has their desires, Lucifer none the less. One thing I do know is that he is not the heartless creature that everyone makes him out to be."

Location: Lucifer's Quarters; the Castle of Illusion
Aizentine's chest was heaving, his eyes tingeing red in stress. The sword was still held in his limp grasp. About him the room was a mess. Scraps of paper littered the floor like fallen autumn leaves; feathers still hung in the air as snowflakes do in the slow fall of winter; the pool of some unknown substance released a smell that could only be reminiscent of spring blossoms; but the fury that burned in his heart blazed with the heat of dire summer. The Prince turned on his soldiers. They looked on at him with fear, fearing what he might do.
"Find me that cat demon, now."

Location: The Map Hall of Illusions; the Castle of Illusion
"How close am I?"
"The Great Hall is not far from here."
"Why didn't you tell Dusk where Lucifer was?"
"He didn't ask," Xilef jumped from his shoulder, "See that map up there? That's where I'm from."
"The Purple Plains, I thought they were a myth. If that is your homeland, why are you here?"
"I ran for my life, the place might seem like a dream, but your life is a life and nothing else."
"If you understand how much life is worth, why won't you tell me what is going to happen to my sister?"
"False hopes are the worst, just as fake truths are. Whatever I say of Lucifer's plans is just a guess, an uncertain truth. Do you really want falsehoods on your mind?"
"You talk of falsehoods yet both of us stand in a castle made of them."
"You're wrong Prince Taiden, falsehoods are made of whispers in the ear and their envious intent; illusions are made of the greed of heart and eye."

Location: Somewhere in the Castle of Illusion
His sword reaped deep wounds into the stone walls. Inch by inch in his anger he ripped through the illusions. Second by second, minute by minute, the greed in his heart grew. So close was he now, so close was he to owning that pawn which would give him the power of two kingdoms. So soon he would be able to kill that Prince of Morn, perhaps even this night in this castle once he had reclaimed the Princess. A cut to the throat, that would be all it took, and he could blame it on the vampire, a last stand. The men would not dare to speak out against him, their fear of him held them in check, but it was the Princess who could pose to be the problem; let them say it was the deluded mind of one who had been through so much pain. Pain she would see when she saw her brother die, let it install fear into her, a fear he could control. With such fear, how easy it would be to control her. He ripped the sword from the wall, pausing. For the briefest of seconds his eyes clouded. She was there. Her red hair tumbled over her shoulders, her holly green eyes questioningly looked up at him. He held her wrists tightly, he already knew what came next. As he opened his eyes the menacing gleam was there; this plan was brilliant.

Location: The Great Hall Doors; the Castle of Illusion
"Is she in there?"
"This is where Lucifer said he would be," Xilef landed on the floor, "If he's elsewhere then I really don't know." The Prince put a hand to the door, pushing on the heavy wood. It didn't budge.
"I thought you said – "
"I swear I don't know what's happening." The cat quickly disappeared, leaving with the hairs on the back of his neck prickling.
"Sis," the Prince whispered, trying to hold back the tears. His fist clenched, his right rising and thudding against the door. She was so close, he knew she was so close. His head hit the door, a tear trickling down his cheeks.

"Where is that cat?" In one swift movement he turned and wiped his eyes. The Prince of Dusk stood there, chest heaving, eyes red, hair a mess. His sleep deprivation was getting to him. The troops stood well back, rightly scared of him.
"I said where is the cat?"
"He's gone."
"I want – " He couldn't take it anymore, and grabbed the shorter Prince by his neck.
"I want you to stop being an obnoxious, overly ambitious, little prick. I don't care that you want my throne, I don't care that you want to kill me, what I care about is my sister who is currently held captive by a vampire!" The younger Prince scrambled for breath, trying to loosen the sudden grasp on his throat. The Morn looked at his troops, watching the surprise in their eyes, seeing how they watched him stand up against the demented Dusk. He dropped Aizentine, curling his fingers back into his palm. The anger in his chest was spiralling, he was finding it hard to keep control of it. The last thing he needed was to appear like Aizentine.
"Tell me," he said through clenched jaws, "Can we get the battering ram in here?"
"Perhaps sire." So much he wanted to shout 'not perhaps, make it yes' but he knew his anger would be misplaced, he knew who he should really be angry at.
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