2. TROUBLE DOESN'T RUN

. 2.

              Rilan dreaded meeting the police department. He wasn't probably recognizable as the trouble maker from Rack Town, besides he didn't really do anything bad. But what he dreaded was the rectrix regulation board, the retrospect. The board's chief didn't particularly like him, even though odds seem in his favour.

"You're still trying to remember how it happened. I can't believe you sages, first you were attacked despite being so powerful, second you're a really deep sleeper and now you can't even remember what happens." Wynn taunted looking out the bus window.

    They were in a luxury coaster bus from the investigative force. It had comfortable seats lined up in limo style with a central table slash bar with food assortments and the windows were tinted allowing them enjoy the nice coloured lighting feeling. Though, the drivers section was cut off from them though, leaving them in suspense but Rilan knew they were heading towards the police. This was a small case for the investigative force to handle.

"No, I'm just thinking of what awaits us at the station." Rilan said brushing off his taunt.

"Us? You're on your own punk. I didn't do anything; I don't know why I was roped into this." Wynn said still looking outside the window.

"You're the punk ignoring this cool setting to look outside the window. Who does that?" Rilan shot back grabbing a remote to the TV.

              In doing so, his hair fell back and now Wynn could see his eyes clearly. They were two irises, one green and large near the pupil. Then the blue one, surrounding the sharp green one, but it shone, literally shone. That was why his eye always seems blue from a distance. Amazing, but not wanting to be caught staring he looked away, back at the window. That brought his mind back to the conversation.

"I'm strategizing on …, hold on a second, isn't the Ragron statue only on the palace road because I'm seeing an exact replica of it." Wynn asked straightening up in surprise.

     Rilan looked outside the window too and saw the statue of pure diamond decorated with emeralds, rubies and lapis lazuli, outside. It was the statue of their hero, Ragron, and was put on the palace road as an ornament and monument.

"Don't be a punk; you know there is only one Ragron statue in central city." He replied understanding dawning on him as he spoke. 

"Then we aren't going to the investigative force headquarters or even a station." Wynn said.

       Rilan's eyes were wide. Why would they go to the palace? The last time he came to the palace was when he was a young sage. In preparation to be part of the high class of the society, his classmates, both sages, mages, necrox and the likes come to the palace to learn proper etiquette of high society. That's the only reason why Rilan can waltz, he usually prefers street dance.

"Oh man, I haven't been here since I was a kid." Wynn reminisced too. He was just a year older than Rilan yet their classes never met. 

       Yet, the look of worry on their faces didn't vanish with the memories. Especially when Wynn tried to teleport out of the bus and it didn't work. It was like a magic box, with them trapped inside. Rilan was happy he didn't touch any food, who knows what could have happened.

"Rilan, what have you gotten me into?" Wynn asked with his green eyes wide as they pass through the mighty palace gates.

"I don't know Wynn, I seriously don't know." Rilan replied awed.

               Thranic Kingdom was among the major empires on the planet so their palace had to match that title. No glass was used rather diamond, no concrete rather dense mallieum mined from a neutron star. It was very dense and had a lustrous white colour.

         The palace viewed from above was eight elliptical buildings forming an octagon. Each building was sinusoidal from a side view except two at the North-South extreme ends which were shaped like a normal castle with four towers at their corners. They were all connected by cylindrical structures made of giant rings of various precious stones strapped together giving a colourful look to the white haven. Each building was as wide as three football fields with varying lengths and in the middle was a tower like structure shooting up high in the sky. Above it, was floating a hive like structure with each hexagon compartment of a different stone or metal reflecting off the just rising sun like a painting scene. It was all magical, exquisite and of high technology. Exotic trees, sports fields and gardens were scattered around.

                 The throne room was in the hexagonal structure and the king lived in the tower. Top administration of the kingdom also took place in the tower. They headed towards one of the castle like buildings in the octagon though, so their minds were partially calmed knowing they had no qualms with the king.

            They were ushered kindly out of the bus and into the building about 7 floors tall. The Ivory doors swung open automatically to reveal a luxurious lime hallway with white marble floors. Though it was more of diamond than the painted mallieum, how the lime colour was achieved, who knows.

          They strode carefully obviously in awe of the place. The walls allowed a controlled amount of sunlight into the place causing a sparkle like no other. Large paintings and sculpture adorned the walls and potted exotic plants brought the hall to life. Soon, they emerged into a vast room with a stunning chandelier and a ceiling so high it shot three floors up. But the room was empty, and it seemed like this was the major room on this floor. They were smaller rooms at the sides and that was it. It brought an ominous feeling to Rilan.

"I don't like this; I don't like this at all." He muttered taking everything in. He glanced at two large oak double doors down expectantly as if he was waiting for someone, someone bad.

"You're someone to talk." Wynn muttered his face hard. As a mage, he had been trained to sense danger, so his fear wasn't based on second sense like Rilan, he KNEW something drastic was coming. And it wasn't coming suddenly rather slowly and it would turn their worlds upside down. How had he been dragged into this?

"Please, do calm yourselves down. You are honorary servants of this great kingdom, don't shame your king."

          Now, if their eyes weren't glued to the door before, they definitely were now. 

"Someone spoke from beyond the door." Rilan gasped.

    No one replied so they turned around to see that the men had left them. The hallway they had just left seemed very inviting…

"It isn't too late to make a run for it." Wynn suggested.

"I wouldn't advice you do that."

   That feminine, elite and pleasing voice again. They looked at the doors, it glowed purple and flew open. Standing behind it was an elegant creature.

***********

              Lyxria was nervous as she headed down the hall way. This was the first time her father had given her a job like this, she had to be strong. She could hear two boy voices from across the door. Odd, her father told her she was going to meet a powerful sage and mage; she was hearing the voices of boys her age!

"I don't like this; I don't like this at all."

"You're someone to talk."

     She felt like laughing at their shaky voices. She had to say something or she would crack. So she did, and their reaction was priceless. 

"Someone spoke from behind the door." A shaky voice gasped.

      But she was pulled out of her reverie when they started talking about leaving. She needed to make her appearance now. And she did it in the best way possible. She closed her eyes and activated her powers; purple light flowed out of her and with a bang the door was busted open.   

                 As expected, they stared at her. she had skin like bright honey topaz and to compliment that was a shiny blue topaz amulet hung on her neck with lines of silver. It also complimented her shiny silvery top, with her plain white jeans and shoes but covering it all was an exquisite robe of purple embroidered with silver. She didn't wear a crown but the ring of gold on her purple hair that almost reached the floor  along with that amulet depicted her status. Now the Thranic kingdom was blessed with precious minerals, so it was a symbol for Royalty. The symbol for princess Lyxria was taaffeite, because of her unique hair. So, she was adorned with taaffeite, as stones in her small crown, all over her robe like rhinestone, she wore a band of it on her left hand and it even formed a ring around her topaz amulet.

                She was glinting purple due to the control sunlight and her powerful glow. It was usual for people to have special abilities ever since rectrix was discovered but not everyone could interact directly with rectrix though. So, Lyxria was not sure whether her little show of power did the trick. But when she opened her yes, she got the reaction she was looking for.

          The one with the wrist band was obviously a mage. He wore a fur brown coat over a green top, with black jeans and sneakers. His green eyes were wide in awe as they stared at her and with the way his mouth was opening and closing; he was obviously trying to formulate a statement. Poor thing,

         The sage with the amulet, blue cloak and black apparel was also extremely shocked. His facial reaction was had to see with the long hair but his open mouth said it all. His hands were spread as if he anticipated danger, and his legs seemed ready to leap.

"You're Princess Lyxria, the taaffeite heiress." the mage finally managed to speak. He couldn't believe his eyes; he didn't know the princess would be so stunning.

               Lyxria had to bite her lips to stop herself from smirking. Though, she shouldn't have done that, because that action brought Rilan to his senses. He stepped forward gracefully regaining his composure, blue glowing from all over him as if to match her intensity. He stopped about seven feet away from her and give a small nod instead of a bow, as if to remind her who he was. What an arrogant boy! 

"I am Master sage Rilan Chirper, your highness." He said his mouth in a smirk. 

          Wynn too got challenged though, and he walked even closer to her, gave an even shorter nod, and held his pompous head even higher! The audacity!

"And I am Mage Pronctix Wynn Folter, my lady." 

          They were looking at her expectantly as if expecting something with those their haughty smirks. Did they think she'll stretch out her hands for a kiss or what? She was gradually losing composure and a slight frown was appearing on her forehead. Seconds ticked but their eyebrows only got higher and their smirks wider. 

"Why are you staring like that?" she asked finally cracking. 

            Their smirks turned to grins. They were making fun of her. She got mad, but also sad. Everyone always said she didn't have the air of someone powerful, now they were proven right again. She sighed sadly.

"Hey, no need for the long face, it was just amusing when you bit your lip that time. It was obvious you were just putting an act and wanted to laugh, so I wanted to break you. Why don't we do this again? I'm Rilan, princess. Happy to meet you," Rilan said reading into her again and extending his hand for a hand shake.

Wynn equally seemed apologetic.

"Huh, seems you haughty heads have manners." She smirked. She was actually touched by them; they didn't judge her at all. Usually, she was always played upon or forced to go aggressive but these guys were kind.

"You're one to talk princess purple." Wynn laughed.

"Yeah, taaffy miss robe-y." Rilan chuckled. 

           Strike that, she hated these twerps.

    They were in a garden not too far from the main palace enjoying nice green tea. There were other medium sized buildings scattered around along with many gardens, farms and fields. The breeze was still gentle and the morning sun soft.

"So, what's going on? Why are we in the palace?" Rilan asked gripping the weird teacup by the sides with his hands. He had heard that fancy teacups were a popular art but he had never seen one till now. This one was like a huge cylinder with rings and runes all over to be used as the handle. Though, he ignored them.

"You tell me what you think is going on." Lyxria said sipping delicately from her banana shaped teacup with grace. 

"Well, I apparently got attacked but I don't remember anything." He replied staring solemnly at his reflection in the teacup.

"Pretty odd, for a medium ranked sage at that; and it seems like a battle happened in his room too." Wynn added oddly graceful with his weird clay pot shaped teacup.

"A battle can't be one sided, now can it? So that means Rilan was involved somehow." The princess said.

        There was silence for a while as the boys ruminated on it. The possibility may have been that Rilan was knocked out or sedated somehow. They told their suspicions to the princess who had a long sip before replying.

"If that's the case then I think I know something that might help us." She said setting her cup and saucer down.

"Even so, why are we at the palace and why was I roped in?" Wynn inquired further.

          Rilan too looked at her expectantly. He was curious, this didn't even seem large enough a case for the incredible investigative force, or the cranky retrospect, so why was the king himself involved. And what was Wynn's place in all of this? He barely met the lad.

         But Lyxria didn't satisfy them with an answer though. She clicked her hands and purple light appeared, spread and warped around their cups and saucers; then it all disappeared. Then she stood up, patted her outfit, flicked her hair and started walking off. She went for a few meters before stopping and saying,

"You want the answers; well you're in the perfect place to get them. Follow me."

"To where," they asked simultaneously.

               She pointed her delicate fingers at the shiny honeycomb structure in the air.

"The throne room,"

"The throne room!"

"The throne room?"

"Yes, the king awaits us." She said.

          So, they walked on to the huge tower and got inside the most prestigious elevator ever, shooting up to trouble. They got to the top of the tower and saw the monstrosity of science and magic floating above their heads. The king was there in his golden cloak and sky blue attire. He wore a sky blue shirt, with black trousers and black boots; and his trousers had golden embroidery at the sides. His crown was as magnificent as the structure above them. He was standing right at the edge of the tower with his hair flailing in the wind with a very similar colour to his robe.

"Welcome gentlemen, I have been waiting for you." He said.

     They all bowed deeply. Though Rilan and Wynn said nothing, Lyxria rose and approached the man.

"Father, they are here; and I think it would be better for all of us if you told them what you told me." She curtsied. 

       There was silence for a while, before he turned to face them. His face had no hair apart from on his head but it didn't reduce its hardness. Their king was one of the most powerful people in the kingdom, in both political power, rectrix control and physical strength. His special abilities were destructive and that was how he was able to expand the empire his fathers worked hard to carve when the world was still in mutiny.

"I'm afraid that's not possible, unless Rilan remembers exactly what happened." He said finally.

"But your majesty…" Rilan started but the King cut him off.

"Silence! You have until sundown to remember, or you'll both be executed."