Zest - Redblack Gate of Diamonds [part 3]

The tunnels deeper in these underground caverns were twisting and branching to no end. Some would split into twos and threes, and sometimes even going downward and upward in abrupt pits. But Zest would always know which was the right way, for the heat emanating from each path was plainly a contrast. The Witch had left a trail of warm air, and Zest simply needed to follow it, and he would know right away if he were to stray in the colder dark tunnels.

In every step he took Zest would feel as if his own feet were pushing him back, that there were this profound fear and doubt rising up from within his stomach. He was but a young man. He knew and practiced only a little in terms of combat. What could he hope to do in the face of the Witch?

He shook his head as he took the warmer tunnel again, his silent feet kicking up stones as he ran. King Guinn words rang again on his ears, reminding him to be calm. There would be someone helping him in the fight to come. Someone strong, the king had said. Who was it that would be strong enough to fight the Witch, if not for King Guinn himself? Who could the King hope to put his trust in protecting the lives of his wife Queen Artoria and the royal family?

Zest realized the air grew hotter. This was it. The end of the route.

The final space in the deepest part of this underground was bright with lights. The heavy air inside could only mean that they were all standing in the very depths of the earth, untouched by no mere men before. It was a wide chamber, wider than where King Guinn was above.

On the furthest wall, Zest saw a gigantic shining crystal, its shape was somewhat round and slightly convex, as if the cave itself ran into a colossal ore planted in the soil wall, and could not go any further. It was red in half and it was shining. The red glow was so bright that it even drowned the Witch's orange aura Chasma. The other half of the round crystal, however, was black and burnt, with no light or glow whatsoever.

The Witch stood beside what looked like a young man in a knight's armor, although what he wore was distinctively different from Sir Burns'.

The children were crying. Zest could see Princess Gynmey sobbing loudly behind her mother's back. The oldest of them, Princess Riz stood beside her mother, but the tears were also running down her cheeks. Prince Medrawt was closest to the crystal wall. Zest couldn't see him clearly as the boy had buried his face on his folded knees.

"R'aeth…" Queen Artoria called out.

"Aunt," The Witch's tone was cold and flat.

"Y-You…" the Queen of Crypthin lost her words, and Zest saw tears ran on her cheeks as well. They must have thought that the Witch had killed King Guinn that she was able to be here now.

"Your husband is still alive," the niece reminded her, not out of kindness. Zest decided he needed to start making his move. She continued, "But you, Aunt. You won't be for much longer."

The Queen lifted her face then as if she finally decided on something after hearing the Witch's words. Her voice trembled. "Then you left me no choice, girl."

She turned around and faced the glowing crystal wall. Zest stopped in his tracks, it seemed like the Queen was about to do something. Something he couldn't understand what. The Witch gestured to the young man standing beside her to go forward, and as he did, Princess Riz lifted her small sword to him.

"Don't go near here!" the young girl yelled. She was way younger than Zest but was already on her teen of age as well. Riz was brave. "Leave us be! Leave us before you hurt yourself!"

But the young man approaching her did not stop. Zest too silently resumed his silent walk from behind.

Queen Artoria pointed the crystal wall with her own sword and turned her face over here again. "R'aeth! This is futile! Don't you know what will come if I were to try to damage the Redblack Gate?"

Silence. They saw the Witch's shoulders slowly trembled before she broke off into a loud, dry laugh.

"When will you stop underestimating this niece of yours, aunt?" she asked in mocking tone. "I know everything there is to know. Go on, rely on the power of this Redblack Gate of yours!"

The older woman gritted her teeth, before facing the Gate again and pulled her sword for a stab to the crystal. The blade went in, with a glass-breaking noise.

In the crack where the Queen had made with her sword, the red light from the Gate poured forth even brighter. The Queen of Crypthin bowed down in the face of the Gate, her three children followed in unison.

"O guardian of the Redblack Gate!" Queen Artoria called out. "I call you now in the name of good, to protect us from the evil of my niece R'aeth! For only in your powers, that we, the family of your ally King Guinn could hope to seek shelter! Save us from the scorching flames of her hatred!"

The children voiced as well, "We beg you, Deuce of Diamonds! Come out and save us from the flames of Chasma!"

Ending their summoning call, everyone else waited. Zest felt like he had even forgotten how to breathe. The silence was deafening, and not even the Witch had said a word. Moments passed by, with the red light from the Gate blinked idly.

Zest took a breath, and so did the Witch. What was it that they had called? Would this be the help King Guinn had talked about before? No one dared to move. Zest's stare was locked on the round crystal that was the Redblack Gate. He too, expected something, someone, to come out from those blinding red light to help them. He imagined a person would somehow fell emerging from the crystal wall…

Come on…

A laughter. The Witch broke into a laugh so evil that the young man's heart sank when he heard it. Zest swallowed. Nothing happened. Nothing will happen. No one emerged from that crystal gate. No one to help them.

"No…" Queen Artoria's word was a call of despair. "No, please…"

Her niece R'aeth continued laughing.

"No, no, no…" her aunt stood and hit the Gate with her bare hands over and over. "W-Why is this happening? Please… Please come out… Lady Deuce…"

The Witch scoffed off, "Praise be the Horned Knight."

Zest could not understand what the Witch had said, but he understood that somehow everything just went terribly wrong, and it was all according to her plan.