3

They walked the next few days to the Kingdom of Light on extreme silence. Without Anyoah to light up the scenery this was almost unbearable, since the remaining elf would not even change his expression. But Todze did not start to hate him. On the contrary, moved by the promise he had made, the human tried as hard as he could to understand the feelings behind the cold expressions.

The knight and the king that was serving him were almost arrived to their destination when the horses stopped, scared of something. Alayah attended to their request and took off his bow and arrows, being followed by Todze in this movement. In front of them, from the floor, the dark figure of a man appeared. It was born from the ground, first the wings then the long muscled arms, the massive head and finally the rest of the body. This seemed to be human, though his skin was darker than any one that Todze had possibly seen and he was bigger than a regular man. And besides the fact that he had black wings and was dressed with the Ghizmo’s monogram.

- Cylia… - he growled – You took Cylia…

The man was massive. His bold lips and bald head made him seem indestructible as the eyes scanned the scene with a contracted rage that would express on tears if that creature had any kind of feeling left.

Alayah fired, but the arrow broke against the dark skin. The huge hands grabbed him on the air, making the silver armour cling while it fought against destruction. Raising the agonizing elf with the left hand he licked the long, sharp and pointy nail of his right little finger and put it against his shoulder, where the recent damage from Cylia was still burning.

Hearing the cries of the one he swore to protect, Todze aimed his bow. Hands shaking, trying to remember what they had been taught, first arrow shot on a weak direction. The Slave did not even feel it. Then, Alayah showed some expression on his eyes for the first time since they had met. When their sights crossed, the elf was begging, almost crying. Not begging “save me” but “run away and save yourself”. This seemed to make the boy get a hold of himself and recover the position.

The giant winged man cried as the arrow penetrated his eye. Alayah fell very damaged and the boy went to drag him so they could run away. Unexpectedly enough, the elf was extremely light, like all his weight was just focused on the ability to think and learn. They fled randomly into the depths of the forest, Todze holding his partner in front of him over the grey horse that ran without destiny followed by his remaining companion.

The horses only stopped near a lake, blue and fresh like an oasis on a world of blood.

Alayah was not crying or complaining, but he was obviously in pain. Without knowing what to do, the boy took off his armour and clothes and tried to wash the open wound. He needed help, he knew nothing about treating body damage… If only Anyoah was there… That was it!

Todze searched on the horses by the old bag the copper knight always carried. It was certainly full of medicine! But what to use?

- Let me drink the small blue one. – cried the elf.

As soon as the boy obeyed, he fell asleep and the wound started to close.

Waking up from a night without dreams was what Alayah was used to do. But he got surprised when he found himself clean and washed, his wound bandaged and his half naked body warmed by a blanket and a small fire. On the opposite side Todze was sleeping backed on his bow.

“So you can build a fire camp all by yourself now, my king?”, thought the elf with a smile. His wound was not hurting, but he decided to keep the bandages just because yes. The horses were calm and the place was peaceful so he just left the boy to his luck for a while.

We can conceive how scared this one got when he woke up and his patient was not as he left him before falling asleep! He raised in a jump, panicking, but the soft voice of the elfish eternity calmed him down immediately:

- What are you doing? I just went off to get some food.

The silver knight waved a couple of fresh fish on his direction.

- Thank you for yesterday.

- Actually… - mumbled Todze – It was way more than yesterday. But don’t worry, it no problem at all I’m actually kind of glad that I could finally be useful…

The silence remained. Truly, Alayah did not know what to answer and so it stayed till night. It was not a lie that he was getting fond of that boy that would turn his king, but that was probably just because they had been travelling together for so long now. But, as soon as the big yellow moon raised on the sky, hiding the stars with its light, the human decided he could not bear it anymore and, blushing to an extreme and mumbling more than everything, asked what had been ringing on his head for quite a while now:

- Excuse me… What exactly do you know about the Oracle Slaves? They all seem to know you and you were kind to that Cylia panther…

- I know them. There are five of them.

As the boy’s eyes were now more curious than ever, he had no choice than to explain everything.

- Actually, we all knew them, the five of them. We, the Killer Knights. Never learned their names, nor them learned ours, we just know too much about the existence of each other… As soon as the curse was raised upon the queen to be born the Oracle of Ghizmo got a few protectors to the room where he keeps the plate. At the same time the Mother Queen got us and sent us to be trained and raised. I’m the Protector, the one who protects the kings from danger with his long shots; Amyah was the Fighter, the one that would kill whatever threatened the safety of the kings; Anyoah was the Healer, the one that would keep the sake and health of the kings.

»When we were being trained, many years ago, even before the soon to be queen was born from her long sleep… When we were being trained some guards caught an Oracle Slave. She was a white tiger mixed with a woman, similar to Cylia. Our orders, in way to train us to be senseless… Were to torture and kill her. We hurt her a lot, certain that for being a slave, a weird animal created from the egoism of the oracle, she was not even feeling. And indeed she would not moan or cry.

»But once I was sent to feed her on her dungeon. We were keeping her alive the longest time possible, so we could continue to torture her. I have to confess… It was a way to release all the anger we had against the people that were keeping us there and training us to kill and destroy for a cause we could not even understand. But when I got there, I heard a cry. Hidden behind the wall, I saw the Slave, white and shiny besides all the aches we had inflicted to her, kneeling and praying. She was not praying to her Oracle, to her creator, to whatever he is… She was just begging to anything that could help her to support the next day. I interrupted her and gave her the food. For the first time I noticed that she thanked. She always thanked. I stayed hidden longer and saw her feeding a mouse that went to visit her dungeon. On that moment I understood that the small mouse was a Health Faerie, the Faerie of Resistance, and that she was trying to help the beast we were torturing and killing little by little.

»This got me upset and I shared with my brothers. Amyah would not believe in me, Anyoah just told me to forget and focus on what they were asking us to do, or all of us would end up beaten by the teachers or guards. So I decided to visit her every night. At first I was shy and ashamed and would hide, but after a couple of days I started to sit near the bars and we would talk. Her name was Alita. She had a lovely smile and her eyes were extremely blue, as she was half tiger.

»It was her that explained me what are exactly the Slaves… The Oracle of Ghizmo got children with special characteristics from their parents, as the Mother Queen had made with us. But he made forbidden magic and mixed them with other animals, in way to give them wings and a supernatural strength. Then he trained them with extreme violence and never let them have a childhood. Exactly what had been happening for years. The only support they had was the love amongst each other. And now she had nobody besides me. And she was they only friend I had ever had besides my brothers.

»But one day, the guards beat her badly. They were drunk and even wonderful wise creatures as elves have their rotten seeds, men capable to hurt such an innocent girl… When I went for her that night she was just crying, tears as human as yours, curled in a corner. The Resistance was near her, trying to cheer her up, but she even refused my hug. All blood under her, she had been raped and kicked by noble elves. On that day she begged me to kill her.

»So I stole a deathly poison from my brother Healer and gave it to her. She asked me to hold her fluffy hand till the end, as the life on her disappeared. Nobody ever guessed I killed her, that my first kill had been my best friend. I was the only true Killer Knight that left the Kingdom a few years later. For some reason all the other Slaves know of what I did to Alita and they used to thank me, they never attacked me… They always tried to kill my brothers, but my brothers never believed that they are not “things”, that they are people under a cursed shape.

Alaya’s eyes were now full of tears. It was probably the first time he had ever told this story to anybody. Todze sat right next to him and asked:

- Is it too hard to live so many years?

- It is, because those we love can’t stay with us. That’s my ninth horse. – he pointed sadly to the his loyal white steed, that did not seem to mind not being the first on that relationship – We may have time to learn everything we can possibly attain; we may have time to do everything we can possibly want… But I’ve been alive for so long without a childhood. If it was not for this mission I’d have already chosen to die. In some way I’m jealous of my brothers that have finally found the rest.

- You should not say such things. Maybe I can think like this because I’ll never be able to live as long as you, but what matters is that you’re happy with the current moment. Don’t forget the past, but still… Don’t get too affected by it. It’s not like you can change it.

The elf smiled, for great joy of the boy that had never seen it before.

- So you’re insinuating that maybe I should forget… Nice plan!

- No! Just saying that you should not be living your memories like they were the present. I don’t want anyone else to turn memoryless… Like my mother.

The climate got dense at that moment. It had been for her sake, but even knowing that Todze could not forgive being forgotten by the first person he ever loved.

The two were closer now, as the night was getting colder. Alayah grabbed the boy’s chin and looking into the depth of his eyes made him blush till his head almost exploded. He was saying sorry, only with the eyes. Todze just crawled away, afraid of whatever. Not being very sure of what to think the only option would be run away… Although he was feeling extremely well on that company.

- I’m sorry. – confessed Alayah – For your mother I mean. I never had one.

- Wait, how can you have never had a mother?

- I had one, off course. Just never met her time enough to remember. This is the only thing she left me.

He took a small ring from his pocket. It was a silver ring, simple and without imperfections. The only detail is that it had an amethyst craved.

- Yes, the same material of the plate. – smiled the elf – How ironic life can be… I don’t know why I am telling you all of this. It’s basically my whole life… But for some reason I feel you can understand me. Maybe that’s just because I lost my dear brothers and almost lost my own life. You and those horses… The only people I have left.

The boy did not answer. Just hugged his protégée, like he was a small boy that was lost from his family. Laid Alayah’s head on his shoulder and let it be for the rest of the night. None of them really wanted to leave that position, it was warm, comfortable and, for once in a long time, they were both feeling accompanied. And a sharp eye would have learned that elves are capable of blushing as much as humans.

4

They entered the Kingdom of Light during the night. It was not very problematic, as soon as they recognized Alayah the guards let them pass with a mix of fear and rage. First thing he said to his friend was that he should never reveal himself as human, since those of that species were not respected by the community and things could go bad.

For Todze’s great surprise, the Kingdom of Light was not as wonderful as picture books pictured it. Though everything was rich, noble and covered with well taste, the poor people on the street (mainly humans) seemed to have never experienced any drop of happiness on their lives. As the noble elf duchesses and countesses raised their dresses to step over one or other pool of mud, human children were drinking from under their feet.

- They believe that they will get our knowledge and turn into elves. – explained Alayah.

- They could just be as they are and try to live with that.

The other just smiled. On that land things could not work like that.

The Imperial Palace was their destination. It was on the top of a mountain and we could see at a far distance that it was all made of shells, ivory and marble. The inside was even more astounding, like a whole new world was born in front of their eyes. A servant came immediately to take their horses and Alayah leaded the visitor through the corridors of that Palace, fulfilled with refreshing light. Interior gardens, golden fountains, cages with birds of many colours, rare plants with flowers that moved at the sound of the breeze… This was the kind of decoration that the boy saw, and it was not even a considerable example of what that place had to offer. Many nobles passed by them, all stepping a bit from Alayah as he passed. People were indeed afraid of the Killer Knights.

Todze could not see much of the palace, since they were walking so fast. But from what he captured, the most important is that everyone was looking at them and wondering who he was.  

- My beloved Mother Queen! I kneel before you.

The boy was surprised with this. With so many things to say he did not even noticed that he entered the Throne Room. He did not kneel, like Alayah, because such stunning place made him forget how to be educated in front of a queen (not that he ever learned). That room was long and wide, a red carpet from the golden door to the delicate christal thrones. One in the middle, where the Mother Queen was sitting, one at the left occupied by a small person hidden in clothes and an empty one at right. This woman, the only visible person on the top of the thrones, was an enormous and very thin person. She was young and beautiful, as all the elves are, but so much preoccupations and bothers transformed her hair colour into grey and made a few very human wrinkles born under her eyes. She was wearing a simple dress, grey and blue and cut in way to make her look even more austere.

- Is this the king, Protector? – she asked without losing more time.

- The Oracle of Cirro said so and three Faeries of Health blessed him as it was written on the prophecy plate.

- I heard the others fell against Oracle Slaves. I deeply sorrow. Please detail all of it on your report. Please wait outside while I see this young one.

Without answer he bowed and left the room, closing the big door after him.

The Mother Queen approached and grabbed the boys chin, looking him around like he was a weird specimen. She did not seem exactly happy with him, but if it was what the prophecy said it would do. Then she ringed  a crystal bell and a thin pale blonde elf appeared, on a white dress that defined her as servant.

- Marine, take this boy to the Regal Suite and give him a bath. Dress him, turn him into something presentable. At dinner I want him ready to meet the Queen.

She agreed with a shy bow and walked out the door followed by Todze. They were intercepted by Alayah that had been waiting. But Marine, the servant, blushed immediately and almost let a scream get out. Not only because she was afraid of the killer… It was now obvious the difference between the shiny cleanness of the servants dress and the bloody dirt of the noble. He did not even look at her, like he did not understand she was there. Just recommended Todze to not to get late and to look around and get some habits. Offending that Mother Queen would mean a very severe punishment.

Marine held a scream again as the boy laid his dirty and smelly body over the elf silk sheets on the bed.

- I beg you my Lord, please come to clean yourself. After that you’ll be able to rest. Come on, I’ll give you a bath!

Blushing he raised his voice:

- I believe I can do that alone! – yelled the boy.

- Then I’ll have to wait with the towel for you my Lord, these are my orders.

She seemed very scared and sad, so he had no choice than to allow her to hold the towel.

- But you’ll be turned away! And you cannot peek!

Many interesting things for a boy that, till a while ago, was just a peasant human, were on that bath tub. Starting with the bath tub itself, the hot water, the bubbling products, all the smells and perfumes. However, this discovery was interrupted by a deep sigh. Marine was sitting to the opposite side and seemed extremely sad.

- Wanna share? – he proposed.

Startled, she excused herself for bothering the lord. It had been her mistake and it would never happen again.

- I’m no lord. Until some time ago I was just a farmer boy and would never even dream of imagining being on a palace like this. You seem sad; just tell what the problem is.

Todze could not see this, but the girl’s big blue eyes were sparkling with tears.

- Was it something that happened since I arrived? Not that much could have happened, I’ve been here for such a few time…

She had never been granted with such kindness for someone superior to her. The first tear fell and now she was crying and hoping that the lord would not see it. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned, to see the naked torso of Todze that, smiling embarrassed, asked her for the towel.

She handed it to him, almost falling from the chair so much was the embarrassment. He rolled it around his hips. The weak farmer was turning more fit and shaped, probably for hanging so much with the physical perfect elves. He sat on the bed and insisted:

- Just don’t cry, don’t be sad. Whatever you want to say you can. I don’t know anyone here, except for the knight that came with me... I’d love to get new friends.

- Oh, my lord can’t have such a friend as me! Your highness will be the future king, despite belonging to the human race, and shall not maintain a conversation with such a shameful servant as me. Please, allow me to dress you.

- Ok. I let you dress me if you tell me why are you sad while you do that!

She just smiled, choosing a couple of rich clothes from the closed. And while he allowed her to put them over his body she explained:

- The knight that came with you… Alayah. They call him and his brothers the Killer Knights. But I know they would never kill. At least Alayah. He’s gentle and kind, he always thanked every time I was scheduled to deliver stuff to their chambers. I don’t know why I’m sad. I probably hoped that he would talk to me, but it was a stupid thought of mine… A noble knight with silver armour as him would never talk to a white dressed servant as Marine.

- So you’re in love with him? – asked Todze while she was cleaning his new shoes. He was amused by the situation, but at the same time terribly jealous. When they travelled together he had never imagined that his elf friend could be desired by girls of his own kind. He had never thought of him as something he would ever have to share.

Marine blushed and agreed with a gesture. The future king was finally ready and it was time to meet his queen.

- Please allow me to ask you, my lord… - started Marine, with a weak voice – Aren’t you afraid of marrying the queen?

- Why should I? It’s not like a real compromise, it’s to marry her, break the plate and the curse will be lifted isn’t it?

She did not answer, just lowered her eyelashes and leaded the way.

Many corridors later, he was left alone in front of a huge wooden door, the entrance for the Queens Chambers. Different servants, much less emotive and pretty than Marine, appeared and leaded him to the figure of the Mother Queen. She pointed to the shape of a small person behind many dim curtains and allowed the servants to raise it. There was the Queen: an extremely small and thin girl dressed on black and red velvet. Her blonde hair was straight, soft and so long that it would roll on big waves around her body. It would be a perfect girl. However she had not expression. She was just the empty shell of a doll. Her green eyes had no light, the rose lips were fallen on an eternal frown and the only movement she exhibited was a cadenced balance, back and fro, back and fro... One of the servants cleaned her mouth, as a small sting of drool was starting to fall from her chin.

- My lovely daughter Pandora, this is the man that will marry you? Are you happy.

Back and fro, back and fro, back and fro…

- It’s true that he’s human but it’s a sacrifice that you’ll have to make…

Back and fro, back and fro, back and fro…

- …for the sake of our kingdom and the eternal superior elf knowledge….

Back and fro, back and fro, back and fro…

Todze was scared and made a gesture to leave. The Mother Queen turned immediately and snarled:

- Maybe you, as inferior human that you unfortunately are, are not still aware of the perfection existence of my cursed Pandora. Tomorrow! Tomorrow you shall go to the Oracle’s room and break the plate so you can marry with my daughter and the kingdom gets back to regularity again! Off course that then I’ll have to solve the problem of having a human king, but about that I’ll think in detail later. You two, take him back to his chambers and let him wait there. I give you allowance to choose some arms tomorrow for you to fight with the Slaves.

5

Todze stayed for a long time on the balcony of his room looking at the moon. He never imagined the Queen would be like that. He was simple disgusted, he had not pity or any other feeling besides disgust for the Mother Queen and the poor cursed girl. Even if the curse was lifted, would he be able to bear such a mother in law? Lost on these doubts he did not notice that he had company.

Before he even knew of it, Alayah was gazing at the moon together with him.

- Marine came to me. – he started – I don’t know what you told her, but she declared to me.

- Never told her anything. Though maybe the fact I chatted to her helped to gain courage.

- I had to refuse her. I knew her already, had noticed her crush. But nobody deserves a man like me, a Killer.

Todze wanted to tell him to stop being silly, but could not interrupt, as the elf seemed to have drastically changed issue:

- However, she also asked me something… I’m sad for her; she’s a really kind girl. She asked me to save you from marrying the Queen. Not only because we never know how will she be when the curse is lifted, but above everything because of her mother… That woman has been the worst Queen we had on all these ages and the curse put upon her and her daughter only aggravated the senility of her actions. Tell me, what do you feel about marrying the girl?

He did not need to say. He simply did not want too. Something was refraining him from diving into a mad love that, during that trip, he hoped to find on the lovely Pandora… But even so beautiful, though empty, he only felt repulse. He got closer to Alayah, he knew that he would feel more comfortable that way.

-  It’s not like there’s something wrong with Queen Pandora… - he concluded looking straight at the purple eyes of his friend – It’s just that I feel… I feel I have something else already that does not deserve such a thing.

He blushed. Alayah placed his naked hand, so soft and perfect that it seemed impossible to be real, on his cheek pretending to erase the red tint.

- That’s not reason to blush. I’ll teach you a reason to blush.

That was indeed a much reasonable reason to blush, as the elf kissed the boy. He almost fainted at the taste of such wonderful lips. Holding to them like he was taking a last breath before a deep sleep of pleasant dreams, Todze held his partner stronger. None of them wanted that moment to stop, the hug they were sharing turned desperate and the kiss was now more of enjoying loving each other than just sharing lips.

- I don’t think this is enough of a blush… - murmured the boy.

6

No arms were chosen by Todze on the day next. He only asked to take his old bow and his loyal arrows and to be accompanied by the Protector, the knight of silver. It would be harder to go with anybody else, as they could barely look at each other without shaking, blushing and giggling like adolescent girls.

They trotted to the Oracle of Ghizmo’s cavern, not exactly aware of the danger that was expecting for them. The cave was right next to the Kingdom of Light, on a forest made out of low swamps and many kinds of canes. The horses refused to enter the swamp, so they walked. They were not bothered with all the insects and the smell: they were seeing that more like a picnic than a mission to save the Universe’s balance.

However, Alayah was careful even when in love. As soon as they entered the cave he prepared his bow to shoot and turned extremely cold as he was. But Todze understood and imitated him. The cave was not big, nor clean. It did not seem a bit like his brother’s, the Oracle of Cirro, home place.

Suddenly, came out of nowhere appeared a man. Alayah fired at him immediately, but the arrow just passed through him.

- Go away elf. I need to talk to the king.

The man was extremely pretty and his perfectly lit clothes had the monogram of Ghizmo. His skin was light, but different from those of elves, and his straight brown hair just fell in a fringe over his left eye. Eyes, those, that were narrow and mean like we were talking of a green eyed snake. As soon as his words echoed on the cave the place transformed and Todze was all alone in a never ending trail. It was not an unpleasant place, the trail was clean and only a few trees shaded it. There was no way back on that trail, so he had no option besides running to the front.

As he walked for a while he saw a man laying on the street. He was covered with dirt, thin and almost turned into a corpse. He was still alive, but worms were already eating the small layer of meat over his bones. Worried, the boy grabbed him to help.

- I’m thirsty… - moaned the poor.

And the boy remembered the present from the Faerie of Milk and made him drink.

He hoped he had done a good thing, since the faeries had told him that those items would be needed to open the door of the room where the plate was kept. But he had no more time to think about this, as the same man appeared in front of him again. Not leaving time for him to consider how that could have happened, the poor kneeled at his feed and begged:

- I’m hungry…

Todze gave him the fat from the Faerie of Weight, that he ate delighted. But while this was happening, a shade of horrific proportions grew behind them. The boy turned and faced what seemed to be a huge beast, a mix of wolf and dragon that grabbed the man and flew away with it.

- Help me! Help me! – cried the man between the fangs of the beast.

Without thinking twice, Todze aimed his arrows and shot to the monster’s body, that fell rolling from the sky with a scream… A familiar scream…

- Alayah! – the boy woke up from the dream. There was no road, there was no man, there was no monster, it was just him alone on the swamp between the canes. Distressed he looked for his elf, crying his name. Came to find him with arrows sticking out from his body, half covered with the damp water of the swamp. A small string of blood was flowing from his obvious wounds, but also from mouth and face, painting the waters with the dark red.

He raised the elf on his arms, desperate and confused. The arrows were his arrows, but what could have happened. Crying, true tears like he had never felt before, he yelled:

- Don’t you dare to die! I promised I would protect you and you’re also the only thing that I’ve left! Don’t you dare to leave me after teaching me all of that… - sulking he placed his head on Alayah’s neck, where no pulse could be feel – I did not told you but you probably understood… I had never done any of that before. Thanks for giving my first kiss, I wanted it from you… That’s why I could not bear marrying with Queen Pandora. So now you can’t leave me. I’m your king! Your future king! I order you not to leave me!

A crow set on a dead branch, looking at them. It got closer and tried to get a piece of elf meat, but Todze tried to scare him away.

- He’s not dead yet! Besides you could never eat him! He’s an elf!

- Who says that elf meat is any different from the human one? – stated the crow, looking at them amused – After you die it’s all the same thing. Just shit with worms that I can eat.

- Go away, stupid animal! I wish this delirium would stop, this is the moment when I start to listen to animals talking when all I want is to have you holding me as before!

- Oh, you could not understand… - crowed the bird – And now you’re desperate, I’ve seen much of this. Never this scenery though, a human and an elf, two men besides that… Life always reserves us surprises. I have pity of you. If you take your lover to the Oracle of Ghizmo he can arrange something to save him. Though he’s already well dead, we never know what the oracles can invent… Follow me.

Forgetting about the curse and his mission, he carried Alayah after the crow. He was not even looking where he was going, as the bird leaded them deeper into the swamp. All he cared was his beloved man that was still light as a thought but did not seem to have any of those left.

They found again the same road Todze had been following before. But this time it was raining on it, raining hard and dark. The crow had disappeared and now the boy only ran to the front that was the only escape route. Again, on the middle of the road, the same man cut the way. But this time he was even more miserable, naked and cold.

- Please master… I’m cold…

Even with his rush and despair he remembered the present from the Faerie of the Wool. Sorrowing by not having much more than that he gave it to the man and continued to run. But suddenly nothing more than a brick wall was in front of him. The crow was sitting there.

- Crow! – Todze yelled – Tell me the way! Please! I beg you!

But it just laughed. Behind him, right next to his neck, a voice declared:

- Your crime is to be too kind.

Everything disappeared and he was back to the swamp, not too far from where Alayah had been shot. Hovering over water was the handsome man they had seen before. Black nails grew out of his fingers and he walked over the water, without even making it move, ready to kill them.

- And now that I’ve had some fun I’ll have more fun killing you. It was cute to see you two.

“ENOUGH!”

A huge voice boomed from above. Not from the sky or the trees, but simply from the top of each one’s thoughts. The swamp faded and the three were now on a white marble room. The handsome man kneeled next to a golden throne, where the weak figure of a man was sitting.

With a gesture, he made the elf corpse float and lay straight on the floor.

Sighing he begged Todze to sit on the chair he just made appear and said:

- Todze, your name. Future king, says the curse. I am the Oracle of Ghizmo. I’m sorry for the actions of my son. He wanted to avenge his brothers and sisters, killed by the elf race or lead to a suicide for the same reason.

- They call us the Oracle Slaves… - snarled the subject – Yet, they are the true slaves, lead to a lie and to death. I’m sorry for leading you to an oblivion of masks. All the poor men you’ve seen, even the crow… They were all me playing with your mind. You’ve been on the swamp the whole time and when the elf tried to take me away from you I made you see him as a monster to kill. This was the punishment for killing my sisters, my brother… For leading my poor giant brother to suicide…

- You… - cried Todze – You were created by that men to be their slaves and still you kill the only man that ever took you guys as humans, as living beings that deserve to be respected and loved?

The Oracle begged for them to stop the discussion. He had more important things to say:

- You are mistaken my boy. About my children. I took them from their unloved homes and raised them as my children. Sometimes horrible things would happen, but I always tried to avoid it and never brought them up with violence. Do you know what we Oracles are? Off course not. We are the most ancient creatures alive on this earth. We are two brothers and a sister, all born from the marriage between a wolf and a woman on the day the moon first appeared. Brother Cirro was born as human, I was born as something in between, a being that can turn into any form but never keep it long enough to be loved… Sister Kaissa was born as elf.

»Even being brothers we never got well along with each other. We are all too vengeful, jealous and competitive. So we entertain our eternity plotting games against each other. But once in an era, maybe less it all depends on how she feels, Sister Kaissa plots something so cruel and huge that the balance of the universe that keeps us all alive starts too get loose. This was what happened this time.

»First Sister Kaissa poisoned the Elf Queen and nominated herself as such, based on her power and magic. She planned to raise a dummy princess to the throne and use the Kingdom of Light, where all the knowledge lies, as base to build a new world where she would exist. However, she is an egotist and on such a world nobody besides her would be able to exist. So I decided to place a curse on that queen to be born. She would be even more than a dummy: she would be a doll. And the only thing that could save her would be the kiss of a fair and kind human that could lead the Kingdom of Light into prosperity and happiness again. You were chosen by Cirro, that also asked three Faeries of Health to take care of you. These that you call “my slaves” were brought by me also with the objective of, one day, serving you.

»But Kaissa created her own slaves, poor children that she chose out of hundreds and that came to be called the Killer Knights. They should find you, for you to break the curse. After that she would probably kill you or place a taint on you that would unable your body and mind to rule a country.

»We could not solve it on any other way besides sending my children to find you before the knights. However, a small factor interfered with this plan! A mother. A desperate elf mother, crying for the son that was to be taken. I found there an opportunity and secretly helped her to build the ultimate magical weapon. The ring that Alayah the elf is holding on his left hand… He took it out right before dying so he could give it to you. With such love attached it will work better than ever. Now, please, break the plate and start what has to be finished…

The human boy was now crying as the small ring floated from Alayah’s hand to his and the handsome slave handed him the plate.

- Run as soon as you break it. – he warned – This place was ordered to collapse as soon as it breaks, as well as the cave where Cirro lives. Then all you have to do is to place the ring on the finger of the doll queen. After that all the three Oracles will be locked and no more problems will happen for a while.

- What about Alayah? – he yelled – You said you could save him!

- My son… - started Ghizmo – There is no way to make people come back from the death. However, keep your hope. Alayah will be forever with you as long as you feel it. And I’m not talking on figurative sense.

Turning into a doe, always hugged by his child, Ghizmo ended his speech and asked with his innocent eyes that Todze would do what he asked. He broke the plate on the floor and ran as the ceiling started to fall. The last thing he saw was a black wing protecting the doe.

Prologue

- So you broke the plate apart isn’t it? – clapped the Mother Queen, or Kaissa. – Now go kiss my girl, she’ll be happy for that.

- I will my Lady. – he agreed. The small boy with farmer nails was now a noble man in elf clothes. His angered and sad eyes, desperate for losing everything he ever loved, even made him more mature and attractive.

He got near the princess and sat behind her on the bed, hugging her motionless body. Grabbing her left hand on the air he placed the ring. The Last Lullaby. As we asked “will you give me the honour of being my wife?” she closed her eyes and sang.

Her voice was sweet and warm, but at the same time relieving as a breeze. The song was just a song, about everything and anything, just a tune that belongs to everyone but still runs free like a swallow. The foundations of the palace started to break and fall apart, as he held the girl closer crying on her long hair.

Screams outside, blood covering the sheets, but he fell nothing except for her song. His heartbeat was faster, so fast that he could not be dead, so fast that nobody, not even the Oracles, their children, not even his beloved man… None of them could be dead. That song was exploding with life, but around them the world was exploding with destruction as every house on that Kingdom was shaking like a card castle at the sound of such voice.

Finally, she shut. She turned back to look at him and her eyes were not dead green anymore, nor her mouth was locked on a drooling expression. She was smiling, fresh, more beautiful than any woman that had stepped the globe. Renewed, with amethyst eyes, she kissed Todze and he felt a nostalgic taste, a nostalgic texture of those lips, hair and skin.

And so he understood that, while he believed, he would never lose his love. He took his new bride to the destroyed window and admired the city done in pieces. People, elves and humans, were everywhere trying to save their dears and objects, but even the desperate cries of the new widows would destroy that moment, the moment of the birth of the New World.

- Will this be our new home Todze? – asked the girl.

- Yes Alayah. Here we’ll be able to love.