The Heart of Everything

There was a lot of debating in my head in those five minutes, but I supposed it didn’t take a genius to figure out my final decision. I wouldn’t lie: Max’s plan favored me far too much. I had a higher chance to kill the king with Max by my side. Our combined power should be enough, though we shouldn’t underestimate him. He was a cunning one, I’d give him that. After this, I should be able to live through this and announce the news to my people myself. And the best of all, I didn’t have to kill Max.

I barely held back the smile which was creeping on my face. I didn’t to kill him…Max. I had escaped the moment, yet it felt like it would turn back on me. I glanced at Max, who was running next to me, thinking about that day again. I feared Max would betray me. Hopefully, this would only stay as a fear but not the truth.

We had been running since we knocked out the jailors half a minute ago. The castle was the same size as mine, equally large, equally grand. I had lost count since the third flight of stairs, fifth floor, and the twelfth corner. It was a maze in here, but with guards.

It was nighttime, the dim moon gave no light to the land, making it darker, colder. So what if I was a vampire? It was freaking me out. Paranoid was the only thing that could describe me. I’d been imagining on every corner, a group of guards would be waiting for our arrival and Max would show his true colors. Just a moment, no awareness, and it would be the end. I would slip away, and then I’d be gone forever.

‘What are you thinking again?’

It took me a second before I understood Max was talking to me. I had drifted away, like he said, again.

‘Nothing particular, just about how should I kill your beloved king.’ Actually, that was something I really should be thinking right now. He wasn’t an easy target, at all. We needed strategies, a thorough plan, and we’d better discuss it now.

Max snorted in amusement. ‘As if I would believe that. How long have I known you, Sophie, half a century?’

‘And how long since we’ve talked? Hmm, let’s see…Oh right, decades,’ I retorted dryly. ‘On a serious note, we really should talk about how on earth we are planning to take the king down.’

‘By force.’

I rolled my eyes. Please tell me he wasn’t being serious. That was a suicide
mission. ‘You’re kidding.’

‘Nope,’ he said, as serious as he could be.

That was it, we were doomed. I wished his intellect would be in use in a situation like this. ‘Please, Max, be serious. We are not going to charge in like mindless fools and die for nothing. We’re going to have a plan, whether you like it or not.’

‘Since you’re so well-planned,’ he scowled. ‘Tell me, what do you have in mind?’

I nearly stopped. Honestly, I didn’t have a plan too. ‘W-well…we’ll figure something by then.’

‘Yeah, whatever.’

We ceased our conversation, giving me alone time to think.

That didn’t last long.

‘Um…Max?’

‘Yeah,’ he growled. ‘I know. Don’t worry, though, we’re near.’

All around me I saw danger, and it was closing on us. Every second I could hear it breathing. The amber eyes penetrated our souls, watching us carefully, slowly emerging from the shadows and the corners.

We stood back-to-back, our weapons drawn. I was suddenly scared of this, very scared. I couldn’t stand the fear inside me, because it was leading me astray, away from the goal, the unreachable goal.

The battle started since…I wasn’t sure. It just did. I was too busy ripping the werewolves apart to notice anything else. My vision was bounded by the bodies, the bloodshed. The crowd blocked my way, the way to victory! This was the sole thing I had in mind as I instinctively continued the onslaught. I was searching, fighting for a way to get through, to turn it away.

No one faced what was coming my way, and I would let my fear fade away. Whatever may be, I’d have to find out. The guards had diminished in numbers greatly, yet it waned along with Max and my energy. Before long, we were already panting. Our hands went through the last soldier, tearing his heart out together, and slid down the wall to rest.

‘You…did great,’ Max gasped, trying to catch his breath.

‘Yeah, you too,’ I said, sounding less tired than he was, but it was just a façade. Yet I had to push on, to reach my goal. ‘Come on, let’s go.’

‘Wait,’ Max pushed himself off the wall, searching his clothes for something. He grinned when he pulled out the thing he was looking for. ‘Ah, found it. Here, take it, Sophie.’

He pushed a dagger into my hand. Its hilt was a surface of smooth, marble white, painted with four scarlet lines overlapping each other. The dagger itself was made of pure ruby, shining with a radiance of crimson. It was purposely made into a multi-angled crescent-shaped knife; beautifully crafted, but not exactly a perfect weapon for killing.

‘Max, what’s this?’

‘You don’t need to know. Hide it from the king, and kill him with it,’ he hushed, stating in a tone I never heard before.

‘Max…’

‘Just do it.’

I nodded reluctantly, unsure of his motive behind this. He’d better had a specific reason for this, and a good one.

‘Good, let’s go,’ Max nodded towards the door at the end of the corridor. I didn’t know we were this close.

The door was creamy yellow, bronze lining ran over it, spreading like a spider web. It was so gigantic I had to wonder was it possible for us to open it. Max opened the door with a push, not a sound was produced. Light flooded in, blinding me momentarily. I could feel the death trap of fate, waiting, always trying, and feel the hands of fate suffocating. What was reason, was it all inside my head? I couldn’t take in no more.

A voice boomed, echoing in the room. ‘Welcome, I have been expecting you.’