Chapter 3: On The Eve Of Destiny
As Sam’s thoughts returned to the present, he pledged to his mother in his mind: Some day I am going to find you again, Mother...
He then proceeded to Merchant Row to get fitted for his new suit. He absolutely detested all the royal prince crap, but he did what was expected of him (mostly).
By the time evening arrived, guests began trickling into the Grand Ballroom at the castle. There was a stage set up for a band and a dance floor directly in front of it. The rest of the room was filled with ornate tables and chairs. There was also a drink bar in the corner. Sam still hated it. He wanted to be somewhere else. Anywhere else.
Over the next hour, hundreds of nobles and family acquaintances poured into the Ballroom. Even the Seven Elders of the Seelie Court were there. Everyone was making such a big deal of their precious prince about to Awaken his Class. They kept coming over and congratulating him. He played his part like a good boy, put on a fake smile, shook hands, the whole damn thing. But he didn’t care about any of them. He only wanted his mother there.
"Are you okay, Sam?" asked Calista as she approached.
"Well, I haven’t puked all over myself... yet." They both chuckled a little. Calista looked intently across the room.
"I think you have an admirer." She pointed to an elf girl leaning on the bar. The girl looked about their age, and kept smiling at Sam as she sipped from her wine glass.
"Either that or a trap," Sam joked. Like everyone else, the elf girl was dressed in fancy formal wear and had her blue and pink hair twisted into elegant braids. Intricate jewelry adorned her pointed ears, neck, and wrists. Her makeup was on point, really complimenting her radiant blue eyes, and her skin had a nice tan. Sam had to admit to himself, he thought she was gorgeous.
"Are you gonna go talk to her?" Calista asked.
"Sure, why not?" he replied. Calista just huffed and stomped away. He shrugged and headed over to the elf girl.
"I was wondering if you were gonna come to talk to me or not!" The elf girl grinned and bowed her head slightly as Sam approached her. "I’m Lazula Rose. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Your Highness."
"Please, just Sam is fine." He smiled back and extended a hand. "Personally, I can’t stand the formal title crap." She giggled as she shook his hand.
"Don’t fancy the royal life, then?"
"Not even a little." They both laughed. Then he leaned in and lowered his voice to a whisper. "I suspect that I secretly desire to... run amok... Maybe not so secretly..."
She covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a louder snicker. "Don’t let your father hear you say that."
"What can I say..." he leaned in more and whispered in her ear. "I’m a bad, bad boy..."
"My favorite kind of boy," she replied and blushed. She began whispering something in his ear as well, but he didn’t understand her words.
Is she chanting some ancient language? he thought to himself. Then she turned and walked out of the Ballroom... and he followed. Against his will. Aw shit! She hexed me! It fucking figures! I just HAD to flirt!
Sam suddenly took the lead, his body moving without any input from him. He headed deeper into the castle with Lazula right behind him. Any time they passed someone in the halls, his mouth spoke on its own and said he was giving his friend the grand tour. It didn’t take long for Sam to realize where they were headed. Fuck, she’s gonna try to use me to get into the Vault of Secrets...
That was where King Lucien stored all magical artifacts that were deemed too dangerous to be out in the world. The door to the Vault had a Blood Seal, meaning only a member of House Qhousalar could open it. But Lucien had always forbade Sam from entering the Vault, so he expected the Blood Seal to reject him.
Once they turned down the corridor leading to the Vault, they spotted two guards playing cards at a table next to the door. The guards grinned.
"Good evening, Your Highness," one said joyfully.
"If you’re looking for a... quiet place for you and your lady friend, the second floor conference room is empty," the other offered.
"Actually, my friend here has a shocking revelation for you!" Again, Sam was speaking against his will.
"Oh, is that so?" The guards raised their eyebrows.
Lazula reached out her hand with two fingers extended and fired a small blue lightning bolt from each one. The guards looked confused for a second as the bolts hit their foreheads, and then they slumped over in their chairs.
"Don’t worry, they’re not dead, only unconscious," she assured Sam.
They approached the large round door to the Vault. It was made of dark stone and covered in runes that were engraved in a spiral pattern. Still under Lazula’s control, Sam’s body stepped up to the door and placed a hand on it.
Nothing is going to happen, he said in his mind. Imagine his surprise when the runes on the circular door lit up and it rolled to the side like a wheel, granting them entry. Then a thought hit him. There’s no way Father would have let this open for me as a child - he’s too smart for that. So is the Blood Seal designed to open for a Qhousalar only after they turn eighteen? Is that why Lazula waited until my Awakening Ceremony to show up and pull this stunt? How did she know it would work?
As they entered the Vault, they found themselves in a massive rectangular chamber filled with rows of wooden shelves. The walls were lined with cabinets and chests. Just about every surface was cluttered with various trinkets and artifacts. A lot of it was covered in dust and cobwebs.
Lazula began walking up and down the rows, searching intently for something. Then she found what she was after. "Aha! There you are!" It was a thick grimoire with a black leather cover and runic engravings.
"What the hell is that?" Sam meant to say that in mind, and was a bit surprised to hear it aloud. Then he realized he had control of himself again.
"Well shit!" Lazula clearly hadn’t anticipated her hex ending too early. She extended a hand to fire another bolt when they heard an incoming voice.
"Sam! Your father’s looking for you!" Calista’s voice echoed from around the corner. "Are you over here? You need to - what the hell?!"
Looks like she found the unconscious guards outside. Sam thought to himself.
Calista ran into the Vault and skidded to a halt. "What the hell are you guys doing?! Are you trying to get in trouble?!"
Lazula immediately fired a lightning bolt at Calista, who threw her arms up to conjure an orange energy shield, deflecting the bolt. They repeated that song and dance a few times as Sam dove for cover behind a cabinet. Since his Awakening was not until the following morning, he could not channel Mana like they were doing.
He looked behind him and saw a mirror leaning against the wall. Suddenly, his eyes were drawn to it. It had a crystal frame that was beginning to glow white. Something about it clouded his mind as he stared at his reflection.
Waves of sudden pain washed over him, as if his entire body was being stretched, crushed, and burned at the same time. He screamed out in agony as he saw himself... changing. A fierce aura of green flames erupted from his body, swirling around him violently. His eyes began glowing a much brighter green as his pupils became slits. His skin turned light green.
His limbs were popping and extending. He was growing taller, his muscles bulging, his suit ripping. His teeth became fangs. His face contorted into some beastly shape. Two black horns sprouted from his forehead and curved upward like sickles. Green dragon wings grew out of his back.
"Sam! Sam! What’s happening to you?!" Calista screamed, but her words seemed distant, echoes of a lost world. She was... so small now. Sam had grown into some kind of massive dragon troll monster or something. And he was angry. He needed to get out of there right away!
Without really knowing what he was doing, he roared loudly and ran at the wall, smashing right through it. Everything that followed was a blur of raw emotion, but somehow he made his way back to the Ballroom, wreaking absolute destruction upon the castle along my way. Jets of green fire were shooting out of his mouth. People were screaming and fleeing out into the courtyard.
Sam’s mind was clouded for most of it, but he did acknowledge Lazula vanishing around a corner yelling, "Thanks for the distraction!"
What the HELL did that mirror do to me?!