Eden: The Eighth Day Part 1

Twenty years later

‘Run! Run, Castus and don’t look back!’ Vita Dulcas’s scream echoed around the cave complex, the serpants’ lair, as it was locally known, that stood large and intimidating on the cliff where her and her younger brother had been exploring just moments before. She desperately eyed the three looming figures making their way up the hill side towards her. Any minute they’d be on her.

‘I wanna help!’ the wiry boy stood his ground, a look of steel in his eyes. ‘I want to see them cry! Vi.’

Why must he be so stubborn? ‘I can defend myself, as you well know, brother! Go!’ She was beginning to panic now. The last thing her little brother needed was to see was her defeated. The after effects were one thing, she couldn’t always cover the bruises or hide her limp, but she’d be damned if she let him see it happen. The boy needed to see that someone in this world would fight, and she could always spin her usual tale about how she’d sent them off crying to their noble Emperor after beating them senseless. Castus was pure, he had no need to know the truth. ‘Now, Castus, or I’ll tell the stable lads you’ve volunteered for shit shovelling duty!’

‘Aww! No Fair! Please?’

She shot him a warning look that needed no words to back it up. He shrugged, sticking out his bottom lip and slunk off in the direction of the opposite hillside, away from the advancing trio.

She sucked in her breath and shoved her shoulders back as they came within speaking distance. She would fight and, one day, she would win!

‘Vita,’ Vulcan Bilo sneered, brushing back his fire-red hair with his fingers. ‘It’s been a while, I’ve been missing our little visits.’ His brothers, Gallus and Hugo, laughed, their twin gangly frames convulsing.

‘Have you missed us too?’

’Deus misereater,’ Vita whispered to the sky.

‘Oh, come now. I wouldn’t have thought you would be so foolish to pray, it’s never helped before, has it?’ Vulcan laughed but his brothers looked uncomfortable behind him. ‘You know the routine by now. Is it worth me asking again? Or should we just go straight to the beating?’

‘I would never marry you,’ Vita spat.

‘Oh but you will, Miss Dulcas. After all, it’s only a matter of time before the emperor becomes fed up with your unruly ways. And when I tell him I’ve caught you up here again, running away from the palace, on nomination day of all days, what do you think he’ll do?’

He looked back to his side-kicks for support and they nodded along eagerly.

‘I’d rather die!’

‘Well that might just be an option, let’s face it, you’re not the most popular citizen, are you? I’m sure the townsfolk will vote for you, as usual. But, I would hate for a beauty such as yourself to be mutilated in the arena.’

The arena was part of the Octavo celebration. Every year, on the day their saviour, Meridian saved humanity, their current leader, Malum Dolus, prepared a slaughter for the gods. Any sinner within Mendacia was nominated by the townspeople and either hung at the gallows or sent to fight each other for their freedom in the colosseum.

‘But, don’t worry, I’ll protect you, like I always do. You know my voice holds more sway than the entire council when it comes to the emperor, and it is a man’s duty to protect his future wife. This year, when I tell him I’ve found you up here again, I’m sure he’ll arrange that auction he keeps mentioning for your hand in marriage. It is your twenty-first year, after all, and his vow to protect you will expire very soon. And who’s the richest bachelor in the empire?’

Vita snarled.

‘That’s right, me!’

‘I don’t see why he should be bothered by me coming here anyway!’ Vita retorted, not able to think of anything else to say. ‘Why is he so threatened by the serpents’ lair?’

‘The why is not important,’ Vulcan said. ‘It’s a matter of obedience to our noble emperor.’ He stepped in close to stroke Vita’s cheek. She pulled his hand away.

‘I don’t know why you insist on acting so childish. This is the way life is and you would be much better off making an ally of Malum and I. I know that’s what he wants too. There is no one in this cursed place more feared than you, and fear, Vita, is the strongest form of power. With the three of us standing side by side, there is nothing we couldn’t achieve! Malum wants an alliance, and once you are my wife, he will have it.’

She stepped away from him. ‘Never! I will never marry you, or give my allegiance to that man!’ But a thought came to her mind… Could it be true? Could I really possess such power? She quelled the thought before it had chance to take root.

‘Yes!’ he said, more forcefully now. ‘Yes you will.’ He came towards her and grabbed her chin between forefinger and thumb.

By Meridian, he’s strong, Vita realised. His strength always surprised her, perhaps because he shared the near-skeletal frame as the rest of the empire. Unlike the rest of the empire though, he was an equal match for Vita’s strength.

‘You will marry me. You will love me and you will be as loyal as a dog to his master. I will beat it into you if I have to.’

To prove his point, he threw his fist at her side, and another blow landed quickly on her cheek. She threw her own fist in retaliation, but before she could make impact, something solid struck her skull. The sneaky wart’s used a stone, she realised before everything went black.

Castus snuggled up beneath the warmth of his big sister’s arm, neither of them speaking a word, just watching life as they knew it span out before them from the valley below. Behind, they could hear a casual hissing from one of the hundreds of snake species slithering around in the darkness of the caves

The very same place that Vita Dulcas had been found as a tiny baby, starved and naked, filled with enough snake venom to kill thirty men. She had survived though, thanks to Tom and Abelia Dulcas’s quick thinking.

He, a medical practitioner, had rushed her to their home, draining the bites. They had raised her then, like their very own, caring and protecting her, despite the suspicion that her survival caused.

Castus, calmer now, let out a fading shudder and a sniff.

‘I told you to go!’ Vita soothed.

‘I just wanted to help,’ he said.

‘I know sweetie, and when your bigger and stronger, I’m sure you’ll show them a thing or two, but for now you’re just too little.’

‘It would have worked if I’d have aimed well.’ His eyes narrowed in determination again.

Vita chuckled, rubbing the gash in her hair where Castus’s poorly aimed stone had landed. ‘With a blow like that, I’m sure it would. No more heroics though, understand? You’re too important to me for anything to happen to.’

Castus nodded. ‘I’m sorry. At least it got them running though.’

‘True.’ She giggled now. ‘I wish I could have seen their faces.’

‘Vulcan didn’t notice me hiding, or the stone. He thought his blow had killed you or something. They all ran off like little girls worried about what Malum would do to them.’ His own sniffles were replaced by a chuckle of his own.

‘The big, bad Bilo boys defeated by a child.’ Vita clutched her ribs as her laughter erupted.

‘Hey! I’m nearly 13! I’m just annoyed I didn’t get to see you beat them senseless.’

Vita just smiled and hugged him close. At least he hadn’t had to watch her beg for their mercy.

Her thoughts turned serious. Where are you Mama and Papa? Vita thought, looking towards the sky where flaming reds and oranges licked across the heavens, encasing the land in an eternal furnace. Can you see us? Are you proud of what we’ve become? The skies didn’t answer. She sighedas she surveyed the land below them, the only remaining civilisation in a world cursed by the gods.

The preachers taught of a race of sinners that tortured, raped, murdered, stole and destroyed the luscious lands that had been given to them, along with all the many beautiful creatures that inhabited them.

The history books told of jungles hundreds of miles wide, sparkling lakes and rivers filled with fish. They described thousands of beasts roaming the lands and spectacular coloured birds who owned the skies. There were tales of dragons who could be seen flying high in the clear blue skies, their colourful scales reflecting the sun’s light before descending to land to provide warmth to their human colonies at dusk.

But now all that remained was barren desert.

As if reading her thoughts her brother spoke up. ‘We must be grateful for what we have, Vi. We are still alive. The gods must have seen the good in us to let us get this far. So long as we abide by Meridian’s rules, there will always be the chance that our sons and daughters may have the blessed land returned to them.’

‘You’re right,’ Vita sighed. ‘I just can’t understand why they would make us all suffer when the only ones who seem to break the rules are the noblemen. Why would the gods send tornadoes, fire and floods to rid the world of sin but allow the likes of Malum Dolus to rule as emperor?’

‘I admit,’ Castus said, ’he does seem to follow his own set of rules, but he is Meridian’s descendent. It was Meridian who bargained with the gods to save us. He was a true soul. It’s just that his influence has waned over the centuries.’

‘So you think that if we live by some ancient rules, the gods will honour their promise to return the lands to us? I’m not so sure they’re even watching over us anymore.’

‘But maybe it’s all just a test. Innocence is all well and good, but that’s only the first test. I believe it’s more than that. To change a whole race there needs to be more. Someone with the strength, knowledge and bravery to take power but with the kindness and strength of heart to make a real difference.’

‘What, like a saviour?’ Vita almost laughed. ‘I don’t think such a person could exist in this empire. Not with Malum leading.’

‘But don’t you see?’ Castus asked. ‘That’s the point. A saviour would have to be strong enough to overcome any power or challenge. And who is more powerful or challenging than Malum Dolus? It would have to be someone who has become stronger through this world rather than weakened.’ He glanced at Vita with a knowing eye.

‘Don’t start this again,’ Vita rolled her eyes.

‘Someone who is physically strong and powerful. Someone who survived despite being filled with enough poison to kill thirty men, perhaps?’

‘Castus, stop.’

‘Someone with a strong enough mind to live by their own values despite the controversy that causes. Who is kind enough to protect their baby brother from the demons, to fight alone against the world as an orphan and always stand up for what is right? You could save this empire, Vita.’

Vita laughed and ruffled his hair. ‘You’re persistent at least, I’ll give you that. But your argument is flawed. You speak of someone with power enough to lead the people. That would require one who was respected and loved, not hated and feared. I am as inconsequential in this world as a grain of sand, and that, my dear boy, is just the way I like it.’

Nevertheless, Vita found her mind wandering, imagining herself standing proud on Malum’s balcony, the entire courtyard hanging on her every word while she led them to freedom. Such a vain delusion could be dangerous, she warned herself.

Castus laughed, ‘Perhaps you’re right, although I have complete faith in you, sister.’

‘I never raised you to encourage such vain delusions,’ she scolded, but she couldn’t hide her smile.

‘We should be getting back,’ Castus said.

‘Soon,’ Vita said, gazing back out over the valley. ‘It’s just so peaceful up here. I’m sure I could stay on this rock forever.’

From up here she could feel the history of the land, the fear, the anger and the ultimate strength of survival. Even though they lived in desolate times, they still lived and that filled her with hope. She and her brother had already felt enough fear and anger, but she hoped that one day they would feel that strength too. Somehow.

She took in the border river, the Molten Mamba, a river of blazing lava, which snaked around the border. From here it looked like a signature of molten ink on a page of sand although, Vita knew that up close, it was wide enough to stop even the most competent explorer to pass. She saw the familiar lumbering figures of the demons lurking below. The vile, rotten creatures, who would attack in the blink of an eye, destroying a person’s life with one flick of their rotten wrists.

On the opposite hillside was her home, the palace where she was a servant. Following her parents’ death when she was a child, Malum had taken her and Castus in, a final gift to her father who had been the best medic in the empire. Vita though, thought his supposed act of kindness dripped with suspicion.

A book! That is what he had been after. At every available opportunity he had asked her about it, claiming it was a matter of security for the empire and that her father had had it in his possession.

She watched the shimmering palace walls and the vast courtyard, which allowed the emperor to host monumental celebrations. Even from here it looked spectacular. It was an oasis in the dry desert lands and looked quite out of place; a mirage that any moment may shift to reveal more expanse of barren landscape.

‘Ouch!’ Vita yelped, jumping to her feet and pulling a slithery visitor from her finger. She placed the little black snake back on the rock and watched it hurry away. Well accustomed to such bites, she quickly put the wound in her mouth and sucked. She spat out the vile contents through a pinched face, ‘I never get used to the taste of venom.’

‘Most people don’t get used to the effects either,’ Castus shrugged, ‘but then you’re not most people are you?’

‘It would hurt me just the same as anyone else if I let it!’

‘You know as well as I do that’s not true. Remember Withe?’

‘He was only young, and much too frail. Meridian bless his poor little life’

‘He had one bite off a tiny snake, father sucked the venom out immediately, just like with you, and the poor soul didn’t make it.’

‘Well I don’t know. Maybe the bites I got as a baby helped me resist it more or something. I really wish you’d stop making me out to be something special Castus,’ she scolded, ‘One day soon, you will come to realise I am nothing in this world and you’ll be severely disappointed. It’s good to have a hero, but please, choose someone who can remain that way.’

‘Like Kayin?’

Vita shot him a warning glare.

‘He was your hero. You and he were so close and what better man to look up to in this place than the one member of our noble family who is actually a decent human being?’

‘You speak of things beyond your comprehension, leave it alone now.’

‘Oh come on, Vi! Everyone notices how withdrawn you’ve become without him. Can’t you just make –’

‘Castus! Drop it! Now!’ She turned on her heel and headed back down the hill.

Castus followed without another word.