The Seven Seals: Dragon Crusade

The weekend went on forever in Kate’s mind. She wanted to get what happened off her mind, but it never stopped nagging her. All these questions created an endless void that seemed to have no end whatsoever. People went about their daily lives as if nothing had occurred, and Kate was lost between reality and fiction. She hadn’t told her parents anything, and of course, they would never ask about her behavior. No one did. And that’s what made the feelings inside Kate swell. What if she really was hallucinating? What if this was going to get worse if she didn’t get help? But all her thoughts lead back to the mark on her hand.

CLAP! Light flashed in the dark bedroom briefly as the rolling thunder outside drifted away.

Laying on her bed and fully dressed, Kate stared up at bedroom ceiling. The fan above spun in accordance with her troubled mind. She sighed and lifted her hand up to eye level. The seal— or whatever-it-was was still there. Why her? Why was she chosen to have this on her out of all the people in the world? Who was the one who made this decision? Why couldn’t she just be…normal? She was doing normal pretty well so far. Why did it have to make a drastic turn? Kate groaned and tossed her head to the side, letting her hand fall back down. This family trip won’t help either, she thought. I could’ve gotten this thing off my mind and went with Hannah to the beach. But no, you have to be stuck with the family you don’t want to be with. But now that she thought about it, Hannah was slightly pushy in some ways. Better than being with them, though, Kate thought.

Rising from her bed, she walked over to the window and peered between the blinds. It was still somewhat dark, though it was only because the billowing clouds locked away the morning sky.

After several seconds, lightning flashed again in a loud bang, jolting Kate from her thoughts. Her eyes caught something outside within the light. A white form…a wolf? The light disappeared as quickly as it came, sending the small yard back into darkness.

Kate rubbed her eyes and blinked more. Did…did I just see that?! What was that dog doing in our yard? It was too big to be a dog… she thought. And it was staring straight at me…

Kate bolted for her bedroom door and made her way down the stairs and through the kitchen to the back door. She looked through the glass anxiously, trying to spot the wolf. Even that close to the yard she still couldn’t see it. Where had it gone?

Kate’s father was packing lunches in the kitchen when he caught Kate staring out the back door. “Kate, shouldn’t you be getting ready?”

Kate looked back at him and furrowed her brow. “Didn’t you see the wolf out there?! Or whatever it was?!”

Her father didn’t even bother to look back at her when he chuckled. “I don’t think we have wolves here in Tennessee, let alone a local neighborhood,” he said. “Probably just the neighbor’s dog.”

Typical, Kate thought, slowly making her way back to her room and feeling betrayed once again.

Everyone had entered the vehicle and was already on the road. No one had really said a thing that is, until Ben started up a ruckus and it eventually got Kate dragged in. After receiving some scolding from their parents, Ben finally got the memo to keep his mouth shut.

So far, the car ride to North Carolina was peaceful. Ben had occupied himself with his handheld game while Kate leaned against the opposite window, staring out at the landscapes moving past her as she listened to the music on her iPod. The whizzing of it all fleeting away made her think of the dream. There were parts she couldn’t recall herself, some that had slipped out of her grasp. Now the dream seemed distant, she could only recall snippets of it all. That boy, Kirith, he watched his brother die, Kate thought. Didn’t something before that happen? He took that orb from his brother...Seal or something of the sort. She glanced down at her hand, which was covered up by her sleeve. Was the Seal still there?

Kate pulled back the sleeve. It was indeed still there. She continued to look upon the designs, searching for something. Maybe there was someone in higher places orchestrating this. Did that dream really have a deeper meaning to it? Was her conscious trying to communicate with her? If there really is a God up there like they all say...why me?

“What’s on your hand?” Ben intruded, leaning closer to look.

Kate hastily hid her hand in her sleeve again. “There’s nothing on my hand.”

Ben reached towards her. “No, I saw it! Lemme see!”

Kate smacked his hand away. “Would you just stop?!”

“What’s going on, you two?” Their father asked from the drivers seat.

“Kate won’t show me what’s—”

“Ben is annoying me.”

Their mother looked back at them disapprovingly. “Both of you, don’t talk to each other for the rest of the ride, got that?” she said, pointing a finger at them.

“Absolutely,” Kate said, resting her head on the window and letting out a sigh.

Ben pouted and submitted to his mother’s order.

They had been on the highway for some time, rarely ever stopping for gas. The storm was far behind them, leaving them in the sunny backcountry. No one had really said much, aside from the occasional small talk between both parents. Kate still continued to stare out the window aimlessly. Sleep was finally catching up to her as her eyes were beginning to flutter closed.

“MOM! DAD!” Ben yelled.

Kate nearly jumped out of her seat at Ben’s sudden yell. Her eyes shot open and darted towards Ben. What now?

Ben was excitedly pointing to a yellow sign just up ahead. Kate could distinctly read it as FRANKIE’S FUN AND RIDES.

“Can we go there? Plea—se!!” Ben begged.

“Tch, yeah like we’ll go there,” Kate said. “That sign looked like it was made twenty years ago.”

Ben ignored her and clutched the passenger’s seat in front of him. “Please?!”

Both parents exchanged glances and shrugged. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to stop and stretch our legs,” their mom said.

Ben jumped in his seat. “YAY!!!”

“Oh are you serious?” Kate groaned.

“It’ll be fun!” their mother smiled back at them.

After making their way off the freeway and onto another road, they pulled onto a gravel road with signs guiding them to the attraction. Tall grassy fields surrounded them from all around. Off in the distance, Kate could spot a Ferris wheel looming above other rides.

Ben nearly lunged out of his seat from excitement and cried, “I can’t wait!”

“Calm down, geez,” Kate scoffed.

Ben paid her no heed as he kept his eyes on the circus from afar.

They passed through the parking lot until they eventually found a suitable spot. Everyone exited the car on wobbly legs from the long drive. Ben nearly sprinted towards the circus out of excitement only to be held back by his father.

They approached the park entrance. Next to it were various wristband booths. Kate’s father pulled out his wallet and walked up to one of the booths.

Kate looked towards the park. It was really nothing fancy, small rides with many different game booths along with the typical Ferris wheel all surrounded by a chain link fence. The scent of buttered corn, grilled chicken legs, and roasted cinnamon almonds wafted towards them. Cheers of excitement and chattering emitted from the crowded circus. Though it was quite active, it gave off a weird atmosphere. How could anyone find this place? It was completely shielded by trees all around and was in the middle of nowhere. Come to think of it, the sign of the place itself was almost completely hidden from view and old. If they get so much business, why don’t they just revamp the signs and get more flyers around?

Kate’s mother crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Kate and Ben. “You two better behave in there,” she said, “and stay together. I don’t want you two to get lost.”

Kate sighed. “Yeah, sure.”

Their father walked back towards them, wristbands in hand. After they were distributed to their family, the four of them entered the circus. All scents and sounds grew much more profoundly. People came and went, laughing and holding the prizes they had won during their many trials of games. Children ran to and fro with the excited atmosphere.

Ben tugged on his mother’s hand and pointed towards the Ferris wheel. “Let’s go there! Let’s go there!” he exclaimed.

“Alright! Alright!” his mother said, smiling.

Kate trailed behind them despicably as they walked to the Ferris wheel. A long line of people had already gathered there to get a ride on the machine themselves.

Their mother sighed, “Ben you sure you want to wait in line?”

Ben quickly nodded. “Yep!”

Kate crossed her arms and shook her head. “We’re going to be stuck here all day.”

“Relax, Kate,” her father said.

They waited at least thirty minutes in the heat of the sun. The line was beginning to decrease as they got closer and closer to their turn. They neared the front of the line behind a short, skinny woman.

The next cart came to a stop as the door was opened. Four teenagers exited the cart while laughing at some unknown subject. The cart manager held the door open with the goofiest smile on his face. “Come on in!” he said.

The short woman nodded and entered the cart. No one followed her in.

The cart manager cupped his hand over his mouth and yelled to the line, “Anybody want to ride with her?”

“We will!” Kate’s mother said, raising her hand.

Ben hopped in first across from the woman. Kate’s parents made their way inside themselves. Kate was just about ready to step in herself when the cart manager held up his hand in front of her. “Sorry, sweetheart, only four participants can ride one cart,” he said, closing the cart door.

Kate looked on in disbelief. Did her family just ditch her? Not even saying a word about it? Wow, what great parents you are, Kate thought.

Several minutes passed before the next cart came down. The door was opened and more people exited.

Kate shook her head. Not like you needed them anyways. She made her way inside the cart and sat down on the leather-cushioned seat. Someone else entered the cart with her and the cart door was closed. Kate blinked in confusion. Was the manager not going to let anyone else on? This wasn’t making sense at all. He allowed more people on last time, but only let in two this time. Maybe he had mistaken whoever this was for being with her.

Trying not stress over it, Kate relaxed into her seat. She glanced towards whom this person was sitting next to the window across from her out of the corner of her eye.

A male, he looked to be in his mid twenties. A baseball cap rested on his head, masking his features. But one thing that really stuck out were his eyes...deep sky blue eyes that were shrouded in mystery. And she could distinctly see his fixed hair was white as snow.

Kate let her gaze drift back to her side of the cart. She suddenly began to grow very uncomfortable with this man in the same cart as she was. Who was he? And why did him of all people enter the cart with her?

The Ferris wheel finally began to move and their cart made its slow ascent. What lasted minutes felt like hours to Kate, just sitting there with this mysterious man made her queasy. Anxiety started to kick in as Kate began to contemplate all the different possibilities of what this man could do. Pervert? Serial killer? Rapist? Kidnapper? Stalker? Gah I need to stop, maybe he’s just a normal guy, she thought. ...Normal guys don’t get into Ferris wheel carts with a teenage girl they don’t know. The hairs on the back of Kate’s neck began to stand up.

It felt like this man was staring right at her.

Kate felt his stare burrow deep under her skin like a hungry maggot. Slowly, she made eye contact with him. Sure enough, he was staring at her with his pulsating blue eyes. Their gazes locked, all matter of sense and worldly things flushed away. It was as if time had stopped for this one interlocking of gazes.

“Kate Bergman,” the man said slowly in a chillingly soothed tone like a refined blade.

Kate felt a chill run down her spine. How did he know her name? She was too stricken to say anything in reply. He knew her name. This guy really was some form of a stalker. But his eyes told another story...

“W...w-what?” escaped from Kate’s lips.

“You have nothing to fear,” he replied.

Kate felt her hands grow clammy. Nothing to fear? she thought. Who is this creeper?!?

“I-I don’t...”

“I know everything isn’t making sense to you...but heed my words, Kate,” the man leaned closer to her. “Leave this place while you still have the chance. Teannan is awaiting your return.”

Kate’s jaw hung open in shock. What was he talking about? Teannan?

“Find the other five Seals, Kate,” the man continued. “They need you.”

“W-wait— what Seals?! And what are you—”

“Miss, it’s time to get out now,” came the cart manager’s voice unexpectedly.

Kate snapped back into reality. She looked towards the cart door to see it wide open to ground level. Had it really been that long? Kate looked back towards the man before going completely pale.

He was gone. Not even a trace left of him.

How could it be possible? Had he already climbed out? She would’ve noticed it then, wouldn’t she?

“Miss, it’s time,” the cart manager said, a hint of aggression in his voice.

“Y-yeah, sorry,” Kate apologized and climbed out of the cart. Stepping aside, she looked towards the cart manager. Maybe he knows where that guy went. Kate tapped the man’s shoulder. “Hey um— did you see where the other guy in the cart with me went?”

After shutting the cart, he looked up at Kate as his brow knitted. “Other guy?” he asked. “Miss, if I’m mistaken, I believe you were in there with two other guys and some girl.”

Kate felt her stomach turn inside of her. There were three other people? But it was only her and that man. Was she really making this all up? She couldn’t have been, he was there, real as can be.

“You feelin’ alright?” the cart manager asked.

“S-sure...”

“Kate!” her father yelled.

Kate turned around to see her family waiting for her. She walked towards them, still shaken up from what had just occurred.

“Are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost,” her mother speculated.

“That’s because I did see one.” Kate glanced back towards the Ferris wheel.

“Haha, sure you did, Katie,” her father laughed a little.

Kate whipped her head towards him. “But I did see one! He sat right in front of me!”

Her father furrowed his brow. “What did he look like then?”

“H-he was an adult I think but with the bluest eyes and extremely white hair—” Kate stopped midsentence at how fantastical this was sounding already.

“Kate, I think it’s all in your head,” her father laughed.

“Oh! Oh! Can we go there?!?” Ben asked, pointing to a shooting range booth.

“Okay, Honey Bunches, let’s go!” their mother said in a loving tone.

Kate hung her hands at her sides. Of course they weren’t going to believe that. Can someone just explain to me what’s going on?!? she thought.

The four of them walked over to the booth. Children were already scrambling to get a turn at the shooting range. The round started as the targets in the back began to move rapidly. Many of the children missed but one girl in particular hit dead center on many of the targets. The confident look upon her face equally matched that of her father who stood by her side.

After a minute, a loud bell rang out. “Time’s up kids!” the booth owner said. All the children set their guns down and looked towards him longingly. The man inside the booth unclipped a stuffed dinosaur. Gleaming with excitement, the children waited in anticipation, all except for the marksman eleven-year-old girl who simply crossed her arms.

“The winner goes to,” the man walked over to the girl and handed her the plushy, “this young lady right here!”

The girl gladly took the dinosaur and grinned up at her father. The other children made “aws” and “boos.” One little boy started to sob as his mother tried to comfort him.

“Girls can’t shoot guns!” Ben exclaimed.

“They can if they want to,” Kate said.

“But they’re girls,” Ben continued.

“Oh would you shut up? Sexist brat...”

“Kate!” Kate’s mother scolded. “Do not tell your brother to shut up!”

Kate sighed. “Sorry...”

After the children and their parents left, Ben and another group of kids grabbed the plastic guns. Another bell rang out and the round began.

Kate made another survey of the area around her. There was still no sign of the mysterious man. What was the point anyway? Maybe this place was haunted. Or it was just done for circus show, scaring specific individuals with a projection. But his words slowly came back to her. Find the other five Seals. Seals. Just like the ones mentioned in her dream. Could it just be a coincidence? Coincidence or not, there was a deeper meaning to the matter.

Kate glanced towards her family. They were preoccupied with Ben playing the shooting game. Maybe I could slip away for just a little while, Kate thought. She tentatively moved away from them before walking faster, slipping into the masses. Kate let out a dilapidated sigh. She was free, for now.

The clouds began to grow thick in the blue sky, casting shadows now and then upon the circus. Kate stared up into it, contemplating. Everything that happened since the dream still wasn’t piecing together. It was almost as if there were other unknown forces beyond her knowledge that were at work. But Kate was never superstitious, and believing such things was a far stretch.

Passing through a crowd, Kate spotted a red tent with the entrance partially open. A small sign next to it read “Exotic Birds and Other Wild Things.” She cocked an eyebrow, a small smile forming on her lips. Hey, why not, Kate thought. She walked towards it and bent over to get under the flap. Once inside, Kate hesitantly walked down a small hall and into an open area inside the tent. Cages were set up in rows between black backboards. Many of which contained birds that croaked and sang loudly and small animals, many she had seen before. The place reeked of dung and other unknown feeding substances. Though the cages were many, the tent lacked onlookers.

Kate strode along the cages, taking a good look at the exotic birds, each with their unique shapes and colors. Maybe this is what I need, some alone time. Thinking about what happened is just going to make me stress. She ran her fingers across the cage wiring, taking each step carefully. Kate reached the end of that isle of cages and was about to walk around to the other side when she suddenly collided with something. Someone had stepped right into her path and came into a straight head but. She stumbled back as her head began to throb. “O-ow- s-sorry about that—” Kate said as she regained her balance. She looked up to gaze upon a masked teen. Dressed from head to toe in black with a hoody on, he looked like a shady criminal of sorts. The skeleton mask, though, was another thing. A circus performer perhaps?

The masked teen regained his bearings and looked directly towards Kate. Something about the darkness beyond the cut out holes for eyes made Kate feel unsettled.

“Really, I do apologize,” Kate said, letting out a small nervous laugh.

The boy didn’t say anything. He slowly massaged his index finger with his thumb as he continued to stare at her.

Kate took a step back. What was this guy’s deal? Wasn’t he going to apologize or at least acknowledge what occurred? He only continued to stand and stare.

Kate felt her heart begin to race inside her chest. “Um- okay then—” She turned her back and quickly made her way towards the entrance. First the Ferris wheel guy, now him? Just gotta get out of here and find my family, yeah I’ll be safe, she thought.

Kate approached the flap to which was now closed. There was a dead silence she hadn’t noticed before. But with what happened just a second ago made her care less. Kate grabbed the flap and moved it aside. But what she saw nearly took the breath out of her.

Everything was still. There was no movement whatsoever. No sign of any form of human or animal life in site. It was like there was no one there to begin with for a very long time. The rides and booths remained in their same spots, but it all looked like it hadn’t been touched in many years. The Ferris wheel sat frozen with rust covering the carts and beams, along with the sun-beat paint peeling off. The booths’ canvas overhangs were tattered and torn. The once lively circus was now no more then a ghost town with the many years gone by to age it. Dark clouds cast a great shadow upon the abandoned area. It looked like something pulled out of a horror movie.

Kate felt just about ready to pass out. This couldn’t be real. Just minutes ago this place was active. Where had everyone gone? Had they all gone up and left? Even her own family?

Kate walked forward into the clearing, her legs growing wobbly. “W-what’s going on...?” she thought aloud. There had to be some source of life. “H-hello?!?”

No reply.

“Hello?!”

Still nothing.

She felt all hope drain from her. “No no no,” Kate muttered, putting her hands on her head as tears formed in her eyes. “This isn’t happening!” It’s just a dream! she thought. This is all just a terrible dream you’re going to wake up from!

Kate pinched herself multiple times but to no avail. Was this really a dream or reality itself? None of it made logical sense at all. But everything felt so real.

A distant laughter was carried off by the winds. Another filtered in with it. They were menacing and mischievous, like they were enjoying her anguish.

Kate looked around fearfully, trying to find the source of the laughter. “Hello?! Who’s there?!?”

More laughter joined in. A form stepped from behind a booth. The newcomer wore a black cloak and the same mask the teen from before was wearing... More appeared from various different places, all cackling under the cultic masks. They walked into a circle, surrounding Kate on all sides, yards away from where she stood.

Kate felt her heart thump as the fear inside spiked. Droplets of sweat began to form on her forehead. What did they want from her? Who were they?

One of the taller cloaked ones approached Kate slowly, his dark cloak flapping in the dusty winds. “Well, well,” he began in a smooth tone, “it looks like we’ve caged the phoenix. I was expecting a little more fire than a shivering little girl.”

The other cloaked members laughed at this.

Kate felt frozen stiff as this man came closer. Everything inside her seemed to lock up, rendering her helpless.

Now that man stood in front of Kate, he towered over her and stared down at her like a hawk ready to feast upon its prey. “Hmph. You make my job too easy, Seal,” the man said cockily. He quickly nabbed her hand and looked at the mark on it. “Oh yes...his Lordship would be pleased.” He let out a soft chuckle. The man stuck his free hand into his cloak and withdrew a light blue crystal. The exact same crystal Kate saw from her dream. The man held the crystal over Kate’s hand and began to speak in an odd language.

The Seal on her hand began to glow. Kate felt her stomach lurch as she became lightheaded. Her vision soon began to fade more and more. W-what’s happening to me? I-I can’t...think straight. As soon as she was beginning to loose consciousness, the events of the dream were coming back to her: the crystal, and Nomaru’s death. The final realization came to Kate.

This man was going to take her Seal.