The Plot... (Original Story)

ejaredallen (60)in #writing • 9 years ago

And Now This....

Welcome to part 26 of a WIP story! We've been at this since November 1st and I'm so proud of everyone who has followed along from day 1! Winding down the last few days in November here to hit the deadline of 50k words, so it'll be cutting it close. Pay attention as the story begins to wrap itself up over the course of the next few days!!!

Enjoy

----------------------------------Part 26: The Plot...-------------------------------

They took another step, crossing the threshold of the city. Once Salvador and Jonas cleared the gates, the began to close. What was happening? Jonas dropped Salvador abruptly, who then fell the gourd with an ‘oof’.

“Sorry mate.” Jonas said absently over his shoulder as, with his eyes paranormally glued to the spectacle before him. The Grae did not slow their approach, but the doors were steadily baring their path. “What manner of magic is this…?” Joans walked toward the gate as if the Grae were not breathing down his neck with hunger in their vicious eyes. He tentatively stretched out his fingers to touch the door, half expecting to have the daylight shocked out of him. But it felt like a door, solidly built with a definitely grain of worn and weathered wood.

“They’re just crazy old doors, Jo.” Salvador had now sufficiently recovered from his near-death condition; and surprisingly so in such a short time span. He sat up on the ground and brushed the dust of the road off of his garments. “And…” He continued, “If you leave me in the dirt because of them again, I’ll nail your arrogant hide to them so you can spend more time together.”

“What was that?” Jonas asked, still distracted so that he hadn’t listened to a word Salvador had said. Salvador rolled his eyes and groaned, rolling to his knees and picking himself up off the ground.

“Thanks for your help, friend.” He said sarcastically.

“Wait-, were you saying something?” Jonas spun on his heel to face his friend as the doors closed shut with a resounding thud and clack, locking into place. “Sorry, I wasn’t listening.”

“You don’t say…” Salvador snarked, arching a brow suspiciously. Jonas read his face but missed the inference. He spread his arms out and raised his shoulders, wearing an expression that said “what did I do?”. Salvador just tilted his head down and moved his mouth to the side in a way that responded, “you know what you do.” Jonas just froze with his “What” pose in innocence. Salvador rolled his eyes and turned his head to face the road ahead, his body followed slightly after. Shooting a glance over his shoulder to Jonas frozen in his stupid disbelief and ignorance. Salvador jerked his head toward the path ahead as if to say, “come on.” Jonas followed warily, still not getting it.

“So what? Are we just going to keep speaking without saying anything?” Jonas asked with no subtlety or reserve, completely overlooking the miraculous recovery of his friend. Salvador didn’t respond but kept walking on to the forest. Suddenly the realization hit Jonas.

“You’re walking!” He was stupefied. This man who had to be helped out of the city because he could not lift himself or stand on his legs alone, he was standing and walking unaided. Jonas was positively incredulous and halted in his tracks. Salvador kept walking. “What… are you not human or something?” He inquired, jogging to catch up with Salvador and walk broadside of the man, his eyes fixed on Salvador’s face as if he would instantly transform into some mythical creature. It wouldn’t be the first time Joans had seen such happenings today.
“I’ve found that everyone is something, Jo.” Salvador let the statement stew in the man’s mind for moment before building on it. “You’ve never met a mere mortal in this life. All living men are more than just fodder for the gods to play celestial chess with.” Salvador paused again. He wasn’t sure how to lead into this next part, at least not without looking like a horrible person, but Jonas wouldn’t be satisfied with half an explanation.

“Every mortal life has something within them that is inexplicably supernatural. The ancient ways practiced elevation of the spirit to obtain godship, but none ever did. We all possess something more than just simple existence. The King knows this, and by his appearance of goodness, he hopes to lift himself to power on our shoulders as if he were not a man like you and I.” Jonas’ eyes narrowed as he took in all that Salvador was preaching. He already thought this way, but didn’t know how to say it. He knew there was something more to life. He knew what his friend said was true.

Salvador continued. “The supernatural in me is called Phoenix. It is an ancient healing power which causes the body to regenerate and reconstruct itself. It is even in legend that it can bring one back from the dead.” The eyes of Jonas grew wide at the thought. Salvador was enlightening him to a truth he never thought possible. “With power of this magnitude, am I to be a servant of the King? What power has he to place himself over me?” Now the politics came out. Jonas began to wonder if it wasn’t Salvador who had attempted to kill the King in the square that day. The man certainly had spite and spirit enough for such a crime.

But Salvador didn’t stop there. His passion and fervency doubled with every resurgence into his philosophy of life. “If I had cause to bring about the destruction of a man so conceited and filled with pride as this so-called King is, I wouldn’t fail as did the unfortunates in Kerim. The King cannot be killed by sword, but by words… perhaps it is possible.” Salvador lost himself in his own musings.

“What do you mean? How would words defeat the King and his guards?” Jonas asked as the stepped into the forest covering, the grass felt good on their sandaled feet.

Salvador stared aimlessly at the forest ceiling as he spoke his thoughts. “The people love the King. Thus to kill him would turn the people against us. However, if we could turn the people against the King, they would call for his execution themselves.” The idea sprang forth like an epiphany. It was golden!

“But, how would we turn the opinion of the people?” Jonas had already bought into the scheme. “You said yourself that they love him.”

Salvador’s mind was way ahead of Jonas. This was something he’d been plotting for a while. Only now did the blossoms of a bountiful scheme begin to sprout. “It only takes a good lie to ruin a good man.” A diabolical smile spread across his faces he dreamt of a robe and throne. It only took a little lie to spread across the Kingdom, growing into a big lie. All he needed was to find the perfect deception to fool a Kingdom; to win a crown.

Jonas queried his friend with his eyes. The man’s behavior was never what he’d considered normal, but things like this bordered insane. Salvador’s eyes took a light and gleam that both frightened and inspired Jonas. The leader of their little troop was leader because of his vision: the one thing Salvador was well known for. He could see success a mile away and had a scheme for ever situation. The man was a master of deception, trickery, he was a perfect fool in and out of costume; this was why his ruse was so convincing.

A burning question came to Jonas’ mind. As they walked in silence, he couldn’t prevent himself from breaking it. Ever the arrogant center of attention. “When are you going to tell her?” Jonas quickened his steps to stand in front of Salvador and stop. Salvador stopped as well and the two were eye to eye.

“Tell who what?” Salvador passed off the question, his mind still on greater plans and plots.

Jonas tilted his head down to infer that Salvador should know the topic of his inquiry. “Tell the girl who we are and why we really came to Kerim.” Jonas managed to say. He sighed getting the question off his chest.

“Oh…” Salvador’s face fell as he realized he would have to tell Norah the truth. “Well-, you see… Does she really need to know, do you think?” He sheepishly replied.

“Eventually she’ll figure it out.” Jonas began.

“Good. That saves me the trouble of telling her myself.” Salvador passed it off and began to walk past his friend, but Jonas put out his arm to bar the way.

“But, if you don’t tell her, you’ll lose her.” Jonas let the weight of it sink in, then moved his arm and turned to continue on into the forest, leaving Salvador to ponder the great consequences of his decisions and actions. What he would do was his business, but it could very well change the shape of the Kingdom.

-------------------to be continued--------->