"Wrath Vs. Patience"

  Looking down at her arm, she thought the next cut was probably the shallowest. Ruth brushed her finger over the cut and tried to pick at the scab. A piece came off but quickly regenerated. She was curious about how injuries worked here. Nicodemus’ wrist even looked healed. The white ghost took them to a new set of doors. Dark mahogany, and etched with crosses. The ghost disappeared into thin air, leaving the four of them on their own again.

  “This is the last level we will do today. We should take rest once we’re out.” Cain said. Nicodemus and Micah opened the door this time. Heavy black smoke billowed out from the room. Nicodemus made a face, “It smells terrible.”

  “That, is the smell of burning flesh. There aren’t actual corpses. This is the smell of “burning with rage.” It is not harmful, however, it can cause headaches.” Cain replied.

  “So not only do we lose most of our sight again, our sense of smell is also affected?”

  “Correct. Let’s get this level over with.”

  Ruth was not sure if this was the time to mentioned that she did in fact not smell anything. The smoke also started to clear up in her view once they stepped inside. The stairs were as clear as day, the statues were frozen in time and once the door shut they began to move. She had become used to their cries. They all had. Some of the statues would try to reach out and grab them, but they avoided them with ease now.

  Ruth walked ahead of the boys, she had lost herself in thought and looked at the new mural on the wall. A man surrounded by treasures, family and friends. He appeared to be almost a king. “Micah,” she called out, if anyone knew it would be him.

  “Hmm?”

  “There is another wall story, do you know this one?”

  “You can see the wall? I’m sorry Ruth I can’t see a thing unless I'm directly in front of it due to this smoke. Also we’ve been following you this whole time.” He admitted. Ruth froze and turned back. The three of them had covered their noses. Nicodemus had even put his hood back on and appeared sick.

  Ruth frowned “You’re too trusting. What if I was blinded?”

  “No blind person looks at a wall for too long.” Micah explained.

  “…”

  “Well let’s keep moving, tell me what’s on the wall and perhaps I can guess the story!” Micah stood by her side and wrapped his arm around her shoulder “By the way we did ask, but you were deep into your own thoughts. So we just let it be.” A flash of embarrassment filled her. She had the habit of being in her own head. Micah’s arm felt heavy on her shoulder now. She tilted her head up, Micah glanced down and his eyes had turned into small crescents with a big smile on his face.

  "I apologize." She finally spoke.

  "Don't apologize to him. He's only teasing you." Nicodemus said in a muffled tone. Ruth turned back, his voice could have been easily missed.

  "You look sick." Ruth gently pulled Micah’s arm off her, "Your majesty, should we sit for a little?" Nicodemus shook his head. He removed the covering to speak but gagged in response, covering his face once again due to the smoke overpowering him.

  “Let's move on faster, if it has this much effect on you we shouldn't be here for long." Ruth made sure they were closely behind her as they ran up the last few stairs.

  At the top the air had only gotten worse. Ruth could still see; however, her eyes stung from the smoke, and the faint smell of burning flesh had become more noticeable than before. It was an odd smell that made her feel nauseous. The closest thing she could relate it to was that of pork, or burning leather. It was putrid and unique to any scent she had smelled before. Ruth saw the exit, "Almost there, hang on." She ran to them checking their faces to make sure they were still doing fine, despite the conditions, they still looked the same as before.

  Ruth saw the white ghost and stepped forward. A third scar was gone. She opened the door and called out to them. They quickly followed. Micah removed the cloth from his face and dramatically took in a deep breath of the fresh air. The door slammed behind them and the hall lanterns turned on. The sun was setting.

  "Everyone settle down for the night. Get sleep and make sure to stretch your legs. The next level we face tomorrow is the level of acedia. It will be much harder, the levels from now on will not just be a smooth climb up hill, but put more restrain on our bodies." Cain took his cloak off and laid it down on the ground to use as a pillow. Ruth did the same, her legs were aching in pain. Now that the adrenaline was gone, her body had fully melted onto the hard, cold floor. Her legs felt weak and sore. Before she was fully able to turn to her side, she felt a stabbing pain on her thigh. Ruth jumped up, looking down and winced, massaging it throughly to relax the ache.

  Nicodemus had noticed her sudden movement. Concern written over his face, he checked her leg to make sure things were in order. "I am alright, it was just a cramp."

  "Make sure to rest it up then." He patted her leg and sat back down next to Micah. Their friendship, if that’s what you called it, was weird to her. Nicodemus at times would seem upset but quickly let it go, as if he did not know how to control his emotions with the other. Then there was Micah, whose love language was probably physical touch. Nicodemus only touched someone if it was absolutely necessary, Micah could not keep his hands to himself. Ruth had noticed a new light in Nicodemus, she had known him since the day he was born. He did not have friends in the palace, she was the closest to his age. But even then, Ruth and Nicodemus had only recently gotten close enough to where they are now.

  "Ruth." Cain called.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  "Huh? Oh! Sorry, I was thinking." She turned her attention to Cain who had been watching for a while now. Cain sat up and handed her a fig.

  "Do not let Micah see. I only have two."

  Ruth smiled and ate her fig. "Were those two always this close?" Cain asked. He probably had been thinking the same. Ruth shook her head, swallowing before responding.

  "They got along well when they met."

  "Wasn't he a prisoner?"

  "Yes, but no. Nicodemus was grieving the loss of the Empress. I assumed he did not want to deal with a trial or the paperwork, so he lived in the palace."

  "And after this?"

  "He is a free man," Ruth and Cain glanced at one another, then back at Nicodemus and Micah. Ruth was just as curious to see how Nicodemus would handle it. Would he keep in touch? Would Micah visit? Ruth did not want to admit that she would miss him, however, only Micah and Nicodemus knew their future plans.

  "How did you end up in the palace?" Cain asked "Forgive me for asking too much, I cannot sleep." He got comfortable before giving Ruth his full attention. Ruth had noticed that Cain had a very familiar face; although they had spent some time together, she had only now noticed the two moles on his cheeks. She looked over at Micah who was fast asleep on Nicodemus’ lap, and faced Cain again.

  "Your moles match those of Micah." she said. Cain raised a brow.

  "Yeah, I had noticed the day we met. I do not have any other brothers that are alive. Able, myself and Seth that’s it."

  "Are you from Alvonia?"

  "Where I am from is long gone, the rough location would be Spirit in Alvon. But that would be thousands of years ago. I’m not necessarily a citizen to the holy kingdom nor the empire.”

  Ruth knew Cain was a lot older than he looked, she had almost forgotten that the world had looked much more different than it did now.

  “Don’t think too much of where I’m from. You still haven’t answered my question.”

  “I basically told the Empress I wouldn’t leave her side. She didn’t fight me off either.”

  Cain laughed, and rested his chin on the palm of his hand. “Please continue.”

  .    .    .

  Ruth’s mother was diagnosed with leprosy when Ruth was only five, she remembered the shame and looks from strangers. Being forced into isolation, her mother had begged her father to kill her right there and then. Her father had refused to end the life of his wife. He had packed a small bag with a few dried fruits and water. Handing it to Ruth, he kissed her cheek.

  “Go. Go away and never return.” Her father’s eyes flooded with tears. He would be isolating himself alongside his wife. Ruth didn’t remember much other than that. It was a period in her life where she slept anywhere that allowed her. The day Ruth met the late empress, she was not even aware it was her. Ruth didn’t know about the royal family, or even where she was. She had walked as far as her feet took her. Sneaking rides on carriages, or simply following different families home. No one wanted a daughter, she had been kicked out of many homes before finally deciding this one was it. Even if it meant dying or being killed, Ruth refused to sleep out in the streets.

  “Hello.” A tall woman looked down at her, her eyes were those of emerald, her hair long and dark. Ruth thought she was beautiful. The empress was waiting for an answer, Ruth simply could not mutter a word.

  “You need a bath.” She said. Ruth’s face flushed red. The empress smiled and handed her a piece of bread “I do not have much on me—” Ruth clung onto her leg. This was her only chance to make it out. She needed a home and if it meant dying so be it. She held on the empress’ leg tighter. She felt tears filling her eyes until she heard a soft and gentle laugh.

  “Fine, come along with me. But be gentle.” Silas gently removed her hands from her legs and got down to her eye level. “See, I have a baby on the way. I will need some help, would you like to come help me? He will need a friend, do you think you can do that?”

  Ruth reached out to touch her stomach, Silas’ eyes widen and looked startled. Perhaps she meant not to react that way, yet Ruth had noticed the reaction and quickly hid her hands behind her back. Many people had the same reaction, Ruth was dirty and a now orphaned. Silas extended her hand out “I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s okay, you can touch.” Ruth shook her head. “Okay… Come with me. Let’s go make you a bath. I will feed you and as long as you promise to be nice to the prince, you will be safe with me.” Ruth felt a strange feeling in her heart, one she had not felt before. Her eyes became heavy as the tears flooded down.

  .   .   .

  "Did not expect that from Silas." Cain said. Ruth laughed and leaned in deeper to the wall. She felt a little embarrassed to say the least, not many new the story of how she came to the palace. Cain lightly jabbed her shoulder. "Does his majesty know?"

  "No, growing up he tended to isolate himself a lot. Her Majesty tried to get us to become friends early on, but he was always out and about. It was hard to keep him indoors. Eventually we stopped trying. Now, he approached me on his own, and here I am."

  "He adores you, I can see how much he cares for you, as well as that Alvon." Cain made a slight face when he looked over. Ruth turned her head as well, Both Nicodemus and Micah were fast asleep. She huffed a smiled, and made herself comfortable.

  "We should rest too, I am extremely sore."

  "I agree."