CHAPTER TWENTY

Inception

"Mother? ... Mother? ... Kareena?"

Where were they? They should have been there.

I had already checked the main room, the kitchen, and the back garden. I went next to Kareena's room upstairs. What I found there, or rather, didn't find there unnerved me. Her room was empty. Everything was gone. What had happened?

I heard the front door open and ran down to see.

"Father! Father, where are Mother and Kareena? Kareena's room is empty!"

When he didn't immediately look at me, I knew something was very wrong.

"They are gone," he told me.

I paled at these words, at the way he spoke them. His eyes told me he had known of this, or had expected it. For how long, I could not tell. His voice revealed a sadness. But it was his staunch composure which spoke the worst of it: this was a situation that would stand. They were not coming back.

I could feel my face flushing.

"What do you mean 'they are gone?' Where are they?" I demanded.

"It is for the best."

"Where!"

"I will not speak of this until you have calmed yourself."

"And I will not be calm until I have answers!"

He just stood there, looking at me.

"This is Kareena's punishment for her misbehavior, isn't it? You've sent her away, haven't you? Or Mother's taken her somewhere," I said, trying to reason it.

"Both your mother and Kareena will live elsewhere until your sister can learn discipline and respect. This was not my decision alone. Your mother and I have had our discussions and are resolved."

And so it was. Perhaps it was for the best after all. The new attentions I received from my father in my education for the role I would one day fulfill had driven a wedge between me and my twin. She was excluded from this. My sister felt that she had just as much birthright as I to my destiny, to one day become Dungeon Master.

We shared our mother's womb, but I emerged first. The foreordination was mine alone. Why could she not accept this?

Her jealousy had led her to mischief and misdeeds at my expense. As much as it frustrated me, and our parents, I understood her feelings and tried to be patient. I would make time to spend with her as a brother and as a friend. For that time only, she would seem happy. Afterwards, she would quickly become bitter once more.

Stolen texts, broken items, mad rages � this is what finally earned her, and thus our mother, this seeming exile.

Eventually, my father did tell me where they were. I was allowed to write to my mother. I always sealed my letters with the ring she had given me at birth, the magical Ring of the Mind. To my sister she had given the Ring of the Heart. My ring was my most cherished memento of my mother. I would find myself turning it on my finger those times I would miss her and become possessed by childhood memories.

The letters I would receive from Mother were mostly superficial, but still full of love and longing for old times. Of Kareena she wrote almost nothing. If she had misgivings, she did not express them to me, and I never expected her to. I knew she would not convey anything that would possibly upset or worry me. I tried to glean insights from her words, but she was too careful. Perhaps all was well. She'd written that my father had made the best arrangements for them. They were comfortable and wanted for nothing.

One day, as I walked home after receiving a new letter from her, I had the peculiar feeling that I was being followed. There were people all about, but they all seemed to be tending to their own business and uninterested in me. All the same, I changed direction and followed a different route toward home.

Still I felt the odd presence. Finally, I was compelled to stop and call out.

"Is someone there? Show yourself."

The peculiar feeling grew, became ominous. I looked in all directions, but saw no one.

"Here," said no one.

"Where?"

There was movement on the ground. I turned and looked down to see the shadow of my arms extend as I remained still.

"I am here."

The whole of it reformed as it rose from the ground. The hands grew claws, the legs disappeared, wings took shape, and white eyes brightened and sharpened.

A shadow demon! I had read of these unwholesome Dark spirits.

"I bring foreboding news of your twin sister, Kareena," it said.

"Away from me, demon! I do not take company with the likes of you! I will not hear your lies."

"Do not dismiss me so quickly. Your sister aligns herself with Evil, she works to gain the favor of The Master, of He Whose Name Cannot Be Spoken. She plans to rid the Realm of you and your father, the Dungeon Master. You would be wise to heed me, young one."

"Kareena would never do real harm."

"Would she not? She is changed. She is not the innocent you once knew. She will destroy you! She plots your downfall even as we speak!"

"My mother would never allow this! If such things were true, she would have warned us herself. You do not tempt me, demon. Now be gone!" I walked away, wanting nothing more to do with this fiend.

"You have her warning, Son of Dungeon Master," it called from behind me. "Know that it was the last thing she ever wrote."

The last thing?

I spun to confront the shadow, but it had gone. I quickly opened the letter and noticed immediately my mother's hurried hand.

Indeed, it was a warning. My mother wrote that Kareena would mysteriously go missing for short periods of time. And when she was home, she kept herself locked in her room. She wrote also of perversions about the house and in her garden. Odd smells, sudden cold, the feeling she was being watched or touched. Such a contrast to her past letters, to those written to me before.

I checked again the name on the letter. I saw that it was not addressed to me, but to my father. But I knew my name had been there when it was handed me!

There was fear here in this letter � fear for herself, for me, indeed she feared for the whole Realm! I had to go to her. Perhaps the shadow demon spoke falsely and my mother yet lived.

I determined not to say anything to my father, at least not yet. I would see to this myself. I thought if I could see Kareena, talk with her like we used to, maybe I could determine for myself what she meant by her actions.

And so I went, leaving my father the poor excuse in a note that I felt the need to meditate alone and would be back in a few days.

It was late night when I arrived. I was forced to leave my unicorn well away from the house. No amount of coaxing would make him go any farther, and I understood why. I felt, as he must have, the sinister aura about the place. The bright moonlight and the large trees that had lost their leaves out of season only enhanced this feeling. Gusts of wind, both hot and cold, buffeted my face. To say that this did not bode well was an understatement.

As I placed my foot on the first step leading to the door, I stopped. My heart was suddenly racing. I feared to breathe. Slowly, I turned my head. Far away, a winged figure stood, unmoving, facing me. I knew who this was, and was at once filled with dread. I moved to face this dark figure which I could sense was my twin.

A blast of cold air hit my face, forcing me to blink. When I opened my eyes, Kareena's face, framed in red, was right before mine. I was so startled I fell backwards, but I did not stay down long. Kareena lifted me by my wrist, as easily as a child could lift a doll. A sharp pain shot through my arm and back. I could do nothing to prevent her taking my ring from my finger. She used such forced that I thought she meant to take my finger with it! She then tossed me aside like so much rubbish.

"You've saved me a lot of trouble, Brother. I did not expect it to be this easy. I imagined I'd have to fight my way to you and Father. And where is he? Surely you did not come here all alone," she said in a condescending tone.

"What have you done? Where is Mother!"

"Oh, don't worry. You'll soon be joining that meddlesome woman!"

The wings broadened as she thrust out her hand. Red energies coruscated from her ring. I moved just in time to avoid a scorching ray. Another blast barely missed my face. My cheek burned from its heat. Her ring appeared to be the source of her power, but there was no chance of taking it from her.

"Stop this! This isn't the way! Please, Kareena, let me take you home!" I begged her.

"Yes, I will go home. He thought he was rid of me. I'll show him. I'll show you all! My power is greater! I will rule this Realm!" She laughed � a depraved cackle.

How could this be my sister? She was mad with power. My only hope was in escape, if that were possible. I jumped up and ran, it was the only course I had.

She laughed more at this. "Run, Brother, as fast as you can! It will do you no good! You are nothing compared to me now! Nothing!" she screeched behind me.

But then she appeared at my side, zapping at my feet. She was toying with me! I ran for the trees.

"Quickly! This way!"

I heard his loud whisper, but didn't see him until he moved. It was the shadow demon again.

"The shadows! Hurry!" he called.

I followed him and we vanished. Together we were swallowed by the shadow of a large tree. We watched as Kareena blasted her way through the forest in search of me. She passed by us, and the fires that sprang up in her wake redefined the shadows. We were forced to move as each new fire threatened to reveal us. The shadow demon pulled me out of the forest, using the new shadows as though they were stepping stones, and we made good our escape. I heard Kareena's enraged screams behind us.

My mount had undoubtedly fled, for I saw no sign of it, so I ran until I could run no more. I finally collapsed in a field clutching my burning chest and gasping for air. The shadow demon hovered over me and spoke quickly.

"You have no hope of defeating her. She will kill you as she desires. Your end is near, young one, unless you do as I say!"

"Silence, fiend!"

The glowing eyes narrowed. "This is how you show your gratitude? I saved your life."

"And I must try to save hers. I must go to my father, he will know what to do," I rasped between breaths.

"You are a fool, as is your father! He cannot help her."

"What would you have me do!"

"The only thing left to you � invoke the Master!"

Invoke the Master. . . . Did he actually mean . . . ?

"No! Even if I wished to do such a thing, Kareena's power comes from her ring and she has taken mine!"

"No matter! Your very being will be the vessel of even greater power! You shall be a force unto yourself! Power that cannot be taken away as hers can." Such heated excitement in his voice.

"Why should your master favor me over one who already serves him?" I asked as I forced myself to stand on unsteady legs.

"Kareena already abuses her power. She is obstinate. She displeases the Master."

"You displease me! Leave me!"

He visibly seethed at my command. His tail lashed fiercely about and his eyes narrowed to slanted slits of light.

"As you wish," he said. And he was gone, having evanesced into the night. Had I blinked, I would have missed his departure.

I was alone then, and I didn't like the feeling. I never had. And I had never known loneliness until my dear twin sister was sent away from me. Dwelling on it had a tendency to drain me in the past, but she was not quite so dear to me at the moment. I did not hesitate to send magical summons to magical ear to call my steed and ride fast for home.