Chapter 5 - The Magnificent Imperial Capital
Max ducked just in time.
The archbishop used this crozier to block the attack. The Green Gremlin was swatted away like a pesky fly.
The archbishop raised his hand in the air in triumph. “Got it!”
The griffin was now close to landing, but they weren’t in the clear yet.
Most of the Green Gremlins had been defeated, but a few determined stragglers dove toward the griffin, their screeches piercing the air.
Julius waved at the dozen glass defense towers on the ground, four on each side of the triangular peak. The soldiers in red uniforms waved back and then the captain sounded an alarm.
A droning noise, much like a foghorn, filled the air.
As the wind slashed his face, the archbishop turned around. “The soldiers are about to release our strongest defense: The Imperial Wind. Whatever you do, don’t let go of the reins.”
Max barely had time to hold on tight when the soldiers began to open the tops of the defense tower. Like a blooming sunflower, the tops opened gracefully and a chilly blue wind began to rise from each.
Various segments began to gather in one location until it coalesced into one united tornado.
Max gazed at the mighty swirling force of nature with a certain awe-inspired respect. At the same time, he began to notice the intense wintry cold grazing his skin, forming icy crystals on it. They were about to land on the tarmac but they were so close to the tornado that Max couldn’t hear anything but loud whooshing noises.
The few remaining Green Gremlins were hot in pursuit, but the tornado was faster still. With one smooth quick motion, the tornado whirled in between the griffin and the Green Gremlins. The swirling winds sucked up the ghostly creatures like a vacuum cleaner.
Max let out a breath of relief, but he was celebrating too soon.
The tornado had come too close to the griffin and now, no matter how tightly he held onto the reins, it was no use.
Max was being sucked into the tornado.
The archbishop turned around to grab him, but it was too late.
Max was plucked into the air.
He looked down. He was so far up he couldn’t see the ground. He willed himself not to panic.
You’re a big boy, he said to himself. You will stay calm. Something will happen. You will be fine.
But it was challenging to stay calm when he was thousands of kilometers above the ground, flailing around helplessly, the wind blasting him in every direction.
He was swirling around and around in the tornado. It was making him dizzy, but it was also giving him the best ride of his life.
He was a little nervous but he decided to let go and enjoy the experience.
But then - he must have been rejected by the tornado - because he started to fall.
His stomach roiled and reamed as he free-fell through the icy air.
He knew it was going to be one heck of an adventure, but he didn’t expect to go out like this.
Suddenly, something broke his fall.
He looked up. A friendly green dragon turns its head toward him and smiled, smoking billowing out of its huge nostrils.
Bewildered, Max realized he was riding on the dragon’s unusually large back.
He hugged the dragon close as they began to land.
Max was now surprisingly calm. Maybe it was because he had had so much excitement and stimulation lately that nothing could faze him now. He even felt battle-hardened.
As they landed, Max looked about him. They were landing on a short tarmac on the left side of the triangular peak. He couldn’t see beyond the edges of the peak due to the constant presence of clouds, he could see his immediate environment clearly.
There were small one-story wooden buildings all about him - taverns, restaurants, bakeries, armories, blacksmiths, tailors, barbershops. It looked like a medieval city to him, especially with the paved cobble roads.
But what troubled him was the dirty and unsanitary conditions of the crowded city. The buildings were so crammed together. Garbage and body waste littered the ground. Max could smell the unpleasant odors from where he was standing, which was quite a whiles away.
He got up from the dragon. A crowd of people was now gathering around, murmuring and whispering in awed respect.
Max could make out all types of strange and wonderful creatures: werewolves, vampires, ghosts, witches and warlocks and even a type hairy beasts whose names he didn’t know. It looked like an international cosmopolitan to him, with all the major races of the Natural World - Asian, Europeans, Natives, Africans, South Americans, Arabs, Polynesians - and all the creatures of the Supernatural World represented.
He also noticed that most of them were wearing tattered and ripped clothing. Most were also dirty and emaciated, as though they didn’t have enough to eat. He could sense that there was a lot of poverty in this city.
The archbishop, who had landed with the griffin already, rushed up to him. “Your Imperial Highness, I am so sorry about that. I went back for you but then you were sucked into the tornado. Are you alright?”
Max took some time to get his bearings. He felt a bit disoriented, but other than that, the was fine.
He glanced at the sky. The tornado was now dispersing and soon, it disappeared.
Max nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks to the dragon here.”
The archbishop grinned. “Yes, Eddie Draco is in training to be a soldier in the service of the Elite Imperial Guard. Only the best are recruited into your private group of bodyguards, sire.”
Max turned around to thank the fat dragon, who was now transforming into a human boy before his very eyes.
The fat boy had a mound of black hair over his forehead. His black eyes bulged slightly out of his rotund face. He was a tall and big boy who looked around Max’s age.
The boy immediately dropped to his knees. “It is an honor to serve you, my lord prince. I have heard so much about you.”
Rushing to his side, Max said, “Please rise. You saved my life. You don’t need to kneel before me.”
He wasn’t used to total strangers bowing before him and he wasn’t sure how he felt about it.
Eddie rose but still kept his head down.
The archbishop dismissed the boy. “You may leave us, Eddie.”
Eddie rose, walked backwards without turning around but then, just as he was out of sight, he began to transform back into a dragon again involuntarily.
Max watched in amusement as Eddie shouted and cussed.
The archbishop whispered, “Transformation is a difficult skill. Eddie is still learning to master it.”
Just then, smoke billowed out of Eddie’s half-transformed face and then fire exploded from his mouth.
It shot at the crowd, which then screamed and ran around chaotically. It looked like a crazy stampede.
Max suppressed a laugh.
The archbishop cracked a tiny grin. “He needs to practice more.”
At that point, a man rushed up to them. He was a short tiny black man who had on yellow robes way too big for him. He kept tripping on his sleeves and then finally, he fell face down before the young prince.
Not at all embarrassed, he said, “I have awaited eagerly for the return of the Crown Prince, my lord. I pledge my troth to your service.” He spoke with a deep gruff voice.
He barely reached up to Max’s waist.
The archbishop introduced him. “This is Sir Edmond Petit, Lord Mayor of Occultoria City. He runs the city while you focus on affairs of the entire Empire.”
The archbishop instructed Max to hold out his hand, so Max did.
Sir Edmond grabbed it and kissed it, exclaiming, “It is such an honor.”
When he finally looked up, Max was surprised to see that the man was a dwarf. He had a large nose, large droopy black eyes, creases on his forehead, large lips, a brownish skin tone and barely any hair on his head.
Sir Edmond let go of Max’s hand and backed away, his h
ead and body facing Max the whole time.
Max barely had time to register the memory of the Lord Mayor when another man came rushing up to them.
It was a middle-aged man with olive skin, gray hair and dark eyes.
He got onto his hands and knees. “It is such a pleasure to finally see Your Imperial Highness in the flesh. We have heard so much about you.”
The archbishop said, “This is your Lord Chancellor, Sir Walter Grandebouche. A Lord Chancellor is sort of like a Prime Minister in the Natural World. He was knighted by the Empress. He is a member of Your Imperial Council, which consists of me and a few other government officials.”
Max stared at the man.
He was wearing the flowing blue robes of a government official. The most distinctive feature about him was his large mouth.
Max couldn’t stop staring at it. The man’s mouth was so huge he could have easily swallowed the unruly tornado.
His head touching the ground now, Sir Walter said, “If you need anything, anything at all, please let me know. My life is in the service of Your Imperial Highness. I would die for you!”
The archbishop dismissed the man. “Yes, yes. You may leave now, Sir Walter.”
Sir Walter got up slowly, murmuring the whole time. “Yes, Your Grace, yes.”
Then, he turned to the young prince. “Remember, sire. Anything at all. I would die for you!”
And then, he left, his body facing Max the whole time.
Max was getting used to this kind of treatment, but even for him, the man was too obsequious. It was like he was trying too hard to be liked. He barely knew Max, but was claiming that he would die for him.
The archbishop said, “Don’t worry about him. He’s like that.”
Max felt a bit overwhelmed. He didn’t know any of these people, yet they all seemed to know him, bowing and scraping before him, trying desperately to get his approval.
In spite of what the cleric had told him, Max still felt like an ordinary boy. He didn’t feel any special at all, let alone like royalty.
The good news was that while he had been an outcast and a social misfit in the Natural World, he was starting to feel more at home in the Supernatural World. There was something about the strangeness of these supernatural beings that endeared Max to them. Being different himself what with his dyslexia and all, he felt he could relate to them.
The archbishop turned to the crowd, “People of Occultoria: I give you your Crown Prince!”
An explosion of applause and cheers washed over Max as he took it all in.
He smiled and waved, happy that his people were happy. He felt like he belonged to them, to this strange new place. He didn’t want to let them down.
The crowd soon dispersed.
After instructing imperial guards to take the griffin to the Imperial Stables, the archbishop guided Max toward the entrance of the Imperial Palace.
As they walked, the archbishop explained, “This is the only part of Your Imperial Highness’ demesne that you personally control. Normally, you would control the rest of the provinces too, but most of them are in an open state of rebellion. But still, there are over 100,000 supernatural beings that live in the Imperial Capital. If you count the population of the supernatural beings in the ten provinces, you rule over one million supernatural beings.”
Max barely paid attention. He was staring in awe at the enormous fortress in front of him. From his perspective in the air, it had looked enormous, but standing there in front it, it was even more massive than it appeared.
The tallest structure in the entire capital, it towered above them, with its spirals and towers piercing the cloudy sky. Parts of it were built from glass and others from wood and stone.
It was surrounded by a greenish moat, but the most prominent feature was the symbol of the right eye of the soul, the Ergon, at the top tower.
It matched Max’s drawing to a tee.
He gazed at it, awestruck.
This feels like home, he thought. This is definitely where I belong.
The archbishop gave the signal and the drawbridge was lowered.
It creaked and then landed with a loud thud on the other side.
The archbishop pointed to the entrance, which was a sparkling stone door. “After you, Your Imperial Highness.”
Max took a tentative step onto the wooden drawbridge, unsure of whether it was safe.
The wind began to blow hard and the bridge was soon rocking from side to side.
Max grabbed the railing to steady himself and as he did so, he happened to catch a glimpse of the murky water that surrounded the palace.
A scaly reddish-green marine reptile gazed out from under the water, flashing its hideous yellow eyes. Then, it rose from the water and snapped his jaws, showing off razor-sharp teeth. Water splashed everywhere.
It was massive. It looked like one of those ancient prehistoric dinosaurs.
Max jerked to the left.
The archbishop steadied him. “Those are just askeptosauruses, sire. Just ignore them and they won’t bother you. They are a species native to the Supernatural World. It’s in their nature to snap at everyone.”
Max tried to look straight forward, but it was hard to ignore such deadly creatures.
As he surged ahead, the last thing he heard was the askeptosauruses snapping their jaws.
***