Book of Venoms - 13. End of the Road

“Infernal Spawn: One of the deadliest aquatic animals is the Infernal Spawn, a jellyfish after which the northern Infernal Sea was named as a warning to all travellers. Stings of this species are extremely painful and can be fatal to humans if left untreated.

Brightly colored, these orange jellyfish are easy to spot from a distance. Although very small in size, they produce large amounts of highly potent venom. However, they are very difficult to catch, so not much is known about their venom and whether an antidote could be produced. Since the islands in the dangerous Infernal Sea have been abandoned by human tribes for centuries, the Infernal Spawn is likely to remain a mystery for the foreseeable future."

--

A knock on the door startled Cyr, almost making him jump. He was still in Macarius’ laboratory, perusing through the Book of Venoms. The sorcerer had left the old tome behind when he disappeared to find Castor. Curious and ever hungry for knowledge, Cyr took the curious-looking book and started reading it.

The book was opened on the page containing instructions on how to make a universal antidote - a cure for all toxins. As he read on, the dark-skinned boy realised why Jarin, Dymia and he were taken - everything had fallen into place. Each of the shifters was one essential piece of the puzzle. Without any one of them, everything would be in vain and Macarius’ son would not be saved. Unfortunately for the old sorcerer, he had taken the wrong twin, which caused a slight delay in his plans.

Cyr wondered if Macarius would be able to find Castor. He couldn’t help but wonder if his brother and their parents were missing him and trying to find him. As long as Macarius doesn’t hurt them, everything will be fine, he thought.

When he heard the knock on the door, he quickly put the book down and got up from his chair, eyes fixed on the door. It must be that sneaky bitch Cassandra, he thought. He decided he did not like her one bit.

A few seconds later, as no reply came, the door slowly opened and the servant girl stepped inside.

“Master, do you-” Cassandra started to ask, but stopped in surprise when she saw the boy was alone in the alchemy laboratory. “What are you doing here? Where is the master?” the girl asked, drawing her blade.

“Shouldn’t you know that?” Cyr smirked. “It seems that he’s telling me more than you.”

“Don’t play games with me!” the girl raised her voice, trying to sound brave. In fact, she was not comfortable around Cyr. She found him to be more cunning and potentially dangerous than the other two prisoners. Even though it was morning, which meant shifting was out of the question, she didn’t want to take any chances. “Where is he?!”

“He left on business,” Cyr raised his eyebrows, backing up as the girl approached him, pointing her blade at him.

He moved around the large table that was in the middle of the room, preventing Cassandra from ever reaching him. Quick as a whip, he grabbed a random vial with purple liquid off a rack on the table and held it tight in a raised hand.

“Back off unless you want me to ruin your face!”

The servant girl stopped and eyed the small bottle in his hand. She didn’t have the faintest idea what could be inside it, but she didn’t trust the boy in the slightest. Lowering her blade, she conceded.

“Fine, go. Not that it’ll do you much good. You can’t leave the Citadel anyway,” she scoffed.

“And I’m not trying to. But I don’t intend to be stuck here with you,” he shot back, picking up the Book of Venoms from the table. Before Cassandra could react, he ran out of the room and slammed the door, locking her in.

“Sorry, but I can’t have you following me,” he muttered, more to himself than to the girl. With the book in one hand, Cyr went to find a good place to hide it. If Macarius decided to betray or threaten him or Castor, the book would serve Cyr well as insurance. Unless the sorcerer knew the procedure by heart, he would need the book to finish his antidote.

After he rejoined the other two prisoners in the terrarium chamber, Cyr told them everything that had happened between him and Macarius in the laboratory that night. Jarin was especially in shock about everything, as he didn’t know about Xaviel’s existence until Dymia told him earlier that night.

“I still can’t believe he went through all of that to save his son!” the scorpion shifter said incredulously, sitting on a rock in the terrarium and watching Cyr pace back and forth. “I feared his plans were much more sinister.”

“We all did,” Dymia agreed. “What else to think when a powerful sorcerer such as he abducts you and extracts your venom. I was sure we would all perish, but now… Perhaps there is hope for us yet.”

“I hope so,” Jarin nodded, frowning at Cyr. “Will you stop pacing about? You’re making me nervous!”

“Then don’t look at me!” Cyr snapped. He then stopped and looked apologetically at the orange-haired boy. “Sorry. I’m just so distraught… What could be taking him so long?”

“Your brother will be alright,” the wasp girl tried to console him. “Look at us, we’re still fine. Macarius needs your brother, remember that.”

“I know, but… It’s been hours. Where is he? Where are they?” Cyr wondered aloud, angry and nervous at the same time.

He couldn’t tell them that Castor and he hadn’t been friendly in years; that he grew to be resentful of his twin brother because of jealousy. He couldn’t reveal that because he was embarrassed. He had been horrible to Castor for so many years, and now he didn’t know if he’d ever see him again. However, Cyr decided that if he ever did, he would make things right and make it up to his brother. He would apologize and tell him he wanted to start over, but in order to do that, he needed Castor back.

Seeing Cyr so concerned about his brother sparked something inside Jarin as well. All this time, the scorpion shifter was only concerned whether the three of them would get out of the Citadel alive. He barely even had time to think of the family he had left behind. It wasn’t that he regretted leaving, but he had to wonder if he would ever see them again. If that moment ever came, he would probably not be welcomed by them.

“I also have a brother that I left behind,” Jarin decided to open up, drawing curious looks from Dymia and Cyr. “But unlike you, I left of my own will,” he added, looking at the dark-skinned boy.

“Did you not get along?” Dymia asked, her focus now on the orange-haired boy.

“We didn’t see eye to eye on many things, but I didn’t have a problem with him. Despite our differences, we were brothers. It was our father who made me want to leave,” Jarin explained.

Cyr looked at him intently, trying to read his expression. He had been so invested in his own problems that he never thought other people could be going through something similar. It then occurred to him that in that short time they knew each other, that was the first time Jarin had mentioned his family.

“Your never talk about your life, your past – how come?” Cyr asked.

“Because... I left them all for a reason, and if I start to reminisce, I’m afraid I’ll begin to question what I’ve done. And that’s not something I want to do. I am not going back,” Jarin shook his head. He had decided he would no longer depend on anyone but himself. If he ever managed to get out of the Citadel, he would create a new life for himself. Where and how - he did not know, but he would make it on his own. That he was sure of.

A sudden noise interrupted his thoughts - the door to the terrarium chamber creaked open. The three prisoners all looked up in unison, holding their breath. Frowning and silent, Macarius entered the room.

Cyr looked at the sorcerer expectantly, waiting to see if his brother would appear behind him. However, there was no one else. Macarius had returned alone. Cyr’s face fell and he made eye contact with the old man, feeling concerned for everyone’s future.

“Did you find him?” the boy asked.

Macarius shook his head gloomily. He still looked menacing, but Cyr knew he was desperate more than anything else. Desperate to save his son.

“He’s not at your house. Your parents don’t know where he is,” the sorcerer confirmed.

“My parents… Are they alright?”

“Yes. Just desperate to find you. Both of you,” Macarius replied.

When he teleported to the Lunaros farm, the plan was simple enough: swoop in, grab Castor and get out. Just as he had done with Cyr. However, the boy was nowhere to be found. Macarius was in a hurry, but finding that boy was imperative, so he decided to lie in wait. Cyr’s twin would have to appear sooner or later.

However, hours passed and Castor was still not appearing. Just as Macarius was about to leave and seek for the boy elsewhere, he heard footsteps. Someone had arrived at the farm. He waited in his hiding place, but his hopes were quickly dashed when he realized it wasn’t the boy - it was his parents.

The middle-aged couple looked ghastly, as if all hope and energy was drained from their bodies and souls. They had lost both of their sons and couldn’t find them anywhere.

“What if we never see them again?” Alice Lunaros asked her husband as she tried to wipe the tears from her cheeks. One week had passed since their boys went missing. One week of not sleeping, not knowing if they were still alive.

“We will, you must have faith. The Gods will bring them back to us,” Bryan, her husband, tried to console her. “Castor and Sawyer will find Cyr and bring him back. They will all return to us.” The farmer was on the verge of breaking down as well, but he had to stay strong for his wife.

Listening to their conversation and seeing them so distressed, Macarius realized they were in the same situation he was in - desperate parents wishing to be reunited with their children. At that point, he felt something he hadn’t felt in years - a connection to someone. After years of self-imposed isolation in the desert, living with his son and dealing with strangers only when necessary, Macarius realized that maybe not all people were corrupted.

“Did you… did you talk to them?” Cyr asked the sorcerer. He nodded.

“I told them you were alright and that I would bring both you and your brother back,” Macarius replied.

“Thank you,” the boy nodded.

“But only once my mission is complete,” the sorcerer warned.

“Alright, Castor will help you, I’m sure of it. But… You didn’t find him,” the boy stated the obvious.

“No. But your parents are not aware of that. They think both of you are with me,” Macarius explained. “However, your brother is out looking for you. He will find us sooner or later.”

The sorcerer turned on his heel and left the terrarium chamber, leaving the door open. The three prisoners were no longer that, he decided. He could not let them out of the Citadel until he was sure his son was safe, but he no longer wished to keep them under lock and key either. That was the most freedom he could afford to give them.

~~

Castor whirled around with his arms outstretched, showing off his new outfit in front of Sawyer and Cyr. With a simple spell, Sawyer had turned his boyfriend’s simple brown tunic and robe into fancy, deep blue garments fit for a prince. The golden buttons on the vest sparkled in moonlight, much to the boy’s delight.

“I love it so much!” Castor gushed, looking at his boyfriend with affection. “Now do Cyr!”

The other twin was quick to get up from the blanket on which they were sitting, changing places with Castor. Sawyer pointed his scepter at Cyr and closed his eyes for a moment.

“Revortio auculpis,” the sorcerer whispered and Cyr’s brown cape turned black, with a scaly design like that of his snake form. His shirt and pants also turned black, with scarlet buttons.

“Wow,” Cyr looked at himself with awe, playing with the snake-themed cape. “This is beautiful. Thank you, Sawyer,” he grinned and then plopped back down next to his brother.

“I told you my boyfriend was a master sorcerer,” Castor said, completely forgetting he was in a different reality and that minutes ago he was puzzled when he saw Sawyer wield a brand new scepter.

“Oh, I’m far from it! But Esthor has been a great teacher so far,” Sawyer was modest, although he did like the praise. “Almost everything I know, I learned from him.”

“Are you going to go back this summer?” Cyr asked.

“Yeah, I can’t wait!” Sawyer replied ecstatically! “Although, I am going to miss you, Cas,” he quickly added, kissing his boyfriend on the cheek.

“Nice save there!” Castor teased, kissing him back. “I’ll miss you too, but I think we’ll manage two months apart.”

“Okay, you two lovebirds, we’ve seen enough,” Cyr rolled his eyes. He liked to tease them for their displays of affection, but he was genuinely happy for them.

“Hey, Cyr, you should come with me,” Sawyer suggested. “That is, if your parents let you. Esthor and his boyfriend Rulf are shifters too. They also give lessons on shifting. Last summer, there was this young sorcerer, I think he was eight, and he could shift into a wild boar. This made him very aggressive, he’d try to attack anyone who came close, even without being provoked. They helped him learn how to control his temper better, and by the end of the summer he could shift freely without hurting anyone.”

“Thanks, I’ll think about it,” Cyr replied. He had no doubt mom and dad would let him go to Alduin for two months; even though they would never admit it, he was their favorite son. The main reason he hesitated to go was because he didn’t want to leave Castor for two months - they were too attached to each other. There was no chance of both of them being allowed to go since someone had to stay and help their parents out at the farm.

“Sawyer is right, you should go,” Castor said, trying to sound supportive. Even though he loved his brother dearly and wanted nothing but the best for him, he couldn’t help the brief pang of jealousy that flashed through him at that moment. He wanted to go to Alduin with his boyfriend, but he’d never be allowed to. Maybe if he was a shifter like Cyr, their parents would let him. Otherwise, there was no chance. He knew that in their parents’ eyes, Cyr was the golden child.

Still, he never resented Cyr for it. Their brotherly love was as strong as ever. It wasn’t Cyr’s fault he was born as a shifter and had a much more interesting personality. Castor had nothing to brag about - he was just a bland copy of his twin. He was never particularly good at anything. Sometimes he even wondered what Sawyer saw in him.

As Castor contemplated his life, the door to the house opened and the three boys heard a voice calling them.

“Come on, boys, it’s past your bedtime,” Mrs Lunaros called out. “Cyr, you can stay out some more if you want,” she added. She knew her son liked to spend some time each night in his animal form, slithering through the cool grass and climbing trees. “Just don’t go near the animals, you know chickens are scared of snakes.”

“I won’t, mom. Thanks,” Cyr chuckled and shook his head. She had to warn him about the same thing at least three times a week.

Castor and Sawyer reluctantly got up and went into the house - Castor in his own bedroom, and his boyfriend in a spare room. Just another thing that was unfair - even though they had been dating for over a year, they weren’t allowed to spend the night in the same room, let alone the same bed. Castor’s parents, even though very nice, were still quite old-fashioned and didn’t want to allow their sons to sleep with their dates in their house, at least not until they turned eighteen. However, Castor was sure that when that happened, they would come up with some other excuse.

As he stood in the hallway, deliberating whether to go to his room or sneak into Sawyer’s, a strange golden door appeared in the wall, startling the boy. He gasped and jumped back, staring with wonder at the sparkling door.

He knew something was wrong, but couldn’t pinpoint what. Then, suddenly, as if a dam in his head was broken, all of the repressed memories came flooding back. This was not his world, he realized. In his world, he was a shifter, Cyr hated him, and Sawyer… Sawyer laid unconscious, knocked out cold by the God of Time. Yes, now he remembered all of it. The two of them went on a mission to find his brother.

This was some kind of an alternate reality, a parallel world. It was all a test for him, Castor realized, recalling the other two rooms he entered. Whatever this place was, he wasn’t sure he wanted to leave it. There was nothing good waiting for him in the other reality. Sawyer and he were held by Eteon, who was a little too eager to punish them for trespassing on his land. Even if he let them go, what kind of a chance did they stand against Macarius? They would never be able to rescue Cyr. The only thing they would accomplish was to get killed.

In this reality, however, everyone seemed to be so much happier. Cyr was a shifter and he seemed to be loving it. He had always coveted that ability, and now he was granted that wish. Castor was glad for his brother - Cyr would certainly enjoy being a shifter much more than he ever did. As for Sawyer, he was excited to be advancing in magic and was looking forward to learning more. He no longer felt inadequate and awkward.

“I can’t leave,” Castor muttered to himself, standing between the two doors.

Yet, he was hesitating. He made no move either way, torn between the two options. He could stay and take the easy way out or he could return to his reality and face whatever fate had to throw his way.

For the second time that night, he was startled, this time by a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Hey, what are you doing standing here?” It was Cyr, standing next to him. “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing important,” Castor lied, forgetting how strong their bond was. He and Cyr could never lie to each other, even in this reality. They never had a problem tricking other people, even their parents, but not each other.

“Now I know something big is up,” Cyr replied suspiciously, raising an eyebrow. “Let’s hear it. I can sense you’re troubled.”

Castor stared at the door, contemplating what to say. How could he explain to Cyr what was going on? How could he tell him that in another reality, all of their lives were in danger?

“Would you… Would you be angry with me if I was a shifter and you were not?” Castor asked insecurely. He knew the words sounded silly as soon as they came out of his mouth, but it was the best he came up with.

“What?” Cyr observed his twin with a mixture of confusion and silliness on his face. “Of course not, brother. Why would you even ask that?”

“Nevermind, I’m being weird,” Castor waved him off. “You know, you can go to Alduin with Sawyer if you want, I won’t be jealous.”

“I know,” the other boy nodded. “I just don’t want to leave you here.”

“I’ll be fine, I promise,” Castor smiled. “Good night, Cyr.”

“Good night,” the other boy said and went to his room, closing the door behind him.

Left alone once again, Castor took a deep breath and stepped to the right. He placed his hand on the door knob and pressed it slowly, opening the golden door. Entering the room, the door closed behind him. There was no way back.

With a deep gasp, the dark-skinned boy woke up and opened his eyes, finding himself back in the eerie purple chamber in Eteon’s palace. He made it. Looking around, he saw that he was alone and got up from the sofa.

As soon as he opened the door and got out of the room, a whirl of sand appeared before him, forming into the familiar shape of a tall, long-haired and bearded man of imposing stature. He must’ve been at least ten feet tall.

Castor looked up at him, awaiting Eteon’s judgment.

“Well done,” a booming voice could be heard. “You have passed all three tests, young man. You are now free to go.”

“But… What about the future that I saw? Sawyer being taken by that gargoyle? Will that still happen?”

“Now that you know what happens, you have the power to change it. Go now, your friend is outside, waiting for you.”

“He’s fine?” Castor asked, cracking a smile. “You didn’t punish him?”

“No, I did not punish him,” Eteon stated. “However, I undid some of what Nammis did to him. His powers will now develop more slowly, at a rate he can handle.”

With those final words, the God of Time disappeared in a flurry of sand, leaving Castor alone. The boy found his way out of the palace and felt his heart almost bursting with joy when he saw Sawyer pacing around, waiting for him. The sorcerer stopped as soon as he noticed his boyfriend and turned to him. As their eyes met, Castor felt the pull he was unable to resist. He ran toward his boyfriend, grabbing him into his arms and squeezing him tight, much to Sawyer’s surprise.

“You’re ok!” he sobbed, holding onto Sawyer.

“Yeah, what happened?” the blond boy asked, unaware of what Castor had just been through.

“I’ll tell you all about it. Let’s get out of here,” the shifter replied, eager to continue their journey. “We need to find Cyr.”

~~

After traversing the desert for a large part of the afternoon, the two boys were exhausted, and so were their horses. The beaten path they had been travelling on had vanished, giving way to sand. It made it very difficult for the poor animals to move, which started to slow their progress.

“I have an idea,” Sawyer said, picking up his wand. He couldn’t explain it, but ever since he woke up in front of Eteon’s elusive palace, he didn’t feel the urge to use his magic all the time. Only then did he start to realize that it was as if magic had had control over him. Now, it was the other way around.

Nevertheless, what he was about to attempt was uncharted territory for him, so he wasn’t sure if the spell would work. He closed his eyes, focusing all of his power on the incantation.

“Execto preotico marus!”

A moment later, when Castor gasped, the sorcerer opened his eyes and a big grin appeared on his cute face.

“Yes! I did it!” he shouted, admiring the two camels they were sitting on. “Much more fitting for crossing the desert, don’t you think?”

“Uh, yes, that is amazing,” Castor was wowed - not just at his boyfriend’s magical prowess, but also at his ingenuity.

However, the feeling of uneasiness creeped into the boy’s heart. He remembered the second room in the palace, the one that showed him the future. In his vision, Sawyer and he were riding camels, not horses.

Castor knew that meant they were getting close to the end of their road.

Thanks to all my readers, you rock!  
Castor and Sawyer are nearly there! What will happen when they reach the Citadel of Bone? Stay tuned to find out!