Amber Waves - 24. Chapter 24

ITUMAK

Pine Mountain was packed with people. There hadn’t been much choice in timing; when the royals said they wanted to visit an amusement park, they got what they wanted.
Itumak was just glad he was off the clock. It would be a headache trying to keep an eye on everything around them while tracking the queen and the prince.
Of course, the fact that he could go on the rides with Aaron just made things even better. Another requirement of Aaron’s; it was their first time ever visiting an amusement park, and the elf was not about to make his best friend watch from the sidelines. Ren, Duncan, Greggory, and Aime could keep them safe today. If the worst came to it, Itumak still had a gun tucked on his body if he needed it, a last line of defence if the palace guards were incapacitated for any reason. But he wasn’t here to guard Aaron. He was here to have fun.
Children chased each other in billowing cloaks, waving wooden swords around. People screamed as they thundered by on rollercoasters. Chaos ruled the day, and Itumak found himself caught up in the excitement.
“You’re such a child,” Aaron laughed as the neko bit into a massive cloud of sugar the size of his head.
“Oh, like you didn’t want to get one,” Itumak scoffed. “I’m not giving you a bite of mine.”
“Hey, it’s not my fault I have to keep my teeth spotless!”
“Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that.”
“You could have had one,” Queen Amber laughed. “One day of indulgence, one day to be a normal person, is not going to kill anyone. That’s the entire reason we’re here.”
“Fine.” Aaron grinned at Itumak. “Lead the way, o lowly peasant. Show me what a normal person enjoys.”
“Aaron!” Queen Amber scolded as the elf laughed.
“This normal person would enjoy kicking your ass,” Itumak leered.
Aaron leaned toward him, a gleam in his eye.
“I’d think you’d want to lick my ass,” he breathed.
“Is that an invitation, your Highness?” Itumak smirked.
“Not on your life.”
Queen Amber sighed, looking between the two.
“You know, I’d have the captain glue your mouths shut, but I suppose that would be rather overt,” she said. “I know this is your day to relax and be boys, but you must remember we’re in public, and we need to be respectful.”
“Yes, Mother,” Aaron sighed. “Where are we going, Itumak?”
Itumak shivered at the glare Captain Darren gave him. Okay, that was enough screwing around. He didn’t want another stint as the designated piss cleaner.
“The Izanthra Mansion?” he suggested.
Aaron raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his face.
“Seriously? I thought you didn’t do scary movies.”
“I don’t, but it would be fun to see you cowering,”
“A gold says you break first,” Aaron challenged.
“You’re on,” Itumak grinned.
“I think I’ll sit this one out,” Queen Amber said. “I don’t do horror films either.”
“I’d think Lord Sarin would inure you to horror.” Aaron grinned.
“You’d think so. Alas, even he can’t make me enjoy jump scares.”
Beside them, Captain Darren touched his mic. “Guard Renshin, Guard Duncan, clear out the Izanthra Mansion.”
“Captain, is that really necessary?” Queen Amber questioned quietly.
“It is, your Majesty. The mansion would be the perfect place for an ambush. We need to make sure no one can hide in there,” Captain Darren said. “Guard Itumak, you will remain on high alert inside the mansion. Is that understood?”
“Yes sir,” Itumak replied.
“Maintain a balance between watchfulness and caution. As her Majesty pointed out, there are jump scares in the mansion. It is your responsibility to exercise restraint and judgement of what is part of the experience and what is a danger.”
Izanthra Mansion sat on a short rise near the top of the mountain. From what Itumak could tell, it was supposed to be filled with a collection of horror stories and folktales local to Mydara, compiled by Allen Izanthra. The actual home was lost to time, but the elves had worked to make a decent reproduction.
The mansion door squeaked as Aaron pushed it open. Itumak followed the prince into the gloomy entrance hall as Captain Darren and Queen Amber hung back. Dim orbs of light floated through the air, casting an eerie glow to the hall.
Itumak and Aaron glanced at each other.
“Strobe light,” the neko smirked, pointing toward a suspiciously placed curtain. “And fog machine,” he added at a sudden hiss.
The hall filled with fog, and Itumak set his hand on Aaron’s shoulder. They made their way through the opaque cloud as lights floated around them. A door slammed shut, and Itumak jumped.
“Scared already?” Aaron leered.
“Startled,” Itumak corrected.
Emerging from the fog, the two found themselves in a log cabin. A crackling fire burned in the wall, casting a warm glow over a bloodstain in the middle of the floor. Aaron grimaced, stepping gingerly over the stain. They moved toward another door, only for it to slam shut.
“Shit!” Itumak yelped. He grabbed the door knob and twisted as hard as he could. “It’s locked! Who would lock a door in a place like this?!”
“The Dark Cat of Khorsa,” Aaron said, staring at a painting of an Ythin neko. “She was the namesake of the Kalined Mountains. Kidnapped elven kids and ate their brains.”
“How the fuck do you know that?” Itumak demanded.
“Don’t tell me you weren’t even a little curious about the mountains’ name,” Aaron scoffed. He pointed to a group of cauldrons hanging beside the fireplace. “Her last victim escaped by snatching the ladle from a cauldron of brains and jabbing it in her eye.”
The elf strode toward the cauldrons and tried to lift the lids. He frowned, staring at the pots.
“Figures. They want us to reach into the pots and look for the key, but they want us to think the pots are full of brains. Being able to see inside would ruin that.”
Aaron rolled up his sleeve.
“Aaron, don’t!”
Plunging his hand through a hole in the first cauldron, the elf grimaced.
“Gods, it’s all cold and slimy! Wait… wait, I think I got-”
Aaron suddenly screeched, trying to yank his arm from the pot.
“Aaron!” Rushing forward, Itumak grabbed the elf’s arm, pulling as hard as he could. “I got you!”
Aaron’s screams turned to cackling laughs and he pulled his arm from the cauldron. A brass key, covered in red sauce, sat tight in his grasp.
“I fucking got you!” the elf crowed.
“Oh fuck off,” Itumak snapped. “That wasn’t funny!”
“It was fucking hilarious!”
Snatching the key from the laughing prince, Itumak shoved it into the lock and threw the door open. He dropped the key in a box labelled “Place Key Here”, and stalked into the hall beyond.
A howl filled the hall, and Itumak shuddered.
“What fresh fuckery is this?” he groaned as Aaron joined him at the next door.
“The WolfMan of Lake Mydara,” Aaron shrugged. “A werewolf whose first shift was botched and turned him into a wolf that stood on two legs.”
He grabbed the doorknob and pushed the door open.
A ghost swept toward them, fangs bared and clawed hands outstretched. Itumak and Aaron both yelled that time, and the neko tackled the elf to the ground.
“Okay… I know that wasn’t real,” Aaron gasped. “But holy fuck that was terrifying.”
“Should we go back?” Itumak breathed, trying to calm his pounding heart.
“One more room,” Aaron said. “Let’s at least try to go further.”
“Okay.”
They pushed on, through another corridor, and up a flight of stairs. The two emerged in a bathroom — an odd layout for a house, but then, no one actually lived here.
The lights flickered as they passed in front of a mirror. Movement caught Itumak’s eye, and the lights flickered again.
A face stared out from the mirror, soulless eyes boring into Itumak’s soul. The lights came back, and the ghost was gone.
“Lynestra’s tits!”
Itumak scrambled away from the mirror. His back slammed into the tiled wall, and the contact pulled another yelp from him.
“What is it?!” Aaron demanded.
“There’s something in the mirror!”
The elf stared into the mirror. He shrugged a moment later.
“I see nothing.”
“No, keep looking,” Itumak insisted, moving to a light switch.
The neko flicked the lights off, and Aaron screamed. A face was in the mirror — no, a person, holding a bloody dagger. Itumak’s scream joined Aaron’s as the person began crawling out of the mirror.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here!”
The two scrambled back toward the stairs, toward the safety of the WolfMan’s Lair. That was a danger they knew, not some unknown demon literally crawling out of a mirror.
Itumak gasped as a dark figure stepped out of the shadows of the room. He scrambled back, shielding Aaron with his body.
“Your Highness,” the figure said, peeling off its face. “It’s okay, I got you,” the elf under the mask said. “We’ll get you two out of here safely, okay?”
Aaron let out a relieved breath, picking himself up.
“Yeah… yeah, okay. Thanks.”

AMBER

The Eye of Mydara was a much safer attraction than Izanthra Mansion. Amber could see Aaron and Itumak sitting in the open gondola before her and Captain Darren. They hadn’t even lasted five minutes in the mansion, and Amber had to school her face into nonchalance to hide her amusement. Of course, neither Aaron nor Itumak would admit they were scared; the mansion was just boring.
Captain Darren was another matter entirely. He sat beside her in their own gondola, his eyes flicking all around for any threats. It was like pulling teeth trying to get him on the ride with her. There were plenty of guards watching for trouble, and when would she have another chance to share a pseudo-romantic ride with the man?
The wheel turned. Amber leaned back in the cushioned seat, watching as the Mydaran Valley sprawled in front of them. The wheel was nearly eight hundred feet tall, the tallest in the world, and perched on the top of the mountain, it offered an unobstructed view of the entire valley and beyond. Amber could see a plane taking off in the distance, and she closed her eyes, fighting off a bit of vertigo.
“Are you alright, your Majesty?” Captain Darren asked beside her.
“I’m alright, Captain. Just a little overwhelmed from the height.”
It didn’t bode well — there was still another thirty minutes to rotate around the wheel. Thirty minutes suspended the gods knew how high above the city. If she fell, there would be no coming back from that.
She wouldn’t fall. Captain Darren would never let that happen.
But as the wheel rotated, bringing them ever higher into the air, Amber took Captain Darren’s hand.
“My queen, I-”
“Shh. I know we can’t be together, Captain. I’ve accepted that,” Amber said quietly. “But surely you won’t deny the queen a hand to hold while we rise above the world. It would ease my fears.”
Captain Darren dipped his head slightly. His hand squeezed warmly around Amber’s. It took everything Amber had to resist the urge to lean against the man. Even just holding his hand, she felt safe, protected. Nothing could get to her up here, as long as Captain Darren was by her side.
She could see Itumak leaning forward in the other gondola. The neko said something to Aaron, and the elf bent over the front of the gondola, staring at the ground far below as the box swung. Amber sighed quietly — how stupid could they be?
“I am going to murder him….” Captain Darren growled.
“Aaron will rein him in.” She hoped. It could go either way, to be honest. Itumak seemed to bring out the best and the worst in Aaron simultaneously. “Besides, this ride is perfectly safe, despite my personal fears. Pine Mountain hasn’t had a serious accident in its entire history.”
To be fair, that was probably due to the mage on standby at the foot of the ride. If someone did fall out of their gondola, the mage would be able to slow them before they hit the ground. Not that Amber wanted to put that to the test.
She just sat back, trying to enjoy the moment. Captain Darren was holding her hand. The world lay before her, offering a view to rival the one in the Nicanei Gardens. If she pretended, it felt just like a romantic ride with the man she loved. That was the closest she’d get to the experience. It would have to be enough.
And the wheel turned. They slowly descended, and the view of the valley was replaced with the framework of the ride. The crisp air was replaced with the smoke from a food cart.
Amber coughed, waving a hand to ward off the smoke. She could feel Aaron and Captain Darren staring at her as they got off the ride. Old wounds were slow to fade.
“I’m fine,” the queen coughed out. “There’s just too much smoke.”
“Let’s get below the carts, my queen,” Captain Darren said. “This isn’t good for your health.”
Nodding, Amber followed her guard through the park, until they had left the smoke behind.

AARON

He wasn’t a fan of heights. But no trip to an amusement park would be complete without a roller coaster ride.
Aaron and Itumak chased each other around the carousel, riding twin horses. It was a nice way to unwind from the mansion and being lifted nearly eight hundred feet into the air. The roller coaster would come next, once Aaron and Amber had recovered from the heights. Of course, they’d have to recover from that ride too, but neither one of them wanted to miss out. Amber had never been able to ride one before; King Finley had been too worried for her safety. Today, that would change.
And Aaron certainly was not going to miss the experience.
The carousel slowed to a stop, and Aaron dismounted, wobbling slightly. He nudged Itumak, and the neko swayed with a yelp.
“Oh come on, I barely touched you,” the elf snickered.
“Boys,” Amber warned quietly.
The two instantly sobered up.
“Sorry, Mother,” Aaron said.
“Well. Let’s get this over with,” Amber continued, turning toward Howling Mountain.
Even on the other side of the park, they could hear the riders’ screams as the coaster thundered along. It didn’t take long to get into line, and Aaron felt the familiar anticipation building in his chest.
The anticipation refused to fade, even after nearly an hour in line. They could have checked in and headed to lunch while waiting their turn, but Captain Darren had already advised that breakneck speeds and hairpin turns did not mix well with a full stomach.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” Amber asked Captain Darren as they finally neared the front of the line. “Renshin and Duncan are already watching us, and I’m sure the wolves can keep everything safe.”
“I’m sorry, my queen. I am honoured, but I would rather remain on the ground.” Captain Darren smiled, the first time Aaron could remember seeing such a sight. “I’m not good with rollercoasters.”
Amber nodded reluctantly as they reached the front of the line. Aaron and Itumak both rushed for the front car, while Amber walked at a more sedate pace. Aaron’s heart pounded in his chest as the attendant pulled his harness down, and the elf gripped the padded sides tightly.
“Don’t chicken out,” he called to Itumak.
“You really shouldn’t talk to yourself, your Highness,” the neko taunted.
A hiss pierced Aaron’s ears, and the car lurched forward. He turned his head, finding his mother right behind him. The rest of the cars were empty — Captain Darren must have held the line back for safety.
A canned howl turned Aaron’s head forward again, and he sucked in a deep breath as they accelerated slowly. The elf’s eyes widened — they were heading straight for a cliff! He knew it had to be safe; the park would never make a ride that killed people, but his heart was still trying to burst from his ribcage as they neared the edge.
The car stopped. Aaron stared out at the Mydaran Valley, his heart thumping in his throat.
And then they were over.
The car plummeted. Aaron screamed, clutching his harness. Beside him, Itumak was cackling, his ears flat against his head. Aaron couldn’t pay much more attention; blood was rushing to his head, and his body felt like it was being crushed against the seat.
A tunnel opened, and they flew through the mouth into darkness. Another howl sounded, followed by the barking of a hunting wolf pack. Aaron shuddered at the noise, and yelped as the coaster suddenly spun.
They emerged from the tunnel, and Aaron’s eyes bugged out of his head. They were suspended upside down over a thousand foot drop! Before he could properly react, the car righted itself and shot back over the mountain.
Gasping for breath, Aaron grinned. Holy fuck, this was fun! Terrifying, but fun!
The rail lifted them slowly, climbing over the mountainside. Aaron blew out a relieved breath — he did NOT want to go over the side again.
A cough broke over the rumble of the cart. Aaron’s head twisted, only to find Itumak gasping for breath. The neko coughed again; he must have laughed himself hoarse.
“Thank fuck it’s just you….” Aaron breathed.
That was all he had time to get out before they were falling again, into yet another tunnel. More howls, more screams. At this point he didn’t know if the yells were his, Amber’s, or Itumak’s. They shot out of the tunnel past Captain Darren. Aaron could see the concern in his eyes as they passed, but he didn’t need to be afraid. They were having the time of their lives here!
Another cough — gods, Itumak needed to get ahold of himself. The coughs grew as they spun again, and Aaron’s heart stopped.
Something wet hit the back of his head. Aaron reached back, and his hand came away covered in mucus.
And blood.