Shades of Grey

TOURNESOL— FEBUARY 1844

We walked quickly along the sidewalk with the rest of the crowd, trying very hard to not raise any suspicion and for the most part we were completely ignored: just another pair of soldiers in the sea of people.

“Can you see Verrilius’ castle? It’s just up there.”

Liam nodded towards a solemn, black turreted castle in a very dark part of the city, jutting out from high on the side of the mountain. My breath caught in my throat as I saw the miles of city between the castle and our current position. This would be difficult to do without arousing any suspicion.

“Are we going to just waltz right up there and knock on the front gate?” I inquired.

“Of course,” Liam replied. “Just walk with confidence and no one will suspect anything.”

I took a brief breath under my Pallitus and stood slightly taller, frowning with as much condescension as I saw staining the faces of the citizens around me.

Liam and I walked in silence through the busy, crowded streets with Ryder (now in the form of a falcon) flying overhead as a guide. The further we walked into the city, the easier it became to maintain my disguise. I recalled LaSalle’s insecure demeanour and walked sheepishly next to Liam. As he predicted, no one paid any heed to us.

“Master Hammersmith!”

We both froze at the sudden address and turned around to see a man shaped strangely like a hexagon approaching us on his disproportionally small legs. I almost laughed aloud at his ridiculous shape.

“Yes? What is it?” Liam asked in the same curt, unfeeling voice he had used at the gate.

“We’ve been alerted to Hunter activity just outside the city. Graham says it could be the one Verrilius has been searching for.”

Liam’s portly Pallitus body tightened in excitement. I was impressed with his acting abilities: I almost believed him.

“Are you certain?” he replied with authority.

“Positive. Shall we—”

The hexagon man’s face then fell suddenly as he beheld something behind us. In dread, I turned around, knowing it could only be one thing.

As I turned, I saw that my fear was right. The real Hammersmith and LaSalle stood on the opposite street corner, their eyes wide.

“PATROL! GET THEM!” ordered the real Hammersmith.

Liam and I wasted no time. We both removed our cloaks and ran as fast as we could towards the dark castle, easily dodging the slow, rotund patrolmen as they attempted to capture us.

“Ryder!” Liam called, sliding easily under two patrolmen. “Now!”

A great crash sounded through the square as Ryder transformed grandly into a Fire Dragon, distracting a good majority of the citizens as they attempted to restrain him.

Leaping over the fat citizens that were quickly gathering to watch, I unsheathed my dirks and sliced at their bulging hands as they reached for us. We narrowly avoided their grasps each time and for a brief moment, I thought we would be able to make it all the way to Verrilius’s castle on our own when a rope suddenly looped around my neck and tightened, snapping me out of the air and sending me to the ground. I fell on my back, pulling at the rope as I tried to breathe. I watched as Liam crashed next to me, a similar rope around his neck.

“Well, it was good plan until that point,” he remarked.

“Yes. Bit of an oversight, wouldn’t you say?” I replied, pulling at the rope.

“Oh shut up,” he muttered.

“QUIET!” snapped Hammersmith as he broke through the crowd. “You will not speak unless spoken to!”

At that moment, the crowd broke and Ryder was tossed onto the ground next to us, his limbs bound in thick chains and locked with a steel padlock. I grimaced as I saw multiple lacerations and open wounds littering his chest. Liam gave a defiant kick towards Hammersmith, clearly distraught by the sight of the wounded Ryder.

“What do you want with us?!” he shouted.

“WHAT DID I SAY?!” Hammersmith roared kicking Liam in the side. Liam cried out, but wisely did not retaliate. Hammersmith nodded to certain people in the growing crowd. More ropes suddenly flew over our other limbs and were pulled taught, restricting any hope of escape.

“Now, let’s try this the right way: tell me your names,” Hammersmith said calmly.

He signalled the slight release of tension on the ropes around our necks, allowing us the freedom to speak.

“My name is Grey Echo,” I answered.

“I am Liam Clayton,” Liam choked.

“Ryder,” Ryder exhaled in barely a whisper.

“Why are you here?” asked the woman who held the rope on my left hand.

“I only seek to find my Fairy! I swear we do not wish to harm any of you!” I grunted as the two women who held the ropes pulled in opposite directions, nearly dislocating my arms.

Navix leaned over us, his hair pointing straight up and the neck of his jacket forming a perfect circle around his head, covering half of the daylight.

“My name is Master Navix Hammersmith, captain of the Tournesol City Patrol. We do not trust you, strangers.” He gave a satirical smile and the rest of the crowd began to laugh. “But we welcome you all humbly to the proud city of Tournesol.”