Haru stood, latched onto the pulpit amid the thrones of the Magi. With eyes squeezed shut, she was paralyzed, unable to bear the result that was just reported.
Balthazaar, standing in front of his throne smiled. “There, at last some sort of rational decision-making has arrived in this court.” He turned his attention toward Haru. “Guards.”
Gaspar, with hands folded on his lap, sighed and stared at Melchior with a tilted head.
Melchior, in response to Gaspar’s exasperation, pursed his lips and gave a subtle nod, staring at the ground.
The two magi then turned and stared at Balthazaar in silence.
A set of three guards in shiny metal breastplates and helmets arrived, standing in a V-formation near the pulpit.
“This entity has been removed from the game. Place her under house arrest until adequate consensus has been reached for the means of proper disposal.” Balthazaar pointed at Haru.
The guards surrounded the witch, grabbing her by the arms and nape of her neck. Haru didn’t resist. She let her grip on the pulpit go, and the three guards lifted her up, then pulled her away from it.
“Goodbye, Haru.” Balthazaar smiled with big toothy grin. His voice artifacted, sounding malformed for a moment.
The three guards carried Haru back down the long pathway back through the massive double doors. Outside, the lone guard remained standing where he once was. But something was different. His face was similar to the NPC default, HUM_STD_001, with flat oval eyes, tapered black eyebrows and an unexpressive mouth, but flecks of gold danced within his irises. And, for some reason that Haru didn’t care to think about, a khaki hood with golden embroidery poked out from the back of the door guard’s breastplate.
For a moment, the door guard stood in his statue-like state. Then as the four passed, his attention slowly followed the group.
From the dark corners of the antechamber, a red glimmer shined for a moment. As the four approached the door leading back to the school, a lance emerged from the darkness. Then the red warrior’s wolf helm appeared on the very fringe of the light of the giant sconces. But his advance halted the moment he locked eyes with the strangely dressed door guard. They matched gaze for a moment, the door guard’s eyes widened, and he turned to square off with the red warrior.
The warrior’s focus darted between the four and the door guard. Having exposed half his body in the light, kneeling with lance couched against the roughhewn rock wall, the red warrior hesitated and lowered his weapon.
Likewise, the door guard eased his tense stance, turning his attention to the four about to exit the antechamber. Haru was shoved through the door and her captors followed. The red warrior retreated into the darkness on the fringe of the antechamber.
After being hauled through the exit, a blinding white light flooded Haru’s vision. They skipped the interior of the school, the main avenue, and arrived at her apartment straight from the antechamber. Her and the four guards stood at the front door.
“Get in.” One of the guards demanded.
The apartment door opened on its own and Haru was shoved inside. After she passed through completely, a pair of chains fastened themselves in a ‘X’ across the doorframe. After snapping to the doorway, they faded and turned into a red holographic strip with the words ‘NO ENTRY, NO EXIT’ repeatedly scrolling in the center.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
The guards then turned and departed, leaving her apartment door open. Haru rushed to watch them leave but smacked into a solid invisible wall where her door used to be. She couldn’t even reach out through the gaps between the holographic caution tape.
With a sigh, she gently closed the door. It didn’t matter that no one could enter or leave because Vernal had been moved to a different apartment shortly after he took over her encounter. It had been quiet and lonely in her house ever since.
Haru walked over to her bed, near the wide pane windows overlooking the main avenue and laid down. She closed her eyes and curled up in a ball, wondering what she’d done wrong to end up where she was, and what could have been done differently. It seemed like she did everything right and still lost.
Two gentle knocks on her front door startled her upright. Nervousness suddenly washed over her and her arms trembled. Had they decided her fate already?
Haru waited, frozen, sitting up on her bed. The gleeful chirping of birds out on the avenue was the only thing staving off absolute silence. She stared at the door, certain there would be more insistence for an answer. But there wasn’t. Her apartment was endlessly still and quiet.
Finally mustering up the courage to stand, Haru threw herself to her feet and creeped toward the door. She tensed more and more the closer she got. With her hand finally on the handle she swallowed hard and took a deep breath. With a violent yank, she pulled the door open.
There was no one there.
She looked around, wondering if she was just hearing things and then shut the door, relaxing. As Haru walked away, another two raps upon the door caused her to stop mid-step and she tensed once more. She walked back and wildly flung open the entrance.
And the witch met with an empty hallway.
Haru grumbled, certain she was hearing things. She latched shut the door and stepped away. But this time, there were two more knocks that hit so hard, they shook the walls and echoed throughout the hallway. The witch darted to the entrance and tossed it open with clenched teeth.
On her right, near the bottom of the door frame, a long stick reached out to a small nondescript box and gently slid it inside. Then it retreated.
“Hey!” Haru leaned, lurching forward to see who was messing around. But the moment her forehead reached the breach; it slammed with a thud against the invisible wall. “Ow!” She stumbled back and rubbed her forehead. “Who is that? This is no time to fool around.”
There was no reply, only the fading sound of footsteps opening distance down the hall.
After the ache from smacking her head into the wall subsided, she looked down at the package and picked it up. Upon closing the door, the witch noticed there was something written on the top of the box.
For Haru
She tapped the package, and it opened. Within was a platinum tiara and a letter. Haru picked it up. A lone gem was set in the middle, shimmering with rose gold and pink tones. It scintillated with a wild energy that frightened the witch. She placed it back in the box and opened the letter, which was sealed with red wax. It read:
No princess should be without her tiara for too long. Keep it safe and it shall return the favor.
Your Secret Admirer
Haru stared inside the box at the glimmering tiara and hummed, intimidated by the idea of picking it up again. She placed the letter back in the box and set it on her bed. Then she sat down next to the package, wondering who sent this to her.
The sense of being watched descended upon her. Haru’s attention darted to the window beside her bed.
Sitting on the leftmost planter mounted on the outside of the window was a man in a white suit.
Haru yelped and jumped to her feet.
The stranger held his hands out. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle.” He smiled a bright toothy grin. His long black slicked back hair wagged in the breeze. “I would have come to the door, but it seems like you’re in a bit of a bind right now. Thought it would be a bit awkward.”
“And sitting on my flowers isn’t?” Haru blurted.
“Right, still strange, don’t get me wrong.” The well-dressed man motioned to him sitting down. “But at least you don’t have to just stand there at your door like a prisoner. You can pull up a chair and enjoy the view.” He motioned in front of him toward the avenue and let out a boyish laugh. “Or sit on your bed and enjoy the breeze, like you always do.”
Haru crossed her arms. Something about this man was vile in every way imaginable.
The stranger pivoted the way he was sitting to look at Haru. “Alright, look we got off on the wrong foot.” He looked down at his legs. “...or seat.” He smiled. “I understand it’s a bit of a rough time right now and I don’t want to bring you anymore anguish with uncomfortable situations. I’m a friend, I assure you. Let me introduce myself.”
The tiara gently bumped against the sides of the box.
“My name is Saturnus. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” He continued to grin and extended his hand but did not cross the boundary of the open window.
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The Package Was...
