7. Chapter 6
7
Chapter 6
Julen
Piercing light illuminated the pendulum, hurting Julen’s eyes. Haligran, Lupan, and the head physician stood in the observation gallery, shrouded in shadows. For nearly two generations, the crypt had been the burial site of the past ruler’s father, King Praecepto, Lapistra’s ruler. Haligran scrubbed the territory clean of anything resembling an homage to his predecessor, King Morab, including his family members’ tombs.
Julen’s breath hitched at the sight of the pendulum resonator, and a cold chill ran down his spine. It resembled a torture device. A heavy bob dangled from a sturdy cable connected to an axle perpendicular to the platform. An intricate gear system started with a pinion attached to the axle, setting off a cascade of gears linked to discs positioned beneath the platform. As the pendulum swung, this system would unleash intense vibrations.
Julen’s disastrous performance at the showcase led to a team of physicians working around the clock to find the cause. Days after his return from Cupidor, they presented a plan to Julen and Haligran.
The ancient texts spoke of a monumental planetary quake that still reverberated in the form of periodic aftershocks. Before this seismic event, Vexorlings were devoid of any magical powers. However, several years post-quake, powers began to emerge. This gave birth to the prevailing theory that the quake and the vibrations of its ongoing aftershocks were the catalyst for these powers and why Julen was about to be strapped to this nightmare machine before him. The logic was that the intense vibrations of the pendulum would mirror those of the tectonic plates, thereby expediting his power manifestation.
Julen agreed to the procedure, knowing his father would ridicule him if he didn’t. Truthfully, Julen was willing to do anything. He couldn’t be the only adult male in the royal family who couldn’t manifest, and the brutalistic citizens would demand that he be removed from the line of succession if that were the case. He would endure whatever was necessary to bring about his powers. He had to.
The head physician spoke, “Your Highness, please come to the platform.”
Julen stepped onto the platform and lay down. The tough wood pressed against the underside of his body. Several physicians approached and locked Julen’s wrists and ankles into the manacles. His eyes widened as he stared at the metal bob above him. If it fell, it would kill him.
The physician spoke again, “Your Highness requested increasing the bob’s weight to amplify the vibrations’ strength. Are you sure this is what you want? We can decrease the weight.”
Haligran let out a derisive huff, a calculated taunt. Julen knew his father was goading him, daring him to prove himself as the weakling Haligran believed him to be.
Julen stopped the physician. “No. I want this to work. I want the bob to remain heavy.”
The physician sighed. “As you wish, Your Highness.”
Julen quivered as a cool breeze washed over him. Behind him, someone manipulated the wind. The bob shifted slightly, but as the current surged, it propelled the heavy bob toward the wall opposite his feet. The current stopped once the bob was parallel to the ground, and the pendulum swung over Julen.
He screamed as searing pain tore from his feet to his head. Before he could brace himself, the pendulum swung back, causing the same ripping agony from his head to his feet .
The force of the platform hit him like a barrage of planks slamming against his body, each vibration sending waves of pain coursing through him. The agony intensified as the pendulum continued its swing. His muscles began to spasm.
The pain was beyond anything he had ever experienced. Julen twisted his body desperately, attempting to distance parts of himself from the platform, seeking even the slightest relief. His vision blurred, and the world around him began to spin. A garbled moan escaped his lips.
The pendulum’s relentless swinging forced the planks to beat at his body over and over again. His bones rattled, and the vibrations against his skull made him ill. He couldn’t find air anymore. The physicians yelled, and Haligran shouted something in response, but Julen couldn’t distinguish their words. He only heard metal gears scraping against one another, the wood pounding against his body, and the hiss of the pendulum as it cut through the air.
It became unbearable. Julen tried to call out, but words were a thing of the past. He began screaming. One long continuous shriek trying to signal that it was too much—that he feared for his life. The pain didn’t stop. He thought his body would tear to pieces. Stop. Too much. Please. PLEASE.
Julen wailed long and loud. The platform halted, and a gust of wind blew down his body. He braced himself for more pain. Tears streamed down his face as he gasped for breath.
But the pain stopped. The pendulum didn’t swing above him. He realized that someone was using the wind to halt the bob. He gasped for air, panic still constricting his chest.
The head physician yelled, “Untie him now! Get him up!”
Hands began fidgeting at the manacles. People to his right carefully lifted him. The room spun, and his body throbbed in agony.
The soft gurney they laid him on felt like sweet salvation. Thank you, Mother Planet. He knew people were looming above him, but their faces were blurry as the room swirled. He felt a prick in his arm that forced his eyes to close. Then everything went dark.