Page 4 of The Hunchback

Kwazeem

Ipaced my room with increasing agitation, further fueled by my imps chirping and flying around me. I wanted to go down to the chapel to listen to the Chant, and to steal a close up view of Esmeralda. If I hid on the balcony, no one would be the wiser. I didn’t even have to take the elevator. The temple had many hidden passages that no one used anymore; all of which I was intimately familiar with.

Although they couldn’t speak with words, the imps were highly intelligent. Over the years, we had developed our own sign language through which they could communicate their thoughts to me. Victus glared at me and signed for me to go. Both he and Lazarus hated that I remained locked away in my room while life passed me by. No matter how many times I’d explained to them that I might get killed or chased out of town if the citizens knew a Fallen hybrid lived in their midst, they persisted I should go out into the world.

But this… This I could indulge in and get away with. Even now, I could feel her power swirling around me, beckoning me.

“Okay. Okay, I will go,” I said to them, although it was more to convince myself I would truly do this.

The imps chirped their happiness, hugged my neck, and gave me a kiss before flying towards an inconspicuous section of the wall. I waved my hand in a specific pattern before the hidden motion detector. The wall panel opened revealing a secret passage to the emergency staircase. I made my way down the stairs… the endless flights of stairs.

It was no problem at first, but halfway through the ten stories I had to climb down, each step I took resonated painfully in the middle of my spine. It was there that the wretched fluid that tortured and disfigured me accumulated at the base of my hump over a month’s period. In five days, Frollo would drain it out for me, relieving me of my suffering. And for a week or two after that, the swelling and the blotching would go away. If not for the hump, I would look normal… handsome even.

But I was committed. No pain would keep me from my prize and the powerful lure of the Vestal’s enticing energy. Dim at first, the sound of an angelic voice gradually grew as I approached my destination. Victus squealed with excitement.

“Hush!” I hissed in a low voice. “You will give us away!”

Hovering next to me, Victus covered his mouth with both hands and gave me a sheepish look with his big, beady black eyes. He was so adorable, I couldn’t be angry with him, even if I’d wanted to. I tapped my left shoulder, indicating I wasn’t mad, and he eagerly landed on it before cuddling against my neck. Not wanting to be left out, Lazarus settled on my right shoulder and imitated his brother. I smiled and finished my descent along the rest of the stairs to the second floor, clenching my teeth through the pain.

I opened another secret panel which revealed a hidden staircase that stopped halfway between the second floor and the ground floor. A dark passage led to the balcony of the chapel. A regular human would have needed some kind of light to see, but thanks to my Fallen heritage, I had perfect night vision. Trying to ignore the divine sound of Esmeralda’s voice, I pressed my ear to the panel that would part to grant me access to the balcony, and listened for any movement on the other side.

Not hearing or sensing any presence, I silently slid it open. A wave of power slammed into me, and I almost whimpered as my knees wobbled beneath me. The crystalline sound of her voice penetrated deep within me and into my very soul. I snuck onto the balcony on shaky legs, mesmerized by her Chant. But with each note, a strange energy pulsated in my chest. As it grew, so did the stabbing pain in my back. I ignored it, advancing in a half-crouch in front of the empty benches to look through the ornate bars of the ramp at the dais inside the chapel.

Barefoot, clad in a traditional ceremonial Roman dress, the white fabric tightly cinched at her narrow waist, Esmeralda looked like an innocent young nymph. Hands held before her, palms up in a gesture of devotion, she sang in the old tongue, facing the altar of Vesta—which was essentially an energy collector. Behind her, the Maidens each held Light Orbs, which they attempted to attune to Esmeralda’s energy signature. They obviously didn’t have her power level, but like leeches, once properly aligned with her, they would feed off of the Vestal’s energy to manipulate to their own will.

And behind the Maidens, sitting by himself on one of the ground floor benches, Frollo stared at Esmeralda with a hungry, predatory look that made my blood boil, my fangs descend, and my claws stick out. I knew that look well, but he wouldn’t have her.

Not her. Not ever.

But even as I burned with possessive anger, my skin began to crackle with energy. Tendrils of electricity appeared along my arms, writhing and coiling with accrued strength around my hands. I stared in fascination at the phenomenon, feeling an incredible surge of energy within me. At the same time, Esmeralda’s voice became louder, richer, fuller. Similar electric tendrils to those covering me began to form over her extended arms and around the altar.

As Frollo rose to his feet, mouth gaping at Esmeralda’s incredible display of power, I fell to my knees, teeth clenched in pain. The Chant filled me with something akin to physical pleasure—almost orgasmic in its nature—and a tremendous sense of power. At the same time, pure agony coursed through me as the Chant intensified the symptoms of my condition. My face throbbed and was swelling at an exponential rate. My skin felt on the verge of splitting open, and ghostly hands were frantically stabbing at my hump with a searing hot blade.

By the time I broke free of the trance the Chant had put me under, I could barely refrain from crying out in agony. My vision blurred and my stomach roiled as I attempted to crawl on all fours towards the hidden passage. I didn’t even cross a meter before I collapsed. A strangled cry rose from my throat while my imps flew around my head in panic.

The Chant abruptly stopped. The only sound echoing through the room was the muffled thump of my convulsing limbs. Victus flew over the railing to seek out Frollo for help. The Maidens gasped and squealed in fear, while Esmeralda merely gaped in shock. Victus signed to Frollo to come rescue me. The Praetor obviously didn’t understand the message, but the fury contorting his features revealed he at least understood that I had disobeyed his order to stay in my quarters.

The excruciating pain torturing me overrode the worry that would normally seize me at the prospect of his justified wrath. Right now, I just wished to lose consciousness so that I no longer felt like my spine was being repeatedly torn right out of my back. But I was trapped in this endless well of misery.

“You little vermin,” Frollo hissed.

Raising his palm towards Victus, Frollo sent out a bolt of lightning, hitting the imp square in the chest. I shouted for him to stop, but only a tortured groan got past my lips. Victus flopped to the floor, stunned. Lazarus squeaked in fear while his brother weakly flapped his wings.

“NO!” Esmeralda shouted when Frollo made to zap the imp again. She rushed down from the dais to pick up Victus.

“This creature shouldn’t be inside this sacred temple,” Frollo said in a hard voice. “I’ve been too soft with my gardener. Apologies that such a powerful Chant should have been so rudely interrupted.”

“It’s okay,” Esmeralda said, looking disturbed by Frollo’s anger. “I believe we are sufficiently attuned, anyway.” She cast a look towards the Maidens seeking confirmation. They all nodded while staring warily at the imp.

Victus, flapping his wings again, flew drunkenly out of Esmeralda’s grasp and towards me.

“I think there’s someone up there,” Esmeralda said, her voice filled with concern. “Someone in pain. Could it be your gardener?”

“Do not worry. I will handle it,” Frollo said in a clipped tone. “You’ve had a long day, and a longer one still awaits you in the morning. I will see you tomorrow.

Esmeralda hesitated, casting a worried glance up at the balcony before caving. She exited the room, and instead of hastening to my side, Frollo stared at the balcony with murder in his eyes. My own eyes felt like they were being squished inside my skull. Despite his dizziness, Victus poured what little healing abilities he possessed into me to try and lessen my pain, imitated by his brother. But I was beyond their assistance.

The electric coils that had danced over my skin and the intense power I’d felt within faded with Esmeralda’s departure. I was left with nothing but the abysmal torment from which the Praetor didn’t seem too eager to relieve me. Pained moans poured out of me in a steady stream for an eternity. I didn’t know if I’d lost consciousness, but Frollo’s hand suddenly yanking me onto a hover stretcher sent a new wave of agony through my body, and this time, blessed darkness fell before my eyes.

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