ancient and mystic creatures hide away. It suggests that something new will come to you

n actions because you will never

ch

re I was, nor whether was I floating still on the high seas. I opened my eyes and

er all a

ck home after years of war, suffering and bloodshed. I was strolling over the deck, watching the water shattering against the

He had thrown an empty bottle to the ground and dried out his beard with th

ough of broken bones and bleeding flesh. And I perfectly knew that, if only he'd dared to lay his

nd so fast that he didn't even notice and broke his wrist with a rapid elbow movement. He fell onto the ground,

developed particular independence and I was able to perceive a strike coming behind my back, through a sole movement of air. I hurled one of them against the barrel

ship counted more cabin boys than passengers;

me in the head, a punch ran over my jawbone, then somebody fastened me

, but either way, I spent half a day float

econds but then I shook

to that sole means of survival. I felt my head set ablaze and the shooting pain around my jaws wouldn’t show any si

e of a figure moving along the surface of the waves; it held to the barrel and I was sure that it was about a

to belong to a man’s. I tried to oppose the pain in my head and I raised it to gain a better visual of my savior; I saw a little wrist, a thin

ky was orange and the sun was setting over the horizon. I couldn't seem to move, I couldn't seem to speak; my t

finally

baby but the body of a woman; her long hair, perhaps brown perhaps red, fell down on my chest and dripped on my body; she gazed at me with

hen I was a little child. Her lips were red like blood, rich and full; they seemed to invite me to taste them. I asked myself whether she was a siren; she saved me from the waters, dragged me to the shore, I hadn't seen where she turned up from nor unders

ing away. I opened my eyes and I saw myself reflected in those irises: I was totally twisted, with

r thumbs. That scene, indescribable and magnificent paralyzed me. She was so a

eal indeed. I moved one hand toward that face at such a short distance from me, and I touched it: her skin was soft and warm, and her chee

that she got

uldn't distinguish anything but the sound of roaring waves

ower, but the only thing I could get was to fall down on a hip. I remained laying down to

ame to the conclusion that I imagined everything. I had been under the burning sun for hours, I’d swallowed salted wate

to be found into my stomach. I inhaled the smell of so

uards and walked up to me. They lifted me off the ground and looked at me with uncertainty. They c

hing to the other, but I was so dazed I couldn’t understand a single word. I could only hear scattered syllables, while the splash of waves o

st guard to the second. “The

eats of an automobile and closed the car door with very little tact. Then I heard the rumble of the engine turning on, and lastly, the r

ere exposed; men, instead, crowded up where merchandise was bartered, screaming and yelling; they patted each other’ shoulders, while rummaging for hunting tools and gadgets and different types of handworks; there were sheds still, buil

where. Some wooden boxes had been piled up next to what seemed to be the c

ose ways older and more precarious, great white X's had been painted. I perfectly knew what they meant: t

me within the kingdom of Monte Cr

as made of a high lush peak, whereon twirled a dreadful-looking falcon, great wings spread, talons in plain

, then it perched on the peak of a great mountain, the highest among others. The man had decided to build his castle over there, and then he'd given birth to a prosperous, mighty

nd honor, but for me had just become a usurpation to

pretended not to remember the bodies left burnin

ountain, the same mountain which the reign took its name from. A third sentinel verified the back seats

ome out and dragged me

h as a wall, amber columns and golden trimmings all over the place. All that shininess went t

of a rifle he’d taken apart. When the doorways of the room were closed, he looked up to me just for a moment, then he returned to his doings. His irises were blood-injected. He wore a black suit an

right-hand punch if only I hadn’t had my mind in a thousand p

his face at that moment, not in t

to him: “We’ve found hi

: “Welcome back, Captain Castiglio

ween themselves: only now they realized that I was their new captain d

red for a moment; as he got back to be serious, they reappeared and I felt a sort of disgust for him, e

s left out in the sea by some vessel and the current brought him to the shor

He said to me with a sneer. Although I hadn’t surely made a first good impression, the King seemed pleased to

how captain Michael Castiglione had arrived.” Then he returned to address me: “

me with such a low tone that I could sense his harshness even the conditions I was

e screams of innocent people being slaughtered resonated inside my ears. The freezing col

look him in the eye while he said: “I want you to recover, captain, very soon also. You are here for quite a specific reason.” He had a gruff and subdued tone of voice: he caused me a revulsion beyond measure. The lushness he flaunted

mace: “You can’t even fathom how much your experience will be convenient for us here.”

nd hatred: “What are you waiting for?” He yelle

a way gentler manner, towards a small sofa near a crackling firep

, looked at me with curiosity and an evid

you, Captain Castiglione

sume a peaceful,

s,

rs onto victory in the great war.” He was so fanatical and complacent about what he was saying that I won

ing some bones and cut off other

e lightning in the eyes. His back bent towa

enough he could see my hatred in the eyes: “No, Sir. They

sons.” He told me with arrogance. The hatred I felt for him intensified by the minute. However, in war, I lea

make you escort, captain, and right by tomorrow I expect you to start working with the troops already. I have a particular mission for you, but I demand all your attention and co

tanding up. “See you tomor

as I exited the palace, I breathed the pure and fresh air, which had nothing

uided me to

raining camp, I reali

except for the boy who accompanied me up the stairs of the grand mans

el better and to see

soldier. Upon his uniform, I saw a pi

given specific instructions so that every soldier

ically. “War is over. Moreover, any

erious than I thought. Then he looked himself around, just to make sure there was no one, he moved closer to me and whispered: “Sir, here is being fought a war that is

I would have put my arms aside forever, instead, a n

g else. I intended to put my

my mind returned to b

was too much tangible just to be my fantasy. It must not have been a oneiric representation of my

me to that figure. Darkness and incomprehension hovered arou

y had returned, but along with that, also the perception of pain. Ja

. I looked myself in the mirror and I felt ridiculous. I tore every shining and useless thing away from me. When I

car, a BMW judging from the initials on the fob. Looking out of the window, I immediately saw

s. Young troopers who were checking out the general quarter and the offices started to notice my presence. In my pas

, on floors and also on bare soil, and laying down on a bed made me feel like falling into empty space. It has often occurred that I had

deeply, I mounted on a horse and I exited th

strong and elegant over the city, perching upon its presence. The mo

a string of fog enveloped it almost entirely a

er tons of lava and the whole surrounding area had been flooded with blazing embers and bursting la

arated both kingdoms by the ocean. Every realm was connected to the other through a series of prearranged naval routes. The long untarmacked road leading from Victor's palace into

on his signature. It delivered a series of regulations that every citizen must have fo

urd to me that I didn’t st

asants looked up to me with contempt, soldiers with admiration and hope; many houses were abandoned, others destroyed, food ra

my passage. At first, I didn’t understand why but then I saw it. Right before my eyes. In the middle of an immense square, once adorned by plants and flowers, the land w

concealed by the continuous come-and-go

nging

enched my fists with so much strength tha

ere cut through scars to earlier other logs; its leaves had utterly blown away. People even only

leaflets hung on the outside door of a

pecific orders, both to

of King Vict

from today, subject to daily supervis

t of his majesty. Anybody proving to sympathize with rebels or anybo

e the city with raw material, will not make resistance to the royal guards, will retreat

ng the laws aforementioned will be

Cremisi will be obliged to refer

izens will collabora

Wit

ouncil of

vere level. I rolled the flier into a ball and thrust it into the pocket of the jacket. Then, I p

own onto his desk, spilling the ink inside a small pot. He was writing something on a sheet with a bea

ce sounded vigorous like thunder. I could see the s

arming calm. Then he gazed at me with a half-co

tually, I sat down, but I silently ground my teeth. The King became aware of that;

a placid tone. “Monte Cremisi is no l

ike I’ve found it here again, in Monte Cremisi. It has ended,

t uttered those words, then he fell silent as

onting each other for various reasons. Here, I only see soldiers persecuting poor people.” I paused

re that I understood his motives. Having to choose between sticking a knife down

ng to me. “These few individuals, with time, had become dozens, later hundreds. They go by the name of Rebels. They are men and women. Boys and

solution?” I aske

as if he had turned into a monster. “Not a solution, but a reprimand for all the others.” In his eyes, the rippling image of The Hanging Tr

s hair off the face an

, but they’re recruiting more and more followers. An

I asked, wi

stiffened. I immediately sensed that something was off in his behavior. He st

son why you’re here,

ighting the city and seize a civilian that you consider dangerou

ve decided so. You are under my command, you are a soldier of mine and, as such, not o

of remaining still. I nodded a yes and V

zure of subject R. Make some investigations around town, question people, do whatever

anything about th

hat the subject was already captured some time ago but he managed to escape. He dug dirt on my reputation, weakened my power and di

ing me off to t

wice: I turned around and

r question to ask him came to my mind. I turned a

” I a

hen he got his eyes off the paper

s R stand

pped the brandy. Then he put the glass back a

d me. “It stands for Rebel. It's the mon

I rapidly waved goodby

irst time I he

h a case would've turned