《Arcana: The Rebel King》


 Chapter One: The Betrayal

    Chapter One: The Betrayal


    Sunsets over the mountains were particularly beautiful over the Northern regions of the continent of Vita. I don''t know how else to say it but there''s something about a blazing beacon descending over a frozen tundra that pulls at the souls strings. I would probably miss that the most.


    I was currently standing in perhaps my favourite spot in this whole world. A large plateau that had been formed by my friend Drogna, a rather spirited young dwarf.


    The plateau had been carved into the side of one of the great Cold Shear mountains. Large steps had been hewn into the rock with a practised ease, allowing easy access to the dizzying view that the plateau presented. As I looked over the world below I couldn''t help but gasp at the sight. So familiar, but so foreign.


    The large valley that we, The Rebel Court, had found so long ago when in need of a home, had been transformed by loving hands while still keeping it''s natural beauty. Tree''s swelled in number below, reaching cast heights as they seemed to push ever upwards towards the sun, A verdant green that was touched by the frost and snow of the icy conditions.


    If one listened hard enough they could hear the various streams that flowed like veins through the raging wild below and the many creatures that called this valley their home.


    Due to the vast mountains ringing the huge forest, the world outside knew little of the lives of those who lived within. There was only one passable way through the Cold Shears, and it was controlled by my people, always alert and ready for action.


    As I turned my head over to the right I saw, in all it''s glory, a dream that it had taken me years to create: Ellai, The City of Magic.


    The silver city some called it. Huge towers of silvery metal climbed high into the sky, walls built to repel all forms of war and keep it''s citizens safe stood stalwart and proud. The city of Ellai was a place that all could come and be treated as equal, where one could be accepted and taught the secrets of magic, taught that it wasn''t something cursed. The city itself was built almost entirely by magical power and yet that only added to it''s majestic beauty.


    How could magic be as evil as the Church said it was?


    A smile formed on my face. I would''ve enjoyed the sight a lot more if it wasn''t for my current predicament.


    The blade that had pierced my heart was slowly embedding itself further, seeming to have a will of its own and I suppose it did. A weapon that could sap my strength so easily was hard to come by, so for it to have semi-sentience certainly explained it''s power.


    Weapons that have their own personality, their own souls, were incredibly rare. They had to have had a history that spanned centuries, so old that they began to absorb the thoughts and feelings of their wielders and came to form their own thoughts in turn.


    I suppose it was beautiful in a way. For something that was made of cold metal, built to destroy and take life, to develop it''s own mind. To choose to take a path. It reminded me of myself, how I had chosen my own path. A path that brought me to this point, just outside the city I helped create. Centuries of struggle and hardship, I savoured those moments, savoured them all.


    I felt a smile begin to crawl across my face, not one of joy but resignation. I knew that the dagger in my chest spelt my end. I could feel it drain me of my mana, my means to draw magic. Without that I might as well be a normal human.


    The comparison made me chuckle and then draw in a sharp breath as my brief moment of enjoyment brought about one of intense pain.


    ¡°I''m sorry, but it must be done¡±


    The words were lost on me. How can you say sorry when you have literally ran a dagger into my heart. It''s not like you slipped.


    Another chuckle left me at my attempt at a morbid joke at my own expense. Just as the bout of laughter and pain passed, a woman stepped into view, blocking my sight of the beautiful sunset. Perhaps this was better, her beauty was at least its equal.


    My companion for the past six hundred years, my childhood friend, the woman I had loved since we were young but never had the courage to tell her. Marwenna, first daughter of the Elven Empire. A princess in every sense of the word, her movements were graceful and poised, As if she was attending a grand ball instead of my surprise execution. Her soft features and sad smile almost broke my heart. Tears began to freely run down my face as I began to understand the situation. Marwen had killed me. My best friend had killed me.


    Marwen wore the armour I had made for her centuries before, silver that fitted her form perfectly. she had wanted to ''show her assets'' if I remember the term correctly and I had done as she had commanded. Besides the shimmering armour, a long royal blue cloak floated behind her in the harsh cold air and in her hand was that legendary blade, The Angelis.


    She looked like some kind of warrior goddess and to many they had met her in battle, she was just that. She was one of my Generals after all. One of the six Knights of the Rebel Court. Six of the most powerful warriors in the entirety of the continent. She was the first and most favoured, the greatest of my champions, known for her undying loyalty to the cause we had built together.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Questions formed in my mind, how could they not. Why had the woman who had stood by my side for years turned on me. Why had she chosen now, of all times, to do it. Just when we were so close to getting the equality we had dreamed about. A world where all races could exist together and magic that was not controlled by the church of Vitriss could be shared and celebrated.


    ¡°You did the right thing Marwen, you''re free now¡±


    The voice that came from behind me sent me into hysterics once again. Valant. Of course it was Valant. The champion of Vitriss, The Goddess of the True Flame. My laughter reached a crescendo as he appeared from the corner of my eye and took a place at Marwen''s side, placing a hand on her narrow shoulder.


    Like Marwen, he too was an elf, his pointed ears were a rarity among the ranks of the faithful. Rumour had it that the only reason he had reached such a high posting in the church was due to his high affinity for magical ability. He was their sword and shield, a man of faith that would never abandon the church or defy their commands.


    A true zealot.


    To my surprise Marwen did not flinch away from his touch and instead turned and wrapped her arms around him, her near silent sobbing would have been hard to hear for any creature, but to someone like me, each sound was as clear was crystal and each filled me with a boundless pain.


    Yet I continued to laugh, masking my hatred and sadness.


    Valant and myself had been at this game for a long time, at least thirty years, ever since he had become their new champion. The previous three had all challenged me to single combat. Because they were idiots. Why would you challenge someone who is clearly your superior in combat? I never found out the answer, they all died much to fast.


    Valant was different though. Behind his love of Vitriss was a man who was calculating and intelligent. Ask anyone in the world what is to be most feared and he or she would say a tornado, a tsunami, a plague. Something that could not be stopped or vanquished by mortal men. But I would say a man of faith. Not just any man of faith, but one who thinks and acts clearly. One who is not bound enough that he has stopped thinking for himself. It was what made Valant such a frightful enemy. Not because of his skill in combat, I was sure I could defeat him with ease. But he knew that also, which made him think of very interesting ways to bring me down. Poison, a rebellion among my ranks and now this. The manipulation of one I thought was beyond his control.


    Marwenna, what have you done?


    Valant gently disengaged himself from Marwen with a gentle smile and began to make his way over to me, the Princess following behind him with her head bowed.


    ¡°It has been a long time coming Rebel King.¡± Valant spoke clearly as he reached for the sword at his waist. Corravai I believe the sword was called. A blade that was bestowed upon him as it was on every man or woman who took up the title of Champion of Vitriss. As he pulled the sword from it''s sheath, it was suddenly wreathed in ethereal white flames.


    ¡°The Goddess has spoken to both the lady Marwen and myself. She has said that your death was decided, and that it would come at the hand of the one whom you love.¡± His words were laced with malice, he truly hated me to his core.


    ¡°And so it shall be. For what you have done to Lady Marwen, you shall be expelled from this world and will stand before the Goddess in judgement.¡± He finished with a sombre tone, even as he lifted his mighty sword to cast me down.


    Me on the other hand, I had no idea what to think. Marwen had spoken to the Goddess? The bitch in charge of the church? What was this bullshit, Valant is lying, he had to be. He had used some kind of magic on her, their was no way Marwen would ever betray me. Even if some Goddess had commanded it.


    ¡°MARWENNA!¡± I roared at the elf. But she merely moved back further into Valant''s shadow.


    ¡°She is not commanded by you any more Corus! Vitriss in her divine wisdom revealed the magic you cast on her, the magic you cast on all of the Knights of the Rebel Court! You''re mind warping power will not work on her, she has the protection of the divine.¡± Valant was yelling at me now, he seemed to believe the words he was saying. Believe me, I can tell, it was a neat trick I picked up. Not magic, it was just a way of reading people. With everything I know about Valant, there was no way he was lying. He genuinely thought I was a monster who enslaved the people who followed me.


    What madness is this?


    ¡°How could you¡±


    The words were so quiet that I almost missed them. Valant seemed to hesitate for a moment before bowing to Marwen and standing aside, letting her say her piece. For a moment she continued to stare at the ground, her eyes hidden behind her dark hair, her grip on The Angelis trembling.


    ¡°Me I understand, perhaps even Drogna and Heilvol I can understand¡± Her eyes raised to meet mine and in their depths was such fury that I never seen before.


    ¡°But Cinder! YOU USED MAGIC TO CONTROL A LITTLE GIRL, TO FORCE HER TO KILL!¡± Before I could react, The Angelis whipped through the air as sharp and fast as lightning, slicing a wound across my chest from shoulder to hip.


    The pain was intense, Angelis was a sentient weapon, capable of thought and feeling. It responded to the emotions of it''s wielder. The pain I felt was intensified a thousand fold with the power of Marwen''s emotions being released by the blade. I could only scream as the wound cauterised as soon as the blade finished it''s path. The agony continued to grow, beyond imagining, beyond even the black dagger still digging into my chest. Another of The Angelis'' perks. Every cut with it''s blade would immediately burn shut. It had been helpful in the past but when it happens to you it''s another story. I continued to scream as the wound finished sealing and then I began to dry heave onto the ground, tears rolling down my face still as the pain began to subside.


    With effort I pushed myself to my feet, the snow breaking slightly beneath me. The cut had ripped my shirt open, revealing the multitude of scars and muscle that covered my body. My new addition snaked across my chest, leaving an angry red wound that was perhaps the largest of my still growing collection. Well done to me.


    ¡°Marwenna, Cin is the way she is, you can''t change her, she''s a vampire¡± I whispered, one hand held against my new scar, my own light green eyes finding her dark blue ones. ¡°I never used mind magic on her, you or any of the others. Why would you believe that. You who know me best, you who know me better than I know myself-¡±


    ¡°I KNOW BECAUSE THE GODDESS SHOWED ME!¡± roared Marwen as she brought The Angelis up again, this time with the clear intention to kill.


    I watched the blade descend and moved to stop it, but found I couldn''t, the pain and exertion of both Marwen''s wound and the dagger were too much for me to handle.


    I smiled at her as I took one step. My magic was gone, my power all but spent. But I would convince her, before I died, I would convince her.


    She hesitated as I stepped forward.


    That hesitation was all I needed.


    I pushed forward with the last of my strength, raised both hands and placed them gently on each of her cheeks. Her eyes opened wide, fear evident within them.


    ¡°I didn''t do this¡±


    Marwen''s eyes continued to stare unblinkingly, a sea of emotion surged through them. Fear, anger, love... but they settled on hate.


    The princess roared in anguish as she pushed me back and brought The Angelis up and down in one blinding attack.


    With that, my best friend killed me.

 Chapter Two: She who sees all

    Chapter Two: She who sees all


    I was floating in a world of absolute nothingness.


    All around me, in every direction was a bright white that engulfed all. I tried to move at first, tried to make sense of my surroundings, but it felt like I was swimming in honey. To move one hand required all of my strength and didn''t seem to make much of difference.


    Eventually, I gave up completely. At the very least, the pain was gone. I raised a hand to my chest to feel the scar that marked my body from Marwen''s Angelis and instead felt nothing but smooth skin and muscle. Hmm, strange.


    I began to examine my body in greater detail, the time it took to move my head was quite lengthy, but in my current predicament, I had nothing but time.


    As I brought my head down to allow my eyes to view my chest I noticed that I was a lot paler than usual, which was worrying. I was quite sun tanned because of the amount of time I spent outdoors. Being constantly on the move and marching almost guarantee''s sun kissed skin. But now I almost looked like a ghost.


    God, I hope I wasn''t dying.


    Ha, that was a good one.


    With a rye chuckle I finished my examination and came to a rather sound conclusion. This wasn''t the body I was born in.


    And as I realised that, I also realised I was stark naked.


    My dick was on display to everyone and by everyone I mean the nothingness that had become my life. At least it was a decent size, silver linings and all that.


    It also appeared as if I was a lot younger, possibly in my late teens, but without seeing my own face I had no way of telling, it was possible I was an elf... nope, rounded and very human ears.


    In the world I had just departed I was a human, technically, so I was supposed to live a healthysixtyyears and pass away. But the difference between me and ordinary humans was the magic I wielded, immense in it''s scope and scale. Humans were the weakest generally when it came to mana and had very little talent for it as a race. I suppose I was the exception.


    I had long ago found ways to prolong my life beyond the means of a normal human being. I simply had to try and alter my body to allow mana to naturally cycle through it, much like an elf cycles mana to gain their naturally massive lifespans.


    But even then, it was wasn''t true immortality. I wasn''t as physically strong as an elf, nor as fast. I would only live half as long as one and I wouldn''t look like I was in my early twenties for thousands of years. I would still die when I grew old enough and could still be killed by a sword or magic.


    Evidence enough of this fact was that The Angelis could kill me, and the magical half-alive dagger sapped my strength long enough for it to accomplish that.


    As I thought of The Angelis, my mind flashed back to Marwen and Valant. I unconsciously felt my fist''s closing and my fingernails digging into the palms of my hands. My teeth began to grit against each other as tears filled my eyes.


    The questions I asked myself merely filled me with more questions. I already realised that Valant was not lying about believing that nonsense story and it seemed Marwen had been convinced as well. Perhaps Cinder was used as some kind of trigger for her. She had always had a soft spot for the young vampire and had taken her under her wing. It didn''t take long after that for little Cin to take her place as one of my General''s. Her determination and focus were second to none. As was her bloodlust.


    It had always scared Marwen, how a child could be so ferocious, and she had taken it upon herself to teach her the ways of the world. Who and who not to kill. I was roped into it as well to be, as Marwen put it, a ''responsible elder''. The reason for that was Cin looked up to me, treated me like an older brother.


    I loved Cin, I loved Marwen, why would she think I would do this?


    ¡° I believe I can answer that question, Rebel King¡±


    The voice that spoke came from everywhere and nowhere at once. I began to turn my head from one side to the other, my heart beating a mile a minute, searching for the source of the almost transcendent tone.


    ¡°I can only be seen if I wish to be. This is my world.¡±


    I stopped my squirming. It seems that the voice was in control for now and, curiously, it seemed to be able to hear my thoughts. I couldn''t even tell if it was male or female.


    Curious, very curious.


    I opened my mouth to respond to the presence but for some reason, no words emerged. It was as if there was no breath in my lungs.


    ¡°You will speak when I allow it, Corus. We have much to discuss.¡±


    As those words finished forming the world began to grow dark around me. Only at the edges at first and then a sea of darkness closed in on me from all sides. All I could do was bring my hands up before the dark hit me like a war hammer and I felt my grip on consciousness slip away.


    * * *


    I awoke with a startled cry, looking around in a rush. My breath became fast and heavy as I tried to gather my thoughts.


    Wait, breath?


    ¡°Hello!? Is anybody there!¡± I cried and immediately became startled at the almost musical and youthful tone of my own voice.


    Ha, seems I could talk again which was a lovely realisation, even if I did sound like some kind of young noble brat. I took a moment to examine my surroundings.


    I appeared to have woken up in some kind of forested area, a clearing. The tree''s that encircled the small clearing were rather short compared to the forest that surrounded Ellai, but I wasn''t complaining. They seemed to glow with an otherworldly light. I then noticed a small and well-trodden path off to my left, that led deeper into the forest. I couldn''t help but feel an ominous tingle creep up my spine. This place was almost too perfect.


    It was hard to notice at first but everything seemed too colourful, too full of life. From each blade of grass to the flowers, to the tree''s, everything seemed to glow with vitality. It made me feel a little uneasy. I had seen such places before but never on this scale. It would be fair to say that Ellai itself was a smaller version of what this place was.A construct of magic.


    While much of the stone that made up Ellai had been heavily enchanted and even placed with magic, this place seemed to have been fully created. And a being that was capable of that was one I didn''t want to meet.


    ¡°Unfortunately Rebel King, you have no choice¡±


    I took a step back as the voice once again called out from all around me. This time I could identify it as female. A light and easy tone that would put me at ease if I wasn''t already so on edge.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I whispered, my eyes scanning the tree line.


    ¡°You know who I am. But you don''t know what I want... Follow the path.¡± she replied.


    As the voice faded yet again I half expected to get knocked out. But after several seconds I decided it was safe.


    As I began walking I fell over, my legs slightly longer than I remembered.


    ''Of course they are, this body is as new as my surroundings'' I thought to myself with a grimace.


    I quickly stood up and took slow steps forward and backwards, getting used to my new body and trying to understand why I was still naked.


    This woman can create an entire magical forest from pure mana but can''t seem to find me any clothes.


    Well isn''t that just fucking peachy.


    I walked down the path for quite some time, taking a moment to enjoy the scenery of this new and beautiful world. It seemed like I almost skipped across the surface of the ground. This body, once I had gotten used to it, seemed far superior to the previous one. That was strange in and of itself as my previous body was almost as strong as an elf''s.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    My senses also felt much more potent. I could hear the rustle of leaves from quite some distance, see for around a mile and my sense of touch seemed to be overloading with all the new things that brushed against my naked body as I walked. Not that this information helped very much. No matter how hard I looked or listened the world remained an expanse of tree''s. With no further recourse, I continued on my way.


    I heard her before I saw her. A voice was singing softly, so soft in fact that I had to strain my newly enhanced ears to catch the almost whisper like tone.


    As I rounded the final bend in the path I came to a small slightly raised bridge that crossed a tiny stream. Beyond that was something that I never would have believed.


    It appeared to be one massive flower garden, spreading further than the eye could see. A million colours assailed my eyes, shades of red, purple and yellow that I didn''t know existed and even some colours that I couldn''t name at all. The sky''s blue colouring seemed to be so light as to be almost white and not a cloud could be seen. For the first time in a while, the sun assailed my skin and I allowed myself a moment to close my eyes and take a deep breath.


    Peace.


    A rare thing for a master of war.


    I chuckled. It was one Heilvol''s sayings whenever we had a moment to rest. The quietest of my Knight''s, Heilvol was a man of few words, but whenever he spoke it was always to give a life lesson.


    I was distracted in my reminiscing by the singing voice. I turned and followed the path for another two minutes before I came across a peculiar site.


    A large white open-sided pavilion stood before me, nearly engulfed in beautiful flowers. Sitting at a small ornately made table, in a similarly ornate chair, was perhaps the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.


    Her hair was so blonde that it seemed as moonlight. The silver dress she wore revealed her pale skin tone and voluptuous b. There was not a single blemish on her and believe me, I checked... Thoroughly. Her lips were slightly parted and her eyes were closed as she continued to sing in her quiet voice and I watched, astounded, as all the plants seemed to respond. They drew closer to her, as if to draw in some of the energy that she released into the air with each word she sung. I watched for quite some time, utterly entranced by her performance.


    She finished her song with a flourish and opened her eyes to smile gently as all the plants retreated back into the garden, satisfied with the large meal of mana they had received. She then turned her gaze on me and the smile dropped from her face, becoming a thin, pursed line.


    Her smile dropped but my smile grew very wide indeed. I knew exactly who this woman was. Vitriss, Goddess of the True Flame and Protector of Light.


    The woman who had cost me everything.


    ¡°Hail Corus, King of the Rebel Court.¡± She spoke lightly, her words betraying none of her emotions.


    I carefully began to draw in mana, from the forest to my left and the vast garden to my right. It was abundant here and I needed to be prepared in case she tried to annihilate me.


    ¡°Hello to you too, oh Goddess.¡± I said with a smile that did not reach my eyes. ¡°So you are the one responsible for my death. I''m surprised, I thought that the tale of the great Vitriss was a fable told to little children to keep them faithful. Suppose I was wrong.¡±


    I began to walk towards her slowly, the smile never leaving my face, my nakedness forgotten.


    ¡°Perhaps you best take a seat Corus, we have much to discuss.¡± Said the Goddess as she gestured.


    A chair appeared out of thin air, identical to her own, and stood at the opposite end of the table from herself.


    ¡°No I don''t believe that will be necessary¡± I replied.


    ¡°Oh? And why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because now Great Goddess, I''m going to kill you.¡±


    ¡°A laughable prospect-¡±


    Vitriss never managed to finish her sentence before I unleashed the mana contained within my body in the form of a massive wave of flame that swam forward. The fire consumed the Pavilion, blocking my view of everything inside but I continued to pour more mana into the fire element manipulation spell.


    Known as Inferno, this attack was one of the most basic for any Mage to learn, but required a lifetime to master and control.


    Fire as an element was the hardest for a mage to shape with his will. Most fire orientated mages were the type to specialize in scorched earth combat, merely unleashing the flames and letting them consume what they will. Only a true savant could fully control the flames.


    Not bragging, but I am one such mage.


    As the flames continued to burn brighter and hotter I raised my hands and began to turn them, commanding the fire to intensify and rise, swirling, to become a tornado. It only took a few seconds for me to hear the laughter from within the flaming twister. A laughter that shook me to my core. A howling comparable to a demons.


    I suddenly felt my control of the flames ripped from me by an unseen forceand could only stand there as the fire took the form of a large snake with glowing white eyes.


    With a roar the titanic serpent sped down towards me, maw open and ready to feed. I raised my hands and drew in more mana before unleashing a roar of my own. The earth around me erupted as large pillars of ice rose to meet the serpents charge.


    As the the two elements met, a huge cloud of steam burst forth and covered everything, obscuring my view of the raging beast. I felt something smash into my chest with tremendous force and I was sent off my feet and flying backwards, clearing the large patch of steam by a considerable distance as I repeatedly bounced off the ground.


    I felt my bones break and skin tear as I skipped along like a pebble on a pond. It was then I cast another spell, aspect of earth, my will drawing the strength of the ground itself to become mine to control. I felt my body grow denser and significantly heavier. I dug my hands into the dirt and managed to stop myself from going further, even as I released the spell and managed to stand shakily on my feet.


    Aspect of Earth was extremely tricky to cast as one had to truly understand the element and it''s nature. But with the enhanced strength and durability comes a price. Limited stamina. If I kept Aspect of Earth constantly active I wouldn''t make it more than an hour before I would faint from exhaustion.


    Another beautiful thing about magic; everything has a price.


    I was breathing heavily, but on my feet. I already began to pull in mana and use my new visionary clarity to try and get a bead on Vitriss.


    Fuck, she was strong. I was still feeling that blow to the chest, I think she caved in my lung and I have no way to heal it now, not without her taking advantage of my weakness.


    All mages were naturally stronger than those without magic. Many could lift blocks of stone that weighed many tons and I was no exception. The Aspect of Earth ability merely magnified this ability to much higher levels and made the body much heavier, making it invaluable when you want stop your momentum.


    But this Goddess. That little love tap had almost killed me and my strength among mages was seen as unnatural.


    ¡°Come on Vitriss, is that all you''ve got!?¡± I shouted, throwing a laugh in for good measure. I took a small moment to allow my healing magic, an advanced form of water element manipulation, to seep into my chest and repair some of the damage.


    It was a quick fix, but it was all I had time for.


    ¡°Ha, you really are very amusing. It''s seems Marwen was right.¡± Her voice seemed to echo across the forest and garden as she emerged from within the steam. I''m not going to lie, I was a little pissed off.


    She wasn''t even scorched! Not a single fucking mark on her fucking skin the fucking bitch!


    But then again, she is a Goddess, did I expect anything different?


    ¡°Marwenna said that, did she? And would you care to explain to me why you decided to have me killed? Why you used Marwen as a weapon?¡±I spoke with measured words, not wanting to continue until my wounds had at least closed. My bones were setting even as I spoke and it was extremely difficult to be calm as pain flooded my body.


    ¡°In truth, Marwen is an exceptionally talented mage. Beautiful, powerful and intelligent. A woman after my own heart.¡± Vitriss said with a smile. ¡°But why I used her to kill you is because you trusted her completely. I merely showed her a few lies, tampered with her brain a tiny bit and gave her a dagger of my own design to sap your considerable strength. It isn''t hard if you know what strings to pull¡±


    The anger overtook the pain, but my face remained impassive.


    She used her, manipulated her, turned her against me... But to what end?


    ¡°You still haven''t told me why? Why go to the trouble of killing me? The Rebel Court and your warped little piece of shit church have been at this for centuries. Why act now?¡±


    She merely smiled in response, perhaps a smirk would be a more appropriate word.


    ¡°You will know all as soon as you take a seat.¡±


    With that she snapped her fingers and the steam immediately dissipated, revealing a still in tact pavilion with table and chairs... The grass wasn''t even singed.


    ¡°For fucks sake!¡± I cried as I put my hands to my eyes.


    I was really having a hard time with knowing my flaming inferno spell (which I had worked on for around nine years by the way) didn''t even hurt grass. It was a lot to take in.


    ¡°What is this place made of, Garalthum!?¡±


    Garalthum is a type of metal favoured heavily by the dwarves in their forges. It makes the best weapons in Vita apparently, but only the dwarves knew how to truly forge it, as the metal was seemingly indestructible.


    Vitriss began to walk towards me, a twinkle of humour in her eyes that wasn''t present earlier.


    ¡°No, it is not. This is my shard of reality. I am fully in control here and everything in it is at my beck and call. It''s called The Ever-Garden, my home.¡± She stopped a couple of feet away from me, all I had to do was reach out and squeeze...


    ¡°I wouldn''t recommend trying to choke me either Corus, this is my world. You are merely a guest.¡± She said


    ¡°Sure, a ''guest''. I''m really honoured and all that but you did have me killed... and turned my best friend against me... and had Valant turn up and be a shit. Why that ass-hole out of curiosity? Why was he made your champion?¡± I asked.


    At the name Valant, Vitriss rolled her eyes and sat on the grass, her arms splayed out behind her in support. I tried very hard not to notice her extremely large breasts, but it was hard not too. And from the look she gave me, she understood full well what I was looking at. But with another sigh and a shake of her head, she answered my question.


    ¡°Valant... He''s eager and capable. But he can be a pain sometimes. As his master, he has a direct connection to me and each prayer he sends my way is put at the forefront of all the others. Honestly, it''s been getting pretty annoying. He speaks to me almost constantly.¡± She sighed heavily again before a smile brightened her face ¡°But if nothing else, he managed to bring me you which was something I thought was well beyond his capabilities. I felt for sure that I would have to come and get you myself. But it wasn''t necessary.¡± She seemed almost happy for a moment and I took a secondto appreciate just how young she seemed. Almost like a woman just reaching her twenties, innocent, and without the worries of life to weigh her down.


    I could feel my anger and bloodlust seeping away, like it was...


    Without hesitation I kicked towards Vitriss'' head.


    She laughed as she easily dodged the blow before jumping to her feet and skipping away.


    ¡°I''m amazed! You managed to see through my attempt at control! Your Marwen fell to my power almostinstantly.¡± She said happily, clapping her hands. The humour in her eyes remained but the gentle persona of the young woman was gone and a Goddess stood in her place, radiating a golden light.


    I had to be wary of her power over the mind. It was an advanced form of air magic, something to do with manipulating words but I had never studied it. Controlling the minds of others always seemed... wrong. My fury reached new heights but I could do nothing. From the previous exchange it was clear that she was my superior, at least in this world.


    ¡°What do you want Vitriss.¡± I asked with a firm tone. This woman had destroyed my life and the life of the one I held most dear. She would pay, but I was smart enough to realise that I was not her match... not yet.


    She gave me a rare genuine smile. At least I think it was genuine.


    ¡°I need you to help me protect Vita, Corus.¡±


    I stared at her for several seconds with squinted eyes, trying to discern if she was lying.


    ¡°And why would a Goddess of the mortal realm need my help? What would you have me do?¡±


    Her grin became carnivorous.


    ¡°It''s simple really... I would have you kill a God.¡±

 Chapter Three: A secret history

    Chapter Three: A secret history


    ¡°You would have me kill a God?¡±


    Vitriss nodded. ¡°Yes¡±


    I had reluctantly followed Vitriss back to the pavilion which she explained was the exact centre of her world, The Ever Garden. She had very kindly allowed me to heal my wounds with magic so I wasn''t in such agonising pain. I had taken the offered seat. Resisting would be pointless after all and I was curious as to why a Goddess would need my help.


    ¡°And which God would I be trying to kill exactly?¡± I asked suspiciously.


    Vitriss sat daintily in her chair, the image of perfection, her long blonde hair falling down one side of her neck. She raised a hand and snapped her fingers. A tea set appeared in front of her and she proceeded to pour herself a cup.


    ¡°Tea¡± She asked, although it was not really a question as she was already pouring a cup for me as well... I fucking hate tea.


    ¡°I know you do¡± She said with a wink and took a sip from her cup, those piercing blue eyes never leaving my face.


    That''s right, have to remember she can read my thoughts. Not like I can do anything about it.


    ¡°Which God do you want me to kill for you Vitriss? And what do I get in exchange?¡± I repeated, trying to get to the crux of the conversation. I''m sure time worked differently for a Goddess that was millions of years old, or so the church would claim. So if she thought of an hour as a year I really wanted to get the ball rolling before I died of old age.


    She set her cup down and folded her hands carefully in her lap.


    ¡°I need you, The Rebel King, to kill the God who comes to kill Vita. For me to properly explain why I must ask you to perform so dangerous and grave a task, I must first give you the history of this world. It''s true history. Not the one my followers claim it to be.¡±


    Interested, I gestured for her to continue and took a sip of the disgusting tea. That brought a smile to her face.


    ¡°Long ago, there was no such thing as humans, dwarves, elves, vampires or wolf-kind. Instead there was merely one race that ruled over the whole planet. They were known as The Erralith. The Erralith were masters of technology and did not know that magic existed, except in stories told to them by their elders. Instead they built wonders using only their minds. Cities that covered countries, great bridges that spanned oceans and strange metal birds that allowed them to take to the skies.


    It was not a peaceful world, they fought each other often, but they knew some measure of happiness. I used to watch them at times. So ignorant in magic but so well versed in their ''technology''. I couldn''t help but be impressed. I was young and impressionable back then.


    Anyway, in one of the great cities a child was born and named Samedus Exovan. I took special interest in this one. His knowledge of the world was astounding and the technology he could create was nothing short of miraculous. He allowed the Erralith to live for over three hundred years at a time. Imagine! No magic but still a prolonged lifespan. His mind shaped the world and many came to see him as a leader.


    I have to admit I was taken with him myself. Always helping the less fortunate, always trying to strive to create a new wonder that would prevent war or famine or disease. He was remarkable.¡±


    It was at this point that Vitriss'' eyes left my own and gazed off into the distance, she looked troubled.


    ¡°Then I made a dreadful mistake. I decided to give him the thing that all men secretly crave. I gave him power.¡±


    ¡°Magic¡± I said, the tea cup was ignored in my hand as I started to understand who exactly I was supposed to kill.


    ¡°Yes¡± She replied, giving me a sad smile and unable to meet my gaze. ¡°I gave him magic and told him to continue to better his world. But he lost his way.


    In the beginning he really did help, more wonder''s came, crafted by his magic and under my tutelage he took his power to new heights and in turn helped more people. But he began to realise that he couldn''t save everyone, even with all his might, and that''s what drove him to the brink. I tried to stop him from what he was about to do, but he had grown stronger that I had ever thought possible and he managed to bind me inside my own realm... expelling me from The World and chaining me inside the Ever-Garden.¡±


    Tears began to roll down her face as her hands began to tremble.


    ¡°I could only watch as he systematically brought every country in the world under his control. It was a massacre. Millions died, but he claimed it was all for the greater good.¡±


    She stood and turned to look into the vast expanse of the Ever Garden, her hands curled into shaking fists at her side.


    ¡°I was weakened and in pain, but even trapped in my own realm I had some small measure of my power in the world beyond... I am a Goddess after all!¡± She turned and looked me straight in the eye, the pain in her expression gone.


    ¡°I gave magic to the other Erralith, gave them a way to fight against Samedus and his need for total control. They began to revolt.


    ¡°The world burned as the two sides fought each other for supremacy. Samedus was truly powerful, but there were too many enemies for him to fight alone. So he decided on another path. One that would change the world forever.¡±


    ¡°What did Samedus do?¡± I asked, totally absorbed into the story of The First Mage.


    ¡°He used a spell of Calamity. This one was known as Fracture.¡± She replied, casting her eyes to the skies.


    I have to admit, at this point I was dubious. I had heard of spells of Calamity before, every mage has. It''s the goal that every magic user sets for themselves.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Calamity spells, unlike those of the elements, were a form of World Magic. Spells so powerful that they could disrupt reality itself. But no one mage had ever been able to achieve such power. The mana that would be needed to cast a spell of Calamity would be impossible for a normal mage to harness. Even I, who could draw in quite a bit more mana than the average mage, would fall so far short that it wouldn''t even be worth measuring the difference.


    ¡°How could a mage use Calamity Magic? And for that matter, how did he manage to bind you in The Ever Garden? The mana he would need would have to be astronomical, and your implying that he was still mortal and had not achieved godhood.¡± I said, trying to get to the bottom of this story. There was something the Goddess wasn''t telling me.


    She gave me an exasperated look.


    ¡°All in good time, Corus.¡± She replied ¡° There is a little bit of the story left to tell.¡±


    She moved back to the table, took her seat, and resumed drinking from her cup of tea.


    ¡°After Samedus used Fracture, the world was nearly torn apart. With what little strength I had left I managed to finally tear apart the chains that were binding me to my world and hold back some of the damage. As a result, the world was not pulled apart instead the earth was buried beneath the sea. Leaving only one floating island that could sustain life.¡±


    ¡°Vita¡± I concluded


    ¡°Vita¡± She agreed, giving me a slight nod.


    ¡°Samedus was ripped apart by the use of the spell but it was not enough to kill him. Instead his soul was spread thin across the world. Even now it attempts to pull itself back together again. And after over seven thousand years, he is close to returning. And I have no doubt that when he does, he shall bring destruction to Vita.¡± She finished her story with a sigh and leaned back into her chair, the tea cup discarded as she pressed both hands against her eyes.


    For a moment there was silence between us as I just sat and tried to absorb the information she just gave me.


    In short, it appears thatthe first magewho had ever lived was a murdering psychopath who managed to almost destroy the world once and wishes to complete his work.


    If anyone else had told me this would I say they were crazy, but she is Vitriss and she is a Goddess. ¡°So, how the hell can I stop him then?¡±


    She gave another sigh before looking at me with tired eyes.


    ¡°I will gift you the power that I gave Samedus. The power that will put you on his level and allow you to fight him as his equal.¡±


    I give a slight nod, my mind deep in thought.


    ¡°But even with this power, Samedus has lived much longer than I have. Therefore, there is a very real chance that I would lose the fight. Shouldn''t you double down, give the power to more than one person?¡± I asked inquisitively.


    Vitriss shakes her head. ¡°If I gave the power to more than one person that merely increases the chance that they would be corrupted, just like Samedus.¡±


    ¡°But why trust me with this power then? We''ve never met and I''ve done some terrible things in my life. Why not give the power to Valant?¡±


    ¡°Because you are stronger than him, in almost every way. When there are those in need, you take action. When you see corruption, you stamp it out. There are no ifs, ands or buts with you, Corus.¡±


    It was at this point that Vitriss reached over and placed her hands over mine. Her eyes kind as she gazed into mine.


    ¡°No more will I attempt to control you, I need you to agree to help me. You must take on the burden of this power without any influence. It must be your choice. As it was Samedus'' choice all those centuries ago.¡±


    I needed to play for time here, This offer was almost too good. I would be given power that would let me rival a God. A mortal half-God, but still.


    ¡°Why can''t you fight him? I mean, you gave him the power why not take it away? Or better yet why don''t you just turn him to dust. You trumped me earlier and I was working at full strength.¡± I asked, half curious and half wanting to give myself some breathing room.


    ¡°Because if I interfered directly, there is a large chance that Vita may be destroyed. If I fought him, Samedus would know that he could not be guaranteed to win the fight. So he would just cast Fracture again... And I believe he would take steps to ensure that I could not stop his spell.¡±


    She poured herself another cup of tea and shifted slightly in her chair. As she did, the plants around her seemed to shift as well, aware of her presence.


    ¡°Samedus is a very accomplished mage, having studied the craft over the space of a thousand years. With the power he possess'', he can easily use magic that would customarily only be able to be utilized by a god.


    His curse is that he can never truly be a God, not completely, something he craved more than anything by the end. He wanted to be my equal, be truly powerful. That''s why I need you, perhaps he will drop his guard long enough for you to defeat him. He is a prideful creature and would need to engage you in combat to prove his worth if he discovered you were my new champion.¡±


    She got that sad look in her eye again as she looked down towards the grass covered ground, digging her bare toes into the soil.


    She wasn''t telling me everything. In fact I think I had merely been given the bare essentials on the matter of Samedus Exovan. Here''s the bad guy, kill him. Something that has been expected of me my whole life I suppose.


    And then I realised that I couldn''t say no to her request, and I''m sure she realised this as well. It'' not who I am. I have never turned my back on someone in need. Even putting the needs of others above myself.


    If by taking this power I can save Vita, as well as Marwen and the rest of my family. Then it is the only possible option.


    ¡°Fine I agree to your terms, Goddess.¡±


    Vitriss looked up, joy plastered across her face and a smile soon following.


    ¡°thank you, thank you Corus, you have no idea-¡±


    I hold up a hand to stop her mid sentence. ¡°On one condition.¡±


    ¡°Name it!¡± She cried eagerly and almost jumped over the table to place her hands over mine again.


    ¡°You will tell Marwenna the truth, you will not lie to her again. She must feel like her whole world is falling apart and you are directly responsible.¡± I state, the barely contained fury that I had been feeling since seeing her was struggling against my iron will.


    Vitriss took her hands off mine and bit her bottom lip as her face flushed with embarrassment.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry Corus. You must understand that I believed it was the only way to bring you here...As to why I was acting so smug when you arrived, I thought that they would fail and you would rip them apart. Forgive me. I shall immediately send word to the Lady Marwen that it was all a ploy on my part. But...¡± At this point she too raised her hand to stop any eventual protest. ¡°I shall not be telling her that you have returned to Vita.¡±


    It seemed she was right to raise a hand as I immediately began to protest but she quickly cut me off.


    ¡°I''m sorry Corus, but if you were to return and your followers learned of it, it would cause quite the stir and if Samedus were to learn of Marwen and the other''s, he would use them against you.¡±


    The protest died on my lips unsaid. She was right, I couldn''t suddenly return from the dead. Perhaps my General''s were convinced by Marwen''s testimony and simply labelled me as an enemy, which would only complicate things if Vitriss'' message doesn''t reach Marwenna in time. Well, Cinder and Abhor I could trust to believe me, I know that for a fact. But still, if I wanted to keep them safe, I needed to go incognito. Try to work it out once I had both feet back on Vita.


    I gave Vitriss a quick, resigned nod and leaned back in my chair.


    ¡°Alright Vitriss, I agree to that. But only to keep Marwen and the others safe.¡± I stressed.


    She gave me a sympathetic smile and nodded. Then she pushed her chair and jumped to her feet.


    Before I realised what was happening, the rather petite Goddess was pulling me by the hand in the direction of the wide open flower covered field where we had our sparring match.


    ¡°Come along now Corus, time for you to receive your power.¡±


    I struggled to keep up with her almost supernatural excitement


    .


    ¡°And what is this power called exactly?¡± I asked, suddenly rather nervous.


    She turned to me and smiled, that same shark like smile I had seen just hours ago.


    ¡°Why, Arcana of course.¡±

 Chapter Four: Arcana

    Chapter Four: Arcana


    Vitriss eventually let go of my hand when the pavilion was but a speck in the distance. I immediately tried to catch my breath.


    Trying to keep up with a Goddess who has infinite stamina is hard enough, but she was walking at a pace that would put most Wolf Kind to shame.


    ¡°Chin up Corus, it''s time for me to explain a few things!¡± The Goddess shouted with surprising gusto.


    I merely rolled my eyes and stood upright. Taking another look at my surroundings, I couldn''t help but admire the multi-coloured field of flowers that I stood in. It truly was beautiful and if I continued to look for long enough it was like I was almost being sucked in by the-


    ¡°Stop that Corus¡±


    I immediately snapped out of the trance that had threatened to engulf me and focused on the Goddess.


    ¡°Stop what?¡± I asked


    She let out another great sigh, as if I was a child that needed to be taught a lesson.


    ¡°Stop staring at the flowers. They were created by the divine and, as a result, your mortal soul is enthralled by merely staring at them for too long. Honestly I''m surprised that you didn''t fall for this on your walk to my pavilion."


    I gulped and kept my focus on Vitriss. This place''s beauty held a dark secret it seemed.


    ¡°So, what do I need to know before we do this thing?¡±


    Vitriss sat within a patch of flowers and inhaled deeply from them, a serene peace falling across her face.


    ¡°There are two thing''s you must know about the Arcana, Corus, before we can proceed.¡± She took another deep breath, before letting the smile drop, risingand walking up to me and raising a finger.


    ¡°The first is that your old body is no more and even if it was, it could not contain the power of the Arcana. Even if I had wanted to use it, it was turned to ash by that last slash from Marwen''s Angelis anyway.¡±


    She held up the second finger.


    ¡°The second, is that this power cannot be activated by your will alone.¡±


    She turned and walked a few steps back, before facing me once again, her hands clasped together as the wind pulled at her dress. She definitely looked the part of the Goddess of the Church.


    I was confused on both points however.


    ¡°Ok, let''s put the body thing aside for now. Why can''t I activate the Arcana with my will alone?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    ¡°The way I created the Arcana was to allow a human to ascend to Godhood. It literally turns their body into a conduit for mana, without the need to consciously draw it in. It''s absorbed at such a frightening rate that even the smallest of your spells most likely have the potential to destroy cities.¡±finished Vitriss with a wary eye, as if that what was exactly what I was planning to do.


    I have to say, at this point I was getting rather excited. To become a living, breathing mana conductor. I thought it would just be a boost to my overall power, but this is much more. I could now understand how Samedus had managed to cast a spell of Calamity.


    ¡°However¡± Vitriss said, the wary look never leaving her eyes. ¡°I decided to install a fail-safe on your version of the Arcana¡±


    I gave a little laugh at that.


    ¡°So you''ll be restraining my power. Seriously? Didn''t you spend the last few hours stressing to me how dangerous Samedus Exovan is? Now you want to send me out with a handicap?¡± I couldn''t keep the disdain out of my voice. I was a not a child to be told what to do.


    The Goddess appeared to be exasperated as she replied.


    ¡°Corus, this ''handicap'' is to keep you from going insane. The power of the Arcana is not to be taken lightly. In all respects, Samedus was your superior in both intellect and power, yet he too fell to it. It consumed him.¡±


    I took a moment to think upon her answer. I knew from the story she told me that Samedus had fallen very far indeed from his original motives, hell, even his personality was altered. I suppose it was better to air on the side of caution until things calmed down slightly. I gave Vitriss a nod, acknowledging her argument. She looked relieved.


    ¡°I''m glad you see reason. Now, to activate Arcana you will need to find someone who currently exists in Vita, although I now not where.¡±


    ¡°Who is this person? And why can''t you find them?¡±


    ¡°Because, this person can only be found by you. Or you by them. Honestly, locating them will probably be the hardest part of this whole equation. Nevertheless you must find them. They will allow you to activate Arcana and, in turn, they will be able to calm you down should you be... consumed by it.¡± Her eyes glazed over for a split second before they came into focus once more and she aimed a radiant smile at me.


    ¡°This person, Corus, is your other half. That is to say, the other half of your own soul. Every soul has a counter-part. It is one of the fundamental rules of the Universe. However, the chances of finding a bonded soul are rare, almost impossible. They could be born a thousand years ahead of you or you ahead of them. You could be in different countries, or on different worlds. But if you do find them, it is said to be one of the greatest treasures you will ever obtain. To know the soul of someone so completely and, in turn, be known by them. It grants great power to the one''s who can claim it.¡±


    She shifted back from me and took a seat yet again amongst the flowers. Allowing me to absorb the information that she had just gifted me.


    I stood stock still for a second. My mind took in what was said and dissected it, trying to understand it.


    There is someone out there who is the other half of my soul. One who would complete me. I couldn''t help but give a disgusted grunt.


    It sounded like something from an old romantic tome, the kind that Drogna used to enjoy reading, the big sap. When she said other half I immediately thought of Marwenna. She had been with me through thick and thin, we had grown up together, taken lives together, shared everything.


    But she would have said if it was Marwenna. Vitriss wants me to be strong enough to destroy her mistake and if my ''other half'' was Marwenna, then she would have told me immediately to better prepare me for the coming of the first mage.


    With these thoughts rattling through my mind I turned and walked away from the Goddess, careful to avoid gazing at the mysterious plant life for too long.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    So it seems that I need to find the other part of my soul before I can become a living mana conductor. Well, that''s a little bit shit, but hey, I''m a positive kind of guy. It was merely a challenge. I had been challenged before and I made a point to always win or, at least, try my best.


    With that I smiled and turned back to the Goddess, only to find her less that two inches from my face with a strange smile adorning her expression. I tried to lean back but before I realised what was happening, she grabbed each of my cheeks in those unnaturally strong hands of hers and clamped her lips against mine.


    I had kissed a few lips in my brief time on Vita, but this was a whole other level. A kiss of the divine.


    I unconsciously wrapped my arms round her back as I drew her closer, my eyes closing, seeking to enjoy the sensation of her full lips to the fullest of my ability. It was like she was made of pure silk, feeling so fragile yet so strong all at once.


    However, as soon as it had begun it had ended and she stepped back with a displeased expression on her face.


    My face on the other hand was bright red and looking rather shocked. After a moment of saying nothing I managed to bring words to the front of my mind.


    ¡°Ok, what was that for, Can we do it again and why do you look so annoyed?¡± I spoke hesitantly, nearing stumbling over the words a couple of times as I tried to get my bearings.


    The most immediate response from Vitriss was laughter.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry for laughing Corus, but your face is hilarious. You look like a child who''s just had his favourite toy taken away.¡± She continued to laugh as her face also went bright red but for different reasons.


    I gave a brief harrumph before I turned and began to walk away from her again.


    ¡°I''m sorry! Really! I just needed to test something!¡± She cried as she ran to catch up to me.


    That caught my interest.


    ¡°What exactly did you need to test?¡± I said, folding my arms, rather put out by the whole thing. It''s never nice to be laughed at, even less so when a Goddess laughs at you after kissing you.


    Whoa, I just realised what a messed up sentence that was.


    Vitriss gave another smile, but at least she had stopped laughing.


    ¡°I needed to see if your soul was bonded to my own. Unfortunately it is not, or this would be a lot easier. It was almost never going to be anyway but, hey, you don''t know until you try.¡± She gave another carnivorous grin with a wink to join it and I felt myself take two steps back.


    ¡°Oh, don''t worry, I won''t bite. But I''ve just given you the only method to find your bonded. You have to kiss her.¡± Another smile crossed her lips as I rolled my eyes.


    Kissing her? Really? What is this, a fucking fairy tale?


    At this point, I couldn''t argue. This shit was getting weirder by the minute and as much as I was trying to rationalize this and make it fit into my version of reality I couldn''t keep doing that. Of course, my acceptance doesn''t change the fact that if I went around kissing every woman in Vita and screaming about finding the other half of my soul I would end up in a dungeon.


    ¡°Fine¡± My one word answer seemed to surprise the little Goddess who blinked a couple of times, as if shocked I would readily agree to her strange requirement.


    ¡°Fine? Really? No complaints or snide little remarks? I truly am surprised Corus.¡± She said in a smug tone.


    ¡°Well, let''s face it, I have no choice in this.¡± I finally submitted, placing myself at the mercy of the young looking ancient woman.


    ¡°Glad you finally agree. You will feel something when you look at her Corus, something deep inside. Don''t forget that.¡± She raised her hand into the air and suddenly a silver handled mirror appeared there. ¡°Now, for the next part of this I need you to remain calm.¡±


    As I opened my lips to ask her what exactly I should be remaining calm for she brought up the mirror and, within, I saw my face.


    Well I should say, my new face


    .


    Dark brown hair that fell down to my shoulder''s, deep green eyes that seemed to glow with an ethereal light and skin so pale that it looked similar to Vitriss'' own. Like moonlight


    .


    The next thing I noticed was how young I looked. I was probably in my late teen''s. I was a bit annoyed by this and my lips raised slightly to one side, giving me a disgruntled expression. I am the Rebel King, Lord of Ellai and master of Magic!


    Now I looked like a pissed off noble brat.


    ¡°Are you impressed?¡± The sound of Vitriss'' voice came from over my right shoulder.


    I struggled to reply for a second.


    ¡°Why in the hell do I look like a spoiled noble?¡± I asked through gritted teeth. While this would have been intimidating while in my old body, in the new one I looked like I was angry about having my favourite toy taken away-


    oh, one point to Vitriss.


    ¡°And what race am I? I have the eyes of an elf, the ears of a human and my hair''s so gods damned thick that it has be dwarven.¡±


    This time Vitriss peaked over my shoulder and I saw her smiling face reflected in the mirror.


    ¡°Well, to be fair, this is the best I could do in the circumstances. I made you younger because it means that people will underestimate you, much to their peril. As for the race, it would be fair to say I gave you a bit of each of them. Each of the races themselves are the descendants of the Erralith survivors who were on Vita during Fracture. As such, I have given you the body of an Erralith, but with the added bonus of characteristic''s of each race. From the elves you have their speed and longevity. The strength and sturdiness of a Dwarf, sight and hearing of a Wolf born and the eyes of a Vampire.¡±


    My Gods, this is incredible. I have a custom built body, one which is not only far better than my old one but that has all the best traits of all the races on Vita. But then I realised one race was missing.


    ¡°What about the Humans? Do they not have any worthwhile traits?¡± I asked defensively, I mean I did rise from the ranks of humanity, so there must be something that came from them.


    ¡°Well¡± Vitriss put a finger to her chin, I saw through the mirror that she was deep in thought ¡°If you pushed me, I would say that the overall formula that makes you you is human. You have a human mind, you see things as a human does and react as a human does. Because you were born as human. I didn''t want to tamper with your brain and change how it sees things, as that could change your personality and even moral compass.¡±


    She gave me a smile though the mirror.


    ¡°You still have your humanity, Corus. Changing who you fundamentally are at the core of your being would only affect you negatively.¡±


    After slight hesitation, I nodded. It was good to know that even though the face and body were different I was still, well, me.


    I continued my examination of my new body and I couldn''t find any real fault. If I were to see such a noble out and about in one of the major cities of Vita I would have to admit that he was handsome. My body was muscular, with broad shoulders and narrow hips. Everything seemed in order down below the waist... yes that''s right. I forgot that I was naked.


    ¡°Hey Vitriss, any chance of getting me some clothes? I hate to ask, only... I''m kinda just flying free over here.¡± I asked, a hint of embarrassment in my voice.


    The Goddess giggled once again and waved her hand.


    The mirror I was holding disappeared and I was garbed in simple black. Tunic and trousers that were nothing special to look at but were comfortable. The black boots seemed to fit me perfectly and I momentarily thought about how Vitriss'' knew my size. I considered asking, but realised that it would be pointless. She is a Goddess after all.


    ¡°This new body has been made specifically to allow you withstand the awesome power of the Arcana. But be careful. If you utilize it for too long you will begin to notice that your body will begin to deteriorate.¡±


    ¡°I understand¡± I replied as I ran a hand over the black cloth of my tunic and turned to face the little Goddess.


    She had a rather serious expression on her face.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    "When will Samedus arrive?"


    "It could be a month, it could be a year. I have no way of knowing for sure Corus. When he does, I''ll find a way to let you know."


    I took one last look around the Ever Garden, this paradise, before I gave her a brief nod.


    She raised a hand to place it upon my head, but I grabbed her hand mid-way. Her eyes widened in surprise and anger.


    ¡°I hope you will keep your promise about Marwenna, Vitriss. I do not want her to suffer on my account¡± I whispered softly.


    The expression of anger on her face softened ¡°I will make sure she knows the truth Corus, you have my word.¡±


    I gave her a brief smile before continuing.


    ¡°I know that there is still many things that you are hiding from me.¡± My smile fell at that moment and I looked directly into her eyes. After a moment her eyes fell to look at the ground.


    ¡°There are several things. But you will learn them soon upon arriving home.¡±


    She raised her eyes and gave me one last radiant smile.


    ¡°Farewell, Rebel King, and good luck. You fight for us all. Forgive me for not telling you the whole truth.¡±


    I tried to ask her what she meant but she managed to pull free her hand with little effort and place it against my forehead.


    A great pain filled my chest and, suddenly, I felt myself scream.


    I fell once more into unconsciousness.

 Chapter Five: This is not my home

    I was standing on the plateau. No my Plateau. The place where I had met my end at the hands of Marwenna and Valant. I was relieved, I thought that Vitriss would send me to the ass end of nowhere. Thankfully that didn''t seem to be the case. As I scanned the familiar site of the valley hidden within the protective embrace of the cold shear mountains I couldn''t help but feel a sense of peace. I was home, truly and completely, after what felt like lifetimes.


    ¡°What the hell happened here. When did it happen?¡± I addressed the air as I spoke, my voice holding no emotion.


    ¡°forgive me for not telling you the whole truth¡±


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    had been keeping secrets. She never told me that the result of my death and subsequent resurrection would take four hundred fucking years!


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    was human. There was little to no way they had survived without the aid of magic, which both were incapable of utilising.


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 Chapter Six: The Mask

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    was my mask.

 Chapter Seven: The Elven Queen

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    ¡°you could be that symbol as easily as Corus!¡± Valant said with a raised voice.


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    had activated. If that were the case then the thief would be unconscious for three days, which was more than enough time to fetch whoever it was and drop them off in the nearest city. But if it truly was a mage, as she suspected, then it would not be so easy.


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 Chapter Eight: The Archer

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    when exactly I would be returning, she had manipulated Marwen and was now using me to correct her past mistake, all while helping the whole thing along under the pretence that she wanted to protect Vita.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    couldn''t. Though why, I still don''t know.


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 Chapter Nine: Change of plans

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    ¡°starving.¡± I say as I wave a hand in the air.


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    The girl shook her head without hesitation and remained exactly where she was.


    I scratched my head with a look of frustration on my face ¡°Listen, Archer, you''re going to need to start talking to me. I won''t hurt you, I have no intention of hurting a child, but you need to work with me here. I only need to know a couple of things. Understand?¡±


    She looked at me strangely for a second, her eyes still containing that hint of desperation from earlier, before she looked away and muttered something under her breath.


    ¡°What was that?¡± I ask while dismissing the water.


    ¡°How are you so strong?¡± She asks as she raises her head and stares into my eyes. ¡°You don''t look any older than I do, but the amount of mana you can draw in is... incredible. Even the masters who taught me don''t have that kind of power.¡±


    Her voice was rather pleasant on the ears and had a melodic tone to it which, I have to say, I rather enjoyed.


    ¡°See? Was that so hard? You have such a pretty voice, you shouldn''t not speak. It would do the world a disservice.¡± I say with a smile as I walk over and take a seat next to her ¡°As to the answer to your question, well, lets just say I''m not from around here and I''m a lot older than I look.¡±


    ¡°Are you a god?¡± She asks with awe in her voice.


    I needed to nip that in the bud right away.


    ¡°No, I am definitely not a god, I''m a human just like you are.¡± I reply firmly ¡°Now, mind if I ask you some questions?¡±


    The girl looked like she wanted to say more but the unspoken question died on her lips. She gave me a nod.


    ¡°Okay!¡± I say with a exhale of air ¡°I need to know what you were doing here in this city.¡±


    She looked away for a moment as if thinking of her answer before replying.


    ¡°I''m here for the architecture, I loved the stories of The Rebel King''s city when I growing up so I thought I would come out here and see it for myself.¡± She blatantly lied ¡°It''s such an amazing place that I couldn''t pass up the opportunity.¡±


    I gave her an odd look ¡°So, you think I''m going to believe that an obviously well-trained mage, wearing armour that I''ve never even seen before, is here to see the ''sights''?¡±


    She thought about her answer for a second and then smiled ¡°Yes¡±.


    I pushed my hands against my face to keep from screaming.


    ¡°If you don''t tell me the truth, I''ll have to hurt you!¡± I threatened.


    ¡°No you won''t, otherwise you wouldn''t have healed me.¡± She retorted sharply, with a smirk on her face.


    I gave a sigh as I looked at her for a moment. I needed to find out why she was here. What if, in the four hundred years I''ve been gone, some new form of transportation has been created that allows people to travel vast distances in hours instead of days. This Archer could be a forward scout for Marwen''s troops. I suddenly had an idea.


    ¡°Okay, you say that you''re an architecture nut, lets test your knowledge.¡± I said with my own smirk beginning to appear on my face.


    ¡°Em...well, I don''t think that...¡± the girl suddenly looked rather hesitant and confused by this strange line of questioning.


    ¡°What is the exact size of Ellai?¡± I asked sharply, pointing a finger out the window.


    ¡°em, five miles... no! Ten miles square"


    ¡°Wrong! The city is twelve miles from east to west and four miles from north to south. Are you ready for the next question?¡±


    This continued on for quite some time as I asked her question after question about the city and how it was built, when it was built and who built what. Luckily, Drogna had seemed adamant that I know every little thing that had happened in the city during its construction and I had a good memory.


    My logic for doing so was simple. I knew that she wasn''t into the city for its buildings and she knew that as well, but we had come to an impasses because I couldn''t and wouldn''t hurt her to try and get the truth. So I decided to fall back on something that had helped out a lot over the years.


    I was going to annoy the hell out of her.


    ¡°Oh! I know this one! People were ferried about on horse drawn carriages that-¡±


    ¡°Wrong again! The carriages were not horse drawn, they were enchanted to carry people to set destinations. Horses? What a stupid idea. Right! Next question-¡±


    The girl threw her hands up in the air and let out a frustrated yell.


    ¡°Ok! I give up, I was lying is that what you wanted to hear?¡± She spoke through gritted teeth.


    I gave her a smile ¡°Fantastic! You made it through seventy four questions before you broke. Nice! So are you going to tell me what exactly you were doing in this city?¡±


    She glared at me.


    ¡°We were sent here to look for a sword or something, I don''t know, you would have to ask the others.¡±


    That peaked my interest. It seemed that I was not the only one looking for Xolumbrandir.


    ¡°So... once you located this sword, who were you returning it too?¡±


    ¡°No one. We were told to make sure the sword was still at the top of the large tower in the eastern area of town and stop anyone who tried to take it. That''s all I know. If you wanted to know more you would have to talk to my commander, Bell.¡± She said as she gave me a funny expression ¡°You''re here for it as well, aren''t you?¡±


    I ignored the girl and stood up, walking over to the window and looking outside.


    So there were people here looking for the sword, but just to make sure it was still there. Under no circumstances could they take it. Strange. Seems that whoever sent this group weren''t here because ofthe statue.


    And speaking of my statue, I left the mask back at the alchemy shop.


    ¡°Shit!¡± I cried as I pressed my fingers to my temples.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± asked the archer behind me.


    ¡°Nothing, I''m fine.¡± I replied as I ground my teeth.


    Seems I have another problem to deal with today, but no matter, I''ll get around to it. I need to be calm, cool and collected.


    ¡°Did you come from Callai?¡± I asked the girl suddenly, thinking that maybe she was Marwenna''s agent.


    She blinked ¡°No, we got the job in Scarl Forest, but I have no idea who gave it to us. Only Bell deals with the clients.¡±


    I give her a nod and look away. It seems that someone in the Scarl forest already heard about the statue, or they already had a sigil placed here to make sure they were alerted should anything happen to it.


    Maybe it wasn''t Marwenna''s sigil after all. The only vampire I really know is Cinder, but I have no idea if she is in Scarl Forest.


    ¡°Do you know about the Knight of the Rebel Court named Cinder?¡± I asked the thief as I walked back over and took a seat next to her again.


    The mercenary shivered ¡°Of course I know Queen Cinder, apparently she''s crazy, drinks the blood of everything and everyone around her and her hunger for more is never ending. Or so the rumour goes.¡±


    Yep, that sounds like Cin. Her bloodlust is a large part of why she became one of my Knight''s in the first place. Wait, Queen? Was every one of my Knight''s now royalty?


    ¡°So, Cinder is Queen of the vampires?¡±


    The archer gave a nod ¡°Yeah, apparently one day, she just walked into the castle at the Red Citadel and killed the queen who supported the church and all her followers. By herself!¡±


    Cinder was still taking risks, foolish girl! Marwen should have been keeping an eye on her. I knew that Cinder would be upset when I died, but it seems like she went on a fucking rampage and Marwenna didn''t try to stop her.


    I can now assume that Marwenna was not behind the archer and her mercenary band, Cinder was. But it still irked me, I felt like there was more to the picture and I believe that the commander named Bell could illuminate the situation further.


    ¡°Right! Me and you are going for a walk little miss archer. I need to speak to Bell for a minute.¡± I say as I stood up and pulled the archer upwards with me.


    A pained expression appeared on her face ¡°Yeah, I don''t think that''s such a good idea. My friends don''t really like outsiders and they might attack you.¡±


    I smiled as I walked towards the door with my hand wrapped around the archers arm.


    ¡°That''s sweet of you to be concerned for my safety but I don''t think I''ll have too much trouble. What''s your name by the way?¡±


    The archer struggled for a minute before giving in.


    ¡°My name is Ada, and I''m not worried for your safety... It''s their safety which concerns me...¡± She said, giving me a worried look.


    I gave her a soft smile in return.


    ¡°Don''t worry Ada, I won''t hurt your friends, I promise, I just need some information, then I''ll be on my way.¡±


    ¡°For some reason... I feel like I can trust you.I hope youkeep your word.¡±


    ¡°I will¡± I nodded as we headed down the staircase ¡° What''s the name of your mercenary band by the way?¡±


    Ada showed me something that I had never noticed before. She pulled down part of the sleeve that covered the top of her right arm and it revealed a sigil of a what looked like a black horn on a yellow background.


    ¡°We''re called Black Tusk.¡±

 Chapter Ten: Rebel to the rescue

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    reason she felt that way. For all she knew, I was using mind control on her and she wouldn''t even know it.


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    ¡°how? It''s said that only a Knight or The King himself could take the mask, and that only the King can use it.¡± She said with awe in her voice.


    had been four hundred years. Perhaps the legends of the King and his Knight''s had grown to such a point that even my mask gained some special power. The war was won after all, against almost impossible odds, if I am to believe Bartu. Perhaps our status has increased as well. When we were fighting the church we were feared by some, loved by others. Now we appeared to have gained the status of legends. This was solid information, perhaps it would help me in the long run.


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 Chapter Eleven: I have returned

    ¡°Me¡± the response came from the other end of the message stone before the sigil went dark.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Bell cursed and threw the stone against the ground before diving out the way just before a giant fist connected with the place she had been kneeling on a moment before.


    In one clean motion, Bell rolled along the ground and pulled free the hand axe that hung on her belt while simultaneously drawing the dagger that was attached at her lower back.


    She turned to face her attacker.


    Standing at around nine feet tall, a huge humanoid beast lifted it''s giant hand from the spot it had attacked and began lumbering towards her.


    Whatever this creature was, it was something that she and the other members of Black Tusk had never seen before.


    It seemed to be made of pieces of debris. Large bunches of stone, cobbles and wood were at the end of each arm and leg, while it''s torso was also made out of random bits and pieces that had been scattered around the courtyard outside the tower. All these pieces were connected by some kind of dark smoke that coiled and writhed relentlessly as the abomination moved forward.


    When herself, Ursula and Leigh had approached the Tower''s entrance they had felt something. A dark aura that seemed to draw in the light, emanating from the Tower''s peak.


    They couldn''t believe the power that had come from that aura. So malevolent that it threatened to engulf them should they remain a moment longer.


    It was then that the creatures began to appear.


    The smoke had come from the tower''s zenith and swooped down, attaching itself to the large piles of rock that lay scattered at the bottom. Within seconds the monsters had gained form and began to pursue them relentlessly, their numbers forcing Black Tusk to retreat back the way they came.


    While the creatures didn''t seem to be capable of using magic, that didn''t seem to matter because their strength was on a level that the mercenaries hadn''t seen before. A single punch caused shock waves to ripple across the earth and each one of their strides shook buildings as they ran past them.


    If that wasn''t enough it seemed like they were pretty much impervious to all their attacks.


    Every attack they threw at them, whether it be magical or physical in nature, they seemed to brush off without much damage, ignoring them as if they were mere annoyances.


    Ursula actually managed to bring one down when she shifted into her wolf form but it merely regenerated a moment later, making every one of the women''s hearts grow cold.


    They couldn''t survive this.


    Bell ran forwards, a yell escaping from her lips as she drew in mana. Fire coursed across her weapons, hot enough to melt steel, as she met the smoke creature in combat. It swung one massive fist towards her but she easily dodged it''s attack and swiped both weapons across it''s torso, leaving deep furrows in it''s makeshift flesh. The creature didn''t even react, instead it reversed the course of it''s fist and brought it round too fast for Bell to react in time.


    She felt bone break as it made contact with her right side and sent her flying across the wide street and into the wall of a building, cracking the panel of hard stone. Bell could do nothing but gasp and hold her side, the pain preventing her from drawing in more mana, as the beast approached at a leisurely pace, it''s face made of sanguine mist as it screamed in victory.


    Bell was saved by a wall of fur.


    Ursula ran forward, her jaws hanging open as a fierce snarl escaped her lips.


    Ursula was perhaps the quietest member of their band, but also the most ferocious. While she was not particularly skilled in using magic, she more than made up for it in her brutality as a wolf kind.


    She stood at the same size as the smoke creature and was almost a full five metres long. Her dark brown fur glistening with her own blood as multiple scrapes covered her tough hide.


    She dashed forward and clamped her large jaws around the torso of the monster and began to shake it violently, even as the creature struggled and aimed it''s two large fists towards her eyes.


    This gave Bell a moment to come to her senses and jump to her feet, even as Ursula released her hold and sent the being flying through the air and through the roof of one of the buildings built along the tower district street.


    ¡°Bell, are you ok!?¡± came a soft voice from behind her.


    Bell sighed in relief as she noticed Leigh rush towards her and immediately press her hands against the side of her chest. Leigh''s hands began to glow as she poured healing magic into Bell.


    While she realised this was dangerous, considering that her ribs were broken, Leigh was confident that it would at least let Bell breath normally again. She would do a full inspection of her teammate upon getting out of this place.


    If they got out of here.


    ¡°We should try to run again, Bell, we won''t last much longer.¡± A rough voice came from the wolf''s muzzle as she continued to face the remaining opponents.


    Ursula counted twelve of the smoke monsters in all, much more than she would have liked there to be. She wasn''t even confident in taking down one of the creatures. Already, the one she had thrown through the air like a rag doll was walking out of the building it had been thrown into with not a single scratch.


    Bell examined the odds stacked against them and agreed. But there was no way out. Even now she could see some more of the monster''s coming from the opposite direction, back towards the noble district, the only exit they had open to them.


    They were cut off.


    Bell laughed.


    She had been expecting there to be no resistance on this job. The mission was simple, get to the tower before the group from Callai and make sure nobody took Xolumbrandir, The Rebel King''s sword.


    But now she had a feeling that there was more to it than that. Whatever these creatures were, she was sure that the sword was the source of them. If that was the case, then why send them to begin with? If the blade had that much protection it would have better just to leave well enough alone.


    ¡°I''m sorry, but it seems we are not getting out of here, ladies¡± Bell said quietly, her gaze on the ground ¡°I let you down.¡±


    Immediately there was a grunt of disapproval from Ursula who turned and stared at her commander with one large eye.


    ¡°I did not come here against my will. I came to fight and be with my friends. If this is our time, then I will accept it and go into the land of the Gods gladly.¡± Ursula said as she smiled at Bell, an odd thing to see on a wolf.


    ¡°Me too. I''m with Ursula, I came to have some fun and make some money. I knew the risks and if I have to die, at least I can die with those I trust most in this world¡± said Leigh with a fierce grin, her sword held tightly in her hand.


    ¡°At least Ada got away in one piece, glad she wasn''t here for this.¡± Ursula concluded and turned once again to face the encroaching horde.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Bell nodded and stood to her feet, gripping her axe and dagger firmly in her hands as she set her face in a expression of grim determination.


    She allowed herself a moment to think of the man''s voice at the other end of the message stone, but quickly pushed it from her mind. No one was fast enough to get here from, she presumed, the merchants district, where Ada was sent to scout and look for the thief who stole the mask.


    Perhaps the man was that thief. Perhaps he could have helped them. Bell at least hoped that he could protect Ada. She was the youngest and everyone cared for her deeply. It was the right thing, for her to survive while they perished.


    ¡°Well, my friends, one last time. WHO ARE WE!?¡± Bell roared as she moved up next to Ursula and Leigh stood beside her.


    ¡°BLACK TUSK!¡± The women cried unison as they steadily walked forwards, prepared to meet their fate.


    That''s when everything changed.


    Suddenly, the air around them exploded in a hurricane as the mercenaries desperately tried to shield themselves from the torrent of wind.


    Bell closed her eyes and could only silently yell as the air around them drowned out her voice, unable to even move for fear of being blown away.


    She felt the ground beneath her quiver and the temperature of the air increase to the point that she felt her flesh sear under the intense heat.


    Then she felt it. A beacon, a sun in the shadow. An aura so massive that it completely dwarfed the dark and ominous presence they had felt when they approached the tower.


    And it was standing right in front of them.


    With effort, the women finally managed to open their eyes and look upon the strange sight that stood before them.


    A man was standing with his back facing them, his gaze firmly fixed ahead on the smoke monsters who, for some reason, had stopped moving and even took a step backwards as if something was stopping them. To Bell it almost seemed like... recognition.


    At the man''s feet was a familiar figure, who seemed to be dry heaving onto the ground, her entire body shaking as she tried to get to her feet.


    ¡°Ada!¡± cried the members of Black Tusk as they made their way towards the girl.


    At the sound of her name, Ada raised her head and faced her companions, a weary but joyous smile appearing on her face at seeing the familiar sight of her friends.


    ¡°Hey guys! I''m back... brought some help¡± Ada said as she fell into Leigh''s arms, who immediately began to heal the worn out girl.


    Ursula gave Ada a quick once over and assured herself that she was fine. Then she swung her muzzle round and fixed her gaze onto the man that had come with her.


    Although she could only see the back of his head, she could see the broad shoulders, pale skin and resolute manner in which he held himself. His aura was bigger than all four of theirs combined, larger even. She didn''t fail to notice the mask that was in the crook of his arm.


    ¡°So, you''re the thief.¡± She growled as she took a step back. Wolves could sense these things, she recognised that she was no threat to this man. But that didn''t stop her from preparing herself for a fight.


    The man glanced over his shoulder and the three women were surprised at how young he looked. He looked to be human although there was something... different about him. If they were to guess his age he could be as young as Ada, if not younger. However, after staring into his pale green eyes he looked older... much older.


    He had a smile on his face as gazed at them.


    ¡°Calm yourself, she-wolf, I have no intention of hurting you or your pack.¡± The man said calmly, his eyes never leaving Ursula''s.


    The wolf froze for a second under the intensity of that gaze before she gave a deep nod of acknowledgement. While such an act had little impact in the society of other races, for a wolf to bow their head is to accept that the person they are facing is their superior. Such an act did not go unnoticed by the man, who gave her a small smile.


    The young man then walked up to the fallen Ada and placed the mask in her lap.


    ¡°Would you look after the mask for me Ada, I have to deal with this.¡± He said lightly, a grin on his face.


    The pale faced Ada rolled her eyes and nodded before gesturing him to get moving already.


    The man got to his feet and began to walk at a steady pace towards the group of shadowy creatures who, this entire time, had not moved an inch.


    ¡°Hey! What about the one''s behind...¡± Bell began, but when she looked behind her, she couldn''t believe what she saw.


    There were no more monsters, merely twisted piles of rock and rubble.


    Gods, this guy has destroyed every one of them in the blink of an eye, she thought, dumbfounded.


    She turned to watch the man go and shivered. Who exactly is this guy?


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    After giving my mask to Ada I began to make my way towards the monsters, leaving the members of Black Tusk behind me as I approached the constructs.


    They were beings created by Xolumbrandir. It used some of it''s aura to animate objects and turn them into weapons that could be used against others. They could only truly be stopped by overloading them with pure mana. While this is a difficult thing to do, to hurt creatures such as these it is necessary.


    Xolumbrandir''s ability to separate slivers from it''s own aura was incredible. I had spent a long time after obtaining the sword trying to understand how it works, how it functions. Imagine, the potency of using such a magic to create an army out of nothing but bits of debris. The power it would grant someone would be immeasurable.


    However, no matter the combination of magic I could never understand how the sword did it and it wasn''t like it was going to tell me. It fucking hated me, more than anything else in this world. But I was also the only thing in this world it feared, for I could master it, while all others who had attempted the feat before me had failed.


    This was just a warm up round, but it was already starting to get scared.


    I knew this because the constructs that stood before me weren''t moving and the smoke that linked their solid limbs together was no longer as active as it had been when I first arrived. It felt my aura, it knew who I was.


    Suddenly, as if waking from a dream, the smoke began to pulsate and exude pure and bitter fury. The constructs dashed towards me, trying desperately to crack my skull and pummel me into the ground.


    I gave them my best blood thirsty grin as I dashed towards them, activating aspect of air to further increase my speed.


    It took me less than a second to reach the first smoke covered construct and I quickly attacked it, punching it in it''s rock like chest. It gave out a frustrated scream as it''s chest exploded and tried desperately to grasp at me with it''s hands. I destroyed them as well, relying not on my magic but my overwhelming physical strength.


    It was over in moments and the smoke began to retreat, crawling across the ground.


    I didn''t let it.


    I imbued my hand with aspect of earth and quickly grabbed the smoke in a vice-like grip. It began to scream terribly as I held it, trying desperately to break free.


    I began to pour raw mana into the smoke and it began to shake and expand as I poured more and more into it''s body. It wasn''t long before the sliver of life essence reached it''s capacity and exploded in my hand, knocking three of the eleven remaining constructs from their feet.


    The rest of the monsters were trying so desperately to get to me that they kept tripping over themselves. Another faulty part of Xolumbrandir''s ability. While it is indeed powerful, over great distances it loses complete control and can only give simple commands after the constructs had gotten far enough away from it''s location.


    I moved from construct to construct methodically. Ripping and tearing at their bodies with my hands and dispatching the smoke with focused raw mana, they never stood a chance.


    They grabbed me and punched me but to no avail, I had activated both aspect of air and aspect of earth. They may as well have been punching thin air for all the good it was doing them.


    I thought about this with a smile on my face as I flipped over one of the flailing constructs and landed behind it, placing my palm on it''s back and releasing a storm of lightning that caused the smoke to scream as it''s make shift body was eviscerated. The sliver soon followed.


    It wasn''t long before I reached the last of the abominations in front of me. This one had not attacked with the others and seemed to be waiting for something and I had an dea of what.


    As the last of the aura essence''s died in my hands I turned and looked at the beast that had not moved. It just stared at me, as if something within that black void of a face was looking out.


    Xolumbrandir.


    I quickly turned to make sure Black Tusk were far enough away from the fighting. There eyes were almost unfocused as they stared at what I had just done. It must have been strange to watch one person destroy beasts that, but a few minutes before, had very nearly come close to killing them, even with their full strength.


    I gave them a nod which they either didn''t see or ignored before I turned and faced the last construct.


    I stood directly in front of it, a smile on my face as I stared back into the smoke that made up it''s head.


    ¡°I''m back!¡± I said, my smile becoming brighter as laughter left my lips.


    The constructs reaction was immediate and it desperately began to pummel me, it''s hands moving at blinding speed as it''s stone fists made rumbling impacts of my body.


    I laughed.


    It had begun to kick me now, using the full motion of it''s body it tried with all it could to make me hurt, to annihilate me completely.


    But still I laughed.


    It was ripping up chunks of the cobbled streets, it''s immense strength allowing it to do so, as it brought these pieces raining down on me, only to find I was unharmed by the earth shattering impacts.


    My laughter only grew louder.


    Finally, in a last ditch effort it pulled back it''s fist and began to get thinner as the essence that made up it''s body made the right ''arm'' grow much larger and thicker. With a strength that could shatter mountains it brought this fist forward with a dreadful purpose.


    It stopped cold as I raised my hand and caught it before impact.


    ¡°I have returned, sword. I am coming for you¡± I whispered, my voice cold and dark as I stared into what was left of the essence that made up the arm.


    With terrific force I shattered the stone fist and grabbed hold of the essence before it could flee. It screamed and it cried, trying to escape, desperate to get away from me. I began to force mana into it''s almost intangible body.


    In but a moment, it was over and I stood victorious, the road beneath me destroyed and the constructs created by Xolumbrandir no more.


    ¡°I will be there soon.¡±

 Chapter Twelve: Black Tusk

    Chapter Twelve: Black Tusk


    I turned my back on the smouldering ruins of the constructs and swiftly made my way over to the members of Black Tusk, who were still unmoving and staring at me in a sense of disbelief.


    They must have been enraptured by my little performance. It''s true I had a bit of a flair for the dramatic but if you''re a King it''s kind of a necessity.


    Why fight a battle if you can just summon a storm and let fear take it''s course? Why let any mage believe he is your superior when you can just give him a glimpse of your aura? Marwenna always complained that I showed no tact when dealing with difficult people but I would argue that I prevented further problems down the line by being a little over the top.


    It seemed to have worked on Xolumbrandir and, incidently, on the members of Black Tusk, which brings up a whole different issue.


    They had seen me go all out. I had summoned my power and brought damnation down on the swords toys. But that was the problem, I doubt any of these mercenaries have ever seen someone with that kind of magic, going by the stunned looks on their faces.


    The only one that seemed to be in any kind of cohesive state was Ada, although she still looked slightly pale from the ride over here. She was smiling at me and clutching the mask to her chest, awe firmly etched into her features.


    ¡°Well done, thief! That was amazing!¡± shouted the girl from her resting place in the arms of the vampire commander, Bell.


    Thief? Was that my name now?


    As if hearing Ada''s voice was some kind of alarm, the other''s snapped out of their trances and looked awkwardly at one another and then me, each looking uncomfortable. Even the she-wolf looked uncomfortable and she towered a good three feet over me.


    I gave a nod to Ada and continued to make my way towards them, carefully stepping around the piles of debris that marked the battlefield.


    When she saw I was still walking forward the vampire, Bell, placed herself slightly in front of the rest of her band and glared at me, her hand never leaving the axe that was affixed to her belt. I smiled in return, it was important that they felt at ease, although going by Bell''s stance I''m not sure if my grin was working as effectively as I wanted it to.


    She raised a hand, indicating for me to stop and I did, raising my hands slightly in surrender. Another important factor was that Bell and her band think they were in control of the situation, it would only make what follows easier.


    I needed the information that the vampire leader could provide. Who sent them, why exactly? This was one of the reasons I had saved them in the first place... of course I probably would have saved them anyway, being the big sap that I am, but it all had the added effect of allowing them to trust me, even a little.


    Try the carrot before the stick. But keep the stick handy. I just hope I wouldn''t have to use it.


    While I didn''t know any of them very well, Ada seemed like the sort of girl that wouldn''t get caught up with a bunch of incompetents so I can only assume that they would at least be willing to hear me out.


    After I came to a complete stop Bell gave the smallest, almost imperceptible nod and turned her back on me, walking further down the now demolished cobbled road that led directly to my tower. She quickly indicated to the others to follow and they did without another word. Ada was the only one to hesitate for a second before she gave me a smile and a ''wait a moment'' with her raised hand.


    I returned her smile and sat down on the ground, crossing my legs and pulling them up and under my chin, wrapping my arms around them and trying to get comfortable. Well, as comfortable as one can get while sitting on stone.


    Ada quickly jogged to catch up with her friends, the bout of dizziness over our rather rapid arrival seemingly forgotten from her mind.


    They stopped around thirty feet from my location and talked in hushed whispers that wouldn''t be a problem for me to hear if I had the intent. I did not however. I needed to respect their privacy and afford them at least some of the trust I was expecting in return. At the very least, I could now get a good look at each of the members of Black Tusk without causing any harm.


    The first, and largest, of the three I had yet to properly meet was of course Ursula. A wolf kind and she seemed to be quite the specimen. Although she was not in her human form you can learn a lot about a wolf kind by seeing their transformed selves.


    As a species the wolf kind are a rather savage breed and dwell in the heavily forested country of Paltos just south of Omara and east of Vermalia. The place really had no permanent cities and instead consisted of hundreds of wandering tribes, some as a small as maybe fifty members and others that stretched into the thousands. They only ever really intermingled with one another during yearly festivals that celebrated their gods, held at the ancient fortress in the north most part of the country.


    It was decrepit for the most part and only a small section of the actual structure was used for revelry, but the fact that it could hold all of the wolf kind clans gives one an idea of it''s size. The fortress itself was called The First Home and had been the site first settled by the wolf kind when they had arrived in Vita from some unknown land across the sea, guided by the three Gods of the moon.


    Of course I know that was bullshit now. Vitriss had talked plainly about the Erralith and how they were in fact the ancestors of all the races in Vita. Changed over time due to the magic effecting their bodies, I presumed. How else could it have happened over thousands of years instead of millions?


    But then I couldn''t really trust Vitriss either, now can I? There''s another problem that I will have to inevitably deal with.


    I shook my head of such thoughts and brought my focus back on the large she-wolf in front of me, trying to stop the ideas that were rampaging through my head from gaining traction.


    While rather large in comparison to her companions, compared to Abhor she may as well be a pup. Long, slim and heavily muscled limbs settle gracefully on the ground, her fur almost a silky brown. Her body moving, rising and falling as she drew breath, even as her large muzzle swung around to occasionally give me a look, making sure I''m behaving myself.


    When I catch one her looks I raise my hand and smile.


    I can hear her growl even without enhancing my hearing.


    While earlier she may have acknowledged me as her superior, it doesn''t mean that she has to show me respect. The wolves have a very strange way of acting around their fellows that would put an outsider on perilous ground if they knew nothing about them. For instance, it is considered common courtesy in Paltos to bring meat to the Alpha of a clan upon arriving in their camp. If one does not do this it is considered an affront to the Alpha''s person and can only be resolved through blood.


    Funnily enough that is how I met Abhor for the first time. He was my enemy when he demanded my blood and quickly became one of my knights after I defeated him, swearing his life to me.


    That was a pretty intense day.


    I noticed that Ursula was no longer staring at me and seemed to be focused intently on Bell so I allowed my gaze to drift over to the elf standing close to Ada.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    A proud species, the elves. I had known a few and even grown up with their princess, but no matter how hard I tried I don''t think I would ever be able to fully understand them.


    They did things at their own pace and would not be rushed for anything, while they didn''t have any gods of their own, magic was their god and they believed themselves to be blessed beyond any other race. In this regard I have to agree with them. They are strong, fast and their talent for magic is the highest out of all the inhabitants in Vita. The only reason they had to agree to the predominantly human church taking over was due to the vast numbers that humanity commanded. Elves have children rarely and, as a result, their population is quite low with the estimate placing them at less than a quarter of the humans and nearly half of every other race.


    This elf, Leigh I believe her name was, is a rarity among elves because of her being a part of a mercenary band. Strictly speaking, elves consider themselves above the other races and distance themselves as much as they possibly can from interaction that is more than a few hours long. Maybe that had changed with Marwenna and Valant in charge, who knows, but if they had managed to somehow bridge the gap then it was a massive accomplishment


    Like all elves, Leigh was beautiful, her dark blonde hair, sea blue eyes and sharp nose giving her a rather mysterious look. She also seemed to look the most nervous out of the four and kept sneaking quick, curious glances my way.


    When she let her gaze linger a moment longer than usual I quickly raised my own eyes to meet hers and heard her give out a squeak before hiding behind Ada, who turned and glared at me.


    I raised my hands in an apology as I laughed quietly. While I hadn''t meant to scare her, I know now that she is most likely shy around new people. Of course, that didn''t take away from her combat ability, she must be quite fearsome if she was willing to walk into this city with only three other''s beside her.


    Finally, I turned my gaze onto Bell and found that she was already staring at me quite intensely, her brow furrowed and her eyes slightly squinted.


    I matched her stare for a few seconds, looking deep into those blood red vampire eyes, before they fell away and seemed to stare at the road, looking at a lose.


    I could understand what was going through her mind right now. As a commander and king I had often found myself in the same position. She was looking through the options that were presenting themselves and trying to find the best way out of the situation in front of her. If I focused I swear I could see the well oiled cogs of her mind turning over and over, looking for the best available solution. As far as I could see, she had three.


    She could run with her band and abandon her mission entirely, however, that would mean letting down a client and ruining their reputation among mercenaries in general. Soldier''s for hire rarely have a chance to prove themselves twice.


    The second was hear me out and ask for my help with whatever problem they are facing. I had assumed they were here for me but now I''m beginning to think otherwise. Ada had said that they had received their instructions from a client in Scarl Forest, the homeland of the vampires, and while this is not suspicious in itself, if I were to assume that Marwen had sent people they would have come from Callai, not the Red Citadel.


    The third was to immediately kill me and try to complete the mission without my help, but to do so they would need to be near the tower, where Xolumbrandir dwells, and while the sword would hesitate to attack me, it would show no such concern against mages that could not hope to compete with it''s magic.


    And the cog''s keep turning and turning, her eyes still glued to the ground as she considers her options.


    I took this opportunity to examine the commander of Black Tusk.


    She was a vampire, that much was clear. All vampires share similair features that include their pale skin and dark red eyes, as well as a thirst for blood. But they do not feast on the blood of other races as I was told as a child. Most vampires sustain themselves on merely the blood of animals. This is a common stereotype that has been passed down through the ages, but it is not at all true. Most vampires despise the taste of blood from a human, dwarf, elf or wolf kind, however, there are exceptions to this rule. Some vampires do drink the blood of the other races but it usually ends in them becoming what is known as a feral, a beast that has lost it''s mind to the thirst and kills and drinks from anything that approaches them, even other vampires.


    Thankfully it was not that common and usually only happened when a vampire had been starved to the point that any meal looks appetising. The blood of a truly sentient being seems to do something to the mind of a vampire, twists it and turns it back on itself. Not to be mistaken, ferals are a real threat to the population of Scarl Forest, but very few ever live long enough to become a large problem.


    Unfortunately, Cinder fall''s into the category of feral.


    She drinks from anything, it was the main reason Marwenna was so scared of her to begin with. I found Cinder when she was young, half-dead from the thirst, surrounded by a group of recently deserted soldier''s I had been tracking with Faral. The horror I saw that day was almost inconceivable. Pale and gaunt bodies, drained of blood. All the while the little girl stood in the centre, smiling, playing in a puddle of the aforementioned liquid.


    We managed to save her mind... mostly, but she would never be like anyone else.


    I withdrew my thoughts from the memory of that day. I didn''t want to think of Cinder like that again. She may be a feral, but she is still my little girl and my knight. I didn''t give her that position lightly.


    As I was lost in thought, it appeared that Bell had come to a decision with the rest of her band. Together they began to make their way towards me, Ada in the lead with a tight smile on her face, in one hand her bow and in the other my mask.


    I rise and brush the dust off my clothing and patchwork leather armour. I would need to ask the ladies where they got their custom built suits, they interested me almost as much as their purpose for being here.


    They stopped about five feet away from me, still on alert, still wary. Leigh the elf had her hand attached to the hilt of the slim, curved sword at her waist while Bell''s hand never left her axe. Ursula of course remained unchanged and stood as a guardian behind the three girls, her eyes focused on me and only me. I knew that if I were to move in that moment the wolf would pounce at me, despite it meaning her death. I don''t think she cared if it saved her friends. That was something I admired.


    ¡°So, what have all decided?¡± I said, trying to get the ball rolling. While we had been messing around I have no doubt that the other troop from Callai were approaching with every minute, at my estimate they would be here in a day or even less. I needed to sort this mess out with the Black Tusk now before they arrived. I may be powerful, but I would never reject an ally.


    Bell and the other''s looked at each other. To my surprise, and theirs I gathered, Ada decides to speak first.


    ¡°We''ll hear you out, Thief, but you need to tell us the truth and, in return, Bell will tell you what she knows about who hired us¡±


    ¡°Ada!¡± Bell hissed from beside her, grabbing the girls arm, but Ada remained steadfast and turned to face her commander.


    ¡°I listened to what you were saying Bell, but we can''t trick or fool him. I don''t know how I know, I just do.¡± Ada responded as she placed a gentle hand onto Bell''s arm ¡°We need his help, you said we had to stop the other group from taking the sword and that''s what we''re going to do. But without him, we can''t get close to it!¡±


    Bell stared at her subordinate for a few seconds, indecision etched into her face, before deciding to let loose a weary laugh. She looked at both Ursula and Leigh in turn and they both gave their approval with tense nods.


    Bell turned to look at me, her gaze meeting my own, but this time she held the stare.


    ¡°Ok, I agree to the term''s laid out by Ada, but I need a guarantee that you will help us in our mission and do no harm to any member of Black Tusk. Do you agree?¡±


    I stood stock still for a second and didn''t let my gaze leave the beautiful vampires. It seems that she had chosen a fourth option, trick me into either aiding her or giving her whatever information she wanted about the sword. Clever, very clever.


    In fact, this was most likely a well used play by the members of Black Tusk. Each one of them was beautiful, I''m sure that Ursula would also be considered so in her human form. Turning that beauty into a weapon is indeed skilful and useful in certain situations. Ada was right however, they wouldn''t be able to trick me. Even mind magic would be completely ineffectual.


    I give a nod to the girls ¡°I agree to your terms, Bell of Black Tusk. But I must add something onto our deal, if you would be so kind.¡±


    Bell stared at me warily ¡°Ok... what is this ''additional'' term?¡±


    ¡°Can you feed me?¡±


    Bell blinked ¡°What?¡±


    I stare at her earnestly and with passion ¡°I am starving, haven''t eaten in what feels like centuries, you guys wouldn''t happen to have any food laying around would you? Feels like my stomach will start eating me soon¡±


    The four girls stared at me for what must have been several minutes before, as one creature, they burst into laughter. Even the wolf was laughing, I couldn''t understand what was so funny.


    ¡°You... killed... and... food!¡± Ada was rolling on the ground now and seemed to be unable to stop her explosive bursts of laughter at my expense.


    Eventually the ladies managed to calm down enough to stop themselves from what I can only assume was a brief moment of insanity.


    ¡°What was so hilarious?¡± I asked scathingly. To be honest, I was more used to people fawning over me, I was not used to being the court jester for all to come and gawk at. I am The Rebel King, dammit!


    ¡°Sorry Thief, but you could have asked us for anything, we can''t complete this mission without you and all you requested was food. Kind of funny, don''t you think?¡± Leigh stated in a high, song-like voice, typical of the elves, wiping tears from her eyes.


    ¡°And information...¡± I said grumpily, trying to make myself appear to be more put together than I was.


    Bell seemed to think I was a bit of an idiot instead of a powerful magic user as she rolled her eyes and gestured for me to follow.


    ¡°We''ll head back to the temporary camp and you can have all the food we have, which is quite a lot. Ursula usually eats enough to feed a family of five.¡±


    A small bark of protest left the muzzle of the wolf as she loped after Bell, while Leigh gave me a shy smile and chased after the duo.


    ¡°Well, you met my team, what do you think?¡± asked Ada, her grin wide and face still red from her bout of madness.


    ¡°I think you guys have weird sense of humour¡± I say with a weak smile before taking the mask from the young girl and making my way forwards, with Ada by my side.

 Chapter Thirteen: The Descendants

    Chapter Thirteen: The Descendants


    ¡°How much longer!¡±


    The tired and whining voice emerged from the lips of Lor, the prince of the sea, as he plopped himself down beside a tree, pressing his back against it and grinding the palms of his hands into his eyes.


    The other members of their group merely stared at him in disdain, having listened to the complaining voice of their companion for the past two days, trying to keep straight faces and not to complain. However, one member decided to speak up.


    ¡°Maybe if you stopped complaining so much and moved a little faster, we would already be there you worthless sea rat!¡± hissed Dran, the dwarven descendant.


    While the other''s had chosen to forego wearing their armour for the long journey, instead storing them in the enchanted amulets they wore around their necks that were made for such a purpose, Dran did no such thing.


    For a dwarf, wearing what they had forged themselves showed the world what they are truly capable of and Dran was capable of much. His midnight armour fitted his frame perfectly, almost engulfing him in black metal. But despite that, the armour did not make a sound as he moved, a testament to the skill he held in the world of blacksmithing. As always his large axe, Drogna''s Edge, named for his great-grandfather, hung on his back from a piece of black, enchanted leather.


    Lor rolled his eyes at the dwarf and sneered. ¡°Say what you wish dwarf, but we both know that the reason we are taking so long is because a worthless metal mage like you is holding us up.¡±


    Dran glowered at the half-elf, wanting to cave in his pretty face with the flat of his axe.


    Technically, Lor was correct. Dran could do little to enhance his movement speed with his specialisation in metal manipulation, but his prodigious ability in earth allowed him to use it to move him swiftly across the ground. Lor was merely trying to get a rise out of the young dwarf, and it was working.


    ¡°How about I teach you some respect, you ignorant piece of shit!¡± roared Dran as he easily unsheathed Drogna''s Edge and skimmed across the ground towards the smirking half-breed, his lips pulled back in a snarl.


    Lor continued to smirk even as the blade came down on his head, but before it could make impact, the man suddenly twisted and rolled to the side.


    Dran''s axe collided with the ground with tremendous force, ripping apart the dirt and sending a rumbling tremor through the earth. He spun and pulled his weapon free throwing his inhibition to the wind and giving into instinct and rage, a distinct aspect of the berserk fighting style that the dwarf''s were well known for.


    Lor was already on his feet and moving backwards as Dran followed him, his axe a tornado of death as he whirled it around his body and roared with bitter fury, his aura growing larger as he began to draw in the mana from his environment.


    His strength increased ten fold as he used aspect of metal, his skin turned to the dark, shining grey of Garalthum and his strides began to rip up the earth beneath him as he continued to chase the annoyance that is Lor.


    The man in question continued to make his way backwards, avoiding each slash of the axe by a hairsbreadth, a confident smile still on his face, his hands remaining in the pockets of his fine trousers.


    As the seconds passed, Dran began to get more and more anxious ''why isn''t he attacking?'' he thought as Lor continued to move away.


    Lor was not as well versed as the other descendants in using magic, a result of his constant focus on sword play, and had only just begun to train with water element control. But he had inherited the strength and speed of an elf which, in itself, was something to be feared. While he couldn''t take a direct hit from Dran his speed allowed him to move slightly faster than the dwarf and he did so with the grace of an experienced warrior, his expression of smug confidence never wavering, even in the face of the of the metal-covered dwarf.


    Suddenly, Lor came to complete stop and instead moved forward. Right into the path of the descending blade of Drogna''s Edge. Dran smiled and prepared to wipe the smirk off the face of the ignorant sea rat.


    But, unfortunately, that didn''t happen.


    Lor''s hand touched the amulet on his neck, pressing against the sigil and calling forth the blade that had been gifted to him by his father. His hand shimmered for a split second before a wickedly curved scimitar appeared in his hands, slicing through the air and deflecting the large axe with the lightest of touches.


    Dran lost balance as sparks flew, ignited by the meeting of the two blades and he fell forwards slightly, managing to stomp a foot into the ground to prevent himself from fully falling.


    But the opening was all that Lor needed.


    The half-elf moved through the air with a grace that took one''s breath away as dashed to the back of the dwarf, seemingly disappearing as he moved behind Dran. The dwarf could only gasp in shock as Lor brought his sword down and slashed across Dran''s back, a look of intense concentration on his handsome face.


    The dwarf merely chuckled at the effort. While Lor might be the superior when it came to close combat, his lack of magical ability would be his downfall against someone who had mastered his control over his element.


    He was therefore surprised when he felt another slash connect with his back, and another and another... seven slashes all collided with the black plate of his armour and he felt himself fall forwards as the combined strength of the strikes sent him to the ground. The strikes happened within moments of each other, impossibly fast, even with air magic.


    He rolled as much as his body would allow and jumped to his feet, only to find Lor chasing him now, jumping into the air and bringing his sword down with terrific force.


    Dran raised his axe and blocked the strike, feeling the vibrations of strength run through the shaft of Drogna''s Edge as he pushed against the blade and sent Lor flying backwards. However, when Lor''s sword connected with his axe Dran felt himself be struck all over his body six more times and while his skin may be metal, that didn''t mean that made him invulnerable. While the blade couldn''t pierce his skin he could feel the force behind the strikes causing his bones to shake with pain.


    Lor, meanwhile, had gone with the momentum of Dran''s push and flipped through the air before landing gracefully on the ground. He stood slightly to the side, his blade held almost negligently in his hand as he smiled once again at the dwarf.


    ¡°Do you wish to continue, angry little man. Or do you wish to concede the fight?¡± Lor grinned as he asked the question, the smile of a shark.


    Dran looked warily at his opponent and his anger reached new heights as he began to draw in more mana, calling to his element for aid, preparing to destroy this pitiful excuse for a Knight Descendant.


    Lor saw the action and sighed before pushing off with one foot, speeding towards the dwarf.


    ¡°Then I guess I''ll just have to teach you some respect!¡± Lor echoed as his grin turned malicious.


    Dran roared bloody fury as the ground erupted around him, metal rising to the surface, sharp and wickedly dark as he too dashed forwards, using his control over the earth to propel himself over the hard ground.


    However as the two were about to meet, their blades inches from touching, another dashed into the battle and they both felt themselves blown backwards by a blast of air.


    Thrown through the air, Lor and Dran landed hard and stared at the interloper, before glaring at each other.


    ¡°That is enough!¡± said Mahalis, his silver armour seeming to glow in the faint light of the new day as his hand was wrapped firmly around his inheritance, The Angelis.


    The blade was enough to worry both Lor and Dran. They had both heard the stories, both knew that the sword had killed thousands when in the hands of Knight Marwen and they knew the son of the elven Queen was no pushover either.


    After a tense moment of silence, the two stared at each other before standing down. Dran stopped drawing in mana and Lor put his sword away.


    ¡°I will stand down, Mahalis, but only because Knight Marwen made you the commander of this mission. I do not want that wretched piece of seaweed anywhere near me in the future.¡± seethed Dran between gritted teeth as he walked away, disappearing into the treeline of the forest, most likely to try and cool off.


    Lor watched the dwarf go before he turned to the elven prince, his usual, playful smile on his face.


    ¡°Sorry about that Mahalis! You know how it goes, friends fight sometimes.¡±


    Mahalis stared at the descendant of Faral for a split second before turning away and sighing, the fingers of his left hand pinching his nose as he tried to centre himself, as his father had taught him too.


    ¡°Lor, you antagonize Dran on purpose because you''re bored. You''ve been doing it since we left Callai and don''t think I haven''t noticed. If you spoke to me like you speak to him, I would''ve snapped too.¡±


    The prince of the sea merely gave a shrug and chuckle before heading back to his tree and taking a seat


    ¡°Let me know when you want to move out, I can''t wait to get my hands on the King''s sword!¡± The half-elf said enthusiastically, almost rubbing his hands together with glee at the prospect of holding the Xolumbrandir.


    ¡°That''s not...¡± Mahalis started. But he stopped, realising it was pointless, and turned, heading back towards where the lady Kara and his entourage were waiting for him.


    He had tried to explain to Lor many times over the course of the last two days that they would not be touching the sword, merely making sure it was safe. But Lor would have none of it, it went in one ear and out the other with the talented swordsman.


    ''At least I managed to stop them from killing each other'' the elf thought to himself silently.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    While the Knight Descendants were supposed to be the embodiment''s of the Knight''s of the Rebel Court, camaraderie was something that didn''t come easily between the four of them.


    Lor and Dran had been at each other''s throats since they arrived in Callai to prepare to begin the pilgrimage, but it was Kara who seemed the most distant. She barely spoke to the others, even ignoring the royal guard that mother had sent along with them. Instead, she practised swordplay and magic, constantly, almost to the point of it being unhealthy.


    Her sense of duty towards being a Knight Descendant was something to be admired but she could at least smile every now and again.


    As these thoughts flittered through his mind Mahalis found himself standing in front of the girl in question and, for some reason, he immediately blushed and looked away.


    ''Gods, why does she have to stare at me like that? like she''s looking into my soul.'' Mahalis swallowed his discomfort and brought his gaze upwards to meet Kara''s once again.


    The pale blue eyes met him without a hint of discomfort, the hilt of Furela poking over her right shoulder as her hair moved in the slight breeze that flowed through the forest.


    ¡°Can I... can I help you with something, Lady Kara?¡± Mahalis stuttered as he gave an awkward bow to the woman and then, realising how stupid that was, immediately straightened up and stared at a tree that was conveniently located beyond her left shoulder.


    ¡°Yes, I would like to congratulate you on stopping the fight between the idiot Lor and the proud dwarf. If you had not stepped in, they would have taken each other''s lives. That I believe is a certainty.¡± She said, blinking once, her face showing no other movement apart from that. Like her entire body was carved from a piece of ice, unmoving and unyielding.


    Also incredibly beautiful.


    Mahalis began to laugh awkwardly and scratched the back of his head, his face becoming even redder as Kara''s compliment made him both joyous and incredibly uncomfortable at the same time.


    For years now he had been trying to make her his betrothed. He sent her flowers, weapons, ancient tomes on magic and even expensive jewellery that he had purchased himself. However, all of the gift''s were returned in short order and he was trying his damnedest to figure out what exactly he had to do to make this girl agree to marry him.


    ¡°Thank... thank you, Kara, that means a lot coming from you. I just did what any other commander would have done, you know... the usual... things...¡± His reply tapered off as he suddenly realised that he had no idea what to say next.


    ¡°I see. Well, you are most welcome but we should get moving soon. I''ve heard that this particular road through Fevero forest is extremely dangerous at night, we should not risk losing any of the guard or one of our number to something that could be avoided... you should also stop leaning on your sword, it is sentient, like my own, and does not like to be treated as a mere tool.¡± She finished abruptly before walking backwards towards the group of soldiers that lay idle at the side of the rather small path.


    Realising his gaff, the elf cursed to himself and stopped using his ancient blade, handed to him by his mother, as a mere leaning post. He felt The Angelis send a hiss of disapproval into his mind before it closed itself off to him completely.


    With a sigh, Mahalis slid the blade back into the sheath on his belt and made his way forwards, now more anxious than ever to be on his way.


    While he couldn''t really understand why Kara wasn''t interested in him, that wouldn''t stop him from trying and he needed to make sure he impressed her on this trip and the long pilgrimage around the continent that followed. He had time to make up for his idiotic mistake.


    With a shout he got the attention of Lor and his men, who began to make their way forwards, drawing mana as they prepared to run full tilt towards their goal in Ellai and hopefully escape the rather daunting tree''s of the Fevero forest.


    Mahalis would have chosen another path but this one was the the quickest and his mother had insisted on speed above all else. He also thought about her last instructions, on how if they saw someone wielding the Xolumbrandir they should run to Knight Cinder for assistance and pray that the one who held it did not follow.


    But Mahalis was not one for running, a fact his mother should have realised by now. He was no longer a child to be coddled, but a young man who had recently reached his one hundred and third year. He was a mage and a swordsman, as well as the son of two of the greatest warriors who had ever lived.


    The other members of their band also boasted distinguished backgrounds and training in all forms of combat. The group of twenty strong royal guard were trained to protect the king and queen from all danger, magical or physical. With their aid, he was sure that they could defeat whatever this threat was and ensure Xolumbrandir was still contained within the King''s tower.


    With a grin at the possible chance to prove himself, Mahalis saw Dran move out of the woods and join their retinue, his face impassive and almost as unreadable as Kara''s.


    Now that they were all gathered, it was time to head onwards towards Ellai and their destiny.


    * * *


    The Descendants sped through the forest faster than would be normally possible. Their magic bolstered them, made them speed across the ground like bolts from a crossbow as they seemed to fly, barely touching the earth beneath them with Mahalis in the lead.


    The sun had just reached it''s apex and while they couldn''t exactly enjoy the beautiful scenery of the bewitching forest, each and every one of the members of the group were feeling a sense of unease and excitement.


    Before long they would break through the forest and get to the beginning of the narrow mountain path that led through the Cold Shears. From there it was only a few hours to their destination. The group had already decided to travel through the night and reach Ellai as morning broke.


    While all of them had heard the stories of the ancient city, the greatest of it''s time and the hub of The Rebel Court, not one of the Knight Descendants had been there. It was always the last stop on the pilgrimage, the first being the Elven city of Callai, then onwards to the Red Citadel. From there they would make their way to Paltos, then Faroth, before finishing in the Dwarven lands of Holduren.


    It was customary to return to Ellai after they had finished paying their respects to the six Knight''s of the Rebel Court and finally go to the hidden city. There they would pledge their lives to the Rebel King and his goals before heading towards The Spires, a school located in the far south of Mytos.


    It was there that they would complete their training and work as one body to become Knight Descendants worthy of their blood. They would be ambassadors and generals, settling disputes throughout Vita and fighting together, if the need ever arise.


    But there had been no need in almost four hundred years.


    Now the position was mostly a ceremonial one. Where they visited, huge festivals were held that overshadowed everything else. It was a way to bring people together under one banner. Seeing the best and brightest of their nations working towards maintaining the peace that had taken the King''s life.


    Mahalis smiled as he thought of eventually going to The Spires, the most prestigious magical academy on the continent. It was founded by Knight Heilvol and while he couldn''t use magic he knew that having a school that would accept all races and teach magic without the prejudice that was inspired by the church, could only lead to good things for the future of the Vita.


    Plus it helped include Mytos in the pilgrimage somewhat, as they were the final stop. While a predominantly human dominated society dwell there, every race could be found in the advanced country. Something that not every nation in Vita could boast.


    Much of the hatred between the races still exist, but there is hope and that is enough. Hope can help you though the dark and they were already through the worst of it. The church was gone and the world at peace. Now was the time to heal.


    Mahalis smiled, his mother used to say things like that all the time.


    It was as he was distracted that he noticed a figure step out into the middle of the road.


    Mahalis let out a gasp, as did all the other members of the retinue, before he immediately stopped drawing in mana and threw himself to the side.


    He heard a cry of alarm come from the figure as it raised trembling hands. Shaking so badly that it seemed to be a leaf about to be carried from a tree.


    Mahalis soared through the air ,missing the figure by centimetres, manipulating the wind with his magic to soften his fall. Thinking quickly, he also managed to wrap up the rest of the Descendants who were unable to slow themselves without the use of air magic. He could only hope that the royal guard were capable of stopping themselves in a similair manner. He did not have the power to stop twenty four people moving at such speeds.


    He cursed himself for not getting better acquainted with the soldiers abilities.


    As he brought himself to a stop and released his hold on the others he jumped to his feet and began to pace towards his soldier''s, who seemed to be behind a wall of dust that had risen from the road. Fearing that the person on the road was a mage, Mahalis grasped at the Angelis and continued to stride forwards, worry in his heart at possibly having caused their deaths through his own idiocy.


    ¡°Sergeant Hilin! Can you hear me!¡± Mahalis shouted, his pace never slowing as he made his way towards the cloud.


    He began to hear the sounds of fighting within that lasted all of a few seconds before a figure strolled out of the fog, wearing the familiar surcoat of the royal house of Vermalia.


    Mahalis couldn''t help but give a gasp in relief and crossed the rest of the distance in a moment between himself and the soldier.


    ¡°Sorry, your highness, none here can use air magic so I used earth to slow us down, although some of the men have broken bones, they can be easily healed.¡± Hilin spoke fast as she stood at attention before her prince, eyes fixed forwards.


    Using earth magic to stop twenty soldiers at once? Gods, that was impressive. It must be what the cloud is for, Hilin has such a delicate control of earth that she had created a sort of whirlwind to catch the soldier''s in and place them as gently as possible on the ground.


    That was a technique of air magic, but her control was such that she had adapted it for earth manipulation.


    ''Wow,'' Mahalis thought ''I knew they were strong, but not this strong.''


    ¡°Incredible work, Hilin, I thought my mistake had cost you all your lives.¡± Mahalis said, his head hanging low as he gripped the hilt of The Angelis even harder.


    ¡°Do not trouble yourself, my lord, we are more than capable of dealing with any situation as we have been trained to do so¡± She gave Mahalis a nod and smile ¡°Are you and the other Knight Descendants alright, my prince?¡±


    The prince turned and looked to the other three members of his party. It appears that Dran had landed on Lor and the two were currently wrestling, trying to strangle each other.


    ''of course'' thought Mahalis tiredly.


    Kara, on the other hand, was already on her feet and walking towards them, her features slightly less stone like than before. A hint of annoyance in her expression.


    ¡°Thank you for saving us as you did, Prince Mahalis, but I was more than capable of handling it. I may use fire magic, but it was more than sufficient to stop myself.¡± She said, slightly irritated.


    Mahalis blushed and then mumbled something under his breath that left the three of them in a rather awkward silence.


    Thankfully, Hilin was there.


    ¡°We caught the man who was on the road, my prince, would you like to interrogate him yourself? It appears that he came from the direction of Ellai.¡±


    ''Oh Hilin! I could kiss you right now!'' Mahalis thought fervently, silently thanking the woman for saving him from the awkward silence that had followed Kara''s statement.


    In his best princely voice Mahalis intoned ¡°Of course, Sergeant! I will interrogate the prisoner myself!¡±


    ''Maybe a bit too loud''


    Hilin immediately bowed and drew in mana, masterfully sending it forwards to disperse the cloud of earth particles that had formed.


    It dissipated into the air and revealed the forms of the royal guard. Some were standing, some were throwing up, other''s were holding onto some part of their body and groaning in pain, but all seemed alive.


    Mahalis let loose a sigh of relief and made his way forwards towards two particular guards who were holding a struggling figure at sword point.


    Drawing The Angelis, anger suddenly overriding him at being inconvenienced by a travelling lout, he flew through the air and landed in front of the man, placing the tip of his blade to his cheek.


    ¡°Who are you And what are you doing here!?¡± Mahalis roared as the face of the man he was looking at began to tremble, he shook under the weight of the Elven Prince''s aura.


    The man looked directly at the majesty of the silver armoured warrior in front of him and began to cry, wiping his face with his hands and slobbering, as if trying to hide from the man in front of him.


    ¡°Ma name be Bartu! Please, Lord, have mercy on me!¡±

 Chapter Fourteen: Secret Discovered

    Chapter Fourteen: Secret Discovered


    ¡°Wow, you were really hungry weren''t you?¡±


    The four members of Black Tusk had led me back to their temporary base in the northern part of the noble district. A rather out of the way house, tucked behind several of the larger manor''s that lined the streets of the once opulent part of the city. I recognised it instantly as one of the servant homes, a common thing here in Ellai.


    While slavery was forbidden in the city, and in much of the world beyond, becoming a servant to a high ranking noble house was a coveted job for ordinary citizens. Everything was paid for by the family in question and you and your family were given accommodation. It wasn''t irregular for whole generations of the same family to serve one house and they almost became a part of it themselves, indispensable to those they worked for.


    The house itself was better than many I had seen. It had three bedrooms and a dining area for the people who had once lived here and Black Tusk had made themselves at home.


    Four bedrolls were placed in one of the bedrooms and, in another, a pile of equipment they had thought they would need lay in one corner. We sat round the dining table as I continued to guzzle down the wine and salted meat they had so kindly offered me, all of them merely watching, dumbfounded, as I continued to shovel plate after plate into my stomach.


    Gods, I never realised how hungry I was. Using magic has this effect and while it does diminish over time, the need to consume one''s own weight in food after using magic over a prolonged period of time never truly goes away. I''m just glad I was given this opportunity.


    I''ll be the first to admit that perhaps I had eaten more than I should have but who knows when my next meal would be? I believe this to be something left over from my time as an orphan living in Callai, eat while you can because there may not be a chance to later.


    The other''s just watched as I finished up, the only other person eating seemed to be Ada as she adorably nibbled on a piece of meat, her eyes never leaving me. While she seemed to trust me more now, I know for a fact that trust was not absolute. She was strong willed and intelligent, like the rest of her band and I knew should I make a move to harm them that they would attack me without hesitation.


    The wolf looked like she just wanted to stop me from eating her food. The looked on her face something between a pout and a scowl, as she watched me polish off my final plate and lean back, a content expression on my face.


    Ursula had gone into one of the bedrooms after returning and returned to her human state, dressing in the same black armour as the rest of her compatriots, her caramel coloured skin and chocolate eyes on display for the world, her hair the same colour as her fur.


    Paying no attention to the troupe for a second, I wiped my mouth on the sleeve of my magically made garments and contemplated what to do next.


    While I had already committed to helping them, I wouldn''t be leaving without the sword and, since they were here to stop anyone from taking the fucking thing, we were at an impasse or rather, I had a daunting decision to make.


    They would no doubt try to stop me should I take the sword, an action that would lead to their death''s as I wasn''t confident that I could just knock them unconscious without having to kill at least two of them. I''m also sure that if I did kill two of them, the remaining two would hunt me to the end''s of the earth and while this wasn''t too much of a problem, I still didn''t want to be caught off-guard by another sound arrow to the face.


    Those thing''s were annoying.


    ¡°So? Are you finished Mr. Thief? Or would you like to eat more of our rations?¡± hissed Ursula bitterly, as she gave me a hate filled stare.


    Bell snorted ¡°Ursula, these are your rations. You brought enough food to sink a ship.¡±


    Ursula blushed at that and looked away, mumbling something about wolves needing more food than other, stupid races.


    Ada finished her meal and looked up, staring at me.


    ¡°So what do you want to know, Thief? As agreed, Bell will tell you all and, in exchange, you tell us about you.¡±


    I nodded at the statement and leaned forwards, linking my hands on the table as I settled my gaze on the vampire commander, who matched it with ease.


    ¡°So, the first thing I want to know is... who sent you?¡± I said, my tone even, I didn''t want my excitement to get the best of me. I knew who sent them and I needed to confirm it if I wanted to enact the next part of my plan which was... risky, to say the least.


    Bell breathed out deeply and stared at the ceiling ¡°The one who sent us is Cinder, Queen of the Vampires and ruler of the Red Citadel.¡±


    I merely nodded, trying very hard now to keep my excitement on the inside. Cinder! She had sent them. How was she? Was she ok? Has she been feeding well? I needed to know!


    While I was excited at the revelation, it appears that the members of Black Tusk were not. If anything, they were rather annoyed... and scared.


    ¡°What!¡± shouted Leigh, who sat next to Bell, the elves eyes wide in shock ¡°We''re working for the Lady of Pain!? Why the fuck didn''t you tell us, Bell? If we fail this mission, all our lives are at stake!¡±


    Ada was kind of just staring at Bell in shock and as Leigh finished speaking her face drained of all blood as the words spoken by her friend sunk in.


    ¡°I know you usually deal with the clients, but Bell, this is one of the Knight''s of the Rebel Court. Arguably the most fucking dangerous one, at that. Why wouldn''t you tell us this? If we fail we can''t go back to Scarl Forest, you won''t be able to go home!¡± Ada said, her eyes as wide as Leigh''s as she reached her hands across the table and placed the on Bell''s ¡°Why would you agree to work for her? Why is she even interested in the sword!?¡±


    Throughout this exchange, Ursula was silent, but her face was an expression of deep thought, her eyes staring at nothing as she tried to come to term''s with what her friend and commander had done.


    Placing them all at risk.


    I continued to watch the show before me with an annoyed look. Why were they so scared of Cin? I know she could be a handful sometimes but that didn''t mean she was some kind of monster. I didn''t like the way they called her ''the Lady of Pain'' either. She wasn''t that bad... well, not really.


    Just as I was about to defend my Knight, Bell beat me to the punch and slammed a hand down on the table, breaking the wood. The girls jumped while I simply watched, waiting to hear Bell''s explanation.


    ¡°I understand that you are all upset, that I had put our lives at risk by working for the Queen...But we have a history.¡± Bell said, her eyes never leaving the crack in the table. ¡°I was there with my mother, a maid to the last Queen, the day that the Knight Cinder came to the Red Citadel. All I could do was hide as she slaughtered every person in the throne room. The nobles, the Queen, even the fucking servants. She killed them and guzzled their blood.


    ¡°The only one''s left alive were my mother and myself. We could only watch as she lapped up the blood that had spilled on the floor and laughed. She was laughing the entire time... But then she started to cry.¡±


    Bell looked up at us then, her eyes were sad. ¡°You have to understand, Cinder was the same age as me when I met her for the first time. She was feral and more powerful than any vampire I have ever seen. Drinking the blood of the other''s just made her stronger. If you saw her then you would swear she was a nightmare, a monster belched from the deepest pits of hell. But all I saw was a girl who had lost something dear to her and was acting out.¡±


    Bell stood up and circled around the table, her hand on her axe as she went to the window of the dining room and stared out into the desiccated garden that lay beyond. Her shoulder''s trembling slightly.


    ¡°I was afraid, but I was young and so was she. I approached her and hugged her and she cried into my shoulder. She was shaking so much. ''What''s wrong'' I asked, ''why are you crying?''.¡±


    Bell turned and faced us now, tears falling down her cheeks as she stared at her group.


    ¡°She said, ''my father''s gone and I don''t know where he is. Marwen said he''s not coming back.''¡±


    Bell smiled then ¡° My mother hugged her as well and, together, we comforted her.¡±


    She took her seat at the table and wiped the tears from her eyes ¡°Together we helped Cinder establish her rule and she became my sister, of a kind. She''s not as bad as everyone says she is, she''s just a little lost sometimes. I left the Red Citadel when I was young because I wanted to see the world, like she had. She wanted to come with me at first, but mother prevented it, saying that she needed to stay to rule over Scarl Forest.¡± Bell laughed and gave a grin ¡°She was angry for day''s after that and barely left her room, but she listened to mother, who she made her royal advisor, which was a good thing. I doubt I could''ve enjoyed travelling as much as I did with Cinder by my side. She has a habit of getting into trouble.


    ¡°So, soon after I left I established Black Tusk and we made a name for ourselves. I didn''t tell you girls about my background because people are scared of Cinder, and I didn''t want it to taint my relationships. It was only after we arrived back in Scarl Forest that I decided to visit her and she asked me to help her make sure her father''s sword was safe. She was insistent that no one be allowed to take the sword and then she told me about the group that would be coming from Callai.¡±


    Bell finished and leaned back in her chair.


    For a moment their was silence as everyone just absorbed what was said. The first to speak, surprisingly, was Ursula.


    ¡°We don''t care about your past, you stupid idiot, you should have told us. But I understand why you didn''t. I see you as my sister, so the Knight Cinder is my sister also.¡± The she-wolf gave a nod and a smile before wrapping an arm around the vampires shoulder, which drew a grin from the commander.


    ¡°I second that!¡±


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Hear, hear!¡±


    The girls all wrapped themselves around Bell and were laughing at each other in moments. I missed that sense of belonging. Knowing that you had done a terrible thing and that your family would forgive you. Something more precious thank any amount of riches on this continent.


    I, however, had a different reaction to this story.


    I was shaking, my hands hidden under the table to prevent Black Tusk from seeing the emotion that was running through my body. My face remained impassive, I have had a lot of practice keeping my true self hidden, as was expected of a King. But I could feel my mask slipping, imagining Cinder so alone made rage rip through me but, thankfully, I managed to keep it under control.


    Marwen had taken me away from her. No, Vitriss had taken me away. I was the only one that could keep Cinder on an even keel, keep her from losing herself to the madness of becoming a true feral. From what Bell was saying, it appears that her mother and herself were responsible for keeping Cin from becoming the thing myself and Marwen had always feared she might one day become. But still, Marwenna should have been there, should have kept her safe. She might have been my Knight, one of my six generals, but she was also a child who needed family. Even I, an orphan, knew that much.


    Why had Marwen left her alone? Cin could''ve run away, but that should have been secondary, Marwen could have chased her, could''ve convinced her to return to Callai with her, kept her close, kept her safe.


    ¡°Marwenna¡± I spat the name out between gritted teeth as my hands closed into fists, my nails digging into my skin and breaking through, blood pouring out onto the floor.


    The girls all stopped as I said the name and stared at me for a moment, confused.


    ¡°What?¡± said Ada, her eyes suspicious.


    ¡°Nothing¡± I said with a smile, healing the wounds in the palms of my hands and forcing a relaxed expression on my face ¡°That''s a great story, Bell, truly. But while I can understand why Cinder would want to stop anyone from getting the Xolumbrandir, why would she want to stop a group from Callai? One that belongs to Marwen, who is also a Knight?¡±


    Bell stared at me for a second, the suspicion that was evident on Ada''s face appearing on hers for a split second before she seemed to give a shrug answer.


    ¡°As far as I know Cinder trusts Marwen, but she doesn''t trust those that she has sent. My sister knows all that is happening in the world beyond the Scarl Forest, her spies range everywhere. She knows that Marwen has sent the Knight Descendants to stop anyone from taking the sword. Apparently, the reason they are coming is because someone stole the Rebel King''s mask. Cinder also asked that we retrieve that item as well. You wouldn''t happen to know anything about that, would you, Thief?¡± Bell finished, her tone mocking as she smirked at me while pointedly looking at the mask that sat next to me on the table.


    ¡°Guilty! That was me, I took the mask and knew full well that someone would be sent to retrieve it. Although, I didn''t foresee the interest in Xolumbrandir. The sword cannot be wielded safely by anyone. Why is Cinder concerned that the group would try to take it? And what are these Knight Descendants?¡± I asked, my own tone serious. As much as I enjoyed a good back and forth, I needed information now.


    Leigh was the one who spoke this time, her eyes still unable to meet my own as she hid slightly behind Ada before answering.


    ¡°Well, the Knight Descendants are a way to unify the people after The Rebel Court disbanded. There are four in total. The son of Faral, the granddaughter of Heilvol, the grandson of Drogna and the son of Marwen.¡±


    There was silence after that.


    Apparently they had been waiting for my answer, but all I did was stupidly stare at Leigh, my eyes wide and distant which, for some reason, seemed to scare the shit out of her because she hid even further behind the back of Ada, who somehow looked defensive. Her bow was now in her hands for some reason. When I looked at the others I saw Bell had drawn her axe and dagger and was staring at me dangerously. Ursula was on her feet, fists clenched, a vein popping out of her forehead as she looked like she was about turn into a wolf.


    I was honestly quite surprised, why were they all looking at me like I was a threat?


    Then I noticed that my body had begun to draw in energy unconsciously, at hearing the final words of Leigh''s sentence.


    ''Son of Marwen''


    The word''s ripped through me now and I felt them. My teeth clenched as mana began to be drawn in without my command at a much larger rate. My fists clenched again as more blood poured from the wounds that I had just closed seconds before.


    ''Son of Marwen''


    I jumped to my feet, causing the members of Black Tusk to jump back in surprise as I walked to the other side of the room, as far away from them as I could, and placed both my hands and my head against the cool stone. I needed to calm down. It was so easy in my old body but it was like this one wasn''t fully under my control yet, drawing in mana when I lost my temper.


    ''Son of Marwen''


    The mana I was drawing in was a river now and I was all I could do to try and contain it, try to hold it back, lest I destroy the city and Black Tusk. Even Xolumbrandir would be unable to survive such a cataclysm.


    It was then that I felt a hand on my shoulder. No, not on it, it was rubbing my shoulder.


    ¡°There, there, it''s ok.¡± I heard the voice of that elf, Leigh, say as she continued to comfort me, calming me down. Her voice was quite soothing and seemed to work quite well on me I could feel the rage that had been building up inside me start to subside and fall to pieces as the mana being drawn into my body became merely a trickle. I took three deep breaths as I steadied myself, my eyes closed.


    Marwen had a son.


    I heard the words again, shouting inside my head, but I felt no rage associated with them, only a gnawing sadness. I needed to stop this. Stop worrying about this pointless nonsense. I have a job to do, I can''t be seen losing control in front of these mercenaries. Fuck Marwen. Fuck Valant. Fuck her son. I don''t care, I don''t need to care.


    As much as I wanted to.


    I turned and found the members of Black Tusk still had their weapons drawn. Except for Leigh who was merely smiling at me comfortingly.


    I returned the smile and nodded ¡°I apologise lady Leigh, girls, forgive me. I do not have the true control over my magic I wish I had. When I give into anger, I draw it in subconsciously.¡±


    Leigh kept up that smile ¡°I thought as much. What I told you, when I told you about the Knight Descendants, there was something that you didn''t want to hear, wasn''t there?¡± She asked gently, prodding at me.


    While I shouldn''t be giving them any information about myself, I believe that at the very least I could trust them for the moment. Bell knew Cinder after all, something that I didn''t suspect she was lying about, considering the reactions of the rest of her band. Besides, I would need allies. If I wanted to get the sword back, my attention could not be halved, I would need my full power to take on Xolumbrandir. That means I need these four to run interference with the Knight Descendants... Marwen''s son... Faral''s son.


    I laughed out loud as I thought of Faral finding herself a man who wouldn''t run away at the first opportunity. The pirate was rather terrifying in person.


    Heilvol''s grandson, Drogna''s grandson.


    ¡°Tell me, are the Knight''s Heilvol and Drogna... are they dead?¡± I asked weakly, my gaze on the floor.


    I could feel Black Tusk staring at each other confused, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.


    ¡°Yes, they died centuries ago I believe...why?¡± Ada replied, curious to discover why I was asking about the Knight''s of the Rebel Court.


    I nodded and felt the pang of sadness deep inside me. While I had hoped that they would still live I had long faced the possibility that they had succumbed to their mortality. I smiled. I just wished that I could''ve seen them just one last time.


    ¡°What of Abhor and Faral? Do you know what has become of them?¡± I asked again, this time raising my eyes to stare at Ursula, who shrugged. Instead, Leigh answered my question.


    ¡°Lady Faral is the Admiral of the Stormbound Sea, she lives on a small island out there I believe, with an army of sea raiders and pirates. Although they are mostly merchants now. As for the Lord Abhor... rumours only I''m afraid. Some say he is dead, others say that he retreated into the depths of Paltos and awaits the return of his King. I know not what is true, there are many stories about the Knight''s of the Rebel Court.¡± Leigh finished.


    ¡°Ok, thank you Leigh, that''s all I needed to know-¡±


    ¡°BY THE GODS!¡± Bell roared and suddenly jumped to her feet and aimed a finger towards me. ¡°Are you... can you be...¡± She was babbling it seems and I knew exactly where her train of thought was taking her.


    I sighed. It seems I had been asking too many fucking questions.


    Ada, Leigh and Ursula were all staring at their commander like she was mad.


    ¡°Bell? What''s wrong?¡± Leigh asked worryingly, placing a hand on her friends shoulder.


    Bell was wild-eyed and stared at me for a moment more before breaking out of her self-induced trance and looking around at her friends.


    ¡°I know who you are. The magic you can command is greater than even Cinder''s... The mask allowed you to take it and Xolumbrandir became desperate to kill you when you attacked the constructs.¡± She said, her voice husky and low as she raised her eyes to meet my own.


    ¡°You are Corus, The Rebel King. Aren''t you?¡±


    Well, shit.


    * * *


    The entourage of the Knight Descendants made their way through the last section of the small and narrow pathway through the Cold Shears. The footing treacherous and deadlier than was expected.


    The way through the path had been rather troublesome. Not because of the road itself, but rather the passenger they had picked up along the way. A man by the name of Bartu the bandit. An unfortunate but common feature of Ellai in recent years was the influx of bandits who pray on the pilgrims making their way to pay their respects to the Rebel King.


    The man named Bartu had tried very hard for the past day now to run away, to escape the group of heavily armed warriors, but to no avail. Bartu couldn''t use magic and had gone into a sobbing silence, bound and flung over the shoulder of one of the royal guard.


    His crying was the only sound that accompanied them as they made their way up towards the city of the Rebel Court. The word''s he had kept screaming were firmly fixed into their minds.


    ¡°Ya can''t fight im! He made a fuckin storm, you ball brained idiots! A FUCKING STORM!¡±


    For the last day that was all he had said, talked about the man he had met. The one who had grown angry after Bartu told him the story of the Rebel Court''s victory at Ellai. The one who had summoned a storm and laid waste to the city in a terrible fury.


    Of course, the group of royal guard doubted his words. They had no cause to believe him, but for some reason, the Knight Descendants themselves knew he wasn''t lying. He had seen something in that city and, whatever it was, it was most likely the thief that they were searching for.


    If Bartu was to be believed, then perhaps he was a mage, which would mean they would need to double time it towards the sword and make sure that no one took it.


    Mahalis glanced at Lor, the prince of the sea, who seemed focused straight ahead. On the city and, ultimately, the Xolumbrandir.


    Mahalis could only hope that Lor could hold back his desire to possess the sword. It may be the King''s sword, but that didn''t mean it was worth losing one''s life over. Marwen had been explicit when she told them that no one was to touch the sword but Lor was never one for following the rules. He could only pray that some sense would knock itself into the cocky half-elf. Before he made a mistake that costed them their lives.


    It was after they passed the last corner that they finally arrived at their destination, Ellai.


    Beyond the verdant valley that surrounded them below was the destroyed city. Even in it''s currently run down state it seemed to hum with power, telling the tales of those who had stayed here centuries past.


    ¡°So, are we going to go?¡± asked Lor, his eyes fixed hungrily onto the city.


    Kara came up beside him and nodded ¡°Yes, Lord Lor, if what the bandit said was true, then we may be all that stops this thief from gaining the power that Xolumbrandir contains.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± said Dran, the dwarf playing with the massive axe that rested on his shoulder. ¡°We cannot retreat and go to Knight Cinder with our tails between our legs. I say we meet this thief in battle and make sure he does not acquire the sword.¡±


    Lor turned to the elven prince ¡°What say you, commander?¡±


    Mahalis ignored the mocking tone of the elf and instead studied the city before him. It was quiet, eerily so, something was wrong and he was sure that he would be putting everyone in danger if he went in without knowing exactly what the situation in the dead city was.


    But the most troubling thing, was that part of him didn''t care. Part of him wanted to get down there and thrill in battle against a worthy foe.


    Keeping his voice calm, Mahalis spoke ¡°We will make our way into the city, slowly and cautiously. First priority is to locate the thief, then ensure the sword remains in the tower. No one touches it, understood?¡±


    The other three members of the team all gave an ''aye'' of approval, before beginning to head down the path and into the valley proper.


    As Lor passed him, Mahalis grabbed the arm of the half-elf and fixed his eyes with his own.


    ¡°No one touches it, am I understood, Lor?¡± Mahalis said, his gaze threatening. His free hand wrapped around The Angelis.


    Lor grinned and raised his hands in surrender as he began to walk down the path.


    ¡°You''re the boss, boss.¡±


    Mahalis watched his subordinate go for a second before indicating for the royal guard to follow. Preparing himself mentally for whatever he was about to find within the city below.

 Chapter Fifteen: The Calm

    Chapter Fifteen: The Calm


    So, Leigh was hyperventilating in the corner, Ursula was staring at me like a dead fish and Ada was kinda just... standing there. Bell hadn''t stopped pointing at me, her face pale and sweaty as her body began to shake like a leaf.


    I couldn''t blame them to be honest. Bell had just figured out who I was after all.


    I honestly shouldn''t have been surprised that she had come to the conclusion that I was The Rebel King so fast. Considering talking about Marwenna''s son had caused me to become quite angry and the questions that I asked seemed to be explicitly about the Knight''s of the Rebel Court. Of course, the magic that I could control and the aggression that the constructs had shown me was a rather large hint, as well as the mask that I had picked up and tucked under my arm.


    Yeah... I was not very subtle in the way I was doing things.


    I carefully took off my patchwork leather armour and threw it to one side. While it might have helped protect my vitals, I was sure I could find something better in the tower so there was no point in holding onto it now. I had originally taken it to look like a mercenary, after all. Something that obviously wasn''t possible now that Black Tusk had figured out who I am.


    ¡°Do you deny it¡± Bell said, her voice cracking slightly, her eyes continuing to search my face for the truth.


    I sighed, I was worried about this.


    Sometimes when I walked into a room in the old days there would always be silence and everyone seemed to stare at me with awe, as if I was some kind of God. I could see the same thing happen here but to a much larger extreme. The girls were all in various states of shock and seemed to have trouble looking at me. Although, Bell didn''t seem to have this problem, her eyes never left my own.


    ¡°I do not, Bell of Black Tusk, sister to my daughter.¡± I replied, my voice changing again to the tone I had used often when holding court in the great throne room of my tower. I needed to convince them, to push them past the point of disbelief and to become convinced I am who they think I am. Only then could I rely on the them to do as commanded. Only then could I make them my allies and help me fend off the encroaching group that comes at the request of Marwenna.


    At my words, Leigh threw up on the ground, vomit and spittle around her lips as she stared at me wild eyed. Ada subconsciously went to her friend and began to rub her back, comforting her and throwing me the occasional stare.


    ¡°So, you are the King of the Rebel Court, Corus, the master of magic.¡± Ursula said, her statement in no way a question ¡°They say that Corus was greater than all the Knight''s combined and that his will was the only one that could control Xolumbrandir... is that true?¡± This time as a question.


    I looked to her. She held my gaze for all of second before her eyes turned to the wall, the beginnings of a blush creeping onto her face.


    ¡°Yes, my name is Corus, I am the King of the Rebel Court. I don''t know if I''m greater than all the Knight''s combined, but I''m fairly good in a fight. That I promise.¡±


    The members of Black Tusk all stared at each other for a moment, I was glad to see that the shock of becoming aware of who I am was subsiding, can''t very well go to work on Xolumbrandir without my faithful guard, now can I?


    ¡°As to Xolumbrandir, yes I am the only one that can tame the swords power but... the last time I did, it almost killed me. Destroying it would be easier I believe. But I will need that fucking piece of shit swords power to help with what is to come.¡±


    The girls looked at each other again before a giggle escaped Ada''s lips at my foul language, directed at my own blade.


    ¡°You really don''t like that sword, do you?¡± Ada asked as the others also relaxed a little at my comment. I needed them to be themselves, they needed to feel comfortable around me and for that I needed to let them know that I am just like them. Not a God, not even divine. I''m just a human who had the fortune to do some remarkable things and meet some remarkable people.


    I gave Ada a smile ¡°You have no idea. All jokes aside, I need to retrieve Xolumbrandir but with the ''Knight Descendants'' at my heels I won''t be able to give it my full attention, which could cost me my life... again.¡± I finished, rubbing my hand against my head. Dying was not fun the first time and I have no intention of repeating it.


    If I saw Vitriss again, I might try a little bit harder to kill the bitch.


    ¡°Yeah, how are you still alive? I mean, I believe you are who you say you are, the facts are just too convincing. But weren''t you killed in the last battle of Ellai?¡± Leigh asked, looking much calmer, but she still clutched onto Ada''s arm.


    ¡°Yeah, well that''s a long story, best put to one side for now. The good news is that I''m back, new body and a new goal.¡± I said with a cheerful smile, always good to look at the positive after all.


    There were several reasons I didn''t tell the girls about Marwen cutting my head off with The Angelis. The most important is that Bell was close with Cinder. Now I hadn''t seen her in nearly four hundred years but if I knew her like I think I did then the result of Bell telling Cin would be... Well, let''s just say that Vermalia as a whole would be at risk and I didn''t want that. Best to tell Cinder myself within a controlled environment where I could restrain her and prevent her from doing anything rash.


    ¡°Why come back now?¡±


    I looked over to the source of the voice and found Bell staring at the floor or, more specifically, her hands, which were trembling. I couldn''t see her face hidden behind her hair, but I could feel the hostility in her voice.


    I remained silent. I merely walked up to the mercenary and kneeled in front of her. The others stirred slightly but didn''t go for their weapons which I could only take as a sign of our blossoming relationship.


    I reached forward and took Bell''s hands in my own, she didn''t resist and just continued to stare downwards. I realised quickly that her whole body was still shaking. I also knew the reason why.


    ¡°I never left her on purpose, Bell. I would never leave her if I had a choice. I returned when I was allowed to. I woke up here, in Ellai, and had only been back for a couple of days when Ada found me.¡± I said gently in a soothing voice, trying to calm the vampire.


    It seems that she cared for Cinder much more than I thought she did. Suddenly, I felt warmth rise in my chest, thankful that Cin had at least made a friend. No, she had made a family in the Scarl Forest.


    Bell lifted her gaze and her eyes met mine, a smile on her own face as tears began to fall down her cheeks. ¡°Will you return with me to Scarl Forest... after we get the sword. Cinder will want to see you, she misses you. Every day.¡±


    ¡°Try and stop me¡± I said with a wink and a smile.


    I had already made my decision when we had been talking about Cinder arriving in Scarl Forest alone. I would go and make sure she was ok, explain to her what happened and from there I would head to Paltos to find Abhor.


    My reunion with Marwenna would have to be put off for a while. Simply because I was fucking pissed at her and I was afraid that I would kill her myself. She had abandoned everyone. She had left Cin alone in a world that despised her and I would not for one minute allow that to pass. She may be my oldest friend, but she hasn''t been under the influence of mind magic for the last four hundred fucking years. Marwen and Valant could wait.


    Bell was smiling at me so I patted her on the head and rose to my feet making my way to the centre of the room. It was time to lay out the ground-work for the plan to attack the tower and, also, to defend it.


    ¡°So, since the whole thing about me being the Rebel King is out of the way, I''m going to ask you ladies up front. The reason that I came with you wasn''t to aid you all in your mission. My intent was for you to aid me.¡±


    I moved my gaze to each of the girls in the room and they met it with determined looks on their faces.


    ¡°I''m not a god, I''m not all powerful. To retrieve Xolumbrandir I will need to completely focus on it to the point of dismissing everything else. For that reason I''ll need you four to run interference on the Knight Descendants.¡± I finished.


    ¡°While that was the original intent of our mission, I don''t see how we''ll be able to completely hold them off without your help.¡± said Ursula as she stepped forward. ¡°They were trained by the Knight''s themselves and while we''re no pushovers, they will have the advantage of skill and numbers on their side. I doubt that they would be sent without back up of some kind.¡±


    I nodded at Ursula''s assessment. While I understood what she was getting at, there was a way to separate the Descendants from their guard. Although it will all depend on pride.


    ¡°I''ve thought of that as well, Ursula. While they will have definitely brought additional troops I believe that there is an easy way around that problem. They are Descendants, they are not Knight''s. I am sure that by being given this mission they will wish to prove their worth against their opponents and will not rely on numbers to overwhelm you. I believe that if we play this right, we can force them to engage you four against four.¡± I continue and walk up to the table placing my hands against it. ¡°You must goad them, convince them that they are your lessers. All we need is one of them to attack and the rest will follow. Their guard will most likely stay out of the fight, they will believe that you four are the true threat, that you are the ones hear to take the sword and will not engage or enter the tower unless commanded.¡±


    Bell got to her feet then and circled around the table, her eyes absent of tears. All I saw in front of me was the commander of Black Tusk, the gears turning as she thought through my plan, looking for a possible flaw.


    ¡°This is mostly a leap of faith, your Majesty. So many things can go wrong, so many variables that we are not seeing. What if Xolumbrandir interferes? What if they do decide to overwhelm us with numbers?¡± Bell asked, looking at me curiously.


    I smiled. ¡°You are correct, Bell. This is mostly a leap of faith and while I would rather avoid conflict altogether, this is the best plan I have at the moment. The good thing about it is that you will only have to keep them distracted for a short time, until I arrive and incapacitate them. Please, call me Corus.¡±


    Bell blushed when I asked her to call me by my name and looked to one side


    ¡°Forgive me, your Majesty, but I don''t think that would be possible. You are... a legend in Vita. I wouldn''t be showing you the proper respect you were due if I referred to you so casually.¡± She said, her eyes trying to find anything else to look at but me.


    ¡°Fuck, I''ll call you Corus. I''ve never really had to do the majesties and what not, so I''ll stick with what makes me comfortable, that cool?¡± Ada said, her lips curling up into a smile ¡°Besides, you did throw me off a roof. Seems that we''re old friends now.¡±


    I gave Ada a grin and made my way to the door to the servants house.


    ¡°I''m going to ask you now, truly. If you don''t want to aid me, then I completely understand. Does anyone want to stay here until it''s all over?¡±


    Bell was the first to answer, nearly tripping over herself as she brought herself to one knee in front of me.


    Fuck, seems the vampire was really taking it hard that I was the Rebel King. Hopefully she wouldn''t stay like this for long, after we''ve spoken a bit more.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I would be doing myself a disservice if I did not aid you in your mission.¡± She looked up at me and gave me a sharks grin. ¡°And besides, Cinder would kill me if I didn''t try my hardest to get you to the Red Citadel, so I''m with you until then.¡±


    I returned the smile, helped Bell to her feet and she stood beside me. The other three girls looked at each other with worrying expressions on their faces.


    ¡°I will understand if none of you wish to aid me in helping the King. I must though. For family.¡±


    Ursula snorted and took a step forwards, pacing herself next to Bell. ¡°I might be many things, but a deserter is not one of them, Commander. I''m with you till the end. And you.¡± The she-wolf aimed a finger at my face. ¡°I''m not as convinced as Bell that you are who you say you are. But that doesn''t mean I''m going to betray my friends. If you betray us, I''ll rip your throat out and watch you bleed out on the floor. I don''t care how powerful you are¡±


    I nodded firmly at the she-wolf and aimed my stare at the remaining members of Black Tusk.


    ¡°Why not, I''m in. It''s gonna be suicide, but how often can you say that you fought members of the Knight Descendants with the King of the Rebel Court by your side. Sound''s like it would make a fucking great story.¡± Ada said as she walked forward twirling her bow.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Leigh merely nodded, her shy nature still present as she took a firm step forward, resolute and determined. She was ready for a fight, I could definitely see that.


    I looked around at my impromptu guard and couldn''t contain my smile. Looks like it''s time to get this show on the road.


    ¡°Thank you, Black Tusk. Now, get ready and be prepared to fight with all you''ve got. We''ve got a sword to steal.¡±


    ¡°AYE!¡± shouted the members of the band as they began to get whatever they needed for a fight and I stood next to the door, stroking the silver metal of my mask.


    Time to go get Xolumbrandir.


    * * *


    The members of the Knight Descendants wondered through the ruined gateway that led into the market place, their hands on their weapons as there eyes sweep the foreboding courtyard, searching for any and all signs of a threat to their safety.


    Kara walked up the east side of the large space, already Furela was drawn and in her hands. The sword of Heilvol glittered fiercely in the risen sun as she scanned the market, looking for any sign of the thief.


    The other''s did likewise, making their way around until they met near the statue of Corus, located dead centre, in this, a battlefield that their parents and grandparents had once fought on.


    The Knight Descendants stood before the statue, awe etched on their faces as they each in turn bowed their heads to acknowledge their King. It was in near pristine condition, even after so long. No doubt a result of the enchantments placed upon it by Knight Marwen. As their gazes found the head of the statue however, they noticed it lacked a certain special something.


    ¡°So it''s true, the mask has been taken.¡± said Dran, rage laced into his words as his grip on Drogna''s Edge shook.


    The others merely took in the young dwarf''s words as they stared at the blasphemy that had been committed on the statue of their hero.


    ¡°Yes, and from the looks of thing''s, it seems the enchantment did activate. But the lack of a body only serves to let us know that whoever activated it, was too powerful for the enchantment to incapacitate.¡± Mahalis said, his tone heavy as he realised the implication of his words. Whoever had taken the mask was strong enough to brush off one of his mother''s enchantment''s as if they were nothing. Truly terrifying. Mahalis, or any of the Descendants, could not boast such a thing.


    ¡°So what''s the plan, boss? Head straight for the tower?¡± Lor asked, his eyes squinted in awareness as he once more threw his gaze around the ruined courtyard.


    ¡°Yes, we have little choice. We have to ensure that-¡±


    Before Mahalis could finish his sentence they heard a sound that ripped through them, pushing them to their knee''s and open in their mouths as silent shouts left them. Agony assaulted their hearing and all they could do was bear it as it continued to grow louder, as if directed at them.


    It was a hellish sound, one that seemed to be filled with pain and a terrible anger, the type that could fell mountains and shatter whole armies.


    Mahalis clamped his hands over his ears and scrunched his eyes shut, trying to drown out the sound with screams of his own, but to no avail. He drew in mana, trying to stop the sound magic with air, but that didn''t help, not even slowing down the sound. All the Knight Descendants could do was helplessly wait for it to stop.


    Eventually, the scream ended and the world became completely silent. The guard and the Descendants lay panting on the ground, their faces red and expressions filled with relief at the passing of the pain filled cries.


    ¡°What in the God''s name was that?¡± said Sergeant Hilin as she pulled herself shakily to her feet.


    For a moment no one replied as they pulled themselves to join her back on two legs and stood still for a second. Each of them staring towards where they knew the source of the sounds came from.


    The Tower.


    Xolumbrandir.


    ¡°It was the sword, right? It has to be. That was no normal noise, even with sound magic.¡± said Lor as he panted with his hands on his knee''s.


    All the other''s could do is nod as they aimed their gaze towards the tower and felt something that they hadn''t felt in quite a while.


    In each of their stomachs was an emotion they knew all to well. It was making them want to flee, to turnaround and run back the way they came. Run to the Knight Marwen and beg her for help. Fear.


    But Mahalis would do no such thing.


    ¡°Whatever it was, it''s passed now and our mission remains unchanged.¡± He said as he drew The Angelis and began to make his way forward.


    He felt a hand grab his arm and turned to find Kara holding onto him, her eyes looking deeply into his own.


    ¡°I would not be concerned about the sound itself, but why the sound was made. That was the sword''s scream, of that I have no doubt. It sounds... afraid.¡± Kara whispered, her voice quiet as she seemed to look for comfort in Mahalis'' eyes.


    ¡°So the sword''s afraid of us. Isn''t that a good thing?¡± asked Dran, curiously as he hefted his axe and placed it over his shoulder.


    Kara shook her head and raised her voice so all could hear. ¡°I doubt the sword knows we''re here, we''ve only just arrived. Which makes me wonder what could make the sword so scared. Anything that scared the sword that scares the other Knight''s, should not be treated lightly.¡±


    Everyone stood silent for a moment as they absorbed Kara''s words. If what she was saying was true then that means that the thief was a lot stronger than they thought he was. Much, much stronger.


    ¡°So... what should we do?¡± Lor said, his voice low as he leaned into the group, trying to keep out of earshot of the nearby Royal Guard.


    ¡°Nothing has changed. We continue onwards as we did before and we make sure that the thief doesn''t get his hands on the Xolumbrandir. Agreed?¡± Mahalis said, his voice determined and confident.


    One by one, each of the Descendants nodded and hefted their respective weapons, ready for the fight that would inevitably come.


    ¡°Sergeant Hilin! We''re moving out!¡± cried the elven prince and, together, the troupe made their way towards the tower, eyes open and aware for any threat.


    Something was telling them this was going to be a bad day.


    * * *


    They had moved out from the old servants house that Leigh had found soon after they decided to support Corus in their plans. Now they walked, with sure steps, towards the tower where their stupid plan would be put into effect.


    ''And it is stupid'' Bell thought as she walked beside Corus.


    Although she had said nothing to The Rebel King at the time, perhaps this was not the best path of action. To stupidly wait for the Knight Descendants to attack without planning any surprises for them. It would have been wise to lay an ambush but, as he said, that would mean their entourage would get involved in the fight as well and it would end up being a who knows how much against four. Not the best outcome.


    The plan had some merit. She did believe that if they played it right it would force the prideful lordlings to fight them on equal terms and prove their superiority. All they had to do then was to make sure that they kept them busy until Corus was freed up to aid them in moping them up. Something that Bell believed he could do single-handedly, after seeing him take down those monsters sent by Xolumbrandir.


    ¡°Why not just tell them that you are the Rebel King, your majesty? Wouldn''t that solve all of our problems? They may even aid us.¡± Bell asked, her eyes finding the side of the young looking man''s face as he continued to walk beside her.


    Gods, he does look young. Barely older than Ada and yet his eyes, they were old. They contained centuries of pain within them, similair to Cin''s. The pale green of his eyes almost seemed to glow with power, his pale skin and dark brown hair, all of it painted him as some kind of divine being, such was his beauty.


    At the thoughts that began to pour through her head, Bell blushed. She shouldn''t be thinking about him like that. Especially considering he is Cinder''s father. Well, adopted father, but the point remains valid.


    For a moment the King did not answer her and simply stared ahead, before turning with a smile.


    ¡°I wish I could, Bell. But something is... off here. I''m not sure whether telling them would aid us or hinder us. Besides, Xolumbrandir is awake. I don''t have the time to deal with the children of my Knight''s.¡± he replied softly, before fixing his stare ahead.


    Bell nodded and looked away. Ursula was at her side and rolled her eyes at her commander for the blush that appeared on her cheeks. Bell glared at her friend before the she-wolf turned away with a snort of laughter. Leigh remained at the back of their procession, her eyes downward and hands clasped together. She had yet to recover from finding out that they had just met the King of the Rebel Court. Ada remained at the front, her hands on her bow, an arrow already drawn as she continued move at a steady pace.


    ¡°I want to thank you.¡±


    Bell turned to face the King again and, although he wasn''t looking at her, she could feel his attention directed on her, almost as if it was a palpable force.


    ¡°Thank you? For what, my King?¡± Bell asked, confused. Why would Corus be thanking her? She hadn''t done anything.


    ¡°For being there for Cinder and keeping her on an even keel. It was supposed to be Marwenna. She promised me that she would always look out for her. It seems it was a lie.¡± Corus said bitterly, his gaze lost now as he relived a time from ages past.


    Bell continued to look forward, unsure of how to reply to the Rebel King.


    They arrived at the tower sooner than expected and the courtyard was exactly as Bell remembered it. Destroyed.


    Piles of rubble surrounded the great courtyard that led up to the steps leading into the tower. On a raised plateau, separated from the rest of the city, this space was where they would engage the Descendants in combat.


    Looking up at the Tower, Bell gasped in awe. She had been here before of course, but it didn''t seem to sink in until this moment. The tower of the Rebel King.


    It was a creation of beauty, it rose up and seemed to be gripped by the sky, as if a mere gust of wind would blow over the silver spear head. That was how delicate it seemed.


    On the stairway that led up from the plateau and into the tower proper, there were six statues lining the marble steps, each made of obsidian, three on each side. They were statues of the six Knight''s of the Rebel Court.


    As they drew closer Bell could make out the statues clearly and fully. One was a dwarf, proud and noble with a huge beard, a bald head and a playful smile on his face, he was garbed in armour and holding onto a large hammer that was nearly twice his size. Such was the detail of the statue that one could even see a twinkle of quiet intelligence in his eyes.


    Drogna, Knight of the Rebel Court. Architect of Ellai.


    The next one was a statue of a proud looking human, both hands resting on a sword as he stared straight ahead, at attention, his armour smaller than the dwarf''s but it seemed natural on him, as if he had been wearing it his whole life. His close cropped hair and lack of a beard clearly showed him as a man who took himself seriously. This was the soldier.


    Heilvol, Knight of the Rebel Court. Commander of the Armies of the King.


    The third was a large wolf that dwarfed the other statues, it was easily three times the size of Ursula in her wolf form and snarled ferociously. Bell could see a hunger in it''s eyes, a rage that seemed to be never ending.


    Abhor, Knight of the Rebel Court. General of the Vanguard.


    As Bell swept her eyes over to the other side of the stairs and examined the other three she focused on the one closest to her. That of an elf, her grin ferocious and jovial, a three pointed hat lay crookedly on her head and she wore leather armour that seemed to have seen several battles, if the detail was to be believed. A scimitar was at her side, her hands on her hips as she arrogantly faced outwards, as if looking for a fight.


    Faral, Knight of the Rebel Court. Admiral of the King''s Navy.


    The next was of another elf, this one was a dressed in plate armour, long hair pulled back from her eyes as they stared outwards severely, as if judging all who passed under her. In her hands was a blade that was considered legend. The Angelis.


    Marwen, Knight of the Rebel Court. Second in command.


    The last statue was the smallest by a rather large margin, but it was the one that Bell herself was most familiar with. It was Cinder, so strange and surreal. The girl who Bell considered family appeared to be around the age of fifty three or fifty four, nine or ten in human years. She was smiling, but it was not friendly, it was the grin of a predator that had seen her prey. Her pointed teeth were on display as her eyes seemed to stare with a hunger that was similar to the statue of Abhor, but was different. There was no rage, just the need to feed. Her short hair framing her face and her distinct lack of any armour was by Cinder''s own choice. She had said many times that getting injured just made her hungrier. She didn''t want to stop that by wearing something that could prevent it.


    She had improved in recent years due the care afforded her by Bell''s mother and herself, but the hunger still gripped her and it emerged sometimes, seemingly out of the blue. Bell loved her, but even she was scared of her sometimes.


    Cinder, Knight of the Rebel Court. The King''s Huntress.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± asked Corus from behind her, the sudden noise making Bell jump.


    ¡°Sure am, ready to kick some ass! What do you say ladies!¡± Ada cried as a ferocious and bloodthirsty grin took over her face.


    Bell smiled and shook her head at her companion as the others laughed. Ada may have been the youngest but she always knew how to cheer them all up when the opportunity presented itself.


    Corus chuckled as well ¡°Ok then, remember to wear your masks and don''t let any of them see your faces, we want to make a clean getaway and if they see any of you, they could trace it back to Cinder, understood?¡±


    Everyone nodded and placed the masks over their faces, clipping them into place. Just in time too as suddenly one of Xolumbrandir''s screams, the same ones that had emerged from the abominations suddenly engulfed them and, even through the enchanted masks, they could feel a dull pain in their ears.


    Bell turned to Corus to see if he was ok, but the young looking man was fine and didn''t even flinch at hearing the sound. Bell could only imagine what it would take to actually hurt this guy. Then she blushed as more indecent thoughts rattled through her head.


    ''Cinder''s fucking father!''


    Corus turned and faced the four of them and gave them all a smile.


    ¡°Sorry, ladies. This is where I''m going to have to leave you. The sword knows I''m here now and if I stay I''ll put you all at risk. I''ll try to keep the damage contained within the tower. Good luck.¡± Corus finished, meeting each one of the girls gazes in turn before turning and making his way up the stairs.


    ¡°Good luck, Corus!¡± Leigh shouted, surprising everyone who thought the timid girl wouldn''t be capable of such a thing.


    The Rebel King gave a wave without turning and suddenly shot forwards, disappearing into the darkness that clouded the front entrance of the tower.


    The girls all lined up in front of the stairway of the tower and prepared themselves, each drawing their weapons, except Ursula, who fought bare handed.


    ¡°You going to be ok without having to turn, Ursula?¡± said Bell, looking over at the she-wolf only to find her meet her gaze with annoyance in her eyes.


    ¡°Even without turning into a wolf, I can still run rings around you three. Bring them on!¡± She said with ferocity and again turned to face forwards.


    They didn''t have to wait long.


    Within an hour of their arrival, there was sudden explosion of air from the staircase that led to the plateau and, when the haze cleared, there were around two dozen people standing there, with four in the lead.


    Bell knew who the four in the lead were of course. The Knight Descendants.


    She felt her heartbeat increase as they began to walk slowly forward, confusion etched on their faces at seeing four bodies standing between them and the tower. Bell smiled beneath her mask as the grip on her axe tightened. She could feel the girls begin to get excited at the prospect of a good fight as well.


    Fighting the constructs had been a pain, because they didn''t know how to fight them. But this was different. These were opponents that they could face. These were enemies they knew how to defeat.


    As they approached, one of their number stepped forward. An elf, wearing glittering silver armour and in his hand a familiar sight from on of the statues behind them. The Angelis.


    This must be Marwen''s son, the Elven Prince.


    ¡°So... you''re the thieves.¡±

 Chapter Sixteen: Xolumbrandir Part One

    Chapter Sixteen: Xolumbrandir Part One


    As I entered through the vast doors that made up the entrance of my tower, I couldn''t help but feel a prickle of apprehension of leaving behind Black Tusk to face the Knight Descendants alone. All it took was one thing to go wrong and the entire plan would fall apart. Although calling it a plan may be giving myself too much credit. The truth is that it was the best of a bad situation. Hopefully I could finish here fast and make sure that no harm befell them.


    The main reason for my worry was the Descendants themselves. At least two of them must have been personally trained by my Knight''s and the other two will have been extensively educated in the fighting styles of their ancestors. I could only hope that they weren''t quick learners. If I pitted those girls against one of my Knight''s I was sure they would be soundly defeated, never mind four.


    I believe that it would come down to teamwork. From what I''d seen Black Tusk were capable of fighting as one, single organism. They complimented each other in battle and knew that to be alone was weak, while together they were strong. From what Leigh had told me, the Descendants were from different countries and, if I was correct, didn''t have the time to work together for very long. That would be the deciding factor in their battle.


    As I entered the tower, the first thing that popped into my head was how completely untouched it was by the destruction that had ravaged the city, especially the marketplace.


    The doors opened straight into my grand hall, where I would hold court, six pillars lined the red carpeted floor, leading to a large, high-backed chair that served as my throne. Carved into the back of it was a the image of an ''R'' on a shield, thorns wrapped delicately around it. The symbol of the rebel court.


    The murals on the wall hadn''t changed. I was always depicted in gold so I was easy to pick out, while my Knight''s were always cast in obsidian. From left to right it showed us fighting numerous battles, nearly all of which were exaggerated to some degree. For instance, it showed the battle of the Bay of Bellow, which drew me standing alone atop the water with a whirlpool gathering around me. Facing off against a thousand ships as my Knight''s stood on the shore nearby, kneeling in praise of my power.


    That had never happened. I had been on a ship during that battle and it was only thanks to Faral''s tactics as a pirate that had won us the day. Honestly, I was pretty sea-sick at the time, something the others never let me forget. When Drogna had made these murals it was to showcase our power and he had said that seeing me about to obliterate the enemy struck much more fear and awe into people than me leaning over a ship and dry heaving.


    I have to agree with him there.


    I could thank the enchantments placed upon this tower for the longevity. I had placed them myself and they seemed to still be holding up. I would need to examine them before leaving. It would give me a better idea on how long enchantments lasted for, invaluable information for any future experimentation. However, before I would be able to indulge my scholarly side, I needed to deal with the problem at hand.


    Which were the hundred constructs that stood between me and the stairway on the other side of the throne room. The only way to continue upwards into the tower.


    ¡°So, you''ve got your shit together, have you sword? Shall we play for real this time? Or are you going to try and run away again? No matter, either way, I''ll be up soon, your toys can''t slow me down for long. You know that¡± I said with a bloodthirsty grin appearing on my face, mana began to swirl around me as I drew it in, but not to the fullest of my capabilities. I didn''t need a war hammer, I needed a razor.


    The screams that answered me would have reduced any normal mage to their knee''s. An ability of Xolumbrandir to amplify it''s emotions using sound. A great way to incapacitate an enemy before it moved forward for the kill.


    It knew it wouldn''t work on me, but wanted to try anyway, just to be safe. It was not truly intelligent, like any sentient weapon it could feel basic emotions like pain, fear and anger, but it was magical in it''s origin and still a weapon, not mortal, not organic. I suppose it had more in common with Vitriss than it had with me.


    The screams reached a crescendo, filling the room and causing the floor beneath me to shake slightly under it''s might. As it reached this fatal high note, the constructs dashed forward, faster than the one''s I had fought outside the tower. It seems that Xolumbrandir had made some improvements, even it understood that it had failed to destroy me with it''s basic models, now it pulled out it''s best.


    These constructs looked almost identical to the one''s that had chased Black Tusk, but instead of being created from anything that was lying nearby, these one''s seemed to be almost entirely made of metal. Their arms, legs and torso looked like they had been forged from some armour found in the guards barracks located on the second level of the tower. The black smoke that connected the metal limbs seethed and raged as they drove themselves forward faster and faster, wanting to rip and tear into my flesh.


    I dashed forward, activating aspect of air as I went and threw everything I had into raw speed. I shot across the room, seemingly disappearing before the constructs field of view before appearing again in the centre of their formation.


    Suddenly coming to a stop like I did caused the air around me to erupt violently and lash out at the abominations, knocking many off their feet and send them flying across the hall, their screams becoming louder as panic overtook them.


    One of the nearest constructs had managed to avoid the wind explosion and lashed out at me with one of it''s club like hands. I swept my head underneath the wild hay maker and followed up with one of my own, aimed at it''s torso. My fist connected at the speed of sound and the sweet melody of tearing metal filled the room as the construct shot away from me and connected with one of the pillars with tremendous force.


    It exploded on impact, it''s metal frame ripped to shreds as the essence began to crawl away desperate to get to the stairs and return to it''s master. I grimaced and I made to follow it, but was stopped suddenly when two large steel arms wrapped around my body and pulled me upwards into a forced hug, trying desperately to crush me to death.


    I savagely laughed and commanded my mana to coat me in flame. As I did, I heard the screams of the construct that had tried to kill me become shrieks of terror as it tried desperately to let go, but such was the heat I was releasing that it''s arms had fused with each other and began to rapidly melt as they glowed a cherry red.


    While I was dealing with the one who had caught me, several other constructs attacked from the front, ignoring the heat that I was letting off and began to throw punches into my head and body, beating me bloody as I activated aspect of earth just in time to stop my head from being caved in by one of their metal fists.


    The effect of aspect of earth made me much denser and I fell from the crying monster''s arms with ease as I rushed forward to engage the others, each step now cracking the hidden stone under the red carpeted floor.


    I moved with grace and skill, my arms and legs weapons in their own right as I used aspect of metal to coat my feet and hands in a deadly Garalthum, the strongest metal in Vita. They threw themselves at me and I pummelled each one to pieces, their fists and feet finding me often but I didn''t care, they couldn''t permanently damage me so what was the point it worrying?


    Their numbers began to dwindle as I worked my way through them, magic pouring out of me with precision. Frost erupted from within their steel carapaces, lightning was thrown forwards and used to turn their bodies in puddles of liquid metal, any who got close were quickly dispatched by my blade like hands, cutting through them as if they were made of butter. But there was one problem.


    They kept on coming.


    There were so many of them that I didn''t have time to stop and pour mana into any of the parasitic slivers of Xolumbrandir''s essence and each time a body was destroyed they would retreat and look for materials to build another, and another. Fuck, where were they getting all these resources?


    I could almost hear the snicker of laughter from the sword every time one of them regenerated and attacked again with renewed vigour. While I had no major injuries, these creatures were much stronger than the ones who had attacked Black Tusk and, given time, they may be able to bring me down. I needed to end this and I needed to end it soon, but how was the key question.


    As I thought, I somersaulted over one of the beasts and let fire consume it''s shell, before sending my metal coated fist through another. When three new recruits came dashing down from the stairs I summoned the air and sent a wall of wind into them, smashing them against each other and the walls of the throne room.


    That''s it!


    Excitement began to rise in my stomach as my grimace of frustration became a grin of glee. I began to draw in mana, much more than I had been using before, and called for each of the elements to aid me.


    For a moment, the air was still and a calm settled over the battlefield. I noticed tiny details that you wouldn''t notice in the middle of a fight. The glistening of my own blood on the fists of the constructs, the perspiration running down my cheek and even the thumping pressure in my ears of my own heartbeat. I took everything in and closed my eyes, preparing my spell to the utmost. This would require concentration and, most of all, complete control. If I messed up, I could destroy the tower. Perhaps even kill myself.


    With a roar that drowned out even the screams of Xolumbrandir I released the spell that had built up inside of me and, in an instant, the hall became a place of savage destruction.


    The large roof of my throne room was suddenly covered in dense fog that flickered as streaks of lightning rumbled through it, filling the hall with the sounds of thunder. Then the rain came. Not a drizzle, not a shower but a drowning flood that hit everything in the hall and brought the creatures to their knee''s or swept them backwards, away from me. The water was so thick that I could barely see, it choked me, cutting off my breathing as I gritted my teeth and focused. I could complain about this later.


    At my command, the storm that had appeared within my throne room began to circulate, whirling around and around as lightning continued to appear more often, each time it struck the exact centre of the formation of clouds and held there, becoming a gem of self-contained destruction. I wrapped more air magic around the lightning, commanding it to stay in place as it complained and pushed against my bonds, begging to be released.


    Not yet.


    The winds in the room picked up as the clouds whirled faster and it ripped through the room, tearing everything apart, including my throne, but I couldn''t thick about that now. I needed to end this.


    I felt it pull at my hair, rip at my clothes and even my flesh felt like it was about to slice open under the pressure of those blades of wind. I called for more lightning and more lightning came, it struck the centre of the formation with rapid precision, draining more and more power into the golden sun that seemed to forming above my head and I felt the pressure increase ten fold, veins rising as my body contended with the might of controlling a natural disaster.


    ¡°Now!¡± I slammed my fist into the ground with terrific force, shattering the stone and ripping up the carpet as a small ripple ran through the earth.


    There was a blinding flash of light as the lightning, now released from it''s imprisonment, rushed down and connected with the floor of my tower, an explosion erupted from the spot it connected with and I felt the huge charge run through the water slicked ground and into the constructs that had been helplessly coated in the liquid.


    Unfortunately, I had as well.


    I screamed as I felt a thousand swords pierce my body, roasting my flesh and sending me into shock. The pain destroyed my knowledge of everything around me and I fell forward, barely holding onto consciousness as Xolumbrandir''s essences were eviscerated, totally destroyed and unable to return to a cohesive form.


    For a long moment, there was silence. The storm above my head began to dissipate onto nothing as I lost the ability to pay it''s upkeep, my control of the elements slipped away and I lay on the floor, releasing a sound that appeared to halfway between a cry and a laugh.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Fuck... you... sword.¡± I wheezed.


    After a moment''s rest I pulled myself to my feet and began to heal myself with mana, the water element soothingly running through my body as the burns faded to reveal pink and slightly sensitive skin.


    The grin on my face never once faltered.


    Looking around the throne room, I couldn''t help but feel a twinge of regret. There were no signs of Xolumbrandir''s constructs. They had all been destroyed in the created storm, unfortunately, that also seemed to include many of the murals and my old throne, which I counted among the casualties.


    When I had created a storm earlier in my rage against Valant, that had been easier because I just let the storm do it''s thing, I merely forced it into being with the elements and the right conditions were already present. Here, I had created my own storm and controlled it completely, requiring the aid of all the elements to effectively pull it off. It was a dangerous feat I had attempted. That much power would have destroyed any normal mage, obliterating their body along with the constructs.


    Thankfully, my new body was more than up to the task and had already began to heal itself when I started using healing magic. I was glad I had managed to stay conscious though, if I hadn''t, there was very real chance that the excessive injuries could''ve put me in a early grave before I had managed to heal naturally... as natural a as super enhanced Erralith body could be, I suppose.


    With a chuckle, I made my way across the remains of the throne room, to the staircase that was directly behind my ruined throne.


    I had no doubt greatly weakened Xolumbrandir by taking out so many fragments, but there would be more waiting for me above. I needed to get to the armoury and pick up a few things before I headed to where I knew it was waiting.


    I grinned.


    Now the real fun begins.


    * * *


    ¡°So... you''re the thieves?¡±


    Following his statement, there was a moment of silence as Ada looked to Bell, wanting to see if the commander wanted her to start talking yet.


    The plan had been an easy one to get a hold of. It was Ada''s job to make sure that the four Knight Descendants fought them four vs four. To give them an ''advantage''. Although, after getting a good look at the group arrayed in front of them, the girls weren''t exactly feeling confident.


    The four in the lead were simple enough to identify, the pretty elven body who led them was obviously the prince, Mahalis. The handsome rogue with the sharp smile and scimitar had to be Lor, prince of the sea. So that made the other''s Dran, descendant of Drogna, with his huge axe, and Kara the Descendant of Heilvol, who wielded a longsword that was an exact replica of the one on the statue behind them.


    ¡°Are you going to speak? Or are you mutes as well as criminals?¡± asked the Prince, a sneer appearing on his lips.


    Ada sighed, this guy obviously took himself way too seriously.


    The Archer once again turned her gaze to meet Bell''s and saw the almost imperceptible nod that meant she was up. Beneath her mask, Ada grinned.


    ''time to have some fun'' she thought.


    ¡°Excuse me, good sir, princely boy, muthafucka. Who the fuck are you? Why the fuck are you here? We don''t deal with trash, this is our spot. You want to steal something, you got to go somewhere else.¡± Ada said, her tone dripping with disdain as she raised a hand and dismissed them with a flick of her wrist.


    Even from this distance, Ada saw the vein suddenly appear on the forehead of Mahalis as his grip on The Angelis grew so tight, she was afraid that he would break it.


    ¡°What- who do you-¡± He stuttered, his rage getting the best of him.


    ''Seriously? Is he that fucking mad already? That was just a warm up, I was going to get him so worked up he would be foaming at the mouth'' Ada thought mournfully at the prospect of being unable to use her best material.


    ¡°You should just go, little man, take your friends with you.¡± Ada made to turn but suddenly looked back, cupping her hands to front of her mask ¡°And you can tell your friends that just standing there and holding weapons isn''t very intimidating! You look like a bunch of fucking kids who got into their parents weapon stash and are playing soldier, just leave before you get hurt!¡±


    Ada turned and began to make her way towards the steps, the other members of Black Tusk immediately followed her lead and made to leave as well.


    ¡°HOW DARE YOU!¡± came an earth shaking roar from behind them.


    Turning, Ada saw that it was the dwarf who was shouting, trying desperately to run at them but the girl, Kara, was holding him back by the neck of his armour with a tired expression on her face.


    ¡°I am Dran, son of Dro, son of Draako, son of-!¡±


    ¡°Son of no one gives a shit! Go back to your mountain, dwarf. And by the way, why no beard? Don''t all dwarves have beards? you should fix that, your face is pretty fucking ugly. Bye!¡± Ada said cheerily and, with a spring in her step, began to make her way towards the tower with the others following behind her.


    ¡°Stop at once, or we will be forced to attack with deadly force!¡± shouted Mahalis as he raised his hand, ready to give the order for everyone to rush the group of black-garbed thieves.


    ¡°Ah, I see. You don''t believe you can beat us alone. That''s fine, I suppose. But I would have expected more from the Knight Descendants of the Rebel Court. Aren''t you guy''s supposed to be trained by the Knight''s or whatever? Surely you can handle little old us with only the four of you?¡±


    Fuck yeah we can, you little bitch!¡± snarled the partially dressed half elf with his scimitar already drawn.


    Ada could only burst out laughing ¡° What- I can''t-. I''m sorry but I''ve just been challenged to combat by an elf wearing nothing but a fucking vest and satin trousers. Can I speak to someone seriously? Or is that too much to ask?¡±


    Lor''s face turned to a deep red as anger came to the forefront, he took a step forward, as if to start to battle and Ada felt apprehension rise in her heart as she took a step forward also, ready to meet his charge.


    ¡°Enough!¡± shouted the ice princess standing in the corner as she took a step forward, standing next to the elven prince, who didn''t take his eyes off of Ada.


    ¡°I can see what you''re doing, criminal. But we won''t be so easily manipulated as to-¡±


    ¡°Oh you can shut up as well. Seriously, the men are barely dressed and expect me not to laugh when they threaten me and now I have a little girl claiming she''s ''figured me out''. You''re a bit too young to be telling me about the ins and out''s of manipulation, ice princess. All I want is a proper fight, but you want to hide behind that little elf there and put on a brave face. Just shut the fuck up and get back in line. The men are talking.¡± Ada cried, soundly exasperated but secretly jumping with joy as she saw the twitch above Kara''s eye.


    As expected, this was the one that would be the most troublesome. She put on a face in front of everyone but deep down she just wants to be taken seriously. By dismissing her as brutally as Ada had, she had effectively removed her as a serious player in her eyes. Something that her ego could not allow. They were still young, still inexperienced and far too proud for their own good. Kara knew exactly what was going on, but she would fall for it anyway, to prove a point.


    ''Stubbornness will be the death of her'' Ada thought, examining the girl.


    ¡°Fine, you want a fair fight, so be it.¡± hissed Mahalis, clearly upset by what Ada had said to Kara ¡°Hilin! Stay out of this battle, we will crush these lowly thieves ourselves!¡±


    There was a rumble of approval from the dwarf and half-elf, while Kara appeared to be conflicted for a moment. She joined them soon after though and they began a slow and steady march towards Black Tusk, their weapons drawn.


    Black Tusk immediately formed around each other and waited for the commander to give her orders, what Ada saw however was tiredness in her eyes.


    ¡°Ada, did you really have to rile them up so much?¡±


    Ada giggled ¡°They were too easy to rile up! The only one who knows it''s a trick is the girl and she''s still going to fight. Idiots.¡±


    Bell shook her head ¡°Fine, thanks to Ada their going to all focus on her, so we need to separate them¡±


    ¡°How do you propose we do that?¡± asked Ursula doubtfully as she cast her eyes back over the group of stoic looking Descendants.


    Somehow, all three of them could feel the grin beneath Bell''s mask ¡°We''ll scare the shit out of them... Leigh, you ready?¡± The shy girl nodded quickly, the long curved sword she always carried clutched tightly to her chest. ¡°Ok, we support Leigh and work as one unit. These guys aren''t as experienced and, hopefully, it will take them time to adjust to our tactics. Break!¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡± shouted the other three as they turned to face their enemies


    The Knight Descendants had already covered half of the distance and didn''t show any sign of slowing, so Black Tusk put themselves into formation. Leigh stood right at the front, shaking and holding her blade with a white knuckle grip. Ursula and Bell took up her flanks as Ada stayed at the back and drew an arrow.


    Then they began to move. Walking at a steady pace towards their enemies.


    ¡°What the fuck is this? That girl in front is shaking like a leaf? Are they that scared that they hide behind their weakest member?¡± Lor mocked as he sped up and overtook his allies.


    ¡°Lor! Back in formation, we need to strike them as a-¡± Kara shouted


    ¡°Gods, will you stop complaining? I''ll deal with these small fry by myself. How tough can they be?¡±


    Unfortunately, Lor found out just how tough they can be.


    He dashed forward, mana running through his body as he moved with a practised grace, his scimitar already held out in front of him as he prepared to activate the technique his mother taught him so long ago, the one that had allowed her to fight on par with Corus himself. The Song of the Seven Swords.


    With one strike Lor landed an additional six every time he attacked by manipulating his aura and using it as a physical weapon. It was his trump card, his greatest weapon when fighting an enemy with access to a greater amount of magical ability. He may be a rather sub-par mage but, besides his mother, he had no equal in the sword.


    So he was surprised that, when he brought his sword down onto the shaking girls head, she disappeared.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Here I am¡± A voice attracted him from his right side, emotionless and calm, it was the voice he imagined death would have. Detached and without mercy.


    Lor barely moved out of the way before a curved blade almost split his skull open and immediately began to move backwards even as the spectre of the shaking girl chased him. He desperately avoided her slashes as he moved back, unable to utilise Song of the Seven Swords because he couldn''t focus enough to use it.


    All he could do was bob and weave. His style of combat had always been aggressive, but this was insane. The girl didn''t let up for a second, seemingly knowing where he was about to be before he did. Even avoiding her he couldn''t escape completely and it wasn''t long before dozens of cuts covered his body.


    ¡°Just stand still for a second, so I can cut off your head, please.¡± Leigh said, her voice polite as she continued to pursue the annoying half-elf.


    This was Leigh''s battle meditation, something that her old master had taught her after it became apparent that she was much gentler than most. Battle meditation allowed Leigh to slip into an emotionless state and fight with perfect clarity. For someone as shy and emotional as Leigh was, it was an invaluable tool. Bell, always thinking with a military mind, thought to utilise the talent. It scared even her, and she had grown up with Cinder.


    As Leigh chased Lor, she suddenly felt danger to her left and ducked just in time to avoid the snarling dwarf called Dran as his axe passed inches from her face.


    Off balance, Leigh tried to move out of the way but a well timed kick from the Descendant sent her skittering across the ground.


    Before she could jump to her feet, Lor moved and brought his sword down on her head, only to find it had been batted away by a rather large fist. Surprised, Lor tried to counter but Ursula was much closer to him and needed less preparation to attack, unleashing a flurry of bone breaking punches on the prince of the sea that sent him hurtling backwards.


    Dran went to help his companion but found himself blocked by another black garbed creature, this one wielding an axe in one hand and a dagger in the other. With a roar, the two met in battle, their weapons meeting at speed, causing sparks to ignite between the two.


    Bell immediately made the assessment that while she had more skill, the dwarf had a larger weapon and greater strength which put her into a defensive stance, searching for an opening, while Dran continued to almost foam at the mouth as he gave into his berserker rage, allowing it to consume him completely.


    Kara and Mahalis finally caught up with the pair and were about to join the fight when Leigh suddenly shot forward, bringing the fight to them and engaging them both in combat, her sword a blur as it whipped back and forth, blocking their swords from cutting her in half.


    She couldn''t keep it up indefinitely however. They were both skilled and extremely well trained in the ways of the sword and magic. Even as she thought this, Mahalis drew in mana and unleashed a gust of wind designed to knock her off balance. It succeeded.


    Leigh flailed as one of her feet was displaced and Kara brought Furela down in a swift action, ready to take the head off the elf.


    But Furela was knocked off course as an arrow hit it with pinpoint accuracy, throwing Kara off balance and allowing Leigh to regain her footing, shoving against the human and giving her more room to breath.


    Kara''s eyes found The Archer, the one who had dismissed her as nothing and ground her teeth together.


    ¡°You take her, I have the annoying one!¡± Kara shouted as she dashed towards Ada, leaving Mahalis to deal with the recovered Leigh.


    ¡°So, the little girl thinks she can take me alone! How cute!¡± Ada laughed as she launched arrow after arrow at the Descendant who managed to avoid most of the projectiles as others shattered on her enchanted leather armour.


    ¡°I''m going to tear you apart, bitch!¡± seethed Kara as she approached with swift steps, both hands gripped on Furela.


    ¡°We''ll see about that!¡± snarled Ada as she too dashed forward, her bow spinning like a staff, ready to bash in the princess'' skull.


    All the while, the combatants didn''t notice the swirling maelstrom of darkness that was forming at the peak of the tower.


    Xolumbrandir was preparing.

 Chapter Seventeen: Xolumbrandir Part Two

    Chapter Seventeen: Xolumbrandir Part Two


    I made my way up to the first floor of my tower, the large carved stone that made up the steps exhibiting a dull ring as I walked over them. Each sound was like a dagger to my ears, a sharpness that threatened to bring down more of Xolumbrandir''s abominations, something I wanted to avoid if it was at all possible.


    While I had no problem fighting the creatures, they were a nuisance and one that could get me killed if I wasn''t careful. I wasn''t dealing with an ordinary mage or even an ordinary sentient weapon. This was Xolumbrandir, the oldest sword in Vita. Used so many times that it had reached a higher level of being than any other blade of sentience I had come across. Playing with it was not ideal, but I had to keep taunting it, pushing it, deepening the wide river of anger that was building within it at the prospect of me becoming it''s master again. It was this ''game'' which would cause it to make a mistake, to miscalculate, and that''s when I would strike.


    But I wasn''t going to be completely reckless.


    As I approached the apex of the steps and walked into the large hallway beyond, I kept a firm grip on my mana, ready to destroy any creature that thought of getting close.


    I was in luck it seems, there were no constructs or any visible threats and I could sense none of the swords aura, except for at the Tower''s peak, where I knew it would be before I entered.


    A smart beast, it was consolidating it''s power.


    I needed to only reach out slightly with my aura and I could sense it. A darkness so black that night seemed light in comparison. It seethed and raged, pushed and pulled as it grew larger by the minute. The sword was planning something spectacular and I didn''t want to disappoint it by being too long.


    But I didn''t want to turn up with getting all dressed up first. There was something of significance to me in my personal armoury on the third floor. Several things, in fact. But I had a healthy dose of scepticism that all of it would still be there.


    It had only occurred to me as I approached the tower and I needed confirmation to be sure, I wasn''t about to jump to conclusions, but I suspected that Vitriss'' control of Marwenna had gone much deeper than I had first thought.


    It was Bell talking about Cinder that had first brought it to my attention, but in my rage I couldn''t properly process it, too consumed with anger at the thought of Marwenna abandoning Cin to return to Callai and live a happy life with Valant.


    She was my oldest friend, my first friend. Together we had wandered from one end of Vita to the other, righting wrongs and gathering my Knight''s along the way. In the nearly six centuries I had known her, she had never betrayed me, not once. She had always been my rock, my source of strength in times of hardship.


    So why would she turn her back on The Rebel Court?


    That was what she had effectively done. The other''s wouldn''t believe for a second that I was killed at the hands of fucking church soldiers. They would laugh it off as a joke if Marwen had even brought it up. Cinder went to the Red Citadel by herself... was she running away from my death? Or running away from Marwenna?


    I pushed my hand into the side of my head and grimaced. What the fuck is this? Games within games within games and I appear to be a mere pawn, caught in the middle. Being used by the Goddess just like Marwen had been.


    If what I theorised was true then that meant that Marwenna was still under the control of Vitriss, who had no intention of telling anyone the truth about anything.


    If that was the case, then Vitriss had a powerful pawn in the form of my Knight. Marwenna wasn''t my second for no reason. After me she was the most powerful being in Vita and in the last four hundred years, maybe she had surpassed even me in strength.


    But why? Why all the cloak and dagger? Why was Vitriss lying? Why the fuck can''t something just attack me so I can kill it like in the old days?! How the fuck am I supposed to kill a Goddess who can manipulate people on a whim and lives in a fairy tale realm of flowers?


    The alternative was even worse. That Marwenna had turned her back on The Court for reasons unknown and had cut ties with the Knight''s. But could that really be it? Could she really have become that cold? Perhaps. I didn''t know her any more. For the foreseeable future I would be labelling Marwen as a threat until I could discover the true cause of her behaviour. Whether it be divine or some other reason completely unrelated.


    I made my way through the hall as I pondered this problem, the one that had been at the back of my mind since I had emerged from the Ever-Garden.


    I had no real way to do anything to Vitriss right now. I''m not a God, nor was I even close to approaching one in terms of strength. In a straight out, balls swinging fight, Vitriss would tear me apart. All I really have going for me was the goal she had set me. To find Arcana, to gain power and defeat Samedus Exovan. It was something I didn''t feel she was lying about, the emotion on her face, the way she carried herself while discussing it. She may be fucking with my life on a level that I couldn''t even properly quantify yet, but she did need my help.


    That was something I could take advantage of.


    I grinned to myself and felt purpose drive me once again, my footsteps firm against the ground as I moved through the barracks, not even checking the rooms around me for anything valuable. It would be a waste of time anyway, our guards were a token force, nothing more. The true power of this tower was me and my Knight''s.


    The tower was set into seven levels. The first floor held the guard quarters where the best of the best would assemble and serve as my honour guard. Not that I really needed a guard to begin with but Heilvol had insisted that it would be a good idea. He said the people would know he was someone special, someone to aspire to become, if they saw him being protected by a load of soldiers in fancy armour. All nonsense as far as I could understand but then I wasn''t the one trained in politics from an early age.


    The second floor was the library, the third was the Knight''s rooms and on the fourth was a large hall where we had eaten our meals and gathered on occasion.


    The fifth was my personal quarters where, hopefully, I could find some clean clothes. I had been wearing these one''s for the last few days and while I knew Vitriss was a Goddess and had power I couldn''t even fathom, I couldn''t help but feel slightly vulnerable at the idea of my clothes just disappearing into a puff of smoke.


    The sixth was my armoury where I kept armour and weapons of my own creation. I wasn''t really any good with a forge. The one time I tried Drogna started moaning and complaining that I wasn''t doing it right so I just decided to stick to creation through magic, relatively simple if one had mastered all the elements, like I had.


    The seventh was where I knew Xolumbrandir would be waiting for me. The training arena.


    It had been created purely on a whim of Marwenna''s. For the longest time she never fought in close combat with the rest of us. Instead she had stayed back as a ranged fighter, something she was incredibly skilled at, as she had no real training with blades. She had stolen The Angelis and taken it with her after I asked her to follow me into the unknown and fight the church. She held onto it for nearly a full three centuries. It never left her side, but she never drew the blade from it''s scabbard.


    When I asked her about it she had told me it was her mother''s blade, she had once been one of the greatest elven warriors Vita had ever seen, even commanding the elven armies from the front. Marwen never had the chance to meet her mother as she died in childbirth. Something that her father took rather harshly and he often blamed Marwen for the deed, to the point that it crippled her emotionally, unable to even draw the blade, as if she was unworthy.


    After she had the arena built, she overcame this fear and began to train with the sword to the exclusion of all else, including her magic. She was often taught at the same time as Faral, who also wanted to learn swordplay, but for completely different reasons. Faral wanted to beat me, at least once, in a fight and she sparred with me as often as I would allow, wanting to defeat me if at all possible. She came close several times but, unfortunately, I was slightly better. But she always came back, always wanted to fight more and to learn more about my style of combat. Something that she added to her own style eventually.


    Marwenna on the other hand, had no intention of beating me but to learn everything I knew. We worked together for a long time before she was satisfied that she could hold her own in a fight. By that point however, Marwen was probably one of the greatest close combat fighters in Vita, The Angelis an extension of her body.


    I pulled my mind back from my drifting thoughts just in time to realise where I was. It seems that I had made it to the second floor.


    I chuckled to myself, seems I got more lost in nostalgic memories than I would had cared too.


    I was standing in a vast library that was probably the same size as the throne room downstairs. The main difference being the books that covered the walls, right to the ceiling, arranged neatly in oak bookshelves that had been carved by hand. Volumes on almost every subject known to man; cooking, magical warfare, physical warfare, military strategy, the mating rituals of the colcoph moth... everything.


    The dust that had gathered in this room was immense and, even from the entrance way, I could feel it begin to cling to my skin and attack my eyes and nose. There were no massive footprints in the unbroken layer that covered the ground so I could only assume that no constructs had been through here lately, but I remained on alert just to be safe. Better to be cautious than dead.


    I made my way into the room and ran an eye over the books as I walked, I couldn''t believe that they were all in tact after so long, but it seemed like they had all remained in at least passing condition.


    ''Magi: History of magic in Vita, The unwritten rules of the written word, Adventures of Sam: Rough Warrior''


    On and on they went, some of which I had never had the chance to read and I realised, with a slight sadness, that I probably would never be able to.


    As I walked to the other side of the room, something caught my attention that made me turn and walk to one of the shelves in a far corner, near a table, and wipe away some of the cloying dust, causing huge clouds to rise into the air. I had found one book untouched by time, the sight of it made me laugh softly.


    ¡°Lily the rabbit¡± I said aloud, wonder in my words.


    This was an old book indeed but I realised quite quickly why it was still in one piece. In one of the corners was a poorly cast ruin that seemed to have been made by a child. It was enchanted to be able to reject the turn of time. I knew who the culprit was, of course.


    Suddenly, I felt a flood of memories return to me, so clear that they might have been yesterday, as I held the book in my hands. Memories of a little girl who would not stop crying, a little girl who was always hungry.


    ¡°Then Lily made her way back home and she found all her friends waiting for her. Porky the porcupine, Mery the moth and even Fera Fox. They had made a great big cake just for her birthday. That was when the littlest rabbit realised that she didn''t need to search the world for other rabbits, because her real family was waiting for her all along. The end¡± I finished and closed the pages of the book, looking to the little girl sitting next to me on a chair, her eyes wide as she stared at me.


    ¡°Can you... em... can you read it again, please?¡± Cinder asked quietly, her eyes looking anywhere but at me, her fingers moving rapidly as they fidgeted. It was the first words she had said since she had been found by Faral and I, several weeks before.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Of course you can little Cin, but first you''re going to have to go and get into bed, Corus and I will be up in a moment to read it to you before you go to sleep.¡± Said Marwenna, her hand holding up her head as she gave a little smile to the young vampire.


    Cinder beamed in delight, immediately got up, and sprinted across the room, heading for the stairs as I watched her go and chuckled.


    ¡°I can''t believe that actually worked, you actually got her to talk after so long... I was afraid that she would never speak again¡± said Marwen, watching Cinder disappear around the corner.


    I shrugged ¡°I was like her once if you remember. All she really needed was someone to be kind to her. Her hunger is still a problem, but we can fix that in time.¡±


    Marwen gave me a strange look for a second, before her smile returned. ¡°I never thought about that, we''ve been together for so long now, I''d forgotten about the little urchin I found sitting on that bench.¡±


    I returned her smile and gave her a wink before jumping to my feet, Marwen following.


    ¡°Suppose we better get up to see the little rascal, she might think we''re trying to trick her into going to sleep if we take too long.¡± I said, stretching my arms, it was already late.


    ¡°Ok... but can you do the voices this time? I mean I''m fine with it but doing that high pitched Lily voice is really doing a number on my throat.¡± Marwen complained as she rubbed her neck.


    I gave her my best grin ¡°I thought you sounded very cute, I doubt I could do better. I mean do I look like a Lily to you?¡±


    She gave me an examining look before returning my grin.


    ¡°No, I think you are more of a Porky Porcupine.¡±


    ¡°Ouch¡± I said, clutching my chest in mock agony. ¡°I''m going to get you for that one¡±


    ¡°Only if you catch me¡± She turned and ran for the stairs, laughing as she tried to escape.


    I sighed and ran after her.


    Marwenna could really be a child sometimes.


    I returned to myself in a moment, my breathing heavy as I thought back on those times. I suppose at that point we were almost like a...family.


    I ran a hand through my hair and sighed before carefully storing the copy of Lily the Rabbit into my tunic. I would give it to Cinder when I saw her, it might help convince her I am who I say I am. Hopefully.


    I turned and made me way towards the door that lead upstairs, despite the emotions that had run through me I felt assured and ready for whatever would come next, I wasn''t going to fall here, not to this fucking sword. No more distractions, I needed to head straight to the armoury and get what was needed. Black Tusk were still outside and I didn''t want to be too late, they might be in trouble even as we speak.


    * * *


    Ada dodged yet another strike aimed at her by Kara and twirled her bow, bringing it down on the back of the young girl''s head. Kara gave a yelp of pain and then fixed her mouth into a grimace of anger, attacking The Archer again, determined to take off her head.


    They had been fighting for several minutes now and it wasn''t looking good. Black Tusk were slowly but surely being pushed back by the superior skill of the Knight Descendants, their command over magic being the deciding factor.


    Dran the dwarf had somehow managed to coat himself in a hard metal, his skin gleaming in the disappearing sunlight, as he attacked Bell again and again, the vampire barely managing to avoid or deflect his savage attacks.


    Leigh was having a tough time of it as well. Mahalis was at least her equal in the sword, if not better, and his control of air was astounding, greater than even Ada''s own power. He chased the elf with a dark intent, a sneer plastered onto his face as he brought The Angelis down again and again, trying to take down the woman, who was becoming more and more frustrated. Her battle meditation would not last much longer. The more time she spent in the state, the less control she had over it and it wouldn''t be much more before it broke and the gentle girl once more emerged.


    Ursula was running, frantically dodging the attacks of the lightning fast half-elf Lor. His speed and ferocity showing through as he pursued her mercilessly. Every time he struck Ursula felt cuts appear on her body as if from nowhere, too fast for her to counter. She became more and more tempted by the moment to change into her wolf form, but knew that would be a mistake as it would remove the one thing that was keeping her alive; her armour.


    Ada noticed all of this in the split seconds she had between attacks from the princess in front of her, doing slightly better than the others but not by much. Luckily, she was rather good with magic, especially sound, and used it to her advantage to try and push Kara off balance, sometimes succeeding, sometimes not. She was getting afraid now. Kara was much too powerful to defeat alone and it wasn''t like she wasn''t using her own magic. Bolts of lightning often left her hands and collided with Ada''s armour. It seemed to be protecting her for the most part but it wouldn''t last much longer, even she knew that. All she could do was have faith.


    ''Corus would come back, he''s the fucking Rebel King, God''s be damned!''


    Ada swung her bow just in time to deflect one Kara''s blows and aimed one to the same spot she had been aiming at for the last few minutes of this intense fight, the back of Kara''s neck. Hoping to do some damage at one of the only spots on her body that wasn''t covered in enchanted armour.


    Kara didn''t fall for the same trick twice however and followed through with the momentum of her failed attack, flipping into the air as the bow passed above her head, before sending Furela up in a whip like motion that slashed against Ada''s mask.


    The Archer recoiled, shocked at the speed and ferocity, allowing Kara time to aim a kick at her ribs. Ada felt her bones groan under the pressure of such an attack and was thrown backwards, skidding across the ground and coming to a hard stop, her arm wrapped around her stomach as she moaned silently in pain.


    ¡°Have to admit, your pretty good. But I was trained by the very best, it''ll take a lot more than someone like you to stop me.¡± Kara said, a smirk on her face as she leisurely began to make her way over to the downed mercenary.


    Ada tried to get to her feet, but her body protested. She fell again, trying to crawl away as the Knight Descendant slowly closed the distance, seemingly enjoying the sight of seeing her opponent in pain.


    Ada looked over at the rest of her friends.


    Bell was on her knee''s, unable to move, as the dwarf continually threw punches made of metal into her face. She tried to get away, but Dran had wrapped one large Garalthum covered hand around one of the protruding plates on the front of her armour and seemed to have a grip like iron. The helmet seemed to be protecting her, but it wouldn''t be long before Dran pummelled through the tough, enchanted leather and found the soft flesh underneath.


    Ursula was squirming on the ground, holding onto her gut as she let out cries of pain. Cries that haunted Ada''s ears as she realised that, somehow, Lor had managed to penetrate her armour and severely wound her, to the point that she was unable to even properly move.


    Leigh seemed to be doing the best but even from this distance, Ada could tell that she wasn''t far behind the rest of them. Mahalis was extremely skilled with his blade, much more skilled than Leigh, and he was putting it to good use. His air magic wasn''t helping things and Ada could see slash marks covering her friends armour and mask.


    Ada turned back to look at her approaching enemy and felt tears come into the corners of her eyes. She didn''t want to see her friends die, didn''t want to see them fall to people such as these.


    ''Corus, where are you?''


    * * *


    I continued to make my way up the tower, avoiding any unnecessary complications, barely stopping as I made my upwards towards the armoury and Xolumbrandir.


    While I was still wary of my surroundings I had decided to stop continuously drawing in mana. It would only be a detriment if I made it to Xolumbrandir with less than my full strength. The sword would take advantage of anything it could to make sure I failed.


    I passed by the third, fourth and fifth floor without any trouble, not even stopping to look in on where my Knight''s lived. It felt... disrespectful somehow, and I didn''t want to intrude on their privacy, despite them having not been here for over four hundred years.


    As I made my way up the wide staircase and arrived on the fifth floor, there was a large curved corridor that made it''s way to my right. This led to the sixth of the tower, where the armoury was located.


    To my left was another corridor but it only curved slightly before stopping at a set of double doors at the end. Torches hung in rusty stands and the stone of the tower''s interior seemed to be darker than it used to be.


    Guess that''s what happens when you let your crazy sword take over your home.


    I began to make my way towards the double doors at speed, wanting to make sure that everything was how I left it, but I shouldn''t have worried so much.


    While the rest of the tower was enchanted to prevent degradation over time, there was still that hint of dark energy everywhere. As if Xolumbrandir''s essence had seeped into the very stone and silver of my home. Even thinking about that made bile rise in the back of my throat. But it seemed that the entrance to my personal quarter''s remained untouched, as if it was purposely avoided by my asshole weapon of choice.


    It seems that the sword was still very much afraid of me indeed, it hadn''t even touched my rooms, as if it was expecting to still find me in there if it looked too hard.


    As I said before, not very intelligent.


    I gave a little smile as I walked forward and placed my hands onto the golden wood of the doors, onto the symbol of the Rebel Court and thought ''open'' in my mind as I had done countless times before.


    As if old gears had been woken for the first time in centuries, and I guess they had, the door''s began to open inwards, the sound of the hinges creaking filled the air so I turned to face the way I had come, wanting to make sure that none of Xolumbrandir''s ''friends'' heard the sound and decided to sneak up behind me.


    When none came I relaxed and turned to look into my rooms for the first time in four hundred years, although for me it was only a few days.


    It was exactly as I had left it. The carpet was a soft green colour in here and the walls were made of a rich mahogany that I had once admired in front of Drogna when we had visited the royal family of Mytos together. He had bought some and shipped it back to add to my quarters, as a surprise for my five hundred and seventy first birthday... never seen the importance in keeping track of my age but the others always knew and always seemed annoyed when I didn''t remember theirs.


    As I walked through a short hallway and into the large space of the welcoming room I suddenly felt at ease as I hadn''t in a long time. The vast space was sparsely decorated as I never really had an eye for opulent things, but it could only be described as cosy. Large chairs and sofa''s sat near a small fire that the Knight''s and I had spent many a night here together, drinking and remembering old times. Although most of the time it seemed that it was only myself and Faral that liked to partake as Heilvol didn''t drink and Drogna said we didn''t drink enough. Marwenna sometimes came but didn''t approve of our bombastic behaviour, Cinder would just sit and listen to us talk and make merry, laughing if one of us told a particularly funny story. The feasting hall on the fourth floor was all well and good, but this was one of my favourite spots in the tower. It was where we would meet up after a victory and just talk, be with one another.


    I smiled sadly as I ran a hand over the back of my favourite chair, knowing that those times were gone and would never be again was tough to swallow, but I had to think about more important things right now, namely that fucking sword.


    I made my way to a little side door that was tucked out of the way and stepped into my bedroom. It was quite small, not really what you would expect a King to live in.


    There was a large bed in the room that took up most of the space but I didn''t really mind that much. I only ever stayed in here to sleep and change clothes anyway, I never really saw the point of a bedroom that took up a whole floor. Left over feelings from my days as an urchin perhaps.


    Speaking of clothes, I made my way over to the single wardrobe that sat just next to the bed and opened it, relieved to find that all of my clothes were still in tact... thank the bitch for enchantments, let me tell you.


    It only took me a few moments to remove my godly clothes and discard them non-nonchalantly onto the bed, where they seemed to sit for a moment before dissipating into smoke.


    ''Guess she took them back... cheapskate.'' I thought to myself with a smirk as I pulled my own familiar clothes onto my body.


    I was know wearing a rather formal dark green elven made jacket that buttoned tightly, adjusting itself to fit my frame, thanks to the enchantments placed upon it. Black trousers and hard steel capped formal shoes finished the image.


    While I may have looked overdressed, The clothing was perhaps the most comfortable thing I had ever worn and it would do just fine for the time being until I could find something less conspicuous.


    It was as I turned to leave the room that I saw the mirror, hanging on the opposite side of the bed, right next to the entrance and what looked back was... unfamiliar.


    The man in the mirror looked like some kind of elven noble, his dark brown hair covering his ears and his green eyes glowing in the darkness, as if illuminating the way in front of him. The skin so pale that you would swear he had never seen sunlight.


    But if one looked closer... they would see more. It was the eyes that gave it away, the eyes always give it away.


    I turned away from my reflection, afraid of what I saw within, and made my way out of my quarters. Not even turning back.


    I was a different person now, different body, different goals. This wasn''t my home any more.


    It was at the moment I realised this that I both felt despair and happiness. Happy at having the opportunity to begin another chapter in my long life and despair of what it had cost.


    With grim resolve, I made my way out of the golden doors that led into the place I had once called home.

 Chapter Eighteen: Xolumbrandir Part Three

    Chapter Eighteen: Xolumbrandir Part Three


    My concern for Black Tusk was growing by the minute.


    I somehow knew something was wrong. Call it a sixth sense but I was always one to trust my gut. And my gut was telling me that the girls were in trouble. I needed to hurry and finish this fight as fast as I was able, otherwise there may be nothing left of them.


    I could still feel Xolumbrandir, just a floor above me now. The large swirling mass of dark aura that surrounded it growing by the second, it reverberated through the stones, making me grit my teeth in apprehension.


    I was sure that I could defeat Xolumbrandir, but that storm had taken more out of me than I thought. I felt it at the back of my mind like an ache, a fatigue that lingered in my head, the beginnings of something greater. Using too much magic at one time can have seriously negative effects on the body, it could even cause death and I had seen it happen on occasion. I may not be like any other mage on the continent, but even with my superior physique I would need to be careful, too much mana absorption could cause a shutdown of all my faculties.


    I laid a hand against the stone that coated the inside of my tower, the rough edges digging into my skin as I tightened my grip, readying myself for what was to come.


    I finished the climb up to the sixth floor without incident, the lack of enemies a relief as I continued forward towards a pair of double doors straight in front of me, the symbol of the Rebel Court carved into the front like the doors to my quarters downstairs, but this was noticeably different in colour. The wood that the doors were made from looked almost charred around the edges and glowed slightly as if it had recently been lit on fire. A result of creation through magic. It soaks the air with mana, everything I created added to this phenomenon and the results showed for themselves, items I constructed in this room were much stronger than if they had been made somewhere else and enchantments seemed to be placed easier. It reminded me a lot of the Ever-Garden. That place was lathered in mana, easy to grasp and manipulate, almost as simple as twitching a finger. The armoury wasn''t nearly as saturated as the realm of Vitriss, but while inside it I did find it much easier to use magic.


    I stepped forward and pressed the palm of my hand against the door, thinking ''open'' again in my mind, as I did previously, and the door fell apart, turning into a ash cloud without a sound. It circled around me for a second as if taking me in, then fluttered down onto the floor in silence.


    I paid no mind to the odd antics of the door, it was designed to hurt anyone who did not have the proper access to this room. While it was an imperfect system, I had never needed to use it. No one had ever trespassed into my tower and even if they did they would be facing my guard and Knight''s on the way up to this room. An impossible feat for any mage who had lived while I had ruled Ellai.


    I stepped forward into the room and breathed in the air, no dust present as the torches flared up at my command, lighting the up the large oval shaped space, tables lined the walls of various sizes but no tools, as I didn''t really need them. Bits and pieces of rusted metal were scattered around the room, a huge pile stacked up in the corner of all the scraps I had failed to use in my work. For a moment I was thrilled, absolutely ecstatic that my room had been untouched when I looked around and saw... nothing.


    Everything was gone!


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I cried and sent a bolt of lightning shooting forwards from my outstretched hand, hitting an armour stand opposite the door where my golden plate used to reside, causing it to combust gloriously in a fountain of flame.


    It seems when my fucking compatriots had left my beloved home they had decided to take all of my fucking weapons and armour, which was just fucking great! For the love of the bitch called Vitriss, why would they think that would be a sensible idea?


    The only shit in here was stuff I was tinkering with, perhaps some of it was quite powerful, but there was nothing sentient. It took centuries to create weapons and armour of such power and I had neither the time nor the shitting inclination. Most of the items stored here would''ve given me an edge in battling Xolumbrandir though. I can take all the hits I want from it''s constructs but the weapon itself is sure to have a way to incapacitate me should I take a direct hit. Aspect of metal and aspect of earth can only take me so far before I have to think about something a little more practical.


    As I thought about the problem I noticed something out of the corner of my eye, a glimmer in the fire of the torches. As if something was reflecting the light to try and gain my attention.


    I looked at the spot with confusion for a split second before clarity came pouring through, causing me to light up in a smile of triumph.


    ¡°I can''t believe they left you behind.¡± I said.


    I walked up to a spot in the wall, just to my left and between two of the work tables. A sigil was drawn there, almost no mana to supply it but it seemed to be still working which was pretty impressive. It seems my enchantments were holding up much better than I thought they were, even this one was only designed to be temporary and here it still was, doing the job I had required of it.


    With a grin I placed one hand onto the sigil and commanded it to activate.


    The room began to creak and groan under the weight of the command, the scraps of metal around the armoury shuddering as great vibrations rumbled through it, penetrating the very stone and silver of the tower. I felt my grin grow even wider when the centre of the workshops floor began to split and pull apart, revealing a deep pit that sunk at least three meters into the ground. It was within that pit that I found what I was looking for.


    A set of armour that I suppose was almost as old as I was, rose up from the pit. Magic pulled at it, propelled it upwards. After the armour rose, the floor began to close again before sealing shut completely, the enchantment I had placed on the wall shattered from the effort of activating it''s function after so long and became unusable, crumbling into motes of light.


    I was expecting that of course, it was a miracle it had lasted for so long, I could only determine that it was the rooms unnatural concentration of mana which had allowed it to remain as it had.


    The reason that the enchantments I had placed on the tower had not yet faded was due to the function. Enchantments which were set with the simple task of ''defence'' consume much less natural mana than the one I had just used. It was a complex sigil containing the runes for ''hide'', ''conceal'' and ''distract'', all enchantments associated with the air and water elements. Together these three allowed the armour contained within the pit to remain hidden underneath the workshop until such a time that I needed it.


    But like I said, it was only supposed to be temporary. The armour was going to be used as an experiment piece to better understand the mana that drenched the room, it was supposed to remain in the pit for one full month, then I would take it out and see if the armour and enchantments placed upon it had been effected in any way.


    The day I hid this armour was also the day I died, which was convenient I suppose. If I hadn''t then it would probably be gone with the rest of the armour and weapons. I didn''t tell my Knight''s about this project of mine, it was the result of boredom. Tired of creating arms through magical means. I hoped to exploit the mana and create something completely different.


    The set of armour that now floated in front of me was a light grey in colour, completely smooth and seemed to have very little openings, as if the armour itself was one whole piece. It was made of iron for the sake of practicality. It was easy to acquire and easy to manipulate through metal magic, plus it can hold basic enchantments quite well before shattering. I didn''t want to use any higher grade metal that had the chance of deforming and costing me a pretty penny, as well as the ire of Heilvol, who acted as the treasurer among his many other jobs.


    On the chest piece of the armour I could see three sigils glowing slightly amid the light within the armoury. They were enchantments for ''strengthen'', ''defend'' and ''lighten''. Though these were very basic they were handy. Strengthen and defend come from the earth element while lighten comes from air. Wearing the armour improved my overall physical strength beyond it''s common limits and made me much hardier, perfect for my coming fight with Xolumbrandir. The lighten sigil was pretty self explanatory, it made the armour weigh less so I would be hampered less in a fight. Although this armour had been stewing in a boiling pot of mana for the last four hundred years so who knows how powerful it has now become? Add in my already terrifying strength as a mage and the physical power of my new body and the results could be... explosive.


    ¡°Interesting. I wonder what you will allow me to do... Let''s get started.¡±


    I gave a chuckle and reached out a hand.


    * * *


    It didn''t take me long to get fully prepared, the grey armour was quite easy to put on, as I had designed it that way. While it looked like one suit, this was not the case and some pieces overlapped with others as well as being weaker in some area''s, like the elbows and knee''s to offer full range of movement. Nevertheless, I was happy with the results.


    It did make me think of the armour of Black Tusk and how theirs functioned, considering that it didn''t overlap like mine did and seemed to have no conceivable openings. I would have to find the time to ask them about this after everything is taken care of. It shouldn''t be too long now.


    As I pulled on the the gauntlets, clawed at the fingertips for an additional weapon, my eyes wandering to my mask, which I had placed on a nearby table to allow myself to put on the armour.


    Should I?


    I shrugged and walked over to the table and picked it up, examining the silver in greater detail. I could just barely make out the various enchantments that the mask held within it''s shining surface, many had to do with defence, others to ensure my eyes could not be seen, yet more to not impede my voice when I spoke. It would be almost impossible for the sword to harm my head while I was wearing this and I fully intended too. I would need some sort of disguise when I went to help Black Tusk, so why not wear the item the Knight Descendants believe I stole? It certainly couldn''t harm the situation and I would be more comfortable wearing this when I fought them. Seeing the children and great grandchildren of my Knight''s was something that would no doubt be jarring. It would be better to hide my expression behind the mask, as I did before. I could become as cold and as ruthless as I wanted, until I took it off. Then I would be me again.


    With a smile I placed the mask on my head and felt it change it''s form to fit my own. The eyepieces of the mask did nothing to impede my sight in any way, if anything they seemed to improve it and none of my sense were dampened in the slightest.


    I felt ready. Ready for anything. Ready to fuck up the rogue blade and bend it too my will.


    I walked towards the door and left behind the armoury, not pausing once. I knew I wouldn''t be coming back here. I had made piece with that quite a while ago. Now was the time for action.


    I left the room in a hurry and basically ran to the stairs. As I climbed I began to notice the changes on my body the armour was having. I felt slightly stronger, slightly faster and the pieces themselves seemed to weigh almost nothing. It seemed that their hadn''t been much improvement from being in the pit but I wasn''t expecting much. Still there was the feeling that the enchantments felt slightly stronger than they would have without the mana bath. Perhaps it was something worth pursuing at a later date.


    I approached the top of the stairs but instead of a hallway there was only a single, large door. Big enough for Abhor to walk through comfortably in his wolf form, in which he felt most comfortable. While it had been Marwenna''s idea to build the arena that lay just beyond the door, the others also had ample use of it. A particularly funny mock battle had taken place with Cinder on one side, Abhor and Drogna on the other. Faral and I couldn''t stop laughing from the sight of Cin riding Abhor who kept trying to buck her off while Drogna desperately tried to bat her off with his wooden hammer. My Knight and I couldn''t look at each other for a week without laughing, causing Abhor and Drogna to give us glares and Cinder to give them a sweet smile.


    I smiled behind my mask at the memory before my mind went cold, dark. Everything up until this point was merely playing, having fun. This was a true test of my abilities and I would bring the sword back under control, even if it fucking killed me.


    It was too monstrous, too evil to be left out of my hands.


    I placed a hand against the giant door and pulled in mana, a stream ran through me, then a river, then a sea. I felt the sword on the other side of the door writhing like a mass of snakes, black and boiling like hot tar, it''s anger overwhelming. It began to scream, it''s deathly cry much stronger than the ones that had hit me through the constructs. It seemed to break into my mind and send spikes of pain across my body, attempting to bring me to submission, attempting to make me it''s puppet.


    I would not allow it!


    I roared as I unleashed my mana as flame and sent it forward from my body in a great wave that caused the stone to blacken and my armour to become red hot. It destroyed the door, incinerating it as the fire continued forwards unhampered, ready to consume and destroy all in it''s path. It was as it approached the centre of the arena that it was suddenly extinguished as if it was nothing but a nuisance, black smoke had smothered the fire almost contemptuously and Xolumbrandir seemed to be waiting for what I would attempt next.


    I drew in more mana and slowly walked into the room, my hand waving in front of me, causing the air to disperse the smoke and allow me to look upon my weapon for the first time in four hundred years.


    The sword had remained unchanged by time but I was not surprised. It was sentient and had magic of its own, rust could not impede it''s power. If one was too look at it before it was sentient they would think it looked quite ordinary. It''s grip was wrapped in worn black leather that seemed to have seen years of use, the pommel was merely a polished tear drop of dark grey metal and the cross-guard was the same, although it had a slight curve in it, aiming towards the blade.


    It was the blade itself that was perhaps the most unnerving. It didn''t seem to be made of metal, or any other substance for that matter it was just... darkness. Night given physical form, it was just over a meter in length and seemed to reject the light cast down from the setting sun. Wisps of the same black smoke that had connected the constructs came off the blade in thin strands as it awaited my move, I could hear a faint hissing in the air, like a snake when it was threatened, ready to strike.


    ¡°Hello there, old friend. Long time no see.¡± I said, the mask doing a good job of hiding the smirk that had crept onto my face. ¡°Why are you being so difficult, sword? You knew I wouldn''t be gone forever, didn''t you?¡±


    The hissing increased as I took three steps closer to the Xolumbrandir and examined my surroundings.


    The roof of the tower allowed me to clearly see the sky above in all it''s glory, painted red by the descending sun, and had the added benefit of lighting the arena, something I was worried about on my way up. If I had arrived later and the sun had already set the sword would be that much more powerful and would provide an even greater challenge, thankfully it seemed that I had about thirty minutes before my light source was gone.


    It was a vast space, built for combat and large silver walls rose to towering heights, an attempt to hide any flashes of magic from the masses that dwelt below. The walls also had the secondary purpose of absorbing any magical attacks thrown at them, which they did quite effectively.


    I stepped onto the sand that covered the arena and began to make my way towards the sword, which had been stuck in the exact centre of the circular battlefield, most likely by it''s own will. My aura on full show as mana filled me to the brim, my heart beating a mile a minute as adrenaline pumped through my veins.


    ¡°So? What are you waiting for?! You wanted to fight, so fight!¡± I roared and raised a hand, condensing the fire element and turning it into lightning that shot from my hand, closing the distance between us in a second. Darkness swelled from within the dark surface of the blade and it rose up to meet the storm, becoming an open maw as it planned to devour the raw power. As it passed into the large open mouth that Xolumbrandir had created I sent another wave of magic from my body, this time ice, and froze the lightning instantly, causing it to come to a complete stop just before it went into the raging dark force that threatened to nullify it.


    I felt confusion from Xolumbrandir, but I merely grinned and closed my fist.


    The lightning burst and turned into hundreds of crystallised shards that flew around the dark smoke and straight for the sword, cutting into it''s aura with perfect efficiency as it sought to rip into the blade. The sword hissed in frustration and more black energy exploded from it''s body, annihilating the shards before they could get close. It was in this moment that I had my chance.


    I dashed forward, aspect of air active as I sped across the sand, churning up great waves in my wake, my hand outstretched to get a hold of the swords hilt. It screamed again as it saw me and immediately began exude yet more black energy, it''s aura more powerful now than I had ever seen it before. When it had reached the size of a large house part of it broke off like a whip, slicing towards me through the air. I held out a hand and summoned the earth, commanding the sand to obey. A great sheet rose up from the ground and locked into place, taking the brunt of the attack on my behalf.


    The sand shield held for all of a second before the tendril of Xolumbrandir''s aura continued onwards towards me, ready to cut me down. I raised my gauntlets in front of my body and prepared to take the hit. It connected and sent me skidding backwards over the sand. I tried desperately to get my footing as my hands pressed against the gaseous, yet strangely solid, attacking tentacle.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    I activated aspect of earth and aspect of metal, my whole body covered in the same iron as my armour as I felt my body become denser, dragging me to the floor and allowing me to finally stop the tendril from pushing me further. Xolumbrandir was not content with that however and put more power into the attacking part of it''s aura, the solid smoke smashing against my body again and again as I could do nothing but simply try and block.


    It was when it raised itself up into the air for one final attack that I moved, summoning flames that coated my arms and drawing back my fist, teeth gritted, ready to smash this useless pile of shit to pieces.


    It came down with terrible force, all of the swords rage backing it as it fell to the ground, meaning to crush me between it and the sand. I roared and threw a punch that caused my fist to break the sound barrier, connecting with the pillar of darkness at the same time as unleashing the fire that had coated my arms. I felt my hand break upon impact but the tendril came off much worse. It was pulverised by the force behind my fist and the flames finished the rest, incinerating the remains.


    I immediately sent healing magic to my hand and turned to face Xolumbrandir, only to be struck in the chest by another tendril.


    It knocked the wind out of my lungs and I felt my ribs snap from the pressure as I was sent flying into one of the silver walls, leaving a large dent and flopping against the ground, my breathing heavy, I tried to regain my balance. The armour had saved my life it seemed.


    It was just as powerful as I remembered, if not more so. I would need to do something quickly ifI wanted to get out of this alive.


    I weakly raised my head and looked to the sword, it''s hissing began to increase in volume as the swirling mass of black aura circled around it like a hurricane, the tendril that had struck me retreated to the fold and joined the mass, making it all the larger.


    I sent healing magic through my body, feeling it begin to repair the damage and praying that it was a clean break and had not sheared off into my lungs. I pushed myself to my feet and felt the water magic do it''s work, passing into my body like the shock of the cold and bringing me back to perfect form. I clenched my hand experimentally and found it to be mostly free of pain, it would have to do.


    ¡°Is that all you have, Xolumbrandir? I came all this way for you and you don''t have the courtesy to show me your best? Lets go!¡± I roar and draw in mana drastically, feeling it begin to make my body numb and the growing ache in my head became even worse. A familiar pain, but I could do more before I fell, I knew my limits.


    The swirling vortex of my aura rotated around me, blazing like the sun, matching Xolumbrandir''s and then exceeding it, I felt it push itself against the darkness and it retreated, afraid, as the sword''s screams returned in full.


    The sword rose into the air, lifted by it''s black aura and the screams reached a new level. The whole tower began to shudder as the sound magic poured from it''s blade, dark and hungry. The silver walls began to crack and the sand began to vibrate and move towards it, as if pulled by it''s gravity.


    My own roar reached a crescendo and I moved my hands like I was conducting an orchestra, the whole world seemed to warp and wither under our combined mights as I fought to push back against it''s raging aura.


    That was when the sword made it''s move.


    The dark smoke began to take form, moulding into something I had never seen. It grew legs, grew arms, a head rose from it''s peak, eyes opening and staring at me with a dark light. Xolumbrandir was lodged inside the centre of the massive constructs chest as it''s feet touched the ground and it stared at me with bitter hatred, a colossal being whose head could easily see over the top of the walls, it glared down at me, ready to squash me like a bug. Suddenly, it''s skin was no longer smoke but rippled before becoming what I can only describe as crystallised darkness, a solid mass that boasted razor sharp edges all over it''s jagged body. It was a weapon built to destroy, conceived from the black heart of Xolumbrandir''s sentience. It raised it''s head and screamed, just like the sword but increased in power to a massive degree. I felt it drive it''s way into my body and mind like razor sharp knives looking to rip and tear into my flesh, to reduce me to less than nothing. The golem construct prepared to charge.


    That was when I made my move.


    ¡°Ultimate Aspect!¡± I screamed and felt my aura retreat into my body as mana began to pour inside of me. Pain.. incredible pain.


    Aspect of Earth


    Aspect of Air


    My screams reached a new level as I felt my body being forcibly changed, mana moved through me like a sword, slicing apart my body and rebuilding it with magic, turning me into a walking weapon.


    Aspect of Water


    Aspect of Fire


    The aspects fought amongst themselves for supremacy as I felt my flesh turn to living flame, then water and back again. The agony of the transformation felt like I was being drowned and burned alive.


    Aspect of Lightning


    Aspect of Metal


    My charred and wet skin was turned to metal, before being coated in lightning, the pain had began to feel secondary now, the spell was taking effect, I just needed to get to the last aspect.


    Aspect of Gravity


    Aspect of Ice


    Aspect of Illusion


    I was almost begging now, my body could take a lot of punishment but this was too much... I couldn''t take this... PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!


    Aspect of Healing


    Relief filled my body as the cooling light of aspect of healing poured into me, constantly and continuously healing me faster than I ever could on my own, it was the glue that held this spell together, an almost suicidal effort on my part, but with the final aspect the others fell into line and conformed, turning into something more, something greater. I felt... strong.


    I opened my eyes and looked out into the world in a new light, everything in front of me was seen through flame, I could see the heat that I was generating, feel it and control it to do as I willed. I felt lighter than ever, but much heavier than I had ever been. My skin was made of liquid, molten metal that bubbled and exuded a heat much higher than any I had ever felt. My armour and mask remained in tact, protected by my overwhelming aura that now leaked out, freed from me and on show to Xolumbrandir''s abomination. The golem construct stood before me and had already began to move but I had already used my spell. This had all taken place in the span of a second.


    It dashed forward but I did nothing, awaiting it''s charge as each of it''s steps sent tremors through the earth, tremors that I would have had to avoid had I been normal, but I wasn''t. My gravity adjusted to the tremors automatically, ensuring I kept my feet. I smiled even as the beast brought it''s fist down upon my head and crushed me into the ground, breaking my metal bones and flaming, liquid skin.


    Xolumbrandir hissed in joy and brought it''s fists down again and again and again, pummelling the hardened ground so hard it created a crater with my broken body at the bottom, shattered beyond all repair. It stopped it''s brutal attack and looked down into the crater, joy began welling inside of it, beyond anything it had felt before.


    The body in the crater rippled, then vanished.


    ¡°Aspect of Illusion¡± My voice cried out from the other side of the room, or should I say, a hundred of my voices cried out.


    The abomination turned and found it was facing not one Corus, but many. They all wore the same mask and armour as I did myself and all stared silently at the giant creature and, specifically, the sword entombed within.


    I felt it then. The joy replaced by despair, then defiance as it screamed and charged for all it was worth. We all charged as well, meeting the creature in battle.


    It swung it''s massive arms back and forth, crushing many of my doppelg?ngers into the ground as others were kicked so hard they were reduced to paste against the walls. They all faded, they all disappeared.


    The sword began to panic and it showed on the construct. For every Corus it destroyed at least a dozen took his place and it was afraid... truly afraid... for the first time in a long time.


    It was right to be.


    ¡°Here I am!¡±


    It turned it''s head just in time to see me flying through the air towards it''s chest, my fists held out in front of me, a large grin of self-satisfaction on my face.


    I smashed into the creatures chest with the force of a catapult, my skin burning part way through the aura of my sword before I even got close, and I tore out the rest with my physical strength, pushed to almost the levels of Vitriss herself.


    It cried in fear and tried to retreat or pummel me to bits but it was not possible, I was beyond it now. it would not escape. I would not allow it.


    I dug into the hard crystal essence and ripped out the last of it before enclosing my fist around the hilt of Xolumbrandir. In a last ditch effort, the golem desperately began sprinting forwards and threw it''s considerable frame into the side of the arena, intending to crush me against the silver walls.


    It miscalculated.


    The golem''s weight carried it through the wall and into the empty air beyond. For a moment there was complete silence. The construct hanging in the air, my hand around the swords hilt.


    Then we fell.


    ¡°SUBMIT!¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Ursula!¡± cried Leigh as she broke her sword lock with the elven prince and covered the space between herself and her comrade faster than she thought she was able. She threw herself in front of the Lor''s blade a second before it collided with Ursula''s neck.


    The blade found Leigh instead and cut her back from shoulder to hip, a deep cut, even as she felt several more slice into her body. She gritted her teeth as pain washed over her but she refused to remove herself from her place, leaning over her friends limp body.


    ¡°Little bitch! You''ve done nothing but delay the inevitable!¡± Lor shouted, his face red with rage as he raised his blade above his head once more, to end the gentle girl.


    Bell could do nothing but look on, her body had been broken from Dran''s blows and all she could do was watch. Ada looked on as well, even as she tried to limp towards them, Kara following close behind, twirling her blade.


    ¡°No!¡± cried the three girls.


    For a moment there was silence.


    ¡°SUBMIT!¡±


    The cry caused Lor to hesitate, his forehead creased as he tried to understand what he had just heard.


    ¡°what the fuck was that?¡± He asked as he looked around, but it didn''t appear to be any of his compatriots. He caught the eye of a heavily breathing Mahalis, who looked just as bewildered.


    ¡°SUBMIT!¡±


    The roar was closer now and Kara had stopped pursuing Ada as she also examined her surroundings. Dran left the broken form of Bell of the ground and grabbed his axe, twirling it and moving closer to his fellow disciples.


    ¡°SUBMIT!¡±


    The roar was closer than ever and the other descendants looked around at each other, confused and strangely terrified. They moved closer together and regrouped as fast as they could, standing back to back and preparing themselves for whatever had made the dreadful cry.


    That was when they heard laughing. Terrible, joyous and filled with gasps of pain. Each of them turned their heads to the sound of the laughter only to find The Archer who had taunted them laying on her back, eyes to the sky as she cradled her bow.


    ¡°What''s so funny, thief? You got something to say?!¡± Mahalis said, his eyes blazing.


    Ada pointed up to the sky as her laughter trailed off ¡°You''re fucked now.¡±


    Then the world went grey.


    Something smashed into the ground with an unprecedented force and the shock-wave threw the Knight Descendants off their feet as they were bombarded by exploding rubble from all directions, unable to even see, much less focus. All they could do was cover their faces and hope their fall was gentle as they were thrown away from the battlefield.


    They landed hard, pain flaring up inside their bodies as Mahalis squirmed on the ground, holding onto his ribs which he was sure were now broken.


    ''what the fuck was that!? Thankfully, Hilin has a healer with her so we should be-'' his thought was cut short as the large cloud of dust cleared, revealing something so strange that it caused his whole body to pause.


    It revealed a man dressed in smooth light grey armour.


    Tall and broad, whoever this person was, he was a warrior. His armour looked battered and worn, his breathing seemed to be heavy as he leaned on something, his face was hidden behind a mask that looked like...


    ''The mask of the Rebel King! This is the thief, the others were distractions!'' Mahalis cried in his mind as he attempted to pull himself to his feet, teeth gritted in fury. No matter the cost, he would complete his mission.


    As Mahalis began to move, so did the others, pulling themselves upwards with pained expressions, holding their weapons close. They were hurt but they could fight. The rage in their eyes at seeing a fucking thief wear the mask of their king was enough to ignite fire inside their hearts.


    ¡°You! Thief, I demand that you return the property of the King of The Rebel Court! I am Mahalis, son of Knight Marwen and I-¡± Mahalis was suddenly on his knee''s, the breath had left his lungs and terror filled his body. He wanted to run, the feeling that filled him now was intense, concentrated panic and fear, on a level that he had never felt before. But it wasn''t coming from him.


    The Angelis was trying to escape, the blade vibrating in the prince''s hand as it tried to bombard him with enough negative feeling to flee. Whoever the man was, The Angelis was scared of him.


    ¡°Mahalis, are you ok?¡± Kara leaned forward, her eyes filled with concern.


    He looked to the man, still unmoving, then back to Kara. ¡°The Angelis, it''s trying to get away, to run. I''ve never felt anything like this before, it''s insane!¡± he hissed his eyes moving manically, back and forward, trying to fight the urge that The Angelis was forcing him to feel.


    Kara looked from him to The Angelis and back again before nodding and pulling him to his feet.


    ¡°We should listen to it, it''s the oldest sentient blade behind Xolumbrandir. If it wants us to run, then we run.¡± Kara said, her eyes looking to the man and a slight fear appearing in her eyes as she saw he looked right back.


    The armoured and masked man was no longer breathing heavily, he was facing them. Somehow they could feel his eyes upon them although they could not see them. Mahalis felt his sword''s urge to flee grow even greater.


    ¡°I''m not running from anyone.¡± came a slightly shaky voice from behind them, Lor.


    He walked in front of them, his knuckles white as they gripped his scimitar. ¡°I won''t run from a thief, no matter how scared your sword is, Mahalis.¡±


    The elven prince looked behind him and saw Hilin and the guard making their way forwards carefully but swiftly. They would be there in less than a minute.


    ¡°How the hell..¡± Dran rumbled, his mouth slack.


    His astonishment was well-founded. The rest of the smoke from the impact had cleared, revealing four people standing behind the masked man; the enemies they had just been fighting. The problem was that they looked... fine.


    Not one of them showed that they were in pain, they merely stood silently behind the man, who merely looked forward in a foreboding manner.


    He took a step forward.


    The Angelis screamed in Mahalis'' grip and new terror flowed into his body. He let out a scream the equal of his blade and turned and ran away like his left depended on it, his mind absent of rational thought, all he knew was that he had to get away, get away before he was killed.


    The Knight Descendants watched him run, astonished. Mahalis had never acted like that, he was their commander, their leader. He would not just flee from the battlefield.


    ¡°So it hasn''t forgotten... that''s good.¡±


    The others snapped their heads back and stared at the man, his voice pushing against them like a tangible force. Fear gripped them and they could not move.


    He strode forwards, swinging something from side to side in his hand as the black garbed warriors behind him followed, not speaking, just glaring at the Knight Descendants. Kara threw a glance behind her and saw that Hilin had caught Mahalis and was trying to calm him down as the other guards gathered around him but he was screaming and crying like a child, absolute terror on his face.


    ''It must be The Angelis... how could something so powerful be so scared of this man.'' Kara thought, her eyes wide and unseeing, her heart cold at the thought of what could scare something like that, so badly.


    The man stopped directly in front of her and she could not help but look into the silver mask and the shadow covered eyes.


    ¡°You are Kara, is that not correct?¡± asked the man, his voice coming out clear, despite the mask.


    The ice princess didn''t answer. Instead she drew in every bit of courage she could muster and swung her blade directly at the man''s mask.


    His hand whipped up and, almost non-nonchalantly, stopped the powerful swing with a finger.


    Kara began to shake, her body out of control and her grip on Furela breaking as she fell to her knee''s in front of the man, her sword falling at her feet.


    ¡°Pick up that sword, girl, it should never be dropped, even if you die, it must never fall from your grasp. It has too much history to be treated so.¡± The man said, his eyes finding her place on the ground as she reached forward to do as he commanded and pick up the blade.


    The man turned his back on her and found Dran''s face, but it was sneering, filled with hatred.


    ¡°I''m not afraid of-¡±


    The masked man delivered a backhand to Dran''s face that sent him skittering across the ground, nearly to where Hilin cradled a crying Mahalis. The dwarf was unmoving when he stopped, his metal skin disappearing as he lost consciousness.


    The man finally turned his gaze on Lor who wasn''t watching him, but his hand. Kara, curious as to why, turned her gaze there also.


    It was... it was the Xolumbrandir.


    Kara''s shaking reached new heights as she examined the blade, the warning of the queen appearing in her mind as a wet stain appeared around her crotch.


    ¡°Run and pray that whoever they are, they do not follow¡±


    ¡°How... how did you...¡± Lor said dumbly, his eyes fixed on the sword, a mixture of fear and awe in his eyes.


    The man said nothing and merely stared at the young half-elf for several seconds.


    ¡°Raise your sword, son of Faral.¡± The man commanded as he hefted Xolumbrandir.


    Lor stared at him for a split second before understanding entered his eyes and he shakily lifted his blade.


    ¡°You may attack me with all you have.¡±


    Lor stood stock still for a split second before something seemed to snap into place in his mind and he raised his blade, bringing it down with lightning speed and yelling a battle cry, tears streaming from his eyes.


    To his surprise, the man allowed him to connect with Xolumbrandir''s blade. Lor took advantage and used Song of the Seven Swords, hoping to all the heavens that the man was underestimating him.


    He was not.


    What Lor felt instead was a hundred cuts open up all over his body at once, it was as if his technique was turned back against him but on a level that couldn''t be properly understood. He couldn''t fathom what he had just felt, just experienced and he fell to his knee''s and cried, his grip on his scimitar failing as he held his cut arms away from his body, his body shaking almost as much as Kara''s.


    ¡°Here is a lesson to all of you. Hubris will put you into an early grave. There is always someone better than you, always someone more skilled. Never forget that.¡±


    The masked man turned and walked away, back to the four women who waited for him. They each gave him a nod before falling in behind him. All except the The Archer who turned and quickly jogged back over to Kara, leaning down and whispering in her ear.


    ¡°Told you so¡±


    With a small giggle, the girl turned and made her way back to her group as they left the plateau on which the tower sat. Leaving behind a screaming prince, a weeping half-elf, a broken dwarf and an ice princess who had seen true power for the first time and was ashamed.

 Update

    Hey there everyone!


    Just want to say thank you too all who read, andcommented on, the last couple of chapters. The reason I don''t respond is because most of them are plot related questions and I don''t want to spoil anything.


    The reason that I haven''t posted in a while is because I wanted to sit down and really lay out the plot, something I didn''t really think of doing before. I''ve got general plans for the next twenty chapters and want to continue to work on them some more before the weekend. The next chapter will be out on saturday and is titled Onwards.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    I''ve also managed to wrangle nextweek off from work so I want to post a chapter every day next week and build up some chapters in reserve for regular posting, To give myself a safety net.


    I also got two reviews which was pretty cool. One was pretty negative but the the other was really positive so I was feeling pretty elated overall. Thank you both for finding the time to write them for me!


    Also, thanks to those who pointed out my spelling mistakes. They have gone into my little plot book to edit later on.


    Until Saturday!

 Chapter Nineteen: Onwards

    Chapter Nineteen: Onwards


    Gods, I felt terrible.


    The aching pain that had been merely a nuisance earlier had escalated to a head splitting agony that I could do nothing for but grit my teeth. Healing wouldn''t work on this, magic had caused it, but with time it would eventually fade. It was a bitter reminder that all magic has a price.


    Ultimate Aspect had looked good on paper but in reality it had almost killed me. The aspects of each element and their higher forms fighting for supremacy over my body. Even now it was still active, the only thing keeping me moving at this point being aspect of healing. I could see the girls out of the corner of my eye, sneaking glances at me whenever they heard the pop and sizzle of my liquid metal skin. They obviously wanted to ask what was wrong with me, but they seemed to understand that I wouldn''t answer.


    The girls and I were currently making our way through the ruined gates of Ellai, the twisted metal both familiar and foreign as I passed between them. Black Tusk stood several meters behind me, walking in unison and yet to take off their masks.


    We had made a quick stop at the servants home,where they had stored their supplies and picked them up with haste, Ursula now shouldering the burden as she easily kept pace due to her strength as a wolf kind.


    I continued forward, my senses trying desperately to function as we headed down the destroyed cobbled road that led into the surrounding forest, the tree''s appearing almost menacing as the sun finally set over the Cold Shears that surrounded us.


    It was eerily quiet, even Ada was silent, as we walked at a steady pace through the tree''s. The only thing that seemed to interrupt my calming mind was the fucking sword, bound and broken, in my right hand.


    I examined Xolumbrandir closely to see if it had sustained any damage in our duel, but it appeared to be fine. The black blade was no longer leaking it''s sanguine aura which was a good sign, since I had commanded it not too. All it was doing was throwing the occasional hiss my way, distraught at once again being my weapon.


    ¡°Just shut the fuck up, sword. You lost, I won. Have some grace in defeat and stop acting like an idiot.¡± I said sharply to the blade, which just caused it to hiss louder. It had done this before. It was trying to annoy me.


    The girl''s were looking at my back with startled expressions on their faces.


    ¡°Em, Corus? Did you just tell your sword to shut up?¡± asked Leigh, her hand raised slightly as if she needed permission to ask a question.


    I turned to the gentle girl and smiled, although she couldn''t see it because of my mask. ¡°Yes, Leigh, Xolumbrandir is being a little bitch right now because it lost the fight between us. I think it hurt it''s pride, considering that it''s probably been preparing to battle me for years. Ain''t that right, you little fuck?¡±


    The hissing was so loud now that even the girls heard it and their eyes widened in fear.


    ¡°Oh, don''t worry, it''s bound to me once again. Can''t hurt anyone I don''t tell it too. It''s a hisser, that''s all... By the way, you can take off your mask''s if you want. The Knight Descendants won''t be stupid enough to follow us.¡± I said with a wave of my hand before continuing down the road, increasing my pace as I thought back to the Descendants I had fought on the plateau.


    I have to admit, seeing faces that held the same features of my Knight''s was rather disconcerting for me. Especially one''s that looked so superior. Or tried to in any case.


    Kara, the great grand daughter of Heilvol.


    She looked like him quite a bit. The seriousness in her expression was almost a perfect reflection of the one my Knight used to show so much. He softened up with time, but Heilvol always remained level headed, he was never one to let his emotions get the best of him.


    She even used Furela, a sword I didn''t think I would ever see again. It barely reacted to my presence, instead trying to contain it''s excitement that I felt bubbling up inside it''s aura. Even after he''s been gone for so long it appears Furela has permanently retained some of Heilvol''s traits, enough to recognise me. The girl didn''t really notice, she was too preoccupied with trying to not lose her courage.


    If she was paying attention, she would have noticed that I actually didn''t stop the sword she swung at my head, rather, Furela stopped itself. It knew I wasn''t a threat to it or it''s new master and was still fond of me to an extent. The incredible magic of sentient weapons.


    As I thought that, another hiss echoed inside my ears and I gritted my teeth, trying my hardest not bash my own sword against the ground for being an annoying fuck.


    At the very least, it seemed Kara was the most rational of the bunch. But she too suffered from pride, a large amount of which was misplaced. I believe that she thinks she is above others simply because of her heritage. It was in the way she held herself, the way she stared at me and the members of Black Tusk, as if we were beneath her. A dangerous road if one travels down it. Only sadness and loneliness awaits at the end of that path. If Heilvol had seen her acting thus, he would have beaten her into the ground again and again until the point was proven. You are not special, you are not unique. You earn your honour, you are not born into it.


    Perhaps after the lesson I had just given her, she would try harder to be her own woman and not live in the shadow of her ancestor.


    I winced as the pain in my head grew, Now making it''s way down my neck. Soon my whole body would be racked with pain. I''ll need to deactivate Ultimate Aspect soon if I want to make a full recovery within the next week.


    ¡°Your Majesty, are you alright? You haven''t taken off your mask and you seem to be very... hot.¡± I hadn''t noticed Bell run ahead of her fellows and stand beside me. She had removed her mask, her pale face scrunched up in worry, perhaps frightened that I''ll die before she can get me back to the Red Citadel.


    ¡°I''m fine Bell, truly. We just need to make it to the ridge and away from danger, then I will allow myself to rest.¡± I turned my silver covered face and concealed eyes to fix Bell with a stare.


    A hint of red rose up into her cheeks before she slowed and allowed her comrades to catch up with her. I remained at the same pace, gaze now fixed ahead.


    The road through the wood really is rather peaceful. There was no danger in this forest when Ellai was still whole and while that might have changed, I doubt it. This valley was so isolated that no predator would think of making this place their home. All the livestock had been controlled by the city government, making it hard pickings for even the toughest creatures in Vita.


    As I continued onwards, my eyes lost in the canopy, my thoughts drifted to the other descendants.


    Dran, the grandson of Drogna. Arrogant and angry, Dran shared Drogna''s looks, but not his kind and noble nature. As soon as I looked at him I knew exactly what he was thinking, I knew that he was going to say something stupid, something to try to scare and intimidate me. But truthfully, that isn''t his fault.


    While I''m not up to date on dwarven culture from the last four hundred years. When I had lived, heroes in dwarven society were seen as being''s who have done such great deed''s in their lives that their descendants are considered living incarnations of them. In short, the dwarves believed that Dran is the reincarnation of Drogna, like his father before him.


    While the dwarves, much like the elves, do not have any deities to call their own. The people who have managed to change the world, for good or ill, are seen as powerful beings with such great spiritual energy that they can live on after death. Drogna never believed it, but I think that Dran might.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    I wouldn''t be surprised. If you''re told from a young age that you are the reincarnation of one of the greatest dwarven heroes in history, you might get a big head. Or perhaps I''m getting it wrong, perhaps he''s trying to prove that he is not Drogna, that he is his own man. That would explain why he doesn''t wear a beard and speaks the way he does. His grandfather was a very gentle dwarf, a creator rather than a destroyer like the rest of us. Although, he was handy with that hammer whenever the need arose.


    Lor was another creature all together. He reminded me so much of Faral it was terrifying. The way he walked and talked, it was like I was looking at my old friend. I could tell that he was obsessed with the sword, just like his mother. His aura compared to his fellow Descendants looked rather weak, embarrassingly so. That''s why I let him attack me, I wanted to test a theory and it was correct.


    Faral had taught her son the Song of the Seven Swords.


    It was a technique that Faral had created during one of our training sessions. She wondered why aura couldn''t be sharpened, like a blade, and used to lash out at the enemy. She had used it on me and, I was so surprised, I almost lost the match. Almost.


    In return for that victory, Faral taught the technique to me and I made it into my own monster. While the elven pirate could more than match me with her own version, hers focused on speed while mine focused on pure unadulterated strength. Song of the Seven Swords allowed her to slice into someone with six additional cuts, confusing and disorientating the enemy. The Hundred Blades let me rip them to shreds with one sword stroke by taking advantage of my unnaturally large aura.


    Of course, I didn''t want to kill the kid, just teach him a lesson. Better for him to lose now to someone who would let him live, than die when he inevitably faces someone he can''t defeat by relying solely on his special attack.


    As I finished that thought, we emerged from the tree line. The grass had long since grown over the road and, while some of it could still be seen, most of it was obscured beneath the encroaching emerald of nature.


    From here I could see the slight rise in a hill that led up to a gap between two mountains. It was narrow and fraught with danger on the way down, but it was the only way in. A fact that had come in handy when church soldiers had attacked in the past.


    ¡°So, what now, Corus?¡± Ada asked as she stepped forward, her bow resting on her shoulder.


    I turned to face the members of Black Tusk ¡°Now, we head for Scarl Forest¡±


    Immediately Bell gave me a massive smile, exposing her slightly larger than normal canines.


    I raised a hand ¡°But! I''m going to need you guys to go and make a cot first.¡±


    The girls stared at me for a second.


    I rolled my eyes ¡°Please? I''ll explain once it''s made.¡±


    Ursula gave me a death stare before dropping her packs as the other girls continued to look confused for a split second before sighing and beginning the task.


    It was getting harder and harder to keep the pain out of my voice, aspect of healing could only do so much before it started to shut down and I had now been using Ultimate Aspect for about three hours. It wouldn''t be much longer till I couldn''t continue, I needed to end this now.


    As the girls went about the task I had set them, I thought back on the last member of the Knight Descendants.


    Mahalis. The son of the woman I had once loved.


    It was strange, but I felt almost no emotion whilst looking at the boy. No anger, no resentment. I wasn''t the type of person to blame someone for the mistakes of their parents. It was rather disconcerting that he looked so much like Marwenna, but I had put that to the back of my mind as soon as he started to speak. If I hadn''t, I may have done something drastic. Thankfully, he was the easiest of all four of them to defeat.


    The Angelis. It appeared that Marwen had given her sword to her son. Whilst she had probably done this to protect him, against me it does quite the opposite.


    From his aura I could tell that Mahalis had yet to bind the sword. In order to use a sentient weapon to the fullest of it''s ability one must bind it to their aura, for that to happen the weapon must accept you fully and allow you to create a tether between it''s aura and your own.


    Kara, it seemed, had also been unable to bind her weapon. Otherwise, Furela would have attacked me because she willed it.


    It also makes one wonder how I managed to bind Xolumbrandir, considering that it needs to ''accept'' the tether. It can be forced, but it shouldn''t be attempted. Everything I''ve read of the subject states clearly that if the link is not accepted by both parties, then it can end in death for both the weapon and the wielder. The only reason I forcibly created a tether on Xolumbrandir was because the sword would never submit to anyone, it wanted to be the master, not the servant. It was incredibly difficult. To bind Xolumbrandir I had to break through it''s aura and threaten to destroy it if it didn''t agree, and I had to do all this while falling through the air. It was kind of like stitching a wound with a great-sword... while getting repeatedly stabbed.


    That was my loophole. I put it into a position where it couldn''t refuse, otherwise it would be destroyed. I knew that Xolumbrandir would concede. Above everything else, the blade wanted to live. It''s survival instincts shouldn''t be sniffed at.


    ¡°We''re done, your fucking lordship.¡± The sarcastic voice belonged to Ursula, who was bowed low, her hands spread out as she presented the cot before me.


    It was a simple thing, simply two sleep rolls tied between two lengths of wood. I nodded at the wolf and spoke to the group.


    ¡°Okay girls, I''m going to need your help for the next part.¡± I said, raising my hands to calm the inevitable sympathy that was coming. ¡°I''m going to fall unconscious and I probably won''t wake up before we reach Scarl Forest... probably...¡±


    The girls suspicious glances immediately turned to concern, even the face of Ursula softened slightly.


    ¡°You''re injured?! Why didn''t you tell me, I can heal your wounds!¡± Leigh shouted and began to start forwards, before Ada grabbed her arm.


    ¡°Leigh, Corus can use healing magic. He can use all magic, I think. I don''t believe that you can help here.¡± She turned to face me ¡°Am I right?¡±


    I gave her a nod ¡°Correct, Ada. I''ve been burning through mana trying to keep moving, but it''s coming to the point that I won''t be able to continue.¡±


    ¡°But, why? How?¡± asked Bell, she looked more concerned than the others, she seemed to be thinking of Cin, which made me feel quite a bit happier.


    ¡°The fight with Xolumbrandir took a lot more out of me than I thought. I hate to ask this of you but... I need you all to protect me until I wake up.¡± I asked, hating myself for it. I keep having to lean on Black Tusk for support and very nearly got them killed because of it. But I had no choice.


    The girls all looked at each other for a second and, surprisingly, it was Ursula who spoke.


    ¡°Fine, we''ll get you to where you need to go... then we can discuss our fee.¡± She said, giving me a shark toothed grin.


    The others grew wide-eyed and stared at Ursula and then at me, as if I would suddenly become offended.


    I could only sigh. ¡°So, how much is all this going to cost me?¡±


    Ursula looked at Bell, who gave her a smirk before stepping forwards.


    Don''t worry about the details, your Majesty, I''ll draft a writ with our hourly rate and we''ll hammer out the amount owed when you wake up.¡±


    ¡°Hourly...¡± I said weakly, this time not because of my gradually deteriorating body.


    ¡°Holy shit! That''s like... holy shit! We''re going to be rich!¡± Ada cried exuberantly as the others chuckled. I just rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Fine, whatever you want, Bell. I''m sure Cinder will pick up the tab... hopefully.¡± I said, before putting Xolumbrandir into my belt and laying myself down on the cot, removing my mask and handing it to Ada for safe keeping.


    ¡°Gods, Corus... why is your face metal... and moving.¡± She said as she took the mask from my outstretched hands without hesitation.


    I had forgotten for a second that my body was made of molten metal, and that my eyes were glowing with an inner fire. I must look like some kind of monster.


    ¡°Don''t worry, it''s just a spell I was using. It''ll be gone in a second.¡± I placed a hand on Xolumbrandir ¡°Sword, protect me and the girls while I sleep. Understand?¡±


    I got a hiss of hatred in return, before a grudging acceptance drifted across the tether.


    ¡°See you all soon.¡± I said with a wink, before deactivating Ultimate Aspect.


    I didn''t feel any pain when I let go of the spell, only a sense of numbness that spread over my body. As if all the nerves were shut down, I found myself unable to move anything. I felt an acute exhaustion drift over me, pulling me deeper and deeper into the dark.


    It was in this moment between the sleeping and waking worlds that I had an epiphany.


    The Angelis wasn''t linked to Mahalis. It never had been. In fact, it was still bound to Marwenna. When one spends a lot of time with a sentient weapon, they begin to develop and adopt traits from their users, as Furela did for Heilvol. The Angelis had been with Marwen for centuries so it''s level of connectedness was on a much higher level. So much so that, even across great distances, The Angelis could accurately react emotionally to things as Marwen would herself.


    When the sword had sensed me it had felt fear and hatred. Not relief, not joy, not guilt. It had been afraid, which could only mean one thing.


    Vitriss hadn''t told Marwenna the truth, the Goddess had lied. My suspicions were confirmed. The bitch couldn''t be trusted, She was continuing to play her game as if we were all pawns.


    When I awoke, I intended to change all that. Fuck Samedus Exovan, fuck Vitriss. It''s time to play the game my way.

 Chapter Twenty: A New Commander

    Chapter Twenty: A New Commander


    The sun had just begun to rise, revealing more of the ruined city, as the Knight Descendants and their entourage made their way back towards the market. Defeat etched clearly on every one of their faces as they trudged forwards. Unable to comprehend what had just happened. Or perhaps they just didn''t want to.


    Kara was in the lead this time, the wet stain on her trousers thankfully hidden beneath the leather armour that covered her body. She was almost reverently carrying Furela, clutching it to her chest, as if the blade would evaporate should she let go. The encounter with the masked man was still fresh in her mind, as it was with everyone else. No one spoke as they walked through the winding streets, minds gone as they relived that moment again and again.


    Dran had yet to wake up from the blow he had been delivered and was now being carried by one of the guard, his face a mess of swollen, black bruises. Physically the strongest of all the Descendants, Dran should have been able to withstand anything, his training was absolute. Since his birth he was taught the ways of the mage and warrior, his endurance seemingly unending to his fellows, who often times looked on in awe at the physical control he had at his disposal.


    But it was all for naught. Their strongest had been beaten with one attack, an almost negligent backhand that had very nearly killed the stubborn dwarf.


    Lor''s head was hanging, his hand weakly gripped around his scimitar as he shuffled forwards. His wounds been treated by Hilin''s healer, but the mental scars of being so thoroughly defeated, and through the use of his own technique, left him shaking. His eyes glanced up and met Kara''s for but a second. She gave him a rare smile, small though it was she hoped that he would return it. But the cocky half-elf merely dropped his head again, shame overtaking him.


    Mahalis was the most put together, as he didn''t have to face the man directly. But he wasn''t gripping The Angelis'' hilt as he usually did, afraid that the blade would lash out with emotion again. Even Kara could feel the fear, still emanating from the blade, as she felt it''s aura looking outwards, as if afraid of seeing the masked man again.


    They arrived at the marketplace in a few hours, the statue of Corus waiting for them, as well as the two guards they had left behind with the bandit, Bartu, who was sitting on a piece of rubble nearby, having given up on escape when he realised his captors were mages.


    When he saw the group, Bartu''s face went pale. ¡°Ya saw him, didn''t ya?


    Kara merely gave the bandit a look that very clearly conveyed that he was still a prisoner and the Bartu''s head lowered, trying to escape that piercing stare.


    Hilin walked over and exchanged a few words with the two guards in hushed tones before they gave her a nod and began to set up camp for the night.


    ¡°What are they doing, Hilin? We need to get out of here and after those thieves!¡± Mahalis shouted, as he stomped up to the leader of his protection detail.


    The eleven woman turned to the prince and gave him a glare. ¡°With all due respect, my prince, I will not have you run off and get yourself killed.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?! If all of us attack this man and his friends at once there is no way-¡±


    ¡°She''s right.¡± Lor said, his tone soft as he leaned against the base of the statue, one hand placed against his forehead ¡°We can''t fight this guy. You didn''t see, Mahalis. I think The Angelis saved you. But the three of us saw... we can''t beat him.¡± Lor finished, his tone bitter and full hatred.


    Mahalis turned to his companion, stunned that the always sarcastic Lor was being serious for once. ¡°So what? You''re just going to sit there like a coward?! Pretend like nothing happened? He nearly killed Dran for fucks sake! We need to attack now while they don''t expect it.¡±


    There was silence for a moment before Lor''s laughter filled the air. Not joyous but mocking.


    ¡°You really think you have a chance to beat someone like that, oh greatest of princes? Look around! Dran''s off in dream land because his head almost got taken off, Kara''s sword stroke was stopped with a fucking finger and the bastard turned my own power against me! We have no chance! I say we wait for Dran to wake up, then we head for Scarl Forest and Knight Cinder. She might be strong enough to deal with this problem, but the four of us haven''t got a hope in hell.¡±


    A sneer appeared on Mahalis'' face as he walked over to the half-elf, who stood and faced up to the prince, their noses nearly touching as their expressions only darkened.


    ¡°I never thought the prince of the sea would be such a coward! To think that they call you a great swordsman, all I see is a scared little boy who wants to run away!¡± Mahalis hissed, the scorn in his expression would be enough to make almost anybody wither, but Lor merely returned his gaze, his top lip curling as he looked at Mahalis.


    ¡°I''m the coward? I''m not the one who ran away when we were facing that fucker. Some commander you turned out to be!¡± Lor sneered, causing Mahalis'' expression to falter and his head to blaze red in shame.


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    The two Descendants turned to find Kara looking at them, her eyes blazing with anger. As their gazes shifted they saw the whole of the guard looking at them, Hilin in front, staring at them with the same intensity as Kara was. Mahalis took a step back from Lor and looked at him for a second, before grunting and turning to walk away.


    ¡°He''s right, Mahalis.¡± Kara spoke again, her tone firm and unyielding, causing Mahalis to pause in his retreat, his back tensing as he waited for her to finish. ¡°We can''t fight this, this threat is too much for us. If there is one thing we can learn from this it is that our pride won''t get us anywhere.¡±


    She turned to Lor ¡°You can''t fight him, because he''s a better swordsman than you are, not only that he knows your technique, but does it better.¡± She faced Mahalis ¡°You can''t fight him, because The Angelis won''t let you, you haven''t bonded it and, for some reason, it''s terrified of that man.¡±


    ¡°And you? Why can''t you fight him?¡± Lor said, his arms folding, his expression remained unchanged.


    Kara took a deep breath ¡°I can''t fight him because he scares me, to the point of where I can''t move or think. Plus, I don''t think I could hurt him if I tried.¡±


    The whole host was silent for a few seconds. They had thought about this in their minds, or in Lor''s case, spoken about them, but they hadn''t had someone come right out and tell them that bluntly.


    ¡°So what do we do?¡± Mahalis said between gritted teeth, his fists clenched by his sides. He couldn''t say no to Kara''s truth. Lor had said it as well. The Angelis wouldn''t allow him to fight this man, he was positive of that. For what reason, he could only guess. But he felt like he must do something. They had failed so badly in their mission that it wasn''t even worth calling a failure, better suited would be disaster.


    ¡°We do as Lor suggests, as your mother suggested. We go to Scarl Forest and speak with Knight Cinder in the Red Citadel.¡±


    ¡°Right, so we go running off to Aunt Cinder and hope she doesn''t kill us for being so fucking stupid as to lose one of the most dangerous artefacts in Vita.¡± Mahalis said, his expression now hopeless.


    All of them had met Cinder at some point in their lives, she liked to meet the new additions to the Knight Descendants, she considers them as something of an extended family. But they all knew just how mad Cinder could be at times. Lor shivered as he thought back to his first meeting with the vampire. She had visited from Scarl Forest and his mother had been so happy to see her. They spent at least a week together around the island before Cinder got...hungry.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    As a result, a team of fishermen ended up dying, at least twenty men. All drained of blood. The strange thing was Faral didn''t even look that surprised, she just sighed, ordered that it be cleaned up, and went on like nothing had happened.


    His mother had once said that Corus could control her, but with him gone she had started to slip back into her old ways.


    ¡°She won''t hurt us, she''s not that much of a monster... she just gets a little violent sometimes.¡± said Lor weakly ¡°But perhaps we should go and see Knight Abhor, just in case.¡±


    Surprisingly, Mahalis started furiously nodding his head. ¡°Excellent idea, Lor! We shall go and see Lord Abhor first-¡±


    ¡°No¡± Kara said, raising her hand ¡°We''re going to Scarl Forest, as we were ordered too. I don''t understand why you two are so scared. I met Cinder as well and she was lovely.¡±


    She failed to mention however that when Cinder had visited the capital of Faroth all of the prisoners in the dungeon had died due to severe blood loss.


    The two princes bowed their heads for a second before nodding in acceptance.


    Kara clapped her hands together ¡°Right! We rest and wait for Dran to wake then we hit the road. We won''t travel at speed like we did when we came, we should remain alert and wary. Even then, it''ll take us a week to reach Scarl Forest.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, commander.¡± Lor said sarcastically with a bow, his eyes finding Mahalis.


    The prince of the Elven Empire merely scrunched up his face and turned away from the half-elf, pulling Kara along with him.


    ¡°He''s not wrong, you know? I''m not really good at this whole leadership thing. It would probably be best if you take over for the time being, I mean, you really are more level-headed than the rest of us.¡±


    Kara bowed her head once, accepting the role. She thought this was for the best. Lor and Mahalis had been about to kill each other back there, not to mention Lor''s antics on the road with Dran. They needed someone to lead who was above all that.


    ¡°I agree, I''ll take over until we reach Scarl Forest, after that, we''ll figure it out.¡± Kara answered, her face reverting to it''s trademark complete lack of emotion.


    Mahalis gave the princess a smile and turned to the commander of his guard ¡°Hilin! Kara''s in command now, you answer to her, not to me, understood?¡±


    Hilin looked up and gave a nod to the prince and to the lady Kara. Of course, while they continue to play their games of who''s commanding who, the truth was that Hilin was sent along to protect all four of them. Technically, none of them have the authority to order members of the royal guard around except for Mahalis, and Queen Marwen had very clearly stated that if those orders would put him at risk, Hilin had the authority to overrule the young prince.


    But at least Kara actually thought before she acted, so Hilin felt a little better with her at the helm. She would go along with the order''s as long as they don''t put any of them in danger.


    Kara fastened Furela to her belt and made her way over to her own pack, left behind with the two guards, and began to take out her bedroll. The sunrise had not had an effect on the rest of her companions, Lor and Mahalis were asleep within minutes, rolled up on the floor, while the guards began to sort themselves into watches, the one''s who had been with them on the plateau getting to sleep first while the two who had remained with Bartu would stand guard until being relieved.


    The bandit in question still looked pale after witnessing the talk between Lor and Mahalis, shivering slightly as he kept looking around, wide awake, as if he expected the storm-caller to fall upon him at any minute.


    Kara wrapped herself in her bedroll and laid on the ground, clutching the hilt of Furela desperately underneath the blanket. Mahalis had said that she was the best person to lead but even she herself wasn''t so sure, the image of the man stopping her sword with a single motion fixed itself into her mind as she closed her eyes and fell asleep, tumbling into a world of nightmares.


    * * *


    Kara woke with a start, for a moment she thought the nightmares followed her from her dream and she cried out in panic, but they faded like mirages and she was left alone in the dark. Breathing heavily, sweat covering her body as she tried to bring herself fully back into reality.


    She was surprised to see that it was night, the stars racing across the skies as the moon hung above them, the light from which illuminated the marketplace, giving it an otherworldly beauty.


    Kara pushed off her bedroll and jumped to her feet, stretching her body and looking around for any other early, or in this case late, risers.


    She looked around, most of the others were asleep, with two guards on watch that gave her a nod before returning to their duty. She saw Mahalis snoring away, cuddling The Angelis as drool dripped from his open mouth.


    She couldn''t help but smile at the sight. The young man had tried so hard to get her to marry him, but he didn''t understand that she didn''t want gifts that costed exorbitant amounts of gold. He was relatively innocent when it came to women, something that came across rather clearly whenever she spoke to him. He stood there and blushed to his roots, almost unable to form coherent sentences. Perhaps if he asked directly, instead of running around the subject, she may have been more receptive, but she was far too young to get married. She had yet to finish her schooling at The Spires at the end of the pilgrimage and she had duties as First Daughter of Faroth. Duties which she would not shirk because of a pretty elven prince.


    As much as that would be nice.


    Kara smiled again and shook her head. She heard the sound of laughter coming over from the direction of the statue and saw two people sitting on lumps of rubble in front of the golden grave marker, passing something back and forth between the two of them. She rolled her eyes, she knew exactly who these two were. She began to make her way forwards.


    ¡°You know what I mean though, right? Mahalis is always pining after Kara, I wonder if he thinks no one knows. I mean, he''s an idiot, but not that much of an idiot, you know what I mean?¡± Lor said, his words very slightly slurred as he passed the bottle of wine back over to his companion, the battered but whole dwarf, Dran.


    ¡°Aye, I see what you mean. Honestly, I can''t believe you people like women that tall, I mean, if I had a choice between Kara and a beautiful, buxom dwarven maiden, you can bet anything that I''m going with the dwarf.¡± Dran burped and gulped on the bottle.


    ¡°Hey! Leave some for me you greedy bastard.¡± Lor cried and wrestled the bottle from Dran before looking up into the sky with a philosophical expression on his face. ¡°I was so close to death... I''ve never been with a dwarf before, imagine! Me! The great lover, Lor, never bedding a dwarf, or a wolf kind... or a vampire... All of my future endeavours were almost all taken away.¡±


    Dran laughed ¡°Great lover... really? I''ve bedded a thousand more women than you have, pretty boy!¡±


    Lor gave the dwarf a grin ¡°You want to bet on that-¡±


    ¡°What''re you two talking about?¡± Kara asked, her tone tired.


    The two Descendants jumped and almost fell off their makeshift chairs.


    ¡°Kara! What a surprise, we were just talking about... Dran''s... mother!¡± Lor smiled, proud of himself for such an amazing answer.


    Dran began nodding fervently ¡°Aye, my mother is the greatest woman in all of Vita, let me tell ya!¡±


    Kara rolled her eyes. ¡°Right, so why were you talking about bedding women? Unless Dran, you have given Lor permission to start courting your mother, in which case, I''m all for it.¡±


    Lor erupted into laughter as Dran''s face turned to a boiling red.


    ¡°Shut up, you little half-elf!¡± Dran roared and threw a hay-maker at Lor''s head which he easily avoided.


    Kara moved forwards and snatched the bottle out of Dran''s hand, taking a swig as Lor continued to laugh on the ground. It wasn''t long before Lor''s laughter infected Dran who started laughing as well, his sides splitting as he leaned forwards.


    After a few minutes the laughter died and a rare moment of comfortable silence set in as the three friends sat together and passed around the bottle of wine.


    ¡°So, who do you think he was?¡± Lor asked, breaking the silence as he passed the bottle to Dran.


    ¡°Who? The masked man? I have no idea, only that he was strong enough to wield Xolumbrandir, which really is all you need to know.¡± Kara said, the wine beginning to work it''s magic as she settled down with her eyes closed, leaning against the base of Corus'' statue.


    Dran grumbled ¡°How do we know that it wasn''t the sword itself? The tales said that no one could use it but the King and he''s long dead.¡±


    ¡°No, couldn''t be that. My mother told me all about the sword, she was with Corus and Marwen when they went to retrieve it. The man who was possessed didn''t speak rationally. He just acted on one impulse... to destroy.¡± Lor said, his gaze fixed on the statue.


    ¡°I agree. It couldn''t have been the sword, but it''s not the King either. It couldn''t be. That bandit said that he was a young man, and The Angelis was afraid of him, neither of those things would''ve happened if it was Corus.¡± Kara continued, her eyes squinted in thought.


    ¡°Ha, what if it was? Wouldn''t that be all sorts of fucked up? He wears the King''s mask and wields the King''s sword... What if the The Rebel King walks on Vita again and the first thing he does is beat the shit out of his Knight Descendants?¡± Dran laughed then, spilling some of the wine he was drinking onto the ground as his voice echoed around the market. Kara was surprised that it woke no one up, the laughter so infectious that it even got her to crack a smile for a second.


    ¡°The ice shatters! Ha! Knew you had emotions, Kara. Told you, Lor, pay up!¡± Dran said, his finger rising and aiming at the half-elves face.


    ¡°Shut up, Dran! Of course I have emotions, just because I don''t go around flaunting how I''m feeling doesn''t mean I''m made of ice... wait, you two had a bet!¡±


    Lor listened to his fellows argue, without really hearing. His gaze was fixed on the statue in front of him, the place where the mask used to be, underneath was nothing but smooth polished gold, as if the King''s face was merely the mask itself.


    ''It couldn''t be... could it?''

 Chapter Twenty One: The Five Strangers

    Chapter Twenty One: The FiveStrangers


    Fore woke up early that morning. His wife, Reida, barely stirring as he got out of bed and began to tiredly pull on his guard uniform, the hard and cheap leather digging into his skin in all the wrong places.


    They lived in a modest home, only three rooms in total. The other bedroom had been used by their son until recently, when he had decided to leave for the Red Citadel. Hoping to join one of the explorer parties into Keltano, wanting to make his mark.


    Of course, his mother and father had asked him not too, saying it was too dangerous, but the child couldn''t be persuaded to stay. He had turned eighteen last month and had left soon after, taking with him his grandfathers sword.


    Fore quickly belted on his short sword and grabbed his pole-arm that was leaning against the door to the sitting area. Making sure everything was in place for his first duty of the day: gate watch.


    He was quite excited honestly. Patrolling the perimeter can become dangerous sometimes, what with the local wildlife being so volatile, and walking the streets of their small town could become deadly in a heartbeat, what with cut throats and the like in the seedier parts of Bul.


    But gate watch, that was a seriously easy job. Bul sat on the outskirts of Scarl Forest, from here, one could see the tall tree''s, their leaves as red as blood and their trunks black as a starless night. The forest went on for quite some way, bordering Paltos and Vermalia, so there were numerous towns that had sprung up around it on the Vermallian side. Their were no towns on the side of Paltos because wolf kind were nomadic by nature and never stayed in one place for very long, the only constant being that large fortress in the far north, which was barely ever used.


    Scarl Forest itself was well known for the dangers within. Spiders were the biggest worry. They had been breeding like crazy for the last three years, spilling out a couple of times and attacking Bul more than once. Thankfully, their high walls had managed to dissuade most of them, but the occasional creeper got in, causing mayhem as it went. Wouldn''t want to be around if they attacked in force, luckily, their not that intelligent.


    Fore shivered as he thought of the large beasts, the clicking of their legs still made an appearance in his nightmares, leaving him waking in a cold sweat.


    Because of the large amount of trading towns that stood on this side of the border, not many travellers past through Bul, it was the smallest of all of them and offered little in the way of amenities. Often times, the guards who were assigned gate watch would just sit around and play cards until the their shift was done and that was the main reason Fore was excited. He still had to collect his winnings from the last game, which was over a week ago.


    ''I think I''ll take Reida out for a nice dinner, she''s been worried sick since the boy left'' Fore thought, his eyes finding his wife''s sleeping body as he past by their room on his way to the entrance.


    Shaking his head, he made his way out into the streets of Bul, taking a deep breath of the cold, crisp air, as he began to make his way towards the front gate.


    Bul itself was not a wealthy town, most of the houses had been constructed by the residents themselves and they were not a rich people. Most of them had to leave the bigger cities because of taxes and the like, unable to pay the exorbitant rates of Callai or even Throne.


    But they were happy at the very least, they didn''t really have a town mayor as such, but they had a few elders who oversaw most operations and were assigned funding by the Elven Council which allowed them to have paid guards. Shit, for the first two years that he was here, Fore wasn''t paid anything to guard the town. It was more out of necessity than anything else. He wanted to keep his wife and child safe.


    ¡°Redeem yourselves! False prophets walk amongst us! They seek to lead you astray! Stay true to the teachings of divine Vitriss, she alone knows the true path to peace!¡±


    Fore''s top lip formed into a sneer as he passed the corner and saw three men standing amidst a small gathering of disciples. It appears that the Vitrissian Monks were at it early this morning, preaching their nonsense to the world, as if anyone would listen.


    The Order of the Vitrissian Monks had sprung up a few decades after the church was completely annihilated by the forces of the Rebel King. A few die hard fanatics of the doctrine came together to create their own brand of religion. Although they weren''t the world power the church was, they did have some clout in Vita, most of it in Omara. Most people referred to them as a cult now and Fore couldn''t agree with them more. From what he had heard, they beat themselves for thinking impure thoughts and wear no shoes, as it wouldn''t allow them to feel the ''divine'' presence of Vitriss through the earth.


    A load of bullshit, but bullshit that a few people started to believe in. This is fuelled by the monks preaching that The Rebel King was sent by Vitriss to destroy Keltano and the Church which had lost it''s way.


    Before Fore could get away, one of the monks ran up to him, followed by a group of gullible followers, moving surprisingly fast considering what he was wearing. The monk''s head had been shaved roughly, a few strands of hair hanging limply and cuts covering his scalp. They used a blunt razor to shave with.


    Around the monks neck, wrists and ankles were heavy iron bands, burdens that is said to be their punishment for allowing Vita to stray so far from the true ways of the divine. All of this was complemented by the thick brown robes, tattered and threadbare, barely any protection from the elements, another way to ''punish'' themselves.


    ¡°You, guardsman! Do you not wish to see this world returned to what it was? Do you not want the divine body to rest her hand on your soul? Repent brother! All shall be forgiven in the light of the white flame!¡±


    Fore could barely keep the disgust off his face ¡°Fuck off, cultist. My father fought for The Rebel King and I sure as shit don''t believe in whatever you''re preaching.¡±


    Without bothering to wait for a reply, Fore pushed against the man and sent him backwards to the ground, pushing through the small group of people that looked shocked that he would ever commit such an act.


    ¡°Do you see, brothers and sisters! Do you see how we are treated by the so-called authorities!¡±


    Fore ignored the cultist and his group of mumbling sycophants, continuing to make his way forward.


    The streets were quiet as he approached the gate, he was a little early but at the very least it would allow the night watch to clock out a few minutes before quitting time.


    The walls that surrounded Bul were nothing special, about five meters high and made of the same black wood as the one''s in Scarl Forest. The gate itself was the same, made of large trunks of black wood, with iron binding them together. Over to the left of the gate was a small staircase that led to the top, allowing their archers to see clearly over the edge.


    ¡°Fore! You''re a bit early this morning. Reida kick you out again?¡± said the guard from atop the wall, his hands grasping a small bow.


    Fore flipped him the finger ¡° Fuck you, Gorat.¡±


    The man on the wall gave a short laugh and began to stroke his beard as he made his way down the steps. Despite the man''s words, you could tell he was tired. One of the few humans in the village, Gorat wasn''t the strongest or the fastest, but he was the only human with a small flare for magic. Nothing worth him attending The Spires for, but he could set an arrow on fire in a flash. More than a dozen times though and it started to exhaust him.


    ¡°Well, I''m glad your here anyhow. Been quiet, as usual. Captain said he would be stopping by later for an inspection, just warning you.¡±


    Fore groaned. The captain of the guard liked to carry out random inspections at the most inconvenient hours. It was like he got some kick out of it and, knowing him as Fore did, he probably wasn''t far from the truth.


    ¡°Alright. I''ll make sure everything''s in order. Where are the others?¡± Fore asked, his eyes glancing from side to side, hoping to spot some of his compatriots.


    Gorat shrugged ¡° They were playing cards and drinking the night away so I just sent them all home, it''s not like we need many people to hold this gate. Fuckers could barely stand when they left.¡±


    Fore laughed ¡°Shit, was hoping to pick up my winnings from last week, but seems I''m out of luck¡±


    ¡°Seems so¡± Gorat chuckled lightly, handing the small bow over to his vampire friend and giving him a pat on the back ¡°See you later Fore.¡±


    Fore gave his fellow guard a small wave before heading off towards the gate stairs, leaning his pole-arm against the small station that had been set up at the bottom, before grabbing a quiver.


    Weaponry was pretty scare in this town, things like that had to be strictly regulated and all of the guard had very few weapons to split between them. Fore was lucky in that regard, having managed to buy his own pole-arm after months of saving, while the short sword had been a gift from his father. Between the twenty three members of the guard, there were only four bows, about seventeen swords and a dozen shields. The Elders who dealt with the Elven Council in Callai barely managed to get the funding for the uniforms. The weapons were mostly donated by concerned citizens or those too old to use them any more. Thankfully, they split into shifts so it was never too much of a problem.


    As soon as Fore got to the top of the wall, he gave the road a quick glance. The surrounding tree''s had been cleared a long time ago to allow the guard to see who was coming from quite the distance and prepare for anything, as a result, there was just grassy flatlands on every side of Bul.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The road seemed clear so Fore went about putting down the quiver, drawing three arrows, and placing them atop the wall itself, enough for easy access should he need it. He then took a seat and pulled out his deck of cards, shuffling them on the small table. Hopefully one of his fellows would turn up before he got bored of playing with himself.


    ¡°Ho, the gate!¡±


    Fore jumped as he heard a voice from the other side of the wall.


    ''How? I just looked...?'' He thought as he leaned his head over the wall. His jaw dropped at the sight.


    Perhaps four of the most beautiful women he had ever seen in his life. He wasn''t afraid to think that they put even Reida to shame.


    They were all dressed in worn travelling gear and didn''t appear to be carrying any weapons. The one in front was a vampire, appearing to be the leader as she noticed him staring and raised an eyebrow, her tone inquisitive.


    ¡°Ho... the gate?¡± she said, her eyes staring at him questioningly. Fore felt himself wither under that stare and turned bright red.


    ¡°Yes! Sorry, this is... the gate?¡± He said dumbly.


    One of the women behind the vampire rolled her eyes and stepped forwards, this one slightly taller than her fellows.


    ¡°Open the gate, dumb ass!¡± She shouted, placing her hands to her mouth to amplify her voice.


    Another girl, this one elven and small compared to her companions, slapped the larger lady on the arm ¡°Ursula, we don''t want to insult anyone.¡±


    The one who had shouted rolled her eyes again and folded her arms, but she seemed to remain silent, listening to the soft-voiced elf.


    ¡°Of course, I''ll open the gates right away!¡± Fore cried before dropping his bow and running down the stairs.


    While they were beautiful women, that wasn''t exactly why he was panicking. They hadn''t had any visitors in over six months, the last few that had come only stayed for a few hours because every one of the merchants had assumed they were rich and tried desperately to get them to buy things from their various businesses, hoping to make some gold.


    He just prayed that it was so early that not many people would see them. It''s bad enough being a shitty village in the middle of nowhere, worse yet when your shitty village gets a reputation for harassing visitors.


    Thankfully, the gate was fairly easy to open as they had long ago implemented a pulley system that did most of the job for him. With a screech and groan the bundle of iron and wood split in the middle and opened itself up. Seconds later the girls walked inside, carrying something that he hadn''t noticed before.


    It was a man. A young man by the looks of things, about eighteen or nineteen. His face showed the beginnings of a beard and his long brown hair hung around his shoulders limply, his breathing seemed slightly uneven as he sweated, despite the cold air of the early morning. The large girl and the one who hadn''t spoken were currently carrying him on a cot, while the elven girl was leaning over him and whispering something that Fore could just barely make out.


    ¡°Please don''t do anything silly, these people don''t want to hurt us, these people are nice. Please don''t do anything silly, these people don''t want to hurt us, these people are nice.¡± Over and over again like some kind of mantra, she spoke quietly but very fast, almost as if she were panicking. Fore also noticed that, while the vampire walked forwards, the others remained as far away from him as physically possible... why did he get the impression that the elven girl wasn''t talking to the young man at all?


    ¡°Hello there, my name is Bell and this is my band of travelling companions¡± said the vampire with a smile.


    Fore instantly returned it out of habit before it died again. A small groan escaped from the young man''s lips so he turned his attention back over to him. ¡°Em, is your companion diseased or something? Because we don''t want no plague in Bul¡± He said, trying to sound firm, but it came out quite high pitched.


    Suddenly, a hissing sound filled the air.


    Fore felt his whole body begin to shake, his heart began to pound within his chest and he felt himself start to pour sweat as his face went pale. He couldn''t help noticing that the elven girl seemed to be talking even faster than before.


    ¡°What... what was that?¡± Fore asked, his tone hesitant and unsure, eyes slightly wild as he tried to come to terms with what he had just experienced.


    ¡°Sorry! That was me, I hiss sometimes... it''s just my thing. To answer your question, no! Our friend here is not diseased in the slightest, he got poisoned by eating some rather horrible berries. But have no fear, our other friend here is a medic and knows how to treat it!¡± The human girl said, grinning from ear to ear as she indicated towards the elven girl with her head. ¡°So, no need to worry. We''re not a threat to you, so you''re not a threat to us!¡±


    ¡°Why would I be a threat to you?¡± Fore asked confused.


    ¡°That doesn''t matter! What matters is that you''re not a threat, we''re not a threat, so let''s just be non-threatening together, yeah?¡± The bright girl finished, her smile seemed a little strained as all the girls began nodding, throwing the occasional glance to the cot.


    ¡°ok...?¡± Fore said, his faceshowing a bewildered expression.


    ¡°That''s great. Do you know where we can find an inn? We''d like to stay here until tomorrow morning if that''s ok with you?¡± the woman called Bell asked.


    ¡°Em... sure, that''s fine I suppose. The Blood Tree is the only one we have, you just follow this road and take a right.¡±


    ¡°Perfect! Thank you very much and have yourself a lovely day!¡± Bell indicated for the others to follow and they began to make their way down the street, carefully manoeuvring the cot to ensure that it was far away from Fore at all times.


    As the girls disappeared further into town, Fore just stood there, his hands slightly raised and confusion etched onto his face.


    ''What just happened?''


    * * *


    Leigh closed the door of the room they had rented and rested her back against it, closing her eyes as she allowed her tenseness to slowly dissipate. The others were in similair states, their eyes kept flittering over to the cot that was resting on the ground.


    ¡°Well, that went better than expected.¡± said Ursula, sitting on one of the chairs near the window.


    ¡°Better than expected?! Xolumbrandir nearly killed that guy! Not to mention that man we met on the road... and the rabbit, Gods, why the rabbit?¡± Ada asked, a stunned expression on her face.


    The road trip from Ellai to the edge of Scarl Forest had only taken them five days, they were making good time. The weather held out and they slept in shifts to avoid anyone sneaking up on them.


    Corus had been mumbling and sweating quite a bit but otherwise, he had remained silent. Leigh had tried healing him several times but to no avail. She said it was like trying to fill up a canyon with a cup of water, just didn''t do anything substantial. Hopefully he would wake up soon, in time to reach the Red Citadel, which was just a day away at this point. Even their weapons had been stowed away in a makeshift compartment beneath the cot to avoid suspicion.


    No, the real problem on this journey came down to one thing and one thing only. The sword.


    Xolumbrandir had taken Corus'' orders to protect all of them a bit too seriously. To the point that it thought anyone that approached them was an enemy. One example was a travelling merchant who had seemed friendly enough, if a bit pushy with his wares. The Sword seemed to interpret his need to do business as a direct threat because when the girls had blinked, the sword had ripped the man''s arm off.


    Thankfully, it was a clean cut so it was relatively easy for their expert healer to reattach, but still, the man was horrified and screamed quite a bit. Bell had given him some gold coins and apologised profusely but he just ran away down the road, screaming about a black, hissing shadow.


    The rabbit that Ada was talking about was perhaps the most horrifying.


    When they had set up camp for the night and started to make dinner, a rabbit had hopped into their campsite, a relatively innocent action and Leigh liked rabbits so no one tried to spook it.


    One minute Leigh was trying to draw the rabbit a bit closer with a piece of lettuce, the next, it had exploded into a hundred chunks of bloody flesh, plastering Leigh who had been the closest. They had decided that day to find somewhere nice to sleep... for the sake of all their sanities.


    The rabbit had tasted pretty good though.


    ¡°I know, I know. When Corus wakes up it will all stop, we just need to get to where we need to go, preferably avoiding every single living thing we meet. Sound good?¡± Bell said from her place on the bed.


    ¡°I''ll get behind that. You have to say though, things haven''t been boring with Corus around and the sword''s not that bad. At least it''s killing rabbits and not us.¡± Ursula said as she bit into an apple from Leigh''s pack.


    ¡°Hey! That''s mine!¡± Leigh shouted, well, as close to a shout as Leigh was capable of.


    ¡°You snooze you lose, elf. Would you like some nice rabbit? I think I''ve still got some in here...¡±


    Leigh clamped a hand to her mouth and ran out the door to the room before Ursula said anything else.


    Leigh didn''t eat meat, her training didn''t allow it. When Leigh had been taught the sword her mentor was a very traditional elf, one who worshipped nature and never took life that he didn''t need to. Even people who ate meat around him had the habit of getting their tongues cut out.


    While Leigh wasn''t that bad in regards to others eating meat in front of her, she hated the thought of taking a life just for sustenance, especially rabbits. She had watched with horror, drenched in blood, as her friends had turned the once living creature into a delicious stew.


    Ada rolled her eyes ¡°Well done, Ursula.¡±


    ¡°I try my best! Oh look, I did have some rabbit left!¡± The wolf said as she began stuffing the remains into her mouth.


    ¡°Go after her and apologise, Ursula. I won''t have you two at each other''s throats.¡± Bell said, her tone clearly meaning there would be no discussion


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Now!¡±


    Ursula grumbled as she got to her feet and went out the door after Leigh, licking her fingers as she went.


    When the wolf kind had left, Bell went over to Corus and pulled a towel that had been soaking in cold water from a bowl on the table, placing it on his forehead.


    ¡°You think he''ll wake up soon?¡± Ada asked from the corner.


    ¡°I don''t know¡± Bell said quietly as she pulled a hide flask from her bag and returned to her space on the bed.


    This was Bell''s blood flask. all vampires carried blood on them. They didn''t have to eat as long as they had some but most vampires did anyway, as a way of fitting in and for enjoyment. Bell almost emptied the flask in one gulp, she hadn''t drunk any today and her thirst was like a draught at the back of her throat, something no amount of water could fix.


    ¡°I hope he does, Cinder will sense my aura as soon as we enter the Red Citadel and will come running. If she sees someone she doesn''t know, unconscious, and carrying her father''s sword, then she''s going to be pissed.¡± Bell finished, licking her lips and closing her eyes, enjoying the sensation of her thirst being sated.


    Bell had never understood why Cinder only drank from people, animals tasted much better. Cin had insisted she try once and she had, but it tasted toxic to her. Never mind that her mother walked in on them when they were drinking... from a servant. She had not been very happy.


    ¡°I''m sure it will all work out. I mean, for fucks sake Bell, we met The Rebel King, fought the Knight Descendants of the Rebel Court and saw the top of a tower explode.... all in one day! I could get used to this exciting life style.¡±


    Bell smiled at her friend, but she was worried. Worried what the implications of The Rebel King returning to Vita meant for the continent. How did he come back? Why did he come back? Maybe in time, she would get the answers she craved.


    ¡°Come on, Ada, let''s go and find Leigh and Ursula before they start a brawl over a rabbit.¡± She said, jumping to her feet and heading for the door.


    ¡°What about- oh, right, the sword.¡± Ada rolled her eyes and jumped to her feet following her commander out the door as they went in search of their companions. Leaving behind a sleeping Corus and his guard dog, the blade Xolumbrandir, that even now curled it''s aura around it''s master, wary of any threat.

 Chapter Twenty Two: Awaken, King of Kings

    Chapter Twenty Two: Awaken, King of King''s


    This wasn''t a dream.


    Nor was it a memory.


    I was floating in darkness, unable to move, see or even feel. I was just a consciousness moving around aimlessly. I couldn''t quite remember who I was, couldn''t quite remember why I was here. But I knew this was important somehow, knew this was something I shouldn''t miss.


    Then the world exploded into colour.


    I was standing in the middle of a forest, The sight and sounds were all so perfect I would think this was reality if I didn''t know better.


    Directly in front of me was a massacre. Bodies lying on the ground, pale faced and gaunt, horror etched onto every one of their faces. Some had managed to draw their weapons, others hadn''t been fast enough.


    In a puddle of blood a young girl played, white hair cascading over her face as she smiled, splashing in the small pool, joy etched onto her face. Her pale skin covered in red, her lips and teeth dyed the same colour.


    I knew this girl... But who was she? Why couldn''t I remember? She must be important, but I couldn''t recall why.


    Then the scene changed, the world became darker as the sun was covered by the moon and an unending night covered the land.


    The bodies on the ground changed into familiar faces. One was the little girl, another a large wolf that had been ripped in half. One was a human man, disembowelled, his face frozen in a state of shock like the dwarf next to him, whose legs and arms were removed, leaking crimson blood onto the ground. Two elves lay nearby, one in silver armour and the other wearing simple leather. Both had been beheaded.


    In the centre of this bloodbath, one that filled me with both intense loss and an incomprehensible anger, was a woman, dancing and laughing.


    She wore a simple silver dress as her blonde hair fell over her eyes, which shined intensely as she stared at me. Her bare feet covered in blood as she twirled faster and faster, her laughing becoming more and more manic. She was mocking me, knowing I could do nothing to stop her, nothing to stop this madness.


    I stepped forward, intent on trying. Fury filled me like nothing I had ever felt before and I reached for the sword that I knew would be at my hip. Hissing filled the air as the blade left it''s sheath and darkness surrounded me, at my command.


    The woman sneered at me ¡°You can do nothing.¡±


    The scene changed again and I was standing inside of a deserted city. This one was not familiar, I knew instinctively I had never been here before. But the anger remained, filling me to the brim as I stepped forwards, looking for the woman.


    In a burst of intense light, four figures covered in white smoke appeared in front of me. I somehow knew they were trying to stop me, trying to save the woman. I would destroy them.


    ¡°Father, please, you must stop this¡± One of the figures said, but I paid it no heed and continued forwards, pushing it aside, my power commanding the world to obey and it did, mana rushed into me from every conceivable source, even the four standing in front of me, who felt their power being taken and fell to their knee''s, begging for mercy.


    ¡°Alpha, you must stop yourself. This is too much!¡± One of the figures roared, but I merely sneered and waved my hand, causing the figure to cry out in pain and fade away. I would not be halted, nor would I be sated. I would burn this world to ashes so long as it allowed me to kill that woman.


    ¡°Corus, be still! We don''t want to fight you!¡± One of the abominations said, trying to convince me, to plead, but I was not convinced and I made her silent with one slash of my dark sword.


    The last figure merely stood in front of me, holding onto something that looked like a blade of shining light.


    ¡°Forgive me, it was the only way.¡± It said, mournfully, before attacking me, bringing it''s sword up and down upon me with everything it had.


    I destroyed it with a thought.


    But then something changed. Something inside me twisted and sorrow became my only thought as I dropped my black blade, looking around me, seeing the blood that decorated the stone walls.


    I looked at my hands and then ahead, seeing the woman, laughing at me, once beautiful, she was now a husk, her skin withered and grey, her eyes insane.


    ¡°You can do nothing.¡±


    I roared and felt power leave me, exploding outwards as I destroyed the world, turning everything around me into dusk as I became a living conduit for destruction.


    Then I felt arms wrap around me from behind.


    ¡°This is not you, this will never be. I won''t let you become this.¡±


    It was a woman, her voice seemed to soothe me even as it trembled. I had never heard her voice before, it didn''t sound familiar like the others, it was different and yet, at the same time, it was like I had heard it all my life, in my darkest nightmares.


    ¡°What can I do¡± I asked, my voice croaking as the world continued to disappear. I don''t know why I asked, It just seemed like the right thing to say.


    I felt her head leaning against my back, could hear her breathing as she shook against me.


    ¡°You fight against fate. You are no one''s puppet, nor are you a pawn. You are a King served by King''s.¡±


    I felt her turn me around but I couldn''t see what she looked like. She glowed with an intensity that made it difficult to make her out.


    ¡°You fight, fight until you can fight no more. Save this world.¡±


    I felt her press her hands to the side of my head and pull me down towards her.


    ¡°Awaken, King of King''s.¡±


    Her lips pressed against my own and I felt myself fall once again into the darkness.


    * * *


    I awoke with a start.


    My body was covered in sweat and my breathing became heavy as I looked around wildly, searching for the glowing woman. But the dream faded fast and I was left alone, nothing but my thoughts and a headache that ripped through my brain with intense pain.


    I looked down and realised that I was holding Xolumbrandir, the blade''s anger rippling through the tether at being woken up so roughly.


    ¡°Sorry, sword... weird dream.¡± I whispered almost silently as I push off the blankets that were covering me and jumped to my feet, leaving the blade behind on the makeshift cot that I was lying on.


    I did a few stretches, trying to assure myself that I wasn''t in any more pain. Seems that my nap had helped bring me back to equilibrium. I realised that I was shirtless, my armour was gone and all I was wearing was the rich elven trousers I had taken from the tower, but even those were in a bad way, slightly burnt and showing a multitude of holes. Seems like after I had gone to sleep Ultimate Aspect had taken a minute to shut off fully. Without my aura to protect my clothing most of it must have turned into smouldering rubble. Seems the girls had taken off my armour but had left my trousers, which I was thankful for.


    Speaking of Black Tusk, they were all asleep. Ada and Bell were in the bed while Ursula and Leigh were sleeping on the two remaining bedrolls. It looked like at some point Ursula had rolled over in her sleep, wrapping herself around the diminutive elf.


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    I looked out the window and into the streets below. Seems we were in some kind of town. I could see Scarl Forest in the distance, the red, almost glowing, leaves were a dead giveaway. We were pretty close to our destination, it wouldn''t be long now.


    I felt myself smile at the thought of seeing Cin again, but then I remembered the dream I had just experienced and my smile faded.


    I was still trying to make sense of it, in my head. Vitriss dancing on the corpses of my dead Knight''s, the glowing woman who filled me with peace. It was all one jumbled mess and the more I thought about it, the more it faded from memory.


    From what I could guess, it seemed to be some kind of warning, perhaps from the glowing woman but I wasn''t so sure. She had felt real, like she was actually there. The others weren''t, merely players in the game. But I had a feeling that the glowing woman, like me, didn''t have any control over her actions, she was merely saying the lines from a script. We were both there, but we didn''t understand why.


    Questions and more questions.


    The most I could take from it was that something bad was coming. Something that I needed to stop and Vitriss was at it''s centre, pulling the strings. I had been desperate to kill her, almost to the point where I was going insane. In the dream, she had to die for everyone else to live.


    Fuck it, that''s what I was planning to do anyway.


    It had something to do with Arcana, that much was obvious. I had felt powerful, more powerful than I had ever felt before. But my mind suffered from that power. I felt myself get disconnected. It was only when the woman grabbed me that I felt my mind start to return to itself. So was she what I think she was? Was she the other half of my soul?


    I let out a heavy sigh and leaned my head against the window, letting the cool glass massage my throbbing head. It was night outside, but I could tell it wouldn''t be long until sun up. Hopefully we can get out of here as soon as possible.


    Why was everything just adding onto the constantly growing pile of shit? I wanted answers, not more questions, more niggling little doubts in my head. I''ll just keep it simple for now. I need to put down Vitriss, get the answers I want and then take off her head. For some reason, I think that this is only the beginning and more shits going to go wrong before it goes right.


    ¡°Hey, you''re awake!¡±


    I turned and smiled as I saw Ada standing behind me, stretching her arms and yawning, wearing her trademark smile.


    ¡°Hey Ada, yeah, just woke up a second ago.¡± I greeted the young woman, glad to see she was okay. ¡°Where are we?¡±


    Ada gave a little laugh and walked up beside me by the window, leaning against it.


    ¡°Shit, you''ve been out for nearly six days but you look like you''ve just taken a nap. We''re in a little shit hole town called Bul, in the middle of nowhere. The Red Citadel is just over a day''s hard walking, although we could probably get there in a few hours if we use magic. Now that your awake, travelling will be much easier.¡±


    I nodded and turned back to look out the window, seeing a couple of men walking down the street arm in arm and swaying from side to side as they sung a tune.


    ¡°Good, I want to see Cinder as soon as possible. Were you guys ok on the road? Xolumbrandir behaving itself?¡±


    Ada looked down at the sword for a second and muttered something about a rabbit under her breath, which I found a bit odd, before she shook her head. ¡°Nope! Sword was fine, nothing really bad happened. Do you want me to wake up the others?¡±


    ¡°No, let them rest, with me up we''ll get to the Red Citadel by midday at the latest¡± I said moving away from the window and picking up Xolumbrandir ¡°Oh... and do you guys have any clothes for me? It seems that mine are... gone.¡± I finished a bit sheepishly.


    ¡°Yeah, we picked some up for you last night. Sorry, but your armour was basically just lumps of metal, it took us a full day to pry it off you. It''s a miracle you still have trousers to be honest.¡± She said raising her eyebrows and lowering her eyes quite deliberately. It took all I had not to cover myself.


    I went into a corner of the room and told Ada to turn around, which she did with a giggle, although she kept throwing glances at me over her shoulder, causing me to blush a deep red.


    After I had dressed in the simple grey clothes and long black cloak I took my mask back from Ada and attached it to my belt, hidden behind the cape.


    It was too my great surprise that she then handed me a scabbard, made of the same black wood as the tree''s from Scarl Forest.


    ¡°Thought you might need it. Xolumbrandir doesn''t look all that special, but the blade gives it away. This way you can hide it from sight.¡± She said with a smile.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I said, a little bewildered.


    Ada gave an uncharacteristic shy nod before heading over to take the cot apart.


    The other girls were up and about a few hours later, all of them surprised to see me awake.


    ¡°Thought you would die, good to see you on your feet.¡± said Ursula gruffly, giving me a thumbs up as Leigh nodded her head in agreement.


    ¡°I know you said not too but I tried to heal you a few times. I don''t know how you recovered from so much damage so fast.¡±


    I shrugged ¡° My body works differently from other people. In the one I had before I would''ve been out of it for a month. I thought that in this one I would recover faster. Thankfully, I was right.¡±


    ¡°Well, now that you''re awake, should we be making our way towards Cin?¡± asked Bell as she put on her armour.


    I had learned on the way here that they had left their armour and weapons off to avoid attracting any unwanted attention. With me back there was no need for that, any attention we got would be taken care of with ease.


    ¡°Yeah, we''ll leave now. The sooner we get the rest of this journey over with, the better.¡± I said.


    The girls all grumbled in agreement and we made our way out of the inn that I learned was called The Blood Tree.


    ¡°Good to see you up and about, young master. The ladies here were all very concerned for you.¡± the innkeeper said, a warm smile on her face as Bell handed over a single gold coin.


    ¡°Thank you¡± I said, returning the smile and we made our way out into the street.


    We were mostly silent as we made our way through the streets, it was still early and the sun had just risen so there were very few people out and about. It was quite a small town, you could walk from one end to another in about an hour, so they weren''t used to visitors. We received more than a few glances as we made their way towards the gate.


    ¡°Redeem yourselves! Fall before the light of the divine! Vitriss watches all and we are but her children, meant to serve her always! Repent! Magic is a sin, one that can only be used for the divine!¡±


    Now that was something I wasn''t expecting.


    A small group of people had gathered by the gate, with three men standing on wooden stumps, dressed in ridiculous robes and wearing iron bands around their limbs. They were waving their arms and shouting about Vitriss.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± I said, surprise on my face. What the fuck? The church was still around? I thought it was fucking destroyed?


    Bell walked up next to me and aimed a scathing glare at the group of worshippers.


    ¡°This isn''t the church, Corus. This something else, a cult really, based off their teachings. They call themselves The Order of the Vitrissian Monk''s.¡±


    I stared at the group and I felt something rise inside my stomach, a sickness that I hadn''t felt in a long time. It made an appearance every time I saw the church in action. Preaching lies and misguiding the masses.


    ¡°Why has this been allowed to continue? Why hasn''t any of my Knight''s taken care of this nonsense?¡±


    Leigh shrugged beside me, looking at the group worryingly. ¡°From what I''ve heard, The Knight''s tried to stamp them out, but they just kept popping back up. I think it was decided to leave them be, as they were more of a nuisance than anything else. They have no real power in any one country. Although, I hear that Omara is becoming quite the hub for them these days.¡±


    I gritted my teeth and tried to keep my face even.


    They had decided to ''let them be''? Do they not remember the atrocities? The struggles? The fucking war we fought to try and protect Vita?


    ¡°Ada, hold my sword.¡± I said to the girl, passing her Xolumbrandir in it''s sheath. She looked a little shocked and hesitant before grabbing the blade and holding it as far away from her body as possible.


    ¡°Corus, do you really need to-¡±


    ¡°Yes, believe me, I really need to.¡±


    I walked towards the crowd, leaving the girls behind.


    While some would say that they were innocent, that they had been merely twisted by the writings of a dead man who claimed to speak to Vitriss, I refused to accept that. The fact that these three men have decided to poison people against magic and everything worth loving in this world, made me angry beyond belief. That was what the church was at it''s core. Family turning on family, mages becoming wanted criminals if they didn''t serve Vitriss, massacres and genocide all in the name of a bitch who didn''t care either way.


    ¡°You! Brother, have you come to listen to our latest sermon? We are going to be teaching the people of Vitriss'' light and her champion, The Rebel King-¡± The man was cut off sharply as I snapped his leg with one sweeping hand, sending him screaming off of his perch.


    The members of the flock looked on in shock for a moment before a woman screamed and they all began to run, even as the two monks turned to face me.


    One pointed his finger at me in rage ¡°Heretic! How dare you harm one of the faithful! We are the loyal followers of Vitriss and she will protect us from your-¡± I punched him in throat, causing him to fall backwards, spluttering in panic as he struggled to breath.


    The last monk gave me a death stare. ¡°You go too far, fool. Vitriss has given me a gift to use in service to her divine grace. I will purge your pathetic heretical filth from this world!¡±


    The monk began to draw in mana, a look of intense concentration on his face, for very little results.


    The man was obviously not trained at all, the mana he drew in was a trickle, barely enough to create a flame, but create a flame he did.


    ¡°Behold my power, the flames of the Goddess shall purge you from this earth!¡± He cried before throwing out his hand, sending the small fireball towards my chest.


    He must have been pretty fucking surprised when I caught it.


    The monk stood there and stared at me, stunned and pale as he began to shake.


    ¡°How... how?¡± He spoke with a stutter, his eyes wild as he stared at the fireball that I was passing from hand to hand.


    I merely shrugged and gave him a grin. I liked fucking with these religious nut jobs.


    ¡°Looks like the bitch doesn''t like you all that much.¡± I said, a smug expression on my face.


    The monk recovered slightly at my words and stared at me with fury on his face.


    ¡°How dare you-¡± I didn''t let him finish, sending the fireball back towards him, connecting with his chest much faster than he had sent it towards me. It wasn''t enough to kill him, but it did send him flying back a few meters. When he hit the ground, he didn''t move. He just lay there, smouldering.


    ¡°Fucking fanatics, church or not, you''re all the fucking same.¡± I whispered vehemently before making my way back over to the girls, who looked in various states of shock at my sudden burst of violence.


    ¡°So.. you feeling better, killer?¡± Ada said sarcastically as she passed me back Xolumbrandir.


    I gave her a smile.


    ¡°Yes, much.¡±

 Chapter Twenty Three: The Hunt

    Chapter Twenty Three: The Hunt


    After the unfortunate incident with the monks we decided to get out of town as soon as possible and managed to slip through without anyone causing any problems or barring our way.


    ¡°So, magic?¡± asked Bell, making sure her weapons were strapped securely to her person.


    I nodded in her direction as I reattached my mask, making sure it wouldn''t shake or move while I ran. ¡°Yes, We''ll keep the pace as long as we''re able. If you girls start to get tired, let me know immediately and we''ll take a short break, don''t want you to burn out before we reach the Red Citadel. Understood?¡±


    Each of the girls gave me an affirming nod before I turned and aimed myself down the road and towards the trees. I began to draw in mana, activating aspect of air and taking off, spring forwards into the forest. I felt the girls behind me, falling behind fast, so I slowed myself slightly to allow them to keep pace.


    Moving at the speed of sound is a rather amazing thing, the world just kind of flies past you, painting your reality in a medley of colour that''s gone before you can make sense of it. As mages, we were all protected from the backlash of moving at this speed, a non-magical person would have been ripped apart by now.


    While the girls didn''t have access to Aspect of Air as it required centuries of studying the air element, they all had their own variations. The closest was Ada, but she was merely moving the air from it front of her and placing it behind her, making it move her body faster than would have normally be possible. In a way, this was even more complicated than simply using a spell and I was impressed yet again by her prodigious talent. The others were similarly skilled, using their own ways to increase their speed. Bell was manipulating heat to send her forwards in short bursts that had to be perfectly timed, else she would fall the ground. Ursula manipulated the earth to move her forwards, rather than her running, the ground pushed up against her, sending her shooting ahead in large strides, similar to what Bell was doing with her element. Leigh was the slowest and I could understand why. Water was her element and a hard one to use to increase one''s forward momentum. I think she was just relying on good old fashioned muscle work, drawing in mana to increase her strength and running with all she was worth. I would have to remember to take a break every hour or so. The others would be ok, but Leigh would trail behind if she was forced to keep a pace with the rest of us.


    The journey was rather uneventful, nothing but trees as far as the eye could see and no tangible threats that caused any worry. It was just before midday when we took our final rest before arriving at the Red Citadel, Leigh falling to the ground, drenched in sweat as the others brought her some water from a nearby stream, the reason I had chosen to stop here. While getting there as soon as possible was all well and good, I didn''t want to strain Black Tusk before we arrived.


    ¡°Gods, how are you not out of breath? I''m not as bad as Leigh but this is one hell of a pace you''re setting.¡± Bell said with a tired smile, sweating and slightly winded from the run.


    I smiled ¡°Practice. Remember I''ve been training my magic a lot longer than you girls. I was lucky to be quite gifted in it, although I started a lot later than anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Really? When did you start to practice?¡±


    ¡°Well, I was already a grown man, working with a mercenary unit out of Mytos, so about your age, I guess.¡± I mused, thinking back to those times as a hired sword. It was a lot of fun, don''t get me wrong, and the camaraderie that was shared between members was something I wanted to create between my Knight''s and I. But mercenary life required one to leave their heart at the door at times, something that put a strain on me. I didn''t remain with them for long.


    Bell stared at me for a second, shocked. ¡°That''s incredible. Who taught you?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°I taught myself, I was far from Callai and Marwen, who I hadn''t seen in some years, so I made do and managed to procure some books on magic at a discount from an acquaintance.¡±


    Of course, that wasn''t the whole story, but I believe I''m entitled to some secrets.


    ¡°Gods, self taught... and you''re so strong. Have you had Insight''s?¡± Bell asked, awe in her voice.


    What Bell was referring too here were Insight''s into an element. When one has a full understanding of an element and have spent long enough understanding that elements truth, they will gain an Insight into how it functions, a small part of a greater thing, which allows them to utilise and control an Aspect.


    ¡°Yes, like I said, I was lucky. Magic made sense to me. I''ve had ten Insight''s in total.¡±


    ¡°t- ten?¡± Bell stuttered, staring at me with that same look she had worn in Ellai, like I was some sort of God.


    I held up a hand. ¡° Believe me, Bell, it''s not really that impressive. I may be able to utilise Aspects but that doesn''t mean I''m unbeatable, or all powerful. For example, Cinder has always had a greater control of water magic than me. She received the Insight''s into Ice and Water much faster than I was able to.¡±


    Bell thought about that for a second. Then her eyes widened in panic ¡°Shit!¡±


    Before I could ask, she had turned and run back to her pack. Digging through it, she took out a small tome and began to flip through the pages.


    ¡°shit, shit shit, shit.¡± She kept muttering, the panic I had seen in her eyes now leaking out into her voice.


    ¡°SHIT!¡± She roared and threw the book across the small clearing we had camped in and clamped her hands against her head.


    ¡°Bell? What''s wrong?¡± Leigh asked and walked up to her, having recovered from her exhaustion. ¡°Do you need healing, did you hurt yourself?¡±


    Bell just waved Leigh away and sat there in silence, her hands hiding her face.


    ¡°Hey, asshole, did you say anything to her?¡± Ursula said, her eyes slightly threatening.


    ¡°No, Ursula, I didn''t. I have no idea what this is about.¡± I replied, returning my gaze to Bell, who continued to be unmoving.


    Had I done something? I don''t think so, we were talking about Cinder and then she just went off in a panic.


    ¡°Bell, is something wrong?¡± Ada said as she walked up to her friend and took a knee in front of her.


    The Vampire commander was silent for a second before looking up silently, she turned her head and looked at me for a second. She was afraid, but not of something she had read in that book. She was afraid of me, of how I would react to what was in the book.


    ¡°Bell.¡± I said, more firmly this time, my smile gone as I stared at the girl, looking for some kind of answer.


    The vampire took a deep breath and jumped to her feet. ¡°Sorry, Corus, but it looks like we''ll be arriving in The Red Citadel at the worst possible time.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    I remained silent, as did the others, waiting for her to continue.


    ¡°I just checked my log and... well... today is the third of the month¡±


    ¡°And? Is there some significance to the date?¡± I asked curiously, knowing that I wouldn''t like the answer.


    Bell sighed ¡°Today is the day of Cinder''s Hunt. She has one every month.¡±


    ¡°Cin has a monthly hunt?¡± I asked, already slightly worried.


    There was a reason that Cinder was called my Huntress.


    In the beginning I had tried everything to give Cin a normal childhood. Everything. But her need to feed was too strong. It was a hunger that consumed her completely at times. In the past, I had to restrain her before she went to far and started attacking innocents in Ellai. As time went on, her control grew. I gave her my blood, a little every day, to allow her to keep on top of her hunger, but eventually that wasn''t enough. One day she came to me and asked if she could help with the fight against the church. I remember it now as clear as day. It is a rather strange thing to see a child, who looked nine years old, approach you and ask if you want her to kill anyone.


    But I had to treat it differently, I had to treat Cinder differently. Killing was second nature to her, and by that point, to me as well.


    That very night, Cin was named one of my Knight''s and sent on her first mission the next day: Hunt down a church official in Vermalia who had been putting mages to death.


    It was a success. Tales of her brutality and savagery spread to the Church and they learned to fear the little girl who always walked in the King''s shadow.


    ¡°What does this monthly hunt entail?¡± I asked quietly as I walked over to a nearby stump and took a seat preparing myself for the worst.


    Bell hesitated for a second before standing before me, her head bowed.


    ¡°Cinder shuts down one district of the Red Citadel, there''s never any rhythm or reason to it, she just shuts down whichever one she wants randomly. Once that''s done, she asks for volunteers to enter the district. It''s an elaborate game of hide and seek. If you can hide from her for six hours then you walk out with a chest full of gold.¡±


    ¡°And if you don''t?¡± I asked, my gaze on the ground.


    Bell gave a bitter smile ¡°Then you don''t walk out at all.¡±


    All of us were silent for a second, staring at the ground.


    ¡°Sorry! Just one quick question... If she shuts down a whole district, shouldn''t there be some repercussions for that? I mean, if she shuts down the merchants district then she loses out on a lot of gold, right?¡± Ada asked, more curious about the situation than horrified.


    Bell looked a bit baffled at the odd question.


    ¡°Well, everyone knows that that the Hunt takes place on the third of every month, so business is light and most tourists leave well before then, lest they accidentally find themselves taking part.¡±


    ¡°I''ve heard of it before, but I never imagined it was anything like this. I just thought it was some kind of blood sport or something. Has anyone ever won the Hunt?¡± Ursula asked.


    I let out a snort of laughter at her question, unable to contain myself. Cinder. Lose? The idea of some idiot thinking he can get gold out of this by volunteering is ridiculous. Cin hunted people for fun, she didn''t do it out of any obligation towards me, she did it because she enjoyed it. I just can''t fucking believe that this had been allowed to go on. Marwenna is one thing, but Faral and Abhor should have told Cin to stop. She may not have listened to them, but at the very least they could''ve said that it wasn''t what I wanted. Invoking my name might''ve been enough for her to not carry out this madness.


    Ursula gave me a glare.


    ¡°To answer your question, Ursula, yes, one person managed to beat the odds and win.¡± Bell said, making me raise my head and stare at her curiously.


    ¡°Who?¡± Leigh asked


    ¡°The Knight Abhor took part in the first ever Hunt, about two hundred years ago.¡±


    ¡°Abhor? He came to the Red Citadel to see Cin?¡± I asked, excited that my Knight had at least tried to save my daughter from herself.


    Bell nodded. ¡°He learned what Cinder was doing and visited. I remember them arguing in the throne room for hours, Abhors roars could be heard from outside the keep.¡±


    ¡°But he was unable to convince her...¡± I said, my eyes finding the ground again.


    Bell shook her head ¡°No. Knight Abhor thought that he could teach her a lesson by taking part in the first Hunt and make it impossible for her to feed off the volunteers. It didn''t end well. The whole district was nearly destroyed in their fight and Cinder still managed to kill and drink from all people who had taken part.¡±


    I nodded slowly. I didn''t expect him to be able to defeat her. Abhor was powerful, one of the greatest mages on Vita, but he had morals, a code. He wouldn''t have wanted to hurt Cin, he would have wanted to teach her the error of her ways. If Cinder had returned to how she was before I found her, then the hunger was the thing that drove her above all else.


    ¡°It was part of the reason I asked you to return. I thought that if Cin saw you, you could stop her from going down this path. She was fine in the beginning but she''s been getting worse as the years went by. My mother does her best to help her, but most of the time she doesn''t want help. She''s still in pain, she thinks she''s alone.¡± Bell said quietly, her eyes looking at me, pleading with me. ¡°I love Cinder, but her mind is not in the right place any more. The hunger kicks in and she just... drinks.¡±


    I looked at this girl, this commander, who had been a sister to my daughter. Who had tried to save her from herself. She thinks she and her mother didn''t help Cinder, but I know that is not the case. If they weren''t around, it was likely that things could''ve become much worse.


    It was time for me to look after my family.


    ¡°Worry not, Bell. Cinder will be fine. These Hunts will end, you have my word.¡± I said with a smile. I needed to get to the Red Citadel before she killed anyone. I just hoped she was willing to listen. If she was deep enough inside the hunger, she wouldn''t hear my words, all she would see is my blood.


    * * *


    Merrick ran down the alley, his back pressed against the wall as his hands roughly gripped his old spear. Sweat fell down over his eyes, blinding him as he rubbed it away, his gaze wild as he looked everywhere, searching for her.


    He didn''t know how long he had been running for, but it seemed like an eternity. He had taken part in the Hunt because he was desperate, because his family had no other way to get out of the hovel they called a home. They were drinking blood from rats for fucks sake.


    The Hunt offered a way out. A way to provide a tangible future for his wife and child. All he had to do was survive, to stay away from the Queen long enough to be able to claim the prize, enough gold to start a new, debt free life.


    Already he had seen three people be ripped apart, their blood plastering the road, and a shadow behind them, laughing.


    He had ran, as fast and as far as he could. He could hear screams in the distance, cries for help, but he paid them no heed and made his way forwards, his grip on the spear trembling as he approached yet another alley.


    He dashed inside of it, pressing him up against the side of the wall and lowered his spear, his ears straining to hear anything that was going on in the street beyond.


    He didn''t know how long he stood there, seconds, minutes, hours. but he didn''t move once, his body as tense as a coil. His hands wrapped around his spear in a white-knuckled grip. He would survive this, for Kani, for Timar, he would survive this. That was when he heard it.


    Footsteps.


    Making their way down the road towards his location, hidden in the small alley. They were relaxed and leisurely, like somebody taking a stroll. If he listened harder he could hear this person humming a tune under their breath. A sound that sent shivers down Merrick''s spine.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± A woman''s voice rung out into the air, light and merry, it hit the stones like a bell and echoed around the alley in which Merrick stood.


    He didn''t speak, nor did he move. A wet stain appeared around his trousers as he pissed himself, unable to control it. He could only close his eyes, the sweat pouring off of him as he prayed to every God he could think of to save him from this monster.


    Then the footsteps stopped.


    ¡°You''re close... I can smell you.¡± The thing said again, a little laugh following her statement as he felt her footsteps increase in speed. Coming closer and closer.


    Merrick began to back away slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible, his spear aimed at the entrance to the alley.


    ¡°Gotcha¡±


    The whisper hissed into his ear from behind and Merrick couldn''t contain himself. He screamed and threw himself forwards, making a beeline towards the entrance. Laughter echoing out behind him.


    ¡°Stop running! How am I supposed to fucking eat you if you keep fucking running!¡±


    Merrick kept running, further and further into the twisting streets of the district, desperate to get away from the monster who ruled this place.


    ¡°SEE YOU SOON!¡± came a cry from behind him, filled with a merciless glee as the woman began to giggle uncontrollably.


    Then, at a leisurely pace, Queen Cinder of the Red Citadel began to walk after the little man. Humming the same tune she had been a moment before. It was an old song.


    It was something her Father used to sing.

 Chapter Twenty Four: A Battle of Blood

    Chapter Twenty Four: A Battle of Blood


    The Red Citadel.


    The jewel of the Vampire nation, a city hidden from the world.


    It took it''s name from the large ruby palace that stood at it''s centre, atop a large hill, built a thousand years ago. The city sprung up around it over time, expanding ever outwards. A large metropolis and a testament to the building skill of the vampires.


    The city was segmented into seven districts, each walled off from the others with only one entrance between each. All these exits were heavily guarded and the only way to get to the Red Citadel itself was through five large gates that were nearly always sealed through the noble district. It was designed this way in case of a siege. To be able to get to the castle you must pass through all seven districts and break through all eight doors before you could get to the palace, something that had never been achieved since it''s creation.


    As I passed through the entrance into the paupers district, the first of the seven, I was immediately made aware of the stink in the air, the shit that lined the streets and the many vagabonds that begged for copper at the sides of the road.


    I walked into this mess, my eyes and ears open, my grip around Xolumbrandir tight as I examined the streets ahead while Bell talked with one of the guards at the entrance.


    ¡°Gods, this place smells like shit... to the think this is the entrance to the greatest city in Scarl Forest, it''s fucking horrible.¡± Ada said, her hands clamped over her mouth.


    I couldn''t help but agree with her. The last time I had been here the pauper district hadn''t been this bad, in fact, it had been on the rise. The Queen at the time might have been a supporter of the church but she cared about the people under her rule. It seems that Cinder didn''t share her interests.


    After a few minutes of waiting, Bell approached us from behind, a troubled look on her face.


    ¡°The Hunts taking place in the noble district, about an hours walk from here without magic. The guard says that it''s already been underway for three hours, so I reckon Cin''s just finishing up, taking her time with the remaining survivors.¡±


    My teeth gritted and my grip around my sword tightened. ¡°Alright, I''m going to go ahead of you all. Meet me there. But.¡± I turned and faced the girls, looking them in the eyes ¡°Do not interfere. This something that I must do alone and none of you would be any help to me against Cinder, merely get in the way.¡±


    ¡°But-!¡± The outcry came from Bell.


    I glared at her ¡°No. I''ll talk her down myself. I know you want to help her Bell, but she is in the throes right now, as you well know. You may be safe, but your companions would not be.¡±


    The Vampire looked like she wanted to complain for a moment before she bit her lip and nodded. Even she could see the reasoning behind that. If she went to Cinder the others would follow her, without a doubt, even if she told them not too. It would only end with their blood on her hands. Something that she would never be able to forgive herself for.


    ¡°Out of curiosity, Corus... em... how do you plan to stop her?¡± Leigh asked, her voice quiet. She was getting better being around me, but her eyes often found the ground whenever we spoke.


    I felt the book underneath my tunic, the copy of Lily the Rabbit that I had taken from the tower. Hopefully it would be enough to slow her down and listen to what I have to say, but even then I''m doubtful.


    ¡°I''ve got a few things I can tell her, might be enough to make her listen. If she doesn''t, then she''ll attack and I''ll have to fight her.¡± I replied with a troubled tone. I had sparred with Cinder before and I have had to restrain her numerous times when she had attempted to leave the tower to go hunting in the city. But this was different. It had been four hundred years and I was going in with the assumption that Cin had kept practising her magic and fighting skills. If that was the case, then the Cinder I would be fighting would be a different monster all together. Who knows how many tricks she''s picked up.


    ¡°You''re going to fight her?¡± Bell asked, worried.


    I shook my head ¡°Only if she''s so far gone that she doesn''t listen. Even then it won''t be a proper fight, I just need to restrain her long enough make her realise who I am.¡±


    I gave a nod to each of the girls, took the mask from my belt and placed it onto my head, feeling it conform and change to fit me, even as it clouded my eyes in shadow. The mask was more familiar than my new face, perhaps it would make her hesitate... or it could just piss her off.


    I turned and began to make my way down the road, drawing in mana as I prepared to activate Aspect of Air.


    ¡°Corus!¡± I turned and saw Bell waving at me, her expression frantic. ¡°Watch out for the blood, Cin can control it!¡±


    I nodded at the vampire and took off. The streets bending around me as I exploded forwards, creating a whirlwind in my wake.


    * * *


    Merrick had tried his hardest to escape, but to no avail, he could hear the laughter echoing behind him, it never changed, it was always closer than before. It was like he was running towards his death, not away from it.


    He had just done his second lap of the district and had wandered into the central plaza, weary and broken. He had lost his spear quite a ways back, it had snagged on the ground and fallen from his hands as he abandoned it to escape.


    ''Not that it would have helped me much'' He thought to himself bitterly as he stumbled towards the large, luxurious fountain that sat at it''s centre.


    He fell at the base of the fountain, his breathing heavy and laboured as he lay his back against the cool marble. His eyes closed as he cried silently to himself.


    ''Why did I do this? Timar... Kani.... forgive me.''


    ¡°There you are!¡±


    Merrick didn''t move, he just hung his head as his cries became louder, his eyes scrunched shut, unwilling to look at the devil who would take his life.


    ¡°Why are you crying? Oh! You''re afraid... That''s ok, I tend to make people do that.¡± She said, a smile in her voice as he heard her footsteps continue to get louder ¡°But you should run, you know? I like it when my lunch runs, it''s funny. I like your little screams of terror when I''m getting closer and closer and... closer.¡± The final word was said directly in front of his face.


    Merrick trembled, his whole body shaking as cries of sorrow rippled through his body. He would never see his wife again, never see his son become a man. All for the sake of a pile of gold coins.


    He heard the woman in front of him give a dissatisfied sigh ¡°You people! Don''t just sit there, do something!¡±


    There was silence for a second and then he felt cool hands touch his skin, stroking his arms as he flinched away, pulling them closer to his chest and keeping his eyes tightly shut.


    ¡°Fine¡± She said with a soft sigh ¡°Suppose I can enjoy this as well. Now, feel free to struggle as much as you want, gets the blood pumping.¡± He heard the sound of her tongue licking her lips as she laughed and wrapped one hand around his neck with an iron grip, pulling him up into the air like he weighed nothing at all. She began to hum that same song as she brought him closer towards her, so close that he could feel her breath upon his cheek.


    ¡°CINDER!¡±


    * * *


    I arrived at the entrance to the Noble District moments after I had left the girls.


    Thankfully, I was able to use my full speed to get there so fast although I might''ve destroyed a few stalls and such with the wind I was displacing, but needs must, especially in a situation like this.


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    The large gates to the Noble district were sealed shut and several guards stood in front of it, they seemed rather alarmed when I just seemed to appear out of thin air. There stances dropped and their grips on their shields and spears tightening as the wind buffeted them.


    ¡°What the fuck is that!¡± Came a shout from inside a small building to the right of the gate. A large man walked out, a vampire, wearing a different uniform compared to his fellows. Must be some kind of officer.


    ¡°You in the mask! What the fuck do you think you''re doing? No one uses magic inside city limits.¡± The large man walked towards me, drawing his sword as he went. ¡°In the name of Queen Cinder, you are under arrest-¡±


    I drew Xolumbrandir faster than his eyes could follow and severed his sword at where the hilt met the blade. The man stumbled backwards, shock etched onto his face as he attempted to make sense out of what just happened.


    ¡°Let me through the gates... or you all die.¡± My words swept over the guards as Xolumbrandir added sound magic to my words, causing them to shake and convulse, their pale faces evident as their eyes became fixed on my masked face.


    The officer got the worst of it and he fell to his knee''s, shaking uncontrollably.


    ¡°But- but the Hunt...¡± He stuttered. It appeared that he was more terrified of Cin than he was of me.


    ¡°Sword, destroy the gates.¡± I whispered.


    Xolumbrandir hissed in delight at my directive and great tendrils of darkness left the blade, whipping back and forth, knocking the guards aside as if they were dust.


    The giant tendrils smashed into the gates with a crash, eviscerating the hard wood and turning it into splinters, revealing the empty streets of the noble district beyond.


    The officer and his cohorts could only stare at the display of power as I took off again, Aspect of Air in full effect. I powered through the gates and searched for Cinder''s aura.


    It didn''t take me long to locate it.


    It was different to the aura''s of others. Hers was a writhing thing, it kind of reminded me of Xolumbrandir in a way. The darkness contained within it wasn''t as great as the blade, but it was close enough for me to worry. Her aura was tainted, clear evidence of her becoming worse since I had been gone.


    I could also sense something else, something much smaller, almost dwarfed by her powerful aura. It must be one of her ''volunteers''.Whoever it was they didn''t have much magical talent, but enough to let me see them from this far away.


    ¡°Shit!¡± I cursed as I pushed myself forwards faster.


    I couldn''t sense anyone else in the district, which meant Cinder was near the end of her hunt. Perhaps this was her last meal before it ended. I would make sure it was one she would never have.


    I drew in mana with all I was worth, the stone streets churning up under my steps as I activated Aspect of Earth and jumped, throwing myself high into the air, well above even the tallest buildings in this district.


    For but a single moment I manipulated my personal gravity to keep myself stable, searching the streets below.


    There.


    A woman stood holding a man high up into the air, the man didn''t even struggle, only twitched with involuntary motion. Even from here I could see the fear in his eyes as he struggled to breath.


    ¡°CINDER!¡±


    I sent myself down with terrific force, manipulating my gravity to make me drop like a boulder, my skin turning to steel as I activated Aspect of Metal.


    I smashed into the ground near her location, a great cloud of crushed stone rose into the air as I dashed forwards, grabbing the man from her grasp.


    I felt something rake against my shoulder, faster than I could avoid. Cin''s favourite weapon, her fingernails, augmented with Ice, tore into my flesh. I didn''t even gasp as I pulled the man away, covering his body with my own as her lightning fast attacks caught me three more times before I managed to retreat.


    I dashed away to the other side of the plaza, throwing the man through an open doorway. He was unconscious but I could tell he was alright. At the very least, I could save him from my daughters madness.


    I turned and stared across the plaza, my senses on high alert as I watched and waited. Cin was there, standing in the cloud, I could see her outline, but she hadn''t moved, she merely stood and watched. I couldn''t even really see her that well and I felt my heart start thumping within my chest.


    I wanted to run over and hug her, hold her, let her know that I was back and she would be ok. But I couldn''t. I knew Cinder''s power far too well, if I let my guard down for a second, she would kill me.


    After a few moments of our silent stand-off, the smoke gradually began to clear, whisked away on a swift wind.


    I saw my daughter for the first time in four hundred years.


    The first surprise was how old she looked. I mean, I had first met her when she was in her twenties, about nine years old in terms of vampire ageing. Now she was a... well... woman.


    She was beautiful. Her skin was like porcelain, her hair as white as snow, hanging down past her waist. She wore some kind of light red dress that matched her eyes, one that left her arms bare and... dipped into her neckline a little more than I would''ve liked. Her feet were bare, seems she still preferred to go without shoes and her hands were daintily held by her side.


    Honestly, it would have been the perfect image, if it wasn''t for the hatred, the pain and the promise of a savage death that she all but exuded. Her light coloured dress was dyed darker in some places by the blood she had spilled during her Hunt. Her lips a ruby colour and her lower jaw covered in crimson as I could see her gritted teeth and slightly shaking head.


    My blood dripped out from her fingers, each of which was tipped with some kind of red crystal. Even from here I could see they were razor sharp.


    Blood manipulation.


    A school of magic that Cinder had been working on when I had died. As far as I knew she was the first to experiment with such a thing, but to someone like her, who was always surrounded by the substance, it made sense to learn how to control it. Looks like she had perfected it since I''ve been gone.


    ¡°Little one... please just listen-¡±


    The vampire took off from her place like a catapult, the ground exploding underneath her as she shot forwards. Cuts appeared on her skin and blood rose from the wounds, following behind her like tendrils, as she closed in on me at speed.


    I moved as well, drawing Xolumbrandir and managing to catch the attack from her claws a split second before they connected. I commanded the sword not to cut through the crystals, instead commanding it to stay out of what was to come.


    The many tendrils that had trailed behind Cinder suddenly shot forwards, too many of me to block, so I sent fire out from my body, causing the blood to evaporate before it connected.


    But Cin wasn''t deterred. She spun through the air like an acrobat, slamming both feet into my mask before I could evade and sending me tumbling backwards.


    Luckily the mask had held but I was in a precarious position. This position was made apparent as I felt a kick connect with my ribs, shattering each and every one of them, causing fragments of bone to shoot out and pierce several of my internal organs. The force behind the kick was such that I was sent flying through the air, going through several walls of several buildings before I finally came to a stop, gasping for air, in a pile of rubble.


    Fuck, she''s gotten a lot stronger.


    I pulled myself to my feet and activated Aspect of Healing. The massive amount of mana that it needed was a risk, but one I would need to take if I wanted to get out of this alive.


    Cinder was walking her way after me, firmly and silently. I could see her out in the plaza, her hands curled into fists now as I saw a sneer on her face, her hair hiding her eyes.


    I pushed myself to my feet and swung Xolumbrandir a couple of times, the majority of the damage from her attack being healed.


    ¡°Cinder, listen to me! I know what this looks like, but you must find control!¡±


    She opened her mouth and screamed, revealing her half crazed eyes as the very ground began to tremble and vibrate in her fury. All she saw right now was someone wearing her father''s mask, holding her father''s sword and the hunger drove her on, igniting the emotions she was feeling and pushing them to new levels.


    She rushed towards me as the streets burst apart and water rose from within, swirling around her and mixing with the blood as her pale skin was covered in a layer of frost.


    ¡°ENOUGH!¡± I roared, unleashing the full power of my aura, the raw and destructive power of mana rushing from within me, and turning everything around me into dust.


    The wave caught Cinder off balance and a look of coherent surprise was visible on her face before she was blasted backwards, pieces of dagger like debris opening multiple wounds on her flesh as she collided with the ground of the plaza with a smash, her control over her element broken by my overwhelming strength.


    For a moment there was silence but for my heavy breathing as I released control over my mana and let it return to the air. Handling mana in it''s raw form was when it was at it''s most destructive, but it was also at it''s most draining. If I had kept that up any longer I would''ve been out for the count.


    The sound of shifting rocks brought my attention back to the hole where Cinder had disappeared into. She crawled out, the look on her face still without thought or reason, probably even more so now that she was in so much pain from the many wounds I had given her. Her white hair fell in front of her face as I looked between the strands, her red eyes almost glowing with hatred.


    Then I did perhaps the stupidest fucking thing I had ever done.


    I plunged Xolumbrandir into the ground and walked up to her, not too close, taking a seat a few meters away. The confusion was evident on her face now, she thought I was going to continue to fight, but I couldn''t, not now. The fact that she was covered in fresh blood, her own, and that I had caused it was almost too much for me. I don''t want to hurt her.


    ¡°Who are you.... filthy, piece of shit. Using The Sword.... Wearing The Mask. Who the fuck do you think you are?! I''ll tear apart your flesh and guzzle your blood until there''s nothing left!¡± She hissed as she pulled herself to her feet, the blood from her various wounds becoming weapons as more tendrils appeared behind her, I felt her draw in mana and form more blood claws at the tip of each of her fingers, ready to rip me apart.


    I reached into my tunic and brought out the book, laying it down in front of me, the cover facing her.


    She gasped, her control over the mana breaking and the claws and tendrils faded away into nothingness. Her eyes were transfixed, she was unable to move nor speak, her aura died away, as did her control over mana, as she stared at the ancient book.


    I pointed at the cover ¡°Do you remember this, little Cin? Do you remember when we first found you, unable to talk? Do you remember Marwenna and I reading this to you?¡±


    Cinder didn''t speak, she fell to her knee''s, her eyes still fixed on the book. The hunger was being pushed back, I needed to remind her who she was, needed her to know that I was here.


    ¡°I''m so sorry, Cin. I should''ve been here, but I wasn''t... I''m here now.¡±


    Cinder was crying, her eyes still on the book as the colour of them dimmed to that of a normal vampire, but the shaking still commanded her body.


    ¡°I''m right here, little one. Look at me.¡±


    Her head rose as her eyes looked into the darkness of my mask.


    ¡°You''re not alone any more.¡±


    Her eyes held my own. ¡°How.... Father?¡±


    I jumped to my feet and sprinted towards her. I swept the crying girl into my arms as she continued to weep. I held her close to my chest as she buried her face into my tunic and sobbed, her arms wrapped around me and squeezing me tight, as if she were afraid that I would disappear if she let go.

 Chapter Twenty Five: Of Things to Come

    Chapter Twenty Five: Of Thing''s to Come


    Dawn slowly rose over the island city of Callai and with its rise came the beginning of a new day for the elves who lived within sprawling spiderweb of Vermalia''s greatest and oldest city.


    The silence that had made the night was suddenly expelled by the voices of many, rising from their beds and beginning their new day. It wasn''t long before the scents of the city floated up to to where she stood. The smell of jasmine and freshly made bread wafted to the Queen''s nose as she stood on the balcony of her private quarters, overlooking the city.


    Once upon a time the sight would have given her joy, but all she felt was an emptiness that begged to be filled. The last week had been hell for her. The discovery that the mask had been taken and that Xolumbrandir could soon follow was almost too much for her to take. She thought of Corus every night and she couldn''t escape the uneasy feeling that she had sent the Knight Descendants to take care of a problem that they were neither prepared for, nor were capable of properly comprehending.


    ''It''s fine, I sent Hilin with them. She''s the best mage in my guard, she''ll keep them safe.'' Marwen thought uneasily as she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and continued to watch the rising sun.


    ¡°Marwen? Are you out there again?¡± A voice came from within the glass doors leading into the main bedroom.


    She didn''t have to turn to realise it was Valant and a small smile appeared on her face as her keen ears picked up the familiar footfalls of her lover and King.


    She felt his hand slide over her back and shivered under his touch.


    ''Corus never touched me like this''


    As soon as the thought of her oldest friend jumped into her mind she gave her head a slight shake and closed her eyes, leaning into the touch and enjoying it. Valant already felt like he was playing second fiddle to Corus every time she mentioned him, even in passing. She needed to continually reassure him, even to this day, that the feelings she had felt for the human were gone. It was a lie. But a necessary one to prevent any problems between them.


    While she did love Corus, and perhaps always would, she also loved the stoic warrior elf who had been her leaning post ever since the day she had killed the man. Together they had concocted the story that had protected them from the other Knight''s, protected the world from a truth that it was not ready to hear.


    Corus, the traitor.


    It didn''t have the same impact as Corus, King of the Rebel Court and master of the armies of the free.


    ¡°You''ve been coming out here every morning since they left, It''s as if you expect Mahalis to return at any moment.¡± The King said jokingly as he removed his hand and leaned over stone barrier next to her, a smile appearing at the breathtaking sight of the vast city that was their capital.


    Marwen shrugged her shoulders and moved herbody so she was leaning against him slightly.


    ¡°Perhaps. I''m afraid that sending them to Ellai may have been a mistake. I know they had their escort but still... what if I have sent them up against something they won''t be able to conquer.¡± Her voice trembled slightly as it reached the end of her sentence and she had to try hard to hold back tears.


    She had served Corus and The Rebel Court faithfully for centuries and had seen more violence and bloodshed than she would have ever thought possible under his leadership. But still, the thought of losing Mahalis, her only child, filled her with more emotion that even the act of killing The Rebel King himself.


    Valant nodded knowingly but didn''t move to reply, instead they spent a few more moments basking in the glow of the risen sun.


    ¡°I believe that you made the right choice. It will do them some good to be together. You always told me that the battles, the trials and tribulations that The Knight''s went through, made you all as close as family. I think that you''re worrying over nothing and they will return with not a scratch on them. You wait. I can already see it.¡± He smiled and drew her closer to him, placing her lips against his in an attempt to banish the worry that was eating away at her heart.


    Marwen returned the affection, but Valant''s answer did nothing to soothe her. For some reason that she could not appropriately name, her worry gnawed at her like a wound in her chest.


    ¡°You''re right, I should stop this. Besides, we have guests to greet in the throne room, I should be preparing myself for company, not shedding tears for my son who I know can take care of himself.¡± Marwen said and gave her husband another quick peck on the lips before moving into the bedroom, Valant following behind her as she put on her regal attire and selected some jewellery designed to stun those she graced with her presence into submission of their betters before she even opened her mouth.


    ¡°And who are we greeting today?¡± asked Valant as he fixed the royal blue coat he had decided to wear, continually pulling at the neck of the soft fabric in discomfort.


    Marwen noticed the subtle pull as she fixed her earrings in the mirror and rolled her eyes. Despite his many years of being King of the Elves, Valant still much preferred the simple styling and armour of his life as a soldier in the Church.


    ¡°I don''t know why I have to wear this stuff.¡± He grumbled as Marwen got to her feet and fixed his collar with a smile ¡°It''s not like I really do much as King, you''re the one who knows what''s she''s doing, I''m just kind of...well... there.¡± He finished rather sheepishly as his wife finished up.


    ¡°You are King and Emperor of the Vermalia, my champion and hero of the Rebel Court. I wouldn''t say that was you just being there, my love.¡± Marwen said her smile widening as she placed a kiss on his cheek and took a step back to admire her handiwork.


    ¡°To answer your first question I believe it is the ambassador for Paltos. He will no doubt be here to talk about Abhor again.¡± Marwen mused as she fixed the tail of Valant''s tunic and wrapped her arm around his before they both began to head for the large doors that entered their private suite.


    ¡°Ah, that makes more sense then. Why is it that they never want to discuss matters of state but rail us to no end about the Old Wolf?¡± Valant asked curiously as he and his wife exited his apartment and greeted the five royal guards that awaited them.


    Each of the guards were of the Royal Protectors, each one was chosen by Valant himself and vetted by thoroughly in combat and the arts of magic.. Each and every one of them were some of the greatest warriors on the continent and they took their jobs very seriously.


    One of the guard stepped forwards, his chain-mail and leather armour clinking only slightly as he did so and laid a hand over the tree and sword symbol that was placed over the piece of cloth on his chest.


    ¡°Your Majesties, we''ll be escorting you today, I hope each of you slept well.¡± This elf was directly under Hilin''s command and one of her best lieutenants, hand picked by the captain to be the head of the royal family''s personal retinue during her absence.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    ¡°Thank you, Malthas, we''ll be heading straight for the throne room then to breakfast I think. Could you send a runner to prepare something for the King and I while we attend the Palton Ambassador .¡± Marwen replied politely.


    ¡°Of course my Queen, at once.¡± With but a twitch of a finger one of the guard broke off and made his way at a fast walk down the hall.¡°This way, please¡± He said as he bowed and indicated towards the opposite direction from the messenger.


    We both indicated with our heads and began to make our way towards the throne room with our guards in tow.


    ¡°I don''t even get to eat breakfast before listening to the old wolf kind drivel on. Perfect¡± Valant complained as they continued their journey.


    Marwen gave out a laugh, a beautiful sound, that reverberated through the halls and made the King''s heart quicken.


    ¡°I would have liked to eat breakfast before hand but the messenger who came earlier said that the matter was of the utmost urgency and I don''t want to offend him.¡± Marwen replied as they made their way down the hall. The pure size of the citadel was truly something wondrous and it had been constructed with a labyrinth like design to confuse and bamboozle any enemies that actually managed to enter. Even Marwen had not seen the entire keep and she had spent over five hundred years living within it''s halls. The path to the throne room would take them twenty minutes to traverse and that was at a light stroll. It was rather annoying having to move back and forth between various parts of the castle each day but it did give one time to collect one''s thoughts before greeting an important guest. It also gave Valant and Marwen time to speak to one another as it was rarely easy for them to converse during a normal day. Their individual duties kept them separated much of the time so they relished the chance to converse when it appeared.


    ¡°I wonder what could be so important... what if Abhor has finally left that cave of his, perhaps he has finally decided to stop grieving for Corus and involve himself with the affairs of his country?¡± Valant asked.


    Marwen sighed ¡°I hope not. Paltos has become more united than ever since the church was destroyed and I believe that should he interfere, Abhor will want to once again throw the country into disarray. He did it before, until Corus managed to stop him.¡±


    She remembered that day well. Marwen, Corus and their most recent addition Heilvol had been told that there was a clan chief in Paltos who was slowly killing off the other leaders of Palton tribes by challenging them to single combat. His plan was to use these new unified tribes to attack the surrounding countries and bring them under his direct control. Abhor had been a tyrant, merciless and intelligent. It was an accident that caused Corus to end up fighting Abhor, something so silly as to forget to offer food from a hunt to the clan chief. He had taken great offence, or had acted like he did, and forced Corus to battle him in single combat.


    The battle had lasted for less than a minute.


    ¡°So what do you think?¡± Marwen was drawn out of her walk down memory lane by Valant''s voice.


    ¡°Abhor is still grieving, I know he is. Corus was his Alpha and clan chief, the only person to defeat him in single combat besides Cinder. He may have left his cave despite this, who can know. I''m curious to find out.¡±


    It took them only a few minutes longer after they finished their conversation before they arrived in the throne room. It''s vastness, even as a child, had always taken her breath away. She had often sat and watched her father talk with the multitudes that passed through the doors each day with a smile on his face. She understood the burden he had carried all too well now.


    The two monarchs took their customary seats on the uncomfortable perches atop the dais at one end of the huge room and, with a wave of her hand, Marwen indicated to the waiting herald at the far end to bring in the ambassador. The herald gave a deep bow before darting out of the room as fast as he could.


    Moments later, the herald returned looking slightly harried.


    ¡°Your Majesties! May I present his lordship Jawa of Clan Coldue, ambassador of Paltos and kin of Knight Abhor, Lord of Beasts!¡±


    Without further ado, a large man emerged from around the corner of the large doors and began to slow walk towards the dais.


    Obviously of Alpha stock from the way he walked, Jawa of Clan Coldue was a large and grizzled man, his mouth seemingly fixed into a permanent grimace. He was wearing some kind of animal hide with a long snowy white cloak attached at his throat. The colour of the cape almost matched the almost bleached nature of his hair and long beard. Three scars ran down his cheek and he seemed to walk with a slight limp.


    Jawa had been the Palton Ambassador for Vermalia even before Marwen''s father had died, the old man had been a stoic advocate for the dissolution for the church which seemed to be the reason he had retained his position. Rumour had it he was Abhors uncle, but Marwen had never liked to pry. He had once been clan chief but after he had become ambassador Abhor had taken over as head of the largest Palton clan, Coldue.


    Jawa gave a deep bow as he reached the steps of leading up to the thrones, showing respect for his superiors in both title and combat. ¡°Your Majesties, thank you for receiving me so early and before you would officially accept audiences. I promise you that the information that I have is worth the wait.¡±


    The monarchs stirred in their thrones ¡°So what is so important your lordship? Forgive me, I have yet to break my fast and I get rather impatient when I''m hungry. Or so my wife tells me.¡± Valant said with a smirk, throwing a look at Marwen who did better and hid a smile behind her hand. Jawa of Clan Coldue did not smile.


    ¡°The information has to do with your fellow Knight and my kin, Abhor. We discovered a fortnight ago that he left his home at the Solace Mount and seemingly disappeared. His attendants, the many pilgrims who come to be near him daily, no one saw him leave¡±


    Marwen raised an eyebrow. ¡°That doesn''t sound like Abhor. Were you able to locate him?¡±


    Jawa nodded ¡°Yes, my lady. He arrived at the camp of Clan Coldue several days after his disappearance, covered in blood and carrying several bodies with him.¡±


    A rampage? No that''s not Abhors way. He may be violent when the need arises but Abhor never killed for sport. It always had a purpose. Cinder held her hunts to drink and enjoy herself but to Abhor it was an almost religious activity that brought him closer to the beast gods.


    ¡°I''m going to assume he did not kill these people without cause?¡± Marwen asked carefully. If she said the wrong thing Jawa might assume she was saying that Abhor had killed them for nothing. A dangerous move considering the weight that Abhor carried in Paltos.


    Jawa nodded again ¡°You are correct, your majesty. It seems that Abhor caught the scent of some undesirables passing through Paltos. They were apparently mages, they wore religious iconography we didn''t recognise but very little to put together a clear picture of who they were or their goals. They attacked Abhor on sight, forcing him to end their lives.¡±


    Strange... religious types that bore no identifiable insignia? That immediately removed the idea of The Vitrissian Monks, they always wore the heavy chains that marked their order and were always without shoes.


    ¡°Are you sure they weren''t from the order of the Vitrissian Monks? They are the only cult I know of to operate in the region?¡± Valant asked, unable to come to the same conclusion as fast as his wife did.


    Jawa shook his head and grunted ¡°We are fully aware of all movements of their filth on our soil. if they were monks Abhor would have left them alone. He didn''t.¡±


    Marwenna and Valant nodded throwing a look at each other before aiming their combined gaze towards the man slightly below them. Despite the stares he was receiving Jawa didn''t flinch, he had faced many powerful beings in his day and it would take more than the two mages to make the man uneasy.


    ¡°So Abhor seeks our assistance?¡± Valant asked


    Once again Jawa shook his head ¡°I''m afraid not you, you Majesty. Lord Abhor wishes for the Knight Marwen to come to Paltos, he has sent similar requests to the other ambassadors of The Red Citadel and The Maelstrom Isles. He wishes for the remaining Knight''s to gather. But for what purpose, I can only guess.¡±


    Marwen felt herself become slightly uneasy. Abhor wishes for them to meet? Why? What has he discovered that could be so important? For a brief moment she contemplated the idea of him knowing the truth about Corus'' death but immediately dismissed the idea. If he knew, the Old Wolf would have come to Callai himself and attempted to kill both her and Valant. While she was definitely more than the Wolf Knight''s equal in magic, close combat was Abhors forte and his massive beast form gave him a huge advantage. It would not be an easy battle, even if Valant aided her.


    ¡°Did he say anything else?¡± Marwen asked curiously, shifting slightly on her throne as she leaned forwards.


    ¡°All Abhor would tell the messenger is that he had found some sort of manuscript that had left him... disturbed. He also said that one of the Cultists had been muttering a name before he died.¡±


    ¡°And this name was?¡±


    Jawa cleared his throat ¡°It appears that this man kept saying ''Samedus Exovan''.¡±


    Suddenly, Marwen found herself unable to speak, the feeling of uneasiness increased a hundredfold and washed over her skin like a dirty rag cloth. Her vision seemed to lose colour as the world turned grey. She looked to her left and found that Valant was frozen in time, his face as still as a statues as his gaze was still fixed on Jawa, who was also frozen.


    She knew this feeling.


    She had felt it before.


    She knew what came next.


    ¡°Ah! Marwenna! It''s great to see you again....listen, we need to talk.¡±

 Chapter Twenty Six: Marwenna, The Traitor

    Chapter Twenty Six: Marwenna, The Traitor


    The room was spinning, sweeping and rippling as Marwen tried her hardest not to panic. She knew what was going on here, she had seen this power before and knew who must be commanding it.


    Vitriss.


    Although Marwen couldn''t see the Goddess she was positive that she was here, hiding somewhere in the grey world that lay in front of her. So close in look to her own and yet at the same time it might as well have been miles away.


    ¡°Can you hear me, Marwenna?¡±


    The voice called out again and Marwen felt her stomach flip at the sound. It was so beautiful, clear and pure like the water on an underground stream, but sharp enough to cut through the air with but a whisper.


    Marwen gritted her teeth as she tried to move, but found herself unable too. It was if her very body was locked in syrup, so thick that even the slightest movement pushed her to the edge of exhaustion. She wondered subtly what the Goddess wanted, what she was doing here? It had been over four hundred years since their last correspondence. She said that she would leave them alone, she said it would be over once Corus died.


    ¡°Yes, I did promise that but sometimes those little things are made to be broken. Unfortunately, I made another promise, this one I must keep. Lest it cost more than I can pay.¡±


    ''She can read minds, damn! I had forgotten'' Marwen thought to herself angrily and immediately began to chastise herself for allowing the thought to gather in the first place.


    Marwen owed a lot to Vitriss and her revelation. It had allowed her to see Corus for the man he truly was, a monster to be feared and hated. A manipulator who warps the world to fit his own twisted point of view. But she hadn''t forgotten what The Church had done. It had taken her a long time to forgive Valant for his part in the wars that were raged, the atrocities that were committed. If she was being truly honest with herself she hadn''t even reached the point of forgiving him completely. Behind the madness of the church, behind the hatred of Gorvo Nali for Corus, was Vitriss. She was the example, the standard, upon which every one of the faithful based themselves. Even to this day she remains a potent force in Vita with her monks moving through the countries and spreading their filth. Marwen thanked her, but she did not trust her. That would have been ridiculous. Just because a snake tells the truth once it does not mean that it will stop lying.


    ¡°You call me a snake now? I suppose that would be appropriate. I have done terrible things, Marwenna. Horrible things that would make you shudder in disgust. I have done good, or have tried, but I don''t think it will ever make up for what I''ve had to do. I know you understand. I know of the things you did in his service. I know the hold he still has over you. That is why I''m here.¡±


    Suddenly the grey world exploded into colour. A swirling cacophony of light that moved through the throne room and painted everything a different unique colour. The brightest was almost too much for Marwen to look at. This light was gold and stood at the room''s centre, glowing like the sun. The Elven Queen could feel mana radiating off of it like a beacon and all she could do was close her eyes and begin the slow process of trying to raise her hands to cover her face.


    Just as suddenly, the light show ended and the world returned to the grey it had once been, allowing Marwen to open her eyes and look outwards towards the spot where the golden light had appeared.


    In it''s place was a girl. Unlike the grey world around her, including the forms of Jawa and Valant, she was fully in colour and the sight was almost enough to take Marwen''s breath away.


    The woman that now stood before her was both familiar and foreign. Marwen had met Vitriss before when the Goddess had told her of Corus but that encounter was brief and highly emotional. Now Marwen appreciated the full scope of Vitriss'' divinity.


    Her skin seemed to be made of liquid moonlight and her hair flowed gently behind her as if it were stuck in water, the pale blonde catching the natural light she exuded and throwing it around the room in a show of beauty. The white dress fell delicately over her shoulders and her eyes seemed to simmer with power. Those eyes promised kindness, but there was something deeper, something hidden within the walls that no one had been able to penetrate and Marwen felt herself almost lose herself within their simmering surface.


    Vitriss let out a giggle and hopped forwards, floating through the air with a grace that defied logic. Every time she landed on her approach the grey floor would send a ripple of colour outwards that quickly faded soon afterwards. It wasn''t long before the Goddess had made it onto the dais, stopping mere feet away from where Marwen still sat, unable to move. The Queen was surprised yet again by how young the Goddess looked and the aroma of flowers that washed over her as she came to a stop.


    ¡°Forgive me for restraining you Marwenna, but what I have to tell you is... delicate? Is that the word? I''m sorry, it has been some time since I have spoken to another person. I don''t count Corus. That one is... different.¡± Her smile never left her mouth as she spoke but as she mentioned the name of The Rebel King her eyes wondered off into the distance as if she was distracted.


    Marwen on the other hand felt her heart begin to constrict within her chest.


    ''Delicate? What is this? You spoke with Corus? What''s going on?''


    Her panic was showing through even within her own head and the Goddess immediately took notice, her smile faded slightly as she began to look slightly concerned.


    ¡°I''m sorry, Marwenna, perhaps I was a little bit too harsh on the restraints.¡± The Goddess waved her hand and a burst of mana blazed out of her for a mere second. Marwen immediately felt her mouth become her own again.


    ¡°Vitriss... What are you doing here? I thought I would never see you again, that was our agreement. You promised that you would leave all of us alone, that you would let us live in peace.¡± Marwen said immediately, the panic had faded slightly now that she could use her voice but she was still completely unable to move and it was making her uneasy.


    The Goddess clapped her hands ¡°I know you don''t like getting held against your will like this, Marwenna, but there is a very, very high likelihood that you will attack me after I have said my piece and I can''t allow that. Holding this spell is already taking a lot out of me and walking in Vita does not allow me to draw the mana I can in my home, making things even harder. I don''t have the control I usually have and there is a good chance I''d accidentally kill you if you did attack. Which would strain my relationship with him even more.¡±


    Marwen silently strained against her invisible bonds while looking at the Goddess with a slightly bewildered expression ¡°Who are you talking about? What relationship?¡±


    Vitriss sighed and clicked her fingers. As the sound finished echoing through the vast room a bright white chair appeared behind her and she gracefully took a seat, smoothing out her dress as she did, before aiming her gaze once again at the Queen of the Elves.


    ¡°He is a very curious creature, your Rebel King. I thought that he would fall for my control, but that did not work, he seems to be immune to me which should be impossible. So I had to tell him... a version of the truth. Accurate enough that I was not directly lying, but far enough away that he didn''t try and kill me where I stood. He knew I was hiding things of course, but he agreed anyway. To save you. To save his family. He is intelligent, strong, charismatic. I can see why you would follow such a man all your life.¡±


    The Goddess watched Marwen curiously for a moment, she could feel the elves heartbeat. It was moving so fast that she was sightly concerned that it would jump out of her chest.


    ¡°Corus...? You spoke with him? When? How?¡± Marwen tone of voice was approaching desperate now as thoughts whirled around inside her head of all the scenarios that would involve Vitriss and Corus meeting. For some inexplicable reason, the image of Corus and Vitriss naked jumped to the forefront of her mind, his hands touching her, caressing her body, kissing her. Despite knowing it was just a thought, jealously and disgust at herselfwelled up inside the Knight, a feeling which she tried to push back down but couldn''t completely.


    Vitriss suddenly laughed as she read Marwen''s thoughts ¡°No! We never did anything like that. But I have to say, I wouldn''t have said no. He''s a rather attractive man. Even more so now.¡±


    Marwen''s eyes burned into the Goddess, her skin began to crawl as she grasped at every scrap of mana she could, she was intent on releasing herself and blasting Vitriss into oblivion for what she had done-


    ¡°Wait. You said even more so now. What does that mean?¡± The Queen whispered, the mana she had began to draw fading away as her eyes found the Goddess'' own. ¡°What does that mean?!¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Vitriss'' laughter faded and her lips slipped into a single pursed line, sadness and shame appeared in her eyes as she returned Marwen''s gaze.


    ¡°Like I said Marwenna. I''ve done terrible things. Things that would make you shudder. I did one such thing to you, something that I promised I would reveal.¡± Vitriss'' fingers fiddled with each other as she looked down into her lap.


    Marwen was shaking now, not with rage, but with trepidation.


    ¡°I lied to you. To you and Valant both, although he did not require much convincing. Corus never used magic to manipulate you and the other Knight''s. He did not deserve to die as he did. I was the manipulator. I changed your minds and showed you false images, things that never happened, things that would never happen.¡±


    Marwen felt a sickness begin to grow inside her stomach even as her thoughts screamed denial. ''Vitriss is being controlled by Corus somehow, he is the one behind this, he has turned the Goddess into his puppet!''


    The woman shook her head ¡°It is true, I''m afraid. Even now you resist the truth, because that is what I wanted. I never wanted you to question it, only do as instructed. I got what I wanted, Corus was mine to do with as I pleased. I planted the seed in your head and now you can''t even consider the possibility that he is innocent.¡±


    ¡°Because he''s not! He''s a monster, a deceiver, he used me and the others! He turned Cinder into a murderer! I won''t let you tell me different because there is no other way it could''ve happened!¡± Marwen screamed, her head was pounding and she tasted copper as blood ran out of her nose. She ignored the pain and continued to sneer at the Goddess in disgust.


    ¡°The seed is deep, but I can remove it, which is what I intend. It will hurt, Marwenna.¡± Vitriss said as she lifted one of her pale palms and aimed it towards Marwen, who began to pull at her bonds.


    ¡°What are you doing?! Stop this Vitriss, nothing you do will convince me, nothing!¡± The Elven Queen roared and renewed her efforts to free herself even as more blood began to stream down from both her nostrils, her lips pulled back as she snarled at the Goddess.


    Vitriss'' face not change but Marwen felt the air charge as she began to draw in mana, first a trickle and then a storm. It swirled around the Goddess causing colour to once again return to the grey world. Vitriss'' hand began to glow, blazing and righteous, it''s light burning Marwen as it touched her skin, causing the Elven Queen to scream in agony.


    ¡°I free you, Queen of the Elves, from the control I placed. I free you and, with this, my word is kept.¡± She said, her voice remaining the same in tone but somehow loud enough to shake Marwen to her very core.


    Vitriss plunged forwards, throwing herself off her seat and slamming the palm of her hand into Marwen''s forehead.


    The Queen screamed as her aura turned to fire, blood began to pour from her ears and eyes as she felt the flames of Vitriss rip through her entire body. It felt like she was being slowly burned alive, the pain so great that it was almost soothing. Marwen wailed against the bonds, trying desperately to move but to no avail, she could no longer draw mana, it was as if the Goddess had somehow removed her connection to her own power All she could do was weep and rage, unable to stop the True Flame from destroying her body.


    Then, as suddenly as it had began, it was over and Marwen felt the chains that held her fade away, causing her to fall off her throne and collapse onto the floor.


    Her body tingled all over, the agony had dulled but it still felt like she was being stabbed by a thousand knives simultaneously. If she moved even an inch, then the pain would intensify, causing her to merely lay there and weep, even her tears burned their way down her cheeks.


    Vitriss had fallen backwards into her seat, her face even paler than usual and a layer of cold sweat had developed upon her brow. Her breaths were long and shaking, one could clearly see the slight tremble that now plagued her hands as her glazed over eyes tried hard to focus on something.


    ¡°It is done, Corus. I did as you asked. I hope you will make the right choice, when the time comes.¡± The words were clearly not intended for Marwen, but the Goddess said them anyway, slowly recovering from what she had just done to the Elven Queen. She brought her gaze to rest upon the diminutive figure that lay at her feet.


    ¡°Now you see, Marwenna of the Rebel Court. It was I who did this to you. I needed Corus, I need Corus. He may be the only one capable of stopping what is coming. But he does not trust me, even now I am sure he tries to conceive a way to kill me instead of focusing on the true enemy and searching for Arcana!¡± Vitriss hissed as she leaned backwards in her chair. For a second both women were silent, although Marwen couldn''t speak even if she wanted to. ¡°I don''t blame Corus, I did a terrible thing to him. I thought he would do as I asked, no questions. Because that is what I am used to. I never intended to keep the promise that I made.¡± Vitriss continued, her eyes closed as she took a moment to rest from the ordeal she had just went through.


    ¡°He discovered that I did not tell you the truth and any semblance of partnership between us ended. I need to get things back on track. So I thought I would kill two birds with one stone. Free you of my control and make you carry my words to him, to put him back on the proper path. For some reason I can''t get near him... Something is protecting him, or isolating him, but it is something I do not know or recognise. It is frustrating!¡± Vitriss laughed, her hand moving up to rest under her chin as her eyes looked into the distance.


    ¡°Wheels within wheels, games within games.¡±


    Marwen stirred and Vitriss'' eyes were brought back to attention, curiously angling down to look at the fallen Queen. Marwenna was pushing herself to her feet, slowly but surely, her long hair covering her face as she tried to stand fully and of her own accord.


    Vitriss watched with curiosity in her eyes for but a second before they widened slightly as a hint of panic entered into those beautiful iris''.


    ¡°Now, Marwenna-¡± Vitriss began but did not finish before the chair she was sitting on exploded into a shower of splinters. While the attack was not a threat to someone as powerful as Vitriss, the speed and precision of the Air Manipulation spell, and in a captured moment of time, was very impressive.


    Vitriss landed near the middle of the large hall, her bare feet touching down delicately as she successfully evaded the clever attack. Marwen still did not move. She was standing now, her shoulders shaking as she desperately drew in breath. Her face covered in blood and hidden from Vitriss behind a veil of hair.


    ¡°Marwenna, I knew that you would be angry, but you must understand that this is bigger than you or Corus. This is about the future of-¡±


    ¡°ANGELIS!¡± Marwenna''s roar echoed throughout the hall as mana began to radiate off of her in waves.


    She swung out her right hand as the air around it began to vibrate and tremble, as if something was pushing through the barriers that surrounded Vitriss'' locked off time zone. Then, with the sound of shattering glass, the ancient blade materialised out of thin air, the silver glowing with ethereal light.


    Marwenna was silent as she left her dais and blasted forwards, activating Aspect of Air as she travelled, increasing her speed, causing her to arrive at the Goddess'' position in less than a second.


    Despite the explosive burst of movement, Vitriss did not look worried, in fact she merely looked at the Elven Queen with pity in her eyes.


    Marwen began to attack, her body moving through the forms of combat that Corus had taught her so very long ago as she aggressively and desperately tried to cut the Goddess into bloody pieces. But no matter how hard she swung or how fast she moved, she was unable to even scratch the woman, Vitriss slipped around every attack as if Marwen was moving in water.


    Marwen changed her tact and threw a kick outwards towards the Goddess'' kneecap, hoping to cave in the bone and give her time to remove the beautiful woman''s head. But she overshot and Vitriss slipped through her guard, throwing a light punch that connected with Marwenna''s ribs almost gracefully. The slight touch caused Marwen''s bones to break, shards breaking off and piercing many of her internal organs even as she flew backwards through the air.


    The Elven Queen was airborne for a few seconds that felt like eternity, before she crashed down onto the floor with a wet splat, her legs and arms breaking under the impact.


    Vitriss sighed before beginning a slow walk towards the shattered form of the Queen, who even now, broken and bloody, tried to push herself to her crippled feet, causing her injuries to become all the more severe.


    ¡°I''m sorry. I told you that I have very little control of my power on your world. I tried to be as light as possible, but alas I can barely contain it while I have such a small supply of mana.¡±


    Marwenna spluttered, blood leaving her lips as her eyes bore into the Goddess with a hatred so vast that even Vitriss felt a shiver run down her spine. Marwen''s mouth moving silently as she tried to find the strength to speak, but it continued to escape her.


    ¡°Have no fear, Marwenna. You will not die this day. Like I said, I need your help.¡± Vitriss leaned forwards and touched Marwen with a finger, causing most of the damage within her to heal instantly. Vitriss left the broken arms and legs though, they weren''t life threatening and she didn''t have the power left to restrain The Queen like she had when she first arrived.


    ¡°I... Everything... I did. I did because... I believed he was a traitor. I loved him!¡± Marwen''s cry of pain penetrated into the very soul of the Goddess, but she didn''t show it. ¡°I swear... I will kill you, Even if it takes me a thousand lifetimes. I''ll end your fucking life!¡±


    Vitriss gave Marwen a little smile. ¡°Perhaps one day you will. But now I need you to find Corus. He should be with Cinder, in The Red Citadel.¡±


    At the words, Marwen''s eyes opened wide and she stared at the Goddess. ¡°He''s here... on Vita?¡±


    Vitriss nodded at Marwen''s words and the elf''s eyes once again filled with pain as she cried. She cried for the lost opportunities. She cried for not saying the things she wish she had. She cried because she was the traitor she had feared the man she had once loved had always been.


    ¡°Tell him he will find Arcana in Omara. I don''t know where, but it should lie in the north.¡±


    Marwen didn''t reply, her gaze was a thousand miles and four hundreds years away. Back to the day she had taken his head. Back to the day that had set her on the path that had led her to where she is now.


    Vitriss jumped to her feet and backed away from the girl, heading towards the centre of the room once again.


    ¡°Do not forget, Marwenna. He must know this, it is the only way to stop what is coming.¡±


    Then, in a burst of golden light, similar to what had happened when the woman had appeared, she was gone and Marwen felt the world jump back into colour again.


    She heard the screams of her husband as he ran towards her.


    She heard the roar of the guard as they created a defensive circle around her body and she saw Jawa standing nearby, shock etched onto his face at the condition of her body.


    All those things and more assaulted her senses but it was nothing, her mind was focused on only one thing. His face, which slipped away from her, like she couldn''t remember it properly. She would have cried again if she had any tears left to give, but she was without them. She merely stared into space as she realised what was done to her. She saw everything clearly for the first time in Four Hundred years and she hated herself for it.


    ''Corus, forgive me.''

 Chapter Twenty Seven: The Kings Huntress

    Chapter Twenty Seven: The King''s Huntress


    I held Cinder for a long time before she went silent. After she stopped trembling we just stood and clung to one another, for what seemed like hours. Until the inevitable division came and she pulled gently away from me, still in my arms, But far enough away for her look at the shining metal of my mask, glowing slightly under the light of the sun.


    After a few seconds of staring into my shadowed eyes, her hands reached up to remove it and I stopped her with a firm hand.


    ¡°Cin... things have changed. My face is different now, but it''s me. You have to believe it''s me and stay calm. Ok?¡± I said the words slowly, making sure every single one of them reached her.


    Cinder stared at me for a few more seconds and I noticed she began to bite her bottom lip. She did this when she was nervous and was trying not to show it. While she had changed a lot over the past four hundred years it was still easy to see the little girl I had once known.


    Cinder took a deep breath and nodded, her eyes showing no signs of beginning to glow, a telltale symptom that the hunger was beginning to take control and her emotions taking precedence over reason. She shook my hand off gently, placed both hands onto the sides of the mask and lifted it off, the metal catching on my long hair and pulling it up with her before it tumbled down around my shoulders.


    For a second she just stood there, drinking in my new face, her mouth forming a soft ''O'' as she examined every inch with vampiric eyes. Thankfully, she was remaining calm, which could only mean she was back in complete control.


    She raised a hand up again and placed it against my cheek, causing me to smile. Her skin was still cold from using Aspect of Ice in the battle and it was cool to the touch.


    ¡°How? I don''t understand this. Any of this. Marwen said she saw you die, Father. She saw you fall under a group of church Paladins. Why would she lie?¡± Cinder''s eyes looked panicky and distant as she stared into mine ¡°Why are you so young? You look younger than I do...¡±


    I raised a hand and placed it onto hers ¡°A lot of things have happened, Cin. Too many things for me to really explain right now.¡±


    Her eyes suddenly became hardened rubies and I noticed her jaw clench. ¡°Try. I''m not a child any more, Father. I need to know what''s going on.¡±


    I nodded ¡°I know, Cinder. It is... complicated. The gist of it is that I have to get the girl, destroy an ancient evil and save the world. You know, the usual stuff.¡± I finished trying to look dashing, my eyes looking outwards towards an unseen horizon. Cinder kept a straight face for all of three seconds before a giggle left her lips and she gave me a gentle punch in the ribs.


    ¡°You''re an idiot.¡±


    I shrugged ¡°I know, but it''s true, believe it or not. I''ve got to do a few other things as well, but that''s the general idea. You were my first stop when I got back.¡±


    Cinder laughed ¡°That''s obviously not true. You went to get the mask and the sword. I heard Marwen was very upset about that. She even sent her and Heilvol''s pet project, the Knight Descendants, to deal with ''the thief''.¡±


    I began to scratch the fledgling beard that had developed on my jaw ¡°I know. I ran into them, seemed like they were good enough, but their teamwork was awful from what I saw. Haven''t been together for very long, have they?¡±


    Cinder raised an eyebrow ¡°You didn''t kill them did you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, why would I do something like that? If I was going to kill anything in Ellai it would''ve been my fucking sword. Which was trying to kill me by the way... again.¡± I hissed the last word at Xolumbrandir, which stood behind us, still planted into the ground. The sword let out a hiss of it''s own that put mine to shame.


    Cin contained a laugh and left my grasp, walking up to the sword and touching it''s pommel. The sword immediately let out a series of long hisses that could''ve easily been misconstrued as purring.


    Yeah, for some reason Xolumbrandir likes Cinder.


    ¡°Remember when you first brought Xolumbrandir back to Ellai? I always said that if you treated it well it would''ve returned the favour. But no, you decided to insult it at every opportunity, no wonder it dislikes you.¡±


    I let loose a little laugh before I walked up to Cinder and Xolumbrandir, pulling the sword out of the ground in one smooth motion and sliding it into the scabbard that Ada had gifted me.


    ¡°I know it too well, I''m afraid. And it knows me too well. I don''t think there can be anything but mutual hate between us¡±


    Cinder smiled at me and I felt myself naturally smile in return. But then I noticed the destruction, the blood that covered the walls of the various buildings in the noble district, the bodies that lay still nearby and my smile faded.


    ¡°Why are you doing this, Cin?¡± I said quietly, my eyes still examining the plaza. I noticed a body near the eastern entrance, it had been driven into the wall so hard that it had become a pile of mush, little remaining of the living being it had once been.


    At my words Cinder''s head fell forwards and she examined the ground, sheepishly. There was little guilt in her movement but I expected that. Cinder was never guilty when it came to drinking, she had been that way before and I didn''t expect her to change. She loved the blood, the death, the violence. Before we had found her that was all she had. Vampires in Scarl Forest had chased her for months before we had accidentally stumbled over one of her latest kill zones.


    ¡°It was a solution. I couldn''t leave the castle as often as when I was your Huntress and General. I didn''t have the time, so it seemed that this was a good alternative. I sate my thirst and everyone has a chance of winning in The Hunt.¡± She said the words carefully, as if she had practised them in the mirror and perhaps she had.


    ¡°You know that''s bullshit, little one. No one has a chance of winning as long as you''re playing. Especially at your own game. Why don''t you drink from the servants in the castle? Or get someone to drain some for you to drink when you''re hungry? Like we used to back in Ellai?¡±


    Cinder''s shoulders began to shake ¡°I''ve been getting worse, Father. I used to enjoy the Hunt, when I served you in Ellai. Now it''s gotten to the point that I can''t start drinking without killing someone. I went through a whole brigade of servants before Palite and I came to that conclusion. She helped me put this together.¡±


    I cocked my head, confused ¡°Who is Palite?¡±


    ¡°She was the one who helped me when I first got here. I was angry. You were gone, Marwen just left with Valant, Faral took off like only she can, Heilvol and Drogna tried to pick up the pieces of The Court and Abhor just ran away. I killed the old Queen and her followers. I don''t know why, I just needed something to do, something to make me feel like I had value. I only ever felt worth as your Huntress so I set about ending everyone who had supported the church.¡±


    I was silent for a moment, shocked and disgusted that everyone had abandoned the girl. She was my daughter, she was like a niece to the others, why would they just leave her behind? Fury built up inside me and mana began to subconsciously be drawn in.


    Those fuckers were my Knights! They were supposed to help each other, support each other but as soon as I was gone they had run away, leaving everything behind. I felt my hands close into fists and the mana flow increase, enough for Cinder to break out of her trance and cause worry to grow in her eyes.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    She walked up and wrapped her arms around me, leaning her head against my tunic, still damp from her tears ¡°Don''t worry, Father. I''m fine. Heilvol and Drogna asked me to stay but they didn''t have the time to spend with me like they used to. They were trying to save what was left of Ellai. I didn''t want to be a burden¡±


    ¡°It should''ve been Marwenna! I told her that if anything happened to me she should take care of you. But she just left, as did Abhor and Faral!¡±


    She pulled away from me, looking up and smiling ¡° You know, with that new face, you look like a spoiled little noble when you''re this upset¡±


    The smile on her face made me pause for a second, before I chuckled and, with difficulty, managed to cut off the flow of mana to my body. I patted her head and moved back, stretching my arms and trying to get rid of the feeling that had just run through me. What was concerning was the mana that I was drawing in without my knowledge. I had never had a problem with that before but now it had happened three times... was this something to do with Arcana? Perhaps the new changes to my body? I couldn''t know, but hopefully I would soon know where to start searching for the answers.


    ¡°I''ll help you fix your hunger, Cin. We did it before and we can do it again. Together.¡± I smiled at the girl in an attempt to remove my mind from the thoughts of my failing body. ¡°Until you get a handle on it, you''ll be drinking from me for as long as I''m here. No exceptions.¡±


    Cinder''s eyes widened in protest ¡°Father! I''ve already told you I''m not a child any more! You can''t tell me what I can and can''t eat, that''s just ridiculous. I''m four hundred and fifty three years old!¡±


    I shrugged ¡°Unfortunately little one, I can tell you what you can and can''t eat when it comes to people. I''m pretty sure we''ve had this conversation before.¡±


    ¡°Yes, when I had just turned thirty two. I wanted to go hunt my own dinner and you wouldn''t let me.¡± Cinder said scathingly. I remembered that day well. She had been all smiles when she had come to my armoury to ask but had left in one of the biggest tempers I had ever seen. Her magic was just beginning to blossom then but she had already perfected her ice claws. The tower was a wreck, large scars ripped into the walls. She hid in her room for three days and wouldn''t come out no matter who came to see her.


    ¡°So, Palite? Is she Bell''s mother?¡± I asked, remembering the story that the Vampire Commander had told me and trying to change the subject before Cin tried to change my mind.


    ¡°Yes! Did you meet Bell? You didn''t hurt her did you? She''s my friend, Father. She''s like a sister to me.¡± She asked the question almost accusingly.


    I rolled my eyes ¡°Why are you jumping to the conclusion that I hurt her? I''m not that bad, you know.¡±


    ¡°I know what you can get like sometimes, I wouldn''t put it past you if Bell said the wrong thing. Sometimes she says things to act tough, but she''s really just a sweetheart.¡±


    I smiled ¡°A sweetheart whose also the commander of her own mercenary unit? Black Tusk is very impressive. In fact, I don''t think I could''ve gotten the sword or made it out of Ellai without them.¡±


    ¡°Really? I knew that Bell would find the thief. She''s really good at that sort of thing, I trained her in magic you know.¡± Cinder said, a look of pride appearing on her face.


    I nodded ¡°I can see why, her skill is nothing to laugh at. Fire suits her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I tried to get her to take up Water but she liked the idea of us being opposites. Maybe you could give her a couple of lessons? I did what I could but Fire is the opposite of my element. I know she could reach her insight soon if she had the right teacher, but she didn''t want anyone but me.¡±


    I smiled and looked off into the distance, my mind going back to Bell and others. Perhaps it would be a good idea to train them, if nothing else, it would be a thank you for helping me get this far. I understood what Cinder meant, someone who specialised in one element can only help someone with another through the basics of understanding. Cin had done well to teach Bell as well as she had, considering the opposing natures of Fire and Water.


    ¡°Speaking of magic, I see you''ve mastered Blood, quite the feat. I sensed something change in your aura during your battle, something I didn''t recognise. Have you had an Insight into Blood?¡± I asked curiously and a bit excitedly. I have to admit I was very impressed with Cin''s new Blood manipulation. If she had received an insight it would be enough to recognise Blood as a third school of advanced Water Manipulation.


    Cin grinned and flushed a little at my praise ¡°Yes! It took me a long time but I managed to reach an understanding. First I had to gain an insight into Healing. For some reason all three are needed to control Blood, it''s fascinating! The way it moves and feels is similar to Water but it''s completely different. I''ll teach you if you want?¡± Cinder said the last part hesitantly, probably unsure I would want to learn a magical technique that is so... brutal. But I immediately nodded.


    ¡°I''d love to! You''ve discovered an entirely new School, Cin! Do you know how amazing that is?¡±


    Cinder flushed an even deeper shade of red and her grin only widened as she swayed from side to side from my praise.


    ¡°I''ve only recently reached a level of understanding that I feel confident enough to submit it the Great Library in Mytos. If they accept my research, it''ll be officially recognised and they''ll even offer to teach it at The Spires!¡± Cinder said excitedly, her gaze distant as her hands rubbed against one another in glee. It seems that my love of research into all things magical had been picked up by my daughter. I''d only ever seen her this excited when she''s talking about eating.


    It was then that I heard the rustle of fabric and looked up. There, standing in the doorway I had left him in, was the vampire I had saved from Cinder''s wrath. His eyes wide in terror as he limped forwards, his gaze running over the plaza before eventually resting on us. There seemed to be a wound on his head that sent blood gushing onto the ground, but I doubt Cinder had caused it. It had probably happened when I had thrown him through the doorway. Thankfully, he seemed relatively unharmed, just in a state of shock that he was still alive and had all his blood in his veins.


    ¡°What... what''s going on?¡± He whispered, his eyes darting between Cinder and myself, he was shaking so badly that I was afraid he would shatter his bones from the force of it.


    Cinder was suddenly gone from my side and appeared in front of the man, a smile etched into her face, a smile I could see easily thanks to my enhanced vision and the reflection of the expression in the glassy surface of the man''s eyes.


    ¡°Hey again, sorry about the little interruption. Where were we?¡± Cinder said easily as her blood claws appeared on the tips of her fingers and her eyes gave off a dull glow.


    ¡°Cin!¡± I said sharply and the blood claws immediately dissipated as she turned to look at me, a hint of panic in her eyes, although not as much as the man who was currently as white as a ghost and looking like he had just witnessed his own death. I suppose he had in a way.


    ¡°Father... Come on, please? No one has ever won one of these Hunts, not since Abhor. Please? I have a reputation to maintain... and I''m really hungry.¡± She said, pouting slightly. I had seen this trick before as well.


    ¡°You''re not as cute as you were when you were little, Cin, and even then the whole puppy eyes thing didn''t work. How can you still be hungry? You just had at least thirty full sized people.¡±


    ¡°Well... I.... I''m just hungry, ok!¡±She said angrily as I felt her begin to draw in mana once again.


    ¡°Cinder. Let the man go, I''ll give you some of my blood later if you''re still hungry. That''s the deal, remember?¡± I said with smirk. I knew she would listen to me, she always did.


    ¡°Can''t really be called a deal if it''s all one sided....¡± Cin muttered.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    Her eyes were stones ¡°Nothing!¡± She turned to the man and put her best smile on, her expression shining ¡°Congratulations! Today, I don''t get to eat you! You have won this months Hunt! Please speak with the guard at the nearest District gate to be given your prize of one hundred gold coins!¡±


    The man just kind of stared at her for a second, his eyes so wide that they looked like they were about to pop out of his skull.


    ¡°I''d run if I were you, fellow. I can tell Cinder not to do something but that only works so many times before she just does it.¡± I said, grinning at the man as he moved his gaze from Cinder to me and then back again.


    ¡°Run! Quick march!¡± I shouted. He immediately gave out a cry and began to sprint out of the plaza, his feet barely touching the ground as he moved.


    ¡°And just like that, my winning streak is broken.¡± Cin sighed as she walked back over to me, both of us watching the man as he disappeared around a corner.


    ¡°I think that''s for the best, little one. I don''t want you doing these hunts any more. We''ll come up with an alternative. How are you supposed to help me defeat the evil I talked about without being able to control your hunger?¡±


    She looked at me suddenly, her eyes filled with hope ¡°Are you saying... am I your Knight again?¡±


    I laughed ¡°Of course you''re my Knight, Cinder. You''ll always be my Knight¡±


    The girl let out a squeal of joy before a look sombre concentration fell over her face. She took three steps back from me and took a knee, her head bowed before me. I didn''t interrupt. This meant a lot to her. The first time she made this oath she was practising for weeks.


    ¡°I, Cinder, Queen of the Vampires, do swear to serve and protect you, my King, through war and peace. I serve as your shield, your sword and your companion. I am your blade in the darkness, I am your will in the night. I am your Huntress from this day, until the day that marks my death in your service.¡±


    I took a step forward and placed a hand onto the top of her head ¡°I, Corus, King of the Rebel Court, accept your oath Cinder, Queen of the Vampires. From this day forward you will serve as my shield, my sword and my companion. You are my blade in the darkness, my will in the night. You are my Huntress from this day, until the day that marks your death in my service. Rise.¡±


    Cinder jumped to her feet and threw her arms around me, squeezing tight as I laughed and spun her around. She had done the exact same thing when she was younger, after saying this oath the first time. While the Knight''s oaths were really quite similar, they each wrote the last parts themselves. Cinder insisted on hers, despite the whole ''death in service'' thing. She seemed to be just as excited to be my Knight again as she was the first time.


    ¡°I''m so glad you''re back, Father. The others are going to be so excited!¡±


    I smiled and gave her one last squeeze before setting her down ¡°I know they will, little one. But there is something I must tell you. I need you to remain calm, ok?¡±


    Cinder suddenly got an uneasy look in her eye ¡°That bad?¡±


    I nodded ¡°That bad... It''s about Marwenna.¡±

 Chapter Twenty Eight: Break Her, Cinder

    Chapter Twenty Eight: Break Her, Cinder


    ¡°That fucking whore! I''ll rip her tits off and shit down her neck! Make her husband watch as I guzzle the blood from her bleeding neck!¡±


    Cinder did not take the revelation well.


    I managed to convince her to return to The Red Citadel before I told her the whole truth. The walk through the noble district had been uneventful. We were shadowed by a dozen of her royal guards who seemed to be well-trained. Some of them threw looks my way but nothing more than a passing glance. It seems that they knew not to act out in front of their Queen. They didn''t even flinch when we walked passed some of the mutilated corpses that marked the road towards the gates that led into the Citadel proper.


    The castle itself was situated atop the large hill at the centre of the city, four huge towers of bright red stone pierced upwards into the skies with a building set between them. Cinder said it was one of the largest castles in Vita, second only to Marwenna''s fortress in Callai. She told me about the many rooms it has from memory, but there was no joy in her voice. It was like she was reading off a script, prepared for foreign dignitaries.


    The colossal five gates opened without a hitch, a veritable army of bowmen were placed upon each one, their eyes all alert and very aware of their surroundings. I did notice a hint of fear waft off them as we walked through each of the towering structures but I expect that fear was aimed at Cin, not me.


    From there it was a straight shot towards Cinder''s throne room. While I had only ever really been in two throne room''s in my life, my own and Callai''s, this one was definitely going for a different feel. The first thing I noticed was that it was very dark, very few torches lit the walls of the black stone that the room had been constructed of. Banners of crimson fell down from the ceiling, each one bearing the symbol of a woman holding a bow and arrow. Must be Cinder''s royal crest.


    As we approached the dais that lay at one end of the hall I noticed two massive statues standing behind the throne, both seemed to have been hewn from basalt, one a man with a large blade, the other a woman carrying some kind of blood red orb. These were known as Bilou and Ultalia, the founders of the Vampire Nation and the one''s who constructed the Red Citadel. It was said that they led their brethren to the safety of Scarl Forest after they were persecuted by the other mortals of Vita, creating a safe haven for which their kind to dwell. They were idolised as the saviours of vampires everywhere, and stood in the throne room at the centre of their nation as a constant reminder that of what they had done to save all of them from death.


    I had read bits and pieces of the history from back then. The church was around but it wasn''t the powerhouse it would become and Vampires were seen as creatures of darkness that drink blood and steal children in the night. Wolf Kind were treated much the same way, but they could remain within the safety of Paltos and their military strength was formidable to say the least. In those times, the vampires did not have that luxury.


    Finally my eyes fell upon in the throne itself, made of the purest ruby, it stuck up of the ground as if it had been called up with magic and perhaps it had. The throne stood at an angle, leaning to the right and directly in the centre there was seat carved out, which looked hard and uncomfortable. My thoughts were confirmed when Cin lazily threw herself onto the throne, squirming to get into a tolerable position and indicating at the chair that sat to her right.


    I looked at the chair uncomfortably for a few seconds before I sighed and made my way up the dais to take a seat. I don''t think that Cinder understood that to sit at the right of the Monarch means you are their mate. Perhaps she knew and just didn''t care.


    It didn''t take me long to tell her the full story in detail. Even I have to say that it sounded fantastical, and I had lived it. I told her of Vitriss, Black Tusk, Xolumbrandir, The Knight Descendants, my suspicions of the Goddess and Samedus Exovan. I saved Marwenna''s betrayal till last, I didn''t want there to be anything left to say if I had to restrain her from running to Callai to kill the Elven Queen.


    Like I said before, she didn''t take it well.


    I had barely finished getting the words out before Cinder was up and pacing, her hands clenching into fists and mana fluctuating around her as she screamed about all the ways she was going to destroy Marwen and her pathetic excuse for a husband.


    ¡°Gods be damned, I''ll kill her, then I''ll kill her whiny little fucker of a son, then I''ll find this Goddess and gorge on her divine flesh. I''ll eat them all while they yet live and listen to their sweet screams as I tear them limb from limb!¡± Cinder was raging, her guards had all left the room in a hurry, their faces turning pale at the sight of their terrible Queen.


    ¡°Cin, calm down. I know you''re angry, but there''s nothing we can do about it right now. I''m stuck in this situation. I don''t know what''s truth and what''s a lie.¡± I said as I held my hands up to her in a placating manner. Even I was beginning to worry slightly at how crazy she was acting.


    ¡°This explains why Marwenna just left! I knew that she was hiding something when she took off with that fucking retarded zealot Valant! How could she do this? Even if she was under control she just abandoned all of us! If she hadn''t left, Faral and Abhor would''ve stayed! That fucking bitch!¡± Cinder cried while splaying out her hand. A terrific amount of mana left her outstretched limb and the very air bended as ice exploded outwards, appearing out of mid air and slamming into the obsidian like wall of the throne room, shattering it to pieces.


    I heard screams come from the other side and removed my hand from where it had been shielding my eyes from the blast. It appears that there was a servants quarters directly right of the Throne room and Cin had just blasted a hole into it. Not only that, but the servants inside were shaking with cold, their faces turning blue as the power of the cold air surrounding the blast chilled them to their cores. They were looking through the large hole in horror, noticing their Monarch with her glowing red eyes.


    Cinder''s mouth curled up into a sneer at the sight of the servants and I felt mana rush into her yet again, this time with the intent to blast the servants into oblivion, to relieve some of the anger that was pouring through her body like a wave.


    ¡°Shit!¡± I said dashing forwards and throwing myself between the large gap and my daughter with but a second to spare before another blast of ice ripped forwards, slamming into my body.


    I felt the cold sink deep into my skin making my body refuse to function properly, the temperature caused frost to appear on my clothing even as I was thrown through the air by the chunk of ice that Cin had summoned.


    I immediately drew in mana and began to heal my wounds even as I manipulated my gravity and let myself glide safely back down towards the ground. I summoned Aspect of Fire and felt my blood turn to flame, banishing the cold before it did any lasting damage that I couldn''t fix with my knowledge of healing.


    Cin came to her senses almost immediately at the sight of me in pain and her eyes filled with worry and guilt.


    ¡°Father! I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to-¡±


    I held out a hand to the girl as I sunk down onto one knee and tried hard to draw in a breath, cancelling the mana I was drawing in as I did so.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°It''s... fine, Cin... no.... harm done.¡± I said with a smile through chattering teeth. Aspect of Fire was still active but I didn''t want to use it at full strength, that would mean me turning to living flame and it wouldn''t be good for anyone. I burned hot when I was in that form, using only part of it was convenient for situations such as this.


    Cinder looked like she was panicking for a second as she tried to think what to do, finally she ripped down one of her banners that hung low from the ceiling and hurried to wrap it around me, which I accepted gratefully. Taking a full blast from one of my Knight''s was a sure fire way to kill almost anyone. Thankfully, I had enough power to ensure that I was capable of surviving it, something I firmly believed was beyond the servants in the next room.


    ¡°What''s going on here?! Cinder? Who is that man... did you put a hole in the Throne Room?¡±


    ¡°Palite! Help me, I hurt Father!¡± Cinder said, the panic that I had seen in her eyes earlier was now spreading into her voice as she turned towards the person who had just walked into the throne room from a side entrance. As the woman approached I immediately saw the resemblance to Bell, her eyes were the same shape as the commander, even the way she walked was similar although her hair was of slightly lighter shade. Palite looked like she had never been a soldier like her daughter, her bearing was too soft and the dress she wore was too constricting. With just a glance of my enhanced eyes I could see that she wasn''t carrying any weapons even as she hurried towards us with a pale face, lifting her dress in front to run faster.


    ¡°You! Get a healer for this man immediately!¡± Palite shouted as she ran, her voice commanding and low, her declaration aimed at a servant on the other side of the wall.


    ¡°Yes, my lady!¡± The servant squeaked and immediately dove out of the room.


    I raised my hand and waved it at the woman ¡°It''s fine! I don''t need a healer, I''m capable of that on my own.¡±


    Palite looked at me hesitantly, her eyes running over my young looking face then seeing the mask that was attached to my belt and the sword that hung next to it. She turned to the Vampire Queen, her pale face looking a little paler now.


    ¡°Cin... did you just say this was your... Father?¡±


    Cinder didn''t hear her, to busy fussing over me, her hands rubbing my shoulders as she attempted to move my blood a little faster through my body. I smiled gratefully at my daughter and turned to Palite.


    ¡°Hello it''s nice to meet you, you must be Bell''s mother. I''ve met your daughter, she should be on her way here now. It would be great if you could send a guard to tell her where I am, I told her team I''d meet them in the Noble District.¡±


    Palite stared at me for a second with rapidly blinking eyes. She seemed to know who Cinder was talking about when she said I was her Father and I could tell she didn''t know whether to bow before me or kick me out of the castle for being an imposter.


    ¡°Palite?¡± Cinder said, concern in her voice.


    The well dressed woman immediately snapped out of the trance she had found herself in and directed her gaze towards her Queen.


    ¡°Right... Bell. I''ll send someone to go and get her. She''s ok, isn''t she?¡± The end of Palite''s sentence glowed with concern as she directed the last words towards me. I nodded and smiled at her, I don''t know if it helped all that much but she seemed to relax slightly so I saw it as a win. Palite turned and made towards the door at a much slower and dignified pace that when she had walked in.


    Once Palite was gone from the room I rose to my feet and pushed off the makeshift blanket that Cinder had given me. I had recovered extremely fast. Most likely thanks once again to this new body, it truly was incredible how resilient it was. I tested movement, swinging my arms and shaking my legs, but everything seemed to be fine and I had barely used any healing magic.


    I deactivated Aspect of Fire and smiled at Cinder, who had watched with worry barely three feet away, ready to help if the need arose. When she saw I was fine, her face filled with relief before she aimed her face at the floor.


    ¡°I thought I... I thought I really hurt you¡± Cin muttered, her shoulder''s beginning to shake.


    I walked up the girl and gave her a hug. In many ways Cinder was the same as she had been four hundred years ago. She was powerful and terrifying, our enemies of the past feared her because of her brutality and love of violence. But at heart she was an emotional creature, always had been.


    ¡°It''s ok, little one. That was my fault, I knew telling you about Marwenna would have this kind of reaction.¡±


    ¡°Don''t say that bitches name! She doesn''t deserve that. I don''t care if she was being controlled, or whatever, by that Goddess. She should have fought harder. She should have stayed with us. Instead, she chose Valant. We all thought she was just in pain over your death. Next time I see her, I''ll kill her.¡± Cinder declared vehemently, her face still buried in my tunic.


    A sad smile crawled onto my face as I held Cinder for a second and stroked her hair. That was something I would have to deal with sooner or later. I couldn''t keep Cin contained forever. The other''s always thought that my control of Cinder''s actions was absolute, but that was not the case. If I waited too long Cin would just go and deal with the problem herself. Marwenna was powerful, perhaps the most powerful of all my Knight''s in terms of magical ability. But after seeing a small part of what Cinder was now capable, I would be hard pressed to call a winner. Cin was a monster in a true battle, she shined the brightest when the opponent was more powerful. The wounds she sustained only made her more determined and there was little to nothing one could do to stop her once she caught the scent of her prey. If Marwenna had been sitting on her throne for the last four hundred years then she would lose, even if Valant helped her. That didn''t sound like Marwenna though and I had feeling she was keeping up with her training, despite becoming Queen of the Elves. I didn''t want my loved one''s to get hurt. I had long ago decided to forgive Marwenna for killing me, but I wouldn''t forgive her for abandoning the Court, especially for that fucking zealot. Didn''t mean I wanted her dead, although even then I couldn''t be sure. If she was in front of me right now I don''t know what I would do. Perhaps I should just let Cinder do what she wanted. One thing is for sure, if Valant says a fucking word to me I''ll gut him, he''ll be dead before he or Marwenna can do anything about it. I felt my smile turn to a grin and Xolumbrandir began to hiss in response to my emotions, almost sounding like it approved.


    Cinder pulled away from me and looked at me with serious eyes, her hands wrapped around her stomach ¡°I will do it, Father. With your permission or not.¡±


    I sighed, the grin gone as I regretfully looked at my daughter. I know she was being truthful, I couldn''t stop her, but I could at least compromise.


    ¡°You can''t kill her, Cin. That''s just not an option.¡±


    ¡°But-!¡±


    ¡°But nothing. I''m as pissed off with her as you are but we''ll need her help for what''s coming, that''s if she''s still not Vitriss'' puppet. I have an alternative. I know you will go after her whether I approve or not. So you can do what you want. Break her, Cin. But you can''t kill her.¡±


    I had thought about this at length. I would need the support of the Elves if Samedus Exovan was as dangerous as Vitriss claimed. Fuck, I would need the Elves to deal with Vitriss'' herself. She still had followers in Vita, followers which could organise with but a word from her. Perhaps I didn''t need to be this cautious, but it was better to be paranoid than dead.


    Cinder''s eyes glowed with anger but I knew that she would accept my terms. I felt a sour taste in my mouth when I said the words but I wouldn''t be able to contain her, at least this way Marwenna lives.


    ¡°Fine!¡± Cin spat the word out like it was poison. ¡°But what about Valant? I want some time with him as well.¡±


    I shook my head ¡°No, I''ll deal with him when the time comes.¡±


    Cinder stared at me for a brief moment before she nodded, the glow in her eyes fading as she accepted my new deal.


    ¡°What about Abhor and Faral? Once they know, it''ll be hard to stop them from going after her. Abhor won''t give a solitary shit that she was being controlled and Faral even less so.¡± Cinder asked curiously.


    I sighed, I had forgotten about my other two Knight''s. They would be pissed but I believed I could talk them down, Abhor would do so immediately. Faral would be a bit tricky but I think I could convince her, given enough time and the promise of another spar between us.


    ¡°I''ll deal with Faral and Abhor when I see them, hopefully they don''t find out before we''re there to tell them. I plan to go and see Abhor soon, but until then it should be ok.¡±


    ¡°I''ll hold you to your word, Father. She must be punished. I know you love her, although I can''t for the fucking life of me understand why. This is beyond even you now. She didn''t just betray her King, she betrayed The Court. Reparations must be made.¡± Cin said in a serious voice and I nodded with surprise in my eyes.


    ¡°When did you get all grown up?¡± I said with a smirk in my voice.


    Cinder laughed ¡°I''ve been full grown since I became your Knight and you know it.¡±


    ¡°I suppose so. But you''ll always be my little girl, Cinder¡± I chuckled as she hit me in the ribs, her face turning red with embarrassment.


    It was at that moment that the large doors at the end of the hall opened once again and five figures strode in. Bell walking in front besides her mother with the rest of Black Tusk following behind, their eyes wide with awe as they examined architecture around them. It was as they were examining that Ada noticed us, her face splitting into a smile.


    ¡°Hey, Corus! This place is amazing. I never thought I would see... wait... why is there a fucking hole in that wall?¡±

 Chapter Twenty Nine: A Memory

    Chapter Twenty Nine: A Memory


    I was dreaming again, of that I was certain. But perhaps the more correct term would be memory.


    I remember it too well. I was sitting at a camp fire, surrounded by the black wood tree''s famous in Scarl Forest, the light of the flames set the shadows to dancing as I leaned against a fallen log and relaxed. Night had long ago taken the day and we were settled in for the night. Tomorrow we could continue the hunt for the deserters and hopefully secure a friendship with Baron Carrow, one of three Lords of the Red and a key player in the Vampire Nation. More politics, more games I had to play to gain the support I needed to take the fight to the Church of Vitriss.


    My armies were currently stationed on the the border with Paltos, but after the missive came from Carrow I decided to take care of it personally. Partly because I wanted the issue to be resolved quickly, partly because I needed a break.


    We had left Ellai about six months ago, Drogna was still there continuing to build the city with a token force. I didn''t want to stay away for too long, it may give the Church an opportunity to attack in our absence. While I had faith in Drogna as a warrior, I had no doubt that should Gorvo attack he would do so in force and send his newly christened champion, Valant, as the snakes head. I was on a razors edge, this new expedition into occupied Paltos had been hard on everyone, even with the support of Abhor and the tribes. It had been non stop fighting and negotiating for months now. We were gaining ground but it was taking too long. I decided I needed to let off some steam, bring myself back down to the level. Hence why I found myself miles from my forces, in Scarl Forest, hunting down a group of deserters turned terrorists.


    I leaned my head against the log that lay behind me and closed my eyes, listening to the merry tune of the crackling fire as I felt myself begin to slip out of consciousness.


    ¡°Hey! You''re not falling asleep, are you? You''re on first watch tonight.¡±


    I sighed and cracked one of my eyes open, staring at the woman who sat across from me. The only the thing that threatened to disrupt my little holiday. Faral, my Knight.


    ¡°I wasn''t asleep, just resting my eyes. It''s not like we need to be very cautious here, Faral. The creatures of the forest know better than to attack those with a more powerful aura and the tracks of those deserters puts us at least three hours behind them without magic.¡±


    Faral stood up from her place on the other side of the fire and stretched. My Knight and the commander of my Navy, Faral had only just met up with us when we had entered into Paltos. I didn''t want anyone to figure out I had left. In fact, that was the reason I decided to leave Marwenna a note, to ensure that she couldn''t follow or send anyone to get me. Unfortunately for me, Faral had seen me leave camp and had tracked me. I knew she was there of course, but she didn''t make herself known to me for the first four days of the trip. After that I just decided to have her walk with me, better that than her trying to remain inconspicuous.


    Faral shrugged ¡°Better to be safe than sorry, Corus. I mean, I am the only Knight you have out here with you. Considering your importance to The Court, I think I''m entitled to be a little bit paranoid about your safety. I''m the one who has to answer to Marwen if you wind up dead.¡±


    I smiled at my Knight as she examined her surroundings. Faral was pretty care-free when it came to general life. Unfortunately, when it came to me she was always dead serious. She was the newest addition to our little band, only being with the Court for five years, four as my Knight. She was tactically brilliant when it came to naval combat and she was almost my match with the blade. I watched as she once again checked the scimitar that hung from her waist, another hanging from her back. Her leather armour was well worn, images of waves were delicately engraved into the metal plate that covered her chest while the rest showed signs of scars in the leather, stating clearly that it had seen many battles. Her three pointed hat rested at an angle on her head, her dirty blonde hair pushed up underneath it haphazardly, her storm grey eyes analysed the tree line, searching for a threat that I knew wasn''t there.


    While she was very pretty, one would never describe Faral as beautiful, she cared little for her appearance and the dirt that stained her fingernails and smeared her face attested to that fact.


    ¡°Faral, just sit and talk with me for a bit if you''re not going to sleep. The both of us don''t need to keep watch.¡± I said with a yawn.


    She nodded immediately at my word ad returned to her seat on the opposite side of the fire, a grin spreading across her face.


    ¡°Ok, I''m not really tired anyway. I just didn''t want to do another watch while you slept the night away like a baby... So, are you finally going to tell me why you left like you did?¡±


    I rolled my eyes ¡°I needed some time alone. Something that didn''t really turn out as I wanted considering you are sitting in front of me.¡±


    ¡°True. You should be aware by now, your Majesty, that you can''t really be alone any more. Too many people relying on you... Although, I would have paid to see Marwen''s face when she woke up and read your note. She must be furious, probably got Abhor and Heilvol to send out everyone to look for you.¡± She laughed out loud at the thought of Marwenna running around like a headless chicken, screaming at the top of her lungs to find me and I joined her. Marwen was my second and my most trusted General, but at times she could be a little over protective of me.


    ¡°That''s why I left the note. I haven''t had a day off in... well... ever really. Not since I founded The Court. I thought this would be the next best thing.¡±


    Faral nodded her head as she played with the hilt of her scimitar, her outstretched legs crossed as she gazed into the fire.


    ¡°I understand. Well, I think I understand. Ever since I became a Knight I''ve been treated like a celebrity by my crew, not like before. I used to just be Faral, the captain of The Sea Spider. Now I''m Faral, Knight of the Rebel Court and Admiral of the King''s Navy. It''s quite a jump.¡±


    I smiled at her and pulled my cloak closer around me in a attempt to get warmer. I understood where she was coming from. When I asked someone to become a Knight it was always a double edged sword. They would be key players in my Armies. They were the best of the best, the leaders who would be looked up too and respected. But that also came at the price of losing the familiarity of your people. Overnight, my Knight''s experienced something similar to what I experienced; a disconnect from the masses. They feared and loved you all at once.


    ¡°That''s why it''s important that we have each other. If we stay together then we stay sane. I don''t want any of you to get too big of a head, start believing all the fantastical tales that I hear muttered around camp about us.¡± I smiled jokingly at my Knight and she returned it with a jovial grin and a chuckle.


    ¡°Yeah, you should have heard the one I heard the other day about Marwen. They were saying that she was the ruler of the wind and that it bended to her will, that she could call storms with a single breath. It''s hilarious, honestly.¡±


    Faral and I laughed at that before a moment of quiet silence overtook us and we sat there, comfortable with each others company.


    ¡°She loves you, you know?¡± I heard Faral whisper after a while. I sighed and looked up into the clear night sky, the stars twinkling as the moon cast it''s rays down upon us.


    ¡°I know she does. I love her too. But there''s too much to do. One day, perhaps, when this is all over, I''ll tell her how I feel, but until then, my mind needs to focus on one thing. The Church and Gorvo Nali.¡± I said the words convincingly enough, or so I thought. But as I looked down and met Faral''s eyes I found her staring at me with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°Bullshit, Corus. You don''t believe you deserve it. You believe that you deserve to suffer. We all know it, even Marwen knows it.¡±


    She shifted to get into a more comfortable position before giving up and letting out a heavy sigh before folding her arms under her chest.


    ¡°The funny thing is I never asked you why you fight. I asked the others and none of them knew. Marwen said that you came back to Callai after being away for ten years, The Rebel Court fully formed in your mind. That''s a large chunk of time that no one knows anything about.¡± She said questioningly, her eyes squinted now, as if she hoped to glare the answer out of me. But I just smiled.


    ¡°I won''t tell anyone that story, Faral. I fight because I must fight. I fight because I can. If that''s not enough of an answer for you then I''m sorry.¡±


    She stared at me for a few more seconds before she let loose yet another sigh.


    ¡°I''m sorry I question your reasons. But it tears us all apart when our King doesn''t seem to want anything after the Church is gone. What will you do when the enemy is dead, Corus? What will you do when the world is safe again? There will be no need for you to pick up a sword any more. You will have to start living your own life.¡±


    ¡°There will always be an enemy, Faral. I only ever wanted one thing in my life; peace. But I will not know that dream. I am a killer. My hands have not sown fields nor have they baked bread. I am a warrior, a commander and nothing else. There will always be someone for me to fight.¡± I shifted in my seat as my eyes took on a hard tone, while my smile remained. ¡°To keep Vita safe, I will fight. To protect you and the others, I will fight. Do I enjoy it? No. Do I wish things could be different? Of course, I do. But I am happy with who I am.¡±


    Faral and I sat in silence once again as she thought over my words, her eyes occasionally looking my way. I focused on the dying flames of the fire, which had almost gone out completely now, the hissing of the flames pulling my thoughts back from a time centuries before, swords clashing and people screaming filled my ears for a split second and then it was gone, locked back away inside of my mind. Never to be visited again. I would make right the mistakes of my past. I would save this world from the madness of the Church. Or I would die in the attempt.


    ¡°Corus... I-¡±


    Faral''s words were interrupted as a scream echoed out into the night, bouncing off the tree''s of the surrounding wood and amplifying it to deafening proportions. It was a sound of terror and absolute fear, a sound that caused one to shiver with trepidation and shiver I did. I had never heard a man scream quite like that before. I was on my feet in an instant with Faral following close behind.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°What the fuck was that?!¡± Faral hissed in a hushed voice, her hand on her sword as she threw her eyes around the clearing we had made camp in.


    I raised a single finger to stop her from speaking further and focused in on the sound, trying to trace it''s origin. It seemed to have been coming from close by, no more than three miles further into the darkness of the Forest.


    ¡°It''s close, seems to have come from the north. It could be our quarry, stay sharp, ready for combat.¡±


    Faral nodded quietly ¡°Yes, my King.¡±


    With but a twitch of my finger the fire extinguished, no smoke escaping as it died. It would not do to have whatever is out there get curious of the fire and come searching. It was of course possible that they had already seen it, but it was better late than never.


    I began to move forwards, slowly, my senses all amplified as I pulled in mana and felt Faral do the same. She was more comfortable on sea than on land but she moved like a cat as she followed me through the wood, her aura hidden like I had taught her. Thanks to our magically enhanced senses we moved with ease through the woods and avoided making any noise that would alert any potential attackers.


    We weren''t walking for long before the smell hit us. It was familiar scent, one we had experienced before and many times. Fresh blood assaulted our senses and we both stopped, reaching out and trying to discern what exactly had taken place. Then we saw it.


    Bodies, about a dozen, spread out ahead of us. Some had been ripped apart, others merely lay still, one lay hanging on a high branch above our heads, but all were dead. Blood painted the tree''s and the pale moonlight allowed us to see it clearly. Whatever had happened here was a massacre.


    We were silent for a moment before I spoke.


    ¡°What do you think, Faral?¡± I didn''t need to clarify, she knew the intent of my question. I had a theory, but it was better to bounce it off someone with a mind just as capable.


    ¡°One attacker, no magic from the looks of things, but they were extremely strong. That one over there has been dismembered. His death was a slow one, perhaps he was the one we heard scream. The others didn''t have a chance to. There''s a lot of blood but the bodies look a bit too pale to have only been recently dead. It''s a Feral. Has to be. Two of them have had their throats ripped opened and it looks like they''ve been drained.¡± Faral finished, her analysis of the massacre firm and professional. She knew she was right and I concurred. It looked like Scarl Forest had a rogue vampire in it''s midst.


    ¡°I agree. But something''s off here. No Feral, even using magic, would be able to take down a dozen men without them letting out a sound.¡± I said faintly, more to myself than too my Knight.


    There were tents nearby, not yet raised and the beginnings of a fire near the centre of the area. Another theory brewed in my mind.


    ¡°They let their attacker in, they lowered their guard. Strange.... But these are the deserters we were looking for, the sigils on their armour are distinctive. Four are missing. We should search the area, if we find the Feral, then we kill it. Avoid getting bitten, some are infected and it would be rather nasty if we had to cut off one of our limbs.¡± I said the last part with a small smile.


    ¡°Right, okay I''ll avoid getting bitten by the Feral. Thank the Gods you said that because I was going to let it have a chew on my leg¡± Faral said sarcastically before drawing her scimitar silently.


    I didn''t carry a weapon on me, I had never really needed one before and most of the swords I had tried left a lot to be desired. I could rely on my magic anyway.


    We walked a little further through the wood and discovered more signs of the Feral. Branches were broken and light blood splatter sprayed some of the trees. The four had been running and the creature had chased them.


    ¡°Little Mary run, run, run. Little Mary fall, fall, fall.¡±


    I stopped when I heard the sound of singing and Faral stopped just behind me, I could feel her hot breath on my shoulder as I strained to hear the voice.


    ¡°Little Mary scream, scream, scream. Little Mary crawl, crawl, crawl.¡±


    We moved closer, our footsteps silent. The voice sounded strange, like it was a child''s but that would be foolish. Why would a child be out here in the middle of Scarl Forest? The place was notorious for vicious predators of all kinds.


    It was then that we passed through a break in the tree line and into another clearing. What we saw was... horror.


    The four deserters bodies were all over the place. They had been ripped apart, bits and pieces of them decorated the ground nearby and the soft green grass was covered in a layer of blood, still wet. A twitching and still intact arm lay nearby, it''s hand fixed into a claw, the tips of two fingers missing, as if they had been bitten off. As far as I could see, it was the only piece of a body that was in relatively good shape. But that paled in comparison to the scene being played out in the clearings centre.


    A little girl sat in a pool of crimson, she was drenched from head to toe. A gruesome smile fixed onto her face as she played with the liquid, her hands sweeping through it before lifting it to her lips and guzzling it, her eyes alive like fire, glowing in the darkness, beacons in the night. Short white hair hung down to her neck, looking like it had been roughly shorn. She wore a filthy dress that had lost it''s original colour, now dyed the same colour as the rest of her.


    ¡°Little Mary die, die, die. Cinder takes the eyes, eyes, eyes.¡±


    She giggled at the conclusion of her tune and filled two hands with blood before downing it, her little body shivering in delight at the taste. I watched all this take place with an even expression, even as I began to draw in mana. This was an abomination. This thing needed to die.


    That was when she noticed us, her face turning to stare. It looked confused for a second before a terrible fear entered into those glowing red eyes. The little girl backed away, slipping on the blood as she pushed herself up against a large rock on the other side of the clearing. Her body was shaking, tears appearing as she began to cry and mutter ¡°please, please, please¡± over and over again.


    ¡°She can see our auras. She''s afraid of us.¡± Faral said quietly behind me.


    I turned to look at Faral and saw that she was looking at the little girl with pity in her eyes, no fear or hatred present as she looked at her, the gruesome scene forgotten.


    I turned back and looked at the girl, she remained where she had been, her back pressed against the rock as she tried to somehow merge with it. The smell of urine filled the air as her fear affected her bladder, her hands were pushed into her eyes.


    ¡°What could cause such a strong reaction? She can see aura''s, but it fills her with fear. Something terrible was done to her. Perhaps it''s why she is the way she is now.¡± Faral continued as I remained silent, my eyes not leaving the little girl. ¡°We should put her out of her misery. She''s beyond help now, she''s a true Feral.¡±


    A long moment passed before I shook my head.


    ¡°No¡±


    I could feel my Knight''s surprised gaze on my back ¡°Why?¡±


    I couldn''t explain why, but the thought I had to kill the girl was gone. She was hurting, she was in pain. She was alone and was doing what was necessary to survive. That necessity had become the reason to survive. She was like me when Marwenna found me, scared and without hope. For some inexplicable reason, the need to protect her rose to the forefront of my mind.


    ¡°I can save her.¡± I said, my voice cracking slightly. Memories that had been hidden before rose up again but I pushed them back down. Now was not the time for the past.


    Faral shook her head ¡°You can''t, Corus. Whatever she is, she''s not a child any more.¡±


    I turned and gave my Knight a gentle smile ¡°That''s where you''re wrong, Faral. I''m the Rebel King. I can save everyone.¡±


    Without waiting for my Knight to reply I walked across the clearing and towards the girl, Faral hesitated behind me before following.


    The girl shivered even harder, her voice gone as she stopped speaking but continuing to let loose the occasional sob. I could feel the fear radiate off of her in waves.


    I took a knee just a meter away from her and I stopped drawing in mana, letting my defences fall and hiding my aura. I felt Faral tense as I did this and her grip on her sword tightened.


    ¡°Hello, little one. What''s your name?¡±


    The girl gave out a shout and held out a hand as if to ward off any blows that I was about to deliver, the crying reaching new heights as she waved it in front of her.


    I reached forward and grasped her hand with both of mine, holding it gently. At first she tried to pull away and I was surprised by her physical strength, but she eventually stopped. For a few minutes we just sat there, she and I, as I stroked her hand until she stopped crying.


    ¡°My name is Corus, and this is Faral. We might look scary but I promise we''re nice. What''s your name?¡±


    A few more minutes passed in silence and the girl said nothing. The only sign of progress being that she opened one of her eyes to look at us for a few seconds before closing it again. I tried my best to let her see that I was smiling during this time, but that only seemed to make her more afraid. What had been done to her to make her so afraid of Mages?


    ¡°We''re going back to our camp soon. It''s a big one, filled with people. Would you like to come with us? It''ll be warm there, we have loads of fires that burns through the day and we can get you some blood to drink if you get thirsty.¡± I said, trying to talk with her again. At the mention of the word blood both eyes opened hungrily before she seemed to shut down again, closing both.


    ¡°Corus, I don''t think this is working. Let''s just go, we can''t take her back to camp.¡± Faral said impatiently, she had long since sheathed her sword but she hadn''t dropped her guard around the young girl.


    A few moments passed and indecision ran through me before I nodded and pushed myself to my feet.


    ¡°If you want to come with us, now is the time. Otherwise we''ll leave.¡± When the response was silence, I nodded and began to walk slowly away, hoping that I was right.


    ¡°Cinder.¡± The word was so quiet I wondered if I had actually heard it or imagined it.


    Faral turned with me, surprise on her face and triumph on mine.


    ¡°What was that, little one?¡± I asked, returning to my spot to kneel in front of the girl.


    She looked up at me with glowing eyes that darted everywhere except at my face, her fingers playing with the blood on her hands.


    ¡°Cinder... name...¡± She said again, this time slightly louder.


    I gave her a wide smile and for the first time, she didn''t turn away. She looked at my face hesitantly, partly filled with fear, partly filled with hope.


    ¡°Well, Cinder. Looks like you''re a part of the family now. Would you like to come home with us?¡±


    She looked at me for a moment before she nodded, her head bobbing two or three times, as if she had forgotten the gesture.


    I held out a hand to little Cin. She reached out with shaking fingersand took hold of it. Together we walked backwards towards Faral, who smiled at the little girl before giving me a look of bafflement.


    ¡°Let''s go home, Faral. I think we''re done here.¡± I said with a smile, gently squeezing the little girls hand reassuringly.


    ¡°Well, shit me sideways! I never thought I would see something like-¡±


    ¡°Bad word¡± Cinder said quietly, pointing up at Faral.


    We both kind of blinked at her for a couple of seconds before Faral started laughing, with me joining her.


    ¡°You''re right, little Cinder, I''m sorry.¡± Faral said as she wiped tears from her eyes ¡°I can already tell you and I are going to be friends. Would you like that?¡±


    Cinder looked up at me with an unsure expression on her face, I smiled and nodded. Cin turned to my Knight and nodded.


    Faral chuckled ¡°Well, alright then, since our little deserter problem is already taken care of¡± Faral looked pointedly at Cinder who turned red ¡°I think it''s time we got Corus back to Marwen before she shi- I mean, goes crazy. What do you say Cin, will you help me get him home?¡±


    The little girl firmly nodded and squeezed my hand a little bit, almost as if she was reassuring me.


    ¡°Alright, let''s hit the road!¡±

 Chapter Thirty: The Way of The Sword

    Chapter Thirty: The Way of The Sword


    I awoke with a start, my breathing heavy as the memory of the night I had found my daughter and Knight faded, giving way to the reality I found myself in now.


    It had felt so real, almost like I had been reliving it for a second time. The smell of the Forest, the dew that clung to the tree''s, even the way the fire acted and the wet blood sticking to my boots. I could still feel Cin''s little hand in my own, shaking slightly with her nerves as she tried to understand what was going on. Perhaps she had thought that she was dreaming during that time. To finally have someone who was kind to her instead of wanting to take her head for being a Feral. I felt sick as I thought of killing her, as I had considered back then. The very idea of it disgusted me now, but for a moment I had been close to carrying it out. I still hated myself for it.


    I let out a heavy sigh and leaned back down onto the soft pillows of the bed that rested beneath my head, silk rose up to meet me and I felt myself sink into the surface by an inch or two, losing myself in it''s gentle comfort . I have to say that it was nice to actually get to sleep in a bed for once. I hadn''t had the chance to properly rest since that night before I was killed, four hundred years ago. I didn''t really think that I should count being unconscious on the cot, considering I was suffering from mana exhaustion, a fate I wouldn''t wish on any mage.


    I lay on the bed for a few more minutes, staring at the ornately carved ceiling before I sighed once again and slapped my face several times. Time to rise, Rebel King. Always more work to be done.


    The room that Cin had assigned to me was luxurious to say the least. I wonder if it was reserved for royalty or something. While I guess that it did apply to me, I would have asked for something a little smaller. Even in my tower I had only a small room, the rest of my quarters were really for everyone else.


    I took a look around the vast space as I stood, my bare feet rubbing against the carpeted floor as I examined the room in detail, something I didn''t have the time to do when I arrived. Really the only thing I saw when I entered was the large, silk covered bed and I was asleep within seconds of reaching it. Exhausted from the run to Scarl Forest and fighting Cinder upon my arrival, not to mention the blast of ice I had taken in order to save those servants.


    The room was large and shaped like an oval, the carpet a burnt orange in colour while the stone of the walls seemed to be marble. I crossed the floor to the large window that took up the majority of one side of the oval, curving slightly in it''s place, it offered a terrific view of the Noble District that ran beneath.


    The sun had just risen and my enhanced eyes picked out individual figures dressed in fine garb, going about their daily lives, weaving between the fine buildings that surrounded them and greeting each other with a tipped hat. I was once more surprised by the resilience of vampires. Not even twenty four hours ago the Noble District had been a killing ground, bodies and blood lined the streets. Now it was as if nothing had happened. I could easily see the Plaza I had fought Cin in from here and it looked to be in perfect working order. Quite the clean up crew it seems. I would need to ask Cinder about that. Perhaps they were just used to the way their Queen does things. It has been four hundred years. I wouldn''t be surprised if that was the case.


    I took a step back from the window with a shrug of my shoulders and began to warm up, my body going through the now age old tradition of getting ready for a morning practice of the stances I had first learned as a boy.


    When Marwenna had suggested I go to the Elven Sword-master to learn the art of the blade, I had been hesitant at first. But the discipline, the calm, that comes with achieving mastery of a particularly difficult sequence of techniques is rather satisfying and quite addicting. The rhythm that it creates in your mind mesmerizes you, pulls you into the moment, crystal clear and absolutely focused.


    After I had finished warming up, I went over to where Xolumbrandir lay at the side of my bed and drew the blade from the scabbard, the metal cleanly leaving the oiled wood, even if the sword itself was in a bad mood. Xolumbrandir hissed when I pulled it free, but fell silent after I sent a silent command through the tether.


    I firmly gripped the hilt in both hands, my legs slightly parted and my arms ahead of me, pointing my blade towards the door at one end of the oval. With painful slowness I began to move through the first sequence of techniques that Fado had taught me centuries ago, the words of my first lesson ringing through my mind.


    ¡°You may be slower than an elf, Corus. You may be weaker, you may not have magic. But the sword does not care, it does not weep because you live in an unfair world. The sword can take you anywhere and fell any opponent you put in front of it. It can shatter mountains as easily as sever string. But the one who wields it must be resolute. He must be as powerful and unmovable as a mountain. He must be as adaptable and flexible as string. He must be all these things. When you have achieved this. Then, Corus, you will be what you strive to become.¡±


    I raised Xolumbrandir above my head and brought it down in one sharp motion, the blade cutting through the air as it plummeted, causing the air to scream with the attack. The sword stopped an inch from the ground and was still, as calm as water, as I returned to my original position and repeated the motion again and again.


    Before I was a mage, before I was a King, I was a swordsman. The weapon made sense to me, the way it moved, the way it could be moved, were things I could see as soon as I held my first. Fado was a master, a true savant of the art of war and had served as a commander in the Elven army before injury forced him into early retirement. He was offered a place at the palace as the King''s teacher in the ways of the sword, but Marwenna''s father had little time for such things and the old elf was left to his own devices for the most part. It had taken a lot of persuading from Marwenna for him to accept me as a pupil, but I think that perhaps I was doing as much good for him as he was for me. During those years that I trained under him he almost became my adopted father, teaching me morals as well as sword play.


    I once again brought me sword down, stopping it in exactly the same spot as before. Precision was key and it was something I took great pride in. You could always tell an amateur from a master, it was where their blade stopped, not where it started. What looked like a wild swing could perhaps be one of the most precise movements one would make, it all depends on the one wielding the blade.


    The purpose of today''s training was to make sure I knew my limits. My body was new, unfamiliar.


    While I knew the many sequences of Fado''s unnamed style of swordsmanship by heart, my muscles were new, I would need to train them to the standard of my former body, as well as get to know my physical strength. While I had been freakishly strong for a mage in my old body, this one was stronger still, even without the power of mana running through it. If I was merely a raging bull in combat I would be no use to anyone. I needed to know when to hold back and when to give it my all. This was how I found that out.


    Once I had completed one hundred overhand swings I shifted my stance so the blade was by my side, pointed to the ground, as if sheathed. I then began a series of upward cuts, each one stopping in exactly the same place. I had to continuously alter how much power I put behind an attack. If I attacked at full strength I could very well take out a wall with the air displaced by my swing, too little and it wouldn''t be effective at all.


    After one hundred of these upwards attacks I grunted before going to my original stance. I was satisfied for now with my control but I would have to continue to work on it.


    It was exceedingly rare that I would run across an opponent who could match me physically. I would have claimed it an impossibility before I met Vitriss. Very few mages ever learned how to wield a weapon that wasn''t conjured by their magic, fewer still dedicated any real time to perfecting their technique. The last such opponent I had faced in proper combat had been Gorvo Nali, a powerful mage and exceptional swordsman. If the stakes hadn''t been quite as high as they were back then, I believe that I would have enjoyed the challenge. I settled for breaking him instead.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    From my original stance I moved forwards, my toes curling into the soft carpet as I inched forwards slowly, Xolumbrandir swiping backwards and forwards across my chest in an almost hypnotic motion. These attacks were not even really attacks at all, merely distractions, a way of defence disguised as offence.


    The slow swipes began to get faster and faster as I built up to my limit slowly. While there were very few who could match me, feeling the power behind Vitriss'' strike had only reinforced the fact that I would have to be at my best in the future. If Samedus Exovan was indeed on his way then he would be an opponent like I had never faced before. Losing was a serious possibility, one I hadn''t really thought about in years. The lesson that I had given to the Knight Descendants was as true to me as it was to them. There was always someone better.


    I suddenly switched my defensive techniques to something more aggressive, Xolumbrandir not missing a beat as I switched to pure offence, the blade whistling as it cut through the air. I felt my mind slip into a meditative state as I moved, relying completely on the memory of the attacks rather than my consciousness to guide every movement.


    As I did this I thought back to Faral, the image of her fresh in my mind from the dream I had just awoken from. She had set a standard for me without her ever really knowing it. While she was one of the best Admirals in Vita, it was her skill with the sword that set her apart. She had taught herself how to fight because no one else would teach her. She had grown up in Omara, a predominantly human nation, and she had been discriminated against like I had in Callai. But there had been no Marwenna to save her so she had to improve herself.


    Training and more training. She watched the local guards during their morning routines and had adapted it to suit her own style using a scimitar. Later she added even more when she was accepted as a deckhand aboard an old fishing vessel. During her free time she would practice, the ocean inevitably influencing her. Soon she had developed her own style, inspired by the sea. The ebbing and flowing of her attacks jumped into my mind now. Her confidence when she had first challenged me had been amusing to say the least. She was certain that she could defeat me in combat with ease because of her mastery. No one had ever defeated her before.


    Our first bout did not last very long. I did not believe in prolonging something just to save face and defeated her in two short minutes. But what I had never told her was that it was probably one of the most intense fights of my life. I had been excited for the first time in a long time and we trained together many times after that, both of us learning and growing from the experience.


    I found myself getting excited about what our future bouts would entail. How much had she improved over the past four hundred years? I could hardly wait to find out.


    As I thought of Faral I inevitably thought of her son. What was his name? Lor? The boy showed promise, the way he had moved when he attacked me was something quite remarkable. Even under the stress of facing a clearly superior opponent he had kept his cool and attacked with an almost relaxed demeanour. It was clear to me that he relied too heavily on his mother''s technique, The Song of the Seven Swords. It was a powerful attack, one which could do untold damage if utilised correctly, but without the proper control of mana to guide the attacking aura it was next to useless. Lor would have to improve as a mage before he became a more proficient swordsman, that much was clear.


    I adjusted Xolumbrandir slightly as I continued the swings, noticing the blade being off by a fraction of a degree. An advantage of my newly enhanced senses, everything was much clearer, sharper, allowing me to increase my skill by who knows how much. Perhaps at this very moment I was the most powerful mortal on Vita. The boons that this body gave me were intense, even without magic, and I found myself beginning to enjoy the benefits more and more. Of course, I knew that it could all come tumbling down at any moment and the only reason I had these advantages was due to a bitch of a Goddess, but still, I enjoyed them all the same.


    I don''t know how much time passed as I practised the forms of Fado''s style, but eventually I heard a knock at the door, my ears picking up the sound like it was a din. I immediately stopped Xolumbrandir where it was, the sword instantly coming to a standstill despite the speed it was moving at.


    ¡°Enter¡± I said towards the door and was surprised to see I was covered in sweat. Even more surprising was that the sun, which I had seen just rising over the edges of the tree''s of Scarl Forest what seemed like moments before, hung high in the sky over The Red Citadel. Perhaps I got more into my training than I thought.


    The door creaked open slightly and a head of white hair peaked in round the corner. Cinder had a look of worry on her face, although when she saw me, she just rolled her eyes.


    ¡°I should''ve known you two were just training, you should''ve have come to see me first, Father. I''m starving!¡± said my daughter as she stalked into the room with her face fixed into a scowl, going towards the table and two chairs that sat at the window. In her hand was a single crystal glass, dangling precariously from her fingers.


    I chuckled, embarrassed that I had lost track of time. My body usually told me when I needed to take a break, but with this new one I felt completely fine, barely winded.


    ¡°Sorry, little one. Haven''t practised in four hundred years, really need to keep my edge.¡± I said as I returned Xolumbrandir to it''s sheath and made my way over to Cin who had taken a seat and was rattling her fingers off of the table in impatience.


    She left out a fake laugh ¡°Father, you could never lose your edge. You''re wound up way too tight, you would never let yourself go.¡±


    ¡°You seem a little wound up yourself, Cin¡± I replied, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°I used to be able to hunt to remove my stress, but a certain someone won''t let me drink the help.¡± She said sweetly.


    I chuckled againand took the remaining seat before drawing in mana, creating a a dagger of ice in my left hand before making a small incision on my right, letting the blood from the open wound pour into the cup.


    Before it was even filled to the brim, Cinder brought the cup to her lips and downed it in one gulp, her eyes glowing slightly as the liquid disappeared into her stomach. A small amount of my blood dribbled onto the surface of the stained wooden table but Cin quickly put the cup underneath it to catch any stray droplets.


    In the end it took five goblets before she was ''full''. Full is a relative term for Cinder and I wouldn''t be surprised if she asked for more before we left this room. As a child her stomach seemed endless when it came to blood and I doubt it had gotten much better since she became an adult.


    ¡°So, how does it taste? Different?¡± I asked, wanting to see if I have the same human blood as I had before or if there was something that Cin could detect.


    Cinder smacked her lips together as if she were tasting a fine wine before she nodded.


    ¡°Your blood still tastes like it used too, but there''s some more things added in. Almost as if there''s a little of every race in there. It''s strange, but quite nice actually. Maybe I should bottle some and store it away, it might age well.¡± she replied musingly, her eyes searching the ceiling.


    I sighed at my daughter, but her analysis confirms my thoughts. It seems I''m not human on the inside any more either. Something about that made me feel slightly depressed.


    ¡°Oh, I wasn''t being serious, Father. You can''t bottle blood, that''s just silly. It''s best when it''s fresh.¡± She said, obviously sensing my depressed tone.


    I smiled at her ¡°I know, Cinder. It''s just rather strange that I''m not really human any more.¡±


    ¡°You''ll always be human, Father. Even if your body changes, your soul stays the same. And anyway, human or not, I still love you!¡± She said with a grin before jumping across the table and wrapping her arms around my neck. I laughed and returned the affection before she returned to her seat.


    ¡°So, how''s the room? I had Palite give you the best one, but I thought it might be too big for you. I''m glad I did now that I know you''ll be practising. But if you want, you can use the training field that I had installed. Bell and her people are using it now. Maybe you want to have a look?¡±


    I nodded, curious. ¡°Yeah, that sounds good. I''d like to have a look at Black Tusk in action. I never got to see them fight but they were able to hold off the Knight Descendants longer than I thought. Maybe now I can give them a few pointers.¡± I said as I jumped to my feet and stretched ¡°And the room''s perfect Cin, thank you.¡±


    Cinder rose with me but then let out a sigh.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I have a meeting with the ambassador for Paltos, apparently it''s important. I''m sorry, Father, I forgot.¡± She said, her eyes downcast and her tone bitter.


    I smiled and gave her a small hug ¡°Don''t worry about it, little one. One of the servants will take me to get some food and on to the training field. I''ll see you soon, okay?¡±


    ¡°Alright, I''ll try to be as fast as I can... oh and there''s one last thing.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Cinder bit her bottom lip as she averted her eyes from mine ¡°Yeah... it''s seems that the Knight Descendants have arrived in the city. I think they''ll be coming to have an audience with me later on today.¡±

 Update 2 + Q and A

    Hey Everyone!


    First off I have to apologise that I wasn''t able to post anything yesterday. Had some problems that needed to be taken care of. The next chapter will be tommorow as usual and it will be from the perspective of the Knight Descendants. I would like to post something today but I don''t have a completed chapter and I want it to be done right and not rush it out.


    I thought it would be good to have a little Q and A session instead. This will be the one to post too if you want to ask me about characters, where the plot is heading or just raise some concerns you have with the story so far and I''ll answer every one. I''ll be checking back on this one periodically so even if you have a question later on, please write it in the commentsand I''ll answer it to the best of my ability. Although I''ll be trying not to reveal any spoilers about the later story.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Thank you all so much for reading and I''ll see you tommorow with Chapter Thirty One: Pray.

 Chapter Thirty One: Pray

    Chapter Thirty One: Pray


    Mahalis always hated this place.


    The Red Citadel. The very air here seemed to be filled with dread and fear, poisonous to those who who breathed it in. The Elven Prince could feel it at the back of his neck like a dragons breath, the scent sickly and grim. Filled with the pleas of the desperate and depraved. He felt it cling to his skin under his armour, making him want to run to the nearest bathhouse and scrub it all off.


    And this was just as they entered the main gate.


    The others didn''t seem to be having too much of a problem with it. In fact, they looked down right happy that they had made it to civilisation.


    The way from Ellai had been troublesome to say the least. Crossing the terrain was never easy and the wounds that Lor and Dran had sustained were rather difficult to fully heal. The two tried to hide it but the trauma they had endured at the hands of the man in the King''s Mask made them act differently around the others. While the physical wounds were gone the feeling of being so soundly defeated by one man when they had been victors their whole lives was hard for them to accept. Kara seemed to be fine, her face was in it''s usual impassive expression. She hid everything from the world and kept the pain on the inside, even as she led them all here, through trial and tribulation both.


    The princess in question was chatting with Hilin and a guard who stood by the gate, the three talking in hushed tones. Mahalis looked into Kara''s face for a mere second before he felt his cheeks begin to heat up and he looked away, dismayed with how pathetic he must look to her. They had never said it but he knew the others thought of him as a coward. He had run away in the face of the masked man, so filled with terror that he couldn''t do anything but try to hide it by arguing with Lor.


    It was the damn sword''s fault! Fucking Angelis had gone against his wishes. He can still feel the waves of absolute fear as the sword urged him, no, begged him, to run away. And he had done as commanded, like a good little boy.


    Mahalis gritted his teeth at the thought of The Angelis and his hand closed around the open air at his side, where the blade usually sat.


    It was gone, it had disappeared less than two days ago and that could only mean one thing. His mother had called it back. Did he do something wrong? Did she know that he couldn''t control the blade and had called it back because she thought him unworthy of the honour of wielding it? He knew that couldn''t be the case. His mother was powerful but not omniscient, she couldn''t have known that man would have appeared, seemingly capable of controlling Xolumbrandir. Still, the thoughts rattled around inside his head regardless, unwilling to go away.


    He shook his head in a vain attempt to banish the dread he felt and instead turned to examine his surroundings.


    The paupers district of the Red Citadel was aptly named. Most of the people here didn''t even work because of inability or disability, and a lot of them were descendants of the refugee''s that had began to appear in droves at the end of the war with the Church.


    There were many scattered around Vita, whole settlements were sometimes made up of them, but this was perhaps the poorest conditions he had ever seen. In Callai they were on the outskirts so he never really had to worry about them much. One of the perks of being a royal he supposed.


    The people here all wore drab and simple clothing, nothing remotely extravagant, and many didn''t even wear shoes. They shuffled along with pessimistic steps, Mahalis noticed that many of them made a point of avoiding eye contact, perhaps fearing the consequences of annoying one of the high born. An unfortunate but common occurrence in some of the larger cities. Noble teen''s liked to bully those who have had lesser luck in life, somehow believing themselves to be superior. Marwenna had taught Mahalis at a young age that that kind of thinking was dangerous. The Rebel King himself was an orphan and fended for himself on the streets of Callai before Marwen found him. Mahalis found himself smiling as he thought of the story his mother often told him before bed. It was deeply engrained in him and was always one of his favourites growing up. His mother would laugh often while telling the tale of the young boy who came to live in a palace, only to one day grow up to be the most powerful mage in Vita.


    The many dilapidated shacks that surrounded him looked like they would barely survive the next rain fall, never mind a stiff wind, and the road was merely firm dirt, although in some places it seemed like mud. He realised this was due to sewage and he couldn''t help but wrinkle his nose as the source of the stench that permeated this place made itself known to him.


    As he examined the paupers district he noticed a group of children near the entrance to an alleyway just off to his right side. They were dirty and covered with grime, but their eyes shone bright as they tried to subtly steal glances of the heavily armoured and finely garbed group of warriors.


    When they realised that Mahalis was staring they all stopped like rabbits caught in a trap and a tinge of fear entered into their vision before they began to mutter amongst themselves.


    After a few moments, the group began to push one of the boys out and further onto the street. The boy had black hair and his panicked expression almost made Mahalis burst out laughing. He remembered what he was like at that age, curious of everything and everyone that seemed new to him. The Elven Prince levelled a smile at the young boy who, upon seeing it, looked slightly reassured and approached cautiously, his friends standing behind looking at the boy with awe for his courage.


    The boy stopped several feet away and drew in a deep breath, throwing a glance back at his friends as he did so.


    ¡°Ex- excuse me, sir but... me mates and I was wonderin... are you Knight''s of The Rebel Court like The Queen? We'' s heard the stories, can you all really use magic?¡± The boys words were stunted and hesitant, he looked like he was half expecting to be hit for speaking out of turn.


    Mahalis smiled at the young man ¡°No, I''m not, neither are any of my companions. You must have seen the sigil on our cloaks and thought we were?¡± The boy nodded, his eyes wide. ¡°I''m not a Knight, but my Mother is. Lady Marwen the Storm-caller? Do you know her?¡±


    The boy nodded excitedly, glad to still be allowed to speak ¡°Yes, sir! Me mam tells the story of Eriastro to me and me sister every night about how she defeated a thousand soldiers, all by herself!¡±


    A popular story amongst peasants in the world, it was an old tale, one of the first. It had been a rather small battle from what Marwen had told Mahalis, but the truth had grown bigger over time as these things do, the truth losing itself amidst the legend. Every Knight''s actions during the war were exaggerated to untold levels. The actions of the Rebel King himself might as well be seen as divine acts.


    ¡°Ah, I know that one well. My mother told me it herself many times. As for the magic, yes, we can use it. Would you like to see?¡± Mahalis asked, his smile not fading as he squatted in front of the boy and held out his hand, ignoring the muck that was now embedding itself into the crimson cloak that had the Rebel Court''s symbol stitched onto the back.


    The cloaks were something that every descendant received upon joining together before a pilgrimage. It is supposed to identify them as the Knight Descendants to the world at large. Mahalis understood why the boy and his friends didn''t realise this though, they were far too young and had only heard the old stories about the King and his Knight''s. The Knight Descendants had not been around for almost a hundred years and even then there had only been two members, so many were still unfamiliar with them as a group. It was the primary intention of the descendants gathering now. To remind the people that the Court was not gone completely and that some yet remained who wore the crest that had once meant so much to so many.


    The boy excitedly nodded again, a large grin of anticipation crossing his features as his friends, hearing the words, all took a few steps closer, staying far enough away in case it was some kind of cruel trick.


    Mahalis held out his armoured hand, palm facing upwards and drew in a small amount of mana, shaping it into air with but a thought.


    A moment passed before the air above his palm began to spin, the air compressing and creating a miniature hurricane in the palm of Mahalis'' hand. The boy took a fearful step back but his jaw dropped at the incredible feat, his eyes fixed onto the swirling twister the Prince had summoned.


    After a few seconds Mahalis let go of the mana and the wind faded back to it''s normal self, leaving a stunned group of children who still stared in a mixture of shock and awe.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Thank you, sir! That was amazin!¡± The boy said after a moment of silence, his face still carrying his grin as his cheeks flushed red in excitement.


    Mahalis waved his hand, dismissing the gratitude, but his smile remained on his face. ¡°Don''t worry about it. You could do that as well someday, just need to practice.¡±


    Perhaps it was wrong to give the boy any false hope, but Mahalis could sense a small amount of potential in his aura. Maybe this boy would be the next Rebel King, who could know?


    The boy was shaking with excitement at the Elven Prince''s words and could barely stop himself from jumping into the air. With a yell of joy the boy turned and ran back to his friends who were staring at him with slack jawed expressions, but immediately began to gather around him when he returned, asking him questions about the encounter as he stood in the middle, beaming and talking just as fast as his companions.


    ¡°I have to say, Mahalis, that was rather kind of you. They''ll be talking about this encounter for a while I believe. The time they met Marwen of the Rebel Court''s son.¡± Lor said, walking up to stand by the prince, his tone it''s usual mocking self as he smirked.


    ¡°Maybe so. But children change their moods with the wind. I wouldn''t be surprised if they forgot me before lunch.¡± Mahalis replied musingly.


    Lor stared at his friend for a moment before letting loose a chuckle ¡°I think you underestimate the influence we hold. Not merely as Descendants but as the next generation of the Rebel Court. You wait and see, one day mothers will be telling stories about us to their children. And our parents will merely be a footnote.¡± He laughed.


    Mahalis rolled his eyes at the prince of the sea and turned to see what Kara and the others were doing.


    It seemed that the First Daughter of Humanity was standing off to one side, her eyes closed and deep in thought, her expression a slightly different shade that usual. If he was forced to describe it Mahalis would guess that she seemed troubled by whatever the guard at the gate had told her. That suspicion was confirmed as Dran walked up to stand with his two fellow Descendants, his eyes also looking towards Kara.


    ¡°What do you think? Whatever it is, it can''t be good. Perhaps Knight Cinder is still Hunting.¡±


    Lor shook his head at the short man ¡°I doubt it. The Hunt ended yesterday, well it should have anyway. She always holds it on the same day. In fact, it was why I insisted that we take our time. I was hoping that she would be in a better mood post hunt and wouldn''t kill us when we told her the bad news.¡±


    Mahalis grunted in response, his eyes not leaving Kara. Hilin had moved back to her group of royal guards, who stood at attention nearby. Despite having run to Ellai and then onto The Red Citadel, the elves didn''t look tired at all, a testament to their training no doubt.


    The Royal Guard were hand picked by Mahalis'' father, Valant. They were even trained by him to a certain extent and that, coupled with their iron determination and will power, made them indispensable to the royal family.


    Mahalis had trained with Hilin when he was younger. In fact she was the first person who taught him the sword, before his father took over. To say that he trusted her would be an understatement. He knew for a fact that she would lay down her life for him in a moments notice. He understood completely just how skilled and powerful his guards were, which was why he was so concerned that they currently looked so grim.


    The soldiers were currently checking their armour and weapons as Hilin made her way round each one and spoke a whispered word into their ears, even as she checked her own equipment. As soon as they heard what Hilin had to say their faces changed completely, becoming deathly in their visage as they moved with the oiled efficiency of a war machine.


    ¡°I would say that it''s even worse.¡± The prince said as Kara suddenly opened her eyes and began to make her way towards them.


    What was strange for Mahalis was the way Kara looked as she made her way over. The woman was a fierce warrior and a natural leader, capable of taking on nearly any obstacle with barely a glance. Yet now she looked like she was hesitant, uncertain... and afraid.


    ¡°So, what''s the word, commander?¡± Lor asked, surprisingly serious in his delivery, but Mahalis and Dran said nothing. All three of them had clocked the atmosphere of dread that was settling over the others and were prepared for the worse case scenario.


    Kara at each of them in turn before drawing in a deep breath.


    ¡°It seems that we have a rather serious problem. The guards were accosted yesterday during The Hunt. It appears it was by a man wearing a mask... and wielding a sword made of darkness.¡±


    For a moment none of them spoke as each member of the Knight Descendants involuntarily thought back to the moment a few short days ago when they had faced a nightmare and had somehow lived to tell the tale.


    Mahalis'' face in particular went pale, his hand reaching out for the familiar grip of The Angelis but again found nothing but air.


    Dran''s eyes narrowed as he tried to convey confidence, but the way he was thumbing the edge of his massive war axe betrayed his nervousness. He was the only one of the four who had been substantially wounded by the man wearing the King''s mask and the very thought of meeting such an opponent in battle again filled him with fear, even as he tried to push it down to speak.


    ¡°Why would- why would he be here. Surely he would be running as far away from any Knight as he possibly could. To cause trouble during The Hunt? With Knight Cinder active in the city? It seems like suicide.¡± Dran said, trying to reassure himself in his mind that Cinder would be more than capable of taking down the pretender in the King''s mask, but failing in the attempt.


    ¡°I agree. It is folly to believe he is here. Are you sure the guard is telling the truth?¡± Mahalis said through gritted teeth, trying to ignore the cold sweat that had appeared at the back of his neck as he hid his trembling hands under his cloak.


    Kara nodded ¡°I don''t believe that he has any reason to lie. Why would he? And how did he know about Xolumbrandir? That''s not all either...¡±


    The others were silent as they waited for her to continue.


    Kara took another deep breath, her breath shaking slightly as she exhaled ¡°It seems that the man in the mask and Cinder fought in the Noble District, from what the guard said, most of the northern plaza was destroyed in their battle.¡±


    Mahalis felt relief flood through him as he smiled while letting out quick breaths. Cinder must have defeated him then, the guards wouldn''t be this calm, the people wouldn''t be this calm, if Aunt Cinder was dead.


    ¡°So he''s dead then right? I mean, he was strong but Cinder is a Knight. She definitely beat him, there''s no way that he won... right?¡± Lor said, his tone changing at the end of his sentence as he saw that Kara''s grim expression remained completely unchanged.


    ¡°From what the guard said, after their fight Cinder escorted the man into the palace, with four females garbed in black following soon after. I don''t know the fights outcome but I think we can safely assume that Cinder yet lives and that this man is her prisoner... possibly.¡±


    ¡°Possibly?¡± Dran grumbled


    ¡°When they went into the palace the man was not chained or in shackles. He still carried Xolumbrandir but the guard is unsure on that, he only arrived at the very end, after their battle was over, he wasn''t one of those who escorted them to the Red Citadel proper.¡±


    Mahalis felt the panic rise up into his mind once again. Unshackled? Still carrying Xolumbrandir? And the four female warriors they had fought in Ellai? Did the man somehow manage to dominate Cinder''s mind? Force her to aid him?


    The very thought screamed impossible to him. Cinder was trained by Corus himself, but had received training from all the Knight''s of The Rebel Court. In a way, she was all of them rolled together, with a touch of crazy thrown in. What kind of monster would be able to control her?


    ¡°It also seemed that Lady Cinder was very affectionate towards the man in the mask, she clung to his arm on the way to the palace.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Lor said, a sudden smile breaking out onto his face as he turned away from the others and walked away, his hands on his hips as he let out a laugh.


    Kara suddenly narrowed her eyes and clenched her jaw ¡°I don''t know how this is funny Lor, but we need to go and see Lady Cinder, find out what''s going on.¡±


    ¡°Which is dangerous and completely reckless. We have no idea who this man is or what he is truly capable of. I suggest that we fall back to somewhere safe and send a message to Callai. Perhaps the Queen will be able to aid us in this.¡± The words came from Hilin, who had walked up without any of them noticing, the hardened elf looking resolute in her suggestion.


    Kara turned to the captain ¡°Absolutely not! There''s no time! We need to discover the cause of this now. What if Queen Cinder is in danger? What if she is somehow being controlled? This man''s aura was like nothing I had ever seen before, He can control Xolumbrandir for fucks sake!¡±


    Kara''s heated response took them all aback for a moment. There was a reason that they all referred to her as the ice princess but it seems that she had finally lost her cool.


    ¡°And you think you would succeed where Lady Cinder could not?¡± Hilin said simply, her eyes boring into Kara''s own.


    ¡°No... I... I just think we should do something.¡±


    ¡°Ladies!¡±


    The two women broke off their staring contest as Lor''s cry pulled them back harshly in reality. Where they were met by the smiling face of the prince of the sea.


    ¡°I believe that the best course of action would be to go and see Knight Cinder. In fact, I think it might be the best decision any of us will ever make.¡± Lor said with a smirk, his eyes bright with excitement.


    ¡°What do you mean, Lor?¡± Mahalis asked, taking a step towards the young half elf, noticing the energy that seemed to radiate off the man in waves.


    ¡°I have a theory. In fact, I first had it after we fought this stranger. It''s insane and it''s wild... but for the love of all things I believe it might actually be true.¡±


    ¡°So what is this theory, you fucking sea rat! Just tell us and stop dancing around the subject!¡± Dran bellowed, reaching his wit''s end with Lor''s antics.


    The prince of the sea shook his head with a grin ¡°Now that will be ruining the surprise! Just for once... I need you all to trust me... oh, and pray.¡±


    ¡°Pray for what exactly?¡± Hilin asked, frustration showing clearly on her face.


    ¡°Pray that I''m right, pray that Cinder is not actually being controlled and pray that we don''t die. Just... Pray.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Two: Time to Learn

    Chapter Thirty Two: Time to Learn


    After Cin left to deal with the Palton Ambassador I found myself at something of a lose. The thoughts flowing through my mind were idea''s that I had played with before but I had believed it was too early, too dangerous, to even think about involving the children. I had to take the feelings of my Knight''s into account. Even Marwenna. I had come to the conclusion that I should wait, tell the others first and then ease in the Knight Descendants at a later time, hopefully with everyone present so that it would be easier to believe. Now I realised that I had no other option. They were here.


    I had to tell the Knight Descendants who I am.


    I sighed as I followed the young maid down the corridors of The Red Citadel. Cinder had called to one of the many servants that roamed the hall outside my room and asked her to escort me to the kitchen to get something to eat. The expression of fear on the maids face when my daughter had talked to her had irked me to no end, but I realised quickly that Cin had earned such a reputation with her bloodlust and monthly Hunts. I shouldn''t have been surprised but it was annoying none the less. I had felt the same way whenever someone had looked at Cinder like that in Ellai. They didn''t know her. She was good, she was kind, she was loyal. But they saw nothing but the monster.


    ¡°It''s just down the corridor to your right here, my lord. Would you like me to escort you the rest of the way?¡± The maid said with a bowed head, her voice kept an even keel.


    I shook my head ¡°No, that''s no problem. I know you have other duties. Believe it or not I was once a servant in a palace much like this.¡±


    The maid looked up with wide eyes ¡°Truly, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Truly. Although that was a long time ago... longer than I care to remember. Please, carry on, I can find my way around from here.¡±


    The young woman gave another bow before turning and walking in the opposite direction in a hurried manner while I continued down the corridor, marvelling at the ingenuity of the vampires.


    The Red Citadel was truly a beautiful palace, while the throne room was kept intentionally dark, every other space was well lit with beautiful tapestries on the walls and open aired windows that looked out over the city and into the central courtyard.


    From what Cinder had told me the training ground where Black Tusk were currently fighting was once a garden that she had removed. Apparently the head grounds-keeper had kicked up a fuss about the whole predicament. I suppose it''s easy to guess what happened to him. He was dead before the end of the day and a gold piece was given to his family as compensation. It might seem cruel, but Cin had gotten a lot better recently. I could tell because once upon a time she wouldn''t have bothered with the gold coin.


    I chuckled darkly at my wandering thoughts before the scent of freshly baked bread assaulted my senses. I felt my stomach grumble with anticipation as I easily followed the scent down a smaller side corridor and into a large, heavily populated room that I guessed was the kitchen.


    Five large fires burned in the centre, with huge pots resting over each. Breakfast had been served quite a while ago so I guessed they were preparing food for lunch. A stew perhaps?


    I felt my mouth begin to water at the sight even as I noticed the many preparation tables that ringed the room. Stoves and large ovens were also present though they exuded no heat. Must be for dinner only.


    In one corner was an open door into another slightly smaller room, filled with large barrels that I could only assume was wine. I doubted very much that they stored blood down here, it goes cold after a while and vampires always preferred the life giving liquid as fresh as possible.


    I have to say that I was surprised by the pure amount of food that they were making. It must be from here that they feed the entire castle. Cinder doesn''t eat solid food, she had always said that it gives her a stomach ache and the blood of animals does little to sate her thirst. This must be for everyone else, perhaps the staff included.


    While Vampires can eat food for sustenance it is very much a short term solution and a luxury that few can afford. Blood is the only thing they require and in Scarl Forest it is a traded commodity. There are more than a few wealthy merchants houses in the city below that trade with blood exclusively, only offering the finest to those with the means to afford it. Well, that was four hundred years ago, but things like that don''t change.


    ¡°Hey! What are you doing down here! If the cook see''s you, you''ll be thrown out on your ass!¡± came a hiss from my right side.


    I turned and saw a man covered in flour, his hands up to his forearms plastered with the stuff, while his apron seemed to be nearing the same state.


    I raised my hands in a placating manner ¡°Forgive me, but I was told to come down here to get something to eat?¡±


    I wasn''t surprised that he thought of me as just another hungry staff member, I was wearing the grey clothes and black cloak that Ada had procured for me and, while they were finely made, they were definitely not something that a noble would wear. Xolumbrandir was attached at my belt but it looked quite ordinary inside it''s sheath and my mask was hidden behind my long cape.


    The man grunted and smacked his hands together, causing flour to rise up into the air around him.


    ¡°New start huh? You got a sword, you the new guardsman?¡± He asked before walking towards me, the edge seemed to have left his tone and replaced by one a mite friendlier.


    ¡°Yes sir, I''ve just started today, was told to come down here but I''ll leave if it''s inconvenient.¡± I replied with a shrug of my shoulders. It was easier to let him believe the white lie than to tell him that I actually his Queens father, which made me one of the greatest figures in Vitan history. That would have had made the conversation a touch more difficult.


    ¡°huh, no problem, sorry about that. We''ve been getting a lot of vagrants wondering in here looking for blood. Have a seat over there. You''re in luck, I just baked a fresh batch and we''ve got plenty of stew to go around. The Queen doesn''t eat any you see and there are very few guests in the rooms.¡±


    I nodded gratefully to the man before heading to the old table that he indicated. It took but a few seconds before the man returned and put a large bowl of stew down in front of me as well as a half loaf of bread.


    ¡°My thanks, friend¡± I said even as I began to inhale the food. By the Bitch, I didn''t realise how hungry I was.


    The baker shrugged ¡°No problem, we who serve have to stick together right? If you have any questions about the castle, just let me know. I''ve been here since before Queen Cinder took over, nearly five hundred years in total now.¡± He replied with a smile, proud of his status as one of the longest serving in the castle.


    ¡°I actually have a few if it would be ok? Can we talk while I eat?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Honestly, that was my last batch until dinner so I have the time, what would you like to know?¡± The man said as he took a seat opposite me at the rickety table, but not before he poured himself a mug of water.


    For a few seconds we were silent as I continued with my meal, losing myself in rich flavours of the stew and the texture of the still hot bread.


    ¡°I was actually wondering about my first assignment. I''ve been told to go to the Queen''s training ground.¡±


    The man''s eyebrows raised ¡°Ah, you''ve been assigned to guard Lady Bell. Lovely woman, I have to say. She''s always been kind to us. She and her mother, Palite, used to be servants here like us, I believe that''s why.¡±


    ¡°Palite? What was she before she was the royal steward?¡±


    ¡°She was in charge of the maid''s I believe, damn good at her job too. Of course, that was before the young Queen arrived and made her steward. Lot of nobles didn''t like it, but they didn''t get to say much before the Red Lady dealt with them.¡± The man laughed at his own words and took another sip of his water as the laughter faded.


    ¡°Red Lady? I assume that name because Cinder is fond of mortal blood?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that one took hold soon after she took over. I was quite happy with the whole thing, still am if I was being honest. It wasn''t good before when the Old Queen was in charge. She treated people who weren''t high born like maggots and everyone knows that she was sucking the church''s cock on a daily basis. Trying to milk as much influence out of it as she could.¡± The man laughed again.


    I nodded, smiling along with the man.


    ¡°So, do you know how I get to the training ground from here? I have to be there pretty soon and I don''t want to end up missing Lady Bell.¡±


    The man chuckled ¡°Yeah, that would be pretty bad. Thankfully, it''s pretty close by. You should probably stop by the barracks as well, pick up a uniform from there. The Captain likes all his guards in uniform at all times while inside the castle...¡± He said the last part some what suspiciously, looking at the clothes I was wearing ¡°Honestly, I can''t believe they let you in as you are. Quite a strange thing I have to say.¡±


    I merely shrugged ¡° Like I said, it''s my first day. I don''t really think I have to wear a uniform, I was told I would be escorting the Lady Bell and her companions throughout the city later today and it would be better if I was dressed as a civilian for obvious reasons.¡± The lie flew easily from my lips.


    As much as I hated lying, I didn''t want anyone to know who I was yet. That''s how things got out of hand. I would rather be in control of my identity and how it was distributed.


    The man laughed ¡°Well, I have to say that you''re a lucky man. Getting to spend all day with those beautiful women. I''d give my left nut just to be allowed to talk with them. But I know my wife would kill me.¡±


    We spent but a few more minutes there in silence as I finished my meal before I decided to take my leave and thank the man. He was kind enough to give me directions to the sparring area which I was happy to realise was quite close.


    After leaving the kitchen I only had to walk for a short time before the sounds of battle began to ring out in the halls around me. Many of the staff members I passed had pale faces and moved at a brisk pace, as if afraid that if they stayed too long in this area they would somehow become unwitting participants in Bell''s training.


    It was as I walked passed the next corner that I found a large open balcony to the right that overlooked a large dust covered arena, the ground beaten down for optimum movement, circular in design. The balcony offered a clear view of the happenings below and I saw several of the braver staff members watching on in awe, peaking over the edge at the four black garbed women that moved with magical speed below.


    ¡°I can''t believe how powerful Bell has become. I remember when she was still that little girl who lived with us in the staff quarters.¡± One woman whispered which received a bout of nodding heads from the others who watched.


    ¡°I wouldn''t expect anything less from her. She was trained by the Queen after all, and it seems the rest of her group are just as strong.¡± An old man with kind eyes and a long white beard said in reply.


    Curious, I joined the rest of the servants at the edge of the balcony. They barely gave me a glance as I stood next to them. Some noticed my sword but didn''t say anything. Carrying weapons was common and it wasn''t like an ordinary swordsman would be very effective if they wanted to hurt anyone. From what Cin had told me she only employed guards with magical ability and had tutors on staff to help them increase their power. It slowed down the recruiting process but it was a good policy to have. An army of regular people would fall short to even a single unit of mages.


    As I looked over and into the arena below I saw that Bell and Ursula were fighting Leigh and Ada.


    As I watched Bell struck forwards, her hair sweeping back as she tried to close the distance between Ada and herself. The archer was staying true to her weapon and trying to keep as much space between herself and the others as possible, letting off arrows at even the smallest opportunity while Leigh desperately moved between Bell and Ursula, trying to keep the two of them off her teammate, but not doing so well.


    Ursula was keeping Leigh stationary. While she hadn''t changed into her wolf form, she seemed to be pretty good with her hands. All wolf kind were. They preferred not to use weapons and instead relied on their natural gifts for combat. Wolf kind began training in the ways of war very early on in life. This was mainly due to how much combat factored into their social standing. Mating, leadership or even earning respect, all of it required feats of physical prowess. While nearly all wolf kind had magic, very few chose to develop the skill as they believed it was something akin to cheating. I remember getting Abhor to learn more about his affinity with earth had been a trial as he constantly told me ''Wolves have no need for pitiful magic.''


    I just kept beating him in combat until he realised that was a false statement.


    My mind was drawn back to the sight in front of me as I heard a cry of pain. It seems that Ada had fainted an attack on Bell and had instead send an arrow imbued with the power of sound towards Ursula. The arrow had hit and, while it had been blunted for training, the magic within it exploded with force, causing the wolf kind to emit a painful cry as her hands clamped over her ears. Leigh took the opportunity with no hesitation and brought her blade down into the wolf kinds arm before spinning and spending a power kick to her torso, sending Ursula flying across the arena and out of the large circle.


    I couldn''t help but sigh. It seems like there is a lot of work to do with these young women. They were brazen, their attacks were without real thought. Ada''s arrow was a good attack but one that could''ve easily hurt Leigh if it had been off by a millimetre. I didn''t doubt Ada''s skill with a bow, I had experienced it myself first hand, but that didn''t mean she should take risks that could put her team mates in danger.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Bell and Ursula''s tactics were slightly better but still flawed. They should have both attacked Leigh at once, keeping the elf between them and the skilled archer. I had no doubt that their combined skill would overcome her within seconds. So why split up and attack from two different directions?


    As I thought that Bell suddenly sped towards Leigh, completely changing targets, rushing the elf who had decided to take a moment to rest after defeating her opponent.


    Ah, clever.


    It seems that Bell knew that Leigh would think she was safe after knocking Ursula out of the circle and it would give her some breathing room. She was wrong however.


    Bell closed the distance in less than a second and brought her training axe down onto the girls shoulder with a shuddering impact. Leigh cried out in pain and tried to raise her sword but the blade wasn''t fast enough to stop the blast of fire that emanated from the palm of Bell''s other hand, causing the air to suddenly become very hot and humid as the blast lifted Leigh off her feet and sent her out of the circle.


    The servants around me cheered quietly at Bell''s victory, but I just grunted. It was a good strategy, but I hope it wasn''t one she and Ursula had planned out before going into this battle. It may be training, but sacrificing someone just to take out one opponent was a foolish approach.


    Bell immediately spun to face Ada just as Leigh landed outside of the arena, just in time to throw herself out of the way of the three arrows that would''ve taken her out of the competition.


    The archer moved with a grace that was hard to define. Each movement was both slow and fast at the same time, the action of drawing an arrow from her quiver, knocking it and firing were as sharp as me with Xolumbrandir. Like I said before, you can always tell a master from an amateur from the precise movements and Ada''s attacks were always exactly the same and calmly executed.


    Bell moved with a slight desperation now, she was trying to get closer to her opponent, Ada not giving her the chance.


    I felt Bell try to draw in mana to control her magic but the constant stream of arrows seemed to break her concentration. I mentally ticked another thing that I needed to work on them with. They needed to be able to use their magic in any situation, not just lulls in combat. I could understand why she was finding it difficult, it was much easier too draw upon mana when you were facing an opponent with a sword or axe. An archer was constantly laying pressure on you, no matter how close or far you were. It was something that I myself had to overcome when I was younger. Thankfully, I had enough exercises in mind to help her with this particular problem.


    I finished this thought as the battle ended. Bell gave a cry of pain as an arrow hit her in the abdomen, then in the shoulder and finally in the centre of her torso.


    The final arrow was the most powerful. It didn''t seem to be sound imbued and instead seemed to just be concentrated air which exploded with a bang and sent Bell out of the arena, ending the training session.


    Groans erupted around me from the servants who had wanted to see Bell win the bout and I heard the word ''cheat'' thrown around various times. I rolled my eyes and placed a hand on the balcony. I vaulted myself over with ease, not even softening my fall as I landed lightly on my feet thanks to the capabilities of my new body.


    The soft thud of my arrival was more than enough for Black Tusk to know I was here. They had various reactions to my arrival. Ursula groaned, Bell grunted, Leigh gave a shy wave and Ada, well... Ada hugged me.


    ¡°Corus! Did you see that! I totally took them both down, did you see?¡± She said excitedly, almost as if she was looking for my approval.


    I smiled at the young archer ¡°Yeah, I saw, Ada. Which brings me to why I''m here. I was going to ask you all something.¡±


    ¡°What is it, your maj-¡± Bell stopped mid sentence and looked at the servants standing on the balcony. They probably couldn''t hear, but it''s better to be safe than sorry. ¡°All of you! Back to work now or I will be letting the Queen know exactly what you''ve been doing when you were on duty!¡±


    At her words the servants suddenly all got pale faces and seemed to disappear, moving a speed that was pretty close to being magical in nature.


    Once we were sure they were all gone, the others gathered in front of me after Leigh healed their wounds, Ada eventually letting go after Ursula and Bell helped to pull her off.


    I smiled at the four women ¡°I''m sorry that I couldn''t really stay and talk yesterday. I didn''t want you to think that I was ignoring you, I just really needed to get some sleep. When I entered into that comatose state it wasn''t really sleeping as much as it was my body completely shutting down. I needed some proper rest to get back to my best self.¡±


    ¡°That''s good, cause we thought you were trying to avoid paying us.¡± Ursula said with folded arms and squinted eyes.


    ¡°Ursula! Stop!¡± Leigh hissed quietly at her companion, her eyes widened in a panic.


    ¡°Ha! Yeah, where''s our fucking money, Corus?¡± Ada said with a sarcastic seriousness, lifting her bow in an exaggerated manner.


    Bell sighed ¡°I''m sorry about them, your Majesty. Cin already sorted out the money issue so there''s no problem there. But didn''t she already tell you that?¡±


    I nodded, Cin had told just before she left my room that she had paid Black Tusk for their services, but I didn''t like people paying my way for me, especially my own daughter.


    ¡°She did, but I thought I would offer you something in turn. Training.¡±


    All four of the girls stared at me confused for a second before Ada''s eyes began to glow with excitement.


    ¡°Yes! Training from the Rebel King? I''m in! Let''s do this, I''m going to be so fucking good at this, you have no idea!¡± Ada''s ramblings continued about how amazing she was going to be at training while the others continued to stare.


    ¡°What can you really teach me, Corus? You may be the Rebel King and you may be powerful, but you aren''t wolf kind...¡± Ursula said the words with a little bit of hesitation within them, as if she was afraid I had nothing to teach her about wolf kind fighting abilities.


    ¡°Plenty, Ursula. Remember that I taught Abhor some and he is considered the greatest combatant of your race. He mostly fights in his wolf form and, if you like, I could teach you the same way. But magic is a necessity. You must develop all of your weapons, not just your physical gifts.¡±


    Ursula stared at me for a few seconds before giving me a rare smile, which I gladly returned.


    ¡°I''m in, sir... I''d like to learn your sword techniques... they say you were the best of your time. I''d love to learn more, meeting Lor the sea prince reminded me that I need to become better in that field.¡± Leigh said thoughtfully.


    ¡°Of course, Leigh, I would be more than happy to show you.¡±


    Bell was the last to speak of the four and also seemed to be the most hesitant, as if she was afraid she would say the wrong thing.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I would be honoured if you would teach us to fight like the Knights.¡± Bell said with a bow.


    ¡°Bell, you don''t have to be so formal, I''m really not a very kingly person. You can just call me Corus.¡±


    ¡°I couldn''t, your Majesty, it wouldn''t be right.¡±


    I mentally sighed before clapping my hands causing the four of to jump slightly, pulling them back from their thoughts of power on par with my Knights.


    ¡°I have several things I want to focus on in today''s training. I saw most of the first bout from the balcony and I have to say, I wasn''t impressed.¡±


    Suddenly Black Tusk''s faces all fell, even Ada who began to examine her feet.


    ¡°They way you fight is too aggressive. You should be fighting smart instead of with brute force. Out of all of you, Ada was fighting the smartest¡± the archer''s eyes lifted, filled with joy ¡°But even she made some serious mistakes¡± and just like that her eyes fell again.


    ¡°What do you think we could be doing better, your Majesty?¡± Bell asked, slipping easily back into her role as Commander as she swept her short hair behind her ears, her blood red eyes focused on me intensely.


    ¡°Your strength comes from your unity. I see the way you move around each other, the way you talk to each other. I''ve never seen you fight as a unit, but I can already tell that you fight best when it is all four of you on one side of the conflict. That is what we''re going to work on today. These two vs two battles may be good for polishing skills but they can often do the opposite. It''s better to play to your strengths than to exaggerate your weaknesses. The Knight''s and I never really fought together, but when we did we knew where to strike and how to win without impeding the others.¡±


    Ursula raised a hand and I indicated for her to ask her question


    ¡°But what if we get separated? What if we don''t have the option of fighting together?¡± She asked curiously.


    ¡°Good question. That is something that I will be handling in individual training sessions. Over the course of the training I''ll be taking you all aside one at a time and teaching you new methods and techniques. However, it will be up to you to keep your teammates informed of your progress and how to integrate everything you''ve learned into team play. That''s where Bell comes in.¡±


    I turned to the vampire who still listened intently to my every word.


    ¡°Bell, you''re going to start working on contingencies for every situation you can think of. What if you get separated like Ursula said? Do you have a plan for that? Will you meet at a certain location? What if one of your members gets killed? What''s the plan for that scenario? What if one of you is taken hostage? Do you have strategies for engaging one opponent as well as groups of assailants? These are just some of things you have to think about. Plans are important. It was something Heilvol repeatedly knocked into me and I believe it to be truth. Remember its rarely the most powerful opponent who wins, it''s the smartest.¡±


    Bell nodded at my words and I saw the others contemplate it as well, I noticed their faces went slightly pale when I mentioned that they needed a plan in case one of them fell in battle.


    ¡°What I''m saying might seem harsh, but you must be ready for these things. If one of you fell in battle, you would be of little use to the others if you became an emotional wreck. Now, take position.¡±


    They looked at me blankly for a second, before their eyes lit up in understanding. Bell, Leigh and Ursula began to shiver slightly with excitement at the prospect of the battle to come. On the other hand, Ada''s shoulders slumped and she let out a sigh.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± I heard Leigh ask the archer as they made their way to the other side of the arena.


    ¡°This is going to hurt...¡± Ada sighed even as she began to stretch.


    ¡°It can''t be that bad, can it?¡± Ursula grumbled as she began to prepare herself.


    Ada looked sharply at the wolf kind ¡°He almost killed me last time we fought! He made a fucking crater in the ground with my body!¡±


    ¡°Silence! Focus. We''re here to learn so we do what we usually do when fighting a single opponent, focus on protecting Leigh, Ada gives cover. Ursula, we flank.¡± Bell said, her tone filled with authority.


    ¡°Yes, commander!¡± The girls said and they took position, Ada at the back with Leigh in front, her face suddenly becoming a mask of indifference.


    That was interesting. Leigh was their front runner?


    Bell and Ursula were on Leigh''s right and left respectively and they nodded at me, ready to begin the bout.


    I nodded in return and raised a hand ¡°Because it wouldn''t be fair, I won''t use magic while we train. But do not underestimate me because of that. Give me your all. Begin!¡±


    For a moment there was silence until they burst forwards, Leigh moving with an explosive speed, Bell and Ursula right on her tail as Ada drew her first arrow.


    I could see immediately that they worked better when all four of them fought together. In the previous bout there had been a clunkiness and awkwardness to their movements. Now that was all but gone, each one of them knew their purpose in the unit and wanted to show me just how good they were.


    But I wasn''t going to stretch out this battle to let them save face.


    I burst forwards from my spot on the arena, the ground cracking even without mana running through my veins, it was at least the match of Leigh''s magically enhanced speed and I saw the girls eyes widen at the sight. They had assumed that all my power was magical. They had assumed that, while I wouldn''t be easy to take down, they could still match my strength and speed without mana. They were wrong.


    I arrived in front of Leigh and ducked under the swift slash of her sword, it sweeping over my head and missing by inches. I took advantage of Ursula and Bell being slightly behind the elf and drew Xolumbrandir half way out of it''s scabbard, the dark grey pommel colliding with Leigh''s abdomen.


    The girl gave out a cry of pain and her eyes suddenly filled with emotion that had not been there a moment before. Just as suddenly, I returned Xolumbrandir to it''s scabbard and ran past her, even as she fell to the ground. She most likely had some internal bleeding, possibly some broken bones but nothing life threatening. I would have to reign in my strength.


    ¡°Ursula, now!¡± Bell cried at the sight of Leigh hitting the ground.


    The wolf kind gave a very literal roar and suddenly her body started to change, her armour shaking and falling off her body as her limbs began to elongate and sprout hair. In a matter of moments a full grown she wolf stood before me, her body bristling with barely contained anger at me hurting Leigh.


    I assumed at this point that they thought I would go for the easiest target, which would appear to be Bell, then get Ursula to attack me from behind while Ada peppered me with arrows. But I made a beeline for the wolf kind.


    It was now that arrows started to collide with the ground around me, barely missing my body as I twisted and turned to avoid them. Ada was who I had to watch the most carefully, she had already proven she took risks when it came to her shots, but I assumed that when I was close to Ursula that she would stop shooting, because of the larger chance of hitting the large wolf.


    I was correct.


    When I was close to Ursula, the wolf lashed out with her jaws trying to catch me in her huge teeth and cut me in half. I avoided the snapping vice by a millimetre and wrapped one of my arms around her heavily muscled neck, calling upon all of my new body''s strength. Bell, who was running towards me, suddenly stopped, the fireball that had been building in her hand fading to nothing as her mouth became agape at what I was doing.


    Honestly if I saw someone do this I would think they were crazy too. Even Elves and Dwarves fell sup par to wolf kind in their true forms in terms of strength. But I knew that this rule didn''t apply to me.


    I lifted Ursula into the air by her neck, my muscles straining with the effort of lifting the five metre long, nine foot tall wolf above my head. For a mere second we were locked in stasis as Ursula''s limbs rapidly moved, trying to throw me off balance, before I fell backwards, throwing a large part of my strength into the attack, slamming Ursula so hard into the ground that it cracked from the pressure.


    Immediately the sound of whining filled the air as the wolf laid still, obviously in great pain. I ignored it and jumped to my feet. She would not die from such an attack, I knew the limits of my new strength enough to know that my attack wouldn''t kill her.


    I moved aside just in time to avoid three more arrows fired by Ada and ran towards Bell. The vampire eyes narrowed as she saw me approach and I felt mana rush inside of her as flames coated her dagger and axe.


    Bell''s attacks were long and sweeping with the axe, followed by jabs with her dagger, usually aimed at my eyes and groin. I could tell that she was perhaps the most martially skilled of all of them, but her emotions were clouding her judgement. Seeing Ursula and Leigh brought down so easily must''ve not been easy for her to take and it was effecting her far too much. It was an easy weakness to exploit.


    It was as Ada fired a sound arrow that I made my move. Bell made a large sweeping attack with her flaming axe and I easily grabbed her over extended arm and twisted, spinning and sending Bell into the arrows path.


    It was a good thing that the explosion of sound was limited to the target as I would have been close enough for it effect me, but the arrow did it''s job and Bell gave out a cry of pain before hitting the ground, holding her bleeding ears.


    Ada appeared shocked for but a single moment before she gave a slightly angry shake of her head and fired another arrow towards me. I didn''t move to avoid this one, instead I stretched out with my senses and felt for where the arrow would be.


    Then I plucked it out of the air.


    Ada''s mouth fell open and I gave her a little smile, before throwing the arrow at her, faster than she could fire from her bow.


    It hit her chest with terrific force and she was thrown out of the arena, hitting the slightly softer ground outside of it and groaning with pain as she rolled from side to side, holding her torso with her eyes closed.


    The whole battle had taken about one minute.


    ¡°Fuck! Corus... you said you weren''t going to use magic.¡± Ada said as she continued to roll on the ground.


    ¡°I didn''t. Leigh, are you ok?¡±


    I turned to find the elf looking shaken but in one piece ¡°Yes, Corus... I''ve never felt anything like that... I managed to heal the damage.¡±


    I nodded ¡°Good. Time to heal the others, the next bout begins in less than thirty seconds.¡±


    Bell pulled herself to her feet, looking at me blankly. I realised that she couldn''t hear anything because of the effect of Ada''s sound magic. Leigh quickly moved over to her and fixed her ears before dashing towards Ursula to heal the huge wolfs wounds.


    ¡°So... did you learn much, your Majesty?¡± Bell asked, her hands shaking slightly with adrenaline.


    I nodded ¡°I did. I confirmed my suspicions. The potential you all hold is immense. By the time I''m done with all of you, you''ll be as good as my Knight''s. But we have a lot of work to do before then. Get ready for the next round!¡±


    As I walked back to my spot I heard Ursula begin to talk with Ada.


    ¡°You were right, Ada.¡± The giant wolf grumbled.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He made a crater using my body!¡±


    ¡°Ha, I fucking told you!¡±

 Chapter Thirty Three: Corus vs Cinder

    Chapter Thirty Three: Corus vs Cinder


    I worked with Black Tusk for many hours after our initial round of practice. My training was intense and without any breaks. They needed to be broken by the end of it. Broken and frustrated to no end. Only then could they learn how to control emotion and keep calm.


    ¡°Again!¡± I cried out the word that I could sense they now dreaded. But they did not give up and instead charged once more towards me, just as sharp as the first time. Perhaps even sharper.


    With casual ease I dismantled their approach, moving through them like a light wind and striking with the force of the earth. I stayed true to my word and did not use magic. As good as this training was for Black Tusk it was also good for me. After every round I learned more about my body, more about how I could become better than I was before I died. The progress I was making was slow as I couldn''t use my full strength against the women without seriously injuring them, but it was progress none the less.


    ¡°Again!¡± I shouted for the thirtieth time.


    No sound met my words but the girls all arrayed themselves in front of me. They were exhausted, Leigh could barely lift her sword and Ada''s grip on her bow was shaking. Bell''s eyes were half closed and her grip on her axe and dagger was loose. The only one of the four that still seemed to be in fighting condition was Ursula. Despite her heavy panting she seemed to still have some stamina. The endurance of a wolf kind was quite remarkable, they could run for days before tiring. They were the perfect hunters in that respect. Abhor once told me he spent four weeks hunting a large bear into the Cold Shears. The abominable peaks, jagged rocks and bitter winds creating little challenge to a wolf kinds fur.


    Ursula was getting better faster than the others. I didn''t really understand why, but the wolf kind was desperate to learn, I could see it in her subtle movements, whenever I spoke of something that they needed to improve she would lean in and hold her breath, as if afraid to miss even a single word.


    I was pleasantly surprised. I thought that the she-wolf hated me but that didn''t seem to be the case. At least, not any more. She truly wanted to better herself but there was something more to it than that. I would get to the root of it when we eventually got around to one to one training.


    ¡°That''s enough for today.¡± I said, relaxing my stance and spreading my hands to my side to let them know that this wasn''t a trick.


    Immediately all four of them fell to the ground with heavy thuds, releasing their grips on their various weapons.


    ¡°Well, thank fuck for that. I don''t think I could''ve gone on for much longer.¡± Ada said, her words barely whispers past her heavy breaths.


    The others released grunts of approval and just lay there for a second with their eyes closed, relaxing after the beating I had just delivered unto them.


    ¡°I have to say, you all improved significantly. Your teamwork has improved by leaps and bounds, this is a serious first step. Don''t forget that.¡± I said, examining all of them with my enhanced vision individually, just in case they were wounded and I had to heal them. While Leigh was usually the group healer, she was at the point of complete exhaustion and reaching for magic at a time like that was dangerous. They all seemed to be fine however and none was needed, for which I was thankful.


    ¡°Wow, Father, you worked them all over rather hard didn''t you. Even I wasn''t this rough when I taught Bell.¡± The voice came from behind me and a smile appeared on my lips as I turned and looked at my daughter, approaching from the far entrance.


    When Cinder wasn''t in the throes of hunger she looked every bit a Queen, her long dress falling about her majestically. The only unconventional thing about her outfit was the lack of footwear, she had always hated wearing shoes.


    As Black Tusk became aware of the entrance of the Vampire Queen they tried to stand but all failed, flopping back onto the floor in groans of pain.


    ¡°Please don''t get up. I know how you must be feeling right now. Father taught me as he did you once upon a time. Although I was fighting foes that were already considered legends in Vita, so you should probably consider yourself lucky. Training with Abhor when I was a little girl was more than a little bit terrifying.¡±


    Black Tusk shivered at her words and I laughed ¡°As I remember it, it was Abhor who was afraid of training with you. You were quite the terror in combat, Cin.¡±


    Cinder folded her arms and gave me a pointed look ¡°What do you mean was? If anything I am much more terrifying in combat. You got lucky when you first arrived, Father. If I had been going at full strength, you wouldn''t have stood a chance.¡±


    I rolled my eyes at my daughter. I knew I was goading her but I couldn''t help myself. It was a father''s duty to embarrass his daughter at every opportunity, maybe bring her down a peg or two. ¡°Sure, Cin, whatever you say.¡±


    The Queen of the Vampires stamped her foot and pouted at me.


    ¡°Fight... fight... fight...¡± Ada said from her position of sitting on the ground ¡°fight, fight, fight.¡±


    Cinder looked at the girl with confusion for a few seconds before a clever smile appeared upon her lips. ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I said, the single word tired as it left my lips. I know what Ada was trying to do and I wouldn''t have any of it. ¡°We''re not going to fight for your benefit, Ada. That''s just silly.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know, Father. Perhaps a little practice match is in order. I mean, you can''t really be training as best you can against Bell and her companions. They''re powerful, but you are beyond that. I might be one of only a few who can truly challenge you in battle. Don''t you want to stretch your legs a bit. Cin replied with the grin of a shark, her eyes releasing a gentle red glow.


    ¡°It might be good to see it, your Majesty. It will allow us to see how much we need to improve.¡± Bell said quietly while at the same time winking at my daughter, who returned the gesture.


    ¡°Hey! I saw that!¡±


    ¡°What? Bell has a point, perhaps it would be good for your new students to see you truly battle one of your old ones.¡±


    ¡°Cinder, we''re not going to fight. There''s far too much at risk... like the city.¡± I said dryly. I wasn''t exaggerating. The fight we had in the noble district was merely a skirmish. If Cinder was in complete control I would have to go all out and put everyone in the castle and the city below at risk.


    ¡°Perhaps you''re right... but I''m going to do it anyway. You all better go up to that balcony. This is going to get... violent.¡± Cin said, the grin never leaving her face as I felt her begin to draw in mana. Just a trickle at first and then a flood. Small cuts appeared over her arms and blood drifted up from the wounds, surrounding her with a red mist. Her aura was dense and dark, suffocating the air around her.


    ¡°Oh shit¡± Leigh said and grabbed onto the wolf Ursula, urging her to her feet and through the door that Cinder had just walked through with Ada and Bell following swiftly behind.


    I sighed ¡°Really, Cinder? Do you just not listen to me any more?¡±


    The Queen shrugged ¡°Of course I do, Father. But this will be good for you and for me. Do you know how many trainers I''ve gone through? At least a couple of dozen. The only time I get to really train is when Faral or one of the others stops by for a visit. It''s no fun when I''m guaranteed victory.¡±


    I carefully examined my daughter for the briefest of seconds. ¡°So be it. But if there is even a chance that the battle is going to leave this courtyard then I''m putting an end to it. Agreed?¡±


    Cin nodded ¡°As you say, Teacher. I will do as you command.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Begin!¡±


    The word had barely left my lips before Cinder sprang forwards, the ground churning beneath her as she approached at speed. Long claws of crystallized blood appearing at the tips of her fingers as the glow in her eyes became greater ad much more noticeable.


    I narrowed my eyes and drew Xolumbrandir with one smooth motion before springing forwards, Aspect of Air activating as I moved, followed swiftly by Aspect of Earth.


    We collided with enough force to unleash a shock wave that shook the very foundations of the castle, Xolumbrandir catching one hand while I stopped the other in a deathly firm grip. Cin''s smile didn''t fade and she pushed off with her feet, cartwheeling in place. The hand that I was holding stayed where I held it, bone broke and blood flew as it twisted into a lump of useless flesh.


    I was shocked that she would purposely injure herself and I felt my grip weaken on the now destroyed hand. It was a mistake however. The claws on Cin''s other hand came down and left deep furrows in my face, causing me to bite down in pain but not to howl. I released my grip on her broken hand and spun Xolumbrandir. Pushing past my reservations to hurt Cin I sent the black blade forwards and it cut through her side, leaving a deep slash that sent more blood out onto the floor around us.


    Cinder wasn''t even fazed, throwing herself backwards where she landed on her one working hand and kicking me with both feet that sent me hurtling through the air. I collided with the far wall with a bang, the stone cracking under the impact before I sank to the ground.


    It took but a moment for me to get my bearings but that moment was more than enough for Cinder, who was already running forwards, her broken hand healing itself almost instantly and the gash in her side closing, not leaving a single mark.


    She splayed out both her hands and the temperature suddenly dropped dramatically, my breath freezing in mid air, frost beginning to appear on the ground as random lumps of ice began to appear in the air around her.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I jumped to my feet and pushed more mana into Aspect of Air before I began to exude heat, my mana transforming itself into flame as I leapt forwards, hoping to close the distance before she managed to used any of the many ice projectiles she had created.


    As I got closer I aimed my palm at her and unleashed Inferno, the word turning into a sea of fire as it left my palm with a desperation to be free.


    I had underestimated Cinder and had completely forgotten that she could now use Aspect of Healing, a powerful weapon that could be used to heal from wounds instantly without the conscious thought of the caster. It was indeed potent, but dangerous as it could heal something in the wrong way. plus the amount of mana needed to maintain it was huge.


    These thoughts ran though my mind as I focused on controlling the fire around me. I moved through it without worry, the flame separating before me.


    After a moment of moving I finally saw a shadow within and I dove without hesitation, hoping to end this quickly and without having to cause too much damage to Cin.


    What I got instead was a sudden burst of water as the moisture in the air concentrated at my daughters command, I emerged from the flame to see Cinder standing uninjured inside a large sphere of water, a grin on her lips as her white hair floated behind her, making her look almost ethereal.


    ¡°Shit.¡± I muttered, just before an explosion rocked the room. I slammed Xolumbrandir into the ground to keep myself in place as a tsunami rushed forwards and extinguished my flame. I opened my eyes while I was submerged in the water to see Cinder headed straight towards me, almost as if she was flying, the water taking her to my location at her command.


    I grinned in response to her own. Causing her eyes to widen as she realised her mistake.


    Mana filled me to the brim before I channelled it into lightning, sparks flew as it left my body in one blaze of pure light. I heard Cin''s muffled screams from within the water as it suddenly became a weapon of my own design. Unfortunately, the lightning effected me as well but I grit my teeth as it coursed through my body, burning my flesh as I activated Aspect of Healing to get rid of the worst of it.


    The water around us faded to nothing as Cin''s control was pulled from her, the pain of the lightning infused water too much for her to bare.


    When the water finally broke apart and returned to it''s original form, there was a moment of respite. In which I noticed Black Tusk peering down at us from over the balcony, they were hidden behind the railing and I could only see the tops of four heads as they stared down at the battlefield that Cin and I had turned the training ground into.


    ¡°ha... that was tricky, Father.¡±


    The words drew my attention back down to my daughter, who stood just a few metres ahead of me. Her dress was charred in places, but apart from that she was none the worse for wear. Of course, I expected her to be fine. Even if she didn''t have the power of healing, that little lightning strike would do little to stop Cin.


    I shrugged ¡°You fell for that one before, I believe. It''s an old one, but it''s good.¡±


    Cin matched the smile on my face, her face alive with joy at the challenge of worthy opponent.


    ¡°Thank the Gods you''re back. I can''t believe how much I missed this.¡±


    ¡°So, do you forfeit now, or would you like to continue... until I make you forfeit?¡± I asked brazenly, leaning casually against Xolumbrandir, the blade hissing at being used as a leaning post.


    ¡°Never. No surrender, as Heilvol used to say. I''ll see this through to the end.¡± Cin said as mana began to rush into her body anew ¡°I''m excited to see how you deal with my Blood Magic, if anyone can find a way to defeat it, it''ll be you.¡±


    Suddenly, the blood that had covered the ground, both my own and Cin''s, began to rise into the air, separating into droplets that hung around the arena. I narrowed my eyes and took a step back. I have to admit that my heart was beginning to thump louder in excitement. I had not had a true challenge since Xolumbrandir in a long time. I was looking forward to going all out... well, as all out as I could without hurting anyone.


    ¡°Prepare.¡± Cin cried with a grin and suddenly threw out her hands as the small droplets suddenly shot towards me at a speed that caused me to do a double take.


    I threw myself backwards through the air as the droplets hit the ground where I had been standing, causing the hardened earth to explode from the force.


    Fuck, looks like she could manipulate it''s density, turning even the smallest drop of blood into something akin to steel. This will be a challenge.


    I continued to dodge as the projectiles attacked from all sides, but I wasn''t fast enough to avoid them all and each one that connected punched a small hole into my body, from which seeped out more blood that drifted upwards into the air, adding to Cinder''s arsenal. If I kept going like this it wouldn''t be long until I was out of this fight. I couldn''t directly attack Cin as that was where the greatest concentration of droplets resided, but perhaps I could do one better.


    Aspect of Fire


    My skin turned to living flame and the air around me began to ripple with the heat. The blood balls near me immediately evaporated, unable to get close to my body.


    I grinned, a horrible sight in this form, my body was literally made of fire, my eyes merely points of blue flame amidst a sea of orange.


    ¡°Nice try, Cin, but there''s always a weakness and, unfortunately, I''m a master of all magic.¡± I suddenly aimed my hands at her and the air began to pick up speed, becoming sharp as it whipped around Cinder causing the droplets of blood to move and sway as she struggled to maintain control.


    Despite this however, the smile on her face did not fade and she made a movement with her hands, causing the blood to come together at speed, forming a larger sphere that stood directly in front of her.


    ¡°I picked up this one from Xolumbrandir, Father. I don''t think you''ll find this as easy as some drops of blood.¡±


    The sphere of blood changed, it began to grow arms and legs, then a head. By the time the transformation was done a humanoid creature of blood stood on the ground, as tall as I am, it''s body was constantly shifting as it maintained shape. A construct of blood.


    I was immediately cautious and allowed the wind to die down, my grip on Xolumbrandir tightening as the creature began to make it''s way forward clumsily.


    Whatever it was, it wasn''t sentient, the look of concentration on Cin''s face was enough evidence of that. She was controlling this creature but I was unsure what her plan was. It was magic given form, but that didn''t mean it was powerful enough to challenge me... but Cin never did anything without cause.


    Suddenly, the creature moved towards me faster, as if all it''s clumsy footwork before was just for show. It rocketed forwards, it''s long blood arms suddenly growing hands as it attacked.


    I stepped aside, the creature not fast enough to impede me, and I brought Xolumbrandir across it''s chest. The blade went right through it, taking a small amount of blood with it, but otherwise causing not damage. The creature seemed to ripple mockingly before drawing back a fist and punching towards me, just before it connected, the fist turned into red crystal.


    It slammed into my chest with a thunk, connecting with my flaming skin. There was too much blood for me to just evaporate and all of Cin''s power seemed to be focused on making the beast as impervious as possible.


    I didn''t react to the strike, while it did hurt and quite a bit, I was more curious than anything else. I spun to the side and brought Xolumbrandir down on the blood constructs gem like hand, causing it to break to pieces. But even before it hit the ground the blood turned to liquid and flew back up to rejoin it''s body. It was as I watched this that another of the beasts fist''s connected with my head, turning to crystal a mere moment before impact.


    This one I felt.


    I gritted my teeth as I rocked backwards, slightly disorientated by the attack. It seems that Cinder has found a way to create a nearly impervious soldier, but it was far from perfect. She seemed to need constant concentration to make the beast work efficiently and it came at the expense of any defence she had arranged for herself. It seems that she couldn''t impart a small piece of her aura into the beast and give it sentience, like Xolumbrandir did with it''s constructs.


    I looked to the beast in annoyance before grunting and moving forwards, I turned off Aspect of Fire and placed a hand against the slow moving creatures chest, my hand sinking into the blood as it suddenly stopped. Cinder was confused, she didn''t know what I was doing.


    Something I never told Cinder was how I stopped Xolumbrandir''s constructs. Raw mana. Potent but incredibly dangerous, it was pure destructive energy that could destroy whole cities if a mage could gather enough of it. Of course, to gather enough of it you would need to be a God, or at least on one''s level. Thoughts of Arcana drifted through my mind as I drew in and unleashed pure strength through my open palm.


    For a second, all was silent and then the air rippled and the creature was gone, crushed by the unseen power I had just unleashed. Not a single drop of blood remained


    Cin gave a gasp as she fell to her knee''s. She had felt some of the power I had used through the link she had with the beast and it had caused her to lose concentration as the monster was destroyed. She shivered slightly ¡°That''s not fair, Father. You can''t use raw mana, no one should be able to draw mana in it''s pure from!¡±


    I shrugged as I hefted Xolumbrandir and made my way over to the fallen Cinder to end the bout ¡°I never said anything about playing fair. Besides, you can use Blood Magic and I can''t. Should I have said you weren''t able to use it, because I am unable? Our opponents may have an edge, but that doesn''t mean that we are disadvantaged because of it. Find the weakness, fight smart. You know all this.¡±


    Cin''s shoulders slumped ¡° I know, I know. I was just surprised. You used it on me in the Noble District. It was part of the reason I knew it was you. But I''ve been working on that one for ages and I''ve almost got it right.¡±


    I smiled at my daughter ¡°I would hold off on using it in battle unless you can figure out a way to transfer it some aura, like the bastard sword that refuses to tell me anything. Otherwise, you would be defenceless. What if I had just ran straight past it and headed for you?¡±


    Cin grinned like a beast ¡° Oh, if you had tried that, it would''ve exploded and burned your face off. That''s something else I''ve been working on. Converting the blood into acid.¡±


    I shivered at the look on my daughters face and helped her to her feet.


    ¡°What!? Are we not going to keep going?¡± Cin said, her face falling slightly.


    I laughed ¡°I would if I thought we could contain an escalation. You were holding back and thanks for that. But if we went full force it would destroy the castle, something I don''t want and I know you don''t.¡±


    Cinder looked like she was seriously considering it.


    I sighed ¡°How about this, soon we''ll head out into the forest and we can go crazy, that way no gets hurt.¡±


    ¡°Fine... but that''s yet another promise, Father. I''ll be collecting on them soon.¡±


    I nodded and gave Cinder a hug to which she responded in kind.


    ¡°Cin! Where are.... Gods, what happened here?¡± A familiar voice came from the entrance, the voice of my daughter''s steward, Palite. The woman walked forwards with her eyes wide open, annoyance clearly seen within. It seems this wasn''t the first time that Cinder had destroyed something in the castle.


    ¡°Hey Palite! Father and I were just practising.¡± Cinder said with a smile at seeing the older woman..


    Palite''s eyes became gentle as she fell upon Cin and she just chuckled lightly.


    ¡°It''s very strange to see you so happy, Cin. I never thought I would get to meet the great Rebel King... or realise that he was just like his daughter when it came to destructive appetites.¡± She gave me a pointed look.


    I merely shrugged with a smile.


    ¡°So, what''s up, Palite?¡±


    ¡°The Palton Ambassador apologizes for earlier, apparently there was some kind of development and he has asked to rearrange the meeting for first thing tomorrow morning if possible.¡±


    Cinder shrugged ¡°sure, whatever. Anything else.¡±


    Palite nodded ¡°The Knight Descendants are here and wish to see you, my lady. I have informed them that the welcoming Ball in their honour would be held in exactly one week, but they insisted on seeing you as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, why the Ball? You know how much I hate dancing.¡±


    ¡°It''s tradition, Cinder. Something not even you can escape. The Knight Descendants are always celebrated thus.¡±


    Cin sighed ¡°Fine. Father''s here so it should be easier.¡±


    ¡°I''ll come with you to meet The Descendants, Cin. I think it is time to let them know about me before they do something stupid. No doubt they have heard what happened in the city and put two and two together. We need to get ahead of this.¡± I said as I returned Xolumbrandir to it''s sheath.


    ¡°And you want to make sure I don''t kill and eat Mahalis... right?¡± Cinder replied, giving me a sideways glance.


    I smiled slyly ¡°Right, that would be bad.¡±


    ¡°Fine, we''ll do it your way, Father. Palite, give us an hour to get cleaned up and then show the Knight Descendants to the throne room. Father and I will greet them soon.¡±


    ¡°It shall be done, my Queen.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Four: I Am The Rebel King

    Chapter Thirty Four: I Am The Rebel King


    Cinder moved with haste, throwing outfit after outfit behind her as she looked desperately for her red dress, the one she liked to wear when she was expecting violence. Determination apparent as she moved with a reckless abandon, throwing aside garments that had cost as much as a family in her country makes in a year.


    The royal quarters of the Red Citadel were extravagant and massive in size, taking up three huge rooms, one of which was dedicated entirely to clothes.


    Cinder herself was not one to stand on ceremony and she hated wearing the extravagant and uncomfortable dresses that Palite insisted she wear for any state visits of dignitaries. She had never realised that as a Queen she was expected to impress those that came to see her. Shouldn''t it be the other way around? Shouldn''t the idiotic nobles be the ones impressing her? She snorted as she continued her search, clothes flying in every direction.


    ¡°Why are you looking for the red dress, Cin? You know that his majesty won''t let you hurt the boy.¡± asked Bell who was standing in the doorway leading into the massive wardrobe, a cynical look etched into her pretty face as she examined the woman she called sister.


    ¡°You don''t know that! Perhaps Father will change his mind. In which case, I would like to be prepared.... and comfortable.¡± muttered the Queen of the Vampires as she yanked another dress from a large pile, causing a huge landslide of garments to fall over, adding to the mess of the room.


    ¡°I know he''s not going to let you kill a child in the middle of the Red Citadel. He''s barely become a man and you want to drink from him?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡± came Cinder''s simple answer.


    It can be said that the Vampire Queen very rarely showed restraint when it came to personal matters. When it came to her Father she was a different animal all together. Marwenna and Valant had killed him and deprived her of centuries of Corus in her life, something she would never forgive, nor forget. She felt worry begin to gnaw at her, turning her inside out. A worry that had been there since her Father had made their deal. What if he changed his mind? What if she wasn''t allowed to hurt Marwenna?


    She nearly sobbed at the thought but managed to keep it contained. He wouldn''t do that to her. He loved her and she knew that.


    ¡°I don''t really understand why... You won''t tell me anything, please Cinder, talk to me. It''s not good for you to keep things bottled up inside like this. Remember what happened after the incident with Kel? You wouldn''t talk to anyone for nearly a month.¡± Bell replied with her own worry, this one evident in her voice.


    Cinder rolled her eyes ¡°That was different, that was my fault... well, mostly my fault. I''m sorry Bell, but I won''t let any of Father''s secrets loose. You''ll just have to ask him yourself.¡±


    For some unknown reason Bell suddenly blushed and her face struggled to keep a straight face. Cin noticed this, she noticed everything, and her eyes narrowed as she came to a conclusion.


    ¡°You can''t make a move on my Father, Bell.¡± Cin almost growled, her eyes beginning to glow with a dim red light.


    ¡°What!? What are you talking about, I would never- I mean I- what are you talking about?¡± Bell stuttered, her face growing redder by the second, her cheeks the same colour as Cinder''s eyes.


    ¡°I know that look. It''s the same one you gave to Ula on your one hundredth birthday... I know what you''re thinking.¡±


    ¡°Cinder, you''re acting insane. I would never, ever make a move on your fucking Father. That''s just weird! Is he attractive? Yes. Is he strong and powerful and handsome...¡± Bell''s sentence drifted off at the end as her eyes looked off into her space, her face almost glowing now with the thoughts inside her head.


    ¡°Fuck! Stop that Bell, you''re slobbering.¡± Cin hissed as she turned away, trying to push the image of her sister''s almost hungry expression from her mind.


    Bell let out a laugh and hugged Cin from behind ¡°I''m just teasing you, sister. You should know by now that I''m not the type to go after older men and The King is.. well, besides your Father, he''s The King. I wouldn''t do that. It''s not like he''d reciprocate anyway. Doesn''t matter, really.¡± She sounded almost disappointed as she finished her sentence.


    Cinder grumbled in reply as she searched for her dress. The thought of Bell being with Corus kept appearing in her thoughts and she felt herself begin to feel slightly ill.


    ¡°Ah! I found it.¡±


    Cin turned to find Bell holding up a tattered red dress.


    ¡°Shit! I totally forgot, that was the dress I was wearing during the hunt! It''s ruined!¡± cried Cin as she pulled the blood covered dress from Bell''s hands, rips and tears covered the soft fabric, results of her battle with Corus when he had first arrived.


    ¡°Why not wear it anyway? You can''t eat Mahalis, but you can scare the shit out of him. Wearing a dress covered in blood is sure to do the job.¡± Bell said as she leaned against a cabinet, shifting her ever present axe and knife to allow herself to get more comfortable.


    Cinder giggled ¡°you know what, Bell? That''s a great idea. Let''s go with the blood splattered and battle tested war dress. It''ll be fun to fuck with them a little bit.¡±


    Bell smiled and left the room to give Cin some privacy as she changed. When she returned Cinder was a picture of horror.


    Red had always been her colour but now she just looked like someone who had just committed a massacre, the dried bloody stains stood out against the softer red of the dress while the rips and tears revealed more than would normally be appropriate for a Queen. She looked like death herself.


    ¡°So? How do I look?¡± Cin said with a smile, exposing her enlarged canines as she spun in place for Bell''s benefit.


    ¡°Horrific. I think that''s what you were going for?¡±


    ¡°You are absolutely right, Bell. Thank you.¡±


    Bell nodded but without smiling. Her eyes lost in thought. Cinder could clearly see the anxiousness that lay within.


    ¡°So, how was the training with Father? I only caught the end but you were exhausted. I''m assuming he just had you try to fight him?¡± Cin said, giving Bell a sideways glance as she looked in the mirror, liking how the dress complimented her eyes.


    Bell suddenly snapped out of her trance and looked at Cinder, taking a moment to remember what had been asked.


    ¡°Yeah, he had us fight him continuously. I can''t remember how many times. He beat us so easily. By the end of it I was beginning to wonder what the point is in practising when there are mages as strong as him out there.¡± Bell said almost bitterly. She truly did appreciate the training that Corus had decided to give them. But after seeing him move the way he did, without using magic, it was quite depressing that Black Tusk weren''t even good enough to scratch him.


    Cinder suddenly turned to face Bell and looked into her eyes, forcing Bell to stare back at her sister.


    ¡°You listen to me, Bell. I never want you to think like that. You can''t compare yourself to Father. He''s different. You and your group are perhaps some of the strongest mages on the continent. Never forget that.¡± Cin said intensely.


    Bell nodded and gave her sister a smile ¡°Thanks Cin. It''s just so strange. Some of the things he can do-¡±


    ¡°Are unbelievable, I know.¡± Cin finished, giving Bell a smile and moving into the greeting room, the commander following behind her.


    ¡°He made me go through the exact same training, did you know that?¡±


    ¡°I think you mentioned it before, but you never really went into detail. Mother and I just assumed it was because you were still grieving.¡±


    Cinder sighed ¡°Yeah, it was hard to talk about. He did so much for me. You have no idea what it was like, Bell. I was alone and afraid. Surrounded on all sides by people that wanted to hurt me. Hunted like an animal. Then this quiet man walks into my life. He was kind to me. He was the first person who ever treated me like more than a monster.¡±


    ¡°I realised that. You were always so protective of him, even when we thought he was gone. Remember that time that the Elven Ambassador came and said that their were plans to make Valant the new Rebel King? Your reaction was horrific at the time, but later it was kind of funny.¡± Bell giggled slightly at the memory.


    It had been just over two hundred and fifty years ago. Relations between countries were not the best and the Elves, or Marwenna, wanted there to be a new Rebel King to rally Vita. Valant was the top contender for the job. Because he ''saved'' the Rebel Court during the battle of Ellai. Cinder did not have a good reaction to the news. She had sent the Ambassador''s head back to Callai in a box with a polite note requesting that the matter of a new Rebel King be dropped immediately. Marwen was intelligent and powerful but even she would not risk the ire of The Red Lady, especially when she knew that the other Knight''s would support her. So the issue never came up again. They later reconciled, but Cin had never forgiven her for even suggesting such a thing.


    Cinder laughed along with her closest friend ¡° Yeah, that was funny. Elves don''t taste very good though, their blood has always seemed far too thin.¡±


    Cinder and Bell made their way into the entrance room and took a seat on some of the finely made furniture that was placed elegantly around the room, the window offering a sweeping view of the city below.


    ¡°But just because he was kind to me wasn''t the reason I feel about him the way I do. Would you like to hear the story of the first time I called him Father?¡± Cin asked quietly as she stared out the window, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. She had never told the story to anyone who wasn''t a Knight and although it was Bell and she was like a sister to her, it was still a very personal topic, something she often liked to steer clear of.


    Bell nodded with a small smile, saying nothing. She knew Cin like the back of her hand and recognised the signs of her being uncomfortable, she didn''t want to scare her into silence. Talking about these things was healthy, she would feel better afterwards.


    Cin took a deep breath, her gaze drifting and unfocused as she returned to a time centuries ago when she was a scared little girl.


    ¡°I had only been with the Court for about six months. It was a really turbulent time in my life. The Knight''s didn''t talk to me all that much, even Faral. They were wary, I guess. They had heard the story about how I was found and knew I was feral, so they thought I was going to hurt someone, namely Father, who made a point of spending time with me every day.¡±


    Her gaze shifted to her hands as her voice became quieter.


    ¡°I remember I was having a nightmare, it was nothing special, I had them all the time. They were of the time before I was living in the Forest proper. It was about the city I came from and the people who... did things to me. Bad things.¡±


    She took a long stuttering breath ¡°I remember waking up and I was crying and, suddenly, He was there. He came through the door like a storm, I''m pretty sure he had used magic to get there as fast as he did. He didn''t hesitate. He wasn''t afraid, he just hugged me. Held me until I stopped crying. Then he asked me what was wrong and... I told him.¡±


    For a moment there was silence as Cinder closed her eyes, her bottom lip shaking slightly. Bell didn''t move, nor did she speak. This was an old memory, filled with emotion.


    ¡°I hadn''t spoken more than two words since I arrived in the tower, but for some reason, I told him everything, everything that was done to me, where I came from, everything.


    ¡°Once I was finished he just kissed me on the forehead and told me everything was going to be ok. That he would keep me safe. He stayed with me until I fell asleep. When I woke up, he was gone. He had left Ellai in the night, the others didn''t know where he was.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Cin suddenly broke out into a smile ¡°He returned a week later, he looked exhausted but otherwise unharmed. He didn''t answer the others questions, he just knelt down in front of me and said ''Don''t worry, little one. Those that hurt you are gone now. They won''t be able to cause you pain again.¡±


    Cinder looked up at Bell, smiling with tears in her eyes ¡°I somehow just knew that he was telling the truth and, for the first time, I truly felt safe, secure and... free. I held onto him and didn''t let go for what seemed like forever. Then I said ''Thank you, Father.¡±


    ¡°Gods, Cin. I never knew that. What did he do? When he was gone, I mean?¡± Bell asked, speaking for the first time since the story began, she had found herself leaning in as the tale was told, anxious to hear more.


    Cinder laughed ¡°That I didn''t find out till after he was gone. When I became Queen I was curious, I wanted to know what happened to that little city. It was out of the way, slaving was still legal there... amongst other things. But when I checked, the city was gone.¡±


    Bell was confused ¡°What do you mean the city was gone?¡±


    ¡°The city was destroyed. Everything was reduced to embers, nothing remained. I heard the tale from one of those who had lived in the city, a former slave. They said that a man arrived and just began killing people. The guards and the many masters all fell before him. A veritable army was thrown at him, but all turned to ash in the face of his might. He freed the slaves that were still present, but everyone else was killed. In short, Father burned the city down.¡±


    Bell felt herself gulp. The power that it would take to destroy an entire city is monstrous.


    ¡°You see, Bell? My Father is wrath personified. He''s worse than me in that regard. If someone hurts anyone he loves, he will raze this world, damn the casualties. If he was willing to do that for me, I should be willing to do that for him.¡±


    Cinder stood and smoothed down her dress. ¡°I will do anything to protect him, even if that means from himself.¡±


    The Vampire Queen moved towards the door before turning and looking at a stunned Bell. ¡°Come on, sister, escort me to the Throne Room, I wouldn''t want to keep my nephews and niece waiting.¡±


    * * *


    Mahalis and the others stood in the waiting area just outside of the Throne room. They had been here for a little over three hours, each one of them getting more and more frustrated by the minute. The only one that seemed to be immune to the emotions they were feeling was Lor, who still had a massive grin on his face and couldn''t sit down. He paced back and forth whispering to himself and shaking slightly with excitement. His fellow descendants could get nothing out of him despite their many attempts to do so.


    Their weapons had been taken from them when they had first arrived, much to the ire of everyone, except Lor, who handed his over before they even asked to take them. Hilin and the other guards had been told to wait outside, which hadn''t gone down too well for the formidable Captain. She had threatened to just go through them if they didn''t let them in peacefully. However, that was when Palite, the Steward of the Red Citadel, had spoken out.


    ¡°I would suggest not making a scene here, Captain. While the Knight Descendants are more than welcome in the Red Citadel, I don''t recall Queen Marwen asking for permission to place troops in our country. We have extended the courtesy of asking you to remain outside to avoid telling you to do so. However, I must now insist that you leave the castle immediately. If you do not, I will unleash hell upon all twenty of you. Despite your skill, you would be hard pressed to defeat the Crimson Guard with such a paltry number. Leave. Now.¡±


    This had created a moment of intense staring between the two powerful women before Hilin grudgingly agreed, but only after Lor''s constant insistence that it would be just fine.


    Mahalis himself was feeling more than a little bit uncomfortable. He was a prince and had visited other countries before, but his guard had always remained with him, making him feel all the more secure. Now Hilin was gone, The Angelis as well. Mahalis had never felt so vulnerable. Especially after hearing the news about the man in the mask and Queen Cinder''s possible involvement with him, willing or unwilling.


    ¡°Perhaps we should have sent a message to Knight Marwen. Just in case.¡± Kara said from her place sitting on a chair, her eyes distant but thoughtful as she worked through all of the possible scenarios in her head. Despite her trying to find a way to come to favourable conclusion it always ended in a fight, which they couldn''t win. The man in the mask had destroyed them in combat the last time they had faced him and Queen Cinder, if she was under his control , was just as formidable. Now wasn''t the time for false pride and Kara came to the bitter truth in a short space of time. They just weren''t up to the task. There was no way that they could defeat either of them in combat, so what had she been thinking? She had been the one to insist that they approach Cinder in the first place. She had felt so helpless, she had to do something. Now her decision might get all four of them killed.


    ¡°Don''t worry, lass. Whatever happens, we stick together. If it comes down to a fight, we try and get out. We won''t win, but we might live¡± came the rather well thought out response from young Dran, who leaned against a wall on the other side of the room. Dran was usually quite forward and bombastic, but many forgot that he had successfully navigated the politics of Holduren for years and made a name for himself in the process. He was as cunning as Lor when he wanted to be.


    ¡°Yeah, Kara. We all agreed to come, this doesn''t fall on only your shoulders. We''re the Knight Descendants, eventually it was going to be our job to stop conflicts before they happened. We''re just getting to it a little bit earlier than we thought we would.¡± Mahalis said with a crooked smile, drawing a small one from Kara in return.


    There was a time when drawing such a reaction from Kara would have been the highlight of Mahalis'' day, but it was not here, not now. He would celebrate later, right now he needed to get through the next twenty four hours without being killed.


    ¡°You guys really need to stop worrying. This is good for us! Really good. If I''m right... Fuck, I hope I''m right. If I''m wrong then we''re dead and there won''t be anything to worry about anyway.¡± Lor said, slightly flustered.


    ¡°Perhaps we would be more at ease if you told us, Lor?¡± asked Mahalis as he looked at his constantly shifting companion.


    ¡°Nope! If I told you I''d give you hope which could be false. As it stands I''m the only person to come out of this disappointed if it all goes tits up. You should be thanking me!¡±


    ¡°Aye, sea rat, we''re all thanking you. Look at my face, it''s the picture of fucking gratitude.¡± The angry dwarf said, his face getting redder as the half elf returned his glare with a smile.


    ¡°Sarcasm will get you nowhere, noble dwarf.¡± Lor replied coolly.


    It was just at this moment that large door to the room opened and in stepped Palite, Steward of the Red Citadel.


    Lor feared very few people. His list included his mother and father, Queen Cinder, the cook who served in the castle on the Isles and Palite. Out of all of them, none were more devious than the woman who stood behind the Queen.


    Palite was absolutely devoted to Cinder, to a fault. She ran the day to day of Scarl Forest with ruthless efficiency, her status as a low born woman was something that had caused problems early on in her political career, but the constant threat of Cinder''s wrath was usually more than enough for most people to tow the line. Of course, there had been those who were bolder than the common rabble, but they were taken care of quietly, without the Queen ever knowing differently. She also controlled Cinder''s personal retinue, The Crimson Guard, a group of dangerous and shadowy warriors that knew how to remain hidden until the moment they strike. Little was known about them and they were rarely seen. But they were there. They were always there.


    Palite gave a soft bow and a smile ¡°Descendants, the Queen will see you now. Remember to mind your manners in front of The Red Lady. That means you especially, Lor. I remember our trip to see your mother well. I will not have a repeat of such a brash action here. Is that understood?¡±


    Lor felt himself gulp ¡°Of course, my Lady. I would never do such a thing here.¡±


    What Palite was referring too was a incident that happened nearly twenty years ago. Queen Cinder, Duchess Bell and Palite had visited the Isles as a surprise for Faral, Lor''s mother. It was when they were first met in the throne room that Lor had entered quite suddenly, interrupting their conversation to complain to his mother about being forbidden from leaving the castle to visit the port. Lor had never met Cinder before, while he had heard the stories, he hadn''t known what she had looked like and had just assumed she was a minor noble from the mainland, come to trade. He had been rather petulant back then and talked to his mother like an angry child does. Cinder was not one to mince words and didn''t like the way Lor had been speaking to one of her oldest friends.


    ¡°If you don''t shut your little mouth I''m going to drink every drop of your fucking blood.¡±


    He could remember the glowing red eyes, they still haunted him. Eyes that bored into his skull and looked straight through him, as if seeing the red liquid that was inside.


    After the threat was made, the guards immediately took action to move in front of him. Thankfully, Faral had managed to defuse the potentially volatile situation and calm Cinder down, explaining that Lor was off limits, that he was her nephew. The Prince of the Sea had been punished for the incident later by his mother who told him in no uncertain words that if Cinder had attacked there was little she could do to stop her before she had killed him.


    Lor had taken it to heart and had strived to be better to his mother and everyone in general. It''s amazing what being close to death can do to re-establish one''s priorities.


    He apologised profusely to the Queen of the Vampires and she had brushed it off as if it had been nothing. She had actually been very kind to him from that point on. But he had been taught a hard lesson that day and had more than a healthy respect for Cinder''s power.


    The others joined him as they walked, giving him the occasional glance as if wanting to ask what Palite was talking about. They knew the story about the fishermen that Cinder had killed but not that part of the story. Truthfully he was embarrassed by the ordeal.


    After walking for a few minutes they arrived in front of the huge black wood doors that entered into the throne room and, with a snap of Palite''s fingers, the doors opened into the vast and dark space of the centre of Scarl Forest.


    The chill in the air was immediately apparent and everyone felt it as they went inside. For some reason their breath came out as fog and the cold went right down to their bones. They walked forward at a steady pace, the huge statues behind the throne imposing and strong, seemingly staring down at them as they walked, shivering.


    ¡°well, well, well. If it isn''t my lovely extended family. Come in and make yourselves at home. I don''t think any of you have been here before, have you?¡±


    The words came from the throne where the Queen sat and each of the Descendants had a intake of breath as they looked upon her.


    She was covered in blood.


    Or her dress was. It looked to be ripped and torn in certain places, although red in colour some places were darker than others and the group knew what it was without question. It looked like the Queen had just fed on someone, or many someone''s, considering the dress'' state.


    Standing slightly to the Queen''s right was the Duchess Bell, dressed in very familiar black armour, her weapons at her hip as she stood with folded arms next to her Queen. A small smile on her face.


    There was another intake of breath as they saw Bell''s armour.


    ''Shit. I guess Cinder was involved in this the whole time.'' Thought Kara, even as she went down on one knee, the others following suit.


    She had questions of course. She wanted to know what the Duchess had been doing in Ellai with the man in the mask, she wanted to know where he was and she wanted to know how much Cinder knew but she needed to be careful. This was not Keltano. This was Cinder''s realm and, as such, her control and will were absolute.


    ¡°Knight Cinder, it is a pleasure to see you again. We have come to give you news of Ellai, as Knight Marwen-¡±


    ¡°Do not say that bitch''s name in my presence. To do so would cause me to be become very angry and, subsequently, rather hungry.¡± Her eyes glowed, illuminated even more in the darkness of the room, they never left Kara and she felt herself begin to shake under the weight of that gaze.


    There was a gasp of protest from Mahalis. She had just called his mother a bitch after all and he made the mistake of raising his eyes to meet Cinder''s, who had heard the slip up and turned those glowing eyes upon him.


    ¡°Something to say, little prince? I promised him I wouldn''t eat you, but that doesn''t mean that I will except any show of defiance because you don''t like me insulting your whore of a mother. Please, say something. Please, please, please¡± Cinder leaned forward in her throne, her eyes getting brighter as she sounded almost desperate for Mahalis to speak.


    If only Mahalis knew that, if he had spoken one syllable, Cinder would already be upon him, tearing his flesh from his body and drinking the blood that flowed out as a result. Instead he made the smart decision and stayed quiet. Gritting his teeth as he returned his stare to the floor.


    ¡°Your Majesty.... may I speak?¡± Lor asked, his voice seeming quite small when compared to the power behind Cinder''s.


    The Queen turned her gaze upon him, slightly disappointed that Mahalis hadn''t the balls to challenge her. ¡°Of course you can, Lor. What would you like to know? Are you curious as to why Bell looks exactly like one of the people you fought in Ellai? I have to say, I would be rather curious myself.¡±


    Cinder turned to the Duchess and they exchanged a smile and a knowing look.


    ¡°Actually, no your Majesty. In think I''ve kind of already figured it out. I would like to ask you if we could meet the man in the King''s mask.¡±


    Cinder''s eyebrow raised ¡°oh? And why would you like to do that.¡±


    Lor shrugged and grinned at Cinder ¡°I would like to swear fealty to him, your Majesty.¡±


    His companions looked at each other, shocked at Lor''s words. He wanted to swear fealty to a pretender? No there was something more to it than that. This was something different.


    ¡°No fucking way.¡± Kara said, speaking out of turn, her voice sounding bewildered.


    ¡°I know, right?¡± Lor said to his companion, the grin on his face getting bigger. It seems that Kara had come to the same conclusion that he had.


    Cin looked at them both for a second before she began to laugh ¡°I suppose you always were too smart for your own good, Lor. Very well done. I would expect nothing less of Faral''s son.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, but can someone tell me what''s going on?¡± Dran said from his place on the floor, almost looking like he was afraid to speak.


    ¡°I too would like to know-¡± Mahalis never finished his sentence.


    Suddenly, the Queen was standing directly in front of him, inches away from his kneeling form. Her eyes now suns, blazing with a dark red light.


    ¡°What did I just fucking say. You talk. You die¡± Cinder hissed as she began to draw in mana, her aura pressing down on Mahalis whose face went pale as his body refused to move in the face of such power.


    ¡°That is enough, Cinder.¡± The voice came from behind them, from the doors to the throne room that the Descendants hadn''t realised were still open. Mahalis couldn''t turn, still frozen in place, but the Queen''s face filled with uncertainty.


    ¡°But why? We should punish her! We should-¡±


    ¡°Not like this, little one. We have already talked about this. I know you hate it, but it is not up for debate. They are children, Cinder. You are frightening them.¡±


    The Queen glared at the figure whose silhouette could be seen in the doorway, her eyes getting ever brighter as she sneered. Finally, she released her mana and threw her arms into the air before making her way back towards the throne, her eyes returning to their normal selves.


    ¡°As you wish, Father.¡±


    ''Father!?''


    Mahalis'' thoughts were a whirlwind as he tried to get to the bottom of what Cinder had just said. What Father? Cinder had a Father? His mother had told him that she had referred to the Rebel King as such but... no, what was going on?


    His train of thought were broken as he felt footsteps make their way forwards, each step like a hammer as the Knight Descendants all faced forwards, afraid of turning around until, finally, the figure walked in front of them.


    It was the man in the mask. Of that they were certain.


    The Rebel King''s helm was attached to his belt and Xolumbrandir could be seen hanging from his left hip. His face was young, he didn''t look any older than they were. Brown hair fell down to his shoulders and stubble covered his lower jaw, his eyes were a blazing green and stared at them with a gentle and warm light. But there was a power about him. In the way he moved, in the way he held himself. There was no doubt in any of their minds that this was the man they had faced in Ellai.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to formally meet all of you. I know your names. Dran, Descendant of Drogna. Kara, Descendant of Heilvol. Lor, son of Faral and... Mahalis, son of Marwenna.¡±


    Marwenna? Mahalis'' mother had always hated her full name, so much so that she never used it. Most assumed that her name was merely Marwen, her full name was only ever used by one man. And he was supposed to be dead.


    ¡°I am Corus, son of none. I am The Rebel King.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Five: Respect

    Chapter Thirty Five: Respect


    Well, I have to say, that went slightly better than expected.


    The four of them were staring at me with wide eyes, shocked and numb to the idea of me being the King that they had spent their whole lives hearing stories about. Lor was the only one of the four who seemed to have any form of coherence, his eyes wide and bright, filled with satisfaction at having discovered the truth. If I looked closer I could also see relief within them as well. It seems that he had half expected for this mess not to work out. He looked to be rather thankful that he was right.


    I turned my gaze to each of them in turn, Dran couldn''t meet my gaze, his instead fell to the ground at my feet. Kara was just staring forwards, her eyes staring at nothing and her mouth hanging open slightly, as if she was trying to make sense of what I just said.


    I saved Mahalis for last. I had never gotten a proper look of him before in Ellai, mainly because The Angelis had recognised me and decided to flee. But his closely cropped hair, silver armour and blue eyes looked just like his mothers, while his jawline reminded me of his father.


    I decided not to focus on that fact.


    I smiled at the elven prince, hoping to put him at ease. But his face grew pale at the sight. I wasn''t surprised that he was afraid, Cinder had nearly killed him and insulted his mother, he didn''t have a fucking clue what was going on. To add to that, someone had just appeared out of nowhere and claimed to be an ancient dead king who was the ruler of the order that he belonged to.


    ¡°I know this will be a lot for you all to accept, but have no fears, I do not plan to harm you. Cinder will not hurt you either, Mahalis. You have no reason to fear her. Just make sure not to talk or look at her anytime soon. She is in pain, she is angry. She wants to hurt your mother.¡±


    ¡°Yes! We should just kill him and send him back to Callai in pieces. Marwen would get the message.¡±


    I chuckled, I couldn''t help myself. When Cin spoke like this I couldn''t help but laugh, perhaps it was because of how childish she sounded sometimes. Some things never changed.


    Unfortunately, I seemed to forget that I was the only one currently standing inside this room who was comfortable with Cin raving about killing someone. If Mahalis'' face could get any whiter, it did at that moment, his gaze returning to the ground, his whole body shaking with fear.


    ¡°Cin, we''re not having this discussion again. I won''t blame a child for the misdeeds of their parents. It would be like someone blaming you for something I did. How would that make you feel?¡± I asked, realising how stupid that question was as it left my lips. I knew what her answer would be.


    Cinder shrugged ¡°I wouldn''t mind, I''d deal with it as it happened.¡±


    I sighed ¡°Of course you would.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me. But I have to ask what the fuck is going on here?¡± Kara shouted, her composure that I had admired in Ellai was gone now, her eyes were wide and seemed to have a slightly crazy edge to them. I just hoped that she wouldn''t have a breakdown.


    ¡°Well you see, Kara, my Father has decided to grace you all with his presence, despite the fact that it was not required or, indeed, recommended. He was afraid I would kill Mahalis, which is a very valid concern. I wasn''t really going to kill him. Maybe take an arm, or a leg.¡± Cinder chimed in before I got the chance and I found myself sighing again.


    ¡°I understand, your Majesty. It''s just... Well, sir. I don''t believe you are The Rebel King. You may have the mask and the sword, but that changes nothing. You are far too young to be Corus. The stories told by great-grandfather stated very clearly that Corus appeared to be in his forties when he died, despite being much older. You don''t any older than twenty!¡±


    ¡°I too am sceptical. You are powerful, but you are not The Rebel King.¡± Dran grumbled, rising from his kneeling position on the ground to stand next to Kara.


    ¡°Well, I believe you are! You guys just don''t understand. Do you know how much power it would take to control a sword like Xolumbrandir? No one else but the King could! Even the Knight''s would fall short in the face of such a task. Believe me, I know. I spend fucking months studying that weapon in mother''s library.¡± Lor said, gesturing at the black blade on my belt.


    I raised an eyebrow but said nothing. It seems that Lor was quite the scholar on Xolumbrandir, but he was wrong in saying that I am the only person with the power to link with it. Cinder had done it once before, in order to save my life. A long story, but it was one of the reasons why the sword was so fond of my daughter.


    ¡°May I... may I speak?¡± The whisper came from the lips of Mahalis, as he furtively looked up from his place on the floor, his gaze kept firmly on me and not even drifting towards the Vampire Queen that stood behind me.


    I nodded ¡°Of course you can, Mahalis.¡±


    ¡°Em, yes. I don''t know if you are telling the truth or not. But I have to ask... why does Knight Cinder hate my mother?¡±


    ¡°And your father! It''s really a tie between the two. I don''t know which one I''d rather cause pain to.¡±


    I smiled at the young elf ¡°You need not concern yourself with this, Mahalis. I would hate to put you in a position that compromised your loyalties. Cinder and I need to have a talk with Marwenna and Valant. It will not be a brief conversation, but hopefully no one will die at the end of it.¡±


    ¡°Is this because you loved her, sir?¡± Mahalis blurted out the statement before he could even think of retracting it. I could feel Cinder''s smouldering eyes aimed at the young prince and I felt my control slip for but the briefest of seconds. It was only a moment but my aura was on full display and each of the Knight Descendants fell to their knee''s, their faces filled with pain as my aura accidentally interacted with theirs.


    I took a deep breath and pulled back my power, returning it to my body.


    ¡°I did love your mother. Long, long ago. But, unfortunately, that time has passed. If you are afraid that I would come between your mother and father, do not be.¡±


    I am unsure whether Mahalis heard me or not because he was breathing heavily along with the rest of his companions. Obviously feeling my aura had a traumatic effect on them. I would need to learn how to control myself better. This body was interfering with things.


    ¡°I apologise for that. My aura is... different from others. I try to keep it contained but sometimes I slip up and let it out.¡±


    Cinder laughed ¡°I know how they feel. I don''t think you realise how powerful your aura is, Father.¡±


    I smiled at my daughter even as Lor pulled himself to his feet.


    ¡°You see? That''s bigger than anything any of our parents could call on. This is him. This is The Rebel King!¡±


    It was then that an idea hit me, I was foolish not to think of it before.


    ¡°Kara, would you be so kind as to go and retrieve Furela. I think I can prove that I am who I say I am. Of course, that is dependent on whether you trust Heilvol''s blade.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Kara asked suspiciously


    ¡°Believe me, it will help. Now retrieve it.¡± I commanded, the tone of my voice strongly implying that she should not ask questions.


    Kara''s face clammed up and she paled slightly before turning and making her way out of the throne room''s open door.


    ¡°Mahalis, I don''t think it would be wise for you to retrieve The Angelis. It is still linked to your Mother''s emotions. That was why it behaved the way it did in Ellai. It overwhelmed you with fear. It is the same reaction that Marwenna would feel upon seeing me again.¡±


    ¡°But... but why? Why did the sword act like that? She talks of you-I mean, she talks of The Rebel King often and always fondly. Why would she be afraid?¡±


    I looked gravely at the young prince ¡°Because of what she believed I did.¡±


    ¡°I don''t... I don''t understand.¡±


    ¡°You don''t need too, little prince.¡±


    I sighed ¡°Although Cinder is rather patronizing, she''s right. You don''t need to know. I don''t want to involve Marwenna''s child in this.¡±


    Mahalis looked like he wanted to say something, his face burning with indecision. Instead he looked down, releasing an angry breath.


    ¡°Sir! If it''s ok, I''d like to ask you some questions before Kara returns?¡± Lor asked impatiently, almost hopping from foot to foot with excitement. His attitude reminded quite a bit of his mother''s. She too was always ready and eager for something new and different.


    I smiled at the young man ¡°Of course, Lor. Ask any question you''d like.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir, thank you, sir. I was really just wondering if it was true that you really beat my mother in combat? You see, sir, my mother has a tournament every year that every famous warrior comes to. It only features the greatest weapon wielding combatants in the world and magic isn''t allowed. Anyway, my mother wins it every year without fail. She''s been challenged by the best in the continent and she''s still at the top. I was wondering if it was true that you were her better in combat or if it was an exaggeration... my mother exaggerates a lot.¡± Lor finished in what seemed like one breath, looking decidedly sheepish at the end as he described his mothers need to make stories bigger than they actually were.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    I chuckled ¡°Yes, I did beat your mother, many times. She never beat me but she came very, very close. The closest, in fact. It was always a pleasure to spar with her and I learned a lot from her techniques. I noticed that you employed such a technique. The Song of the Seven Swords?¡±


    Lor flushed with excitement as I said the words, his grin growing bigger. ¡°Yes, my King. Mine is not as good as my mothers, but it''s something at least. I can''t control my aura like she can, it''s almost like she can manipulate it as well as mana.¡±


    I nodded ¡° Don''t worry about aura. Focus on increasing your mastery of magic and mastery of aura will come with time. Although, I''m sure your mother already taught you that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she did. But I''ve always been rather impatient. As soon as I could move my aura an inch I just began to focus on that. I''ve been making progress, but it''s slow.¡±


    ¡°You have to be broad when it comes to combat, Lor. Magic will make you a better swordsman, believe me, I know. How is your mother? I have not seen her in... well, four hundred years.¡±


    Lor beamed ¡°She is well, my King. Running the Isles keeps her busy and my father as well. Oh! You haven''t met my father! Mother always said she would have liked for you to meet him one day. Would you come with me to the Isles, my King? She would be overjoyed to see you, I know she would.¡±


    ¡°Knowing your mother, I''d have to prove who I am. There would be only one way she would know for sure and that would be by the sword. She''d probably demand it even if she knew-¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Dran shouted ¡°I''m sick and tired of this. What are you doing, Lor? You can''t seriously believe that this is the King of the Rebel Court. It''s been four hundred years, why here? Why now? It makes no fucking sense!¡±


    We were all silent for a second as we stared at the dwarf, who turned his back on all of us and walked away, his hands pressed into his eyes and his face scrunched up. Suddenly, he turned.


    ¡°You should have been here! If you are who you say you are, you should have been here to help my grand-father! Do you have any idea what he went through? He brought all twelve of the dwarven clans together and he died as a result. He cared for you, you were his King. But now you turn up four hundred years later and we''re all supposed to be ok with this? It''s fucking insane!¡±


    For a moment there was silence as I stared at the dwarf. I had forgotten about that. Dwarves are very protective of family, they felt the passing ofone of their clan very keenly. It was always fresh to them, because they constantly reminded themselves that it was the deed''s of those that came before them that got them to where they were. For Dran, Drogna''s deed''s didn''t just shape his life, but who he was as a person. He was reminded of it by his father and his fathers father, all the way back to the kind architect.


    ¡°Dran... I didn''t leave Drogna on purpose. I didn''t leave at all. I was taken and thrown forwards through time. I have no idea what happened to him after I left. He was family, as much as he is to you. I wouldn''t have left if I had any choice in the matter.¡±


    I walked up to the young dwarf and placed a hand on his shoulders. He tensed slightly but did not pull away.


    ¡°Drogna once said something that always stuck with me. It was just after we had finished building Ellai. Drogna''s greatest work laid before us, we saw, for the first time, the masterpiece that it had become, a bastion of hope for those who fled from the church. He said ''I craft peace with these hands, but war I will make to protect this peace''¡±


    Dran raised his eyes and looked at me for second, his shining ¡°That is The Words of our Clan. An outsider should not know them... how?¡±


    I smiled at the dwarf and squeezed his shoulder ¡°Because Drogna was my friend. More than that, he was my brother. As you said, it should only be shared within your clan, your family. Drogna thought of me as I did him. He felt comfortable sharing them with me.¡±


    ¡°I have returned!¡± The words came from the door and I turned to see Kara walking towards us, Furela''s light blade already drawn.


    ¡°Cinder, will you hold onto Xolumbrandir for me? As I remember it, Furela and my asshole sword don''t like each other very much and it would be much easier if it wasn''t in my hands.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Father.¡± Cin said, jumping from her throne and reaching out to take Xolumbrandir from my hands.


    ¡°Wait! Don''t do that, your Majesty! The blade is said to kill any but it''s master!¡± Lor shouted, his eyes wide open in panic.


    I smiled at the panicking prince of the sea and handed Xolumbrandir to Cinder who raised an eyebrow at Lor before drawing and twirling the blade above her head, moving through a very basic form that I had taught her when she was still interested in swords. She slammed Xolumbrandir back into it''s sheath and rested it on her shoulder.


    ¡°It''s ok, Lor. Father is the one Xolumbrandir hates. It actually kind of likes me.¡±


    As if to confirm that fact, the purring sound that the sword was so fond of filled the air.


    ¡°You shouldn''t believe everything you read, Lor. The blade is not different from any other sentient weapon. It''s just far older and much more powerful.¡± I said to the sea prince and turned to Kara.


    ¡°Ok, I''m here with the sword. What do you want me to do?¡±


    I smiled at the young girl ¡°I want you to attack me.¡±


    A look of shock appeared on the woman''s face. ¡°You want me to... attack you?¡±


    I nodded ¡°Yes. Furela won''t harm me. It knows who I am.¡±


    I knew what I said was true. Furela had stopped when it had come in contact with my hand back in Ellai and I could feel the blades aura from here. It was much like Heilvol''s, strong and disciplined. It seemed to be reaching out to me, almost as in greeting. I knew that the blade wouldn''t allow her to strike me. Much like my Knight''s, They were loyal to a fault. Of course, this didn''t apply to The Angelis any more, considering it was the blade that removed my head from my shoulders.


    ¡°Do not be afraid, Kara. I promise that I will not retaliate. Attack with all your might, and go for the kill.¡±


    Kara looked at me with hesitant eyes but nodded, gulping before she took a firm grip with the sword in both hands. I noticed they were shaking slightly. Obviously she didn''t believe that she could take my word that I wouldn''t harm her but I smiled at her and held my hands out by my side.


    Raising the sword above her head, Kara let loose a battle cry and brought Furela down with all her strength, aiming for my forehead with deadly precision.


    Less than an inch from my head was where it stopped. To Kara it must have felt like it was stuck fast in stone, unable to move it forward at all.


    It was then that I grabbed the blade with both hands, wrapping them both tightly around it, unafraid of the sharp edge, and pulled it from her hands, twirling the blade around my body before flipping it into the air. It spun almost up to the ceiling and the Knight Descendants watched hypnotically before it fell. I caught it with practised ease by the hilt and held it slightly out to one side.


    ¡°Hello, old friend. It has been a long time. I''m sorry that I wasn''t there for you and Heilvol at the end.¡±


    The response to my statement received a low grumble that echoed out into the room, the source of which was undoubtedly Furela.


    Kara looked on, stunned. ¡°How...? Furela never does that. Even for my father it hasn''t done that.¡±


    I smiled at the First Daughter of Keltano ¡°To be fair, I''ve known this sword a lot longer than most.¡± I looked back down at the blade ¡°Don''t worry, I kept the bastard sword away, I wouldn''t want you two hurting each other.¡± The blade released another low grumble, like metal grinding on metal, before I passed it hilt first back to Kara, who took the blade with a renewed reverence. After a moment of staring at the blade with shining eyes she looked up at me ¡°You are the Rebel King...¡±


    I nodded ¡°I would never lie about something as big as this.¡±


    Kara suddenly drew in a sharp breath before she plunged to her knee''s before me.


    ¡°My King, I, Kara, First Daughter of Keltano, do swear to serve you in war and peace-¡±


    ¡°Nope! We''ll have none of that, I''m afraid.¡± I said rather sternly as I helped her to her feet. No more oaths, not from children.


    ¡°But-but why, my King! We have been training our whole lives for this!¡± Kara shouted, her face panicking


    ¡°I agree, our place is by your side, we will serve you until our deaths, my King. Please, let us swear the oaths!¡± Lor said, joining Kara.


    ¡°You know The Words of mine clan and I just saw the blade of Heilvol give way before you. You are my King and I shall serve you.¡± Dran declared, his face a picture of determination and sheer will.


    ¡°No. I will not accept your oaths. Not here, not now. I will speak to your parents and, if they are willing, then you may do so. I will do nothing without consulting Marwenna, Faral and your parents, Kara and Dran. I may be your King, but the path that I walk now is a dangerous one, one unsuited for you.¡±


    ¡°Why speak to my mother? If you plan on killing her anyway, what''s the point?¡± The words came from the still kneeling prince who suddenly jumped to his feet and stared at me, meeting my eyes with his own steady gaze. I was quite impressed, really.


    ¡°I do not plan on killing your mother, Mahalis. She is still my Knight, and my friend, despite our past differences.¡±


    Mahalis sneered ¡° You''re jealous, aren''t you? Father always said that you were. Jealous of how Mother felt about him, after he left the Church.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at the young man. It was noble of him to stand up for his mother, I would have done the same thing if someone had insulted someone I loved, but he picked one hell of a time to grow some fucking balls.


    ¡°You are mistaken, Mahalis. Your father never left the church.¡± I said simply.


    Mahalis eyes widened for a split second before they filled with rage ¡°How dare you! You claim to be The Rebel King, but you deny the history of The Court''s greatest hero? Don''t make me sick.¡±


    ¡°You should really shut the fuck up, little prince. My father has more patience than I, but that doesn''t mean it is unending. You should remember to whom you fucking speak!¡± Cinder hissed, her red eyes returning but Mahalis was able to withstand the killing aura that was released.


    ¡°I speak to a man who spews pretty words and is able to stop a sword without touching it. All of it means nothing. This man in front of me is nothing but a petty pretender. Even if he is the real thing, he should never threaten to harm his most courageous Knight and the man who saved his entire order!¡±


    ¡°Mahalis, I understand that this has upset you, but you don''t know the whole story. Perhaps you should calm down-¡±


    ¡°No! I have listened for long enough! I will no longer tolerate you or that bitch Cinder insulting my mother.¡±


    Well, he shouldn''t have said that.


    My aura released in full, exploding out in all directions and the descendants were all blown backwards by the force of it''s release. Cinder was pushed back against her throne as a savage wind appeared in the room and she held onto Bell, who had remained silent throughout this whole ordeal, lest she be blown away.


    Lightning shimmered and ran across my body as fiery pillars rose up around me. Despite the flames the temperature in the room dropped below freezing and before long a thin layer of frost covered the ground.


    ¡°A bitch?¡±


    The earth began to rumble, it could no doubt be felt around the entire castle as I took slow steps towards the elven prince, who was backing up in a panic, trying to draw in mana to defend himself but failing


    ¡°You called my daughter... A BITCH!¡±


    The wind picked up savagely and threw Mahalis across the room, where he slammed into one of the great pillars. Before he could rise I was there and pulling him up by his throat, slamming his body back into the pillar where I held him, pinned.


    ¡°If you were not Marwenna''s child you would already be dead, your ashes scattered to the winds!¡±


    I pulled back and slammed him back into the pillar, the stone cracking. I was careful not to use my full strength lest I kill him, but it was hard to hold back.


    ¡°You know nothing, son of Valant. You shall respect Cinder or so help me I''ll do as my daughter requests and send you back to your mother in pieces!¡±


    With those words the winds suddenly died down, the magic and aura disappearing all at once. I released my hold on the Elven Prince and he fell to the ground, his body broken, his nose bleeding and his eye beginning to swell up from his many slams into the pillar.


    I turned to find Cinder staring at me with wide eyes, Bell''s face equally stunned. The Knight Descendants were on the ground still, staring up at me. Awe and fear etched onto every one of their faces.


    After a second of looking around, I nodded gravely at the Descendants ¡°Perhaps you think that was too harsh a punishment for such a simple word. But in that word he conveyed disrespect to a person that helped save this world from an evil you cannot begin to imagine. He, above everyone else, should understand this.¡±


    I turned to look down at Mahalis ¡°Take him to a healer and make sure he is seen too, then instruct him to come and see me. I would have more words with him. There are some things that perhaps he does need to know. In fact, all of you do.¡±


    Without saying another word, I walked out ofthe doors of the Throne Room. The rest of the questions could wait.

 Chapter Thirty Six: Old Wolf

    Chapter Thirty Six: Old Wolf


    Paltos.


    This untamed region of Vita was known for many things, but perhaps the most prominent was it''s many forests. Wild tree''s of maple and pine went on endlessly, outwards like the sea. Softly rolling hills and verdant scenery almost made one believe that they had arrived at a time before the reign of man, before the Races took control of this fair continent.


    Wildlife was abundant in these wild woods, the smell of bitter berries and freshly fallen rain filled the air with a pleasant scent. Paltos was nature at it''s most raw. A world apart from the world, ruled by the apex predators that had called this place home for thousands of years.


    One such predator made his way forwards now. Large paws, the size of a carriage wheel and heavier, tread the ground with nary a sound. The soft black fur of his coat somehow hiding itself within the darkness extended by the tree''s, and his quarry that lay beyond.


    Thirty metres ahead of the giant creature was it''s prey, a large elk. These beasts were known as king''s to the inhabitants of the Palton Forest. It''s fur a golden brown and it''s antlers glowing with a damp hue as it gently lowered it''s mouth to eat more of the foliage, it''s eyes focused solely on it''s meal.


    The predator watched with an inhuman patience, waiting for his moment, completely still and hidden within the shadow of the wood around him. His eyes glowed gold, filled with intelligence and savagery. A dangerous combination.


    They waited there for what seemed like an eternity, locked in an invisible battle, the struggle between predator and prey.


    Then the Elk raised it''s head, looking directly at a spot just to the side of where his hunter waited, hearing the sound of a twig cracking.


    The predator did not move, even the slightest movement would be enough to spook the large elk and it''s speed was nothing to laugh at. Should it run then he would have to search for another meal, and that could take hours.


    It only looked at the spot for a few seconds before the elk decided that there was nothing out there to threaten it and it lowered it''s head back down to the ground to feast in peace. It was at this moment that it''s hunter moved.


    A wolf, nearly eight meter''s long and twelve feet tall, burst from it''s hiding place, a snarl escaping it''s muzzle as it moved with incredible speed, landing on the elk before the creature could react. The beast was dead before it could even think, it''s pitiful whines cut short by the sharp teeth of the black wolf, the apex predator of these lands.


    The wolf began to eat with gusto, it''s jaws sinking into the sweet flesh of the elk and tearing with a sickening sound. Blood filled it''s mouth as it savoured every single bite, bones breaking and marrow spilling out as he continued to pull apart the animal.


    It was at this time that he noticed another presence. Another member of his kind walked out of the forest and stopped about three meters away, a female. This wolf was much smaller than the first, so much so that the black wolf completely dwarfed her. Her fur was a light brown, her eyes the same golden colour as the wolf in front of her. She lay down and placed her muzzle between her two front paws. She knew that she would have to wait. The male wolf was the alpha. He would let her eat when he had his fill.


    The black wolf returned to his meal and ate for a few more minutes before he was full. He moved away, his muzzle covered in the blood of the hunt. He growled at the female, allowing her to eat and she moved with speed, tearing into the carcass with as much ferocity as the black wolf, who looked on in approval.


    The black wolf watched for a few moments before he growled again, causing the female to look up, her eyes filled with disappointment. The meaning behind the growl was clear, they were done here, it was time to move on before other predators arrived. Beasts that could cause problems.


    Together they stalked through the wood, their every movement concealed and hidden. It took them nearly three hours to make it back to their camp, their home for the last two weeks. It was a simple affair, it only had two tent and a simple firepit in the centre.


    The black wolf moved to one side of the small clearing and began to change, his body seemingly pulling back on himself as he changed back to his human form. Although he was intimidating in the form of a wolf, his mortal form was nothing to sneer at.


    The man stood at over seven feet tall, his heavily muscled body a tapestry of scars and burns from the many battles he had seen. His hair was as black as midnight and, as the female watched, he scraped the hair away from his eyes and tied it into a long ponytail that hung down his back. He was completely naked but the female did not feel the need to look away. This was how it was done in the old way, before the need to covers one''s body became quite as important. And Abhor, Knight of the Rebel Court, was an avid student of the old way.


    After the man had finished changing, he nodded at the female, who then began to change as well, her wolven body tightening and compressing as she took the form of a young woman with short, light brown hair, her eyes an ocean blue. She took the opportunity to speak first.


    ¡°Forgive me, Elder. I almost cost us the hunt.¡± She said with a bow, referring to the branch that had broken when they were hunting the elk. She had been so focused on her teachers actions that she had failed to take notice of her own, almost losing them both a much needed meal.


    The man turned and gave her a severe look, his eyebrows furrowed as he stared at her. Unlike her, he had retained his golden eyes, something that happens to wolf kind once they reach a certain age. It was at this time that they received the honorary title of Elder, a person who had become one with the wolf.


    ¡°It is fine, Luna. The hunt ended well and we both had a meal. But in future, you must always pay attention to your own actions much more closely. When hunting prey, your power means nothing if you can''t get close enough to use it. Understood?¡± Abhors voice was deep and gravelly, but his tone was positive.


    There was a time when Abhor would have punished Luna severely for almost costing him a meal, but those times had long past. That version of himself had disappeared after meeting his King. Once, Abhor had thought that the only way to rule was through fear, and it was how he had controlled his clan. But kindness was another way, kindness and guidance. Something he had learned first hand while watching his own Alpha in action.


    Luna bowed again ¡° Yes, Elder.¡±


    Abhor grunted, letting Luna know that she was safe to rise before he moved to a log next to a fire and took a seat. It had been nearly a week since he had sent the missive to the other Knight''s and he had yet to receive word. They would come, he knew they would. When one called, they answered, It was how they had functioned for centuries, it was how their King taught them to operate.


    Yet he couldn''t help but feel worry begin to gnaw at his heart. For some reason, he believed something was wrong.


    ¡°Elder, would you like some tea?¡± Luna asked as she ignited the fire with magic her head bowed, like it always was when she spoke to her teacher.


    Abhor growled an affirmative and looked on as the girl went about putting leaves into a teapot filled with water and placed it over the fire.


    Abhor had never really expected to take on a pup at his age. It was customary for Elders to be the teachers of his race but he had never really expected to find himself in the role. He was a warrior, he was the General of the Vanguard, the feared Knight of the Rebel King, but after Corus died he had felt himself become lost. He had sworn his life to this man, this person who had changed him so profoundly. Then he had fallen in battle, in such an unremarkable way. It had left Abhor in a dark place and he had left Ellai that very night, unable to remain in the city where he had experienced his greatest failure. His inability to protect his Alpha.


    In the centuries that followed he regretted leaving Cinder behind. As keenly as he had felt Corus'' death, for his daughter it was something much greater.


    He had watched her from a distance as she made her way from country to country, hunting down the remnants of the church, leaving a trail of blood and death behind her. But he had done nothing to help her. He had abandoned her to her own pain, as did the others. He doubted that Corus would ever forgive him for that, if he were alive.


    The guilt that he felt was part of the reason that he left his home in Paltos to try and stop Cinder from carrying out her foolish hunts. But she was different, more violent and hungry than he had ever seen her. Her power had merely grown while his had stagnated, he was unable to defeat her and it had cost the lives of many innocents. He had returned to his home a coward, failing once more.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    It was then that he was gifted the opportunity to better himself. Approached by Elders from the other clans two hundred years later to become a teacher and take on a pup to train in his way. Without really knowing what he was doing, he agreed. There was a great tournament held to see who would become the new student of Abhor, The Beast Lord, and the young of every clan had taken part. There was only one decisive winner and she stood in front of him now.


    Luna, of Clan Coldue. It didn''t surprise him that she was from his own clan, they were the most powerful in Paltos after all. Luna was very much gifted in the art of the hunt and had a huge amount of potential. But what first drew him to her was her control of magic. Unlike others her age, it seems that Luna had put aside the stigma that was usually held by wolf kind towards mana and had taught herself how to use it, her control of fire was something to behold, quite remarkable for one her age. She was also teaching herself how to control the other elements as well, her goal to be as powerful as The Rebel King himself.


    When she had said that, Abhor couldn''t help but laugh. To be as strong as Corus. Even he and the other Knight''s had fallen short. Perhaps Marwen was the closest but she was still far behind Corus in terms of both swordsmanship and magical ability.


    ¡°Here you are, Elder.¡± Luna said as she handed him the steaming cup of tea. Abhor took it with gratitude and a smile, drinking delicately at the cup. It looked rather odd for a man of his size.


    ¡°Take a seat, Luna, and tell me how your studies into magic are progressing.¡± Abhor said, his hand indicating the log opposite him.


    ¡°Yes, Elder!¡± Luna said eagerly before taking a seat, causing Abhor to release an almost silent chuckle.


    Because the girl had been having such great progress working with magic on her own, Abhor had decided not to interfere with her training into mana and let her continue her work alone. They hunted together and sparred together, working solely on her body work as a wolf, but the magical side he left up to her. He had her update him daily on her activities, allowing him to nudge her in the right direction if he felt she wasn''t working towards her full potential, but otherwise he had nothing really to teach her. While he could help her with Earth and Metal, the rest of the Elements were a mystery to him. Something he was now regretting, but everyone had their own path to follow.


    The naked girl took a seat opposite him ¡° I''ve been continuing my work with fire, Elder, and I think I''m really starting to get somewhere. Unlike the others, fire just makes sense to me. It almost comes too easily. I think I''m close to an insight but I can''t be too sure.¡±


    Abhor nodded ¡°The important thing is not to push it. Insight comes with time, do not go searching for it. You may cause an understanding to distance itself from you and that would only end in disaster. I''ve seen mages be pushed back years in their training because they were too eager. In my experience, it is when you are not looking that you see something that you may have missed.¡± Before he think Corus'' words came out of his mouth.


    Luna nodded, hanging on his every word ¡°Yes, Elder, I''ll keep that in mind. I was also wondering if you could help me further my studies into Earth, it is my weakest element.¡±


    Abhor gave a thin smile ¡°I will, pup. Once we return home, we''ll put aside some time to training solely with Earth.¡±


    Luna returned his smile before dropping her gaze ¡°Elder, when will we return home? I don''t understand why we are still out here. You caught those trespassers but I don''t understand why we can''t just leave and let the Clan''s deal with it? I don''t see why you needed to call The Knight''s.¡±


    Abhor smiled at the young woman but said nothing. He didn''t want to burden her. He would talk to his sister''s when they arrived, until that time, he would keep quiet. There was a very important reason Abhor felt the need to keep Luna in the dark about this. It was because he had felt something when he had fought those trespasser''s, something he hadn''t felt in a very long time.


    Fear.


    That alone was enough for anyone who knew the old wolf to become concerned.


    ¡°It is just something we must do, Luna. It shouldn''t take too long for them to get here. Until then, we will continue your training as normal.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Elder.¡±


    Abhor continued to drink his tea and, for a time, they both sat there in silence, merely enjoying what remained of the day. Luna''s training would continue tonight, with sparring and hunting, then she was free to continue her work into magic.


    ¡°Elder, may I ask you some questions? About The Rebel Court?¡±


    Abhor nearly sighed but contained it. Luna was an avid fan of every Knight in the Rebel Court and was a huge admirer of Corus. Occasionally, Luna find time to try and ask him questions about his time with The Court.


    ¡°Of course, pup, ask away.¡±


    Luna shifted slightly in her seat and found it hard to hide her excited smile as she clasped her hands in front of her.


    ¡°I was just wondering if you could tell me who taught The Rebel King how to do magic the way he could? He must have had a teacher, right? Like I have you.¡±


    Abhor chuckled ¡°I asked the Alpha many times who taught him magic, but he always said that he was self taught. The sword he learned while studying under an elven master in Callai.¡±


    Luna''s eyes widened ¡°Self taught? That''s amazing... Did he teach you how to use magic, Elder?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I never gravitated towards magic. I always thought it was cheating, that it was beneath me. Corus taught me differently. He defeated me without any weapons, merely using his mana enhanced strength. I was not as big as I am now, but I still should have been able to kill him. He beat me and I pledged my life to him. In return for my loyalty, he forced me to learn magic. I did as commanded, although I hated it. But I became that much more powerful, someone worthy of being one of his Knight''s.¡±


    ¡°But Heilvol and Drogna? They couldn''t use magic, why were they allowed to become Knight''s?¡± Luna asked, confused.


    Abhor laughed, a booming sound that filled the entire clearing and made the tree''s shake.


    ¡°Heilvol may not have been a mage, but he killed plenty of them in his time. Even defeating Valant in single combat when that little shit was still a member of the church. Believe me, pup, I would choose to fight a mage over Heilvol any day of the week. He wasn''t the greatest swordsman, but his tenacity and endurance could put a wolf kind to shame. I saw that man get up after being stabbed through the gut and kill a dozen more men before Corus finally healed him. He then went on to rally an army and push back the horde of Vitriss. He truly was something else.¡±


    ¡°Wow... and Drogna?¡±


    ¡°Ha, the brains of our little band. Drogna was thoughtful, kind and always helping others. People seem to only focus on the fact that he built Ellai, forgetting that he wasn''t called the King''s Hammer for no reason. Drogna was a terror on the battlefield, his strength for a non mage was really quite unnatural. He was physically stronger than any of us, excluding the King himself of course.¡±


    ¡°Gods, I knew the stories, I just didn''t think they were true. Who would believe that a non-mage could do those kind of things?¡±


    Abhor growled approvingly ¡°Then you have learned a valuable lesson today. Just because someone cannot use magic does not mean that they do not have worth. Underestimate the common man at your own peril. Sometimes, they can be even more dangerous than the one who can all upon mana.¡±


    Luna nodded thoughtfully, her eyes lost as she took the lesson to heart. If there was one thing that Abhor could say about Luna, it was that she never took anything he said for granted. She was constantly trying to better herself and absorbed every lesson he taught her, memorizing them and making sure they stayed with her. In a way she reminded Abhor of Cinder, when the little girl used to follow Corus around in Ellai. Of course, her training was slightly different as, early on, it focused on getting Cin accustomed to not killing people within the city. But, in essence, it remained the same. Both girls shared the same level of desperate need to become ''more.''


    It was just at that moment that both wolves heard a noise coming from the forest and both were on their feet, Luna began to draw in mana while Abhor remained motionless. He would not act unless there was need.


    ¡°Friendly! I come in peace!¡± following the voice came a man, dressed in the furs of Coldue, the clan mark upon his neck and a bear tooth hanging by a piece of leather from his neck. The symbol of a messenger.


    Upon seeing the two naked wolf kind the man immediately turned around, his hands shaking slightly at his side. It seems he was quite young, probably sent because the seniors were too nervous.


    ¡°Do not be afraid. I will not hurt you. Give me your message and be on your way.¡± Abhor growled. Despite the fact that he was trying to be friendly, he found it hard to try and put it across in his tone. While some, like Luna, could tell when he was trying to be kind, strangers could not and the sound of Abhors gravelly voice made the messenger shake.


    ¡°Knight Abhor, I have two messages for you, one from the Knight Marwen and the other from Knight Faral. Knight Marwen is on her way with King Valant. but they go via The Red Citadel, in order to travel with Knight Cinder. Knight Faral has sent word that she will be docking in Scarl Forest, we believe that she will then travel to The Red Citadel.¡±


    ¡°Is that all? Nothing from Cinder?¡± Abhor growled again and the man''s shaking became even greater.


    ¡°No, my Lord. We are unsure whether our ambassador in The Red Citadel has informed her of the situation. But we have word from other sources that Knight Marwen and The Elven King left Callai with five hundred warriors in tow. We thought we should inform you, my Lord. It seemed strange.¡±


    ¡°Fine, you may leave.¡± Before Abhor had even finished his sentence the messenger had already taken off, disappearing into the tree''s.


    ¡°So, this is good news, Elder. All the Knight''s are heading here now.¡± Luna said eagerly, coming to stand next to her teacher.


    Abhor grunted but said nothing. Something was wrong here. Why was Marwen headed for The Red Citadel to get Cinder? She would add days onto her journey when she already knew that Faral would dock in Scarl Forest. Tt was the only way that she could safely get onto land, the rocks on the coast of Paltos offering very little in the way of a proper port. Faral would tell Cin and he was sure that she would agree to come. And why bring Valant? He had not sent word to bring him and Marwen knew that Abhor and the other Knight''s had little time for the former champion of the church. Then there was the soldiers. The royal guard in Callai had a standing force of five hundred warriors, why would she think that she needed so many?


    ¡°Luna, change. We head for The Red Citadel.¡±


    Luna''s jaw dropped ¡°Elder!? Why? The Knight''s are on their way, shouldn''t we wait for them?¡±


    Abhor wanted to stay but something in his gut was screaming at him. They needed to go to The Red Citadel now.


    ¡°Something''s happening, pup, and I don''t like it. Marwen doesn''t act without thought and I never mentioned anything about bringing a small army with her, plus she didn''t mention it in her message. She''s heading directly towards Cinder, with Valant in tow. This could be bad. Those two have been having more and more problems since Corus died. It might be nothing, but if it is, then we all come back here together. If it''s something, I''ll just have to knock their heads together until they see sense. I''ve done it before, I''ll do it again. We make for Scarl Forest.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Seven: Recovery

    Chapter Thirty Seven: Recovery


    Mahalis woke up.


    The first thing he felt was the pain. An intense burning in his gut that made him immediately curl up in place, wrapping his arms around his stomach as he moaned. His eyes were tightly shut, his body shaking with the agony.


    He couldn''t remember why he felt this way. He didn''t even remember where he was, all he knew was that something terrible had happened. Why hadn''t he been healed? Where was Hilin, where was Kara? His shaking became greater and he heard voices, distant though they were some small part of him strained to here them, even as the rest of him continued to be eroded by wave after wave of torment.


    ¡°Healer! He''s awake! What;s wrong with him, why is he thrashing like this?¡±


    The voice he knew all too well. He listened to it often, in reality and in his dreams. Kara. The princess of Keltano and his friend.


    He heard the sounds of footsteps and then someone was pressing their hands on him, trying to hold him in place, but the pain was too great and Mahalis fought to get away. The small, rational part of his mind told him that they were trying to help him, but the larger irrational side wanted nothing more than to escape, from the suffering and the person who had caused it.


    ¡°I don''t know what''s wrong, we''ve tried everything. The healing is working but very slowly. We need to keep him in bed. Who knows how much damage he could do to himself if he gets up too soon.¡±


    Mahalis'' thrashing intensified as he began to hit the person that the hands belonged to. He needed to get away, needed to escape. He couldn''t stay here. He couldn''t stay here!


    ¡°Mahalis, it''s Kara, you have to remain calm. Please, if you move too soon you''re going to hurt yourself.¡± That soothing voice appeared again and he felt soft hands place themselves on his face. For a moment, he faltered, the rational mind coming to the forefront as Kara''s hands pressed against him and put him at ease. Then he saw something. It was a flash, an image, passing through his mind so fast that he could barely make sense of it. But make sense of it he did, and that image terrified him.


    He saw a young man, brown hair and bright green eyes. Those eyes were filled with a fury that could destroy armies while his face was taunt with barely contained wrath. The energy that rolled off of him was immense, pressing down on Mahalis, pushing into his own aura and decimating it. Mahalis was screaming but his cries were silent, he couldn''t get his body to obey him. Then he felt himself be reduced to nothing and the image disappeared. Mahalis screamed.


    ¡°We need to put him to sleep! Bring me some Farothian herb, now!¡±


    Mahalis began to jump in his place, pushing against the hands of both Kara and the Healer, the green eyes of the man who had done this to him seemed to burn their way back into his brain and he felt his aura begin to shiver and contract at the thought of seeing him again.


    ¡°Healer, he''s drawing mana! We need to knock him out now!¡±


    ¡°Just a second, I need to grind the herb, you need to keep him in that bed!¡±


    Mahalis felt someone leap on top of him straddling him and pushing his flailing body back down onto the bed. He fought as hard as he could, trying to stop this attacker from causing him more pain, but this person was stronger than him and he felt his arms be forced back down to the bed even as he continued to shake his head violently, trying to give himself something to work with. He wouldn''t give up, he would escape this place. He would make it back to his mother and father.


    ¡°Open his mouth!¡± came a cry from Mahalis'' right.


    Hearing the sound the elven prince immediately locked his mouth shut even as hands tried to pry it open. Those same hands had earlier soothed him, but now they burned like molten fire.


    ¡°Be careful! We have to make sure he doesn''t accidentally bite off his tongue!¡± Said the same voice, closer than before.


    It was then that he felt that other pair of hands help the first. His defences were broken, his mouth pulled open and a thick and bitter substance was poured in.


    Before he could even think of spitting it out, the hands clamped over his mouth, preventing him from doing so. It wasn''t long before he was forced to swallow and the effects of the herb began to show themselves. His thrashing stopped and his body went limp.


    ¡°Don''t worry, I''m right here. I''m right here.¡± The voice of Kara came from the abyss to comfort him once more, her soft hand stroking his hair as he fell, once again, into unconsciousness.


    * * *


    It was with slow and painful movements that Mahalis finally managed to open his eyes.


    Every action was an effort and followed swiftly by an acute and terrible pain. Thankfully, the pain did not last for long and, after a few minutes of gently moving in place to evaluate the state of his body, He was finally able to see once more.


    He was in a large room, the soft carpet and lit fireplace made the place seem rather homey. Reminding him of his quarters in Callai. He felt a stab of homesickness in his heart but swallowed the discomfort and examined the rest of the room.


    His bed was soft and large, plain white sheets covered his body which, he now realised, was naked. He spun in place, seeing a small table next to his bed which had a piece of parchment and what appeared to be a used mortar and pestle. The large door was closed and, he would assume, locked. If what he could remember of being awake before was true, then they would no doubt take every precaution in making sure that he didn''t leave the room prematurely.


    It was as he looked to the other side of the room that he stopped cold, an instant sweat developing on the back of his neck.


    Kara was in his bedroom.


    She was curled up on the large chair that stood next to the bed, asleep and looking at peace. Furela leaned against her makeshift bed, the sword paying no attention to the young prince. Not like it had done to Corus.


    Corus.


    And like that, Mahalis remembered how he had ended up in this room. He remembered Cinder calling his mother a bitch, he remembered Corus walking into the room. And he remembered speaking, although he couldn''t quite recall what he said. He knew he was angry, so angry that even Cinder''s glowing eyes didn''t affect him.


    He said something, something that caused Corus to become mad and... well, Mahalis had ended up in this bed.


    The young prince sighed, then hissed as releasing the sound caused him another bout of pain. This, unfortunately, woke a still sleeping Kara from her slumber.


    She looked around for a second, her hand unconsciously going to Furela''s hilt before her tired eyes fell open Mahalis. Her eyes widened with surprise before being replaced by joy and she leapt from her place in the chair, wrapping her arms firmly around his neck and burying her head into his shoulder. Mahalis enjoyed the unexpected welcome so much, he decided to tolerate the pain.


    ¡°Gods, you''re ok. We thought that you would never wake up.¡± Her voice sounded like it was cracking, but Mahalis wasn''t sure if that was the truth or his imagination running wild.


    The Elven Prince patted her back awkwardly ¡°It''s ok, Kara, I''m fine, nothing wrong with me, I''m fighting fit.¡± each word caused Mahalis pain, but he pushed hard against it, forcing it to the back of his mind. He really didn''t want to ruin this moment.


    Kara pulled back, releasing her hold on him which almost caused him to release a sigh of relief but she didn''t leave her place on the bed, her face directly in front of his, her eyes looking deeply into his own.


    ¡°Are you sure you''re ok? It''s been three days since the Throne Room. You woke up once yesterday but you kept thrashing about and punching everyone.¡±


    ¡°I know... I remember.¡± Mahalis said, his eyes falling from Kara''s. ¡°I thought you were trying to hurt me. If I caused you pain, I''m sorry.¡±


    Kara suddenly released a laugh and got off the bed, taking her place on her chair, pulling Furela up and onto her lap. ¡°Worried about you hurting me? No. I''ve never been worried about that. Me hurting you on the other hand? Well, that''s a different story.¡±


    Mahalis chuckled at that, then winced and pressed a hand to his side as a jagged pain lanced through his ribs.


    Kara''s soft smile immediately disappeared as she leaned forwards, her expression one of concern.


    ¡°Should I go and get the healer? He should be around here somewhere, it''s pretty late, but I''m sure I could find him.¡±


    Mahalis raised a hand ¡°No, please... just stay. I don''t really want to be alone right now.¡±


    The First Daughter of Keltano hesitated for a second, before she nodded and leaned back in her chair. A smile reappearing on her face. Honestly, Mahalis had never seen her smile so much.


    ¡°So... how is everyone else? Are they ok?¡±


    Kara sighed ¡°Yes, everyone is fine. After The King did that to you, he just walked out. We took you to the healer but he said that he had never seen damage like what you had experienced. It was like your aura was ripped to shreds. He said that it shouldn''t have been possible to do something like that. He could heal the physical damage, the broken bones and internal bleeding. The aura... he said all he could do was wait. See what happened.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Mahalis, upon hearing her words, furrowed his eyebrows and gently reached out to his aura. It was a surreal experience. His father had taught him that aura couldn''t be damaged, that it was an intrinsic part of you until death. But with his examinations he now found that was not the case.


    His aura looked almost black, like it was bruised. It used to be quite large but now it was a shadow of it''s former self, the pulse of energy so small as to be insignificant. He reached for mana but immediately gave a cry of agony as his head felt like it was being stabbed by a thousand daggers, he clamped his hands to the sides of his head and fought back the tears that had begun to appear around the corners of his eyes.


    Kara was there instantly, her own hands pressing against his as he continued to cry out, the pain fading slowly, but that wasn''t the most painful part of this. His aura was damaged, and his ability to draw upon mana. He was without magic.


    ¡°What did he do to me?!¡± Mahalis cried, his body shaking.


    Kara squeezed his hands gently ¡°I don''t know. Lor and Dran went to go and find him, to try and bring him back to fix this. But he said that he wouldn''t help. That you needed to learn some respect. But he did say your aura would heal with time.¡±


    That small nugget of hope helped to stem the tide of depression that threatened to engulf the young prince. But it was quickly replaced by anger at the injustice of being put in this bed.


    ¡°So everyone is convinced that the man in the mask is The Rebel King, huh?¡± He couldn''t help but sound slightly bitter as the words left his mouth.


    Kara''s lips became a taut line as she glowered at him ¡°Perhaps you don''t see it, Mahalis. But it''s true. The King has returned and we are his Knight Descendants. Which means that we serve him until our deaths. It''s our purpose.¡±


    ¡°But how do you know? How can you possibly be sure that it''s really him? You heard him, Kara, he wants to hurt my parents! Why would the King of the Rebel Court want to hurt them? They were both members of his order!¡±


    Kara gave a heavy sigh and returned to her seat, glaring at the prince.


    ¡°Did you not stop to think that we don''t know the whole story about The Rebel Court, Mahalis? Did you ever once stop and wonder how the King died, for instance? He''s back, four hundred years later and him and Cinder seem very annoyed with Knight Marwen and King Valant. Could there be something in that? Something that we''re not seeing because we don''t know the whole story?¡±


    ¡°Wow, you''ve really thought about this haven''t you? What are you suggesting Kara? That my parents had something to do with the death of the Rebel King? Don''t be absurd, my mother and father were his strongest supporters!¡±


    Kara shook her head ¡°That''s what you believe. But I know that Heilvol didn''t think so, neither did Drogna, Faral, Abhor and especially not Cinder. Valant was the Court''s enemy and then, suddenly, he decides to stop being a champion and come to Ellai to rescue the order? Then he and Marwen were the last people to see The King alive? Do you not think it sounds a bit too convenient?¡±


    Mahalis snorted, showing very clearly his disdain ¡°I don''t believe for one second that''s the case. If you had heard what I''ve heard, Kara, you wouldn''t believe that my parents had anything to do with this. My mother loved the man, she tells me stories about him all the time and my father as well! I bet that he told you all this, didn''t he? Told you that my parents caused his death?


    Kara looked at him with wide eyes ¡°Do you know how crazy you sound? Of course he didn''t. Do you know why? Because I''ve been in this room, waiting for you to wake up! I just put two and two together, Mahalis. I believe now that Marwen and Valant had a lot more to do with Corus'' death than they were letting on and I believe that the man who is here, in this very castle, is the same King who died centuries ago.¡±


    For a moment there was silence between the two friends, the air itself charged with tension as each attempted to calm down. Part of Mahalis knew that there was something to what Kara was saying, but the greater part of him refused to believe it. His parents were always good to him and if she could see the look on his mother''s face when she talked about Corus, she wouldn''t believe that there was any chance that she anything to do with his death.


    As much as Mahalis hated to admit it, he was sure his mother still had feelings for The Rebel King. Her eyes always seemed to brighten when she talked about him and talking of his death would leave her in a dark depression for days at a time. Valant had often told Mahalis that Corus was angry and upset that Marwen had chosen him instead of her King, but that he was a good man regardless of his feelings.


    ¡°I won''t let Corus hurt my parents, Kara. I will stop him, I swear this to you now.¡± Mahalis said quietly, his voice barely a whisper as he looked down at his clenched hands, resting on the white sheets of his bed.


    Kara snorted in disdain ¡°There is no need to pretend to be a hero for my benefit, Mahalis. You couldn''t stop Corus even if you were ten times as powerful as you are now. No, let''s make that twenty. Whatever happens will happen, with or without your say so. But it is good that you''re finally beginning to accept that he is your King. A step in the right direction.


    Mahalis looked up at Kara with blazing eyes ¡°He may be what he says he is. He may be The Rebel King, but he is not my king. I will not follow a man who wishes to cause pain to those I love.¡±


    It was at this point that the lock on the door clicked and opened, causing both of the Descendants to look up from their spots to see the familiar figures of Lor and Dran, the latter carrying a large flagon of ale in his large hand.


    Lor stopped as soon as he entered the room, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked from Kara to Mahalis and then back again.


    ¡°Dran my dwarven friend, it appears we have walked into an argument blooming between our two love birds. Perhaps we should take our leave?¡±


    Dran grumbled ¡°Maybe you''re right, Lor. But I''ve this drink that needs drunk, how about we sit in the corner and watch?¡±


    Lor nodded enthusiastically ¡°Excellent idea, old boy. To the corner!¡±


    Kara and Mahalis blushed a deep red before they looked at each other. Unable to contain themselves they each released a laugh at their idiotic friends. The issues of the day were not concluded, not by a long shot. But both friends had enough of arguing. Mahalis had just woken up after barely surviving a near death experience, perhaps it was time for a little down time before they began to debate anew.


    ¡°Ah, it seems that the argument is over... well, shit. I suppose that now they will want to share in our valuable and precious drink... couple of bastards.¡± Lor said, shaking his head bitterly.


    ¡°You are absolutely right we do.¡± Kara said, jumping up and yanking the drink from Dran''s hand, lifting it to her lips and taking a healthy gulp before she passed the ale hesitantly to Mahalis, who accepted it with the same level of apprehension.


    ¡°So, how you feeling, Mahalis? In any pain?¡± Dran asked as he replaced Kara in the seat next to the bed.


    ¡°I''ve been better, Dran. But it''s not so bad. It just hurts when I talk, when I move or when I laugh. So nothing really to worry about.¡±


    Dran looked at his friend with a sagely expression ¡°Drink more, noble prince. Soon you''ll be up and dancing the night away, that shits no joke. It''s dwarven brew we found in the cellar. No idea where Queen Cinder got a hold of it, but I think it would do more good in your belly.¡±


    Mahalis lifted the flagon in toast and took yet another swig, only to have it snatched away by the cocky half elf.


    ¡°Here''s to you, Mahalis. You''re one crazy mother fucker, standing up to Cinder and Corus like that. But I respect it none the less.¡± Lor said with a lop sided grin and downed a portion of the ale, throwing the substance to Dran.


    ¡°Aye, was pretty insane, that. But maybe you don''t do it again? I mean, it wasn''t pretty even watching that beating you got, I can''t imagine what it felt like.¡±


    Mahalis grunted and yanked the ale from Dran, noticing the very pointed look that Kara was giving him.


    ¡°So, any news? What''s happening in the castle?¡± Mahalis asked, desperate to move the subject away from the humiliating defeat he had suffered at the hands of The Rebel King.


    Dran shrugged ¡°Well, Cinder has been in meetings a lot so we''ve been talking with Palite and Bell for the most part. We met the rest of Bell''s crew, the one''s we fought in Ellai. Beautiful lassies. And strong. Lor tried it on with the wolf kind but had to stop when she almost knocked him out.¡±


    Lor spluttered in protest ¡°Now that''s not fair! I was only speaking with her for a few minutes and-¡±


    ¡°And she already decided that you''re a piece of shit? Wow, that''s fast work even for you, Lor.¡± Kara said sarcastically, drawing a laugh from Dran while Lor muttered and sank back against a wall.


    ¡°Oh, did you know Corus has begun to train them? Can you imagine?! Those girls are learning what our parents learned! I hope he lets me join them.¡± Lor said excitedly, his eyes filled with the promise of power.


    Mahalis grunted again ¡°I don''t see why we would need training from him. Our parents are more than enough. In fact, I reckon that my mother could beat Corus any day of the week.¡±


    Lor looked at Mahalis for a brief moment, his eyelids blinking rapidly, before he released a laugh that filled the room and went on for some time. His eyes streamed with tears as Dran joined him, unable to stop himself from the infectious nature of the act.


    When the prince of the sea finally managed to get a hold of himself he smiled at Mahalis, his face a blazing red.


    ¡°That was a good one, Mahalis. But seriously, I''ve seen your mothers aura, I''ve seen your fathers. I''ve seen my own mothers many times and you know what? There is nothing that could outdo that ridiculous shit that we saw in that throne room and in Ellai. Our parents are good, but Corus is the best. And we''re his Descendants! We''ll serve under him and he''ll teach us to be his new generation of Knight''s. It''s going to be fucking amazing!¡±


    Mahalis looked at the flagon in his hand, his fingers tightly wrapped around it ¡°Yeah... amazing.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shit! We forgot to tell you!¡± Lor suddenly said, snapping his fingers.


    ¡°What?¡± Mahalis said, looking up from his place, suddenly his heart was filled with trepidation.


    ¡°Your mother and father are coming! Cinder received word from a source in Callai last night. Their on their way, bringing the whole royal guard with them. Apparently it''s something to do with Abhor. And my mother''s on the way too! Although she''ll arrive a bit later. This time of year, the seas are unpredictable. Isn''t it amazing! All the Knight''s, bar Abhor, are going to be here, plus The Rebel King. Honestly, you couldn''t make this shit up, who knew we would be in this situation when we first set out for Ellai?¡±


    For a moment Mahalis was silent as his heartbeat increased and a cold sweat developing on his body.


    His mother and father were coming to The Red Citadel? With five hundred of the royal guard? That''s every warrior in the palace.


    ¡°You said Cinder received this information from a source? Are you saying that Knight Marwen did not send word?¡± Kara asked, her facial expression returning to it''s standard frosty self.


    Lor looked confused ¡°No, she didn''t. Well, Knight Cinder said that someone from Callai had told her but that it wasn''t from the palace. Why? Is that important?¡±


    Kara said nothing but her face paled, she turned and looked at Mahalis, who stared back at her with the same expression, his eyes frightened.


    ¡°How long will it take them to get here, Lor?¡± Mahalis whispered, his eyes never leaving Kara''s own.


    ¡°I have no idea. Dran?¡±


    The dwarf was watching the exchange curiously ¡°They''ve already been on the road for four days. About two more, if they don''t have problems along the route. Their using magic so it''ll probably be then, might be sooner.¡±


    ¡°I need you to take me to Corus, now.¡± Mahalis said, his eyes pleading with Kara''s.


    She looked like she was hesitating.


    ¡°Please, Kara. My mother must know that Corus is here, she knows and she sent no word. Do you know what that means? Five hundred of her elite guard are more than enough to breach The Red Citadel before reinforcements arrive, especially if it will only take two days to get here. Please. I have to speak with him, convince him to let me talk to her and my father before this gets out of hand.¡±


    Kara looked at him for second, her eyes filled with indecision.


    ¡°So, you believe me now? I told you that your parents had more to do with this than you thought. This just proves it.¡± She didn''t say it harshly, but gently, as if trying to ease him into it.


    Mahalis took a deep breath ¡°I still don''t believe your theory. But there is no reason for my mother not to send word if this was a peaceful visit. If she somehow knows Corus is back and had something to do with his death, like you say, then this could end badly for everyone. Or this is all a huge misunderstanding, like I said, and nothing bad will happen when they arrive. But to be safe, I need to be the first person to speak to them. Please, Kara. I need your help."


    Kara nodded and gave him a gentle smile ¡°Ok, let''s go see The King.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Eight: The Truth

    Chapter Thirty Eight: The Truth


    ¡°She''s on her way, Father.¡±


    Cinder was looking at me as she said the words, an indecipherable expression on her beautiful face as she stared at me over the table in my quarters, even as I filled up the glass with my blood for her breakfast. I know what she was thinking even if she liked to think that I couldn''t read her.


    She was scared.


    But not for the reasons that would customarily scare a person. No, Cinder was afraid that I wouldn''t hold my end of the promise, that I wouldn''t let her hurt Marwenna out of some misplaced sense of loyalty. She was right to be worried, of course. As much as I knew it was necessary to allow Cinder to hurt Marwenna that didn''t make it any easier.


    ¡°I know, Cin. We continue as planned. We''ll go out and meet her army before it reaches the Red Citadel.¡± I said quietly as I finished filling the wine glass.


    Cin looked at me for a few more seconds before she nodded and delicately picked up the glass, downing it in one massive gulp and placing it down in front of me again. She was hungry today, this would be her sixth cup, but I did as she wanted and immediately began to fill it once again.


    ¡°Are you worried? You shouldn''t be. Faral will be here soon as well. Once she knows it will be hard to stop her from laying down some justice of her own.¡± Cinder said, I doubt she noticed the massive and savage grin that crossed her face at the thought of the violence and bloodshed to come. I couldn''t help but return her smile with a wry one of my own creation. My daughter was a ferocious being capable of doing all manner of unspeakable things, but with her smile I could still see the little girl who used to walk beside me through the streets of Ellai, one of her tiny hands wrapped firmly in the cloth of my cloak, her eyes looking about with wonder.


    ¡°Well, if all goes to plan, Faral won''t be here for our battle and I''ll be able to talk her down and convince her later on not to teach any more lessons. I believe that we will be enough for this little outing.¡± I replied as I finished filling another cup, sliding it across the table to the eager hands of my daughter.


    ¡°I''m glad. Too many of us going would mean less time for me which would be a shame. Can you believe her though? She brought her whole royal guard with her, all of them were trained by Valant but that doesn''t mean shit. Can she honestly think that they''ll be enough to protect her and her precious husband?¡± Cin said with disgust.


    I smiled ¡°No. Marwenna no doubt knows that the guard would be unable to stop either one of us, never mind both. If I had to guess, I would think that Valant was the one who insisted on bringing them. He never knew us that well and is unfamiliar with our powers. Perhaps he thinks it is a lie and only brings them as a precautionary measure? I''m unsure to say the least. Everything''s up in the air right now. But what I can say for certain is that Vitriss has visited her. It''s the only explanation for her sudden decision to come here. Even if Abhor sent a request for you all to meet.¡±


    That''s right. Another issue I would have to deal with. Cinder had met with the Palton Ambassador a few days ago and he had clearly stated that Abhor had found something to do with Samedus Exovan. This wasn''t a coincidence. I''m back for all of two weeks and I happen across something directly connected to the man that Vitriss wants me to kill? This shit is giving me a fucking headache.


    As I think that, my hands unconsciously find my forehead and I let loose a large sigh. I couldn''t make heads or tails of any of this. For now, I would focus on what I could fix. Which was the approaching horde spawned from within Callai. I would deal with Marwenna and Valant and then with Abhor and his problem.


    ¡°How is Abhor anyway? What has become of him since I went away?¡± I asked, partly to change the subject and partly because I had never asked about any of my Knight''s since I had arrived here. I had far too much to do, things to sort out, and I had never had the chance to sit down with Cinder and talk about our old comrades. Guilt ate away at me for not asking about Heilvol and Drogna, but I don''t think I was ready for that. My friends were dead and gone, centuries ago. I wouldn''t get anywhere by standing about and moping.


    Cinder suddenly looked down at her lap, a shameful expression crossing her face, one I knew very well. Cin was feeling regret.


    ¡°I know little, Father. I''m sorry. What I do know was through talking with ambassador''s of Paltos that have been stationed here over the years. After the First Hunt, Abhor and I didn''t speak. It was a hard day. He was so angry at me, kept roaring and telling me that this wasn''t what you wanted. That I was better than to hunt my own citizens.¡±


    ¡°Well, to be fair, he was right, little one. You are better than that. I thought I had taught you better than that.¡± I said firmly, giving her a stern stare, which she was unable to match.


    ¡°I know. But I was just... angry. After Ellai fell, everyone left. Abhor was the first. He didn''t even say goodbye to anyone, he just left the city that very night. He was in pain. He owed you everything and he felt that it was his fault you were dead. I know he was keeping tabs on me when I left to go my own way. Perhaps he wanted to make sure I was okay. But then the hunt happened and we ended up fighting. Like I said, it was a hard day.¡±


    #


    I nodded and took the glass back from her, filling it up again. She hadn''t asked for more, but Cin would never say no to blood. Her hunger for it was never stated, merely contained.


    ¡°I''m sorry that it all happened like that, Cinder. I thought you all would stick together. It was one of the few things that gave me comfort as I floated in that nothingness between living and death.¡±


    Cin looked up and gave me a bitter smile. ¡°I thought so too. But it seems that things are never as set as we would like them to be. Without you, we all crumbled. Some of us felt guilty, others were just in mourning. But, in the end, we all abandoned each other, lost in our own personal grief.¡±


    I said nothing as I filled the glass and passed it back to her, but she didn''t touch it, her eyes were lost, drifting back to a time, centuries ago, when all had looked lost.


    ¡°On a positive note, I discovered that Abhor did take a pupil some years ago. She was a young thing I believe, from Clan Coldue.¡±


    A pupil? Abhor a teacher? I thought back on my memories of the savage wolf kind and nodded with a smile on my face. Abhor would make a good Elder, his temperament in later years was closer to Heilvol''s and my own rather than his original brand of fearful aggression. He always seemed like he was barely containing his savage nature, but anyone who saw him with Cinder would doubt that. He was Cin''s teacher almost as much as I was and he always made time for her. Of course, that changed the day that she beat him in combat, something he never stopped complaining about.


    ¡°That''s good. Abhor will make a good teacher, he taught you quite a bit, as I remember.¡± I said with a grin, the image of a young Cin riding the massive wolf kind while Drogna tried to hit her off with his hammer leaped into my mind.


    Cinder knew exactly what I was thinking about because she too looked like she was containing her laughter, but it died quickly and her eyes were filled with curiosity.


    ¡°So how will we handle this, Father? You still haven''t told me how you wish to deal with Marwen and Valant?¡±


    So, back on topic it seems.


    I sighed ¡°I''m going to ask Marwenna a question. The outcome of this entire ordeal will hinge on her answer.¡±


    Cinder raised an eyebrow ¡° Oh? And what is this question?¡±


    I smiled ¡°I''m going to keep this one a secret for now, Cinder. Just trust me, okay?¡±


    The vampire looked like she was about to protest but after a few seconds of squirming she gave me a nod and quickly downed the remaining blood.


    ¡°Okay, but tell me this. How do you know that Vitriss visited Marwen? Yes, she''s on the way, but it could be just to get me on the way to see Abhor. How can you possibly know that she is aware of your return?¡± Cin asked curiously.


    ¡°It''s rather obvious really. First, She left Ellai and brought her entire guard with her, or Valant did. That clearly shows that he''s afraid that she will be hurt as a result of this expedition. Secondly, she sent no word ahead of her that she will be coming. If I had to guess, that was also an idea put forth by Valant. It was idiotic but perhaps he underestimated your spies within his country. Thirdly, and this is the most important, I recently discovered that Mahalis is no longer in possession of The Angelis.¡±


    Cinder gasped slightly as her eyes blazed with clarity ¡°Fuck, I never realised that.¡±


    I nodded ¡°Yes. Marwenna never really has cause to draw her sword unless she believes what she faces is a legitimate threat. She has always been a master of ranged combat and very little would be powerful enough to get through her guard. Even we would find such a task troublesome. I believe it was an emotional reaction. She called for The Angelis because she was angry, no, because she was furious. Putting these things together means that Vitriss returned, told Marwenna where I was and revealed that she had been lied too.¡±


    Cinder nodded, her eyes lost in thought.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°So this fucking Goddess told Marwen the truth and then, what, sends her towards you? Didn''t you say that she wouldn''t tell anyone you had returned to Vita?¡±


    I grinned ¡°I changed the rules on that one. I decided to go and see my Knight''s almost as soon as I got back. I have a theory that, for some reason, Vitriss cannot communicate with me while I''m in Vita. Not only that, she can''t ensure that I''ll do as she commands, which puts her at a large disadvantage. Anything else would be speculation, but I think this shit is much bigger than I originally thought. Something else is happening, behind the scenes.¡±


    ¡°But why send her at all? Vitriss must have a purpose behind this?¡±


    ¡°I think that she wants Marwenna to deliver a message on her behalf or give me something. I''m unsure which but it doesn''t matter. I''ll figure it out when she gets here.¡±


    Cinder let loose a massive sigh and leaned backwards in her chair, her eyes closed as she suddenly looked exhausted


    ¡°Can''t we just have peace for once? Why must there always be another struggle, another battle to be fought. Can''t they all just leave you alone? Haven''t you done enough to save Vita?¡±


    I smiled sadly and rose from my seat before pulling Cin out of hers, wrapping my arms around the young woman and bringing her for a hug which she gladly returned.


    ¡°One day, hopefully, little one. We''ll be left to our own devices and allowed some small measure of peace.¡± I said the words, but I didn''t believe them, they were more for Cinder''s benefit than for anything else.


    In truth, I stand by the words I had once said to Faral so many years ago. There will always be another enemy for me to fight. Always be a threat that requires the intervention of The Rebel King. It''s just how my life turned out. I''m not bitter about it, nor am I upset. In truth, I enjoy it. The constant fighting, the life on the road with no real home to call my own. I fight to ensure that everyone I care about is safe, I fight to ensure the safety of this continent. Whether it be against the Church, Samedus Exovan or Vitriss, I''ll die in service to something greater than myself.


    It was then that there was a knock on the door, forcing Cin and I to separate.


    ¡°Enter.¡±


    The door creaked open slowly, almost as if those on the other side were hesitant to enter. When it swung open I was not surprised to see who had come to visit me. In fact, I had been expecting it for some time.


    Into my room walked the Knight Descendants, all four of them and every single one of them looking nervous as all hell. Dran and Lor were the first to enter, their eyes casting themselves around the room and not meeting my steady gaze, before they moved to the side to reveal Kara, who was currently supporting the prince of the Elven Empire.


    I felt no regret about what I had done to Mahalis. The little shit should''ve known better than to get on my bad side, even if he wasn''t convinced that I was the Rebel King. Out of all of them, he looked the most afraid, his face pale and sweating while his eyes kept jumping around the room and slipping out of focus. This could''ve been due to his injuries but I didn''t believe that. His physical body was fine, the healer had confirmed as much. It was his aura which had suffered the most from my attack. Something I hadn''t intended but it''s what happens when an overwhelmingly powerful aura comes into direct contact with one much smaller than itself. The good news was that he wouldn''t have to put up with it for long. I could heal it, I had done so before, but the boy needed to learn a lesson. It would take time, but he would heal and perhaps be a little wiser for it.


    ¡°Knight Descendants.¡± I said, with a nod of my head, Cin merely grinning at my side and staring at Mahalis.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Three of them shouted, Mahalis missing the mark. His face grew a little bit paler but I merely smiled at him. The boy had suffered enough, I wasn''t one to hammer my subordinates into submission.


    ¡°Thank you all for coming as I requested, although I expected the young prince to be in bed for the next few days.¡±


    Kara nodded her head, her eyes fixed firmly on my boots ¡°Forgive us, your Majesty, but Descendant Mahalis wanted desperately to speak with you. If it pleases you, we will leave now.¡±


    I shook my head ¡°Do not be absurd, you are here and welcome. Please, Kara, help Mahalis into that chair and I''ll be with you in a moment, I must see off Knight Cinder.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your Majesty.¡± Mahalis hit the mark this time and all four of them bowed deeply, although Kara and Mahalis were hampered by each other.


    Cinder said nothing but followed me out of the room, her gaze not leaving Mahalis for one second. Her eyes were not glowing, but that did nothing to remove the threat of a painful death that remained etched within.


    Once we had both left the room and were out of earshot of the four Knight Descendants I turned to face Cinder to discover her face was clearly set in a grimace.


    ¡°And why, oh dear Father, am I not staying for this little audience with the children?¡±


    I smiled at her ¡°Because, dearest daughter, you scare the shit out of them and it will be easier to have an honest conversation if you weren''t constantly staring daggers at Mahalis.¡±


    Cin grunted in a very ungraceful way ¡°Fine. I understand. I have to go and see Palite anyway, she''s having trouble with some of the nobles and I have to organise this stupid ball.¡±


    I kissed the girl on the forehead, causing her expression to soften slightly ¡°Thank you, Cin. I''ll come and see you as soon as I''m done here, we''ll head out tomorrow night to meet Marwenna, I think. If all goes well, we''ll see her in two days.¡±


    The Vampire Queen''s eyes lit up slightly at the prospect of seeing our old friend again, although for very violent reasons, and she almost skipped away, but managed to contain herself.


    I chuckled lightly as I watched her go before I turned and made my way back inside the room to see Mahalis sitting on the chair that Cinder had once occupied, staring at the empty blood stained glass in front of him while the others stood around him in a tight formation.


    I had suspected in Ellai that they weren''t used to working together as a unit, but the way they moved around each other now made it clear that they much closer as friends. It was a good thing. Together they could achieve much more than alone.


    I nodded to each of them in turn before returning to my seat across the small table, staring directly at Mahalis who avoided my eyes. We sat like that for a few moments before I decided that I had let them squirm enough.


    ¡°Well, I''m glad you''re all here. I know you would like to speak, Mahalis. But it will have to wait until I have finished. I have a feeling I know what you will ask, but I would like to speak first so that you understand things a bit better. Know that I don''t want to harm you, nor do I wish to cause you any indirect pain.¡± I stated clearly, looking at the young prince.


    He raised his eyes to meet mine. I could clearly see the anger that was contained within, anger that I could understand completely. But there was something else within there as well, a hesitation, a desperation to know what was going on. He bowed his head low, obviously he had taken the lesson he had learned in the throne room to heart, or he was a terrific actor.


    I cleared my throat ¡°Know that I loved your mother dearly, Mahalis. She was my most trusted General, my oldest serving Knight. But she was deceived. Manipulated by an ancient Goddess that I had thought was a mere fable. Marwenna was controlled by magic of the Mind. She killed me, with your father in tow.¡±


    Gasps were heard as the Knight Descendants all stared at me. Kara looked the least surprised but her face did pale when I stated clearly the secret that she had suspected was truth.


    Mahalis'' face didn''t change, nor did it move from its place staring at the empty glass. I couldn''t see his hands but I know that they were curled into fists under the table. I hoped that he had the sense to not attack me. I hoped the others had the sense not to aid him. I would not tolerate his antics a second time.


    ¡°Once I was killed, your mother and father told the lie that I had died during the battle in Ellai, something that I believe your father instigated shortly after my death to ensure that the lie was sold properly. He alone would be the only one with the power to bring together such an army of the faithful. Gorvo Nali had been dead some weeks by then, and leadership of the church fell to Valant as champion.¡±


    I leaned forwards at this point, causing Mahalis to look up in surprise, his eyes filled with anger and confusion.


    ¡°I understand that this is a lot for you to accept. I''m not asking you to believe me, but it is the truth.¡±


    Mahalis stared for a long second, his eyes not leaving mine before he gave a curt nod and returned his gaze to the the glass, unmoving like his stoic companions that stood behind him.


    ¡°I believe that Vitriss, the same Goddess who manipulated your mother, has told her that I am here and has also revealed that she was controlled. It is why I believe The Angelis left you. I believe your mother called it back to try and kill Vitriss. She failed. I know this because I failed. Your mother and father know I am here and are coming here to speak with me. Of that I am certain.¡±


    Mahalis suddenly looked up again, hope in his eyes ¡°Then if she was manipulated, controlled like you say she was, then there is no need to hurt her, or my father. They must have both been under control, please, you mustn''t hurt them.¡±


    I shook my head and Mahalis'' expression fell ¡°It is out of my hands now. Cinder is correct in wanting to punish your mother. She may have been controlled by Vitriss, but that means little when she abandoned The Court and married the enemy. I would like it to be different. But this will end in violence.¡±


    Mahalis'' eyes became stones ¡°But what of Abhor, Faral and Cinder? All three left Drogna and Heilvol to manage The Court and go their own way!¡±


    Lor looked at Mahalis sharply ¡°My mother left the Court because she believed that Corus had fallen in battle, she couldn''t stay. She wouldn''t. For that matter, if it hadn''t been for your fucking parents she would''ve stayed with The Rebel Court!¡±


    I raised a hand to stop the inevitable argument. ¡°No more fighting among each other, please. Cinder left because everyone left her. Despite the fact that I told both your mother, Lor, and yours, Mahalis, to take care of her. She left so she wouldn''t become a burden on Drogna and Heilvol. I will deal with Abhor and Faral when I see them, but the fact remains. Marwenna and Valant betrayed everything I loved, burned Ellai to the ground and told a lie that caused The Court to fracture and break apart. Not as a result of any manipulation, but because of their own guilt. It was a result of Vitriss'' control, but they did it of their own free will.¡±


    ¡°You can''t know that! You don''t know if that was what this Goddess wanted from the beginning!¡± Mahalis cried, his hand grasped his side as he winced in pain. It seems that this conversation was taking a lot out of him.


    I smiled ¡°You are absolutely right. I can''t know that this wasn''t just Vitriss. Which is why when I see Marwenna, I''m going to ask her a question. Her fate, and the fate of your father, will depend solely on her answer.¡±


    ¡°What question?¡± Mahalis whispered.


    ¡°What would you like to ask me, Mahalis?¡± I asked, ignoring what he had just said as I leaned back in my chair and smiled at the young prince.


    He stared back for a second before looking down, I could see him try to control the panic contained within his eyes.


    ¡°Your Majesty, if I may be so bold. Descendant Mahalis and rest of us would like to go and meet Knight Marwen on the road, convince her to abandon her army and come with us peacefully. We only ask that leniency will be shown should they come quietly.¡± Kara said in a neutral voice, causing Mahalis to look up at her in surprise, before his eyes found mine again, waiting for my answer.


    I smiled again, I had suspected as much.


    ¡°If that is what you wish, but you must leave immediately. I swear to treat Marwenna and Valant fairly should they come and meet Cinder and myself without issue. But if they do bring their army, I will destroy it and take them anyway. Marwenna already knows I am capable of this, it will not be her you need to convince, but Valant. Are you sure you are willing to do this?¡±


    Mahalis went to speak but the others filled in for him ¡°We are, your Majesty!¡± The young prince turned and looked at his friends, his feelings of gratitude shining clearly on his face.


    I nodded ¡°So be it. You will leave tonight. Cinder and I will be leaving tomorrow. You will have a day to convince them that this is the proper path. Else blood will be shed. Dismissed.¡±


    Each of the Knight Descendants bowed in turn, Mahalis standing with Kara''s aid, and they all filed out of the room. I closed the door behind them.


    Whatever they''re actions, even if they manage to convince Marwenna and Valant to come without their army, it will make no difference, just make it slightly easier for me. Like I said before. The future of my Knight and her husband hangs on one thing.


    The Question.

 Chapter Thirty Nine: He is Here

    Chapter Thirty Nine: He is Here


    ¡°Am I surrounded by fools?! Captain, I was told that you would be ready for combat but all I see are the royal guard lazing around out there! We must be on constant alert!¡±


    The royal war tent had been set up for less than an hour before Valant called in the acting captain of the Royal Guard to go over the plan for tomorrow night when they arrived at the Red Citadel. His attitude was erratic to say the least and the rest of the guard had noticed it, especially the acting captain Malthas, who led the royal protectors in Hilin''s stead.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I understand that you are distressed, but we have no idea what we are preparing to fight. I must ask you, what is it that we are going to be facing when we arrive in Scarl Forest?¡± The acting captain spoke with an even and respectful tone, despite the insults that he had to endure for the past hour. Malthas was trained by Hilin in combat and from her he learned the important lesson of acting from a place of reason and to never anger when facing a foe. But even he was having a hard time with the King of the Elves.


    They both stood at a large wooden table. Upon the surface of the hard oak was a carved map of all of Vita, with several blocks of blue stone marking the current position of the Elven Guard, almost directly sitting on the border of Scarl Forest.


    Marwenna stood between the two men at the table, her gaze almost empty as it stared without seeing at the map in front of her. Valant spared a gaze for his wife and his face immediately softened as he noticed her expression, concern became evident within his eyes.


    It had been almost a week since Marwen suddenly appeared in the centre of the throne room, near dead from wounds she had sustained in some kind of invisible battle. She had told Valant everything of course, had stated clearly that it was Vitriss who had done these things to her, but Valant couldn''t believe that. His Goddess was the supreme being, undying and ever merciful, she would never hurt one of her faithful servants. Marwen had proved herself when she had slain the beast Corus, Valant knew that she must have been mistaken, delusional or manipulated.


    ¡°It won''t matter anyway, you''re sending all these people to their deaths, Valant.¡± The words that came out of Marwenna''s mouth were cold and dead, a small smirk appearing at the corner of the mouth, as if she was mocking him.


    Valant took a deep breath, causing a wide eyed Malthas who had paled from his Queens words, to turn and face him once more.


    ¡°Malthas, I cannot tell you what we will face because I don''t know myself. I know there is a threat, I know it will be powerful, but together we can overcome. Please, ensure that the guard are on constant alert.¡±


    ¡°You know what we face, Valant. You know He can''t be stopped, yet you continue this charade that you are in control. He will come with fire and death and the guard will fall. Then, so shall we.¡±


    ¡°Marwen!¡± Valant shouted.


    Suddenly there was silence as Malthas stared at the Queen, his eyes filled with curiosity and worry. Valant on the other hand bit his tongue to stop himself from shouting at his wife further. More arguments wouldn''t help anything.


    ¡°Malthas, give us a moment.¡± Valant said quietly, his eyes never leaving Marwen''s empty expression.


    ¡°Your Majesties!¡± Malthas said immediately giving a deep bow before turning and walking out of the room, happy to get out of the building tension within the room.


    For a moment there was silence as Valant stared at his wife, his mind moving with furious speed. He had tried many times to talk to her about what had happened in the throne room but he had only ever gotten the basics. Corus has returned and Vitriss wants a message delivered. He didn''t even know what the message was, Marwen had told him the bare minimum and then retreated into herself, a shadow of what she once was.


    ¡°Please, Marwen. You must help me. I thought that by going to the Red Citadel we could finally put this to bed, that you would see with your own two eyes that Corus has not returned. You were wrong, something else must have happened. The Goddess wouldn''t unleash an evil like that back upon this world.¡±


    A expression of disgust crossed Marwen''s face and she looked up at her husband, glaring at him across the large table.


    ¡°He was not evil! Don''t you see? I killed him. I killed the man I had sworn my life to protect. Not for any grand reason, but because Vitriss wanted it so. Now he has returned and he will be wrath. You don''t know him, Valant. Not like I do. I left Cinder and the others to rot, I left everything for you and the Elven Empire. That was my decision. He will kill us all and there is nothing you can do to stop it. So stop trying!¡± Marwen was crying, tears falling from her eyes as the pain of her actions sprung up anew. Memories of her oldest friend, bitter sweet and fading, filled her mind with his face and the guilt that came with it as a result.


    Valant immediately moved around the table to his wife, wrapping his arms around her body and pulling her close to him. She struggled before eventually relenting, muffling her cries in his finely made tunic.


    ¡°I swear that I won''t let that happen. You have my word. If Corus is there, we will kill him again. I won''t let him hurt you.¡±


    The sounds of crying changed completely as Marwen pulled her face away from Valant and looked up at his face. Her eyes were calm and clear, laughter like glass drifted sharply through the air as she stared at him.


    ¡°Oh, my love. You don''t know what you are talking about. I just wish you had stayed in Callai like I requested.¡± Marwen said quietly, her hand touching Valant''s cheek softly.


    Valant snorted ¡°Yes, I would just sit inside the palace in Callai and twiddle my thumbs while my wife goes off to face her death alone. I think we can both agree that is a foolish thing to say, Marwen.¡±


    Marwen sighed ¡°Perhaps you are right. I would have come after you if our positions were reversed. But still, bringing the Guard was foolish. You don''t know Corus, but you do know Cinder. She is more than capable of destroying this many men by herself. There is no doubt in my mind that they will both come together, lowering our chances of survival to an even smaller degree.¡±


    ¡°So tell me how to fight them, Marwen! You are The First Knight of the Rebel Court, you knew them both longer than anyone else. Tell me how to beat them, tell me their weaknesses, their strengths, anything to give us an advantage.¡±


    Marwen pulled away from Valant''s embrace and made her way over to the constructed fireplace, which blazed with a magical light. She sat in one of the comfortable chairs, upon which leaned The Angelis, and stared deep into the flames.


    ¡°They have none. None which would be of any help to us. Cinder only becomes more powerful when she is at a disadvantage and Corus is never on the losing side. He''s just too strong, even after all these centuries, I haven''t been able to become his equal. I may stand a chance against Cin, if she came alone. But like I said, she won''t. Even fighting Cinder alone isn''t ideal because the casualties would be immense. I still believe what I said in Callai is the best option. We surrender and hope that Corus lets us live.¡±


    Valant looked at Marwen for a long second before his eyes suddenly opened wide ¡°You don''t want to live through this, do you? You think you deserve this?¡±


    Marwen turned in her chair to stare at her husband ¡°Yes. I deserve to die for this, I want to die. I have betrayed everything I have ever cared for. Perhaps it is time to stop fighting. If the end is here, then let it come. I have no reason to hide any more.¡±


    ¡°And what of our son!? He is even now in the Red Citadel! Only Vitriss knows how much he is suffering at the hands of Corus and his vampire harlot!¡±


    Marwen shook her head ¡°Corus isn''t in the business of killing children. I don''t believe he would kill Mahalis. Hurt him perhaps, but not kill him. Our son is fine. It would be better if I was gone, he could serve as a Knight Descendant without my shame hanging over his head.¡±


    ¡°You would have him serve Corus! The man who manipulated and used your mind-¡±


    ¡°Valant! Corus did not control me. He did not manipulate me. I was controlled by your precious fucking Goddess! The only reason that you still think this is because of your blind devotion to a woman you have met once. Stop being so fucking pathetic!¡± Marwen shouted, jumping to her feet and standing in front of her husband, her face red with rage and disgust.


    Valant matched his wives stare with one of his own, his eyes blazing with anger. ¡°I may be committed to a cause, but at the very least I wasn''t some whore who followed a man blindly hoping to suck on his cock-¡±


    The punch came out of nowhere, connecting with Valant''s temple, he didn''t even have time to react before he was thrown across the room and onto the war table, which snapped and broke under his weight. The champion of Vitriss tried to get to his feet, but he couldn''t get his bearings in time to stop his wife from grabbing him by his throat and pulling him into the air. He tried to break Marwen''s grip but was unable to, her strength far outstripped his own, both magically and physically.


    ¡°How fucking dare you say that to me. I followed him because I loved him, but when it came down to it, I chose you!¡± Her eyes were manic, fury pouring from her aura as she slammed him back into the ground, breaking what remained of the table into even smaller splinters.


    She released him then and Valant immediately began to gasp for air, his hands on his throat as he pulled in one painful breath after another.


    Marwen looked down on her husband, the fire fading from her eyes as she stared at him. ¡°I chose you, Valant. I still choose you, even after all that has happened. I am not a whore.¡±


    The Queen of the Elves moved back to her seat, grasping the back of it with a firm grip, so firm that it cracked the hard wood beneath her knuckles.


    With painful movements Valant began to pull himself to his feet, his head swimming and throbbing with agony as he did so. His eyes found his wives back and the anger faded. He felt sick as he thought about what he had said to her.


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    ¡°I''m sorry, Marwen. I... I just don''t know what''s going on. We''ve been telling ourselves for centuries that we did the right thing. That Corus needed to die. Then, suddenly, you say Vitriss turned up and decided to tell you that it was all a lie? That we were not the heroes that we thought we were? I... I just don''t know.¡± The King said weakly as he walked towards his wife.


    Marwen turned to him, her face hidden behind her hair ¡°I don''t know what''s going on either, Valant. Do you truly think this is what I wanted? I would rather have lived the lie than have this... this pain. Every time I go to sleep I dream of killing him, I dream of his final moments, smiling and telling me that he didn''t do it. I didn''t believe him, I couldn''t believe him.¡±


    Valant hid his jealousy well, but he had been feeling it rise up like serpent during this conversation. Corus had been the centre of Marwen''s life. He had been her whole reason for existing for so long. When Vitriss had told them that Corus was a traitor, a manipulator, Valant couldn''t have been happier. He had fallen for Marwen long before she fell for him and he finally had a way to remove the largest obstacle in his path. The man she loved.


    Perhaps Vitriss was testing him, testing his faith by placing that obstacle back in his way.


    ¡°Whatever we face, we face together, Marwen. You have my word. I''ll be beside you every step of the way. Right up until the end.¡± Valant said, even as he wrapped his arms around his wife from behind and kissed her neck, pulling her as close as possible.


    ¡°Together.¡± Marwen whispered as she leaned into him.


    They broke apart at the sound of a ruckus outside, both of the monarchs turning to see what was going on.


    It was then that a guard ran into the tent, breathing hard and covered with grime, his hand immediately banged against his iron plated chest as he paid tribute to his King and Queen.


    ¡°Your Majesties we-¡± The guard stopped as he turned and saw the shattered table, as well as the state of the King''s ripped tunic.


    ¡°What is it, soldier.¡± Valant snapped.


    The guard suddenly focused on his King ¡°Forgive me, your Majesty. We have just received word of riders approaching, some of them carry the sigil of the royal guard. We believe it is the Knight Descendants, sir!¡±


    Marwen and Valant stared at each other for the briefest of seconds before they rushed out of the large pavilion, Marwen being sure to grab The Angelis as she went.


    Outside the main tent was row after row of smaller ones, each one of these designated to a soldier, as well as smaller command tents for high ranking officers. Scarl Forest could clearly be seen in the distance, the black tree''s providing an imposing sight and stark difference to the colourful grasslands that surrounded them now.


    It only took Marwen and Valant a few minutes to walk to the outskirts of the camp, various members of the royal guard each rising and bowing as they past by, many muttering about the state of the King''s clothes, but Valant ignored it, his eyes set firmly on what he could see just outside of where their army had made camp.


    In the distance were riders, all on horseback as they made their way forwards. Marwen enhanced her vision with magic, as Corus had taught her to do many years ago, which allowed her to pick out the individual faces of those that were approaching. There he was.


    Mahalis.


    But something was wrong. He was wrapped in a blanket and his face looked pale. Marwen could clearly see Kara ride next to him, one hand wrapped firmly around the reigns of his horse, as if he was too weak to lead the beast himself.


    Marwen''s heart become to beat erratically as her mind whirled furiously with the possibilities of why Mahalis was in such a state. There was only one explanation that made any sense to her.


    Corus.


    She suddenly took off, aspect of air coming alive as she drew in mana and activated the spell, moving at speed as she crossed the distance between the camp and the riders within seconds, the protests of Valant and the guard lost to the wind as she moved.


    Mahalis looked up from his place atop the horse. From this distance Marwen could clearly see the sweat atop his forehead and the shadows under his eyes. Despite this, he still smiled when she was close.


    ¡°Mother.¡± He whispered the word but Marwen heard it regardless.


    The young prince went to climb off his horse but he was far too weak and fell from the high steed. Marwen moved faster and caught the boy as he fell, cradling him in her arms as she lowered him to the ground.


    ¡°Gods, Mahalis, who did this too you?¡± Marwen said with desperate words, her hands running over her son to try and find any sign of injury.


    It was then that she noticed his aura. It was blackened, looking sickly and glowing so faintly as to not be there at all. His aura had been decimated. She knew who had done this, but the idea stuck in her head. Corus'' existence had always been just talk up until this point. But seeing Mahalis in his current state made him real.


    Mahalis shivered in her touch, pulling the blankets around him more closely, but didn''t respond to her question.


    ¡°Queen Marwen, we must speak with you urgently. Mahalis is fine, but the journey took a lot out of him.¡±


    Marwen looked up to the source of the voice. It was Kara. The first daughter of Keltano stared down at her from atop her steed. She made no move to get off, nor to bow.


    Marwen stared at the young woman, matching her neutral gaze with one of her own. ¡°I see you are not calling me Knight, Kara. So... You have met him?¡± The last words came out hesitantly, almost as if the Queen didn''t want to hear the answer that she already knew was coming.


    ¡°Yes, my Lady. We come on behalf of the King of the Rebel Court. But it would be better if we speak in private. Too many prying eyes out here.¡±


    Marwen nodded, her whole body numb as the words washed over her, pinning her in place.


    Corus has returned.


    ¡°Then follow me. We will go to the command tent and you will tell me what... what Corus has sent you to say.¡±


    Together they made their way back towards the camp, Marwen easily cradling Mahalis in her arms as she walked.


    * * *


    ¡°So, those are his terms?¡±


    They had arrived in the command tent after seeing Mahalis off to the infirmary. The young prince had a rising fever and the sickly visage of his aura wasn''t helping him. His ability to draw mana was cut off for the time being but, with time, it would recover. At least, Marwen prayed that was the case. She had only ever seen Corus do such a thing once and it was to Gorvo Nali. The church leader didn''t have time to recover before Corus took his head off with Xolumbrandir.


    Three of the Descendants plus Valant and Marwen had all entered the command tent. More than one glance was spared towards the broken table located in it''s centre, but it didn''t last for long. More chairs were brought in and all of them sat near the make shift fire that flickered with magical, smokeless flames. Kara, Lor and Dran didn''t look nervous in the least, their faces stoic as they sat opposite the King and Queen of the Elves. Marwen could understand why. After facing Corus, very little could scare you.


    ¡°Yes, your Majesty. King Corus has very clearly stated that he will show leniency if you leave your army and continue onwards on foot. We believe that he and Knight Cinder intend to meet you as you enter the forest.¡±


    ¡°And if we do not?¡± Valant said, a mocking edge to his tone. As if he was merely humouring the children by taking this meeting.


    Lor turned and gave the King a little mocking smile of his own ¡°Well, I''d say that your army would be fucked, you''d be fucked, Marwen would be fucked... you know, just fucked in general.¡±


    Valant snarled at the prince of the sea ¡°How dare you speak to me like that! I am the Elven King you pathetic little-¡±


    ¡°Careful, traitor. If you speak ill of a Knight Descendant I doubt very much that any of the Knight''s would take it lightly, never mind his Majesty.¡± Dran grumbled, his tone like gravel as his stone like stare looked right through Valant, who matched it with his angry glare.


    ¡°So, is that all? Corus wishes for myself and Valant to separate from our forces?¡± Marwen asked from her seat, her eyes finding Kara''s, who nodded an affirmative.


    ¡°Yes, your Majesty. We left earlier than them but I''m doubtful they are far behind since we could not use magic to speed us along, due to Mahalis'' injuries.¡±


    Valant whipped his head around, turning his angry eyes on Kara ¡°That''s another thing! You allowed your fellow Descendant, my son, to be brought to the brink of death while doing nothing to stop it!¡±


    ¡°And what were you expecting us to do, exactly? Fight The Rebel King to protect your son because he said something idiotic?¡± Lor said with a sneer ¡°We''re here because this is what Mahalis wanted. The King agrees that he shouldn''t suffer for your mistakes, yet he wanted to come anyway. We respect our allies unlike some I can name.¡±


    Valant jumped from his chair ¡°You little piece of shit! Faral can''t protect you from my wrath, Lor. I''ll rip you apart!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Marwen snapped, causing all of them to look at her hesitantly ¡°Lor, do not speak to my husband like that. We have done some terrible things, but you will respect your Elders if you want to continue breathing. Valant, sit down, you are acting like a child.¡±


    Lor glared at Marwen but said nothing and Valant returned to his seat, his hands curled around the edges of the arm rests.


    ¡°Mahalis said something idiotic? I assume that he insulted Cinder in Corus'' presence?¡± Marwen asked, trying to keep her calm.


    Kara''s eyes filled with surprise but she nodded.


    Marwen nodded in return. Of course. Talking ill of Cinder in front of Corus was a sure way to die. Thankfully, it seems that Mahalis has managed to avoid this fate. For now, at least.


    ¡°We will not separate from our army just because Corus sent his new little soldiers to tell us too. This is obviously some kind of ploy.¡± Valant said between gritted teeth, his eyes never leaving Lor who merely smiled at him in an insulting fashion.


    Marwen shook her head ¡°No, it is not. This is legitimate, although it means nothing. Corus has sent you all for the benefit of Mahalis, nothing more. Either way, our fates will be the same. The absence of the army just makes it all the easier for Corus to get to us. Either option really poses no great threat to him.¡±


    Kara nodded ¡°I suspected as much on the trip over. But the facts remain, perhaps he will be lenient towards you. You are still technically his Knight. Even if you did betray everything you once believed in.¡±


    Although the words were meant to bite, it was nothing compared to what Marwen had been telling herself. She merely smiled at Kara, hiding the panic that had been filling her since this conversation began.


    ¡°Perhaps. But that would be if Corus wasn''t already here.¡±


    Kara, Lor and Dran''s eyes all filled with confusion.


    ¡°What do you mean already here?¡± Kara asked, confusion evident in her face.


    Suddenly there was movement outside and Marwen heard each approaching footstep like knives entering her skin. Her grip on The Angelis became tighter as she fought against the terror that was building up inside her body. It was not fear for herself, but fear for her husband, fear for her son.


    It was then that the tent opened and revealed a guard who quickly stepped inside and took a knee before the monarchs, his breathing heavy as he tried to catch his breath.


    ¡°Your Majesties, someone is approaching the camp. He appears to be alone and without weapon. A young man.¡±


    The eyes of the three Knight Descendants filled with surprise and that was more than enough for Marwenna to go on. Corus had never intended to give them the option to spare their soldiers, he knew that Valant would refuse such a request anyway. He was here.


    ¡°Please, go and inform the acting captain and the other lieutenants to prepare for battle and create a shield wall in front of the camp.¡± Marwen said, her voice surprisingly calm. She would order them to run, but at this point the Guard would refuse and stay anyway.


    The man''s eyes widened before he nodded and ran out of the tent at speed.


    ¡°Knight Descendants, It is my final request as a Knight of the Rebel Court that you protect my son. Take any horses you can find and ride as far away from here as possible. If anyone gives you any trouble, invoke my name. Will you do this final thing for me?¡±


    The three of them stared at each other for a moment before each of them nodded in turn.


    ¡°Thank you. Please, make haste. I am unsure how long you will have.¡±


    The Knight Descendants all nodded, left their seats and ran out of the tents, each grabbing their weapons, cloaks and packs as they went.


    When Valant and Marwen were alone they sat in silence for a second, listening to the sounds of the organising army outside.


    ¡°So... he''s here?¡± Valant asked quietly, his eyes were staring at nothing, disbelief clearly shone from within.


    Marwen nodded with a smile ¡°Yes. He is here.¡±

 Chapter Forty: A King and His Knight

    Chapter Forty: A King and His Knight


    It truly was rather beautiful outside.


    I was glad that Cinder and I left when we did. As much as I liked the tall and imposing black-wood tree''s of Scarl Forest I much preferred open and wide areas when it came to close combat.


    The hard ground beneath my feet had been pummelled into some semblance of a road, tree''s of green dotted the landscape, but mostly it was grass land this far from The Citadel. It provided a stark contrast to the almost claustrophobic feel of Scarl Forest. The land of the Elves felt open, it''s air much crisper and easier to breath. The chill in the air was a welcome addition and I felt it settle on my skin, making me feel awake and alive for the first time in a long time.


    Adrenaline had begun to pump through my body as soon as I was in sight of the camp. It was a basic thing, hastily constructed. Row upon narrow row of tents assailed my eyes with one larger structure at the centre.


    That was where she would be.


    I wasn''t dressed for battle, not by any means. I was wearing the soft grey outfit that Ada had purchased for me in that tiny town on the outskirts and the black cloak fluttered around my ankles, wrapped around my neck and granting me some reprieve from the cool mid evening air.


    Xolumbrandir was conspicuously absent from my waist, but my mask remained, belted on my right side and in full view to those that watched me from the camp perimeter.


    I stopped when I was about fifty metres away, my hands held out at my side with a large smile on my face. Even as I watched, one of the guard broke off from the rest and began to run towards the large, central tent.


    Good. They would be here soon.


    This part of the plan was more for my own sense of the dramatic than anything else. A lone warrior, absent sword, turns up at the camp of his enemy with seemingly peaceful intentions. Of course, Marwenna would not buy such a ploy, but it was a fun game to play none the less.


    I had not lied to the children when I had sent them to confer with Marwenna and Valant. In fact, at the time, I was sure that it was the right thing to do. If nothing else, it would give Mahalis some peace. He tried desperately to see the good in his parents as only a son can and I would be a cruel man to try and take that away from him. I had seen them enter the camp less than an hour ago. They would have gotten their answer soon after. While Marwenna might be inclined to accept such an offer, Valant was not. He didn''t truly understand what I was capable of, nor Cinder for that matter. He would just assume that we were on Marwenna''s level of strength and leave it at that. But he should have realised that even Marwen would find it easy to destroy five hundred soldiers, even if they were trained by him. Like I said to the Knight Descendants. Hubris. It spelt the end of many a great man. And Valant was far from great.


    It was soon after this round of musing that activity began to blossom from within the camp. Cries to gather became known and the soldiers within moved with ruthless efficiency. They were out of their depth, but their sense of organisation was something to behold. They were fast and each of them knew their place in the greater war machine, moving almost as one single entity.


    It took them less than ten minutes to gather at the camp entrance, the front row of soldiers all carrying large shields, built to accept heavy punishment, while the two rows behind carried long spears. The rest filed forwards with the standard sword and shield and, even as I watched, every single one of them began to draw in mana.


    I could see it move above them clearly, shimmering through the air and into their bodies, strengthening them and preparing them for what was to come. It was all useless, of course. I began to wonder why Marwenna had not just decided to send them away. While her husband was incompetent, she was not, serving as my General for more years than any other.


    Perhaps at this point she had realised it was too late, maybe she thought that it would be useless at this stage in the game. Or maybe she really thought that one of the Guard could weaken me enough that defeating me later with Valant would be easier.


    I laughed out loud at that one, causing the first row of soldiers on the approach towards me to hesitate but I ignored them. To believe that cannon fodder could weaken me would take an even weaker mind. Maybe panic forced her hand, made her dispatch her troops?


    It matters not. There will be violence today.


    The rows of royal guard continued their approach, no doubt ill at ease because of my lack of action. I continued to stand and stare at them as they approached. I did not feel threatened by them, so there was no need to act hastily.


    When they were about twenty meters away the entire procession stopped cold, not a one of them missing a step. It was then that there was movement in the back and a woman stepped through the line of shields, which moved to the side to allow her through. She was a diminutive thing, but she seemed to command the respect of her fellow guard who all stood and waited for her to speak. Her hand was fixed firmly on the sword at her belt and her eyes were the only thing visible through the slit of her helmet. Her armour looked more battered and beaten than the others, like she had just been on the road for a long time. I realised who it was almost instantly, although we had never met personally.


    ¡°Captain Hilin. It is a pleasure to formally meet you.¡± I said softly with a smile, giving the decorated soldier a small nod of my head in greeting.


    For a moment, the captain said nothing, merely staring at me and then at my mask. She was not a fool, she knew exactly who I was. She had seen me from a distance, beating the Knight Descendants in Ellai.


    She gave a bow, causing all of the members of her guard who could see to look at her in shock, temporarily breaking the illusion that they were all one unit.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I''m glad you remember my name. It is an honour to meet you.¡± She said, her voice muffled by her helmet but I picked up the words despite it.


    If the bow had caused people to stare, referring to me as royalty was sure to have a greater reaction still. Within every line of the guard, muttering could be heard as they puzzled over why Hilin had greeted me in such a manner.


    I ignored the hushed whispers and instead focused on the Guard Captain ¡°I wish to meet with my Knight and her husband, if she is willing to accept an audience from her King.¡± I said the words in a calm and easygoing fashion, but there was a subtle edge to them. Just to let them know of the consequences should they refuse my request.


    Now the whispers became louder still as incredulous noises could be heard from within the many rows of protectors. Mutterings of ''The Rebel King'' and ''Corus'' could be heard throughout the entire congregation.


    Hilin raised a hand above her head and the voices immediately stopped. Seems they were trained well enough at least.


    ¡°I am unsure whether I can allow that, your Majesty. As much as I want to believe that your intentions here are peaceful, I would be a fool if I did not take the proper precautions to protect my charges.¡±


    I nodded, the smile never leaving my face ¡°You are absolutely right, Hilin. It would be foolish of you to do as I asked simply because of who I am. But in this case, I''m going to need you to do it anyway.¡±


    ¡°I''m afraid I can''t do that, your Majesty. The Knight Descendants told me enough on the way here to make me more than aware of the current situation. I know that Knight Cinder is here somewhere and I know that you intend to cause harm to the King and Queen of the Elves.¡± Hilin said the words with a calm tone, but it caused the large group of soldiers to rumble and fix me with sharp eyes.


    I smiled in response to the angry glares I was receiving ¡°Speaking of the Knight Descendants. Aren''t they your responsibility, Hilin?¡±


    ¡°I have appointed my second, Malthas, as their chief protector in my stead. I won''t leave knowing what I know. I will protect the royal family, even if it costs me my life.¡±


    I nodded. So it seems that they were committed to protecting Marwenna and Valant. A pity. Even if they were ordered to leave now they would refuse, as was their right. When a great enough threat presents itself the guard were given full control, their instructions even superseding the commands of their charges in extreme cases.


    I suppose this was something of an extreme case.


    ¡°Hilin, you know how this ends.¡± I said, the words carrying within them an edge of sadness. Killing church scum had always been easy, but killing someone who was just doing their jobs, to provide for a family, never was.


    I heard the great exhale of breath from Hilin''s helmet as she, in one smooth motion, drew her sword and held it before her, even as mana began to pour into her body.


    ¡°I do, your Majesty.¡± Her voice was even and calm. Her eyes were glacial and filled with purpose.


    I offered her a small smile and tilt of my head, honouring the warrior.


    ¡°Then let us begin.¡± I walked forwards.


    ¡°The King and Queen! They approach!¡± The joyous cry echoed out from the back of the guard, causing Hilin to lock in place, her eyes never leaving me as mine never left her


    I could see the conflict running through her body. She was supposed to protect Marwenna and Valant but they were coming out into the open, where they would be much easier targets. She wanted to go and demand that they return to their tent, but she was afraid to leave her spot, lest I attack while she was unaware.


    I smiled and raised my hands by my sides once again, showing her I wasn''t going to attack. Not yet anyway.


    Hilin gave a slight nod, aimed in my direction, before she slowly lowered her sword. I could hear her heavy breathing even from here. She knew how close to death she had come, even if her compatriots had not. She had seen me in Ellai, with Xolumbrandir in hand. I could feel the fear as it echoed out from her aura, but it was contained by a wall of willpower. Hilin truly was remarkable, I wondered what kind of monster she could turn into if I subjected her to my training.


    Without a word, the guard captain spun and headed back into the crowd of warriors, who split once again to allow their leader through.


    I, unfortunately, couldn''t see much. The wall of guard prevented me from seeing far back into the camp, but I was in no hurry. One should not rush to shed blood.


    I could make out voices echoing from the back of the royal shield wall. Due to the multitude of other sounds I couldn''t make them out very well, but it didn''t matter, I got the gist of what was going on. It seems Hilin was trying to exert her authority and command the King and Queen to return to camp. I''m doubtful that she would be successful.


    While Hilin did technically have the authority to command the royal family in times of crisis, this would make little difference to Marwenna, who would do whatever she wanted to do, with Hilin being unable to prevent her from doing so. I would suspect that the guard captain would try to keep their exposure to me to a minimum.


    I was pulled from my thoughts yet again as I noticed movement, the lines of the guard splitting apart to let someone through and I felt my heart begin to beat faster within my chest, adrenaline beginning to pour into my system.


    I felt nervous, which I was expecting. Who wouldn''t feel a little anxious in a situation like this? I was about to confront the woman who had been my closest companion and and greatest friend for six centuries of life. I kept the emotions from reaching my face, however, which remained fixed in it''s neutral stare.


    It was then that the front line finally split and revealed the person I had not stopped thinking about for a single day since I returned to this world.


    Marwenna.


    She looked beautiful, as if she had barely aged a day. Her long dark hair tied up behind her head. Her familiar blue eyes, usually soft and warm, were cold and hard. She was dressed for war, wearing the familiar suit of silver plate that I had forged for her so many years ago. It was like it was only yesterday that I last saw her, sword in hand, about to remove my head. I had to remind myself that four whole centuries had past from her perspective.


    Beside her stood the idiot. Dressed similarly to Marwen in silver armour, although a crown made of some kind of green crystal rested upon his brow. His holy sword, Corravai, at his hip with his hand firmly locked around the hilt. His mouth was a line and his eyes were angry.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    I tried not to laugh. Was this Valant trying to look intimidating?


    I returned my gaze to Marwen, my eyes drinking in her face, trying to feel something, anything.


    Why didn''t I feel anything?


    I thought for sure that when I saw her again I would react somehow. Perhaps I would want to forgive her? Maybe I would just want to kill her and her husband for the pain they have caused. I expected anything but this. An absence of emotion, a nothingness that could not be filled no matter how hard I stared.


    They stopped just as they passed the first line, Hilin a single step in front of them, her nervousness could be seen clearly from within her aura and also a sense of panic. She obviously was not happy about this, but she could do nothing to convince the royal family otherwise. I felt for her.


    A few seconds past with them just staring at me, Marwenna''s eyes were locked, but Valant''s were moving around, searching the area, as if looking for something.


    ¡°So, where is Corus? Are you another of his errand boys? Come to convince us to hand ourselves over for his judgement willingly?¡± Valant said mockingly, not even looking at me but continuing to look at the surrounding tree''s, as if the real Corus would pop out at any moment.


    He didn''t recognise me. I wasn''t surprised. My aura was hidden and my face was changed. Plus, Valant never met me until that night with Marwen. It must look like I''m just an ordinary human, sent to talk on the behalf of his betters.


    Still, he should have noticed the fucking mask.


    ¡°Well, boy? Speak!?¡± Valant yelled, his attempt at being seen as an intimidating ruler and warrior was too much for me to handle and I started to laugh. The sound washed over the two monarchs and the guard, who flinched slightly at my seemingly uncaring attitude.


    Marwenna knew who I was. Her eyes never left mine and her mouth was hanging open, her grip on The Angelis weakening slightly as she came to the conclusion that Valant was still having trouble with.


    ¡°Corus?¡± Her voice was just as I remembered. Clear and light. It used to fill me with joy, the sound confirming that she was close, that I had someone I could rely on.


    Now all I felt was cold.


    ¡°''First and most favoured''.¡± I said with a musing tone. My eyes leaving Marwenna and Valant as I ran my gaze over the guard behind them. ¡°I''ve been thinking about this moment for some time now. Of what I would say. Of what I would do. But I find my mind wandering to a memory. Do you remember, Marwenna? That time in the Gardens, before I left Callai?¡±


    Marwen''s eyes opened wide and a gentle breath left her lungs. Her cheeks flushed and I could see the recognition in her eyes.


    ¡°I was leaving the next day. You decided to take me out of the palace and into the Gardens. It was beautiful, summer had just arrived and the heat poured down on us. We were by the lake. You told me you loved me. That I was your knight.¡±


    Marwen looked at me with a complicated expression, before her eyes found the ground and would not rise.


    ¡°I remember.¡± She whispered, the words passed over me and I felt a smile rise on my lips.


    ¡°I think about this memory, and many others. I believe it is my way of trying to find some sort of peaceful solution to this whole thing. That if I think hard enough about the good times, I can forget about the pain you and your husband have caused. Congratulations, by the way. Queen of the Elves, Wife, Mother. I''m proud of you.¡±


    Marwenna said nothing, but she raised her eyes again to look at mine, while Valant''s own filled with clarity. He knew who I was. I could see his face pale.


    I sighed ¡°But I don''t believe that there will be one. I tried but I came to the same conclusion, over and over again. As much as I want to believe that all of this was caused by Valant''s Goddess, I don''t.¡±


    I continued to smile as I took a step forwards causing everyone but Marwenna to move backwards.


    ¡°But, before we begin in earnest, I believe you have something for me. Something from Vitriss?¡±


    Marwen''s eyes were clouded but she nodded.


    ¡°She said... she said to tell you that what you seek lies in northern Omara.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± I said. So Vitriss didn''t know where my other half was when I was in her realm but she suddenly does now? I put the issue to the back of my mind. I would deal with that later. This was more important.


    ¡°I understand.¡± I turned to Valant and gave the little King a smirk. ¡°How does it feel? Knowing that your Goddess has chosen me for her glorious plans? Must piss you off something fierce.¡±


    Valant''s mouth fixed itself into a line but he said nothing, which was wise of him. As much as I disparage Valant, he was intelligent. At least enough to know that if he spoke he would piss me off.


    ¡°Corus... I... I missed you.¡± Marwenna suddenly said, taking a step forwards and causing Hilin to move slightly in front of her, sword at the ready.


    ¡°I missed you too¡± I said, giving her a smile. ¡°But that doesn''t matter. This has, unfortunately, gone beyond what we feel, Marwen. Cinder wants blood and I can understand her feelings. Faral and Abhor will have similar agendas once they know the truth. But I want you to know, I forgive you for killing me.¡±


    Marwen nodded, accepting her fate.


    I raised a hand into the air causing all to tense ¡°But. I have a question that must be answered before we begin. Know this, Marwenna of the Elves, this question shall determine your fate.¡±


    Her eyes widened, as did Valant''s. I could see the confusion in his, but within Marwen''s I could see a sliver of understanding, followed swiftly by horror. She knew what I was about to ask.


    ¡°How long, Marwenna. How long have you and Valant been lovers?¡± I whispered, the question passing through the space between us and reaching Marwen''s ears. Her eyes widened even further and became pinned, like a cornered animals.


    ¡°Please... Corus. Don''t make me answer this.¡± Her voice was ragged, her voice cracking.


    I smiled ¡°But answer it you must, Marwen. For you are still my Knight. I am still your King. Even if that changes after today. Perhaps I should be more specific. How long before Vitriss manipulated you, have you and Valant been lovers?¡±


    ¡°I...I...¡± Marwenna was struggling to speak, her whole body shaking.


    I put my hands behind my back ¡°You see, I noticed that you two were already close when you killed me. Already you seemed like you were more than just allies. It made me wonder. How could Vitriss speak to you and Valant in the first place? Why were you together?¡±


    For a moment there was silence, the stand off continuing, Valant''s hand still wrapped firmly around Corravai, ready to draw at a moments notice and engage me.


    ¡°How long have you been a traitor to the Court, Marwenna? Was it days? Weeks? Months?... Years?¡±


    ¡°Twelve... Twelve years.¡± It sounded like she was being tortured, tears began to roll down her face as she struggled to spit out the words.


    I smiled and nodded. Finally, I felt something. Disgust, sadness, rage, all of it filled up the absence inside of me. But I kept it inside, hidden within me. It was a struggle to maintain control, but maintain I did. I wouldn''t give her or Valant the satisfaction of seeing it effect me. My best friend, my greatest ally... she had betrayed me even before she had taken off my head.


    ¡°This would usually be the point where I ask why. Where I ask how you managed to keep it a secret from us all for so long. He killed people, Marwenna. Killed people we cared for. Yet you fucked him, repeatedly, for years. You betrayed Heilvol, Drogna, Abhor, Faral and Cinder. You betrayed me. You betrayed everything we built.¡±


    ¡°I... Ifell in love with him. It was a scouting mission, I was-¡±


    I raised a hand ¡°I don''t fucking care.¡±


    Her breath became sharp as the venom in my voice caused her face to flush.


    ¡°Don''t you speak to my wife like that, Demon! You are nothing but a shade and I will-¡±


    Valant was blown backwards through the air, my aura appearing and disappearing just as fast, the blade of air connecting with the King of the Elves torso and sending him flying into a group of his soldiers, who were knocked to the ground by the collision.


    ¡°Protect the King and Queen!¡± Hilin cried, before moving in front of Marwenna, who remained unresponsive, her expression one of total despair.


    I ignored Hilin and began to walk forwards, my fury cold.


    ¡°You betrayed your family. Burned Ellai to the ground. Left Cinder and the others to rot. The Goddess played her part, Marwen, but the rest was a result of your own treacherous decisions!¡± I hissed the words and called for mana. I felt power run through my body and I waved my hand, which caused the air to smash into Hilin, sending her flying off to the side. I didn''t stop once, I kept making my way forwards, towards the woman I had once loved. What else had she done? Had she given sensitive information to Valant? Had she been the mastermind behind Ellai''s fall? I felt my control begin to slip, I was holding on, but barely.


    It was then that Marwen let loose a cry of pain and drew The Angelis, the blade coming loose freely. She pointed the sword at my chest, tears continuing to fall, but her face was now set in stone.


    ¡°I may be a traitor, Corus. But I won''t allow you to hurt my family. I loved you once, I loved the Court once, but I wanted to be free. To live a life with the man I loved. I knew that you would kill us both if you discovered the truth. I won''t apologise for what I''ve done. Nothing I say, or do, will change what I did. I love Valant. I won''t let you kill him.¡±


    I continued to walk, saying nothing. I walked right up until the blade of The Angelis was pressed against the cloth of my tunic, my eyes burning as they stared into Marwenna''s own.


    ¡°Then you have sealed your fate.¡± I said softly. ¡°But you will decide nothing today.¡±


    It was as I said the words that an aura flared up off to my right and Marwen''s eyes widened in understanding. She had forgotten Cinder.


    My daughter flew forwards from her hiding place in the foliage, her eyes glowing with her hungry red light as she moved with a speed that would put most Air Aspect users to shame. She collided with Marwenna with a crippling impact, causing a shock wave to echo out around them and knocking over several of the guard who were beginning to make their way forwards to defend their Queen.


    ¡°Get away from him, you fucking whore!¡± Cinder roared and began to pummel Marwen, her fists were a blur and each released their own shock waves as they connected with Marwen''s body, sending her reeling backwards.


    Marwen wasn''t my Knight without reason, however, and mana ran through her body before she activated Aspect of Air and began to avoid all of Cinder''s dizzying strikes.


    ¡°Stay out of this, Cinder!¡± Marwenna roared in return and The Angelis began to move blindingly, slicing into Cinder''s flesh, cauterizing each wound as it went, which only caused her to laugh.


    Finally Cin landed a solid hit on Marwen''s torso sending her flying some distance away, with the Vampire Queen in hot pursuit.


    I watched them go with a heavy heart. I prayed that Cin would be okay. Marwenna was a ferocious opponent, but I couldn''t go and help her now. I had my own opponent to face.


    ¡°Quick! After them, protect the Queen!¡± Valant cried as he rose painfully to his feet. The nearby guard nodded and set out to chase the two women.


    I clicked my fingers, mana charging and releasing, setting the guardsmen on fire. Their screams were immediate as the fire ate them away, super heating their armour and roasting them alive, causing Valant to take a step back in horror, with the other members of the guard having similar reactions.


    ¡°Perhaps it would be best if you worried about the threat that was still here, Valant.¡± I said and began to make my way forwards.


    ¡°Defend the King, kill him!¡± Hilin''s gasp for action came off to my side as she rose to her feet, still shaking off the attack I had hit her with.


    The Guard immediately returned to their original formation, war cry shouted as they charged, their formation holding. It seems they think that they can kill me with overwhelming numbers. They were wrong.


    ¡°Xolumbrandir¡± I spoke and the sword answered, the blades dark aura making the air heavy as it suddenly appeared in my hand, it''s icy presence malevolent and desperate to spill blood.


    I charged, activating Aspect of Air, and arriving at the first line before they had even taken ten steps.


    I brought Xolumbrandir forward in a huge arc that cut through the shields like paper and sliced into the men that lay behind them.


    They tried to surround me, moving around to the sides, the shield users shaking as those with spears tried to stab at me from the back. I jumped into the air, easily over the heads of the guard who looked upwards incredulously. I landed in the lines of the spear men, those closest unable to properly use the weapons because of how close I was.


    With one slash I cut three men in half before breaking the spear of another and plunging Xolumbrandir into his skull, swiping sideways and severing a man''s arm. It wasn''t long before the ground was slick with blood and the other guard members began to slip on the bodies of their compatriots trying to close the distance.


    I moved with ruthless efficiency, not even drawing mana as I moved through them with ease. Some tried to throw spells, but more often than not they were hitting their own men, so they gave up on that quickly. I could hear Hilin''s voice as she tried to organise the offensive but we were in the thick of battle now, they couldn''t hear her over the sound of their own heartbeats thumping in their ears.


    I grabbed a woman by the throat and lifted her into the air, crushing her windpipe and throwing her outwards into her colleagues. One of the guard was fast enough with his spear to cut into my side, the wound deep, but healing almost instantly as I turned on him in a second, dissecting him before he could make another attempt.


    I saw Valant standing at the back, his eyes wide and undecided. I could tell that he wanted to go after Marwenna, but to do so would mean trying to get past me first, hesitation filled his expression and a disbelief as he watched me mow down all his soldiers.


    Soon they were hampered by their own movements. Seeing their friends die only made them want to kill me more but they were crushing into each other trying to get closer, meaning I only had to deal with three or four at a time. It was relatively simple, but I took no joy in it.


    Xolumbrandir moved through the air lazily, severing limbs and taking lives, enthusiastic hissing following every clean cut. Without my command, tendrils of darkness began to drift out of the inky darkness of it''s blade, which were just as sharp as the sword itself, killing hungrily.


    It wasn''t long before I stood in a sea of corpses, some still wriggling with life and screaming in pain as they looked at their wounds. I ignored all of this and looked to Valant, who still stared at me in horror.


    ¡°Stay away from him!¡± I dodged Hilin''s blade by a hairs breath and avoided the following two as she set after me, mana strengthening her as she released a spell of earth, large spikes rising from the ground to impale me.


    I brought Xolumbrandir down and shattered the two growing monuments before bringing the blade up to meet Hilin''s own. Her eyes widened in surprise as Xolumbrandir passed straight through the blade of her sword before resting firmly against her neck. She froze, shock and fear evident on her face.


    I stared at her with severe eyes. I liked this woman. She wouldn''t die today.


    I smashed my fist into the side of her helmet, immediately causing Hilin to lose consciousness as she hit the ground, limp and without function. It was then that I turned my attention to the King of the Elves.


    He stared at me like I was a demon sent forth from the bowels of hell. And I suppose I did look like one. Blood had bathed me as I moved through his troops, who now all lay dead or dying at my feet.


    I stabbed Xolumbrandir into the ground and removed my mask from it''s place on my hip and placed it on my head, before pulling the sword free once again.


    ¡°Draw your sword, Valant. Prove to me that you are not as worthless as you seem.¡± I said, my mask making the words seem darker as they emerged from within the silver metal.


    Valant''s eyes seemed to be filled with acceptance as Corravai left it''s sheath. Immediately the blade was wreathed in bone white flames that flickered and crackled over the blade.


    ¡°I want you to know that I was going to leave the church, Corus. I was going to, for her. But then Vitriss came. Perhaps all I believed were lies, perhaps Vitriss isn''t the Goddess that I once thought she was. But I don''t fight for her any more. I fight for Marwen, for my family, for my son.¡±


    I stared at the man. ¡°Then you will die for them.¡±


    Valant roared and sped forwards, mana filling his body as I met his charge, our blades colliding with great force, sparks flying as our battle began.

 Chapter Forty One: Blood Drunk

    Chapter Forty One: Blood Drunk


    Marwenna slid across the ground, her skin breaking and wounds opening as she scraped over stones and rocks before coming to a stop. She had somehow managed to hold onto The Angelis during her flight, but her body was racked with pain as she slowly began to pull herself to her feet, feeling the blood drip down from her cuts and hit the ground, the sounds of the impacts ringing within her ears because of the mana pouring through her body and enhancing her senses.


    ¡°Get up, cunt, I''m not done with you yet!¡± The shout came off to one side and Marwen had little time to react before a bare foot collided with the side of her head, sending her spinning once again into the air.


    Cinder. The King''s Huntress, the Knight of Blood. Marwen was foolish to forget about her. Even four hundred years ago, Cin would rarely leave Corus'' side except when she went hunting on his behalf. She was his most loyal Knight, and perhaps the most powerful.


    Marwen managed to twist in mid air, mana and wind moving around her as she manipulated her body with a thought and landed lightly on her feet, her eyes immediately looking outwards and finding the young Vampire Queen, who stood some meters away, her eyes alive with the light of hunger, glowing like twin suns. She, like Corus, was not dressed for combat, but Cinder had always been one to shun the protection of armour. The more pain she felt, the more hungry she became and powerful as a result. There was little one could do to stop her once she was in the throes of the Hunt, with Corus being the only person who could.


    Cinder was wearing a black dress that came to her ankles, allowing Marwenna to see clearly the bare feet that lay below. The dress would look more at home during an elaborate ball or dignified function, but Cinder looked beautiful in it regardless, the fabric hugging her idealistic body, the pale skin and white hair providing a stark contrast to the sanguine clothing.


    Each of her fingers were furnished with claws made of crystallised blood, sharp beyond believe and lethal. Even Marwen''s armour, forged by Corus, would do little to stop the attacks that Cinder was capable of delivering.


    But Marwen would win. She must win. She must save Valant.


    ¡°Get the fuck out of my way, Cinder. I won''t ask you nicely again!¡± Marwen hissed as the air around her began to tremble with power, moving around her like a miniature tornado, it''s winds sharp and fast enough to cut through flesh with ease.


    Cinder giggled, lifting one clawed hand to cover her mouth daintily, as if she were merely playing a game.


    ¡°Oh, I''m not going anywhere. You are a treacherous little rat and I''ll not have you poison Father with more of your venomous words. I''m glad I have this opportunity, Marwen. I was so afraid that I wouldn''t be allowed to hurt you. But here we are. Time to have some fun.¡± A sick grin appeared on Cin''s face as she too began to draw in mana, her strength growing leaps and bounds as she removed the shackles that she had placed on her herself, allowing her full aura to become known.


    For a long time, Cinder had been unable to go all out against an opponent. She purposely limited herself in combat because it''s not fun if the person she was fighting couldn''t battle on the level she was accustomed to. But she didn''t have that worry with Marwen. The woman was a powerful mage before Corus taught her the sword and her mastery of Air magic was well known. Cin was looking forward to this little dance.


    Marwen gritted her teeth as Cin''s almost black aura emerged from within her body in full, the grass at her feet withering and dying as it was touched by something akin to death. While Xolumbrandir''s aura was darker than Cin''s, it meant little when Cinder''s was the swords match in power. The Elven Queen felt her body shake and her grip on The Angelis tighten as she felt the aura of her former friend pass over her own. It held it''s ground against Cinder''s and Marwen was slightly assured that she wouldn''t be decimated as soon as she attacked.


    ¡°I won''t let you stop me, Cinder.¡± The words came out of Marwenna''s mouth like rocks, her purpose set in stone as she lifted The Angelis and aimed it at the young woman.


    Cinder giggled again before she disappeared on the spot, her Aspect of Blood giving her the ability to manipulate how fast her body moved, letting her match, if not exceed, any speed an Air manipulator could achieve.


    But Marwen was no ordinary Air Mage.


    She lunged forwards, a small smattering of earth jumping into the air as she moved and collided with the Vampire Queen, who was smiling ferociously as she brought her claws down to slash Marwen''s face to pieces.


    The Angelis rose and met the claws, stopping them from falling further, but Cin quickly slipped a hand under the blade and made a sword with her claws, cutting through Marwen''s armour and piercing deep into her flesh. The Elven Queen moaned slightly before she smashed a free hand into Cin''s face, at the same time releasing a burst of air that caused her nose to burst with a shower of blood and her head to rocket back.


    Cinder wasn''t deterred and went with the momentum, flipping backwards before locking her legs into the hard ground and pouncing forwards once again. She met Marwen''s blade which moved at speed, cutting into Cin''s flesh as Marwen continued to move and avoid the crimson weapons by narrow margins. Soon the smell of burnt flesh entered into the air, making Marwen feel nauseas as she continued to avoid the vampire, whose laughter only grew with the wounds she was inflicted with. Steam began to waft up into the air from the cauterised slashes left by The Angelis, creating a cloud around them as Marwen''s vision was temporarily cut off, allowing Cin to make her move.


    Her claws came down hard, leaving deep imprints in Marwen''s face as she gritted her teeth against the pain, throwing herself backwards to avoid any more attacks.


    The exchange had only taken three seconds, but those three seconds were more than enough for Marwen to know that she had won that bout. Cinder couldn''t continue much longer with those wounds and fighting at range was not ideal, since Marwen was better at ranged combat than she was in close quarters. But then the steam cleared and Marwen let loose a hiss of frustration. Cinder had no wounds.


    The girl was smiling as she stood there, her clawed hands held out to her sides as she let Marwen examine her. The places where The Angelis had cut revealed nothing but soft, pale skin. The only thing Marwen had managed to achieve in that round was a few cuts into her dress.


    ¡°Healing!¡± Marwen spat as she slipped into her stance, The Angelis held out in front of her as she glared at Cinder.


    ¡°Of course! You didn''t think I''d be that reckless if I didn''t know that I would come out of it in one piece, did you? I thought you were smarter than that, Marwenna.¡± Cinder said the name mockingly, knowing how much Marwen hated it and began to walk forwards, mana drawing into her body as she moved.


    ¡°I''m going to strip your flesh from your body and drink all of your delicious blood, feast on you before Father can stop me. I''ll protect him from you, whore!¡± Cinder moaned at the thought, her body shuddering with delight at the prospect and the mana inside of her released in savage fashion.


    Spears of Ice suddenly appeared in the air and were stationary for but a second before shooting forwards, aiming for Marwen''s face.


    The Elven Queen raised a hand and commanded the wind, the air shuddered and trembled before a sharp pop was heard as it wrapped around each of the spears and shattered them to pieces. The gust then continued forwards, slamming into Cinder''s body and sending her back five feet before Cin managed to lock herself in place. The vampire slammed her fist into the ground, releasing a huge amount of mana as she did which caused the earth to shake and split apart.


    Before Marwen could react, a huge geyser of water shot into the air and began to circle around Cinder like a snake. Cin pushed both her hands forward and the water hit Marwen, wrapping itself around her. The elf tried to keep her mouth closed but the pure power forced it open as Cinder guided the water into her lungs, filling them to the brim and beginning to drown her, as she was lifted into the air inside a sphere of water.


    Marwen did not panic and instead called to the air once again, holding out her hand and focusing on it with all her might. A ball of swirling wind appeared in the centre of her palm, but she continually pushed more inside of it until it began to warp light itself. Then she released.


    The sound of a massive explosion filled the air as the water was ripped from Cin''s control and eviscerated by Marwen''s magic.Stolen novel; please report.


    The Elven Queen hit the ground hard, her breaths ragged as she tried to breathe. She could see Cinder rising to her feet, a look of annoyance etched onto her features. She had clearly been hit by the wind bomb.


    ¡°My turn!¡± Marwen roared and released her power in full, calling to the wind and forcing the world itself to change by the strength of her will.


    The air began to ripple and then circulate, faster and faster, as it rose up into the air and met the clouds above. Cinder took a step back and hissed as she felt it pull at her skin sharply, but she was not going to run. There would be no running what was about to come.


    Marwen raised her hands into the air and roared, the air compressing and becoming a hurricane that spun with a natural savagery, with Cinder and Marwen in it''s centre, all sides obstructed by spinning walls of deafening air.


    Cin pulled in more mana and pushed it all into her body, trying to keep herself locked in place as the wind tried to pull her into the spinning maelstrom. She sneered at Marwen and began to walk forwards slowly, each step a struggle as she tried to get closer to her victim, to end this.


    Marwen had earned her nickname of Knight of Storms because of this very phenomenon. But with this great power came a serious weakness. If her concentration was broken, at all, then it would fade and she would be left powerless, the hurricane requiring all of her faculties in order to keep it from dissipating.


    Cin could see the blood run out of Marwen''s nose as she gritted her teeth and yelled louder, throwing everything she had into this single attack. The wind picked up speed and Cinder was forced to dig both her hands and feet into the ground to prevent her from being dragged away, her muscles screaming even with her mana enhanced strength.


    She needed to end this quickly, but any ranged attack she threw would instantly be ripped apart before it even reached Marwenna. Which meant Cin had to get close. Which meant experiencing a lot of pain.


    Cinder activated Aspect of Healing as well as Aspect of Blood and kept going, her resolve like a mountain, her eyes beacons in the centre of this hell that Marwen had created.


    As she moved, tendrils of razor sharp wind lanced off from the circling walls and cut deep into her body, her skin ripped apart, her flesh flayed and her bones cracked. Aspect of Healing did it''s job and healed the wounds instantly, but Cin could feel the drain every time that happened. She couldn''t keep this up for much longer. The delicious agony of the attacks helped, pushing her further into the hunger, sending her to her more primal state, where she was controlled by her instincts.


    Cin could see Marwen was struggling to maintain now, her whole body shaking as she attempted to stay on her feet, the mana that rushed out of her was colossal but she wouldn''t fade before Cinder did. Not unless she did something ridiculous.


    The vampire felt a grin appear on her lips. She had a plan.


    ¡°You have lost, Cinder! I am The First Knight! My power is rival to Corus'' own! You stand no chance against me! You will die!¡± Marwen roared, her words enhanced with sound magic and making the thundering sound of the wind seem like soft whispers in comparison. Cin felt her eardrums burst, but she struggled onwards. The pain merely fuelling her drive to see Marwen dead.


    It was then that she stopped, seemingly out of steam. Marwen looked on as Cin''s head hit the ground in front of her, she could see her hands loosening as they began to lose their grip and a triumphant smile appeared on Marwen''s lips.


    ¡°You have lost!¡±


    Cin looked up. She smiled.


    ¡°No, you have!¡±


    The words were lost on Marwen but Cinder''s next actions were not, she released her hold on the ground and was lifted into the spinning hurricane.


    Pain.


    So... so much pain.


    Cinder screamed as she was ripped to shreds by the wind, her whole body convulsing as her skin ripped, blood flying into the storm and painting it red as the vampire felt her arms and legs break from the sheer pressure. Around and around she spun, more blood pulled from her and lifted into the skies. She gritted her teeth as the pain became a numb cold, Aspect of Healing working in overdrive, but every wound that was healed was immediately reopened, causing more pain and releasing more of her blood.


    More blood.


    It was then that Cinder stopped using her Aspects, her mind focused as she drew in what mana she could and began to influence the blood inside the hurricane.


    Explode.


    The world shuddered then, time seeming to stop as Marwen''s eyes opened wide. She was unable to comprehend, unable to understand, what was happening. Even as she felt the control of the air ripped from her. She screamed as she was blown backwards, the whole hurricane detonating with a deafening boom.


    For a moment, there was silence. And then blood began to rain from the skies, a steady stream that engulfed the entire landscape and covered the Elven Queen as she lay and quietly moaned. She heard a sickening thud nearby and managed to slowly raise her head. She wished for The Angelis, but she was suffering from Mana exhaustion, magic would not answer her now, her plan had failed.


    She saw a person hit the ground nearby, the body twisted and broken, covered with blood and unmoving. Marwen felt sick just looking at it. The body''s arms were distorted at impossible angles, as were the legs. The face, or what was left of it, was nothing but a pile of splintered bone and ripped flesh. But even as Marwen watched, it began to move.


    Horror filled Marwen''s eyes as she tried to pull herself away, trying to move from the abomination, but could not find the strength to do so. She could only watch in terror as this twisted pile of flesh began to pull itself towards her, it''s silent movements filling Marwenna with dread.


    ¡°Little Marwen run, run, run. Little Marwen fall, fall, fall.¡±


    The Elven Queen felt shivers run down her spine as she locked in place. The sounds emerging from the creatures mouth were choking, it was filled with pain, but also with an almost overwhelming enthusiasm. The broken creature began to drag itself closer, it''s twisted limbs clawing at the earth in an attempt to close the distance.


    ¡°Little Marwen scream, scream, scream. Little Marwen crawl, crawl, crawl¡±


    Marwen let loose panicked breaths and began to pull herself away, her hands dragging at the grass, slick with blood, which slipped beneath her grasp. She felt a hand on her plated boot and she kicked with all she was worth, the silver digging into the face of the beast, which did nothing to deter it. It only dragged itself up further, pulling itself over her lower body even as Marwenna continued to struggle weakly against it.


    ¡°Little Marwen die, die, die. Cinder takes the eyes, eyes, eyes!¡±


    The last words were whispered into her ear and Marwen screamed, raged, trying to get away as she pushed up against the broken form of Cinder, who let loose a chocked giggle before a growl emerged from within her throat. She brought her head down in one savage motion, her ruined mouth finding Marwen''s neck and digging in deep, what remained of her teeth tearing at the flesh and guzzling deeply of the blood that was released. The sweet substance filled her mouth and she felt herself moan as she continued to drink. Marwen''s struggling becoming weaker and weaker as Cin felt herself become stronger. The damage repairing itself as she pushed all available mana into healing, her limbs fixing themselves painfully, her body sealing the wounds that had been inflicted, even as she continued to drink.


    It was only as Marwen''s life began to fade that she finally stopped, her face jumping up and looking into the sky with closed eyes, a smile of satisfaction on her face, eyes closed as she revelled in this moment of victory. The light in her eyes faded, her hunger satisfied by the meal of royal blood, tainted by her own, which dribbled down her chin as she opened her mouth to take a breath.


    ¡°Oh, that was glorious! I haven''t had a fight like that in a while. You taste sweeter than most elves, Marwen. Perhaps it''s the royal in you.¡± Cin said with a smile as she looked down at Marwenna and grabbed her chin in her hands, forcing her to stare up at the vampire from her place on the ground. The Elven Queen''s face was pale from the blood loss, but she was very much alive. Her body was ruined though. She had used up her one chance to stop Cinder. She had failed. Her eyes were empty as she looked off into the distance, towards the area where she knew Valant and Corus were. She tried to move. She needed to get to him. She needed to save him.


    Cinder saw where Marwen was looking and a smirk appeared on her lips as she realised what she was thinking.


    ¡°I wonder what Father is doing to little Valant right now? Do you think he gave him a clean death? Or made him suffer? I like to think that little Valant is now a pile of neatly stacked slices. Perhaps Father will let you say goodbye. All you have to do is ask politely and we''ll head there right now.¡± Cin lowered her face until it was right in front of Marwen''s and smiled that same sick smile that she had at the beginning of their battle.


    Tears rolled down The Elven Queen''s face as she continued to look in the direction of her husband. But she refused to let Cinder see her pain. Refused to let her know that she had gotten to her.


    ¡°I know I said that I would kill you. But seeing as you were nice enough to give me some of your blood, I think I can make an exception, just this once. But it has to be secret, okay? Between us girls.¡± Cin laughed and pushed herself off of Marwen before reaching down and grabbing the Queen''s hair. Marwen grunted and gritted her teeth but didn''t release a cry of pain.


    ¡°What do you say, Marwen? Want to go and see Valant? I think it will be funny to see you crying and telling him you love him before he''s killed before your eyes. Let''s hope he''s still in one piece.¡± Cin suddenly began to slam Marwen''s head into the ground, her cheekbone breaking and teeth knocked out under the impact of the attacks.


    ¡°Don''t ignore me, Marwen! It''s no fun if you''re not afraid.¡± Cin growled, pulling Marwen up by the hair and holding her in the air. For the first time since they had started to speak, The elf''s eyes met hers, filled with fury.


    ¡°I hope you one day find someone to love like I do, Cinder. Because on that day you will understand what I lost. I hope you one day know the pain that I feel. And know that I''ll be watching on and laughing!¡± Marwenna hissed, her eyes filled with murderous intent, but her body without a means to carry it out.


    Cinder''s smile faded and she gave Marwen a strange look, one filled with an acute pain that disappeared just as fast as it had appeared. ¡°I already did, Marwen. I already did.¡±


    It was in this moment that a cry interrupted their conversation. It was a sound filled with fear, pain and despair. Marwen knew the voice well, for it was one she had grown accustomed to hearing over the last four hundred years. It was always used with a kind word for a son, or a loving whisper for a wife. But this was different.


    It was Valant.


    He was screaming.

 Update Three

    Hello there everyone!


    Unfortunately, I will be unable to post this weekend as I have some things to deal with IRL.


    I know this is probably the worst time because we are coming so close to the end of the story, but I can''t really avoidit.Sorry!This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    On a brighter note I''m almost half way through the next chapter which is proving to be quite challenging. I could finish it now but it would be half assed and that''s the last thing I want to do at this crucial point in the story. I''ll try to make it up to you all by posting through the week if I find the time to write.


    Thank you for reading Arcana up to this point and I''ll see you all again very soon!

 Chapter Forty Two: I Can Save You

    Chapter Forty Two: I Can Save You


    Valant''s curved blade pressed against the firm edge of Xolumbrandir, his hands gripping Corravai''s hilt tightly as he struggled for control. From this distance I could clearly see his focused and almost manic expression, his teeth gritted together in a snarl of defiance as he continued to strive in vain, trying to push me off balance.


    I went with his momentum and leaned backwards, causing him to overextend and fall forwards, putting pressure on his right foot as he almost fell to the ground. With practised ease I stepped to the side and brought my black sword down swiftly, resting it on the back of his exposed neck. He froze, his body locked


    ¡°You''re dead.¡± The words were cold as they left the chilling metal of my mask.


    A snarl escaped the mouth of the Elven King and he threw himself forwards, rolling across the ground before jumping to his feet, his eyes focused on me as he held Corravai before him.


    ¡°I expected more than that, Valant. Perhaps you are not the warrior that Gorvo thought you were.¡± I said as I began to walk forwards, Xolumbrandir held at my side non-nonchalantly, as if I was already dismissing him.


    ¡°I''ll show you what I''m capable of, Corus. I will win!¡± As he finished, he sounded desperate, almost as if he was trying to convince himself that he could defeat me.


    Despite myself, I felt a pang of pity for the man. He would continue to fight, though his chances of winning were non existent. I could appreciate his resolve if nothing else.


    The dance began anew as Valant charged forwards, his blade low and held in a death grip as I met him once again. His cuts were quick, aiming for my legs and arms, hoping to cripple me. It was a sound strategy. I wore no armour and weak spots were certainly open to him, I would do the exact same if I were in his situation. Unfortunately for him, I didn''t allow Corravai to cut my clothing. It was a gift from Ada after all and I wouldn''t disrespect the girl by allowing a church blade to harm it.


    Every one of Valant''s strikes was deflected, Xolumbrandir held only with one hand as my blade moved before me, knocking Corravai aside as it were nothing but wind. As this continued I could see the desperation begin to blossom within Valant''s eyes. He knew he was outmatched and that I was merely playing with him. He would try a new strategy. He had too, or he would die.


    I felt mana begin to rush into his body and I prepared myself to move out of the way of the inevitable spell that he was about to cast. I was surprised, however, when no spell came. Instead he took advantage of me preparing for magic and attacked with a large over hand swing. The flaming blade came down at speed, hoping to cleave into my neck and end the duel quickly.


    I leaned slightly to the side and Corravai rushed past me, almost throwing Valant off balance again, but he stopped before he past that point and brought his sword round. I ducked under the next attack and slammed the grey pommel of Xolumbrandir into his stomach, causing a gasp of air to emerge from his mouth. He fell backwards, his eyes wide open in surprise and his breathing heavy as he waved his sword in front of him to keep me at bay. But I didn''t follow.


    ¡°The sword fails you, Valant. I heard Corravai was a gift given to her champions by the Goddess. Perhaps you are unworthy of it?¡± I smiled, unseen behind my mask and began to walk towards the struggling man, whose hand clutched his abdomen as he tried to regain his breath.


    With a cry he attacked again, this time with magic. Fire left his outstretched hand, white flames very much like ones that coated his swords blade.


    I raised my own hand and commanded the earth to obey. Jumping forwards at my command, the dirt rose from the ground and smothered the flames before they could even get close.


    ¡°Why are you so weak? Didn''t Gorvo train you himself? I expected more of you. Marwenna would have at least managed to cut me by now.¡± I taunted even as I continued to close the distance.


    Valant roared and closed the distance between us in less than a second, his blade''s flames felt much hotter now, almost as if they were in tune with Valant''s emotions.


    To the common eye Valant''s blade moved with blinding speed, his emotions pushing him onwards, driving him to move ever faster. I was impressed. He was approaching speeds that would put an Air Aspect user to shame and he didn''t seem to be slowing down.


    ¡°I. Will. Win!¡± Each word was followed by a dozen strokes, each one aimed at my vital areas, an expression of intense need on his face.


    He was beginning to force me backwards. The power of his attacks and the heat of Corravai''s flames taking me by surprise and causing me to go on the defensive. Xolumbrandir moved through the air with grace, knocking each strike away before it could get close but Valant was not deterred. If anything he only seemed to become more incensed, his eyes filled with a fury that would cause any man to quake in their boots before his terrible might.


    But I was no ordinary man.


    Finally, Valant made a mistake. He was too eager, too hungry, to end the fight before it had really began. I expected that those he had fought on the battlefield before were relatively weak compared to his power. Despite not being at the standard of one of my Knights, he was trained by Gorvo Nali, a man whom I considered to be my only rival in terms of both swordplay and magical ability.


    He had seen me moving backwards and had assumed that I had underestimated what he was capable of, and he wouldn''t be wrong to think so. I thought this level of skill and speed was far beyond his reach, but I was never in a position where he could gain an advantage. I had made sure of that.


    With a pain filled cry of victory he lunged forwards, mana filling him to the brim as he threw everything he had into this one strike, this one stunning attack. His blade began to glow, the white flames that coated it so bright that it would be on par with the blazing glory of the sun itself. It came down at an angle, gripped tightly with both hands as he called upon everything he had to end me. Unfortunately for him, I knew the attack all too well.


    It was Gorvo''s Aura attack. An impressive one. I had never learned its name but it had almost killed me when we had faced each other in battle.


    Unlike Gorvo, Valant seemed incapable of strengthening the attack with aura. I could only assume that I had killed his master before he had the time to teach Valant the particulars of the technique.


    ¡°I smite thee, Corus!¡± Valant roared and Corravai finished it''s arc. I smirked and raised my hand.


    The explosion rocked the world around us, the grass at our feet incinerated by the awesome heat of Valant''s attack. A shock wave rocked the ground and I felt the earth tremble in awe. Dust and ash flew into the air, clouding Valant''s vision as he strained to see ahead of him.


    For but a moment there was silence. The world had come to a stand still as if honouring the impressive skill that was just shown. Valant still strained to see. His body exhausted from using so much mana, but his grip on Corravai did not weaken. If anything, it had grown tighter still.


    ¡°Did you really think that would be enough?¡±


    A sob escaped Valant''s lips and his eyes filled with utter despair as the ashen cloud around us moved by the power of my will. It revealed me, standing in the exact same place I was before he had struck. My hand wrapped tightly around Corravai''s blade, the white flames had retreated from my hand, back down towards the hilt. Almost as if they were afraid to feel my touch.


    ¡°How? That''s not possible!¡± Valant cried, his fingers trembling on the hilt of his sword |¡±You should be dead! That was the masters attack... what are you!?¡± He roared, tears rolling down his face as he tried, in vain, to pull Corravai free from my grip.


    I sighed ¡°You thought you could defeat me. I can understand your resolve. Once upon a time, I stood in the same place you stand now. Too weak to save myself or those I cared for from a fate worse than death. I swore that I would never be that powerless again.¡±


    Valant''s eyes never left mine, a fervent fear could be seen lurking within.


    ¡°That was Gorvo''s aura technique, was it not? A pity you are unable to properly use aura. Would you like to see one of mine?¡± My tone became hard and unforgiving as I wrapped my aura around the glowing metal of Corravai''s blade.


    Valant''s eyes widened as he realised what I was about to do. Horror etched onto his features as he redoubled his efforts to break free.


    ¡°Please! Corus, please, don''t!¡± He cried


    ¡°Shatter.¡± I whispered and my aura obeyed, mana driving it to purpose.


    For a second, nothing happened. And then the sound of cracking metal filled the air as Valant watched on in disbelief. Hundreds of tiny cracks appeared on the surface of his blade, the weapon trembling with fear. It was sending these emotions back to it''s master, it''s sense of hopelessness and terror all adding to Valant''s own rising feelings of despair as he tried even harder to break free. One hand left his weapon and his fist began to smash into my mask, his fingers breaking and skin tearing under the impact. I did not move, the attacks were powerful and infused with mana but they were nothing compared to the physical strength of Xolumbrandir''s constructs.


    ¡°Corus! No! Please, No-¡± He never finished what he was about to say before the whole world turned white. His eyes were blinded by the flash and he let loose a cry of pain as he was thrown backwards through the air, his world spinning around and around as he continued to fly away. His descent was faster.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Valant crashed into the ground, his bones breaking under the impact, his eyes still unable to see. But he didn''t care about his sight, nor did he care about the wounds he had sustained in the assault. All he cared about was the absence inside himself. His sword was destroyed, Corravai was gone and the tether with it.


    Pieces of shattered light fell around me. I had grounded myself within the earth and Corravai''s terrific destruction did not affect me in the least. I kept my gaze on the curled up and sobbing form of Valant, his whole body shaking with pain as he felt the full weight of the evisceration of his sentient weapon. Corravai was gone and with it, a part of Valant''s own person.


    ¡°And so ends the tale of Corravai, blade of the Champions. How does it feel, Valant? To know that your oldest ally was useless against my strength. Without it you are nothing. Not a championor hero.¡± I said as I walked forwards towards the fallen Elven King.


    It was then that a sound of rushing wind filled the air and I felt a terrific aura glow with a terrible light. I turned and looked towards the direction of Cinder and Marwenna, only to see the beginnings of something I thought that I would never see again.


    It was a hurricane, massive in scope and scale, that stretched upwards towards the heaven. At it''s centre, I could feel Marwen and Cinder, their aura''s glowing with power as they both competed for dominance.


    ¡°Looks like your daughter won''t last long now, Corus.¡± Valant spat between gritted teeth as he pulled himself to his feet. ¡°Marwen is the Knight of Storms and her power is beyond Cinder. Soon she will fall!¡±


    I ignored the former champion and instead focused on the hurricane that had been created in the distance. I felt a pang of worry attack my heart at the thought of Cinder being within the swirling walls of wind.


    Marwenna''s power was great. Her control of the air was almost absolute and this was a testament to her skill, the ability to summon a natural disaster on a scale that most mages would find impossible.


    I wanted to go and help Cinder immediately, but I knew she would hate me for it. I may not have been around for the last four hundred years but I knew Cinder, probably better than she knew herself. She would want to beat this under her own power. To show Marwen who the greatest Knight is.


    ¡°I''m not worried, Valant. You underestimate Cinder because you have no idea the true extent of her power. She is the only being in this continent who Marwen fears, besides myself. She will succeed and bring Marwenna to me. Of that, I have no doubt¡±


    I turned back to the Elven King and looked at him, my expression hidden from sight, but I''m sure he could hear the smile that was on my lips.


    ¡°And besides, whether she succeeds or not should not be your concern. Didn''t you say that you were going to defeat me? Perhaps you should stop talking and try a little harder to do just that.¡±


    Valant sneered at me, his body still shaking. I could see his aura clearly and it was damaged, most likely a result of Corravai''s fate. His ability to control mana had been compromised. I wondered, with our unusual relationship, would Xolumbrandir''s destruction affect me in such a way?


    ¡°I will defeat you... I must.¡± He whispered as he pulled himself to his feet, his hand dropping to his waist and pulling a dagger free of it''s sheath on his belt. ¡°I must... for Marwen, for Mahalis. You are poison, Corus. I knew that from the moment I first heard of you. You take what you want with no regard for the lives of others. The difference between you and I is that I cared when I took a life. Whether it was Rebel Court or not, I always cared. You are a shallow husk, once human, but now corrupted and empty.¡± He began to stumble forwards, his hand held out in front of him as he tried desperately to cover the distance, his legs barely strong enough to support his weight.


    ¡°Yet you happily took the information that Marwenna gave you? Happily killed innocents to-¡±


    ¡°Marwen didn''t give me any information, you fool!¡± Valant shouted as he continued on his path. ¡°She loved you, Corus. She loved all of you! The reason she abandoned everyone is because she thought she wasn''t good enough, that she was tainted because she had fallen in love with me. She thought it would be better if they just forgot about her. You know nothing! I comforted her as she cried for days, weeks at a time. Mourning your death! She couldn''t understand why she cried, she still believed what Vitriss told her, that you were evil, but she hated herself none the less. It was only when Mahalis was born that she experienced some kind of peace.¡±


    Valant tripped over his own feet, exhaustion taking hold as he hit the ground, his grip on the dagger loosening, but he managed to hold it within his armoured hand.


    Uncertainty filled me as I tried to detect some form of lie in Valant''s words, but there was none. He was telling the truth, but it meant nothing.


    ¡°Even if what you say is true, she and you were behind the attack on Ellai, thousands of innocents dead on the command of a Knight!¡± I roared the last words, my aura letting itself, finally, be known and Valant gripped the earth and gritted his teeth to keep from being blown away.


    ¡°She did nothing! It was me, Corus! I called for the armies of the faithful, I put it all in motion on the order of Vitriss! I swear to you that is the truth. If you wish to punish someone, punish me! Do not punish her because of my actions. Her only crime was falling in love with me!¡± He yelled as he tried to hold on, his whole body feeling the vibrations of my unnatural aura.


    ¡°Why?! Why would Vitriss want to destroy Ellai? It makes no sense, she already had me, why try to destroy all I built!¡± I shouted and wrapped Valant in air, lifting him into the air until he hung before me.


    ¡°Ask her! I have no idea, nor do I care. I wish you had stayed dead. I wish you were gone from our lives. You are a plague, Corus. I don''t know why this all happened the way it did. But I know that everything that happened was a result of your very existence! You look for someone to blame, to unleash your wrath upon?! Perhaps you should turn that power upon yourself!¡± Valant sneered, but didn''t struggle. He knew he was beyond help now, he was at my mercy. I could destroy him with a word, ending his sorry excuse for a life.


    ¡°Then why say nothing? Why just stand there and accept everything that I accused her of?¡± I hissed, the air closing tighter around Valant as he gasped in pain.


    I was surprised by the almost pitying look on his face. ¡°You have never truly loved someone, have you, Corus? She thought that she was saving me. I know that now. But she did nothing! Her only crime was being used by Vitriss.¡±


    Valant''s head fell forwards and his I could see the tears drift off his face and into the swirling winds that held him aloft.


    ¡°Please... Don''t hurt her. I plead now, to the boy you once were. Marwenna used to tell stories to Mahalis about you as a child. How you were kind and gentle, how you loved all things. How you loved her.¡± Valant drew in a chocking breath. ¡°I hated you for getting that time with her, I hate you still, for the monster that I know you to be. But if even half of what was said is true, then I beg you, your Majesty. Please. Let her go home.¡± With the last words Valant raised his gaze and aimed it at me, his eyes glistening with pain and loss, but a fragment of hope glimmered beneath. He was hoping, praying, that I would heed his words and not harm Marwenna.


    ¡°No¡± The word was easy to say and I felt my heart grow ever colder as I saw the hope die in Valant''s gaze, a sad smile appearing at the corner of his lips.


    ¡°Then you have proven me right. You are a monster, Corus. You will fall one day soon. I know you will. I hope it hurts.¡± Valant said, his eyes now filled with defiance as he prepared to die.


    ¡°Goodbye, Valant.¡± I said with a dead tone and I constricted the magical wind that circulated him.


    An agonised scream filled the air as Valant''s body was slowly pushed back against itself, what remained of his intact bones crumbling beneath the terrific force that I exerted.


    ¡°STOP!¡±


    Startled, I almost fell forwards, my grip on magic fading as I spun on the spot, Xolumbrandir coming up fast I aimed it in the direction that the voice had come from.


    There was nothing there.


    A frown appeared upon my face. I had heard something, hadn''t I? The voice was heard as clearly as Valant''s, but I didn''t sense any aura nearby apart from Hilin''s, Marwen''s and Cinders. None of whom sounded anything like this. What the fuck... am I going insane?


    I quickly turned to make sure Valant was where I left him, lest this be some kind of trick on his part to escape me. But he remained where he was, fallen to the ground and unconscious. Unfortunately, he was still very much alive.


    I turned once again towards the direction I had heard the voice and reached out with my enhanced senses, further bolstering them with mana to give me a massive range. But still, nothing was making itself known to me.


    The idea that I imagined it was quickly dismissed. I knew the difference between reality and illusion. I had studied illusion magic quite extensively when I sought to master it''s power. I could sense no shimmer that usually occupied such magic. For a moment I was tempted to use Aspect of Illusion. The spell could let me summon incredibly detailed creations from thin air, but it also gave me the power to see through the illusions of others. But this was different. If it were an illusion I would sense the mana that made it possible. But now I could sense nothing.


    It was then I heard a gasp of excited breath


    ¡°Can you hear me?¡± The voice asked, while before it had been desperate now it filled with hope.


    I continued to look around for a moment, ignoring it as I sought to seek out who the voice belonged to.


    ¡°Hey! Ass hole! Can you hear me?¡± The voice asked again, this time more desperate than before as it shouted in my ear.


    #


    I winced at the sound and raised a hand to the side of my mask. It was like the voice was talking directly into my ear.


    ¡°Yes, I can hear you. What is this?¡± I said carefully, my guard well and truly up as I continued my search.


    A sigh of relief came from the voice ¡°Thank Vitriss. I thought I wouldn''t be able to get to you in time. Now, mind telling me who you are?¡±


    When the voice thanked the Goddess I immediately gritted my teeth and managed to control myself. Is this another of Vitriss'' tricks? Sent to annoy me even more than she already has.


    ¡°Why don''t you come out so I can tell you in person.¡± I said as I moved away from Valant''s body and began to rapidly turn from direction to direction, hoping to catch whoever was watching me by surprise.


    The voice sighed ¡°I''m not actually here, idiot. I''m... well, I have no idea where you are, but It feels far away compared to where I am.¡±


    What was this voice''s purpose? Was it sent by Vitriss, or another? I couldn''t detect any lie from it''s words but that didn''t mean shit.


    ¡°And where are you, exactly?¡± I asked. I was surprising myself with my own sense of calm.


    ¡°Currently I''m... well, I''m in Omara. Though, I''m pretty tied down at the minute... literally.¡±


    I frowned, then a look of shocked revelation hit me to my core. What the fuck isgoing on?


    ¡°Are you... are you the other half of my soul?¡±


    I sensed confusion in the Voices tone ¡°Em, I don''t know what you''re talking about. I''ve been dreaming a lot recently. All the dreams are of you but... I think this is different. I can speak to you now and hear voices. I could never do that before.¡±


    Now it was my turn to be confused ¡°What''s different this time? How are you doing this? What''s your name?¡±


    ¡°Well, what''s different is that I''m unconscious. But... I think I know why I can speak to you. I need to save you... I think, I don''t know.¡± The voice sounded exasperated as it finished it''s sentence, almost as if it were trying go figure out it''s own purpose.


    I squinted my eyes as a hint of disbelief entered into my tone.


    ¡°And what, exactly, do I need saving from?¡±


    ¡°Yourself... idiot. My name is Silvren and I think that when I save you, maybe you can save me.¡±

 Final Update

    Hello there everyone!


    Thank you all for reading Arcana up to this point and I''m glad you''ve all enjoyed it so much, although the same cannot be said for the last chapter.


    I have decided to take a step back for a while. I''ve been writing half assed chapters, some I''ve only been doing because I needed to upload something and the quality continues to drop. So much so that I''m not quite sure what my fucking idea was for this story in the first place.


    It has become a chore. I''m sure you can guess from the last chapter that I was kind of just making shit up as I went along and this is exactly the case. This story deserves better than that and you, reader, more importantly, deservebetter than that.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    I''m going to re-write the story from scratch. But I''m going to be doing that away from RRL. I think the reason for this is so I don''t get tempted to post a chapterjust for the sake of posting. I made todays chapter in less than two hours and I''ve been doing that for a while now. That''s just stupid. It should take me a full day, or more, to write anything worth while.


    The only saving grace of this whole thing has been all of you. It''s your comments and advice that make me better as a writer and I''ve taken all of that you have said to heart and decided now is the time to take a breath, stand back and actually do this the right way.


    So, without further ado, I bid you farewell and when I eventually write a true and proper fiction,I''llpost it here for you all to enjoy.


    Thank you onceagain and I hope to see you all in the near future!


    D.R. King