The procession was small now. The only people that were allowed into this part of the Pyre was the King’s most trusted men and family. The stones looked as if it could contain the entire people in the city, but as tradition forbade everyone from coming to see the King’s birth, so it also restricts them from coming in his death.
The darkness cleared, and the stone lighted up with the light of many touches that hung on the wall.
The men halt the procession, and Gilman, the King’s horn, walked up the stairs and stood over a pyre that had been built like a small canoe. He nodded to the four men, and they walked up to the stairs, placing the King’s body, into the Pyre.
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Zita, as well as the Queen and Gilman, lifted their heads to the direction where the noise had emanated from. A dark shadow walked out from among the corner of the stones towards them. It held a small dagger on his hand, as identical to the ones that lined the black belt of his armor. “A gift and warning from the emperor,” Came the hoarse voice as he threw something on the floor. The object bounced on the floor like a ball and rolled towards them, sending some particle flying into the night.Zita frowned when she saw the strange features of the object. There was dry blood on the surface and dried flesh. It was clearly a severed head that was dried as if the blood was removed f
“Almost done, my Queen,” Margret respectfully replied as one of her heavy hands went into her apron, “We would serve it in a jiffy.” She assured with confidence. “Please, do, because I can’t remember the last time I ate,” The Queen said that turned Zita’s attention from the kitchen.Zita was glad when she heard the Queen’s words. She had not eaten a thing since the King’s burial four days ago. Even now, she was coming back to herself and was looking much younger and healthy. “My Queen,” Margret hesitantly called. “Yes, Margret? You ha
“I have a good teacher,” Zita smile.“Will you come with me?” The Queen suddenly asked. Zita’s eyes widened from her question, “I am not yet eighteen,” She replied, surprised. “You said you succumb to the rule of the common people?” Zita nodded, “You, mom, you taught me that to be a good and effective queen, that one has to place themselves under the authority of the commoners.”“You are wise, but I really want you to
“Princess Abigail Fagh?” a young man, about the same age as her, called out suddenly.He was neatly dressed in gold suits, with his sword strapped on his side like the Black Vesslers of the emperor.“My name is Philips Johnson Junior.” She gave him her hands, and he held them gently, planting a perfect kiss on the back of her wrist. An electric chill passed from his lips into her body, making her have goosebumps.“Your beauty is beyond measure,” Philips finally said as he stood up. His hair was sleek and nicely groomed to the side of his skull.“Please allow me the honor,&
Bola dropped the mug as the taste of the wine went down his throat. The liquor was strong, and it was the finest wine he could ever have asked for. He could hardly tell what it was made from, or mixed with, and the taste was just amazing. Nevertheless, he could not waste the opportunity to savor it. That was the only that he could do to not get his mind back to the children that he was supposed to save. Ginika was gone, and Dodo, well, that girl is more of a headache, than someone who should be saved. He couldn’t believe that she had pulled off with her plan, despite his warnings and threats. In fact, Bola had expected the Vesslers to reject her, but that girl seemed to know about
“I will be back,” He said to the bartender before Bola gulped the last wine. He then dropped an emperor’s bronze on the table, but the waitress was not looking when she picked up the money.Bola hurried towards the front door. The breeze of the night welcomed his face when he stepped out of the pub. The street was going dim from the shops which were already closing. He turned his head to the right, and there he caught a glimpse of the five men as they rounded another corner, away from the street.Adrenaline hurried Bola’s feet as he trotted towards the direction. His heart was thumping, and he could feel every part of his cell, asking him the one question he could n
“Burn.” He said suddenly. The words were out of his mouth before he could even pause to think them through. And he regretted it. Still, there was no room to cry over spilled milk. Lives were at stake. Something flowed from his upper shoulders to his arms. It graved his fingertips, making his hands shake, and as he watched, a fireball shot out from his hands and fell upon the shadow whose blade was just a few inches from Gareth’s neck.
“You are a mage, right?” The woman screamed, but Bola tried not to pay attention. “That means you are a Drudge.”Bola paused. Of course, she knew he was a Drudge. How could she have possibly known that he was a mage? The three Kingdoms, also known as the Drudge, are the only ones who in history have men that are mage or seers or seekers. But all that had changed ever since the emperor broke them and turned them to slave, killing anyone who had the power in them.“What do you know about the Drudge?” Bola turned to meet her. She ambled towards him, with low
The calmness was alluring, and the serenity so great that she felt she could remain here forever. Nothing seems to exist. It was just as if she was just being born. There was no trouble, no worries, and certainly no death. But where am I?“My sweet child,” Someone said, and the girl could feel the hands that patted her forehead.Abigail opened her eyes, just in time to see the beautiful face of Queen Isabel, as she pulled away from her. The rich lemon fragrance covered Abigail’s nostrils lurking around the fresh morning air that was rushing into the room from the window at the far end.“Mother?” Abigail called. Even her own voice was new to her.“Rest, my child, you need it.” Isabel smiled weakly and stroked Abigail’s forehead.“What happened?” Abigail asked as she sat up from the bed. She was totally found. No part of her body ached from the training, and she was more at ease and…“By the heavens,” Abigail screamed when her fair skin. She stroked her head and laughed from the rich bl
Gen jumped on top of the watchman and ripped his throat out, feeling the sweet savor of the metallic taste that came rushing into her palate. She was careful not to bite off his head as that was a disgusting way to feed.She wiped her mouth with the back of her hands and stood up. She was not satisfied, but she must try to be on mission. Maybe she will come back and finish him off when she was done.A ray of sun tubes in through the roof, and Gen laughed. It was still a wonder to her that she was walking in daylight. She had been in the dark for about 50 years, but now, walking under the light made her realize that there is more to life that the ugly face of darkness.The hands of the sun spreads through the whole earth, blessing everything that stood in the vast distance with its grace. From this place, she could see everywhere in Arkenta. Even the border of Landevia spread out and seemed to be touching the sky. She was supposed to monitor the Cavaliers from this Watchtower, but stand
Vera nodded to Gareth and walked out from among the shadows. She followed behind the cavalier, who was totally oblivious of her presence. The man was about to round the bend when she held his mouth from behind and traced the sharp end of her dagger around his neck. She held his mouth tightly as he convulses but released him when he finally became still.“That’s thirty-two,” Gareth whispered as he walked towards her.“You have been keeping counts?” Vera asked and wiped her dagger on the body of the fallen guard.“A total of sixty-six. You are a warlord mother,” “Which way?” “There,” Gareth pointed to another metal door. The torches flickered with the little wind that walked in the air, revealing the emptiness that lies on the other side of the door. It was day, and the sun was at its zenith. But its hands have failed to touch any side of the dungeon. Dar
“Emm…guys, I hate to break the reunion, but I think we are in trouble.” A girl that was twice as tall as any of them in the arena said. Behind her were two other girls whose eyes were wider than the lens of Victoria.“Olivia? We are friends now?” Dodo suddenly asked as she, Abigail, and Victoria turned to the other girls. The looks on their faces told Ginika to keep off. He wasn’t ready to meddle with women’s affairs.“Ginika!!!” Someone screamed. “Pa Bola?” Ginika’s brow elevated to his skull at the voice of the man who was running into the arena from one of the metal bars. Behind him was a strange-looking woman, in breeches and some yellow shawl hanging loosely on her shoulders.“You must get out of here, now,” The man said. The looks on his face were covered with so many expressions that Ginika could not place a hand on.“Bola,” Dodo called, turning away from the girl she had called Olivia. “You are alive.” “Yes, but there is no time, we must hurry, follow me.” Bola pointed to the
A sweet air bashed Abigail’s face when she finally walked out of the burning hallway. The metal bars shut behind her, leaving her and the other children at the mercies of the crowd and their frenzy. The walls of the arena were high, more than thirty feet away from the dust and sand.“Now what?” Dodo asked as she steady her hands on the pan. Her composure was laudable, and it made Abigail want to run into her arms. The girl was showing no sign of weakness or fright. It was as if she had anticipated all the event and knew what would happen.“How long can you last out here, Victoria.” The voice of Olivia came fluttering with the numerous screams of the crowd. The mockery in them was annoying. The girl was acting as though she had everything under control.The metal door at the other side of the arena opened, and some six boys came jogging out of it. They were also Vesslers who had come to transition. Unlike the girls that were given pans, the boys held the sword, spears, shield, and other
The voice of the metals continued to scream as the hammers of the blacksmith descended upon them. The screams only stopped to a hissing sound when the men imbued them into the water pan beside the metal table, and resumes their previous beating. Those clatter and noise from the anvil could cause the ear to bleed. It’s been hours since they came here, yet none of the three blacksmith had fashion any reasonable weapon. It was as if they were toiling in vain, or were they doing this as a hobby?Abigail wiped her brow for what seemed to be the tenth time that morning. If the sweat had anything to do with the heat of the furnace, then she would have taken solace in the metal door whose air was blocked by the girl’s that clustered on it.
“This is ridiculous.” Richard chuckled, “The funniest joke in the history of the empire.”“You are a coward Richard. And your strength Is in your tongue. The only thing you are good at is staring up strife among brethren.”“Is that what you think,” Richard flared and hurried up to Gabriel, but the other children where just in time to hold the two from ripping their throats apart.“Richard.” Ginika said, and all eyes turned to him. “I don’t care if you hate me
“You ruined our lives. I said it before, you are nothing but trouble,” Richard shouted.Ginika’s stomach tightened as he studied the other children who were staring at him like some kind of god. Betty had hidden them in the forest, the same forest which was becoming like home ever since he was kicked out from the brotherhood. It was easily to see through the expression that lurked in the face of the children. They looked haggard and frightened and five years starving.“You hear me?” Richard’s voice rung in his ears but he tried his best to ignore the boy. “You are nothing but evil. Nemesis will fall on yo
Bola wiped the tears from his own eyes, not able to hold them back any longer. Seeing the reunion between the mother and son made his chest ach. He just could not shut the doors of his emotions as his mind flashback into the past, in that night when his whole family was destroyed by the children of the night. His clan had been so weak to defend themselves. They had been so powerless.“Here,” Vera’s word brought his wandering thoughts back into his body. She had was holding a small book in her hands now, a book which she gave to Gareth.“It contains my memory.” Vera smiled and parted Gareth’s cheeks, leaving a smear of red trail on them.“Please don&