The Downfall of the Kingdom

Chapter 14

Stefan, Anne, Salvatora and Cigam found themselves in Astelovix's chamber. It was nothing compared to Anne's glass tower. This area was gloomy and dark. A few torches cast eerie shadows which seemed to look at you. They shed light, but not enough to know what really did lurk in the darkness. Astelovix himself was frightening. He was tall and bony. His eyes were small and beady and stared at you like you were prey. He seemed deprived of sleep and sunlight judging by his pale face and dark blue rigs around his eyes in contrast. He wore black and red robes and spoke in a high pitched voice, "So you think that you can pass through my area, free of charge?"

Salvatora tried to reason with him. "Please, we must go with hast. Allow us safe passage."

He replied, "No. I care not if the darkness has returned. You did not help me then and I will not help you now. Leave!"

Stefan raised his hands, a spell on his lips. Cigam shook his head inconspicuously. Stefan glowered at the man who thought he was a king.

Astelovix smiled, "I'll take the girl and then you can pass."

Cigam and Stefan both shouted out, "NO!"

"In that case go."

Anne pleaded, "Is there not anything at all that we can give you? Wealth? Potions?"

The king just shook his head, "Goodbye." He indicated to his guards and the four had ended up back at the gates staring at the kingdom, no progress made. The kingdom was small, with towers surrounding it and very few living quarters. However many different workshops seemed to surround the place such as blacksmiths and locksmiths, butcheries and simple carpentry. A very economical kingdom. A very unwelcoming place too. Stefan asked, "What now?"

Salvatora replied, "My student, nightfall grants invisibility. We wait."

And wait they did. Nightfall soon came but guards were all over the place. They were armed too.

"We need a plan," Anne stated.

"That goes without saying," Salvatora intoned.

"I think we should ask Cigam and Stefan to use a spell to freeze those guards while we sneek through."

"No, Astelovix will know it was us and we don't need a second war on our plates right now." The two women were engaged in their debate. Stefan sat on the grass amazed at how he had been so evil. Had the darkness really left him. He noticed that when he slept, nightmares always accompanied him leaving him shivering and weeping out of fear in the night.

Cigam had interrupted them then, "Maybe Astelovix doesn't want money but I'm feeling confident of the fact that one or two of these guards would help us in achieving our goals for a some of money?" He made the statement sound like question.

Stefan spoke up, "So which genius brought money? Had I been 'me' at the time, I would've thought of that as an urgent priority."

"Silence," boomed his teacher, "Perhaps we find a gullible fool, promise him money after he takes us to the other side and then use a spell to erase his memory of the past day. Easy enough."

"Except that we have only one shot at guessing who that fool might be," replied Stefan, "Guess wrong and that king will set up troops all around this land so that the end result is that we cannot even traverse around the kingdom."

Salvatora smiled, "Well then, lets go and find this man..."

Stefan looked at the guard prancing up and down the pathway, a stern look fixed upon his face. He glared about himself in a rage seeming to hate life itself to the maximum extent. His eyes appeared black in the faint light, hand gripping the hilt of his sword as though life itself depended upon that very blade. Stefan lightly shook his. This man probably lives by the philosophy of strike first, ask questions later. He moved on. His teacher was disappointed in his rude outburst of how his intelligence was superior and so now it was his task to seek out the right guard and worse still, his responsibility to take on the blame if the wrong one is picked. He felt uneasy. Ever since the time spent with that disgusting beast, Domitates, Stefan felt different. He could not describe it. It was as though a part of him remained within the clutches of Domitates, a very vital part. Sometimes, he felt so angry, so evil inside of his heart. But he knew that the creature was gone. But he pondered over why he was so worried. "I must kill Domitates else I will never truly be free." Stefan cursed and carried on with his new "mission". He saw quite a few men who looked like they could be used but he wasn't sure enough. Yes, riches had power over some, but the soldiers of this kingdom were paid well. Well enough to do more than to survive. He was starting to realise that Astelovix possessed a fair amount of money and he felt very apprehensive of him. He was strange. He believed that even the slightest hint of evil could lure him over to the dark side.

Suddenly, Stefan heard the thunderous laugh of someone. Astelovix's castle was built in such a way that it had no defences but a maze of different workshops and stalls that would mislead you in direction. You could never reach his castle without someone who knows the area. Ingenious for protection. Ingenious also for Stefan too hide whilst observing the guards. The two blue eyes of the boy cautiously peered around the corner of a locksmiths shop. He saw a stout man with a ridiculous moustache laughing like a small child. He looked animated with the short hair complimenting the moustache. He was speaking to the other guard. "That was a good joke Joseph! Cheap drinks and food. This kingdom is getting ridiculous with the prices. I'm going to go to my death bed hungry I tell you."

The soldier named Joseph replied, "Yes well if you continue to act like a drunk lunatic then you'll never rise above the ranks like I did. Guard the castle at night and the king by day. Hard to work for him but he pays me well. Goodnight John, I don't want to fall into trouble."

"Yes, night." John walked away mumbling to himself.

Stefan suppressed a smile. A man as large as that guard could surely have enough food to feed an entire kingdom inside of himself. But if he wanted money, then there are some who would be more than willing to grant that wish. He went to convey the message to his friends.

John was a man who yearned to have great fortunes and bask within baths filled to the brim with wine and food. Yet that ambition would not be achieved. He was once a happy man, married to a young and beautiful girl. However he left her stating that she spent far too much money on her necessities and that there was not enough for "his food". Being a man with a rare case of utter stupidity, his wife's father was also the head of the farm where he worked earning a very good and healthy living. His mind may be devoid of all things, but food was his department and he seemed to be an expert farmer in terms of when to plant and how to harvest. After losing his job he applied with the king to be a guard and in Astelovix's area, nature was not present and neither was grass so he couldn't make his own food. So, five years later he stands in the midst of a cold night looking suspiciously at a woman approaching him. Salvatora gave a gentle smile and introduced herself. "Good evening, we would like to pass through the kingdom. We are willing to pay you a fair sum if you get us to the other side safely without the king's knowledge."

John's face brightened at the sound of money, "Well it will be difficult and I think that more than a fair sum will be required."

"But of course," Salvatora persisted hoping to sway his mind quickly.

"In that case, be quiet and follow me. Please pay me on the other side. There are hardly any guards posted there as we don't get people coming in for the mountains."

Cigam, Anne and Stefan made their appearance then.

John smiled, "Ah more... Well this will..."

"...require more money. Yes I realise that," Salvatora finished with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

True to his word, John led them through the kingdom. It was long and tedious as he took them around countless corners. The maze never seemed to end. Anne was beginning to wonder if he even knew his way when suddenly, the shops ended as did the kingdom's boundary. John had a greedy look creeping across his face. Salvatora sighed as she disliked using magic for an evil cause, raised her hand and whispered, "Mémoire" whilst throwing a leaf into the air. John's recent memory vanished and he fainted on the spot not even seeing the four people walking towards the mountains.

John would find that the next morning, he would be asked to leave his post due to "unapproved sneaking through the kingdom" as well as "sleeping on the job". Joseph would laugh in his face and John would walk away, dark thoughts racing through his mind. These were quickly to be replaced by a craving for food. The silly man who helped Anne and her company on their journey would several days later end up trying to start a path of farming in which he would grow food only for himself.