The Allure of Darkness

15

Cree

They have been calling numbers. The numbers they branded us with.

I'm marked with number 167 and the Kingdom of Arsher crest branded on my arms. They branded us like fucking animals.

"166 step forward." The man at the speaker says into it. Number 166 is a man with blonde hair that comes down to his shoulders. From here I can't tell what the color his eyes are but I picture a sage green. It would fit him.

Number 166 walks up to the man and they speak for a split second. He turns to walk to the right tent by the gate and this might be the last moment we see him, if he doesn't pass the test.

They call each number and then do a test. No one knows what the test is, if you live they lead you to the king in the castle and if you're not the perfect fit for what they want then you join the pile of dead bodies.

They only skipped one number, number thirteen, they called the number twice and then they went silent for a minute. I saw that Loki and Emrys went after whoever was stupid enough to not follow the simple orders.

I haven't seen Azia since we got to the kingdom. I don't see her here. Did they take her already? How would I miss her?

"167 step forward." My turn. I walk towards the man and he checks my arms and nods.

"Go into the left tent and wait for instructions." He looks at me and his face hardens. "What are you waiting for? Go!"

I step towards the tent. It's all white. It has no sign of blood on it, that's good right?

I open the flap of the tent and walk in. The smell is the first thing that hits me. It reeks, terribly. But there's no bodies here, only the reminder that they were here. The smell is a reminder, if you don't pass the test than you die.

I look around and the inside has two seats, a sink and different types of knives.

I move towards the set of knives. I have to protect myself. I have to protect myself from my own birth kingdom.

"I wouldn't do that if I were 167." The voice comes from behind me. I turn to face a male, maybe 6'5, solid onyx hair. He has a white lab coat that's covered with blood. He has a black shirt and pants that match his eyes. His shoes are the only thing that stand out, they're a shade of dark green.

"Is it part of the test?" I asked while moving towards the knives.

"Wouldn't you like to know." He moves past me, grabbing all three knives in one hand. "So 167 what's your name?"

"Cree Vi Smye." I always hated my full name. How ridiculous it sounds. My mother always loved that you could say my full name quickly. She always would say my full name even if I wasn't in trouble. She loved it that much.

"Age?"

They already asked these questions yesterday.

"I'm turning seventeen in a few days, on the eleventh."

Turning seventeen in this world is a curse or a blessing, depending on how you want to live. You either get magic or no magic. Only you can decide if it's a curse or a blessing.

Son you will get blessed with great things.

My father never told me about his magic, I knew he had it but he told me I was young and innocent and shouldn't know.

I have the power to start wars or end them, son. Just bring me back to this world and I'll show you, I'll help you.

Not once in my life did my father ever keep his promises. I don't think he changed or ever will change.

"So I guess we'll see if you get blessed." He writes down on his paper, what I guess is my name and age.

"Have you ever been trained to fight?"

Yes. My whole life I've been prepared to fight. To run. To kill.

"Only a little bit." I lie as quickly as I breathe.

"Okay that's good." He paces while looking at me. And for a split second he looks down and smiles but he quickly looks back up.

He stares at me. His black eyes pierced my soul. I have no idea where to look. I glance my eyes at his green shoes. 

A knife flies past my ear. I could hear it whizzing past me. I step to the side quickly getting ready for the next knife to come at me. It goes right where my head was a second ago.

I ran towards the man with the one knife left. He twirls it in the air as I stumble towards him. His eyes have no trace of fear.

I try to go to grab the knife only for him to slice my shirt open. All my scars are for him to see, it shows all my history with my uncle. His lips dip down for a second.

I throw a punch to his left shoulder. He moves quickly out of my reach. He brings his right arm up to shove the knife at my throat. I backed away from him. I can tell I look like a feral animal by the way he looks at me. I will fucking tear him apart.

"You're good but not better than me." He flings the knife at my feet. His aim does not falter. I jump at the last second as the knife embeds itself into the ground.

"Give me your hand." He says as he pulls out this pen gadget from his coat. I walk up to him, silently. He presses it against my right palm leaving a tiny black 'K' on it. Another mark, another brand.

Two guards walk in, grabbing my arms and pulling me to the other side of the tent. They are taking me back outside. To the pile of dead bodies?

I feel the fresh air on me and I realized how quickly I came accustomed to the smell inside of the tent.

I look forward to see Azia, she's getting pulled inside a carriage with Emrys and Loki. What are they doing? Where are they taking her?

I start to run and I shove the two guards off of me. I can hear the yelling from behind me but all I care about is Azia.

She hasn't looked up yet. She doesn't  see me running to her as the carriage pulls away.

All I can see is a bruise forming on her neck. Did they hurt her?

"AZIA!" I screamed for her. And she never looks at me.

I stifle a scream as I feel a pinch in my neck and I fall onto the ground. This ground is where I grew up. This kingdom is where I spent my childhood. This kingdom is where everything fell apart.

I opened my eyes once more and they shut quickly.

I get pulled into dreams that are filled with the memories of my mom.