The Dark Realm - Harlequin (King)

Chapter 14

Harlequin was dodging their questions which made her think something big had happened and he was afraid of telling them.

"What power?" Gerheade asked.

"The Dark Tree's power." Harlequin replied simply. Gerheade's eyes widened and turned fearful.

"How?" Gerheade asked, terrified of Harlequin.

"You thought it was gone, you thought you and Gloxinia had destroyed it, but no, it lives. I am proof of that fact." Harlequin said, almost mocking Gerheades foolishness. Diane noticed his personality was also a little different. Though he still cared for his people and Diane he seemed more ruthless and uncaring of anybody else. More willing to go to all lengths to see tasks through even if that meant harming those he might cherish.

"It should have burned to the ground years ago." Gerheade said.

"You lied, to the whole clan, to me, to Sorrel, and Liana." Harlequin seethed, his voice filled with anger. Gerheade tried to speak but Harlequin cut her off.

"You killed them all! You burned their home and ripped the wings off the backs of them! Don't deny it!" Harlequin was nearly yelling, but he managed to control himself. "How could you?"

"What are you talking about?" Liana asked.

"What do you mean?" Diane asked.

"Do you remember the stories I told you? The ones Gerheade told me?" Harlequin asked. Diane was confused but Sorrel and Liana knew what he was talking about.

"You mean the Fairies that lived underground?" Sorrel clarified.

"What does that have to do with you?" Liana asked.

"Gerheade lied to us. The story she told us was false. They were hunted and slaughtered without second thought. Without giving them the chance to defend themselves." Harlequin said.

"He's lying. We had a reason to fight them and they lost the battle." Gerheade said.

"You're denying the truth. Are you really going to deny the fact that they were Fairies, the fact that you surrounded them and gave them no chance of escape even after you clearly defeated them?" Harlequin's voice was low and threatening each time he spoke the words almost came out like a snarl. Gerheade was taken aback and moved even further away from Harlequin.

"How? How do you know this?" Gerheade whispered.

"The Dark Tree showed me." Harlequin replied. Diane didn't see him move, but no sooner than he said that he was a few feet in front of Gerheade. Diane had a feeling he was ready to attack Gerheade if necessary, but he wouldn't do that would he? Harlequin wasn't like that was he? Gerheade was terrified. She was staring wide eyed at Harlequin and was shaking uncontrollably.

"You're scared of what I've become and the way I've been acting for weeks. You may also be scared of the power I now harbor, but everything is fine. I actually feel better now that I have been liberated from the Sacred Tree." Harlequin said, his voice filled with a slight bitterness to it.

"What's going on?" Diane asked.

"I'm sorry. You deserve a thorough explanation." Harlequin answered. He took a deep breath and plunged into a long and dark story.

"A long time ago, around 3,000 years ago, maybe more, there were two Fairy clans. One born from the Sacred Tree and one born from the Dark Tree. The Sacred Tree was a product of the Goddess clan while the Dark Tree was a product of the Demon clan. Fairies tend to be lazy. Believing as long as they stayed safe in their Forest they would always be safe. They had no care for the things that happened in Britannia. Back then the clans were free to do as they desired in Britannia. The Fae were not very different from the Fairies, but unlike the Fairies the Fae fought for a place in Britannia. They cared about what happened. Though they had very little power against demons, goddesses and such they still fought." Harlequin explained.