Destined

18. Rising Phoenix

I stared at him blankly at what the point of his argument was. My head throbbed at trying to formulate anything to make sense. "I told you, I do not understand this."

He sighed. "Tell me, have you found yourself wondering why the Isles revealed your powers, all the ones hidden within you?"

He knew something. He seemed reluctant to share. "Just spit it out and stop toying with me as you have always done."

He chuckled a little. "You always got frustrated when I held back anything from you. The answer formed inside you."

"What do you-," An intense ache in my head blared out anything else. Soon, I found myself somewhere else entirely. I searched for Artemis, Mesmer, or even the Corrupted King, but they were not there. I found myself in a dark forest with rain pouring down and saw no one or thing around me that seemed familiar. I walked around. The ground was slush under my toes as I wandered further into this place. Thunder sounded close to wherever I was. I saw some dark form in the trees struggling and wandered over to see the Valkrylupis. "Kader," I rushed to his side, but he was all tangled up in the thorns. I tore at them to rip him free and hurt my hands.

The poor beast howled in agony, but its eyes caught mine with its chest rising and falling. "Leave me here and run." It spoke.

I frowned. "You cannot die here."

Its eyes narrowed. "If that man catches you, we both know he will force your hand. You must hide where he cannot seek you, where he cannot touch you."

I scoffed. "A little late to warn me of what has already happened."

The Valkrylupis stared at me for a long moment and nudged my injured hands away from it. "Please, my king, if that is the case, take what rightfully belongs to you. Do not doubt yourself. You must heal this world he has set on dismantling itself. You are Terra's only king." Its head laid down on the ground and stared into the forest further, but its breathing stopped.

I sat in the mud staring at the beast, perplexed how it could die. It was supposed to be impenetrable, but here it was, laid dead before me.

"Jaiden!!!!" Artemis cried out for me.

Wherever I had been, I know it was not a place the Corrupted King could follow when I found myself in front of his vine-woven throne. I could not glance over my shoulder to see everyone present gawking at me. I saw a beast that was not supposed to die and pass on to the afterlife. It called me its-

"Do you remember yet, old friend, or are do we need to continue this game?" The Corrupted King asked. His question did not register though I heard it.

I glared at him. He stiffened for the first time. "I am not your friend. I am not playing games." I strolled up to him. He began to back away as the white flames burst up around me. "Why must you be so blind to ignore those weaker than you? I wonder what would happen if a weak threat like me would suffice to prove that point to you."

Artemis and Mesmer exchanged a glance then stared at me as I drew closer to the Corrupted King. "I never claimed you were weak." He said, but not before I sneered.

"You called Kader weak, but he was no such weakling. You said the same of your daughter, but I see a strength you sorely lack. You are the weak one, and you best not forget it." I stopped before him and struck him hard across his jaw. He hit the floor. "I promise you this. If you lay waste to anything that belongs to me, I can dismantle everything that you claim is yours."

He rubbed at his jaw while Artemis wandered over to me. She reached a gentle hand to my face and thumbed my cheek. "He is not worth it. You do not need to remember because you have everything you need."