The Other King

Crow- Leave to Darkwood

My eyes stare at his back as he faces the wall. His breathing pattern is slow and controlled, his sleeping face rests peacefully. I cover him up with the blanket and find my clothes on the floor. I pull over my shirt and take on my shoes before buttoning the vest. I grab my bag and put in the objects, it sits uncomfortably on my hip from the weight. The cloak comes on next and I give Autumn one last look before opening the door.
I put the daggers and swords into their rightful places. My hand covers the face of the skull, putting it onto mine. I leave my home, jumping in every step as I start to fill with fearful adredline. I walk to the left, still inside of the barrier fencing, to meet up with the sleeping dragon. His brown scales turn black in the moonlight. I pat his tail, walking another thirty feet to his giant head.
“Kedek?” I whispered. He huffs, the warm breeze hits me until the cold returns with an icy wind. “Kedek?” I tried again. His eyelids open slightly to see me standing in front of him. His mouth opens into a yawn, his white teeth stare at me. I look away until his mouth closes again. He gets up, stretching his scaly limbs and shakes as if that helps him become more awake.
I place a hand on his side when he finally becomes still, climbing up until I sit comfortably onto his lower neck to the start of his upper back. As if knowing what I want, he starts walking towards Deadman Forest. My eyes stay forward and open even as the wind hits me. Kedek’s long limbs move fast across the ground, trees soon surround us and a new fate is just up ahead. “NorthEast.” I yell to the dragon, he shifts directions to face more right.
I thought we wouldn’t get there until morning or mid-day but at the speed Kedek’s running we’ll get there in hours. I watch as free-roamed animals run in every direction, scattering as we run through. I laugh, this is the most self-ish decision I’ve ever made but with the chance to save her I have to. I can save her from the kingdom, from the King and his stupid rule. She can be free and she can forgive me. I can apologize and explain myself. But one thing at a time.
I shout for Kedek to slow down. I might be wrong but about fifty feet away a creature runs the same direction as us. I was right as a dark figure started to shift and ran straight at us. She slowed down to eye me and the dragon. Her wolfed eyes speak but I can’t tell what they say. A second later she took off back where we were running from. Towards the barrier.
I curse under my breath knowing she’s going to tell the others. I shout for Kedek to hurry and this time it’s hard to stay on his back. Unlike the sky or like on Autumn, I can feel every time he hits the ground and takes off again. I grab onto a spike and hold on for dear life.
The slow sun rises up against the far wall of the memorable kingdom, casting an illuminating pour of colors over it and into the sky. Kedek stopped on top of a hill, staring down at Darkwood’s walls. I never thought I would be this near again, much less enter it. Trying to calculate a way in there’s only one that will get me killed but worth it. I slide off of Kedek’s back after we got close enough without anyone seeing him.
I could see the Guard with their uniforms and gold lining. All the Guard are required to have abilities so I know I’m going up against nature abilities or fire because those are common here. The front gate reaches halfway up the wall that I can’t even see the top of, it’s hidden by the clouds above.
I take a deep breath and my eyes focus in on one of the guards. I could feel the splitting for half a second before new nerves take over and I have to shove the thoughts of the man behind me in the back of my consciousness. The man I possessed lay leaning against the stoned bricks. I eye the inside of the kingdom. At the other size I can see the faint outline of the castle. I feel an unpleasant feeling in my gut from being back here again. Darkwood is a lot smaller than The Other. I'm starting to feel claustrophobic. There’s barely room to breath before bumping into someone.
I eye a woman tending a shed and my surroundings change with the blink of an eye. I try to think of a solution to get to the castle in the fastest way possible. I leave the woman’s body and she falls unconscious to my feet. I stick into the shadows, hiding my deer mask on my hip with the cloak attempting to shield it.
My golden iris scans my surroundings once more after walking past the shed onto a mini road. Near the gate is miles of farmland. Only fields until I can actually get to the markets and villages full of natural borns and mages then the cities full of rich witch and sorcerer elves then the palace with the other royals and natural born servants.
I shouldn't have known I was going to get caught. Right when I turned into another road I ran into a group of guards. Immediately roots shot up around my legs to my waist. I held back my growing rage, they could help me.
“What are you doing? You’re past curfew.” Someone yelled at me. My eyes locked into his and he froze, so did the vines, dropping to the floor.
I take out the letter and hand it to them. The next guard snatches up the letter, ignoring the heavy objects that’s started to weigh down on my hip. He opens the letter and looks up at me. “A letter from the King. We might as well kill the bastard.” He snarled.
“Don’t, Isak.” The one I released said, “We should take him to the King if that’s what the letter said.”
“But it’s to The Other Kingdom. This traitor is a runaway!” Isak snapped and raised his voice. I stay quiet until they stop arguing about whether to take me to the Palace or to kill me. Which is not really the judge of my fate but theirs.
In the end I was shoved violently into the carriage that really tested my patience because I was about ready to just kill the fuckers and find another way to the Palace. About half of the day passed by and the Palace was coming into view. It stood on the top of a hill, peering down the whole kingdom. The top spikes came barely over the top of the wall. The missing Other king’s castle was a lot darker and larger than Darkwoods.
King Sebaku’s castle was covered in veins and ivy all over his polished windows and dark stoned structure. The front doors were massive but there’s no other creatures here but humans and elves. Mostly the doors are to prove he’s as high and mighty as he sounds and can show off with fucking doors he has to use ropes to open. Not sure what his point is.
They suspected I was a natural born. So while I was supposed to be taken out of the carriage, I was already halfway up the castle trying to find the King’s quarters or the throne room. Finally towards the back end of the castle I opened the doors to a room full of open space and a wooden Throne. The ceiling was about a hundred feet up, pillars stood in some parts of the room to help it from crashing down. There were three wide steps to the platform on which the throne sat. On the far wall was a wide glass window. I could see the top of the wall. Just a jump away I could run. My eyes danced around the room trying to find her.
“You came.” I heard a voice and I nearly snapped his own neck where he stood. But I need the truth first and Lotus before I steal the objects back and leave this kingdom for good.
I turn around and see the King by the door. Two guys stood next to him. One was the kid from the tent, Arrow. The other was from the library that one day, Fade was his name. My eyes widened, he was an outsider. Looking for someone. He’s the one that found out about me. Bat was nowhere to be found, he knew who I was so he must be from The Other. Fade glances down at the mask now revealed from my hip. He makes a confused face and when I look at Arrow he looks terrified.
I turn my attention back to the king. A thorny crown sits on top of his greasy black curly hair. His green eyes stare into my soul sending a shiver down every part of my body.
I shake off the feeling and open my mouth to speak. “Where is she?”
“You do not speak when not asked.” I only stare at him, he doesn’t hold any power over me. Not anymore. “You were always one for protecting your friends. Even with a snitch mother-figure after you lost your own. Avory was a no-good nothing anyway. Showing off her body to every Royal in the goddamn castle!” He shouted at me like he held a grudge. But no regret showed in his cold eyes for her death. “I know what you did for vengeance. You were strong for your age and you had the strength. But enough talk. The objects?”
I interrupted the King, “How did you know I had them?”
I heard a clatter behind me and turned to see Jackson coming out from behind the throne. He licked his bloody lips as if snacking this whole time. He smirked at me and nodded toward my shoulder where he sank his teeth into. I shook my head, he should be dead. “You dare kill a ghoul without knowing how to properly dispose of the body? Shame on you.” He pretends to look disappointed. His tongue licks the blood off his fingers. “But the objects, where are they?”
“Silence!” The King snapped and Jackson and I turned our attention back to King Sebaku. “I want the objects.”
“Where is Lotus?” I demanded. I heard a scream in the hallway and the king waved in a group. Two men were gripping the sides of her dirty wrists and she was being dragged. Devanar’s mother looked old and broken but her glaring eyes were the same from when she called me thief and traitor. 
“Ah, the traitor to the rescue.” She spat blood onto the floor and was rewarded by the guard slapping her across the face. My eyes stared into the king but he had a flat expression. I shook my head, what the hell happened to her?
I slowly took my bag off my shoulder and took out the map and objects, leaving the letter threatening me to bring the objects or Lotus will die on today's date. I handed the bag over to the King and he walked to his throne, taking a seat with the ghoul staring at me hungrily right beside him. King Sebaku peaked through the bag. He nodded as he looked at the objects.
“Sir-” Jackson started to reach for the bag, the king slapped his hands away. Jackson growled.
“Not yet, you impatient beast.” He sat up straighter in his throne. I took a minute to look back at Fade and Arrow.
“You’re the coin thief.” Fade said slyly.
“Still stealing coins?” The King muttered. His hand peered into the bag. Then he snapped his attention to Fade. “If he was stealing from you why didn’t you bring me back any information until now!” He threw his hands up.
“Your Majesty, his mask. I didn’t know they were the same person. I only knew any information when I could see his face, that’s how I confirmed his whereabouts and how he had gotten all ten.” Fade tried to explain himself but the stubborn king threw up his hand.
I started to click the dots silently. I waited in front of the throne and turned back to Lotus. “She’s to be freed. Wasn’t that the deal?”
“You lost your honor and truth when you decided to run away with that whore of a mother. There is no deal with outsiders.” I turned quickly and just as a sharp vine was on its way to my forehead I tried to split my consciousness but nothing worked, it was just like in Krowel’s shed when it was blocked. When I lost my ability.
Things happened so fast I couldn’t register. The glass window broke and two black beasts with white faces started charging inside. Autumn chomped onto the vine just in time for it to impale my face. Pylah stood on the other side of the king and cornered him with Autumn back into his throne. Fade put his arm out in front of Arrow to protect him and that reminded me of Tharama but saw no sign of him.
He would only slow us down, Mother told us what you were up to and were going to get yourself killed. Kedek notified Mykren as well. Taking the map was not going to keep us from finding out, you fucking dumbass. Autumn growled loudly through my mind. I was scared he was going to turn on me again and rip my face to pieces. Angelica rolled in and ran after Devenar to his mother. Punching the guards and Angelica cutting shallowly, they finally freed her from her keepers.
The King just looked up with a high chin, the bag still full of objects was on his lap. Jackson stood on the side out of range.
“Crow, do you feel the block?” De asked. I nodded and didn’t know where to put my attention. My family came back for me and saved me out of trouble once again from getting myself killed. What was I thinking? “Mother?” Devanar asked gently. I expected a heart-filled moment of mother and son reunited but it was the opposite.
“They promised me diamonds! You stupid Kings and your stupid deals!” Avory cried, directed towards Sebaku.
“Mom? What are you talking about?” Devenar’s voice broke.
She spoke from memory as if it was yesterday, she was quick with her words, completely crazy with madness. “King Lylerkry promised me golds for you stupid children! But Sebaku promised me diamonds for Crow’s arrest. I told The Guard to find Crow and took Devanar straight to the carriage. Of course you were unconscious my boy, you were hard to knock out. But when I came to collect my money, you stupid theif! Escaping the kingdom cost me my life in stupid prison!”
I shook my head, looking at Devanar. I could feel the weight of the room on his shoulders. His eyes were pure hatred. “You sold me?” He asked quietly before screaming with heated tears streaming down his cheeks. “YOU FUCKING SOLD ME FOR MONEY?”
“Devanar.” I turned but he ignored me.
“I was a child! A child! Forced to heal, forced to work, forced to starve! Whipped, stoned, beat! Just for you to get fucking golds!” He grabbed his mother’s shirt and slammed her against the floor. I grabbed Angelica and pulled her back.
Lotus spat more blood, her head was now bleeding from the impact. “You were never my son for siding with a criminal.”
“Do you hear yourself!” Devanar screamed in her face. Angelica tightened her grip on my arm, digging her face into my back. “Crow is not the bad guy! You are!” He picked up the collar of her shirt again and she was too weak to move. Before I could stop him, he slammed her down hard. I heard the crack of her skull. Her body lay limp, free from movement lifelessly. “Why didn’t you love enough?” He whispered.
His small moment of sadness turned into increased anger. I heard clapping and the familiar growls of Pylah and Autumn. King Sebaku sits with an amused smile. “My friends.” He glances at Jackson, Fade and Arrow. “This is what happens when you lose yourself to darkness. You turn into savages.” Jackson just blinks, he’s a literal ghoul who feeds on blood and flesh. I think the message is more directed towards the brothers.
The vines squeeze around me, too fast to comprehend until everyone is covered but Sebaku’s allies. The vines squeezed Autumn and Pylah so hard they were forced into shifting. They screamed in their elven forms, from pain and quickness. I was thrown first into an open door on the far left wall. The steel steps cut open my eyebrow and ran into my ribs on the way down. I groaned when I hit the floor, I was too weak to fight back as servants of the king started taking us to chains inside squared cells separated by bars.
“Autumn.” I muttered but he was unconscious and in the opposite cell from me. Angelica was next to me and the others were further down. My eyes felt heavy and with the final click of the chain on my wrist I blacked out.
* * *
I hear a knocking. Distant but it’s there. My eyes open and I look to my left to see Angelica trying to get my attention. Everyone was sort of awake, still dazed and bloody cuts from the hard stairs. I look back at Angelica and she points down at my wrists. When I try to crawl closer, the chains stop me. I look down at the chains around my wrists, my veins are black. I watch as black magic courses under my skin, I pull up my arms but right when the chains touch my skin the blackness seems to disappear in those areas.
I hear Angelica tapping the bar with her dagger again. She points to her neck desperately and reaches out. I shake my head. “I can’t heal others.” I whispered before looking around making sure I didn’t get anyones attention. She points at her neck again, looking at me with pleading eyes.
Her hand scrapes at the ground trying to grab mine. “Give-me-hand-please-please.” She signs. I take a deep breath and try but the chains stop me short. I grunt and pull at the holder, it loosens a bit after putting in effort. I go to Angelica and try to reach out once more. I could feel the chains ripping into my skin as I try to touch her chained hand. The moment her finger gently grazed mine, I lost my breath. It sucked in and never came out.
I could feel all of my energy pouring into her. The black swirls under my skin started flowing towards my hand leaving my skin back to normal. Her eyes were closed and she also struggled to breath. The scar on her neck seemed to close in on itself and disappeared leaving fresh healed skin in its place. The blood magic from my veins are now coursing through hers, settling into her skin.
I hear guards starting to run down the stairs. When her eyes slam open, they are no longer the grayish blue that I remember. Gold flashed for a split second before turning dark red. Her mouth opened wide and once the guards started pouring down into view, she faced them and screamed. A symbol sparked on her forehead. Like a swirl in a semicircle with triangles pointed opposite directions above and below it. It was gone.
Not just a regular, I’m-scared, type of scream. The wind was so strong I was pinned to the ground by the force. The channel was so close to my eardrums they started to bleed. I covered my ears but with little use. The scream shut off just as fast as it began. That definitely stirred the others. Devenar looked at her shockingly. Autumn stared at me with worry. I glanced at the group of guards, their eyes, nose and ears were all pouring blood. I touched my ears and liquid hit my fingertips.
“Crow!” Autumn said. He slammed open his cell and ran into mine. The chains and locks were all broken. Angelica ran to my side but I was already healing myself.
I coughed. “I’m okay. I’m okay.”
Autumn turned to Angelica. “You almost killed him!”
“S-Sorry.” She choked, her accent was heavy orc. We all stared at her. Then they looked at me. Confusion swirled in their eyes. Never has a dark-being been able to heal others. Or anyone with scars. And I did both.
“Unbelievable.” Devanar said. He touched her throat with gentle fingers. Her eyes were slowly going back to her normal grayish-blue. “You healed her, Crow?”
“I guess I did. But guys, we still have the king and objects to get back.” With that we went up the long stairs. “We need to figure out how to take off the block.” I told Autumn. He nodded and moved along the wall. We all copied and Pylah called out that she found something. I raced over and she found a panel in the wall with switches all over. I was just about to read the labels when Autumn swiped his hand over them all and turned them all off. The lights flickered and shut off. We all cussed at Autumn for being a dumbass.
“Sorry, sorry.” He put his hands up in defense. I turned most of them back on and except the power, magnetics, and pull. Whatever those three are. But it seems to stop the block because Devanar’s hand shot out a controlled flame hovering over his palms. He grinned.
The door opened then slammed. We were behind a column so we couldn’t see who it was. I shut the panel and lead the group to the front. Only Sebaku and Arrow were present. The king stared at us with shock and Angelica opened her mouth but I put my hand in front of her. “What do you want with the objects?” I asked. Before he could try anything, I greedily took over his body freezing him and running over his thoughts. He didn’t think anything at first but then it started slipping after I asked again.
I hear every word. They hold unspeakable power. All the kingdoms were told to protect them, given by the gods before his time, so he wanted to keep them for the desires of that control. Raziel was the claimed capital of the Alkan region but he wanted Darkwood to rule. Something about the objects being protected blah blah blah. Jackson claimed to be a protector for an unknown force. He made a deal with Jackson.. That’s all I could get out before his thoughts stopped giving detail.
“So you’re doing this for power? To overrun the capital?” I asked. “That’s what the objects were for? Then why didn’t you get Fade to steal them? Why did you use Avory as bait?” But his thoughts were pouring too much information. My eyes start to tear as my mother comes into view in his memory. Him and my mother arguing before he slaps her and yells at her to get out. Then after he found out I was alive and was his, he started ordering guards to kill my mother and I. The thoughts pour even more, he found out I was still alive and needed me to be killed knowing I’m a threat to the throne.
“I’m a prince.” I say out loud, Autumn gasps. “You fucked my mother then started the rumors of her being a whore. You tried to kill me so I wouldn’t have to be king! But you killed my mother for sport. For nothing!” It was my turn to get mad at a parent. I could feel my throat start to close. I release the king fully so I can breathe again. I can’t kill him slowly with possession when I can feel it. My blood boiled. He’s my father. I’m a prince and he’s power driven by objects made thousands of years ago before his time. I shook my head from misbelief before snapping and pulling out my sword. I swung and didn’t stop until his head fell off from his neck. It rolled and I kicked it disgustedly. I stared at the blood covering the blackness of the blade. The red liquid drips and I only watch with no remorse.
Arrow turns to run but a man comes in and shoots him. My eyes widened, the guard came in and my mouth twitched. He didn’t do anything to get killed. He was a child. I could feel the restraint of his legs trying to fight me from walking towards me but I released him quickly so I wouldn't have to feel the blade piercing through his core.
I turn towards my group, they all stare at me while I stare back with no emotion. Too much happened with little time to comprehend. I can’t lie, I'm overwhelmed by it all. I didn’t even realize I was crying until I dropped my sword and Autumn pulled me into him. His arms wrapped around my neck and I pulled him against me so I could cry silently into his neck.
I heard another cough and I didn’t want to look who it belonged to but I did anyway. I wiped a steamy tear, still filled with rage. Jackson nodded his head and asked, “You’re a shadow lifter aren’t you?”
“Why? Are you on the list of people trying to kill me too?” I asked bitterly.
“No, no not at all. I didn’t mean to attack you the first time we met. If I’d known you were a shadow lifter I should’ve protected you. My main priorities of loyalty are Arlik, the objects and shadow-lifters. That’s why I came to this king. He needed the objects and found a way to get them, with you on my enemy list I would also get to see you dead. But my enemies changed.”
I ignored Arlik, not caring enough to want to know who that is, probably the bigger force Sebaku talked about. “Why are the objects such a big fucking deal!” I shouted. I got myself into this mess and it's more annoying and frustrating then I ever thought.
Jackson sighed and moved to the throne, sitting down across the cushion with the bag of objects on it’s lap. “This is what I know; pretty much Arlik, The Other King, went missing. Rumor was that he went looking for the objects, trying to destroy them but gave up before he could find them. That’s when mixed bloods started evolving and shadow-lifters came alive so they could break the objects with the same power Arlik had. People like myself took it upon ourselves to steal the objects from the light kingdoms, given to them from the six other kindgoms, and protect different objects in our territories for when the king returns. Of course only light kingdomed people would come and the barriers were solid. But never has our own tried to steal the objects, that’s why it was easy for you all.” He sighed dramatically.
“Anyway, I got mad and because of how many of Sebaku’s guards came to get the deathrobed coin, I figured I could make a deal with him. I told him who you were, and my role as a protector. He did find it suspicious that I’m told to be a high protector and still got the object stolen but he confirmed the deal. I was told I could stay with the objects when he got them. He wouldn’t know I would wait until The Other King comes so I can escape with them to find a shadow-lifter to break them. There’s supposed to be a giant force big enough to break the king's curse, whatever that is, and we have to bring it to him to save him.”
“There’s something you’re missing. There was another shadow-lifter. His name was Krowel and I was hired by him to steal the objects from you guys. He had one in his position but I figured he hired dumb, money-obsessed, people to steal them all for him so he could protect the one’s he had. Like when we got the four and he stayed to protect the stone.” I suggested. It made sense.
“Another one? It’s rare to have two in one era. It’s highly rare just to get one! Where is he?” Jackson sat up, eagerly.
“Good question.” I almost laughed.
“It’s funny, because we killed him?” Autumn shrugged.
“You killed the top of magic food chained beings?” Jackson cried loudly. “Why?”
“Because he almost killed us,” Autumn said counting his fingers, “He was rude, and he didn’t give us answers on the objects so we figured it all out ourselves.” Autumn smiled proudly.
Jackson just looked at us and shook his head. “I can’t believe you killed another shadow-lifter.” He sighed with disbelief.
“We didn’t know what it was. There were so many questions. But now we know that the objects are sacred to the missing Other King and they’re yours now.” I smiled, getting ready to leave. ‘
“Wait! Not so fast! You have to destroy them! You’re the only one with the power to do it and save Arlik.” Jackson exclaims.
“Just because you’re loyal to the king doesn’t mean we are. We never were big into the kingdom, just living there to survive. Like I would care what the force is or whatever to save your beloved king. Find another shadow lifter to break the objects, I’m done with this mess.” I said and faced the others but they looked kinda disappointed? “What is it?”
Pylah spoke first, “We came all this way to give up?”
“Wouldn’t it be fun to go find the missing king?” Devanar said.
I’m not gonna bring up the fact everytime I used to sign up for tasks they complained about it but now they want to do one. “Where would we even break them?” Jackson claims he knows a place and I only sighed in response but before I could say any answer the doors slammed open and Fade starred with horror over his dead brother’s body. Fuck, I forgot about him. Fade turned his attention to me. “The King only needed you dead. If you would’ve just died this wouldn’t have happened!” Fade marched towards me but Autumn moved to step in front of me but Jackson also did.
Jackson shoved Fade back. “I can’t allow you to hurt him.”
“Step aside! He’s the reason my brother was killed. Move!” Fade forgot what Jackson was and tried to shove him and Jackson opened his mouth and I had to look away trying not to focus on Fade’s screams.
“Like I said. I’m loyal to you now.” Jackson licked his now bloody lips just like he did before. “I will stay with you and keep the objects until you’re ready to destroy them.”
I’m not really into having a flesh-eating puppy follow me around but because everyone wants to do this I might as well give in. I shake my head with a smile. “I want to do something first.”