Haunted King

FORTY-FIVE | my royal secret

Melody ran towards the portal. "Crystal!" She was crying. She knew deep in her heart it was too late but she still ran. Once she stepped foot into the portal recognized the cold and grey classroom. A green sweatshirt with matching crocs. A boy who was coughing at his desk.

"I've gone back in time."

•••

"You called me your replacement correct?" Gabriel grinned. He stretched out his hands. "I think the term new and improved better fits this situation." Calum raised an eyebrow at the cocky demeanor of the blond king. "Melody doesn't seem to know this yet. The secret of my kingdom. The reason why we were in constant war with our neighboring countries."

His eyes glimmered in the sunlight. Calum ran his tongue along his lips. "I see. And here I was thinking I was the last living dragon alive."

Gabriel shrugged, "Gabriel Ashe. Dragon of light."

A beam of fiery light pierced through the clouds. "Remember when I said I would sever your head from your neck? That was a promise not a threat. And I don't break my promises."

His body was covered in a golden scales. His blue eyes thinned and split into a slit. The light that beamed from his sword resembled the sun. Calum shook away his shock. "And I thought this was going to be a boring fight!"

The magicians that waited on the ground saw no possible way for them to help their king. The secret of the royal family was now being revealed. The Ashe family had dragon blood. This explained why the Ashe family was known for their exceptional prows in magic and physical strength. Many political leaders might see this as blasphemy. To have a magical being as ruler was extremely frowned upon. It created an unfair balance within the human continents and would ultimately lead to disarray.

"He revealed the royal secrets all to protect his lover?" One magician observed. "It's like all these men are all madly obsessed with her. Is she a witch?" Another man snickered, "they look at her like she is an angel from heaven." They all laughed at this. All except one young boy. "I think they all love her on different levels. Some in more dangerous levels than others. This could be a war between two men who are madly intoxicated by the same drug but the winner is determined by who is the most sane."

Gabriel only aimed at the vital spots. He saw no openings in the fire dragon but he would make one if he needed to. He was stronger in every way he just needed to prove it. He hoped the knights had taken all the citizens to safety. The poison was no longer wearing the red dragon so he couldn't rely on Christopher's residual powers.

Calum used a fire blade to rally Gabriel's blade while at the same time blowing fire with every chance he got. Calum smiled while he watched Gabriel Dodge charge at a fire ball aimed at one of the magicians. "You forget little king. The main difference between us is that I do not fear death, nor do I have to worry about the lives around me."

Calum sucked in a deep breath and huffed a breath of fire in the direction of the city. This spell was far more powerful then the ones before. But Gabriel was stronger now. He flicked his wrist and a blast of light shot through the air and burst the fire into a firework.

"You hate humans right? I can see it in your eyes. You were raised in a world where you were constantly at odds with someone and you are fully adapted to the life of combat."

Gabriel fully transferred into the body of a large golden dragon. "We are more alike than in seems. I too was raised in a world where I was at odds with my own reality. But my guess is that Melody was your savior as she was for me."

Calum didn't respond. "I didn't use to fear death. I used to happily except the idea of death until I learned what true love was."

Calum clicked his tongue, "have you ever had the one person you love die because of a mistake you made? Don't pretend to know how I feel because you don't. I have loved Melody dead once I can do it again."

Gabriel noticed Calum's movements slowed when they talked about Melody. 'Despite what he thinks Melody is still his weakness."

He saw Melody in his mind. This crazy feeling he got when he was obsessed by his love for her. His had gone completely mad and he knew that was what Calum was experiencing. "You are not in love with Melody. You are intoxicated by her. You can not be in love with someone you want to kill. That's called obsession. That's is a sadistic lust she does not deserve."

Calum's eyes filled with rage. He transformed to his full red dragon form and began to fling his magic around in fury. "Who are you to tell me whether or not I am in love or not? I know everything you did! I watched it all! From the chains to the cage you are no less insane then I am-!"

Gabriel's body passed through the space between them before he even blinked his eyes.

Gabriel smiled. "You were right. There is a big difference between the two of us. I will live the rest of my life repenting for the pain I caused her. That is how I will show her how much I love her. But you will be spending the rest of your life knowing she hated you to your very last breath. You failed to save her once. You will die having failed to repent for that. That is the difference between us."

The dragon head in Gabriel's hands stared up at him in confusion. When did it happen? One moment he was fighting and then...

The red eyes watered and teared up as Calum came to the conclusion that he was was dying. "I failed to repent for my failure to protect her. I broke my word. I said I would stay by her side  but I still let any harm come to her."

Gabriel grinned, "when Melody ran from me I realized she wouldn't understand my twisted version of love. Then I wondered if it was even love at all. I remember asking myself, 'is love supposed to feel this intoxicating?' And the simple answer is no. Not when she is being burned by it. So I let her go. That is when I learned the true meaning of love. Knowing when it is time to let go."

%150

"Knowing when it is time to let go..." The red eyed man was now crying. "I'm going to miss her." Gabriel understood the pain in Calum's eyes completely. "You've repented."

"I really love her."

Gabriel laughed, "don't we all."

%100

A golden yellow number flicked over Calum's head. Until it faded away completely.

"Calum Crimson has died. 1 left in Fallen Angel 2."

You have defeated Fallen Angel 2.

Do you wish to complete the story?

[Yes] [No]

Gabriel smiled.

[No]

"I will wait right here. If she wants to come back she will. If she doesn't then I am prepared to let her go."

The head in his hands fizzled away and all that was left was a red fog.

"Understood. Canceling transfer to Lost Angel."

"You stupid stupid dragon," a deep and harsh voice cut through the air.