Eterna

~Chapter 28~ The Debt Repaid

I ascended the spiraling stairs of the Darklord's castle, the dark choir's song echoing it's shrill, clashing notes. My body trembled in anticipation. I wished for nothing more than to end this.

As I made it to the top of the spiraling stairs, I was met with a view of a massive throne room. A large, sharp, ominous throne sat at the other end of the room, facing a balcony which spanned the room's width and overlooked the Underworld.

As my boots echoed with every click against the hard floor, my heart nearly stopped. I closed the distance between myself and the throne, turning the corner to see Kalu, chained to its side.

"Kalu! What are you doing here?!"

"Miss Evelyn! Stay back! Don't touch me!" She cried out, heavy chains around her wrists. "I'm...I'm sorry." She began to tear. "Devon's creatures disappeared, and I heard a voice telling me to follow after all of you. I didn't even think twice about it. I should have known it was a trap.."

I stood above her, my stomach turning as I felt the temperature of the room grow cold. It wasn't the wind from the balcony, but an unnatural cold I could not explain.

"Hello Evelyn." The deep coo I'd heard in my dreams was now gracing my ears in reality.

"Lucius." I turned, looking upon the Darklord for the first time.

His pale skin almost shimmered against his black suit. Black, fluffy pauldrons sat on his shoulders, connected to a long black cape. His eyes were gold and his smile crooked. His black hair blew about his face, the ends fading into nothingness as if they were shadow and not hair at all. I could almost imagine him as a Rited, beautiful and powerful, serving the Rited King- but he was not a Rited. Not anymore.

"How nice of you to accept my invite. I did enjoy watching your journey here. It was quite..." He smiled. "...entertaining." He brushed past me, sitting in his throne and crossing his legs as if he wished to refrain from offending me. "Don't worry. I didn't harm your precious Kailee. Your human is simply enjoying the view."

I gripped my sword tighter and took but a step toward him, before he lifted his hand to halt me.

"I've summoned you here so we can talk. Like adults." He waved his hand, summoning forth a table and chair. "Sit, please. We have much to discuss."

"I have nothing to talk about. Now, rise, so I may strike you down."

This seemed to amuse him.

"Evelyn. You may be strong, but you aren't very wise, are you? Being a Darkwalker who has barely scratched the surface of her powers, means you are but a flea, biting at my porcelain skin. Your companions? Less than fleas." He smiled once more, his teeth gleamed with each flash of lightning. "If I wished to harm you, you'd be dead already. Now. Sit."

Fear filled me once more as I deduced a plan. If he were so confident in his abilities versus my own, he wouldn't have used Kalu as collateral. He needed something to fall back on, something to threaten me with. I took a seat, not before laying my sword across my lap.

"That's better. Would you like something to eat or drink? You must've had a terribly long journey here."

I kept silent, glaring daggers at him.

"I'll take that as a no." He chuckled. "Evelyn. Look out at my Kingdom. Truly, it is a disgusting sight to behold, as am I. I only wish to be treated well, like any other Upper-born being."

"You may have been born in the Upper Realm, but you wreak of evil. Darkness has swallowed all of you."

"I'm not saying it hasn't. I'm only saying I feel I was treated unfairly-"