Arcanum

Chapter 49: Lucas

I felt a little suspicious of the orange guy. But if he was suggesting an assassination on the king, then I'll push my paranoia aside.

We snuck through the palace, and I led us to the throne room.

When we slipped in, the king glared at us, and I straightened myself when we were caught.

"You stole my revival crystal!" He shouted in anger at us, and I laughed bitterly.

"Correction. My friend stole it." I said. I knew I shouldn't be pushing myself, because my stab wound still hurts like hell, and I was warned it could reopen if I'm not careful.

"Traitor! I knew this would happen!" The king spat, and I walked forward.
"Good. Because I'm glad I have become a traitor. I didn't realize how blind I was to the world as a human. As a Catori, I now see and feel things I'd never thought I would." I growled at the king, and he squinted at me.
"Guards!" He screeched, and I ran forward, enclosing my hands over his windpipe, ready to strangle him to death.
"Lucas!" A voice cried from behind and I whirled around to see Aiyana and the orange haired man struggling against guards. I cursed mildly under my breath, and turned my attention back to the king.
"What are you going to do, traitor?" He gasped at me weakly. I felt a blade point towards my shoulder, and I lowered my head.
"Let them go." I said quietly in a harsh tone.
"Is that a good idea? You're jusr as wanted as the princess." The king smirked at me, and I glared at him.
"I don't care! I won't stand around and watch my love get murdered though!" I shouted as I surprised the guard with the sword aimed at me by swerving quickly to the right, and threw the king at the guard, hoping he got impaled. Sadly, the knight quickly lowered his blade and caught the king.
I took no time to curse at this though. Instead I ran at the guare that held Aiyana, and I knocked them in the head with a hard punch. It hurt when my fingers hit steel, but I ignored it, and sent them backwards, and off of Aiyana.
I then rushed to the aid of the orange haired guy, and together we took down his guard.
When we were all free, we glared at the king.
"Now, you better tell me what you plan to do with this war. Because it has to end eventually." I said, walking forward. Aiyana tried to grab my hand, but I ignored it for the moment.
"You're still such a child in your own little world, Lucas." He laughed bitterly at me. I quirked an eyebrow.
"Why, the catori have always been a weaker race! Without their animal genes, they'd be nothing!" The king began to laugh hysterically, and I realized that he had really lost his mind.
"Look how stupid you all look! Without your animal genes, you'd be squashed under my boot!" He shouted, and I shook my head.
"That's where you're wrong. Catori are just the same as a human. When I transformed into a catori, I felt a new side of me, but I also felt the same me inside." I said. The king's eyes drifted away, and I realized what was happening too late.
Magic shot out, and I fell to the ground writhing as fire spread through my veins. I saw a girl walk from the shadows, pointing a sword at me, and she had a crystal in her hand.
"Stand down, or he dies." She said calmly, and I glared up at her, and tried to form words. But the pain was overwhelming, and I could feel my focus begin to fade.
"J-Just go idiots!" I spat out at Aiyana and the orange haired man. I didn't mean to call them names, but it was the first word that came to mind.
"Lucas we can't just leave you here!" Aiyana argued, but I let my head rest against the ground.
"P-please do a favor for me, and take her out of here." I told the orange haired guy, and he stared at me. He nodded reluctantly.
"We'll come back with an army." He promised and begun to pull Aiyana away. But she cried and struggled against him.
"No, Lucas I just got you back! Please!" She cried out, and I smiled softly against the pain, and then winced when I felt the magic give a sharp pinch against my heart.
"Aiyana, I still p-plan on marrying y-you. Don't forget that." I said as loudly as I could. She finally gave in, and dodged some guards on the way out, and I heard a window break outside, and I guessed that they were safe. Relieved, I turned to my current situation.
"Rose, please amp up the magic on him. I want him to suffer." The king said, and I flinched when the magic made the pain go up ten times.
"Damn is this what your guards feel everyday? I feel sorry for them." I mocked weakly. The king kicked me right where my previous scar was, and I cried out when I felt the wound reopen. I held a hand against the wound, and spat at the kings boot.
I felt things grow fuzzy, and all I could feel was the pain spread through my body.
"Please hurry, Aiyana."