Reborn: High Strung | ONC2024

Chapter 4

The stone brick that made up King Oren's castle loomed over Zev like the blade of a guillotine, his heart beating against his chest until it felt it might escape. King Oren wanted to see him and Meira personally with very little explanation to them—just a simple flame messenger that morning. Oren was a quiet man who never seemed to do much, at least openly, but he was also the only Nova in all of Sanctum. Zev knew that the king's power was beyond anything he could even dream of, so why did he want to see him? Meira took a step forward, looking back as she adjusted the satchel at her side. "Are you coming, Zev? You look paralyzed."

"Yeah, of course! Sorry, I've just never been inside the castle before. It's incredible to look at." He tries to shoo away his nerves before continuing to walk through the large open doors of the castle, following closely behind Meira, who looks forward and comments, "At least you live in the same town as the King; I'm not even from around here." Her small laugh lightens his mood.

The two ambitious new friends are greeted by stale air as they enter the castle. Zev had heard rumors that King Oren didn't have any attendants or guards around him unless in public, but this place looked more like an abandoned tomb than a king's home. The sound of a creaking wooden door, followed by the clink of a black metal boot, washed through the room like thunder. Zev almost jumped as he saw the king make his way to meet them in the center of the room, his presence intimidating. Oren's spikey and unkempt hair hung all the way down to his lower back, and his armor was made of a dark, almost black metal with pale golden trim that had clearly faded from time. The king loomed over the children with his large bear-like build, and his half-closed, dark gray eyes somehow looked both lazy and fierce as they rested on the two of them.

"Zev, good to see you again, and Meira, it's a pleasure to meet you." The gruff voice and tired tone didn't feel like they matched the words coming from the king. Zev vaguely remembered the king greeting him and his mother and wishing them well at Simon's farewell, but most of that time was still a foggy blur to him. Zev simply smiles and gives the king a polite bow. "Thank you for your kind words; me and my mother were touched." He hadn't really been; he couldn't even really remember, but it felt like the right thing to say.

Meira glances at Zev before dipping into a quick bow herself. "Honored to meet you, King Oren." She hurried out.

"Up." Oren called out a command, turning and walking toward a far back door toward the middle of the room, two windows on either side of it showing the room was rich with light and greenery. "Follow me to my garden; I'd like to discuss a rumor I've been hearing about you two." His voice was still dripping with exhaustion, like a wet rag getting dragged across the stone. Zev stood straight at the same time as Meira, their eyes meeting for a moment. He could see her nerves shining through her confident smile, so he gave her a wider grin and nodded. That's what Simon would have done for him. Meira relaxes a bit and keeps moving forward after Oren, with him.

The center of the castle was a beautiful circular garden; the floor was entirely grass; and the ceiling was completely open to the light from the bright sunless sky. King Oren stood in the center of his garden, resting his back against a large apple tree that rose in the middle of everything. Looking back at the young soulkindlers, his eyes grew heavier, and he spoke firmly, "You two seek to traverse down into layer two?" His eyes went to Zev, feeling pointed; it felt more like he was asking Zev directly.

Meira notices the gaze point at Zev and tries to speak but stops as Oren holds a large, scarred hand up. "You think an ember can even traverse down a layer from their soul link? Zev, I understand you lost your-"

Zev couldn't believe it even as he did it, but his words cut through the kings: "I'm not an ember, sir." Oren looks stunned for a moment, then amused, raising a disbelieving eyebrow. "Oh, really? An ember with enough confidence to interrupt me? Care to prove it, young man?" The king sounded like he might laugh.