The Exiled King

Chapter 31 - A Master of Lies

Garyth stood up and said evenly, "Elena. Stand down."

"I will not, father," Elena said, holding her stance firm.

A scowl briefly crossed his face, then he sighed slightly and shook his head.

Instead, he directed his gaze to the guardians who'd just entered and raised his arms theatrically and said, "Welcome, guardians. I have been expecting you."

When they said nothing, he continued, "Now that you're here, you can watch as I take your beloved keyguard's body to replace this old vessel of mine!"

At his words, Lirya's gaze snapped to him with wide disbelieving eyes. She opened her mouth to say something and Garyth quickly pointed to her mouth and shot a silencing spell at her, choking off any words she was about to say.

Jason brandished his sword as he took a threatening step towards Garyth.

That monster did something to Lirya! He thought angrily.

"What? You don't agree?" Garyth scoffed, "She's giving her life for yours. You should be honoured!"

Jason froze, his heart hammering in his chest. Clearly, there was more to this scene than he'd initially thought.

Garyth must have known we'd find her, so he's holding her hostage, Jason thought, a frown crossing his face.

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Garyth turned to Ariane and said under his breath, "Take Elena and go. Get away from here."

He could see the indecision in her eyes and he gave her a slight nod—a small encouragement that everything was going to be alright.

She relented and nodded sharply, stepping forward and gently tugging Elena away. The girl didn't resist much when her mother pulled her away, but she did look back with unshed tears in her eyes.

Good. They're safe, Garyth thought.

Turning his attention back to the guardians, he smirked and said, "It's only right that she becomes my new vessel. She's of my blood, afterall!"

I was right. They had no idea, Garyth thought, a smirk appearing on his lips as he watched their bewildered expressions.

"You're really quite pathetic for guardians, you know. You're weak and so, so easily manipulated," Garyth said with an icy smile.

With all their eyes on him, he continued with a malicious grin, "You'll know the full truth today... and you will despair. You're but fools who have been led around by the nose, unaware of everything!"

"What would you know about anything?!" Jason yelled.

Garyth directed his gaze to Jason, seeing the denial in his eyes.

"Ah, Jason Bladesworn. Half the hero your father was... at least you inherited his looks, if not his brains. He knew something was up, you see. It was difficult to kill him."

The stunned look on the boy's face was almost comical.

Garyth laughed, though there was no mirth in his voice, "Oh, how I envy you... living in such blissful ignorance. But, young guardians, ignorance is a sin."

"W-Why are you telling us this?" Jason cried, a tremor in his voice.

"Why? Why not? You traipse across Dargon, never once knowing that I was the one who sent you on that journey. Perhaps I just want some recognition for all the work I've put in. And clearly you fools were so oblivious you couldn't tell that your elusive enemy was controlling you."

He continued, "The elves thought that giving you dragons would make you stronger—and they would have. But I got to them first. I know everything you have done and will do. You think you found Lirya? I summoned you here tonight. Had I not, you'd wander this land for years and never find a trace of your beloved keyguard!"

"What do you want?" Leus asked quietly.

Garyth smiled coldly, "Fight for your lives, guardians. For if I do not die tonight, you will. Blood will be shed tonight. And after I've ended you all, I'll take my new body and, with it, gain untold powers!"

With those words, he drew forth his vast reserves of mana and let the full crushing force emanate from him. He watched as the guardians physically took a step back from him, though they appeared to be fighting their instincts to run.

How foolish... He thought, Even in the face of death, they do not baulk.

Well, it's... probably good that they are so foolish...

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The sibling gods had no concept of the passing of time. With their godly power running through their mortal vessels, they had no need for the things mortals required to survive. Food was simply something they partook of when they wanted and sleep was unnecessary. Time, to them, was an entirely foreign concept. Seven months ago, they'd descended to Dargon, and in those seven months they hadn't found any trace of Garyth Herus.

They all felt the mana blast Garyth sent out.

"He's in the Ether! We must go there right now... and bring the mad druid along. If the keyguard is there, she can deal with that problem," Aeliyas said quickly, then vanished in a flash of light, having teleported to the Ether.

Her two brothers soon followed suit, and they found themselves in the ivory palace, in the far corner of the room with the fireplace. Aeliyas observed the scene for a moment, then snapped her fingers.

Immediately, there was a flash of light and a green-clad hooded figure dropped out of the air and tumbled to the floor in between the guardians and Garyth.

Instantly, large brown feathery wings tore through the fabric of the green cloak and previously pale and delicate fingers morphed into large claws. A loud and guttural growl came from the mad druid, before it jumped up and launched itself at Garyth. Everywhere that its feet touched the ground erupted with long twisting roots that ensnared those nearest to it.

As the mad druid jumped, the hood of the cloak fell back, revealing fair skin, wide unseeing eyes, a mouth that foamed slightly and long slender ears. Faded pink scars marred the fair skin and long inky black hair spilled down her back.

An emerald circlet sat on her brow. The mad druid was a guardian.

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Finally, you meet the last guardian.