The Exiled King

Chapter 21 - Grimalai

The eidolon's spirit was thrown out of Jason's body as he breathed his last. Grimalai was a humanoid creature with long wavy purple-black hair with white streaks, long pointed ears and luminous, cat-like yellow eyes. A number of scars marred his face and body, though they were faded pink with age.

Things hadn't quite gone as planned. He had only intended to borrow Jason Bladesworn's body for a little bit and return it before his companions discovered anything. Jason Bladesworn wasn't supposed to die.

I guess... I really am evil, huh... He thought.

<--<< >>-->

What is evil? The young eidolon wondered, Why do they call me evil?

From the moment he'd been old enough to understand words, he'd been told that he was 'evil'. The young changeling had never known what those words meant—only that they kept people from him and differentiated him from the others. His purple-black hair was normal amongst his people, but they regarded his yellow eyes as signs of 'evil'. Soon enough, the youth began to hate his eyes. They were the cause of his eternal loneliness, he thought.

When he awakened to his shifting abilities, no one mentioned how none of his many faces ever had yellow eyes. He quickly left his clan and wandered through Anhua, living amongst the people and changing faces as he pleased.

His first encounter with Reyneld Bladesworn had been the workings of fate. The first glimmer of the guardian's radiant mane of gold ignited a foreign fear in Grimalai's heart. And a burning envy, for the golden guardian had everything he yearned for.

That accursed colour!

That time, he ran. He fled from the guardian and hid for years more. Hearing that the guardian had passed brought him no joy, nor sadness. Merely a hollowness in his heart and an echoing empty feeling.

The second time he glimpsed the colour, much like the father, the son's hair shone vividly in the sunlight. This time, Grimalai did not run. He followed the boy, watched him, and stole his image.

<--<< >>-->

Jason Bladesworn was a boy whose radiance naturally drew people in, much like his father had. His life was so warm and full of strange, comforting feelings that Grimalai had never felt before. It felt like he was finally whole again. The fractured pieces of him, carefully coming together and mending.

Perhaps it had been a good thing that Jason Bladesworn's body had reacted of its accord to protect the keyguard, for Grimalai was reluctant to return the body. Having tasted the warmth, he wanted nothing more than to remain there and forget about the icy coldness that awaited him that he so loathed.

Just... let me enjoy this a while longer... He'd thought.

It was often said that one must not get too close to one's idol, and that was certainly true for Grimalai. Reyneld Bladesworn and his son were, to the young eidolon, something akin to divine beings. To be envied and looked up to, but forever out of reach.

Jason Bladesworn was not as perfect as Grimalai had believed—the boy had a natural charm and the beauty to draw people to him, but at his heart was not the same light he exhibited. Hidden deep within him was something not unlike Grimalai's own darkness. It was both disappointing and relieving to Grimalai, to know that his idol was more similar to him than he had first thought.

<--<< >>-->

As Grimalai's spirit overlooked the battlefield from above, a spirit rose from the ground. Jason Bladesworn had returned to reclaim his body. At first the spirit looked around the battlefield in apparent confusion, but eventually he looked up and spotted the eidolon's spirit up above and began to make his way over to him.

Grimalai tilted his head downwards, letting his hair fall over his eyes. Jason's spirit drew closer to him and looked him straight in the eyes.

Were he alive, Grimalai's heart would have been beating loudly as he waited in nervous anticipation of what Jason Bladesworn would say.

Would he curse at him for taking his body? Call him 'evil' like so many others before him?

"Hello, are you the one who took my body?" Jason asked, his tone neutral.

Grimalai nodded tensely.

"Why?" Jason questioned.

"I... wanted to know what it felt like to be in the light," Grimalai admitted quietly, still awaiting harsh words.

Jason appeared a little startled at Grimalai's words, then he said, "Be your own light. Borrowing someone else's light won't bring you true comfort."

Jason hesitated slightly, then continued, "For what it's worth, I don't resent you. You helped me and you helped my father. Thank you."

It was a foreign emotion that filled him, but so warm and comforting.

Thank you.

Such simple words, but it was the first time Grimalai had ever been told those simple words in his true form. It felt like Jason Bladesworn had picked up the broken pieces of him and put them back together.

Though it was like he'd been doused in ice cold water when he heard Jason's next words.

"Also, I just wanted to say that you have very unique eyes," Jason said.

Feeling like something within him cracked, Grimalai answered with a forced smile, "Yeah... they're unsightly, aren't they?"

Jason tilted his head slightly, his eyebrows furrowing, as he said, "I was actually going to say that they're quite beautiful."

Grimalai's eyes widened and he felt the tiniest sprout of warmth blossom within him.

"Really?" He asked in a quiet, wavering voice.

Jason Bladesworn nodded, a radiant smile on his face.

It was said that in every person's heart, there was a little box so far within, where you could hide from all the pain. Jason Bladesworn was the key that threw open the doors to Grimalai's box, letting warm light engulf the coldest, darkest corners.

"Thank you, Jason Bladesworn, for letting me be you for just a little while," Grimalai said softly with a smile, as he brushed his hair to the side, exposing the beautiful eyes he'd hidden in shame.

As if he was seeing the world for the first time, everything seemed brighter and a kaleidoscope of colours overwhelmed his senses. He saw the world not through the eyes of others, but his own—and it was not cold or cruel, but so very beautiful.

It was without regret that Grimalai succumbed to the pull of the Ether.

<--<< >>-->

This chapter was inserted after the completion of Part IV because we needed some closure for Grima.