The Exiled King | ✔

Chapter 7 - What Will Be

Garyth Herus was Eryian's whole world.

Ever since he could remember, Garyth was there. He was merciless and cunning as a mentor, but silent and strong and comforting as a father. He was Eryian's friend and confidant.

The first time Eryian was seriously injured during their training was a warm day in Cloudfire, and the two were sparring in the arena with wooden swords imbued with magic. Garyth was a harsh teacher who pushed Eryian to the brink. He rained blows upon Eryian, who blocked them with difficulty. Gasping for breath, he parried Garyth's last strike only to be met with a second attack that he couldn't block or dodge. Garyth pulled back quickly, but not before the tip of the blade grazed Eryian's arm and threw the boy backwards.

Instantly, Garyth dropped his sword and knelt by Eryian, inspecting his injuries. The pain was soon replaced with the familiar feeling of Garyth's mana as the wizard king healed Eryian's wounds, then helped him up.

He didn't apologize—in fact, Garyth Herus never once apologized to Eryian until the very end—but his actions spoke volumes. There was a warmth to his actions that his frigid exterior could not mask.

On his tenth birthday, Eryian learned about death. He'd been assigned a book to read—a book meant for someone beyond his years, but Eryian read it easily. But the book raised questions that the young boy didn't know the answers to, and that was a rather unpleasant feeling.

"Master, what is death?" He asked Garyth, as they ate dinner together.

Garyth paused and looked up, then thought for a moment before answering, "That's a difficult question to answer, Eryian. I suppose the best answer is that death is the permanent transition from the overworld, Dargon, to Heresh or here... the Ether."

Eryian frowned, then asked the natural next question, "Are we dead?"

Garyth smiled slightly and shook his head.

He chuckled, "No, we are alive. We live in the Ether because I'm powerful enough to let us live in this world of the dead. And as long as I'm here for you, you'll never have to fear death."

The meal progressed in silence as Eryian mulled over this new information. Something about Garyth's wording struck him as a little odd, but he couldn't quite place what it was that gave him that sense of unease.

The quiet scraping of the legs of Garyth's chair on the tile floor jolted Eryian from his thoughts. His head snapped up as Garyth stood up and carefully pushed the chair back.

Knowing that he was moments from leaving, Eryian blurted out, "You won't leave me, will you?"

"Someday, I will. I cannot stay with you forever, but I will make sure you're ready to face the world when I'm not there to protect you," Garyth replied.

There was an odd ache in his chest, but Eryian brushed it off.

"But you're immortal!" He protested.

A strange expression crossed Garyth's face—one that Eryian had never seen before. The wizard king was silent for a moment, then he gave a curt nod. He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes, before he left rather quickly.

Eryian never questioned... never pried. Now, he wished he had.

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"Are you alright?" He asked his sister, who was shivering slightly.

He'd felt the turbulence of her powers and knew something wasn't right.

"I-I killed him!" Lirya cried with tears in her eyes.

It wasn't difficult to discern who she was talking about. It was the man Eryian had also been mourning.

Seeing her crestfallen expression, Eryian forced himself to say the difficult words.

"He... wanted you to. You were the only one who could," Eryian admitted quietly, though it hurt to utter those words aloud.

Lirya shook her head, denying those words vehemently.

Eryian scowled and said, somewhat bitterly, "He always had a plan. Always. Ever since I was young, he had a plan for everything... even- even his death apparently!"

He continued, "Don't sully his memory by implying he didn't plan everything to... to the end!"

He embraced the anger, for it dulled the other emotions. Warm arms encircled him as Lirya wordlessly engulfed him in a tight hug.

A moment passed in silence.

"I dreamed about him, you know," Lirya whispered, "It felt so real... it was like I was living in a memory."

When Eryian stayed silent, she continued quietly.

"We were a happy family... you, me, mom and dad... and him. We called him pri'jafi and he taught us magic. Can you imagine that?" She chuckled, "Everything was just so peaceful and comfortable... It's strange to think that it was just a dream. It felt so real."

Eryian spoke up at last, blinking his eyes rapidly as they watered slightly, "I... dreamed about that once too. Master told me that it might've been a past memory... I didn't know what he meant until now."

Lirya raised her head and looked Eryian in the eyes, twin reddened eyes meeting in the dim light.

"You mean it might've been real?" Lirya asked, then a small smile crossed her lips, "I'd like to think there was a world where we lived so peacefully..."

Eryian looked away from her piercing eyes and muttered, "I wouldn't like that. That would mean that Master destroyed that life."

Lirya grabbed his face with her hands and gently turned him to face her, her eyes burning with a ferocity that had not been there moments earlier.

"No, do you remember what he said? That world was destroyed and because of that, he changed so many things now that have given us the life we had," She said softly, "But he has given us a chance to live longer and save our worlds."

Eryian looked at her eyes, so filled with determination, and couldn't help but wonder if it was even possible.

With a knowing glint in her eyes, Lirya said, "I'm sure we can do it. Together."

There was uncertainty in her voice, but Eryian let her hope lift his own spirits a little.

Together.

The sense of loneliness that sometimes crept up on him, as something important was missing, was but a distant memory now.

They had each other now.

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