The Element Table

Chapter 3: The Dark Side of the Moon

"Caine" Jacquelyn heard her grandfather whisper

Her head slowly turned to her best friend. Alianor was doing the same to her. She had heard the whisper too. They shared a panicked look before turning back to the man on the stone pillar, as he looked at the crowd.

This couldn't really be him, could it? This couldn't be the one who betrayed his friends and destroyed the Sun Queen, right? The looks on their grandfathers' faces gave them their answer.

His skin was pale and wrinkled, it's expected when you've been banished to the shadow realm for fifty years. His hair was black, with streaks of grey in between. His nose was straight, and his lips thin, slightly less pale than the rest of his skin.

Jacquelyn paid more attention to his salt and pepper hair. It looked too clean and freshly cut for a person who lived in the shadow realm for as long as he did. She wondered if there were barbers down there. She smiled at the image in her head of Caine getting up from the barber chair every month after his regular cut.

Her amused smile quickly fell from her face when Caine's dark eyes were now looking in their direction. But he wasn't looking at her, he was looking at her grandfather and Alistair who was standing in front of them.

A smirk grew on his face.

"I wasn't expecting to see you two alive" he spoke for the first time

"Sorry to disappoint," Zoricus said in a harsh tone

"Why so hostile brother?" Caine asked, using the endearment the guardians had always used for each other years ago

"You are not one of us" Alistair spat back

Caine scanned his old friends' attire, scrutinizing their expensive threads.

"That, I am not," he said

"How did you get out?" Zoricus asked

"You didn't think your precious Sun Queen's spell would last forever did you?" he said looking at the golden statue that was not too far away from him

They knew that he would eventually get out, but he didn't have to know that they knew. They just didn't know how.

His eyes started to roam, taking in his old home. Certain things remained the same, like the Mills bakery in the town square, but things had improved so much. His kingdom looked more rich and developed.

"A lot has changed here" Caine pointed out "I bet we rank highly among the world's kingdoms"

Zoricus looked at him with anger. How would they know? He had cut them off from the outside world. It was their hard work, knowledge, and wisdom that had brought the kingdom to where it was today...at least they could say that for the South side of the force field. Who knew what the other side was going through.

"We?" King Francis finally spoke "You are no longer a part of this kingdom"

Caine laid eyes on the King as if now noticing his presence. He recognized the greying ginger hair and the green eyes.

"Francis" he smirked

"That's King Francis to you Caine" the King spat

"I shouldn't be surprised" Caine smiled

"What do you want Caine? Why are you here?" Alistair asked, his old friend's presence was beginning to make him feel anxious.

"To continue where I left off" he answered with a grin "And take back what is rightfully mine, this kingdom"

"I will never give up my throne!" King Francis said

"Well..." Caine began, a black flame engulfing his right hand "...I'll just have to take it then"