Kingdom Rivalry

Chapter 17

~.A Few Days Later.~

Black Mist, who was going easy on his trainee, took a swing at Astral, who blocked it with his arm. He winced slightly at the pain, but it was nothing compared to what could have been a powerful blow to his face. The Cosmic prince then ducked another swing, took a step forward to balance himself, and successfully delivered a somewhat strong yet weak punch to Black Mist's chin, sending his head backward but not exactly doing much damage. Black Mist grinned, dropped down, swept out one leg while using the other to anchor himself, and tripped Astral. Said prince took the sweep, but not before locking his arm around Black Mist's neck and gripping, which ended with them in a heap on the floor. Black Mist muscled himself out, gasping from the tight grip Astral had on his throat. Astral got up, rubbing the bruises that were now forming on his body.

They had been going on like that ever since he arrived at the Obscure Kingdom early in the morning, with his father and mother's permission, of course. He was tired, bruised, hurt, but determined.

"Here, take my hand," Black Mist said, holding out his hand, which Astral took. "You have to put your body into a blow like that," he added. "If you go on hitting like that, your enemy will go on as if nothing happened."

"I am trying, Black Mist," Astral sighed, dusting himself off. "It does not come to me as naturally as it does to you."

"Neither does magic for me, now stop complaining."

Black Mist led Astral to his room, where they would wait while the servant readied the bath for the both of them. Afterward, they would visit the infirmary to see to the bruising on Astral's part. Black Mist didn't really get hurt as much during these training sessions mainly because his trainee was still physically weak, so none of his blows really did much damage, unlike when he and Vector sparred.

When they finally got to the room, Astral fell on the bed with a heavy sigh. "While I will admit this is easier than mastering magic, it is physically exhausting," he breathed. "Magic merely tires the mind if used improperly, but this, no matter what, tires both the body and the mind."

"That's true," Black Mist chuckled, "especially to those not yet accustomed to it." He sat on his chair with a small sigh. "But you did well, today. You've improved."

"Not as much as I would have liked, but I suppose tomorrow will be better."

"Exactly! Now, come on. I'm sure the bath is ready." Black Mist took Astral's hand and tugged him gently to get up, and then the both of them went to the connecting bathroom to wash off. After that was done, they visited the infirmary.

While the nurse was tending to the bruising and sore muscles, Astral's head suddenly tipped forward. He was unable to control the wave of drowsiness, despite the nurse and Black Mist shaking him and trying to wake him up. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as the vision flooded the back of his eyelids.

There was an army, one that was bigger than the Obscure and Cosmic armies combined. What was particularly frightening was that Astral was inhabiting the body of one of the infantry soldiers and felt absolutely nothing. Nothing! It was as if this soldier was born of the raw darkness itself!

He was staring out into the open fields, his feet marching without conscious control, his sight set on the brightly lit Cosmic Kingdom, and beyond it loomed the ever dark Obscure Kingdom. Both armies were gathered at the walls of the Cosmic, though, ready to fight. At the front lines were battle hounds and large dragons in golden scale armor that protected their squishy bits. Behind them, King Zeon and King Pluto stood their ground bravely, sword and staff (Zeon only used his staff in times when he needed to hone his magic into a projectile) in hand. The body he was inhabiting only grinned, a grunt of glee escaping his throat.

"How quaint," Kai, who was walking beside the body, chuckled. "They mustered an army. It is not as large nor as powerful as ours."

"No, it is not," Esmeralda, Kai's mother, agreed. She was walking beside her son. "We will see them fall, and soon, the Cosmic will no longer be a threat to us."

"And then we can rule the Obscure without constraint!"

Stop!! Astral tried screaming, but the body he was in was unable to form the single word. Instead, he allowed himself to look around. He only saw more bodies the same as his along with dark dragons, much smaller than the white and golden ones protecting the Cosmic but seemingly just as deadly. Wake up! he screamed to himself. I have to warn Father and Mother! Even Pluto and Minerva! They have to know!!

But he knew how visions processed. He would be unable to wake up until the dream ended itself or it finished. That meant he wouldn't be able to control this body, either, and that he would have to live this horror.

When they were a certain distance away, Kai raised his hand. The black dragons perked in attention, licking their fangs in anticipation. The many hollow bodies brandished their long swords and clubs. Kai then swung his hand down, and all hell broke loose.

The infantry ran at full speed to the army the Cosmic and Obscure gathered, and the dragons on both sides clashed, but it was the dark dragons that had the upper hand. They were smaller, yes, but they were much sturdier and far more vicious. They bit and snapped at the chests and wings of the light dragons. If not for their natural armor, they would have died right then and there. The infantry swung their swords at the army, sending everyone into a state of confusion. The mages and sorcerers calmed everyone and made sure to keep the army of darkness at bay as those with swords unsheathed their weapons. Those that fought with fists, which were Alit and Black Mist, darted into the army, decapitating them by snapping their ankles and knees, making them easier targets.

The battle seemed to rage on for many days and nights, never ending nor resting. The blood was everywhere! Black, red, clear, all of the colors the army bled was there, mixing into a terrible stench that the hollow bodies seemed not to detect. The army of darkness never ended, never tired. The Cosmic and Obscure armies seemed to be tiring quickly, though, and the constant fighting was taking its toll. The sorcerers and mages had run out of mana, only regaining enough for quick healing but never for combat. They were falling soon. They were going to lose.

They were all going to d-

Astral gasped as he awoke back in his bed, shivering from the horrible vision. One of his hands gripped the sheets of the blanket. The other hand ran through his hair

What did it mean? he wondered. Will we fail? And that army...my goodness, it was enormous! There was no hope of beating it! No, the army of darkness was far too tireless to beat. Was there a source to summoning them? At that moment, he didn't even think of that possibility because he was too shaken from this vision.

At last, he got out of his bed, fully intending to tell Zeon this message. He put on his golden cloak, covering his entire body instead of putting it in a cape style so no one could see the spells he was weaving in his hands out of nervousness. After all, the heir to the throne was expected to remain calm, so he set his face to his usual stoic gaze as he made his way to the throne room.

"Father?" he called out.

Zeon, who was sitting at his throne with his eyes closed, hummed in response. He cracked his eyes open and smiled. "Hello, Astral," he calmly said. He was in his hypnotic state that helped him hone his skills further. "Is there something I can help you with, my son?"

"Father, I had a vision," the heir said, walking to his father. As he described his vision in full detail, Zeon never once moved nor reacted negatively, save for a few frowns here and there. Afterwards, he got up, no longer in his hypnotic state.

"We should inform Pluto as well, then." He then smiled down at Astral. "While we are there, you should thank Black Mist. He carried you all the way here when you suddenly fell asleep."

Astral sheepishly nodded. "I will, Father."

"Good. Now, come along. I will have a carriage prepared for us to go promptly. Make sure that the both of them get the message to meet at the building in the Neutral Lands."

The prince once again nodded and went off to write a note that would be flown to the Obscure. Then, the both of them got in the carriage and rode off.