Pentoria

21. That Shiny Thing

Chapter 21 (the last chapter)

That Shiny Thing

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The next day Stade woke up to his small room. Sunlight was peeking in from the small window and the birds out side were chirping as if greeting him a good morning. It felt almost like the first day he arrived at the base.

Stade blinked once and then turned his head towards the other bed where his roommate was supposed to be sleeping. It was empty.

Stade brought out a sigh and sat up. Many things had happened since then, his very first day in the rebels base, not all good and not all bad. He wondered if the bad things equalled the good things or the bad things were more than the good. Stade even wondered if he'd wish none of them would have happened.

Stade looked at the empty bed again and shook his head. Trying to wake himself up from his sleepy state, he intentionally messing up his hair and shook his head again. 

I probably woke up at the wrong side of bed. Stade thought to himself, What am I thinking?

Stade stood up and washed his face from the water jug that was in the room like every other morning. He then wiped his face with a towel and sat back in bed wondering what other interesting events that could happen next.

At that moment, Stade heard a knock on the door and called who ever was outside to help himself in. A man stepped inside the room dressed in royal clothes. It took a while for even Stade to recognize him. He had never seen Kuzix dressed so formally. His appearance was obviously out of place in the plain and somewhat gloomy walls of the base and the impression even made Stade stand from his bed. He stared at Kuzix in amazement.

“You’re…umm, here.” Stade said perplexed and suddenly conscious of how he might look like only just waking up from bed.

Kuzix smiled, “I have something to tell you.” He motioned for Stade to sit back down.

The both of them settled in the room, Kuzix on a chair and Stade on his bed side. It was still early morning and outside the sun was shining happily, the birds were still singing, and the plants swayed slowly grateful for the warmth. Even though being underground was depressing for Stade, that morning seemed different despite the mood he was in the moment he woke up. It was like he forgot something important that even the plants and forest remembered.

Kuzix smiled to himself and looked out the window dreamingly. After the short but pleasant silence Kuzix started in a thoughtful manner, “When I reached the Clan of Combat that day…I didn’t expect my father to listen. But when I reached the palace I was surprised to find him very sick. His men didn’t even allow me to enter his bed chamber but of course, I insisted to see him and they tried to force me out. At that time I almost gave up and believed that convincing him would be impossible, but to my surprise I heard him order his guards to stop and let me in.”

Kuzix then fixed his eyes on Stade, “I don’t know what you have heard about my father, but the king hardly speaks to me; much less, grants any of my requests. But the king allowed me to speak to him that time and when I told him my request, he unexpectedly accepted it without question. It was a big surprise for me when he did this and I dared to ask him why he had shown me that much favor. He then told me that the Eagle had spoken to him and He said: 'Oh king, because of your pride you will die, but not before you have seen your son. When he arrives you should grant the request he would ask of you and you then should appoint him your successor. He will become king after you and I will give him victory over his enemies.' After he told me that he gave me his blessing and sent me of with his army.”