Lore of Eternal Shadow: The Fugitive King

Chapter Nineteen

It was a little after midnight when Zicone, Lauren, Horatio, and Tiziano finally made their way back to the house. All four stumbled into the living room, exhausted. "This isn't over, Zicone," said Horatio, "we'll start an inquiry into the affairs of Galgaroth and meet together with some of our allies."

"If we can vote again, convincing enough Senators that this is our problem," Tiziano added, "we may have a chance."

"By then it'll be too late," Zicone sighed.

"You should get some rest," said Horatio, "It's been a long day."

The brothers retired upstairs. Lauren looked longingly after them. "I've had just about enough of politics for one day," she told Zicone.

"I don't blame you," Zicone said.

"Goodnight, Zicone," she said. They exchanged tired smiles and she went upstairs.

Zicone followed the others finally but paused when he saw Runa's head poke out of one of the upstairs doors. "Zicone," she said quietly.

"Runa?" Zicone asked, "Did you find anything?"

"Not in here." She said. She looked after the still retreating brothers Talsis. "I don't think they'll appreciate what I have to say."

"Let's take a walk then."

The night was illuminated softly by the distant blue magical orbs in the streetlamps along the main road. Occasional lampposts guarded the manicured grounds of Tiberan's house as well, glowing in the night. It was foggy out now and the blue lights seemed all the more aethereal, basking in a crystalline mist of soft and distant blue.

The two figures walked along the driveway and into the "forest" as they talked. "I sifted through old gazettes and periodicals for hours," the fourteen-year-old said, "I even read a whole book on Zanrai's crowning."

"Did you find where they put the Vampirex?" Zicone asked eagerly.

Runa nodded, "A few years after he defeated Caligo, your father brought Thalos to this Dimension. He was offered as a gift to the Senate to celebrate Zanrai's big homecoming and coronation. The Senate verified Thalos as the true Vampirex."

"Sounds fascinating," said Tiberan.

"How does a guy as big as you are sneak up on people!?" asked Zicone as Tiberan laughed.

"You'd be surprised," Runa said, "my biggest brother made it into an art."

Zicone shook his head, "You were saying, Runa?"

"Right," she said before continuing, "The Senate sentenced the Vampirex to be imprisoned in the very city that was once his capital, deep within a place called the Toxicon Forbidden Zone. For reasons that are still unknown to Zey^Rey science, the city still stands after at least ten thousand years. There was a grand ceremony in the empty city and then they cast him into some sort of vat under the main square... a technology he invented, apparently."

"Sounds like poetic justice," Tiberan commented.

Zicone tilted his head, "Yes, but I'm sure there's more to it than that. My father was the only person who could really kill him but Zanrai felt the Vampirex was of more use alive for his knowledge of the Ring of the Dead. If I guess right, they put the Vampirex down there because they honestly couldn't think of anywhere else to put him. Whatever fate the Vampirex was dealt has worked for two thousand years... so it's probably way worse than anything we can imagine."

Runa nodded, "That's what the book said pretty much. It was very clear in saying that the Vampirex wouldn't be able to leave his prison without disintegrating."