The Lethal Air (Royals of the Realm Series #2)

Chapter 7

"Heaven cannot brook two suns, nor earth two masters." - Alexander the Great

Air Kingdom
White Castle
Command Center

Artemis' POV

The kingdom was in full alert when the news of an attack in the air state reached the castle. I was surprised when two guards barged in my spell room without knocking but knowing we were under attack shocked me more. They were ordered by Heaven to escort me to the Command Center with General Colson while he, yes - the Air King himself, takes care of the matter in the air state. Guards were everywhere in and out of the castle, ready in case of surprise attacks.

"Heaven wants you surrounded by our men. He thinks you'll be safer here." General Colson said the moment I stood beside him, watching as he flipped through monitors covering the whole area around the castle. He's in full battle mode, gone was the boy-next-door-without-manners personality I've known.

"Who are they?" I asked, referring to the armored group ransacking the whole village displayed in the monitor.

"The Air Elves that rebelled against Heaven's rule. They want to dethrone him, replace him with someone else."

I nodded as the words sinked in. We cannot please everybody afterall. Then I noticed one necromancer in the rebel group, as if accompanying them and watching motionlessly. When soldiers came to drive them out he still remained, not even bothering to lift a hand to summon his souls. When the whirlwind caught the rebels and they disappeared the necromancer stepped closer, revealing his face to Heaven. Heaven on the other hand, remained still, waiting for him to strike but instead the man spoke.

"Is there a chance we can hear what they're saying?"

Colson shook his head, "We'll just wait until Heaven tells us himself."

The conversation lasted for a few minutes before I saw something that scared me. Heaven was in front of the necromancer in an instant, fingers wrapped around his throat and lifting him up like he weighed nothing. He was saying something, growling, and then he threw the man straight into the darkness of his whirlwind to hell. The man fought the wind but failed, it swallowed him without a trace. The phone rang inside the room and I saw from the monitor Heaven had something in his ear. Colson and I stared at each other before he picked it up to answer.

"Colson, speaking." He waited and listened for any orders. In just a second I saw surprise etched on his face laced with disbelief. His gaze met mine and uncertainty was clear in his eyes, "I-Is the order final, your highness?" He asked finally.

When he put the receiver back he breathed deeply before staring right at me, "I'm sorry, Art. I only follow orders." He nodded at his men and all of them immediately surrounded me. When he spoke it was passive, like he doesn't want to show me anything that may give his feelings away. "Take her to the cells."

I froze, my heart almost bulging out of my chest from beating so fast.

Heaven wants me in the cells.

This isn't about safety anymore. My eyes found the monitor once again and I saw Heaven staring right at it, as if he knows I was watching him. Did the necromancer tell him the truth about me? Does the necromancer know who am I? The time has finally come. I lifted my hands up and they stood on guard, expecting a fight.

"I'll come willingly." I spoke with determination. Colson believed me, and he escorted me himself. Three guards were behind us as he led me to the cells. Right before we enter one he stopped, signalling the guards behind to leave. They were reluctant at first but they left us alone.

"What did you do?" I was confused at first but then he spoke again, "Heaven wouldn't do this if you didn't do anything."

"That's not the right question, General." I smiled weakly. "Our fate has been decided even before we met. It's suppose to end this way."

"This is not right. You are his queen." He grumbled with disbelief.

I sighed, "Do you trust your king?"

He stared at me as if I have grown two heads, "Of course I do! Heck, I'll give my life for him."

"Then obey him. He knows what he's doing." My statement surprised him but he nodded.

"I hope so." He opened the cell and I was surprised to see everything in white. White walls everywhere. He led me to the chains and shackled both of my wrists. The chain is connected to the white ceiling. "Don't be fooled by the color. This room is used for torturing prisoners. Heaven wasn't feared for nothing. This is designed to show you your biggest fears, torture you with visions that will make you scream. No matter what always think of one thing: nothing is real and don't ever scream. It will only worsen." The reminder almost made me choke. This pep talk is not working, it's making me more nervous.

Now I regret coming willingly.

He left me with one last tap on my shoulder and I was all alone in the room. The silence remained for atleast half an hour before my surroundings changed into a cliffside.

Heaven's back.

I reminded myself that this is not real but the moment my replica appeared in front of me, looking exactly like me, I've had my doubts. She was wearing the same white dress I wear, the wind blowing gently as her dress and hair swayed with the breeze freely. She raised her arms, eyes closed and feeling the wind. My breathing hitched when shackles appeared on her wrists. Her expression turned to fear when her neck was in shackles too and a metal pentacle the size of her appeared behind, as if she's tied to it. She screamed at me to help her until it turned upside down.

The ritual.

She writhed in pain as cuts appeared everywhere on her body and her blood flowed freely, her white dress turning crimson red.

"STOP! Please!" She cried and I almost did too. Chantings grew louder as she screamed for it to stop, as if being possessed. One last scream and she hanged limp, eyes wide open as she stared blankly at me. There, my legs buckled and I kneeled down, caressing her face with my knuckles. Her face pale, veins visible like tattoos underneath the skin.

The ritual would kill me.

I guess it's right that I ended up here instead of being in the clutches of the necromancers. If I die here no ritual will happen, no more witches of the north to continue the bloodline. No Elixr will arise and be used to revive fallen immortals or heal mortally wounded ones.

From the blood pooling beneath her a shadow emerged. It formed into one of the creatures I loathed. Feeder. One of the necromancer's soul. The way its eyes glowed tells me it is real. It stopped merely inches away from my face. When it opened it's mouth the air I breathe turned cold, then the life was being sucked out of me. It was so real that I even saw fragments of my soul leaving my body. The white aura shielding my soul glowed from the threat and the feeder retreated, shrieking in anger. It circled the room before it suddenly entered my system, making me scream as some of the tentacles I connected with Heaven from my soul snapped like an elastic band breaking. It fucking hurts.

The feeder is fucking real. And it damaged the bond. Damn you, Colson.

The feeder flew out of me and floated in front of me again. He started sucking my soul once more and this time some essence of my soul came out of my mouth. Before it could siphon every fragment it was pulled back by the familiar whirlwind. It fought against the current but eventually it was sucked out of the land of the living. My limbs felt sore and my chest burns with unfamiliar pain as I fell on the white, tiled floor in a heap. The chains rattled as I lifted my arm to touch my hair.

It turned gray.

Exhaustion and the pain in my chest took its toll on me and I slowly closed my eyes. The last thing I saw was a familiar pair of black boots striding towards me from the doorway.