Descent into Fire and Brimstone [Discountined]

Chapter 7 - Elden

He dreamt he sat on Lance's throne, towering high above them all.

Below, the citizens of Wiverlynn - No, all the citizens of Asneth - bowed down at his feet, eyes solmn and afraid, yet they pleaded for his love. Hundreds of them, there were, naked and shivering. Underneath their feet, blood flowed like the ocean. The blood of all those little rats who fought for Lance. Not so brave now, are they?  A foul vapour rose from their skin, It filled Elden's nostrils and he smiled. Is this what power smells like?

"This is what power smells like, my lord." The voice came from the mass of people. Then he saw her.

Mayra was standing amongst the people. She too was naked and her entire body was drenched with blood. She smiled up at him brightly and beckoned him forwards. 

She looks so beautiful. Like a red jewel upon a Queen's crown. She is the Queen. The Queen of my life.

Unable to resist the irresistible lure Mayra had on him, he rose and descended down the stone steps; Mayra had a tight rope around him, and she was pulling him in. Not until he took the first step onto a little girl, did he realise that spikes made of some metal he had never laid his eyes upon before, were embeded into the soles of his feet. He could not feel them, nonetheless, and felt no discomfort when he walked. The reason why he noticed them was because he heard the sound of tearing flesh. The little girl weeped a little, a single tear dripping into the blood which embraced her. Elden felt no sympathy.

Without hesitation, Elden began to step onto the people bowing at his feet. They endured the excruiating pain without a single whimper. They continued to beg for his love and affection, to heal their hearts and grant them forgiveness. Elden did not listen to them; he was hypnotized by Mayra's prescence. 

When he reached her, Mayra held out her hand and he grabbed it. "Hello, my lord." Her voice was as smooth as milk.

"My lord?" Elden began to caress her bloody arm. The delightful smell filled him whole and he smiled at her.

"You are the lord of The Four Regions - of Asneth." 

Overwhelmed by the power and hungry for more, he grabbed her hair and kissed her. His lips were rough and his teeth bit angrily into her lips. Mayra stayed frozen in his grasp and her rapid breaths permeated into the air. Elden tried to be passionate, but he was too enraged. He wanted power, he wanted Wiverlynn, he wanted The Four Regions, he wanted Asneth and he wanted Mayra. He needed Mayra.

Elden could not have said how long he had kissed her for. It may have been minutes or it may have been hours; time slept when love woke. Was this love? Did Elden still love Mayra? Dazed, he slowly pulled back. Her lips were the colour of a split vein and were pulled into a big frown. He looked into Mayra's blood shot eyes. Burrowed deep inside them, Elden could see melancholy and loneliness. They were pits of darkness, as if she was mourning for something.

"I am mourning, my lord."

Stroking her red stained hair, he asked, "what are you mourning for, my dear?"

With firm hands, she spun him around to look at the bloodied bodies in front of him.

"Look at your people, my lord."

He looked. Every one of them shuddered in the ruthless, cold air which lingered around them. Children were huddled on their own, pressing their heads against the crimson floor, waterfalls flowing down their cheeks. Men crouched over their wives, attempting to ease their suffering. If their eyes met with Elden's they'd instantly bow back down, begging for forgiveness. The cries of the women and children created a mounrful lullaby, wrapping everyone up in an iron cage of dismay. The ocean of blood domianted the entire room, as if to cradle all of the people bowing down, in it's horrifying arms. Blood was everywhere, so was anger, horror and guilt. This lullaby stabbed at Elden's heart, yet it made him feel even more powerful.