Shadow Kingdoms | Book 1 ✔ (REWRITTEN AS 'THE EXILED KING')

Chapter 8 - Reunion

Vesan! Ryhon felt blinding rage settle over him. He looked up at the vampire with murderous eyes. Indeed, his eyes burned and seemed to crackle and sizzle with dangerous electrical hate. The vampire was entirely unaware, but had looks been capable of killing, Vesan would have dropped dead that very instant. Vesan had a small crown upon his head, with many rubies. He wore a blood red tunic, with gold outlines.

"I have a job for you, Ryhon." Vesan said. "There are a few pesky humans who are resisting capture in an old hut. I want you to find them."

"Right away, your majesty." Ryhon stood straight. If Vesan did not recognize him, then he would hide in plain sight. He tried to recall his friends in the over world, but could not come up with a single name. He frowned.

"And when you find them." Vesan stared right into his eyes, "Kill them."

Ryhon felt powerful and eager to please. He gave a bow and looked to the king who flicked a finger and sent Ryhon soaring back up to the over world.

The ground rumbled and Ryhon seemed to rise straight out of the ground. Indeed, that was what he had done and his from solidified a moment later. The king had changed his form so that he could go through surfaces like a spirit, and now changed it back. Soon, Ryhon would be able to do it at will and without assistance. He took a deep breath and smiled. Then he focused and dark tendrils of death curled around his legs. His eyes burned bright and his cloak and hair flew wildly about. An unlucky deer bounded right across his path and he extended a finger and blew a blast of dark energy into the poor creature. The deer collapsed in a heap on the ground and twitched. Then it rose and started to walk towards him. The eyes burned green and it had a fully black coat when moments before the coat had been a luxurious brown color. It reached him and knelt before him. He waved a hand and it crumbled into dust. His fine senses told him the nearest place with humans in the area. It was a small clearing not far from where he was and it had four humans and what appeared to be some beings that were clearly not human. There was one human that seemed... different. He started in a sprint to that area.

He arrived in a few moments. The clearing had a small hut in the center, but the snow was disturbed and there were signs of a scuffle. Multiple pairs of feet entered the house but none went back out. He concluded that they must all still be in there then. He prepared himself and called upon all the ancient knowledge of magic that he gained since entering Heresh. Then he entered.

A girl stood and had an arrow aimed at his chest. He waved his hand almost contemptuously and the bow and arrow flew far from her grasp. She stared at him with wide eyes. He continued farther into the house, pausing only to disarm a young man who had a dangerous looking sword. He saw all the vampires, bound and gagged in a corner. There were many blood stains on the floor and a young woman in a corner had a nasty gash in her thigh. Blood was seeping out of her makeshift bandage. Something... called him to her. He walked over and she looked up. He felt a jolt through him. You know this person, his soul said. Who is this, his memory said. Well, not even a powerful spell of forgetfulness can block out from his heart that he had once been loved. No. He knew who she was.

"Sister." He said hoarsely. She jerked up and whipped around to stare at him. Her violet eyes stared into his.

"Brother. Samuh."

Samuh. A memory clicked.

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He was playing with his twin brother, Daryn. He reached up to grab a tasty piece of cake. First, one for his brother, who so dutifully held him up so he could reach it. Then one for himself. He had just grabbed it when a voice sounded from the doorway.