The Ancient Statue

  The King of the Court has an ancient statue beside him. And only The Excellency himself, can hear the whispers from the old stone. He spent all of his time in the throne room; dark and alone, not that he cared about anything on the outside. All that he cared is the clawing feeling inside of him.

  People come and go; enter and exit; swore to be beside him and then betrayed him. And he never bats an eye at them, for they only be welcomed to fulfil the King’s needs. For they are nothing but pawns; stepping-stone for Your Majesty for the world to acknowledge his presence.

  One day, a group who introduced themselves as Crows came to his solitary room. One little man with amber eyes and sunset hair intrigued both of them --The King and the statue-- for he exclaimed that he could fly.

  The Highness can’t only be pleased with just empty boasts. So with the permission of the ancient statue, he tested the little man himself with a toss of the striped ball. It was the fastest, the hardest toss that no one but The Noble Man himself can do. But much to his expectations, the little man did fly and spike the ball perfectly with closed eyes.

  “Tell me your name, little man.”

  “Hinata Shouyou.”

  Since that day, the claws seems to dig deeper inside of him.

~****~

  “Your Highness, you must be thrilled to have a group of crows in the palm of your hand. They seem to be quite loyal and useful for Your Excellency; especially the little man who can fly.”

  “Yes, indeed.”

  He is, with no doubt, excited with the new power he has gained. It made him look forward to the brighter days ahead in his dark throne room. It made his heart thump painfully, as if the clawing sensation inside was not enough; it made his lips to curl into a wicked grin; it made his mind scream, ‘more! more!’.

  Yes, everything is perfect for The Excellency; beautiful and bright as far as he can see. But when the little man once again came back to him for only God knows how much, asking for his tosses, the great future tend to be so dark in the king’s eyes.

~****~

  “Kageyama, I want to fight with my own power.”

  The words from the Little Crow blew them -The King and the statue- away like the wind in spring.

  “You imbecile, insolent, fool being! How dare you say something arrogant like that in front of Your Majesty?!”

  The Highness himself was also furious upon the little man's statement; the clawing feeling inside him dig deeper than before. Not only begging for his tosses, the sunset haired male himself was still relying on The Highness’ power! He is, without no doubt, way weaker than The King of the Court.

  “I don’t need your opinion in spiking.”

  “Just shut up and fulfil The King’s needs! That’s your only reason to be here; just a mere pawn for Your Excellency’s path to victory!”

  The Little Crow pursed his lips for awhile, but decided to continue with what he had started.

  “Kageyama, don’t you believe in me?”

  Believe? Trust? Those words seem to be so.. Far and foreign for The King. He may hear it once or twice, but it never had an impact until now; it switched his mind to rebel against the owner.

  “Have you given Hinata the toss that he needs?”

  “Toss that HE needs? What’s the point of considering a peasant? What’s the point of controlling your power for someone else? That’s not how a mighty king like you rules!”

  “If you haven’t, then you’re no different with a king who colonised everything.”

  “Kageyama, believe in me. Just like how I believe your tosses are always perfect.”

  His egoist self claws its way out; breaking his ribcage; through the flesh, skin, and his black uniform; and blindly reaching the stripped ball in front of him. The King desperately tried to shove his dark self back inside; holding back the living desire to control everything back where it belongs as everything painted in crimson.

  “Kageyama, toss to me!”

  The Little Crow took the stripped ball and prepared to throw.

  The King stands.

  “Hina.. Hinata, don’t do this, please...”

  “I trust you, Kageyama.”

  The first throw produced a barely toss from The King of the Court; for he was choked by his own desire.

  “Hinata, don’t do it. Ple.. Please.. I’m...I’m scared.”

  The Little Sunset beamed, encouraging The King to move from his solitary world.

  “I believe in you, Kageyama. So please, believe in me too.”

  It was hard for The Noble Man to do just like his beloved crow said. But after countless attempts to break free from his own egoist self and emptying himself, it triggers white light to his vision and him to fall into an unexplained bliss.

~****~

  Everything seems to be in a blur, and went on slow motion. All of his senses were confused, and slowly but surely reaching the clear as he heard his name being called.

  “Kageyama? Kageyama!”

  “Huh? What?”

  The Little Crow chuckled.

  “You kinda spaced out there.”

  The King is finally conscious. He swept the whole room with his cobalt orbs. It was his throne room, but different; more alive with so much people gathers; more bright as the curtains are opened; and less suffocating as no heavy air cling to him. And right in front on him, is not just a someone, but his light; his piece of sunset that filled him to the rim with sweet, sweet nectar, waiting with a stupid smile.

  “So are you gonna give me the crown or not?”

  The King took a glance behind him. The ancient statue is still there, lifeless and old.

  “Of course I will, Hinata.”

  The moment the King set the crown on The Queen’s head, the ancient statue crumbled.