A Crown and A Curse

Chapter 32: If You're Willing To Find It

Kian

I almost lost my footing as I took my first step into the darkness. The magic around me was so thick that it was impossible to see through, it drowned out every sense I had. Here there was no sight, no hearing, no feeling. I knew that if I fell I would not rise again. I swallowed, no quite regretting my decision but hoping that I'd made the right one. I stepped forward, for if I kept standing there I would eventually back away. My cowardice would win out, so I moved forward and forced myself to keep doing so.

"Zora?!" I called out. Wondering if I was so deep into this world of darkness that my friends outside couldn't even hear me.

Then, as if awakened by my voice, whispers and laughs began to echo around me. I knew with certainty that whatever was circling me wasn't Zora. It sounded wicked and wild, something ancient.

Ah, the boy king has come to face us at last. I spun around in the direction of the voice.

"Who's there?"

Not who... Another voice giggled from behind me. I turned in a slow circle, trying to figure out where the creatures were. My stomach turned, so Zora really did have no control of her magic. Whatever her power stemmed from was a separate entity itself. I started to back away but then realized that I had completely lost my sense of direction. I didn't know whether I was walking closer to the belly of the beast or away towards freedom.

I swallowed, "What..are you?"

A voice, more inhuman than anything I'd ever heard answered. I shivered, as I felt its cold breath on my face. "We are inescapable. Insurmountable. Beings you know the name for but can never understand."

I was frozen in place, connecting the dots. Zora had always told me that her magic brought nothing but death, her magic was death.

"hengästyksyt." I gasped, the old Drimmish word was like ice on my tongue. They were a fairytale told to children to scare them. Breath-snatchers, the reapers that extinguished life from the creatures of our world. They were fairytales we were told as children, myths, a superstition held by the folk of old. And here I was before them.

And even more terrifying, Zora had been with them for hours.

"Z- Zora? What have you done with her?" I questioned, summoning all the bravery I had left.

The girl? one voice cackled.

The host. said another.

"Where is she?"

One of the creatures giggled, and I was suddenly glad for the darkness. I did not wish to see what surrounded me. My fingers quaked at my sides.

Give up your search, the girl has gotten what she deserves. Her breath grows shorter every minute.

Rage coursed through me, "What she deserves? She has been a prisoner to you all her life. You've controlled her, let your power consume her, caused her to do awful things."

She has been no prisoner. We were placed inside her by her father when she was only a newborn, meant to use her body to roam the land as a god, but her soul was too strong. We've been bound to it ever since, trapped inside as her cowardice suppressed us every day. She'd have lived a long life and we would've eventually died with her. But the foolish child grew too bold, she mistook us for something she could control, just the little voices in her head. And now as she dies we will unbind ourselves and return again to the realm of the spirits.

My whole body was trembling now, I had to save Zora, had to convince them to let her go, to find another way.

"I'll stop you, I'll save her. You'll see."

Only Zora can save herself, but she is already gone. We have no quarrel with you, Prince. Leave this place and save yourself before you die with her.

Suddenly a path appeared, cutting through the darkness with light. It was a path out, I could see Areis pacing on the other side, Stailon staring into the darkness with a face of desperation. The warmth of the light-filled me with hope. I could save myself, leave this place and forget everything I had seen. All I had to do was follow the light.

I knew I was about to make the most selfish decision of my life. I steeled myself, saying an apology and hoping that I could be forgiven for what I was about to do.

Then I ran in the opposite direction, leaving the path of light and the kingdom that I had once cared about more than anything behind me.