The Hero

Chapter 7

With darkness settling in, and the weight of remorse and isolation in pursuit, the Champion waited on his throne for something—anything. Shimmer, the two annoying siblings, Jewel, even the rat! If the rat was still alive, that is. He wouldn't mind any company at this point. It was desperation.

As if his wish had been heard, footsteps could be heard down the hallway. Excitement surged in, making him rack his mind for what to say to Shimmer. He would say what he did, then ask for forgiveness—

"At least help me hold him up!"

"I am!"

The Champion lost all hope with a weary sigh. The annoying duo was here. He had no idea how they got in, or why they were this way, but he did know it was for business.

With grunts marking their entrance, the two shadowy figures walked inside. The first one had its back toward him, while the other was in the front. They were carrying something—a body probably.

"Is that the target?" the Champion asked, which made Nightstrider scoff.

"Uh, yes?" she replied, annoyed, then abruptly stopped. "Okay, drop it."

The body fell onto the floor with a thump. Moonlight illuminated only small sections of it, but the Champion could see a bloody rag over its neck. Still, bloodstains were elsewhere.

"It's all your fault!" Nightstrider complained, madly brushing her attire. "You fumbled the rag right when I did it! It got all over me! Ugh!"

"He... he..." her brother sputtered. Nightstrider stared daggers at him for silence.

"Next time we do it, you're the one slitting the throat and at risk for all of this!" she snapped, angrily slamming her cloak one last time before spinning around. "I'll probably have to get a whole new cloak... all because of one, little mistake that could've easily been prevented!"

"I'm sorry, Blosso—"

"It's Nightstrider! You oaf... I think Doofus will suit you fine as a name."

"Wait! What was wrong with Nightlurker..."

The two exited the room with their nonsensical arguing fading away. They left eerie silence in their wake, something the Champion was accustomed to. He moved his gaze down to the floor and scanned the moonlit body. It was on its back, facing the ceiling, but moved not a muscle. A corpse would always act this way. Forever dead, motionless—

"That's flawed reasoning," Jewel remarked, as he appeared above the body, which slowly became more hidden by the second from the rain of dark particles. Like its flesh was being eaten bit by bit. "But the body has arrived. Sacrifice can be made! This is but the first step of many toward the great door of domination and triumph."

"How did they even get in?" the Champion asked himself, then headed for the body. "It doesn't make sense. Unless my guards are useless and oblivious."

"Hm, they may or may not be still standing there—"

"What?"

The Champion was about to throw the body over his shoulder, but he instead looked at Jewel. Killing his men was an easy feat, though a crime. Sin. It wouldn't go unpunished.

"The girl has her way with humans, I don't know," Jewel responded dismissively, flicking his hand around. "Just pick up the body, go to the portal, and give it up. It's as easy as that."

"Hmph," the Champion snorted. In hesitant approval to the order, he tossed the body over his shoulder just for the blood to drizzle downward. The bloody rag was practically glued to its neck, so soaked that it barely held back whatever was left.