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Weight of the Crown: Final Chapter

Darrien

Darkness swallowed my world, its oppressing silence crushing the remnants crushing my resolve. The frigid touch of the viscous fluid the only thing that reminded me I was still alive. A single image burned in my mind's eye, a visage I had long mourned and thought lost. A thousand thoughts swarmed my mind, the centuries of lives useless when it came to calming my heart.

_How? Why did she return? How? Why didn't she come earlier?_Thundered the questions in my mind, no answers to be had. Long forgotten memories rushed to the from of my mind: Blood pooling the earth. A face twisted with pain. A sorrowful below. Empty ice blue eyes. The cold touch of the dead. Guilt crushing my heart. The scent of fresh earth. Words left unsaid. Broken promises. A nameless tomb on a high hill.

A bright light pierced the darkness, the silence was replaced by a deep voice calling my name and a few seconds late I was standing in one of the Throne's long hallways. Blood red carpets covered the marble floor while the behemoth's on the golden banners judged me from above. Golden eyes met mine, joy dancing on them for a fleeting moment before it was replaced by worry. I turned my gaze away, the look of my knight's face as unbearable as the truth I had just learned. My throat was dry, my knees shook and every breath filled my mouth with a bitter taste. The jingling of armor rang in my ears as a slimy sensation seeped under my skin, like worms digging into the ground. My body shook in the hold of my knight, scorching tears running down my muzzle. A jumble of sounds came from the bull, soothing yet incomprehensible.

A long time passed before the flow of tears ran dry, my claws digging desperately into the chainmail of my knight the whole time. It took a monumental effort to relax my fingers enough to retreat the claws and even more to separate myself from the bull. Strong hands kept a firm grip on my arms, an unvoiced question hanging over our heads.

"Sorry, I need a moment," I whispered, my voice hoarse from all the crying.

"I'm here," was all Waken said, his hands rubbing soothing circles on my arms.

My mouth opened and closed many times, the words bursting to get out but always dying in my throat. Fear gripped my heart. The weight of the words hanging heavy upon my tongue.

"I, I know who's behind all this," I finally whispered, my voice breaking at the end. Waken's grip grew tighter on me, his body growing tense like a bowstring, "It shouldn't be possible but, but I'm sure of it. I couldn't forget her."

"Darrien, who is it? What did the throne show you?!" Waken asked with urgency, his voice echoing in the empty hallway.

"Waken, I'm, I'm sorry."

"Darrien, tell me it isn't Evanise."

I shook my head, taking a deep breath to stop shivers running all over my body.

"No. It, it isn't her. Waken, it's, it's Alena."

A heavy silenced reigned as the bull took in my words, his grip growing slack before his hands fell to the side. His legs trembled as he stumbled back, shock painted on his face.

"That can't be Darrien. That can't be! It must be an illusion, maybe it's the curse talking. But it can't be Alena. She wouldn't do this, any of this!" he shouted, pain tainting his eyes.

"I'm sorry Waken, but--"

"I watched her die! I held her hand as she bled out! We buried her together. Please Darrien, don't say such things, please," rang the bovine's voice, desperation clinging to his every word.

Words fled my tongue when I looked into my knight's eyes, my own heart's conflict reflected in the golden pools. I lowered my head in shame and regret, hugging my body to keep myself from breaking.

A loud rumble rang across the hallway, the large stone doors at its end opening with great effort. Silver light shone down upon us, bathing us in a grim glow. A new room revealed itself to us, along with a familiar human man.

"I guess that's all the time we have," I whispered to Waken as I grabbed his arm, seeking and providing comfort in the only friend I had left. Doubt and pain still clouded the knight's eyes when he gave me a single nod of understanding and turned away, waling with purpose. I followed close behind, steeling myself for what was to come. Our legs carried us into the broad rectangular room. The regal ivory walls rose to form an arch above our heads where intricate golden lines crisscrossed in many geometric patterns. A crimson carpet extended down the middle of the room, obsidian thrones set at either side, but none as imposing as the one resting at the end of the hall.

"I thought you were gone," Richard said with uncharacteristic sadness, sharing a quick look with my trusty knight. "Just, what is this place?"

"The end of my journey," I replied with a grim tone, striding forward with purpose.

"What do you mean? Weren't we supposed to end the curse?"

"A curse can't be broken, just reversed. And we don't have the means or time for that. So we have come here." Ghost of my past selves appeared on the thrones as I walked by, the men and women I had been through the years, flanked by their loyal knight.

"And where is here?"

"The Room of Succession," Waken answered behind me, his voice trembling slightly. "The place where the old regents and knights rest."

"Well, to be more specific, the place our old memories rest," I said with a tired voice, shooting a quick smile to the pair over my shoulder. "It's hard to remember everything that has happened in one life Richard, no matter how good we are at it. It's been several lives for us three. This place solves that problem."

"So, this is like a library then? Only for memories instead of books."

"Something along those lines, yes. As long as we are in here, we can recall all we have ever lived. Like those weeks captured by the Circle, the ritual in the cave or our last moments in each life."

"But it has limits, doesn't it? You wouldn't rule only a small kingdom if it didn't."

"Heh, you're a sharp one. Good, we'll need that." My legs carried me all the way across the room until I stood in front of the throne, its smooth surface reflecting my worried face. I swallowed the ball of nerves forming in my tongue and waited until the pair had joined me. "Waken promised you answers, didn't he? About the secrets of the throne, why this ritual was necessary?"

"Will I get them?"

I shared one last look with Waken, the nod of my faithful knight forcing out the words caught in my throat.

"You will. As you saw in our memory, we made a deal with the throne a long, long time ago. We would watch over our country and power would be granted to us. You saw some of it already when we were fleeing from the assassins. Waken no doubt has shown you his share. But as incredible as those were, the true power granted to us by the throne was that of reincarnation and fate."

"You may not remember the history of our kingdom, but it's been many years since there hasn't been a royal heir. As many years as this little pact of us has lasted, but none of them have been of royal blood. Wolves, bulls, rhinos, gorillas, humans. The monarchs have been of many species and many moods, but all shared one trait. A sacred mark carried by certain orphans who the current regent would always find. They would all ascend to the throne on their twenty first birthday, the old monarch dying shortly before it happened."

"You didn't--"

"No souls were sacrificed if that's what's troubling you. And no minds were consumed either. They were all of us, from the moment they were born. Time holds no meaning for souls, least of all in the throne."

"Then the ritual is meaningless. Was it all a farce?" Richard said with venom in his voice, his angry face storming close to my nose.

"No, it wasn't." I replied with serenity, holding the human's gaze. "Our souls were always the same, but our minds weren't. Memories are an essential part of who we are Richard, our successors were kept separated from them for as long as we could. For many years their lives were free of our burden and we raised them with all the love we could give them."

"So you could feel better when you took over them."

"No, so they knew we spoke the truth when we gave them a choice. Any of them could have ended this cycle if they so wished. They only had to avoid the ritual and the memories would die with them. That's one of the reasons we kept it secret."

"Did you do this too?" Richard said to Waken, his glare burning into the onyx furred bull.

"There have been many orphans among the royal guard and the royal army. I would always rise from one of those in a similar fashion and I'd befriend the next king or queen at some point."

"And where does that leave me?"

Waken turned his gaze towards me before he walked past us and took his place beside the throne, his armor glinting like silver.

"The curse makes things more difficult, for us all." I replied, my hand caressing the throne with fondness, "Usually, there would be a new body waiting for the memories and I'd be just a shadow of the past when the new monarch arrived. I'd have given them my brand and with it, they'd ascend to the throne with all our memories and duties resting upon their brow."

"But you're still alive."

"Only barely, but that may work in our favor this time, give us enough time to counterattack. The curse requires a death to be satiated, and a death it shall have," I said as I took Richard's hand, our arms glowing red with our brands. Richard's body tensed, his eyes shifting from me to Waken with growing fear. "Waken knows all about my reign, he can answers all your questions. The throne holds the rest, though you should avoid it for a while after this. I doubt it will be happy with us after this stunt."

"What do you mean?" Richard shouted as ribbons of red burst from my arm and slithered into his.

"We'll force a miracle. A sacrifice is always needed for ancient magic though. I reckon twenty five years of memories is a small price."

Green vines exploded out of Richar's arms, its thorns digging into my muscles with vengeance. I bit my lips to hold my scream, unwilling to submit Waken to any more pain.

"Darrien," shouted Richard, fear clinging to his voice.

"Take care of them," were my last words before the vines swallowed me whole.

---

Waken

My armor jingled as I took another curve, the clicking of my hooves echoing in the old hallways. The smell of stale air filled my nose and the dust in the air made me snort in annoyance. I glanced over my shoulder after I took another curve, unwilling to take any chances with this mission. I waited for a few seconds in the corner, just in case a clever spy had followed me thus far. The echo provided me enough cover and after it grew silent I jumped out with my weapons in hands. My eyes took in the sight, rough gray stone covered walls, roof and floor, their surfaces scratched by countless feet; rotting wooden doors stood by the sides, staring at each other and eerie green light illuminated it all, but no sight of any spy or warrior. My nerves set at ease, I delved deeper into the old corridors. Memories of time long gone flashed across my eyes: the plush carpets, the colorful banners and the live that had once covered every wall. I saw the old faces of dead friends with whom I once shared the goals and dreams and whose fate few still remembered. It left me with a sour taste in my mouth, my presence, as necessary as it was, felt like an affront to all we had done, all we had sacrificed and all that would be eventually forgotten.

My ears wriggled as I took one last turn and came to face with a heavy iron door; the faint sound of voices came from behind it, animated and familiar. I placed a large furred hand over the cold surface, lines of gold appearing over the sea of black fur before the door turned on its hinges with a painful groan. The two ladies inside shoot a suspicious look my way, their shoulders tensing with expectation. Recognition flashed in their eyes, and the glow of magic on their paws vanished without a trace.

"As I was saying, are you sure this informant of yours is reliable, lady San Diego?" Evanise asked with a cold tone, her sharp claws tapping the wooden table with impatience.

"As reliable as they tend to be, you know well that this is not a matter of truths and solid rules like the sciences you're so fond of Lady Tormenta," replied the elderly panther, she held herself with pride, nothing like the kind elderly panther she usually played in court.

The door closed behind me seconds later, the array of bolts dug deep into the stone and secured the door, for the time being at least.

"It would be quite a relief if they were, that way we would have fewer traitors to hunt down." Lighting danced over the dragon's muzzle, the dark ring under her eyes highlighted by the faded sheen of her scales.

"That may be true but if that were the case, then there wouldn't be any need for you, would it? For what is worth, I had this...rumor checked out by my own agents and it is very likely to be true."

A triad of strides revealed the contents of the table to me. The thin black lines of the maps twisted and crossed over the aged yellow of the parchment. The royal seal was present on one corner while the shield of arms of a respected family made my tail whip the air behind me. I didn't have to read the tittles to know what those lines represented and I couldn't help but huff with disappointment.

"I'd have never thought she would hide there, after all the sacrifices they made, all the pain they have suffered by her hand, couldn't she spare them this grief?" I spoke with venom in my voice, my hands already tightening into fists.

The old panther moved with patient grace, her hand settling over my wrist. I could feel the slight trembling of her fingers, the strain of her muscles to keep the elegant airs but her voice was a different matter. It flowed like silk and honeyed tea, something I found both impressive and unsettling. "That's precisely why she did it, Lord Commander. It provided her with the perfect cover, why, not even I doubted their tale when they regaled me with it at my own manor. If they could fool the former Master of Secrets of this country--"

"What hope had we all who were busy fighting a war?" I finished for her, swallowing my injured pride.

"Lord Commander, you shouldn't bla--"

"Yes, I should. And I will. But only after all this is done," I declared with finality, freeing my hand from the panther's grasp. She let go reluctantly, like a child whose toy was taken.

Silence reigned for a few seconds and I could feel their shocked eyes bearing into me. Evanise was the first one to recover, a clawed finger moving over the manor's plans.

"We will need to work quickly then, we don't know when she may start moving again or if she will believe our little lie for much longer."

"I have spread the news as much as I could, confiding the 'secret' to the proper nobles," Lady San Diego said, with a delighted inflection to her tone, "I even recruited a few of my handmaidens to constantly cry for me in my room. It should buy us a few more days, at least."

"Let's use them wisely, Alena is a dangerous opponent. If we let her, she will destroy us, and she has costed us too many lives already," the king said as he marchedinto the room, his voice grave and unforgiving. Sandy brown fur covered his body now and a lupine face stood where a human one had been just days ago. His body filled out his crimson jacket and mahogany trousers much better as a wolf than it ever did as a human. A chorus of "Your majesty" rang across the room, my body bowing to him by reflex. A flash of emotion dashed across the wolf's eyes, its meaning quickly covered by the mask of a regal ruler.

"Your Majesty, it is a great honor to be in your presence again. I never doubted your purity would prevail over the--" Lady San Diego grew silent when the king raised a furred hand, controlled tension accumulated on his shoulders.

"Dear cousin, right now is not the time for pleasantries though it pleases me that you think so highly of me. Lady Tormenta, I trust you have made the preparations for our decoy."

The bronze dragon was quick on the uptake, procuring a thin scroll from her sleeve with a flourish. The king took the scroll with an almost graceful movement but he couldn't fool me after so many years. I saw the doubt dancing on his eyes, the tension on his shoulders and the slight tremble of his left leg. I kept my silence however, this was all a necessary circus, preparation for the battle to come and weakness could prove fatal for moral. People talk, even when their lips remained sealed. The swing of a tail, the trembling of a hand, a change in scent, even the shifting of one stance. All could be used to signal another, my years as a royal guard had taught me that much and when it came that witch, I would leave nothing to chance.

Emerald eyes fell on me, begging for support. My heart twisted in knots at the sight, the sour taste in my mouth grew stronger. I subtly shifted my weight to lean on my right leg, sending a signal to the king as I pointed towards the manor's maps.

"And what of the plan of attack? Have you come with a good way to block their escape Knight Commander?" the king asked moments later, the minute swing of his tail behind him told me he understood my message.

"Yes, your Majesty. Our records show that the area has been unstable for the last couple of decades and many earthquakes have affected the infrastructure. Lord Desmond and his wife have been too preoccupied with the constant deathsin their family to commit to any amount of repairs, so we shallexploit that. According to our last report, the cellar and many of the subterranean escape routes have been severely compromised. We will close the remaining ones in the following days, such a thing shouldn't attract any unwanted attention and will severely limit their choices."

"So, do you suggest we surrounded them once that's done, besiege them until their supplies go out?" I let out a snort, the idea more than a bit ridiculous but I understood its need to an extent.

"Such tactics could perhaps work with other nobles but if it is Her, I doubt common tactics will prove effective. No, what I suggest is a bit different," I smiled at the wolf and the slight fall of his ears betrayed his hesitation. A sharp black claw fell upon the map, pointing at a particular part of the manor. I couldn't help the huff of disbelief that left my nose nor the way I bit my lips in trepidation, finally understanding why he asked for my help.

---

A tingle of electricity caressed my fur as Evanise left the room with her new orders, her tail adamantly stiff behind her, a clear sign of the tension resting on her shoulders. The king sat on a crude wooden chair, a grunt leaving his snout. His shoulders sagged under weight of leadership; immaculate sharp claws tapped on the table in front of him, where an array of figures showed the plan of our incoming battle. He didn't say a thing as I crossed the room and closed the flaps of the small tent, nor when I took a seat by his side. A gasp came out of him when I placed an armored hand on his shoulder; his face turned towards me, his carefully crafted mask removed for the first time since the ritual. I saw him gulp and felt the slight tremble that shook his body, forcing a slight smile out of me.

"There's no one else here. Talk to me," I whispered in his ear with a soothing tone. Emerald eyes glanced into mine, vulnerable and filled with doubt.

"Did we do the right thing? Back then, I mean," His voice was low but heavy with emotion. "If we hadn't done the ritual, if we had been more careful before, could we have stopped this whole problem?"

"Maybe, maybe not. That's not something anyone can really answer and you know it best of all." A low whine left the brown wolf and his hands grasped mine with a desperate hold.

"Sometimes, I just wonder Waken, if there was something else we could have done, some safer path to our goal. Does our dream still hold meaning if we build it over a mountain of corpses?"

"You know history better than I do, so you should know the answer." His head rested on my shoulder, his hands clutching mine like a lifeline. "There's always resistance to change and no matter what we do, there will always be victims."

"I still wish there was a better way, one without victims." My arm sneaked behind his back to grasp his shoulder while I took in the warmth of his body and the softness of his fur.

"Are you still thinking about the ritual?" I asked with a gentle voice, knowing force wouldn't get me any closer to the source of his problems.

"Yes, I can't get it out of my mind. How did we miss it? How many times did we go into that memory and missed her!"

"We were never at our best when we watched that scene, it always came with our first change, the strongest of them all." I lifted his chin with a gentle finger and his scent reached my nose, thick with regret and pain. "I know I cried my heart out each and every time, I wouldn't have seen a dancing elephant if there had been one. And you, you were always a mess, withdrawing into that big brain of yours. I would fuzz over you for days until you recovered."

"It still shouldn't be an excuse. We should have gotten used to it by now."

"To be honest, if you had gotten used to it, I'd be worried about you."

Richardleaned more of his weight against me while his hands softened their hold on mine. I let my fingers caress the exposed fur and hummed an old song from our childhood, our first childhood together.

"Waken, don't you hate me?" the brown wolf whispered after a couple of minutes, his voice breaking at the end.

"Why would I hate you?" He tensed under me, his claws scratching my skin while a soft whine left his lips.

"For what happened at the throne, what I forced you in. You had a life before all this, a true life. If you hadn't met me then, if you had walked away at any time, you wouldn't be suffering now, with me. If only fate hadn't been so cruel to you, then you--"

"I swore I'd be by your side no matter what. You may have forgotten but back when we were kids, you were crying about something or another in an old closet. So honest and sad. I couldn't leave you alone ever since. No matter what. Whether you're called Richard or Darrien or Maria, it matters not to me. So, no, I don't hate you. I never thought I'd follow you this far either, but I did."

"Waken I-- I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I made my choice and so did you. Now, we only have to see this to the end. There's not much left for us to do after all, right?"

A small laugh came from him, more relaxed and happy than I had heard from him in years. "Yeah, it'll be a swift ride, no complications whatsoever when it comes to completely changing a country."

"If you say so, then I know it'll be so."

"You're hopeless."

"I prefer to think I'm optimistic," I told him as I hugged him closer to me, relishing this rare moment of privacy between the two of us, "Once Alena is dealt with, we will be closer to completing our duty, guiding our kingdom to the next step. Maybe we'll get to retire at some point."

"Growing old already? Maybe living in that armor made you rusty before your time." he shot back with a carefree air, the trappings of the king nowhere to be found.

"You won't fare much better, sitting on a throne all day." we shared a laugh, the worries of our lives momentarily forgotten. I guided his chin upwards with a gentle finger, our eyes sharing a look full of clashing emotions. "But have you thought about it, what will happen to us once our duty is done?"

"Sometimes, at night. Specially when I can't sleep."

"Me too, at least until it makes my head hurt. Do you think it will be painful?"

"I don't know and we can't even ask the priests now."

"Do you regret it? Any of it?" Richard's hands patted my own, his ears standing tall like they always did whenever he thought.

"I do, quite a few things to be honest but, no matter how much I think about it, I can't figure out another way we could have done things." I withdrew my fingers with reluctance, the sound of steps closing in. I caressed his shoulder one last time, the role of the commander coming back to the forefront of my mind.

"At least we'll be together."

---

Richard

The sounds of battle raged on from around me while the oppressing smell of rot and blood invaded my nose. I pushed the cries of my knights to the back of my mind and instead focused on the bond I had with all of them, supplying them with as much energy as I could spare. A grunt came from one of the knights surrounding me, the bluish glow that came from his shield betrayed its source. I barely had time to reinforce his shield with my own spell before another bolt of lighting crashed against the knight's shield, pushing the behemoth back with the impact. Waken let out an angry below by my side as his armored form broke through another line of enemies with ease. I ordered my men to move forward, the next volley of lighting bolts crashing behind us seconds later.

My loyal knight seamlessly joined the circle of warriors and his broad back blocked my vision of the melee. His hands cut through the air with such speed that I only saw flashes of silver but I still could hear the clashing of metal. Glinting weapons cut through the air, carried by armored figures taller than even the bull, but they all met the bovine's trusty shield. The bovine knight would never lose a chance to strike against his opponents, a couple of swings of his mace enough to send his enemies flying like sack of potatoes.

"Lance!" Waken screamed over the carnage of battle, his tone dripping with authority. The knights moved like a single being, exchanging places with alacrity. I hurried to cast the spell, the golden motes of energy danced across my fingers while I muttered the incantation with a firm voice. Our enemies jumped into action just as I whispered the last word. A strong pressure crushed my body at once, a dazzling golden light covered my vision and a boom rang on my ears. The next thing I know, my boots are digging on hard ground, my body coming to a sudden stop as the pressure released my body from its hold. The screams reach my ears next, my eyes catching the glinting figures of the soldiers as their descent started. They landed on the ground with a dry sound and none moved after.

No sooner had the last soldier hit the ground, Waken had us dash to the manor's doors. The rest of the enemy soldiers offered no resistance, their forces parting to led us pass. A part of me worried that it may be a trap, but the relentless pace Waken had us run at didn't allow me to think about it. My loyal knight didn't stop his run for anyone and not even the large wooden doors of the manor could stop them. The wood splintered and collapsed under the bovine's unrelenting charge. A hole with the knight's silhoutte was left on the doors, cracks running all across their surfaces. We followed quickly behind, the knights pushing me to the center of a protective circle, their shields raised high. A few seconds of tension hung upon me as I waited for an attack, the knights' own fears filling our bond.

A loud sigh left the rhino to my right when nothing happened, his shoulders sagged with exhaustion. The rest of my knights soon followed, taking the time to recover after the hard battle. I looked over my shoulder to the chaos of metal and flesh, the bond I shared with my knights gave me a rough estimation of how the battle was developing and it wasn't rousing. I cursed in my mind, chastising myself for not thinking Alena would have kept a force of this size at her manor.

A heavy weight landing on my shoulder brought me out of my trance. Golden eyes met mine, worry and apprehension dancing on them. His ears wriggle in a familiar pattern, a signal we hadn't used in a lifetime. A smile broke upon my face despite the seriousness of the situation. I gave the bull a nod and let my senses expand, the first thing I felt was the bond I had with my knights, strong and solid like iron. Only a few of them held any warmth and all paled in comparison to the bonfire that was my bond with Waken. I dug deeper into myself, biting my lips until the taste of blood helped to ground me. If my knights were iron, then Alena was acid, fluid and scathing, dangerous to even approach and unable to keep hidden once you got it this close. Nausea shook my body after I found her location, the echo of her presence left me feeling slimy and dirty. I shook my head and finally let eyes take in the room we were in. Tall walls surrounded us, their pink surfaces marred by age and moss. The remains of once elegant furniture was spread all around us, bearing thick claw and scorch marks. The only sign of life were a series of candelabra hanging from thin ropes, their ends adorned with stones that shone a warm yellow. I gulped as a rancid stench assaulted my nose, acidic and thick, it permeated every part of the room and only got worse as we advanced towards the large stairs at the other end of the room.

The wood groaned under our feet while we climbed the stairs, the sounds of battle growing unnaturally distant. The upper floor was in no better shape than the foyer, with old paintings ripped apart from their frames and a collections of holes on the floor. Waken didn't let us dally to much to observe and quickly had us march into one of the many corridors. We walked for what felt like minutes, with only those glowing rocks to light our way. Every so often we would reach the remains of wooden doors, the rooms they had guarded trashed beyond repair with clear signs of corruption and gore dripping from the very walls. Bile burned my throat as the fate of the family became clear in my mind. My hands trembled with impotence at the sight but I forced my stiff body to move on; the weight of my duty much larger than the pain I felt for the damned souls.

A soft murmur came from the knights when room after room was filled with a similar scene. Even without relying on our bond, I could see the fear rise in their hearts. It was in the way their heads turned with every eerie sound, in the tightness with which they held their weapons or the heavy pants that came from their mouths. Waken let out a grunt ahead of me, no doubt seeing in his men the same thing I did. I cursed to my insides, knowing Alena had already stricken a blow before we even got to meet.

We went down three more hallways before a chill ran down my spine and a collective cry left the knights. A cold gust of wind blew past us, followed by a shriek from beyond. The knights closed in around me, their weapons at the ready. Only Waken remained outside the circle, his shield held high and his bloody mace held over his shoulders, waiting to strike. Whispered prayers and incoherent mumbles came from the knights as another shriek reverberated from the end of the hallway. One by one the glowing rocks exploded and their light died. The darkness burst forward, like a viscous cloud of smoke. Waken shouted a warning seconds before the rocks near us followed the pattern; the sound of rock hitting metal rang all around me while a few stray pieces collided against me. Tension ran high as we waited for something to come at us, to jump from the deep darkness. Seconds passed without a sound besides the heavy breathing from the knights; the sudden absence of light drowning us in a pitch black world. I could feel the knights pressing closer to me, their tense bodies shaking with fear.

Rough heavy words left my mouth and echoed in the sea of black; a lone prayer reached my ears while the air charged with energy. I felt my body grow colder for a second before pale silver light poured out of the knights' armors and beat back the nightmarish darkness. Prayers and thanks were whispered by the shaken knights for only a few moments, before Waken put an end to that; his bovine ears wriggled at the side of his head, no doubt straining to hear the enemies coming. With heavy steps, the bull commander marched forward, a lone light in the sea of black. Tendrils of an inky black blanched at the touch of light and pounced on Waken with the speed of thunder. A new shriek pierced the room when the tendrils touched the glowing shield and burst into bluish flames. The darkness shot back like a frightened beast, leaving only the broken stones as a sign of its passing.

"We must be close, Alena wouldn't have left that thing here otherwise. She likes to mess with people but she doesn't like to waste resources either," I told Waken when he had returned, his fellow knights standing guard over the end of the hallway, too far to hear.

"Yes, I think so too, which makes me even more worried about them." The bovine's gaze turned towards his subordinates, a different kind of fear dancing in his eyes. "She's gotten into their heads already, once we confront her..."

"She will finish the job, like she always did. We can still change our plans if--"

"No, this has to end today. If we try something else, she may get away and, and wait to strike again," Waken's voice broke at the end, waves of cold regret invading the bond we shared. I moved to grab his hand but my knight turned away from me, his shoulders set with purpose.

I walked past him, his silent message clear in my mind. His heavy steps followed after me, bringing a dozen fearful eyes upon us.

We dashed down four more hallways before we reached a set of double doors, similar to the ones that led to my throne. It had none of the welcoming air though. Cracks extended all over its surface, crooked and deep; its light brown color marred by patches of a dark green and dirty red, like a disease had taken its toll on the old wood. A chilling presence came from behind the doors, its coldness digging into my bones like death. A chorus of prayers were muttered by the knights and their armor jingled as they trembled next to me. I shared a look with Waken, his golden orbs free of any doubt, and gave him a subtle nod as I begun chanting my spell.

"Alright, gather around!" Waken ordered with a deep voice, his proud stance standing at the edge of my vision. I heard the shuffle of feet and the jingle of metal, before only my voice broke the silence.

"Behind these doors stands one of the most dangerous persons alive. She's cunning, ruthless, spiteful and her powers may even surpass that of our archmage," the bull declared to his subordinates and let the silence hang for a few seconds, "As you have seen today, she won't be easy to take in and this may be the last time we're all together. I have trained with everyone of you, fought by your side and bled for you. So I won't hold it against you if you wish to retire now. If you believe you're not up to the task, then you're relieved from your duties and I'll wish you a safe return to your home.

"However, if your heart burns with the same fire as mine does, if your blood runs in your veins with the same strength that mine does and if you stay here to fight with me for our families, our friends and our country, then I shall proudly call you my siblings and stand up for you against all odds. So, what say you my knights? Will you stand by my side?"

A chorus of answers came from the knights, eager and passionate. A part of me wanted to look at the warriors, see their faces one last time before we threw ourselves towards death but a pull from the spell quickly put those thoughts to an end. My eyes fell on the door where thin fiery red lines were appearing over their surface. The wood split as if being scratched, the lines forming into crooked but elaborate symbols. I focused my mind on the shapes, letting the conversation of the knights become part of the background so I could find the meaning behind this strange spell. Bile scratched the back of my throat when I understood the workings of the spell and a low growl rose from my throat. My claws dung into my hands until warm blood slid down their length, the only outward gesture I could make this deep into enemy territory. I yanked out a medallion from my pocket, its silver surface catching the faint light of the room. I breathed deeply, letting my blood paint the medallion until the garnet on its front shifted to a cold blue. The spell ready, the slow melody of the chant left my mouth unprompted, driven by the memories of a past live. My grave words were drowned by sound of glass breaking in front of me. Fire erupted from the moss on the door and soon spread to the rest of the wood. A sulfurous smell reached my nose as I backed away from the fire, the conflagration absorbing the warmth around it until it was as cold as winter. The door fell back with a dry sound, its form reduced to ashes moments later, revealing a dark and empty room.

"That was certainly showy, reminds me of the old days," Waken remarked from my side, his eyes glowing with determination.

"As long as it doesn't end like those days, I'll be a happy man," I replied with a tired voice, the cost of the last spell already weighting down my body. I closed my eyes to center myself for the battles ahead, only then I noticed the new found silence."Where are the others?"

The bull huffed and idly played with the mace on his hand. His armor jingled as he stepped before me, his shield poised to take any strike. He didn't turn back as his voice rumbled across the empty room, carrying a tinge of regret. "They've got their orders, if they hurry we might just make it out of this place in one piece."

I kept my silence, knowing there were no words to ease the next steps. Instead, I placed a clawed hand on his broad back, the warmth of his body coursing through even the thick metal of his chainmail. Waken said nothing, only the occasional flicks of his tail betraying his nervousness. The big bull huffed, his tail tensing for a moment before he marched forward and I followed close behind.

The glow of Waken's armor beat back the darkness of the room, revealing several sets of deep scratches on the burned floor. The potent sulfurous smell grew stronger with each step until I couldn't smell nothing else and my head throbbed with urgency. At the edges of our dome of light, vague shapes danced in and out of sight: remnants of a luxurious chair, large broken shelves, crumbling tables and twisted candelabras. All signs of a large struggle or, if my intuition was right, a deep rage.

A cachinnation came from all around us, the familiar nasal sound sent shivers down my spine. I turned on my feet and pressed my back against Waken's, preparing to face the worst with my knight. A cackle joined the cachinnation, soon followed by jeers. Their volume rose until my head pounded under their assault and I could only bite my lips, knowing the true attack hadn't begun. Sickly green flames erupted and formed a tall wall that covered the only exit. Heat came from the side just as green spark dissipated at the edges of my vision. The warning from Waken came almost too late as tongues of the maleficent fire shot towards us. A thin golden dome rose around us and stopped the roaring flames in their path but did nothing for the heat. Time seemed to stretch forever as we sweltered under the assault.

Waken let out an earth shaking roar and I felt the prick of something leaving the barrier at high speed. A resounding crash came moments later, followed by the breaking of glass and the disappearance of the flames. I waited for a few seconds for another attack, my eyes searching the darkness for its source but found nothing. A column of fire burst on my right and from its depths a tall thin form struted out, her features hidden by the strong glow of the blaze.

"It is so nice to see you again Waken and Richard, oh, pardon me, you go by Darrien now, right?" the figure says with a proud sarcastic tone.

With a tap of her staff, the flames die out, leaving only the ivory glow of Waken's armor to shine on her. A blunt amphibian muzzle extended forward, covered by reflective scarlet skin. A dark green gown hugged her figure with lines of gold flowing down the fabric until they hit the floor. Horns of a deep ivory broke over her head to form a crooked crown while a thick golden necklace surrounded the stiff high-neck of her gown like a snake.

"Don't you dare talk to him, Alena!" Waken spit out with venom, his mace once again in his hand. He stepped in front of me, partially covering me with his body. "After all you've done, all you have betrayed!"

A cold smirk appeared on the salamander's face, her emerald eyes glowing threateningly.

"Those are some wild claims coming from the ones who betrayed me in the first place. No, dear Waken, I'll speak to you two however I like. It's a low price for all the suffering you've brought upon me."

The floor cracked under the knight's hooves, strong huffs coming from his nose. His tail whipped the air behind him while his hands shook with rage. I placed my hand on his arm, moving away the shield so I could stare at the sorceress before me. Gold orbs met my own, tinted with righteous fury, and challenged me to stop him. I stood my ground and forced his shield away from me.

"Of what betrayal do you speak of Alena?" I said with a firm tone and met her gaze head on. "What grievance drove you this far? What could twist you so much that you'd do this to the country you once sought to protect?"

Her thick tail struck the ground as her eyes burned with cold green flames. Her voice ringing like a thunderstorm across the room as she said, "What grievances you dare to ask? After all the years I dedicated to you, all the promises you made to me! If that's how you treat your sworn sister then what hope do the rest of your people have? It seems even our previous encounter was not enough to get through that thick skull of yours."

"You don't know what you're talking about. Come on Darrien, let me at her," Waken growled out, grounding his stance in preparation for battle. A quick reprimand from me kept the bull from raising his mace, but it didn't stop him from glaring at the sorceress. The salamander's smirk grew larger, her eyes shining with sadistic glee.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, you broke your oath to me your highness," Alena spit the last word with venom, hate clear in her tone. Green smoke rose from the bottom of her staff, forming a thick cloud of swirling green energies. "Let me refresh the memory for you, maybe this way you will beg me for death on your own."

The contents of the cloud shifted before my eyes until a familiar manor appeared on the green surface. Its walls stood tall and proud, without a sign of the siege happening right now. Three humanoid shapes could be seen near its main door, shadows with a vague silhoutte that stood side by side. A human, a reptile and a bull. My throat tightened at the ancient memory.

"Yes, you remember, don't you? Back then we were really close, the best of friends. The young visionary prince, the naive but strong squire and the rising star of the Academy. We thought ourselves invincible, always certain of the path we would take as soon as we could. Now, Richard, do you remember what we promised that day?"

"We swore to be together forever. No matter what fate awaited us, we would share fortune, wealth and power," I replied with a neutral tone, keeping my emotions out of my face.

"Yes, yes. We swore to face all our challenges together, no matter what, until the end. And what did you do then? How did you repay my many years of loyal service? With a betrayal, of the deepest kind."

"We didn't betray you Alena, we faced everything together until the end. Don't you remember? The war, the deaths, we stayed together until you--"

"Lies! You left me to die on the battlefield, alone and casted away once you got what you wanted," Her voice rose with anger while flames danced on the silver lines of her gown. Waken interposed himself between the two of us in a flash, his large form blocking my view of the sorceress.

"We didn't cast you away, you died that day Alena. You were dead. We were the ones who found you, the ones who carried you away from the battlefield. There was nothing we could have done."

"You could have died with me, as was your duty. Instead, you went off and did the one thing you promised never to do. You self-righteous prick, you had to break every oath you made to me. I was the one who told you about the Throne, I was the one who taught you the ritual and made you promise never to reveal it to anyone else. And then you go and do it either way, before my body had grown cold."

"We had no choice and you know it. We were losing the war, our kingdom was in shambles, our armies were rooted. We did everything right and still we lost, the Throne was our only chance." I heard the roar of flames and saw the flow of them as it passed by my sides, hot and destructive.

"You_had_ a choice. You could have taken me with you, done the ritual and we would have shared immortality, together! Instead, I had to watch you get what was rightfully mine, I had to gamble my own soul to get into that little contract of yours. I spent decades restoring myself, groveling to those so called nobles you gathered around you, me, the greatest sorceress of the age. And now, now I will have you pay what you owe me."

The flames stopped and Waken collapsed to his knees, heavy pants came from his mouth and I saw the grayish smoke of perspiration come from his fur. I moved to his side, magic coursing through my body while a stream of cool air hit blew towards him. Alena laughed darkly, fire spreading in a circle around her while her eyes glared at me with cold hate.

"There's nothing to pay Alena, you know the pacts with the Throne are set in stone, nothing and no one can change it," I shouted back, returning her glare with one of my own.

"Such a clever liar Darrien, so sure I didn't consider that. Why do you think I kidnapped you before when I could make you suffer a thousand deaths? Why would I stage this whole circus when I couldn't win? You see, I was also there when the great magic was spoken and I added my own two bits to the contract." Arcane symbols materialized out of thin air, their golden shapes dancing around the scarlet salamander. The salamander pointed her staff at us, the emerald at the top covered in her sickly green flames. "A way out for me and a just reward for you but I made a mistake. I thought it was only you who had made the contract. I assumed you had forced the brute over there to join you but no, that loyal hound followed you here, on his own accord, and by the ancient magics, he's equal to us. In life and in death."

Alena rose her staff high, bolts of red lighting shot out from the floor to strike the staff with a rumble. The oppressive weight of concentrated magic assaulted my skin and rose my hackles. Waken nudged me from the side, his elbow digging under my ribs. We shared a quick look, a thousand words exchanged in one moment. My knight shot forward, his mace hitting the sorceress's staff with a resounding clang. The salamander stumbled backwards, her magical lighting fizzling into nothing. Waken pressed his advantage, his mace coursing through the air with deadly intent. A transparent green wall intercepted the attack and the onslaught of hits that followed. Alena cursed as cracks started to appear on her defense.

I dashed across the room, feeding Waken with the power given to me by the Throne. Shadows danced on the edges of my vision, the large pool of power almost empty by this point. I had reached the middle of the room when an explosion rang behind me. Fear gripped my heart when I saw Waken fly across the room, his shield bent and broken. A nasal jeer tore my eyes away from the crumpled bull and guided them towards the tall sorceress. Blue blood poured from her forehead while her staff rested a few meters from her, broken in two.

"It's over Alena, give up now and I shall have mercy on you," I declared with as much confidence as I could gather, knowing it was only a matter of time before our plan jumped into action.

The red salamander shot me a look of contempt, fire dancing on her dress before it extinguished with one slash from her tail. A dangerous grin appeared on her face as crimson lines spread all over the floor like veins. A large shadow appeared beside her, deep and threatening, and sent chills down my spine.

"You're right Darrien, it is over. All the pieces are finally here." Alena sunk a clawed hand in the pool of shadows and with a strong yank, brought something out of it, a tall thin form. A silent gasp left my mouth when my eyes fell on the tattered starry robe and the dark feathers painted with red. A pair of half lidded eyes turned to me, unfocused and swollen. A single squeak left his beak when the red lines coiled around his body and squeezed the raven.

"Alena, how--"

"Did I figure out your plan? Come on Darrien, we used that same plan once. Did you think I'd forget that spell?" Dax was lifted by the magical ropes, baring the deep cuts that pierced his stomach. Alena lifted the raven's chin with her fingers, her sharp class digging into the mage's neck.

"Now, my king, there's only one last thing I need from you: Swear eternal fealty to me, to follow my every order until the end of time, just like that brute of yours swore to you."

"Fealty? You don't want to kill me? Isn't that your revenge?!" I shouted, fighting back against the acid churning in my stomach.

"You didn't listen. Tch, tch, tch, such a bad wolf. I won't kill you Darrien, no, that would be too good for you," The salamander's voice grew low and edgy, venom dripping from her every word. "What I want is for you to know how I felt when I crawled out of the dirt and followed you to that cave. I want you to watch everything you believed in crumble before you and then beg me for a death that will never come. I want you broken and humbled, they way it should have always been."

"And if I refuse?" Alena's eyes glowed dangerously, her tail whipped the ground eliciting a crack. She snapped her fingers and at once, the coils around Dax began to tighten until I the crushing of bones echoed in the otherwise silent room.

"Make your choice Darrien. Your pride or this old raven's life."

Spikes of pain shot through my hands, my claws piercing into flesh. The warmth of blood was the only thing keeping me collected as anger, despair and regret clashed inside my heart. The burn of acid scratched the back of my throat when I felt a tug through the bonds. Strong, resolute, definite. I gulped and squared my back, knowing I'd forever hate myself after this choice.

"Good, get on the ground and be-"

"No," I declared firmly, my eyes set on Dax's. The salamander's muzzle closed with a click, surprise dancing in her eyes. Hate soon replaced it and with a sharp swipe of her claws, the raven's fate was sealed. The old archmage body crumpled to the ground moments later, lifeless eyes blaming his death on me.

"It will be the hard way then. Perhaps after you watch your knights die before your eyes, you'll change your tune. At least we have the sacrifice ready," Alena said with cold detachment, green fire dancing in her hands. I steeled myself when another series of tugs came through my bonds, the recipients exhausted and in pain, but successful. The blood on my claws burned when I started the spell, the price in blood more than paid. My limbs grew cold as my last reserves of magic were drained. A furious bellow came from the side, followed by a great blur of movement. Green flames crashed against the blur, eliciting a shout from me as my chest burned in Waken's stead. In the next moment, the charging bull hit her in full force, throwing her onto the ground and pinning her with his shield.

Seeing my opening, I began the hideous chant. My blood boiled with anger and pain while the spell coursed through my body. The shouts from my knight and my former mage were drowned by the relentless pounding of blood in my ears. Fire danced over the salamander, wild and angry, it lashed against the knight's shield like a flood to a dam. The metal grew red before my eyes, my own arms burning with the transferred heat.

Waken jumped back when the last words of the chant left my lips, the explosion of flames that followed him searing both of our furs. Alena stood up with fire dancing all over her body, the shadow of her former might shining in her eyes but it was already too late. A thin silver chain burst from Dax's back and pierced into her chest. Her flames died with a soft gasp from the salamander, who regarded the chain with shock written on her face. I collapsed to my knees, my lungs burning for air.

"Curse you give and curse you take. By ancient law, such is your fate. You taught me that, Alena," I said between heavy pants, the world dancing around me. Warm heavy paws wrapped around my shoulders and held me upright as my body trembled with exhaustion.

"You went this far...to kill me? Sacrificing your knights, your archmage, all those who trusted you?" Alena asked with a broken voice, her confidence gone.

"It was the only way. Now, enjoy your eternity, just like you wanted."

Alena's muzzle opened wide, the teeth glinting under the light, but no came out. The salamander's skin lost their sheen and their color soon followed. Ivory rocks appeared over her, covering her whole body in a matter of seconds, until only a marble statue was left where she had stood. Proud, elegant and powerful. I felt bile burn the back of my throat as I turned my face away and cried in Waken's chest.

---

The rain hit me relentlessly, its cold touch drained the warmth from my body and made my ribs throb with pain. I stared at the tombs in front of me, the gold letters evoking images of the dead in my mind. My heart twisted with regret and despair. I heard the clicking of hooves on stone behind me, the warm presence of Waken clear in my mind.

"I was sure you'd be here," the bull said, his voice tinged with disappointment, "You should have brought a mantle with you."

"It would defeat the point," was all I replied with a tense voice. The bull sighed and grasped my shoulder with a strong hand.

"Why do you keep doing this to yourself Darrien? We buried them with all the honors we had and we're still looking after their families."

"It's not enough. It will never be enough. How many have died because of me? How many have I fooled with false dreams and promises I knew I couldn't keep?"

"They knew what they were getting into when they joined the guard."

"Did they? Did any of use really know before we took the plunge? Dax didn't even know he could die that day! If I hadn't ordered Evanise to change things up at the last minute, if I had found another way to win that fight then, then maybe--"

Waken turned me around to face him with his steel corded arms, a worried frown drawn on his face. "You saved as many as you could. I know it. You know it as well. You even saved her, in your own way."

"I didn't mean to save her. I wanted her to suffer, to wake up one day and find herself alone and forgotten in a new world."

"Still better than the alternative, you could have given her the same curse she put on you, thrown her into our darkest dungeon and left her to rot, or given her to the families to handle as they saw fit."

"I coudln't--"

"Exactly my point."

The sound of rain drowned my sobs as I leaned against the bull, the weight of weeks of procedures and speeches finally crashing down on me.

"We're almost done Richard, just a bit longer. Just a bit longer and they'll carry on."