by Adria Eustis
“Father,” his son's voice echoed around the room. Turning he saw his lad pushing through from the back of the crowd of his men. “I can do it.”
“You have no training son. Don't be stupid.” Adam shook his head, but then he thought for a moment, eyeing up his men one by one. They were all over twenty one.
“He just said it was hidden in the shadow-realm father, why look elsewhere when you have a Shade-Walker right here?” The beaming boy said, his point striking him hard.
“Not going to happen.” Adam stamped his foot, heading for the exit, “come men, let's find a fire and cook some fish.”
As he stepped out into the falling snow, he knew only too well that after a few hours he'd be recruiting his own son for the mission. But it wouldn't hurt to let the boy think it over for a while first. If by nightfall his son had changed his mind, he'd search for another. If he still wanted to accept the task, he'd spend the next few months personally training him up. The boy had never wanted to follow in his military footsteps, it thrilled him to see the kid finally wanting to fight for the people.
This would be his biggest assignment to date. A large scale secret recruitment for a new uncorrupted army would be needed. He had a lot to think about, a lot to do. He'd never been happier.
CHAPTER THIRTY
CAIN SALEZAR
October, Year of the Pearl Acacia
Her beautiful strawberry mane swirled in the wind, he was so tempted to just drop everything and run his fingers through it whilst taking her lips against his. He lost his breath every time he looked at her. He remembered the first time he saw her, back in the prison yard, it was the first time his heart had pounded fast from the mere existence of a girl. His urge to protect her was mad beyond reason. If only they had met in better circumstances, perhaps then she wouldn't hate him.
The king stood tall and regal. His speech was probably sickening - definitely so judging by the look of disgust on Nina's face, beside him - it was becoming unbearable.
The mist below concealed his vision too much. Concentrating hard, he shifted to the shadow realm, surprised that the bow's laws had allowed him to do so, but he couldn't complain for the much clearer view. The druid hadn't been able to tell them everything about Shadow's Kiss' behaviour, but he did know it belonged to the lord of shadow, and was modified to bring its wielder close enough to slay his lover Libertia, who had shattered his heart when she rejected him for his brother. The air was like a snow storm around him, he shivered and climbed over the brick rooftop wall and onto the fire escape. The sky was black, void of sun, moons or stars. The remnants of the recently dead wailed miserably throughout the city - it was always so much louder in the freezing shadow lands.
The king's speech went on, but all he could hear were the people of the dusk weeping in his ear. Shut up will you. I know you're dead, but can you just be dead quietly. He clenched his teeth as he descended the metal stairs and ladders, all the time searching for Zimir's eyes, all it took was one of them to see him and the entire mission would fail. Luckily there did not appear to be any around at all. The rest of the team by now should have replaced the king's Zimirlot with an undercover one of their own. As long as the prince's new secret army held up their part in the execution, all should go to plan.
The land of dark frost watched Cain as he ran through the car-less roads, along the path laid out for the king's escort. Standing at the bottom of the wide white steps he glanced up at the Temple of Eina.
Funny that. Lasiah had to be behind him coming here for his speech today. Damned Elf hadn't bothered to haunt him, but he had sent him a parting gift none-the-less.
The crowd behind him listened on to the king's blabbering intently, he could feel their secret rage. Knew none of them were stupid enough to speak out against him. Especially not on a televised appearance. Cain loved the irony that the bastard who sent people to their deaths on television in the name of justice was about to get served an overdose of his own medicine.
He waited.
Seconds seemed like hours.
Where are they?
Finally. The crowd immediately behind him budged around to let late comers through. His father's face peered out from under a pale blue hood. Two more figures in the same colour emerged beside him. Faces partially hidden under their hoods, staring down at the floor over the metal barricade that was blocking the people from the temple steps. His father nodded in his general direction unable to know where he actually stood. Cain turned, justice fuelled adrenaline surging through his veins. The frosted shadow realm seemed impossibly warm for the moment. For my mother. For my father. For Nina. For Ainin.
Cain raised the ancient bow. In his icy fingers a crystal arrow appeared, floating for a second before he could grip it. Shadow's Kiss was fully drawn ready to shoot, his draw hand touching his nose. The cruel King Dederick stood unaware in his central target area. His ugly mouth moved, mocking the world with every revolting word that came out of it. What would be his last words? He couldn't hear, not behind the shadows. But he was sure they would be as corrupt as every word he'd ever muttered.
Dederick punched his fist into the air, clearly proud of something he had said. The crowd looked like they were about to break into cheer. A faux-cheer no doubt.
Squinting, he released the arrow.
“There's your full score, Nina,” he whispered into the icy wind.
The arrow struck the target clean in the heart. His hallowed shield was arrogantly down, years of unopposed ruling had boosted his ego. Too easy had the most powerful man in the world had it. So easy, that he walked defenceless in front of his hand-made puppets, bent to his will against their own. Though he was sure such a weapon would have pierced through the famous impervious shield anyway. The king did not see it coming, he did not react. And even after the diamond tip pierced deep into his flesh and came to a stop within his cold-blooded core, his eyes did not show signs that he knew he had been hit. Dederick ceased moving, fist mid air, and plummeted sideways like a toppled pillar, royal robe sailing. Priceless crown fell from his head as his eyes rolled backwards, presenting their whites. Dead. Dead just like that.
Down the steps the golden crown rolled, bouncing high on every edge. Cain stood nervously as he waited to see if the Druid's warning was right. “You and the bow will be revealed for a while after the arrow hits.” She had said. He hoped it was true, if only so that Nina could understand him now. Even if the soldiers took him out in seconds, he didn't care. As long as she knew why he did what he did.
He drew again at the last second. No, they weren't getting a chance to take him out!
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
JANINA
October, Year of the Pearl Acacia
“The Elves will surrender or be sacrificed to Dedite. The time is up Eumor, I declare war!”
King Dederick punched his fist in the air, Nina growled, kicked the wall so hard that her toes felt like they exploded within her boot. If these bastards cheer, they're only doing it cause they're afraid. I'm sick of it, I'm sick of being afraid, sick of seeing Ainin lie to itself.
Time stood still. Nothing was registering.
The king seemed to fall. Hitting the hard floor with a massive thud. She waited, they all waited, in silence. The crowd gasped, confused chatter broke through the streets. Was it some sort of stunt?
The soldiers beside him rushed over, the golden glow of their fortitude aura that she had gotten so used to seeing, faded before her eyes. Perhaps she was seeing things. She was too far away. No. The aura had always been visible from this far away. It highlighted their shapes, like a thick fancy outline, denoting how important and invincible they were.
Exhaling deeply, her skin tingled all over. A tear come into her eyes, so different than the tears she had shed before. Happy tears.
“The king is dead!” A man shouted, as Dederick's crown tumbled with a loud clink, clink, clink down the marble steps.
He emerged from the crowd, dressed in a blue hooded coat, a pale aqua
blue, like the jacket Cain had put on in the van. She noticed two others in the same colours beside the man. At first she thought one was Cain. But then her breath left her when she realised it wasn't – but that he was there, standing in front of the barrier. Where a second ago he was not.
Shadow's Kiss still drawn, he stood tough and proud as the crowds went silent, most likely the Yorehelm folks were not sure if it was a test or not. But Nina knew it was all too real. And now. It all made sense. Blinking back tears, she grasped her hands to her heart.
The three hooded men stood out against the granite coloured clothing of everyone else. The tallest figure smashed the barricade over with his foot and charged forwards, past Cain who remained vigilant, aiming the ancient weapon on the soldiers that were now all looking his way, their rifles drawn.
It happened so fast she didn't know where to look, but her palms were sweating, wishing Cain would not show himself any longer. Why was he even visible whilst holding it?
The middle-sized man in blue waved his arm in a full circle, and a glittering silver dome rose from the ground up around them. Trapping all three of them and Cain underneath it. Filled with relief and a fluttery stomach, it was clearly a protective shield. All she could do was watch on to find out her love's fate.
The three turned towards the crowd and came to a stop half way up the steps. Cain lowered Shadow's Kiss and turned with the others. That mysterious, murderous, look in his eye that she knew so well was still there, yet it's meaning had changed. Now it only said, 'misunderstood'.
Seconds after the dome came to be a shot went off, the crowds erupted with screams and some tried to flee but they were so packed in tight that they only fell over like dominoes. More shots were fired, she watched as the soldiers aimed at Cain and his friend's shield and tried unsuccessfully to break through it with bullets. Other soldiers swarmed around Dederick's body trying in vain to aid him, and other's stood on in amazement, not really doing much at all.
The smallest figure pulled down his hood, revealing a thick head of tight auburn curls. He was only a teenager like herself, but he had a face she knew well. There'd been posters everywhere for years gone by of that face. “Missing.” They'd said, offering a massive reward. It was no mistake. That boy was Prince Bryce, and it seemed the crowds knew it to.
The city filled with his name, spoken in all different voices. “Prince Bryce!”, “The Prince has returned!” It echoed through the air, accompanied by cheers, clapping and a million questions all merged together into one incomprehensible choir, assisted by gunshots. But the shots lessened as the cheers became louder and the tall man scooped up the royal crown from the steps and placed it upon the head of the new king. It was too good to be true.
Television crews had scrambled over, the soldiers had thrown their weapons to the ground. Those who hadn't had been mobbed by citizens and pinned down. It was complete chaos, until the loud speakers squeaked into action, causing all to cover their ears at the high-pitched noise.
“T-t-the king is dead,” the soldier said, nervously. “He's dead. King Dederick is-” He dropped the microphone and retreated inside the temple.
Dederick's robe flapped in the breeze, fist still balled - hung limply down the top step. His vile lips stayed shut, turning blue, never again to utter a death sentence. Shadow's Kiss' beautiful arrow glistened brightly as the rays of the sun beamed through the end of it's precious diamond shaft. Dederick's eyes void of life, stared on towards his younger brother, as if able to witness his own overthrowing.
The screeching of car tires came from all directions. Expecting the viridian and gold army vehicles to pull around the corners and speed up the roads, she gasped when instead she saw plain black vans, many of them. They came quickly in lines, filling every gap that was left to park in. The people of Yorehelm who had now spread all over the cordoned off roads, jumped for their lives out of the way. The van doors opened all at once with harsh bangs, followed by heavy boots hitting the tarmac. Within moments the area beneath her was overrun with bulky men in military style outfits that matched the same pale blue as the clothes of the men under the dome.
Armed to the teeth, some with rifles, some with swords and shields baring the same logo she'd seen back on the ride over here. A golden crescent moon with twisting branches and the letter B inside it's curve. All of Cain's motives were unravelling now, spiralling around her in a flurry of realisation. He had a plan alright, one much bigger than she could ever have imagined. His secrecy had been vital. On a mission so huge she couldn't stomach the fact that he'd bothered to bring her along. Suddenly she felt like an idiot who could have jeopardised the future of Ainin with her questions. And now there he stood, a saviour, a hero, redeeming the continent. Beginning to fade out, Cain dropped the ancient bow, she watched in awe as it dissolved into nothingness half way to the ground, returned to the mists of the moon realm. Bryce's soldiers, some hundred or so, marched in and aimed their weapons at the trembling men in Dederick's uniforms.
She revelled in seeing them weakened, hopeless even. Each one surrendered, some even dropping to their knees in a praying position. Perhaps those were the ones being released from his threats, or perhaps they were begging perilously for his return. The city people were mostly down on one knee now to, head bowed at their new king. The protective dome melted from top to bottom, shimmering away as it's conjurer commanded it. The four moved farther towards the top of the steps, as Dederick's corpse was dragged away, back through the temple doors.
She felt her heart jump through her chest as Cain's eyes wandered up to her. Staring that stare that made her knees weak. He seemed to smile at her, in that alluring barely-there smile that he enamoured her with many times before. Shyly, she beamed back at him. “Thank you.” She mouthed, as his attention turned to the tall man beside him.
The four exchanged words before Bryce was handed a microphone.
“Please, all stand.” Bryce said, his voice soft and gentle. “People of Yorehelm, people of Ainin, of Etath. My name is Bryce, like that of my father, King Bryce Oros first of his name. There will be no war on Eumor. In fact the borders are now open for all to leave and enter as they please. King Dederick, is no longer. And as next in line to the throne, I promise you changes. I promise you I will return these lands to the way they once were. My first duty as king is to exact punishment on those who would slay the ruler before me.”
Her hand shot to her mouth as the new king took hold of Cain's hand and raised it high. No please, don't execute him.
“I pardon thee Cain Salezar in the name of the king of all crimes to this present moment.”
Nina clenched her hand, draw it back with a “yes!”.
The crowd were euphoric, old women fainted, petals rained down from windows of the many buildings that looked out over the temple. People cried elated tears, grown men jumped up and down, smiles, grins, everywhere! She'd never seen so much happiness before. Embarrassed she caught Cain looking back up to her as she bounced on the spot.
Bryce turned and gestured at the taller man beside him, the one who'd first stepped out into the crowd, “My right hand man Admiral Adam Salezar is now in charge of my army and all Peace Bringers...” he turned to the television cameras, sending his message national, “... you are relieved of your duties immediately. We already have men with my banners ready to govern the old laws, in all towns and cities across Ainin. Rest assured, Admiral Adam and I will have everything under control before my brother is given his lonely burial. I must leave you now, for there is much I must urgently see to. Spread the word Yorehelm. Order will be restored.”
Adam Salezar, had to be Cain's father, the one he mentioned being a military man. She gently punched her self in the arm. How could I even consider he was a monster?
King Bryce was escorted by his men through the loving crowds, smiling and waving, he climbed into the back of a black van. A different ruler, a different ruler indeed. All at once the new king's army started towards their own vehicles, carrying the conf
iscated weapons of the Peace Bringers. Some of them, the ones who'd fired shots at the dome and ones who'd resisted standing down, were ushered into the vans too. The last to leave carried away the remains of the wicked old king, wrapped tightly in his own green velvet cape. People booed as it went by them, spitting at the ground were he'd been. But by now all she was interested in was finding Cain. But in the chaotic rush he was no where to be seen.
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
JANINA
October, Year of the Pearl Acacia
Nina slunk into the train seat with a groan, outside the daylight was coming to and end. She had waited on the rooftop for some time before finding her way down and following the signs to Yorehelm station. Certain that she was not going to see Cain again, she dug her nails into her palms in regret of her last words to him. But at least she could go home now, tired was too soft a word. She drifted off after the carriages came to life,
She breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped out onto the platform in Nanta. It was lucky that she'd slept the whole way there, since she had no money for a ticket. But the way that the people were behaving around her right now she wondered if the ticket collector would have cared. The atmosphere was abuzz, strangers hugged strangers and people were breaking all the peace rules. Grinning Diviners lit the station with blazing balls of fire that danced above their fingers as young children clapped and screamed loudly in delight. Girls donned short skirts and a group of guys were blaring out music from their car stereo with all the windows down. All those things were sure-fire tickets to the island just that morning.
Nina smiled and politely refused a dance with a jolly old man who hiccuped and smelled of ale. Being drunk in public - yet another law that was now abolished. All thanks to Cain. Cain who most probably right about now thought she was the most ungrateful girl on Etath.