by K T Munson
“What do you eat?” Elisabeth asked, her voice curious as she stared at the firelike fountain. “I’m famished.”
“This planet is my will,” he replied with a turned hand. “What do you desire? What will sate your hunger?”
Elisabeth seemed to be considering it as her fingers traced along the stone fountain. She paused and then glanced back at Nanette, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs. With a wicked smile, she turned back to the Black King and said, “A pomegranate.”
With a flick of his wrist, a pomegranate appeared in his hand. Nanette felt her jaw drop open a little and her eyes grow big. She had never seen any magic like that before. Elisabeth didn’t seem all that moved. She held out her hands and caught it when he tossed it to her.
“Can I do that?” Elisabeth asked as she brought the fruit close to her face and smelled it.
She peered over the red fruit as she waited for his response. He seemed to be considering her question as he moved around the edge of the fountain. The fire cast shadows on his face, and his dark eyes watched her. Elisabeth didn’t seem at all affected by his imposing gaze. She returned it with equal intensity.
“Perhaps,” he finally replied, stopping to stare at her across the flames. “Imagine something simple in your mind and will it into being.”
“As simple as that?” Elisabeth asked, setting the fruit down on the edge of the fountain.
“Nothing is simple about it,” the Black King responded, and Nanette felt as though she was watching something that she could see only half of, as though more was being said and more was actually happening. She tried to stay as still as possible as not to attract any attention to herself.
Elisabeth cupped her hands, held them up, and closed her eyes. He watched her intently as a look of concentration came over her face. Nanette took shallow breaths. Elisabeth’s face relaxed, and then suddenly a white bowl appeared in her hands. She opened her eyes with a smile and looked up at the Black King in triumph.
“Excellent,” the Black King said, and raised his arms. “Shall we celebrate?”
He didn’t wait for a reply, and the barren area was suddenly filled like a grand party. Glass shards strung from pillar to pillar twinkled as the firelight reflected against them. People in mirror masks suddenly appeared around them, and Nanette took a startled step back as they danced in a circle around the fountain. Nanette looked down. She was no longer in her nightgown and jacket but instead wore a simple black dress.
When Nanette looked up, she realized that Elisabeth wore a finer version of that dress, one that was silver and shone bright. The man was dressed in fine black attire that seemed to have a gleam to it, and when he reached for Elisabeth’s hand, Nanette saw that his hands were gloved. Elisabeth took his offered hand. Her own were gloved in a soft silver color to match her dress.
Her dress had long sleeves, and sequins made it shine. No words were spoken as music filled the air and the dancers changed from a flowing movement to a twirling one. They all wore red and black. Elisabeth and the man joined the line of dancers, and he spun her around and around. He still wore his crown, and now Elisabeth wore one, too, made of mirrors and pearls and silver wire. It all glistened against her blond hair and the dark sky.
When the song was done, Elisabeth stepped from his hold and out past the circle. She wandered past the ring of decorations and out into the cold barren landscape of the world. She stood out on a balcony, gazing up to the sky. The Black King followed her there and stood back admiring her. Nanette followed them, fearful for what Elsariel might do in Elisabeth’s body.
“I cannot tell if my admiration for you is because you have a part of me or because you are like me,” he said, breaking the silence.
“A bit of both, I imagine,” Elisabeth said, turning around. Her gown spun with her. “The sliver of your essence is still within me. I’m surprised you don’t want it back.”
The Black King shifted his posture. “I had never thought to rule with another,” the Black King said, changing the subject, and Nanette’s breath caught in her throat. “To have a queen by my side.”
“The Black Queen,” Elisabeth replied, as though considering it. “It does have a haunting ring to it.”
“Let me show you what we could make of the worlds,” he said, his voice full of desire and ambition. “We could make the planets our playground.”
“Why leave this place?” she asked with a wave of her hand. “You are a god here.”
“One world is not enough,” he replied, as though confused by her question. “I made Croatoan this way. I want them all to follow my will.”
Elisabeth pouted as she glanced over her shoulder. “That seems boring.”
Nanette couldn’t look away. It was like watching a battle occur, but instead of swords they were using words. Nanette didn’t know what to make of their clashing. The Black King seemed to give in to his baser needs, but Nanette knew there was more going on. He reminded her of Jason, always planning even when he was charming. Elisabeth was the one that Nanette couldn’t figure out.
“Boring?” He seemed offended. Nanette tightened her fingers in the fabric of her dress.
“You’re alone here,” she replied. “I’ve been alone all my life. It is underrated.”
“What would you suggest?” he asked, clearly unimpressed.
“What use is the title of king unless there are subjects to rule over?”
He unfolded his arms at that and regarded her with a frown, one that seemed more contemplative than negative. After a moment, he countered her question with another question. “You want to rule the planets?”
“I want to rule over everything,” Elisabeth said, coming toward him, “and everyone.”
Nanette felt ill. It seemed that Elsariel stood for the opposite of everything that Elisabeth did.
“People are useless,” he countered, but he seemed to be giving credence to her words.
“They are the thing of life,” she said, passing him by, and he watched as she reached her hands out for Nanette. “She taught me that. Being alone is not nearly as fun as sharing it with someone else.”
Nanette took a hesitant step toward her and then another. Hope blossomed in her chest as her eyes swept back and forth between the Black King and Elisabeth, who took her outstretched hands. The gloves felt soft against Nanette’s skin as Elisabeth clasped her fingers. Nanette swallowed; even her demon half seemed determined to protect her.
“She is nothing,” he countered and lifted his hand.
“If you harm her,” Elisabeth said without turning around, her eyes sharp with intent, “I will deny you with every breath. You will never get that final shard and never be whole.”
His hand hesitated to carry out whatever terrible act he’d imagined; apparently Elisabeth had made a large impression in a short time. She dropped one hand and pulled Nanette behind her as she turned and faced him. He lowered his arm, and Nanette looked up at Elisabeth. She grinned as though she hadn’t threatened the most powerful being in all the known planets.
“Very well,” he replied, and his cold eyes regarded Nanette fully for the first time. She tried not to squirm under his gaze, but it was difficult. His eyes seemed dead somehow, which frightened her.
“Are you going to ask me to dance again?” Elisabeth asked, holding out a hand.
With a raised eyebrow, he moved toward them. Nanette saw her chance and whispered, “Malthael is injured. He needs you.”
Elisabeth looked down at her, and when their eyes met she saw her friend. Elsariel and Elisabeth had few things they seemed to agree on. But one that bound them together was Malthael. In a flicker, Elisabeth was gone, and her demonic half returned as the Black King took her hand. She smiled and allowed herself to be led back into the ring of dancers.
Nanette went to the edge of the balcony, where she stood partially hidden by a pillar. Whatever Elsariel had planned, Elisabeth was still in there. Malthael had seemed desperately in need of help. She looked up as they dan
ced, and she wondered how long Malthael could survive without it.
Chapter 57: Hystera
“It was all a lie,” Ki managed as he looked around at the faces of the men who had raised him.
“The deception was necessary to make you believe,” Elder Ra replied. “Although it is true on this day that you are our savior. You have bought us back.”
“Where is the boy?” Elder Il asked, and Ki gritted his teeth.
He didn’t have any weapons except for the knives in his boots, and twelve powerful men surrounded him. Ki was about to keep talking when he heard a growl. The old men cried out as the demon dog barreled through the edge of the ring. Elder Ra lifted his arm, but Ki leaped for him, his fist connecting with Elder Ra’s throat before he could start chanting.
The man choked on his words as he stared at Ki, startled. Others started up their chant, but two suddenly stopped, silver cutting through their backs. The second demon dog threw two of the men over his head like discarded rag dolls. Ki ran toward the sudden opening as the two dogs coordinated their attack.
The twelve men were immune to most deaths, but they could not stop things of the Nether. The demon dogs would make short work of them. He ran for the tree line but came to a stumbling halt as villagers poured into the clearing. They moved as though possessed. Their targets were the dogs.
He remembered what Elisabeth had called them and yelled, “Duke. Nathan. Run!”
Their heads came up in unison as Ki turned back to face the rushing men. His fist collided with the head of the first one, and the man fell to his knees. Ki’s knee connected with his face as he put a hand on the shoulder of a second man and thrust his fist against his ear. The man stumbled back as Ki leaped over the body of the first fallen man.
He made a continued run for the edge of the clearing as the dogs plowed through the line of men and followed him. He was running toward the door but was only vaguely aware of what was happening. He couldn’t remember for sure where it was, but he knew it was in the general direction in which he was sprinting.
There was blood smeared all over both Duke and Nathan, but Duke, the one with the chip in his horn, had demon blood on him. The dark, almost black, blood gleamed red, but it was as black as the night. A demon had recently fallen victim to those blades. Ki glanced back so long that he nearly tripped over a fallen log. He stumbled to keep his feet under him as the horde of possessed people followed.
He nearly missed the door and had to rebound of the tree to keep himself straight. When he corrected his direction, he ran full out toward the door he’d first come through. All he needed to do was get through to Lyreane and then get Ashley to take him to wherever Elisabeth was. There had to be a body of water somewhere.
The demon dogs were suddenly running by his side. He thought of a new plan. Perhaps he could go to Malthael and get more information on the Black King. The dogs were protecting him, and he was sure Malthael would forgive his involvement. All he wanted to do was get Elisabeth back, something they could agree on and work toward.
He reached the door, slamming into it before turning the knob. He stepped through, and the dogs nearly trampled him to follow. Half stepping and half falling over them, Ki slammed the door closed behind him. Then he hastily removed the markings with the sleeve of his shirt to keep anyone from following them. Once a member of the Black Council reached the door, he would make the markings to allow passage, but Ki planned to be long gone before then. He braced his hand against the door as he panted.
Swallowing his exhaustion, he straightened and called, “Ashley?”
There was no response, so he moved toward the fire. The click-clack of the hounds’ hooves followed him into the next room. It was nothing but low burning embers and ash now, and there was no tiger in sight. Frowning, he crossed his arms and looked around. Without hesitation, he crossed the room and collected his weapons and clothes. He was tying his overshirt when one of the dogs stopped and growled.
The second one started doing so, too, as the tiger stepped from the shadows. Ki put his hand out. “Calm down!”
He didn’t have time for a bunch of dogs to chase around a very large cat. They all looked at him, the two excited dogs and one unperturbed tiger. The Kemshi didn’t seemed all that moved by the two large dogs or their dangerous tails. He sat down, his tail moving back and forth, and just stared at them. It was as though he intended to stare them to death.
“We need to get to Malthael,” Ki said, but at the mention of his name Nathan whined. Pitiful eyes looked up at Ki, which made him realize something was wrong. Nathan licked a wound on Duke’s side as the tiger looked on with the same bland expression.
“We must go to Malthael,” Ki said, securing his blades on his hips.
He finished securing his weapons and clothes, glancing around at his home. It was like saying goodbye to a part of him. He was leaving everything in the past and starting anew. The men who had raised him had used him and lied to him. He’d thought he was saving people, and instead he had been killing them. Elisabeth might have been among them, and he might have never known her. The thought chilled him to his marrow.
He felt a tongue on his hand and was startled from his thoughts. Ashley was staring up at him with his bright yellow eyes. Nodding, his head Ki agreed, “This is no time for getting lost in thought.”
Ki mounted the tiger as the dogs pressed in close enough for Ki to touch them. They all vanished, and Ki felt the spirits pass over him. His hands gripped fur. Almost as soon as it began, it was over, and they were standing on the courtyard by Malthael’s sprawling gardens. It was raining. The tiger slowly trotted forward as the demon dogs hurried inside.
Ki shook the water from his hair and got off the tiger. He moved toward the house and was greeted at the door by one of the dogs. The tiger followed at its own sauntering pace, as though it was bored. With a shrug, Ki followed one of the demon dogs, likely Duke from the cut on its side and the mark on his horn. The dog led him through the house and into the study. The tiger stretched out in front of the fire before laying his great mass down.
Sparing only a glance and realizing the tiger had no intention of following, he pulled on the handle of the lantern the way Malthael had and moved back when the slab swung open. Holding the tapestry aside, he watched Duke hurry past him and then followed. He was halfway down the stairs when he saw Nathan lying beside a fallen body. It took Ki a moment to realize it was Malthael. He hurried the rest of the way down the stairs. Nathan whined, but Malthael didn’t stir. Ki walked up to the reformed demon and saw that he had a pool of black blood around him.
“Malthael,” Ki asked, crouching beside him, “what happened?”
When he didn’t answer, Ki shook his shoulder slightly and said loudly, “Malthael!”
The demon blinked his eyes open slowly as though by great effort. He squinted up at him before asking, “Elisabeth?”
Ki’s felt crestfallen as he responded, “With the Black King on Croatoan.”
Malthael looked terrified. “She must remove the knife,” he whispered.
“What knife?” Ki asked, leaning forward.
“You can’t see,” he managed before licking his lips.
“Why?” Ki asked, peering at the strange, almost translucent, handle over his back.
“Only half breeds and those of the Netherworld can see,” he managed, though his voice was hoarse. “Only a half breed can remove it.”
“You need Elisabeth,” Ki said, and then his eyes opened in realization. “Or someone like her.”
Chapter 58: Hystera
Jinq opened his eyes to chaos. There were people yelling, and it took him a moment to understand what was happening. He slowly sat up, and as he did he felt constant warmth in his chest. He touched his neck and remembered the pain. He’d thought the Black King, the World Eater, had ended his life. In fact, he remembered the feeling of a great pressure on his chest followed by intense agony.
With a gasp, he looked down at the hole in his clothes
and remembered Kerrigan putting her hand through his chest. With a rush his memories returned, but none of them explained why he was sitting there now. He had been floating away, being sucked into a void of darkness, when the planet had reached out for him.
She put me in you. Kerrigan’s voice was in his head, and he choked on the saliva in his mouth.
What? he thought. He coughed as he tried to catch his breath.
No need to yell. Kerrigan sounded tired. Elisabeth put me in you to save us from the darkness that resides in this place. It would have consumed your soul, and I would have been a passenger to the Black King.
Suddenly he saw the boy that Elisabeth had known run across the clearing. He had Elisabeth’s strange creatures with her, and a mass of the villagers was chasing him. They moved in quick jerking movements, as though being commanded. The two creatures were covered in blood, which glistened in the moonlight. That was when he noticed the crumpled bodies dressed in black.
Where is Elisabeth? he managed.
She went into the gate. Kerrigan’s voice was fearful
He turned his head to look at it. The gate was empty now and had returned to solid stone. There were still chains hanging down it. He felt Kerrigan’s fear. Nothing good would come of Elisabeth going anywhere with the Black King. He knew what it had taken to trap the Black King all those years ago.
We need to leave, Kerrigan urged.
His eyes opened wide as thoughts ran through his head. Then he asked her in his head, Where are Hibrius and Cav?
His question was met with silence, and he forced himself into a standing position. Most of the people in the clearing had run into the woods after the young man and the two creatures. He turned and stumbled toward the tree line.
They killed him, Kerrigan finally managed, and it sounded like her voice was breaking. They killed Cav. I don’t know where Hibrius is.
He likely died, Jinq thought, just barely keeping his emotions in control as he swallowed, when I did.