Destroyer of Legends

by Clayton Wood

  “An illusion?”

  “Of power!” Tykus stated. “Tell me, what does the average citizen think of the great Tykus?”

  Dominus stared at him.

  “That he is powerful,” Tykus declared. “Strong! Confident and sure!”

  “But you are,” Dominus protested.

  “And yet I’m just a man,” Tykus pointed out. “I eat. I piss and I shit. I pick my nose and I smell if I don’t bathe frequently.”

  “And yet I would die for you,” Dominus stated. “As would nearly any man in this kingdom.”

  “Yet not for the countless other Tykus’s throughout this kingdom and beyond it,” the king countered. “I daresay my iterations are all so similar our differences don’t matter, yet none are revered as I am. In fact, some are treated quite poorly.”

  Dominus grimaced. The thought of this man enduring the scorn and mistreatment of common folk…of such a gem of a man being lost in the dung heap of the unwashed masses…

  “I am revered because of my station,” Tykus stated. “Isn’t it grand? The crown, the scepter, my great Acropolis? It elevates this simple body. And it would elevate nearly any body as well as mine.”

  The thought of such a thing bothered Dominus greatly; Tykus had always been king. Six thousand years of his rule, uninterrupted, unending. He would always be king. A world without him was too terrible to imagine.

  “Nature is too fickle to be trusted to produce wise rulers generation after generation,” Tykus stated. “And Man is too easily fooled to be trusted to choose wise rulers.”

  “Which is why they need you.”

  “And why I need you, and Hunter, and Neesha. And Xerxes. And the Kingdom of the Deep,” Tykus added.

  “Neesha I understand,” Dominus replied. “She is eternal. But the others…”

  Tykus arched an eyebrow, a little smile playing at his lips. Dominus’s eyes widened.

  “I see,” he murmured.

  “They make far better allies than enemies,” Tykus stated. “Do try to curtail your worst impulses, Dominus.”

  Dominus felt his cheeks flushing, a response only Tykus seemed to be able to trigger. Tykus chuckled.

  “Who knows? One day you might even make some friends,” he said. “Other than me.”

  Dominus blinked, taken aback.

  “You would consider me your friend?” he asked. Tykus smiled, stepping in and embracing him. Dominus hesitated, then embraced the king back. Then Tykus pulled away.

  “I would,” he answered. “If you’d have me as one.”

  “I would be honored, my Liege,” Dominus replied.

  “Just Tykus, please,” Tykus insisted.

  “I would be honored, Tykus.”

  “A friendship that will span the ages,” Tykus mused.

  “One that only I will remember,” Dominus lamented. Tykus frowned.

  “And why is that?”

  “You will grow old and die, then be reborn…and your memories of me will be lost forever,” Dominus explained.

  “Perhaps,” Tykus replied.

  Dominus gave him a questioning look.

  “I’d better get back to my duties,” Tykus stated. “Do visit again, Dominus. Perhaps in a month?”

  “Of course.”

  Tykus smiled, then broke away, walking back toward the Acropolis. Dominus watched him go until the man had disappeared behind a tall row of shrubs, then lowered his gaze to his feet. Short blades of grass poked between his toes; grass with wills weaker than his own. When it inevitably began to transform from the influence of the humans walking over it, it would be replaced. A kingdom forever the same, generation after generation. If Dominus were transported a thousand years into the future, he would not be able to tell the difference.

  Suddenly, it wasn’t enough.

  It was the corruption of his soul, he supposed. A shifting from the purity of his ancestors. A process that had begun long ago, with his son Conlan. He took a deep breath in, remembering some of his son’s last words to him.

  Take heart father. Even after I’m gone, you’ll always have a part of me inside of you.

  It’d been a cruel jab at the time, a bitter retort against a father who didn’t understand. Who wouldn’t understand. But now he did.

  Dominus suddenly yearned for the grass of the forest, wild and free. Controlled not by the unending systems of the Kingdom, but by the powerful and infinitely more complex forces of Nature. The thought would have terrified him a few weeks ago…even a few days ago. But now it intrigued him. Here he had nothing to fear; this place held no danger for him. But it also held no mystery. Nature would inevitably change him, it was true…and in what way, he could not know. He might lose a part of himself, but in return he would gain something. Even as the world changed him, he would change it. And, fate willing, it would be for the better.

  He closed his eyes, picturing Conlan’s face. His grim smile as he stared his father down defiantly. Triumphant before his death. He wished he could speak to Conlan. Apologize to him. And thank him.

  And as long as you’re alive, you’ll never be able to get rid of me, he’d said.

  Dominus opened his eyes, smiling to himself.

  “Good,” he murmured.

  Chapter 47

  It was two days after Hunter awoke from his coma before Hunter, Vi, Sukri, and Xerxes decided to leave the kingdom of Tykus. They bade their farewells to Camilla, who’d convinced the Kingdom of the Deep to help finance the rebuilding of her mansion, and was preparing to fly back to the strange kingdom to live there until its construction. Dominus had decided to travel with Hunter and the gang, at least for a ways. They left the kingdom, passing through its two gates to the Deadlands, where armies of horse-drawn rakes were gathering the last of the Svartálfar corpses and dragging them – and any dirt they’d corrupted – toward the Fringe. Tykus had offered a luxurious horse-drawn carriage for their trip, but everyone had agreed they’d much rather walk.

  So it was that Hunter found himself entering the Fringe, passing through the burnt-out section of forest they’d corralled the Svartálfar in during the first wave of attacks. They passed this, hiking through the woods. No one said very much, partially because it was still obscenely early, and because Dominus’s presence made their usual irreverent banter seem a bit awkward. Vi, of course, didn’t let that stop her.

  “Kinda nice taking a stroll with my arch-enemy,” she opined, eyeing Dominus. “Is there anyone you haven’t tried to kill?”

  “Myself,” Dominus quipped. “And Tykus.”

  “Short list,” Vi grumbled. “Little lonely being a sociopath, isn’t it? Heard you killed your own son too.”

  Dominus’s jawline rippled, but he said nothing.

  “Now that’s just cold,” she continued. “What’d he do, forget to clean his room?”

  “Enough,” Dominus growled.

  “Sorry if I hurt your feelings,” Vi shot back. “Oh wait, no I’m not. ‘Cause you’re an asshole.”

  “I understand I hurt you,” Dominus stated, somehow remaining calm despite Vi’s baiting. “Believe me when I say I regret it.”

  “Because it’s inconvenient now?”

  “Partially,” Dominus admitted. “But I also…everything I did was to protect the Kingdom.”

  “Bullshit,” Vi retorted. “Everything you did was to protect yourself.”

  Dominus considered this, then nodded.

  “It was,” he conceded. “I wanted to be the one to continue to protect the Kingdom. I didn’t trust anyone else to do it.”

  “And yet we did,” she pointed out.

  “I was wrong,” he agreed. “And selfish. And…cold. I’m trying to do better now.”

  “Tykus give you a pep talk?”

  “He did,” Dominus answered, ignoring her snide tone. “But I didn’t understand the Kingdom until I met Tykus. Until I talked with him. I thought I knew who the king was, but I didn’t.”

  “I’ll give you that,” Hunter conceded. “I was imagining
more of a Nazi racist dictator.”

  “A what?” Vi asked.

  “A bad guy,” Hunter clarified.

  “I’ve done things I’m not proud of,” Dominus confessed. “Things I may never forgive myself for. But if I don’t try to move past them, they’ll destroy me.”

  Hunter lowered his gaze, staring at his feet as he walked. He recalled the way he’d felt after thinking that Vi had died. How he’d hated himself for killing his mother and brother. As much as he hated to admit it, Dominus had a point…and if he was being sincere, the man deserved a second chance.

  “You know, a few weeks ago I would have killed you on the spot,” Hunter admitted. “I made it my life’s work to get revenge on you and the Guild of Seekers.”

  “I don’t blame you,” Dominus replied.

  Hunter hesitated, then stopped.

  “Hold up,” he stated.

  Everyone else stopped as well, and Hunter gestured for Dominus to approach him. The former duke did so, eyeing him quizzically. Hunter removed his helmet.

  “Take off your helmet,” he ordered. “Press your forehead to mine.”

  “I don’t…” Dominus began, then he stopped. After a moment’s pause, he sighed. “Very well.”

  Dominus leaned in, pressing his forehead against Hunter’s.

  Images flashed in rapid sequence in Hunter’s mind, a whirlwind of memories flooding his brain. He accepted them without reservation, allowing the transfer. At length, he backed away, letting go of a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

  “Damn,” he muttered, staring at Dominus.

  “What did you see?” Dominus inquired. It was clear that the man didn’t appreciate having someone else in his head.

  “Enough,” Hunter answered. He hesitated, then inclined his head at Dominus. “I understand you now,” he stated. “I don’t agree with what you did – or why you did it – but I accept your apology.”

  Dominus smiled, extending a hand. Hunter shook it.

  “Thank you,” the former duke stated. And Hunter knew the man meant it.

  “All right,” Vi interjected. “I have to know what you saw.”

  “Dominus is…complicated,” Hunter replied. “I’ll let him tell you.”

  “Aww, come on,” Vi complained. “Spoilsport.” But she accepted this, much to Hunter’s relief. They continued their trek, and Hunter took the ensuing long silence to process what he’d experienced.

  There was one thing he knew for sure: it was next to impossible to truly hate someone when he understood their point of view…even if he disagreed with it.

  “What’re you going to do now?” Hunter asked Dominus.

  “I’m not certain,” he admitted. “I suspect I’ll continue to work with Camilla after the mansion is rebuilt.”

  “Gonna shack up with her at the Kingdom of the Deep?” Vi inquired. “I’m sure she’ll make it worth your while.”

  “I have no interest in that kind of experience,” Dominus replied. Vi arched an eyebrow.

  “What, Camilla or the Kingdom of the Deep?”

  Dominus gave a wry smirk.

  “The Kingdom of the Deep,” he answered.

  “Well now,” Vi exclaimed. “Look who’s ready to get some!” She elbowed Xerxes. “Guess your head brought Dominus’s back to life.”

  Xerxes grunted.

  “On that note, I should be leaving,” Dominus declared, stopping in his tracks. Everyone else stopped with him.

  “Where you going?” Hunter asked.

  “South,” Dominus answered. “I want to explore the lands beyond the Deep.”

  “Watch out for the Svartálfar,” Vi warned. “There’s bound to be a few of them running around.”

  “I’ll be careful.”

  “Guess this is goodbye then,” Vi said. She hesitated, then offered a hand. Dominus shook it, smiling at her.

  “Goodbye Vi,” he said. “You’re the most impressive woman I’ve ever met.”

  “I know.”

  Dominus smirked, then turned to Hunter.

  “Good luck,” he stated, shaking Hunter’s hand. “I, and the Kingdom, are in your debt.”

  “You’re welcome,” Hunter replied.

  “If you ever need me, I will be there for you,” Dominus vowed. Hunter nodded silently, and Dominus turned to Sukri, who put up both hands.

  “Sorry, not ready to forgive you just yet,” she stated. “You sent me and my friends to die.”

  “Understood,” Dominus replied. He turned to Xerxes. “Thank you for giving me a second life,” he stated. Xerxes grunted, but otherwise pointedly ignored him, crossing his four arms over his chest.

  “Go on Dukie,” Vi said, waving Dominus away. Dominus frowned.

  “Dukie?”

  “Best nickname I could come up with,” Vi explained. “See, because you were a duke, and a piece of shit.”

  “Ah.”

  And with that, Dominus broke away from the group, walking off into the woods alone. They watched as he disappeared into the forest, then resumed their trek through the Fringe.

  * * *

  It was early afternoon by the time Hunter, Vi, Sukri, and Xerxes emerged from the woods into a small, familiar clearing, the bright sun contrasting with the crisp chill in the air. With the Kingdom and Dominus as allies – as well as Lady Camilla – there was no fear of anyone trying to attack her home down in the canyon. While she’d been given a home in Ironclad territory, Vi much preferred her own place, thank you very much.

  And that is how Hunter found himself stopping at the edge of the cliff overlooking the huge canyon, gazing down at the large lake below with the twin islands in the center of it. It was just as he remembered, and he couldn’t help but feel a little sentimental as he spotted Vi’s house on the larger island.

  “There it is,” Vi declared, gesturing at the house. “Home sweet home.”

  “Uh,” Sukri said, looking around. “So how do we get there?”

  “We jump,” Vi replied, winking at Hunter. She’d said the same thing to him the first time he’d been here.

  “Ha ha,” Sukri grumbled.

  “Just seeing if you’d do it,” Vi stated.

  And with that, Xerxes leapt off the edge.

  “Holy…!” Sukri blurted out, watching as the huge Ironclad fell like a rock toward the bottom of the canyon over three hundred feet below. A few seconds later, he smashed into the ground in a spray of blood and blue gel.

  “Huh,” Vi muttered.

  “Now that looked like fun,” Hunter stated, flashing her a grin. “I think I’ll join him.”

  And with that, he leapt off the edge, plummeting toward the bottom of the canyon.

  “Ha!” he heard Vi shout as he fell, accelerating rapidly. He felt the giddy terror of free-fall, enjoying the rush…and watching as the ground approached rapidly. He unfurled his wings then, feeling them fill with air instantly. His fall slowed quickly, and he settled into a gentle glide toward the larger island in the center of the lake, touching down a few yards from Vi’s house. Then he turned around, waving at the tiny dots still standing at the edge of the cliff hundreds of feet up.

  Hunter chuckled to himself, watching as Vi and Sukri made their way ever-so-slowly down the spiraling path to the bottom of the canyon. And as Xerxes started to stir, rising to his hands and knees. By the time Sukri and Vi reached the bottom, Xerxes had already mostly healed, and was striding across the long wooden bridge toward Hunter. The three reached him at last, and Xerxes grinned, punching Vi in the shoulder…or at least trying to. She dodged, slapping his arm away.

  “JUMP…WORK,” Xerxes grunted.

  “Show-offs,” Vi muttered. “Well played, by the way.”

  “Aww, is Vi Jealous?” Hunter inquired.

  “I could get wings any time I wanted,” Vi reminded him. “And if I wanted more of your brother’s goo, he wouldn’t be able to stop me.”

  Xerxes raised an eye-ridge at her.

  “LIKE…CAMILLA?”

 
Hunter shot his brother a withering glare…and Sukri gave Hunter a look, her hands on her hips.

  “That’s the third time I’ve heard someone joke about that,” she noted. “You’re gonna tell me what that’s all about.”

  “Uhhh…” Hunter stammered.

  “So anyway,” Vi interjected, “…I’m gonna stay here with Hunter and Sukri and try to teach them how to fight. You could use some lessons too, you know,” she added, eyeing Xerxes.

  “MAYBE…LATER.”

  “Suit yourself,” she replied, turning to Sukri and handing her a bow and quiver full of arrows. “Go fetch me lunch, Puss.”

  Sukri stared at her, then glanced at Hunter.

  “I’ll show you,” he reassured. “Don’t worry…it doesn’t get any better.”

  “That’s for sure,” Vi agreed. “Though I gotta say Hunter, you’ve sure come around since I first met you. Not gonna lie, I thought you were hopeless.”

  “So did I,” Hunter admitted with a smile. He’d all but given up on himself and his future…long before he’d ever met Vi. Before he’d ever come to this world.

  “Glad I didn’t give up on you,” she said.

  “That’s one thing she’ll never do,” Hunter told Sukri. “So don’t bother trying to give up on yourself. Believe me, I’ve tried.” He turned to his brother. “What’re you gonna do bro?” Hunter inquired. Xerxes smiled.

  “GO…HOME,” he answered. “GET…REWARD.”

  “Reward?” Sukri asked.

  “REWARD,” Xerxes repeated. Vi smirked, putting her lips to Sukri’s ear.

  “He means he’s gonna get laid,” she explained.

  “Ooo,” Sukri replied. “Go get it Xerxes!”

  “YOU…TOO.”

  Sukri arched an eyebrow, glancing at Hunter, who grinned sheepishly.

  “I’m always up for it.”

  Xerxes gave a deep, rumbling chuckle, then leaned in, giving Hunter a four-armed hug…and lifting him right off the ground. Hunter hugged him back.

  “Love you Xerxes,” he said.

  “LOVE…YOU,” Xerxes replied, setting Hunter down and ruffling his hair affectionately.

  “To family,” Hunter declared, putting an arm around Sukri and Vi, then smiling up at Xerxes.