What Once Was One (Book 2)

by Marc Johnson

  We arrived back at Alexandria three hours before sundown. Outside of the city gates was Krystal. My heart and face lit up at the sight of her. I knew that what I saw in the nexus wasn’t real, but I still hadn’t been completely sure. Renak’s words about his spell being twisted and to watch Premier mulled over in my mind.

  Krystal’s eyes lingered on me for a moment, and she gave me a brief smile. “It’s good to see you again. All of you. Thank the gods you made it. I was worried for your well-being.”

  “Your Highness,” I said. “It’s good to see you too.”

  “I look forward to hearing what happened, after you get cleaned up.” She did her best to hide it, but her nose scrunched up in a way I found adorable. “I’ll see you in an hour.”

  We trotted past her. I couldn’t help but turn around and stare at her. She grinned, and I returned it. My cheeks flushed with heat. I couldn’t wait to be with her and sweep her in my arms again.

  ----

  I took a bath and had my wizard’s robes washed. I scrubbed myself clean from all the grime, dirt, and blood. I worked hard to get rid of that Wastelands smell, the camping with goblins, and the black blood that clung to me from slaughtering ogres. The once clear water blackened until it was like soot. My robes were returned to me, and I shaved. I ran my fingers through my damp hair, then rushed to the small, quiet audience chamber, as there was much to report to the king.

  Everyone was already seated around the table. I hovered near the door, watching King Furlong, his daughter, and Prastian engaged in animated conversation. There was plenty of fresh food on the table. It seemed hardly anyone had touched the food, despite how much was piled on everyone’s plates. My eyes lit up at the fresh bread, fruit, and cheese. Even the platters of meat smelled good, but I felt I would barely be able to take more than a few bites. I took a deep breath and strode over to the table.

  “It’s about time you got here, Hellsfire,” King Furlong said. “We have much to discuss.”

  I bowed and took a seat next to Krystal. “Sorry to keep everyone waiting.”

  The king stared at me as if he didn’t know where to begin. I loosened at my collar before taking a sip of wine.

  Finally, the king spoke. “You let Premier escape, Hellsfire. You didn’t take away his powers or retrieve the Book of Shazul. He may threaten us once more.”

  I shook my head. “He gave me his wizard’s word that he wouldn’t bother Alexandria anymore.”

  “He already tricked and betrayed me once. How do you know he won’t do so again? You can’t be so naive as to trust him.”

  “That’s not how it works, Your Majesty. If he breaks his word, his power would leave him.”

  The king considered this. “You should have killed him when you had the chance. You were too lenient. I know this was your master’s last request, but some people don’t deserve a second chance.”

  I nodded, not wanting to argue about this subject anymore, and because I also partly agreed with him.

  King Furlong’s face darkened. “Now, what’s this I hear about you brokering an alliance between Alexandria and the beasts out there?”

  I squirmed in my seat when even Krystal’s stern gaze settled on me. “I thought it best, Your Majesty. In return for weapons and armor, they could work with your people and scout the terrain. They could feed you information so you would know well in advance if another wizard ever used the creatures again to attack your city. I already made them promise to stay away from Alexandria, but I thought it would be better if they did more.”

  “You would have me arm our enemies, Hellsfire?” The king’s voice grew louder. “What if they decided to attack us with those same weapons?”

  “They don’t have to be the best of weapons, Your Majesty. They’ll take anything. And these goblins won’t attack you again. I made sure of that. They’re one less threat to you.”

  “From what I understand, this is just one small group of goblins, and they’re not loyal to Alexandria, they’re under your command.”

  I started to respond but he cut me off.

  “You may have control of the goblins, but what of the ogres and trolls? They easily kill goblins. What if they take those weapons off those dead goblins and use them against us? What then, Hellsfire?”

  “I...didn’t think about that, Your Majesty.”

  “Quite right,” he said. “You’re not our ambassador. You should remember that and not make promises you can’t keep.”

  “I know,” I said and bowed my head. Out of the corner of my eye, I looked to Krystal for understanding. Her face was impassive. “The creatures aren’t what you think they are. They’re rough and primitive, but they have their own culture and rules.”

  “Ridiculous,” King Furlong said. “They’re savage beasts and nothing more.”

  “You’re wrong, Your Majesty,” I said. “Even Jastillian could reassure you there’s far more to them than that. You must realize that. I did what I thought was best for you and your city. Just give them a chance. That’s all I’m asking. Please, Your Majesty.”

  The king stared at me, weighing me and my words for several long seconds. “I’ll consider it, but I make no promises,” he said.

  “I understand, Your Majesty. Thank you.”

  King Furlong leaned forward in his seat, his blue eyes piercing me. “But that’s not all you’ve done. Tell me how, after a thousand years, you brought down the Great Barrier.”

  I told him about the nexus and how it worked. I didn’t give him the specific details of what I’d faced while in there, but I did tell him about Renak and what he told me. I also explained why I did it. How I had to save my friends’ lives and that the barrier was destroying the land and would eventually ruin all of Northern Shala.

  Afterwards, the king said, “I’m thankful you saved Jastillian and Demay. I would have mourned deeply for their deaths.” Furlong smiled in their direction. His stern face returned when he talked to me. “But did you think this through, Hellsfire?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Renak may not have lied to you about a threat that could destroy the land,” King Furlong said. “You may have just misunderstood what he said.”

  “Armies,” Jastillian said.

  “More than that,” King Furlong said. “Armies of wizards.”

  I shook my head. They wouldn’t come all the way up here to attack. What could possibly be of importance in Northern Shala? Then I met Krystal’s eyes and remembered the scroll she had given me. If they knew of Alexandria’s secret vault, they might want that, and Masep still contained plenty of hidden secrets.

  “What about what Renak said about the gods’ war?” I asked.

  “There has been no evidence,” the king said. “You can’t trust him.”

  “That’s because the barrier has been up.”

  “Now that it’s down, there have been no earthquakes or thunderstorms. Surely, a war with the gods would cause great devastation.”

  I crossed my arms, thinking the king might be right. Maybe Renak’s seer just misinterpreted what she saw. No, the look of worry and fear had weighed heavily on Renak.

  “We don’t know that they have armies of wizards or that they seek to rule here,” Prastian said, bringing the discussion to the point at hand.

  “That’s exactly my point,” the king said. “We have no idea what dangers are down there. Hellsfire may have released unknown dangers to the land, real, more tangible threats than a vague notion of a villainous wizard.”

  “Or he may have opened up new opportunities,” the princess said.

  King Furlong slowly nodded. “That is a possibility. Jastillian and Prastian, I take it you both will go down there?”

  Jastillian smiled. “Of course, Your Majesty, it’s a great opportunity. I’ve already sent word back to Erlam about it. My mother will send a more proper expedition.”

  “I’ve sent word back too,” Prastian said, “But I don’t know if I’ll go. King Sharald may decide to send someone else
.”

  “But brother, we should go,” Demay said. “I’ve always wanted to see what was down there.”

  “We’ll talk it over with our king.”

  “And Hellsfire, do you also plan to go to Southern Shala?” King Furlong asked.

  I glanced at Krystal. I didn’t want to leave her so soon, especially after what I had gone though. But the Elemental Council, if they still existed, needed to be warned about Premier. I also wanted to see if they could help me with my power. I didn’t understand the black flames, and if anyone could help me, they could. And I had promised I would look into Renak’s story.

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” I said. “Bringing down the Great Barrier’s my responsibility. If danger’s down there, I should be the one to face it.”

  “With our help,” Jastillian said.

  “Agreed,” Prastian said, and all my other friends nodded.

  “Very well,” the king said. “The five of you work well together, but I’ll need to send my own people down. I need someone who can be a representative of Alexandria.”

  “I’ll go with them,” Krystal said.

  King Furlong turned his head and stared at his daughter.

  “I should be the one to go, Father,” she said. “Because of our recent battle, we’re spread thin. Our diplomats and ambassadors have been sent to other lands to reassure our allies that Alexandria still stands. We could wait for them, but it might be a while.”

  King Furlong cupped his hands under his chin. Silence reigned in the room as he thought about her proposal.

  I plucked a grape, wondering why she wanted to go so badly. Why was it so important to her that she go and leave her people? A brief grin passed over my face as I considered the possibility that she wanted to go to be with me because she cared deeply about me—about us.

  The king broke his silence. “You will not go. We will wait until the others return.”

  Krystal bowed her head. “As you wish, Father.”

  The princess’s violet eyes danced in the candlelight. I knew she wasn’t going to let this rest.

  “I hope you’ll be able to share with me what you learn down there,” King Furlong said.

  “Of course we will, Your Majesty,” Prastian said.

  “Aye,” Jastillian said.

  “When will the five of you leave?” the king asked.

  “A few days’ rest would be perfect, Your Majesty,” Prastian said. “We still need to heal from our wounds.”

  “Very well. We’ll see to your supplies and horses.”

  “Thank you,” Prastian said.

  We were dismissed, and everyone went their separate ways. I wanted to talk to Krystal alone to find out what in the gods’ names she was thinking. She gave me a tantalizing smile and raised her eyebrows. I returned the playful smile before she disappeared into the castle.

  I yawned, finding myself more tired than I ought to be because of the food and drink. Night had fallen, and it was growing late. I made my way back to my room and found the princess waiting for me.

  “Hi, hero,” Krystal said.

  “Hi, beautiful,” I said.

  She took a step closer and wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me tightly. “Thank the gods you’re back and safe,” she whispered into my ear. “I went to the temple and prayed for your safety every day, and sent constant patrols.”

  I returned her hug, grasping her like a child would a parent, never wanting to part from her. Her warmth felt so good, and I melted into her arms. “I was worried we wouldn’t make it when I was so close to returning to you. But then the goblins came and saved us.”

  Krystal pulled her body back. “So you’ve said. Do you really believe the Wasteland creatures aren’t that bad?”

  “They’re...different.”

  “Then tell me. All of it.”

  We sat down on the bed and I obeyed. I told her how it felt to have two souls occupying the same body. The cravings I had and the memories I experienced. How hard it was to control, and how I forgot who I was at times. I explained in detail how there were different tribes and how the creatures all had their own rules. I let her know all of it. I even told her about the secret goblin city.

  “You didn’t mention that to my father,” she said.

  “I promised not to. Besides, according to Jastillian, it’s too far away to be a threat.”

  “He should still know.”

  I shrugged. “I’ll leave it in your hands. What are you going to do?”

  “I’ll discuss the situation with my father. What you proposed wasn’t a bad idea, but there’d have to be limits. I don’t want to arm potential enemies. If we limited the weapons and armor that went out, supplied them with food instead, or repaired the ones they had, it might be possible.”

  “Thank you.”

  Her hand squeezed my thigh. “There was another thing I wanted to know about.”

  “Sure.”

  “What exactly did you face in the nexus, and what did Renak tell you? You were holding something back.”

  I glanced away and bit the inside of my cheek. I looked back at her and sighed. “I’m not sure if I should tell you. It’s...personal.”

  She put a hand on my cheek and forced me to look at her. “You can trust me.”

  I took her hand and kissed it. “I know.”

  I delved into details about what I saw and experienced while inside the nexus. I told her how happy I was when I saw my parents, how terrified I was when I thought she had died, and how she gave me strength to beat Renak. I could barely meet her eyes while I talked. It felt good, getting it off my chest, but I also felt like I was exposing a hidden part of myself.

  But Krystal never judged or mocked me. She sat and listened intently, reaching for my trembling hand and stroking it.

  “You don’t have to worry anymore,” Krystal said. “I’m here and safe.”

  “I know,” I said, clutching her hand tighter. “Thanks for making me feel better, but the whole thing still upsets me. Renak said something had been altered with his spell, but he didn’t have time to figure out what it was.” I sighed. “And if that’s not bad enough, I believed Renak when he talked about the threat from Southern Shala. Your father’s wrong. It’s not armies Renak was scared of...it’s something else entirely.”

  Krystal intertwined her fingers with mine. “You’ll handle whatever’s down there. You just did the impossible by going to Masep and returning. I just wish I could go with you.”

  “I don’t understand that. Why do you want to go to Southern Shala so badly?”

  “Have you ever had a childhood dream, Hellsfire?”

  I tried to remember. Everyday life had been a struggle growing up in Sedah, poor and without a father. I had wanted more out of my life and to not feel powerless, but nothing specific beyond that. I shook my head.

  Krystal gazed away with a wistful look on her face. “When I was younger, I used to read stories about Southern Shala. I’d imagine the land down there and how it was before the war. It was full of possibilities, wonders, and magic. There were wizards like you.” She playfully nudged me with her elbow. “Along with beautiful unicorns. I’ve always wanted to see one since I was a little girl. Think about it, Hellsfire, we would be the first to do so in a thousand years.” Krystal focused back on me and shook her head. “It’s just a silly childhood dream.”

  “No. It’s not. I wish you could go with me.” I did. Not as Princess of Alexandria, but as a woman. If Southern Shala was like it had been before the barrier went up and before the war, it would be a great place to escape to and be as a man and woman. That could never happen. She had her duties and I had mine.

  She gave me a mischievous grin. “I still might.”

  “But your father—”

  “I’m sure I can get him to see reason. Besides, you’ll protect me from whatever’s down there, right?”

  “Of course. But I still don’t think you should go. I have a feeling it’s going to be too dangerous.”

  She sh
ook her head. “It’s too great an opportunity to pass up. We don’t have time to wait. Sharald and Erlam might be our allies, but we can’t let them have any advantages over us. I’m the best qualified person to go. If there were anyone else, I wouldn’t press the issue, but there’s not.”

  I stared at her and smirked. “Are you sure you don’t want to go because it’s a childhood dream?”

  She grinned. “Maybe. If I can’t go, you’ll have to be my proxy. I’m going to need you to act in an unofficial, official capacity. When you meet the council or anyone else, try to work something out for the good of Alexandria.”

  “Are you sure about this? I’m not very good at negotiating.”

  “You negotiated with the goblins.”

  “But your father thought that was a mistake.”

  “My father may not trust you,” she said. “But I trust you.”

  I smiled. “I’ll do my best.”

  “That’s all I ask. If you have problems or questions, follow Prastian’s example.”

  “I will.”

  “Good,” Krystal said. “We can worry about that later. We have a few days before you leave.” A hunger dwelled in her eyes. She grabbed me by the collar and whispered into my ear, “I’ve missed you, more than you know.”

  “Me too,” I said, finding it hard to speak. “The only reason I made it back was because of you.”

  Krystal’s face burned red and she gave me the biggest smile. We closed the small space between us until there was nothing left, and kissed. Our tongues swirled while her hands roamed the back of my head and mine explored her lower back and rear. We both moaned, on our way to a rapture that only the two of us would ever enter.

  A swell of magical energy bubbled up inside of me, feeling like the light I had experienced inside the nexus. It exploded outward, showering Krystal with its power. It wormed its way inside of her. Her face froze. Her fingers dug into my scalp and she screamed. All the color in her face drained, while her eyes screamed for help.

  CHAPTER 14

  I let go of the princess. Her face contorted with horror and pain.

  “Krystal!” I screamed.

  Her soft skin faded and shriveled, the veins turning black. It was worse around her lips, where I had kissed her. I hurried to lay her on the small bed. Her eyes were still open, but they stared at nothing. I leaned in to see if she was breathing, but she went into convulsions, thrashing her limbs. My wizard’s sight saw that somehow the nexus’s energy had entered her. It coursed its way through her body, filling over every pore, bone, sinew, and muscle.