The Dark Kingdom (Sage Trilogy, Book 2)

by St. Clair, Julius

  “And who are you that I should listen to?”

  “I’m the Princess of Allay,” she said, kneeling before him and staring into his eyes. “And we mean no harm. What happened in Languor was a mistake. And when I say that, I mean that sincerely. Look into my eyes. You’ll know that I’m not lying.”

  “I see it,” Gyruin said. James looked to Arimus who remained facing forward.

  “To complete our mission, we need the stone of Prattle.”

  “I thought you would say that…and so did the King,” Gyruin sighed. “He told me what to say if anyone should ever ask for his stone. Obey his request, and he promises to relinquish the stone without struggle. If he, or our people stand in your way, he even said that you can cut them down.”

  “What is this request?”

  “Get the stone of Quietus first,” Gyruin chuckled before taking a sip of his cider. Catherine rose to her feet and stared down at the man. She turned and looked to the Sages who were all considering his words. None of them felt comfortable.

  “It’s not a bad deal,” Gyruin said. “Quietus is the closest Kingdom to us so they cause a great deal of nightmares. You can only imagine how us thinkers must be in a fit over it. Kill our enemy for us and get their stone. Come back and show the proof of your victory, and our stone is all yours, especially since we won’t have to worry anymore about that horrible race.” He looked around the room at all the solemn faces. “Oh, don’t tell me you forgot that you need their stone too? I’m surprised you went to Languor first actually. Shouldn’t you get the worst out of the way first? While you’re still in good health and numbers?”

  “We have a history with Quietus,” Catherine stated. “None of us have been eager to go there.”

  “I understand completely,” Gyruin said, putting the mug on the ground and shooting up to his feet. “We’ve heard all about the siege. And if I recall, one Quietus warrior is more than enough to cause your merry band a great deal of trouble…but that’s the deal. We’re not going to give you our stone now, just so you can lose it in battle to those monsters. And if you’re so adamant about taking our stone here and now, then I promise you, our entire Kingdom will fight against you, and make sure you’re nice and tired before you even get close to Quietus or Zen-echelon.”

  Gyruin snapped his cloak back on and gave a warm smile to the Conuns.

  “Thank you again for your hospitality,” he said, and then he turned to the Sages. “And I will be waiting anxiously for your return. Good day.”

  Gyruin shut the door to the lodge as Ma and Pa Conun left the Sages to talk. Arimus sighed and shook his head, thinking about their next move. No one, not even Catherine was ready to make the call. Finally, Arimus cleared his throat and spoke.

  “We leave for Quietus tonight,” he declared. Then he walked out the lobby, and back to his room. Dominic shook his head.

  “Why tonight? Why not wait until tomorrow morning?”

  “Their vision is slightly impaired under the shine of the moon,” Kyran stated, making his way back to the rooms as well. “Though I wouldn’t say it gives us an advantage.”

  Kyran left and Chloe followed. Scarlet chuckled under her breath and returned to her quarters as well, leaving only the young Sages to dwell on the Kingdom they had heard so much about, but were too young to recall what its inhabitants were like.

  “This is the first time I actually thought about death,” Achan mumbled.

  “We all die sometime,” Dominic said, turning to Catherine. “Princess, would you like to come to my room and talk?”

  Catherine looked at him with weary eyes and then smiled weakly.

  “Sure,” she whispered and took the hand he offered. James and Achan watched as the two went back to the guest rooms. Achan nudged his friend.

  “Aren’t you going after her?”

  “No,” James said, his eyes growing tired. “Not yet. I’ll be outside if you need me.”

  “More training?”

  “Exactly. Want to join?”

  “I would, but unfortunately some of us actually need to sleep. Especially since we’re headed to that place.”

  “See you tonight then,” James said, walking out the lodge abruptly. He had a project he had been working on all night. Sure it might not help him in battle, but it did stretch his mind, and he figured that it had to help him improve his general skills at least a little.

  He was just about to start when he heard the lodge doors open and close. Without turning around he chuckled out loud.

  “Couldn’t sleep, Achan?” he called out as he stretched his arms forward. Catherine stepped in front of him.

  “I am not a boy,” she said, putting his arms down with her gentle hands.

  “Yet you’re so determined to hit like one,” James smiled. “I thought you were with Dominic.”

  “This could be my last day,” she admitted. “We weren’t expected to go to Quietus so suddenly. So…since it could be, I’d rather spend it with you than him.”

  “Tell the truth, it’s only because he smells, isn’t it?”

  “No,” she giggled. “It’s because I enjoy your company more…is that being selfish?”

  “Love doesn’t need to…” James’ voice trailed off as Catherine looked steadily into his eyes, her emerald greens sparkling with the snowflakes providing a backdrop.

  “You can continue what you were going to say.”

  “I won’t,” James said adamantly. Catherine scowled and said politely through clenched teeth.

  “As your Princess, I order you to finish that sentence.”

  James laughed and grabbed her shoulders.

  “I think it would be more effective if I show you.”

  “More dorm rooms?”

  “Not exactly,” he said as he stretched his hands forward and concentrated. A white light suddenly washed out their surroundings, and then disappeared as suddenly as it came. In its place was an ocean. The water rippling lightly in a cool breeze as the sun set in the distance, just over the horizon. A wooden dock appeared under James’ and Catherine’s feet, and she stared in awe at the beautiful sight before her. She had never seen anything like it.

  “What is this?” she asked, taking ahold of his arm.

  “The ocean,” he said, trying to control his breathing and concentration.

  “I’ve never seen this before…is this real?”

  “I don’t know,” James replied truthfully. “But I see it sometimes…in my dreams. And I’ve always been in awe over the effect it has on me. Looking at it just…makes me feel like everything is going to be okay.”

  “And what’s that?” Catherine asked, pointing to the right, an unfinished manifestation sitting on the shore.

  “It’s a boat I’m making,” he replied.

  “Boat?”

  “It’s a vessel, kind of like a stagecoach. It carries you across the water.”

  “We’re going to get in that thing?”

  “Eventually,” he said, closing his eyes.

  “And then what? Where do we go?”

  “Wherever we want, I guess,” James laughed. “I haven’t figured it out just yet…Catherine, I wasn’t supposed to show you this until it was completed…right now it’s nothing more than a fancy picture…but I just want you to know that it’s all yours.”

  “Mine?” she said in awe. “How can this be mine?”

  “I want you to have the world,” James smiled at her. “I want to give you everything in my power. This is yours because without you, I would have never trained so hard and gotten this far. You indirectly created this, just by being you.”

  “Thank you, James,” she whispered, reaching up with her hand and pulling his face close to hers. With a moment of hesitation and sigh, she kissed him. A tender, sweet kiss that only increased in intensity the longer it lasted.

  The ocean, the sun and the beach all disappeared, and suddenly they were back in the cold snow, but their kiss remained, and as James held her tighter, and he felt her lips pre
ss urgently against his, he was filled with a bittersweet influx of desire.

  Creating a paradise for the woman he loved was fine and well, but how was he going to save her from the evils they would have to face that night?

  Chapter 12 – The Darkness and the Light

  “Thank you again,” Arimus said to the Conuns as they eagerly shook his hands. They provided them with a good stock of food and water, supplies to carry them through unknown territory. Both Arimus and Achan had been from Languor. A few times, long ago, Kyran had been to Prattle on secret missions. But no one had ever been to the Kingdom of Quietus. No one actually went there to visit.

  The Sages stood outside the lodge looking over their supplies and examining one another for breaks in resolve. They all were so anxious they felt like throwing up but not one was willing to admit it less they start a chain of nervous breakdowns. Arimus sighed and took point.

  “The stone is probably with the King,” Arimus said as strong as he could. “He has never taken a queen to my knowledge. The good thing is that he won’t be able to use the power of that stone. But he can repel us. And remember the story we’ve been told. It’s been said that he absorbed the power of Lakrymos into his being and has both the powers of a Sage and a Quietus. I’m not sure if it’s true, but be careful all the same. Kyran, if you would continue.”

  “We’re going to be moving fast,” Kyran said. “The slower we are, the greater the chance we’ll be detected by their advanced senses. Detection is very bad. We’ll have about an hour on foot through more waste land and another in meadow. After that, we’ll have thirty miles of the Quietus woods, similar to ours except the Quietus use the grounds for hunting. The creatures are harmless though. No worry about that.”

  “But there will be hunters,” Arimus said. “So we’ll have to be quiet. As long as we move as a unit in their woods, the hunters will focus only on the hunt. Once we hit the Kingdom itself, all bets are off. No one’s seen the exterior, let alone inside. Kyran will go invisible and scout ahead. Chloe will take point, and the rest will back her up in any way possible. Quick and precise. In and out. That’s the plan.”

  “Then let’s move,” Kyran barked as they all made sure their cloaks were on tight and started running, all eight of them maintaining the same pace. James looked back at Dominic who was taking up the rear. His eidolon was unsheathed and he was holding it behind him as they continued on. James looked back to the front and thought of how he had improved so quickly. Already he could draw on his Sage strength without needing his eidolon exposed. Even Achan didn’t need the tip sticking out his palm anymore. Why had Dominic fallen so far behind?

  He turned to his friend, Achan, running by his side as he thought of the Kingdom they were running to. How many warriors could he strike down? What was the extent of his Sage abilities now? What would happen when he arrived?

  He recalled the strange eidolon that emerged in Languor, but not again since. It had been born of a Quietus heritage. Would it emerge again now that he would be in the place he considered home? Would his…mother be there?

  He didn’t know what to think of that, and he threw the thought aside as he dwelled on what Arimus said about the King. In the story of the siege, Lakrymos, the most powerful Sage, had lost his life at the hands of the King, being absorbed into his very being, giving him the powers of both Quietus and Allay.

  “Yet I have that power too.” James thought. “What does that mean?”

  The King had to be very powerful if the rumors were true, and that was the one person they needed the stone from. How were they going to manage that?

  “Why can’t he use the stone?” James asked Achan. Achan laughed.

  “It’s common knowledge, James,” he said. “To create a balance of power in each Kingdom, the stones gravitate towards a female first and foremost. Because they’re usually seen as the weaker between the two sexes, the stone gives a single woman full power, being able to let her carry it and use its abilities like in Catherine’s case. But when she marries and their souls intertwine, while she still remains the carrier, only the male is able to use its abilities. It creates a balance between the two. But if only the male has the stone, while he can use its repelling power as a carrier would, he can’t fuse it inside him or use all of its abilities easily. This is typically because men are usually more power hungry, so the stone doesn’t often give the single male full access. Though I have heard it happening in extremely rare cases.”

  “How could the stone know though? You’re making it sound like it’s intelligent.”

  “Maybe it is,” Achan said. “Who knows?”

  “Quiet!” Scarlet scolded them. “We’ll be entering the meadow soon. There’s no telling who will be listening. And Dominic, put away your eidolon. It’s like you’re sending a beacon straight to Quietus.”

  “Sorry,” Dominic muttered as he sheathed it. James noticed Dominic had to work even harder to maintain the pace.

  The Sages ran under the shine of the moon, lighting their way through the darkness, which had already begun to increase in density. As they entered the meadow, no one said a word, thinking of only the dreaded woods that lay before them next. Reminiscing over their time in Languor, their past decisions and if their teamwork would be enough, silence had descended upon them all like a weight. They fought against the burden, trying to remain optimistic, but as they saw the woods’ edge, the tree line getting closer with each step, no one wanted to admit that it felt like the weight had increased.

  “What now, Arimus?” Kyran asked. Arimus scanned the tree line as they kept running.

  “Scout ahead for an hour. We’re going to rest at the edge before heading in. One last reprieve before the battle. The hunters are sure not to spot us. There is no sport in the meadow.”

  Kyran nodded and sped forward, going invisible and disappearing into the Quietus woods. Arimus held up a fist, signaling for them to halt their approach. He turned to address them.

  “We rest until Kyran’s return. If he doesn’t return in two hours’ time, we will assume him dead and proceed. Keep your voices down, and stay sharp.”

  The Sages sat down at the edge of the woods, sitting behind the trees and looking out to the moon. James noticed that the trees in Quietus were nearly dead, void of any leaves or flowers yet the moon only barely pierced through the canopy. The trees crowded together so tightly that the roots took up most of the space on the forest floor, and it appeared they were fighting for the sky up above. The bark was a dark purple and stringy, as if the tree itself was made out of millions of licorice woven together. Even as he leaned on it, he felt like it was going to open up and swallow him whole.

  “Do you have my back?” Chloe asked Scarlet as she sat next to her. Scarlet looked to the ground and thought for a moment.

  “While we’re here, of course I do,” Scarlet replied. “We can’t be divided in this place. We’ll both end up dead.”

  “Thank you,” she said. Scarlet studied her.

  “But that doesn’t mean we’re hanging out like old friends. Go find another tree to lean on.”

  “Will do,” Chloe said happily as she went to search.

  Achan was busy talking with Arimus, and Dominic was still catching breath so James shuffled toward Catherine as silently as he could. She suppressed a giggle when his cloak got snagged by one of the low branches. He carefully detached the branch and sat down next to her.

  “What’s on your mind?” he asked her. She turned to him and smiled warmly.

  “The Ocean,” she said. “With all this gloom around, I was thinking of how the sun looked over the water, how it cast its colors upon the surface like wet paint.”

  “You don’t have to just think about it. I can take you there.”

  “James, you should conserve your energy.”

  “Just for a minute. And then I’ll have nearly a half hour to rest. I’ll even let you sleep on my shoulder if you play your cards right.”

  “Aren’t I a lucky woman?” she s
nickered.

  “So are you ready?”

  “James…”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Do you love me?”

  “What kind of a question is that? I’m infatuated with you. I can’t stop thinking about you.”

  “That’s completely different than love.”

  “How so?”

  “You could see a beautiful woman walk before you and be obsessed with her. She might stroll through your dreams, take up your thoughts and control your actions, without you even knowing her name. But that doesn’t mean it’s love. I guess…I’m just worried that…you only fell for me because I was a Princess. That without that status looming over my head, you would have never given me a second thought. And I know how I feel about you. I’m sure you felt it when we kissed, but I need to know where you stand.”

  “I love you, Katie, because of how I see things now,” James said. “Before, I only wanted the best. To be the strongest Sage in Allay. To dominate my enemies and rule the Kingdom with a goddess on my arm. But all of that has changed so drastically. After what happened in Languor, I don’t want to dominate anyone. Now that I know my eidolon can be more than a weapon, I would rather spend time creating new buildings and masterpieces like a sculpture, than slicing down other living beings like a warrior. It’s scary being out here fighting, but watching a family being torn apart because of what I’ve done…hurts even more. I’m not even sure how much I want to be a warrior at all. The only reason I’m training now is to protect you and you alone. I have no desire to be King, even if we were married, and I don’t want a goddess on my arm because of how boring and high maintenance she would be. I just want my plain Catherine, so ordinary to the world, yet so strikingly beautiful to my eyes. And if you don’t want me for any reason, I’m okay with that, because love means the other person should always be happy before you are.”