The Dark Materials

by Amanda Churi

  I am sorry… Tah thought, a single tear breaking from her eye and washing a streak of blood away. Please forgive me, Maeve…

  Closing her eyes, Tah plunged the sword into the blood so that it could sink down to the bottom of the lake. She hastily turned around and swam back towards the stone landmass; another Elite blasted off of the platform, meeting their fate just like the first.

  She approached the shore, scuffling up the slope as quickly as she could. Desmond turned his ghoulish eyes away from the battle, focusing on Tah and, like a feline, snatching her by the neck and hauling her onto the stone without a bit of restraint. Tah grunted in agony, hitting the floor stomach first as Desmond abruptly dropped her. A ring of blood pooled around Tah as she lay there, gasping for air as she watched the final Elite leap into the air and raise his chains above his head, screaming furiously as he brought them down on the nearly destroyed guardian. The grapples tore into the head of the giant formed by the spirits, ripping them apart. The surviving guardians wailed horrifically as the grapple destroyed them, severing the once threatening warrior in half as a pulse of blue shot through its entirety, turning every Eyla into ice as the giant collapsed like a pile of sand, thousands of ice shards falling around the remaining Elite as he landed on the stone, having claimed victory for his queen.

  “Good job, Orione,” Reeve praised with a chilling laugh. “First, the Sword of Maeve, and now, a bounty of Eyla. I am proud.”

  Orione looked over his shoulder placidly, silent as he gave her a single nod before making his way back towards his master.

  Tah did not move as she watched her other half smile with satisfaction. Her chest twisted in agony as Reeve raised her pale hands to her chest, a confined blizzard conjuring in the palms of her hands. Her blue eyes glared out at Maeve’s life source far in front of her, a cruel laugh parting her lips as her powers increased in potency.

  “I thought this would be harder!” she cackled madly. “You pathetic spirit; you were always meant to fall to my hand! It may have taken longer than expected, but now I’m on top! You’re finished!”

  Through a crazed laugh, Reeve pushed her hands forward, a swarm of blue ice, snow, and chilled air shooting from her palms and colliding with Maeve’s buried life source. Immediately, the lake iced over, ice shooting viciously across the expanse of plasma, hissing and cracking as the temperature plummeted and ice overtook the fire spirit. The crystals swept over the walls, the stalagmites and stalactites freezing over as the caverns that used to be a source of hope and life became the victim of winter and Death. Maeve was unable to do anything but stare out from below the pool of frozen blood in despair as her stronghold was turned upside down. She was still weak since the attack of Azuré, and she did not have her Receiver to provide her with strength either…

  “This is my world now!” Reeve screamed as the blizzard continued to shoot from her hands and overtake the caverns.

  Never, Maeve thought, imagining her Receiver before closing her eyes and falling prey to the enemy, knowing there was nothing more she could do.

  ***

  “No, no, no! Think before you attack! Don’t swing blindly!”

  Kevin and one of his fellow knights circled one another, each suited with heavy padding and a wooden sword as the two jousted in the center of a large cleared out room in the castle. Several of Kevin’s enlisted knights lined the walls, watching in awe as their king fluently swung the downgraded sword at their comrade, impressed by the precision of his swings and how many hits he landed on his own man. He certainly didn’t look like he would be skilled in the art of fighting, yet he had bested every single one of them for the past week or so, over and over as he tried to hone their skills and mold them into the most dangerous knights that any would dare to fight. His black eyes intimidated anyone who crossed his path, and his new short hair gave him a more chiseled look, reinforcing that he was a hardened fighter and very serious about the task he took on.

  The past week had been overwhelming, and Kevin was quite glad by the turnout of men who were willing to fight for the small kingdom. More had vouched their loyalty as each day went by, rumors of Kevin’s amazing skill sweeping the town like a wildfire and drawing many young men into the castle walls to see just how many of the stories they heard were true.

  Kevin took a sharp step forward, thrusting his sword at the knight’s stomach, who hardly sidestepped it as the wooden blade brushed his waist. “See!” Kevin exclaimed as he pulled his weapon back before swiftly striking again, the knight hardly able to block his attack. “I would have given you a nice gash there, and you would have been done for; don’t let that happen! Watch the eyes, not the sword! Predict your enemy!”

  “Yes, sir!” he acknowledged gruffly before taking a hefty swing towards Kevin’s chest, who easily blocked it.

  While most of these men were just farmers and simple peasants who had never held a sword in their life, Kevin hoped that he would be able to train them up before it was too late. Some knights complained that he was too rough on them, but Kevin didn’t care; he knew he had to be or else they would fall like dominoes when battle came. Besides, this was the one frame of time per day when he could release all of his built up worries and frustrations which quickly settled on him the moment he had taken over as king.

  One of the first things that he did was perform a clean-sweep of the castle. The abandoned horses from the Nobles and the forgotten prisoners in the dungeons were long deceased; the horses were discarded in the woods for animals to eat, and the dead were laid out in the streets of Phantome for their family to identify and bury. Those who were unclaimed received a burial in an unmarked grave on the outskirts of the town. Kevin had personally tended to Aponi’s body, burying her in the woods and giving her a small tombstone to honor her memory despite how she had gone down in the end. Elip and Azuré, on the other hand, were burned; he did not say anything to the peasants of the village, discarding of their remains in a fire and watching their bodies burn with a glorious smile on his face.

  The make-shift catacombs were a different story, however; nearly every body they found was beyond recognition, and there were so many that they couldn’t possibly dig enough graves for them all. Under the cover of night so that no one could see, Kevin and a few of his men loaded up the bodies in wagons and rode out of Phantome, coming to a bluff far outside of the town limits and dumping the corpses of any who were left into the ocean. He didn’t know what else to do; besides, he was wary that there were possibly remnants of Nobles besides the division leaders amongst the bodies left, and he didn’t want to take any chances. There was only one thing Kevin kept—the sole remaining bone of Desmond Revere.

  Ever since he came to the conclusion that his enemy was alive, his heart had been thrown into panic mode, and it was a race against time to prepare for the inevitable. He had been hiding ever since the conclusion of the war, and Kevin could only begin to imagine just what he was up to; whatever it was, he knew that he was not finished trying to pursue his vision of an ideal world. He could only assume Desmond was somewhere out there building up resources, and Kevin needed to do the same if he wanted to come out of this undeclared war alive.

  The knight screamed indignantly as Kevin blocked another one of his precarious swings, Kevin deciding to end the match. Swiftly, he swung his sword upwards to knock the knight’s weapon out of his hand before quickly spinning around and intertwining his leg with his partner’s, causing him to lose his balance and fall onto his rump. Immediately, Kevin pointed his sword at his ally, resting the tip of the dull weapon at the base of his throat.

  “Match,” Kevin huffed smugly, pulling his sword back and extending his hand towards the man to help him to his feet while the other knights cheered.

  “That’s enough for today, men,” Kevin announced. “Go home and get some rest; meet back here tomorrow.”

  With thankful groans, the knights removed their padding and placed them on multiple hooks strung throughout the empty room, throwing their weapons
onto the floor and filing out one by one to return home and refuel their worn bodies.

  The room was empty within minutes, Kevin hanging back and standing in the middle of the floor, staring at the orange sky through the large set of windows that lined the old ballroom. He could hardly believe just how quickly everything was happening and how things were falling into place. He could only imagine where things would go from here and how, if he kept at it, they would have a secure kingdom in due time.

  “Ya ready, sire?”

  Kevin turned towards the open hallway leading out of the training room, noticing Cecil leaning casually against the archway, dressed in his normal raggedy clothing while keeping a sword hooked to his belt at all times. That was one thing Kevin liked about Cecil; he always stayed near and wasn’t afraid to treat Kevin normally or tell him his thoughts. It was definitely a type of ally Kevin needed right now—one that Kevin could not be more satisfied with having taken under his wing.

  “Yeah,” Kevin chuckled, making his way over to the stone tunnel and standing beside Cecil. “Any news in the past few hours?”

  “Naw, none really,” Cecil informed him as they began to walk down the torch lit hallway together, heading towards the main entrance of the castle. “Everythin’ seems normal; no suspicious activity.”

  Kevin breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God.”

  “I don’t get it,” Cecil continued. “What’s got ya all worked up? Ya gave those ice demons a purty good whoppin’ last time. Why be worried about them now?”

  “Lord only knows how many of them there are,” Kevin answered briskly, “and who knows what’s happening beyond here. I just want to make sure you’re keeping your eyes peeled so that we aren’t caught off guard is all.”

  Cecil rolled his eyes, flashing Kevin a friendly smirk. “Ya couldn’t have picked yaself a better guard if ya done tried,” he praised, his skin glowing in recognition to the fabulous work he believed himself to be doing. “Ya ain’t got nothin’ to worry about. This village be in good hands.”

  “Good to hear.”

  The two men emerged into the main foyer, Kevin pausing as Cecil continued to head towards the open drawbridge.

  Several men were positioning two thrones in the back of the foyer, just like where they used to be before Azuré took rule. The chandelier had been replaced so that the entryway to the fortress was well lit once more, the slick stone floors glistening brightly in the coming twilight. The staircase winding up the walls had begun to be repaired; new, strong iron rails were being installed, and the steps were being patched with concrete before being polished down to match the floors. Cobwebs were cleared away, and windows were cleaned, the entrance as a whole being scrubbed from top to bottom to erase the atrocities of the past.

  “Lookin’ nice,” Cecil noted, glancing around as he came to a halt under the raised portcullis.

  “Yeah, it sure is,” Kevin agreed with satisfaction, his heart feeling light as he thought, yet again, that this amazing place was now his home.

  “Well, I’m gonna head back down yonder for a bit to finish up the walls of my house,” Cecil announced. “It’s gettin’ purty close to bein’ completed, and then Sam’s gonna move back in.”

  Kevin raised an eye in interest. “You know that she can stay here with you, right? We have more space than we know what to do with.”

  Cecil paused, his eyes vague as he absorbed Kevin’s words. “I know,” he responded dryly, “but that ain’t necessary. She can get along just fine on her own.”

  “Cecil…” Kevin tried again.

  “Kevin, as much as I appreciate yar advice, I’m fine without it.” He looked away, staring out at the ocean. “It’s a mutual agreement on our part,” he mumbled through a longing sigh. “My only duty to her is to have her back—not search for love that never be there.”

  Kevin wanted to say more but could not. Cecil had never made the situation surrounding him and Sam clear; he hardly spoke of her. Perhaps in time he would learn, but it didn’t appear to be anytime soon. In his respect for his past, he dropped it.

  Kevin forced a smile to show all was well. “Alright,” he said. “See you soon.”

  “See ya,” Cecil called back before heading home.

  “Sir!” a feminine voice called, Kevin turning instinctively towards the hall he had come from just in time to see a woman come from behind a closed door. She was curvy with dark copper skin to enhance her figure, her wiry black hair tied up into a bun to keep it out of the way. Her black eyes beamed at Kevin in the low light as she anxiously twirled a small cloth in her hands, dabbing her sweating forehead before wiping it across the white apron that covered her dress. “Dinner’s almost ready!”

  Kevin raised a finger in recognition. “Thanks, Koral,” he said, “but I’m going to get washed up a bit first. Is Daisy still with you?”

  “Yes, sir,” she answered through a brisk bow. “The little darling has been helping me like usual; she’s so sweet! Don’t know how I would do it without her quick hands and pearly smile! She’s better than the rest of my staff!”

  Kevin grinned. “Glad to hear that,” he said lightly, satisfied by how well Daisy was blending in, as well as the amount of people in the village that had taken a shine to her. Kevin took a step towards the staircase, looking back at Koral, who stared at him attentively. “Don’t worry, I’ll be down shortly.”

  “Alrighty, I’ll keep it sizzling then,” she responded, whisking herself back into the kitchen.

  As much as Kevin liked all of the extra hands, they definitely were a bit overwhelming at times. He was happy that he had pulled in normal civilians to help out and not people who had been born into servitude or the nobility; otherwise, he would have a headache from all of the formalities he was expected to know.

  He began to make his way up the staircase. He was fairly content with how everything had turned out, but something still felt like it was missing…

  He often wondered how the others were doing back in the future; part of him felt as though it was their departure which had left him so off balance, but he couldn’t be sure. He had tried not to think of them, but that was impossible, especially when it came to Griffin and Eero. Griffin, he missed greatly, but he had been with Eero for over eight years and looked at him as if he were a son. He just wished he could hear from them and know how everything was going… And if, by any insane chance, they could make it back here…

  Sighing tiredly, Kevin turned down the last hallway closest to the top. A large wooden door on the right was the first one he went to, gripping the dull bronze latch and opening the door to his room before stepping in and closing it behind him.

  The room was nothing much, but it was plenty for Kevin. A set of large windows faced the Adriatic Sea, overlooking an endless stretch of water which currently danced in harmony with sparks of light from the setting sun in the west. A large bed was tucked in the back of the room, and there was a single oak wardrobe along the wall closest to him which stowed both his clothes and personal belongings; he tried to keep it locked more often than not just in case. The same polished stone floors ran through the bedroom, a thin black carpet covering them to keep heat in. On the wall to his left, adjacent to the windows, sat an old stone fireplace while a blanket of ashes resided on the hearth from last night’s fire.

  He stood there for a moment, staring at nothing in particular before he took off his drenched shirt. He threw it on the floor, sighing graciously as the semi-cool air of the room destroyed the heat sticking to his skin. One day down, another day closer to the inevitable.

  A sniffle came from nowhere, Kevin stiffening up immediately. He quickly reached over the doorway, yanking King Sterling’s golden sword off of its shelf and establishing a firm grip, prepared to use it at a moment’s notice.

  He stayed silent, scanning the room before taking a cautious step forward. “Who’s there?” he demanded gruffly, snapping his eyes about his residence.

  “O-oh!” a voice stuttered feebly, Kevin spr
inting towards the windows and turning to where the noise had come from, coming to a halt when he saw what he did.

  Lucy kneeled on the floor in front of a small mirror mounted next to their bed, looking his way with bloodshot eyes and a red face. Her hair was let loose, unbrushed, and her eyes held a crazed glint. She was dressed in a thin blue dress, hurriedly wiping her nose the minute she saw Kevin. “I’m sorry,” she apologized through a sniffle, trying to destroy all evidence of her vulnerability. “I didn’t know you came in.”

  Kevin shook his head in disbelief, dropping his sword and running over to his love, kneeling beside her. “Lucy?” he questioned, his eyes racing over her to make sure she was unharmed. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

  “Nothing,” she rasped, taking a deep breath as she tried to suppress another sniffle.

  “Don’t nothing me,” Kevin grumbled in response, grabbing her hand tightly and giving it a firm shake. “Why are you crying?”

  “I’m not crying.”

  Kevin tightened his grip, Lucy averting her eyes almost immediately. “I’m serious; what’s wrong?”

  Lucy was silent, the only sound in the room being her somewhat heavy breathing. He didn’t know why women were like this—why they would always say they were fine when it was clearly obvious they were anything but. Maybe it was a defense mechanism? He didn’t know, but it was very irritating.

  “I don’t think I can do this…” Lucy reluctantly said under her breath.

  Kevin’s heart jolted, the ominous warning from his last vision echoing within. “W-what did I do?” he stammered weakly, his eyes beginning to burn.