by Andy Nadir
Chapter Twenty
The three quietly made their way up through the castle. After accidently burning down several rooms, and collapsing over half the castle, they found the center tower. “Laxus, remind me how you ‘accidently’ burned down the kitchen?” Tabitha whispered to him.
“They had bad food. It made me mad.” Laxus whispered back.
Tabitha shook her head. “You are starting to sound like Niko.” She replied.
“Let’s go already!” Jack said.
The three hurried up the stairs, and burst into the Tyrant’s throne room. It was filled to the brim with guards, who all charged them. “Laxus, you go handle the King! We will keep the guards busy.” She said.
Laxus nodded, and ran past them. A man sat in a large throne watching them all. When Laxus saw him, he staggered back. “Viekus? You’re the king?”
Viekus, the leader of Black Dragon, grinned down at Laxus. “Hello, my stray puppy. Have you come back to daddy?” He whispered.
Laxus growled. “Never! I’ll die and rise again before I do!” Laxus snapped.
Laxus swung his Flail at Viekus. When it neared him, it suddenly stopped. “Didn’t you ever wonder how I stayed alive? I have a nice little shield.” Viekus grinned.
Laxus growled, and changed his flail to a sword. “I am fed up with you, Viekus. You have murdered countless people, and it is time for someone to end you.” Laxus said.
As he spoke, his sword grew black. Laxus began flickering with fire. Viekus’s eyes lost a little of their confidence. “You can’t hurt me. Nobody can.” He said.
Laxus nodded. “You’re right. Nobody can hurt you. But, your shadow is a different matter.” As Laxus finished, his body burst into bright flames which traveled down his sword. Laxus slammed the sword into Viekus’s shadow.
There was an earsplitting wail, and Viekus’s shadow began to tear. Everyone in the courtyard looked up at the tower. Laxus slashed through the entire front of the tower, giving everyone in the courtyard a clear view.
“I am Laxus, the bearer of the Rainbow Flail!” Laxus roared.
“Your king has been a tyrant to all of you, and it is time for that to end.”
“I ask you all to watch and see, the truth. This man is pure evil, and will do anything for himself, no matter the collateral damage.” Laxus called.
“Viekus, I give you an option. Your life, or the life of your subjects? If you live, your subjects die. If you die, I let your people live.” Laxus called.
The square grew quiet. “Kill them! Kill them all! Just don’t kill me!” Viekus screamed.
Laxus growled. “Do you see now?” Is there a single person who would say this man is a good king?” Laxus called.
There was silence. “Would any object if I was to replace this man with one more suited to the crown?”
There was a roar of agreement. Laxus nodded. “Then, I remove your title, Viekus. I understand that Black Dragon will continue without you. But, no matter. I will destroy them too. Goodbye, the head of the Black Dragon.” Laxus slashed through the remains of Viekus’s shadow, and dropped him.
Viekus’s long wail was cut short as he hit the ground. There was silence for a long few seconds. Then, everyone in the courtyard began to cheer. Laxus held up a hand. “This is not quite over, is it?” He called.
“I need to select a new king! Am I correct?”
Both armies roared “Yes!”
A voice spoke up from the crowd. “And that would be me, of course!” Julius strutted forward from the rebel army. “As the rebel army promised me, I am now the king! And you are all my subjects!” He called smugly.
“Not quite yet, Julius!” Laxus returned.
“I understand the prophecy says I have to choose the king. But, I want to see something.” Laxus turned to the crowd.
“I don’t assume you want another noble born ruling you, do you? I bet you want someone who shared your suffering, and pain!” Laxus called.
There was a quiet pause. “Don’t put the bad man in charge!” A little boy yelled.
His mother hushed him quickly. Laxus nodded. “I believe that young man has spoken all our thoughts, has he not?” Laxus called.
The crowd slowly began cheering. “New blood! New blood!”
Laxus held up his hand again. “I have an idea on who could fill this spot. True, I have only known him for a little, but he is compassionate, and puts others above himself. Does that sound good to all of you?” Laxus called.
The crowd roared their agreement once again.
“In that case, I nominate Jack the Compassionate for King!” Laxus roared.
The loud cheering was cut off by Jack choking. Tabitha pushed him up next to Laxus.
“Laxus, are you kidding me? I am just a peasant who picked up a sword. And was ‘The compassionate’ the best name you could think up?”
The crowd laughed. “No, I just decided to mess with you a bit. I don’t think it will go away anytime soon.” Laxus grinned.
He grabbed Jack’s hand, and raised in the air. “It seems that our good king Jack has forgotten what to say! I believe it goes something like… ‘I, Jack, accept your request for my kingship and blah blah blah, more political stuff. Lets party!” Laxus roared.
“Hold up, I was supposed to be king!” Julius screamed.
The crowd grew quiet. “Julius, am I correct that the rebel army promised you this?” Laxus asked.
“It is!”
“In that case, I leave the rebel army, and everything it stands for. I am my own man now. Now, as I was saying, Jack you are the king.” Laxus said.
The crowd burst out laughing again.
Jack held up a hand. “Since it looks like Laxus is going to force me to do this, I will make my first rule as a king. The king now longer has full power, but a council. This council we composed of people of every status, and of every view. It will be equally balanced, and nobody will have a higher standing than another. During votes, the king will simply have a single more vote.” Jack called.
The crowd roared its approval. “And now, its time to party! Let us honor the ones who fought bravely, and relax for the rest of the day!” Jack called.
Epilogue
It had been almost a month since Laxus crowned Jack.
Laxus had moved in with Tabitha in a small cabin, and they were looking for someone who could return them to the land they came from. So far, they had had absolutely no luck.
A knock on the door woke Laxus up from his book. He stretched, and got up. He opened the door, and there was a small package on it. Laxus picked it up. It had a small note attached to it. Laxus read it out loud to Tabitha, who was standing near him. “Dear Laxus, I have decided to break the rules again. Since you killed your only way of getting back to your world, Viekus, I will help you. Learn this incantation, and say it while you have your arms touching anything you wish to bring with you. You may use this as many times as you like, so make sure to keep in touch with your friends.- BD”
Laxus grinned. “Good old Black Dragon, still keeping up with me.”
“Isn’t BD your shadow?” Tabitha asked.
Laxus nodded. “Quite so. Please go get all of our friends, we will leave immediately.” He said.
Tabitha nodded, and ran out of the house. Laxus sat down, and began memorizing the page.
By the time Tabitha had returned, Laxus had memorized the spell. “Hello all. It is time for Tabitha and I to return to where we came from. I promise we will return one day.” He said.
Jack nodded. “I knew this day would come. I have a present for both of you, but I will give it to you at the last second.” He said.
The commander nodded. “Jack’s gift is from both of us.” He said.
“I will say the spell, and there will be a brief five second pause before we teleport.” Laxus said.
Jack nodded, and Laxus began to recite the spell. When he finished, He nodded at Jack. Jack had a huge grin on his face. “Just kiss already!” He yelled, and at the
same time, they pushed Laxus and Tabitha’s faces together. Tabitha’s eyes widened briefly, then closed. She wrapped her arms around Laxus tighter. Laxus did the same.
The last thing Laxus saw was Jack winking at him.
**********
As the rest of the kingdom rebuilt, Julius the noble sat fuming in a small hut King Jack had given to him. “At least the darned brat didn’t open the chest. Who knows what would have happened then. Well, no matter. The Rainbow Flail’s wielder is gone with it, and there is nobody to keep me away from the crown. I will crush the boy, and his kingdom. After all, does not the king pass down the thrown to his son?”