The Red Prince (1)

by Stephen Lucas Lacroix

  He only looked at him with disgust. “Such a waste. You chose to put your allegiance to a traitor.” Then slowly, he crushed both of Aragrad’s arms as he screamed in horror.

  Tamiron threw him to the ground as blood dripped from his broken arms.

  “Look at what your master has turned me into,” he said then crushed both of Aragrad’s legs. Aragrad gave another growl of both terror and anger, his voice drowned in the background of all the fighting until no voice came out. “I will live every waking day. I will remember this lesson that your master and you taught me. That no matter how hard you take care of your people, some of them would still want you dead,” he said as he turned away from Aragrad’s voiceless screams.

  He moved towards Menoich who was about to run inside the palace. Evangeline murmured a spell under her breath but Tamiron stopped her.

  “Leave him to me,” he said.

  “Stop him! Stop him at all costs!” Menoich bellowed before he entered the palace. More guards showed up, blocking Tamiron by the doors. Tamiron had had enough.

  “Stop! All of you!” Everyone halted with their spears pointed at him.

  “If you truly serve the empire and not some lunatic acting as king, I suggest you lower your weapons. Stop this madness before I decide your fates,” he bellowed.

  But the guards ignored his threats and two lunged for him. He held one by the arm and tore it from the guard. He crushed the second guard’s legs effortlessly in front of all his comrades. In a second, the rest of the guards immediately laid down their weapons and faced the ground.

  Respect by fear he thought, not a very satisfying feeling.

  “And for those who keep on fighting against us, I suggest you take your own life now to spare yourself from my rage!” he added further, the guards and Phalanxes were unbearably frozen in fear. “I am still your Prince and I command you to stand down. This is my final warning.”

  The guards moved to make way and he proceeded to follow Menoich inside.

  From the corridor, Tamara emerged and confronted Tamiron.

  “Brother,” she wept. “You’re alive.”

  “Not now, sister. Sentiments can wait. Justice will not,” he said swiftly as he followed Menoich inside.

  “What will you do?” his sister asked, halting his stride. He looked at his dear sister who was already tearing up from her swollen eyes.

  “Please, brother, enough. Let the council and the Imperial Court deal with him,” Tamara pleaded.

  “I’m sorry, dear sister. But I need to deliver the justice of the thousands of Trasidian blood on my hands,” he said. He pursued Menoich deeper into the castle and left behind his sister.

  Tamiron caught up with Menoich, limping as he entered the Throne room. He could hear the slow creaking of the huge doors as Menoich closed it.

  He stopped in front of the closed doors. He took a deep breath then punched the doors open, destroying it entirely in a cloud of smoke and rubble.

  “Do you honestly think that these doors can protect you?” Tamiron said as he slowly walked towards Menoich. He was thrown off by the force of Tamiron’s knuckles and crawled towards the throne for safety.

  Fear in Menoich’s eyes glazed upon Tamiron as he sauntered across the room.

  “Tamiron, let me explain,” he stuttered, begging for his life.

  “I will let you feel the thousands of lives my bare hands took. The lives of my people who did not deserve my uncontrolled wrath. I will have the pleasure of making you feel what they felt!” Tamiron growled.

  Menoich’s back hit the throne, the edge of his escape. He could not move away anymore. Tamiron heard the others arriving behind him.

  “Tamiron, this is not you! You are not yourself! Please have mercy!” Menoich shouted, but Tamiron ignored him.

  “Oh, I’ve changed because of what you did. You did this to me! You made me a monster! Might as well keep your legacy!” Tamiron said as he slowly closed in on Menoich.

  “Tell me now, if you killed my father because I might consider your life in the gutters of my prison mines. Tell me now!”

  “I did!” Menoich confessed. “I ordered Aragrad’s men to do it! I ordered him to take the Princess’ dagger and use it to kill the King. I framed Tamara so that I can have the throne. Spare my life, oh Great Prince!” he cried out.

  Tamiron grew more furious. His gauntlets enlarged as tears slowly dripped from his eyes.

  “I also manipulated your father for you to wear the armor that day! I planned it all! Everything including your rampage. But I had help!” He added.

  One of the councilmen suddenly spoke, “What is the meaning of this? What is he saying?”

  “It is simple councilman. Menoich manipulated you and the King for him to gain power over the royal family and the council. He played you all without you having the slightest idea,” Tamara answered.

  All eyes were on him. The council was unable to believe his overwhelming presence in the room and to the things coming out his mouth.

  “He couldn’t have,” the council man spoke.

  “We all have been made fools, councilman. We all have been deceived. But luckily, we sensed something strange. We became dubious. So we spared the Prince’s life,” Evangeline said.

  “And you have to thank Prince Aderon of the High Eagles as well,” Evangeline added.

  “I beg of you. Spare my life. I will tell who helped me in this!” Menoich pleaded to the Tamiron.

  “Quiet you insect! You disgust me. I will have your head!” Tamiron growled. He raised his fist, filled with rage and ready to silence Menoich forever.

  Suddenly, something fell off Menoich’s pocket. A glass orb with black smoke that swirled inside it flew off the ground and floated between Tamiron and Menoich. Suddenly, the dark smoke swirled faster within the orb and threw Tamiron across the room.

  Tamiron struggled to stand back up. As he opened his eyes to look for whatever had pushed him, Menoich was already lifted up in the air, an invisible force dragging him up by the neck as the glass orb hovered in front of Menoich’s eyes.

  Tamiron rushed towards Menoich when another burst of energy waved throughout the room, throwing and slamming everyone to the ground. The windows burst into shards and the giant doors snapped to pieces.

  Menoich was still frozen in midair. Black smoke flowed out of the orb and wrapped Menoich around the chest. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as the black smog bound him where he stood. The entire council watched in horror as Menoich’s skin turned darker and darker until his bones broke inside him. He was being drained, his body squeezed of all its essence until he was only dust and drapes.

  The orb plunged to the ground and shattered into a million pieces, the smoke escaping and dispersing completely.

  Tamiron ran for the clothes but it was already too late. He threw it away in frustration.

  And he screamed.

  People, guards and maids hesitantly filled the throne room. Tamiron sat on the throne. He trembled in anger for his father’s killer died but not in his hands. The councilors gathered around Menoich’s remains it was indeed full of ashes.

  Ravaen and Kaira stood with Evangeline who was extremely weak from the battle. They helped her stand up and proceeded to the room. Glaivel was by the window, unfortunately missing the action. Aderon flew out and checked the skies surrounding the palace.

  Tamara was escorted with some of the Phalanxes that remained loyal on their side. Tamiron noticed his sister coming in and walked fast towards her. They hugged each other tightly, heartbroken. Though they were reunited, their father was undoubtedly gone.

  Kaira and Evangeline were teary-eyed as the others watched in joy that the sister and brother were now together once again.

  Tamiron and Tamara looked behind them and saw the councilmen were kneeling before them. And one by one, the guards and councilors followed. Tamara took a few steps back went down on her knees. Evangeline, Glaivel, Kaira, Ravaen, Sevidon, Graveloth and Aderon who just got back, remain
ed standing as the rest knelt in front of Tamiron.

  The eldest of the councilors stood up, his eyes locked on Tamiron and praised, “All hail, King Tamiron Lluch.”

  He was now the King of the Trasidar Empire.

  He was overwhelmed and was unable to react. He looked at the faces of those kneeling before him. They trusted him. Right beside him, Tamara nodded and smiled with gentle tears on her cheeks. His comrades beamed at him, even Aderon chuckled and smirked before but bowed eventually.

  Tamiron smiled to his audience but it faded quickly as he walked towards the throne, ready to claim it.

  I am not fit to be king anymore he thought. He stood beside the throne and placed his hand on its arm, feeling it. He slid his hand on the throne. A king loves and protects the lives of his subjects he remembered his father’s words. A king loves them unconditionally, despite doing him wrong. Tears rolled down his face. He failed. He failed to protect his people. He had slain his own people with the very gauntlets entrusted to him by his father to protect the people. I don’t deserve to be king he thought once more.

  “Councilmen,” Tamiron called their attention. The head of the council stood up. “I wish to change something in our Royal Monarch and Imperial Law…”

  “Uhm, what sort of change do you wish, Sire?” the councilman asked. Tamiron’s face was serious.

  “I wish to change paragraph two of the Imperial Ascendancy code, only when the primary male heir to the throne is gone, be he deceased, killed in battle or is held captive by an enemy; the Princess or any next of kin will ascend the throne, regardless with or without a husband,” Tamiron said.

  “What is it you wish to change in that paragraph, Sire?” a councilor asked.

  “I move that At any given time, if the ruler is unfit to assume the throne. The daughter of the King and Queen, or whoever is next of kin, shall be granted the title Queen, with or without the blessing of matrimony with another Prince or noble…” he said. The room was in shock. The councilmen had discussed among themselves. He looked at his sister who could not comprehend why he had suggested it.

  The head councilman moved forward and said, “But, my King. We cannot do that—”

  “My first command as king shall go without any nuisance. Am I clear?” Tamiron said authoritatively, instilling his new found trait. Startled, the council came into an agreement without much choice. Tamara could see in his brother’s face, the future of the kingdom was in his mind.

  “And my last command as King is,” he said as he walked to her sister. “I shall surrender the crown of Four Horns to my sister, Princess Tamara Lluch. She knows the people of the Empire. She knows how to take care of the people, not hurt them. As I did. I, who have killed countless lives of my own people, do not deserve to be King. So I surrender everything to my sister.”

  “All hail, Queen Tamara Lluch. Queen and Empress of the Trasidar Empire,” he continued as he knelt before her.

  Tamara was speechless. Everyone was stunned, dumbfounded as the guards quickly followed. The others then followed and the councilors knelt.

  “All hail her imperial majesty, Queen Tamara Lluch.”

  End of Chapter XXIII

  XXIV: THE ELDEMENSTERS

  THAT DAY MARKED THE BEGINNING of a new era for the empire as it was the end of a long struggle and hardship under a man who sought power that did not belong to him. Tamara was now Queen of the Empire and quickly acted and fixed everything that Menoich had ever wronged the Empire in the following days.

  The next days of her reign began with a proper coronation held at the Palace. It symbolized the restoration of the peace and order throughout the entire Empire, returning it to its former glory and to make it once again, the jewel of the east.

  Queen Tamara reinstated his brother, Prince Tamiron Lluch, as the head of the Imperial Trasidar Phalanx and Imperial Grand General of their army. She gave him full autonomy and gave him power equal to hers, making him the honorary, Crown Regent of the Trasidar Empire, making the empire ruled by the twins of Lluch.

  She declared Melgrace City as a memorial and next to it, a new city would be built and would be named, Noa Melgrace.

  After the day of her coronation as the official Queen, Tamara and Tamiron requested the Eldementers warriors to stay for two weeks as a token of gratitude from both of the twins and in behalf of the Imperial Council and the Trasidar Empire.

  The entire week was dedicated only to them and the restoration of the Royal Imperial Monarchy. The people rejoiced under the Queens’ reign as she fixed everything with such haste.

  Tamiron sent Aragrad to the prison mines in the far northern mountains of Malatur’Aren to serve solitary confinement as a disabled warrior. He was lucky to have had his life as insisted by the Queen, opposing his brother of finishing him off. The walls of Tamara remained as it was for it was the only good thing Menoich had done for the city, giving the city the nickname, “The City of Green and Gold…”

  Word soon spread throughout the Arumar continent about the restoration of the monarchy and the downfall of Menoich. The other kingdoms quickly accepted the reign of the queen and made several contacts and gifts.

  Tamiron, being the General of the Imperial Trasidar Phalanx and the entire army, talked to the King of the Mystic Falcons, King Ravaen and to the newly declared Grand Sage of the Maroon Orderian, Evangeline Ressei about establishing a joint army, named the Unibeltrasian Army. After its establishment in the halls of the imperial palace, the other kingdoms soon followed except the Kra’ens and the High Eagles who still needed confirmation coming from both of their kings.

  In the final night of their stay, Tamiron called everyone to a room solely devoted to them and them alone. One by one they entered and the last to enter was Evangeline who held Tamiron by the shoulder, revealing her Grand Sage Ring.

  “Before I go in there, I need to know something,” Evangeline asked.

  “What is it, Grand Sage?”

  “Was it you who ordered the assassination of my parents, Tamiron?” Evangeline asked. He only held his breath.

  “It wasn’t me. I’m sorry,” he said. He looked at Evangeline’s reaction and somehow saw a smile as her eyes clutched onto her tears. “Are you alright?” he asked.

  “I am. At least we know it wasn’t you,” she said.

  “I have an idea who did it though,” he suddenly said, wiping the small smile from Evangeline’s face.

  They finally entered the room and were greeted with a big round table as the doors were closed shut behind them.

  They sat in the seats assigned and Tamiron presided the meeting. He rested both his hands on the table as he looked at everyone who was wondering what this was about.

  “My friends, I cannot thank you enough for what you have done, not only for me and my sister, but to the Empire as a whole. However, I am afraid I have to ask more from you,” he stuttered as the words left his lips.

  “What is it? Tell us now since it will be a long time before all of us are together like this again,” Evangeline said.

  Sevidon noticed her hand and saw a ring with markings on it. He examined it closer and it seemed to be very familiar to him.

  “I am going to tell you this straight. Our fight for peace is still not over.”

  “Wait, what do you mean? We’ve gone all through that and now you’re saying that we are not done yet? Don’t joke with us?” Aderon said out of frustration.

  “Our enemy is not who we thought it was. I have witnessed its power and I can say, Xerxecia grew too powerful that they can easily take us all at once. And someone is behind their massive build-up on numbers and power. And that is why, we need to act now and we need to stop them. Fast.”

  End of Chapter XXIII

  EPILOGUE

  IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE battle of Melgrace of the Eldemensters and Criesmenster, a cloaked figure was in the battlefield, hovering, looking for something.

  Behind him, the shards of the armor Tamiron wore began to assemble on its own. On its crystal
mount, small shards of red crystals took shape once more. The Arvales Stone formed and glowed strongly. It glowed even stronger and brighter than before. The eyes of the cloaked man glowed of maroon, but had the same mark of those in the tree that Sevidon saw in the forest that surrounded the Eldemensters Temple. The same mark as the one on Evangeline’s ring.

  End of book I