Cinder Reign: The Midnight Flame: A Sword & Sorcery Fantasy Adventure

by Vinn Winters

  “See… I’m just trying to ask a question. But nobody here will tell me the answer,” Eygodon said, his tone to his voice a synergy of irritation and amusement.

  His voice is vaguely familiar, she thought.

  “Are you… the acolyte of the Midnight Wolf?” Vyra asked hesitantly.

  “I wasn’t looking for another question, Wishcaller; but perhaps you can answer mine,” Eygodon mused. The warlock rose and slowly made his way down the throne steps with feline grace, each footfall echoing about the giant chamber.

  “And what is your question?” Vyra asked quickly.

  “Where is the King’s Pharos?” Eygodon asked as he continued to approach.

  “Never heard of it,” Vrya lied.

  “Disappointing… well, perhaps you’ve seen it around here. I hear the King keeps it very close these days,” Eygodon inquired.

  “I don’t know, and I don’t care,” Vyra spat; there was a ringing of metal as she put her blade between herself and the warlock.

  “If you don’t want to be of assistance, that’s fine,” Eygodon said with a shrug. “I have no quarrel with you, Wishcaller. But I do need you out of my way.”

  Vyra flinched and almost dropped her sword as she felt a sudden burning sensation in her hand. It started where the mark of The Midnight Wolf was and quickly spread through her arm. It traveled up her chest and down her waist. Soon her entire body felt like it was simmering over a fire.

  What’s happening to me? Vyra thought frantically.

  “I don’t want to cause you harm,” Eygodon said, the sound of his voice almost like a soft melody. “If you would just walk away from this, or crawl away if you linger too long, I can assure you that the pain you’re feeling right now will vanish.”

  “Why the hell should I trust you?” Vyra shouted. “You’re the evil bastard who is trying to bring ruin to Beckonthrone!”

  “I think I’m more ‘misunderstood’ and ‘taken out of context,’ personally,” Eygodon protested.

  Vyra raised her sword higher as she stared down the approaching man.

  “Fine, whatever, you can stay here, I’ll leave,” Eygodon compromised. “But first I want the artifact.”

  Vyra’s eyes widened as she lowered her sword.

  “You mean, if I just give it to you, you’ll leave.”

  “That is what I said,” Eygodon agreed. “But here, I’ll make you a deal, on my honor.”

  Vyra’s eyes narrowed at the warlock.

  “And what good is your honor?” she asked sharply.

  “Quite valuable to those who desire to continue living,” Eygodon replied with equal sharpness.

  Vyra tightened her grip on her blade as the burning intensified; it took all her strength to keep a straight face.

  I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing my pain, Vyra thought through clenched teeth.

  “Anyways, enough of the frivolity; hand me the artifact, and you have my word that, unprovoked by any further attacks, I will bring you no further harm,” Eygodon said, the charming tone returning to his voice. The warlock rested a hand on his bare chest and bowed.

  I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up, Vyra thought frantically. And if it protects Aldrean…

  Vyra lowered her sword and walked to the spot on the floor where she remembered Aldrean had placed the relic. Even though she had watched him hide the artifact there, she was still surprised when the secret container opened for her. Nestled inside was a tiny, golden ball, with lines and markings engraved on it that she did not understand. It felt cool in her hand as she lifted it out of the hiding spot, like it was made of metal or a winter stone.

  “Well, look at that,” Eygodon said, eying it hungrily.

  “Here, take your petty trinket,” Vyra spat and tossed the bauble towards the warlock.

  “Careful now! This is precious artifact,” Eygodon said as he snatched the charm midair and tucked it into his pocket.

  Vyra took a deep sigh of relief as she felt the burning sensation fade from her body like the tide drifting back to sea; first from her head, then the rest of her body, and finally the mark on her hand.

  “I could care less. Now, you have your artifact, acolyte of the Midnight Wolf. Now please, leave us,” Vyra said sternly.

  “No enjoying the moment or exchanging of simple pleasantries?” the warlock said soothingly. “This is our second exchange after all, and we’ve both kept our word. You don’t know how rare that is to find someone so… dependable.”

  “I made a deal with The Great Midnight Wolf. You’re just his acolyte,” Vyra retorted.

  Eygodon chuckled.

  “Leave,” Vyra said sternly.

  “I really wish I could,” Eygodon replied, flashing a sly grin. “But you see, if I leave now, Aldrean will hunt me to the edges of every realm to end me. So I’d prefer to finish this now, while he doesn’t have an army to defend him.”

  “But you said you’d bring us no harm!” Vyra protested.

  “To be clear, I said I’d bring you no harm. It’s not my fault you didn’t pay attention to the details of our arrangement,” Eygodon replied, the grin stretching further across his face.

  “You can’t do this! If you do, I’ll tell the Midnight Wolf what you’ve done. The Midnight Wolf is an honorable creature; it’ll kill you for this!” Vyra shouted.

  “No I don’t believe it will, Wishcaller,” the warlock replied, his amber eyes glimmering wildly in the crimson light.

  “And how would you know?” Vyra challenged.

  “You see, I am The Midnight Wolf,” Eygodon replied coolly.

  Vyra’s jaw fell open as her world went silent for a moment; but then a new fiery glare emerged on her face and she raised her blade with both hands.

  “Ah, the great Lord Aldrean brought to such a sniveling, pathetic state. What a glorious sight to see, and it’s all thanks to you,” Eygodon said, ignoring Vyra’s hostile stance towards him.

  “You were behind this! The elixir you gave me, it did this to him!” Vyra shouted, tightening her grip on her sword.

  “It did exactly what you wanted, Wishcaller… though perhaps, it was a tad too precise,” Eygodon purred.

  “You deceitful bastard,” Vyra snarled.

  “You can put down your sword. There is no need for violence, now that we understand each other,” Eygodon continued casually.

  “Don’t… let him get inside your head,” Aldrean choked.

  “Oh, I’ve already gotten more than that, much more,” Eygodon said, running a finger playfully around his crimson necklace.

  “What — what does he mean by that?” Aldrean asked. He flinched as he tried to pull himself to his feet, but fell back to the floor.

  “Aldrean, be careful, you’re in no condition to fight,” Vyra said, rushing to the paladin’s side.

  “Oh my… she didn’t tell you, did she?” Eygodon said, his lips curling into a mischievous smile. “Then again, that was probably a wise choice. I doubt it would make for good dinner conversation.”

  “What — what are you talking about?” Aldrean replied, his voice quivering.

  “We share a bond, her and I… a bond that began with a secret, a secret regarding you, valiant knight,” Eygodon said with a sneer.

  The ground shuddered with the sound of an explosion from the battle outside.

  “My condition… did you have something to do with it?” Aldrean asked.

  “Lord Aldrean,” Vyra said softly. “Please…”

  “He’s just trying to cast a spell on me, right? Tell me he’s lying, Vyra. Please, just tell me he’s lying,” Aldrean said as he looked up at her.

  Vyra opened her mouth to reply, but hesitated. Aldrean was practically quivering, and there was a look of desperation in his eyes.

  I can’t lie to him, she though, cringing internally, not anymore…

  “Aldrean, I did give you an elixir to change who you were,” Vyra said, each word felt like a dagger in her chest. “But I only wanted
—”

  “To manipulate your way into my graces?” Aldrean’s voice rose as his face twisted in shock. “Did you not think to try and ask me before?”

  “You never even noticed me before,” Vyra protested.

  “So it’s fair to poison me then?” Aldrean shot back.

  “No, it wasn’t,” Vyra replied, tears forming in her eyes. “Aldrean, I’m sorry. I only meant—”

  “You only meant to take what you believed should have been yours,” Aldrean shouted as he lay back down against the throne room floor. “Leave me here to die, Vyra. I may indeed have been a horrible person before your elixir, but you have always been far worse.”

  Vyra stepped away, her hand covering her mouth as tears trickled down her face.

  “This is a touching exchange, truly,” Eygodon purred, “a fitting finale. Now step aside, Wishcaller. It is now time for me to grant the paladin’s wish.”

  “Stay back!” Vyra said, pointing her sword towards the warlock.

  “Tsk tsk tsk,” Eygodon said, shaking his finger at her. “I’ll let it slide this time, but remember, I agreed to cause you no further harm if, as I specified, were unprovoked.”

  “A deceitful agreement!” Vyra shot back.

  “Most agreements do feel that way, if one who’s agreeing isn’t paying attention,” Eygodon replied casually. “Besides, you only find it deceitful because you’re the only one who doesn’t appreciate the outcome.”

  “What trickery are you speaking of now?” Vyra snapped.

  “No trickery, just an understanding. You and I both wanted to manipulate Aldrean to our own ends. You achieved your desires, and now I will get what’s mine. However, it doesn’t seem like Aldrean appreciated our harmony of schemes,” Eygodon said with ravenous glee. “Now, Aldrean and I both desire his inevitable death, and you’re the only one who can’t appreciate the beauty of it.”

  “I…” Vyra stammered.

  “But there’s no need for you to be left out of the benefits,” Eygodon purred. “I now have a great deal of magical power at my fingertips. You don’t need to kiss the feet or warm the beds of these pompous knights for your potential to be taken seriously. I can grant you knighthood, guaranteed. With the power of my magic, not even the king himself could dispute your merit.”

  Vyra’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

  “You — you could do that?” she asked.

  “I can do many things, Wishcaller,” Eygodon replied with a smile.

  “This is just more of your deceit!” Vyra said defensively.

  “No deceit. No fine print,” Eygodon said, crossing his arms. “Your dreams of glory and honor are already in the palm of your hand, all you have to do is grasp it.”

  “And how do I do that?” Vyra asked, with some curiosity. “Just step aside and let you kill him?”

  “No, I’ve changed my mind.” Eygodon’s mouth twisted with evil glee. “I want you to do it.”

  Vyra almost dropped her sword in shock.

  “Yes, that’s it! Fulfill my ultimate desire from our first arrangement and slay Lord Aldrean,” Eygodon laughter that sounded both menacing and intoxicating. “Our first two arrangements have gone delightfully well, I’m eager to make a third.”

  “I would never!” Vyra yelled in a combination of shock and anger.

  “And why is that?” Eygodon asked, his head tilting to one side playfully.

  “Because claiming the life of another without just cause is a wretched and dishonorable act!” Vyra yelled.

  And because I think I care deeply about him, she thought.

  “Oh, but you have plenty of cause,” Eygodon smoothly countered. “You’ve already taken a life before, I can feel it. Besides, Aldrean knows your secret now. Do you ever think he’d allow you to be a knight after knowing what you did to him? Do you think he’ll even let you live once you’re both out of my reach?”

  The ground shook briefly. Even through the muffled walls of the palace, the dragon’s roar sounded straight from a nightmare.

  Vyra looked down at the paladin. He was facing away from her.

  “Would you do that?” Vyra asked.

  The paladin said nothing.

  “Outside of my protection, your destiny lies hanging at the end of a rope,” Eygodon explained. “I mean, look at him… he’s practically dead already. A vicious dragon might even rip him to pieces before anyone can come to his rescue. Do him a favor and end his suffering; remove his life from this world, and we can add another secret to our collection. I will leave, and you will be the knight you’ve always dreamed of.”

  Holy Willow, I can’t believe it, but… he’s right, Vyra thought, as a chill creeped over her. A woman cannot be a knight in Beckonthrone, the king said it himself. With Radek and his guards already after me… and when the king finds out about the elixir…

  Vyra turned her sword towards the silent paladin.

  “I don’t want to die… I want to live,” she whispered. “And I want to be a knight.”

  “Please don’t,” Aldrean said softly.

  I made a promise, that when I become a knight, to protect everyone within this kingdom, including yourself when I inevitably become stronger than you, the words she had said to Aldrean on the first day of their training echoed through her mind.

  I believed that one day your life would be at my mercy, but not like this, never like this, Vyra thought.

  Vyra drew her weapon closer to Aldrean’s neck.

  “I want to be a knight,” Vyra repeated.

  “You always have,” Eygodon echoed. He moved closer until he was right behind her.

  “If I don’t kill him, I’ll be killed,” Vyra breathed.

  “There is no other way,” Eygodon cooed.

  “Aldrean, please… give me a reason not to,” Vyra pleaded.

  “You must do what you feel is right,” Aldrean said softly as he stared blankly across the stone floor. “For honor is nothing to a knight who does not commit their heart to it.”

  “This is the right thing,” Eygodon’s voice was in her ear. “Finish him, and we can take our arrangement to the next level.”

  “Aldrean, I’m sorry… I’m so sorry,” Vyra said as she lifted her sword into the air, the blade still pointed towards the paladin. “Please forgive me.”

  “There is nothing to forgive. I understand now, and I do not blame you,” Aldrean said, looking up towards her.

  “You — you do?” Vyra replied, faltering.

  “What?” Eygodon replied, with equal confusion.

  “Yes, I believe I do. It is neither fair nor just that you are forbidden to be a knight, despite your worthiness in strength, skill, and determination. If you had the ability to freely become a knight, perhaps you wouldn’t have made the pact with darkness to allow you so.”

  “Pact with darkness?” Eygodon repeated, scrunching his nose. “Well, that’s offensive.”

  “Your actions may have been selfish and cruel,” Aldrean continued. “However, if I was in your situation, I would feel like I had no other choice either, neither when you went to make the pact, or now that you are holding my life in your hands,” Aldrean said, shutting his eyes.

  “Aldrean…,” Vyra breathed.

  “So excessively dramatic,” Eygodon groaned.

  “As a knight,” Aldrean continued, “I pledged my life to bring safety and peace to others, to bring opportunity that would have been denied had their lives been in peril. If ending my life will bring peace and opportunity to you, then it is a fate I shall accept with open arms.”

  “Thank you,” Vyra said, as tears trickled down her cheeks, “for understanding.”

  “Well, I’m glad that speech is over. Anyways, where were we?” Eygodon purred. “Ah, yes. Ending his life. Knight not liberating enough for you? How about becoming Queen? Sargedon would probably be happier in a comfy box with some warm milk anyways. You can rule this kingdom, Wishcaller. End his life, and you will be subservient to no one. You can bring Beckonthrone to i
ts knees.”

  “No one,” Vyra whispered, “except you.”

  Vyra spun around, swinging her blade at the warlock’s neck.

  Eygodon leapt back, the point of the blade skimming his cheek.

  “Kae-koon idiocy!” Eygodon snapped, wiping away the thin line of blood forming from the mark on his cheek. “Why would you throw away this opportunity? I offer to put the kingdom in your hands and you try to slay me?”

  “I don’t need it given to me,” Vyra countered. “I plan on earning it.”

  “If you thought that way, then why did you visit me in the forest?” Eygodon asked confidently. “You know, you’re clever enough to realize that hard work isn’t enough; that just because you’re worthy doesn’t mean you’ll be granted the opportunity.”

  “I made a mistake,” Vyra said. “It is not the honorable path.”

  “Easy words to say when you’ve practically seen that path to its destination,” Eygodon countered. “I don’t offer you an underhanded route; I offer you the only route.”

  “I’m making amends by walking away from it now. I propose a third arrangement: Aldrean and I would both want your head separated from your body,” Vyra said, once again pointing her blade at the warlock. “That’s beauty that both Lord Aldrean and I can both appreciate, though you might feel left out.”

  “Careful, Wishcaller,” Eygodon replied with a glare that could melt stone. “I won’t warn you again.

  “You won’t need to!” Vyra yelled as she raised her sword and charged.

  She had made it halfway to the warlock before the pain from her mark surged through her again; she felt like her body was submerged in fire.

  Vyra yelped and staggered, but continued forward. With every step she took towards him, the burning feeling intensified. The warlock was almost within her reach.

  Vyra’s legs gave out. She yelped as she fell to her knees.

  “I don’t understand why I’m the villain here,” Eygodon said as he paced around her. “You came to me and I helped you, and I’m still trying to help you. If you don’t want the power and glory, fine, you can walk away — no catch. But standing in my way is just not something I can allow; I still haven’t collected my end of our arrangement.”