by Aaron Thomas
“I have a lot to learn about being a king.”
“You need to go be a king now before someone grows suspicious. You have those in your company that will help guide you in being the king you need to be. Listen to them and we will be there to aid you in the best way we know how. Remember that you are in more than one place at a time.”
Kilen nodded and walked out the door.
Turning back he spoke to Joahna, “Stay with me for now.”
Kilen strode through the streets back to the gate where most of the new residents congregated. He pushed his shoulders back and walked as strongly as he could. The people looked at him and he felt like they noticed the change in his confidence.
He walked directly to Pete, “Master Bradley, I have already waited too long to take charge of this castle. I need to start appointing those around me to positions. We need to get to work.”
The large cook nodded his head.
“Master Bradley, will you resume your position as the Kitchen Master?” Kilen asked.
“My lord?” The large cook looked around as if confused, “I thought you might choose my son for Kitchen Master.”
Kilen shook his head, “I need someone with experience for now. As for your son, I have other plans.”
“I will accept then, my lord.” He bowed.
Kilen did not waste a breath, “I wish you to start appointing others as you know their skills best. Anyone working directly in the castle needs to have a room to live here until we start running out of rooms for nobles. I need Wells here, quickly.”
The chef bowed and started shouting orders. Men scrambled and scattered into the city. The fat chef walked around writing down names and titles on a scroll as Kilen waited.
Twilix came to him, “What is it you’re doing?”
“I do not want to wait until the sun rises to begin saving the people of this realm. If we do, we have waited to long.”
She patted his chest lovingly, “It is ok to rest for a day.”
He gave her no response but continued to look at the people beginning their work.
“To help you rest, I will help you with whatever task needs doing. I am the Queen after all.”
Brent appeared behind her and cleared his throat before speaking, “Your Majesty.”
Kilen directed his attention to Brent as Twilix moved to stand beside him.
“I see that you are starting to appoint people to positions in the realm. I am not well versed in the ways of an advisor, so I cannot perform that job. I am however, prepared to offer my support as a councilman. If you will have me?” Twilix said.
Ria stepped up beside him, “As soon as possible I should like to return to my life of traveling. However, seeing that it will be some time until you can receive a proper councilman for the earth seat, I offer my experience.”
“I accept both of you on the council. Can an Elder take a councilman's seat?”
Brent spoke with a certain proudness to his voice, “If the Elders have a rule against it, I do not know it.”
“Very well. as soon as Alexander returns I shall ask him to take up the seat. I will begin taking recommendations for the Fire Realm seat.
Twilix placed her hands on her hips, “You aren’t going to choose your sister?” Her eyes displayed a wrath he had seen a couple months ago when he disobeyed her.
“She doesn’t have the experience to sit in a council seat.” He said, trying to look past the demanding eyes of the queen.
Twilix bowed deep, “Of course. How did I not see it, my lord. We would not want a wizard in a council seat with no experience, or a man on a throne for that matter. Wait, didn’t she awaken before you became a weapon bearer?”
Brent laughed then cleared his throat as he stepped back. “Sorry, this is nothing I should be privy to.”
Ria had no problem staying to listen to his response.
“Yes, well I suppose I can trust her word over the others. I will accept her as a councilwoman until someone more experience can be trusted,” Kilen said giving in.
Twilix let her hands off her hips and put her arm around his, “I’m glad to see you honor her. I will be taking your advisor’s seat until when or if we can find someone else to replace me to better fill the role.”
Kilen nodded and gave in. He would likely never hear the end of it if he had chosen another anyway.
“All the seats are filled. I must now see to the army.”
All three nodded their head in agreeance and turned to Wells. Kilen started to pull off his armor. Twilix looked confused and started to help him. Brent and Ria graciously held onto the pieces he gave out.
“Captain Wells, I need a blade,” Kilen said.
Before he could turn around, five blades were being unsheathed and handed to Wells.
“Forgive me my lord, you said “Captain” Wells. I am not a Captain.”
“I made a promise to you a few months ago. I told you that if we ever met again that I would face you. Today is that day, and when we are done you will lead my forces.”
“Sire, I cannot face you.”
“Captain, you will face me or you will be banished from Leviathan. I want you to face me so you know you have what it takes to be a weapon bearer.” Kilen stepped in close, taking a sword from one of the men extending theirs outward. “If you think I lack in skill of the sword you have some things to learn.” Kilen turned to Twilix who stepped forward.
“Kilen has trained with King Atmos’ best scout, defeated his Champion, and is the only human student to be trained by a Kapal. He is worthy of a blade, Captain,” Twilix said.
Kilen nodded his head, “I have also trained with the Crimson. Do you know who the Crimson are?”
The Captain shook his head.
“Then you need to learn about the possible enemies we face as part of your new duties. The Crimson are a group of warriors in the Fire Realm. They are the men appointed to protect the king and queen. Their best warrior is chosen to serve as king. I have trained with them before King Atmos deceived and tried to destroy them. Pick up your blade or be thrown over the wall.”
“Kilen,” Twilix said, drawing his attention. “Surely you do not mean to banish him if he will not fight you?”
Kilen smiled at her and nodded his head, providing confidence. Turning to Wells he said, “It would be a shame to lose such a great soldier and friend. There are only so many men I can trust now. You once gave me advice not to let anyone hold my sword. You told me to keep all of my imbuements away from others. You did not take offense when after that, I hid them high in a tree. I trust you, Captain. All I want to do is start my reign by fulfilling the promises I have given. Today, I start with yours.”
The newly appointed captain hefted his sword. It was not a fine piece of work but looked identical to what the other men that stood around were wielding. The blade Kilen now had looked to be made by the same smith. Wells took a step back and raised his sword, waiting for the first attack.
Kilen took his warrior pose, sword in his dominate hand, his feet shoulder width apart and knees bent. Just as Wells had taught him. They began the dance as Wells attacked with an overhead strike stepping towards Kilen. Kilen batted the blade away and stepped to his left, causing Wells to step to his left and turn. The give and take of the fight lasted only a few moments as the two soldiers spared in the middle of the streets.
The blades clashed and the noise they made bounced off the walls. The sounds added intensity to Kilen’s emotions and made him push harder. Men had fought and died for him just beyond the gate they now beside. Kilen wanted a fight. He wanted to fight the men that killed the people of Keepers because a unjustly king had ordered it. He knew deep down the only thing he could do was train Wells to do what he couldn’t do as king; fight on a battlefield.
Unfortunately, he was a king now and no matter how far he pushed Wells, the man would not strike him. Kilen waited for the man to lift his blade and when he did, Kilen lunged at him with his sword over his head. Kilen’s shoulder
met Wells’ chest. The captain tumbled back and dropped his blade as he landed.
The new king stood over him, “You will practice with me everyday. Each day, to make you better so you can make our army better. Captain Wells, Council, Wife.” He turned so everyone knew he was speaking to them. His voice was loud and bounced off the empty street’s walls. “There is a war coming. We must prepare for the Earth Realm’s attack and for what must come after. Together we will make the Water Realm stronger than it has ever been. Together we will save this land from destruction!”
The crowd clapped and Kilen stepped off towards the city’s walls. Those in his path knelt down and crossed their fist against their chest. He smiled and began climbing the tower. He was happy, and he felt like he was finally learning to be a king.
The sky had become lighter, turning a dark orange over the mountain ridge to the north. When he reached the top of the tower, a large blob of dirt grew arms and legs and walked upon the bridge.
“Raise the gate!” he commanded.
Far below, Wells echoed his orders and men scurried to lift the gate. When it was no more than a finger's length from the ground, Max slipped under it, leaving no dirt behind.
“Lower the gate!” he commanded again. The gate lowered and he looked out on the lake searching for the army that Max had fought last night.
He saw only a few signs of burnt trees or torn ground from where Max had fought the army single handedly. Max, in a smaller form, joined Kilen and Joahna on the tower. They were alone on its battlements and Jace pushed past, nearly knocking Kilen over. Where Max had fought, stood a creature made of stone so perfect that it looked to be a statue made by a master artisan. It stood the height of two houses, and three times that in length, not counting the pointed tail wiggling in the air. The beast had wings made of sections and a neck and face like that of a serpent. Kilen had never seen such a creature in all his life.
“What is that?” Kilen asked straining to see the statue.
Max leaned in, “It is a dragon. They roam the deserts in packs. They look fearsome and are one of the largest creatures I know-” He cut off as Kilen turned his head to the sound of footsteps coming up the staircase.
Twilix emerged from the square hole in the center of the tower’s roof, “My lord. What should we do now?”
“I do not see any signs that the army will attack today,” Kilen said, looking out into the distance.
She joined him at the battlements and gave a yawn, laying her head on his shoulder holding his arm. “I think I would like to see our castle.” She looked up at him and smiled. For a moment, they looked out over the empty fields watching the sun rise over a kingdom reborn.
Epilogue
Even during the hottest days of summer snow clung to the summit of Calcult Peak. The soul wizard’s dark clothing stood out against the mountain’s white surface but she cared not. None tried to enter the Wind Realm from this direction. She needed to sneak in unseen and this was the only way.
Crossing the mountain alone was all but impossible. Luckily her ability to share her health and life with her subjects made it easier for her. The two empty shells of men that followed her carried the supplies she would need to survive the trip. They would surely die before they made it down from the mountain top. In a way they were dead already. Dead and soulless.
Sahera pulled her raven-feathered cloak's hood tight around her face as she met the blistering wind of the realm's defenses. Putting on the wind-imbued necklace had done little to stifle its harshness. Beyond the next mountain range laid Zepher, the capital of the wind realm.
She knew her husband would be there. He would be preventing anyone from taking the throne by sitting there as a puppet and letting the realm be ruled by fools. She knew before she attempted to take him from the throne she would need an army. She looked to the south and spotted a small village by the smoke tendrils coming from chimneys.
Carefully she stepped out into the snow knowing that any small slip would cause disaster. Any loud noise would cause an avalanche at this height. Her former master, a man without age, had taught her to use disasters to build an army. Ripping the soul out of those that were close to death was easier than those full of life.
She checked her cloak for her poisoned blade. She could heal the wounds of her minions, but at a great cost. The wounds spread out amongst her soldiers and the soulless took longer to heal. Poison, however, required no healing from her magic. Since her victims were already dead, the poison could not kill them again.
She turned, taking one last look at the Earth Realm, knowing that her children were on the other side of this mountain. Her husband had left her to raise them and she was almost happy to be rid of them so she could catch him. Dylan Everheart was a dangerous man: a spirit wizard able to capture thousands of spirits. If a wizard of Sahera’s talent claimed the life of a spirit wizard they gained control of the bodies of each and every spirit they had claimed. Dylan had grown too strong, collected to many spirits, and been too bold in his actions to continue unnoticed. Only a whisper need reach her former master's ear and the elemental realms would be destroyed in his fight to find Dylan.
She did not want to kill him, but she would not allow her former master to gain that kind of power again. Sahera had been successful in hiding from him and the Elders for well over a hundred years. Her former master had searched every island in the sea thinking she would escape the elemental realms with the pirates to whom she was born.
Sahera knew if she was able to kill her husband her power would rival dark former master’s. Sahera would become the thing of nightmares. A dark shadow that came to snatch children from the night. She would be powerful enough to topple all the realms, gaining strength at each battle she fought. The power she did not want, she was scared that it would overwhelm her, as it had in the past.
One of her men collapsed in the snow his body dead from the cold. She cursed into the wind and far away one of her minion's health was leached away to help the fallen rise again. Once she was away from the summit both would regain their strength.
She felt a warm presence in her chest. She was close to someone who had just died. She closed her eyes and searched. There, in the village she watched as a grown man cried over his mother's dead body. He had no idea that someone now watched him through the glossy fogged over eyes. She had gained some strength from this death, and another soldier. Even if the woman was old and frail, she had begged on her deathbed that her life be taken to end her misery. Where a soul begged for death, Sahera would accept.
It would not take her long to cleanse this realm of her husband and set straight the elemental realms. She hoped that if she stopped Dylan, a king would soon find a seat on each of the elemental realms’ thrones. If an elemental king raised his castle and ruled over all the lands her former master would be wary to travel here to find her.
She smiled at a thought. She would finally be able to come out of hiding.
End of Book Two of “The Search for the Brights.”
To be continued in “Leviathan’s King”