The Celestial King

by L Ward

  “It appears this one is still alive,” Undermouth said lightly, gesturing to Will. “Finish it.”

  Nath stalked forward and Evan watched Will’s eyes widen in fear. He reached out a bloodied hand, fire crackling in his palm, the embers drifting through the air in tantalising dreaminess.

  “Tear out its throat, Sir Starstone won’t miss this one.”

  Anger blazed in Evan’s belly, he caught Nath’s eye and time stood still. He bent low over Will’s body, jaws opening slowly, fangs dripping. He crouched low on his haunches, ready to spring. A surge of energy took him by surprise and Evan was on his feet in moments, he thrust out his hands feeling the essence of life burst from his body in an explosion of sunshine, enveloping Nath in a halo of god light. "Go Nath!"

  The King rounded on Undermouth and with a powerful leap, he was on top of him, claws sinking deep into the man’s chest.

  The Governor screamed, piercing and emasculating. The staff in his hand morphed into a jagged dark blade and he thrust it forth into Nath’s chest, but it shattered in a million fragments of cursed magic against Evan’s power.

  His body thrummed, vibrating so hard his teeth chattered to breaking point. He saw the light above, heard the angels sing as immortality took hold of Nath’s life force and his fangs tore Undermouth’s throat clean from his neck. Blood sprayed the room like a blast of an atomic bomb, blackening the cold stone and pooling beneath his broken body. But he didn’t stop there, Nath tore into him again, savaging the man apart until his last breath faded and the torches burned low.

  And with death glazing the man’s eyes, the spell was broken and Evan collapsed. Sounds faded and the world turned to topsy-turvy, swimming with haze and glittering with incomprehensible fragments. Through the fog he could see Nath, rising above Undermouth on his hind legs.

  Will was before him, on his hands and knees, broken and bleeding but gazing at Nath in amazement through concussion-tinted lenses.

  Evan was vaguely aware of the footsteps, the villainous roar of the dragon above and familiar voices calling to them.

  Narelia’s scream on sight of the King.

  Staffs being drawn.

  The click-clack of Nath’s claws as he crossed the stone, carrying his offering of peace in his blood-stained fur. The heart of Undermouth fell to the ground with a wet splatter.

  Chapter 44

  Evan remembered the voices, the flurry of panic in the chamber and the strong, acrid stench of shed blood. He lay perfectly still as the burned, blistered and bruised faces of their comrades bustled about. Nath’s wolfish face swam before his eyes, a monster of nightmares- the Celestial King of the gods. It was several hours before he could move when the moons dimmed to a supple fleshy pink and Nath collapsed beside him, human once more.

  “Are you hurt?” He croaked.

  Nath was panting, exhausted and bruised, but he smiled. “I’ve felt worse after a night of drinking.”

  Evan’s lips curved in a tiny smile and he sat up, wounds healed. “Will?”

  He moved at a stumbling crawl, pale as marble and shadows cast beneath his dark eyes. “Can’t say the same, I’m afraid.”

  He placed a hand on Will’s forehead and sank his magic deep into his body drawing the fibers together and regenerating his cells. It took a moment, but he healed. Evan was exhausted, but he offered his magic to anyone who needed it.

  “What happened?” Officer Callum asked, eyes wide as they crossed to the Governor’s corpse.

  “He controlled me. I was the weapon: The Monster to End all Monsters,” Nath swallowed. He didn’t look quite normal, not with the ears or his canines extended beyond their usual manner, but he was whole again, a king once more.

  Narelia’s gasp echoed through the corridors. “How?”

  Evan closed his eyes and listened to Nath recounting the story, the horror, the bloodshed.

  “I don’t know what this means for the next full moon, but one thing is for certain, it won’t ever be the same as before,” he said calmly.

  Will and Evan exchanged glances.

  “You did the right thing, Your Majesty,” said Officer Callum, bowing deeply despite having just recovered from a fractured shoulder.

  “For now, but this isn’t over yet,” Nathaniel replied.

  Confusion swept the room and glances of worry were passed around like sweeties.

  “Artemis will return and when he sees what’s happened here he will not stop. He will want to claim my throne for his own,” Nath said, voice rising with strength, determination and power.

  “What is our next move, Your Majesty?” asked Will.

  “We return to the palace. His forces have been weakened, the Dead Country is in my hands now and I won’t let our nation- or the rest of the magical world- go without a fight. No, I believe he will start small and rally his forces abroad; pity he didn’t show his face today or I would have ended him the way I ended his minion.”

  Evan swallowed and tasted bitterness and blood. Unspoken words passed between them and he looked to Will, staring blankly at his lap. He knew what he was thinking, about his father, about the betrayal nobody listened to; the boy who cried wolf too many times to be believed. Guilt radiated from his body and Evan found himself reaching over and placing a hand on his shoulder. “It’s not your fault, Will.”

  Narelia frowned. “What’s going on?”

  “Gerard was the mole,” Nath said quietly.

  Shock dissolved her concern and the comrades stared helplessly at Will. “Where is he now?”

  “We’ve no clue,” said Officer Callum.

  “Probably fled the country after I banished him,” Nath replied. “If he doesn’t know what’s taken place last night, it won’t be long before news reaches him.”

  “And when he’s found he’ll be executed for treason,” said Will. There was nothing in his face, no expression or emotion. Evan found it somewhat disturbing yet justified.

  Nath nodded once and an air of discomfort settled among them. “What I’d like to know is what he desired of my father so deeply he would go to these lengths to obtain it.”

  “The throne?” said Will.

  “That, but there was something else, something Undermouth bragged of that would be bestowed upon him after he lured us here,” said Nath.

  Silence descended; nobody seemed able to answer such a question.

  “What do we do now?” Evan asked.

  “We go home, we rally our forces and tell the nation of the events that took place here, and then we prepare ourselves. The ultimate battle is coming, and when it arrives, we must all be ready,” said Nathaniel.

  End of Book 2.

  Copyright 2020 L. Ward

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction and names, locales, characters, events, or organisations are used fictitiously and do not represent anyone living or deceased. This book may not be redistributed, published or used without permission of the copyright holder.