Kingdom Rivalry

Chapter 14

They made it back to the Obscure Kingdom without incident and crossed the border from neutral lands to Obscure territory. Vector and Black Mist made their way back to the castle, entered without knocking, and immediately searched for Pluto and Minerva. The servants, upon seeing their prince return, hurriedly readied his room so he could immediately go to rest.

"Father! Mother!" Black Mist called into the castle, his voice echoing through the halls.

Footsteps responded as someone stepped ever so slowly to them. Black Mist narrowed his eyes to see what was coming because this was not Pluto walking. Vector grabbed his friend's hand and pulled him back roughly as a sudden beam shot past them. Surprised and caught off guard, the two could only stare at the figure that dared to shoot at them.

"Who are you!?" Black Mist demanded. "Show yourself!"

"But of course," the voice purred. It was smooth and silky, like someone Black Mist knew well. He was certain this was who he thought it was.

"Kai?"

"Indeed," Kai replied. His soft expression was replaced with a sneer. "Do not bother looking for my dear uncle and aunt. They're...taken care of."

"Taken care of?" Black Mist mused. "Did-did you kill them!?"

"How absurd! Of course I did not, but they have been immobilized." Kai smirked. It was an unnatural expression on one like him. "You will not have Daddy's protection now, dear cousin, and that means I can finish what I started when you were but a sniveling brat." He aimed his hand at his cousin's chest.

Black Mist noticed where he was aiming a little too late to avoid the beam that came, but he immediately put up a black shield, one that spun while it made a sphere just like Astral taught him. Upon coming in contact with the shield of death, the beam was neutralized. Immediately afterwards, the prince launched himself at his kin with Vector at his side.

Kai merely grinned. "It is time for you to join your parents, cousin dear."

~.Cosmic Kingdom.~

Astral gasped as a sudden flash of energy consumed the bird he was seeing through. Hand still over his heart, he gasped and panted, worry swelling in his chest. He knew, he just knew, something terrible was about to happen, but he knew he couldn't just march into the Obscure territory without getting robbed or killed. No, he had to think of something else.

Getting up from his sitting place, he started pacing, closing his eyes to consult his own mind for a solution. There was no way he was going to be able to go alone, this he knew, and it would be strange for someone from the Cosmic Kingdom to suddenly go without battle. Maybe...yes!

He knew exactly what to do!

Astral rushed back inside to his room, where Astrid was reading over her herbalism notes. She looked up in surprise when her brother suddenly jumped to the bed with that rare glitter in his eyes that meant he was going to do something potentially dangerous.

"What is it?" she asked him, setting her scrolls down.

"Astrid, I need you to keep anyone from entering, and I need you to watch over my body."

"What are you-"

"Astrid, there is no time to explain! Black Mist and Vector are in danger, I can sense it. I need to try something potentially dangerous." Astral's eyes were pleading, begging her to do this one thing for her.

"What am I supposed to tell Father and Mother when they ask?"

"Tell them that I am going to make myself a body in the Obscure Kingdom to help Black Mist and Vector, but Father is forbidden from stopping me. If he tries, I will abort it myself, and who knows what would happen then. Understand?"