Barian and Number Wars

Chapter 6

They tied Black Mist's wrists together behind his back and did the same to his ankles roughly. They forced him out the door and took him outside.

Black Mist felt even more exposed now that he was out on the balcony with every eye on him. He looked down, and he saw his father on the back of a darkling.

King Kuro looked up at the balcony and saw the state of his son. He scowled. "Mizael!" he called. "Release my son right now!"

"Are you ready to surrender your kingdom to do so?" Mizael called back.

Kuro growled. "I will fight if need be. You know this, Barian!"

"I know this well. I also know that you cannot win against me. How about we pull a little wager."

"What kind of wager."

Mizael pulled Black Mist close, grabbed his hair and pulled back so his neck was exposed, and placed a knife by his neck. "I win, I kill your only son and heir. You win, you get this land back."

Kuro's expression darkened, and he looked to the pleading eyes of Black Mist. "Deal."

"Men, attack!" Mizael commanded.

Soon, a battle was going on below them. Black Mist watched in horror as the Numbers were losing. A lot of the spirits were bravely fighting, but bravery wasn't enough for the Numbers. They were soon down to very little troops. King Kuro would not give up, though. He himself along with Hope charged the building, a move Mizael apparently hadn't expected, for no guards were posted there. Kuro flew his darkling up and jumped off as soon as he was able to. He gripped his sword and glared at Mizael, who let go of Black Mist.

"So, you wish to fight, Number?" he asked. He pulled out his sword. "So be it."

The two fought viciously, delivering deadly blows. They blocked, hit, parried, and hit again until they finally stabbed each other by complete accident.

Black Mist, who was watching silently, was in complete shock. He knew his father couldn't lose. His father couldn't die. Yet, here he looked. His own father was dying. He didn't get the easy stab through the heart. He got the lung.

"Father..." Black Mist managed to get out.

"B-Black Mist..." Kuro choked. "Co-ome here."

Numly, he floated over to Kuro. "Yes, Ou-sama?" (means "king" in Japanese)

Kuro shakily took off his own headdress, the one only meant for the king. It was gold with the royal mark on it, a proud, roaring darkling. He placed it in his son's hands.

"T-take this...when the time of the coronation comes, you will be crowned."

Black Mist refused to cry. He nodded and gripped then headdress tightly. Then, the former king died. Black Mist got up and went to locate his things. Silent tears streamed down his cheeks, and he only knew one thing: He would make the Barians pay.