Void World: Shattered Souls

The Snow Monarch

"Yes. It's a village of fisherman. Or slum would be better.", Aracius frowned at the poor looking houses at the distance.

They were on the middle of a mountain valley, left barren by the chilling dry winds.

"If you were going to teleport. Why here, in the middle of nowhere?", Demion complained blowing out smoke from his mouth.

"This is my limit. And for someone who can't use teleportation magic it's quite rude to complain."

Demion frowned. Then started walking towards the mountains covered in frost. Aracius followed in silence.
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"Why did you burned down the castle?", Came an unexpected topic from Aracius.

"Just felt like it. And if you want a reason. Wanted to see if I can still summon the forgotten legends.", Demion replied in cold, dry voice.

"With the fall of the king, fall of every minister in the castle. You've pushed Skelen into total darkness."

"Total darkness? Humans are intelligent. They will crawl out of it. And if not, let them know what it feels like. Let them embrace the dark.", Demion said as the edges of his face curled up into a smile, then vanished as fast as it came.

By now the sun was diving into the horizon. Their shadows lengthened & lengthened into scrawny wicked figures.

Aracius was thinking if they would walk all night or... But Demion knapped off his confusion, "You said I'll find my hand inside a mountain cave. We walk the night."
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"What are you planning after getting back your hand?", Aracius uttered, pushing himself forward in the darkness.

Demion being even more cold than the night or chilling winds didn't answer. Only looked up gazing at the cloudless sky. The sky was blazing with white sparks all over. Blazing with constellations & glittering trails. Demion muttered out of the dark, "Aracius,...... have you ever seen a night like this before."

"Yes. I've seen."

"Maybe I've also seen. But I don't remember.", Demion sighed over his shoulder. "You know the constellations?"

"Yes. I can see Leo in the west, the long, winding, and dim constellation Draco, the Dragon. High overhead you will see the constellation Lyra, the Lyre. Cygnus, the northern cross lies northeast. Further to the southeast you will see Aquila, the eagle. Scorpius, the scorpion, with its claws pointing northward and its curved stinger dipping southward.", Aracius said pointing out everyone of them.

Demion's eyes followed Aracius's fingers to everyone of the constellations visible. Trying to understand the different animals & objects Aracius saw in them.

"But a new constellation has risen in the east.", Aracius continued, pointing out three bright red stars, a big bright golden & a blue-white one. All along a straight line. "Zaphkiel. The evil-slayer sword."

Demion shuddered, swallowed & moved on in the darkness. For a moment he had found a little calm in the stars. But it was gashed from him by that sword & bitter memories of that princess. Aracius thought maybe he shouldn't have told Demion about this constellation, discovered by the wise elders of the five nations 6 yrs ago.

When the dawn broke with the Sun peeping over the ranges, they were surrounded by snow, snow all over. They had crossed the snow line.

"How many steps? How much longer??", Demion frowned at the never ending expanse of snow & a few pine trees here & there.

Aracius had once again fallen behind him. On reaching up to Demion, stomping heavily through the snow. He waited a moment to catch his breadth. Then moved on sighing Demion a forward gesture, "Can't you walk a bit slow?"