The Curse of Water

Chapter 13- Confronting My Shadow

Part III

Chapter Thirteen – Confronting My Shadow

“That was a fantastic match there my friend, you really know your way around the ring.” I hear Gershon's smooth flattery caressing the ego of an other man down the hall.

It's been a week since I've been back in the palace, but every footstep felt more foreign, more dangerous, and when I could I tried to avoid contact with anyone. My mother was feeling ill so I decided to move back into my old room for a little while. Though I think partly for my own recovery, not just hers. So after another month of getting my butt kicked and watching other people advance I am back where I grew up, a place that should provide all the comforts and peace that I could need. Of course I didn't win my sword competition or the drag race, or make it anywhere significant in the Finals, but after the fire pit it mattered as little as chocolate or butterscotch syrup on my waffles. Luckily I didn't encounter Kayne, and he only managed fourth place overall, Apollo third, some random creepy guy second and surprisingly Ryder actually came in first. The zippers on his uniform covered a shocking amount of visible and hidden pockets which gave him a grand amount of new weapons to fly through the air, each time customized for his enemy. It was creative. In the last rounds competing for Tournament Champion, people can choose one weapon, but whatever is in the stadium or is part of your uniform (not as an outside attachment) is also not against the rules to use.

So the Tournament left the country in a satisfied peace, granting everyone the excitement that was promised. But it was a peace I could not achieve, and have been wandering the glass and chrome halls endlessly since, but without any answer or aim.

I've also been trying to gather the courage to confront Gershon about the vision, as well as a great many other things. Questions I've had since I was a child. And to maybe give just one last chance for him to become the father he should be. But he's been avoiding me just the same as I've been avoiding facing the question of my future. I've only ever looked as far as the Tournament, and now that that's over, with no desire to go back, and with next to no chance of seeing a vacated throne in my lifetime, I feel lost.

Of course Gershon still made sure that not just his face but his body was in tip top shape and trained hard, making sure to not just be as powerful as his opponent but have undefeatable skill, and seeing his outfit and the towel thrown across his shoulder it's safe to assume he was on his way back from training with one of his buddies. I duck behind a pillar, hoping to postpone our talk just one more day.

“Well, I was an easy opponent, Kendrick will be back tomorrow and he'll give you a real workout.” Arych's youthful laughter travels down the hall and I feel a sting of resentment accompany the shiver down my spine. I actually felt sorry for the guy by the pit. To have to execute death for a living is a cruel profession to have, but I realize it was nothing but an act. The heavy steps, the corny speech, any look of emotion. He's just like all of the other kingdom leeches, sucking up to the source of power for a comfortable life, for his “well earned” good graces.

“Mmm...I have been meaning to congratulate you on that very moving speech you gave by the fire pit. Excellent touch. Give a ray of hope to those miserable vermin just to twist the knife. Death and the void to follow is just that much harsher. I loved it.” Gershon says and the two of them share a full laugh at the expense of the dead. I hope they wrap up quickly before I lose my lunch, or even worse, do something stupid out of rage.

“It was quite a small sample this year, don't you think?” Arych continues as the slow sound of their footsteps get closer.

“Yeah, we had a fairly okay year. Plus, the scoring was a little more generous, because of Marcus and all.” Gershon states, polishing his sword.