Shadow Kingdoms | Book 1 ✔ (REWRITTEN AS 'THE EXILED KING')

Chapter 8 - Reunion

"Filth! GET AWAY FROM MY CAKE! NOW!"

He looked up and saw the baker, Mrs. Ornad fill the doorway with her presence. She had a ladle in one hand and now attempted to land a hit on the two frightened boys. They managed to get away, though, but Samuh had gotten a red mark across his cheek from where the ladle had given a glancing blow. His cheek stung as they watched the cake hungrily. Another hungry child tried to take the cake and once again, mrs. Ornad appeared in the doorway. This time, when she spotted the little girl, she carefully placed the ladle on the counter top and knelt down to the little frightened girl. She spoke.

"Hello, little girl."

"H-Hi." The girl stammered.

"Would you like some cake?"

The girl nodded swiftly. Then she frowned.

"Wh-why didn't Samuh and Daryn get any, then?"

Mrs. Ornad stopped.

"They didn't get any because they are demons. Born of a respected family but without family magic."

She thrust the cake into the girl's hands and the girl quickly ran away. Meanwhile, Samuh crouched, hidden and hurting because he had heard every word. The little ten year old felt a tear slip down his cheek...

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"Samuh." He said, "I have not been called that in a long time."

She looked at him and a tear fell to the ground. Then she stumbled. Ryhon was there in an instant. He held her up. Then he whispered in her ear.

"They call me Ryhon."

He checked her for injuries with his dark magic. Ryhon felt his heart cry.

"Sister, dearest sister I never knew that I had, my heart aches so to have met you, only to have you slip through my grip again. Death has a claim upon you, I am afraid."

"I-I am dying?" She whispered. When he nodded, she sighed.

"Take me with you. I don't ever want to lose you again."

Ryhon's heart soared with joy.

"I can do it! I'll take you to Heresh. You'll become a necromancer like me and we can live together."

He felt her spirit slip away and used his magic to grasp her soul spirit. He took her with him as he descended to Heresh again. On his way down, he sent a silent prayer to Ziocrat, the god of Death. Then he cried out to his king and master, King Naghren.

"Majesty! I beg of you, accept this woman as your bonded servant as you have done to me."

<--<< >>-->

Deep in Heresh, King Naghren heard his overlord cry out to him. He was playing chess with his "head" adviser, who ironically, was actually a head. Nobody knew why he could talk, but he was the wisest being in all of Heresh. His name was Rondak the Wise and he could enchant stationary things to being mobile, like the chess pieces they were playing with. The little chess pieces moved of their own accord when Rondak and Naghren directed them.

"Rondak, my overlord wants me to accept a woman as a necromancer. A woman. Only once before has a woman joined our ranks before. Should I initiate her? She is dying."

Rondak's beard quivered as he thought. If he had a body and hands, he would surely have been stroking it.

"It is thine wish, my liege. Thy wisdom guides you, as it guides me. I shalt say allow her to join you, however, my liege."

"Hmm... " Naghren muttered, "Tower, move four steps forward."

The tower obliged, sliding four steps and colliding with a queen. He smashed her out of the game where she landed with a splintering crash, little bits of stone flying everywhere. The tower stood proud on its spot.

"By Ziocrat!" Naghren swore, "We need to get more pieces."

He considered the girl, dying. Naghren flicked a finger and Dey landed in a heap on the ground, entangled with Ryhon. Then he separated them with another motion. He eyed them. They had put up quite a fuss when snatched away from one another.

"Do I separate two lovers?" he barked.

Ryhon stepped forward.

"No, my lord, you do not. If I had any attractions beyond our existing connection, it would be... unholy."

"And why is that?"

"My lord, she is my sister."

Ryhon knelt before the king and Dey did the same. Naghren brushed Dey's shoulder briefly as he inspected her spirit. Her body was wedged inside the earth a hundred miles deep, but her spirit was oblivious to the fact.

"You wish to become a Necromancer." He stated.

"Yes, my lord. I vow to serve you. Command me as you will."

He smiled. He was about to say something when Ryhon spoke.

"Sister. When he transforms you, it will hurt. It will hurt like hell."

She nodded and the king made a motion with his finger.

She stood up quickly, only crumple to the floor, writhing with pain. Ryhon stared, shocked, but unable to help. He took a step as if to touch her, but the king spoke.

"No! If you touch her, you could be permanently fused together." He warned.

Ryhon hurriedly snatched his hand away.

<--<< >>-->

Dey felt pain. Unending, horrid and continuous agony. Her brother, Ryhon had said that it would hurt like hell, but to her it felt a lot worse than that. She cried out and dark spots danced before her eyes. Then her vision went dark.

Aelron.

Aelron Darkwielder.

<--<< >>-->

Ryhon looked anxiously at his sister when she opened her eyes. He had carried her up to his room and she now laid on his bed. A servant, Pyrhis, hoovered by her bedside. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around. She was not as scared as Ryhon had been when he had first woken, but it probably helped that she saw him first.

"What did you hear?" he asked gently.

Her eyes clouded with confusion.

"I heard something say 'Aelron. Aelron Darkwielder.'" She said, "What does it mean?"

"I am Ryhon Darkwielder. It has acknowledged our relation. Your new name is then Aelron." Ryhon informed her, "I never knew your previous name, though."

She looked at him.

"I never told you?" she exclaimed, "I used to be called Deymalon, or Dey."

"Dey. I think that Aelron suits you better."

"I agree." She told him softly, "Do you know of Daryn?"

Daryn. His brother. He sent waves of dark magic spiraling through the world, searching for the signs of his brother. There was nothing. He frantically searched every town in every Kingdom but with no luck. Then he felt something. There it was again.

Brother dearest. Help me.