Reign of Rain [Pokemon Watty Awards 2015]

Chapter 1

CARSON

 

            The black lava-stone castle was abuzz today.  Carson Brightflame could hear the commotion in the courtyard outside his tower cell he was being confined to. Starfall’s guards were excited about something. He couldn’t see them because the single barred window was too high for his ten-and-a-half year old self to peer out of. He strained his ears to listen.

            “…and that ought to please him,” one said.

            “His Grace has been upset since the escape,” said another.  “Ever since the prisoners got loose our sergeants have even been sweating. And who do you think they take it out on? Us. But today, the captain of our troupe told us to gather in the hall, and let me tell you, he was sure relieved.  King Starfall must be pleased with something.”

            Carson frowned upon hearing that.  Pyro, the boy’s Torchic and Spirit Pokémon, chirped unsurely, as if to ask “what do you think it is?”

            The young boy shook his head.  “Whatever it is, it can’t be good,” he replied as he scratched the little Pokémon’s yellow wing that was spotted with red-colored blotches. 

            Starfall had betrayed and killed Carson’s father, the rightful King of Lavaridge and the Mt. Chimney Kingdom.  Then, he sat himself on the Brightflames’ ancestral throne. It was Starfall’s triumphant smile that Carson could never forgive.  For a while, Carson believed that Starfall had killed his older brother, Brandon, as well, until the night he decided to try and save a stranger’s life to get back at the Traitor King.

            He could still see them running down the tunnel to freedom, and he would have gone with them, but he was seeing through Pyro’s eyes, as the Stone Giant in his dream had taught him.  Carson had tried to trick one of Starfall’s guards into indirectly freeing him.  Every night he remembered how close he was when the other guards caught back up to them.  They had known that Brandon and the stranger had escaped, and Carson made them believe that the guard he had tricked was trying to free him as well.  Now that guard was sleeping forever in Starfall’s Salamence’s belly.  Even though that guard was working for Starfall, it still pained him to hear his screams of agony all the way in his cell tower as the hungry Salamence ate him alive. He wasn’t really freeing me, Carson thought. And now it’s my fault he’s dead.

            Carson had heard from the other guards since that day that Starfall had been livid. He had heard that Starfall had been unmerciful with all petty criminals that were brought before him.  Those were the only times he left his chambers; to command punishment ranging from the loss of fingers for theft to tongues for whispering against Starfall’s right to rule.

            When Starfall hadn’t been ruling judgment, he had been locked up in the King’s tower chambers.  From what Carson had heard, Swellow carrying messages were seen leaving and returning almost daily.  The jury was still out as to who those messages were being sent to.

            There came a knock at the door and Pyro the Torchic hopped in front of Carson, who stood up to answer. It’s a little early for lunch time. “Just put it inside,” Carson told the sentry who stood watch over him.  “I’ll eat it when I feel like it.”

            The door opened all the way anyway, and Carson took a step back in surprise, and Pyro did the same.  Miguel Starfall, the Traitor King himself, was his visitor.

            “I’m sorry, little one, it seems I’ve forgotten to bring lunch,” the corners of his mouth played in a little smile.  Carson felt the anger swirl inside of him. He hated that smile.  “We’ll get some when we return. Today, we’re going to go for a little… walk.” The wretched smile got a little bigger.