Of Fear And Respect

8

I kept chasing Ban until he finally came to a stop. I caught up to him and saw that kid again. He stood in front of Ban.
"You're back again fake king?" Ban asked him.
"Think I'm a fake huh?" The kid asked.
"Yep" Ban and I both agreed.
"No, I really am King" He told us.
"Look I'm busy and don't have time. Shoo" Ban told him.
"You'll see" The kid threatened.
"Sure" I laughed as I swatted him away.
"Is that so" Ban laughed as he carried on running. I ran after him again as the fake King floated next to us.
"You haven't changed at all since the old days, have you?" The kid laughed at Ban "As long as you get what you want you don't care if anyone else gets hurt" He told us. Ban stopped and reached out to slap him. The kid quickly moved. Ban then did it again but a lot faster in different directions. The kid dodged them all. It is King, I smirked to myself.
"Well how about that. You really are King" Ban smirked.
"I told you so," King sighed.
"Then I won't have to hold back as I kick your ass" Ban shouted as he went to back hand King. Ban looked around and saw he had punched the pillow and not King.
"You used to back hand me like that all the time back in the old days" King pointed out as the pillow moved away.
"So you've come back to settle your old scores with us huh? Or do you have a more specific target in mind, King?" Ban tormented.
"In the old days, I never would have wanted this for our reunion. But I was cast out. Suspected of treason against the realm. With nowhere else to go, I returned to my homeland. But what I found there was the heartrending sight of my homeland burnt beyond recognition" King explained. As he finished his pillow turned into a teddy bear and grabbed Ban by his arms and legs. I looked at it and created a fireball in my hand.
"Gracie don't worry," Ban told me.
"But Ban-" I started. He gave me a smirk.
"Stand down" He told me. I sighed and made my fireball disappear.
"Gracie, I don't want to fight you" King told me "I'm here for Ban" He finished. I looked up and saw him standing on one of the tall green crystals.
"When I was in the sins with you, I must admit that I never really gave it a lot of thought. Why a human like you should be unkillable. Never once did I think you killed the guardian to drink the fountain." King told Ban.
"Now wait a minute, how do you know that woman?" Ban asked. Hang on a minute. The cogs were turning in my head. King floated down in front of Ban's face as he grabbed Ban's collar.
"The person you killed in the forest. That little girl was my sister, Elaine" King snapped. Ban looked at him. We could both see the anger in his eyes.
"Oh I get it. You want to avenge her by killing me" Ban tormented again. Why is he winding him up even more? "Only problem is I can't be killed" He then pointed out.
"If you remember. My sacred treasure has a variety of abilities" King told him.
"Huh" Ban was clearly confused.
"Oh right. If you're not interested, it's in one ear and out the other. Chastiefol, third configuration. Fossilization" King called out as his bear's stomach began to spin and a spear came out from it right behind Ban.
"And that means?" Ban asked. The tone of his voice showed that he had no care in the world.
"This" King told him as the spear came through his chest and began to turn him to stone.
"Ban" I called out as I threw a fireball at the bear. The bear dodged it.
"Gracie. I told you. Don't worry" Ban laughed
"I've been waiting for this moment," King said as he watched the spear slowly turn Ban into stone in front of us both.
"King you fucking idiot" I shouted at him as I threw a fireball at him.
"Gracie, I already told you that my fight is not with you" He pointed out as he dodged it.
"Are you watching Elaine?" King asked as he watched Ban continue to slowly turn to stone. "If you have a deathbed
confession I'll listen to what you have to say. But of course that won't mean I'll forgive what you've done" King told him. Ban smirked and laughed at him as his face eventually turned to stone.
"King. I can't believe you've done this" I told him as I looked at Ban in disbelief.
"Don't act tough. I know this is driving you crazy" King told him, completely ignoring me. Nothing new. He watched as Ban's smirk just looked at him. "No words of repentance even at the very end huh? That's so you, Ban" King said as his spear was pulled from Ban's chest.
"Ban!" Was all I could say but even that came out as a whisper as I looked at him.
"He got what he deserved since he took everything from Elaine," King told me as he turned around. As he did, the spirit of Elaine floated down. I gasped which caused King to turn around.
"What are you doing?" He asked me
"That's not me. My power is fire. You should know this" I told him.
"Is it something Ban is doing? Right now he should be totally powerless" King said as his spear pushed itself into the ground. "Elaine? Is that you?" King called out to the girl. Can he not see her? She placed her hands on Ban's face and kissed his stone lips. As she did all the stone fell off him like it was dust.
"Ban" I called out. He looked at me, as did Elaine.
"I told you not to worry," He smirked. Idiot.
"It's broken. The petrification" King was shocked. Ban looked back to Elaine, he had a huge smile on his face.
"Hello. Elaine" He smiled.
"It can't be," King stuttered. She looked at him and at his scar.
"Ban, how on Earth did you get that scar?" She asked him.
"I thought you guys watched over us from the other side?" Ban scoffed.
"That voice. It's really her" King spoke aloud. "Elaine. Don't you recognize your brother. Please! Show yourself to me too!" King begged.
"Let him see you" Ban told her as he looked at King. She shook her head.
"You're in the Necropolis. It's possible for the living and the dead to see each other again but only when bound together by strong emotions" Elaine explained. Then that means I could see him again. But wait. Why can I see Elaine?
"How come I can see you?" I asked her. She turned around and looked at me.
"Gracie" She started "I've always wanted to thank you for looking out for Ban and being there for him when I couldn't be" She smiled.
"You don't need to thank me. I'm just doing to him what he would do for me. He's one of my best friends after all" I smiled at them both.
"Don't get all soppy you big wuss" Ban laughed as he nudged my shoulder.
"I also know that you've lost a loved one" Elaine began again. My eyes widened. Is he here? "I don't know who he is but what I do know is that you haven't lost him through death" She explained. My eyes widened.
"You mean..." I couldn't finish the question. She clearly knew what I meant as she nodded her head. I gasped and covered my mouth. He's alive. "Thank you" Was all I could say. That was before realization hit me. I looked back around at Elaine who was talking with Ban. "Elaine" I spoke. All three people present turned to look at me. "There was someone else I was really hoping to see" My voice had shrunk to a whisper. She simply smiled as another figure appeared behind me. My heart began to race as I turned around. It's him. I looked at the figure. He looked exactly as I remembered him. Stood before me was a boy. He was older and taller than me. His eyes were blue and his brown hair was as messy as ever.