Theater

Apollo Keating

In my previous life, the movie theater was kind of a pain in the ass. Kids screaming, annoying gasps, and always that one person who wants to make a joke during it. Something I did enjoy was the reclining seats and the seat warmers. Before I died they were making seat coolers as well. I wanted to try and turn both of them on to see if it would be cool, warm, or cancel out.

The theater in my current life had the old school chairs from the movies, was filled with at least a thousand people, and was live-action. Tonight they're going to be doing a story on the Cataclysmic War. About a thousand years ago after this country was first founded, the orc population skyrocketed and began raiding the human realm of Ikela, the elven territory Alh Serin (all-sir-in), and the dwarven lands Vilarum (vile-a-rum). That caused the three countries to unite and push the orcs back.

“I’m so bored out of my mind.” Ruby couldn’t stop shifting over and over. I couldn’t blame her, we had seen this show before.

“I know it is, but we're not here about us, we’re here for my sister.”

“That’s correct and you’ll do your best to remember that young man.” Patrick Thorne took a seat next to me. He was a scrawny man in his late thirties who had short messy black hair and wore glasses way too big. He lacked the ability to manipulate aether, thus causing him to be unable to use magic.

“I get that but couldn’t there have been something more fun Patrick, I mean come on. I would rather fight in a battle rather than learn about a stupid one thousands of years ago.”

“That would be wildly unfair, don't you think Ruby?”

“I’m just a small girl in this world, what could I possibly do?”

“Your muscles have muscles, I’ve also seen you destroy a building with one punch.” She smacked me in the head. “Ouch, and besides why are we doing this if she's not even watching the show.” We all turned behind us to look at the mezzanine floor where my sister and the other royal families were. She was speaking with two Sentinels, one being Noah, the head of the Paxton family, my father and mother, and one man I thought I recognized, however I couldn’t remember where.

“Mr. Thorne, who is that last man talking to them? The tall one with the fur coat?”

“Well for starters I have told you to call me Patrick, you don’t need to use formalities with me like that.”

“Not happening.”

“I figured you would say that, and for your question. That is Arthur Steele, the King of Ikela.” That would make sense why I recognized him. I had only seen him give speeches though I was always too far away to get a good look at him.

“Of all things, why did he come to this?”

Ruby decided to respond, “Because it’s his family that your sister will be serving under. She’ll have a first-class ticket to the good life. You know if you keep going the way you are you will have one as well.”

A soft smile was on my face, “I don’t care about living some good life. I’m happy with how I am now, I just want to fix things for mom. She hides it with her smile and so do others but you can see the looks she gets for being an elf, and it's even worse for dwarves. I want to make my way up so I can fix that for all of them.”

“That is very sweet of you Apollo. And as your sponsor I will support you throughout all your endeavors.” He gave me a firm handshake.

“Thanks, but starting that could take too long.” I stood up and began making my way towards the group. I was planning to do something questionable, and will one hundred percent get me in trouble with my parents.

“Uh Ruby, what is he planning on doing?”

She turned fully around and began eating. “Giving us an even better show than the one down there duh.”

“You did magnificent during the dueling tournament, young one. Of course, I have no objections to you being a part of General Cook’s battalion.”

“Thank you, your majesty. I promise to make the most of the opportunity you have given me.”

“This has always been our daughter's dream, I just hope she will be well protected, as a concerned mother.”

“Do you not trust in your King and his soldier’s strength, elf.” The icy words pierced the air like knives into her lungs.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“I would appreciate it if you didn’t speak to my mother like that.” Everyone turned to see me approaching. After hearing the way he spoke to my mother I didn’t care if he was King, or if I was still just a boy. He could take his crown and shove it up his ass.

“Who do you think you are, speaking without kneeling to your King like that?” Mr. Paxton spoke this time. He waved for some guards to come over.

My father stepped in the way blocking their path to me. “Please my son was just looking out for his mother, leave him be. I will make sure he learns his lesson later.” I love you Dad, but you can’t stop me this time.

“There isn’t a lesson to be learned. You’re the King of these people, a ruler. You are the head of the Triad Army and the main member of the council. So why the hell are you treating someone like that, because she's of another race? The highest member of our society talking down to someone over something as stupid as that doesn't deserve to be a…” Before I could finish a fireball was hurled in my direction.

We turned to see Isiah and his family approaching with other knights, a flame in his hand. “How dare you speak to his highness like that, don’t worry your majesty. I will take care of this little pest for you.”

“You are the boy who lost to Captain Keating in the finals, correct?”

He bowed before speaking this time. “Yes your majesty, though I believe she used enhancements I will hold my tongue on that matter. She bested me, so let me show you my loyalty here and now and why I can make the kingdom proud.”

“I like the confident young man, so be it. Punish this boy and I will make sure you have a solid spot in the Triad Army.” The flame in his hand grew larger as he smirked. I knew what this loser was thinking. That I’m only a child so there is no way I could win, that I have no chance against him. And this so-called King was pressing him on, it pissed me off.

My sister burst out laughing, “You couldn’t beat me in a fight, but you think you can beat my blood relative. Don’t embarrass yourself anymore than you already had today.” This made him blush a bit though he was also clearly irritated.

“That was a fluke, I let you win.”

“Please stop this now, I apologize for speaking out of turn just allow my boy to…”

“There is no need to apologize Mom.” She was concerned, scared even, though I’m sure it was due to the look I had in my eyes. I don’t understand why I was brought to this world. If it was a mistake, or because of some higher power, but I wanted to make it a better place. And this kid and this false King were just stepping stones on the path to me creating a better future.

I hadn’t had much experience with the magic I was about to use, and I had hoped to keep it hidden for a while. But the anger I had kept low for years reached a boiling point, and it was about to explode. “You have one chance to piss off. I wouldn’t want to see you cry twice in one day.”

His face grew even more red after I egged him on. Again more fireballs, it was growing old. “You were somehow able to do such an impressive incantation during the fight but now you're sputtering out huh, how pathetic.”

“ENOUGH!” He cast the Hellfire ring, many of the spectators like my parents and Mr. Thorne tried to intervene. However, the surrounding knights and Mr. Paxton held them back. My sister on the other hand sat back watching, almost bored. More than likely, unlike my parents, she didn’t see Isiah as a current threat to me or anything else.

As he began to raise his hand to send the spell toward me, I raised my finger up pointing at him. “Kneel you trash,” And with that, energy maybe only a handful of people in this kingdom had ever felt surged through the room. Many people who weren’t stage four and five felt the effects and it bore down on them. Most of the stage three’s in the room fell to their knees unable to withstand the pressure. However, for my poor target Isiah, he was crushed face down into the floor which was giving way.

He cried out in pain as blood shot from his mouth, nose, and ears. Something no one other than Ruby knew is that I had begun learning refined magic. Humans are the luckiest of the race’s. We are compatible with any of the four elements. Earth was the hardest for humans to use however very easy for Elves and Dwarves. Fire magic was hard for Elves. Water, and wind was hard for Dwarves. I was lucky enough to be well adept in Earth magic, leading my refined magic to be gravity magic.

“Pl-pl-please stop!” He continued crying as blood began to come from even his eyes. But I pressed on, I wanted to ensure he and everyone else watching knew their place. Then a hand gripped my wrist, stopping me.

“Come on now I believe he’s had enough don’t you, Apollo was it?” Noah Cook was the one holding my hand with that distrusting smile on his face. He was able to not only stay up during that time I raised the gravity, but he was also able to walk over to me so casually.

*Snap*

With a fast movement that I couldn’t keep track of, he snapped my wrist and forced me onto my knees. However I didn’t dare scream, it would only make me look weak.. Luckily for me, due to my job from my previous life, pain was something I knew all too well. So I continued staring into his eyes.

“You’re a tough kid, too tough for your own good if I’m being honest.”

“MY SON!” Isiah’s family sprinted to him, crying almost as hard as he was. “What happened to my baby!” She turned to me, hatred in her eyes. “You, you did this! Your majesty, I want this kid executed, killed now!”

“Woah you will not be killing my son!” At this point, my mother was holding my arm using aether arts to try and repair it, while my dad stood in front of me sword drawn holding it at the woman.

Mr. Paxton stepped forward, “If I am being truthful your majesty, the kid has yet to receive punishment. And now he has rebelled against said punisher and harmed him severely. Maybe death would be the right consequence at this point, snuff out the cancer that is this boy.”

“That may be what we need to do.”

“Your majesty.” We turned to see my sister approaching. “As a captain, I ask you to forget about this ordeal, my brother is just a boy who says the darndest things.”

“That may be so, however, he has committed crimes against the throne now, why should I allow this boy to get off scot free?”

“Because if you decide on this ruling, I reject the offer of being a captain under your family.”