Chapter 20
Blood Dynasty
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His eyes fluttered open.
EXPERIENCE GAINED = 400/COMBAT CONTRIBUTIONS.
He dismissed the notification, looking up at Lunis’s face. “What happened?”
She looked down at him and he realized he was lying on the carpeted floor with his head resting on her lap.
“Lixul claimed the throne. We’re safe, sort of.”
He sat up, glancing at his health and mana.
HP 98/160
MP 69/170
He inhaled deeply, recalling his last thoughts before passing out. He’d believed he was going to die. A shiver ran through him and he hurriedly surveyed the room to distract himself. Lixul stood talking to Vest and there was no sign of the other remnants. All three doors were closed and where Lars’ throne had once sat now lay a simple birch table atop which sat a lilly in a blue vase.
He turned to Lunis as she stood. “Ready to go?”
She nodded and he turned to Lixul. “I’m happy we were able to help you, but I’d prefer to leave this place as quickly as possible.”
Lixul turned to face him, a slight smile on his face. “Yes, I’m sure you would. Follow me back to my throne room and I will deliver you from this house.”
Vest remained behind as Kail and Lunis followed Lixul through a doorway and across several passages and rooms. Various emotions washed through Kail as he walked, memories and fears greeting him at each doorway. He reached for Lunis’s hand, grasping it in an attempt to rebuff the memories dancing before him. His friends, people he’d known who’d become strangers. People whom he’d been so close with ounce, people whom he’d loved only for them to drift away slowly or suddenly.
He’d lost so much. If only. If only he could go back and make all the right choices. His life could have been so fulfilling. So real. So happy. So meaningful. Time wasted could have been well spent!
Tears were running down his face and he realized they’d stopped walking. Lixul glanced back, smirking at him before ascending a dais and taking a seat upon a silver throne. They were within a rather large star shaped room and there were perhaps a dozen or so people spread throughout it. Some were conversing, some staring off into the distance, and some meditating.
“Are you certain you wish to depart?” asked Lixul, drawing Kail’s attention back to him.
Lixul wasn’t looking at him but at Lunis beside him. She nodded and Lixul shifted in a motion similar to a nervous tick. A tall woman with long blond hair arrived upon the dais beside him, passing him a silver apple which he bit into. His other hand twitched toward them and a sudden wave of sorrow crashed against him as Lixul’s voice spoke from within his mind.
“Don’t fight it, not if you wish to maintain your sanity and escape from this house.”
He was lying on the beach, staring up at the fireworks he’d just lit before diving away. “I love you,” said Franchesca and he felt as if he were being torn apart.
No you don’t.
“Of course I do. You saved me and showed me all of this.”
Then why would you leave?
His question remained unanswered as he found himself falling through darkness and despair. His feet hit the ground and his eyes shut reflexively. When he opened them he found himself standing within a familiar forest, tendrils of purple mist creeping throughout it and around the fire atop which rested Maycolmb’s black cauldron. Maycolmb himself sat on a grassy log beside the fire, and beside him sat Corvis, who was in the motion of sharpening his sword with a smooth rock.
“Corvis,” said Kail, taking a step toward them only to lose his balance and fall to the ground.
“We’re out,” said Lunis as she helped him rise.
He inhaled deeply, looking at her face. Pale skin, almond eyes, black hair, beautiful cheekbones. She wasn’t Franchesca, and she most certainly wasn’t Audrie. She was kind. “I love you,” he said before turning his attention back to the log.
“This is quite the surprise,” said Maycolmb cheerily.
Corvis had stood, leaving his sword leaning against the log as he nodded at Kail. Kail wasn’t sure exactly what he’d expected Corvis’s reaction to be when they next met, but he certainly hadn’t expected it to be this reserved. Nor had he expected to find Corvis here. In fact, he hadn’t expected to find himself here. Though as he considered, he realized that this had been the same spot where Lixul had been when Solice had summoned him back to the house.
“What are you doing here?” Kail asked as he looked at his brother.
“Finding peace,” replied Corvis. “Have you come to do the same?”
Maycolmb produced a wooden ladle and began scooping soup into a bowl. Lunis strode forward, and Corvis stared down at her as she reached up and placed her hands around his head. Both Kail and Maycolmb stared in confusion at the two, then Corvis turned and Lunis released him as he vomited onto the ground.
“His mind was enthralled by that soup,” said Lunis to Kail before pointing an accusing finger at Maycolmb. “What are you trying to do?”
Maycolmb stood, dropping his ladle as he raised his hands placatingly, a falsely endearing smile on his face. “I was simply easing his mind with good food, he’d been through quite a lot and needed help in processing his trauma.”
Kail had heard the same bullshit before. He hated those who claimed to be therapists, they were liars and manipulators. He glared at Maycolmb before moving to Corvis’s side. His brother stood, wiping vomit from his face before looking at him, his eyes alive and alight with intention. “That craven made a prisoner of me within my own mind!”
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“Kail!” yelled Lunis, and he and Corvis turned to find that Maycolmb had disappeared.
“Where is he?” asked Corvis furiously.
“He just sank into the ground,” said Lunis as she pointed at where Maycolmb had stood.
“His time will come,” said Kail as he turned to Corvis. “But I need your advice on something else.”
“What?”
“Our family. Should we leave them behind or-” he was cut off as Corvis’s face twisted into a rageful scowl. “Fucking mushroom man! That soup has delayed so much. Our Father sacrificed our younger brother to demons. He lied to me my whole life and has been telling you the same lies since your arrival. He’s been using us and he needs to pay for that!”
“I know,” said Kail. “I just don’t know what we should do about it.”
Corvis picked up his sword, holding it before his face. “We should overpower him and force him to explain himself then deal with him as we see fit.”
“What about our siblings?”
Corvis’s lips twitched downwards. “We’ll deal with them after Father.”
“I meant don’t you think we should gain their help before confronting him?”
Corvis sheathed his sword. “They’ve withheld the truth and told me just as many lies as he has. They’re nearly as guilty as him.”
“But without their help will we be strong enough to overpower him?”
Corvis smirked before turning and walking through the forest. “You're the one with the magic, if I’m man enough to face him then so are you.”
Kail hurried after Corvis, Lunis following beside him. “We could just leave, go away to another town.”
Corvis shook his head. “He has to pay for what he’s done, for what he will do if we don’t stop him.”
Kail walked beside his brother, considering before making a decision. Corvis had been through so much and he had no one, no one except him. “Alright.”
The forest gave way around them and Kail was met by a sense of deja vu as he, Corvis, and Lunis ascended the path to the palace as the sun set behind them and shadows stretched ahead.
They strode through the courtyard which was deserted but for the two patrolling soldiers who had opened the gate for them. Entering the palace, Corvis led them up to their Father’s room, though as they reached the door it opened outwards, revealing Dainith. He looked tired, with purple eye bags and an unshaven face. He stood there, looking them up and down. “It’s about time you returned.”
Corvis drew his sword, holding the tip to Dainith’s neck. His Father didn’t seem to acknowledge the blade as his eyes focused on Kail. “Are your siblings with you?”
“What? No. Aren’t they here?”
The corners of Dainith’s lips twitched down. “No. They left after you did and took most of my soldiers with them. I thought they would have made contact with you, but it seems they do not want you as an ally.”
“Be quiet,” spat Corvis. “You lied to me my whole life. You forced all of your responsibilities and struggles onto me and told me I was the only one capable of handling them while in truth I was the only one you withheld the power to save us from. You murdered my younger brother and who knows how many others just to empower yourself. Do you have any final words?”
Dainith’s gaze shifted from Kail to Corvis. “I pushed you harder than I should have, but in doing so I made you stronger than any of my other children. Put down your sword and let us rebuild our Empire.”
Corvis shoved his blade up but a sudden stream of blood erupted from Dainith, sending Corvis crashing to the ground in a limp heap. Kail summoned his scythe as he reached for Dainith’s blood but found it impossible to latch onto. Dainith turned to him, an annoyed expression on his face. “Do not presume yourself my equal child!”
“I’d never,” said Kail as he slashed his scythe through the air and toward Dainith’s neck.
Dainith’s arm shot up, coated in roiling blood which blocked his strike. Kail cast rupture, sending a gaut of his blood into Dainith’s neck.
DAMAGE DEALT TO DAINITH VALIEN = 29
Dainith glared down at him. “Summoning you back was a waste of resources.”
A burst of crimson blood sent Kail staggering back.
HP 139/160
He cast rupture once more, directing the stream at Dainith’s eyes. Dainith brought his blood covered arms up to block the stream and Kail swung his scythe down at his unprotected neck.
DAMAGE DEALT TO DAINITH VALIEN = 41
The blade pierced skin but then Kail was sent staggering once more as an eruption of blood burst forth from Dainith.
HP 119/160
A blood sword formed in Dainith’s left hand as he rushed at Kail who swept his scythe up, deflecting the blade and diverting it over his shoulder. Pain shot through his abdomen as Dainith’s blood entered him.
HP 86/160
Even as he struggled to keep Dainith’s sword at bay, he focused on the area where his blood had entered him, calling his own blood to push forth and out, sending a stream of his and Dainith’s blood shooting out and into him.
DAMAGE DEALT TO DAINITH VALIEN = 26
Dainith backtracked, his gaze turning past Kail as his eyes shone red. “You think my mistakes can hurt me!? I’m still alive aren't I!”
Kail rushed forward, his scythe sweeping down in a strike which Dainith blocked with his sword, the two struggling for dominance. Then a blade erupted from Dainith’s chest, blood spurting from the wound as the sword was withdrawn. Dainith’s strength waived and Kail battered his sword aside just before another eruption of blood impacted him.
HP 74/160
Kail faced Dainith as Corvis circled him, bloody sword in hand. Dainith was covered in dark blood, his red eyes wide with fury, he coughed, blood spraying from his mouth. “I did it all for you.”
“Lies!” bellowed Corvis as he brought his sword sweeping down toward Dainith who conjured a shield of blood that blocked the strike.
Kail swept his scythe up, the blade piercing Dainith’s unprotected side.
DAMAGE DEALT TO DAINITH VALIEN = 43
Dainith sank to his knees as Corvis’s sword pushed down against his shield.
Kail withdrew his scythe, swinging it up above his head before sweeping it down and burying it in Dainith’s back.
DAMAGE DEALT TO DAINITH VALIEN = 73
Dainith crumpled, his shield dissolving as Corvis’s sword sank through it and into his arm. Dainith collapsed in a bloody heap and Corvis raised his sword.
“Wait,” said Kail, but his words were in vain as Corvis sank his sword into Dainith.
EXPERIENCE GAINED = 900/COMBAT CONTRIBUTIONS. LEVEL UP! YOUR HP and MP HAVE BEEN RESTORED! +1 CONSTITUTION, +1 WISDOM. YOU HAVE 1 FREE STAT POINT TO ALLOCATE!
Kail stared at Corvis. “You killed him.”
Corvis withdrew his sword from his Father’s corpse. “It had to be done. Now we're finally free from him.” Corvis turned to face Kail, then knelt, resting his sword point down on the bloodied floor. “I Corvis Valien swear my undying loyalty to the new Blood Emperor.”
Kail stood there uncertainly for a moment before speaking. “Rise.”
Corvis stood. “We need to gather what remains of our soldiers and enlist new militia to seek out Vasangra and Valwin before they can become a threat to your rule.”
Feeling rather overwhelmed and unprepared for this sudden development, Kail frowned. “They fled from this place as we did. I would not pursue them needlessly.”
“You don’t know them like I do,” said Corvis. “They are surely gathering strength in an attempt to seize control of our empire. Once they learn of Father’s death they will come for you. If we are to survive we must force them into submission before that opportunity is lost.”
Kail found himself reluctantly agreeing with Corvis’s sentiment. “You're right. There’s a town northwest of here. The militia there are loyal men and there’s a guy named Kesler who considers us alike to Gods. They’ll come to our aid if we call for it.”
Corvis nodded. “I’ll ride there and gather them after we establish your rule here.”