Standing in the town square of Rosepost Kingdom in the freezing wind under the midnight sky, surrounded by many people, cheering and laughing as they watched the performers dressed in dragon-like iron masks blow fire from a torch, Alaris looked up at the large evergreen tree in the center of the town square as he waited for James, the bright, lantern-like star placed on top of it shining in his eyes and the shiny, fuzzy, gold and silver strings wrapped around the tree twinkling in the light.

Uptown, where he currently was, was like a place of dreams. The wooden houses were large and sturdy compared to the houses downtown. There were actual buildings where various foods were sold and few food stands instead of small stands that were one gust of wind away from falling apart. There were stone paved roads instead of dirt roads. Children playing instead of being tossed around by knights for their amusement. The men and women wore clothes of silk instead of coarse wool or hemp.

The buildings were currently decorated with evergreen branches which held red berries.

Looking at the tree made Alaris reminisce about the good parts of his childhood. He and his mother used to attend the festival every year since he was quite young. Every year. Until it happened. Until his life ruined his mother’s. It was his first time attending without her.

A bump on his shoulder startled him. He turned around a bald, old man with a white beard and mustache, walking with an old woman, smiling and laughing with her as they held hands. A man all too familiar to Alaris.

His heart sank as he looked at the man.

“Dad?”

The old man stopped in his tracks and turned around. His smiling face that he had when speaking to the woman quickly became a frown when he saw Alaris. His name was Merlis.

“Oh,” Merlis said slowly and in disgust. “What are you doing here?” he asked.

“The festival,” Alaris shakily answered. “I came here for it.”

“Here to ruin like you ruin everything else?” Merlis asked.

Alaris looked down briefly. He wasn’t shocked or offended. This was something he heard frequently as a child when his mother wasn’t around.

“It’s nice to see you again too.” Alaris said with a forced smile.

“You’re his son?” the woman asked happily.

“If that’s what you want to call it.” Alaris answered.

“No son of mine will ever be a man-lover.” Merlis stated, looking at the woman instead of Alaris.

Eyes stretched, the woman gasped and covered her mouth.

“Don’t say that!” she said and hit Merlis’ arm.

“Why not? It’s true.” Merlis stated, glaring at Alaris.

“Why does it matter?” Alaris asked. “You should care more about our relationship than how your precious church would view you, Dad.”

“I want my church to view me the same way God does and I won’t have somebody like you ruining that, Devil Spawn.”

“There it is,” Alaris said, laughlin a little. “I was wondering when it was going to come out.”

“I’m going to go watch the performance.” the woman stated and quickly walked away.

“You know,” Merlis began, staring at Alaris with all kinds of disgust and anger, “Ever since I was young, I had the perfect plan for my life. I wanted a wife, two kids, my own church, and eventually, grandchildren. But you had to come along and ruin it. All of it. You’re the reason I’ll never have grandchildren to continue the Andithier bloodline. And you’re the reason your mother became depressed.”

“You made me, Dad!” Alaris yelled, his lip beginning to quiver. “Maybe if you never slept with mom in the first place, Mom would still be alive and you wouldn’t have to deal with me.”

“We all wish we could change the past.” Merlis mumbled.

Alaris stood there staring at his father in disbelief, his eyes wide and beginning to water. It was like a sharp, cold sword had been driven through what was left of his aching heart.

“If you want grandchildren so much, wait until James has kids,” he said. “You were more of a father to him anyway.”

“I was a father to both of you. I just had to parent you differently because you are different.” replied Merlis.

“A real father would never say to their son the things you’ve said to Alaris.” James said as he walked up behind Alaris.

Alaris quickly wiped his eyes as soon as he heard James’ voice.

“James, I-”

“Save it, Merlis,” James shouted, now standing in front of Alaris. “Of all the people,” he began, stabbing his finger in Merlis’ chest. “I never thought you were like this. What kind of sick bastard tells his son that he’s the reason his mom died? Since you care so much about your church, how do you think they would feel if they knew all of what you said?”

“Proud.” Merlis answered, his chin up and shoulders back.

James’ mouth almost fell open. His entire life, he viewed Merlis with respect. He viewed him as a friend. A father. With just one word, his entire view of the man who took him in as a child crumbled.

“Alaris is your son,” he said. “You’re supposed to love him, not treat him like some freak from a different dimension.”

“You do know that demons do come from a different dimension, don’t you?” Merlis asked, glancing at Alaris.

“You did not just say that,” James stared at Merlis blankly. “So, did you come from that same dimension?”

“Of course not.”

“Are you sure? I think otherwise. Sleeping with a girl young enough to be your daughter immediately after your wife died seems rather demonic to me. Not to mention doing it while unmarried.”

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“I’m sorry, what?”

Alaris never knew of this. It was all news to him. Though surprised, he wasn’t shocked.

Merlis’ heart visibly sank and his mouth dropped open. He stuttered, trying to think of a way to defend himself or to attack Alaris. He sighed and looked at Alaris, shaking his head as he poured his hatred into his eyes. Then he looked back at James.

“I don’t care what you both think of me,” he said. “But you can both stop calling me dad. And you, James, can forget about inheriting my church.”

James snickered as Merlis quickly stormed away, looking for the woman he came with.

“I didn’t know he was going to give it to me in the first place,” James said to Alaris. “Are you alright?” he asked, putting his hand on Alaris’ shoulder.

“I’m okay,” Alaris answered with a brief smile. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Was I just supposed to watch?”

Alaris couldn’t help but smile when he looked at James. Out of the people left in his life, which was very few, James was the only one that warmed his heart. The only one that made him feel loved. I don’t know where I’d be without him.

“Thank you,” he said. “But what’s this about him sleeping with some woman after Mom’s funeral?”

“I thought you knew.” James responded, head tilted.

“No.”

“That woman he was talking to afterwards. It was clear they were together at some point during that time.” James said.

“I wouldn’t know anyway,” Alaris stated, him and James backing away from the large tree as people circled around it. “Given his reaction, it’s obviously true.”

As a man, dressed in white robes with red streaks on them, blew into his flute, playing a rather upbeat tune, the people around the tree began to dance.

At a fruit stand, Alaris spotted the girl who had captured James’ gaze before they went to the Lion Claw Tavern.

He turned to James and saw he was already looking her way.

“She’s not with her brother this time.”

“What?” James quickly began to blush. “No.”

“You might not see her again.” Alaris laughed. “Just do it. I’ll be over there.” he said, pointing to a building named Pillow Fun.

“Alaris,” James sighed. “If you keep going there, you will get sick eventually.”

“Just go,” Alaris ordered, smiling as he pushed James in the direction of the girl. “And bring back something to eat.”

As James nervously walked away, Alaris made his way over to the wooden building and knocked on the burgundy door.

A woman slightly opened the door and peaked at Alaris.

“Are you with anybody?” the woman asked with his deep voice.

“No,” Alaris answered, briefly looking behind him with his hands in his pocket. “Why are you acting like you don’t know me?”

“Because I don’t.” the woman replied.

“We see each other almost every week.” Alaris stated.

“You didn’t come last week.”

“I was busy.”

The woman glared at Alaris.

“Shouldn’t you be enjoying the festival with your brother?” she asked.

“He’s talking to someone right now. And probably for the rest of the night.”

“Come in,” she sighed as she opened the door wider to let Alaris in. “Don’t come during a holiday next time.”

James began to heat up as he approached the girl. This is a mistake.

Through his overwhelming nervousness, he somehow managed to utter the words, “Hi.”

She jumped a little and turned around. “Hi.” she said with a smile.

“She’s busy.” a man yelled as he approached from behind James.

“You’re overreacting, Daniel.” she said to him.

“It’s not safe, Braya.” the man sternly whispered.

“I’m sorry.” she said to James, forcing a friendly smile.”

James bowed his head as he walked away, blushing as embarrassment swept over him. Even though it had not been a long time, he wasn’t thrilled to see Alaris wasn’t back yet.

He can’t still be in there, he thought as he marched over to the building Alaris entered.

He knocked hard enough to be heard but no one answered the door. He knocked again. Still no answer.

“You didn’t seem like you’d go to a place like this.” a familiar voice said to him.

“Your Highness, what are you doing here?” James asked once he turned his head.

To his surprise, it was Princess Rosepost, wearing an elegant white gown, crisp, white gloves, and a golden tiara. “Shouldn’t you be with somebody?”

“The King is here too,” she said, pointing to the fat blob that was King Rosepost as he walked over to the Evergreen tree, accompanied by two of his knights. “I’m surprised he can walk.”

James fought the urge to laugh.

“Here for the festival?” he asked.

“Yes. The only reason I was allowed to come is because today is my birthday.”

“Happy-”

Snatching the words off his tongue, a small, orange dot in the sky stole James’ attention.

It grew in size every time James blinked, further revealing its colorful mix of orange, yellow, and red. That can’t be the sun. It’s the middle of the night.

“What are you looking at?” the Princess asked, her head slightly tilted.

“That,” James answered as she looked in the direction he pointed. “Do you see it?”

“Yes. Is it getting closer?”

Their eyes were fixed on it.

It kept growing faster and faster until their mouths fell open.

With a wide eyed gasp, James grabbed the Princess and pushed her against the wall as a flaming boulder slammed onto the ground from the sky, knocking over the tree and filling the air with screams.

Covering her mouth, the Princess and James watched as the fire from the boulder spread quickly onto the buildings as though it was a candle burning a wick.

“Alaris!” James yelled as he began pounding on the door of the building Alaris was in, his heart beating rapidly. Though fire hadn’t spread to it yet, it was approaching quicker than a cheetah chasing its prey.

“What?” Alaris asked, his eyes narrowed as he swung the door open. His heart sank to his toes when he saw all the fire and heard the screams of all the people running around in search of safety. “We need to leave.”

The Princess following them closely, James and Alaris ran through the clearings they could find in the fire, careful not to trip over the bodies of people and knights who were either hit by the boulder or burned to death.

Over the sound of people shouting the names of their loved ones, a scream was heard. One familiar to Princess Rosepost.

They turned around and, through the fire, could see the silhouette of the King, lying on the ground as a sword, held by a woman, was driven through his chest. The woman was with two knights. But not the ones of the King. Those ones were dead right along with him.

Letting out a small squeal, the Princess slapped her hand against her mouth.

“Come on.” James said after coughing, the smoke making a nest in his lungs as he grabbed her arm and pulled her.

They all continued to run until they reached downtown. The fire wasn’t as bad there as it was uptown. But the sights and sounds were much worse when unmuffled and unblocked the fire.

People tried to run as knights, dressed in white armor with a gray snowflake painted on it, impaled them with their swords. Some were standing over their children, blocking their eyes from what was happening.

Alaris tripped over the girl James was speaking to before he left. James and Princess Rosepost didn’t notice and kept running. He froze briefly, staring at her as she cried, cradling her brother’s head, which looked bashed in as blood spilled onto a rock near it.

“Come with me.” he said as he softly grabbed her arm and pulled her up. In his hand, he could feel her arm trembling. It was like he was dragging her as she struggled to move her legs, sobbing uncontrollably. She looked back at her brother’s lifeless body multiple times as Alaris pulled.

Eventually, he met up with James and the Princess outside the kingdom, safe from the fire and the invaders. In the distance, they could see catapults, launching more flaming boulders into the kingdom. They all watched as the castle, once standing tall over the houses and buildings, quickly toppled over and became nothing but rubble. Even though they were far, the screams and the sound of wood cracking and slamming down on the ground was as clear as day.

Everything they once knew was gone. Their homes, farms, places of work. All of it was gone. All that was left were the walls that surrounded it.

The kingdom that they called home had fallen and, given how it looked, didn’t seem like it would ever stand again.