There are dead and decaying trees dotting the empty and lifeless landscape. In the moonlight, someone descends from the sky and lands soundlessly. His wings are that of a dragonfly. He’s holding a scythe in his hands. This is the Death King. He admires the lifeless wasteland he created. I’m hiding behind a large fallen log.
“If only I could keep it like this,” he mumbled to himself. “But, my people need food. I have to end their famine. I promised them.”
He raised his scythe and destroyed all the dead trees. I have nowhere to hide.
“I know you're there Prince of Life. Don't try to hide,” he said.
I recognize that voice. It's the same voice that called me and threatened to kill me. But there's something else about his voice that I recognize. It's surprisingly soothing.
It takes me a few seconds to fit the two together. Oh my god, I’m furious. I feel betrayed.
“Hametsu,” I growled.
He laughs cruelly.
“You are surprisingly very slow Kallan. I've been dropping hint after hint after hint and you were too stupid to notice,” he says as he laughs some more. “Now I know it's because you just discovered your powers and your heritage.”
“I thought we were friends,” I said.
“Me? Friends? With you?” he said menacingly. “Don't make me laugh Aelfdene. I was just getting close to you so I can kill you!! I've been trying to kill you for years! You're a threat to my ambitions. Once you're gone nothing will stop me from destroying both Fae and the Human Realm and recreating the habitat in which my people will live in!!” He laughs a near deranged laugh.
I punch him in the face. He was unaffected by it. He stops laughing but the cruel look in his eyes didn't leave.
“I'll stop you, Hametsu. You will never have your way!!!” I growled at him.
“Please, Kallan, spare me your humor,” he said. “You and I both know that I will rule both realms. Whether you like it or not. Your kind will be crushed like the insignificant little bugs they are under the weight of my oppression while my kind will flourish and prosper and beat yours to the ground. It's a win-win. I get what I want and my people get what they want.”
“Just what exactly do you want?” I asked.
“Kallan I just said it,” he replied. “I want to oppress and torture your people. I want to exterminate the human race and bring forth an empire of ruin and death to humanity. I will make sure that you fail miserably at your little ‘savior’ task. Then you will be the biggest laughing stock and the most shamed being in both worlds. I'll destroy you with every form of torture I can think of and publicly HUMILIATE you in front of everyone you love.”
He grabs my neck. I can see extreme cruelty burning in his eyes, but also something else, however, it went away as soon as I saw it.
“Just try and stop me Kallan. It's your death sentence,” he said in a low, dark, voice.
He smiles cruelly. He digs his nails into my neck, drawing blood, and scratches me. It hurt. He knows this and continues doing it, slowly, painfully, digging his nails even deeper into my neck while his smile grows even crueler. I try to pry his hand off, but he just claws me harder.
His other hand held his scythe. It has a long blade and is extremely sharp and deadly looking, I got nervous when I saw it.
He sees what I was looking at and judging by the cruel expression that crossed his face, he formulated some form of torture for me. He lets go of my neck, backs up, and slices me across my chest before I have time to react. Blood is pouring out.
“I'm done toying with you,” he said as he starts to fly away. “I'll get serious with your death soon.”
I’m having a hard time standing up straight, but when I do, I fly away as fast as I can.
“KALLAN!!!!” My birth parents scream, when I crash land onto the floor of the main hall.
“Kallan what happened?!” Mother said.
“I went out to investigate who the Death King was,” I said. “I ran into him and he scratched my neck and sliced my chest after we talked. Well, he taunted me more than we talked.”
Father picks me up and carries me to my room. Medics arrive quickly and begin to treat my giant wound.
“Kallan, my boy, that was very reckless of you,” he said. “Even I wouldn't do that, and I, myself, am a reckless man.”
“I'm sorry. But I know who he is,” I said.
“Tell us later. We have to dress your wounds,” Mother said.
Dress my wounds. That sounds incredibly cheesy, but I keep that to myself because they're right. I need to get my cuts and gash across my chest fixed. I’m bleeding a lot. I'm pretty sure I passed out because next thing I know, my chest is covered in bandages and my neck has some sort of paste on it. It’s mid-morning and I’m very light-headed. I fell back asleep again.
When I wake up again, I see Aidan sitting to my left, totally lost in thought. His expression is worried.
“Aidan?” I said weakly. He turns my direction.
“Kal you're awake!!” he exclaimed running up to me. He kneels to my eye level.
I try to sit up, but it hurts a lot, so I lie back down.
“How long was I out?” I asked.
“Nearly two days. There was a poison in your body, probably from the Death King,” Aidan told me.
So Hametsu tried to kill me by poison and having me bleed to death. His scythe probably has poison on it. Or maybe his nails because that actually burned. But I highly doubt that he secretes poison from his nails. Maybe he had poison purposefully smeared on his hand just in case he ever ran into me. Sure enough, he did and he tried to kill me.
“Rumor tells that you know about the Death King,” Aidan said.
“Yes,” I said. “He was a classmate that Roxy and I tried to befriend. He's extremely manipulative.” I started coughing.
He gently shushed me.
“Don't push yourself, bro. Rest. Tell us more later okay,” he said gently.
“At least let me tell you his name,” I said.
“Go for it.”
“Hametsu Yamashi, the manipulative psychopath who enjoys torture,” I said, “I believe I told you about him a few days ago.”
“I should've known it was that little demon,” Aidan said. “Rumor says that he was raised by the Spirit of Death after his parents died.”
“Seems likely since he tried to kill me,” I said. “He told me what he plans on doing, but not how to do it. We gotta find out how he plans to destroy us. Literally,” I said. “He wants to destroy us in many different ways of torture and that's not all-”
“Kal rest. You're not going to tell us anything yet,” Aidan said.
But you have to know what he wants to do. It's serious. I thought. They have to know that he plans genocide, that he wants to practically enslave us, and torture us for his sick and twisted amusement. I don't know how bad his torture is, but going by the expression on his face, the unhealthy amount of cruelty in his eyes, voice, and smile, it must be horrifying.
Aidan’s right though. I don't feel very good and my chest and neck hurt a lot.
I’m not aware that I fall asleep again until it’s early evening.
I sit up. The paste on my neck is still there, but it hardened. My chest still hurts.
I'm still trying to make sense of everything. His betrayal stings.
Hametsu is the Death King. He wants to eliminate humanity using the Black Death. Maybe he's going to rule the human race while he's killing them off. It seems likely because he really likes torture on an unhealthy and unholy scale.
Death and torture are always on his mind. He's seriously evil, nearly demonic.
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It makes me sick.
But I also heard him mumble something about a famine. It made me wonder if that's the reason behind this, besides his pure love of genocide and torture and wanting to make everyone, save for his kingdom, suffer.
I'm actually beginning to wonder if he has a soft spot for his people. He wants to help his people, but he thinks genocide is the answer. There has to be a different way.
I get up and try to flutter my wings. It’s kinda weak. I try walking. That is hard. I’m all wobbly and unbalanced and dizzy. I keep falling over, causing my chest wound to hurt even more.
I’m also incredibly hungry. I swear I could've eaten an entire all-you-can-eat buffet and have room for more. I keep on practicing to walk again and eventually gain enough balance to walk out the door.
I walk around, still in pain from my chest wound, but hunger drives me forward. I eventually found the dining area.
“Hi,” I said hoarsely, “I'm still alive.”
My family stand up and embrace me. It took every fiber of my being to keep myself from screaming in pain.
“Kallan!! You're alright!!” My mother said, as soon as they let me go. I sigh a sigh of relief.
“Yeah but I still hurt,” I said.
“Kallan are you sure that you're alright? Because what you did was very reckless.” father said.
“I'm fine,” I insisted, “my chest still hurts that's it. Plus I'm starving.”
“I see the antidote worked. How are you feeling?” Adair said.
“Like I could eat an entire buffet. I'm starving,” I said again. “Did you save some food for me?”
“Don't worry my boy!! There's plenty.” Father said.
I walk over to the food and eat. I stuff my face until I can't eat anymore. The entire plate of beans is gone. There’s one piece of steak left. The giant bowl of creamed corn is half-finished.
“Ahh, that felt good,” I said once I’m full.
The sting of Hametsu's betrayal still hurts. He's been trying to kill me the entire time.
I want to find out what started this entire war. But I have more important things on my mind, like trying to get rid of my chest pain. I cannot think when I hurt.
I once got a really bad headache during a major test for one of my classes a few years ago, I had to get excused because it turned into a migraine. I was very dizzy and I couldn't focus.
“Are there any pain-killing herbs?” I asked, “because my chest hurts like hell.”
“I told you he would ask that,” Adair said. Aidan looks at him with an annoyed expression. Adair smiles mischievously. I never knew that Adair had a fun streak in him. He's so serious all the time. Aidan gives him a few coins. I assume they made a bet about whether I would ask for some pain killers or not. Aidan probably assumed I wouldn’t because I'm rather tough and can tough out most things. But this gash is the most painful injury I have ever received at this point.
Adair grabs a vial filled with a dark brown liquid. It looks disgusting, absolutely disgusting, almost like rot.
“What is that?” I asked cautiously. I’m scared of this thing. Couldn’t he have made it look like chocolate or something?
“Don't worry, it tastes better than it looks.” He said. He gave it to me, “drink it. All of it.” he ordered.
I take it, open the vial, and chugged. Adair’s right. It actually does taste better than it looks. It tastes sweet like strawberries and bananas. My chest pain went away.
But the aftertaste it left behind was terrible.
“Dude the aftertaste is horrible!!!!” I exclaimed.
Adair laughs.
“As I said before, dear brother, medicine is never sweet,” he said.
“Well the painful throbbing is gone,” I said, “can someone tell me where I can find the history of Fae and the family trees of Aelfdene and Yamashi?”
“I am quite curious myself about this. I will go with you my boy,” father said, “come with me to the archives.”
“Oberon are you sure this is a good idea? The Death King's spies could still be watching us.” Mother said.
“The archives are heavily guarded, Titania. It's the most secure place in the kingdom.” Father assured her.
“Yes but,” she pauses to look around, “you know that's where we hid the necklace.”
“I know. But our best guards are guarding the archives. We should be safe.”
I’m not so sure. Hametsu has enough power to completely drain the life out of an area the size of New York, maybe even an entire planet. He can easily kill the guards without lifting a finger or breaking a sweat.
“Father,” I said, “it's probably not a good idea right now. His spies could be lurking anywhere.”
I know that we were being watched. I can feel it in my insides.
“We’re being watched right now,” I said. I’m secretly hoping that the spy didn't hear us talking about the necklace.
An aura of danger filled the room. This spy is more than a spy. He’s an assassin. I can sense it. I have no idea how though. I’ve only been here for less than a week and already
I hear the whizz of an arrow flying my direction. I quickly grab the arrow as it’s coming up behind me. My lightning-fast reflexes surprise me.
I survey the area. Up in the corner of my eye, I detect movement. I fly up there as quickly as I can and capture the assassin. I bring him down.
“See?” I said. My family’s shocked that I just did that. To be honest, I’m a pretty surprised myself
“UNHAND ME!!!” The spy shouts as he attempts to wriggle his way out of my grip. Vines grew around him and held him in place. I have no idea where they came from, probably me but I have no idea how. He keeps shouting at us to let him go. He looks exactly like the other spy we captured. They must be twins.
“Who sent you here?” I asked. Wow, I'm an idiot. I already know the answer. But that's not why I was asking. I wanted to see if he would spill Hametsu's name to everyone.
“My master, the lord of the Black Death.” He said. He continues to try and free himself, with no success. The vines had a vice-like grip on him. They refuse to let him go. I realize that this is, in fact, my power controlling the vines. Again, I have no idea how I’m doing this.
“What is his name? I know you know his name. Tell us!!” I demanded. The harshness of my voice surprises me.
“He will kill me if I tell you,” he replied with fear in his voice, “he will know.”
“I highly doubt that,” I said.
“He will. The things he does to those who betray him are very horrible. We Death Fairies are wise to never betray him,” he said, trembling, “my brother's fate is sealed!!! I have come on His Majesty's order to bring him back and to kill you Prince of Life.”
“Just like he wants to kill the rest of the life fairies,” I growled. I’m furious that he’s avoiding my question. “Tell us his name!!” I yelled.
“Kallan calm down!!” Mother told me. I take a few deep breaths and my anger tones down.
“Tell us his name,” I said calmly. The spy keeps trying to squirm his way out of the vines, but he gives up after a few tries.
“Forgive me, my lord,” he whispered, “the Death King is our supreme ruler Lord Hametsu Yamashi, eldest son of Lord Romeo and Lady Juliet. He will dominate over all.”
Adair grows enraged for some reason. I have never seen him get so mad. Aidan and Father had to hold him back from attacking the spy.
“YOU’RE LYING!!!!! JULIET DID NOT MARRY THAT LUNATIC ROMEO!!!!” He shouted.
“You've never met Juliet, Adair. She was banished before we were born.” Aidan said, trying to calm him down.
“She was the greatest healer that has ever existed!!!” Aidan said, on the verge of tears, “I got all of my healing knowledge from her books. I looked up to her.”
“She was among the greatest healers of Fae.” Mother said.
“She was a kind woman and an excellent Queen,” the spy said, “Lord Romeo loved her with all of his heart. She helped us with our many ailments.”
I don't understand how Juliet, apparently a well-known healing fairy, could marry a deranged lunatic of a man, Romeo, and produce his heir.
But one question surfaced. It was about her banishment.
“How did she get banished?” I asked.
“She went to Camelot, capital of the Death Fairy kingdom, and healed their king.” Mother said. That doesn’t really seem to be a good reason to banish someone. Then again, they are enemies.
“Okay,” I said. I looked at the spy, “care to tell me more?” I asked him.
He seems reluctant at first but he agrees stating that Hametsu is going to kill him anyway, which I highly doubt because he doesn't know everything.
“As Titania said, our grand king, Lord Romeo, was ill. He heard about Lady Juliet’s masterful healing abilities and ordered her to come to him,” he paused, “when she arrived, it was love at first sight. She repeatedly came to visit him after our king was healed. Then they got married.”
Adair glares at him for a long time. Then he storms off.
“This happened after the Dark Ages. Five hundred years ago, she conceived and gave birth to our current master, Lord Hametsu, and his twin sister, Princess Lilly. Lord Hametsu absorbed his sister’s soul when they were born,” again, the spy paused, “Princess Lilly’s soul used to live inside Lord Hametsu, so in a sense, she was still alive at the time. I'm not exactly sure how to explain it.”
Hametsu is FIVE HUNDRED YEARS OLD!!! He looks like he's 17 though. He's immortal. He can't die. This is going to be a lot harder than I thought.
But he has a sister.
“Does he love his sister?” I asked.
“He adores her.” The spy said. “Master Hametsu found a way to bring her to life a few years ago. Now our Princess is back with us. Lady Sakura is happy to see her alive.”
The spy is so calm now. He’s easily telling us things about his superiors. Hametsu has a major soft spot for his sister and his girlfriend. So he wasn't lying when he told me a while ago that he is, in fact, capable of being caring.
“Why are you so calm? Your brother was screaming. We had to knock him out.” I said.
“My master will kill me. I have accepted my fate. Might as well tell you.” He said, clearly displeased.
“He's not going to kill you,” I said, “he doesn't know that you told us about his family.”
“Yes, he does!! He's watching me. He's always watching us!!” He panicked. He began crying hysterically.
“Calm down. He won't kill you!! He doesn't have the ability to watch you spy on us.” Father reassured him. “Does he?”
“Father!!” Aidan and I said in unison.
“I've seen it happen!! One of our spies failed at a mission once, he knew about it and he mercilessly tortured him and killed him,” he said trembling, “the horror of his brutal tortures. I cannot bear to show my face to him!!!”
I feel bad for him. His fear seems real. His tears are sincere. The look of sheer terror in his eyes is pretty sad. I loosen my vine grip so he can breathe better.
Guards came running over.
“Your Highnesses, the prisoner escaped!” They said.
“What?!” My father exclaimed. “This isn't good. He might tell the Death King our information.”
Suddenly, the spy we have cried out.
“HE'S DEAD!!! HE'S DEAD!!! MY BROTHER IS DEAD!!!!” He screamed. He kept screaming that his brother is dead. He began screaming to have Hametsu spare him from death and torture.
“MASTER!!! PLEASE SPARE ME!!!! I BEG YOU!!!!” He screamed.
He keeps screaming and crying about how he's gonna die and how Hametsu was going to kill him.
I release him from the vines. He collapses on the floor, trembling and weeping. I feel pretty bad for him. He's been taught to both fear and admire Hametsu.
Suddenly a huge gust of wind blew into the dining hall, but it felt way more sinister than regular wind, almost dark and malevolent, worse than Hametsu. There is no way Hametsu can make this type of wind. It’s way too evil, but I can’t be too sure. He probably can, considering how long he's been alive. He may have had time to learn and perfect this type of thing. I raise my arms to my face to shield myself from the force of the wind. A shadow appeared in the wind. I assume it’s Hametsu. I can only see that one minute the spy is screaming and on his knees begging to be spared.
The next thing I know, the spy is a bloody mess on the floor.