I called forth as much fire as I could and erupted it from across my entire body. The fire quickly filled the space. Without my realizing, it seemed the space had curved. I lifted myself and flew through the hall. The space continued to curve, and I could see I was moving in a circle.

A glimmer of light shone in front. A sliver. I followed it, entering into darkness. Yet this proved shorter than the last. I came upon a wall and I could see light behind the cracks. My patience had run thin. With the fire running behind me, I threw the mass of flames to the door, and burst the entryway.

The stone of the wall crumbled at my feet. Torches lit the side and led deep underground. I followed it and saw the walls gradually turn from the wrought stone of the city to that of a cavern.

All about me were crystals of light, blue, radiant, shimmering in what would otherwise be a dim and drab space. I could hear voices. Faint, but not far. I followed it.

Soon I came to an area wrapped in a series of colonnades, appearing to hold the darkness above. There were dim lights all about, and in the distance I could see a mass of people. No, they weren’t just any people; they were children. And I could see within the gathered throngs the one I sought. Her brown hair sticking in the light against the darker hued variants of her friends.

My cloak had become slightly singed, but I made do. I moved my way to the group without so much as making a sound. Though it wasn’t necessary. They were already in discussion. Their voices became loud as I drew near. I could hear arguments among them with insults thrown here and there to throw off the various parties. A rather raucous council of children.

“Shouldn’t we run, now that he knows where we are?” said one.

“No, we should stay and fight—perhaps after getting some weapons!” said another.

“But if we do that, won’t the Demons come to kill us all?”

And on and on they went back and forth. I saw moving into the center was Zhunil.

She rather harshly said, “Do you boys mean to act as girls! Why I’d think your shafts already fallen from your cowardice. Who cares about Demons! This is our home. Do you mean to let the ministers, aristocrats, and all others who stand above to continue to take advantage of us? If your parents were still alive, I’d rather you have just run to them.”

“Aye and we would’ve if they were still alive,” said the first voice I heard. “But why should it matter to you? You’re the one who gave the location of our hold to that aristocrat boy who beat you silly!”

“So what?” she said with a scoff. “If he comes, we’ll just kill him and any other. We have the powers just like everyone else. Why not use it to its full extent?”

“You suggest murder to us? What next then? We may be children, but even we aren’t free from the Lord of Kharyah!15 He’ll surely follow us to the ends of the Earth to mete whatever punishment we deserve. Haven’t we suffered enough?”

“Then do you suggest we just die?” said Zhunil.

“No,” the voice said, “but maybe we should find the boy, and ask him to help us?”

“You’d mean to ask that wretch who violated me for help?” she said with fury. “No, I won’t have it. If he should so much as put a single foot in this area, I will hunt and slay him like the animal he is!”

“As I see it, you’re the one who fought with him first.”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“Does that excuse what he’s done?” she said.

“No, but these issues are different. Do with him as you please after we’ve secured our safety. We should be prepared to leave the city should negotiations break down.”

Zhunil clenched her fists. She stepped forth, intending to strike the person who would speak otherwise.

“Wait!” I said.

The throng centered their attention on me. They all moved about to make way, as they noticed the colors and patterns on my fhorlia that revealed through my cloak.

I saw in the middle, Zhunil, and to the side two boys and girls. They were dressed in similar ragged attires, and while on their faces I could see the courage displayed, through the facade, their fear showed.

Zhunil looked to me, and her eyes widened in rage. She stormed to me and lifted me with one hand. She stripped the cloak from me.

Her face turned from anger to shock. She cried, “You’re the prince!”

She threw me to the center of the throng, where I landed before a line of stone podiums. The children looked to me, and they stepped back in fright. They prostrated.

“O prince, forgive us!” said a boy on the podium. “We didn’t mean to offend you! Grant us leave for our insolence. Don’t seek to take our lives. We’ll give anything we can as recompense. Spare us!”

“You prostrate to one who doesn’t deserve you!” said Zhunil. “Stand you cowards! His family is the reason we’re in this mess.” She turned to me; her face blazing with wrath. “I’ll make you pay for what you’ve done to me!”

She flew, her powers erupting without restraint. She came fast and appeared instantly before me. But just before she could land her strike, a force arrested her movements. Not mine. I looked behind to see the children on the podiums binding her with air. From the air materialized earth, and she became locked to her position.

“Forgive her, prince,” said a girl of dark hair. Her face bore the same complexion as Zhunil, but her expression was forlorn. She seemed hopeless. “We may plead for your mercy, but there’s no guarantee that it should come to us, even were you to grant it. For your father, mother, and perhaps even the ministers hold greater power here than you. They’ll know you sought us by the touch of the dust and the smell of the sewage.

“I’ll speak my mind here, now that it’s come to this. What Zhunil related to us can’t be ignored. You indeed defiled her by meeting her lips, regardless of her assault. Were it any other time, nothing short of exile or perhaps execution would pay your dues. Your station holds greater import than you may realize, and if you’re to one day be king, then I’d hope you act with greater caution.

“What say you to this, our prince?”

I knew that my crime could’ve been brought to light, but I didn’t expect it in this fashion. The throng held mixed feelings. I stood, dusted myself, and cleared my throat.

“O children of Koshapa, I, prince Yurva, He who represents Death, have come not to punish but to uplift! I stand by the word I gave Zhunil that I would help you all. While I may have done a great injustice to Zhunil I shan’t run from my duty. Speak with open mind without hesitation, lay your troubles on me, and I shall do my best to mend the problems that have plagued not only you but this city!”

I turned to Zhunil who tried to free herself from the constraints. I lifted the earth, and she tumbled backwards. I stood in front of her. She seemed ready to kick me, but before she could, I prostrated, clasped her feet, and kissed them.

“Forgive me, Zhunil! What I did was wrong and I’ll surely have to pay my dues at some point. But, until then, relieve your malice, and look to me as a friend. I won’t go back on my word, I promise!”

Her face brimmed with anger, and she was ready to strike. Yet her foot halted on seeing tears trail down its side.

“There was much I had done in the past that would make me seem as like a demon to you all,” I said my face flush with tears. “I died with malice and bitterness covering my heart till the very end. But the mistakes, fear, rage, and violence committed by me would not leave even after I came here. What was I to become? How much was I to suffer? But the forces of the world gave me a second chance, to live among you here, to become a servant to the people rather than their ruler. And while this might seem foreign to your perception, that’s what I must become!”

I bawled and wailed in distress, and the children didn’t know what to do. Everyone seemed confused over my statement. They thought me to have gone mad.

I released my hold over Zhunil’s ankle and let my tears stain the stone floor. All became silent, except for my cries, and I did so for a long, long while. I had let the emotions that were buried deep within release all at once.

While I shouldn’t have expected any of their views to change, I deeply yearned for it.

I felt Zhunil’s hand move, and I expected a strike to come my way. But instead, I received a gentle embrace. Not just from her, but also the children that were on their podiums. They came to me and offered consolation.

All I could hear from them was silenced by Zhunil’s words. “Forgive me as I forgive you.”