It had been eight days since the assassination of Minister Iesos. The Antithetical had discarded his former unconscious self, shedding his earthly mind, fighting his way out of the shadows. The king waited in the back row. He played them like a Chess Game Dimension.
There were only two people who knew his true identity - the Priest and Laverna. He was confident that the Priest would keep his mouth shut, as he was the one who had failed to recognize the Antithetical when he had first arrived in Allano. He was the one who would be put into the mine by Grand Inquisitor Valtor himself
Laverna, on the other hand, was a different story. As the sister of Queen Danielle, it was clear that she had played a significant role in the Antithetical's journey thus far. But why? That was a question that he could not answer, at least not yet.
Fortunately, through the memories that Minister Iesos had left behind, the Antithetical knew of a quick and safe way to Allano. He had walked for three days straight and slept in the shadows of trees, avoiding the patrolling guards and staying off the main roads. When he arrived in Allano, it was only a matter of time until he stood in the throne room, in front of Queen Danielle, his wife.
Another useful element was that, now that he had his memory back, he was also in possession of all the secrets of the city of Allano. He knew about the secret passage that led from the sewers directly to the cellar of the King's Temple. The passage had originally been built as an escape route, but he knew more than that. It was just outside of the city, hidden behind a large grid that was connected to the sewer system. The grid only appeared to be locked, but it wasn't. Without his knowledge, it would only lead to a network of foul-smelling sewage tunnels, but he knew more than that.
As he approached the grate, the stench of the sewers assaulted his senses. The bars were old and musty, scraps of cloth, paper, and food scraps stuck in lumps between them. A brown, musty soup oozed out of the shaft, its pungent odor assaulting his nostrils. Slowly and hesitantly, he reached out for the grid, feeling the slimy metal under his fingers. A sickening sound rang out as he grabbed it and slowly pulled it open, revealing the dark, dank passageway beyond.
He stepped into the sewer system, wading through the stinking water and an almost poisonous cloud full of scent. It was only a short walk, but every step felt like an eternity. The noxious fumes made his eyes water and his stomach churn, and he had to fight to keep from retching. After what felt like an eternity, he finally reached the second bigger room with an oval shape. There were no splits there yet, just one long tunnel that led to a dead end - exactly where he had to go. Fortunately, there were no guards stationed in this literal shit house, and he only saw rats staring at him with frightened but interested eyes or running out of his way when he disturbed their peace.
“So far so good,” he said, talking to himself. “Now I only need to find the right one.”
He had made it through the sewers and had finally arrived at the brick wall that concealed the entrance to the royal prison. "This one will probably have done it," he said. He pressed against a stone and nothing happened for the time being. In the background, however, something rattled and clattered, it sounded like a mechanism being set in motion. The walls crackled, creaked, and bubbled, until finally, a section of the brick wall opened like a door. A smile crossed his face as he stepped through the opening and into the royal prison.
He paused for a moment to reminisce about the prison, which he remembered well from his previous life. The prison was directly connected to the South Tower, which, in turn, was connected to the Main Hall. His journey through the prison was cautious, with each step taken with calculated precision as he navigated the winding passageways. The narrow corridors were dimly lit by flickering torches, casting eerie shadows across the rough stone walls.
As he made his way towards the South Tower, The Antithetical remained watchful for any guards or obstacles in his path. He rounded a corner and spotted a lone guard standing watch at the entrance to the tower. The Antithetical moved quickly, slipping into the shadows, and sneaking up behind the guard. With a swift, silent strike, he dispatched the guard and slipped inside the tower.
The ascent up the tower was arduous, but The Antithetical's memory of the layout of the tower served him well. He avoided the creaky stairs, sticking to the stone walls and climbing up handholds, ledges, and crevices. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally emerged into the Main Hall.
The Main Hall was just as he remembered it. The high ceilings, decorated with intricate carvings and intricate murals, loomed above him. The vast space was empty, save for a few flickering torches and a small fire burning in a hearth. The Antithetical moved stealthily, keeping close to the walls, and made his way towards the throne. The journey had been long and treacherous, but he was finally back in the heart of the kingdom, and he was determined to seize the opportunity presented to him.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
As The Antithetical entered the Main Hall, he was struck by the grandeur of the space. The soaring ceilings and marble columns gave the hall an air of regality, while the ornate tapestries hanging from the walls depicted scenes of heroic battles and triumphs. Despite the impressive surroundings, The Antithetical remained focused on his mission and slipped into the bustling crowd of guards, courtiers, and servants, determined to make his way to the throne room unnoticed.
However, his progress was halted when he came across a particularly vigilant guard. The Antithetical's suspicious behavior drew the guard's attention, and the guard quickly drew his sword and advanced on The Antithetical. Without hesitation, The Antithetical drew his own sword and engaged the guard in a fierce battle.
The clash of swords echoed through the hall, drawing the attention of nearby onlookers. The Antithetical's movements were swift and precise, and he managed to disarm the guard in a matter of seconds. With the guard defeated, The Antithetical continued towards the throne room, his resolve strengthened by the knowledge that he was getting closer to his ultimate goal.
As he approached the throne room, two guards stood in his way, their swords at the ready. The Antithetical knew that this was the final challenge before he could confront the king, and he steeled himself for the task at hand. He slowly approached the guards, his own sword drawn and ready for the impending battle.
The guards moved in unison, their swords flashing in the torchlight. The Antithetical expertly dodged their attacks, moving with lightning-fast reflexes. He countered with quick, precise strikes, his sword singing through the air.
The guards fought back fiercely, their swords ringing against The Antithetical's. The sound echoed through the halls of the castle. The Antithetical began to tire, but he refused to give up.
With a roar, The Antithetical charged forward, his sword raised high. The guards moved to block him, but The Antithetical was too fast. He twisted his body, dodging their swords, and struck them with a series of quick blows.
One guard fell to the ground, his sword clattering on the stone floor. The other guard backed away, fear in his eyes. The Antithetical advanced, his sword raised, and the guard turned and ran.
Breathless and bleeding, The Antithetical opened the doors to the throne room with two hands. He had fought his way through the castle's defenses, defeated the guards, and finally, he was here. But as he strode toward the throne, he was met by Laverna, who had materialized out of nowhere.
The Antithetical felt his stomach drop. He had not expected to see Laverna here, and he was suddenly filled with a sense of dread.
"What do you want, Laverna?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Laverna laughed, a cold and joyless sound. "You don't remember, do you?" Laverna asked with a wicked grin. "You don't remember why you're not still sitting on this throne, ruling this kingdom with me by your side?"
"Danielle was chosen as queen over me," Laverna said bitterly. "I envied her, plotted against her. But one day you and her went to bed, just to wake up as a nobody, in some random mine. I killed you both, and took her place as the queen."
The Antithetical furrowed his brow, trying to recall. “You did what? You’re the reason that I lived in this hellish mine!” he spat on the ground. "For what reason?!"
Laverna shook her head. "You could have ascended together," she said. "But you chose Danielle, and now she suffers for it. But that's not even the worst part. The worst part is that I know the truth now. You didn't become a god. You never received the deal. Danielle did."
Laverna hissed. “But I soon realized that this was not enough for me. How can I best fulfil my desire to be at your side, precisely by ascending together. We will both become gods, you as king at my side and this for all eternity.”
The Antithetical felt a coldness wash over him. He had been betrayed, but what Laverna said made no sense. His wife, Danielle, she was trapped in a mine somewhere, just like him.
“All this time I was convinced I had been betrayed by her; how could I have doubted her.”
Before he could think any further, Laverna started to again, “So now you have two simple options. Take me, forget Danielle, let us become gods together. Or you take the second option, the option you always return to. Stand up to me, die again, come back here again, like you've done so many times before.” She approached him a bit more.
“This time I showed you a different path, every time you arrived here, high and mighty with good intentions and love for the country. Now you experienced it wholly, this rotten filth of land. You’ve seen the despicable acts of humanity, the racism and separation against “unfaithful people”. That’s all shit that they made up, you never ordered to build areas like Lostlodge or to mass sacrifice themselves in the forests. You even killed the Minister! Please say that this finally changed your mind, that this land is not worth living in.”
“Oh, you changed me,” the Antithetical said. “Yes, you’ve changed me, As I’m the King, I will ascend. And the whole country lies hereafter in the glow of my aura. My words, my voice. The monster that you created. I will ascend, but without you!”
Laverna scoffed, "You never learn, do you? You always have to make things difficult." She braced herself as The Antithetical lunged at her, their weapons clashing in the air. The sound of metal reverberated through the throne room as they traded blows.
The Antithetical swung his sword in a wide arc, but Laverna dodged nimbly to the side and countered with a swift thrust. The tip of her blade caught him in the shoulder, drawing a trickle of blood.
But The Antithetical did not back down. He pressed forward with renewed ferocity, swinging his sword in a flurry of strikes that Laverna barely managed to deflect. The two of them circled each other, their eyes locked in a deadly dance.
As they fought, the throne room became a battlefield. The furniture was overturned, the walls were gouged and scarred. The Antithetical grunted with effort as he tried to land a blow, but Laverna was too fast for him.
Finally, after what seemed like hours, The Antithetical managed to land a hit. His sword plunged deep into Laverna's side, and she cried out in pain. But even as she staggered back, she raised her weapon for one final strike.
The Antithetical did not see it coming. Laverna's blade flashed through the air, and he felt a searing pain in his chest. He looked down and saw the tip of her sword protruding from his body, slick with his own blood.
For a moment, everything was silent. The Antithetical collapsed to his knees, clutching at his wound. Laverna stood over him, breathing heavily.
"You could have had it all," she said, shaking her head. "But you chose this instead."
The Antithetical gurgled something unintelligible, and then he fell forward, dead.
“It starts all over again," Laverna said with a heavy heart.