Episode 8: Savior's Son

Malakai entered Gamba Harbor village. His eyes remained on the ground. The great ambitions of Edindale once again silenced the voices of the broken. This no longer came as a shocker, because those same boys from the lower levels challenged the great Phizer family and the royalists repeatedly. If it wasn’t every other day, it would be once a week. Malakai and his band of young men would challenge the prince of Edindale to change the ways of their continent. This daily reprieve of hope only dwindled the dim spark of the poor.

“The hell is wrong with that kid?” A woman muttered to her husband on the sidewalk.

“They say he is the son of Eagle. But he rebels against the royals.”

“Damn kid only making things harder on us all.”

“He should just off himself for the rest of us, as a favor.”

Voices continued to pile up in Malakai’s head as he walked the street, bruised and battered. His soaking clothes created a trail of water behind him. People around the lower levels looked at the boy in disgust for failing. Failing to uphold his promise of making Edindale better for all. The parents shunned their kids from his sight. Malakai kept his head down and continued walking.

Malakai sighed kicking a small pebble in front of him. “Ever since I was born. All I have wanted to do is create a world where everyone could be legends.”

The citizens angrily began to pelt fruits at Malakai. For his reasons, he just took it and marched on the trail in the lower levels. The lower levels turned more into the slums the further one went into them. White sheets covered the open windows and leaky roofs to stop rain from wetting the beds. Every house became more like a shack than a castle in the capital. Shacks were so tightly knit like the clothes of royals where people lived right on top of each other.

The citizens in rags walking barefoot in the muddy waters just to punch and slap Malakai unleashed their frustration. Malakai continued to take the blows walking uphill in the lower levels. His eyes held back his frustration from his failures walking towards a house on a dead hill.

“A world where people aren’t born into being poor or royalty. But born to choose. No matter how far I try to do this. People will always bash me for trying and force me to surrender my hope for the future. Is what I want so impossible…?”

Malakai continued to question himself as the pelting and punching finally seized.

“They made hide the horrors of this continent. But the world will open these horrors like a peeled wound. Until we fix it, we will continue to suffer. Because of the damn Lotus Wars.” Malakai whispered. “What dad always said.”

The valley in Gamba Harbor narrowed on the street as a tug from Malakai’s collar grabbed ahold of him. He felt the strength behind it pulling him into a faint corridor. No one could see the boy disappear as the streets emptied from a shallow rain.

“What the – “ Malakai readied himself as he dropped his guard. Right after dropping his guard a vicious slap sterned him.

“What the hell, Rhea!?” Malakai yelled.

The silver-haired girl from the village with the boys earlier shushed him. Her face was pale as she threw on a clean white dress and short boots to match all the jewelry she wore. Her face flushed with disappointment at him.

“I thought you said you would finally stop fighting my brother?” Rhea barked. “But no, you tried to do worse harm today. Look at you.”

“Hi, to you too,” Malakai whispered hugging Rhea. She pushed him off in anger. Malakai in shock tried to understand despite his elusiveness to common sense.

Rhea placed her head on his chest after a while, as Malakai rested on a wall. She held his collar tightly as he put his arms around her. The two remained in silence sighing from the small dispute. “I have begun to gain favor in the court. Eventually, there might be a chance for us to stay in the capital.”

“Oh, and I thought I was delusional? You have been saying that for years as well. Guess we both are some pretty truthful liars.” Malakai rolled his eyes.

Rhea smiled and laughed at his sarcasm. “I guess we both are. Are you staying here tonight?”

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Malakai hesitated. He let go of Rhea and sat on the stairway towards a private room. He covered his face with both his hands as he tried to make sense of all the things going on. Rhea came to his side rubbing his back and laying her head on his shoulder again. She curled her finger around his braid waiting for him to talk.

“My uncle just arrived.”

Rhea raised her head from his shoulder. “Hawk is here? I am surprised.”

Malakai waivered, staring at an old painting on the wall. He couldn’t even look at Rhea as he tried to make sense of things. The painting was from the old times before the first Lotus Wars. A shadow man who held the dark Lotus Blade of power and ambition started a catastrophe. Below were two men who helped spirit blades of freedom that stopped the accursed blade from ever existing once more. Those two men were Hawk and Eagle. Uncle and father to Malakai who stopped the war fifty years ago, against the great Prince Anubis and his shadow men. The great mages aged slower than others still tracking the blades this day.

Wherever Malakai turned he seemed to always find something referencing his great elders.

“I just want a life of meaning. I don’t want us to struggle with being here and Edindale. I want us to live happily and see the sunrise and set knowing we created that life. But, anytime I ask to join the adventures with Hawk, he denies it. He wants me here still.” Malakai struggled to explain as frustration took over more so.

Rhea listened to every word and always sat by his side through his internal struggles. “I understand. We could always have it worse though. We play dress up with both medians.”

“But we could have more,” Malakai stated.

Rhea whiffed turning her head. She raised up in disgust with Malakai’s bloody ambitions. She circled the bottom of the stairwell while Malakai noticed her concern.

“What, Rhea!?”

Rhea crossed her arms. “So, me, Jericho, and the guys aren’t enough. You have a father you won't go home to. And you talk about what you want more of.”

Malakai raised flailing his hands. “You know I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Yeah, 'cause you have a father who disowns you too, right? And you fight every day to have him love you the same, right? No, Malakai. You are so caught up in dreams that you cannot see the good life you already have. Wanting more is fine. But eat all that is on your plate first.” Rhea interjected shaking her head.

“I am late to my meeting. The key is under the door if you're staying tonight. Goodbye.”

Rhea calmly walked away slamming the door to leave Malakai alone in the dark room. He sat there in his thoughts. He calmly sighed smacking his forehead. “Stupid.”

Malakai turned back to the painting of his elders and the being they slayed. His head flooded with memories of always wanting to become the Legend King and be great just like his father and uncle. The thought of adventuring just like them wasn’t just about the fame. The fame is something he didn’t care about and what Rhea misinterpreted. It was about creating a better place, despite the foundation his elders laid down.

Malakai stared hard at the figures in the painting. He thought of his father finally. “What the hell…? What could go wrong?” He asked himself, leaving the empty lobby.

…

Malakai arrived in front of a dark manor just on top of the hill in the corner of the slums. He turned to the clouded outcast over the slums. The people ran inside, covering themselves with old boxes. The winds carried the white sheets like sails with cooker smokers burning like an industrial factory. His vibrant amber-colored eyes reflected from this broken sight.

“Ehh.” A voice behind Malakai rung. The door to the manor swung open with the voice coming from the door like a siren crying out. The dark corridors within were pulling in the young man as he rolled his eyes.

“Fuck me…” Malakai sighed shaking his head. He made his way into the entrance of the manor, as the door shut behind him.

The manor was small and decorative inside. Walking right in, your eyes would fall upon the vibrant stone brick fireplace linear to the door. A table for two already set with steaming hit plates of pork and fruits to be devoured. Thousands of books were scattered around the dining area with potion bottles lying about an enchanting table. Stairs leading to two rooms wide open for the viewing eye to see.

The walls were painted with swords and armaments collected from years of adventuring. Swords and shields were put together, while halberds and axes stood upon racks. Steel-plated armor, with fur coats over iron-plated armor, were all hung on top of racks. A painted golden glass window rested upon the middle of the collector's viewing room, reflecting an eagle man bowing from the painting. For a small manor that was tightly knitted, it shared more memories than most of Edindale itself.

Malakai looked around the dining area with a small black owl hooting beside the enchantment table.

“Hey there, Betsy. How are you, girl.” Malakai smiled, rubbing the owl's fur. He noticed a smaller letter on the side of its wing planted there on purpose. “What’s this?”

Malakai opened the letter while eating an apple. His eyes shot open like a tunnel as the contents shocked him. He dropped the apple as the letter contained information regarding something only certain people could have seen. His body was observed in shock as the letter caught his attention with every letter and space until it ended.

“Holy shit…”

Malakai tossed the letter on the table. He immediately grinned and hurried towards the top of the staircase.

“Old man!” Malakai yelled. “Old man, where are you?”

Malakai rapidly kicked open every door of the manor to find his father, hopefully lying around the corridor somewhere. Malakai within a minute searched the manor until nothing was left to find. He made it to his father's room, the door was cracked open. A large battle occurred in the room. Blood spilled over white sheets, with the window busted open by the fight. Two knights were dead in the corridor.

“Old man’s necklace?” Malakai dropped to a knee picking up an old silver necklace. It had a black band holding a crescent silver moon upon it.

“Something isn’t right.” Malakai hurried out the door.

A voice called from below. “Malakai.” Rhea called to him soaking wet. “Your father was – “

“Taken by your brother and father.”