Hail to the Queen (Sage Trilogy, Book 3) (32 page)

“So what are you saying?” Zain asked curiously.

“I’m saying that I’ll let you have your vengeance on Allay and me, the one you really want. But let Catherine and Kyran go, unharmed. That’s it. You do this, and you have me without a fight. Otherwise, I’ll turn the Kingdom of Languor into a new sun with my fire, including the inconspicuous men you have at the ready under our feet.”

“I can understand why Catherine would sacrifice herself,” he said. “But why you?”

“Because if I’m going to die…I want to go out doing something right,” Scarlet admitted. “Maybe…I can atone a little for what I’ve done…maybe I’ll even get to see Paradise for a second before I’m cast down to Oblivion…let’s just say I’m tired of staining my soul. Ever since the one I wanted revenge on was killed, without my involvement I might add…I’ve lost all purpose. At least by saving Catherine’s life, I can do something worthwhile…”

“And you claim these two had no part in Languor’s destruction?”

“Why would I lie to you?” Scarlet snapped. “I said no. Just look at them. Kyran’s so skinny he can barely snap a twig in two with his flimsy muscles, and Catherine’s as doe-eyed as they come.”

Kyran glared at her as Catherine held back her tongue.

“You won’t be killed right away,” Zain replied ominously. “We will have our way with you…and we are still going to attack Allay.”

“I don’t care what you do with me. Just leave these two out of our business. Let them dream a little while longer.”

“Well then, Scarlet, we have a deal. Say your brief good-byes and then I’ll have the Captain escort your friends outside the Kingdom. You stay where you are the entire time. Furthermore, if they come back to save you…I can’t promise their good health.”

“I understand,” Scarlet said, looking to them. “They won’t.”

“Then we’ll give you a couple minutes.”

Catherine leapt into Scarlet’s arms and hugged her tight as she began sobbing into her hair. Kyran
stood by and watched with no emotion as his eyes darted back and forth, accessing the area.

“
I have to do this,” Scarlet whispered into her cousin’s ear. “I can’t be Queen, and Allay needs you. They have a chance with you there. Just promise me something. No more sacrificing yourself. Please. Otherwise I swear I’ll come back to haunt you.”

“I want you by my side,” Catherine sobbed. “We can still go out fighting.”

“No. No…I’m tired of fighting,” Scarlet laughed. “I’m just a body going through the motions at this point. Don’t worry about me. Save our people and let me make things right.”

“Okay,” Catherine whispered as she gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I love you, cousin.”

“Whatever, punk,” Scarlet chuckled, trying to hold back her tears. As Catherine backed away, Scarlet glanced over to Kyran and stretched out her hands toward him.

“No good-bye hug?”

“Not my thing,” Kyran said flatly as Scarlet dropped her arms in disappointment.

“Well, farewell then,” she smiled. “And for what it’s worth, it was actually tolerable getting to know you these past couple of days. You’re not as bad as I thought.”

“Same,” Kyran replied, again with no emotion. He extended a hand out suddenly. “No hard feelings,” he said. Scarlet snickered and then grabbed his hand and shook it firmly.

“Thank you, black cat,” she said slyly as Kyran wretched his hand away.

“Just die already,” he muttered, turning to walk away. Scarlet laughed and then looked up at the King of Languor.

“Alright, I’m ready,” she declared. “Bring out the executioner.”

“With pleasure,” Zain said as he waved a finger in the air. The Captain grabbed Catherine and held her back as two more guards apprehended Kyran.

“Just a precaution,” the Captain whispered as Scarlet stood firm in the middle of the ring. She closed he
r eyes and took a deep breath when suddenly a hole the size of a sewer grate opened up like a mini sinkhole near the King’s tower. A low rumble was heard from underneath as the King leaned forward in anticipation.

“Hold her,” he ordered two guards nearby who ran forward and kicked at the back of her knees. One of them clutched her hair back tightly, exposing her naked neck. “I’ve changed my mind about the torture. After all, we do have a Kingdom to siege. Your head will have to satisfy the masses for now.”

“Just keep your promise,” Scarlet grunted as she glared at the guard yanking her hair. The King and the crowd looked towards the hole and waited for the executioner to rise but there was only silence. After a few seconds, the King frowned, leaned forward and pointed towards it.

“Executioner! Rise!”

The crowd watched in silence as they heard the faint sounds of scurrying underneath. Then to their horror, a small creature jumped out and landed on his feet in the ring. It was only a foot tall but it he had gigantic muscles all over his human-like body that were quivering and struggling not to burst. Bald and a dark red, its beady, black little eyes looked around the arena. It smiled, walked next to the King’s wooden tower and placed a tiny hand upon it.

“What is that thing?” Zain bellowed as the creature giggled. Catherine wretched free from the Captain’s grip and ran forward .

“GET IT AWAY FROM THE KING NOW!” she shouted, but the creature was already at its destination. It closed his eyes, its muscles deflated like they were made of air, and then it exploded like a bomb and set the tower on fire…

*              *              *              *              *

James awoke and felt like his whole body was being torn apart by crashing oceanic waves. His limbs could only succumb to his will for a second before they regained a mind of their own and decided to go limp, throbbing away in agony. His body was so hot that it hurt to move, and the kindling fire next to him wasn’t helping matters. Despite the ache, he managed to sit himself up and look around him. He was in a forest, and from the way the trees extended high into the sky, he could tell it was part of the Langoran forest, probably the outskirts considering his condition.

He groaned and tried to focus on his right arm but his vision was blurry and his head
was stuck in vertigo. Plopping back down onto the muddy grass, he tried to fight off sleep, until he heard a footstep crush some leaves behind him. James shot up to attention and immediately regretted it as he gave out a cry. Whomever it was rushed to his side and began wiping his forehead with a damp cloth that smelled of sweat and musk.

“James, lie back down. You need more rest,” Arimus replied as he guided the young Sage’s body to the ground. James sighed in relief upon learning his teacher was there, but he refused to close his eyes.

“Where are we? Near Languor?”

“That’s right,” Arimus said, wiping down James’ forearm. “I carried you here. T
here was no place near our battle that I could shelter you so I decided to head for the trees. At least we have a better chance of hearing when an enemy is near.”

“Arimus…what happened? I don’t remember much…I know I transformed into a Quietus. That’s about where my memories end.”

“I don’t know how it’s possible,” Arimus said, sitting down near James’ head. “But you came back from the dead.”

“What do you mean?” James asked wearily.

“Dominic had the upper hand the entire time. He wounded you greatly, to the point that even your Quietus body could no longer heal…eventually Dominic just crushed your eidolon completely…I watched your body crumble instantly. I thought you dead.”

“My eidolon was destroyed?” James shot up and then growled under the piercing sensation running down his body. Arimus rushed to his side but James placed a palm on the old Sage’s chest. “No…I have to see this for myself.”

James placed his right palm out and commanded the Quietus eidolon to emerge, but nothing happened. He closed his eyes and focused on it from within, but it was like looking into an empty vessel. Even the voice was completely gone. When Thorn has promised to allow him to use his Quietus power, it had been reduced to a distant whisper, but he always felt it still lingering, waiting for the right moment to yell. But now it was as if it never existed. Frustrated, James focused on the Allayan eidolon instead and it erupted from his hand immediately, right on cue.

James examined it carefully, feeling the aura and strength it gave off. He looked up at Arimus and cast his eyes to the ground.

“I’m alive…but I am very, very weak.”

“Of course you are,” Arimus assured him. “Your wounds are far from being healed.”

“It’s not that,” James replied, sheathing his eidolon. “It’s my Sage power…if I had to guess, I’d say it’s down to a fourth of what it used to be.”

“Well,” Arimus chuckled. “A fourth of a Sage is better than nothing.”

“I should be able to regain my strength with training, but it won’t be fast enough to make a difference. Especially not to face Dominic again.”

“You should be grateful you’re breathing at all, James. At least now, you ma
y be able to see Catherine. From what I sense, she’s in Languor with the others. We can head there as soon as you’re feeling better.”

“
This still doesn’t make sense…if my eidolon broke, I should have been killed.”

“Y
ou were bred of two Kingdoms. Perhaps only your Quietus side died.”

“But the eidolon is supposed to be a manifestation of my soul. How can half of my soul die? Something is wrong here…maybe it has to do with the Quietus being genetically created…”

“What?”

“Tell me, have you ever heard of anyone else that has been in a similar predicament? Someone that was both Sage and Quietus?”

“Hmm…well, let me see…I can’t say that I have. The closest I can come up with would be the King of Quietus. Because he absorbed Lakrymos, the greatest Sage, he was in a sense, both. Did the King show you his eidolon when you were in battle? That might give you a clue as to why you’re still alive.”

“He didn’t reveal his eidolon at all,” James said, shaking his head. “Which surprised me even back then. According to the stories, he absorbed Lakrymos to add his power to his own. When I struck him, he should have been able to easily parry my blow. I kept wondering how he could die so easily.”

“Maybe it has something to do with the Quietus anatomy,” Arimus replied. “The Quietus are known for their aggression and warrior spirit. Their blood or genetics may have suppressed the abilities he gained from Lakrymos. After all, I haven’t heard of a Quietus absorbing a citizen from another Kingdom and gaining their power.”

“Then the story is exaggerated. The King of Quietus would have had a different reason for absorbing Lakrymos. It couldn’t have been gaining his abilities if he can’t even use them.”

“Then why the ruse? Why the lie when he already had Allay in his grasp?”

“I’m not sure…” James trailed off. “But there has to be a reason I’m alive, and I think my genetic make-up, and the story behind the King of Quietus is the key.
I learned from my mother that the Quietus used to be regular human beings like you and I. Thorn is the one who took them long ago and made them into the monsters we know with his experiments. He wanted a way to control people, and he partly succeeded. Though he can’t control them at all times, he can for a short period. I believe that’s why the siege occurred on Allay. So knowing that, and his fear of Sages for some reason, there has to be a link we’re not seeing.”

“He was definitely after the Sages, not Allay,” Arimus said firmly. “There’s no doubt about that. We’ve always assumed it was because they were getting too strong collectively, but perhaps there’s more to the story we don’t know.”

“Lakrymos is the key,” James said. “I’m sure of it. If the Quietus were under Thorn’s control, then the King was too, or at the very least, he was under specific orders. Let me ask you this: given the option, and knowing that they can’t copy another’s abilities, would a Quietus kill a Sage or absorb them?”

“Kill them, without question. They’re not known for their mercy, and the only reason they even absorb in the first place is to extend their lives
, which they only do when on the brink of death.”

“So why didn’t the King of Quietus kill Lakrymos? Why did Thorn want his absorption?
What would that accomplish? I doubt it was to study him.”