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throne of the dark king
chapter three

Written by Ghost Capelton

Cassian pushed through the throng of panicking party guests, sword wielded in a white-knuckled grip. He was growing closer to the knight, close enough to slash, but… he didn’t. He couldn’t bring up the courage to try and combat the figure.

“What do you hope to accomplish with a weapon so small?” the knight asked. Cassian’s sword clattered to the floor. He was still. “You live with the face of bravery and the heart of cowardice. Common. Vile.”

“Who is your master?” Cassian asked. The knight just laughed.

“You’re asking a question with an answer beyond you,” the knight responded.

“If it is beyond me, I will not understand it. Regardless, I want the chance,” Cassian seethed.

“Very well,” the knight said, sheathing their sword. “My master is the bones of this world. His ribs the woods, his spine the mountains. He holds everything in his hands. He is endless, he has seen the rising sun, and he will witness the burning moon. He is older than any rite or ritual. Older than you could begin to imagine. But most importantly, he is cruel. He is the destroyer who will burn what you have built to the ground, and he will have no response when you cry out for mercy. His scythe will swing across this land with impunity.”

Cassian was… baffled, and that bafflement led to anger. For the most part, anger at the knight being right, that he wouldn’t quite understand what he had to say. More than anything, he thought it was a load of horseshit, the knight prattling off claims that held no water.

“I want to challenge him now,” he said.

“I didn’t realize you were that much more of a fool than I,” Florian called from across the room, trying to remove some tension. Bruno shot daggers from his place by the king, and the jester was quick to recede.

“The clown is correct,” The knight said. “To challenge my master would be a fool’s errand. It would only end in death or domination.”

“I don’t care what you think would happen,” Cassian hissed. “Where do I go to challenge him?”

“Persistent little sprout,” the knight spat. “Very well. He lies in the woods to the southeast. You will have to guide yourself there. I will not facilitate your journey beyond the walls of this castle.”

“But you will facilitate it within the walls?” Cassian asked.

“If you are so certain, I will provide what you seek in your quest to approach Him,” the knight answered.

“Well, I doubt you can facilitate what I want,” Cassian hissed. “A journey alone would be awful, but the one I wish to journey with is imprisoned. I doubt you’d convince the guards to let him go.”

“I do not convince,” the knight stated with a glare. “But, if you truly want to be a leader to death…”

There was a dark feeling in the air – almost a hum, like cicadas in the summer. It grew louder, the darkness growing… darker somehow. It was almost as though the room was simultaneously growing and shrinking, like something was warping the world around them. In a flash, Adair was in the hall, clearly confused as he stumbled forward. The room was quiet enough to hear a pin drop, and then the murmur built. Accusations of witchcraft taking place were chief among them. Adair immediately moved to Cassian’s side, locking their fingers together in a tight grip. He couldn’t let him go again.

“Enough of this.” the knight said, staring. Cassian had no idea exactly what just happened, but it was clear the knight wielded some manner of magic. Maybe this knight and their master are all they’re cracked up to be. “Gather yourself. Gather your allies. Come to Him when you are prepared for the end.”

With that, the knight left. Cassian watched the King gesture to Bruno, who clearly looked opposed to something he’d just been told, but… he quickly approached Cassian. “The King has decided he is merciful enough to send someone with my expertise alongside you.”

“Expertise in what?” Adair asked. “Plume pushing?”

“Well, this seems like the most entertaining thing I’ll see in a while,” Florian said, dashing over and hanging a loose arm around Bruno’s shoulder. The scribe looked immediately uncomfortable.

“Then we set out now,” Cassian said. Adair was… obviously out of the loop, but made no objections. With that, they set off to the woods. It wasn’t a long journey through the trees before they encountered a split in the path – something the knight didn’t bring up. They’d have to guess as to the correct direction to go in.

Art by M4ngey