Ashes of Revenge

The Farian King, Leroux, rode up to the Mundus Castle on a white pegasus. Farian guards accompanied him.

The sun made his light brown skin glow, showcasing his sunken in cheeks. The Farian crown rested on top of his black hair, which was consistent of tight, small curls.

Gold armor was on top of his wings, forming sharp points where his wings peaked at each tip. More gold armor covered the rest of his body with intricate, faint designs engraved in certain parts of the metal that didn’t reflect light. The armor on his forearms, shins, and shoulders was stacked in such a way it looked like layered sharp feathers.

Leroux’s abnormally light blue eyes looked up at the Castle, and he watched the Mundus flag blow in the wind. His white wings - outlined in gold and grey - twitched, and he looked back in front of him. He saw a Knight standing in the middle of the courtyard fully dressed in armor with his sword at his side: the Mundus Captain.

The pegasus slowed and finally came to a stop.

“Welcome to the Mundus Castle,” the Captain said as he bowed. He did have to admit seeing the Farian King in armor was strange - usually, they wore their Royal clothes - but he assumed it was because Leroux had had to pass through the Monstro Kingdom. Besides, it wasn't his place to question a King, even a King that wasn't his.

Leroux hopped off of the pegasus and nodded. “Thank you,” he said. His voice was deep, but not deep enough to sound like an actual adult. Instead, he sounded more like he was around Raven’s and Colt’s age, and Fernando heard it, making a sharp pain shoot into his chest like an arrow impaling his heart. However, he had to push his emotions aside and focus on the Farian King.

“Please follow me. The King is waiting for you.”

Leroux held up his hand, telling his men to stay. Fernando began to walk, and Leroux followed.

“My Captain will join us shortly,” Leroux, somewhat awkwardly explained. It was very uncommon for a Captain not to attend these meetings.

“I understand,” Fernando said, and with that, they fell back into silence.

Fernando led Leroux to the throne room, where a table had been set up for the Kings to discuss their business. Dara and Victor were on the opposite side of the table from the King; there because of Leroux's request. They were simply meant to remain silent.

Once in the room, Leroux’s eyes immediately landed on the stained chair.

Arthur was sitting in one of the chairs at the table, and when they entered, he stood. Fernando walked to the side of Arthur.

The two Kings looked each other in the eyes and bowed their heads. Their last meeting hadn’t gone particularly as Arthur would have wanted, and he didn’t appreciate a teenager showing him up.

Even with Leroux’s reputation as a Monstro in Farian's clothing, Arthur had underestimated the young King. He had received the reputation by being one of the happier, bubbly Kings until someone stepped on his feet. Any Official who opposed him had 'accidentally' died, and the Monstros invading his border were mysteriously killed. He had made it clear he didn’t like the Monstro, Mundus, or Shifter Kings.

Still staring into each other’s eyes, they sat down.

“I must admit, I was slightly taken aback when you requested this meeting,” Arthur said. “Have you changed your mind about the Peace Treaty?”

“I have not; the Treaty is as I left it. I am against you and the Monstro and Shifter Kingdoms.”

“Then, if you’re not going to resign the Treaty, why are you here?”

Leroux leaned back in his chair. “To talk.”

“You’re telling me you came all this way to talk?”

“That’s correct.”

“What about?”

“The Treaty.”

“You-”

“I said I wasn’t here to sign the Treaty. I said nothing about talking about it.”

The King puffed out a breath of air in frustration, beginning to lose his patience yet again with the kid. “What would you like to talk about?”

“Why I didn’t renew the Treaty.”

The two Kings stared at each other, and tenseness filled the air.

“Please continue,” Arthur gritted out.

Leroux reached up and grabbed his gold leaf crown with three blue jewels on the front of it. One gem drooped down with the gold and rested on his forehead. The two other ornaments were above it and to the side, forming an upside-down triangle.

He began to twirl it between his fingers. Both the King and Fernando watched him for a few seconds.

“A few years ago, we imprisoned a young girl named Elizabeth.”

“I don’t see-”

“Maybe if you would allow me to finish, then my point would become clear.”

After a second or so of silence, Leroux began to flip the crown in the other direction. “My Captain was ordered to beat her within an inch of her life while also barely feeding her. I only found out about this monstrosity when my Captain finally told me. I also found out that my dad was the one who ordered it. And no, I don’t care if you thought she would die quickly.” Arthur opened his mouth to speak, but Leroux cut him off, “I took sympathy on her and released her . . . then she set my dad on fire.”

Dara and Victor tensed.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“To explain why I won’t resign the Treaty. You see, I can’t respect a King who would willingly send his daughter to her death for a four-year Treaty. It’s why I can’t respect my dad, despite being dead. He was willing to torture a young girl to keep the Treaty between our two Kingdoms. If there’s one thing I’m not, Arthur, it’s my father, and if there’s one thing Raven isn’t, it’s you.”

Leroux’s hate-filled eyes met the Kings’.

“You and my father were willing to do anything to keep the Treaty alive, but me and Raven, we don’t feel an obligation to do that. Besides, the deal made was essentially pointless in the end - I took the throne, and now the Monstro King is threatening alliance or wars.”

“What-”

“The reason I didn’t sign the Treaty is that I can’t have an alliance with a coward such as yourself or someone such as King Onyx. Your alliances are failing across the board-”

The King slammed his hand down on the table and stood up, Leroux following suit. Both Kings grabbed their swords' handles. Fernando drew his and stepped between the two Kings.

Leroux’s armored wings pushed the sword to the side, and he flew back. He placed his crown back on his head as he smiled. “War is coming, so if I were you, I would prepare.”

“You insolent boy!” the King yelled. He tried to pass Fernando, but Fernando wouldn’t allow him to. “You’ll regret this!”

“We’ll see.”

A knock against the door caused everyone to freeze.

“Don’t worry,” Leroux said, “it’s just my Captain. Come in!” he shouted to the door.

The door opened, and the Farian Captain walked in. Fernando and the King stumbled back in shock. Victor and Dara's eyes widened. It was Richard.

The armor was a light steel blue with royal blue highlights throughout it. The same sharp layered feathers coated his forearms, shins, shoulders, and hung over his thighs. The blue Farian symbol was on the breastplate - a dagger pointed down with feathers encircling it. His wings were armored like Leroux’s, but his armor was silver. His wings that were supposed to be destroyed were on full display and perfect.

Victor now recognized the small circular scar on Richard's wrist. He looked over at Fernando's wrist and saw the small Mundus brand against his skin.

Richard closed the door behind him and walked to his King.

“My Captain has told me you have already met . . . I don’t appreciate him being beaten and de-winged because of his species.” Leroux glared at Arthur, knowing Fernando had only been following orders. That’s what Richard had done all those years ago when he hurt Raven, simply doing as his King ordered.

“H-How?” Arthur stuttered.

Both Farian’s remained silent and still.

The smell of smoke filled the room, and everyone looked towards the thrones. A flame grew and surrounded the two chairs. A few Mundus Knights stepped forward, but before they could do anything, the flame shot across the room, covering all four walls.

Leroux flew across the room in a white blur. His hands and feet slammed into the main doors and threw the iron lock into place, trapping everyone.

Arthur stared at the thrones and watched as the hidden passageway opened. The invisible Messenger, Bram, and Colt walked out, weapons at the ready.

Colt's minimalistic armor had the Farian seal on it, and the blue Farian Official ring shined against one of his fingers.

Arthur fell back into a chair, Victor’s breath stopped in his throat, and Dara nearly screamed when one more person exited the tunnel: Raven. The unseen Death behind her.

Tightly fitted Farian armor covered her body, the Farian seal over her right shoulder. Her sword hung off her left hip, and all her rings were over her gloved hands. Most shockingly, though, was a silver leaf crown that rested on top of her head with a blue jewel against her forehead and another blue gemstone level with the rest of the crown.

A smile highlighted her burned features, and she raised her hands, the fire ascending on the walls.

It was her!

She could control fire!

She was alive!

She was the Farian Queen!

Her smile grew. “Long live the Queen.”

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