The Darkest Sword

by Samantha Kroese

  "Does it?" Ashiyn approached her slowly, glancing over the titles he could see. They certainly backed up Soryn's suspicions.

  Seraphine smiled even more broadly and stood. She hurried to his side with her open book then, with a shake of her hand, an insert unfolded. A prophecy. "Why yes, look. This tells of the battle for our world."

  Ashiyn scowled at her. "Prophecy is a farce. Fate is what you make it."

  "Oh, I think you should look at this one," Seraphine whispered in a seductive tone as she held the page out. "It tells of a beautiful seductress who meets her match in a handsome seducer."

  "Does it?" Ashiyn did not take his gaze from her eyes, waiting for the betrayal he knew was coming. "What does it tell of them?"

  "How they fall madly in love with each other. But alas, there can be only one savior of this world," Seraphine said in a sad tone. "It's a tragic love story, my King."

  Ashiyn whipped his hand to grab the dagger's blade before it could find its way between the plates of his chest armor. The metal screeched as it clashed with his heavy gauntlet. "Now, Seraphine. This is why you shouldn't put stock into prophecy."

  Her purple eyes widened as she tried to free her dagger. When that didn't work, she tried to pull away. Ashiyn twisted her arm until she gasped and dropped the weapon, then he shoved her against a bookcase and held her there.

  She struggled in his grip, but she couldn't use her magic with her hands pinned above her head. "You've fought many magic users I see."

  "You should have tried a spell. It might have worked better," Ashiyn said calmly, as he kept her there.

  "It felt less intimate. I do like to be intimate with you," Seraphine said, as she stopped struggling. "Besides your blood would have been a nice sacrifice."

  "I'm immortal. You can't kill me. And I'm afraid I'm not letting you use my immortal blood as a sacrifice either. So, what do I do now, hmm?" Ashiyn shook his head.

  "You let me go?" Seraphine asked, her eyes wide and innocent again.

  "Nice try. I don't think so," Ashiyn snorted. "Your innocent look won't get you anywhere. Perhaps I should kill you rather than waste my time always wondering when you will try again."

  "Then you would be alone again, my King." Seraphine pointed out. "You and I are not so different. What of the prophecy?"

  "Either it's wrong because I am incapable of love, or it is a prophecy about someone else." Ashiyn smirked as he leaned closer to pin his body against hers. "I do enjoy you, Seraphine. Why don't you continue to be my lover until we are the only two left that could save this world and rule it? Then we can return to this discussion of whether there can truly only be one, or if the prophecy could be interpreted as ‘two as one.’"

  "Two cannot be one without love, my King," Seraphine said, tilting her head.

  "That is nonsense." Ashiyn loosened his grip a little. "We are one every time we are together."

  Seraphine pulled her hands free of his grip and trailed them over him. "It would be a shame to kill you."

  "You can't kill me. You can only irritate me," Ashiyn said as he watched her hands.

  The noise of Soryn clearing his throat from the doorway made them both glance that way. He did not look the least impressed by however much of their banter he had. "Dinner is ready. If you two are quite done," Soryn said dryly.

  Ashiyn looked Seraphine over. "Are we quite done?"

  "Well, I wouldn't turn down unicorn stew. I suppose we shall have to be. For now." Seraphine winked at him then pulled away to walk toward Soryn. "Thank you, Soryn."

  "Bring an extra place setting," Ashiyn said as he walked past Soryn as well.

  "My King? More visitors?" Soryn asked, surprised.

  "Ember will be joining us from now on. Provided the Nthir didn't make a mess of him," Ashiyn said with a dismissive wave as he followed Seraphine to the dining hall.

  CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

  When the trio was halfway through the meal, Ember finally stumbled in and collapsed into a chair at the opposite end of the table from his father. The Nthir had fought Ember quite fiercely from the looks of it. His pretty armor was shredded, his perfect hair was disheveled, and he was covered with sticky ink-black blood as well as the red of his own.

  While Soryn and Seraphine stared at the abused newcomer, Ashiyn just rolled his eyes. "Oh, you survived. I hope you didn't kill my pets."

  "Don't sound so disappointed, father," Ember snorted as he dished up a large portion of the food. He took a bite then dropped his spoon and looked into the bowl. "This is…"

  "Unicorn stew!" Seraphine chirped, cheerful, as she took another big bite of hers.

  "My unicorn?" Ember sputtered for a moment, considering the stew. Then he took a deep breath, composed himself, and went back to eating. "Who knew the blasted beast was so delicious?"

  Ashiyn finished his bowl then leaned back in his chair. He waved dismissively toward Ember. "This is my eldest son, Ember. Ember, Soryn, and Seraphine."

  Ember looked suspiciously from one to the other as Ashiyn introduced them, then he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Soryn. "Of course, he's sleeping with the woman. Why are you here?"

  “Soryn is my friend,” Ashiyn said, before anyone else could answer.

  “Your father is sleeping with Soryn as well. Isn’t it wonderful? We are all so happy,” Seraphine blurted out.

  Soryn stared at Seraphine then turned bright red as he sputtered.

  Ember raised a brow slowly as he considered Ashiyn. “Really, father? I did not know you had such inclinations toward men. Interesting. Are you the top or the bottom? Or perhaps the middle so the woman can be involved?”

  "Ember," Ashiyn warned, narrowing his eyes.

  "Are you jealous, father? I know you don’t share your women, but can I play with your man?” Ember asked as he winked at Soryn.

  Soryn scrambled up from the table and started to collect the dishes, excusing himself from the room.

  Ashiyn rose slowly from his chair and leaned on his hands toward Ember across the table. "Leave Soryn alone. Touch him and I will torture you in ways you cannot even imagine.”

  "Offering to torture me for his honor? You must actually care,” Ember smirked at him, wiping blood off his cheek with a tattered sleeve. "That is all right. I didn't come here to get laid anyway. I came here to help you take over the world."

  "Oh, that's so sweet. Your son wants to help you!" Seraphine turned to Ashiyn as she got up, clapping her hands. In the same sweet voice, she asked, "If he annoys you enough, can I sacrifice him?"

  Ember's snicker was cut short, and he stared at Seraphine.

  It was Ashiyn's turn to smirk at his son. Then he shook his head. "Wouldn't work. He's immortal too."

  Seraphine frowned, disappointed. "All your offspring are? So, if we have one, I can't sacrifice it either?"

  "Correct." Ashiyn shook his head and turned to go. He was beginning to miss his solitude. He glanced toward the door through which Soryn had disappeared. Soryn was the sanest of them all. Interesting since Soryn had been raised by the most insane creature Ashiyn had ever met.

  Ashiyn made it halfway to the door when the door across the room burst open and squealing Nthir swarmed into the room, covering the ceiling of the dining hall like a cloud of darkness. Ember cursed at them and jumped up, knocking his chair to the floor as he drew his daggers and faced the monsters.

  Ashiyn tilted his head as he deciphered the upset noises the beasts were making. "Stand down. They're not after you." Ashiyn stormed past Ember and hurried down the hall the beasts had come from. "Sword?"

  Oh, now you remember me. I don't know if I can help you now. I'm weakened from my thirst that you so rudely ignored, Sihtaar replied in a displeased ironic tone.

  Ashiyn yanked the blade from his back anyway. He didn't need its magic to use it as a weapon; he was still a Master swordsman. He threw open the door to the courtyard, then slowed.

  The man in the courtyard was covered in blood, missing an arm, and half of his face was melted to
the skull. His griffin had expired already from its bloody wounds and formed a mutilated pile beneath the man.

  "Errance," Ashiyn muttered in shock as he recognized the rival king. Errance's beautiful metal armor was shredded like cloth, and Ashiyn could see at least a dozen mortal wounds. Ashiyn stormed down the steps to the courtyard, briefly aware that Ember, Seraphine, and Soryn had followed him out.

  Errance stumbled off the corpse of his mount and tripped his way to Ashiyn. He fell against Ashiyn and managed to hold himself up by a death grip on the collar of Ashiyn's dark armor. The bright blue eye that was left was wide and full of agony and fear. "I found you."

  Ashiyn grimaced and shoved the man off and watched Errance fall hard to the ground, splattering blood everywhere. "What do you want so badly that you had to come to die in my courtyard?"

  "You. You are the last hope for this world. The last hero has fallen. The Light has failed. We failed." Errance wheezed, then he shuddered violently and died.

  "Ashiyn!" Soryn called from where he had climbed onto the roof of the stable to look over the castle walls.

  Ashiyn felt a cold shiver go down his spine as he returned Sihtaar to its scabbard. He walked over to the stable and climbed up next to Soryn. The land surrounding the castle was buried in a thick cloud of darkness. They were in the eye of a void now. Ashiyn couldn't see anything through the darkness, not even when he used his magic to enhance his sight.

  "The world has fallen," Seraphine whispered as she joined them.

  "Idiots!" Ashiyn rolled his eyes and jumped off the stable to stalk back toward the castle. He ignored the Nthir consuming Errance's body. "I told them the light wouldn't save them. No one listens."

  "What will you do now?" Soryn asked as he followed, his eyes wide.

  "What I would have done before if they had gotten out of the way. Take back this world and make it mine." Ashiyn waved to them. "Come inside. We prepare for war."

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  After spending most of the night planning an attack, Ashiyn’s small group headed into the center of the magical darkness now covering the land. Ashiyn’s plan was to destroy the leader of the monstrous armies, so they went directly to the fortress where the creature was rumored to dwell.

  Illusion’s hooves rang against the stone as the winged equine came to a halt on the balcony of the massive fortress. The darkness surrounded them like a thick, heavy blanket. Even though Ashiyn’s magic gave him the ability to see in the dark, it still looked like a veil covered everything around them.

  “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Soryn asked, as the magus slid off his griffin to stand next to Ashiyn.

  “The easiest way to end this is to cut the head off the snake. So to speak.” Ashiyn rolled his shoulders as he pulled Sihtaar from his back. The sword came to life at his touch, black lightning racing up and down its length and tickling at Ashiyn’s hand. “If I kill whoever is the leader of this darkness, then I will become the leader of it. At least that’s how the armies have worked.”

  Seraphine and Ember fell in step behind them. Neither said anything, but Ember drew his daggers. Seraphine looked like she might be strutting into a party. She strolled past Ashiyn and Soryn as if she owned the place.

  “Seraphine,” Soryn warned, nervous.

  “She can take care of herself,” Ashiyn said, as he crossed the balcony that led into a large room. “Can you get rid of this darkness, Soryn?”

  “Possibly,” Soryn stopped and closed his eyes as he started to glow white with released magic. He whispered a word, and everything around them seemed to still.

  Ashiyn had the sense to pull Seraphine and Ember both back behind the magus right before the magic broke loose like a hurricane through the room. The wind swept away the darkness leaving only a very empty throne room.

  Ashiyn tilted his head, feeling a bit disappointed in the anti-climatic sense of it all. “Where are they? They should be here.” The darkness was rumored to bleed directly from whatever evil had created it, so his magic told Ashiyn the monster should be in the room with them. His magic was never wrong about these things.

  “Maybe they’re out looking for breakfast?” Ember snickered.

  Ashiyn rolled his eyes. He strode up to the throne and slammed Sihtaar’s point in between two of the stones in the floor. He uttered the dark command to release his magic, and shivered when it used his body as a conduit before exploding around the room. Even the powerful reveal spell didn’t show them anything.

  Your enemy walked in with you, Sihtaar warned.

  Ashiyn spun around to look at his companions. Could that be true? Which one? Ember surely wasn’t the leader of the armies of darkness. His son wasn’t that powerful. He looked between Soryn and Seraphine. He didn’t want to believe either of them was his enemy, but after what the sword had said, doubt filled him. Rhadamanthus had insisted Soryn would be Ashiyn’s doom and Seraphine had some strange power to persuade him.

  Seraphine slid past him and, with a smirk, sat down on the throne. “Oh, it’s a comfortable throne. It’s too bad they’ve abandoned it. You look troubled, my love.”

  “Which one is it?” Ashiyn thought toward Sihtaar, as he took a few steps away from Seraphine.

  I can’t tell you that.

  Ashiyn fought irritation at the sword again. What good was its power if it was never any help when he needed it? That was what he got for picking a sentient weapon. “The enemy is in this room,” Ashiyn declared.

  “There are just the four of us. Are they cloaked?” Soryn asked, as he looked around.

  Ashiyn turned his back on Seraphine. That was a mistake. Her giggle was the only warning he got before she attacked him. Chains of water surged at his arms and legs. It was too quick. She grabbed his hair and yanked his head back, slitting his throat with her wicked dagger, even as she chanted words to invoke a powerful spell from his spilling blood.

  Ashiyn fell to his knees as darkness rushed to meet him. He leaned heavily on Sihtaar. He could see Soryn and Ember rushing to his defense, but he could no longer hear anything over the rush of blood in his ears. “Thanks a lot, sword,” was his last conscious thought.

  He got the sense that the sword made some sarcastic reply, likely about his immortality, before he collapsed into darkness.

  The next thing Ashiyn knew he could hear voices. The argument between Soryn and Ember sounded a thousand times louder than it should have.

  “I can’t find a way out.”

  “Be quiet! It will hear you.”

  “Do snakes hear? I think they just smell you with their tongue.”

  “He’s coming back,” Ember said, and Ashiyn heard the two of them scramble to kneel at his side. “Get up, father. We need you.”

  Ashiyn groaned and shoved Ember away from him as he rolled over onto his side and tried to open his eyes. His neck throbbed. His entire body ached. He felt weak from the blood loss and the temporary death. “Where are we?”

  “She threw us in the basement to feed her pet. It’s a giant snake. We lost it for now by going into a crack in the wall where it couldn’t follow, but I don’t know if it can find another way around,” Soryn said, his voice wavering with nervousness. “She killed you! She killed you and used your blood to make herself more powerful. She was the one in control all this time.”

  “Thank you. That wasn’t painfully obvious,” Ashiyn grumbled. He looked around. “Where is Sihtaar?”

  “She took it.” Soryn shook his head. “She took Ember’s daggers as well. And she put a magic inhibitor on me.” Soryn tugged at the collar that was now around his neck.

  Ashiyn grunted and then pulled Soryn closer. Using his magic to enhance his strength, he grabbed at the collar and snapped it to pieces. Soryn sat back on his haunches and stared as his magic came flooding back. “She said that was indestructible!”

  “Nothing is indestructible. Except me.” Ashiyn got up and rubbed his throbbing neck. The wound had healed, but he could still feel a scar. She would pay for that
. How had she taken his blade though? The sword had sworn to serve him. For now, escape was the priority, “Time to get out of here,” he said as he scanned the area.

  “There’s no way out except back up the way we were thrown down.” Ember scurried after him as Ashiyn strode toward the crack in the wall they had mentioned.

  Ashiyn squeezed through the hole. As soon as he did, there was an angry hiss and a giant maw scooped him up. He growled and threw up his hands to hold the snake’s mouth open, shaking with the effort. “Kill it, Soryn!”