Ra' van (Book Three of the Items Trilogy)

by H. Lee Morgan, Jr

  The weight dropped as suddenly as it came to be. “Very interesting.” He explained while rubbing his smooth jaw and walking around her rigid stance. “Such ways to use Dominance is genius. I never knew it could be created as such to defy another’s orders. I doubt you remember the exact words so they could be circumvented, but nevertheless you’ve actually thwarted me… Commendable.”

  Runkamon stopped moving, but continued rubbing his jaw and staring her right in the eye. Three silent minutes passed as the two stared each other down. Not one person could look away from the warring wills and the thoughtful expression one had and the other wishing for justified murder, but knew she couldn’t do it. Eventually Runkamon looked away and around at everyone to realize they wanted to know what came next.

  “It looks like I must follow through on my word.” His cold blue eyes met Alex’s grey. “Be sure to watch this closely.”

  An intense wave of heat blasted from Runkamon. The grass at his feet began smoldering and his clothes looked to be about to do so also. Lily stepped back quickly as she stood closest, but he snatched her rope bindings. He then grabbed her left arm at the elbow and she screamed from the painful grip and the burning heat.

  But before he could do anything else, something changed.

  Battle cries nearby broke all concentration. Sounds of explosions and clashing of weapons drew so close that even Runkamon became noticeably confused.

  “What’s going on!?” He demanded.

  Every guard looked over the edge and some answered “We’re under attack!” “The inner kingdom has been breached!” “Fiends are everywhere!” “The men are Falling back into the palace!”

  General Peile rushed over to the edge of the garden and came running back to stand before Runkamon, but spoke calmly. “There must be over a thousand fiends and an equal number of Freelan warriors of high class. We’ve been infiltrated…”

  Runkamon waived his hand wildly “How?! There are only two escape paths in an emergency and they are under heavy guard. How have they gotten in? The seers have said nothing of an event like this! Get out there and put a stop to this! Do it… Ahhh!!!”

  In his moment of distraction Lily managed to catch his right hand as he gestured wildly, brought it close to her face and bit down with all she had. The extreme pain caused him to jerk his hand back, but as he did so he only returned with three fingers while two stumps squirted a fountain of blood. He yelled again as he lost his last two fingers and turned murderously towards her.

  Lily grinned triumphantly and spat out the two lifeless fingers as blood dripped down her chin. “First rule as a Kings Guard, never take your eye off your enemy!”

  “Yahhh!!!” Runkamon yelled as Alex watched on with wide eyes.

  Runkamon brought his newly mangled hand close to his opposite hip, released a torrent of heat and used the full extent of his Furion strength to backhand her face with enough force to make her head snap back and throw her through the air for nearly the entire length of the garden and crash limply against one of the towers.

  All on the level turned to see her come to a complete stop and not get up.

  Alex stood helplessly and looked to her crumpled body. Get up… Come on get up. He thought, but couldn’t bring himself to utter a word. Not again, I cannot lose another loved one. Lily, get up. But she didn’t. Sounds of battle and death couldn’t be registered as he watched. Time seemed to stop completely and eternity stretched the numbness and cold forever. It felt as if he had reached the abyss again. Too many had been lost by one man’s ambition. My love, get up! But she couldn’t hear thoughts.

  Whether it was a combination of the concoction Veign gave, breathing deeply to wash away the smoke’s effects or seeing Lily struck, but something changed.

  The mild headache he had been experiencing vanished.

  Rage for the woman who meant everything exploded within. He had made more memories with her than any other human, excluding Gambit. Though they’ve only known each other for nearly four years they meant everything to each other. Only Ava and Shade could claim something deeper.

  “RUNKAMONNNNNN!!!” Alex roared so loud everything seemed a whisper in comparison. The false king turned with wide eyes that couldn’t have been more frightened or hold more fear.

  Without the headache nothing could hold him back.

  Anger for his love and hate for Runkamon gave a true clarity that made him exude a feeling that none could withstand. The greatest predator stood before them.

  Heat exploded from Alex so violently that the clothes burst into flames without warning. His heart pumped with a need that couldn’t be measured or articulated. It became a continuous thrum. Strength surged uninhibited throughout him and his muscles bulged with strain. The shackles binding his wrists were made of the same material as his sword, but the three large links that held them together were made of iron. Under the strain of an enraged Furion they broke instantly.

  Runkamon instinctively went for his sword as his nephew’s clothes burst into flames, but couldn’t draw it properly as his mangled hand couldn’t grip right and the blood bathed the hilt became too slick. Fear he had never experienced shouted a warning that something dangerous was about to ensue. Seeing him shatter the links made him decide to strike before his instinctual prophesy came true.

  As the last scrap of flaming cloth dropped and his ankles became independent Alex saw Runkamon lunge, but in his awakened state the bastard seemed to move through the air as if swimming through syrup. His blue eyes were wide with unknown fear and knowing if he didn’t strike Alex down immediately he might not survive. Runkamon’s mouth opened wide as he cried out like a berserker. His fist pulled back and came within reach in the blink of an eye.

  Strangely an insubstantial weight seemed to grow in the palm of his right hand.

  Alex peered down and noticed he still carried the Xeal seed and a ruthless idea surfaced. Veign probably thought it could be used like a stone and could kill someone to escape, but Alex thought of a more fitting use.

  Grant death by starting life.

  Before Runkamon could even react in his fear addled mind that his nephew somehow overcame the effects of the herb, Alex brought his newly freed arm back as well and threw the large seed down Runkamon’s throat, bent backwards at the waist after releasing the seed, to show his flexibility and watched as his uncle sailed over him.

  Everyone stood stunned as Runkamon flipped over and land on his feet to began choking violently. “WHAT DID YOU DO!”

  With his heightened hearing Alex heard the cracking of the nut’s shell when the fiend/plant found a suitable environment in which to grow. “I’ve won!”

  Runkamon’s eyes suddenly widened and he clutched his stomach when pain exploded within. He knew almost instantly that his life would soon be over, but wouldn’t take the trip alone. He yelled and managed to draw his sword with the left hand and lunged again, but Alex has been through more deadly fights than his uncle and used the gained experience to dodge the first swipe, stepped within his territory, used one hand to grab Runkamon’s face and shift his whole momentum in reverse, and slam the back of his head into the grass, creating an eight inch crater.

  Before Runkamon could even react Alex slammed his heel with his full weight and Furion strength upon the dictator’s throat.

  Everyone in the garden heard and the whole palace felt the slight vibration that crushed Runkamon’s throat.

  The short silence ended as Jerkin roared “Runkamon! You’re dead, Alex!” and charged him, spewing flames and throwing Rake off.

  “Wrong!” an immense shadow streaked faster than the Makkian could react. All Jerkin could do was look. Hiding in the crack and shadow of a tower, Shade watched all that transpired, waiting for an opportunity. He got one.

  Shade leaped from his shadow and sunk his great teeth into the larger beast. Using his entire body to shake back and forth Shade violently ripped the throat out of Jerkin and came to a stop a moment later, standing victoriously between the fal
ling prey and his brother. Shade gave ample warning to feel his honor wasn’t sullied by the attack.

  Rake saw both his Furion and friend both die so quickly that the other humans had yet to react and began making his chest swell with air to end this. If his comrades died, he’d do the same to everyone.

  “OH NO YOU DON’T!” Ava shrieked and dropped from above. She sunk her talons into Rake’s throat and used her dive-bomb’s momentum to jerk him out of the air and flip in such a way as to throw him far from her brothers. It took a moment for Rake to right himself after being thrown, but already Ava was on him and continued a ruthless attack. “THIS IS FOR MY MOTHER!” and she shrieked, but Rake managed to dodge the effect and shriek back.

  In comparison to their size Ava was like a sparrow facing an eagle, but where he had size and power he couldn’t catch her because of swiftness and agility. He then made a costly mistake and Ava swooped in, locked her talons on his back to immobilize his wings and used her sharp beak to tear feathers and chunks of flesh. About a hundred feet from the ground she pecked and mangled a major artery in his neck and disengaged.

  Rake died before slamming into the ground.

  She shrieked in triumph, causing the whole city to momentarily pause.

  Ava proved definitively that she could fight a lord and win.

  Back on the palace, after Ava removed Rake, Shade spat out a mouthful of Jerkin’s throat and watched the creature spasm until growing lifeless.

  Suddenly another shadow ran in shade’s direction. “I will not see you win again!” And another Shadow Fang emerged. Even after losing a leg he remained swift. Midnight lunged at Shade, but never made it.

  Kyri had been waiting for such a chance as this and let loose a great flame. The liquid blaze coated Midnight and she snarled gleefully before pouncing on the worthless excuse of a predator. She flipped him on his side and sunk her great fangs into Midnight’s flaming throat, ripping it out.

  Because of him he hurt Zara and no one does that.

  She watched him burn and suffocate on his own blood, wondering which would end his existence first.

  “All units attack!” Peile ordered when his senses returned and knew it would take a few seconds to create a strong enough wind to fight. He needed time and would get it if the subordinates struck.

  “Alex, Zara! Catch!” Out of nowhere two swords entered the palace garden.

  With the Furion enhanced reflexes both Zara and Alex plucked the naked swords out of the air. She smiled up at the distraught Thane and slammed the pommel of her sword into his gut, knocking him over and jumping over the rushing guard to stand beside Alex as he effortlessly knocked out loosed arrows from the air and beheaded the first fool to reach him in the same swing.

  Marlin whipped himself around one of the towers he climbed with the use of his item after knowing where Alex would be after seeing all the Kings Guard looking inwards from where he hid earlier. With the distraction his brother succeeded in creating it gave Marlin what he needed to reach to reach the top without being spotted. He flipped his cane and shattered the knee of one warrior with his bobber before reaching Alex side when Zara dropped in.

  “Great timing!” Alex said with a forced grin.

  “I always have it!” he retorted while parrying a javelin and throwing it over the building.

  Suddenly Shade and Kyri looked at each other and all those aiming for their partners and without speaking ran together, knocking the puny people down or beneath their great paws. They spun around and used their tails to easily sweep the nearest attackers away from their partners. Shade’s coated claws scratched deeply into three who rushed in.

  Kyri then loosed another stream of fire that caused the Guard to retreat back several yards.

  “Kill them! Kill them! Kill them! Kill…” a sickening snap made all the Kings Guard turn to General Peile as his maniacal orders ceased and the gathering gales of wind stilled.

  What they saw was his head twisted completely around and the cruel pedophile’s last sight was of a large man in golden armor wrenching his head until all the neck bones snapped.

  “STAND DOWN!!!” Veign ordered so loud every noise seemed inconsequential. “What do you think you are doing! Your attacking our future king!”

  “Your rank isn’t enough to order us!” a captain frothed.

  Veign walked purposefully up and backhanded him to show that out of everyone present he was the only invulnerable one. “You fools are fighting for the wrong person. Think! You’ve just mindlessly attacked Princess Zara!”

  That got everyone’s attention and the fighting came to an end. He wondered why none fell in a seizure in the first place. Alex and the others didn’t drop their guard. Veign then said “We’ve all taken the oath to never harm our king or the royal line.” He pointed to the man hanging and said “He is our true king! Not that filth!” and pointed to Runkamon, but as he did so all watched as the torso writhed unnervingly and a sickening sound erupted as a sapling grew from the corpse’s abdomen.

  “Where is the proof?” One man hesitantly asked.

  Zara suddenly jumped atop Kyri and pointed her un-bloodied blade. “How about my word?” Everyone turned to her as Ava swooped in and circled low, showing she could at any time shriek them unconscious if they even thought to continue attacking. “I swear that man is the true king. That is the lost King Gerieg! And beside me is my cousin, Prince Alex! They are the true royal line. My father tricked you and made you believe he was king.”

  “We need proof!” another explained.

  “Here.” Marlin said quietly as he withdrew the ruby ring from the pack and handed it over.

  Alex smiled grimly, took it and stepped forward. He growled to both Shade and Kyri “If you believe they might kill me, slaughter them all.” They crouched down and growled in response. It had the desired effect for it gave the warriors pause. He passed between the two giants and held his bubbling blade down and showed the closest person the ring. “This is the symbol of the Furion Royal Line. Find an elder who worked before Runkamon’s regime, if you wish to verify my legitimacy.” Then he tossed it to the nearest person and ordered “Move!”

  Alex then looked to Zara and asked “Please hurry and cut our grandfather down.” She nodded and jumped over the fifty warriors. She then made easy work of the chains as her sword cut through them. She cut through three on the first swipe and two on the next, dropped her sword and caught him gently. Veign rushed over to her as did Kyri. She protected them from a sneak attack while she knew Veign would help Zara tend Gerieg. To prove she meant business, each breath carried bursts of flame.

  Hissing blood created a pink mist around the blade as Alex stepped slowly towards the warriors. They fell back as a sad, defeated expression overcame him.

  Marlin stepped closer and said “Shade?” and pointed to Alex, Shade’s expression became equally sad and he closed his eyes tightly and shook his head. He then slowly walked through the hole left in Alex’s wake. Marlin followed in confusion, but not for long. He gasped as he noticed why Alex and Shade looked so miserable.

  Ava sensed that all hostility came to an end momentarily after seeing a person running to a door and disappearing. She then slowly flew down and landed on the ground as Alex reached Lily.

  A rock seemed to be lodged in his throat as he stopped a yard away for he couldn’t swallow or moisten his dry mouth. Hot tears spilled from his eyes. He dropped to his knees as if his puppeteer had cut the strings and wished he didn’t have to face a harsh reality. He stared at her motionless back where she had fallen and remained still, curled in on herself.

  Tentatively he reached forward and touched her shoulder.

  Lily’s shoulder moved on contact.

  Alex went still for a moment and suddenly leaned over.

  His eyes immediately noticed her entire head coated in the quicksilver-like material that defends her body. Her blades had been taken, but her defensive item couldn’t be. Her entire head, neck and shoulders were completely encased
in the liquid metal. Her teeth were showing and clamped together in the sign of extreme sensation of pain. Lily breathed slowly through her teeth, but she still breathed. “She’s ALIVE!!!” He whispered in slight denial as hope rekindled.

  Suddenly two men ran onto the garden’s ground. One was the warrior sent off and the other was an elderly man who was short of breath. The Warrior said and pointed “He gave it to me.”

  “She’s alive.” Alex whispered again, believing it and moved around her. “Lily, can you hear me?” Marlin knelt too and released his breath.

  “Alex… Help… In… Pain!” She growled through her teeth.

  “Look at me.” The elderly man demanded as he approached the large, naked young man and another with a long reddish pole. Alex did and the man stepped back in shocked realization. “Sheul… Nay, those grey eyes… it cannot be… Alex?”

  “Hurry she needs help!” Alex said and Marlin moved to stand guard.

  The elder turned to everyone and ordered “I verify he is Prince Alex Sheulson. Put your weapons away immediately. As former general of Ra’van’s forces and lead councilman I, Freto order you!” He turned back around and offered the ring. “Prince, what do you want us to do.”

  Before he answered he looked to both Ava and Shade. “She’s alive, but in bad condition. Find Niranene and Allahandra and bring them here as fast as possible. Do whatever it takes. Be quick, I trust them more than anyone here.” Without even an acknowledgement Ava flew south and Shade jumped over the edge without fear. Alex then met the old man’s waiting eyes. “The war ends now! Tell all the warriors to drop their weapons and open the gates. Tell them Ra’van surrenders and offers full cooperation to Queen Allahandra and Freelan. If they ask why, tell them Runkamon orders it to be done. They won’t believe what happened here under these present circumstances.”