As the sun rose on the eastern horizon, the silent dungeon changed into a noisy one. after hours of contemplating my escape and thinking of the days before's activities, I still had more questions than answers.
but I knew now for a fact that there was no witch. nor the witch queen. my dreams. the one I've been having for months now was as of today, fresh on my mind. but it didnt pose as many questions as King Argon's...dream did. was it just a dream or was he... I dont know, real?
the thieving king didnt visit me about the coin yet. I really hoped he would have. but he didnt. guess the magi was the only one concerned.
my stomach growled once more and I took a deep breath.
I've always known I was going to die hungry but not like this. well, guess it is what it is then.
Raoul had long left more than four hours ago, but his words rang sharply on my head. I didnt have to believe him, he had advised, which I didn't anymore, but, he had said, it was awfully wrong of me to give the king my coin.
I knew that. given how the commodore was angry about them. the guardians, maybe I shouldn't have included them in my "quest." he told me that a lot of people were now running out of the capital city to the forests fearing what was to come.
The guards walked into my cell and walked me out to the execution block. before then, he came.
the king in the flesh.
I smiled, brightly as I saw his company. Target 101, was with him. The soldier with enough balls to touch me was here. he smirked at me and I smiled.
The King looked at me in the eyes and I felt my whole body turn cold. yesterday he wasn't like this, but as he passed along the corridor I felt like I was in the presence of a demon rather than that of a human.
I looked away as the guards took their crossed spears off my face and continued down to the execution block.
"heard you killed two guards yesterday, "
"don't worry you will be dead before I do."
My eyes stung and burnt as I walked into the bright sunlight. I walked up the stairs as everybody booed and clamored for me to be killed and done with quickly.
The guards around me said something but in this noise, it was nothing but an inaudible.
I climbed the execution block with my stomach nearing the point of running.
They made me kneel and I did exactly that. I kneeled.
The king watched the execution, not inside the execution grounds but a bit far off from the watchtower.
One of the councilmen I've seen at the meeting stepped up beside the executioners and opened his scroll.
"Andreana Fox. Son of disgraced General Lucas Fox, you are hereby accused of high crimes of the massacre of the followers of God Aries in counts of hundred men." He read from the scroll. "The murder of the monk of the holy temple of the guardians, treason, and conspiracy..."
As they started talking about my crimes, it suddenly dawned on me. If I messed up I'm dead.
If I didn't time everything, I'm dead.
I grew nervous at the thoughts. Knowing I was going to die if I messed up melted my courage away.
This is bad. Really bad.
As the councilman continued reading a list of crimes I've committed, deep inside of me I felt the dragon grow excited and every nerve inside of me and muscles started vibrating. I started feeling a bit faint. Rage built inside of me as time... maybe it was just nerves.
"... by the law of Arga, you are hereby seen guilty of all charges and are sentenced to death." the councilman concluded by rolling the scroll and a cheer came from the crowd. Anything you would like to say for yourself, Andreanna Fox?"
"you know..." I began but everything I wanted to say vaporized in my mouth and the dragon began talking in its raspy voice, "when the age of Gods began, we the dragons of Moria were chased down by the gods from our abode to the lands of punte. Land of our forefathers, the lands of our protectors. And when the age of darkness came to an end, we watched the angels of Uriel descended from the heavens and you, the half-blood scum of Sumer and monkeys, came down for shelter and were given this land."
my jaw ached. like it was being torn apart. with every heartbeat, throbbed. then my skull followed. like nails were being hammered into it. like between blocks of steel in the forges, being squeezed. why am I turning? why am I fading?
"there was a rule of gold, of precious stones made, seven!" he picked his eyes up to the kin and spit. then with his cold eyes to the spectators. "but you broke all seven! and think of yourself supreme! you are just a thief, demigod. you will fall like my people did at the hands of those the Earth now rule! rivers red, shall they run. dark shall the cloud upon this land dwell till the last of the souls of Aru be crashed!"
my head became heavier as the dragon gained power over me.
what am I saying?
why am I saying this?
I didn't listen to Raoul this morning as he told me the origin of Arga, nor my father as he told the story of the fall of aragu. why do I know it?
the pain subsided and I felt weak. drained, all I wanted was to lie down.
my head was heavy. numb but heavy. it just wanted to...
"He is cursing us!" someone from the crowd shouted. then the entire crowd went amok. they shouted insults and curses at me. shouted for my execution to be done with. for my head to roll off and be used on a stake as a scarecrow.
The thief raised his hand, and everybody went dead mute.
"Guardians are a thing of the past." he roared. his voice rendering with fear I almost felt it.
but I was far. why am I far? arent i...
I am not in charge.
the dragon is.
He smirked at the kin. the dragon I meant and laughed the weirdest, scariest, raspy laugh I ever heard. "you should look at your borders." he advised.
I am in control. I told myself.
my window was thinning fast.
I am in control. but I'm running out of time.
I am Andre... I tried to remind myself but I was nothing but weak. for a moment, everything faded in front of me but returned.
"stop resisting Andre... you die here."
damn dragon, get out of my hea... I faded for a moment. but I heard whispers.
wa...
oh damn, am I dying?
my body, I couldn't control it, but I could feel it move. feel it embrace itself and prepare for the ax to chop it off.
I haven't been hit by it in a while. the thought crossed my head.
why am I giving up?
why am i...
my heart grew cold and I knew the ax was raised,
my heart, drummed into my ear in the deadening silence. my stomach grew weak.
why didnt I control the dragon spirit all this time? why did I never use it for the past ten years? regret started building itself on my head. if I did, I wouldn't be helpless here.
opheeeeew! I heard a slow whistle and I almost pooped my pants. the ax was whistling as it slowly went for my head. the whistle grew louder every half heartbeat.
it was aiming for my head and I can't break free.
"I am Andre, Anna Lucas. I am the son of Lucas. son of Anna of..." oh god please dont let me die. please dont...
thud, a soft thud followed shortly after the whistle hit its crescendo.
my heart stopped.
slowly a sharp pain radiated from my head like it was splitting open.
as another whistle went, I felt something drip on my head. a strong stench of blood followed shortly after.
I am dead,
two more whistles went by consecutively. metal hit wood around me and before I could open my eyes, I heard grasps then screams.
"If you wanna kill him, get in line, he's mine!" a deep voice shouted as another whistle went past. thuds followed and I opened my eyes. that cant be. it really cant be.
that voice I knew it everywhere. feared it.
I stopped breathing as I looked up. my stomach fell.
"centaur!"
oh shit! Arium.
the whole crowd went bananas and dispersed in nothing but pandemonium madness.
"get in line Arium! He's mine." a feminine voice boomed among the pandemonium madness and my body went limb cold.
what the fuck was today? the day I die?
And why am I so scare... Dryad.