#4:The Children of The Lost
Inn
"There's still riot outside. We will be having a hard time escaping. The other soldiers are surrounding this inn but are attracting the attention of the common people ", Reinys peeked outside. The Riverdellian looked at her hands tainted with blood. She knew it was more than just blood. "It's not the outside that we should be worried of. Even if it's all peaceful and we can escape, do you think she can be free?", Dillon held Zefania's hand while seated in front of the lady lying down on the bed.
"Andor had remained to be the most mysterious Kingdom amongst the rest. Do you know why?", Reinys asked. Dillon shook his head since all his focus is directed toward Zefania. He was constructing how to tell her about the baby. "Because, they've been hiding children", Reinys smiled.
Zefania slowly opened her eyes. She felt light in her womb. Her eyes felt warm but she bit her lips. "Help me get up, Dillon", Zefania commanded. "You're not going anywhere, lady. We've traveled this far to rescue you", Reinys sighed. "I don't need to be rescued. I was never a captive in this place. I need to be on his side", Zefania forced herself to get up. "You just lost your baby. You should take care of yourself first", Dillon stood up and raised his voice. Zefania couldn't hold it anymore so she burst into tears. "That's why I want to be by his side. I already lost one, I don't want to lose him too", Zefania covered her face. Sobs filled in the whole room. Reinys walked towards her and placed her arms around the brown-haired lady. "Let's go to where he is", the Riverdellian princess clearly understands her. Dillon clenched his fist and prepared his sword.
Palace
Throne Room
Zakili already received tons of slashes around his body. "This is starting to get dull. Let us make sure that the arduous travel would be worth the patience", Aystar dropped a red handkerchief on the floor and then left the room with some of his guards. Four of Aystar's personal Knights came with him. "I'll stay here", Wrath, a huge man with a longsword said. With the looks of it, he has a blood of a giant. Upon collision with the longsword, Zakili was pushed back. After clearing the way back to his throne room, he was surrounded by Raven soldiers with swords rubbed with different poisons. As the Kralj, he has a higher tolerance for plant-based poison than an average adult.
The Kralj was about to give up but Zefania's face flashed in his mind. He mustered all his strength to fight back. A sword was about to stab his chest but the sword was cut by another sword. "What a brute strength", Wrath stepped back and took another sword from a dead soldier. "It's been a while since I cut a sword into two", Keanne cracked his neck. "Take care of the small fries, little brother", Keanne gave a reassuring smile.
"Where is Zefania?", Zakili suddenly looked around and was stabbed in the side. Keane has his hand full. "Do not lose your focus, brother", Keane warned. The door opened and a sword came flying at the other Raven soldier who stabbed Zakili. It was a huge man wearing a Knight's armor. "Where is the Queen?", he asked and started swinging his sword all around. Wrath and Keanne are still having their battle. It was the Kingsguard, back when Volde was the King. "Are you here to give my punishment as well?", Kralj gritted his teeth.
"You are tough", Wrath commented. "Thank you for your compliment. Tell me, what's your goal of coming here from your high walls", Keanne asked. "His Grace is establishing a Kingdom to be feared by the rest", Wrath answered.
Cave Dungeon
"My lady, aren't we supposed to be going inside the Palace?", Dillon was puzzled by the huge gate in front of them engraved with symbols. Reinys stepped forward and held unto the gate. She lost consciousness. Dillon caught her with her hood removed. Zefania's eyes widened. As startled as she was, she still managed to go back to the reason why she stood in front of the gate. The very place she avoided.
"Children of the Lost. I came here not because I am entitled to be someone for you. I'm here as a commoner, someone hated by this world. Just like you, I lost the people I love the most. But then, your Kralj, you King, loved you more than anything else", Zefania held onto the lever. "What are you trying to do?", Dillon felt extreme bloodlust from inside. They were hidden in the shadows. "Go and help him this time", Zefania gave all her remaining strength to pull the level. At a split time, they felt a violent gust of wind. Creatures of different shapes and forms went out. Dillon held unto his sword.
A huge winged creature stopped by and looked at Zefania. She lowered her back and seems to signal the queen to ride on. "Are you sure about this?", Dillon asked. "Is there anything else that I can be sure of?", Zefania gave a weak smile.
Reinys Vision
She opened her eyes and was in the same spot as they were before. The difference is that there was no huge gate in front of them. "If you truly desire for such, you should be prepared for the greater cost", the woman in the hood spoke an elven language that Reinys was able to understand. "I had wanted this for centuries before. Whatever cost it is, I will bear it", the centaur bowed its head. "No, Jenos. This is not a cost you can bear. The consequences will be carried by your descendants and the generation after them. It will be a curse that will make mothers throw their children to be eaten by the beast", the woman explained. The centaur hasn't talked for some time. "I love her", he said with great regret in his eyes. He is sacrificing the fate of the future generation for his selfish desire.
A white flash almost blinded Reinys. She was in a huge room with servants all around. A lady was delivering a child. Beside her was the centaur. This time, he doesn't have the body of a half-human and a horse. He's in full human form. Reinys looked around and saw sorcerers performing various spells. Probably to hope that the baby would be born as a man.
As soon as the baby went out, the one performing the delivery raised the baby to the centaur with a horrified expression. The rest screamed and shouted. "Kill everyone inside", he ordered the man who seems to be a loyal follower of his.
Reinys went closer and peeked. Her eyes widened to see wings. It has the body of a human and yet pairs of wings were attached to the baby's back. "No!!! That's not mine. That's a monster. We are cursed!!!", the beautiful lady shouted.
Reinys was brought to another vision. This time, they were at the edge of the cliff. "Take it away from us. Because of this creature, my beloved turned mad and died", the centaur cried out loud. The nameless man looked around expecting someone. The woman in the cloak appeared once again. "I had given my warnings and yet you didn't listen. You are bound by your words. If you wish for me to take its life, you will remain forever as a human. No longer will you have your abilities as a centaur. You will lose your reign among the beast", the woman who spoke elven language explained. The centaur fell to his knees still holding onto the baby. Still, it was born out of love. "He shall be called Andor for he bears the burden of the generation", he handed the small life to the woman. He walked towards the edge of the cliff and looked at the horizon.
"No!", Reinys shouted but it was too late. The man already fell from the cliff. "A brave man who fell in love with a human and a coward who left all the burden to his son", the woman commented then left.
Present...
Reinys gasped and sat down. She saw herself sleeping inside a cave. The walls were carved rocks with images of the centaur and a female human. "You were left in the inner forest", a faint voice made Reinys cautious. The source of the voice crept outside the shadow. It was a man covered with fur. His eyes were large brown and some of his teeth are sharp as a sabertooth's.
"Where am I?", Reinys stood and looked for an exit. "Worry not, your highness. I have been told by a crow that the High King's daughter is in Andor", he assured. "Must have been Faelar", Reinys smiled. "Who are you that you must abide with a Riverdell King?", Reinys was curious. "Your Highness, there is some knowledge prohibited to be touched by outsiders", the man bowed. "Let me lead the way", he lighted up a torch. "Give me a name", Reinys ordered. "Aynad", he answered.
Palace Terrace
Zakili was pushed by Keanne as he shuts the door. The bewildered King looked behind and saw that his Kingdom is already on fire. What surprised him the most was the sight of Children of the Lost freed from their cages. He saw the beasts scattered all around the Palace and as far as his eyes could see. He's damned. "Which side are you on?", Zakili bit his lip. The door crashed as Wrath was thrown outside. His eyes were already gouged out. "I am Wrath of the House of Kalmin, one of the seven great knights of King Aystar. They will avenge me. They will hunt for you", Wrath grinned and was confident about his statement. "Keane, we need him to be interrogated", Zakili saw a hunger to kill in his brother's eyes. Keane raised his double-edged sword and slit Wrath's neck. The blood splattered on Zakili's face. "There's nothing left to ask. All we have to do is drive those bastards out of this Kingdom", Keane clenched his fist.
Soon, the Raven soldiers entered Palace and stormed all over it. "We need to leave", Keanne went back to his sanity after hearing the ransacking of the soldiers. The servants are also being killed one by one. "I cannot abandon my people", Zakili picked another sword. "Kralj, if you die, what happens to us?", Keane looked outside and saw the beasts causing riots. "I wonder if keeping them was the right thing. All I ever did was cage them in a dark room", Zakili held tight to the sword. He saw shadows approaching. He was about to charge but the wounds all around his body started to sting. Keane saw marks of poison. Zakili dropped to the ground wincing in pain. Keane assisted Zakili by lending his shoulder. There's no way that they could pass through the corridor with all the soldiers scattered all around. They heard screams and heavy footsteps. Keane looked at the shadow and saw a large shadow. He's also armed with a shield and a huge sword. Zakili removed his crown and pushed it to Keane's chest. "It was your responsibility, to begin with. You have to rule the remaining people. You have to win this Kingdom back", Zakili gave a weak smile. "Idiot. You have to live. Are you forgetting that you are about to father your child? Did you forget that you have a wife to protect?", Keane stepped forward and dragged the King with him. "Who are we fooling? You were the one who was always there to protect her. No, you were the only one capable of doing so", Zakili had a short laugh. He started to cough blood.
The huge man appeared in front of them. He wears no sigil. There were no marks that he was one of the Raven. "Tell me, where is Lady Zefania?", Geryon roared. Keane gritted his teeth. "I lost her in the capital's circle. We got separated by the crowd", Keanne hoped that he is not an enemy. Geryon looked at Zakili's pale face and beaten body. "Seems that the King is already dying. In that way, it'll be easier for me to rescue her", Geryon squinted his eyes. "There's no need for you to rescue her", Zakili looked straight into his eyes. "No one gets rescued in her own home", Zakili said with a faint voice. "He needs to be brought to a Maester as fast as possible", Geryon sighed and carried the King on his back. Keane led the way to Nova's room. It was empty. Keane kicked the table and saw a sealed letter from Eragon. "It was him all along", Keanne tore the paper.
Geryon cleared the table and made Zakili lie down. "We don't have much. His fingernails are already turning dark", Geryon noticed. "You have to get the Scepter. Once that fool gets a hold of it, Andor will become his. No one betrays the Scepter", Zakili coughed. Geryon looked at Keanne and wondered what he was saying. "Where is it?", Keanne asked. "Zefania's favorite place", Zakili smiled. "Hey, he just mentioned the Lady. Does he know where she is?", Geryon grabbed Keane's arm. "You, to wherever place and whatever house had you been, will be a witness of Keane, the firstborn of Kralj Absolom, to be the next Kralj of Andor", Keane placed Geryon's hand on his shoulder.
Chapter end.