Chapter 30: A Cycle
"My king!" A voice called. "We have a visitor! The king of the Chain Islands!"
Harrow's eyes narrowed, and he stood up off his throne.
"The king? Here? In Katolis?" He asked, eyebrow arched. "Why was I not informed a king sought my audience today?"
The guards exchanged looks.
"He says he came unannounced. He has no guards with him. And he says he desperately seeks aid."
Harrow exchanged a look with his high mage, Lord Viren.
"He has been a valuable asset in the past. His insurgency against Xadian forces in that region has kept trade routes safe for over a decade." Viren explained.
"I know what he is." Harrow replied, looking to the door. "Send him in."
The massive wooden doors swung open.
In stepped King Azrael. A scraggly beard on his face. His black and red royal robes tattered.
It had clearly been a long journey.
He looked up at Harrow, then got down on one knee, and bowed.
"You are a king. You need not bow." Harrow insisted, stepping forward. "King Azrael. You have come a long way."
Azrael nodded.
"Harrow...I have made a terrible mistake." Azrael said, eyes full of stress and horror.
"Yes. You have." King Harrow agreed. "You struck down Arch Mage Astrid, of the Xadian High Council. Now Xadia is preparing to launch a strike on your islands. Do you not have a plan to fend them off?"
Azrael shook his head.
"Their numbers...far too great." Azrael said, fear in his voice. "They outnumber our forces ten to every one man. We will not stand a chance against them." He looked up at Harrow, eyes locking with him. "I beseech you, King Harrow of Katolis...my people require aid."
Harrow folded his arms.
"Then tell me what aid they require."
Azrael nodded.
"Soldiers. Entire battalions. We need heavy reinforcements if we are to hold the islands."
Harrow's expression hardened.
"You wish for me to send my soldiers to die for your war."
"Our war, Harrow!" Azrael insisted. "This is not about region against region anymore. It is humanity against the elves and the dragons!"
"No. This is not our war." Harrow replied angrily, turning to look out the window. "You have been fighting and striking at Xadia unprovoked for years. Now you've gone too far. And you wish for me to send battalions to die in your name? Under your flag?"
"Harrow..." Lord Viren began.
"Later, Viren." Harrow insisted, shooting him a hard look. He turned back to Azrael.
"Harrow, please..." The king began.
"No. No you will listen to me now. I have been spending years trying to break this cycle with Xadia. Trying to find peaceful solutions, even when the temptations for war rise. And while I do this, you launch attack after attack, striking at the elves over and over. You throw yourself wholeheartedly into the very cycle I am trying to shake!"
"Oh spare me!" Azrael replied, anger in his face. "Was it in the name of peace that you struck down great king Thunder?! That you destroyed his egg?!"
Anger flashed across Harrow's face.
"That was different. That was provoked. They took something...precious...from me. I had to respond."
"He killed your wife, so you killed him, this is how war works, Harrow! In time, they will come for you, in the name of vengeance, and where will your precious illusions of peace be then? What of your cycle?!"
Harrow folded his clenched fists behind his back, taking a deep breath as he tried to hide his anger.
"Tell me then...Azrael. What did the high mage do to you? What was her provocation?"
Azrael opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He looked down at the floor and stammered.
"I..."
"Allow me to answer that for you." Harrow continued, stepping towards him. "You saw an opportunity for conquest. For glory. You saw a powerful figure, and you wanted to be the one to strike her down. To feed your ego. To put your name in the books of history. I will tell you now, Azrael, history does not look kindly on warlords."
Azrael stared with wide eyes back at him. He bowed his head, letting out a defeated sigh.
"I will not send my soldiers to pay the price for your mistakes." Harrow stated. "I am sorry."
Azrael's shoulder's slumped.
"Then what of my people, Harrow?"
Harrow's expression softened.
He placed a hand on the younger king's shoulder.
"Evacuate the Chain Islands. Give your people a chance."
Anger flashed across Azrael's face.
"You would have us leave our ancestral home? And what? Wander the world? As refugees? Gypsies? You would have us abandon our honor?!"
He slapped King Harrow's hand away. Rage coursing through him.
"Honor is not worth the lives of your people." Harrow replied calmly. "Put your ego aside."
Azrael glared back at him, heaving with angry breaths.
"Your refusal today...sentences my people to death." He snarled. "While you sit here in your ornate palace, my kingdom will burn. And it is your doing!"
Harrow's expression hardened once again.
"If you do not abandon the islands...then you have failed. As King. It is your own doing."
Azrael was literally shaking with rage.
He balled one of his fists, and one of the torches on the wall went out.
He called the flame forth from it, and it curled around before settling within his fist.
Viren stepped forward, holding his staff before him.
"Do not do anything foolish, King Azrael." He warned.
The guards reached for their weapons behind him.
Azrael turned to them, then his eyes darted from Harrow to Viren.
He unclenched his fist, and let the flame dissipate.
"I wish you luck. And I hope you make the right decision." Harrow said, with a solemn nod.
Azrael turned toward the door.
He paused as the guards opened it.
"There is no decision to be made." He said, turning, his eyes locking with Harrow's once more. "But pray, 'good King Harrow.' Pray this day and every other to whatever primal source or deity you worship...that I do not survive the coming battle."
He turned and stormed out.
Callum jerked straight up out of bed.
"He let them die." He said aloud.
Rayla jumped out of the bed instinctively, drawing her blades.
"What?" She asked, turning to Callum.
Her eyes widening.
"Callum..." she said, reaching out and wiping blood from under his nose. "What happened?"
"I saw it. I saw my stepdad. I saw Azrael." Callum replied, his shoulders heaving, as blood continued to trickle down his face. "He came to my stepdad for help. For reinforcements."
Ezran peeked in the door, walking in when he saw the blood running down Callum's face.
Callum turned to Ezran.
"And dad said no. Said Azrael should evacuate the islands instead. And he didn't."
Ezran looked up at his face with concern.
"Callum, are you okay?" He asked, stepping closer.
"My head hurts...so bad." He said, grabbing at it. "I smell blood."
"Yeah." Rayla replied, trying to wipe more of it away. "You're bleedin a lot."
"Dad wouldn't do that." Ezran said, shaking his head. "He wouldn't let that happen. Not to anyone."
"He did, Ez. He wouldn't help them." Callum replied, sadness in his eyes.
"There has to be some kind of mistake..."
"I just saw it, Ez!" Callum shouted. "The King, Lord Viren, Azrael, they were all there!" He collapsed against the side of the bed, and Rayla was able to catch him before he hit his head.
Ezran sat down on the floor, and let out a sigh.
"He swore vengeance. He swore if he survived..." Callum continued, as Rayla plugged a handkerchief up his nose to try and stop the bleeding. He looked at Ezran, with sad eyes. "And with dad gone...he wants you. Ez, there's no way you can negotiate with this guy. You won't get through to him. He's just...so angry."
Ezran bowed his head.
"So he hates the elves for killing his people. And he hates dad for letting it happen. And he...hates us because we're all that's left of dad."
Callum nodded slowly.
"He hates everything. It's all he is now...if he reaches the castle..."
"He won't." Rayla interrupted, folding her blades away. "That's why we're here. We'll end his little...vengeance crusade, right here."
"Rayla, there's three of us." Callum replied. "He's ten!" He said, gesturing to Ezran. "We're in so, so ridiculously over our heads."
"Callum. You felt him. Just like you felt me." Rayla said.
"Wait, what?" Ezran asked.
"Long story." Rayla replied, turning a little red. "You know what he feels. Do you think killing you, or Ezran will satisfy him? Even conquering Katolis?"
Callum shook his head.
"No. He wants all five of the human kingdoms. He wants their armies." He said, looking up at Rayla. "And then he wants to use them to destroy Xadia. All of it. Everyone."
"Then we don't have a choice." Rayla replied. "We have to stop him here. We have to find a way." She looked across the room.
"We have a child king. A human mage..."
"With a fever." Callum added.
"Okay...a sick human mage. And..." Rayla examined her own torn armor. "An elven assassin who's never actually killed anyone and...who isn't feelin quite 100%."
"Rayla, seriously, what happened to you?" Callum asked.
Rayla crossed her arms and looked away.
"I don't wanna talk about it. Not...not yet."
Callum nodded slowly in understanding, the concern evident in his eyes.
There was a grumble, as Bait pushed the door open, and waddled in.
"Right. Ah forgot about the glow toad. Now we're set." Rayla said with a roll of her eyes.
"Hey, be nice!" Ezran said, reaching over and hugging the grumpy frog.
Callum stood up slowly, shakily.
"Well...we brought Zym back to the dragon queen. We made peace between Xadia and the human kingdoms...so this shouldn't be too hard, right?" He said, unable to hide the fear in his voice.
Rayla smiled back at him. Feeling the same fear. "Ah suppose we are overqualified for this."
"We'll win." Ezran said firmly, watching the snow fall outside the window.
Rayla smiled at his optimism.
But her mind was racing.
She had to find a way to get them out of here.
She knew in her heart, it was her duty to face this army alone.
It was her duty to keep Callum and Ezran safe.
She just had to figure out how to do it.
The flames in the banther lodge fireplace flickered, illuminating the interior through the stain glass windows.
Perched on a far away tree, a hooded assassin watched carefully.
He smirked, as he saw smoke rising from the chimney.
"Come on out to play, children." Talon hissed.