Chapter 13: A King's Pain

Commander Fen kept a sharp eye on the streets, in front of the castle.

Wagons and merchants crossed regularly. The neutral city was a trade hub, and traders from all over were here for their day of work.

The other guards stood in formation around him, looking for anything suspicious.

"Sir." One of the guards muttered. "Neolandian guard. 6 o clock."

Fen followed his gaze, and saw the guard, approaching a wagon that had the elephant crest adorning it.

"Stay here." He commanded, walking forward, toward the royal wagon.

He ducked down and stuck his head in the window.

"King Ahling. The pentarchy is waiting for you." Fen declared.

Ahling looked back at him, with wide eyes.

"No. The pentarchy is over commander. Tell your men, and your king to clear out. Now."

Fen leaned down as the wagon began to move.

"What do you mean? What's happening?!"

"Somethings coming." King Ahling replied. "Get as many to safety as you can. Now. Spread the word."

The wagon sped up, leaving a bewildered Commander Fen standing in the street.

He looked around for any other Neolandian guards and realized that the entire platoon had just pulled back.

He did however, find the streets suddenly full of figures, in ragged black cloaks.

They came out of side alleys, and streets.

And all seemed to be shuffling slowly toward the castle.

Commander Fen gripped his sword tightly in its hilt, then made his way with the swarm, toward the castle.

Rayla tried to get to her feet, eyes narrowed as she looked at her surroundings.

Her legs, unfortunately, were not cooperating.

The catacombs were brightly lit here. The barbarians swarmed the room.

Azrael leaned down to bring himself eye level with her, and Rayla nodded slowly as she looked upon him.

"Oh yeah. You're definitely an Azrael." Rayla muttered, trying to catch her breath.

"Indeed I am. And you're an elf. Do you know who I am? What I do to elves?" He asked, tilting his masked head to the side.

Rayla glared up at him.

"I know that's not your mask." She said in disgust.

Azrael stood up straight.

"Oh I've been so anxious to find someone who actually knows who this belonged to." Azrael said, a hint of excitement to his voice. "Do tell, elf."

Rayla finally coaxed her legs into lifting her up, wiping away some blood, as she glared at the warlord.

"You already know."

"I know." Azrael replied, gesturing to his barbarians, who drew arrows, and took aim at the elf. "But when your life is in someone's hands, you should do your best to humor them." He said coldly.

Rayla let out an angry sigh.

"Archmage Astrid. That was her mask. You murdered her."

"There is no murder in war." Azrael replied flatly, turning to face her. "And as you may or may not know, I've paid a price and then some for the life of one royal elf." He looked to his hooded assassin. Then back at Rayla.

"Let me sample your pain." He said, pulling the glass orb out of his cloak.

Rayla extended one of her blades, and pointing it at him.

"Try it." She snarled.

She paused, as the orb glowed.

Then, dark matter suddenly was pulled from her, and she let out a groan of pain.

It was as though a piece of her was being ripped away. A piece of her soul.

She watched it flow across the room, swirling into the black orb, then circling, and returning to her.

She sank to one knee, breathing heavily, feeling the sudden need to burst into tears.

"What...did you do to me?" She demanded, pulling out her other sword.

"As I said. I sampled your pain. It's the only way to truly know someone." Azrael replied, watching the swirling darkness inside the glass orb. "It fuels me. Fuels us. So tell me...Rayla...how does it feel to be without a home?"

Rayla shook her head, trying to regain her senses.

"You didn't see me. No one can see inside mah head."

"An outcast in Katolis. An elf among distrusting humans. But you're not welcome in Xadia either. You are truly lost." Azrael continued. "You sacrificed everything for peace. And now, you yourself cannot find any. The irony is...delicious."

Rayla gritted her teeth.

"I'll kill ya for that."

"That would be a first." Talon remarked. "She's never killed anyone, Azrael. The irony is heavy with this one."

"Indeed it is. Now that I've seen your pain, elf...sample mine."

Before Rayla could protest, more dark clouds erupted from the orb, and shot towards her.

She tried not to breathe in. Tried to shut herself. But it didn't matter.

It was like entering a dream.

The smell of fire. Screams everywhere. Death.

Small wooden huts burning. People running for their lives.

As armored elves stormed into the town, arrows flying, striking down those who fled.

A few elves stood in the distance. Watching the carnage.

One of them looked remorseful. But neither one stopped what was going on.

On the far end of the island, wearing rustic, makeshift battle armor, a warrior stood, striking down elves.

Spells erupted from one hand, a sword swinging from the other.

"Drive them back!" He commanded. "We can still win this!"

"My king, the citizens are unprotected!" One of his soldiers shouted.

The king turned his gaze, as the youngest of his people boarded the larger of two ships he had moored.

"Move to the dock! We'll cover their escape!" Azrael shouted, raising his sword, flames building in his closed fist.

Arrows came flying down, striking down his warriors all around him.

"We can't fight! Our losses are too heavy!" The youngest of his warriors shouted.

"We will fight to our dying breath!" Azrael shouted back, a fireball erupting from his hand, incinerating a charging platoon of elves.

The ship pushed off from the dock, dropping full sails, and making for open water.

The elves turned their attention to it. Azrael glared at them, his eyes practically pleading with them from afar, not to pursue what remained of his people.

But they didn't even look to him.

They ignited their arrow tips with flame. And then began firing.

The arrows struck the fleeing vessel, and Azrael watched in disbelief and horror, as the flames erupted across the wooden deck.

"NOOOOOOOO!" He cried, more flames building, now from both hands. "LET THEM GO!"

"My king, it's too late!" The teenage warrior pleaded, grabbing him by his shoulder plate, and pulling him away. "We need to go. We must."

"No!" Azrael shouted, watching the flames consume the vessel, hearing the distant screams of his people aboard. "We'll burn every last one of those blasted elves! We'll send them all to..."

"Azrael!" Talon pleaded. Azrael looked down at the young warrior. Tears were in his eyes.

Azrael looked down at him. Then he realized, as he looked around, that they were alone.

His other warriors lay dead around him. Struck down by arrows from long range.

"Please...we need to leave. We can't avenge them if we die here." Talon begged.

Azrael nodded, tears gathering in his own eyes.

"Very well." He managed, hatred and rage flowing through him, as he watched the elves swarm across his burning island.

Looking for any sign of survivors.

"They'll all burn for this. All of them. I swear it." He snarled.

Rayla felt her senses returning. She was back on the cold ground.

"Now you see. Now you feel." Azrael stated. "Now you've witnessed what was taken from me. All for one archmage? ONE ELF?! Does that seem fair to you?!" He demanded.

Rayla felt herself returning, the visions slowly fading from her mind.

She glared up at Azrael.

"I'm sorry, Azrael. But you failed them." She stated.

There was a shocked silence in the room. Talon's eyes widened, and he looked to Azrael quickly.

"You started a war you couldn't win. For what? Blood? Glory? Was it worth it?" Rayla asked. "What those elves did was inexcusable, but those people died because you failed them as a king." She spat.

Azrael shook, then reached out with his hand.

He made a fist. A section of the sewer wall cracked.

He let out a roar, then ripped the section out, and hurled it at the moonshadow elf.

She dove aside, as it smashed against a column behind her.

"It doesn't matter now. Your king, Ezran, will burn today, young elf. Take respite in knowing you won't be there to see it."

He gestured to Talon. "Dispose of her."

He turned and walked with his soldiers.

"It's time for our introduction. Borvir should be here any moment."

"Give him my warmest regards." Talon replied, as the soldiers and Azrael cleared the catacombs.

Talon turned her attention back to Rayla, drawing his blades.

"A pity. I admired your spirit."

Rayla managed a slight smirk.

"Take me outta the past tense there, fella. I got way too much spirit for you to handle." She said, spinning her blades.

"Excuse me." Commander Fen called, as one of the hooded figures made their way toward the group of guards in front of the castle. "Excuse me!"

He turned around as he chased the man. Noticing the others were swarming around the same area.

The guards exchanged confused looks, and reached for their weapons.

As suddenly, one by one, the cloaks were thrown off.

To reveal barbarians, bearing weapons.

Fen's eyes widened.

"DEFEND THE CASTLE!" He shouted, drawing his sword.

As he turned, an arrow hit him in the shoulder, and he cried out in pain.

And the barbarians charged, directly at the castle, screaming like war demons, blades and bows at the ready.

"Well...it's been what...ten minutes?" Callum asked, resting his head against the wall.

"Feels longer." Ezran replied. "Are we gonna...talk about things? Or..."

"The pentarchy cannot discuss anything without all kings or regents present." The regent of Del Bar fired off.

"Oh. Kay." Ezran replied, putting his legs up on the table to relax.

"Off the table." Queen Aanya chided.

Ezran scrambled to do so, and Callum tried to suppress a giggle.

"Kings, Queens and regents of the pentarchy." King Iman called, stepping into the room. "Something is going on. We need to evacuate. Immediately."

"What?" Ezran asked, standing up from his chair.

"What's going on?" Queen Aanya demanded.

"Something is happening in the streets." King Iman replied. "Follow me."