When Darkness Arises - A Pair of Kings Fanfiction...
A/N - Well, we're back with this story. Chapter four is being updated and we won't update again until May. Thank you for all the reviews and continuous support. All of you are amazing. Wendy Piece and I own nothing from Pair of Kings as usual. Wendy Piece wrote a lot of the chapter and edited, some dialogue by me. Thanks again for the wait, and please enjoy chapter four.
Chapter 4
Heavy breathing, sweaty faces. Feet pounded across the jungle floor, and that was the only sound detectable in the thickness of the night. Then there was the occasional rustling of the leaves and growling of animals and the Kings could only run faster.
There was very little light, the only light source coming from the Twin Moons.
But the Kings didn't-wouldn't- look back.
Their feet were aching and their hearts were thudding loudly against their rib cages. There was nothing in the world that could make them stop at that moment. Not even a warm bed or a hot shower. Nothing. They had to go back to the castle, back to safety and out of the moon's gaze.
Brady ran ahead, Boomer following close behind. Their breathing was equally ragged and heavy. They had done this before and they couldn't stop now. Especially not with the threat of the Evil King looming right above them, the proof displayed in the night sky.
The people will be questioning. They will be dancing with joy because their suspicions were in fact true but the Kings could care less for the people.
They needed to get home.
Running as fast they possibly could, the Kings turned a corner on the path before them and continued to move, regardless of their aching limbs. The ruble stones crunched painfully beneath their sneakers. The bushes at their feet began cutting into their pants, tearing the fabric and leaving cuts on their legs. Tree branches slapped them in the face, momentarily delaying them. Disoriented and hurt, the Twin Kings staggered around the jungle until they tripped over their own feet. The Kings screamed in surprise as they landed on the grassy, dirty surface of the jungle floor with a thud.
Groaning in pain, the two stood up. Their cuts were serious and they needed help, but they didn't think of it as their first priority.
"Ugh, next time we really need to watch where we're going." Brady said as he moved his neck side to side to crack it.
Boomer nodded in agreement, "Yeah, even if we are running from our problems." He paused, deliberating. "Do you think the twin moons are still out?"
"I don't know," Brady replied as he frowned. "The only way to tell is if we look ourselves."
Boomer shook his head.
"I'm not looking." Boomer stated like it was obvious. "You do it." He gestured to his brother.
"Me?" Brady asked with surprise. "Why would I look?"
"Because it was your idea," Boomer said, staring at his brother with interest. "Unless, there's a reason you don't want to look."
"What?" Brady asked, his head tilting to one side and eyebrow raising in confusion.
"Think about it. Why would you tell me we would have to look ourselves to see if the twin moons are out and then not look? Hm..." Boomer began as paced to and fro, stopping only when a thought occurred to him. He jumped back suddenly, pointing an accusing finger at Brady. "I know why! You must be the Evil King."
Brady glared at his brother's assumption. Boomer was being irrational.
"Boomer come on, you're acting ridiculous," Brady told him. "Would you really think I was the Evil King? Dude, we're bro's or life. And did I attack you?"
Brady was used to his brother thinking such silly things, but he wouldn't believe the dark-skinned male. Especially since his accusation was over the top and hard to believe. Besides, if Brady was the Evil King, wouldn't he have caused trouble a long time ago?
Boomer was caught up in his thoughts. He tried to think of an answer to the problem, the solution he so badly needed. The Twin moons were out, so that must of meant that one of them-and by one, he meant Brady-was the Evil King. Boomer was about to blame Brady again, until his brother's reasoning finally sunk in.
"You don't think I know that!?" Boomer asked while waving his arms around to prove his point. "I'm sorry man; it's just all this nonsense is getting to me." Boomer sighed in frustration. He glanced up at the sky, and sure enough, there were the Twin Moons, dominating and frightening as ever. "I just don't know what to think. I know you're not evil."
"Aw, thanks man." Brady smiled as he patted Boomer on the shoulder. "I know you're not evil too."
"Yeah! See, who needs the island's crazy story?" Boomer asked as he and Brady laughed a little. "People just like to get in our heads."
"Right! And I bet you the twin moons aren't even real," Brady agreed as he and Boomer broke into laughter. "It's probably Mikayla trying to prank us."
With that being said, the two turned back and started down the path to the castle. Or what they thought was the way to the castle. One would think that after spending a lengthy amount of time on the island's jungle, the Kings would know their way around, right? Well, the Kings couldn't tell the difference between the trees they passed or the paths they went down but the sounds were the same. They always had been and they always would be.
The jungle was alive the most at night. Creatures were free to wander as they wished without worry of an attack, of an outsider coming into their territory. Not only were the creatures active, but so were the plants. The moons cast a shadow down on the trees, making their images scarcely similar to a human outline. Their branches were arms reaching, stretching, wanting to hold the nearest person in a tight embrace. Their faces were present in the center, twisted and old, but still quite frightening.
"Hey Boom?" Brady tried to swallow down the lump that formed in his throat again. The sight of the jungle was too much for him; he wondered if Boomer couldn't stand it either.
"Yeah Brady?" Boomer was near him, thank goodness, yet his voice still seemed so distant.
"Time to run?"
"Time to run." Boomer's voice was affirmative and high-pitched. He was scared, as was Brady.
The two took off running again, leaving no time to think as they raced through the jungle. Leaving without the guards and staying out was stupid of them, but both Kings didn't acknowledge that. All they could think about was the trouble ahead.
The jungle was unnerving, causing shivers to run down the Kings' spines. Their legs felt like lead, their faces were thick and glossy from the droplets of sweat that now came down like waterfalls. They could have given in and collapsed on the jungle floor, letting the problem be solved by itself, but a hard determination struck both Kings and they found themselves running even faster.
They didn't stop until they reached a clearing. The Kings thought that it was the Light Side, but with the pitch black night encompassing the sky, who knew which side it was. No animals or sign of any life could be seen mulling around the area. The area was abandoned, probably not having been touched in centuries. Black obsidian walls surround the Kings on three sides, making an incomplete square with the Kings standing in the place where the fourth wall was supposed to be. Or was it supposed to be that way? The Kings weren't sure, but the area reminded them of a courtyard.
The walls were only three feet high and jagged. The Kings continued forward, hopefully carrying themselves further away from this odd arrangement. Stone rocks beneath their feet crunched, alarming them. That was not comfortable at all.
Then a path led deeper into the jungle and, before the Kings could think twice about turning back, they edged forward. Curiosity was a guilty crime, yet they couldn't help it. Their feet moved while their minds remained blank of any thought. Funny, how it seemed that the place was taking any and all human parts remaining in them.
They soon came to stand before double wooden doors. A sign hung over head, the inscription just barely comprehendible.
"Land of the Undead?" Boomer tried to read.
Brady shrugged. He understood this situation as much as Boomer did-which meant absolutely nothing made sense to him.
Boomer raised his hand to knock on the door. Both Kings found that a bit stupid, since there was no sign of life around there what so ever. When the doors didn't open, the Kings were ready to find another way to pry them open for reasons neither of them could understand. Then one of the doors did open, all by itself, and Kings could only stare at one another.
What was going on?
The thought was dismissed as soon as they felt an imaginary tug on their bodies. They were on the other side of the door without a second thought. They couldn't even recall having the urge to step into the room, let alone shuffling their feet enough to move. The door slammed shut behind them, the sound echoing in the dark. An eerie silence followed.
The animals of the jungle could no longer be heard. Their noise was extinguished as soon as the Kings entered the area.
Their hearts raced suddenly. They were only surrounded by the wide and high black walls. There was no ceiling overhead. Just the pitch black sky and the Twin Moons. Unfortunately, the only light source of the room, or what they thought to be a room, were the moons.
The Twins turned on their heels and started beating on the doors they came from. They screamed, but it wasn't as if someone was going to come for them. Especially not since they were in the middle of the jungle.
Groaning, both Kings gave up. They didn't even know how or why they were there, but they wanted to get out. Maybe they could find another way out, seeing as the walls were no higher than maybe thirteen feet. The human part of them took over again, and they found determination grow in their heads. With an idea in mind, they tried to get out. It took ten minutes, five arguments, lots of complaining, and an attempt at leap frog for the Kings to realize that scaling the walls weren't an option.
It was weird; every time they'd get to the top of the wall, they'd be pushed back down to the ground. It was as if an invisible force stood on the other side of the wall and restricted their attempts to leave. Whatever it was, it was a big meanie.
A shiver ran down the Kings' backs again, but they weren't quite sure why. Yeah, this place seemed creepy, but whole jungle was creepy too. Sighing in defeat, the Kings carried their bruised and battered bodies to the other side of the area. They expected it to end there, but before them was something they didn't expect to see.
A throne room.
Well, they weren't exactly certain if what they were looking at was a throne room or not. The only way they could tell was by the leather and stone chair that sat in the center. Spikes stuck out from the back, and boy did they look sharp under the moons' light.
Brady gulped. He figured out what that place was-who it belonged to-but he didn't want to tell Boomer. He didn't want to scare his brother even further.
Then, it happened.
Brady didn't know what, but he couldn't prevent it.
The raven-haired King felt the brightness of the moons overhead; felt a numbness settle in his body. He was slowly loosing touch with everything, and he had to fight with himself to stay conscious of his surroundings. Something was going on, but what, he couldn't tell. All thoughts and feelings were pushed to the back of his mind as he stepped forward, ignoring the cold breeze that swept his hair and traced his body, ignoring his brother altogether. He was getting closer to the throne.
Boomer was lost in thought.
He didn't need to be told anything. He finally understood. The cold he felt whilst staring at the moons, running through the jungle, and coming upon this, whatever it was, returned. His breath nearly left his lungs. His legs felt like jelly, and it wasn't just from the amount of running he and Brady had done. His body immobilized, and he was pretty sure every fiber of his body was being taken over by fear. Soft whispers at his ears almost lulled him to sleep. Almost. Boomer had a strong sense of reality, and he was going to stay like that. He realized that this place, though old and in ruins, was radiating some sort of power. It wasn't very strong, but it obviously gave out an ominous feeling. And Boomer hated it very much.
Why was he so terrified? Because the Evil King was very much real and the problem he tried so hard to avoid was unfolding right before his eyes. Boomer didn't need to ask Brady how he felt. Because, if he was afraid, then certainly Brady was too. Just as long as long as Brady didn't say or do anything stupid, he'd be remain-or at last try to-in one piece.
"Boom, I think we're in the Evil King's Castle."
And just like that, Boomer felt his world crashing. The harsh reality slowly-painfully-sunk in even though he-and pretty sure Brady as well-didn't want it to.
Brady was inching ever so closer to the throne. Boomer wanted to stop his brother from doing that, but he was literally frozen on the spot. The summer breeze was cool, but Boomer still felt like winter had come far too early. Why didn't Brady feel it? Brady was circling the throne now, his eyes displaying a mixture of interest, confusion, and fear.
Maybe Brady felt it, and chose to ignore it. But his brother wouldn't stop looking at the throne with fascination, and that made Boomer's stomach churn. Seeing his brother so calm was more frightening then the gruesome faces of the trees.
"Stop it, Brady," Boomer's voice was small and almost inaudible; he was surprised he could say anything at all.
Boomer's voice was enough to make Brady stop examining the throne. The raven-haired King's fingers were gravitating over the leather arm of the chair, over the spikes the protruded out of the back. He didn't know how he got there. Brady abruptly turned to his brother. He managed a small smile, it feeling all too natural. "I'm just looking," he heard himself say, yet he wasn't sure if those were the words he intended to use, or if that was the reason he was by the throne.
Brady returned to his brother's side. He placed a comforting hand on Boomer's shoulder, and that made Boomer relax, even if it was momentarily. "We'll get out of here." His voice was promising, and Boomer believed him. Boomer had to because if he didn't have any hope or confidence, he probably wouldn't be able to fight the Evil King, let alone get out of this castle. The Kings were about to look for another way out when their rings suddenly glowed.
That was funny; they forgot they had it on. A light emitted from the identical rings, and suddenly out came a shimmering, floating figure.
"Ghost!" Brady cried. The boy had long conquered his fear of ghosts, but seeing this one came as a surprise. He cowered behind Boomer, eyes peeking over his brother's shoulder in curiosity.
The night must have been too much because even Boomer felt threatened by the presence. "Go away!" He managed to scream, fruitlessly pointing at the door.
But the ghost just stayed there, beady red eyes locked on the Kings. The apparition wore black and white robes, it's outline almost lost by all the heavy clothing. The image flickered in the moonlight, the deadly pale skin almost making the ghost appear intangible in the faint light. Yet the red eyes were most prominent.
The apparition lifted one thin finger in the air. The Kings scrambled to a corner, their eyes never once leaving the supernatural being. As if the night couldn't have gotten even more worse, the ghost spoke.
Multiple voices erupted out of the one being: a little girl who sounded oddly ecstatic; an old man's raspy, breathy tone; a resigned adult. But the most powerful, most memorable one of all were the voices who were screaming. Whether in anguish or joy, it sounded so miserable. All sounds mingled together to create something of a screechy, ear piercing song:
"The Royal Family is guilty of crime
No longer can it survive
One can only do so much to fix the time
The other must fall to a painful demise
A good heart turns evil
Trust and love is put to the test
Time will stand forever still
And a lover will be dearly missed
History shall not repeat
Put an end to the regrets."
The light from the rings died, taking the hideous being with it. The wind shook the trees, whistling a soothing tone, and animals gave a hearted, hungry cry. The night was somehow both alive and dead now.
And never have the Twins felt the same.