One winter night, Exalt Albus XIII of Ylisse died.
News of his passing traveled throughout the three nations of Ylisse and across the sea to the continent of Valm. Everyone, from the poor in the slums to the nobles in their manors, knew that the warmongering man was gone and that his place would soon be taken by Emmeryn, his eldest daughter, a girl who was still barely more than a child.
It was a time of uncertainty.
Gangrel felt trapped.
It had been almost a year since Validar had offered him a chance at the Plegian throne, but the idea of becoming king was becoming less and less appealing the longer he remained under the watchful gaze of the Hierophant.
Gangrel had initially accepted the offer because Validar had threatened him into doing so, but he had also tried to think of what he could do as the King of Plegia that no one else before him could in order to remain hopeful during an otherwise gloomy situation.
He had learned that he would be the first commoner to become the King of Plegia. All of the men previously elected by the Fell Circle had been nobles with close ties to the Grimleal. That meant that Gangrel would understand the common people's needs and wants better than his predecessors because he had once been one himself. He could give them the help they needed.
That was was he told himself, but he knew that he wasn't going to get him very far if he didn't understand the needs and wants of the nobles as well. In fact, he didn't understand a lot of things.
His lack of understanding was why Validar had decided that he must dedicate himself to studying and training in order to become a competent ruler. In time, the only people that Gangrel regularly saw were the tutors who taught him how to read and write, among other things, the instructors he had for horseback riding and swordplay, and Validar himself, who lectured him on topics that changed from day to day.
On the upside, Gangrel was learning things that he would never have had the chance to before. On the downside, he was usually tired and sore during his free time and had to stay in his room when he wasn't having an outdoor lesson. It was tedious, but he did as Validar ordered. It was all he could do. There was no way out.
Or was there?
Seated on his bed, Gangrel looked up from the book of fairy tales that he was attempting to read and glanced at the window. It was open to let in fresh air. It was also large enough for him to fit through.
Setting down the book, he got off the bed and went over to the window. When he poked his head out and looked down, he saw a ledge that seemed like it would be wide enough for him to stand on. And when he glanced to the side, he saw that the ledge lead to part of the roof.
If he was careful, he could get to the roof and back without anyone noticing. All he wanted was some time out of his room to be by himself. Was that so much to ask? Also, why had he never thought of doing this before?
Gangrel climbed onto the windowsill and started to set his foot on the ledge, but was caught off guard by the sound of the door opening.
"What are you doing?!"
Startled, he twisted around to see who had screamed. It was a girl with silver hair and dark skin. Unfortunately, that was all he had a chance to see because his foot slipped off the ledge, making him lose his grip on the windowsill, and he fell back.
The last thought Gangrel had before the world went black was that he never realized just how terrifying falling could be until that moment.
"Wake up!"
Gangrel awoke to find that he was on his bed. The girl from before was looking down at him fretfully, her eyebrows knitted together in concern.
Had he just had a nightmare?
"Where am I?" he asked groggily.
"In your room, you stupid boy!" spat the girl. "What you were thinking? Why were you trying to climb out the window?"
Well, never mind, then.
Gangrel looked away from her and at the window. It was closed. "Why does it matter?"
The girl scowled at him, her hands on her hips. "I was sent here by the priests who oversee your education. They said you were in need of a companion, but I had no idea that you were mad!"
Sitting up, Gangrel shook his head to wake himself up. "And who're you?"
"My name is Aversa. I am an acolyte who is studying to become a sorceress. And you," she said, pointing at him, "are Gangrel, a foolish boy with a death wish."
Huh. So she knew his name already? That was fine. Everyone else in that place seemed to so it was normal for him at that point.
But that wasn't important.
What was important was that he was there, in his room, and not a bloody mess on the ground. The thought of it was so surreal that Gangrel almost didn't believe it. Aversa being the last thing he saw before his supposed fall was the only proof he had that he had nearly died.
"How am I not dead?"
While asking the question, he finally took a good look at Aversa. Just as he remembered, her hair was silver and her skin was a bit darker than his, but now he could see that her eyes were dark brown. She also wore a black outfit with purple and gold designs that was similar to his, although hers was a dress and not pants and a shirt.
Seriously, what was with the Grimleal and those colours? They used them for everything. It was a bit much, really.
"I used my magic to catch you in midair."
"Oh, okay."
"Is that all you have to say to the one who saved you?" demanded Aversa, jabbing him in the chest with her finger.
"You were also the one who made me fall," Gangrel said flatly.
Aversa looked livid now. "What an ungrateful brat you are!"
Gangrel didn't respond, and instead looked away from her and back at the window.
He made a foolish decision and should have faced the consequences, but he didn't. He should be dead, but he wasn't. Was it a coincidence that Aversa showed up when she did and saved him? Or was it fate?
After a moment, he turned to her and asked, "Do you believe in destiny or fate or whatever?"
"I do," she responded, her tone curious now.
"I was told I'm destined to rule Plegia, but I don't know if I can." Tears formed at the corners of Gangrel's eyes and his throat started to hurt. "I didn't want this. I never wanted this."
"So you are the boy that the priests speak of," said Aversa, her voice becoming gentle. "I heard that the Hierophant himself chose you because he knows of your future."
"But what if he's wrong?"
"As the one who leads the Grimleal and speaks on the behalf of the Fell Dragon, how could he be wrong?"
"I don't know…" he said, sniffling.
If his fate was already set in stone, did that mean that his mother's had been, too? If so, then there really wasn't anything he could have done back then to save her. She had been doomed to die.
"Embrace your destiny, Gangrel... All you have to do is follow the path before you."
Gangrel froze as Aversa leaned forward and hugged him. It had been so long since anyone had held him. He missed it.
The tears that he had been holding back started to run down his cheeks, but he was silent as he rested his head on Aversa's shoulder and wrapped his arms around her, clinging to her with trembling hands.
Gangrel wasn't the same after the fall. Being up in high places made him nervous and he kept imagining what would happen if he fell again. He stood as far away from railings as possible. Balconies and open windows were avoided. Being on a horse was too much sometimes.
However, that day was also the first time that Gangrel had anything close to a friend.
Aversa claimed that she had been told to spend time with him, but the way she kept watch over him seemed more out of concern than anything else. It was like she expected him to do something stupid again and felt obligated to stop him. However, she also made a point of showing him interesting things, such as the pegasi in the stables, or taking him to unusual places, like the dark magic section of the library, within the Grimleal Enclave, so being with her wasn't that bad.
Even if she was cheeky and a teased him at any given moment, Gangrel was happy to be with her. It was better than being lonely again. And it wasn't long until they began to rub off on each other, although it was obvious that he was becoming more like her than the other way around.
"Surely you can do better than that?"
"This is harder than you think!"
"And yet I can cast more difficult spells than this," said Aversa, crossing her arms and looking down at Gangrel, who was holding the dark magic spellbook that she had given him. "This is child's play."
"Not all of us can be geniuses, you know?" retorted Gangrel, scowling. All he had said was that the Hierophant thought he had the potential for dark magic, and she had jumped on what she thought was an opportunity to give him a crash course on the subject. "They already have me learning how to fight with swords, so why should I have to learn how to do this? I suck at it!"
"Believe me, I know, but try again anyway." Aversa gave him a wink. "You're too determined—or should I say stubborn—to give up this quickly, after all."
"Fine…" Gangrel turned back to facing the fighting dummy that they had set up in the training yard. The few somewhat successful attempts at casting a spell had only managed to hit the ground around it and not the dummy itself. "Flux!"
Magical energy surged through the air around him and an orb of dark light formed in front of him, growing in size, before it shot forward and struck the fighting dummy, completely destroying it.
"Ha! So you do have some magical talent after all," cheered Aversa.
So it seemed, but Gangrel had no idea it would leave him feeling so strange. He had always imagined that magic would feel warm, however, it was actually quite cold and casting a successful spell sent a chill through him. Also, he felt a rush of excitement that made him want to do it again. It made him wonder what it be like to use it on a person instead of a fighting dummy.
Gangrel dropped the book and walked away. "Nope. That's all I'm doing. I prefer swords."
"What?" asked Aversa, shocked. "But if you practice more, you could—"
"Aversa, knock it off!" He turned around to shout at her. "I don't want to do this anymore!"
"What is your problem, Gangrel?" She shouted back. "The pain we've suffered in life has left darkness in our hearts. Why not use it to get what we want?"
Something about the way Aversa had said that reminded him of Validar, which made him even more nervous. Were all dark magic users like that? Would he be like that if he studied dark magic more?
"It scares me."
"Your own power scares you?"
"Yes."
"Hm!" Aversa let out an amused sound. "I'm sure you'll accept it eventually. You'll need all the power you can get once you become king, after all."
Gangrel frowned, but nodded his head in agreement. "You're right, but I'll think of a different way."
"Why not a magic sword?" she suggested. "I hear there are swords that can channel anima magic. Thunder magic, specifically."
"Really?" he asked, curious. "One of those would be fine, I think. It sounds pretty cool, actually."
Aversa smirked. "I knew it would interest you. And I'm sure your training master wouldn't object to you using one. Come on, let's ask him now." She then took him by the hand and lead him away from the training yard and the smoking remains of the training dummy.
Years passed, and Gangrel grew up to be a willful and ambitious young man. He was determined to study whatever Validar deemed appropriate for a future king, from politics and law to warfare and rhetoric. He would do whatever it took to take the throne and keep it.
"It is time, Gangrel. Are you ready to claim your destiny?"
"Yes."
"Very good."
It was the night before Gangrel's fifteenth birthday, and Validar had called him into his private office. The boy was seated while the Hierophant was standing. And between them, on the desk, was an ornate dagger on a silken pillow.
Validar was giving this dagger to Gangrel, not as a gift, but as a means to take what was his.
"Tonight you will leave the Grimleal Enclave and go to Plegia Castle," instructed Validar. "There will be no one to stop you from disposing of that weak king who no longer deserves the throne that I so graciously placed him on. I have ensured this."
The walk to Plegia Castle was silent and lonely. There was no one in sight, not even a guard or two. Validar had truly meant it when he had said that the way would be clear.
Gangrel had never been in Plegia Castle before, but he followed the instructions that Validar had given him, which eventually led him to the royal bedchambers. Inside, a man was asleep on a magnificent bed. It was King Salvador of Plegia.
After the passing of her late father, Exalt Emmeryn had extended an offer to King Salvador. She wanted them to work together so that there would be peace between Ylisse and Plegia. True peace, she claimed. But Plegians didn't want peace. No, they wanted the Ylisseans to suffer like they had.
And Gangrel would be the one to put an end to the stupidity.
He held the dagger above the king's throat. All it would take was one good cut to sever the veins and slice open the windpipe. Then the king would be dead in no time at all.
If only his hand would stop shaking.
Gangrel had wanted to hire an assassin, but Validar had insisted on it being this way. In truth, the royal line of succession in Plegia was bloodier than he could have ever imagined. Once a king was placed on the throne, he was expected to rule until he died. However, natural deaths were rare.
As much as King Salvador tried to pass himself off as a good and righteous man who only wanted peace, he had killed his predecessor as well, and now it was his turn to die by Gangrel's hand.
Taking a calming breath, Gangrel steeled himself and forced himself to do what needed to be done.
And with that, King Salvador of Plegia was dead.
"By the name of the Fell Dragon, I now proclaim Gangrel, First of His Name, King of the Theocracy of Plegia! Long may he reign!"
Gangrel stood stiffly as Validar placed the golden crown atop his head and looked out at the immense crowd of dignitaries who had come to witness his coronation. Every seat within the Temple of Grima was taken and many people were standing. All eyes were on him.
"Long may he reign!" responded the crowd in unison.
It was like a dream. An amazing, frightening dream. He had been working towards this goal for five years and it was finally happening. It was almost too good to be true.
"Gangrel, pay attention or you'll miss your own celebration."
Pulled out of his thoughts by Aversa pinching his cheek, Gangrel swatted her away and let out an indignant huff.
"You would dare you treat your king in such a way?" he sneered, although his tone was playful.
Aversa, smirking, curtsied and pleaded, "Please forgive my actions, King Gangrel."
Gangrel made a show of thinking it over before he said, "Very well, Aversa, but do that again and I'll have no choice but to pinch you back."
"I'll keep that in mind," said Aversa with a giggle.
After the coronation ceremony in the Temple of Grima, Gangrel was taken back to Plegia Castle where he would address the commonfolk from the balcony as their King. Aversa had been there for the ceremony and was now there to support him when he gave the public address. It made the idea of standing before hundreds of people and looking down from a high place a bit less terrifying.
"Thank you for being here, Aversa," he said.
"You're welcome, Gangrel. Now, a brave new world awaits you, my King," said Aversa, gesturing toward the entrance of the balcony. "Go and greet your subjects."
Taking a deep breath, Gangrel nodded and stepped forward, preparing himself for the unified voices of the peasants down in the courtyard. They were already calling out his name.
His mother's stone in his pocket gave him courage. He would not let his fears, irrational or otherwise, ruin this moment. He would accept his fate and follow the path that was laid out before him. He would be a king that history remembered.
"The King is dead, long live The King! Hail King Gangrel! Long live The King!"
Author's Note:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GANGREL!
Heyo! Thanks again to everyone I got to work with on the Brave New Worth Anthology and to everyone who took the time to read my story. This has been a great experience and I look forward to participating in more fan fiction events in the future.
I had originally wanted to add another scene or two to this chapter, but ended liking what I had written, so I posted it as is. Perhaps one day I'll think of extra things to add and will edit it then. We'll see.
Remember, feedback is greatly appreciated and encouraged. Please, if you haven't left a review yet, now is the time. I'm ready and waiting!
Cheers,
Brenna Snow
P.S. This story is getting a sequel titled Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely. When will I start writing it? Probably not until I'm done school and have more free time, but look forward to it!