Chapter 55

Claire peeked around the corner of their hiding spot, watching the group of Monter’s knights they had followed. They seemed to be gathering along with another group that Claire guessed were Shard Users from their equipment. Even stranger, they seemed to be led by her supposed to be imprisoned brother, Nile.

“How the hell did he get out?” Arnold asked angrily.

“If Monter has taken over the Castle then it wouldn’t be strange if he was freed.” Claus guessed rationally.

“But you said…”

“I don’t know what’s going on either, okay?” He replied a little exasperated.

“What are they waiting for…” Claire started when there was a loud clatter. A knight in Monter’s armor flew down the hallway landing in a crash in front of the prepared guards. Claire let out a gasp as she saw Maria stop panting in front of where the guards were…

“I bet you’re surprised to see me free!” Nile told them as he laughed gleefully. “How does it feel? Are you confused? Shocked? Despairing? Everything you’ve done to stop me was worthless in the end. Now, why don’t you just surrender now, since Father still has a use for you… Though I don’t have any problems with putting you down!”

Maria stood silently for a moment, catching her breath as she gathered what remaining strength she had, “I can’t do that…”

“The King told us how you were using the god!” One of the Shard Users, who Maria recognized as the woman Tirr had first helped yelled. “Just leave, you helped some of us as well, but we won’t forgive you for using him.”

The response made Nile laugh, “That’s right!” He yelled at the Shard Users, “They have been using his powers for their benefit, Father saw through their schemes and freed him!”

His words enraged the Shard Users as each one felt like they owed their lives to Tirr. Flames started to gather around them as they stood facing Maria and the others.

“The King is the one trying to use him while you keep us here!” Doron yelled back as he tensed.

“The King has gone mad!” Knight Commander Owen shouted out as well. “He’s been lying to you, let us pass so we can put a stop to all this.”

The Shard Users stopped as they recognized the commander of the 1st Knight Order. Nile could see their hesitation and frowned. “They're trying to trick you!” He yelled out, somewhat worried. His father had told him not to use the new Shard Users, but he had wanted to see the look of despair in their eyes as they were turned on by the people they had saved. His words seemed to harden the Shard Users who listened to him.

“Please,” Maria said patiently, “Tirr helped me the same way he helped you… Please let me help him…”

“Too bad no one here is going to listen to you…” Nile snorted.

“What about us?” Claire asked, walking confidently towards the group with Claus and Arnold in tow.

“Your Highnesses…” The woman Tirr had helped replied, confused.

“Stand down, all of you!” Claire ordered, “I don’t know what’s going on, but I do know that they would never hurt Tirr.” Her words caused the Shard users to stop.

“This isn’t the place for blood as filthy as yours…” Nile said hatefully.

“Haven’t you done enough Nile! When are you going to stop?” Claus asked.

“Not until the people who murdered my mother are dead! Just because Father slept with some Lutellian whore doesn’t mean you have any right to the throne!” Nile yelled, “Kill them!”

The knights of the 2nd order moved forward dutifully, weapons drawn. Some of the Shard users listened as well, flames sparking in their hands, while others still hesitated…

“Are you really trying to help Tirr?” The woman from before asked seriously, staring at Maria as if trying to see through her.

“Yes!” replied Maria not breaking away from the woman’s gaze.

The woman nodded, and as the knights approached Maria she launched a Fireball of her own at them, sending them scattering. “Then go help him, but if I find out you lied, I won’t stop until I hunt you down…”

The sudden attack threw the hall into chaos as some of the Shard Users followed the woman’s example, attacking the knights around them to clear the way, while others followed Nile’s screamed orders and fought back along with the knights.

Soon everyone in the hall was fighting as each group sought an advantage. Maria shoved one Knight away before hearing Doron yell from behind.

“Go! Get to Tirr!” The woman yelled as she launched another ball of fire.

Maria nodded, thanking her silently, before running past and down the corridor towards the Shard Chamber…

The King approached the shard cautiously, “Remember your friend's lives depend on this…” He said. Turning to look at Tirr behind him.

“I get it already…” Tirr said angrily.

The king let a nervous chuckle, before taking a deep breath and reaching out towards one of the large spikes that grew off the crimson obelisk. It flexed strangely to him as it flickered and hummed, and Tirr felt the familiar revulsion build up in him.

Finally, the King grabbed it, and immediately felt a surge of pain, like a thousand hot needles had pierced into his hand.

Still, he didn’t let go and continued to hold on, letting out a growl as the pain continued to get worse. “Tirr…”

“I know…” Tirr said spitefully.

Tirr focused his blessing, channeling the healing energy into the King even as he could feel the ominous presence of the Shard’s power.

The King’s hand started to smoke as red crystalline veins spread from the hand up to his arm. The King bore through the pain, keeping himself up as he felt the two dualling energies of Tirr’s Blessing and the Shard’s burning fire…

Already he could feel the power coursing through his arm as he flexed.

“More” He whispered to himself as he felt memories he had tried to forget, creep up once again. Of bodies surrounded by blood. “I need more!”

He took another step forward putting his other hand directly onto the main body of the Shard. He could feel a sudden surge of hatred. He had felt it before it was what had led him down this path knowing the Shard held feelings like his own. He could feel its rage, its despair, its desire for more power… He knew he had made the right choice even as he screamed in pain. This was what he needed…

The sudden surge of the Shard’s energy almost made Tirr vomit. Still, he hung on, doing his best to keep the King alive even as the twisted power poured into his body.

Suddenly the doors to the chamber flung open as Maria entered, yelling Tirr’s name. She noticed him and the King at the Shard and started towards them. The guards around the door rushed to block her but were held off as Claire and Commander Owen sprang to intercept them.

“It’s over your majesty!” Owen yelled, “Stop this already Monter!”

The sight Maria rushing towards him left Tirr shocked and he let go of the King without noticing. As his blessing stopped holding back the Shard’s destructive energies, they rushed through the King’s body causing him to scream. His body ignited and force of the flames threw Tirr back, skidding along the ground.

Maria reached him just in time to help him up and watch as the King’s body seemed to melt Flesh replaced by the same crimson crystal of Shard.

“Your Majesty!” Both Monter and Owen yelled as they watched in horror. Everyone in the hall had stopped and stared in shock as The King’s body continued to morph.

The crystalline veins seemed to grow and collide, forming into chunks of the shard that continued to spread around the King's body as he screamed. The king’s size seemed to grow as the remaining flesh seemed to try and expand to hold the pieces of the Shard within…

In a moment the king’s body no longer looked like that of a man, he stood hunched under the weight of a large crimson crystal that grew from his back and his limbs and face were covered in crystal pieces. The King roared as Fire swirled around him spreading, from his feet with each step as he turned around. He swung an arm, now just a crimson club, onto the ground and roared as it exploded fire dancing in the air from the impact.

“We have to get out of here!” Maria yelled above the King’s roars.

In the Chamber, many of the guards had already turned and started to flee the monster the King had become. Monter and Owen stood screaming Torn’s name as they tried to reach him, but the monster seemed to ignore them as it tested its new strength, spouting flames in all directions.

As Maria tried to pull Tirr along, he resisted easily, pulling her into a hug before looking up at her with a sad smile “I should have trusted you.”

“Now’s not the time! We need to go!” She yelled pulling on Tirr’s hand again. But Tirr stood fast, letting go of Maria has he turned to the Crimson Monster that rampaged near the Shard.

“All of this came from me… I can’t keep running away anymore. I need to finish this…”

Maria bit her lip as she looked at the monster in front of them but nodded. “Then I’ll help…”

“No, your blessing is almost dry. This is what I need to do. A good god protects his followers…” Tirr said as he turned towards what the King had become…