Rate, Review & Comment!

*********************

07 – Survival of Fittest

Evelyn’s POV

Sitting on throne for queen, I look at my right side. Empty throne meant for king is as clean as it ever was. To the right of thrones there is statue of Pyrr in human form. He is neither tall nor small. Long hair he has. He has clothes that no one could say from where they originate. It looks like a robe, though I have not seen anyone wearing something like that yet. Not even priests of Holy Church. On my left, there is another statue which is glued to wall. It is Pyrr’s godly form. Body of Pyrr is sculpted in circular manner, its tail almost in its mouth. Wing that it has makes it look different from normal lizards. Everything that was inside throne room was either made of gold or colored to red. It was to honor Pyrr.

“How many years it has been?” I questioned myself. “15 years old is my son Karan. 14 years and 6 month’s has passed then”. My father bribed medical staff of king to poison Avion promising them heaven on earth. All of them have been rotting in Stillwater Asylum since then, without hands to write and tongue to tell what really happened. Avion of House Iltsin. Daydreaming, I muttered.

[Evelyn]: I loved him.

[-]: We all loved him, my queen!

Hearing voice of man who spoke, I came back to senses from realm of my imaginations. My vision cleared instantly. Black robe, black leather gloves and black hoodie covering most of his face – ambassador of Nekyia people was standing less than 10 meters away from throne. He haven’t aged for a minute. It was same person who I saw 16 years ago, when I stepped into throne room for first time ever holding Avion’s arm. Featureless face he had then is same even after 16 years time. I couldn’t evade my eyes from his mouth first time ever he talked in front of us. No face expressions at all for 5 minutes of speech he gave. His mouth opened and closed as if imitating the words rather than them coming out of it.

[Evelyn]: Exo, what are Nekyia?

[Exo]: We are dead but alive. We are one but many. We are many but one.

[Evelyn]: Riddles?

[Exo]: No riddle, my queen. Truth.

[Evelyn]: How many years it has been that you are an ambassador?

[Exo]: Close to 13 centuries, my queen.

[Evelyn]: Are you immortal?

[Exo]: Yes and no, my queen.

[Evelyn]: What do you think of Karan? Is he going to be a good king?

[Exo]: It depends on who he is going to take wife as.

[Evelyn]: What are you hinting at?

[Exo]: Truth, my queen.

[Evelyn]: Leave, Exo!

---------

Full map of Pyrrhus

---------

Cyrus’s POV

“It is a Dreadclaw” screamed Casius. “I told him to sign not to scream” occurred to me. It jumped out of woods in direction of Casius. Naive kid, stood in front of bear with trembling legs. It smelled fear in him. Dreadclaw referred to wild bear with large amount of mana whose mutation has gone wrong. Dreadclaws have no sanity left in them and through their life span they attack everything that shows up on their path. Devouring and eating prey’s was their daily routine. They never mate. “If you see one, best option is to run if you are alone and in case there is a group of you, hit and run tactic is the best” was what Professor Macklemore had told us in Monarch Academy.

“Run, Casius, Run” I whispered. He was to shocked to move. Dreadclaw attacked him with his right paw. Casius did not move at all and a second later his head was no more on his neck. Sword still grasped in his hands, his dead body fell backwards. Dreadclaw opened its mouth and bit dead Casius’s leg. Tearing off his leg from Casius’s body, it began to chew it slowly. Dreadclaw was no more looking like a normal bear. It had very less fur than mountain bear and it’s claws were stronger than steal because of mutation. Eyes of monster were white all over inside eye-socket.

“He is not aware of my existence, yet” I murmured to myself. It is failed mutation which can not cast magic, so I should be able to kill it and avenge Casius. “Dark Mists” I chanted, slowly but surely, opposite to spells name, white mists began to close on area where Casius’s dead body was lying. Dreadclaw was taking it second bite, and was unaware of mists yet. “Vision of Gods” I chanted to activate the spell that would give me abilities to see in mists. I took out small glass from my backpack filled with deadly poison. Carefully, I spilled few drops of it on tip of arrow. Closing it off, I put it in backpack and looked at dreadclaw again. It’s head was half invisible because it’s mouth was inside Casius’s belly chewing it off.

“In case, you are alone and there is no way to escape. Aim at his neck, just below it’s mouth. It will be your only chance against dreadclaw...” were words of Professor Macklemore that I remembered. I put arrow into the bow and pulled it string aiming at dreadclaw’s eye. I pulled back as strong as I could to make sure that it hits and goes deep into its head. “For Casius” I whispered and released the string. Tossing away bow, I unsheathed sword that was on my left hip.

Arrow got right on spot. Dreadclaw began to growl in pain, standing on two legs and moving without seeing anything. I jumped over small rock which I was hiding behind and began to run forward. I was few meters away from dreadclaw when it dropped on four legs and as if smelling me opened it’s mouth very wide to retaliate. Faster than half blind dreadclaw, I bended backwards to slip on wet moss that was on rocky ground.

Dreadclaw was late to attack, as I have already smashed my sword onto the right spot. Turning to face ground, I crawled out moments before it dropped dead. “Void, Vision of Gods” I chanted and my vision came back to normal and I was blinded by mist so I chanted “Void, Dark Mists” too. I moved towards Casius’s dead body and took out his sword by cutting off his fingers with knife to release grasp on sword’s hilt. Kid was so scared that his hands were still pressing on swords hilt even after his death.

I chopped of dreadclaw’s head and took out another potion from my backpack. I spilled oil on Casius’s deceased body and burned it so that no wild animals would eat it. I left dreadclaw’s body there and went back to Acrin village where my mother and sister were.

Two weeks ago, my mother took me and my sister to Acrin village which is located almost on our western border. It was closest village to Wyg Heights that acted as border between lands of Lyth and Cohen. Firstly, I thought that we are going to check out villages, towns and cities under our rule but on way mother told us that there is an old hag who can predict our future for us. All of her predictions had came true and so on. We reached a bit late though, as she was already buried in her tomb.

I came out of forests with dreadclaws lifeless head in my hand. People were running to me to see what I have killed. I heard them whispering about my bravery which boasted my ego more than usual. My mother, my sister and guards were waiting for us at entrance of Acrin village.

[-]: What have you done this time?

I could not raise dreadclaw’s head to sky so I threw it to my front and put my right leg on top of it.

[Cyrus]: I, Cyrus of House of Lyth, have killed dreadclaw that was terrorizing Acrin village for past few weeks. You can go to forest to pick up fruits and herbs at ease.

Everyone shouted and clapped. I knew how to win over them... “Peasants” I whispered.

We stayed another night, as village elder gave spectacular feast for my accomplishment. Everyone ate, drank and danced. In the morning, we left back to our mansion. I was sitting in carriage besides my lovely sister Aila, while our mother was sitting opposite to us.

[-]: I did not want to shout at you yesterday in front of everyone.. How dare you!

[Cyrus]: You should be careful with your tone in front of future king, Lady Kal Min of House of Lyth.

[Kal-Min]: What happened to Casius?

[Cyrus]: He was the bait!

[Kal-Min]: Bait? We wasted 7 years of hard work on him to raise him as your scribe and you used him as bait?

[Cyrus]: Yes, mother! If he was a smart kid, he would not have died. Pyrr bless him and his soul!

[Kal-Min]: That is not right way to handle your subordinates, Cyrus!

[Cyrus]: He was my scribe! Moreover you would not let me use any of guards if I had told you that I’m going to kill the dreadclaw. Listen to me mother! Karan of Forbes is Avion’s child but his grandfather has already made sure that he goes by surname Forbes. Although, he is weak and no one would be able to stop me from destroying him to sit on throne. Next possible threat is Kyle from House of Cohen’s. He seems smart and athletic though they never have claimed the throne. I know them well! I study with them. I have good friendship with Kyle. You and your damned husband shall make friendship with Farrell and Riley Cohen as soon as possible, because I will need their support to overthrow the future king Karan.

[Kal-Min]: It’s too early for you to talk about stuff like that. Day by day you sound like your late grandfather!

[Cyrus]: Its always late but never early! Do not forget mother, this world’s only rule is fittest survives!

-------

Kain’s POV

I entered barracks and asked for sir Destrian. I was shown into small room. Sir Destrian was man of age but he still had great build and aggressive aura around him. There were four more men besides him who I had never met before.

They were standing behind a table. Map of Cohen territories and knife was on table. They stopped talking as soon as noticed my existence. “Are you the kid who Lord Riley Cohen recommended?” was the first thing sir Destrian asked of me. “Yes, I am”. “Hey kiddo, I’m Jon – healer of sir Destrian’s platoon and they are Leo, Nigel and Vurm – talented warriors.”

“Prove yourself kid!” Destrian added. “Prove?” I was puzzled. “Yeah, prove that you are worthy to be trained with me in arts of swordsmanship! You may be good with pen but what about swords? Do you have courage for it?” he spoke as if to humiliate me. Typical army men, I thought. I walked few steps towards table and grabbed knife with my right hand. Grabbing from hand-held of knife I told them “Nice knife!”, “It’s no toy kid” replied sir Destrian. As he finished talking, I pushed my left hand onto the table and stabbed knife onto it. It cut through in between bones that connected middle and index finger. My hand began to bleed and I took out the knife. I did not scream or flinched. Instead I told “Should I stab one of your men or is it enough?”...

Destrian laughed out loud and ordered Jon to heal my left hand so that it was better than before. “Fuck me, I was wrong” he told and ordered me to go with Jon for proper healing and later on to find a bed in barracks. We were going to start training...

Next: 08 - Regret