I braced myself for annihilation, but the Archbishop quickly spun around and destroyed the barred doors on the other end of the room.
“Go make history, Mak!” he said as the shocked guards tried to figure out what to do.
“Y-Yes, sir!” I stuttered as we rushed past.
As we exited, I looked back to see the Archbishop block the way behind us with a wall of light as a fight broke out between the guards over to whom they were ultimately loyal.
We ascended flight after flight of stairs as the sounds of battle grew louder and louder.
“We’re nearly there,” Krimsun said, “The King should be just ahead in his emergency chambers,”
SCREESCREESCREEEEEEEEEBWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
The horrible sound started as a series of high-pitched shrieks and then turned into a low roar that shook the building to its foundation. It didn’t take a genius to guess what could possibly make that sound. A quick glance out the window revealed that The Forgotten had quickened its pace again.
I felt my stomach churn and my legs stiffen, but I looked down at all the people fighting for us on the battlefield, and then at those here with me.
“Let’s do this,”
We made it to a long hallway with dozens of doors. All were identical in design, with a faint purple glow coming from the gaps between the doors and the walls.
“A defensive measure,” Krimsun explained, “If we pick the wrong door, it could send us anywhere in the kingdom,”
“We don’t have much time,” Reggie said, “Please tell me you know which one it is,”
She shook her head, “It changes each time it is used; however, we have something of a portal expert here,” she said as she looked down at me, “Mak, I trust you can figure something out,”
I looked at the various doors and could sense the magic emanating from each of them. Each of them was a portal of some kind, but to where I couldn’t tell. Not without going through them.
But I didn’t have to open them to go through them.
I looked at the glowing gaps below the doors and created two small portals. One was placed on the wall next to a door, and the other, I slid under the door.
The second I did so, a plume of fire erupted from the other portal.
“Well, that one’s not it,” I said as I moved on to the others.
The next was less dramatic, but I heard the sounds of growling beasts. Another gave off a cold wind, and yet another smelled of death and decay. Several had what must’ve been crowds of people, and the clashing of steel. There was even one that sounded just like the battlefield below.
Finally, I heard the sound of two people talking.
But only one beating heart.
“This one!” I said as I shut the portal.
Reggie pulled out some tools from his belt, “My turn,” he said as he ran over and went to work on the lock.
Every hair on my body stood on end as anticipation for our confrontation grew. I had feared this moment from the moment I joined the guild. Facing The Inferno once again. The memories of my fallen family and friends, and the pressure to do right by them were like a rope around my neck, choking me until I could barely breathe.
That is until a metal-covered hand rested itself upon my small shoulder.
“Thank you, Mak,” Katherine said, “Without you, we never would’ve gotten this far. But we aren’t done yet, and we still need you here and now,”
Krimsun nodded, “That’s right, we need every ounce of strength to stand a chance. I am counting on all of you right now. I wish I could’ve trained you better for this, but this is the hand we’ve been dealt. I am proud of you all for how far you’ve come,”
CLICK
I began to tear up as Reggie finished picking the lock. I would’ve loved to say something in reply, but I needed to keep myself from bawling as we prepared to face our foe.
“Let’s take down a monster,” Katherine said as she drew her blade.
Krimsun calmly approached the door and opened it.
Before us was an elegantly furnished room, a safehouse fit for a king. Tables and chairs with carvings of the royal crest, overstuffed couches, and a massive bed. Various fruits and pastries were laid out on the table where the King and Guildmaster sat across from one another.
“What is the meaning of this intrusion?” The King asked, nearly choking on his meal.
I had never actually seen the King before, he was a tall man, grey-haired, and while he was clearly angry, I could see a certain kindness in his eyes. He looked like a man older than he really was.
“I must say, captain,” said The Inferno, sipping his wine casually, “You arrived faster than I anticipated. I suppose your pet rat is just as good at prison breaks as he is thievery!”
Katherine gripped her blade tighter as he spoke, we were all waiting for Krimsun to give the word.
“Your Highness, I sincerely apologize for our sudden entrance. But, to put it bluntly, Guildmaster Vincent is going to try and kill you!” she said.
The King gave a rather confused look, opened his mouth for a moment, shut it, then looked at The Inferno.
“Well, he’s not doing a very good job of it!” he replied.
I pulled out the journal and held it open.
“This is his journal! He is the one that s-”
“You barge in here!” he interrupted, “Accuse my closest advisor of conspiracy, and then have a Nequese start to read me a story?”
I shrunk back at his words. I didn’t expect this to be easy, but things were going even worse than I expected.
Katherine took a step forward, “Listen! We’re trying to save you! And that-”
“Quiet, Katherine,” Krimsun ordered.
“Vincent, Acheron, whoever it is you are. Why bother with the charade at this point? You’ve got the monster, and you’ve got the King. Why don’t you explain things to his Majesty?”
The Inferno chuckled, “Truth be told, it was a bit fun watching you awkwardly trying to expose me there. Are you sure you don’t want to continue?”
“Vincent?” The King said, “What is all this about?”
“You may call me Acheron now,” he replied as he finished his glass, “Krimsun speaks the truth, I am responsible for the monster, and considering their accusations, they’ve figured out the one way to put an end to it,”
The King’s face contorted in horror as he nearly fell back in his chair getting up, “How could you!? Betraying your own country! I demand you tell me how to stop it at once! I shall not allow this Kingdom to die!”
The Inferno sighed as he stood from his chair, “That’s the beauty of it. This Kingdom shall die anyway, whether it be by The Forgotten or by its defeat. For to stop this monster you must expose the ugly foundation of Regemendax itself, the genocide of the Perditans!”
A look of despair washed over the King’s face. He made no sound, but tears began to run down his face.
“You knew!?” Katherine shouted.
“The secret has been passed from ruler to ruler for centuries,” he said, “The stain on our nation’s history was supposed to have been wiped away,”
“Well that saves time,” Reggie said, “Use your Scepter to tell everyone!”
The King simply looked over to The Inferno, terror in his eyes.
“Well, isn’t that inconvenient,” The Inferno chuckled as he held The Scepter of the First King, “Of course, I’d hold this for safe keeping. Now tell me, are you really going to fight me for it?”
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