Chapter 964: Hidros’ Pride
‘I rember the day as if it were yesterday. A simple flicker caught us off-guard. Aceline stood resplendently beside the altar. Her face flushed, and her regard was hesitant and present. Scott fared no better, he watched his would-be bride with much respect a child would have towards a parental figure. It seed to , at that ti, their relationship started from necessity, and now, given a chance to sit back and think, I guess the bonds truly were born from necessity. Don’t get wrong, Aceline’s fa or prestige yet fades – her photos and countless shows are subject to talks among a large audience. The untily departure of Hidros’ pride; first in the foreign land of Alphia, now ca to the second, Hidros. Waves crashed vibrantly; the sound of the seething fizzy water hissed. Every blow was a hit of a gong; slow, thodical, and resounding. I’d changed nothing of said mory, nothing save what followed. A whistling, (I thought it be the wind) swallowed our collective breath. Pope Carrigan who’d dawn a special robe for the occasion, lowered his holy book. A splash sared across his face diagonally, leaving imprints on the skin and glasses. A single second never felt long, and when I rember that day – It was far longer. Scott’s guests scread; a click that unlocked our sealed minds. The bride was nowhere seen – stranger entities crashed – gunfire and magical spells followed; culmination of danger resulted in a palace of ice rising from the ground. It was cold – nothing compared to the caster’s frigid expression – I never imagined the icy empress could have such loath. Her white eyelashes flapped – and there, after each blink, I felt a strange frosty wind blow, ‘-get away,’ she said, ‘-follow them.’ I was shocked, unable to process the events, my body and mind were overrun. I had never felt terrified – though petrified ought to be a better description. I mindlessly checked the altar, blood splatter vanished as were the couple. Thunderous gunfire ran through my ears, and stronger deadlier auras shuffled. We were thrown into a line of evacuees, tis then I realized; that star, or leader, didn’t matter. When faced with death and an entity so strong – a noble title or prestigious skill, or ability, ant nothing. Death was the perfect democrat, indiscriminatory and unjust. Soldiers died. Hidros’ leaders leaped onto the frontlines, I couldn’t believe the will to irrationally jump onto death. The morbid curiosity went a step beyond re passing fancy, no, it bordered obsession. Explosion and loud crashes, I wish I’d heard it better – my ears are yet recovered. I’m certain the tremors felt were larger and more powerful. Before leaving the castle of ice, my attention randomly drew towards two figures perched atop the castle walls. Their scent resembled two more who guarded the escort. Swarms of demons manifested from the little one’s clap. ‘What are they?’ I asked a question that remained so.’
‘We shortly escaped. The prestigious crowd was taken to safety. My turn on the waiting list ant I had to stay a while – confined to a lounge. Helicopters passed the somber skyscape, “-ti to go,” said a soldier. I dawned on my hat and nodded. The last few minutes were the worst I ever experienced,’ signed D.K Rhodes.
A feathery light paper fell silently upon a great big desk. ‘-D.K Rhodes,’ paused Igna, ‘-a first-hand account of the marriage debacle. Wish and hope won’t help much today,’ leather shoes firmly planted with a humph, “-what’s done is done,” the silent office bood, ending on a click.
“Majesty,” waved éclair, “-about the new policy...”
“Have it redone; I’ve made a few aliorations.”
“Understood,” they parted ways at a cross, king outside and pri minister in. Current decorations reminisced of the olden days, at a ti when mana used as power never crossed the minds of scholars. Dimr lights were installed, and the projected effect matched the esthetic, “-éclair,” an interjection halted the thoughtful survey.
“Yes?”
.....
“Take a walk with ,” said Alta, they resud anew.
“Care to explain?”
“How’s the king doing?”
“Great,” replied éclair, “-I don’t see a reason to break the montum.”
“I don’t an that, I an this,” she tapped her watch, “-been a few months since the incident. Lady Katherine’s yet returned to the palace, I’m worried, truly.”
“Alta, you’re a good person. Realize, a few people were killed, granted, they were not family or close friends – people died on the king’s watch. Not to nti-”
“Yeah, I know, don’t change the subject. I guess our king’s losing himself in work?”
éclair slowed the soaring pace, “-Alta, I don’t an to sound rude, but that’s quite enough. I understand and I empathize, I truly do. Would making an already tedious situation awkward be the best? Stop and think, there’s a reason why the king hasn’t spoken about the matter,” voice and cadence gradually increased, on the final word, éclair’s focus landed on bystanders, “-my apologies,” he eased, “-I didn’t an to sound rude. Tell , Alta, will you share a drink with ?”
“I’m afraid not, I have much to see at in Glenda.”
“As you wish,” they crossed paths silently, ‘-can’t be tied by affection forever. Alta needs to understand the kingdom needs a pillar of strength and courage, not a fumbling pretend demon. In Igna’s own words, -I’m a devil.”
Rosespire, ever-changing and consistent, the taller buildings reflected against a black luxury car. Many projects were approved and completed – an agreent of worker exchange between Arda and Hidros passed through the mouth was finally written. Magiology expanded exponentially, impossible feats beca re irregularities, with the right people and sufficient capital, anything was possible. Thus, the road took a life of its own, and buses were reduced for a faster, more efficient tramway network. Riverty Hospital wrote in thick black over a massive arrangent of squares and rectangles.
“We’ve arrived,” said the driver.
“Right,” Igna exited to a blast of fresh air, ‘-here we are,’ he dawned his glasses and stepped inside, the use of the fras changed from blocking the strong, reality distorting vision to a re spell of reduced presence. The unlikely disguise made the king less obvious – for the na had but grown in the small amount of two years.
Room 305 neatly faced the inner-city, holding to a view that’d make any experience hotel manager drool. Many machines blinked and tapped, ‘-here I am,’ sighed Igna, inside laid soone who weighed dear. The door softly slid open, “-Igna,” returned a downward-facing Scott.
“Scott,” he shut the door and made it to the side of the bed. The pride of Hidros looked worse for wear, her jet-black hair laid awry, and her arms and legs withered to a state of skin and bone. A black mark on her neck, a parasite of sorts. A clean-shaven doctor rose, marking down much of his notes, “-majesty and Mr. Scott,” the sharpness of his visage reflected sternness at the detrint of looking approachable, “-we’ve tried everything. She won’t make it, lest a miracle happens. Even then, I doubt the false gods to be of any help. She’s inflicted with more than bodily wound – there are traces of curses, we’ve asked the best scholars for advice, no luck,” he gently lowered the notepad and nodded sympathetically, “-machines are keeping her sowhat stable. The more ti she spends alive, the greater the curse spread and the more her sufferance. My liege, Igna, as next of kin, her fate is in thy hand. We have two options, to keep her in a slow perpetual agony for the day a cure cos or pull the plug,” he woefully stared at the icon, sharpness on his face failed as there, in what Igna perceived, was a look of regret, “-excuse ,” he left.
“Pull the plug or let her suffer,” surmised Scott, “-why did it have to be her...”
“Scott, her life is in your hand. I’ll respect the decision thee makes.”
“No,” he retreated, “-don’t force the choice on , I’ve suffered enough. Do you think it’s easy...” the widened stare dropped – dark circles and crimson sars, “-I can’t do it... I’m sorry, I-I, I can’t. She’ll die, I rather she dies than suffer. I want her alive but not, I can’t be selfish... she’s,” he pinched his eyes and darted out the room, “-I’M SORRY.”
The tranquil cell of white and blinks settled. ‘-look at her,’ he inched and sat at her bedside, ‘-pretty, even on her deathbed. Her hands are tiny,’ the fingers interlocked, ‘-the curse’ worse than I thought. What do I do,’ he patted her forehead, “-what do I do?”
“Igna?”
“Aceline?” he motioned to stand, “-don’t,” she said, feebly holding onto his hand, “-don’t call anyone... let’s talk.”
‘She can barely project her voice... what’s happened?’ Igna snuffed the urgency and cupped her hands.
“Tragedy is never far, Igna, look at , am I pretty?”
“Yeah,” he smiled.
“Good, I want to look my best for when death cos,” she spoke slowly and ticulously, almost as if choosing the easiest pronounceable words.
“I can still save you.”
She shook her head, “-I want to retire. I’m tired, this is the end of my life. Igna, tell , where’s Staxius?”
“Right here,” he replied, “-look at you,” the face dropped to a nonchalant expression, “-the idol who sang in war. It seems we both reached our limits.”
“Is that you, Staxius?”
“The one and only, my dear Aceline, the one and only. Are you sure about this?”
“Yeah, I’m content to call it quits. I did love long you oh so much, Igna, Staxius, I love you so much. What if we were married, what if I beca your queen – I dread of us all the ti but,” her parched lips barely moved, “-it was never in our destiny.”
“I know,” he leaned and gave a peck on her forehead, “-Aceline, let selfish one more ti.” She shook her head and looked through the window, “-here she cos, the harbinger of death,” the room halted in reality, a gorgeously dressed Undrar pulled her skeletal horse, and it vanished with her smoothly on her feet. “Hello, Igna.”
“Undrar?”
“Surprised?”
“Yeah, I am, why are you here?”
“To take her soul. Aceline’s subject to quite a lot – you plucked her soul from the past and altered the very fabric of birth and death. Frankly speaking, I don’t know if it’s possible to reinstate a corrupted soul through the cycle of life and death. She’ll be stuck wandering the line between reality and the ethereal realm.”
“Nothing can be done?”
“Hence why I’m here. If her soul can’t pass, I’ll escort her to the hall of rebirth. There, perhaps she’ll find a warm place to stay and wait out the end of ti.”
“So gloomy,” he glanced over, “-Undrar, thank you.”
“For what?”
“Looking over ,” he smiled, “-I’ve decided to be selfish one last ti.”
A scythe wrapped around his neck, “-don’t think about reviving her, Igna. You’ve caused enough disturbance,” her tone struck, the current sovereign of death wasn’t going to take insolence. He pushed her weapon, “-Undrar, don’t be an idiot,” he ducked and made towards the frozen body, “-I’ll transfer her to the Shadow Realm. Doesn’t matter if she lives there or in the Hall of Rebirth.”
“No,” cautioned Undrar, “-the clockwork curse on her soul will tell Artanos where she is.”
“Oh, don’t forget who I am,” ancient symbols materialized, “-with this, the clockwork spell will disintegrate,” and it did literally turn to smoke, “-Undrar, you’re amazing.”
“Where did that co from?”
“Oh, nothing much, it’s just sothing I wanted to say for a long ti. It ca to in a dream, I spoke to soone, a strange man of military background – said the na was Mark, or so I rember. Dreams are weird things,” he rose his palms, *Living or dead, I invite all to the realm of absurdity, serve and my companions, be one of a greater family. Forgo the past and look towards the future, one in which thou art be immortal and without regret. Box of Soul: Shadow Realm Transmigration.*
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