Episode 7: The Forgotten King
707 Words
The ruined fortress fell deathly silent.
Snow swirled around the towering figure standing at the broken gate.
His armor was carved from black ice.
A jagged crown of frozen crystal rested upon his silver-white hair.
His crimson eyes glowed with an ancient hunger.
King Varek had awakened.
⸻
No one moved.
No one breathed.
Even the wind seemed afraid.
Varek slowly surveyed the warriors before him.
His gaze settled on Ryker.
“The last Frostbane.”
Ryker tightened his grip on his sword.
“I should have finished what my ancestors started.”
Varek chuckled.
“You couldn’t.”
“None of them could.”
He shifted his gaze to Elara.
Then, unexpectedly…
He smiled.
“And there she is.”
“The Moon’s Heir.”
⸻
Elara felt an invisible force pressing against her chest.
The closer Varek looked at her, the heavier the Moon Pendant around her neck became.
Lyra instinctively stepped in front of her daughter.
“You will not touch her.”
Varek laughed softly.
“I have no intention of harming her.”
His words stunned everyone.
“I’ve waited a thousand years…”
“…to meet her.”
⸻
Kael growled.
“We’re not here to listen to your lies.”
Without another word, he shifted into his massive black wolf and lunged.
His claws flashed toward Varek’s throat.
But before they could connect—
Varek simply raised one hand.
A wall of black ice erupted from the ground.
Kael crashed into it with tremendous force and was thrown backward.
The ice didn’t even crack.
Damian stared in disbelief.
“Impossible…”
⸻
The Forgotten King walked forward slowly.
Each step froze the earth beneath his feet.
Flowers withered.
Snow turned black.
The fortress trembled.
“I once protected this world.”
His deep voice echoed through the ruins.
“I fought beside Queen Althea.”
“I defended the Moon Goddess.”
His expression darkened.
“And then…”
“They betrayed me.”
Ryker shook his head.
“No.”
“You betrayed them.”
“You wanted the Moon Crown.”
Varek’s crimson eyes narrowed.
“I wanted equality.”
“I was promised that my bloodline would stand beside the Moonblood Queens.”
“But when peace came…”
“They made us guardians.”
“They became rulers.”
⸻
Lyra frowned.
“History says nothing about that.”
Varek looked at her sadly.
“Because history was written by the victors.”
His words planted a seed of doubt in everyone’s mind.
Even Cassian looked troubled.
⸻
Elara stepped forward.
“If what you’re saying is true…”
“Why destroy innocent villages?”
Varek looked directly at her.
“I didn’t.”
Silence.
Everyone exchanged confused glances.
Damian frowned.
“We saw the destruction ourselves.”
“You saw empty villages.”
Varek corrected calmly.
“My soldiers took the people.”
“They are alive.”
“What?”
Selene exclaimed.
“Why?”
Varek answered without hesitation.
“To protect them.”
⸻
Before anyone could question him further—
A piercing scream echoed from the mountains.
The ground shook violently.
Ryker’s face lost all color.
“No…”
A giant crack split the frozen earth behind the fortress.
From the darkness below climbed enormous creatures made of black ice and bone.
Each one stood twice the height of a Frost Wraith.
Their empty eye sockets burned with blue fire.
Astrid whispered,
“The Frost Titans…”
“They’ve awakened.”
Varek slowly turned.
For the first time…
His calm expression disappeared.
“They’re here already?”
One of the Titans roared.
Without warning—
It swung its massive arm at Varek.
The Forgotten King blocked the attack, but the impact pushed even him backward several feet.
Everyone stared.
Ryker whispered,
“Those creatures…”
“They don’t obey him.”
Varek looked over his shoulder at Elara.
His voice was urgent.
“This is no longer about our war.”
“If they reach the capital…”
“Every living soul will die.”
The largest Frost Titan climbed fully out of the abyss.
Behind it…
Dozens more began to emerge.
The true enemy had finally revealed itself.
🌙❄️🐺
- Writer
