The Hellknight's Savior

Chapter Five: A New Enemy Appears

Talia started heading back to King Ibrinkal. Maybe I’ll I run into someone on the way back to check on him she thought hopefully. When she rounded a corner she ran smack dab into Commander Urik.

“Commander Urik, if you could follow me quickly. The King is in trouble,” she managed to say between breaths as she ran back to King Ibrinkal without waiting to see if he would follow.

Commander Urik followed Talia, hot on her heels. “What do you mean the King is in trouble?”

“I am not sure but he is acting terribly strange,” Talia explained as they came to the metal door. “He was talking weird and trying to choke himself when I left to find help.” She pushed the door open, walked in, and stopped short, shocked. “Lady Viola? How did you make it here so fast? And how did you know about the King?”

Commander Urik stepped into the room behind her and they both took in the scene before them. Lady Viola was sitting atop of the King and holding his hands firmly above his head.

King Ibrinkal was struggling against her and shouting foul things at her. “Get off of me you, disgusting, vile wench!”

Talia stood there, unsure what to do. She wasn’t sure what was going on and didn’t want to cause even more trouble by doing something that she shouldn’t. She snapped to attention when Lady Viola started barking orders at her and Commander Urik.

“Talia, start the protective spell! Urik, if you could get Talia the supplies she needs please and then get me some red Tarbeer Wine.” When both of them hesitated, she shouted, “NOW!”

Talia quickly started setting up the area for the protective spell as Commander Urik brought her the supplies she needed before he left to get the requested wine. She had just completed the spell when Commander Urik came back with the red Tarbeer Wine, placing it within the circle. “Good,” Lady Viola said. “Now pour the wine into that bowl over there, Talia, the one that the King was using. Talia,” Lady Viola continued, “I want you to stay within the circle. Apparently, whoever is trying to possess the King, wants information on you. Take that bowl there and I want you to pour some of it into the King’s mouth.” Talia picked up the bowl carefully, not wanting to spill its contents. “Hurry child! I can’t straddle the King all day!”

With that, Talia quickly stepped to where they both wrestled on the ground and knelt, still trying not to spill the dark liquid in the bowl. As she tried to pour some of the contents into the King’s mouth, he struggled even harder and tried to bite her. Finally, Talia had had enough and slapped King Ibrinkal in the face. Everyone there was shocked and paused in what they were doing, which gave Talia the time she needed to quickly pour some of the liquid in his mouth.

Once she managed to do that, Lady Viola started chanting. When Lady Viola was done the King instantly stopped struggling. When Talia looked at his eyes, she saw that they were still pure white. “Will he be alright?”, she whispered.

“Yes,” Lady Viola answered. “And the one who possessed him is now trapped until I release him.”

Talia looked at Lady Viola with awe in her eyes. “You can do that?”

Lady Viola smiled at her, amused. “I tend to forget that you were not raised around magic. Yes, I can and many more things,” she said, standing and straightening her skirts. “Let us see who tried to possess Ibrinkal now, shall we?”

Commander Urik, who had remained quiet during all that had happened so far, stepped between Lady Viola and the King. “What are you planning on doing to the King?”

“Oh calm down Urik,” Lady Viola said, staring at him disdainfully. “If I had wanted to hurt Ibrinkal, I would have done so before you arrived.” She walked over to him and straightened his uniform’s jacket. “And there would be nothing you could do to stop me,” she told him calmly, staring into his eyes.

Talia watched as Commander Urik’s nostrils flared and his eyes filled with loathing. “And you would do good to remember that if you did manage to kill the King, I would find you and torture you myself afterwards,” he replied vehemently.

“You know, I do believe given different circumstances,” she said, taking a finger and running it over Urik’s cheek and down his chest slowly, “we would have gotten along rather splendidly.”

“Only in your dreams,” Commander Urik hissed through clenched teeth.

Lady Viola smiled. “Oh, believe me dear, even you would succumb to me in the land of dreams.”

Talia wasn’t entirely sure of what was going on between Commander Urik and Lady Viola but was feeling extremely uncomfortable witnessing it. “Lady Viola,” she said quietly, after clearing her throat, “I don’t know what has taken place between the both of you, nor do I care, but the King still lies there possessed. Your squabbles, whatever they might be, can wait.”

Lady Viola turned her pale blue eyes to stare at her. Talia shivered involuntarily, sensing a predatory intensity about Lady Viola. As Lady Viola walked towards her, she willed herself to stay put and not take the step backwards that she desperately wanted to.

“I forget how impatient young ones are. Very well, dear,” Lady Viola said, extending her hand towards Talia. When Talia hesitated to take the proffered hand, Lady Viola laughed. “Oh, don’t be bashful now. I won’t bite.”

Feeling ashamed of her own behavior, Talia placed her hand in Lady Viola’s and allowed herself to be led to King Ibrinkal.

Once there Lady Viola knelt and motioned for Talia to do the same. “I’m going to start questioning the person who tried to possess the King now. I want you to remain quiet. Speak only when I say so. We know that whoever it is wants more information on you and your quest. Hopefully we will glean who seeks this information.”

“It must be the Hellknight, hoping to figure out how to stop me before I can stop him,” Talia said, sure of her statement.

“We will see,” Lady Viola said, turning to the King and placing a slender hand on each side of his head, her forefingers touching his temples. She seemed to enter into a trance before speaking again in a soft, but commanding tone, “Who are you? What do you want?”

The King laughed. “Do you really think you can hold me, wretch?”

“Who are you?”, Lady Viola asked again, her voice more firm, power seeming to radiate from her this time.

The King’s head jerked to the side suddenly, his face now turned towards Talia. A grin split his face. “There you are. Why don’t you come closer child?”

Talia stayed where she was and stared at the King, anger filling her. “And why should I do that?”, she asked boldly. “You can’t even be so kind as to give me your name.”

“I told you not to speak!”, Lady Viola hissed, still gripping the King’s head.

“Shut up wench!”, King Ibrinkal said, his head turning to face Lady Viola again. “I am here for the girl, not you.”

“You will not have her!”, Lady Viola said.

“And who will stop me? You? A mere mortal who can’t even keep death from her door. Who let’s those closest to her down, or worse yet die.”

Lady Viola slapped the King hard, a resounding smack sounding throughout the room. After that her hands dropped to her sides and her composure became that of one who was facing an inner turmoil. Her beautiful face took on a haunted look and her eyes became vacant. She sat as still as a stone while the King laughed evilly.

“Lady Viola?”, Talia tried to get her attention. When Lady Viola still sat there unmoving, Talia shook the woman’s shoulder and called her name more urgently. “Lady Viola! Snap out of it! He’s feeding you lies! Do you not realize that?”

“She can’t hear you now,” the King taunted. “I sent her away so she would stop interfering. She’s trapped in her own mind. She thought she had trapped me here. Hah! All she did was trap the body I possess now. She is weak. Do you really want to learn from someone who has so little power? I can give you what you really want Talia. Just come to me.”

“And why should I do that? Why would I even trust you?”, Talia asked.

“You wish to free your father don’t you?”, the King asked her, turning to stare at her. “I can help you do that. Or better yet, I can do that for you.”

At the mention of her father Talia inhaled sharply. “How do you know of my father?”

The King smiled. “My child, I know everything. I also know that you feel guilt over what has taken place in this castle.”

“And why would you help me?”, she asked calmly.

“I already told you. I want you to come to me. You intrigue me and I wish to get better acquainted.”

“If that is all you wanted, then you could have just sent a letter or an envoy. I don’t believe you,” Talia said. “There is something else you want. Stop lying and tell me what you want.”

“Very perceptive, child,” the King stated. “But I’m sure you already know what I want.”

“You wish to stop me, before I stop you,” Talia replied. “But I tell you now, Hellknight, you won’t accomplish that.”

“The Hellknight!” The King laughed loudly. “No, dear child, I am not the Hellknight. I am far more powerful then he is.”

Confused, Talia asked, “If not the Hellknight, then who are you?”

“The Ash Queen, my dear, dear child. You will do well to remember that name,” the King said, then went still, his eyes returning to their normal green hue.