The Trials of Boy Kings

Chapter 2: Visions

Chapter 2: VisionsFirstcouncilor Trunculin and King Asa had returned from the mess they left in the kingdom of Thure. Loren and the Thurian merchant Denogg had escaped, gone without a trace. Trunculin had put Asa in his chamber under his loyal guards. They had been orders not to hurt him any further, unless Trunculin gave express permission. Better to rule the boy by fear. He knows what I'm capable of now. He won't get out from under my thumb again, Trunculin thought as he stared at the mystic.

The mystic sat in the small room, eyes closed. After all these years, Trunculin was still uneasy around them. He wondered if the feeling would ever go away. Trunculin looked back at the mystic. His eyes were open now, staring. The mystic did not speak.

After a long moment, Trunculin could not bear the silence, “Well…?” the mystic said nothing. Trunculin asked, “Why were you so hard to reach?”

The mystic answered in his own time. “I had business elsewhere. You are not the only kingdom that concerns us.”

Trunculin knew this was true. He had been around long enough to see the secret hand of the mystic guild do its work. “Fair enough. When can you begin with the boy?”

The mystic stared. “I have questions.”

“Questions? About what?”

The mystic Valren said, “Since Gordon collapsed, things have gone badly for you.”

“That didn't sound like a question,” Trunculin rubbed his forehead. The mystic stared. “Gordon and his uncle escaped. Brenddel was nearly killed tracking them down. My new alliance with Thure is gone. Then Gordon died. Then I found out Mantuan and Gordon are alive after all. But wait! Gordon has been taken, and Mantuan has stolen one of my airships. Yes, mystic, you could say I've had better times!”

The Mystic stared.

“What about the boy?” asked Trunculin.

“I am not someone you can intimidate, firstcouncilor.”

“I know that,” said Trunculin. “I … I regret my tone. You and your guild have been very helpful to me. I haven't forgotten that. But how do my troubles change anything with my new boy king?”

“Because I will not help you control this king.”

The words were like a slap across Trunculin's face. He managed, “How can that be your decision? You have …”

“I know what my guild has done for you. We are turning our eyes to other matters.” Valren stopped speaking, but this pause seemed different. He was not staring at the firstcouncilor, but almost through him. Trunculin had never seen the mystic behave this way.

Before Trunculin could ask if he was alright, the mystic's face changed. His features seem to melt into a mask of pain, then he screamed.

Trunculin didn't know what to do. He expected guards to rush in, but realized frantically that he never kept guards around when he saw the mystic. Trunculin put his hand out to him, but the mystic was now looking around the room like he wasn't there. He didn't scream again, just kept looking everywhere in the room, his face frantic and worried. Trunculin realized he wasn't really in the room.

He was inside a vision.

“No!” Valren shouted, but no words came out. He was standing on a ship. The sky was dark, but it was daytime. The darkness came from great black clouds. No, not clouds. They were silver and black and instead of water, they rained destruction. So many arrows. The great kingdom was falling. All around him, waterships were sinking.

Then he was under the water. He was one of the old ones now, the Jhalgon. He was looking through the eyes of the great finned beast. And all around him the sea roiled with his siblings. He crested the water to see the other great kingdoms fall, one by one. First Artoth, then Thure. The kingdoms were all on fire. The banners with the triangle and thirteen longknives fell to the water. Two shadows appeared, as though the sun was extinguished from two different directions. He looked out through his Jhalgon eyes, to the enormous black and silver clouds that weren't clouds. But now he could see they were enormous airships, the new monsters in the world. His head split with a terrible sound he could not extinguish. And the mighty Jhalgon were afraid…

Valren was back in the small room, Trunculin's hand on his arm. Valren pulled his arm away from Trunculin's cold hand. The firstcouncilor saw the look on his face and was deeply concerned. He had never seen a mystic have a vision. “Valren, are you …?”

The mystic seemed to recoil at the words, rubbing his arm where Trunculin had touched him. He saw the look on Trunculin's face and regained his composure. Valren's face returned to his unreadable mask. “I am fine firstcouncilor.”

“What did you see?”

“I don't know…” his tone changed, “…I'm sure it was nothing. Visions happen on their own time, the reasons never immediately clear. I'm sorry you had to see it.”

Trunculin began, “What was …?”

“I must go,” said Valren. “I can't help you with the new king. I have other matters I must see to.”

“But, can't you at least stay for …?”

Valren left without saying another word. He closed the door, leaving a baffled Trunculin alone. Valren walked away from the room, rubbing his arm again. I see you now firstcouncilor, he thought. And for the first time that Valren could remember, he felt the icy hand of fear.