The Rise of Valcrum's Warriors

Zane Monterio I sat straight up in bed as buckets of sweat drenched me, and I shook the lethargic haze away from my brain. One of my abilities, was premonitions. The visions were both a gift and a curse, that had caused me many sleepless nights, like tonight. Sliding from the bed, I let the sweat soaked sheets fall to the floor. The air vent above the bed circulated cool air that caused goosebumps to form along my arms. It had happened again. The demon off springs were too powerful for the academy. My friends were going to be annihilated, and the world would fall. The peace that I had left me. The only time I was alone was when I slept and now, I couldn’t even do that. Walking to the bathroom, I stepped inside the marble enclosed shower and pressed the oblong button. Sighing, I smiled as all fifteen rain heads turned on, shooting hot water over me. The bathroom quickly filled with steam and I bent forward stretching my lower back muscles. Dang. How had things gotten so out of control. Ivy’s face appeared. Time and distance had done nothing to cool my thoughts of her. She had been calling me, begging me to come to her. Does she think I’m made of marble? Denying her had been the most terrible torture I had, but I’ve ignored her long enough. When I’m not seeing their impending destruction; I have denied her calls. Taking the cloth and lathering it with soap, I scrubbed my face. Steam poured over me and I allowed it to sooth my sore tight muscles. Lifting my head, my neck muscles tensed again. I stepped to the right just as something crashed against the shower door. Pieces of glass flew everywhere, and several large shards flew into my biceps. Snatching my attacker’s arm, I slammed it against the back of the glass, and his sword fell to the floor. Clank. He clung to me like a lion to its prey. Thrusting him forcefully against the back glass again, we both fell backward onto the marble floor. I ripped one shard from my bicep and sliced him across the arm that gripped my neck. Rolling away from him, I had sprung to my feet and waved my hand over my face. The soap disappeared, allowing me to take in my attacker’s appearance for the first time. He had red and green tribal tattoos covering both cheeks. He wore a platinum mask adorned with a black rose on the right side. It was a death mask. The mask meant I had been marked for death. Great. Things couldn’t get worse. An assassin from the ancient tribe of Asktar. These assassins didn’t stop until you killed them, or they killed you. Gripping the shard tighter in my hand, I ignored the sharp prickling pain in my arms. He lunged for me, and I ducked, jabbing the glass into his lower belly. When he bent down, attempting to pull the glass free, I lifted my hand pinning him to the wall. My eyes roamed over the mask, sending it soaring to the floor. I needed to look into the eyes of the man that sought my life. “Who sent you?” His eyes narrowed and his lips curved slightly at the corners. He didn’t answer, not because he didn’t want to but because the ability to speak had been taken from him. Closing my fist, an invisible force closed across the man’s neck. Nick rushed in with several guards. “Prince Zane, are you badly injured?” His eyes looked at me then at the blood on the floor. “No, go guard my father. I have this situation under control.” When my guard’s footsteps receded; I pulled the glass from my other arm and threw it into the assassin’s chest the tip piercing his heart. He twitched and spat out a pool of dark blood. Mentally I chanted, the eyes of the wise one are all knowing. What was once hidden will now be revealed. For now, the past becomes the present, as shadows fade into the light. I walked to the open window and dark grey clouds appeared before my eyes. The smell of ash and soot filled the air sending pains through my throat. I saw black crows swoop down and devour flesh from the bloody remains of women and children. Looking around the hut was on fire; its front door ajar, flapping in the wind sending a rhythmic cracking noise into the air. An indigo skull with a magenta bone protruded from the skull head. Three male assassins wearing boysenberry colored skin appeared, dragging the head of Aahan Varadkar, who was the leader of Kathar Tribe. The red-haired warrior drugged Varadkar’s head behind him in a black net along with two other assassins as they headed toward the cover of the forest. Varuda Varadkar ran out of the forest screaming, her silver waist length dread locks blowing behind her in the breeze. Her hands were waving wildly before her and sparks of teal light flew, and four bolts of golden spears shot forth. Two impaled red-haired men were dragging the severed head behind him. His roar of pain carried on the breeze. He grunted and rolled to his elbows, and opened his mouth, and an onyx viscous fluid shot forth covering her body. It covered Varuda’s entire body and he began to eat her flesh from her bones; within minutes her bones cracked and fell to the Earth. A huge dust cloud swept over the land. One man had dodged the bolt and turned to his partner who lay gasping for breath, since the spear had been impaled in his windpipe. Running over to his fallen leader, he grabbed the net with the head, and attempted to jerk it free. “Brayden let go. I will deliver it to Lilith. You know she won’t rest until the royals of Stockton are dead.” “Janix, promise me, in this life and the next that Zane will die, he and all those that he holds dear will perish, I want you to force him to take his last breath. He must suffer their death before the flames of Makui take him home.” “Brother, I promise. The Tribe of Ashtar will deliver him there. I will make sure of it.” Whipping his blade out he sliced his arm allowing his blood to pour over Brayden’s face. His mouth opened, his tongue sweeping out to lick the crimson liquid from his lips. He smiled, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed; his chest rose once more then stopped. The next vision showed Lilith Sai meeting Govinda Kulkarni with the head of the Ashtar Tribe. Lilith nodded. “We the Tribe of Jankim stand with the Ashtar tribe to decimate the Onyejekwe Tribe for this cruel and blatant act of violating the “No Harm Treaty.” She had ten of her tribesmen behind her forming a circle of protection. Govinda’s eyes narrowed, and he moved away from her. “Khamisi wouldn’t have done this.” One of Lilith’s men stepped forward, “It was probably Simba,” he said. Govinda shook his head. “Impossible, they were here with me, the night before, last.” Lilith snapped her fingers and her man shut his mouth and stepped back joining the rest of their men. “It was one of their females. My men didn’t get a close look but she, slaughtered Aahan and his wife. We think he was cheating on Varuda, and she killed them when he wouldn’t leave his wife for her. “The Ashtar will investigate this further and get to the bottom of this matter. We will handle this ourselves and if it escalates, we will reach out to the Jankim Tribe.” The vision faded, and I watched as the assassin took his last breath. Running out the bathroom, I dashed through the guards roaming and scouring every inch of the royal palace. Turning right, I dashed inside the throne room. “Father, are you alright?” My heart hammering against my rib cage, as I jumped over the four dead assassins in the room. “My father, walked out, his golden robe bathed with their blood. His face still had splatters of their life force on his cheeks. “I’m fine son. This is not my first fight with these crude life thieves. They won’t stop until we kill them all,” said King Gregory. I balled my fist. “The Tribe of Jankim slaughtered the entire Kathar Tribe and blamed it on the Onyejekwe Tribe, now there is an impending war.” Gregory kicked the dead body in front of him and sat down on his thrown. “They have been plotting our family’s demise for centuries, and now you’ve given them the chance with this Tournament of a Thousand Deaths.” Scraping a hand through my hair, I rubbed my temples to ward off the sharp pains penetrating through them. I must warn Khamisi and Zahra Onyejekwe. Unity is needed now more than ever if we are to save Earth. “Father it’s time to initiate Program X.” Program X was the body double of my father. It was virtually impossible to tell the two apart except for my father’s secret birth mark. His body double will take his place and my dad will go to the Realm of Atonement, where he will go into a state of incessant prayers. Gregory snorted. “Not yet, the program will be initiated after you win the Tournament.” My father thinks I’m going to die and wants to step in and take my place. Today, was a close call, and things could have gone differently. I can’t change the actions which led us to this point nor would I if I could. I couldn’t have watched Ivy die. Crossing the floor to the throne, I hugged him. “I’m sorry father. I’ve always wanted to make you proud. To live up to, and be, half the man you are to your kingdom, your people, and to mom.” Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I closed my eyes and forced my body to gain some control. My voice trailed off and my shoulders slumped when I felt his hand on me. “You are the best thing, that I have ever received, and I’m not disappointed in you.” I snorted. “I superseded her love for you?” The smile fell from my face. My selfishness and inability to see Ivy die has put the kingdom in jeopardy, but not if he lived. “I’m sorry I failed you father. I will try to make it up to you. Please forgive me.” Wiping a tear away, I looked straight at him. “You’ve never failed me.” “My decision affected more than myself. It affected everyone.” How does he do it? How can one man be responsible for an entire kingdom? “You love her, and love doesn’t make you weak, it makes you invincible.” I lifted my hands, mentally chanting the spell for program X, sending my father to safety. A place as close to Valcrum as you could get. I missed him as soon as he disappeared from my sight. A minute later, the double appeared wearing the exact same clothes that my father had been wearing. He stalked over to me and slapped me. “You think you’re slick son, but I made some changes to your program. When I find a way to reverse what you have done, I’m going to beat you a hairs breath from death.” Cupping my cheek, I nodded. “Father, I can’t allow you to pay for my mistakes and I can’t guarantee I’ll succeed in this tournament. Disappointing you crushed my soul, but I won’t disappoint our people.” My father was tapped into the double’s mind, so he was here without being here. Why people thought I was the most powerful wizard always baffled me. My father was the most powerful, yet he never allowed anyone to see the extent of his capabilities. He was magnificent and intelligent. I hoped to one day be just like him, yet I’m seeing my deficiencies in a new light. Heck, not even I knew he could do that. Some deep emotion flickered across his face, but it was swiftly masked. “The distance away from her is breaking you both. One more time, of seeing her, would rekindle both of your souls.” Shaking my head, I looked at him. “It would be worse for her, if I spent more time with her and things don’t go as planned.” He strolled over and sank into his throne chair. “Nonsense, you’re not sleeping, barely eating. If you keep this up, you will fall during the first tournament. Did you not promise to marry her?” “Father, I can’t. You were right my head must remain clear.” He sighed. “She’s not doing well either. Ivy looks worse than you.” The tightness in my chest was sharp like a knife stuck in my lower ventricle. Turning on my heels, I traversed out the room. My treacherous heart was weak. I can’t see her now, but I can ensure she’s alright. Rushing through the halls, I ducked into the dark corridor, rarely used. The hall was empty, as I waved a door appeared on the wall, and I stepped through it allowing the portal to close behind me. Running into the forest behind the palace, I sprinted to the third oak tree on the left and placed my hand on the trunk. A portal opened and I stepped inside. I pricked my thumb and dropped a droplet of blood on the circular crest carved into the trunk. This was just one of the secret portals my family had created. They were magical transportation stations that only worked for the royal family. My stomach dropped and my body lifted off the ground and I shot up toward the top of the tree. When I opened my eyes, my feet were back on the ground. Cloaking my aura, I suddenly appeared on the Mountains of Himakula. The sun was bright in the sky. Waving my hands at the sky, dark clouds crawled up above and the sun went down. Stepping away from the trees, an arrow flew through the sky. Ducking, and rolling to the side, behind a tall tree, I peeped out trying to get a glance at my attackers. The arrow landed into the tree trunk, with a loud thud. Two men materialized out of thin air, their garments shimmering with gold and silver specs as the clothes started to take on the color of their surroundings. The lack of a crest on their clothing meant they didn’t have a coven. Mercenaries. This meant there must be a lofty bounty on my head. One of the men had a crooked smile with an exaggerated overbite, and his curly hair was white. The other man was bald and muscular with a cleft chin. I had never seen either of them before, which meant the attack wasn’t personal. I might be able to pay my way out of this. Bold. Who would dishonor Valcrum by trying to assassinate me before the tournament? Clenching my jaw, I pulled two daggers from my robe. “How much is the bounty and who hired you?” The silver haired man smiled. “We were promised immortality, something your freakish family has denied everyone.” Valcrum’s law on sharing our blood was clear and absolute. It was forbidden. They were dealing with someone who was no doubt conjuring spirits. There was no use in reasoning with them, they wanted my death. “You’re making a big mistake.” I sent the two daggers soaring through the air. The second man sprinted toward me, and I lifted my hand freezing him in place. Several hummingbirds flew high above me all in one giant pack. Hummingbirds were Valcrum’s creatures and beautiful creatures that sometimes meant something wasn’t what it seemed. Luckily, my dagger sliced through the first man’s neck; instead of dropping to the ground, the skin around his neck started knitting back together. Black magic was at play here. The second man rushed toward me, his body moving faster than the wind. Quickly, I formed an impenetrable shield around me, just as the first man shot black viscous spider webs at me. The webs bounced off the shields. I pictured the first man’s brain inside my head, and I closed my fist obliterating the organ. Black blood poured from his mouth, nose, and ears, and he fell to the ground. He was dead. I glared at the second man. “Who sent you. If you tell me, I’ll make your death quick.” He smirked. “Don’t bother. We’ve already won.” He got free of the hold and lifted his hand sprinkling an amethyst colored mist into the air. As the sparkling mist touched him, his skin started to disintegrate; muscle, bone, tissue, everything gone. I watched horrified by the gruesome death he chose over the mercy I would’ve shown him. My right eye twitched. His words and smirk were triumphant. Looking down at my body, I saw the one-inch black spider dart that poked out my upper right thigh. Ripping it out, I saw that my flesh was turned green. Poison. Whatever black magic he had used would slowly kill me. My breath quickened. A sharp pain ran up my spine and settled in my chest. Coughing, I hocked up a pool of dark crimson blood. Stabbing abdominal pains racked my body and my organs felt like they were swimming in a vat of acid. Evil spirits and curses were the main ways Valcrum’s elect were killed. I have failed. My people. Ivy. My friends. My kingdom. A thousand sharp blades appeared slicing my flesh from the inside out, and I fell to the ground in a pool of blood. Doubling over, I dropped the protective shield, no longer strong enough to hold it up. My heart began to slow, and the dizziness brought me to my knees. “I’m sorry father. I tried.” My father appeared, as the darkness swallowed me whole.