Fated Demise: Quenderian Wars

Cave of the Anguis

Finally, I was cured of the poisoning and got away from those creepy Greens.

Why do they even wear white? And one of the Greens has hair as black as a demon's soul which was more terrifying.

As I was saying, I left my bed-chamber and went outside the castle to catch some fresh air. It was a good dinner after all but father had left the lines that would haunt me so much to make me think about myself and what's ahead.

It was the time of adventures, the time for recreation, the time for recollection, and, certainly, was not the time to think about the future.

As I roamed through the forest, I heard a hiss inside the cave not far from where I was standing. I was curious about that sound so I sneaked toward it.

The sound of the fallen leaves I stepped on made the forest's natural music - the noise of the crickets and the howls of some animals - more terrifying.

There were eyes - red and yellow - and I was a bit frightened of what I'd witnessed. The cave was covered with rain-like drops of the falls, hiding what was really in it.

I said "Hello?" and my voice echoed through.

Bats were there in different shades of black I had never seen before, hung on the arch of loam, and later all flew - disturbed by my voice.

"Ssss... Come closer; come closer..." a whisper I had continued hearing.

"Is anybody here?" I asked.

I continued walking back and forth as I heard the voice's repeated whisper "Come closer".

The water which was supposed to create a wall between my sight and the things unveiled suddenly made a dry area that served as my entrance. A very interesting thing to see in the dead of that night.

I went in.

And I asked, "Who are you?"

Just as when I asked, large, magenta candles were lit.

I was shocked at seeing 6 snakes staring at me, with rage. I froze in fear while two of the snakes slithered their ways to my arms, and held me tight by their bodies.

I saw the largest snake and recognized him as he became human-like. He was my uncle - Proditor Anguis - who was a traitor and was cursed by his deeds. Proditor used to be one of the Elders. He was turned into a snake including his family when he planned to kill King Darryn by stabbing him using the Dagger of Deceit which was now kept and buried deep underground. The gods punished them, so we thought.

All of them were turned into this kind of beasts with scaly green-and-gold skins. Their eyes were made red and yellow for them to be hungry for blood and life. Proditor rules over them.

Beside him, I saw Lucia Anguis - his wife who had offered her life to witchcraft. She casts curses on the royal family and our officials for her husband's plan to be victorious. I knew she did something to me but I never remembered.

Detaining my arms are Bill and Ero.

Although Ero had been given everything she had ever wished for, she stole treasures, relics, and artifacts in the castle. She was the one who stole the Dagger of Deceit from its vault resulting in their current situation.

Lucia cast a spell on her hands to perform great magic but her attempt to do such a trick had led her to curse her daughter's hands to steal.

The other two sons of Proditor may have sinned before but then chose not to inline with their father's plans; they say they have turned themselves from evil and were freed by the king but forever forbidden to take a single step within Elekti's borders.

"Well... well... the Artem came to visit after all these years", Proditor's welcome statement to me with anger in his eyes.

"You wish," I replied.

"Is that how you treat your family?" he asked.

"You are no family of mine. You tried to overthrow father and caused the m******e of the Wielders" I again replied.

Elroy stood for me, and he was facing his father saying "Father we'd talked about this for how many times, we ought to have mercy for the gods also had shown mercy on our condition."

"Son, you know nothing about mercy", he concluded.

Troy insisted "Elroy's right! You can't live as rebels forever."

Proditor looked at the two as he shouted "No!" and then calmly said: "We can't spare his life."

"Have you forgotten what his father did to us?" again, he asked aloud.

"It is us who brought this upon ourselves. If we had lived with no envy and greed, we could have been still living peacefully in the kingdom", Elroy replied.

It's like they were enjoying their argument but I had to get out of there. I tried to use all of my strength to free myself but their hold was too tight to escape from. I tried a million times but nothing happened.

I was still coping with my sickness so I couldn't get more strength.

Proditor noticed, and came close to me, quick.

His face was like an inch away from mine and whispered to my right ear "That makes you our prisoner, prince."

"Okay, that's enough!" Troy spoke to his father but he won't listen and still whispered to me rapidly "I have you now and I will have the rest of your family. Soon, I will be known as the rightful king of the Elektians."

"I said enough!" Troy shouted.

"There may be a time that you will be called king but you shall never earn the respect of my people," I declared with my cracking voice, unleashing the words I knew would intimidate him.

Once again, I wanted to feel fearless, and to make them think that I expected all of these.

Proditor grabbed a knife and tried to slice my flesh "And to completely summon Azazel, a drop of blood will do. He will bring us our redemption and give us what he promised."

He cut me and my blood leaked. It was more than a drop. He caught it inside a pot.

We all heard the sound of a horse that had just arrived. Another sound was heard. It was a sword's whisper.

Proditor looked at me, cowardly. The Anguis were frightened of it and they made themselves ready for battle. Proditor hissed when his fangs came out. He looked like he had prepared for this moment.

The king appeared and had his sword - Griffin's tooth - released onward to kill his brother. I could see Proditor's face from the reflection of the sword, showing great trepidation.

The Griffin's Tooth is a powerful weapon. It is believed to be from the gods, themself. I never saw him use it until now.

The stories father always told us about that sword. It was found in the Spring of Whispers, guarded by the Unsung Phantom. And that one day, death will deliver the sword to its owner.

Father's face showed nothing but his anger for them.

Proditor was not able to evade the sword which slowly went toward him and hit his scaly skin like a bulls-eye target being hit by an arrow.

The sword cut his tail resulting in him to scream "Escape now!"

All of the giant snakes slithered away from the cave and hid from the sight of the king.

I fell to the ground when they left. I fainted and cannot see nor talk clearly.

I felt like I was about to have my end but my father ran unto me, he took me in his arms, placed his hand on my chest, and said: "Son, are you alright?"

"I've had too much nausea in just a day", I chuckled weakly.

I looked at him to say that I'm not okay but I couldn't.

And I was becoming unconscious so he carried me to his horse and said: "Stay with me."

The horse began to move quickly as I saw the surroundings turned upside-down. The forest is mixed with reality.

I was catching my breath and my hands were shaking. I could feel my body becoming frigid and felt my blood flowed slowly. An unclear neigh continued to catch my ears while I had my sight blurring.

At last, we arrived at the red gates - the ones behind the castle.

I could hear the distant voices of the guards saying "The prince needs help!"

The gates opened and the stretcher received me. The guards carried me to a ward and transferred me to a bed inside it.

A man who came wearing a purple robe asked the king "What happened?"

He is the kingdom's Apothecary and a member of the Elders.

"The Anguis", he replied.

The Apothecary held my head with both of his hands and said "I have it here" as he reached for a glass jar labeled "Montrefort Root".

He explained, "This is an herb extracted from the roots of the Montrefort tree. It came from the Sanctuary."

He transferred the glowing purple herb inside it to a pot and crushed the said plant until it became liquid.

He spoke to me "Allow the herb to cure you and may the gods provide healing" and let me drink all of it.

I closed my eyes and heard the man's statements to my father "He'll be alright by tomorrow after having his rest."

"What made him so sick?" he asked.

"Venoms, they say 'venoms are found only on the snake's fangs' but what others don't know is that the Anguis also have them on their skin," he explained.

The Apothecary added, "He discovered the power that is stronger than those from the earth. For now, we know that he's been serving an entity that had slept for millennia. The lord of sacrifices, they named it."

"And what do they want?" King Darryn Dilton queried.

"That, I know nothing of", Azuri replied.

He added, "It had only been confirmed that Proditor's behind the rebellion."

"They pose a threat to the kingdom. They must be ceased immediately."

He affirmed, "Not just for the kingdom of Elekti but I must say that you are right, my king."

Father responded, "Thank you Azuri."

And he replied, "It is an honor, Darryn." Just as when Azuri left the ward, the king commanded the Kingshield Commander - Ser Hailem Hovard - to alert the others and activate the full support of our defenses and continued by saying "Anyone that show signs of treason should be seized and be prosecuted by the priests."

"How about trials, King Darryn?" he asked.

"There will be no trials. This shall be taken care of at an instant", the king answered.

Ser Hailem answered his order "Yes, Your Majesty! I shall bring forth the Bailiff, at once."

He left the room in a hurry and searched.

The Bailiff came and asked, "Forgive my question, Your Majesty. Are you certain that we should entrust all the prosecutions to the priests?"

"They bear the wisdom of the gods. I know it is the right thing to do", he answered with great confidence.

"If you believe so, My King", the Bailiff responded.

Wisdom of the gods.

I finally had my sleep.