Chapter 29: The Black and white flage

Maelis stepped forward. “Father, let me introduce these gentlemen, they saved me from the bandits.”

The king regarded them, eyes narrow. “Did you truly save my daughter?” he asked, then looked at Maelis. “Tell me their names.”

Maelis blinked. “Oh their names are Asual and… I don’t know the other one’s name.”

“No, my foolish child,” the king said with a sharp laugh. Zephric, standing close by, thought how strange a man his father could be.

“Alright,” the king continued, “one of you tell me who attacked my men and my daughter.” Everyone in the throne room immediately dropped to their knees. Maelis remained at the king’s side.

Asual raised his hand. “My king, may I speak?”

“Go on,” the king permitted. “What do you have to say?”

“It was the Raven of the South,” Asual declared.

A murmur ran through the hall; people rose as if pushed. “What? Really them?” someone whispered.

Asual met the king’s gaze. “There were maybe a hundred to a hundred and fifty of them. My men and I were passing by when we heard screams and laughter. We hurried over and found many royal guards on the ground, some dead, some wounded. The enemy came on horseback and were strong fighters.”

“Hold.” The king’s voice cut through. “Did any of you kill the enemy? You say they had horses, yet when my men searched the ground they found only footprints. There were no Raven banners, the South Raven always leaves their flag. In short, there were only royal guards and whoever you are. Tell me the truth.”

At those words, the king’s guards drew their swords, axes and spears and pointed them at Asual’s men. Asual’s people surrendered, hands raised.

Mateo’s IF whispered into his mind: IF, are there Raven bandits? The tiny voice answered: Yes, they’re there.

Mateo snapped his teeth and stopped time.

He cast a spell he’d learned long ago, a naming spell. “By the Third Child, grant me the ability to go back to where I came from.” The power pulled him across space, and when he wrenched his eyes open he stood in a dim hall where men lay sleeping. Mateo cursed. He had to act quickly. He could only take people from their beds; he had two hours.

He moved like a thief among the snoring forms, hauling out fifteen men from their packs and dragging them away. “Ugh,” he muttered. “I should have brought Asual. He can stop time too.” Mateo remembered the first child’s boon and the fifth child’s gift, powers that could twist time and fate. He felt the weight of what he’d done and teleported back to the throne room.

He tapped Asual on the shoulder. Asual turned, eyes cold. “So we’ll just kill each other now?”

“Come down,” Mateo said quietly.

“Why is time stopped?” Asual demands.

“I stopped it,” Mateo replied. “I need your help.”

Asual stepped forward and, without ceremony, drew a dagger from his belt. “This is the man who took my family,” he said, voice low. His face had changed; something darker lived in his eyes. “I will kill him.”

“Do it,” Mateo said. “But first”

Asual’s mouth opened. It looked like a black pit, an absence of everything. Mateo’s skin crawled; the man looked almost less than human.

Before Asual could strike, Mateo gripped the king’s shoulder and murmured an incantation. “By the Fifth Child, grant me the power to rewind time.” Nothing happened the rewind failed but Mateo’s next move did: he released the king from stasis. The king’s breath hitched; color returned to his face.

The throne room rushed back to motion. The king blinked, confused but alive. “I believe you helped my daughter,” he declared hoarsely. “You will be rewarded as she wishes.” He settled back onto the throne and scanned the room, fury in his eyes.

“Stand back!” an officer barked. No one moved. The king snapped; he swept a golden cup full of water toward one of his soldiers. The cup struck with such force that the king’s left ring finger fell away. Blood spattered across the marble, and when he brought his hand to his ear it came away an empty, bloody stub. He staggered, screaming.

Asual advanced. “I am here to take your life, my king,” he said.

“Men! Attack them! Kill every single one!” the king roared.

Asual stood over him like a shadow. “It’s no use. No one will help you.”

The king tried to run but his legs failed under him. Asual hauled him back to the throne and, without hesitation, took out the dagger again. Mateo watched the blade glint and felt a chill: that knife was not ordinary.

Asual moved with cruel efficiency. He cut another finger, laughed as the king screamed, and then, lost in some savage hunger, started to remove nails, tear at the king’s ear, pluck out an eye. Mateo’s face went numb; he had done terrible things before but watching this was different. He felt complicit, helpless.

“You want me to tie him up?” Mateo offered, but Asual only shook his head. He wanted to kill with his own hands.

When Asual stabbed the king through the neck, the monarch gasped one last, wet sound and crumpled. Asual stood limp, breathing. Silence fell like a heavy cloth.

Mateo placed a hand on the king’s forehead and whispered, “Receive, the Twelfth Child gives you the ability to return.” The words were a pledge, a binding. Around them the room smelled of copper and fear.

People wept, screamed, and knelt. The kingdom had just lost its king; the throne had been stained in a way history would remember.

Mateo looked at Asual and saw what the man had become: a weapon forged by grief and rage. Mateo knew he was not innocent either. In the quiet after the killing, a new game had begun.

© 2025 Ahmadyaar Durrani. All rights reserved.

Chapter 29:

Ausal faced the king, his expression steady. “I saved your daughter from the Raven bandits,” he said.

The king shook his head. “There are no Raven bandits,” he said flatly.

Mateo stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. With a gesture, time froze.

Everything around them stopped: guards mid-step, banners hanging still, dust frozen in the air. Only Mateo and Ausal could move, but Mateo controlled who acted.

“You need to move now,” Mateo said to Ausal.

Ausal felt his body respond. He could finally step forward.

“Tell me,” Ausal said, glancing at Mateo.

“What?” Mateo asked.

“How do you know about time stop?”

“I think we should talk less and work more,” Mateo said. “First, we need to remove these people from the ritual circle.”

Mateo looked at Ausal. “Can you tell me what drove you to end the king’s life?”

“You really want to know?” Ausal replied. “I… my parents… I had many mothers.”

Mateo raised an eyebrow. “Many mothers? So… you’re the son of a slave?”

Ausal’s eyes darkened. He stepped closer. Mateo gave him permission, and Ausal struck.

His first punch smashed into Mateo’s shoulder. Then he grabbed Mateo’s collar, yanking him forward. His left fist hit Mateo’s jaw again. Holding Mateo by the collar, he struck once more with his left hand to the face, then released him.

They were in the Raven bandits’ hideout, the frozen bodies of sleeping bandits scattered around. Mateo tried to strike back, but Ausal moved just enough to dodge. Ausal kicked toward Mateo’s belly; blood spurted as Mateo staggered, hitting the ground.

“Remember your place,” Ausal said, grabbing Mateo’s hand and slamming it against a broken wall.

Mateo gasped. “Place… forgive me,” he muttered. Then he laughed.

Ausal looked behind him. There was one Mateo standing there… and another in his hand.

He looked down at his hand, he wasn’t holding Mateo at all, just one of the Raven bandits.

“What is this about?” Ausal asked.

“When I said you were a son of a slave, that’s when I stopped time,” Mateo explained. “I let a random person move among the sleeping bandits to see how long they could last against you.”

“So tell me,” Ausal said, “what are these people’s levels?”

“There are twenty-five ranks in total,” Mateo replied.

“So what rank is this?” Ausal asked.

Mateo shook his head. “We’ve wasted enough time.”

“Fine,” Ausal said. “Let’s put the bodies together.”

They began moving the bandits into position. One was heavy. “Help me here,” Mateo said. They removed the straw mattresses covering the bodies.

“Do they really sleep on these?” Mateo asked.

“This is their world,” Ausal said.

Mateo nodded. “We have nothing to write on. We must make a sacrifice.”

“What should I do?” Ausal asked.

“Cut your hand,” Mateo instructed. “With the blood, we can complete the ritual circle. We have to do it at the same time.”

Ausal agreed. They positioned five bandits on one side, five on the other.

Mateo and Ausal spoke in unison:
“Ohiros of five-th child, I bring up to you the east path of blood.”

A black liquid began to flow from the models of the ten bandits. One by one, the bandits’ essences entered the black liquid, which grew every second. The liquid spread to the location where Ausal had killed the royal guards.

“We should kill them now, right?” Ausal asked.

“No need,” Mateo said. “The deed is already done.”

Mateo leaned closer. “You need to know, the first vegetable you eat has more potential than anything else on this earth. If brought to full power, it could destroy the world.”

“It’s time to head back to the throne room,” Mateo added.

“Okay,” Ausal said. “But remember, you must stand in the same place you were.”

Mateo agreed. They walked to the front door and found it locked.

“Use your magic,” Ausal said.

“I’m out of magic. I can’t use it for a full day,” Mateo replied.

Ausal lowered his hand. “I wish this never happened.”

“Come,” Mateo said. “We will teleport to the throne room.”

They arrived and stood in the exact positions.

“Remove the time-less hole,” Mateo instructed.

Movement returned to the room. The king said, “I believe you,” and ordered his soldiers to lower their weapons.

“My king,” one man said, “the treasure chest will be brought to you in a few minutes.”

Suddenly, a soldier rushed in. “My king! The Ulbon are here!”

The king stood, signaling the soldiers to attention.

Ofurd asked, “Ausal, can you tell me what Ulbon is?”

“There are two groups,” Ausal said. “Ulbon and Habon. They are powerful criminal organizations. The Ravens were under Ulbon. Ulbon carries the black flag, Habon the white. Both come from a fallen country.”

“In short,” Ofurd said, “they are rebels who can destroy whoever they wish.”

Mateo frowned. “Why did you stop? Tell us more about them.”

Ausal addressed the group. “Listen carefully. The country was called Stan. Thousands of years ago, they created magic and were meant to be kings of the world. Their power grew too strong, and they turned on each other. That’s how they fell.”