A Lonely Throne

The dark ambience of the afternoon sky can easily be mistaken for nighttime, as rain falls onto the sandy grounds of the Eydo Empire's capital. The regular citizens of the land, unaware of what was to come that night, look up to the sky in awe, as thunderous light dances cleanly within the dark clouds.

“...Lord Shango…” whispers a lonely shopkeeper, as he cups his hands and wipes it across his face, as an act of reverence.

In a holding cell within the empire’s largest dungeon, wet sand seeps in, as if aiming to deliberately disturb the peace of the one chained inside. Scars streak across the prisoner’s chiseled upper body, while his dreadlocks cover his face from being shown.

The prisoner coughs out blood; a tribute to the daily hundred lashings he has had to endure for the past year. The chains holding him up shake from the lack of energy he has been provided, as he hasn’t had anything to eat for weeks. The last meal, being the corpse of a pet he has had since he was a child.

A blinding light strikes the dark afternoon sky, followed with an intense roar from the heavens, forcing the prisoner to slowly lift his head. Standing in front of the prisoner, in the small area of the cell that light peeks into, is a small demon child, pouting profusely. The demon child bends down to swipe the blood that came from the prisoner’s mouth, before licking it slowly to savor the taste. The demon child scrunches its nose, before spitting the blood back to the floor.

The prisoner stares blankly at the demon child, causing the demon child to slowly return its gaze to the prisoner. The demon child then realizes that the prisoner has already had his eyes gouged out, frightening the demon child to the point that it whimpers. After a few seconds, the prisoner begins to laugh.

“I wonder what it is that you find so amusing…” a voice calls out.

The prisoner’s laugh begins to settle. “Shango? Are you finally talking to me again, Shango?”

“Shango?…the god of justice…and King Kayin’s avatar…"

“...why are you saying that as if you don’t know who you are?”

“How long have you been locked in here, that you can no longer distinguish between the voice of a man and the voice of a woman?”

The prisoner pauses.

“I am not your avatar holder, King of Eydo. I am not Shango.”

“...then who are you?”

“The last person you will meet in the mortal realm, and the first you will meet in the afterlife.”

“...Olorun?! Is that you, Olorun?!”

“No, you fool!”

“Then just tell me who you are! Enough with the ominous teasing…”

Suddenly, Kayin feels the sharp edge of a sword pressed lightly against his Adam’s Apple.

“It was only a month ago…a month ago that you ordered your people to destroy my own!”

Kayin remains silent. All he can hear is now the silent crying of a frustrated woman.

“My kingdom served your empire faithfully for as long as I can remember! We fought for you! Slaved for you! And all it took to discard that faith…was a tax reduction request?!”

“...”

“Answer me! Why did you give that order?! WHY?! WHY DID MY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE?!”

Suddenly, parallel to Kimiko’s expectations, Kayin moves himself forward into the edge of the sword, forcing Kimiko to pull it back quickly.

“WHAT ARE YOU DO-”

“Lower your voice! The dungeon guards will be here any minute and have you killed! But only if you continue to scream as you have!”

Kimiko appears taken aback by the king’s demand.

“From what you’ve just said, my empire has sinned greatly against its own subjects. And for that…I am willing to throw my life into your hands right now!”

“...what’s the point in that?! Aren’t you already going to be executed later tonight?!”

“...yes.”

“Then don’t speak as if you are being bold! Your life is already forfeit! So don’t use it as a card of justice!”

“It’s not justice for you! It’s for me!”

Kimiko pauses.

“I am the King! But only by birthright! The title has never been mine!”

“...what??”

“I have been abandoned! Not only by those in the palace, but by my avatar holder as well! Shango himself has already abandoned me!”

Kayin shakes the chains keeping him held up in his cell.

“This…is the only throne I sit on. For the past year…it’s all I have known.”

“...lies. You’re speaking lies. It was a year ago that you mercilessly killed your father, and took the throne. You think we wouldn’t have heard of that?”

Kayin pauses, before lowering his head back to its original position.

“...you’re right. I killed my father.”

Kimiko grits her teeth in anger, and places the sword to the crown of Kayin’s head while shaking like a leaf.

“You’re a demon! A devil! Far worse than any that I personally know!”

Kayin remains silent.

“I’ll be taking your offer.” Kimiko gets into a striking stance, as large oni appear from the shadows surrounding the cell, “That life of yours…I’ll make sure I drag it down to the lowest of hells! Only that way can my people be at peace!”

“Do it.”

Kimiko freezes in place.

“I’m begging you…do it.”

“You think I won’t?!! HUH?! YOU TAKE ME FOR A COWARD?!”

“Do it quickly!…the guards are surely already on their way!”

Kimiko continues to shake frantically as she remains in her striking stance. The oni surrounding the cell inch closer and closer, looking to bathe in the almighty king’s blood.

Kimiko’s mind races, as she hears the dungeon guards from afar running towards the cell.

“If what you say is true…even if I absolutely refuse to believe it…how can it be? You are the only son of the late king, Dayo.”

“...that, I am.”

“Then what gives?! You are the King of Eydo! The world's strongest empire! So why are you in a cell, about to be executed??!!!”

Kayin slowly lifts his head, and his dreadlocks part to the side of his face. The look on Kayin’s face emanates pure rage, on a level that even Kimiko has never seen.

“Oh, that’s right…the rest of you don’t know…”

The royal guards frantically etch closer and closer to the cell. 

Kayin smiles, angrily.

“You see…I have an older sister.”