Chapter 8. A King's Final Stand

What they both saw sent a chill to their bones, seemingly freezing their souls with sheer horror. The events that happened in that room would have surely broken a normal individual.

They both saw the Queen standing upon the double helix throne stairs that led up to where she stood, which was right before where the two rulers would sit. Her once dainty body was now a bit taller, with the two of them fulling seeing her illness on display as they saw her looking very emancipated. Before either Avorion or Axelon could ask what was going on she finally took notice of them behind the others and let out a laugh that was followed with a deep unsettling echo. Axelon’s heart sank seeing his once kind and gentle mother become whatever she is now. The thing that his mother had became senses the Prince’s feelings and slowly forming a icy stairway for her to descend to them as it began to speak to Axelon directly.

“Do not be sad my child. It was always meant to be this way, our destinies were forever intertwined since we parted with ourselves. Now rejoice as we are one step closer to being as we were.”

The everyone was shocked to hear those words, well everyone but the King who looked at the descending being with a steely gaze. The being sees that it’s words have shook everyone else but the King, and grins with satisfaction as it began to speak again.

“Your King didn’t wish for the knowledge to be common so he kept it from everyone, but now I’ll happily lift the veil of secrecy ”

The entity looked at them all with a delish grin knowing that it was about utter the words that would shatter their beliefs, luckily before it got the chance to speak the the King charged at the creature with the intention to end the conflict with one swift strike.  There was a powerful clash that happened in a instant, with force between them both being enough to create a strong gust of wind, Axelon looked in shock along with Avorion and the other knights. They saw that within that brief moment the dark being conjured a sword of ice, with the edges being jagged and somehow not shattering beneath the might of the King's own blade. The King looks at what was once his wife and met her gaze, seeing the beautiful shade of blue gone from her eyes, and replaced with multicolored changing irises. The King looked down, knowing what he had to do, what Axelon and Avorion must do. 

The next words that came from the King were cold, and had immeasurable weight to them. 

"Avorion, you remember the promise you made to me all those years ago when you vowed to teach Axelon?"

Avorion seemed confused for a moment, but responded respectfully.

"Yes, but surely we can come back from this. You must have a idea on how to make sure we don't lose the kingdom entirely."

The King didn't respond for a moment, focusing on keeping the blade locked with dark being that had taken over his wife, before finally admitting the truth to him and the other knights.

"In all honesty, I never had a plan to save the Kingdom because I already knew that when this happened, Fortis Gelu would be lost and since there's  no coming back from what's going on in the kingdom."

Avorion was in sheer disbelief at what he heard. That his mighty King was indeed giving up on their precious home. Axelon felt his heart sink into his chest as he felt that it was his own weakness that somehow brought forth this calamity. The Prince was comforted by another knight in the group that was behind him, who had set his hand upon the shoulder of the adolescent lord.  Axelon turn his head back to the warrior who shook his head, has if he already knew what thoughts occupied the Prince's mind. 

"Your Highness you can't be serious! Surely you mu-"

"SILENCE! I knew this day would come and I had you make that vow to me because instead trying to project or home, I sought to protect the world. I'm willing to lay down my life to ensure that this world of ours still has a chance for the future."

The figure laughed before finally breaking their stalemate, spinning around before kicking the King in his stomach, launching him into the wall beside Axelon and the others. The impact made a big creator in the structure, with the King suffering minor injuries, but it did catch him off guard and knock the wind out him for a moment. However the King knew what was at stake and must endure this for everyone else's sake. The King took a few deep breathes before slowly standing up again and once more getting into his battle stance. 

The dark being that was once the Queen laughed in pure euphoria, admiring the unexpected strength of it's vessel. The Queen's once dark encroached blonde hair began to darken, showing that the being was becoming more entuned with it's vessel. No one had even dared to move form their spots as a single step could've easily cost them their life. The dark entity slowly taps the side of it's head, with a ring of the dark fluid forming around it's head before solidifying into a crown of black thorns. The former Queen looked at them and smirks in a sadistic manner, and began to speak.  

"Since I know you all don't stand a chance again me, I'll let you all sat your last words to one another before I rip your hearts out."

The King looked at his knights before looking back at the dark god that was before him, and spoke to Avorion and his son one last time.

"Avorion you and Axelon need to get out of here, but make sure you take Corvus with you. She'll be useful on your travels, and it's the very least I can do for her. "

Avorion nodded,  with Corvus about to make a commotion but Avorion punched her in the stomach, with all the strength he could must in his right arm. The punch had enough to render the female knight unconscious with Avorion kneeling down to catch her before she fell to the ground with Avorion holding her his right shoulder and waited for the King to finish speaking to Axelon.

The King turned around to face his blonde haired son, and slowly walking towards him. Once the King was in front of Axelon he placed his hand on the Prince's shoulder and spoke to him. 

"Axelon, there were so many things I wished to teach you, however this is the end of the line for me. All I can do has your father is protect you till the very end, before you go I want you to know something."

"What is it father?"

"I know I haven't told you this nor have the right to since I've been distant for the last few years, but I want you to know that I'm proud of the fine man you'll become. I know that your mother would've been especially proud of you."

Axelon hugged his father for the first and last time, with the King hugging his son as well.

"Axelon, can you do your father one last curtesy and listen to his one last wish." 

"Of course father, what is it?"

The King spoke in a saddened tone.

"Once you leave this place, I want you to fix this broken world and make it the place your mother and I always dreamed of."

Axelon nodded in silence.

"Good now get out of here. I wouldn't be able to face your mother if you died on my watch."

Axelon and Avorion nodded and ran to the throne room's window on their left. Axelon feeling determined by his father's words of encouragement jumps through the glass without hesitation whatsoever. Avorion followed suit, jumping out of the window a moment after Axelon, still carrying Corvus over his shoulder. The knight to the King's left, took out a small handful of Frost Bombs, and threw them towards the door with the explosion sealing the doorway with ice.

The two knights remaining on his right and left bowed behind him, lowering their heads and drew their weapon and stabbing them into the floor. The glowing sets of armor didn't worry the entity, as it took the lowering of their heads a show of them accepting their deaths. it however was caught off guard when the floor began glow a faint white, as the armor of the two remaining knights began to have glowing glyphs appear on them. The knight to the right of the King had glowing fiery glyphs on his armor, with the knight to the left having glow blue ones on their armor.  The King looked upon his foe, who stared back at him with speculation in it's eyes. The King's only goal in his mind being to buy as much time as he can with his trap that he had cultivated over the many years now being sprung.  The room was silent with the sounds of the howling wind filling it, until the two knights spoke at once, asking the King one last thing. 

"What is your wish, your Majesty?" 

Before the King responded, he was suddenly cut off as the three men heard screams of the corrupt civilians could be heard.  The sound of the corrupted and tortured souls of the civilians filled the dark being with glee as it smiled at the three who oppose it. In fact the dark being started to laugh historically, hugging its sides as if it heard something humorous. The King stayed still and watched as the being eventually caught it's breath and exhaled before speaking.

"I know what you're probably thinking now that the stage it set for your "supposed" final stand, however I'm going to shatter that little fantasy of yours right now. Because I'm very well under the impression that you're facing my father, however I'm not the thing that goes bump in the night. I-"

The King hearing these words slowly angered him, before finally making him have a outburst that was fueled by complete denial. 

"Don't you dare lie to me serpent! I have fought you before and I know your tactics, you cannot lie to me now that I have you cornered once and for all!"

 The King starred coldly at the being as he recalled all the horrors he witness back during the war against the Darkness. He then looks up at the being as it slowly crossed it's arms, and exhaled in a way to show that it was obviously annoyed that this man before it had the audacity to call this being that was so much higher than that man a liar. The being looked at the doorway as a uncountable amount of footsteps were heard rushing towards the ice sealed entrance. The guttery screams of the people were painful to hear, as their voices carried with it a great amount of suffering.  The King looks up at his corrupted wife and takes a deep breath as he once again stared into the rainbow iris that was the ultimate evidence that his beloved was truly gone forever. The two knights slowly rose to their feet and readied themselves for oblivion, as they turned their backs to the King's to face the sealed entrance. They both witnessed the iced over entrée started to crack with the pounding of what was one the other side making the ice crack and give way. 

The creatures behind the ice sealed doors poured in the room with the two knights quickly drawing their blades and began to cut down the former civilians as they protected with hesitation. Sure they might've had reserves but their fate was sealed the moment they became members of the King's Stride. The two of them knew that his Majesty took them both in because he knew they possessed strong souls that wouldn't waiver when this time inevitably came.  Meanwhile King charged at the dark incarnation of his greatest foe, drawing his decorated blade once more to finish a conflict that was in the making for centuries. These two knights felt that those who fell to this corruption of the soul were weaklings that deserved this fate and the salvation of a proper death at their blades. After all, how could they, the they were more then happy to cut away whatever stained. The King charged at the dark incarnation of his greatest foe, drawing his decorated blade once more to finish a conflict that was drawn out for decades.   

The two forces clashed with the ferocity not yet seen since the Great War, as this was not a just regular battle, but one being fought to determine which direction the world head towards. The entity laughs as it creates several jagged spears of ice and launch them at the approaching King, with the man masterfully evades the oncoming attack.  In fact not only did he dodge the attack but he was even able to grab one of the spears for a moment before he twirls the weapon towards his foe before chucking it at the dark being. The being responded to the incoming spear with a blade it created within its right hand at the last second before impact. This left the former Queen open for an attack, with the King throwing his decorated sword towards his former wife. The King's heart ached for a single moment as he watched the blade make its way into the being chest and launched it into the wall, ultimately pinning it there for the time being as it screams in agony and frustration.  The King used this time to start preparing him to use his last resort as he knew his time was drawing ever closer with each passing moment.  

The two knights were the King's last defense for the time as they danced together in this duet to the death, refusing to let their hearts waver as they cut, and received cuts from corrupted. They both knew that the glyphs were burning up their souls, in exchange for granting them a extreme boost in power to fend of the seemingly never ending horde. Unfortunately their souls were not like the King's, who in comparison had a souls so strong that it made their souls look meek by comparison. This was the payment they accepted for their oath to the Wintery Lord of Fortis Gelu. Quite frankly in was a matter of, if you cannot do a great service for the King, then you had no right to serve. So they were destined to burn out just like  their souls will, after its much better to do so instead of fading away. They both fought as hard as they could, but not even they could keep up with the numbers of enemies as the ones they missed slowly filled the room one by one.

The King after finishing his looked upon his steadfast knights as they continued to cut into the horde, despite their growing number of injuries.  The King took a deep breath and slowly exhaled before he spoke to the knights. 

"I'm sorry buts it's time. I appreciate all that you've done not just for me, but for this land as well."

The King took out a knife and proceeded to slowly cut his hand, with his blood beginning to leak from the self inflicted injury, before he walks between his knights. The two knights nodded and slit their throats, and immediately fell to the floor as their blood poured onto the floor. The dark entity finally pushes the massive sword out of it's chest, before falling on the floor below. The being took a few deep breathes, as the massive hole in it's torso began to slowly heal with the black puss of corruption before slowly standing up. It then looked at the King with a cold expression as it spoke once more.

"Your a fool, King of Fortis Gelu. You're alone, facing my horde of corruption and once this is all over only two things will be certain. I will have claimed your life and my freedom." 

 The corrupted beings began to rush towards the King, as Lord's defenses were seemingly gone now. The King remained silent as he closed his eyes and slammed his injured hand one the ground, with the room's floor lighting up, making a humming noise as this was the King's wild card, the last resort made for this very moment. 

Meanwhile Avorion and Axelon made their way to the Main Gate of Fortis Gelu seeing Alcides fighting off a few of the corrupted with Jeremy along side him. Navis was in the behind the two fighters,  finishing the rest of the corrupted ones by impaling them with her ice spikes that emerged from the ground upward.  

 "Alcides, Jeremy and even Lady Navis. I'm glad to see you three are alright."

Avorion said as he and Axelon walked to them. 

Alcides and Jeremy welcomed back their friend, noticing Corvus on his shoulder, this made Alcides look at Avorion saying. 

"I see you brought a passenger on board huh? I didn't think you were a ladies man, but hey were all bound to learn a trick or two eventually."

Alcides tried to laugh but it just wasn't genuine at this point, after a few tries of trying to force it, he just stopped and sighed. Jeremy looked towards and Axelon watching as Navis hugging Axelon, asking if he was alright.

"Y-yes Navis. I'm okay, I just need a little bit to process what happened"

However right before either of them could explain to the group about what transpired in the throne room, their attention is caught by the ground underneath them and entirety of Fortis Gelu started to glow white. 

Avorion immediately understood what was going on and shouted to them all as he grabbed ahold of the Prince Axelon's arm. 

"We have to leave right now!"