The Knights' Roleplay - War Ascending

[Cyborg]

( I agree with Vyt, if we are going to RP in here we should try a new one, with a whole new plot.)

[Deleted]

Wolf's mouth fell open and he took a step back as Shade addressed him, and when she stormed off, it was as if she took with her the last of his strength. His legs buckled, his knees shook, his stomach knotted itself, and the only thing that kept him standing was the sight of Jonathan beside him, clutching him and startled by the Bronze Knight's display.

Wolf stared at the young boy's face, framed by blond locks, and thought for a moment of his own childhood. He wondered what it might have been like for him had he come to this life at birth, not at sixteen; if he had not been raised in the forest and befriended dragons, if he'd have become a stronger man than what life had given him. Than what he had taken from life.

He looked up again, into the narrow darkness of the long hall ahead of them. Shade was gone. All his knights were gone. The enemy loomed just beyond the gates, and he was scared. Terrified. He wanted to rush home--not to him chambers, not to this lie of a life that was not his, but to his real home, the home in the woods where his life had been rewritten and his destiny had been changed. He'd been a good lord there, and here, here he was a terrible king. But all the same, it gave him an idea. A sliver of remembrance, just enough, perhaps, to make things right again....

"Come on," he said to Jonathan, turning on his heels and taking the boy's hand, "I know where we're going."

* * *

Makeo crossed her arms and made her decision. Erros might have abandoned them, but he would come with her if it meant she took his corpse back to the trees. And that much, she promised herself, was not beneath her. She had made a vow to bring Erros home, and by his blood, she would do it.

The black-haired girl rushed forward, dashing through the streets to the front of the castle. The two guards slammed their spears together, blocking her path, and she gripped the crystal around her neck. She growled a single word, the crystal glowed, and her eyes burned with the fury of feral beats. The guards took one look and reared back as if bitten at by a rabid dog.

Makeo grinned and took their second-long falter to rush inside the castle. She heard their yells the moment the large wooden door swung open, but just as soon, she leapt into a shadow, still clutching her crystal and growling, and by the time the two made it inside, she was gone. They exchanged glances and ran to a small rope tied beside the door. The one took it and pulled upon it three times will all his force: A bell broke the air in triplicate. The castle had been breached.

* * *

The aged brown doors creaked open and Wolf inhaled the thick, dusty scent of ancient paper. He glanced down at Jonathan, who seemed much calmer in the soft lantern light, and then pushed the door shut behind them, taking care to turn the lock. He knew there were other entrances, but knowing he could not be easily followed through this one made him feel at least a touch better, and the atmosphere here seemed to steal the rest of his stress away.

"Run along now," he said and patted Jonathan on the back. "We're safe here."

Jonathan took a step away and nodded, then turned and ran off.

Wolf sighed, leaning back, feeling the rigidness of his body slip away as he assumed a more comfortable slouch. He looked around at the old, towering wooden aisles that stretched on for what might've well been miles and then stared down at the deep burgundy carpeting beneath him. He ambled to a table nearby and rested his hands upon its smooth, glossy surface. The library. This was the first place he'd come after depositing his belongings in his chamber the day they had all arrived at the castle. It was the place where he had been diligently pursuing his studies when everything had begun. His first memory of the day he became king.

He pulled back the top of his right glove and stared down at the faint, five-pointed scar across the back of his hand. It reminded him of things he did not wish to think about and he let the glove return to covering it. And yet, it also reminded him of something that he could use now, a tool that could perhaps lead him to where he was meant to be.

His magic. Bibliomancy.

The first time he'd seen books, there were far too many to read--much like his position now as he began ambling mindlessly through the castle library. He clenched his hand in frustration, knowing nothing, and as his eyes scanned the wall of books, he swore he caught a a shimmer of green light over the back of his hand as his heart was drawn to the book that changed his life forever.

He couldn't see the green light now, but just the same he felt the tug of paper binding and stopped short. He looked around, wondering what a hundred identical books could offer him, but he displaced his disbelief as his eyes narrowed upon one marked with a date from at least thirty years before. He gripped the large tome, gulping as he took it, and then let it slide into his grasp. He folded himself on the floor, cross-legged, and let the massive book fall open in his lap.

Birth records. Birth records of the noble line of Dunburrow.

The last king was slaughtered he wondered as he caught sight of the late monarch's name at the middle of the page but what does any of this have to do with--

Today he would have thought, had he been given a chance. Instead, he'd glimpsed another name, a familiar name, and that sight alone had banished almost every thought from his head, leaving only one.

No.

[Deleted]

((Sorry for the, uh, double post, but there's not much else I could do.))

Jonathan wandered off into the first aisle he saw and began walking through the library without taking much notice of the flickering shadows around him. He felt the shimmering spider crawl up around his neck and then settle itself inside his ear.

"Do you suppose he can hear us?" Sir Ruadhan asked.

Jonathan looked over his shoulder and stopped walking a moment. He could hear the soft pit-pat of King Wolf's boots on the thick carpet and supposed his voice would probably carry just as far.

He whispered, "Probably."

"Well, then," said Ruadhan, "we'll just have to find a spot to talk."

* * *

Makeo sniffed the air, following Erros's scent with her eyes closed, and then took once more step and bumped into a door. Swearing as quietly as she could on such short notice, she stumbled backwards and gazed up at the large wooden doors before her. She tried once to open them, but as assumed, they were locked.

Yet he'd have to emerge at some point, wouldn't he?

She crossed her arms, a sly smile creeping across her face, and braced herself in the shadows.

* * *

Wolf forced the book shut, a plume of dust puffing upwards as he did so, but his mind whirring as it was, the cloud hardly affected him at all. He held the tome tightly between his hands as his thoughts leapt and whirled from conclusion to conclusion, through the past two or three days, through his entire term as king, to his time before Dunburrow, before he met Shino, before he left Glen Oak, before he left the woods.

He shuddered and made up his mind.

Wolf took a breath and rose slowly to his feet, taking every ounce of time possible to slide the heavy volume of birth records back onto the shelf, the only sign of its disturbance the missing dust in front of it. If this was how it would end, he decided, then it would end nobly. Perhaps shamefully to some, perhaps cowardly to others, but to admit defeat to an ally, he decided, would always prevail over falling to the enemy. At least, that is what he hoped.

He hastened his steps and glanced sideways through the aisles until he spotted Jonathan propped up over a tome as large as the one he'd been reading from. The sight shocked him--he hadn't realised the boy could read at all, let alone read well enough for a book such as this--and it took him a moment to recompose himself before approaching him. When he knelt down and put his hand on Jonathan's back, the boy started, but calmed as soon as he saw who was over him.

"I know what to do now," Wolf said, perhaps more to himself than Jonathan, his words tender and light. "We need to go now."

Jonathan looked back at him and frowned, then glanced at the book a moment, as if surveying how much was left of the page full of small words and swirling diagrams. When he looked back, his eyes were round and his brow was tight.

"Can I stay here?" he asked. "You said I was safe here."

Wolf smiled, unable to keep from it. "Okay," he said and nodded. "You can stay here and I'll come back when I'm done, okay?"

Jonathan nodded as Wolf stood up. The king took a step away, took a breath, rested his hand atop Jonathan's shoulder and nodded again. "Be careful," he whispered as he turned away and ran.

[Deleted]

((Again, apologies. No one likes a triple-poster, but it truly cannot be helped.))

Wolf reached the library door and stopped. The large, wrought-iron lock looked less like a shield now than when he'd entered, now merely a blotch of poison against the door's beauty. He took a gulp, backing up, and turned towards the other door. He reached it and stumbled into the smoky corridor, being sure to shut the door behind him and lock it with the king's key before he took another step into the greyscape. He spun and twirled in circles, not sure where to go, knowing his destination but not his path. If only...if only he could locate him like he could locate his knights.

Wolf stopped spinning and grasped the sides of his circlet as he shut his eyes. He reached out his senses, trying harder than ever before to master this inherited power of the crown, and slowly began taking notice of where the Knights of Dunburrow stood. He saw the purple star of Lady Kat, the shadowy wings of the Bronze Knight now appearing at her side. He even saw a faint glimpse of the newest Knight--the assassin, though was he truly loyal?--and even Lady Fenrix, the ambassador. But the one he was looking for, the one he needed to find....

Wolf shut his eyes tighter, his knees buckling, his back arching as he forced his mind to work through his magic. He withdrew his focus from the outer grounds, from anywhere outside the castle, and began constructing the halls and corridors in his head, envisioning each of them to the extent of his memory and looking, looking for any trace of the man he needed inside them, before moving on to the next.

Empty. Empty. Empty. A servant here. A lounging cook there. Then, at last, he saw him--a tall man, stocky and muscular, the epitome of a god's statuesque physique. But where was he? What room was this now? Wolf surveyed his rigid stance, the deep grey and black clothes he wore, the heavy cloak hung around his shoulder's like a king's cape. He studied the contours of his face, felt the stubble on his cheeks, smelled the cedar scent of his hair and stared deep into his eyes before knowing the man's image was cemented in his mind and he began to pull his attention away from the man and onto the world around him. Empty space. Empty air. The sturdy floor, a cliff on one side, a curtain on another--

Wolf leapt up, sweat on his brow, and started running.

* * *

Jonathan heard a door slam shut in the distance and knew King Wolf had left the library, and so did the spider. He crawled off the boy's hand and over the book, moved a few feet away, and then turned into the shape of a portly man as the shimmering light faded.

"We have much to discuss," Ruadhan said.

Jonathan was on his feet. "I don't want to."

"What?" Sir Ruadhan took a step forward and Jonathan took a step back.

"I don't want to," Jonathan insisted. "I went to Alec, just like you said to--and--and--and then I don't remember! But they didn't help me, it was all a lie--all a lie!"

Ruadhan frowned, his stance softening. "Oh, dear me, Jonathan, dear me." He shook his head and took a half-step forward; again, Jonathan moved with him. "My dear boy, it pains me to say this, but we were betrayed. I put my trust in Alec and Casandra and they broke it. We shall have no further faith in them, I assure you."

Jonathan's brow remained crossed. "I--I--I don't believe you!"

"Whyever not?" Sir Ruadhan shook his head, still frowning. "What have I done to deserve your mistrust, dear Jonathan? I have only ever had your highest regard in mind. I took you in when your parents were kidnapped, and I placed you with the king so that we may learn what he's done to them."

"I don't believe you!" Jonathan shook his head, walking backwards. "King Wolf isn't like you said he is--he isn't mindless or rude, he cares about me! I don't think he did anything--I--I think you did!"

Ruadhan gasped, falling on his knees with his hand braced against his brow. "Jonathan.... I...I cannot fathom how you could think such a thing of me. I have only ever tried to do what has been best for you." He shook his head and sniffled, drawing his free hand back to the book still strewn across the floor. "Even this, even this I began reading to assist you. If I can construct a proper entrapment spell, we can interrogate the king and learn of your parents whereabouts at last."

Jonathan took a breath and stood still.

Ruadhan looked up, soft tears framing his eyes. "Have I ever, ever done anything to harm you?"

Jonathan took a gulp, "No," and walked back into Ruadhan's open arms.

[Deleted]

((The long awaited reveal of my...I'll leave that up to you. ~_^))

Wolf ran through the castle, following the same corridors the White Knight had led him through on his way to be crowned. He found the hidden passage into a narrow square tunnel and dashed up the stairs at its end into a half-moon hall closed off by a burgundy curtain. He took a breath, steeling himself for what he might find upon the other side, and then crossed through into the Main Hall.

His footsteps echoed in the empty expanse beyond the stage, but the man that stood center stage made no acknowledgment of his presence. His thick cloaks hung around him motionless, the waves of his decidedly Aragorn-like hair as still as stone.

Wolf walked to his side, faced the leading knight and scrutinised his aged and wise-weathered face, admiring the strength and complexity beneath his flesh. And yet, he knew not the right words to speak.

"Your majesty," the knight said, a statement of mere observation.

Wolf remained silent, watching, waiting, wanting.

"You are quite calm, are you not?"

"No more calm than you, I suppose," said Wolf.

The knight laughed without lightness. "Yet you are the king and I am not."

Wolf clenched his jaw, swallowed tightly.

The man continued. "And as king, it is your duty to respond to crisis. Armies lie in wait at our gates and so, too, the castle has been breached." Wolf's eyes widened in horror; the knight laughed again. "Did you not hear the bells ringing? Or were you so hidden in silent thought that you could not hear them? No matter"--he chuckled--"the end has come. The kingdom has fallen."

"No," Wolf said. "The kingdom has only just risen."

The knight hummed, as if amused. "Is that so?"

"It is," said Wolf, "for it is time the crown returns to the rightful heir, Sir Kabe."

The leading knight turned around, fire in his brown eyes as his gaze pierced Wolf's. He opened his mouth, but no words made it past the scowl his face had become.

"Yes," said Wolf, "I know who you are. In silent thought, as you called it, I learned the truth. I learned how for twenty years you led the country's militia upon a hundred conquests and felled more kingdoms than history books recall. I learned that you became the greatest general the world had ever seen. And I learned how the last king was your elder brother. But what I did not learn"--Wolf tilted his head forward, grinning--"was why you passed the crown to me."

Sir Kabe's scowl had turned into a look of livid disgust. He huffed and turned back to staring into the darkness before them. "I took no doubt to your wisdom, my king, and I took no doubt to your loyalty, but I took no guess of your pompousness."

Wolf stared harder at Kabe and said nothing.

"Or your tenacity, apparently." Sir Kabe took a breath and nodded. "Very well then. I don't suppose you'll leave me be without an explanation, will you?"

"Not at all," Wolf said, "if I leave with that little."

Sir Kabe nodded. "Then so be it. Yes, I was the rightful heir to Dunburrow, and yes, I was certainly worthy of the crown, but I did not want to rule our kingdom. You're not well-versed in our history, are you?"

"Unfortunately not. Enlighten me?"

"Certainly." Kabe paused to take a breath. "Our kingdom was founded long ago by a man named Dunne, for which our kingdom is named"--this much Wolf knew, but he kept silent nonetheless--"but my grandfather--the king before my brother--was certainly not nearly as noble as Dunne had been. In fact, some argue he's not of Dunne's bloodline at all. Most scholars seem to agree the line died shortly after his death and was only carried on in paper, but that is of no consequence, I assure you. All that matters is that my grandfather was ruthless and cruel.

"My father held my position as general, and for that, his life ended early. And for that, my life became devoted to learning the art of war--'twas my granfather's will--so that I may fulfill my father's post when I came of age and my brother became king. As his first decree, my brother declared war against the country who had killed our father. I led our army to battle and we returned victorious. For me, that had been enough vengeance, but for my brother, it was only the beginning of the end. He followed in my grandfather's footsteps, my king, he did, though many times worse was he."

Kabe looked back at Wolf, his brow raised in intrigue. "Shall I carry on?"

"Certainly," Wolf said, trying to keep the uncertainty from his voice.

"Very well then." He returned to looking away. "As the years went on, war after war, battle after battle, my brother lost what humanity he had ever had inside him. He became called the Black King, for if he gave you his attention, it was your sentence to death. He cared naught for our kingdom, let the towns and villages fall into disarray. Without the necessary supplies, the farms all failed. Our kingdom was overridden with famine and disease. Our nation was a dying land, and my brother ruled it in ignorance.

"Many mourned his death, I assure you, but many more celebrated it."

"So why didn't you become king?"

"A conflict of interest, I'm afraid. I had led the wars of my brother's reign, and though only acting in orders, my repertoire with the people was of no great achievement. I took the title of leading knight and began giving council to my nephew. Together we would start a new order of knights, a new brotherhood of Dunburrow, and the kingdom would be reborn, at last returned to its former glory. He set out to gather the color guard, as we called it then, while I struggled to turn our land in the direction of life once again.

"And then, my king, he found you."

Wolf's mouth dropped open and he took an involuntary step forward. "He found me--your nephew?" He shook his head. "Your nephew was Shino?"

"Yes." A whisper. "You grew quite fond of him, didn't you?"

Wolf felt a pang in his heart and pushed it aside. "Why--why didn't he become king then? Why did he choose me?"

Kabe shrugged. "Another conflict of interest. You see, my king, although a son of my brother's, my nephew was no son of the queen, and for that he could not become king. Besides, after having witnessed countless times the violence his father had been capable of, I doubt he would have taken the crown even if he could have. Perhaps then he should have, but as things stood, his kingship was out of the question."

"So you found me." Wolf shook his head, still not seeing why this had been done--why they had chosen him. He whispered, "But why me?"

Kabe shrugged. "You were the lord of a small fief, but a very successful fief. Of all the lords we found, you seemed most noble, most loyal, least like the old king." He shrugged again. "Apparently, we could have chosen someone less a fool than you."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, a fool." Kabe turned on his heels to face Wolf. "An army approaches, and you expect your elite guard to fight the battle themselves? Fifty brigades--fifty brigades of fifty men each can be called to duty at a moment's notice, and you ignored their presence, confident that an elite few could prevail over armies?" He shook his head, laughing, and turned away once more.

Wolf was stunned, too shocked to even mutter, "I did not know."

"Then again," Sir Kabe went on, "my nephew wasn't very successful in his role either. He was meant to inform you, direct you, acquaint you with all the wisdom right for a king, and yet instead he went off chasing dragons and damsels. A pity, too; he could have shaped you into a renown and historic king."

"I don't want to be renown," Wolf said, gathering his courage again. "I don't want to be historic. I don't even want to be king."

Now it was Kabe's turn to whirl around with a single word pursed upon his lips. "What?"

"You heard me," Wolf said, clenching his fist. "I never asked to be king--I didn't even know I was to be crowned until we reached Dunburrow and I was brought here. But I--I--" He took a breath, looking away with his arms crossed. "I simply could not refuse"--Shino's request. "I was never given the chance."

Sir Kabe lifted his hand and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How very intriguing," he said at last, "though it leads me to believe that you have sought me out for but one reason. And if that is the case, then we are at an impasse. The rightful heir and the anointed king, and neither wants the crown."

Wolf took a breath. He had but one card to play now. "Do you love your kingdom?"

"Do you?"

"I do, and that is why I ask again: Do you love your kingdom?"

Kabe laughed. "Do you love my nephew?"

Wolf held his breath, refused to answer.

"He admired you, you know, always had great thoughts for how wonderful a king you could become. He held you in his highest esteem, my king, and looked forward to the day you'd return the kingdom to its former glory and make history. Would you truly wish to betray his wishes? Would you truly with to betray his love?"

Wolf shook his head. He would not let Kabe do this--not now, not ever. He clenched his jaw, tightened his fists, and looked up into Kabe's eyes and knew exactly what to say as he started walking towards him. "I will return the kingdom to its former glory: I shall return the crown to its rightful bearer. And I shall make history--by changing it. Now tell me, Sir Kabe, do you or do you not love your kingdom?"

Sir Kabe's stone-faced gaze pored into Wolf's unfaltering eyes, and at last, the tightness left his face, the fire settled in his sight, and he nodded. Another whisper, "Yes, I do."

"Then kneel before me." Sir Kabe did so and Wolf lifted the circlet from his head. "All who have come upon this day," he recited from memory, "and all who shall ever find themselves in this land of Dunburrow, now and for all times under the rule of our king, know that upon this day, our king was crowned!" He set the circlet upon Sir Kabe's head and then took a step away to bow to his new king.

Kabe rose to his feet and turned his back upon Wolf. "Please, don't belittle me any more than you already have."

Wolf stood. "I mean no disrespect--"

"I know that," King Kabe snapped, "but it shall be some time till I can forgive you for this. My admiration is granted, however, that you so easily were able to make concede to your wishes." He shook his head. "However, I still doubt the people will be very pleased to see my return."

Wolf shook his head this time, lips curled. "I doubt that, your majesty. On the contrary, you were the one who brought the kingdom to its present state of beauty before I arrived. None of that rests upon my reign, but upon yours. The people will forgive you. Simply put, if you can stop the war we face now, they'll have to."

King Kabe nodded, suddenly seeming distracted. He turned slowly toward Wolf and then looked down at the Knight. "You're familiar with the enchantment placed upon the silver circlet, are you not?" Wolf nodded. "Then you won't find it unwarranted when I ask if you know who's in the library, will you?"

Wolf shook his head. "It's only Jonathan, don't worry."

"It's not the boy I'm worried about."

Wolf was running before the king had finished.

[Deleted]

Wolf already had the key in his hand when he hit the door and threw it open, tossing the key behind him as his hand flew to the hilt of his sword.

Then he stopped. Jonathan was standing there, Ruadhan behind him. But instead of rising to greet his lord, he grabbed Jonathan and raised his hand to attack.

"So we meet again," came a regal voice behind him and King Kabe stepped past Wolf and held out a hand to direct Wolf's off his sword. "Ruadhan."

"Kabe." Ruadhan glanced at Wolf, then back at the king. "With the crown?"

"It's how I found you," Kabe said coolly. "It recognised your presence instantly. You were the one who enchanted it in the first place, were you not?"

Ruadhan scowled. "And for that, I was exiled." He spat on the floor.

"I did not exile you, Ruadhan."

"You didn't stand in my defense either. You simply led the war and went on."

Kabe chuckled. "Led the war and went on? How quaint you make it seem. Is it even worth mentioning that I could not act out of order either?"

"Those orders got me exiled!"

"For good cause," Kabe said, "doubly so as stated by the return. When we warred against the Mages, my brother feared your betrayal as not merely his adviser, but also his magic hand. And his suspicions were fulfilled, if rightly you have returned for revenge."

Ruadhan growled. "And I would have ruined your king like he'd ruined me if not for you." He waved his hand around, magic gathering, and swung his finger at Kabe--a beam of magic burst forth, and Kabe threw aside his capes to reveal a shield he swung in front of him. The magic struck it and recoiled--Ruadhan shrieked, jumping back and dematerialising just as Wolf rushed forward and knocked Jonathan to the ground. The magic soared over them, both unscathed. The boy shook, and Wolf held him in his arms.

And then he saw her. Makeo.

"Erros." She needed only to say that one word before he turned towards Kabe, whose sword now hung drawn at their visitor.

"My liege, she is Makeo, from my...homeland."

Kabe nodded, sheathing his sword. "Then I shall leave you both."

Wolf stood and looked at Jonathan. "Might he join you?"

Kabe nodded. "I will put him in proper care. How long will he need it?"

Wolf swallowed. He didn't know why Makeo had found him, but whatever her reason, he knew it was nothing good. He knelt down beside Jonathan and whispered, "I might have to go away for a while. You'll be okay if I'm gone a bit, right?"

Jonathan nodded meekly and Wolf led him to Kabe. The king nodded and turned, taking strides only as long as Jonathan's could follow as they left the library.

"Perhaps we should talk outside?" Wolf suggested, watching them go.

* * *

"Why have you come here?" Wolf asked, pacing the small courtyard they now stood in near an unused gate in the wall. He couldn't fathom it. How had she following him at all? The last time he had seen her, she'd been on all four and he was rising on two.

Makeo crossed her arms. "You have to come back to the forest."

Wolf shook his head. "I'm not going back. This is my life now. Go live yours in peace."

"I can't do that, Erros. I made my king a promise."

Wolf lashed at, snarling. "I don't care for his promises!"

"You should care for this one."

Wolf tightened his jaw, staring straight at her. He said nothing.

"Your father is dying."

Wolf's eyes widened; he took a step back.

"And as soon as he does, you're king."

No. Wolf shook his head, stumbling further backwards, not believing what he heard. No. He couldn't become king--not again, not ever again. He refused to. He wouldn't have it. He turned for the gate, struggling to force it open despite its rusted hinges, pulling at it and shaking it till his hands stung and bled.

"You can run," Makeo said behind him, "but you can't hide. You can't hide from this, Erros. You can't change your destiny!"

But Wolf was no longer listening. The gate had broken open and he had broken out.

((Fin))

((For Wolf))

[Shadaras]

((Okay. This is my finish for the roleplay. If there's something you would like to add, you have one post each to add it. You shouldn't need more than that, I think, with the roleplay in the state it's in.))

Deep-toned bells began ringing across the city. Shade froze, not caring whether or not Kat responded. Those were the castle bells. Used to signal when enemies were about, if it was not already obvious. Thrice the bells rung before their tones faded away. Three heartbeats that said all is not well in the home of our king. Looking at the other knights, Shade saw unease spread across their faces, whether or not they knew the reason for the bells.

“Come on,” Shade said sharply, breaking the silence the bells had brought. “We’ve got to get over there. Now.” Without giving her fellow knights time to ask questions, she began running. There were other ways to get to the castle, faster ways, but this was the safest way, and she wanted to get to the castle ready to help with whatever had happened. The other knights would follow. They were loyal to the king, or should be. Shade heard footsteps behind her, but didn’t care to count the number of knights they indicated. It didn’t matter; either they’d be able to help or they would not. There was no place truly in between.

The common folk of the city shouted out questions as they passed. Shade didn’t answer them. She had no answers. The bells were all she had to go by, just like them. Not that she would tell them that. The time it took them to run to the castle seemed far too long, even if the distance they traveled wasn’t that far at all. Arriving at the castle gates, Shade grabbed a guard by the shoulder. “What happened here?”

The guard looked at her blankly for a second. Shade shook him, and his brain seemed to re-engage. “A dark-haired woman broke through. Looked like a demon of sorts – begging my lady’s pardon,” he added hastily, realizing who he was talking to. “The woman just growled, and it was enough to send the guards reeling. Slipped through before they could do anything about it.”

Shade didn’t reply, simply letting go of the guard and entering the palace. She went straight in, heading for the grand hall. She ignored everyone, not even sure why she was heading to the hall. It was unlikely the intruder would be there; the hall was too open, and there were always people passing through it. As Shade entered the hall, her gaze was drawn to the pair standing in the middle. One, she knew, was Jonathan. The other wore the circlet of kingship.

He wasn’t Wolf, however. Different stance, different build, different style of dress. Shade halted just inside the hall’s entrance. “Kabe.”

The man turned to look at her. He nodded slightly. “King Kabe. Lord Wolf found out who I was.”

Shade advanced, turning the history of Dunburrow over in her head. She hadn’t paid much attention to it until she’d been given the mantle of Royal Envoy, but she knew more of it now. “Kabe. The Black King had a general by that name, and that general was said to be his brother.” Shade crossed her arms. “Why not take the throne back when he first died?”

Kabe shook his head. “Please, allow me to explain myself all the knights at once.”

Shade inclined her head. “Do you know about the intruder?”

“A friend of Wolf’s, I believe.” Kabe shrugged. “I do not know where they went, only that Wolf said that he may be gone for a time.”

“You may wish to tell the guards that they don’t need to worry, then.” Shade bit her cheek. “I would ask you more, but they are questions more suited to a time when you have assured the castle that you are indeed the true king of Dunburrow.”

Kabe smiled. “Spread the word among the knights, lady Shade. They will believe you, I think.”

Shade bowed, turning to do as her king commanded.

[Vyt: Down, but Not Out]

((Sorry if this came out more as a character working than a epilogue. I am a bit dry in my imaginative ways nowadays.))

A lot of changes passed by like the cool west breeze greeting anyone in its path for a second and bidding farewell the next. It was not just the fact that a new king had been crowned, albeit it was one of the most surprising turn of events that had ever occured. There were a lot of changes that swiftly took over the entire kingdom, however indifferent its inhabitants might be.

For the first time, SILE felt how powerless she was to change the future.

She knew all along what to expect. King- no, she was to stop using that- Wolf would leave the kingdom to pursue his more personal goals, and crown the real successor to the throne. The visions in the past three months had told her that. The cat wanted Wolf to realize that he was fit to be king: that even someone like him are able to possess the authority and confidence to rule over.

Despite all the actions she undertook, the events that took place confirmed the validity of her vision.

SILE could not accept the fact that she had failed. Frustration was brewing inside her heart, forcing her to deny the proof that she could not do what she could do before. She felt like she was crippled on all her four limbs, unable to do the things she once had the power to do.

She had to swallow the hard truth.

She was powerless.

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"Diary,

Had you been able to experience torment?
The pain of your heart being tortured by reality...
The severity of your limitations...
The suffering of your soul?
... Why do I ask these questions? I am learned that you cannot.
You are normal.
... I am a goddess...
... yet I live as a slug.

It is the wish of the ordinary to be different,
yet I sometimes wish that I do so otherwise...
But as scarce as the possibility for the former to occur,
even less for the latter to come true."