Chapter 2: An Internal Matter
The door slowly opened as Johan and Kate entered the room. Dython laid in bed and Rose was crying by his side. The maids and doctors were trying their best.
"Leave us." Dython said.
Everyone bowed their heads and left Johan alone with him. He stood next to the bed and grabbed his father's hand. Dython sat up and began to speak.
"Son, listen closely to these words. You have to pick up your weapon. Take my crown, now is the time. You have to rise higher and higher. Make them remember you. Win or die, prove yourself to these new Gods. Live by the blade, but make sure you don't die to it. This world is yours for the taking. I believe in you, Johan. Only you can do it. There's no one who can stop you. I wish this could've happened when I was still strong. When I could run and breathe. Don't you waste the remaining years of your life mourning or crying. Revenge and blood. Burn their children in front of their homes. Feed their blood to their dogs. Avenge me. I know you have it within you, my son. Rise." Dython said, coughing violently, "You... are... the strongest..."
A tear trickled down Johan's cheek as his father's body became still and quiet. No sound could be heard as he grieved. He stayed by his father's side for the remainder of the night. Everyone went to sleep except for Johan. They all thought he went to sleep himself. Johan went into his study and asked the doctor a few questions.
"What happened to him?" Johan asked.
"We believe he was poisoned." he said.
"By what?" Johan asked.
"There was a mysterious man in the keep the other day. The guards ignored him, so we did too." he said.
"A man?" Johan repeated.
"He wore no sigil of other kingdoms. He was a normal man. There was nothing remarkable about him. He even went unseen from the rest." he said.
The king continued his questioning.
"Did anything strike you as odd?" Johan asked.
"His eyes." he simply said.
"What about them?" Johan questioned.
"They were... really red, my lord." he said.
The king looked off into the distance as he continued to ask more questions.
"Did you ever catch his name?" Johan asked.
"No, my lord." he said.
"The funeral is tomorrow. Report any strange characters immediately. Arrest them on sight." Johan said.
"Yes, my lord." the doctor said.
'Red eyes?' Johan thought, 'That's peculiar."
"You're dismissed." Johan said.
The doctor nodded and left the room. Johan called Kate in. She bowed and entered the room.
"I'm sorry for your loss." she whispered.
"Thank you." he said.
"I have some more information about my father's death. He was poisoned by some spy." Johan said.
"Were they ever caught?" she asked.
"He gave us a vague description." Johan said, "But it's not like we're hunting a specific breed of monster. He was human."
"That's awful." she said, grabbing his arm.
"Do you want to know what my father said to me?" he asked.
"Yes." she said.
"He told me to conquer the land and prove myself to the new Gods." he explained.
"Such a strange request." she said.
"Indeed. My father was kind of a conqueror, but he never told me about a dream this ambitious." he said.
"Perhaps because he knew you could do it, and he could not." she said.
"Maybe." Johan said, looking into her eyes.
"If we are going to have a son, wouldn't it be great if he was heir to rule four kingdoms?" she said.
"Four?" Johan asked.
"The one across the Shark Sea." she said.
"They have a constant war with the scavengers. We don't have to worry about them." he said.
"You look very handsome with that crown upon your head." she said, wrapping her arms around her.
He returned the hug. They walked back to their chambers and slept the night away. Tomorrow would be the first time the nobles have seen the new king in the flesh. Tomorrow would also be the most eventful day for him. The throne had a new seater, after all.
The birds chirped as the sun rose. The royalty prepared for the burial of Dython Fiklor. Many people gathered in the sanctum and watched as they wrapped his body in the finest cloth. A beautiful choir sung as the knights brought the coffin down to the crypt, where Dython will rest with the rest of his ancestors. Johan hugged his mother as they followed the knights down and said their final words in private. Rose began sobbing and Johan comforted her. Kate kept herself composed and tried her hardest not to look upset. Johan looked at her and she gained strength once again. They all followed the knights as they put his body in the sarcophagus. Everyone lined up to say their final goodbyes. Johan placed his hand on the coffin.
"My strong father, Dython Fiklor. They will only know of your greatness. I will avenge you. I will help you return to the Gods. They say that men are weak, but they aren't. But even the strong have their limits. You were strong until your last breath. I pray that we see each other again, in the next life. My dear father." Johan said.
"His bravery and strength will be talked about through history." the priest said.
Johan nodded his head and rose. Everyone did the same.
Johan's coronation was later that day. He proudly accepted the crown and had a look of determination. He kissed Kate and she was crowned queen. The people cheered for their new rulers. Rose had a gentle smile on her face as she watched her son.
"Look at this, sir Calitio!" Johan said, as he flaunted his skills.
"Amazing, Johan!" Calitio said, in awe.
Johan crossed his pointer and middle finger on his left hand and created a shield of gravity Energy around him. Calitio tested the durability of it. He hacked and slashed at Johan, but the G-Shield was too strong. He had a surprised look on his face when he saw that the shield also stopped other Energy attacks. Johan increased the output and began to manipulate a greater space.
"A G-Shield! The strongest one I've seen!" Calitio exclaimed.
"What are you calling your other technique?" Calitio asked.
"Oh, the one where I heal myself and gain a lot of strength?" Johan asked.
"Yeah, that one." Calitio said.
"Uh... How about Overhaul?" Johan suggested.
"That is a great name. Where did you learn these?" Calitio asked.
"I saw them in a dream." Johan said.
"A dream? What was in the dream?" Calitio asked.
"A strange man. His flesh was weird, and he didn't seem human." Johan explained.
"Did he ever say his name?" Calitio asked.
"No, he never spoke. He just showed me these techniques." Johan said.
"Do you have any more?" Calitio asked.
"Yeah." Johan said.
"Can you show me?" Calitio asked.
"I'd love to!" Johan said.
"Johan, are you alright?" Kate asked, grabbing his arm.
"Yeah, sorry I was just lost in thought." he said.
"About your father?" she asked.
"Surprisingly no. About Calitio." he said.
"Oh, it's a shame what happened to him." she said.
"Yeah. Do you think we will die of it too?" he asked.
"No, we grew up with Energy, they did not." she said.
"That's true. I received a letter from King Ariax. His mother has fallen ill of the same disease." he said.
"That's horrible." she said.
"I know. I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have somewhere to be right now." he said.
"The meeting with advisors?" she asked.
"No, that's tomorrow. I'm meeting Commander Rodar Erim about the intruder." Johan said.
"Really, already? It's only been a few days. Besides, they don't make raids now." she said.
"Where are your parents?" Johan asked.
"Jamaica Island. They won't be coming here for some time." she said.
"Your father is a busy man." he said.
"Yes, yes he is." she agreed.
"I'll be back in time for supper." he said.
"Alright. See you then." she said.
Johan left the room and continued down the hall. A single knight was there for protection. Johan has told them multiple times that he doesn't need one, but the King's Hand, Marcus Marrone, kept insisting on it. King Johan continued into the small court where Commander Erim was with a man in chains. The guards immediately bowed their heads.
"Er, sorry I'm late." Johan said.
"Don't worry about it, my lord." Rodar said.
"So what were the findings of the interrogation?" Johan asked.
"Almost nothing." he said.
"This is not the man. He had red eyes. A witness told me so." Johan said.
"I know, but this is the man who was on watch at the south gate. He let this man into the kingdom's keep." Rodar said.
"What?" Johan said in anger.
"The south gate only has one guard since it is tucked away." Rodar said.
Johan looked at the man chained up. He had tired eyes but a snaky smile. His hair was short and blonde and his eyes were blue. Johan knelt in front of him and looked him dead in the eyes with a cold face.
"Tell me, who was that man you let it? A monster perhaps?" Johan asked.
The man remained silent.
"Oh, I see." Johan said, standing up.
He stood tall in front of the prisoner. Johan opened his fist and then quickly closed it. The prisoner began to shout in pain as his right arm was completely shattered.
"So you can use your voice," Johan said, "I'll ask once more: who was he?"
The man was still crying and whimpering. Johan healed his arm in a second.
"Did you see that? Let me explain the situation to you. I can break every and any bone in your body with ease. Then I can heal it back to normal so I can break it again!" Johan shouted, shattering both his arms at once.
"I'll talk! I'll talk! Please stop!" the man pleaded.
Johan waved his hand, and the prisoner was healed.
"Now, who was he?" Johan asked for a final time.
"He was-" the man began to have a seizure. Foam gathered at his mouth and blood ran down from his nose and eyes. Johan tried healing him, but it was too late. Frustrated and confused, Johan stormed out of the room. Rodar followed him. They walked until they were far from anyone else.
"What was that?" Rodar asked.
"I don't know. I've never seen anything like that." Johan said.
"This... murderer is more dangerous than we thought." Rodar said.
"Indeed. Put up posters with a large reward for any information on a man with red eyes. They can't be that common. Tell all the knights to arrest someone with them on sight." Johan ordered.
"Yes, sir." Rodar said.
"Leave me." Johan said.
"Sir." Rodar said, bowing.
Johan stood there as his hands slowly shook. He tried to calm down and went to his study. He found several letters on the table and skimmed through each of them. He stopped at one letter and read it as his eyes narrowed in slight suspicion.
"...Sir Blick. Interesting." Johan mumbled.
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NexusAzara
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