I awoke to soft comfort, like silk between my fingers and the sound of muffled music and banter. My eyes opened hard, crusted shut from long sleep, but for how long I hadn’t known? My body, though rested, was sore. I was back at the inn, though alone for the moment. I recalled the last moments before I passed out, a haze of adrenaline and struggle. Had I gotten us out unscathed? I checked my body, frantic and worried, but found no injuries. But Halcyon… where was he? If I’m here, then…
Just as the thought made my heart race, the door opened gently. Halcyon, hair pulled up and expressionless, walked in. He placed it at me and away, and then back, “Oh Gods, you’re finally awake!” He raced to me with blinding speed, even moving the bed a few inches. I winced in pain. “Oh, I’m so sorry!” he said.
“It’s alright… I’ll be fine.”
He exhaled, “How do you feel?”
“Sore… and my head hurts, but I’m sure I’ll be okay in time. How long was I out?” I asked.
“Over two days now…” He said.
“Truly,” my eyebrow’s raised.
He nodded, taking a seat on the bed. “You fainted after you pulled us out of the cave. I’ve… I’ve never seen anything like that, the destruction that followed.” He paused. “But you got us out, well and true.”
Images of the cavern collapsing now plagued my mind; I hadn’t thought of the damage to the surface.
“How bad was it?” I panicked.
“That isn’t important. All you need to know is that the road is safe. In any case, with you awake, the mayor wishes to speak with you.
“Oh… why?”
“Just get yourself situated, and when you feel ready, come down.” He smiled.
I pushed myself from the bed, my muscles sore and rigid, and I winced as I stood. My clothing from the battle was shredded in places, parts of my sleeves where they’d attacked, and my chest had tears from their claws. The wounds I sustained had seemed to scar over, which was a breath of relief.
With the battle having passed and me being in this state, I could only stress feeling like a failure. Who knew what that vampire could do now that he got away?
“Repair,” I whispered painfully. The seams and tears in my clothes pulled themselves back together, good as new.
After a steadying breath, I made my way down below.
The inn was in full swing, a celebration to be sure, and along the edge of the room, seated at a lone table, sat Halcyon, ever the downer. He perked up as I approached the table. “Ah, there you are. Take a seat,” he said.
“It’s nice to see you.” I smiled. “How are you feeling?”
The weight of the question seemed to lie heavy on his shoulders as he slumped slightly but gave me a reassuring smirk, “I am well,” he said. “Faring far better than you, I’d suppose.”
I gave a pained laugh and then sighed, “So who is it that I’m meeting?”
The door to the inn opened suddenly at my statement, and in walked a regally dressed old man, likely of status. He stood shorter than most but brimming with confidence and vigor. Each of the inn's patrons gave a respectful nod at his entry, and he grinned widely as he saw the two of us seated.
“This is…”
“Mayor Detrick of Elm!” He stated politely, cutting off Halcyon.
“Oh, the mayor,” I said, standing up quickly. I gave a nod, wincing slightly.
“No, no, no, please stay seated. You’ve done more than enough to earn my respect,” he stated, helping me back down. “Apologies to the two of you, but I will have to keep this short, as the roads are safer now and the village requires my full attention.”
“Of course,” Halcyon and I said in unison.
“Right…” he said, “First, allow me to thank you greatly for the service you’ve done for our village. There is, of course, nothing we can do to thank you properly, but know that there will always be hearth and home here if you so choose.” He paused as the barkeepers brought us some beverages, nodding in thanks. “And lastly, in the wake of the attacks, I find myself short on staff. Normally, I would ask my messenger to relay any and all plights to the king, but he is… dead, as it were.” He cleared his throat, hesitating for a moment.
“Are you asking us to be your messengers?” Halcyon said.
“You both experienced the monster firsthand. It should be you who reports it. And as I understand it, you’re on a quest to Kygaron as well…” The mayor stated.
“Yes… well,” I said quizzically.
“I have my sources,” he smiled. “Will you relay what happened to the King and let him know that the vampire is still on the loose? Something such as this affects all kingdoms.”
Halcyon and I look to each other. It’s a responsibility for sure, and our failure weighed on us. Who knew what consequences could arise from our folly?
“We will,” I said bluntly.
Mayor Detrick exhaled, “That is a great comfort indeed. He stood from the table. “I best be off now. Of course, I thank you again, immensely. There will be a carriage at the north gate awaiting you. It will take you to Kygaron.”
The mayor helps me from my seat as Halcyon and I stand and then shakes my hand. “It was a pleasure meeting our village’s saviors. I do hope to see you again.” He sprinted away to continue his duties.
Halcyon and I made our way back to our room and began to gather our belongings. My thoughts drifted as I packed my things. But a few days had passed, and the Arcanex was beginning to feel like a distant memory now. Even with concentration, I could not recall the faces of those I knew. Scant traces of emotion and nostalgia remained but were overshadowed by new memories.
“Are you alright?” Halcyon said as he fastened his pack.
“Yes… I’m sorry,” I said somberly. “I’m just eager to get to the Kingdom.”
“How long has it been since you’ve seen him… your father?”
“…20 years.” I hesitated.
He glared at me wide-eyed, “20 years? That’s how long you spent in the Arcanex?”
I nodded sorrowfully.
“Well, that’s quite a long time.” He remarked.
There was a lengthy pause as we finished packing. Both of us stood in silence as we threw our packs over our shoulders and got ready to leave.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“I…” He began to speak. “I… would understand if you wanted to part ways once we reached the Kingdom.”
I eyed him confused.
“You’ve done much for me in the short time we’ve known each other. You’ve saved me and cleared my name. I’m only saying… I would understand."
I pinched my chin. “I hadn’t thought that far ahead. Is that what you want?”
He didn’t look at me.
I continued, “I would not mind having you by my side longer if you’d like to stay.”
“That… would be acceptable.” Halcyon said.
We left the inn to exceptional weather. A cool breeze flowed, the best conditions for a long ride, and the day was still new, the sun still rising to its throne. The carriage driver greeted us as we climbed on, the wood creaking as we sat, Halcyon across from me, and as the driver whipped the reins, we were off.
After an hour, we entered the north woods, the air becoming cooler as we fell into the shade. The eerie feeling from when we first ventured in was gone… in any case, I had supposed we achieved something. Though, one could not shake the feeling of failure.
“Are you alright?” Halcyon asked in concern.
“Oh…” I said, “Yes, I just—I’m sorry, my mind was wandering.”
“Don’t be sorry,” he said. “I think about it too.”
I held my arms closer, the chill air becoming colder. We had entered the deepest part of the woods, passing the farm, and where we had fought the Thralls before.
The carriage driver turned to us, “The road is a tad rough ahead; just brace yourselves.”
Halcyon took a deep breath. “Up ahead,” he said, “Just prepare yourself. It might be a lot to take in.
As the road grew rougher, rocks were strewn about, and trees were splintered and fallen; a thick dust cloud floated, stagnant, faint traces of sunlight trying to pierce through it. But beyond it lay a grisly sight.
My heart dropped heavily, and I clutched my chest as we emerged from the cloud. It was as if the ground had swallowed a portion of the forest, as the earth was shattered and sunken, trees laid in splintered pieces.
“This… is.”
“The aftermath,” Halcyon stated. “When the cavern system collapsed, it had far-reaching consequences for the surface.”
“Did we truly fail so greatly?” I asked, feeling my chest tighten.
“Nobody was hurt…” He assured me.
But in the face of such destruction, it was impossible not to feel like a failure. At least a mile of forest lay beyond us in shambles. A canyon of ruin taking its place.
My eyes welled up. “Please, sit,” he said, pulling me down gently. I faced away from it and sat, wiping the tears from my eyes. “I’m sorry…” I said.
He patted my shoulder reassuringly. “There's success to be found even from failure. We saved the village and its people; focus on that if you can,” he smiled.
The road smoothed out as we edged closer to the end of the woods. “We’ll be upon the docks to Kygaron in less than an hour.” The carriage driver informed us.
“Good,” Halcyon muttered. He turned to me, “What will you do once we get there?”
I sat back and propped my arms up along the seat’s back. “I suppose I will go see my father, first and foremost, but then there is the matter of informing the King.” I said. The prospect of both meetings made me nervous. I had not seen my father in so long. Would he even know me? Or I him?
“I have some of my own things to attend to when we arrive,” he said. “Perhaps seeing your father first would be best.”
I nodded.
Having finally exited the woods, a salty breeze assaulted our nostrils, and the sun scorched down upon us, almost blinding.
Once our vision adjusted, upon the horizon lay a marvel closer than when I’d left the Arcanex. It jutted from the golden skies, towering into the clouds, the shadows it cast almost reaching out to us. “The City of One Hundred Towers.” I mumbled. The two of us sat in awe as the carriage driver went to greet the boatman.
“Come… let us go.” Halcyon said.
The boatman was ready as he and the carriage driver shook hands and bid goodbye. It was my first time being on a boat since I was a child. The last time I remembered was when the acolytes took me.
“I understand,” Halcyon said, seeming to notice my discomfort. “I’m not too fond of boats either.”
The waves hit softly against the boat in the open sea. It was calm and welcoming, a comforting feeling for my homecoming. Trade boats could be seen making their way through the south wall gate, built up from the ocean's depths and reaching out for miles, and small merchant boats, docked along the kingdom’s lowest edges, awaited entry. Kygaron was the foremost trading port in this part of the world. Kingdoms and settlements from all over traded here.
We entered the waters along the west wall, where the common district’s docks lay, the typical entrance for most travelers, save for nobility. “Here we are,? the boatman said.
We passed through the gate, greeted by a pair of guards, permitting our entry. “Welcome to Kygaron,” they said.
The docks were lively with many commoners and some impatient merchants in line for the registry building.
“This might be rather irritating.” Halcyon said.
But I could only focus on the city itself. I looked to see the upper city looming overhead, its bridges arcing across the sky, and the ever more imposing great archway to the west, which spanned from a large rural mountain area to the north wall adjacent to Castle Kygaron… just as I remembered it. I smiled widely, feeling as if the years that had gone by were fewer.
“Make way, make way!!!” A voice shouted.
The line tightened, and the other scattered civilians made way for a small group of ornately armored individuals, and in front of them, a man likely no older than I led them.
The voice spoke up again. “Knight Captain and Prince Tarrien Kygaron.” The knight bowed after introducing the prince and took his place among the other knights.
Knight Captain Tarrien stepped forward. “Sebastien La’Kar, I take it?” he said, nodding toward me. Halcyon took a step closer to my side.
“Yes,” I said.
The Knight Captain took to a knee and bowed, “It is an honor to welcome you back to Kygaron.” He said, as the other Knights followed.
“Oh… thank you, but the bowing is wholly unnecessary,” I said, waving my hands.
“I beg to differ,” Tarrien said, standing. “Your father is a man of great respect in this kingdom.”
I nodded in thanks, though uncomfortable. Halcyon at my side seemed infinitely more uncomfortable at the amount of attention we were drawing.
There was a brief awkward silence until he spoke up again, “Do you not… remember me?” He said, smiling coyly.
My brow arched, “No, I’m sorry. Should I?”
“I suppose not,” he laughed. “It’s only… well, we were very young. We played together as children.”
His wide smile at the thought was heartwarming, though. “I’m so sorry,” I said, “I can’t recall.”
“It's quite alright,” he said, resting an arm on his sword’s hilt. “Be that as it may, it is very nice to see you again.”
“It is… Nice to meet you again. I smiled.
“So,” Halcyon spoke up, “to what do we owe the company of the Prince… or Knight Captain, was it?”
Tarrien batted off Halcyon’s sarcasm. “I’ve been tasked with escorting you through the city, as well as your friend, and to set up a meeting for you both with my father, the king.”
“Excellent…” Halcyon mumbled, earning a frown from me.
“First things first, you need not wait in this line. You’ve both been preemptively registered. Secondly, setting up the meeting will take some time, so allow me to escort the two of you to the Mage’s district.”
The Mage’s district, a haven for practitioners of the Arcane and home to the Circle Arcana, a sprawling college. Situated upon the easternmost edge of Kygaron, it was the second tallest building in the city, next to the castle… and my childhood home.
The Knight Captain escorted us alongside his troop through the south wall ramparts above where we’d entered. Along its route, you could see the near-totality of the commons district, lush with people, with tight-knit buildings and bunkhouses. It floated upon the waters between the island chain Kygaron was built on. Though it was the lowest point of the city, you could truly see a kingdom in its golden age.
Soon we’d entered the Mage’s district; an air of nostalgia hit me like I’d never left, and memories came rushing back from my youngest years. Memories of my mother’s hand holding mine firm as we browsed the magic shops and visited friends.
Halcyon nudged me with his elbow. “Are you well?”
“Yes…” I said, “Just nervous.”
“If this becomes too much for you… Let me know. We can wait.”
“No, I think I’ll be fine. But thank you, Halcyon.”
We ventured up to the highest point of the Mage’s District. Where the bridge to the Circle lay before us, stretching across the water to the farthest of the Kingdom’s Islands. It was decorated with ornate carved stone on the walkway, lit by a strange blue glow.
“Your father awaits just on the campus grounds.” He said, hand outstretched to the bridge. “I will send for you both on the morrow once the meeting is arranged.” The man bowed once more, “It was truly very nice to see you again, Sebastien.”
Halcyon scoffed quietly.
“And you as well, Halcyon.” He said. “As I said, I shall see you both on the morrow.” He smiled again and departed with his men.
“If it is well with you…” Halcyon said, “I have some business to attend to of my own while we’re here. I could meet you tonight…?”
“Oh, well… of course, I understand.”
“I can stay… if you wish.”
“No... no, that’s alright, I don’t want to keep you from doing what you need to. Perhaps it’d be better to do this by myself.”
He smirked. “Perhaps.” He said soothingly. “In any case, I’ll only be a few hours if I don’t get lost.”
“So… I’ll see you tonight then?”
He nodded, “Tonight.”
As he turned to leave, the instant rush of loneliness was suffocating. I’d grown used to having someone around, but this was important, and no matter my nerves, I had no choice but to continue. After 20 years, I’d see my father again… finally.
What do we hope for out of their time in Kygaron.
