A King's Legacy Ch. 09

"I've tried magic with Cortist before, but what the stories say are true, humans can't use any kind of magic you beasts can. Or at least I can't. Sorry to disappoint you." Mollis just chuckled a bit to himself, but pulled a smooth looking stone from his pocket anyways. It looked like a piece of space itself, with dazzling sparks and flecks of different colors trapped within the dark walls. The rabbit explained what the stone was for, stepping up a little too closely for Aster not to notice the invasion of space.

"It's a guidance stone, ever see or use one before?" Aster nodded back at the hare, realizing how rarely he didn't have to look so high to see into a beastman's eyes.

"Cortist used one a long time ago. There was the smoky reaction, meaning I have no talent for any magic." Aster could only smile awkwardly at the rabbit now, feeling he was missing something here. Mollis just tilted his head a bit in confusion, and grabbed a hold of Aster's wrist, pressing the stone into his hand and holding it in place as he stared into his eyes. The human flinched at the soft touch, it felt... Deliberate, like there was more intent there... Was... Was this rabbit making a pass at him? The human drew in a sharp breath at the though, and the rabbit moved his head forward just a bit closer, leaning in slowly... And then the stone in Aster's hand erupted into violent flames of shadow, licking at everything nearby, including the soft fur of the hare.

Aster took a staggering step back in shock as the flames circled around him, but Mollis expertly reacted, jumping back several paces with his powerful legs, out of range of the sudden assault with minimal injuries. The storm of flames flared up heavier around the human, drawing in the attention of the entire camp as it encircled the trapped boy, growing in size still. Aster was afraid, nothing even close to this had ever happened before... What even was this... It was like... it was just like back at the Selection Grounds...

As if called forth by the very thought, the dark flames of the hefty sword once more pierced the veil between reality itself, slicing open a portal into the darkness. Aster watched in horror as the same demon from the interrupted ceremony stepped before him from within the nothing once more. Mollis immediately went to launch an attack, but was forced back when the demon commanded a portion of the flames to push him away, separating the human from all of the beasts in the process by the wall of fire still spilling forth from the stone in his grasp.

'THE STONE!' Aster's mind raced to drop it, but found he couldn't let go, the thing was trapped in his grip, seemingly intent on endlessly spewing forth more of the shadowy fire to trap him with this monster that was steadily approaching, unfazed by the storm. The boy threw his shield up before him then, and noticed the flames fanned away from it, as if in fear. So he dropped it, and made an even bigger one, finally carving an opening through and preventing the demon from reaching him for the moment at least. Aster's thoughts were interrupted by a hollow chuckle, right before the demon spoke to him.

"Hello boy. Have you learned? No... Not yet... You will... Too Soon..." The demon took another step forward, just inches from the shield. Aster braced for impact, he could hear shouting outside of the fiery pillar separating him from his comrades, but nothing legible made it through, besides all his attention was on the task before him. If the demon was here... His father... His brothers... Aster shook himself, focusing only on the monster ahead. The demon just chuckled hauntingly again, and raised his sword. Aster watched with disbelief as the point was pressed into the golden alloy of his shield, and it pierced right through the previously unbroken barrier as if it was nothing more than parchment. The golden light crumbled like shattered clay around the blade burning with the same shadowy flame that poured forth from the stone in Aster's hand.

Stahl was screaming something at the human, but Aster was too stunned to hear it, he was too stunned to hear anything. His shield was shattered... What purpose did he have if not that? What else did he have at his disposal if not that? Even when the demon placed the blade at his throat, the boy didn't move. The demon held the sword steady with one arm, and used his other hand to grab a hold of the human's own that was holding the stone, effortlessly prying it from his grasp, putting a stop to the rampaging flames at last as he easily crushed it into bits with his clenching fist.

Stahl was charging the monster immediately, running at full speed before all of the flames had even died out. Aster was finally drawn back from his shock as he saw the demon turn to intercept his wolf. Without thinking, Aster did what he did best by instincts of late, and protected the other warrior. He balled his fist tightly, and launched his shielded fist as hard as he could into the 'gut,' of the demon, sending the same shockwave that had once grounded even Stahl into the monster's torso. The demon was rocked backwards just the same, allowing the wolf to reach his human at last.

As other beasts made it to the scene, the demon held his sword in front of himself once again, slashing a tear through the very air between them, ensuring his escape route. He spoke again as he took one step inside the void, looking towards the growing crowd come to oppose him.

"If the shield falls, all fade with it. The moon's favored will hear her soon. The stolen king must awaken. You must know soon... The mountain and the ocean stir. You must brace your shield, for the weight of the sky already descends upon it. Balance must return, forged as one, or through many. It is demanded. You must know soon..." Suddenly, something shot from the darkness between the veil and the demon halfway submerged into it. The monster made no move, as the shabby figure darted past him, and practically launched itself at Aster. He had almost put his shield up before the thing flew passed him and latched at the back of his legs, cowering in fear. Aster was startled to say the least, but when he realized the impossible he was staring down at, his eyes immediately locked back on the demon in the void, right before he sank back into the shadow, and disappeared behind the scar without a trace, leaving behind a rather chilly final sentence that reverberated hollowly around the beasts in his absence.

"I leave that in your care, beast prince... Or should I say beast king?" Prince Tyfin froze in place as his mind registered what the monster was implying. 'Beast King?'

Aster quickly looked back down at the petite, ragged beast trembling around his legs, looking about warily with eyes wide in shock towards everyone nearby as it clung to him with sharp claws bared into his flesh. It was Mollis who finally managed to squeak out some words through the disbelief, confirming that everyone else was seeing the same impossible thing after all.

"L- Lady Alice?"

Just so it's noted, I NEVER bring back dead characters in normal circumstances. There is a reason here, important to the plot, and it will be explained when it is time, Alice is the only exception, anyone else that is confirmed dead stays dead. Shorter chapter, and used it to fill in a few gaps since we've progressed far enough but hey. Love hearing from y'all. I'm glad so many are enjoying the story so far. It makes me feel good about it. The feedback helps beat back my anxiety about messing it all up lmao.