A King's Legacy Ch. 34

Aster stepped through the same door King Alocer once used to have his final match with the human king. He stepped into the throne room that his birth father fell in. He stepped into the room where humanity once ended, but where everything else began. The king would find himself shaken one final time that day after all.

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'It is time, my old friend. Let us hope we know our children the way we think we do.' Death spoke rather quietly to his soldier. Calium found his hands trembling ever so slightly as he somberly replied only to his master.

'...By the gods, then.' Death chuckled.

'You truly are a cynical child. If that's the way we're going into this... Then I'll see you on the other side.' Calium laughed nervously. Much like Aster, mocking things made them easier to face for the king of the dead. Cortist was quick to chime in.

"And what is so funny?" Calium turned to the young mage, regaining his seriousness. The demon never answered, but their master did. Death spoke to both in a tone that was lacking the usual hint of mockery, surprising the panther with the suddenly sincere change in mood.

'Oh my little kitten, you were the most unexpected gift I ever could've stumbled upon, but you were the most welcomed as well. I wish I had more time to ready you, and had I found you sooner I would have little doubt to your success, but I still know you can do what you need if you just embrace what you are. Time grows short, so please, heed the last advice I may give you before it all falls on your shoulders.'

Cortist was dumbfounded, his master was being unusually kind, no, humble even... The panther just nodded, still in a state of awe as he heard what the god had to say.

'I couldn't tell you before without ruining everything. You would've rejected it all, intervened where you shouldn't have, and the world would've undoubtedly fell. It has a chance this way. You are the last line of defense, my kitten, a duty that unfortunately you alone will remain to bear. There will be no other left on that earth capable of handling this opponent, but it will be far harder than just a show of who holds more power. Hear my promise, my sworn envoy, this fight is the world's absolute last chance, a contingency we never would've had without you...'

Cortist had so many questions, but he couldn't get a single one out. The weight of those words were starting to honestly scare the poor panther, but Death continued on anyway.

'Survive. Stall your opponent as long as you can while me and my soldier do what we need to... However, should all the light fade, should it all be swallowed by the darkness, know that none of us are ever coming back. That is the very likely outcome that we both fail, that we lose it all on our gamble, and that we have been devoured by the consequences. You will be the last spark of light left, but you will be enough to keep the lights on at least. You will be lost for a long while, but you will be able to decide where the world goes from there as long as you put down the shadow that remains. That reality is far beyond my sight, but it is better than the cycle of fiends endlessly devouring a dead planet in wake of the old gods passing. Please do what you must to survive no matter what, my dear child.'

Cortist took a step back in uncertainty. The panther spoke a panicked response.

"I don't know how to fight very we-" Death cut in again, they didn't have any more time for answering questions or coddling doubts.

'Trust your flames, they know how to fight for you. Embrace the warmth you may inherit. No matter the outcome, know you will have your absolute freedom back for a few years, until the world requires you again. Good luck, my kitten, your master is rooting for you.' Death went silent, and a moment later Calium laughed loudly in response to what the god whispered only to him. The demon looked to the young panther with wispy, golden eyes, and warmly answered his master.

"I think the title suits you, my old friend." Cortist was simply bewildered, but as much as he wanted some more clarification, the panther found he couldn't tear his eyes away from the demon standing before him. Calium Aureus was slowly disintegrating on the spot, as if the demon's heart had finally been pierced. The fallen king raised his smoldering sword one last time, made a final vertical cut to open one last portal for the prodigal mage, and crumbled away to nothingness as the panther was left to his task. Cortist slowly called out a moment later, testing the waters in disbelief.

"Master?" Nothing answered the mage. Cortist was left isolated in the dark, and a single exit was placed before him. The mage turned back towards the scar and warily began inching closer to it. The panther frantically broke out into a full sprint, diving through the opening a moment after. It only took a single glance through that scar for Cortist to assume he realized how bad the situation was. He had no idea how bad the situation was...

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Aster was kneeling at the base of the steps leading up to the throne, honoring the father that once sat there. The seat was rather simple, mostly made of steel and dark leather. Aster liked that it wasn't something extravagant, he felt that probably made the king seem more human once in the eyes of his subjects. Aster was resting his weight on his left arm and knee, just gazing up at the humbling view. The silence was deafening, so when the boy finally spoke, Stahl was grateful for the disturbance.

"We haven't seen any bodies. I know ferals likely had a part in that, but do you think the beasts perhaps at least buried them or burned them? I heard my father fell in this room, and the only one that knew what actually happened here was King Alocer, and he is dead now. Was my father at least honored as a king? Is it so foolish to hope my people were, at minimum, respected after their slaughter? Or did beasts like Straga's father simply devour the remains? I'm so tired of thinking about this... I shouldn't have come here at all. There is no closure for me here. There is no peace for me here..."

Stahl was readying his response, preparing to just take his lover far away from that heartbreaking scenery. It was another voice answering that startled them both.

"No, you will find peace here." Aster and Stahl immediately turned around, staring back towards the source of the comment. Richta Candori was standing before the only exit as the light behind her cast an ominous shadow of foreboding into the same throne room Aster's father had been murdered in. Stahl immediately took a few steps back to be closer to his king, and had both of his swords drawn before him instantly. The tigress spoke clearly as she very slowly started walking forward.

"I did not receive an Aschefell name... this time anyway. Father was clear about the first one on my list, however; the human mongrel that bested my weaker little brother. He did not use his name, but the order is clear. Step aside, wolf, I was instructed to make sure you watched, but it doesn't have to be harder than it is. I gave you this entire day to have your closure, because I do understand honor, and even I could see this was something you should finish first, but I hope it has helped you see your time in this world is long overdue, human. Please, allow me to give you your peace now. Rest with your people here in your place of origin. Accept that fate was kind to bring you here. Accept the fate of the weak, as all of the weak must in the face of the strong."

Richta was only a few short paces away from the wolf now, but Stahl was staring widely into the glaring and calm crimson eyes of the tigress. The beast's breathing was unsteady as he judged the opponent before him. The usually cocky wolf spoke in a tone that frightened Aster more than he had expected it to.

"Aster... Run." Aster was far too stunned to heed those words. Richta lunged forward, and Stahl shouted even more commandingly in desperation to his king.

"ASTER, GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE, PLEASE!" Stahl swung his right sword down on the charging tigress, and Aster soon realized exactly why Stahl was suddenly so afraid. There was a reason the Candori family was so hard to face off against. Their bloodskill was truly frightening to see in action. The steel of the sword passed right through the tigress without even leaving a scratch.

Richta struck swiftly, landing a cracking blow into the noble wolf's ribs. Stahl tensed, and dropped his left sword purposely. He balled his fist up, and swung as fast as he could at the white tigress, knowing hand to hand combat or magic was the only way to take down a Candori as weapons were quickly made useless. Richta easily caught the strike in one hand, and brought her other up swiftly to impact against the side of Stahl's elbow. The wolf howled out in pain as a dull crunch echoed into the throne room as the bones were broken. Aster was still struggling to get his head in the fight until that moment.

A shield appeared before the wolf, blocking the tigress's next strike on Stahl just before it landed. As her intangible fist collided with the shield firmly, Richta only turned her gaze back to Aster, and spoke casually.

"Hmm, I admit that I was curious. So the shield is alive then? That's the only thing I can't phase through, a significant amount of living tissue. I suppose it's no matter though, I'm betting the shield will merely die alongside you." Richta charged at Aster quickly, Stahl scrambling to follow with his shattered elbow. The tigress went low, crouching a little as she ran towards her mark. She reached down, grabbed a hold of Stahl's shorter, left-handed sword, and continued her charge without ever missing a beat. Aster was anticipating her attack as best as he could, waiting before throwing up his only shield when he needed it most. If only he had the heartbeat...

Richta threw the sword at the boy when she was almost in range, Aster brought his shield up expertly to deflect the projectile, just as she assumed. The tigress dived as the sword spun in the air above the stolen king, going low below the golden barricade to get behind her mark. Before Aster could even turn around to follow her movement, she had recovered from her roll, spun into position, and snatched the twisting sword right from the air in one graceful motion.

Aster was thankful, he was looking at Stahl when it happened, and maybe that was why it didn't seem to hurt that much. The boy watched his wolf's beautifully ashen eyes go wide in abhorrent shock as they focused on the mate just out of his reach in that moment. The beast's maw fell open, and Stahl started shouting something Aster just couldn't quite hear for some reason... There was something not right... There was some reason he wasn't hearing the beast... Everything just felt so slow in that moment... Then Aster finally looked down, and everything sped back up.

The sword was red, glistening with blood as the tip protruded out the front of Aster's ribcage. The boy tried to speak at the sudden realization.

"Oh-" Blood spurted out between his lips in place of the rest of his sentence, his words and air suddenly stolen from him. The tigress held the human up until Stahl made it to him, honoring her kill as best as she could. Richta whispered her parting words just before Stahl reached them.

"You never learned your place, but you were a worthy opponent because of that, Aster Venatus. Accept your earned rest now... Revel in your granted peace." Richta activated her bloodskill, and released the dying king to collapse into his wolf's embrace as she fell through the floor of the castle. Her work was done in that place. Her father's bloodthirst would be quenched with this for now.

"ASTER! NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! YOU'RE GOING TO BE ALRIGHT! PLEASE, PLEASE ASTER, PLEASE DON'T GO..." Stahl was frantic, shouting his vain and desperate pleas loudly as he collapsed to the earth with his lover in his lap. Aster was staring wide-eyed back up at his beast, looking at the somber wolf sobbing uncontrollably above him. The human tried to speak, to at least say good bye, or thank you, but it was futile. The words would not come forth, only more bubbling and weakening sputters of blood would pass over his lips. Stahl realized with horrible acceptance that this was goodbye. The beast stuttered out brokenly through his sobs.

"I'm so sorry Aster... I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry I was such a useless knight for you. I am sorry that it wasn't me instead... I'm just so unbelievably sorry, my mate." Aster brought his left arm up weakly, coated heavily with his own blood. His vision was getting fuzzy, and everything felt loose, like it was all so hard to hold on to. He placed his hand softly against the cheek of his devastated wolf, and Aster mouthed the words as best as he could while he gazed into those silvery eyes one last time.

"I love you." Stahl leaned down, pressed his muzzle firmly against those bloodied lips, and kissed the boy harder than he ever had before. The message was true and clear in such a delivery; "I love you too." The King's arm fell away from its place on his beast's face, leaving behind only a bloodied handprint, and a quickly fading taste of warmth in the wake of their parting kiss. The fading lights in that final moment were rather beautiful in Aster's opinion.

Aster awoke in the darkness of the afterworld as Stahl howled over his own broken heart in the land of the living.

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Well, if you told younger me I would be killing the main character in the largest scale fantasy book I've ever tackled for my 30^th birthday, I probably wouldn't have believed you. Don't worry, this has always been the plan. The trial of Death and the Shield will be closing out our first book with the next couple of chapters. Most will likely be doubles as we have a lot to cover.

Every pov shown this chapter is linked in some fashion to what is about to happen from here. Every one of them are tied into this plot line, and every one of them will be resolving around it in the next few chapters.

The Milky Moon bit holds a secret for the end of book 3, and I'm not talking about the story told in the lyrics. If you're struggling to find it, look at it from a more simple pov. (Or just wait and avoid the spoiler, cause it's a big one if you carry the message into the next few chapters.)

Regardless, anything not cleared up will be part of this resolution. All the answers are coming now, so thank you for the patience. Damn, do I hope y'all enjoy this ride. This chapter was so anxiety inducing to write for plenty of reasons, so hopefully you felt some of the panic and hopelessness creeping in along the way. Sorry for the cliffhanger, but this was one of the few breaking points we have for this part.

If you completely hate the way I'm going, I totally understand, but I really do think you'll be pleased with the explanation, and the resolution after. Thank you for reading, and always open to hearing feedback. I appreciate it y'all, -Pup Bayou