A King's Legacy Ch. 42

With a squawk of agony, Talan's spear tip was forced through the cockatiel's more fragile ribcage. The mage crumpled to the earth, the brighter plumage slowly staining red as the last of the mercenaries fell before the panther. The knight turned to lay eyes on his king immediately, taking full advantage of such an opportunity. What he was greeted with was a welcome sight, and a roar of his prince's victory.

As Talan went speeding off towards his opponents, Tyfin began approaching his own, albeit, with a larger degree of caution and patience. The lion kept his eyes on the boar and the croc, saving Fraxis felt like something the prince needed to do. He didn't want to lose anyone else on account of his own weakness.

The boar began to panic as the panther bolted off despite his warnings. The mercenary tightened his grip around the knife in the croc's snout, holding the reptile closer to him as he spewed more threats towards the advancing king. "DIDN'T YOU FUCKIN' HEAR ME? I'LL GUT THIS LIZARD AND USE HIS HIDE FOR ARMOR IF YOU COME ANY-"

"Fraxis..." Tyfin cut the boar off, ignoring the beast as he spoke to his soldier. The croc gazed at the prince, and warily felt like he was about to be discarded... again... What came next merely reinforced such fear for the common born beast. "Thank you for what you've done. I imagine you could've avoided a lot of trouble if you'd had told them where we were. I won't forget such a debt. However..."

'Yeah... here it comes... "Thank you for being useful to me, now fuck off and die." I don't know why I expected anything else... I don't believe I even deserve anything else after all of this...' The reptile let the reality set in. He was going to die, but hey, at least he would die doing something somewhat honorable... Honor... that was a big reason he wanted to be a knight in the beginning, before it all got so... blurred. Fraxis could find peace with this fate...

"I can't forgive what these monsters have partaken in. I truly hope you'll still see me as someone worth serving, even after I resort to such methods..." Tyfin ended his statement as the first two mercenaries began charging at him. Fraxis watched on, the pain far overshadowed by the awe in that moment.

The lion held two hands forward, one palm outstretched towards each of the approaching opponents, speaking decisively. "Consume."

Both of the approaching beasts slowed to a near immediate halt as the effects of the bloodskill took its hold on them. The dark realization came far too late for the foolish sell-swords.

Tyfin could feel it; their energy, their strength, their very being, All of it crumbled in his hands, reduced to nothing more than fuel as he stripped them of their essence. As their memories flashed by, he ignored them, electing not to dive into such ruthless hearts, letting that too, be lost in the void.

A sudden sensation became noticeable to the prince, and his instincts warned him exactly what was transpiring. Without a doubt in his mind, Tyfin had crossed a threshold, and he felt the core of each beast pulsing ever so steadily in his palm as they slowly withered away to nothing.

Tyfin began closing his fists around each, feeling them struggle vainly one final time against his strength. With the sensation of crushing an eggshell, the last traces of the beast's souls were shattered beneath his very fingertips. The empty husks fell to the ground, the bodies stripped of far more than simply life as the young king feasted on the last of their stolen strength.

The royal lion looked to the boar once more, snarled his lip towards the opponent, and released a deafening roar into the air as the heir to the Aloran throne finally accepted such power for what it was. This was his birthright, and such power should not be squandered in fear of such undeniable strength.

The lion continued advancing just as his knight rejoined him, his own opponents handled swiftly. The king spoke confidently to the panther. "It seems I have some catching up to do... I am sorry for being so reliant on your strength, my knight."

Talan answered without hesitation, making his opinion known without a doubt. "It is no trouble, still, I must admit that I am grateful to see you have finally embraced your potential."

Tyfin nodded in response, the remaining opponents gathering before the pair as he answered his knight. "I thought I would feel more guilt taking their lives... but from what little I did taste of such blackened hearts... I can only see it as justice... Tell me truthfully, Talan... Is it wrong that I still hunger for such a taste?"

The panther took his stance, preparing to intercept the charging opponents. He answered his king decidedly. "It would seem the gods have prepared you quite the feast. It would be wasteful to let it spoil when such cravings persist, my king."

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Alright, I know. Aster was missing this chapter again. Been a while since I did that, but had to get the Tyfin and Oust groups caught up as well. Cortist, Tyfin, and Oust stories resolve their next respective appearances. Afterworld scenes also finish up between them. It's a chapter or two of falling action after, to set the page for book 2. I estimate roughly 5 chapters left, least 1 double release.

Regardless, it'll be beyond the one year mark by the time I share the next chapter, so thank you for sticking with me on such a long journey.

I appreciate reviews and ratings, and hope you've enjoyed what I've built. I hope you enjoy how it resolves. If nothing else, I hope you enjoyed Flose and Oust's more tender moment. Till next chapter, Bayou.