The fingers holding the knife grew as well, becoming long and tipped with short talons. His features were still that of the prince, but different, demonic in appearance. The bloody dagger in his hand slowly grew in length until it became the same long sword that he always wore at his side.
“It is too late, cavalier,” hissed Prince Nelstrom, spitting out the last word like it was poison. “The king is dead.”
“But you still live, something I will remedy shortly,” Jonas growled, stepping further into the room, his twin blades glowing faintly, as if they were waiting to explode into action.
“I’m afraid that killing me will not be that easy. Do you know what I am?” The prince asked, advancing slowly towards Jonas. His long arms and legs carried him smoothly a few steps closer.
Jonas noticed that he was wearing the exact armor and clothes of Prince Nelstrom. It had somehow grown and stretched to fit his new size.
“You are a man who sold his soul to the Forsworn. You are weak. You are nothing,” Jonas responded.
The prince laughed as he started to circle Jonas, his aura of darkness still holding back Jonas’s light. “I am much more than that. Right now your cavalier friend and many others are trying to get into this tent. But they can’t. I have magically sealed it off. It is just you and me, something for which I have been patiently waiting.”
“As have I, traitor,” Jonas whispered through clenched teeth. He willed his mind into the state of Ty’erm and readied himself for battle. All his senses were sharp and his finely honed muscles twitched, eager to spring forth and crush the murderous traitor. The king was a great man, and now he was dead, killed by his own corrupted son, at least that is what Prince Nelstrom believed. Jonas knew that Prince Nelstrom did not know that his real father was actually Kiln.
Again the prince laughed, refocusing Jonas’s attention. “I have more power than ever. My Lord Malbeck has shared with me some of the power of the Shan Cemar. That is why you could not detect me, cavalier. We have new power, power that was hidden for many years, but it is ours now and you cannot stop us. I am Malbeck’s right hand, the hammer that will crush Finarth so that I may rule this land in his name and the power of the Forsworn will cover the lands.”
“Your heart is now dark and corrupted with the stench of the Forsworn. They hold no power over me,” replied Jonas sternly, flaring his light again, trying to break through the prince’s defenses, but to no avail.
“Oh but they do. They have been watching you for a long time; even before you were born they were watching you.”
“What are you talking about?” Jonas demanded.
The demon prince laughed again. “Do you know what happened to your father?”
“He left us when I was born. He did not want a cripple as a son,” Jonas said, a little bit shaken by the direction of the conversation.
“You were a cripple because the Forsworn made you so. Gould the tormentor had known about you before you were even born. Your mother was poisoned during her pregnancy hoping to kill her and you.”
“You lie,” spat Jonas, gripping his swords tighter. Jonas used his powers to weave the energy around him into an invisible shield. His powers were growing stronger and it only took him a couple of seconds to spin the molecules around him into a translucent shield of energy.
But Jonas knew that he had to use his powers sparingly, for the headaches that came with their use could incapacitate him, something that would be his doom when facing a foe like the one before him.
The demon prince snickered knowingly. “We had assumed your mother would die, killing you along with her, but she was much stronger of spirit than we thought. She was sickened; however, the poison deformed you. Your father was strong of body, but not of spirit. Gould used his servants to force him to leave and then they took him as Gould’s slave.”
“You mean my father did not leave us on his own accord?” Jonas asked shocked.
“Correct, and we thought you as good as dead, a mistake which I’m here to remedy.”
“You should have killed me then, I will not be so easy to defeat now. My heart is pure. You cannot corrupt me with your seeping blackness.”