the elixir was already trying to heal the wound. Unfortunately it left me slow and the lack of oxygen and heat made me dizzy.
Each strike was either easily dodged or parried with such force it felt like I was striking a metal pole, sending vibrations coursing through me. But then a hand grabbed me by my hair and slammed my face into the dirt. I tasted blood in my mouth as my mask crushed my lips and nose. I ripped it off, gasping for breath, with blood streaming down to my chin.
The king stepped on my hand, slowly crunching my fingers until my grip loosened, then kicked the sword away from me.
“Before you die, there’s just one thing I need to know. How did you find this place, anyway? Did my son tell you?”
“It was your wife,” I grinned through bloody teeth. “She says hi by the way.”
His eyes widened and I clawed at him with my bare hands, gouging red scratches down his pale, flawless cheek. He slapped me with an open palm so hard my head spun. The blow would have snapped my neck if I wasn’t already so amped with elixir. I practically felt my vertebra harden, then shift back into place one by one.
“Then I suppose I don’t have time for you,” the king said finally. He dragged me towards the edge of the infernal furnace, then lifted me by the neck until my feet hung over the ledge. His fingers dug deeper, crushing my windpipe until I couldn’t breathe. I choked on ash, dirt and fire, surrounded by flaming sparks that singed my wild hair.
“That’s enough, Father.”
I choked back a sob of relief as Damien emerged out of the ash, an orange glow reflecting off his golden armor.
“Foolish boy. You’re willing to destroy everything, for her? You think you can take my place, that you can keep all this running?”
“After she destroys the machine, maybe I won’t have to.” Damien smiled at me, and I felt the king’s grip loosen as he shifted to a defensive posture. Damien stabbed forward with his sword, blazing across the scorched earth like a bolt of lightning.
He was so fast, but not fast enough.
King Richard raised his hand in a swift movement, his pale fingers spread wide like talons, clawing at the air. I saw the panic in Damien’s eyes as his sword shifted course, curving in midair before plunging into my stomach.
My bracelet beeped as the last of the elixir tried to repair the bloody hole through my torso. I could feel the sharp, cool steel inside of me, slicing my internal organs. Shock and horror twisted Damien’s beautiful face as he let go of his sword, sinking to his knees.
“We’ve been here before, haven’t we Son?” King Richard said. “Why does it always have to come to this? Have you learned nothing?”
“I told you once before, Father. If you ever compulsed me again, what the consequences would be.” He flashed a sad smile, gazing off into the distance, the fiery sparks reflecting in his vivid eyes. Then he pulled out an ornate dagger and plunged it into his own throat, Spurting hot blood over the engraved metal of his armor.
The king’s eyes widened in surprise. I took advantage of the distraction to grab an arrow from my quiver and plunge it deep into his shoulder, where his neck met his collarbone. I grunted, pushing it down with all my force, but it sunk no deeper. I couldn’t push it past his bones into his heart.
He grabbed my wrist, pulling it away sharply and throwing me to the ground. He snapped the arrow in half, leaving the wooden stump in his shoulder. I clutched my injured stomach, feeling the warm blood soak my abdomen, dripping between my legs.
Damien was on the ground, his eyes rolling into his head, spasms rippling down his legs. A pool of thick dark blood spread out in the gray ash around him, a stain against his golden armor.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. A single tear rolled down his cheek as I clawed my way towards him. “I’m not strong enough. I never was.”
“It’s not your fault,” I whispered.
“He’ll be fine,” the king said, wiping the blood of his sword and returning it to the scabbard on his belt. “He’s just acting out, throwing a tantrum. Maybe I’ll feed him your siblings. That should fill him with enough guilt and self-loathing to keep him quiet for a few more decades.”