Dragons Descended Upon the Wicked (19 page)

Nick used his power to grab ahold of Poloski and throw him backwards, even though Poloski was holding him. As Poloski flung backwards Nick was released from his grip.

“We are Reza,” said Vicon. “Sword play is your strength. We are all supreme Reza here.”

Vicon and Poloski dropped the weapons from their hands. They pointed their palms out at Nick. Nick continued to hold his sword in his right hand.

A flurry of black wave attacks, fire, and ice were consecutively cast directly at Nick. He used his left hand to defend himself. He concentrated deeply and was able to deflect and maneuver every oncoming attack away from him with just one hand. Nick began to march forward while still deflecting the attacks.

Nick was now running and he jumped high into the air. He continued to defend himself with his left hand. With his right hand he drove his sword into Poloski’s chest.

Vicon halted his attacks as he witnessed Poloski fall to the ground with Nick’s blade being pulled from his chest. Nick turned around and walked sideways along the area while looking at Vicon’s eyes. Vicon stared Nick right back in his eyes with a sinister look on his face.

Vicon stopped and held out both hands at Nick. Vicon sent out ice from his right hand, then sent out fire from his left. Vicon sent out a black wave attack then fire. Ice, fire, and black waves. It was a continuous cycle that did not let up. Nick controlled and redirected the attacks, but they just kept coming. Nick couldn’t see anything. The air was full of smoke and sparks. He lost track of where Vicon was. Suddenly, Nick was hit with heat from his left. Vicon had landed a fire attack that set Nick ablaze. Nick dropped to the ground and rolled on the sandy ground, which quickly doused the flames. Nick looked up and to his left as he got off of the ground. Vicon was nowhere to be found.

There was no movement around him. All he could see were the two dragons fighting in the near distance. Pain pierced Nick’s back calf. A black wave attack from behind had landed its mark. The jolting nature of the attack made Nick’s body fly five feet forward as he crashed into the ground. His sword tumbled an extra two feet in front of him. Nick tried to stand up but his left leg was not working. He could not put any pressure on it all and his entire leg was in extreme amounts of pain.

Vicon came from the shadows and walked towards Nick. Vicon walked and picked up his golden spear. Nick placed both palms on the ground beneath him. Vicon approached Nick and stood over him with his spear pointed at him.

“You cannot stop my reign,” said Vicon. “You are weak.”

“I am not afraid to die,” said Nick.

The ground began to tremble slightly. Nick grabbed Vicon’s right ankle with his left hand. Vicon looked at Nick as if he were mad. Vicon jolted his spear down at Nick. The spear missed as Nick quickly moved his left hand from his ankle and rolled backwards. A wall of fire sprung from the exact spot that Nick had been lying in. Vicon narrowly escaped the blast by jumping backwards. The flames rose high into the sky. After a few seconds the flames began to slowly subside.

Nick sat up and raised his palms at the flames. Nick closed his eyes and used his best judgment to aim. As a wall of flames raged in front of him, Nick sent out a flurry of black wave attacks where he believed Vicon stood after he jumped backwards. Nick sent out ten black wave attacks before the flames finely subsided back into the hole in the ground.

As the flames diminished Nick saw Vicon lying on the ground, motionless. Nick crawled on his stomach to retrieve his sword, which was a few feet from him. With his sword in his right hand, Nick continued to crawl toward Vicon. It took Nick a minute to get over to Vicon while keeping a keen eye on him. He was still motionless. Vicon lay on his back and his face looked directly up into the night sky.

Nick had finally made it to Vicon’s side. Vicon was still breathing, although his body had been hit multiple times by Nick’s attack. Vicon was in excruciating pain and unable to move. Nick pushed his body up and sat next to Vicon’s face, whose eyes were open wide, staring straight into the sky.

Nick grabbed hold of his sword with both hands and held it above Vicon.

“You killed so many,” said Nick. “You killed our king. You killed my friends, my father, and people I loved and cared about. You unleashed a tyrannical rule over Hentrio and destroyed countless lives. Now you die, by my hands.”

Nick drove his sword down into Vicon’s throat. The blade went completely through him, piercing the sandy ground beneath him. Nick listened as Vicon struggled to grasp for air. The ground became a pool of blood. After a few moments of suffering Vicon lay still. Nick watched him as the life drifted from his eyes. It was over.

After a few moments Esork walked back towards Nick. He was bleeding from multiple places all over his body but he, too, was victorious. Nick lay on his back and looked up at the grey clouds above him.

“I made good on my promise, Dad,” said Nick. “The man who wanted you dead received his rightful fate delivered by my hands. Those who perished under his rule will never be forgotten.”

Nick continued to stare into the night sky for a few more minutes. There was nothing but the calming blanket of the grey clouds against the dark night sky. The wind was subtle but it was there. It weaved through the sands and sent a few specks towards his face. The air became cold again as his adrenaline subsided. The aching of his left leg was more prominent than ever. He blinked. When his eyes opened again a dragon flew over him.

The flutter of dragon’s wings. The sound had been so unfamiliar to anyone in Hentrio for nearly centuries. Now Nick knew the unique sound with ease. He perched his head up and saw Ron, Jacob, Dani, and Tyler jump down from the dragon and rush to his side.

“Nick, are you okay?” asked Dani.

“Nick, what happened?” asked Tyler.

Exhausted, Nick closed his eyes. He was faint. No answer was given. His vision turned to black.

***

Nick awoke the next day in his tent in Terrel City. For a moment, as he sprung up from his bed, he thought the events were merely a dream. His leg felt as though it was on fire. Nick screamed in pain. Not a dream...

Andrew entered his tent and said, “You never answered the question about what happens when you’re hit with the black wave attack.”

“It feels like someone is roasting over fire for dinner,” said Nick.

“It will be inoperable for a few days,” said Andrew. “You need to rest. In a few days we will be back in Genold City with business to attend to.”

Nick was delirious and sleepy. Side effects from the medication he was on; undoubtedly so. He lay back down and closed his eyes. He was in and out of consciousness for the next few days. He could only remember small glimpses. He remembered being hoisted and carried by four men. He remembered being in the back of a carriage. Sometimes a wheel would hit a large bump and Nick’s eyes would open for a moment. That’s all he could remember.

Finally, one night Nick awoke fully. He was covered in layers of blankets. He sprung up to a seated position. His leg was no longer in pain. He looked around at the curved cloth roof over him and the split hem of the entrance in front of him. Nick maneuvered his way over and stepped out of the carriage. As he put pressure down on his left foot he would still feel a bit of pain. There were fires in the near distance so he made his way over to them.

While Nick walked toward the fires he was greeted by Ron, Jacob, Tyler, Dani, Andrew, David, Thomas, and Penny.

“Ron and Jacob, did you kill the two from the six?” asked Nick.

“We made quick enough work of them,” said Ron. “My dragon beheaded theirs as well.”

“Good,” said Nick. “Dani and Tyler; were you okay from the fall?”

“I’m fine,” said Dani.

“Not a scratch on the invincible Tyler,” said Tyler.

“We went looking for you,” said Dani. “We were disoriented from the fall and we didn’t know where Esork went. It was only when we saw a wall of fire light the night sky that we knew where you were.”

“It is okay,” said Nick. “I’m glad you are in good health. I drove my sword into Poloski. I used magic to knock Vicon down. My sword finished the wicked man.”

“You did good, Nick,” said Andrew. “Our fallen did not die in vain.”

“How many?” asked Nick.

“Seven,” said Andrew.

“We will make statues of every one of them,” said Nick.

“Jeffrey will rise again in stone,” said Andrew, nodding his head. “We will be back in Genold City tomorrow morning.”

***

Five days had passed since the king’s men and the thousands who made up their camp returned to Genold City. Most of the citizens of Genold City were grateful to see their return. However, not all were happy.

Early in the morning Nick and Penny walked through the gardens behind Castel Teon. In the courtyard there was a small waterfall made of stacked boulders and a flowing creek. He got down on one knee and proposed to Penny and she agreed to marry him. The happiness shared in that moment was insurmountable. He told his mother of the good news while she was getting acclimated to a guest room in Castle Teon.

His mother agreed to stay for a while because of the many years she had lived in seclusion. She lead him to believe that she was dead or never existed in order to somehow save him from a dreadful fate. The only mother he had ever known was his stepmother and he loved her dearly. Now it was like he was meeting a stranger for the first time. But they both agreed that later was better than never to make a relationship and rekindle a lost family.

Later that same night Nick sat at the king’s table in Castle Teon. Andrew, David, Dani, Tyler, Jacob, and Ron stared at Nick without blinking.

“What do you say, Nick?” asked Andrew. “It is a world of responsibility. Be sure of the answer you give us.”

Nick deliberated over the question proposed to him. Never had he thought that this sort of opportunity would ever come to him.

“I have decided,” said Nick. “And only with you all by my side. With your wise guidance. I choose to accept. Thank you for your belief in me.”

Then they all stood from their chairs while Nick still sat in his. Nick slowly stood to his feet. They all got down on one knee and bowed to him.

“Hail, King Nick Bint,” they said simultaneously.

“Please rise,” said Nick. “You should never bow to me again. You are family to me.”

They all smiled and Nick smiled back. They went up to him and congratulated him one by one. Hugs and handshakes filled the room. It was the first time Nick could think of when everyone was smiling.

After a few days Nick took to the balcony ledge of the castle courtyard. Thousands below him crowded the courtyard and the streets that lead to them. They stood shoulder to shoulder to witness the first glimpses of their new king.

Nick stood tall, dressed in a luxurious white shirt and pants. Ron walked over to Nick and placed the golden crown on his head. Penny stood by Nick’s side with a smile stretched wide. Nick grabbed her hand and raised it in his. The crowd below cheered and clapped for the crowning of their king.

So there he stood. He had transitioned from a young adult who wanted nothing more than to protect the people of Hentrio as a Refect. He then was a young adult in the Vincot Arena, fighting for his life as a criminal. People used to chant his name, thirsty for the blood he would spill. As the world became damned he found his place and his powers emerged. Nick helped end the suffering and torment the six delivered to Hentrio. Now Nick stood as king and had to make his speech on how the world would be under his rule. He had to make as many people happy under his rule as he could. To do this he would have to step on toes and make bold decisions.

“People of Hentrio, I am sorry for your suffering,” said Nick as the crowd quieted themselves. “I stand here today as your king. But I only stand here as you king because the rightful people who deserved to be king have perished. I knew these people quite well. Even though they have gone onto the next life they have helped me make decisions about how to make Hentrio the best it has ever been. Those who sacrificed and perished in the war shall be remembered forever.”

The crowd cheered and clapped at Nick’s statements. As they settled down Nick continued his speech.

“The rules of the old world before the six came shall be reinstated. Only a few changes will be made. The arenas shall be closed down forever. Those who commit considerably heinous crimes shall receive life sentences in the prisons of Hentrio. The Refect shall be reinstated. Slavery is illegal. Dragons will be kept far away from our cities. Considerable amounts of gold was confiscated from the six in Castle Teon. There is enough for us to start up homeless tents throughout the city that provide water and food for the poor. And, finally, with a portion of the gold I plan to construct a new small city to the north west. In this city an arena will be constructed where volunteers can fight and win money for their victories. However, mercy rules will be applied. That is the only city where this will happen. I know some of you liked living in the new world the six instituted. That city will be your new home. That is all...for now. Thank you.”

The king’s men were behind Nick. As he turned around he saw the looks on their faces. It was a look he was expecting to get. In order for there to be rule and equality he believed a new city was in order. Without that, chaos would ensue as people fought and tried to live in the old world or new world.

Nick looked at his king’s men; Ron, Jacob, Tyler, Dani, Andrew, and Thomas. He looked them in the eyes and said, “I know it was risky. But it’s a risk I had to take. Nothing terrible shall come of it.”

Nick walked back into the halls of Castle Teon and the king’s men followed him in. Nick Bint would be king and rule Hentrio for years. His path was unlike any other king who sat in the golden throne before him. From criminal, to king’s man, to war hero. Nick Bint now stood a proud and righteous king of Hentrio.

The End

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