4 ASCENSION

Location: Ivory Palace, Central City Lavene, Kingdom of Antioch.

*True Evil shall be released by ascension*

Anger and frustration burned deep in Anlai veins as he left the throne room. He wrenched the door to his room open, the events of the past hours fresh on his mind. Everything had been going according to plan. He had anticipated the girl escaping. He had anticipated the emissaries trying to double-cross him, he had found a plan to remedy both. 

*THE PAST HOURS OCCURENCE.*

"Damianos," He had roared barging into the throne room, the doors swinging open with a crash. Several pairs of eyes had turned to look at him, council members jumped to their feet, or shoved their seats back, parchment flew everywhere. Damianos remained seated, his expression impassive.

There was silence. Tension hung in the air as they all stared at Anlai's bandaged face. His eyes and cheeks were swollen, one of his eyes was slit-like, and the bruised flesh underneath had risen like dough. It throbbed slightly when an involuntary muscle twitched, causing tears to stream down his face, salting up other bruises.

Anlai didn't flinch.

Anlai ignored the pulsing pain on his face, just as he ignored the council members' look of shock. He made straight for the raised platform on which the throne was erected. He stood at the bottom of the dais and stared his brother hard in the face.

Curse that orange-haired girl. He couldn't even hold a fixed stare for long without his eyes tearing up. Damianos seemed to realize his brother's condition and he smiled faintly at Anlai.

The council members watched on. They were critically examining each other's reactions, drawing their conclusions, scribbling away on their parchments.

"I need to discuss with your king," Anlai stated his, voice hoarse. His eyes were trained on the ground as the light from the room irritated his eyes. "... alone." He added.

The council members shifted nervously in their seats, stealing glances at each other. Some council men glanced at the king for confirmation. They were torn between disobeying the king's brother, who had considerable control over the Unseen, and the king, whose military might could wipe out nations with a command.

They didn't know that the Unseen had failed him when he needed them most, and he was here to meet someone whom Anlai expected wouldn't fail him. The thought filled him with rage, and he directed it elsewhere.

"Weren't you listening?" Anlai snarled, turning to face them. "I said, I need to speak to your king alone," He said, furious when they all glanced at each other. No one wanted to make the first move.

Damianos watched, amused at his brother's display. His council members were torn with loyalty to the crown and loyalty to fear. He needn't complicate matters anymore.

"Meetings adjourned. We meet here tomorrow to finish our discussion." Damianos bid them good night and they all muttered their greetings as they stood up, leaving their seats, their parchments tucked in the pockets of their elegantly sown robes.

Anlai watched with irritation as they navigated through the raised podium and out of the room, stealing glances at him. Now, they were all alone.

"The girl has escaped, and I need your help," Anlai spoke bluntly, he hoped speaking urgently would draw his brother's attention to how much he needed aid.

"Has she?" Damianos asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, and I need your help urg–"

"Did she do all this?" Damianos cut in, lazily waving his hand to Anlai's bandaged face.

"Yes! But that is beside the point," Anlai said exasperated.

"What is the point Anlai? " Damianos said briskly.

"That she has escaped and that the whole Kingdom may fall back into the old era before we destroyed the Uprising. You must understand–" Anlai explained.

"I must understand?" Damianos cut in harshly. "Understand what? As far as I'm concerned, I don't care what happens to that girl. I only care for my son, and since he's back with me, that's all that matters. Right?"

Anlai groaned inwardly. "You know I didn't mean that," He was growing frustrated and was considering ditching the attempt. "I was just being insensitive at the time. But you do realize she holds our secrets in her hands, and she can ruin us all," Anlai was begging now.

" I understand," Damianos said shortly after a moment of silence.

"You do?" Anlai asked incredulously, he had seriously expected a prolonged argument. He and Damianos had never seen eye to eye, what with their parents never having time for them and grandfather always pitting them against each other. Grandfather's teachings were always to never trust each other and to always remain with each other .Ironic. How could one remain with someone one didn't trust? But somehow they understood grandfather, they were to remain together but always be wary of each other's intention.

Not healthy family advice, but either of the twins had grown into it.

"Oh, yes, brother," Damianos said as he descended from his throne, his robes swishing this way and that. "I understand that this girl poses a great threat to our autonomy–"

"Yes, Damianos," Anlai affirmed, nodding excitedly. "That's why we must–"

"I also understand," Damianos continued, his tone rising warning. "That before now, you don't seek help from me... "

"W–what?" Anlai stuttered on his words, shocked at the turn of events.

"Don't play dumb with me," Damianos sneered, as he drew closer to Anlai, head-to-head, staring into his dull grey eyes.

"You seek help from them, the Unseen. So why come to me now?" Damianos asked; his temper was flaring beneath, but he assumed a calm exterior. "Have they perhaps..."

Damianos paused for dramatic effect.

"...decided to no longer render their powerful services to you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," Anlai growled, through gritted teeth.

"Of course, you don't," Damianos said emphatically. "It is amusing to think that our memory fails us after experiencing a most distressing event. Let's say a reflex action of the brain towards putting to rest such unpleasant memories. It is perplexing to note that the brain never fails the onlooker, however conflicted their accounts might be. Or has the gods above been partial in their designs on mankind? Need I continue?" Damianos asked, turning tauntingly to face a red-faced Anlai.

"That wouldn't be necessary," Anlai replied. He knew Damianos was referring to his malfunction of magic during his encounter with Adriana.

"Ah!You remember–"

"Don't play games with me now!" Anlai cut in briskly, his tone raged. "Are you helping me or not?"

"No," Damianos replied curtly. "You sincerely expect me to help you, after clearly disobeying me?" Damianos frowned, his voice devoid of any warmth.

Anlai stilled visibly.

"Not to mention such brash attitude in front of guests," Damianos snarled, his voice rising as he intonated each word. "You are fortunate I had them taken care of; Need I remind you that I'm king?"

"Next time you make a show of undermining my authority, I'll show you why I was crowned the King of Antioch, Overseer of the whole Kingdom," Damianos yelled, spittle flying all over, touching Anlai's reddened face.

"Get out this instance before I do something I regret," Damianos took a deep breath, trying to cool his expression.

"But–" Anlai protested.

"Get out!Guards!" Damianos roared, his voice echoing around the room.

*CURRENTLY*

Anlai had left the throne room in no better mood than he had arrived and his room took the brunt of his fury. In a fit of rage, he pulled off his bed covers, tearing down portraits and smashing bottles of expensive perfume. The wall clocks were thrown into his fireplace, turning over his desk and drawers. He kicked at his wardrobe until his toes hurt.

Never again, He thought, taking in a deep breath. Never again would he be made a fool of. Anlai scattered his table in a purposeful search. Where was it? He walked over the broken furniture and smashed objects on the rugs towards his bedside. Standing behind the wooden headboard, he crouched, his hands searching this way and that in a wind wiper motion.

Ah, he thought when his hands touched a solid object. He pulled out the thing, ignoring the dust on his garments as he stood up. Sweating, Anlai examined the object of interest. A black scepter laid on his palm, a diamond head rested atop the vertical metal giving off a faint red glow.

Anlai took out his dagger with his other hand and slashed the palm holding the scepter, blood trickling down, touching the dim red diamond. Upon contact, the diamond glowed a bright red, and Anlai closed his eyes against the dizziness he felt.

His body seemed to be lurching forward and back hypnotizingly. Magic warmed the floor. Then he lurched forward in a startling jerk. A burning sensation overwhelmed him, a whirlwind blowing wildly around and then silence.

Opening his eyes with difficulty, Anlai blinked as if wishing the image away. Trees and a natural landscape has replaced the infrastructure of the palace.

Anlai had teleported.

'So this was the In-between'. Anlai thought, as he looked around. The milky white moon in the dark skies cast a faint glow on the marshy grounds. The thick canopy of trees allowing little rays of light to skim through. The cold winds blew softly, and Anlai inhaled the smell of nature, the smell of pine woods a contrast to the scented palace rooms. It almost looked like a normal forest if one ignored the still branches that refused adamantly to rustle at the howling winds. Or the absence of any life, no owls, no rustle in the leaves, no vagabond animals scurrying about.

When he was younger, Grandfather had told him stories about places like this. Realms that were hidden by strong magic, a place where ancestral magic dwelled. Grandfather had also revealed how to acquire such power and the procedures. Maybe he had done so because he didn't expect either of them to take his words seriously, but knowing grandfather he always had a grand scheme behind things. Anlai pondered as he trudged forward, looking around wildly, if he were to go by grandfather's tale that means he had to find where the moon retired.

Where the moon retired, Anlai looked up, the thick canopy blocking the moon's translucent rays. This moon didn't seem capable of retiring, but Anlai had an inkling as to what it meant; all he had to do was venture deep into the woods.

And that was what he did, making his way through thickets of trees, kicking aside branches. Thorn bushes prickled his trousers, wanting a piece of this stranger that was drunk on rage. Anlai ventured deeper until he reached a clearing devoid of trees and light. Anlai knew he had finally reached "where the moon retired,"

Erected in the center of the clearing laid a pillar, solitary amidst the surrounding trees. Its structure was laid in a rocky plinth, the vertical pillar stood at shoulders height with Anlai and atop the pillar's surface was an empty carved space imprinted in the shape of a scepter that Anlai held.

The structure of the pillar and th surrounding debris exuded a certain aura, one which Anlai associated with primitive ages. The plinth was exuding ancestral magic.

A sliver of fear ran down Anlai's spine causing him to hesitate for a moment, weighing the consequences of releasing ancient magic. It could backfire, and only the gods above knew what would happen to him.

'Maybe I shouldn't do it.' Having second thoughts, Anlai pulled away from the scepter away from the carved space. Midway, Damianos' words echo in his mind "Need I remind you that I'm king?"

Never again. He would never have cause to ask for help, Anlai thought angrily, plunging the scepter in the carved-up space.

Instantaneously, the diamond glowed a deep blood red color, bolts of energy surged around the clearing, the thrum of energy stirring the winds into a rising tempo, and the trees swayed under the influence of the ascension. Light snaked its way up the pillar, glowing a luminous blue.

Anlai stared as wide as his eyes would stretch. The sensation in the air was phenomenal, so raw was the energy that Anlai felt faint, and yet he didn't want the elevated feeling to stop, until it did and in its place was a pair of purple reptilian eyes amidst black clouds.

"Who goes there?" The voice spoke in an eerie tone. The voice was a dimension of other voices, baritone, shrill, high pitched; all uniform, a cacophony of voices.

"One who has been wronged and seeks vengeance," Anlai bowed, falling flat on the ground, reciting the words just like his grandfather had instructed. His heart was racing in his chest, if his grandfather was wrong for one moment, he would lose his life, and all his schemes would be for naught.

"Very well. For setting us free, we shall grant you audience," The voice whispered and the smoke swirled. "Who are you willing to sacrifice in exchange for power?"

Anlai mind churned. He couldn't risk saying anything. Things like this could turn sour pretty fast, he recalled. Grandfather had said one must sacrifice someone dear and of great importance.

Emily? Yes, it must be Emily, she had sacrificed her womb for him to summon the Unseen; Surely, she wouldn't mind sacrificing her life for the greater cause.

"My Fiancee...Emily," Anlai said hurriedly.

The voices seemed to converse within because he heard whispers, all throwing suggestions in wistful tones.

"Someone dearer!" The voice chorused.

Who was dearer than Emily... His brother. Of course, he would sacrifice him and take over his kingdom.

"My brother... Damianos," Anlai countered expectantly.

"Someone dearer!" The voices chorused almost instantly as if able to read his mind.

He had no one dearer to him. Anlai thought, as he skimmed through his memory. The council members could all be sacrificed.Would that be enough?

"Come closer!" The voices hissed.

"W–what?" Anlai stuttered. Had he misheard? Come where? Draw closer to something that could destroy him in split-seconds. Come to think of it, if it wanted to, it would have done so.

With that in mind, Anlai moved forward albeit warily.

"Is this close enough or–" Anlai stopped mid-sentence as smoke engulfed him and a graphic image of orange-hairs came into view.

"Adriana?" He stumbled back, confused.

"Yes," The voices hissed in unison.

Anlai nodded joyfully, albeit perplexed.

It seemed grandfather had gotten a part of the tale wrong. These creatures were not ingenious; they were foolish. Didn't they know he had premeditated going after her? They would grant him the power to go after someone he despised and in exchange, he was to sacrifice the same person. Too bad he had to offer as a sacrifice. He would have loved to watch her in pain, his grin; the last thing she saw before dying.

"Oh well, they didn't say in what state he was to bring her." As soon as he said it, he felt the energies bonding with his soul, feeding him with energy and magical mana.

"Nefaris," He heard the whisper before the world went white before his eyes.