117 The Traveler
LATER THAT DAY
Sitting on a red velvet gilded loveseat sofa in front of the hearth, Queen Isavelle kept her hands full by burning all the letters that she received today. She didn't bothered to read any of them, knowing for a fact that the letters wasn't really for her after all. As she toss them in the fires one at a time, she looked at her feminine hands and clasp it in a fist. She can't wait to return to his real form.
His name is Argus, the traveler in the queen's body.
As he go over the letters, it felt like a prick in the heart when he read the names of the senders. He recalled his past's torments, frowning as if he could taste its bitterness in between his teeth. Argus could only thank the gods for giving him another chance to make everything right. And one day, when he's much stronger, he would fulfill the promise he made for himself.
Argus have claimed the queen's body and he's owning its entirety as natural as he could possibly beguile. Surrounded by lavish beauty, bestowed with power in a flick of a hand, and sprinkled with dainty jewels, Argus believed that he is exactly where he deserved to be. He took delight on being in the Queen's body, with a certain credence that the best choice he ever made is to be transfered in this body using Celeste's dark magic. However, it started to bore him especially when the agony of the past kicks in.
"Alta, humor me", Argus told the servant standing by as he pause from burning the mountain of letters.
"Her Majesty seemed to be low in spirits today. You must still be in shock after the attacks. Would you like to nod off for a bit?", Alta asked.
"I don't like to get a shut eye. I'm afraid I won't rouse from dozing off", Argus said with sad eyes. He have had frequent nightmares despite living the best of his life. He would wake up screaming from a nightly terror of being buried alive in the ice, a dream that haunts him each time he closes his eyes. For that reason, he made sure that he is surrounded by people who would watch his back like Vesta, the paladin, and his soul travelers whom he can turn to dark ones when there's a need.
"I will be here, your Majesty", Alta reassured the dejected queen who seemed astray in the glow of the hearth.
Argus rested his back as he crease brows. "The moment Rowan, awakened me from the depths of frozen ice in Caluso, my blood immediately boiled with that burning desire for revenge that I desperately yearned for.", he stared blankly at the flames as he started to lay open his thoughts. Before his defeat, Argus swore that he will be back to retrieve everything that was taken from him.
"Hmm?", Alta couldn't relate to the queen's sentiments as she stood by worriedly.
"I made a deal with the ambitious soul traveler who landed in the body of Rowan. He happened to be so hungry for power, and fancies to become the King of Nether, and also… become the supreme ruler of the travelers like I was before. He woke me up to be his tool for his ambitions.", Argus continued as he remember the unexpected luck that have come his way. Alta remained clueless, and respectfully listened to the queen, thinking they were simply dreams. "Dormant for years, my dessicated flesh limited my powers. In order to grant Rowan's wishes… or should I say Etta's wishes, I demanded a few things - a witch, the traveler's stone, and Iaso's stone. Luckily, we found Celeste, a witch who's willing to sell her soul to the devil for the suffering she had in the hands of the nobles and imperial warriors. Stoked with vexation, I took advantage of her anger to perfect my great plan of revenge.", Argus clenched his jaw as he look fixedly on the letters burning into ashes. "Remarkably, Celeste learned dark magic and sorcery in a blink of an eye. She maintained the physique of Rowan, transfered my soul to some sickly boy… disabled the apotropaic spell protections, and even located a few of my soul travelers. It was only a taste of my sweet venom when my dark healer attacked the prince and his paladin", Argus said. Alta started to feel nervous.
"Eventually, I grew impatient. I wanted to regain my powers immediately and so I pushed Celeste to find Tris. I knew she's alive somewhere. I needed her, because only a celestial healer can restore my vigor. In perfect timing, Celeste was able to locate Gaius, my trusted right hand. That fool led me to Tris, who happened to have a very precious daughter that I long to meet again", Argus's eyes sparkled as he recall meeting Tris' daughter, Helena who's another celestial healer. "However, things went down south when Tris found out who we were", Argus' eyes shifted towards Alta who's now trembling in fear. The poor servant now realized what the queen is saying.
"This is s-such a-a bad dream y-you have, your Majesty", Alta nervously said. Argus stood up without removing his gaze at the jittery servant. He slowly walked towards her in slow strides.
"Bad dream? No, no", Argus hushed Alta who's clasping her cold hands together. Tears started to stream down the servant's cheeks without even blinking. "This is my beautiful reality now.", Argus said as he remember how he was eager and desperate to have Celeste transfer his soul from the young boy to the Queen's body. And when she did, they managed to infiltrate the palace even more as they worm an important passenger in the King's body, which one day Argus will be needing for a substantial dark ritual. "And when the stars align, I will avenge my people, myself and most especially, my son Callum.", Argus said as he caress Alta's cheeks and trembling parted lips. Then, he grabbed Alta's neck with one hand. She was too scared to let out a cry, not even a sound. "I can't wait for the day that Callum and I will be reunited again", Argus said as he guzzle the soul of Alta out of her mouth.
Alta dropped dead at the feet of Queen Isavelle. "I feel so much better now", Argus said as he exhale sharply. Then, Argus was taken aback when the doors suddenly opened. The blonde paladin arrived in a hurry as she enter the chambers.
"Vesta, you arrived just in time. Clean up this mess", Argus ordered as he walk over the lifeless body of Alta.
"My queen", Lady Vesta greeted as she catch her breath. She approached the ruler of the travelers wanting to say a very important news. "I've brought information that you would like to hear", she said.
"What is it?", Argus eagerly asked.
"The new general and the new high priestess has been chosen", Vesta revealed.
"And?", Argus' eyes widened in avidity. "Who is it?", he asked.
"General Aether was hailed as the new commander of the warriors, and Syria is unanimously chosen to be the new High Priestess of the kingdom", Vesta answered that left Argus with hardened jaws.