The Dark Kingdom (Sage Trilogy, Book 2) Read online

  The Dark Kingdom

  The Last of the Sages II

  By

  Julius St. Clair

  Copyright © 2012 by Julius St. Clair

  All rights reserved. This story or any portion thereof

  may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever

  without the express written permission of the publisher

  except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Table of Contents:

  Prologue

  Chapter 1- Time Off

  Chapter 2 - Through the Fire and the Flames

  Chapter 3 - Pieces

  Chapter 4 - Gone

  Chapter 5- Cracks

  Chapter 6 – The Kingdom of Languor

  Chapter 7 - Unbecoming

  Chapter 8 - Abdicated

  Chapter 9 - Handled

  Chapter 10 - Basics

  Chapter 11 – The Mountain of Conun

  Chapter 12 – The Darkness and the Light

  Chapter 13 – Kill Them All

  Chapter 14 – All’s Well that Ends…well….

  Prologue:

  They stared greedily at his chest as he gasped his last breath

  A burden not lifted but forced to flee by death

  No respect for the King who would die before his time

  Caring only in the division of his beloved and treasured find

  Five stones for each to empower and behold

  The weakest to the youngest

  The strongest to the old

  Their mystery unraveled, the key with a price

  To lose what they did not value, yet still a sacrifice

  Divided they spoiled, divided they strayed

  Pride to be the master and teacher of their way

  Yet hope still lingered, while the journey would unfold

  Salvation for the youngest

  None for the old

  - Anonymous

  Rise of the Five Kingdoms

  Chapter 1 – Time Off

  Catherine quickly hid the letter under her bed as the door burst open behind her. Slouching down into a contemplative position, she tried her best to look like she had just been daydreaming, which was far better than the truth: keeping secrets. As soon as she realized who in fact entered her dorm room, she relaxed. He was not a simpleton by any means, but when it came to her, he dropped his guard to dangerous levels.

  He would suspect her of absolutely nothing.

  And this was a relief, because she would surely break down into tears if he started asking questions.

  “Catherine, tell me you love me,” he gasped violently, trying to steady his short breath. Catherine chuckled and gazed at him between her curly dark locks. He was always so dramatic.

  “What are you talking about, James?” she sighed as a smile escaped his lips. He never stopped trying to get a rise out of her; even it meant playing with her emotions. Most people would become aggravated with his sense of humor, but not her. She enjoyed his attention.

  “We don’t have much time,” he said, the smile vanishing completely. “We’re going to die if we don’t hurry. We have to leave now.”

  “What is it?” Catherine demanded, reaching down and retrieving her emergency knapsack, complete with water, some bread, clothes, a sword, and of course, the letter. Wild possibilities ran through her imagination as he spoke, the siege of 88 taking up the most space. If the Kingdom was under attack…whoever it was, would suffer.

  “Kyran is after us.” James said with a voice of impending doom. Catherine laughed as her grip on the knapsack relaxed. A great danger for sure, but not on a Kingdom’s scale.

  “Well, why didn’t you say so?!” Catherine cried out in false alarm, jumping into the game. “Go into my closet and grab my bag!”

  Catherine began heading for the door with urgency when she noticed James had stopped moving and placed his hands on his hips. He frowned at her, and she couldn’t help but giggle at the sight.

  “What’s wrong?” she laughed as James raised his nose up at her.

  “Why do I have to get the bags?”

  “Because you’re big and strong and uber-muscular and such a gentleman,” she cooed as he tried to keep the compliments at bay. He fought a smile.

  “I’m not your servant.”

  “Did I say you were?”

  “You told me to grab your bag like I was.”

  “I meant no disrespect, but really, you should grab my bag. It’s heavy, and my itty bitty frame wouldn’t be able to carry it.”

  “You’re making fun of me, and I don’t appreciate it. We’re supposed to be equals.”

  “You’re blowing this out of proportion,” she sighed, growing tired of the game and opening the closet doors. “Fine, I’ll get it myself.”

  “Ha! I got you!” James said, pointing to her as she froze in a stooping position. “I’ve just proven that you in fact can do your own work! Now I definitely don’t want to hear any complaining when you take the throne!”

  “Is that what the whining was all about?” she huffed, turning to face him. “Trying to get blackmail on me? Or is it you just want a story for backup in case I ever order you around?”

  “The game has changed, Princess,” James bowed. “You’ll regret the day I found out about your status. I have a whole list of plans for you.”

  “Does one of them include surviving Kyran’s wrath?”

  “Oh, I can take Kyran,” James said matter-of-factly. “I did it once, and that was without an eidolon. He wouldn’t dare touch me now.”

  “So he’s not after us?”

  “I heard he is, but it’s not a big deal. He’s probably just mad that I have an eidolon and can take him down whenever I feel like it.”

  “Okay, Dominic,” Catherine said. James glared at her and clutched his stomach.

  “That was low. I think I’m going to be sick.”

  “Well, you sure were acting like him…and one more thing, do you really not know why he’s coming after you?”

  “No.”

  “It’s because you sent him to the infirmary during my exam, and his pride got damaged as well as his body. I don’t know if you realize this, but he thought of you as worse than trash. He’s out for revenge.”

  The information sank in as James’ eyes widened.

  “Then we really are going to die…” his voice trailed off in a whisper. “He really is on his way to…CATHERINE! GIVE ME THE BAG!”

  “Gladly,” she laughed, throwing it to him. James caught it with his left hand and then immediately extended his right towards her. Catherine hesitated for a second, thinking of what Dominic would say if he saw them holding hands. But the thought quickly passed. Dominic saw himself in such high regards that he wouldn’t think there was any chance of someone stealing his “girl.” And it had been a couple months since she’s had any real fun, with James’ rigorous training and all.

  She took his hand, and they headed out.

  Running through the halls of the dorms like the place was going to burst into flames, they ignored every student they passed, their eyes focused only on escaping. As they descended the stairs to the Academy lobby, James laughed to himself.

  “Kyran would choose to come after me now,” he chuckled. “With my ban on the eidolon and all.”

  “I thought you and Achan ignored that order and broke it.”

  “We did, and Arimus put us through Oblivion for it. I wouldn’t dare unleash it without permission again.”

  “Where are we going to go? I mean, I’m the Princess. Not only am I sure that our teachers are watching us as we speak, but I’ll be recognized wherever we go.”

  “Then we’ll go some
where no one would recognize you – the village.”

  “Seriously?” Catherine piped up. She had been trying to get to the village for years. And she tried desperately not to dwell on the last time they nearly made it in. “And how are we going to get there?”

  “Same as last time. I’ve come to an agreement with Scarlet.”

  “Oh, I’ve got to see this,” Catherine laughed as she thought of her cousin’s disdain for James.

  They made it through the gloomy Academy entrance and the gravel courtyard without fail, the winds violently lapping at their clothes and simultaneously masking the noise they made. James fought back the sting on his cheeks as he pushed forward, shielding Catherine’s body with his own, and he smiled at how tough his skin had become in only a couple months...two very long months.

  His mentor, Arimus, was brutal, showing a side of himself James didn’t know existed. His formerly mild-mannered teacher was now barking more than talking, and every day for no less than twelve hours, he and his best friend Achan were subjected to a series of calisthenics and non-stop training drills, preparing their body for a tolerance of pain and harsh climates. They would often throw up several times each day, and occasionally, Achan or James would become deathly ill.

  But the training never ceased. No matter how feverish or weak they became, Arimus was clear in his approach. If they could not survive the controlled environment of their training, they had no business going on the Sages’ journey. They would have no reason to visit the other Kingdoms. And James wasn’t about to fail.

  Not now.

  He had gone through a whirlwind of emotions and conflict to change himself from the despicable, lazy slacker he once was to the man he was today. Somehow, he had even defied the odds and become a Sage. A Sage-in training, but still a being of immense power that only emerged out of every million students or so. And there was no way, after achieving such a status, was he going to be left behind while his best friend and the woman he cared about went on without him.

  Especially since he found out Achan was in love with Catherine too. It was all he talked about during their training, the only thing giving him the fortitude to carry on. The fact that he could be by her side and protect her…be able to spend time with her daily and learn more of the woman he loved – it gave him superhuman determination.

  And James couldn’t deny that he felt the same. He wasn’t entirely sure if he was in love with her yet. He still had to answer himself truthfully concerning whether it was her as a person, or her status that made Catherine so appealing…but he did have feelings. And he did have an undying devotion to her, and a need to protect that extended beyond his own life.

  Maybe it was because she accepted him for who he was when no one else would, not even his father or friends. Maybe it was because she laughed at his jokes. Or maybe it was because no matter how flawed he thought he was, she liked his character. She actually loved spending time with him and looked forward to their conversations.

  And this feeling, this gift, was so powerful and exhilarating that she would never realize the full ramifications of what she solely accomplished…

  That she had made him actually… like himself.

  A feat he thought was impossible.

  She gave him purpose, and in her presence, he felt reborn, renewed and refreshed. For once, he felt like a human being, and this alone was enough to cause emotions to well up within him. Emotions that he had to fight back with every second she spent with him.

  All he wanted to do was kiss her, or hear her laugh one more time. He couldn’t get enough of her quips. He couldn’t believe the hold her bouncing curly locks had on his eyes. The touch of her skin whenever they held hands never failed to lock up his body. Her green eyes, softly gazing upon him sent him into a cold sweat, and her lips. Her lips were like a fountain of forbidden water. Every word brought new life and wisdom. What flowed was never bitter or curt. They simply revived everything that came into its path, and all he wanted to do was drink of it. His desire for her was so intense, so violently crippling that if it wasn’t for the fact that Arimus had promised him death if it ever happened again, he would kiss those lips once more…

  What their future held, he had no idea. Odds were that they would die trying to retrieve the five stones of each Kingdom, cutting off any hopes of a life together...

  But until then, he could dream, and hope for a day in which he could sort out his feelings, determine that he loved her for all the right reasons, and pray that she could love him in return. If he had become a Sage, despite how impossible it had once seemed, then surely this was not within reach either.

  James led Catherine outside the courtyard and onto the dirt trail outside. Scarlet was waiting for them with a horse drawn stagecoach, sitting in the driver’s seat with a look of great focus on her face. When she saw James, however, she smiled and nodded in amusement.

  “James, how good it is to see you,” she said. Her red-purple hair already reminding him that despite her small and stocky frame, there was a ravenous beast lurking in wait. He decided to mind his manners.

  “And good day to you, Master Scarlet,” James said courteously, already wanting to escape into the open stage coach before him.

  “I take it Catherine knows of our deal?”

  “She does not, Master Scarlet.”

  “Could you care to enlighten the lady of the particulars?”

  “Of course,” James said as he cleared his throat and faced Catherine directly. “I have secured us two days and one night in the village. We will be staying at my father’s house tonight. During that time, we will do whatever you wish, but you must wear the cloak and plain clothes that Scarlet has provided so that there is no chance of someone identifying you.”

  “That sounds incredible,” Catherine smiled then narrowed her eyes. “But what’s the catch?”

  “I have to rub Master Scarlet’s back,” he winced as soon as the words left his lips. Catherine turned to face her cousin in rage.

  “SCARLET!!!” she yelled. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

  “What? I’m lonely,” she replied. “But no, seriously, in order for me to do a favor for Mr. Worthless over there, I had to think of the most disgusting thing imaginable in his eyes. Didn’t take long…Oh, and James, you forgot the foot rub.”

  “Yes, Master Scarlet,” James’ voice cracked as he bowed his head towards her.

  “I can’t believe you did all this for me,” Catherine smiled warmly as she took her hands and placed them upon James’ cheeks. “You would sacrifice your dignity and honor on my behalf?”

  “All of it,” James smirked. Scarlet grunted in annoyance.

  “Hey, my feet aren’t that bad,” she muttered under her breath.

  “And surely such a valiant act should not go unrewarded,” Catherine whispered. “What does this knight desire of his majesty? Whatever it is, I promise to fulfill it.”

  James spoke without hesitation, lifting his eyes to meet hers.

  “A kiss,” he whispered to her lips as her hair gently brushed against his cheeks. Catherine smiled and leaned in seductively, but at the last second she pulled away and let go of James’ face.

  “A kiss you shall receive,” she declared before turning to look up at her cousin. “Scarlet, please kiss this man passionately on the lips for no less than a minute!”

  “NO!!!!” James roared as he dived into the open stagecoach and slammed the door behind him. Catherine giggled and winked to Scarlet who simply shook her head.

  “Cousin, that’s the most disgusting thing you’ve asked of me, and regardless of your status, I will have to formally decline and ask for the gallows.”

  “Request denied,” Catherine laughed. “But I will retract my statement as well. Carry on, dear cousin.”

  “I love it when you talk all royally. Makes me actually feel like a soldier and not just a security guard for the western gate.”

  “I know you’re longing for action, Scarlet. But remember, we only have a couple more
weeks until our departure. Then you’ll get more than you’ve bargained for.”

  “You really should stay behind, “Scarlet said firmly, her impressively colored hair whipping backwards into the winds.

  “I’m more useful to Allay on the road. We’ve already talked about this. If you and Arimus come into trouble, you may need me to negotiate on your behalf. Not to mention I can help with the fighting as well.”

  “I know,” Scarlet said softly. “I was just hoping you’ve changed your mind…well, the winds are picking up. You might want to get inside.”

  “Thank you, Cousin,” Catherine said as she opened the door and stepped into the stagecoach. James was staring off into a corner with a hand over his chin, and she sat down while she stared at him. Scarlet got the stagecoach moving as she glanced down at the clothes laying next to her.

  Scarlet’s idea of a disguise basically made her more noticeable. A long wool cloak like Arimus was fond of wearing made up most of it. A hood was attached to it to conceal her hair and half her face, while the rest of the ensemble consisted of one pair of muddy boots, a dirty sleeping gown, and a red shirt dyed from various crushed berries. A horrible wardrobe, but at least it would only be for one night.

  Catherine looked over at James who was still gazing out into the world from the side window. It was a dirty trick, not giving him what he wanted, but she loved having fun with him, and he was the only one she could do it to and get away with it. Everyone else, including her betrothed, would say her behavior was unfitting for a lady. Only James appreciated her humor, and she knew she was taking advantage of his feelings. But honestly, she wasn’t sure how he felt about her, and he never really made it clear. Not that she had the time to pursue a relationship even if they were made plain…there was just too many other, more important matters to take care of…

  “Can I ask you a question?” James spoke up finally. Catherine smiled. Anything to get him talking again.

  “Sure,” she said sweetly, admiring his hazel eyes and short brown hair. Though they were common features in Allay, somehow he made them stand out handsomely.