Word count for this chapter : 3195 words

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He finally understood what was happening, why his body didn't obey his commands, and where he was. Fearian was somehow in Blarence's memories, seeing the events through his eyes and feeling his emotions as if he was in Blarence's shoes. But what confused and worried him was this conversation between Blarence and the weeping king.

"If I may ask, what has the Moon King done? Or what is he about to do so we can watch him and his people?" Blarence asked, concern and curiosity stuck to his voice.

"He is not the cause of chaos and evil nor will be, through the bracelet I gifted him, I can sense his emotions and thoughts." The king ordered the figure of King Salvador to liquify back to its state. "With his past challenges and through his notions, my powers have informed me that he is in grave danger and he's unprotected, but I have no knowledge of what that threat will be." The king turned back to Blarence.

"That is all I ask, watch the Moon King for me, and if things go dangerously wrong, inform me at once," the king told him.

"I shall comply to your command, and I won't let you down your majesty." Blarence bowed again.

"I only ask you because I am concerned about him, I never want to lose one of Mashillia's hopes," the king said as more tears rained from his eyes.

"I understand," Blarence replied.

Before any word was spoken, the ocean surface rippled and vibrated beneath Blarence's feet, and he stood up without a shiver or fear of what was about to happen. Yet Fearian was shocked when he realized that the waters rippled to form a gigantic tide, a tide that was strong and on its way to Blarence, ready to devour him and swallow him with its force.

The king stood still as well when the tide finally arrived and washed over the men, but the force of the tide didn't move Blarence's body.

Instead, his vision went from the ocean blue to dark again, except this time, torches were hanging from their sconces, lining up the walls of a long corridor.

Wait a second, this tunnel looks familiar Fearian thought to himself as he examined the walls and torches.

Then he realized again that he was still in Blarence's body, walking in his shoes through the tunnel as his fingers tips caressed the gravel walls while the other hand fed the unlit torches with his own torch. Fighting the darkness away as he approached. And it didn't take long for Blarence to reach a door and open it.

Fearian knew that he could not control his body, so he sat inside helplessly and let the events unfold before him. Yet these moments worried him, not because his expectations of entering the mind with his magic didn't happen (he was glad it didn't happen the shadowy way), but rather he was worried about what he heard.

The thought of King Salvador being in grave danger? How can King Salvador be in danger? He has his guards and powers, so how can he possibly be unprotected? But other things were more worrying and also suspicious.

That weeping King mentioned that he gifted Salvador a bracelet. Does Salvador know that man? Why is that giant Meanian, being a Dark one and especially a king, worried about Salvador? Aren't they enemies since Dark Meanians are clearly the Meanians' worst foes and that to the entirety of Mashillia? Something didn't seem right--

"Why does it have to be that way?" A familiar voice spoke, breaking Fearian out of his thoughts.

Fearian, or rather Blarence, was standing in a corridor of bookshelves, slightly peeking his head out and watching King Salvador as he sat at the round table, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Every time, every damn time I catch him, he either escapes or kills himself as a devotion," Salvador's voice was filled with upset and despair. "a fucking devotion to darkness and evil, never giving me the chance to know what the hell is going on." Salvador smacked a fist on the table.

"I understand that you're committing this to protect your people, but it seems you're also doing it for other reasons, may I ask why you are so upset?" A helper asked him calmly and sympathetically.

"Why I'm upset about it Wade?! It's him we're talking about! He could be secretly communicating with his dead men or the living men and giving them his plans, and they put them into action which surely will bring more harm than good! And how can I not be upset about it?!" Salvador yelled, losing his temper completely.

"Your majesty, we've told you many times, you shouldn't be worried. You've seen it and you've done it yourself with your own hands and spells, and we all have seen what you've casted and the incident was very plausible." The man by the name of Wade tried to calm him down.

"He is completely trapped and locked in and you even went to extreme measures of security just to make sure he doesn't escape--"

"What about the Dark Meanians that come and lurk?! Hell even if he didn't contact them they could be here to set him free! They would do anything! Fucking anything to let him loose and ruin what we fucking rebuilt over the years!" Salvador jumped from his seat and smacked the table with both hands. Scaring Wade.

"I truly understand what you mean! Truly I do-- W-We all do! It's just that maybe you're overreacting--"

"Are you saying I'm seeing things?! Do you think I'm l-lyin-- LYING?!" Salvador almost screamed as his silver cheeks turned scarlet red.

"No! No! No that is not what I meant! What I'm trying to say is that maybe you're worrying too much! And when you're worrying too much your mind starts to bring thoughts that doesn't exist! Y-You see what I mean?" Wade stood up, desperately trying to calm his king down.

"U-U-Uh t-think of it like this! What if Dark Meanians are here because they have nowhere else to go? What if they're trying to earn a living but in the bad way? Huh? Y-You get it r-r-right?" Wade smiled nervously, his hands shaking and sweat sliding down his coral blue fur.

"What about their fucking sneers when I caught them?! The way they refused to give me answers?! When they got away by stabbing their throats or purposely falling from high towers when they escape me?! Y-You... You just DON'T GET IT!" Salvador pushed the chairs aside with his powers in rage.

However, his violent thrashing didn't last; Salvador took some deep gasps until he collapsed into a heavy, heavy sob, tears raining from his golden eyes as the scarlet cheeks faded. Wade's shoulders slumped as he approached his king and knelt to land a hand.

"There there, it's alright, I know how you feel. And may the Fathers ease your heart someday." Wade stroked Salvador's shivering back.

"I'm just worried... Not only for my people but... But I'm... I'm worried about my life too..." Salvador spoke and sniffed between his sobs. His voice wasn't smooth anymore but deep and heart-breaking.

"I-I'm worried because I kept having these nightmares of him... How he's going to be free..." Salvador couldn't continue any further but sobbed harder.

"It's alright, it's alright no need to speak just... Let it all out," Wade said. "we could go to your bedroom, if that's what you want?" Wade asked.

Salvador nodded without hesitation, so they stood up and gently walked out of the room.

Poor Salvador, I didn't know he's been going through this Fearian's heart sympathised with the sorrowful moment.

"It can't be..." Blarence whispered in surprise. Stopping Fearian's train of thought.

Quickly, Blarence turned his heels and strode to the corridor wall, pulled a book from the shelf, and slid open the wall. Then he walked down the spiral steps, through the door and into the tunnel, not striding but running. But why did Blarence ran?

Suddenly, when Blarence was about to reach the opening at the end of the tunnel, he screamed when pain shot through him, paralysing him on the spot as shadows stole the golden lights from the torches and swarmed him. Fearian felt the same pain, and he too, screamed.

After a moment of agonising screams, his eyes opened, and the pain stopped. Fearian looked around and found himself in the same black void when he first encountered Blarence. Except this was different.

Blarence was on the floor, in front of Fearian, wrapping his arms around himself in pain. Suggesting that Fearian wasn't in Blarence's body anymore, so he looked down at his hands and body to find them in their original form. Cinnamon brown skin and sunset hair.

"Please..." Blarence called. "Please help me..." He wheezed.

Fearian did not hesitate but run up to Blarence and help him to sit.

"What happened to you?" Fearian asked seriously.

"Please... End this suffering..." Blarence breathed. Then slowly, his eyes widened. "Look out... R-Raven king!" He tried to warn Fearian, but it was too late.

A large, strong hand seized Fearian's throat from behind and pulled him off the floor, lifting him to the air. Fearian struggled and kicked the air around him.

"What do you think you're doing?" A deep voice asked, the tone was filled with a sneer by the sound of it. "Trying to help my little puppet escape? How are you even going to do that?" The voice laughed.

"He's not your damn puppet you shithead!" Fearian yelled through his struggle. With that reply, he was tossed aside.

Fearian's breath was knocked out as he hit the void's floor and rolled to a stop, coughing in the end as he sat up with shaking arms. Then he realized who's done that when he saw him.

What stood before him was a giant Dark Meanian, wearing his short crimson robes with his dark boots, and what was more ominous about his appearance was the giant Meanian's black void eyes with white irises and his big, dark, feathered wings that made a heavy flap. And that dark sneer on his face made him look even more threatening. Maybe Salvador was right to worry.

"I heard about you, then I've been told about you, and I don't mind fighting you just so I could free him." Fearian snarled as he stood up.

"Oh, is that so? Did that Silver bug tell you his lies?" The Dark Meanian grinned even more.

"His name is Salvador Seriaz! Not a bug compared to you!" Fearian yelled.

"He doesn't belong with me, not in the family, not after what he had done that broke me," the Dark Meanian summoned a large crimson blade in hand. "didn't he tell you of his crime?"

"Why would he tell me? It was obvious when he told me about you, he was upset!" Fearian yelled. "Now let that man go!" He added.

"Never." The Dark Meanian rose his blade, and it glowed red.

In great speed, he swung his blade, but the blade itself did not move further but rather, a magical red slash came out of the blade, flying towards Fearian.

Fearian dodged in time, but by the time that magical wave passed him, its force pushed him aside.

"Woah!" Fearian cried at the power of that flying wave.

The Dark Meanian did not hesitate but threw more of his sharp waves at him, and each blow was bigger than the last, to the point that Fearian can feel their power and speed quaking the floor beneath him as he dodged and rolled.

Fearian tried to think of ways to defend and fight back; he can't keep dodging and running from his attacks. So he tried to summon his sword into existence, a black shadowy orb formed on his palm, then he stretched this little ball into a long orange blade, with some shades that swirled around it.

The moment he summoned his weapon, one of the man's throws clashed into Fearian's blade with a loud clang that echoed throughout, and his sword spiralled out of his hand. Fearian clutched his hand as he bit his lips hard, preventing a scream from escaping.

"Shit!" Fearian couldn't help himself but cry in pain.

But Fearian didn't care, he looked at where his sword landed and sprinted towards it, yet a slash fell in his way, sending him flying and falling, away from his weapon.

"You'll never win, just like your so-called 'king', don't be so full of yourself." The man chuckled.

"I'm not doing this shit for pride!" Fearian raised his hands and clutched them into fists, quickly turning black and full of shades swarming around them.

"All I ask is you let the man go! Nothing else!" Fearian crouched to a fighting stance, curving his spine and bending his knees.

"Who do you think you are so I can comply to such commands?" The man pointed his blade at Fearian.

"Does it really matter?!" Fearian replied.

"It does to me," the man said.

Fearian hesitated for a moment, still crouched. "Fearian, Fearian Grevalon son of Onel Grevalon, and that man you're possessing is my grandfather. Now what else do you want?"

The man's dark eyes widened as his jaw slightly dropped, his grip on the blade loosened.

"Fearian Grevalon? Why didn't you say so in the first place?"

Fearian was baffled a little, he wanted to put his guard down, but something told him not to despite the man's change of tone when he told him his name. Then the realisation hit him.

"You're that king who wants to retrieve me," Fearian said. "why do you want to take me?"

The man only chuckled. "Don't you know what you're capable of, Fearian? That magic of yours," he took a step closer to Fearian. "it's considered to be unique, powerful, even rare to us as Dark Meanians." He approached him. Fearian only carefully stepped back.

"Haven't you asked yourself why you are gifted with such power? Magic like that can change you completely, and turn you into a merciless, heartless, brutal man to ever live--"

"NO! This isn't true! This isn't fucking true and I-I'll prove you wrong! I won't use this magic for evil but for good! Y-You'll see!" Fearian yelled as his fists began to shake.

"Then what's the point? What about your ignorance towards your loved ones? Your stubbornness that almost got your family killed? Believe my words Grevalon, your magic will bring you to madness." The man got closer and closer, Fearian stepping back further, eyes locked on his.

"What do you want from me?! Get to the fucking point!" Fearian's fists shook more violently.

"How about a bargain?" The man smirked. "I will free your grandfather and keep your family safe from my men, but under one condition," the man let his blade dissolve into nothingness.

"You must learn about your king's secret of undying, and when you do," he offered his hand to him, and crimson auras swirled around his palm. "destroy what keeps him alive."

"And if I don't? What are you going to do?" Fearian tried to hide his denial. Taking quick breaths.

"I will immediately seize your soul even though I'm in a monstrous form, and I will murder your family and anyone you love, and their blood will be on your own hands rather than mine." The man smirked even wider, almost giggling.

Fearian was stunned, and he failed to hide his sorrowful shock after what he heard. His fist loosened and lowered, leaving Fearian to suck in shuddering breaths.

"Think about the child, wouldn't be a shame for a father, who promised to give his child the best life he could ever have, to murder his own son heartlessly? If I were you, I would kill myself rather than live in this hellhole as a hated murderer."

Fearian glanced back and forth at Blarence on the floor, then at the giant Dark Meanian who offered his hand. And the image of the dead children flashed in his mind. This time, his entire family was included.

Gholt laying on his pool of blood, his father stabbed in the back, Darvin shot by arrows even in his face, and finally, he didn't want to think about his son's fate. His little body would be covered in blood-- 

He shut his eyes.

I'm sorry... I truly am...

Fearian looked at the hand as he kept breathing and his limbs shivered. Without further ado, he took his hand. And a red light blasted from their hands, and all Fearian heard was the Dark Meanian's loud, maniacal laughter as everything went white.

"Fearian?" A voice called.

Fearian fluttered his eyes open, he looked around him and saw that he was back in the silver dome, and this time there were no screaming nor a beast roaring. Instead, the lords were standing there, staring at him in shock with their bruises and cuts on their bodies. Red was doing the same and in the same condition.

"You did it," Maron said. "you got rid of the spirit without us eliminating his form! Look!" Maron drew a smile of excitement as he pointed at the Dark Meanian that lay on the floor, violently shaking.

Fearian followed his gaze and knelt immediately to him. "B-Blarence? Are you alright? Blarence?"

Blarence looked up at Fearian, eyes wide open as his lips quivered. Yet, he wasn't smiling nor showing any signs of relief.

"H-How c-c-could you??" Blarence stuttered.

"What? W-Why aren't you happy? I ended your suffering--"

"But not like this! Not like this!" Blarence cried as he suddenly grabbed a silver chain and stood up, ready to wrap it around his neck.

"Woah woah woah easy there man! Put the chain down!" One of the lords cried, raising both hands.

"What are you doing?! I SAVED you! Why are you doing this?!" Fearian cried as shades started to fade from his body.

"I'm sorry Fearian! But I can't live with myself! Not after I ruined my child's life and harmed you and your family! Not after I let his majesty down! I'm a FAILURE!" Blarence didn't hesitate but quickly wrapped the chain around his neck and strangled himself.

"NO STOP BLARENCE--" Fearian rushed towards him, but it was too late. For a second had passed, and Blarence's head was cut off and fell to roll away. Blood sprayed heavily from his cut neck like a fountain as his corpse collapsed.

And Fearian did not reach him. Instead, his shadowy form immediately faded and flew out of the dungeon and all the way back to The Healing Temple. Where Fearian snapped his eyes open and jumped from his bed with a long, deep gasp like he hasn't breathed for ages, and his heart never stopped beating hard against his chest.

"BLARENCE!" He called in loud desperation, quickly turning his head left and right as if looking for him in his room.

That's where someone barged into the room. Fearian looked at the incomer as his throat thickened.

"Fearian! You're awake!" Onel strode to his son. "What happened?! Did you do it?!" Onel cupped his cheeks in worry, looking into Fearian's eyes that shimmered brightly with tears.

"Blarence..." Fearian said his name. "Blarence... He's... " His breath shuddered the more he spoke.

"Blarence is dead," Fearian spoke no more but heavily sobbed into waterfall tears.

All Onel did was embrace his weeping son and stroked his head. Affected by the news as well.

Father... Onel thought, his tears raining.