Chapter 3 #2
“There is no such thing as innocence. I will forgive you for not knowing this, as you, like the concept itself, are merely a fiction.” He shrugged.
There was no point in arguing with a dream.
“All things will die. All things must die. That this world exists is a folly. That humanity exists at all is a farce. Humanity had their chance to prove they deserved to share this world with beings of power. They’ve spent the last several centuries demonstrating their unfitness through war, pollution, and the systematic destruction of magic itself.
I was born for their destruction. And lo, I come to deliver it. ”
Holding up his sword, he watched the remaining crimson blood glint off the blade.
“The simple fact remains, my dear friends, that humanity is best relegated to the position of dust. And Seelie shall be kept in pens where they can do no harm. So, if you wish to cavort and enjoy this ‘madness’ while you can, I suggest you flee and do so.” He grinned at them.
He could almost taste the carnage on his lips already. “Before my fun begins in truth.”
“M-my liege—” the foolish Seelie Lord Caelum opened his mouth for the last time.
Before Valroy tired of it being able to produce sound.
With a sigh, he swung his sword, and cleaved Caleum’s head from his neck. The blow was fast enough that it did not even draw blood for the first few seconds.
The woman accompanying Caelum screamed.
The corpse of Lord Caelum slumped to one side.
His head rolled to the other, the mouth moving and eyes searching in its last moments of disembodied life.
Always fascinating how that tended to happen.
Idly, he nudged the head with his foot. He wondered if anyone had ever done a study of how long it lasted.
Nos was standing there in wide-eyed horror. “The treaty, my King…”
Valroy laughed. “I suppose we can duly consider it broken, hm?” He turned toward Nos, lowering his sword to his side. Ibin was now standing beside Nos, her hands clenched in fists at her side. “Oh? And what is this? Is the dream angry with me now? How adorable!”
Nos shook his head. “This is wrong, King Valroy. And you know it.”
“Do speak to me of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ as if I give a damn, Nos.” He rolled his eyes.
“Then we will stop you.”
Now that made him snort in derision. “And how precisely do you intend on doing that? You both are nothing but flecks of dust to me. And unto dust I shall eagerly return you, if you are thinking of standing in my way.” He took a step toward Nos.
“I see no Weaver in your company. No exile. And you are no demigod, last I checked. Nothing but a man rendered under a whisper of a memory in a dream.”
“No.” His jaw twitched. Ibin looked nervous. “I cannot fight you alone.”
“I am the living embodiment of entropy itself, you fool.” He snarled, his voice dropping to a whisper. He needn’t be loud to be heard. “I am the void that swallows all. I was birthed by the Morrigan to consume the mistake she was too much of a coward to set right by her own hand.
Once more spreading his wings, he held his hands out at his side, letting the Maze out around him, the darkness spreading out like a fog. “And I. Am. Free!”
Nos and Ibin stepped back, their faces pale with recognition of the raw power being unleashed. The remaining Seelie turned and ran for her life.
But Valroy did not attack. He would not need to.
Instead, he simply stood there, letting them feel the futility of their existence.
“Go on, you little abandoned child’s toy, stitched together like so many cobbled together pieces of bric-a-brac.
Go and find your precious little Weaver.
Tell her what I plan to do. Tell her I gather my armies.
Tell her that all of humanity’s tales of the things that whispered in the darkened trees and stole their tongues in the mists are nothing compared to what I shall unleash upon them all. ”
“And when she stands against you?” Nos took several staggering steps back from him, though his voice remained firm.
The thought was pure delight. “Then we shall learn which of us is the greater—and what happens when dreams truly die. Though I am more excited to face the exile, I must admit. Do you imagine…if I were to pluck off the spider’s legs, they would stay gone? I would love to find out.”
Nos took Ibin’s hand. “Come. We-we should go. We cannot win this.”
“We can’t just—we can’t just let him—” Ibin stammered, her neck red with anger. Valroy rather hoped the woman would pull back a fist and punch him in the face, but he suspected that Nos would not let that happen.
“We need to find Ava. And pray we she is stronger than I think.” Nos pulled Ibin away.
Valroy smiled and let them go. “I wish you the best of luck in your search. I look forward to finally meeting my half-brother, believe it or not. And I am eager to end this with the Weaver once and for all.”
Because if she wasn’t strong enough to stop him—and Valroy was certain she wasn’t—then there was no one powerful enough in this new reality to stand in his way.
And this merged reality would become a nightmare from which no one would ever wake.
One over which he would reign supreme.
And how wonderful was that?
Letting out a wistful sigh, he folded his wings at his back and leaned his sword against his shoulder as he turned to walk the other way, whistling a cheerful tune.
I do wonder where my wife has gotten off to, though…
This would be so much more enjoyable with her here.