134

134

Malachi’s POV

The headsman knelt before me, his head so low to the ground that I had to strain my eyes to see his face. The sweat pouring off his forehead formed little pools on the bottom of my tent even as he drooled soaking his feet in it.

“Repeat that,” I stated. The boiling in my chest caused my voice to drop, taking on the ice that usually suffused my gut. “What did you just say to me?”

“The cage,” the man whimpered pitifully. “My lord, the prisoner has escaped. And Diana’s men have taken our spy.” I did not bother controlling the volume of my voice as I growled his name and stood from my throne. My robes of black swished behind me as I approached the messenger who flinched but never glanced up.

“How long?”

“Two, maybe three hours, my lord.” I grabbed his throat, flinging him into the air without a second thought. Dark magic flowed through me as naturally as my blood, making me far stronger than any human should be. Bouncing on the ground, his wide barley visible through forced eyeballs as he fought for air.

“And you are just now telling me?”

“I came here the moment Lord Malachi, my lord, please.” I dropped him, and he gasped and wheezed at my feet. I turned away, hands balled into fists at my side. Diana was crafty; it was not beyond possibility that she would have captured my spy.

“Get out. Out. Send in my commanders.” The man shot to his feet and whisked himself out of my tent as fast as his shaking legs could propel him. I strode to my table where I kept my maps, contemplating the eastern borders where my army was gathering. Mine was over thrice as large as her army, but they had witches.

My commanders came in succession. The six-foot-six frame of General Korvin, each of his many battles scarred across his body. Commander Thresh, the best strategist in my army. And Captain Nyx, the commander of my dark magic users, they all bowed before me.

“My lord,” Korvin said. “We heard about the spy.”

“No matter.” I waved my hand dismissively. “The spy has fulfilled his duty. We learned much from those he exposed.”

“But now Diana knows she was being watched,” Thresh said. “She’ll be more cautious.” I smiled coldly.

“Let her be cautious.” I spoke as if speaking about an ant trying to protect his anthill from a torch. “It will not save her.”

I motioned for my commanders to gather around the table. Their eyes were riveted to the maps. “Diana will come at us with everything she has got,” I told them. “She does not want us to win. This desperation will lead to her defeat.” Nyx asked.

“And what are your orders, my lord?” I said. “We advance at sunrise. But in the hours before dawn, I need your dark magic users set up along the northern ridge. When the enemy engage our front, they will come up from behind and attack as well. Trap them in a pincer movement.”

Korvin looked at me with narrowed eyes. “And what about the witch? They will overpower our dark magic.” I reached under the table and brought out a small black box. Inside were three fist-sized black crystals.

They pulsed with evil energy. My commanders paled. “These are shadow crystals,” I said. “I have spent months gathering them. They absorb magic and turn it into raw energy that our soldiers can use. When the witches think they are performing magic against us, they will actually be making us stronger.”

“Where did you acquire those?” Nyx whispered, his tone tinged with both reverence and terror. “You don’t need to know that. All you need to know is that they function. Put them out around the battlefield at strategic locations. Ensure our warriors stay close to them,” I said.

“Yes, my lord,” the three commanders chimed in unison. “I want every hill covered with archers; if Diana herself arrives on the battlefield, I want to see a dozen arrows plummeting into her the moment she exposes herself. I don’t want to hear how many of our warriors perish in the process; she must not survive this fight.” Korvin squirmed uncomfortably.

“My lord, executing Diana may undoubtedly be blaming her for a tragedy; if she dies, her folks will fight even harder.” I sneered at him. “Have you questioned my decision-making, general?”

“No, my lord. I’m solely offering an alternate point of view.” I said, “Your viewpoint has been noted and denied. Diana is the enemy’s heart. When she dies, everything she believes in will collapse. They’re defeated without their Texas Hold’em champion. Her partner may be mighty, but he’s useless without her guidance. We kill her, and they’ll be nothing left to fight for”.

The generals glanced at one another but said no more. They wouldn’t dare to argue with me. I ask, “Is everything clear?”

“Yes, my lord,” they responded. “Then proceed. Make arrangements. We’ll be on the march as first light breaks the sky.” They exited my tent, bowing. I was left alone with my thoughts. I had some more wine, moved to the entrance, and stared at my army the following day. Thousands of warriors scurried around the camp, sharpening their swords, polishing their armor, and conversing silently.

This. All of this was my army. My power. All I had worked for was starting to come together. And then I thought of Diana and how she had come from nothing to be a real worry to my designs. She was broken. Weak. Easily malleable. But instead, she found out about her heritage, brought together the witches and werewolves, and created an army that could rival mine. In a way, I respected her. Admired her even. She had spirit. Power. But it wouldn’t save her. The traitor that I had captured was a loose thread that needed tying up.

I had given him a task – to stay quiet and keep feeding him information. He had not done the second part. I would have him tortured in a few days, so he would probably say too much. I would need to remind myself to have him killed. My assassins could easily infiltrate her camp, striking quietly, quickly and silently removing anyone who would care. Standing back to the table, I pulled out an old journal, filled with plans and observations centered on dark ancient rituals. Rites that required immense sacrifice to enable a return.

One that I had been studying all week. The Rite of Consuming Shadows would enable me to take the life of hundreds of my own soldiers, but that it would “transfer” this power to the strongest. They would become almost unkillable – quicker. Stronger. Harder to kill. It was expensive. But worth it. I closed the journal and called in my personal guard. Two of them immediately strode into the tent, faces shielded by dark masks.

“Have him gather fifty soldiers ranked in the reserve units mother and deliver them to the ritual site behind my tent. Inform them that they have been selected to receive a gift that will reward even the coldest of warriors with joy and warmth.”

“As you wish, my son.” uttered mother Lysandra before turning around and leaving me be once more. With a heavy heart and nerves on edge, I prepared for what lay ahead. I put on ceremonial robes. The dresses were black, but with them were red colors on the fabric where various symbols representing different aspects of dark Magic, Death, Decay, and Destruction.

An hour later, I was in the clearing behind my tent. fifty soldiers took me for surprise as I entered, on their knees and heads down in a circle around the crystal and chalice placed in the center. They all thought they were to be rewarded, but that could not be farther from the truth. As I started to chant in the Old Language once more, energy, wisps of darkness thick as black smoke twisted and writhed around me and the soldiers in supernatural winds, they started to look up at me with confusion and fear.

“My lord, what is happening?” one of them dared to cry out. I did not answer, I could not afford it. The ritual required all of my focus to function now. Raising both hands to the skies, the dark energy I generated shot out and connected with the essence of each of the fifty soldiers. From the life force, they screamed pure horror as what made them beings of the earth ripped from their temples and connected in the air before being taken to the massive Crystal. Louder did they scream, more desperate as they tried to run, but the magic held them firmly. Split into man and beast alike, their bodies struck the forest and laid there to wither, all fifty dead within minutes, husks of what was once men. Down I brought my hands, gasping for air. The ritual always took a toll on this bard, but Its results were always worth it. Thus, the Cup filled with stolen life-energy of fifty men radiated red with its light.

I carefully picked up the rock and walked it back to my tent. Tomorrow, I will distribute this energy to my elite warriors. They would be unstoppable. Diana’s forces would have no chance against them. I walked to the edge of the camp and looked towards the eastern horizon, as Diana’s army had already gathered there. Even from the distance, I could feel her presence. She is strong, but I am stronger. She had allies, but I had power beyond her imagination.

“Tomorrow, everything changes,” I whispered to myself. “Tomorrow, I shall crush your hope and take what was rightfully mine from the start.” I turned around to see my commanders waiting nearby.

“Send word to all units,” I instructed them. “We advance at dawn. No mercy. No prisoners. We finish this tomorrow.”

They saluted and darted off. I watched them leave; there was a cold grin all over my face. Diana thought she could best me. She thought her love for Dante and her children and subjects would be enough to defeat me. She was wrong. I have waited for this day for years. I have planned every detail, I have given up everything for ultimate power. Nothing shall stand in my way now. I stood there in darkness, watching my army get ready, feeling something I have felt in years. It was excitement.

Tomorrow shall be glorious. It will be the day I finally destroy Diana and all that she loved. Tomorrow shall be the day I show that power is the only thing that matters in this world. And when it was done and Diana lay dead at my feet, and her forces scattered, I will build this realm again. A darkness realm. Where power is strong, and the weak serves.

I raised my hand towards the moon. I could feel the pulse of dark magic race through my veins. “Come, Diana,” I whisper. “Came to face your doom”.

Suddenly, a messenger ran up behind me, taking my breath away with his own. “ My lord, I have an urgent message from our scouts!”

“What is it?”. He tried to catch his breath.

“Dante’s pack has arrived in Diana’s camp. Every single pack member. But that’s not all… ”

“Speak!” I commanded. The messenger swallowed instinctively. “they formed a total alliance! Each coven of witches, every single werewolf pack, some of the vampires… their forces just doubled in size!”.....