Introduction
Welcome back to Maledicturs Terra. This is a Chain Story between myself and @lex-zaiya, meaning that we each write the parts alternatively.
This is the end of Book 2!
If you have not read Maledictus Terra Book 1: Mortis Custos yet, it starts HERE at Part 1 and ends at Part 101 HERE. At the end of the Part 101 post you will find links to all 101 Parts!
The previous part by @lex-zaiya can be found HERE.
Part 111
A cold wind blew in from the prairie.
It tugged and pulled at the cloaks and covers of the column of people and wagons that were making their way out of the city of Dragonshold. The people were in high spirits. They were going home.
Their King had triumphed and broken the curse on their land, even though he had paid a high price in doing so. He had become something of a legend and King Sebastian's people loved him for it.
A bestial King with a heart of gold and his betrothed, a Shadow who watches and cares for the people. It made them feel as though they could walk through the darkness and find friendship and trust.
The King sat on his massive warhorse with some difficulty. The horse seemed barely large enough to hold the King. He watched the train of people go and his heart swelled with pride to see so many Clarpratians had survived.
They were accompanied by some builders from a guild sent on behalf of the Queen of Dragonshold, his sister. Blazeknights also flanked the procession but were spread far apart. Commander Irongrip wanted these people protected and many Blazeknights had wanted a chance to see another place where the Godling Mortis Custos had touched the world and helped break another curse.
Purity was being restored to the world and with it another temple had sprung up.
There were some that were entrenched in their monotheistic viewpoint of the powers that command in the world, most of them Blazeknights, but most people accepted that there were now two beings who possessed Godlike power and should be revered as such.
There were already theological debate as to the nature of these beings as to whether they were Gods or those that carried the God's favor. The Godlings did not seem to mind that in the slightest. Only Adrian seemed to be annoyed that these so-called all powerful beings delighted so much in getting attention as though they were children.
King Sebastian turned his horse to face his sister and smiled, revealing jagged teeth. "I am going to miss you!" He said tenderly.
"And I, you brother." Queen Mary said in return from on top of her own Warhorse. This one seemed not about to buckle under the strain of carrying such a large weight.
"Next time, let's not wait until a nation is cursed or someone is about to die eh?"
Mary smiled. "You have my word." Sebastin reached over in his saddle and gave his sister a fierce hug.
It was then Magna's turn. Sebastian grinned and gave her and even harder embrace. "Keep training those sword skills of yours girl and you will be one of the best fighters in the land!"
Magna grinned back. "I might just beat you one of these days!"
Sebastian winked. "I better keep training as well then." He moved his horse down the line, exchanging farewells and thanks with Anna, Lucien, Adiran and Commander Irongrip. He stopped before a brooding figure. "Come now nephew! Why so glum?"
There was a collective intake of breath from several onlookers and Magna suppressed a smile. It was strange but it was common for people to have grown to fear Adrian. It was almost unexplainable. He was not prone to acts of sudden violence or temper and there had been no incidents before the general population of any sort of power.
But the young man exuded something dread in most people and when he locked eyes with someone, several of the soldiers and castle servants had either been transfixed or had fled in terror.
The Beast King of Clarpratia was not so easily scared and hugged his nephew.
"Take care Uncle." Adrian said simply.
"I will lad. You look after your mother and sister." Sebastian said seriously to which Adrian merely nodded.
Mortis was not there to say goodbye. He had gone to rest in the crypts beneath the castle.
Sebastian came a stop before the last person in the line to bid him farewell. "I cannot thank you enough fro helping me break the curse on my home. I feel that I should return the favour and help you break the curse on your Kingdom too."
"Right now I think it more prudent that you resettle your lands and tend to your people your majesty. I will call upon your aid some day."
"Aye, and you will have it Young Wolf." Sebastian gripped Derrick's hand in a firm grip and the two men grinned at each other.
And with that the King of Clarpratia waved his hand and a horn was blown to announce the King's departure. He was followed by a shadow that several people in the farewell party knew too well.
Magna turned toward her mother. "What do we do now?"
"We have done what we can for my brother and you will want to go off on yet another insane mission to break the curse on your betrothed's lands." Mary said. "Right now, I suggest you all rest for a while. You have sent Millmor ahead with that new servant. Let them gather information while you all gather strength...and try be a little bit human with yourselves."
If it was meant as a joke, nobody laughed at it. Some of them were not human, or had touched the minds of those who were inhuman. Such was the fate of those living on this cursed earth.
Holding on to their humanity is what the Queen meant. Adrian considered this as the most important thing that his mother had just said. To treasure and keep true their own humanity was the only way that they could hope to win.
He breathed deeply and then turned his horse to begin travelling towards the castle without waiting for the others.
He had books to read... and he needed to prepare.
He could strike at any time.
And there we have it! A conclusion and break and end of the 2nd Book of Maledicturs Terra!
Thank you so much for reading and supporting @lex-zaiya and I with our posts and comments that you have made!
Thank you!
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