Journey of Sins

Prologue

“In a world of ruin they had a king”, said the old man almost hysterical “A bringer of death. They feared him but thought him their savior for he had lived for so long. Immortal. But there was another, a queen but not his. There were those who wished to defy him, kill him. In a world where there was only life he was death and they hated him for it. For a long, long time all he knew was hate.” The young boy listening can only cringe but the girl sitting next to him is filled with sorrow, sadness for their lost king. But still the old man goes on not missing a single beat.

“The man in black, our forgotten king, sets out on a journey no longer wanting to rule a kingdom that does not want him, did not love him. No longer sat upon the throne he did not want. He would find her the queen who was like him, but loved”. The girl couldn’t understand how they were both immortal but only one was loved. She could only wonder how it felt, what it was like to live in a world to rule a world where you were not loved but hated, not cherished but feared. It was cruel she decided.

I.THE KING

He sat upon his throne grimed faced as usual. Clad entirely in black even his hair was the color of pure onyx, but his eyes she could see were a brilliant blue the color of the sky, the impossible color. She loved that color so much, grabbed at the sky but got nothing, but she could look into those eyes and feel free. He was her king nothing more, but she found herself wanting more but she knew he didn’t. He had someone already far younger than him no matter how young he looked. He doted upon her, his love and she was forced to endure it for she could not step out of place.

The small girl so frail, with her long wispy white hair ran up to him smiling. When she looked at him she did not see what everyone else saw, she was a child so innocent and he was a man so tainted, yet he had saved her and she was the only one who made him smile, even if it was small and weak it was a smile something he didn’t often do.

She stood at his feet and he lifted one hand gloved in black leather and ruffled her hair adoration in his eyes. They all knew he would not let anything hurt her and for that reason alone they believed he could change, they knew he could love. The guards all stood at attention all faithful and loyal they would not break his trust he knew, they knew. And as they eyed the child and him from under their helmets they smiled. They have watched him for many years, in fact some for an eternity and they had never seen him smile not until the day he brought her home. They thought that’s what made it all worthwhile, like parents watching children grow.

He stared down at her eyes narrow on hand holding his head in a fist the other ruffling her hair. “I will protect you”, he promised in his thoughts as a small uncertain smile crept to his lips and she smiled brighter. She made him smile, she cared for him which no one had ever done, and in turn he cared for her. He would not harm nor taint her and to do that he kept his distance. They enjoyed the time they spent together, he enjoyed her and would not let those who wanted his death know of her for that he went to all lengths. But still somehow they knew and she was gone slipped through his fingers like the wind.

He remembered the raid, the fire, the betrayal, but most of all he remembered the death, the blood that covered his floor and his hands as he lost himself and went berserk. It wasn’t him who killed her, he knew he was too late to stop it though and couldn’t bear to look at the scene. He had lost her that in which was the only thing, only one who had his love and the only one who loved him to his knowledge at least.

The king all clad in black like every other day stood in front of his people atop his balcony. The wind blew hard that day and whipped his black clothes and hair yet he stood motionless, his eyes void of a soul, and his castle knew he was lost that hope was gone but his people had always knew that and didn’t notice the difference. They didn’t notice that his glare had changed from hate to loath, that he no longer cared what they did, what he did and so they didn’t care about those words he said that were lost in the wind. But one man heard it, his right hand as you would call it. “I’m leaving”, he said and Cage gasped. In the entire world Cage was the only one who heard the words said by their king and was the only one who followed him that day.

Their king clad in black, clothes billowing in the wind walked down his palace steps boots clacking. He had his hands in his pockets and eyes half shut but before he left he looked back and said one simple word. “Goodbye”, he whispered and it was lost in the wind. In the stories told the words he said were changed, instead of that one word he said four. ‘Death to you all”, and there was death.

Cage swore his loyalty his life to the man who was their king. He had saved him to Cage’s mind at least. In truth the man only said he could follow if he wanted to. As Caged sat there crouched on the dirt in the middle of a fallen war he looked up at his king walking away silhouetted in the sun and ran after him. So it was only right that he should run after him now. And so he did, Cage ran to his king and fell in step just a few feet behind him smiling enthusiastically. “Where we head ‘n”, he asked and the king glanced at him. A moment passed and his voice was barely audible over the roaring wind. But still Cage heard him say “Wherever the wind takes us”. Cage was overjoyed, he said “us” meaning that he could go to. “I will follow you anywhere your highness”, he said loudly but the king only gave him a narrow glance then shrugged. “Do whatever it is you wish”, he said “I am no longer the king”.

The two figures walked, one clad in black billowing in the wind it looked like he was surrounded by shadows. The other was thin as would the first be if his clothes were not so baggy. Cage’s hair was a light almost white blonde and he wore a chest upon his back a big heavy wooden box held with leather straps. He smiled at his king who only glared which made him smile more, Cage saw that glare as the king’s acknowledgement he would live up to that.