“King Darick!” the man blurted as helaughed.
“That is far away in Drishane. Why go all the way over there?” asked onelady.
“For the Royal Darick. The currency is worth more than the measly forest chips,” the man volunteered before falling into a fit of laughsagain.
I needed to get there and try to warn the king. If I traveled by fog, I could be there much quicker. I ran into the forest toward a patch of fog and closed my eyes before I dove into it. As always, the fog caught me and prevented me from hitting the ground. I held my hands under my chest, fingers spread, and palms toward the ground as I concentrated on where I washeaded.
“Drishane…Drishane…Drishane,” I calmly repeated as the fog carried me to mydestination.
I made sure the fog carried me closer to the outer edge of the forest so that I would be sure to avoid bumping into the Carpe Noctem. I knew that they always traveled in the deepest parts of the forests. I could not believe they were bold enough to attempt to kill the King ofDrishane.
I felt as though a slow wave moved through the fog. I had a feeling that Carpe Noctem was close and traveling. My fear was that they were traveling back to Stonewald…which meant that I was too late. I finally moved my arms and hands away from my body to slow myself down. I leaned backward until I was upright, and my right foot touched down on the ground before my leftfoot.
The sound of my footfalls and my heavy breathing were the only things I heard as I briskly walked out of the woods towards the soft yellow glowing light. I transitioned from the damp forest ground to the cobblestone and soon came upon a wooden sign that read, “Drishane: The Kingdom of Darick Welcomes You.” I stayed still for a few moments and listened for sounds. It was worrisome that I heard nothing, especially since I had exceptionalhearing.
I slowly walked into the town and saw no sign of anyone anywhere. Most of the homes seemed dark, but the streets were aglow with flickering lanterns. I made it to the center of town and to what appeared to be a dining hall when I saw the carnage. With my hands on top of my head, I stared in shock at the bodies. Easily hundreds lay lifeless and still. This could easily be the entiretown.
“What have you done?” I whispered as I thought of my father and his vileclan.
I walked through the dining hall and called out forsurvivors.
“Can anyone hear me?” I called out. I looked to the left and then the right as Ipaused.
I heard someone moving and coughing. I headed quickly in the direction of the coughs and gasps forair.
“I am coming,” I called out and sprinted for the man as soon as I spottedhim.
I knelt beside his shaking body, and took hold of his hand. He clearly did not have much time left. His face was pale, and his lips were a light gray. I leaned forward so he could hearme.
“Sir, would you like me to free yoursoul?”
Perhaps it was in the way that I worded it, but he seemed to know that I could get him through the gates that he desired to go through. He nodded slowly and gripped myhand.
“Can…you…collect…sins?” he weaklyasked.
“I can,” Iconfirmed.
“Please. I…have…regrets,” he murmured with tear-filled eyes as he offered me hiswrist.
I nodded and told him to close his eyes as I brought his wrist to mymouth.
“With the blood I take, I give peace. And for peace, I trade my soul,” I recited calmly before I drank hisregrets.
I set his wrist down gently, stood, and continued searching for those that were stillalive.
“Hello? Can anyone hear me?” I called out and repeated every fewsteps.
When I spotted the table that looked like the one that the Darick family may have been seated at, I sprinted over. King Darick was face down on thetable.
“King Darick?” I called and gently pulled him back and into hisseat.
Blood ran down his neck, and I cringed. I had seen the Carpe Noctem do this many times before. It was brutal and nothing more than a vulture toying with its prey. His neck had been punctured just enough for a slow, painful death. He coughed and struggled as he gripped my hand. When he reached for who I assumed was his wife, I shook my head to let him know she was alreadygone.
“King Darick,” I began and glanced at a window when I heard laughteroutside.
Had they come back? Or had they neverleft?
“I can save you. You would be immortal—” I started to explain when he startedtalking.
