“You still are,” Ashiyn muttered as he looked away. “So now I have you. Why should I not just stay here and let the world burn itself to the ground? As long as you don’t die you’ll live forever. I’m immortal. We could emerge from the ashes and rebuild once it is all over. If the people can't defend themselves, why should I defend them? If I let the monsters carve out the weak and righteous, then I will have an army forged in fire to combat the monsters when I take this world.”
Soryn narrowed his eyes. "My King, I don't think you want a world full of people like you. There isn't enough room for more than one." When Ashiyn tilted his head, clearly considering those words, Soryn continued, “Do you really want to rule a world full of corpses? What good will they do you if they are all dead?”
Ashiyn raised a brow at that. Clearly, he had not expected Soryn to be ready with an argument, or perhaps it had been so long since he had been questioned that it shocked him. “Continue, I am listening,” Ashiyn said finally.
Soryn crossed his arms. “I came here to find the one who can save this world. I have always believed you could. The righteous have failed us, the light has failed us, and they can no longer turn back the tide of monsters. Rurik’s prophecies told of one of purest darkness that would rise and bring peace to the land. Rurik thought they foretold his coming, but I believe they meant you. I’m here to make sure you’re the one that rises to claim this world.”
"There are others?" Ashiyn raised a brow.
"Of course, there are others. The darkness has many denizens and servants, and every one of them thirsts for the power to take this world," Soryn said with a shrug. "The prophecies are well known to them. Even now they plot your demise, so that they can be the darkness that saves this world."
“My demise is not so easily plotted. I am immortal,” Ashiyn scoffed as he finished his wine.
“You are immortal. You are not invincible,” Soryn reminded softly. “I heard your son Ember has made it a game to kill you every few years.”
Ashiyn bristled at the mention of Ember, his eyes flashing with anger. “Harm refuses to die. I think it is her influence that fuels Ember still. Ember thinks if he succeeds, he will finally win her affection.”
“Have you ever given thought to giving him he affection he wants instead so he switches sides?” Soryn pointed out, then laughed at the incredulous look Ashiyn gave him. “You are capable of affection, my King, you just don’t want anyone to know that. Would it not make more sense to recruit your immortal son to your side instead of having him as your enemy? Only those born of suffering are going to save this world, Ashiyn.”
“I don’t believe in fate or prophecies, Soryn,” Ashiyn reminded him.
“You don’t have to believe in them to fulfill them. Let me worry about the prophecies. It is my advice that you go out among the world and free a few towns of the monstrous assaults they are under. Make your people love you. Show them you are their salvation. If you do not, someone else will rise to try to take your place now that Rhadamanthus has fallen,” Soryn urged. “If nothing else, think of how it will feel to have the world realize that you are such a terrifying force that even the tides of darkness flee from you. This is your world now. Take it by force. Show them why you are king.”
Ashiyn rose from the bed and donned his armor, then took Sihtaar from the case and strapped the sword on his back. “Very well, I could use the exercise and Sihtaar always thirsts for blood.”
“May I come with you, my Lord?” Soryn rose, watching Sihtaar warily. He did not trust the blade at all, and he had not forgotten the price his people had paid to capture the monster within it.
“If you wish,” Ashiyn agreed, and together they walked outside to the stable.
Illusion decided to be capricious and not allow Soryn to ride behind Ashiyn. Soryn just shook his head and used his magic to call a griffin from the skies to use as a mount. The giant bird-lion seemed amicable enough toward the magus. They took to the air and flew to a town that Soryn had suggested was heavily under attack by the monstrous hordes.
They saw the battle raging below them. Floods of monsters attacked the small village. The villagers had attempted to build a protective ring of fire to keep the monsters out, but the fire had spread to the buildings. The villagers who were not battling monsters were wailing and running around in a chaotic panic.
Ashiyn slid off his mount's back, then waved the winged equine back into the sky to protect Illusion from the monsters on the ground. As he swung his blade through the air, the metal sang, and the sword cleaved in half anything that approached them. Sihtaar did not care if it drank the blood of people or the blood of monsters.
Soryn ran behind him to keep up. He stopped short when he saw how much of the town was burning. "Master, I can summon ice and water."
"Go and help them if you wish. Don't get killed." Ashiyn hardly spared the magus a glance as he turned to hack yet another creature in half. He accidentally hacked the human it had been attacking too. Oh well, the human looked to have been injured anyway, and the
