3: The Fall of Archon

“YOUR MAJESTIES!” A guard came running into the throne room. “The village is being attacked and the army is making its way here!”

The King stood up and began to yell out orders. “ READY THE ARCHERS! FORTIFY THE GATES! PREPARE ALL DEFENSES!”” Have they sent their demands?”

“No your Majesty. They are just leaving a path of destruction in their wake.” The guard replied with a hint of panic.

“How long before they reach the gates?” The king spoke in ernest.

“ With in the hour your Majesty.” The guard stated.

“How many men strong is the enemy?”The King inquired.

“Oddly enough your majesty its but a small army. Maybe the size of a regiment.” The guard stated again.

“Send out a squad of soldiers to check on the village and a doctor. Aide as many of the survivors you can. Look for Antony , and BoldR they will be a great asset. Also take out any of the enemy that stayed behind. I want their heads.”the King ordered

“Yes your Majesty.” The guard replied.

The King spoke with a grave expression and tone. He looked over to his wife,” Calista my dear take Magda the Seer and a few plain clothed guards out the King’s path, it will get you outside the castle walls. Lead as many of the civilians and servants out with you.”

“But my love what if we get captured? They may use me as a hostage to get you to surrender.” Calista feigned her timidness in her voice. While gripping the King’s hand tightly and batting her long lashes at him. “The safest place for me is by your side my dear.”

The king looked at her with caring eyes “ I know you are scared but we have a duty to protect our people. That is our oath. Would you abandon our people in their greatest time of need?”

“I will do as you wish my King.” She replied with reluctance and obedience. She got up from her seat and immediately exited the room with the seer.

“Ready my armor and horse, I will ride out into battle with you. “

The guard nodded and made an about face and left to obey the King’s orders.

The King stood from his throne and proceeded to make his way to the armory to dress for battle.

While the King was armoring up a guard entered the room “ your Majesty they are at the gates.” The King stood up and grabbed his sword. He made his way the long passageway to the gate. As he stood on the barbican above the gate, he saw a small army with torches outside as if they were waiting for something. Just then the General of the Army rode forward.

“General Titus?! You are the one behind this egregious act?!”The King exclaimed. “You traitorous bastard, what is the meaning of this?”

“My apologies King Marcus but I can’t sit by and watch you make a mockery of this kingdom. I could handle the magic using seers, but I draw the line on the Werebeasts. It is an abomination for these things to bread with vampires and humans. Even your demon spawn, that human witch’s shat out her pussy are abominations. Those half breed filth.”

“General Titus I did as the Vampire Council commanded I married a Vampire noble and made her Queen. Isn’t that enough? Must you burn down Archon?”

“Your Majesty I will burn the whole of this province to the ground if it will cleanse it of its filthy abominations.”

“But you swore an oath to protect the innocent. All of those people in that village were innocent. That village was in the neutral zone. You had no right.” The King argued.

“ The neutral zone is meant to be our land. Only a weak king would leave such fertile lands open for another kingdom or race to steal it. “ General Titus spat out.

“ The Neutral Zone was created as a treaty. It’s land for all those who wish to be free. Free from any Vampire province, Werewolf Pack, or any other dictatorship. Freedom is a gift and a right.” The King rebutdtaled.

“Speaking of gifts, I have a gift for you your majesty. I caught it sneaking out the back door. “

From the shadows one of Titus’ soldiers was dragging the queen by her hair. “MARCUS!” She screamed.

“LET HER GO!” The King demanded.

An evil grin crossed the general’s face”If you want her freedom come down and get her.

The king proceeded to call for the gates to open. Be began to storm through the gates when his skin felt like it was starting to burn. He stopped abruptly and ripped off his gauntlets. Blisters started to form on his skin. He was consumed with horrific pain. He began to rip off his armor and started screaming. “ WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!” He screamed and dropped to his knees. Screaming and writhing in pain. It felt like someone had thrown him into an acid bath. Two of the generals soldiers seized the king by his arm. They dragged him toward General Titus. Holding him tightly they lifted him to his knees.

The guard holding the queen released her. She turned and slapped the soldier “Next time don’t pull my hair so hard you asshole.” Calista scolded the soldier she then sauntered over to the restrained King. “Wow that dragon’s breath sand really worked. Oh the pain won’t end it will continue to burn through your skin till there is nothing left to burn. It can be how ever slow or fast I want it to just by how much I use.” Calista gave a sadistic smile. “I was never in any real danger, see the general here is loyal to me because he is my mate, but at least I know better not to bread with him.”

“Calista I thought I was your mate.” The King gasped out as another wave of excruciating pain consumed him.

“ Yes Calista was your chosen mate, but you see your Majesty, I’m not Calista , I’m Melba the seer Magda’s daughter. Calista has been gone for a while now. This little family heirloom is truly one of a kind. It allows me to take anyone’s place without detection.” The King laughed with at the irony.”Turn him around so he can watch his precious vision burn to the ground.”Magda ordered. The soldiers turned him to face the village to see it burn.

From the shadows Ogra emerged. She was trying to warn the King of the coming danger, when she saw Magda standing next to General Titus. “What is Magda doing here?” Ogra thought. She had remembered a couple of days ago on her last visit to the king, she swore that she had seen her snooping around the armory. “She had been banished and her powers were bound. what is that witch doing here at all times.” Ogra pondered a moment longer, she then peered around the corner and saw the full scene. She had become livid with anger as she saw the state of the King. He had been bound and his skin was bobbling up like he was bathed in acid. “How dare you” Ogra came out of the shadows with her knife in hand. She lunged at Magda. Magda turned around to see Ogra lunging at her, she tried to move out of the way but Ogra grabbed her in a that course her to loose her footing. Both women tumbled to the ground. They began to struggle for dominance and control of the knife. Ogra was able to overtake Magda but struggled to stab her in her heart. Magda moved just enough for the life to plunge into shoulder instead.

“YOU TRATOR!” Ogra screamed. “How dare you. You were banished and your powers were bound. You are no longer a seer you traitorous bitch. It is against our code to have any children and you betrayed our King!.” Ogra seething with rage. “You and your daughter must die for practicing the arts out side of the order.” Magda chocked and grinned.

“Such a hypocrite. You condemn me but protect that cunt of a kings whore and those abominations.” She spat back at Ogra. “What are you talking about Lyra went through the binding ritual.”Ogra insisted.

“So you thought bitch.” Magda’s words stung like venom.

Melba screamed”SIEZE THAT CUNT OF A WITCH!”

Ogra was grabbed and restrained. She spat at the soldiers. Ogra tried to shift into shadows but she was splashed with some kind of hot liquid. Her skin began to tingle and itch. “Oh you are going nowhere. Not now not ever. Thats a binding potion.” Melba sauntered up and grabbed Ogra by her face and dug her nails into the skin of her cheeks. Ogra could feel a bit of blood trickling down her face. She spat in Melba’s face and struggled to free herself from the guards’ grip.”The perfect punishment for you is to burn the insolence from your eyes.” Melba said with a sadistic sneer. “Guard bring me an iron.” Melba ordered. A soldier stepped forward brandishing a hot iron. He placed the hot iron on her eyes. Her skin began to sizzle and blister. The putrid smell of searing flesh filled the air. Ogra screamed out in so much pain it tore her vocal cords.

“Now you bitch , you will never see the light of day or anything for that matter again.” Melba’s sadistic grin grew even wider. “Put her in the dungeon with the rest of those loyalists.” The general ordered.

“You know since I am Queen Titus I can marry you and make you the new King of Archon. We can make this a pure and great kingdom again .

A mocking grimace of a grin appeared a the King’s face.”I’m not Marcus.”

“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?!” Melba screamed with rage.

“I’m not Marcus. He coughed out again I’m Antony” he choked out “so you were never queen. “ He began to laugh but soon started to choke on his blood as his organs started to fail from the poison. He caught his breath and began again. “You were never Queen. I married you in my brother’s stead. We traded places so he could be with his wife and daughters. “ Antony croaked out. He started to laugh again this time he started to choke out some blood.

“What the hell do we do now? If the Elders find out what we did here we would be burned for treason.” Titus commented with an air of panic filling his voice. Melba looked a Titus incredulously. She then looked to the crowd of soldiers and shouted.

“PEOPLE WHAT SHOULD WE TO WITH THIS BANE TO OUR EXISTENCE!”

“PURGE IT WITH FIRE!“ yelled a few soldiers from the crowd

“What a most excellent idea” Melba grinned she looked at the general, “See Titus we give the people what they want.” She continued, “We burn this place to the ground, leave no evidence or survivors. We find a maid that resembles me and kill her. Then dress her in my clothes to take my place. If I can’t be queen then no one else can be either. Also make sure that the bitch and those half breed demons of her’s are dead. I don’t want any of them to come back and rebuild this atrocity. Burn this shit hole to the ground “ she ordered. Flaming arrows were loosed. Torches were thrown. Within minutes Archon was ablaze.

What do we do with Him?” Titus inquired

“We stake him to the threshold so he can watch his brother’s aspirations burn up at the same time he does.” They nailed his hands and feet to a frame. Then the soldiers hoisted the frame up and anchored it to the threshold. They piled wood and kindling at his feet and lit the pier with a torch. “Consider this a mercy, you are already burning to death at least this will be faster than the poison will. My bit of compassion for your kindness to me. Any last words your majesty?” Melba asked, her voice dripping with malice and mockery

“Go Fuck your self you bitch “ it came out as gurgling whisper, then he spat a mouthful of blood in her face.

Melba began to scream for the blood began to burn her. “ Get it off! Get it off!”

A guard brought some cold water for her to wash her face. A burn mark was left in the bloods place.

“Let this be a warning to anyone who wants to mix blood lines” Titus yelled as everyone watched the whole castle go up in flames. Titus turned to Melba and asked “What is the plan now since our last one was thwarted?”

“The plan now is to travel to the province of Stanislov. We seek refuge there. Put my mother on a gurney we will get medical attention in the next village.” Melba ordered.

“ We should leave in the morning to make sure nothing remains of this cursed place “ Titus commented.

“ No we leave tonight, look at the sky, the Earth Mother is preparing to put out the fires. And when she opens up her sky it’s a deluge. I don’t want to be caught in her wrath.” Melba quipped.

The army followed her orders and packed up and began to march Eastward toward the province of Stanislov. No sooner as they left the province of Archon the rain began to fall as a storm of mega proportions swelled with in moments, a torrential downpour put out most of the fires. The stone hissed from the intense heat being rapidly cooled. A few walls of the castle were spared along with those who were locked in the dungeon. Anything or anyone that was above ground was chard beyond all recognition.