The week had passed and now was the time for the true tests to begin. He sat on an improvised throne that was set on a raised stage on one side of the parade grounds. The king was resplendent he had worn his finest garments for this day and the armor plates about his neck were polished to a high sheen that reflected the king’s face back up to him. The face, however, was filled with malice.
The first man stepped up. Sombra noticed it was the same man that had spoken after he had executed the fat man. He looked to be about thirty with graying hair. He was slight and appeared to be sickly. Sombra could already tell he was headed for the chopping block. Captain Jur stepped forward with a scroll in his hand. He unrolled the scroll and read aloud.
“By order of his majesty, King Sombra, you are hereby ordered to the court any of you who are man or boy. Those under the age of fifteen will be taken in by the captain of the guard to oversee your well being and training until you should reach the age of fifteen where you will be sent to train as an adult in the new royal guard regiment.” The captain coughed and continued reading. “Those who are over fifteen and are found to be fighting fit will immediately be issued armor and weapons and trained to fight as a member of the King’s new royal guard regiment. Those who fail inspection shall be terminated as there is no longer any use for you in the kingdom.” Jur closed the scroll staring at the line of peasants who were stunned silent.
“First up.” The captain commanded.
The first man in line stepped up and held his head high. Jur stepped up and looked the man over like inspecting a piece of beef. The inspection was rather degrading as the captain inspected the man as if he were a slave starting with his head and face and combing over his whole body to include his genitals. After his inspection was over he sent the man to the physician to be inspected for disease. If the man was found to be clean he would definitely be given a position in the regiment and sent off to begin his training. After a half hour of this Sombra grew bored.
He stood and left his throne to descend onto the parade ground. Jur didn’t stop his inspections as Sombra stepped up next to him and watched. Jur called up the next one. It was a boy about the age of sixteen but looked to be nine or ten his face was covered in dirt and his limbs were tiny and appeared to be made of bone. His ribs were visible through the massive holes torn in his clothes. His face was covered in scars and he walked with a slight limp, even if he somehow managed to pass Jur’s inspection this child would not last long. The child wouldn’t be able to hold a dagger let alone a sword as he was starved to the point of death. Sombra looked to Jur.
“I thought I ordered you to feed all of these people.” Sombra hissed through his teeth. Jur’s eyes flared a bit in fear. It would have gone unnoticed by any other person but not the king. the king had learned to read people from his father who had been the greatest of them all at reading people.
“You grace,” Jur began. Sombra cut the captain off with a wave his anger rising. Sparks danced about his fingers and smoke began to pour from his hair.
“Feed them captain.” Sombra looked down at the boy. “You are spared for now until you get some food into you.” The child bowed and kept his gaze low. Sombra looked up at his captain and the captain flinched visibly. “If I see another one of these men malnourished you will be next on the chopping block!” Sombra said. Jur nodded and bowed his head respectfully.
Sombra moved through the halls on his way to the infirmary. Servants and maids bowed and moved out of his way as he passed. He felt good, like his head was clear for the first time in a long while.
Sombra rounded a corner and crashed into a maid who was holding a tray full of dirty dishes. She fell to the ground and the dishes went flying, smashing into walls and the ground sending broken chunks of china everywhere.
Sombra looked down upon the maid. She was on the verge of tears and she tried to clean up the mess she had made. She still hadn’t noticed whom she had run into. Sombra squatted down and placed his hand under her chin. She met his gaze and a squeak of fear escaped her mouth.
“Don’t worry about cleaning this.” He said quietly.
“W-what?” she asked frozen with terror. Sombra smiled warmly.
“You won’t have to worry about dishes ever again.” He said simply. He turned to another servant who had stuck himself to the wall, fearing to move lest he anger his lord. “You,” Sombra pointed at the maid. “Clean up her mess and take her to the dungeons.” The servant nodded his head and reached down to grab the maid by her arm. She began sobbing out loud as she was dragged away. Sombra snorted as she was taken from his sight. The King walked into the infirmary and was greeted warmly by the healer.
“Ah your grace, so lovely to see you this fine day.” She said. She was a rather shapely woman with large breasts and a nice swing to her hips and she was younger than most. Sombra felt something stir inside him, some kind of longing, primal in form. The healer seemed to stroll casually from bed to bed while laying her hands on the wounded and the sick. She was a wielder of powerful magick the king could not deny and he found that to be rather enticing. A thought passed his mind that hadn’t in some time.
Sombra nodded with a straight face and went to see Archimedes. The old chaplain was sitting up in his bed with a book. The curtain was pulled back so he could see out the window. The day was cold and gray as often was the way of the north. Sombra looked out and felt some disgust for his home. Archimedes put his book down and looked out the window as he approached.
“I didn’t take time earlier to view your handiwork. How many do you think perished?” he asked nonchalantly. Sombra knew deep down the holy man was upset with the fire. Sombra stared out of the window as well.
“Enough to make those who remain stronger.” The king replied.
“Hmph,” Archimedes looked at Sombra and took off his reading glasses. “Now you sound like your father.” Sombra smiled defensively.
“Would the old king be proud?” Sombra asked. Archimedes rubbed his temples.
“I don’t know honestly.” Archimedes rubbed the side of his face that had been burned away. It was growing back well, almost visibly. Sombra sat in a chair near the bed. Archimedes looked out the window.
“What happened while I was under?” Sombra asked. Archimedes sighed.
“Fire, your grace, fire.” Archimedes turned his head. “Flames poured out of you in a torrent like I had never seen before. It was brutal to endure but this was the worse I suffered.” Archimedes brushed his burn. “This will heal, those men though,” the old chaplain sighed again. “It was as if their very souls had been sucked out of their bodies. As the flames touched them, they withered into husks, the fire didn’t actually burn them.” He looked to Sombra. “I should really be asking what happened to you while you were under, what did you see my lord?”
Sombra leaned back in his chair and breathed out slowly. His explanation took him several minutes to convey. Archimedes didn’t interrupt, only rubbed his chin in thought. Sombra finished.
“Those stars, your grace, those were souls of mortals.” Archimedes said simply. “Except the massive ones, those are beings of obvious power.” Sombra nodded in understanding.
“What happens if I meet those beings?” Sombra asked. Archimedes laughed aloud.
“You run!” he said exasperatedly. “Beings such as those are not to be trifled with in the slightest.” This time it was Sombra’s turn to rub his chin in thought.
“Not unless I become as powerful as they are.” He said. Archimedes raised an eyebrow.
“My lord, you cannot be serious.” Sombra smiled wickedly.
“Oh but I am.” Archimedes sighed and rubbed his temples again.
“Alright, I can already tell where this is going. Where do we start?” Sombra shook his head.
“We already have.” Sombra replied still smiling. Archimedes looked out the window.
“How long?”
“Only until the new regiment is ready.”
“That will take some time.”
“Let it, we’ve enough supplies that will last us years to come.”Archimedes sighed.
“Your grace,” Sombra looked at his chaplain and long time confidant. “This is one hell of an undertaking you do realize that right?” Sombra just smiled.