Date: Sat, 13 Apr 2013 18:42:28 +0100
From: Nell Bas <helledon12@gmail.com>
Subject: the last feres/ the feres king 12

Happy reading!

			      The Feres King
				Chapter 12

`Hey, what's up?' Chase said interrupting my reveries.

I was sitting in the courtyard next to the shallow pool with my feet in the
water, while toying with the medallion, trying to evoke a vision.

`Hey Chase,' I relied only when he was close enough to hear my almost
whispery voice.

`What're you doing out here all alone?'

`Nothing much, just trying to figure out this thing,' I said raising the
medallion for him to see.

He lowered down and sat by my side. I watched him as he hugged his long
gangly legs at the knee.  God, he'd grown into such a tall handsome man. He
looked comfortable in his new skin. Look at him all smiley and cheery.

`Have you tried putting it the water. It worked for Harry Potter.'

I couldn't help but laughed. He laughed along with me.

`So, how are you taking all of this?'

`All of what?' He asked curiously.

`The whole shifter thing. How is it working for you?'

He smiled sheepishly. `Oh that! I'm okay I guess. It was hard at first but
I'm getting the hang of it.'

I felt happy for him. I knew he wanted this since he saw Nick's hands lit
up in flames the first day we met him.

`Yeah, it's pretty cool but there is something that I can't get a hang of
it though,' he continued.

I openly and intently gazed at him. `What's that?'

He blushed profoundly and hid his face. Then after a few moments of silence
he met my gaze again and grinned.

`Well, it's pretty cool going into beast mode but I'm having a hard time
controlling the lust.'

`I don't understand?'

`Before the change I craved sexual contact and it turned me into some sort
of a slut, so to speak. I couldn't get enough of the good stuff. That why I
talked Kyle into the bookstore's restroom the one time you caught us back
home.'

I remembered that day as clear as yesterday. Kyle was shy and scared while
he was downright smug.

`So?'

`So, the craving hasn't stop. More so, it'd been magnified now. Whenever I
see one of the guys I ...'

I understood where he was coming from. Wren told me a bit about that
yesterday. From his recollections, I wasn't surprise in hearing Chase
little problem. The difference between Chase and Wren though, was that Wren
had a bunch of friends his age willing to help him out. Chase doesn't have
such a person here in Notwitt.

`Have you talked to the others about this?'

`No. It's too embarrassing, especially when you're lusting after them.'

`You told me.'

`Yeah well, you're my brother. I don't see you in that way.' That was good
to know, because I've been told that shifters get very attached with their
first lovers after the change.

I watched Chase for a while. `Do you want me to tell someone?'

`No, please don't!' He practically jumped on his hands and knees
begging. `It's bad enough as it is.  The humiliation will kill me.'

Although, I chuckled, the gravity of the situation was very
real. Suppressed desired and lust can have a devastating effect on
someone's libido and life, let alone his entourage. No. Something has to be
done to help Chase. I wonder why the others haven't pick on that yet. After
all they're all shifters. They should know the signs.

`Okay. I won't tell but promise me you'll tell me when things get too
overwhelming for you. Like you said, I'm your brother and I hate to see you
unhappy.'

With that Chase jumped into my arms and gave me a bone crushing hug. Yikes!
He has a very powerful hold.

When we finally became apart he again looked me in the eyes.

`Rye. I never properly thank you for what you did for me during the
transitioning. Thank you. I'll always be grateful for what you did.'

`You're my bro. No need to thank me. To see you up and about was
heart-lifting enough for me.'

He hugged me again. I got emotional too and a tear escaped me.

As the tear rolled down my cheek, it fell on the medallion and almost
immediately, I went rigid and blacked out soon after.

I woke up in the throne room from inside the fortress. It felt strange
because I was standing up when I woke. Next to me was a man, who by the way
has an uncanny resemblance to the feres carving in the Equinian's common
hall. That wasn't all he was having the most intriguing conversation with
another man much taller, muscular and darker than him. I said darker
because everything about him was dark; his hair, eyes, skin and even his
clothing.

"I am absolutely disgusted with you. My own brother consorting with the
enemy, how could you do this? How could you be so stupid?'

`No. You are wrong your majesty. They can help us. If you let me explain
I'll ...'

`ENOUGH! I have heard enough of your treachery for one day,' the Feres King
yelled in an inhumane voice. The hall shook and the collective audience
cringed in fear. I included.

The tall dark man addressed the feres who yelled as his majesty, which mean
he was the king, the Feres King. He must be one of my relative. I wonder
who? Was he my great grandfather or my grandfather? Or was he perhaps
... my father?

A pregnant minute passed. And as he was weighing his options the King held
the bridge of his nose with a grimace on his face.

`Brother, please I beg you ...'

`Stop talking,' the King cut him short. `What you have done is far worse
than I could ever imagine.  You have betrayed your birthright. You have
betrayed your people.'

And to the assembly he said, `Now hear me. Let it be known that I, Joen the
Feres King, would not condone the actions and treachery of my brother. He
would be given a just punishment for his crimes of both against me, his
King and of all the Kingdoms of Targeten.

The King yanked something hanging from his chest that I hadn't noticed
before. Looking closely, I saw it was the very medallion I held in my right
palm.

Outstretching his arm, the King aimed the medallion at the accused.

`Let it be known that from this day forth, the man I called brother, who I
deemed unworthy, had been stripped of all titles he previously owned. And
from now until forever, he will be known by another name, the keeper of
Sandridon. His earnest duty is to keep the very enemy he consorted with at
bay from the kingdoms.'

`Brother, please! I beg you. Do not do this. Have mercy.'

Suddenly, the medallion emitted a glowing blue light. And with the speed of
a bullet, a stream of energy jetted out and hit the dark man straight in
the chest. As a result, he fell over and shrieked in pain.

I watched in horror as the dark man writhed like a worm on the marble
floor. Soon after, I saw a pair of silver bracers appeared on his forearms
and around his neck, a silver collar. The most horrid moments were when his
eyes clouded and the irises began to swirl in a silvery glow. It must have
been excruciatingly painful because there were clawed marks and blood where
he had dug his fingernails around his eyes in trying to get the pain to
stop.

The new Keeper of Sandridon writhed and cried until he passed out
completely.

`Take him away,' the King said to his guards.

For a brief moment the king looked in my direction. For some reason, I got
the impression he knew I was there. His next words confirmed my suspicion.

<Follow me> I heard in my head. Mystified, I stared at him. As I opened my
mouth to speak he was already on the move.

I followed him to the annex room and found him staring solemnly out the
window.

`How did you know?' I asked.

`Know what?' He said.

`How did you know I was there?'

He turned and openly stared at me, which by the way felt really
uncomfortable.

`I would not be the Feres king if I did not, would I. For your information
however, I was the one who sent you that vision.'

`Who are you?'

He grinned. `As you have heard already, I am Joen, the Feres King and also
... I am your father.'

I almost fell on my ass with shock. It's one thing to suspect that Joen
could be my father and another to hear that my suspicion was the actual
truth.

I stood there for what seemed like hours unable to utter a single word. I
couldn't wrap my brain around the fact that I'm communicating with my dead
father.

Gradually, my mind began to reboot.  If Joen was in control of this vision,
then he showed me what happened earlier on purpose. Why?

`It is simple really.' He said as if he'd heard my thought. `I showed you
this scene because it is perhaps the most important pieces of the puzzle
that you and your friends need to defeat the enemy that had set your
destiny in motion.'

Great a riddle, I hate riddles. Why can't he speak like a normal person
would?

Joen laughed.

Shit! He heard me.

`Your friends will help you with that one, I sure of it. Contrary to your
belief, I can speak like a normal person; however, the future is
susceptible to change. If I tell you more than you could handle it will
change your perception of things and thus the outcome of your actions.'

That doesn't make much sense since he'd already interfere by showing me
this scene as he put it.

He laughed again but then took a more serious tone.

`You have the gift of sight, do you not?' I supposed he meant the vision,
so I nodded. `Then you know that what you see had come to pass. I on the
other hand have the gift of foresight. They are two different gifts. While
yours is limited, mine is limitless. I can see many things, basically all
possible futures. And meeting you here in this vision was one possibility I
foresaw even before you were born.'

Crap! What the hell is he talking about?

Again, he laughed. `I am going to fast,' he said more to himself. He
thought about it for a second.  `I can see this conversation is getting us
nowhere. I am sending you back to your own time now, so reflect on what I
have just shared with you.'

My face fell. I just met my father. There were many questions I wanted to
ask about him and my past. Like why did he abandon me? Why send me to the
human realm? Why does everyone seem to think I'm their savior or something?

He closed the distance between us and smiled.

`Have a little patient my son. There will be more time for you to get to
know me later. In fact there is a chamber within this fortress with all the
answers. Find it and you will learn more.' As he spoke his last words,
images of the chamber in questions filled my head.

I opened my mouth to speak but he cut me before I could utter a word.

`You really must go, son. Now close your eyes and you'll be home.'

I sighed. It was clear he wasn't going to say anything more, so I closed my
eyes and woke up in Chase's arms.

`Thanks god you're okay. You almost gave me a heart attack,' he said even
though he didn't look like a guy in panic mode.

I got up and Chase did the same. I was a bit unsteady in my
movements. Chase reached out to touch me.  I slapped his hands away.

`I'll be fine, don't you worry.' I said.

`Good, let's get you to your room then. You should rest.'

Oh no. I had no intention of resting. I going to find the secret chamber my
father showed me.

My father, huh! It felt weird to be thinking that.

As we reached the hallway I veered to the left instead of the right to the
bedchambers.

`Where do you think you're going?' Chase said stopping me.

He had a frown on his forehead and he clearly wasn't kidding about taking
me to bed.

`Chase, I'm okay, really. I've just had a vision back there and I need to
find something really important.'

He crossed his arms over his chest, looking skeptical.

`Fine, don't believe me if you will but I'm not going to bed.' I turned and
walked away leaving him standing there.

`Wait up. I don't know what you're up to but I'm coming with you.'

`Suit yourself.'

Following the images in my head we soon arrived to what I believed to be
the entrance of the secret chamber. The crazy thing though, the archway was
visibly there but it has been bricked up.

I ran a hand along the wall trying to find a lever of some kind. There
wasn't any.

`What're doing?'

I wasn't hearing it. I knew the chamber was on the other side and I wasn't
giving up. I banged on the wall with my fist like I was possessed or
something. Chase caught my hand after a few I did it a few times.

`Rye, you should stop. You're hurting yourself.'

He was right. This was pointless. I resigned. Clearly there's no way in.


`There you are,' Wren said as I entered the kitchen behind Chase a while
later.

He took me into his arms and pecked me on the mouth. `Huh! What's up with
you? I feel like I just kissed a statue.'

`Rye isn't feeling well. He just had a vision.' Chase said.

Everyone who was at the table eating lunch paused and stared at me, even
Chase.

`Is this true?' Charlie asked.

I gave Chase a dead stare. I wasn't planning on telling anyone, well, at
least not just yet.

`Rye.'

`Yes. It's true.'

Wren sat me down and while I described the vision, the food was temporarily
forgotten.

When I was done, the room went as quiet as space.

`The dark man, did you get a good look at his face?' Eric asked me.

`Yes but I haven't seen him before.'  Then something hit me. `Charlie, do
you think that he might be the hooded man I saw in the vision I had in
Belen?'

`I'm certain it's the same man,' Charlie said.

`Wait a minute!' Wren said. `You had a vision in Belen and you didn't tell
me.'

 He looked hurt.

I nodded.

`It isn't Riley's fault if he didn't tell you because for everyone's safety
I told him not to,' Charlie replied.

`Why?'

Charlie and Eric exchanged looks.

`You might as well tell them because they find out soon enough.'

`Tell us what?' Wain said intrigued.

`The darklings in Belen weren't there by chance. They were looking for
something...'

`What?' Wren interjected.

`They were looking for this.' I held the medallion up so that they could
all see. Then I told them about the vision I had that day I found out the
darkling were looking for it.

`What's so important about it?' Seth asked.

`If Rye's visions are correct, it's the key to free the dark man who could
possibly be the hooded man who sent the darkling in Belen as well.' Charlie
said.

Wren shook his head. `That doesn't make any sense? They couldn't possibly
be the same man. The hooded man was commanding darklings for god sake. No
feri can do that. Could they?'

`Yes it could,' Eric said and then added. `Rye, I'm sorry for saying this
but it looks like the person responsible for this war is your uncle.'

Uncle! God! I hadn't thought of that.

...

End of chapter 12