Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Shrouded within Darkness

Some of the guards stayed still, but made no action towards Mink, they just kept their eyes on her. The other guards, who were in front, stepped aside to allow passage to the King after hearing the 'supply my services.' Just that instant, one of the wizards ran into the chamber.

"Your Majesty, there is another one of the 'heroes' we forgot to tell you about! She is..."

The wizard then spotted Mink, bewildered as to why she did not come with the others who were brought to the capital.

"...standing right there."

The King was not amused as to this turn of events.

"I should have you executed for not telling me there was another, I could have had her killed! We could have just sealed our doom!!"

The wizard could do nothing more than apologize hysterically, then he left - luckily without punishment. Luther also had an apology, towards the to-be heroes of everything. He dismissed the guards before saying said apology.

"I do apologize for this. I had no idea there was even a lick of insubordinance among my high wizards."

Mink smirked as the wizard left, and immediately returned her sword to its place in her bag. Better to let them think I can be killed..they probably don't know what I am or my reputation, anyway. The less people knew about her, the better; or else the king would probably have her killed..heh..or attempt to have her killed, more like.
"Apology accepted. Though.." She looked around at the other heroes, "I wonder.." She fell silent after this, but a more friendly smile found its way to her lips, though the mischievous glint in her eye was still there, and she walked quickly over to the one called Dadj, and stood in front of him, beaming..for no apparent reason.

"Putting that incident aside, it seems you will be required to 'supply your services.' At any rate, one thing the wizards also failed to tell me is your names."

Not turning around, she raised her arm, and declared enthusiastically,
"Mink!"

((Sorry, I hadn't noticed this had got moving again.))


Dadj listened to the proceedings with mild interest. He scoffed, snorted and rolled his eyes at every lofty thing the king had to say. He was in fact about to ungraciously excuse himself when the disruption occurred. His hands moved instinctively to his hips for the short swords sheathed there when Mink showed herself. He was then swarmed by guards, then not... then nose-to-nose with this strange creature. When she got close the hairs on the back of his neck rose ominously. She had a weird feeling about her.

He was preoccupied by this weird feeling when he became dimly aware that he was being addressed.

"I am not in anyway inclined to have to save the world. You have no proof for me that anything you say is true."

He frowned deeply. This was playing out entirely too closely to something that made his heart whiter.

This deeply aggravated King Luther, this aggravation showing in his facial expression. He then thought of dismissing them all as frauds, and having them all imprisoned. This would doom everything, however. He then decided to present more evidence.

"I never said it was just this world. I said all existence. I meant every single world, star, solar system, nebula, galaxy, and every other universe that there is, including this one. And I have proof enough that what I say is true. You were there at the eruption of that volcano - and the release of those demons at that time was further incriminating. Not even a volcanic eruption could have broke them free - they were sealed when Alphanus was, with a weaker version of the same seal. Surely Alphanus must have broken their seals from his prison. Another thing - it is hard not to notice his presence somewhere, given that his dark aura can be felt by any living creature miles away. Surely you sensed a great evil there. Another thing - natural disasters occurred across the globe at the same time as that volcano's eruption. Piece together this evidence, along with the surge of dark, evil energy that was detected by my wizards, and there could be no other explanation."

He was not compelled by the king's insistence.

"Why me? Why her, for that matter? What makes any of us SO special?" He chewed his lip hard, his brows knitting together in annoyance. He cursed in his breath at the mention of dark auras. He admittedly had issues feeling certain dark auras since.. Well, since he was pretty sure he had one himself. "I've been through this scenario before." His voice actually held a softer emotion to it. "it does not end well for the 'heroes'."

"I know of your battle with the Arch Demon Sepheticus. A part of her is sealed within you, and that is why you are immune. It's not a special power, or anything such as that - it is that past corruptions or involvement with other dark being tend to give said person an immunity to any future corruptions. Amaya was blessed by the royal priests when she became part of the Royal Guard, giving her immunity. As for Mink, I do not know...wait..."

He shifted his gaze to Mink, and looked at her intently, sensing something. He began to realize just what she was.

"I feel a certain darkness emanating from her...it is just like that of a vampire's. I would know, I was an expert on such things as vampires, and I still am. Such knowledge is required to be a successful king in a world such as ours."

Dadj's eyes narrowed further with each implication or accusation. He felt highly uncomfortable with this king. There is no way he could have known as much as he did. Sepheticus was centuries ago. He felt her should bolt and his muscles tensed in the direction he chose to go.

But something kept him there; that Mink animal was looking at him. The puzzle of her person tickled his interest.

"You're wondering how I know of a battle that old. Well, read this."

He pulled out a large book with an ornate wooden cover. It was a record of every major event that had taken place over the course of two millenia, the battle against Sepheticus included.

Mink tensed up at the king's words, her nature having been found out. Maybe this was a good thing..but it may also be dangerous. She kept her eyes on the man in front of her, wondering how he would react to this. At the mention of the battle between him and an arch demon, her curiosity sparked. As Luther brought out the book of records, she turned her head and studied it intensely, ears back, her expression serious.

His head spun suddenly. He had not heard that name in so long and only now did it pain him bodily to hear it. He shuffled back from this all-knowing king. He did NOT like this feeling of exposure or that these strangers were given his information before he allowed them to have it. He decided he'd better just go along with this mindless quest just to get out of these chambers. He was pretty sure the walls were getting closer to him.

Before she turned to look at the book, Mink could see Dadj's face twist in a kind of agony at the decision he'd just made.

The King could not help but take notice of the expression on Dadj's face.

"I will tell you this - if you want out now, go. I will not force this upon you. Just reflect on that decision should you opt to leave."

(I'm here just about every day, but I'm waiting to see if anyone else is going to post. xD; )

She strolled whimsically over to Luther, almost skipping, her stilettos curiously silent on the floor; a semi-freak show, considering the circumstances. She gazed intently at the book in the king's grasp, studying its ornately decorated wooden cover. She pondered the face that the human had made, as well as the thoughts that had crossed his mind. Though usually an unused ability, she was still proficient in the art of telepathy. She wondered how the individuals in the room felt, being in the presence of a vampire.. As for this quest, well, she really didn't have much else to do. Anything to fill time and give her something exciting to do. She'd tried taking over a world; why not help save one?

His mind came back to the present and inspected this woman in front of him. She was a curiosity, one of the rare things that still piqued his interest in this long life. Apparently, she had had one too. A vampire. He pondered whether that counted as undead or not. he supposed it did. And that he should hate her. But vampires rode on the border of his opinion on the living and undead, and he had decided to give her a chance.

"What now, Oh-so-smart King?" His honey-gold eyes still lingered on Mink as he addressed the monarch.

He was uneasy with Mink so close. He started pacing about the chamber, silently mumbling for a minute, then began speaking again.

"I have been quite bored lately, and so I started reading these records tirelessly. It has been kept by every ruler of this kingdom before me for two thousand years, which is exactly how long this kingdom has existed. It has been well kept, which explains its condition to this point. It contains a massive wealth of information and knowledge, of every major event that has occurred since pens first met its paper. Should you peer within it, you will see the entire history of this kingdom, every legend, every war, everything. Even a history of the past rulers, and their memoirs. This book is how I know of your encounter with that demon. This is how I know of that blasted dark god that threatens everything. In fact, this is how I know most things, and is why I have had so much success."

He paused for a moment and considered something. He then continued.

"I am due to step down from my throne soon, now that I think about it. I'm not immortal, like some of those present today, and my life is limited. Sadly, I have no blood heir to my throne...that is another reason I have called you all here today. Should you return alive, I will offer one of you my position."

He became uncomfortable, and wanted a change in scenery. The main chamber no longer felt suiting to the current conversation.

"Come with me to the throne room. I think it would be better suited to this conversation."

Not bothering to call any servants, he opened the large doors to the throne room himself, and stepped inside, and then walked over to his throne and sat down.

Mink had to recover her composure from the few seconds her mouth had been twisted cutely into a pout as the king moved away with the book. As he began to speak again, she went back to stand in front of Dadj again, still facing Luther. She muttered to herself here and there, saying things such as "Two thousand years..younger than me.." and "I wonder if there are dirty things in the memoirs," but not very loudly. At the mention of his mortality, she thought of offering everlasting life..but remained silent.

"Certainly," she replied to his offer of a change in scenery. She was curious about the rest of this building; and if it had any sparkly trinkets she could swipe. She followed him into the throne room, giving the human behind her a quick glance, and finally flopped down cross-legged in front of the old man as he seated himself on his throne. A majestic sight indeed.

Sadly, however, some prankster had placed a whoopee cushion in his throne. When the King sat down...*insert hilarious, drawn-out, exaggerated farting noise here* How the prankster had broken into the King's throne room, nobody knows. A suitably embarrassed reaction came from Luther.

"Erm...ummm...EXCUSE ME."

--I retract my previous statement.