The Darke King

assed through the throne room threshold, but when the Emperor calls for you, there is no

d to silence his mind, but there was little use. The sneer that curled on the decrepit old sorcerer

ring the prisoner forward. The falling sensation in his hands and feet warned Daniel that his mother

What shall I do with a traitorous witch?" The old wizard raised his brow as a

icy pain through Daniel's chest as the Emperor snatched th

down over her body and the spark of life left her dark eyes. The entire world

or, and her blood splashed across the roo

lieve that I wouldn't find her? Stupid, arrogant fool. Well, you were wrong, and now you will suffer for that egoism. Young

gainst the slick marble floor until the Emperor raised

he flung Daniel across the room and sprung down from his throne. Pushing his cloak off his shoulders

room. The ageless monster circled him and clasped his hands behind his back as he laid out his plan. "Now, I will reign down an era of torture upon you like this world has never seen be

stand in defiance of the Emperor's desire to listen to him grovel. "

irk came to the old man's lips while he imagined all

wept across Daniel's face, and his heart raced with a shot of life. A glowin

d aura. She paused as she came to Daniel's side, and the light drifted away, revealing her face. Her fing

to slip through the illusion. While the last faint notes of her sweet voice left his ears,

g man's heart, Daniel felt a spark

d and his hair lifted from his shoulders. Out of the palms of his hands,

fted upwards. The Emperor tried to break through the flames encompassing Daniel's body, but not e

crossed Daniel's eyes as he shook his head, an

the pile of burning flesh and bone and watched it until it smoldered down to ashes, then spat on the sad remains a

The dream-like recollection of the past few moments passed before his eyes, and he raised his hands to

h to him. He crouched down and slid his hands beneath her body, then tugged her into his chest with a grit of his teeth. No

s mother on the rocky ground and kneeled beside her. His fingers grazed her icy hand, and he swallowed down all his regrets. "You were a wonderful mother; I wish I

his body, Daniel brought his palms before his eyes. The blue flame ignited

lanced to his right in time to see the visi

s, and the ugly darkness that covered

s grazed his arm, and the blackness retook his eyes. The hushed voices in his mind gave their d

cleared, the only thing that remained was the man dressed in