Hunter

Emberspear Palace, Caelindria.

“Time of death, 10.24am, cause of death Phorean poison-”

He’s gone.

“Oh Fabian,” Elise wailed, as she fell to the floor and broke down beside his body. “You can’t leave us, it's too soon.”

Our King’s Dead.

“I’m so sorry,” Doctor Fernwould said mournfully, as he turned to look at me and Joseph. “Would you like me to make the arrangements for the undertakers to come and collect his body?”

Our beloved monarch is gone.

Fabian’s dead.

“Please,” I said, nodding, as the reality of the situation began to imprint like a fresh scar into my mind. “That would be great.”

The day that I have been dreading for years.

Has finally dawned upon me.

Dawned upon the entire kingdom for that matter.

“What are we gonna do?” Elise cried, looking up at me and Joseph as tears streamed down her delicate freckles. “If Fabian’s dead-”

My best friend is dead.

“The Paladin weakens and therefore places us at immediate vulnerability of further Phorean invasion,” I finished, with my eyes fixated on Fabian’s lifeless body. “I know,” I took an exasperated sigh. “Which is why I need to return back to Earth and inform Hereissa-”

“Return back to earth?” Elise snapped, swishing her auburn curls to the side of her shoulder. “Are you fucking insane?”

“And give me one good reason why I shouldn’t?” I said, folding my arms.

“I don’t know maybe that you’ll get us all killed,” She said, as tears continued to stream down her face. “Whilst I appreciate you made a promise to Fabian-”

“I worry you forget that Hereissa does also have medasae blood within her,” Joseph Harrod (her mentor) finished, as Elise broke down and silently sobbed beside Fabian once more. He was a tall man with a thick head of chestnut brown hair, pear green eyes, and rose beige skin, with an athletic stance (he had to be seeing as he was a warrior) and wore a coat of silver plated armour, with a brown leather belt around his waist, holding the sword of Gunir. “Blood which as the kingdom knows that Zelina thrives on, and as she promised to do all of those years ago, ultimately kill her.”

“Joseph, Elise,” I pleaded, with my head in my hands. “I know you’re grieving, believe me, my heart is just as broken as you are, but you do seem to be forgetting the one central fact at hand here,” I watched Doctor Fernwould cover Fabian’s body up with a black cloth. “Hereissa is a direct descendant of royal blood and ruling this kingdom is what she was born to do. It’s her destiny,” I sighed. “Yes, she might have spent most of her life living with the mortals, being raised to believe her parents are dead, but at the end of the day, that’s not who she is and simply will never not be.”

“And how exactly do you go about planning on breaking the news?” Elise asked, as she gently rocked back and forth with her knees clenched to her armour.. “Oh hi, I’m dead but not really dead, and I’m here to tell you that your father, who was my best friend, is dead and you’re the heir to his kingdom, which just so happens to be in another dimension.”

“Elise makes a valid point,” Joseph added, leaning against the wall. “I mean how long ago was the guardianship contract drawn up? Thirteen, fourteen years ago now?” He shook his head. “Whilst I appreciate your loyalty to Fabian, Hunter, believe me, I speak on behalf of the whole kingdom when I say that, bringing Hereissa back is simply going to catalyse another invasion-”

“One in which more lives will be lost,” Elise whimpered. “I mean how many people died in the last war, Hunter? Tell me?”

1,200

“Too many Elise, but I’m afraid this is what must be done, regardless of what your viewpoints are,” I sighed. “In Fabian’s contract it was drawn up that in case of his untimely death, I temporarily take charge of the kingdom and thereby right now I decree the return of his daughter, Hereissa Vurisch.”

Regardless of the cost.

Chapter One: Hunter (I)

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