The Crimson Prince： Awakening 59 Chapter 30: Rally

"Sire," Roland breathed as he huffed himself up the large hill. "We are packed and ready to depart. We have done our best to ensure there is nothing left behind when we leave." The ex-slave trader was clearly out of breath as he looked as his prince for confirmation.

"Good," Will stated plainly as he looked at the thousand strong he had gathered together within the course of only a few days. No longer were they chained, nor were they guards keeping the helpless men and women chained. They were all part of his crusade, which every head would prove vital if his plan were to work. "We will continue on in fifteen minutes." His long black jacket flapped in the steady wind as he turned to Maya who held an apple up for him.

"I know you are all princely and everything now," She said with a knowing smile. "But don't forget to eat, we have a long battle ahead of us and by the way you described it, we shouldn't go into it with an empty stomach."

Will raised his eyebrow in protest, but his stomach spoke before he could. Grabbing the apple from her hand, he took a bite out of it. The sweet juice from the fruit dripped slightly from the corner of his mouth and his eyes seemed to convey the thanks Maya was waiting for. No matter how much time he spent in Crystallia, he could never truly get used to the difference between his homeland's food and Earth's. Energy seemed to seep into him with every bite of the apple he took.

Maya knew just how desperate Will was to get to Ebonhart as soon as he could. It took everything for him not to just take off in the air and fly there within a few minutes. Even though they were only an hour away by foot, she knew that both his father and father figure were trapped within a sea of darkness within the castle. She knew the risk he was taking by just showing up.

Not long before their travels started, she herself was a slave to the corruption. She remembered Jake whispering in her ear in every second of the day. She remembered what had to happen for him to even be able to invade her mind. Darkness was the only thing that sustained her body after he and his followers had defiled and killed her. The memory of the darkness that consumed her caused an involuntary shudder to go through her body. She knew Will was about to walk into the very center of the power that corrupted her. Even though she couldn't stop him, she would support him as well as she could as he walked head first into the miasma which now covered his birthplace.

As she pondered what exactly they had in store in Ebonhart, Will handed her an apple core and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry so much," He said with a smile. "I wouldn't be going there now if I didn't have a way to survive," He turned to walk over to the thousand men waiting for him below. "I certainly wouldn't bring you with all the others if I felt there were any way we wouldn't make it out with our lives intact." Before his head turned towards the men, Maya could see the cold determination within Will's eyes.

She didn't know when it happened, but somewhere along the way, the carefree city boy had given way to a natural born leader. Even then, the king's insignia seemed to raise even more on his jacket. He now carried himself with an air of authority which she hadn't noticed before. She tried just once to picture the boy that had saved her not even a year ago from being sold into the very slavery he had just disbanded. No matter how she tried, she couldn't find the same boyish charm he once had. He now carried himself the way of his birthright, the way of a king.

Will

Taking a slow pace down the hill, Will took in his army. It was not too long ago that it was only Jake and Bianca supporting his cause. The time was short lived as Leo joined not much later. He remembered the month that he had trained with both Leo and Bianca after Jake had become corrupt. The many days of drilling battle tactics into his ex-girlfriend seemed redundant as she had left when he decided to continue his campaign in Ebonhart.

Even though Bianca left, Will found him surrounded by support from the most unlikely sources. The ones left behind from Maya's a.s.sault on the surrounding villages of Ebonhart banded together under his banner and revolted against his brother to drive him from the kingdom. Even now, Will knew that Leo was preparing them for what was to come. They all knew the risks of the war they were about to wage on darkness, yet not one of them faltered in their faith.

Will looked at the now thousand strong army through the eyes of a true prince. He had cast away any inhibitions of being normal the moment the portal closed behind Bianca. He knew he was meant for something much greater, something much bigger than himself. The moment the two hundred and fifty wielders banded together with him, he knew they needed his support just as much as he needed theirs. He knew the true reason leaders existed in the world.

His feet picking up from the ground half way down the hill, Will allowed himself to float to the army, his gold aura giving his long black jacket a s.h.i.+ning look. He saw head upon head look up at him as he made his presence known. Normally he wouldn't be too keen on the theatrics, but he knew what these men and women were putting on the line by supporting him.

"It's time." He said simply. Though his voice was low, it carried out to each ear below him. "Walking into the darkness only miles around the bend is going to be treacherous," all eyes were upon him as he slowly set himself down in front of the men. "But if you stay with me, we will free this kingdom from corruption." His eyes were full of pa.s.sion as his aura gave off a tinge of red. He remembered what he had said to the two hundred and fifty men that followed him against Jake and repeated the words. "Fight for your right to live free, and I'll guarantee your place within this new age!" Will roared as his arm went up with a fist raised. He felt like an old war knockoff but it seemed to get the right response. A loud cheer roared through the hills just miles away from Ebonhart. A light had shone in that moment that could match the darkness that they approached.

Jake

Looking out at the hills, overlooking the Kingdom of Ebonhart, Jake could see a crimson haze in the distance. Everything seemed like a swirling mess within his head. It felt as though he had drank a half bottle of Jack before flying over to the castle. As he stood in the shadows of the walls, he viewed an army of Crimson Knights forming their ranks in front of the entrance. There were enough men to surround the castle completely.

Sadly, Jake knew they were setting up their formations to stop him. As he looked at the many men, he could see the milky white eyes void of life within their armored heads. Aremesis had yet again supplied him with all he needed to counter his brother's a.s.sault. He had only to wait for the men to come from the hills before setting h.e.l.l upon them. Jake knew that a portion of his subconscious was now blocked from the corrupt leader as he thought of his brother. If he had not taken a portion of Will's gift, he wouldn't have even known that he was standing at the place of his birth. Even though he was not in control of his own limbs, when his head turned to the gates, he wondered what exactly it would have been like to grow up within the walls of the kingdom.

He thought of his brother who was only miles away from the battlefield. His mind always wandering back to the fear that Will wouldn't walk away from this fight. He couldn't shake the feeling that this could be the impossible battle that would claim his younger brother's life. If I can do anything to stop that from happening, he thought as he allowed his consciousness to look up to the heavens, give me the strength to do so.

Looking at each corner of the castle, Jake tried to find at least one weakness in the structure whenever his puppeteer allowed the chance. No matter where he looked, he could see hundreds of knights. Even with his new wind aura, he knew Will would need extra support. One of the cuts from his scythe would only cut a small fraction from the army. As knights banded together as far as he could see, he could only hope his brother had a plan.

Knowing there was not much he could do, Jake still made himself useful in the only way he knew how. He sent mental images of what transpired in front of him to his brother. Everything the corrupt Jake saw, Will saw within his own mind. Jake silently thanked the luck he had come upon when thrusting his own lineage weapon within his brother's chest.

"I know you're there young Jake." He heard his own voice say in a menacing tone. It sent chills down his spine knowing that the puppeteer had been able to find him. "I know you try to fight me with every fiber of your being, that's very admirable of you." He felt his mouth twitch into a smile.

You won't win. Jake said within his mind, the only way he knew to try communicating. Will has trumped you in all you have tried so far, what makes this any different?

Jake received a bone chilling chuckle as an answer. "What does it matter if this works or not?" The apparition within him laughed as he looked over the many thousand knights guarding the castle. "Regardless of the outcome, we have killed thousands today, you and I."

One way or another, Will is going to find a way to end you. Jake said as he thought of the many men who had lost their lives that day. Each one met their end at the tip of his blade. He will find a way to free me of you, and when that happens, I'll end you myself.

"There is an end to all things, of that you are correct." Aremesis mused. "Life ends no matter how long it takes for the process to come about," he said as he raised his sword to the sky. Darkness swirled around it as if the night itself bent around the blade. "But darkness is eternal."

Jake looked over toward the crimson sky ahead. With each minute, the sky grew brighter. His brother was coming with all he could. He knew it would be a long night, even though he wasn't in control of his own body, now that he had another aura he could feel every cut and bruise that Aremesis received. "No matter how brightly your light burns, it will always die, brother." He heard himself say as a nostalgic feeling coursed through his body. "How fitting that this fight is the end between us brothers," he said as he pointed his blade toward the crimson sky. "Now we can finish our own battle, Ragnos."

Before he could respond, Jake felt a pressure weigh down on him from within. It felt as if he were being pushed from his own body. "I think it's time to say goodbye Jake." Aremesis chuckled as Jake's subconscious struggled to stay within its body. "It's been fun while it lasted, but I think I'll keep this body now." Jake could feel himself slipping into the darkness that was trying to consume him. A suction force appeared within and threatened to shoot him out into the nothingness.

The void was only an inch away when a hand grabbed hold of him. Jake looked from the void to see Will's hand clasped around his forearm. The darkness was traded with gold as he was once more transferred to the golden throne room which belonged to Cainus. "If you ensure that Will does not learn of what you spoke of with the dark lord, you may stay within my dwelling until your body is free once more." The late king looked upon a wide eyed Jake as he turned to once more sit upon his throne. "He is not yet ready to know the truth."