Touch of Flame

"What is this?" Ares asked looking at the names scribbled on the small book. 

"That is Darcy\'s die list." 

"Die list?" Ares looked at the names and seemed to recognize a few. Some powerful figures. 

"People she plans to kill or have killed, and maps to finding them." 

"Oh…" he looked at the names crossed out. It must be the ones killed then. "Who are they?"

"The traders," Ephraim said as he continued to look through his desk and drawers. 

Oh. The humans who traded other humans to dragons for profit. Slavery existed among humans too. Power was often corrupt. He would know since he had been a pirate and seen what the powerful do in the shadows. Condemn piracy while buying from the pirate. condemn slavery but sell slaves in secret. 

When he first met Richard, he thought he was just meeting another greedy king, but he was surprised that the nobleman did come with noble intentions. He wanted to save his people. Ares had never heard it before, so he had chuckled in disbelief. 

He looked at Darcy\'s handwriting again. The woman knew her enemies, and she knew they weren\'t only among dragons. 

When Ephraim found the book he was looking for, a book of spells to help them connect with a powerful witch, he sat down to study the pages. "It might take a while," he told him. 

Ares excused himself in the meantime to let him sit in peace and study. He decided to go see how Richard was doing when one of his men found him in the hall carrying news. "The king is calling you back to the castle," he said, handing him the letter. 

Of course. Ares had been waiting for this. Andrew didn\'t like him, and he probably couldn\'t wait to revoke his position. A stupid move as a new king. The man didn\'t know Ares had many allies in court, and most of them already didn\'t like Andrew. 

"How is it going for him?" Ares asked as he opened the envelope. 

"He is firing many people from their positions. He\'s replacing experienced individuals with incompetent ones. Numerous ranks in the army have been reshuffled, and officials are growing increasingly disgruntled."

Ares frowned, considering the situation. So, he was burning bridges left and right, putting unqualified people in positions of power, and generally destabilizing the established order. It was a recipe for disaster, and he was not even aware of the consequences. The kingdom\'s stability and prosperity were at risk, and it would only take a small spark to set off a rebellion.

The man continued. "People will start to lose faith in his ability to rule. He\'s making many enemies, and it\'s only a matter of time before they band together and challenge his authority."

Ares looked up. As much as Andrew deserved it, the people of the kingdom didn\'t. "He\'s not strengthening his reign, he\'s weakening it. And a weak king is a vulnerable king."

This was the fatal flaw of inexperienced rulers, the pitfall that swallowed so many who were new to power. In their haste to assert authority, they often overlooked the delicate balance of power that sustained a kingdom. 

But Ares wasn\'t worried about Andrew, but about the people he worked with. They would take advantage of his weakness to seize the kingdom. 

Hopefully, Richard would wake up very soon and save him from the misery of dealing with his nephew. 

Richard and Russel had promised each other to take care of each other\'s families if anything happened to the other, and Ares knew Richard wanted to honor his promise. Therefore, Ares kept his hands out of the matter as much as possible and hoped he could keep doing so and let Richard handle it the way he saw fit. 

"Keep me informed," Ares told his man. 

The man gave him a nod and walked away. Ares put the envelope in his pocket and continued down the hall to go see Richard. When he entered the room, he was surprised to find Malachi alone there with a look of torment in his eyes as he looked up at him. 

"You didn\'t leave?" Ares asked. 

"I will be staying here today." 

Ares nodded. "Saul took over?" 

"No." 

"No?" 

"Aaron took over." 

"Oh," Ares nodded curiously. "It is not a bad choice." 

Malachi smiled faintly. "No? Do you think Saul would have been a bad choice?" 

"Not necessarily. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and those differ vastly between Saul and Aaron." 

"Hmm…" Malachi\'s gaze shifted back to Richard, and he watched him thoughtfully. "He might be in pain. Tears run from his eyes sometimes."

"Probably. We have given him as many sedatives as we think are safe. I am afraid to give more than that." Ares explained.

"He isn\'t unconscious, then?" 

"It is hard to tell, but he probably swings between consciousness and unconsciousness." 

Malachi\'s face remained passive. 

"Ephraim and I, will be leaving for a while. We hope to be back by dinner, if not sooner." Ares told him. 

"You want me to cook dinner in the meantime?" 

Ares chuckled, sincerely amused. He didn\'t know the man had humor. He often looked tense and upset. 

"I am sure the maids would like you in the kitchen," Ares retorted.

Malachi just smirked. 

"Alright. I\'ll see you later." Ares said leaving him behind. 

He went back to Ephraim, who had found a witch, willing to talk to them. Using a spell he transported them to the place, and they found themselves standing in an expansive, dry landscape. A view of the ochre-colored earth stretched out in front of them, with lone rock formations standing tall against a dusky sky in the background. The air smelled of dried sage and dust, carrying a sense of mystic tranquility.

Before them stood a simple adobe house, its earthy tones perfectly blending with the surroundings. 

As they approached, the door opened, revealing a middle-aged woman of. Her attire was simple—an earth-toned dress that flowed around her like the desert wind. Her eyes, clear and sharp, held a depth that was both comforting and daunting. She greeted them with a nod, her aura emanating an inexplicable power that was both welcoming and intimidating.

"Welcome, Ares and Ephraim," she said, her voice as warm and inviting as the desert wind. "I am Morwen." She motioned for them to step inside. 

Inside, the house was a surprising contrast to the stark exterior. The air was cool and comforting, scented with the aroma of herbs and burning incense. A single candle flickered on a table strewn with various artifacts, casting a warm glow around the room. Morwen sat them on a luxurious carpet on the floor around a small round table. 

"So," She began looking at Ares. "You believe you are cursed." 

"Yes," Ares responded. 

"He\'s been growing increasingly ill, and we\'ve exhausted our medicinal resources," Ephraim added. He had told her some details of what he wished to discuss beforehand. 

Morwen closed her eyes, seeming to reach out to some unseen force. She hummed thoughtfully, her fingers tracing patterns in the air. She muttered under her breath, words too soft to be understood. After a moment, she opened her eyes again, looking directly at Ares. "I find no curse in you." 

Ares and Ephraim looked at each other with concealed disappointment. 

"Is there anything you can do to help him?" Ephraim asked. 

Morwen studied him for a long moment before answering. "There are ways, but they come with a price. Dark magic requires a sacrifice, a life for a life. Or, one can choose to embrace the shadows, to draw on the energy of the dark side. This path brings power, but also a heavy burden."

Draw energy from the dark side? 

"What happens if I embrace the darkness?" Ares asked. 

Morwen\'s gaze held a certain gravity as she considered his question. "Embracing the darkness is not a decision to be taken lightly, Ares," she began, her voice carrying a note of caution. "It\'s more than just tapping into a reservoir of power. It\'s about forging a bond with forces most fear to acknowledge." 

She paused for a moment, allowing her words to sink in, before continuing. "Darkness brings with it great strength, but also great change. It has its own consciousness, its own desires. It can give life, but it can also consume it. It can preserve, yet it can also corrupt. To embrace it is to accept its nature, both its gifts and its demands. Once this path is taken, there\'s no returning to the light. You will become a creature of the night, with all the power and the curse that it carries. You will have the ability to heal, to manipulate, to control, but it will come at the cost of your own humanity."

When she stopped, an eerie silence followed, and Ares\'s head reeled with questions. "You say it has its own desires. I am a tamer. How will that affect me?" 

She chuckled. "I know. That is why I am letting you know. You will no longer belong to what you are fighting for. You will shed your humanity and belong to a different world. A world where you are self-serving rather than serving others. A world where your desires come first." 

Ares sighed. "And there is no other way?" 

She tilted her head and said, "I have given you the options that exist, young man. No option will be easy. It is death you want to escape."