"Oh, how terrifying, really," Julius spoke, rolling his eyes. "You forget, I have the upper hand now. You are one woman against a group of trained soldiers. So no, I would implore you to watch your mouth."
Eya began to laugh and shook her head. "Please, enough back and forth. Are you to leave the women with me or not?"
"No," Julius spit.
Eya sighed and glanced at James, tsking as she stepped up to him. "Speak some sense into your king, James."
"He is loyal to me," Julius snarled. "Even if he tried, I have made up my mind."
"Yes, I can see that now. Still, if I may, I will borrow him for a moment."
James made eye contact with Julius and the two shared a nod. Julius gestured a go ahead and Eya smiled, stepping up to a side door and opening it. James stood and followed, entering the dark as his hand rested near his blaster. Eya closed the door behind them and waved at the lights, the globes brightening to illuminate them both.
"What do you want?" James bit, stepping away from Eya and eyeing the lights.
"I'll get straight to the point," Eya began, a sly smile watching James. "You will rule Potara, how about that?"
James burst out with a laugh and shook his head. "Seriously? Are you insane?" As he regained himself, Eya's expression remained unmoved, hungry for power, and as serious as ever. "Potara has a king and I am loyal to him."
"Oh James, it's about time you understand the power I possess. The door has a hole, watch." She gestured towards the door and James drew close, glancing into the throne room where his fellow soldiers and king waited.
The throne room grew dark and smokey, the lights flickering low. King Julius laughed, looking to his men and the door Eya and James had gone. "You think a light show will scare me, Eya?" Julius snorted, but the amusement was short lived.
Grey figures pushed from the smoke, their bodies like skeletons held together by sinews of shadow. They pulsed in and out of view, eyes red and bright as they neared the men. King Julius and his men pulled out their blasters without hesitation and fired against them, only for the pulses to hit nothing as the skelingtons disappeared. Out of nowhere, they reappeared once more and rushed from the corners to attack.
James pulled away from the door and turned to Eya, her eyes pinned on him with a soft red glow flowing from them. Her head tilted and she laughed against the screams and horror on his face.
"Stop this!" He spun around and reached for the door, pulling at the handle that refused to budge. The screams grew louder as his friends begged for help. He slammed his shoulder against the door and turned to Eya. "Let me out there!"
"Listen to me well, James. I can let you out there, but you will meet the same fate. There is no stopping it now. Or, I can offer you something far better. Julius is already dead. Potara will need a new king. So here is the deal. You accept my offer to make you king and not only will you have Essa and a planet, but I won't destroy your planet, understand?"
James choked on a sob. His body leaned back against the door, unable to cut out the screams and the horrific shrieks of the creatures. "What magic is this? Magic is supposed to be dead, not real" he whimpered.
"James, James. Pay attention please. Do you accept my offer? Essa is leaving this planet, so she will be more than willing to settle with you. As long as she is there and you are king, your planet will be safe. Otherwise? Well, she'll grieve for a while but she'll settle somewhere else, I suppose."
"What choice do I have?" he whispered, nodding and closing his eyes.
"That's the spirit," Eya smiled, the glow in her eyes dying down. A deafening silence settled and she stepped to the door. Her foot nudged James and he moved away so she could open it.
Slowly he gazed out into the throne room, the lights bright once more to showcase the massacre painted on the walls and floor. Everything was coated red, blood dripping from the chairs and ceiling. Body parts were strewn everywhere, pieces of the people he once knew and the women now sitting like sick decorations of an evil queen. Unable to stop himself, James bent over and threw up.
"Guards!"
Eya's guards rushed in only to come to a sudden halt. Some covered their mouths while others turned away. Eya remained unphased and gestured towards James.
"Please escort James to his ship. And one of you, do be sure Kia isn't around. If she is, take her into the city and keep her from here, yes?" Eya watched a guard with a stronger stomach retrieve James and help support him. "Oh, and be sure he doesn't leave until I finish writing a decree for Potara. He must return with my declaration of his new kingship."
The guards nodded and slowly backed from the room before scattering to follow Eya's command and escape the horrors of the room. James was helped out, his legs weak and shaking. He had no words to speak, just a desperate need to arrive to the ship and tell the others what happened. Every step felt long and too far, but the ship slowly came into view.
The moment he stepped inside, James's heart sank and he turned white. He collapsed against the wall, shaking his head in disbelief at the remains of his crewmates scattered across the ship. Blood stained the walls, the image reflecting that of the throne room. His horrified look fell to one whole body, James finding the strength to stand and stumble towards it. The body moved, and turned to James, the man somehow still alive.
"Oh thank the gods," James said as he dropped beside him to check for injuries. "What happened here?"
"D-demons." The soldier stuttered and held himself. "Everywhere. Out of nowhere. We tried to shoot but it was no use… and they just- they killed everyone except me." The man began to sob and James held his shoulders firmly, rallying his own strength as best he could manage.
"I'm glad you managed to hide."
"I didn't. One came up to me. It told me if anyone defied the queen, they'd die the same. What happened?! What did we do to deserve this?"
James could say nothing, only do his best to comfort the soldier and get him to his feet. The moment Eya's decree arrived and pilots were supplied, the ship took off. The return home held no victory or hope, only grief with no consolation to give.
The arrival killed James, people waiting by the docks in excitement to see their king with the hope of many families to have their wives and mothers returned. But James could offer them nothing as the doors to the ship opened and he stepped out, the guard beside him. Both still had bloodstains on their clothes, their faces worn and broken.
The prince pushed past his guard and closer to the ship, piercing blue eyes desperately looking between James and the guard. "Where is my father?" he snapped. "Tell me where my father is now! And what the meaning of all this is!" He waved at the two men, panic rising in his expression.
"Neil, I am so sorry. He's-"
"No," the prince's voice broke and he shook his head.
"I'm sorry."
"No!" he yelled, dropping to his knees. He bent over, running his hands over his beard and burying them in his hair as the weight of his father's death sank in. James stepped forward to reach for the prince, but a guard stopped him, shoving him back and away.
"What happened?" he demanded. "You left with a fleet of men! Now you return with one ship claiming the king is dead?"
James looked around at the people, the tears rolling down their cheeks as the horror sank in. "Not here, somewhere else please."
"Demons!" The guard blurted out, eyes wide as he shook his head violently and hugged himself. "It was demons. Everywhere."
"You expect us to believe that?"
"It is true," James sighed.
"How did you two get away? Why you two?"
The guard continued his ramble as he rubbed his hands. "I was on the ship. King Julius, some of the men, the women, and James went to see Queen Eya. While they were gone, the ship was attacked and- and I was told to tell everyone that anyone who defies Queen Eya and the Mother Planet will die the same way." Murmurs floated between some of the soldiers, others scoffing and muttering it was all talk of some traumatized man from whatever actually happened.
"That doesn't tell me why you're here," Neil bit out and a hush returned as the prince stood.
"Neil, the Queen wanted the women and your father said no. She tried to convince him and she took it personal. She pulled me to the side and in the time she did… they were all slaughtered. I could do nothing, believe me I tried."
"You expect me to believe this? That demons came out of nowhere? That the new queen somehow controlled them, and you just happened to survive?" Neil scoffed.
"Then look at this." James extended the decree out, and Neil ripped it from his hands. Unrolling it, the words were bold and clear, Neil's face turning white as he looked between James and the paper.
"You? King? This is a fake! You betrayed my father for the throne!"
"I'm afraid not." As James spoke the words, a messenger ran up to the group breathless. He whispered in Neil's ear and the prince could only shake his head in disbelief. He bit his lip, blood dripping from the pressure as he cleared his throat.
"It seems the Mother Planet and the other four planets are agreed that you are now king. But believe me James, this is not the end of this! That was my father and this is my birthright!"
"I am sorry, Neil. Let it go, and I will figure out something. I am keeping everyone safe!"
"Count your days, James. The moment the period of grace ends, I will find a way." Neil turned on his heel and stormed away. James stood still for a while soaking in the fresh air and trying to calm his throbbing soul and body. He took a couple of minutes and began to walk towards the castle, his new home.