Chapter 30 The Return

Chapter 30

 

The Return

 

                Nicole walked over with Sarwar to her new throne, than slowly sat upon it. She smiled as she looked out at everyone in the room. Sarwar looked over to her then sat down in his throne. The two halves of the glorious empire now are whole again with a new leader, while she is only a young girl the wisps of mystery and power that surround her are more than enough to spur the desire to fight. One by one the Generals, Captains, and Advisors come before the two rulers and kneel, swear loyalty and their lives to the leaders. Once the final person steps away Sarwar stands to make a speech. He goes on and on about unity, honor, and the new opportunities to come. Nicole dazes off in to her own world, imaging what she can do, what seen needs to do. She nods off during the speech and enters a realm she’s never been in before, not dream, nor reality. This was a new section of her mind. The room is all white save a throne at the far end. Upon the throne sits the black silhouette from earlier, its legs laying over the armrest, and his fist propping up its head as the black faces look to her. She walks slowly over to the figure, still not sure if it was really her Father.

 

“Daddy… is that you?”

 

                The figures head tilts up slightly and the dark slit which seemed to look like its mouth bent in to a smile. The figure turned and placed its feet firmly down, then stood to clap softly to her. Nicole stopped in place confused and scared. What is this being, is it really her father? Her mind was buzzing only to see the figure start to walk towards her, arms wide open asking for an embrace.

 

“Who are you…? Please say something.”

 

                The figure’s smile turned to a frown. It looked down at its body inspecting its arms. The figure looks up to her and taps a finger to its chin, as it unsure what to do.  Nicole placed her hand on the sword and watched, not sure what this thing was any more. The figure noticed it, than the smile returned. Slowly it lifted its right arm to fully extend it. Nicole watched as the figure opened its hand, then without realizing it Nicole’s sword had slipped away and was floating towards the figure. What the hell was going on she muttered under her breath. She started to run to try to catch the blade before it entered its hands but the faster she ran the fast the sword moved to it.  Before she could reach for the handle the blade met the figures open palm, and with one strong push the figure returned to the throne and now stood atop it, blade in hand.

 

                Nicole stood in fear of this figure, no longer understanding what it could be. She watched as it lifted the sword above its head. She fear for her life, feared that it was planning to strike her down. Like before her body froze in fear, she was unable to move, her weakness was she didn’t want to lose her life. The figure walked up to her until it was standing just above her, the blade still held above.

 

“Please… whoever you are, please don’t.”

 

                The figures expression didn’t change as it spun the blade to impale downwards. Nicole closed her eyes as the blade started to move down. She sat with her eyes closed for what felt like eternity, but the blade never hit her. What was going on, she slowly opened her eyes to see that the figure had impaled the blade in on itself.  Nicole sat puzzled, but then the figure grabbed her hand and placed it on the handle. Somehow at the same time the figure forced her to ignite her gift in to the blade as well. The moment her gift traveled to the tip of the blade a bright shining light exploded out of the mouth and eyes of the figure. Slowly it started to float up and the black surrounding it started to fade, slowly revealing who the figure was.

 

                The light was so powerful that Nicole had turned away in the magnificence of the explosion. When things started to settle Nicole turned back over to see a black and gold lump on the ground, the sword clutched in its right hand. She slowly moved closer to it pushing at the lump. It stirred with her touch. When she reached for the sword the figure started to rise. It stood full above her, with a gold cape still draped over its face and torso. With one movement the cape whipped back revealing the face.

 

“Damn, I really hope I don’t have to do that again.”

 

“Oh my… You really are…”

 

“Nicole, my little Nicole, wow how big you’ve gotten.”

 

                Nicole ran up to her father and gripped him as tight as she could, tears running down her face and wailing at the top of her lungs. Ricardo wrapped his arms around her, softly rubbing her back.

 

“It’s ok, shhh its ok I’m right here.”

 

“Daddy, what happened, where were you all my life?”

 

“I’ll explain that later, right now you need to wake up.”

 

“What? No, daddy please.”

 

“Nicole, Nicole say something…”

 

                Nicole started to open her eyes to see Sarwar turned over at her smiling. He had his arm extended out to her. She takes his hand and stands up, to hear the roar of the crowd. She looks at all of them as walks up to stand next to Sarwar. She is completely confused on why Sarwar keeps nudging her. She looks over at him puzzled. Sarwar’s voice lowers to a whisper.

 

“Tell them your plans.”

 

“Oh…”

 

                Nicole walks up in front of everyone, in her armor, the sword on her left hip, read to do what she was meant to do. She lifted her hands to quiet everyone, than with a strong deep breath she began.

 

“I am Nicole, Nicole Talson, daughter of Ricardo and Alessandra Talson. Our last name is all I have to remind me of the capital city we lost long ago. My father is also known to you all as Lord Knight. I plan to fulfill his wishes and I’ll start that now. Sarwar, Generals of the Empire, I will commence my reign with my first order. Assemble the army; we are heading south to reclaim Talson.”

 

                Gasps and whispers spread across the people in the room, Sarwar moves to pull her back to stop her only to have her move forward out of his grasp. She walks forward drawing her sword. As she moves down the pathway she looks at every face she sees taking in their reactions.

 

“We are going to war my friends, we are going to do what is needed. 18 years ago Talson was lost, 18 years we’ve been losing city after city to a threat we know nothing about. It’s time we fight, time that we go and take back that which is rightfully ours. Together we will rule, together we will win, and together we will never be beaten.”

 

                The crowd erupted in a roar of cheers and whistles; Sarwar came up behind Nicole and pat her on the back. Nicole turned around to hug them then looks out at everyone once more to let the feeling of what she can do sink in.

 

“You inspired them, and from the looks of it things will be different.”

 

“It will be different, with what I’ve seen it’ll be every different.”