The Arcane Tides

One week. That's how long he took out for himself, to revel in and enjoy seeing his family again. His father stoking the fire in the early hours, while the dew-soaked grass shook off the morning mist. His mothers singing- he'd forgotten how she loved to make music. His father even told him once that she could have been part of the royal orchestra had he not snagged her up first. Each morning he woke, expecting to be passing through the gates into oblivion. A brighter future than that didn't seem to be in the cards for him- he'd killed too many, destroyed too much. Still, he woke in his hay-stuffed bed, looking at the thatch ceiling and knowing there was another day with his family ahead of him. He touched his mothers tummy, feeling his sister kick again, ready to come into the world at any time.

Once his first week of reveling in the past was over, his mind began to linger on things in the future. On the soon to comes. The war, the destruction. He figured the first thing to do was to get those around him aware of what was up ahead. Sitting at the kitchen table built by the raw-hide thick hands of his father, he cleared his throat to get their attention. When he opened it to start, however, no sound came out. Instead, intense pain shot up his hand from the ring. He grabbed his wrist and looked up at his parents who seemed to just stay put, as though frozen. His mother was mid way through washing the dishes, the water in the basin brought up from the river was still as ice. He got up from the chair, heart pounding.

He went outside, and everything around him was frozen there as well.

"Who are you?"

He whipped around, and standing in the doorway was a large man. At least six foot five, two hundred and fifty pounds. He had jet black hear and pale skin. Atop his head rested a laurel crown made of solid gold and inset with gems.

"....Malakar!"

It was the red eyes that gave him away. He had a ponderous look on his face, as though trying to deduce who this little boy was simply by staring hard enough. Kael took a half step back but stopped when he realized the faint nature of the body standing before him. He could see through him, to the living room beyond. What was this? Some kind of projection system? The King of demonkind put his hands behind his back, seemingly unflustered but his question betrayed him.

"Where is Iliana?"

Kael's brow twitched.

So that was her name.

"I...I don't know."

The Kings jaw tightened as he squared it, looking at the ground for a moment as Kael continued.

"I...took this from her." He held up the ring, which glowed brightly. "...just before she killed me."

Finally, the relaxed nature of the King was broken as his eyes widened. "You-!?" he clenched a fist, then relaxed it. Obviously, Ilyana wasn't dead- the boy had said he was on the short end of that stick. However, if that were the case...he looked up at Kaelan and sized him up. A boy, who knows how old but still a child. Then the story must have been true. There were those in the demon court who had thought that the black dragons pearl was simply a last resort effect. One which sort of rewound time for you, bringing you back to full health and ready to fight again. It could stave off death or whatever challenge came to mind. He was a part of that group.

Another group, mostly of the older generation, believed that it would cast you into history, sending you back to when you first began. He thought it such nonsense. Kael reached down to take the ring off but it wouldn't move no matter how hard he pulled. King Malakar lowered his clenched hand, relaxing it.

"I see. Then you were sent back instead." Malakar looked over the trees, the fields, the farmland. Beautiful. "And my daughter is somewhere safe. Back at home with me." He sighed. "I had enchanted that stone with magic of my own, intent to make sure my daughter wasn't alone when she needed me most. It seems I am stuck with you, instead." He folded his arms. "Tell me boy, where are we?"

Kael wasn't listening. The King looked at him and saw the boys eyes were closed, and he was glowing. A faint green hue surrounded his body. Malakar cocked a brow- so young! Even he hadn't started working with Aether until he was twelve and this boy was certainly not twelve. Malakar could feel his energy working on the ring and his lips slowly turned up into a smile.

"What a brilliant boy-"

He vanished, and the world came back to life, moving once more. Kael gasped, putting his hands on his knees and sucking back air. He'd used a thread of Aether to worm his way into the stone, fighting back several attempts from the rock to drag him deeper in. He simply flipped a switch and hastily retreated but it nearly killed him. It was the first time he'd actually tried anything other than simply touching Aether since coming back to this time- it was good to know he could still use it effectively, even if it was very hard to manipulate anything beyond small bits. It was like using a muscle at the back of the head and without "working out", so to speak, it could lead to a lot of strain. He wiped small beads of sweat from his brow.

"Malakar…"

"Yes?"

He jumped, looking around himself. Time was still moving and nobody was there. Was it coming from the ring?

"In here." He could almost feel a sort of knocking inside his head. "It appears you and I may be spending quite a bit of time together, lad. Best we get to know one another."

"..."

This wasn't going to end well.