Chapter Thirty-Four

An Unexpected Visitor

A wretched life filled with remorse is the true meaning of hell

Aden

5L 15/15/2/10

"You have a visitor, Your Highness".

A guard walked near Samuel's small prison cell and announced in a loud voice. Samuel came out of his thoughts where he was pondering over the journey of his life. From the lavish balcony of the Grand Palace that had magnificent views of Aurae to this dungeon with no sunlight, his lifestyle had leaped off a cliff. Nobles had ordered the prison authorities to make his life a living hell, but the guards there still adored their former king. They took good care of the person who had done so much for their world.

Samuel chuckled. "Holy Angels, you must stop calling me that, boy. If King Malcolm hears that he will have your tongue pulled out."

"Minister Olivier is here to see you."

Samuel got up from his cot and received his childhood friend with a beaming smile. Olivier looked pale and a bunch of grey hairs showed that he had aged many years in the last few days. He seemed taken aback by Samuel's warm welcome. Clearly, he hadn't anticipated that.

"Who am I meeting today, the HighMinister of Aden or an old friend?"

Olivier's face, a portrait of pain and despair, reflected his inner turmoil. "I am no longer the HighMinister. In fact, I am no longer in the Council. A person with a tainted reputation wasn't deemed fit for it. The same Council members, who had pledged to make me the king, threatened to banish me if I didn't give up my post."

"Oh my God! It looks like Malcolm is trying to clean up the Council. Remove all people who pose a threat to his position."

"He turned out to be much sharper than I thought. When I was facing the heat during the trial, he discreetly played his own game. One by one he turned all of my accomplices on his side and asked them to promote his name as the contender for the throne. He offered them much better deals than I did. Those fools thought that Malcolm, being the innocuous and simple guy he pretends to be, will be their puppet and do their bidding for the rest of his life. Some even called him the Accidental King. He skillfully manipulated the Council by remaining in the shadows, but the moment he sat on the throne, he started to show his true colors."

"An accidental King!" Samuel giggled. "You thought you were using him, but it was the other way around. He quietly turned the tables on you and outplayed you in your own game."

"Yes, right at the time when I was in a dire need of his support, the rascal stabbed me in the back and threw me to the wolves."

"I think I perfectly know that feeling. Sounds very familiar to me."

Olivier's eyes welled up. When he spoke words barely came out of his mouth. "I don't know what got into me. I was the fourth son of a palace guard, a boy whom nobles wouldn't even allow getting near them, but you embraced me as a friend. You treated me like your brother. You didn't just include me in the Council but, against the wishes of everyone, made me the HighMinister. And I repaid your love by betraying you."

Olivier fell at Samuel's feet. He was sobbing. "I don't know how I sunk to such depths. I killed Andrews, William, and countless others. I turned into a blood-thirsty demon. I caused a war that killed thousands and consumed a world. All this for a throne which I didn't get in the end. As the HighMinister I was anyhow ruling this world, but the greed to be called the King, that title, that crown is what brought my downfall. I deserve every bit of what has happened to me. I deserve much worst. I should be taken to the town square and lashed every day. I must be tortured to death. Whatever is done to me, I will never be able to repent enough for my sins."

Samuel placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "Greed does turn men into beasts. What happened has happened and you can't change that."

"Just tell me one thing. How did you manage to receive me with a smile? If you would have done to me what I did to you, I would have pounced on you the moment I saw you and beaten you to death. Tore you apart."

"In the last few years, I had prepared myself for far worst scenarios than these. There was no shock for me when things turned out the way they did. When I came to know about your betrayal I too wanted to kill you, but by God's grace, I gradually realized I don't have time to waste thinking about revenge. I had so much work to do. I tried to use this time to make up for my mistakes. And now, the only feeling I have for you is pity. After all your crimes, you got nothing and that is the biggest punishment for you. I know that you are burning from within and a wretched life filled with remorse is the true meaning of hell."

Olivier hung his head. There was an awkward silence before he spoke. "You utilized these seven years very well. Every commoner wants you back on the throne, but they can't go against the regime. Their hearts and souls are with you, even if their swords are against you."

Samuel gave a placid smile. "Their hearts and souls won't help me a lot in my current situation."

"Yes, but your reforms linger in their memories. Many commoners are looking for your son to crown him the King. On the other hand, Malcolm is looking for him as well, for all the wrong reasons. You did well to hide your family or else they would all have met the same fate as you."

"And how would have they justified banishing my family without any crime?".

"As per a new law, treason is an offense that attracts the biggest punishment. Banishment. If someone speaks against the king or the regime it is called treason and is very easy to prove in a trial. All that regime needs is a couple of planted witnesses to testify against the accused. Malcolm understands that public sentiments are with you. Your family and that amulet possess a serious threat to him. So he will leave no stone unturned to weed out his only competition. He has already sent out spies to track down your family and I just hope that they stay away from his clutches."

Samuel leaned back and closed his eyes. He had to make a decision but wasn't convinced about his choice. In the end, he took Olivier's hand in his and looked into his eyes. He saw remorse. Pain. And that natural connection. Had his best friend returned? "Can I trust you with one last task?"

"I know I am not worthy of your trust anymore, but believe me I am ready to give my life for you if that could do any good."

"Seeing the current situation, I think my family should be warned. That amulet, and its true heir, must be protected from falling into wrong hands."

"Tell, me how can I help you?" Olivier asked.

"I have scattered my family in different parts of this world and don't know about their whereabouts. However, I know exactly where my only son Evan and the amulet is. By God, he is just a child Olivier. You know that I had him after having four daughters and almost losing all hopes of getting a male heir. He came as a miracle in my life and now he needs a miracle to stay alive. A mastermind like you could help him survive these treacherous times. Evan was too small to understand the importance of the amulet when I sent him away. But now you can educate him about its powers, and why it needs to be passed down the generations till the end of the loop. Tell me can I trust you with this?"

Olivier stood from his chair and raised his right hand. "I swear by the Creator of these worlds and the Lords of Nature, I swear on my life and lives of my children that I will protect your son and your family till my last breath."

Samuel hugged his friend and told him Evan's location.

Samuel had taken a huge gamble. He had entrusted the very person, who until a few weeks ago could have gone to any depths to lay his hands on Evan, to protect him. But somewhere in this wrecked Olivier, he saw his honest and reliable friend of the past. Samuel had to take this chance because he knew that Evan wouldn't survive this massive manhunt without an expert to guide him. And Olivier was his best bet. He asked the hunter to become a protector.

***

Olivier walked purposefully towards the Grand Palace. Malcolm was waiting for him. Olivier stood in front of the new king and gave him the information he was eagerly waiting for.

Malcolm's eyes lit up. "Well done Olivier. Even after all that has happened to you, you haven't lost your touch. So finally, you have decided to put aside your resentment and come to my side."

"I don't have much of a choice. Do I?"

"This is the right choice. With the Council brimming with stupid nobles and filthy commoners I can certainly make use of a sharp elite brain like yours."

"So is your offer still valid?"

"Yes. I always keep my promises. In exchange for this priceless information, I will order the court to clear you of all the charges. Within a month you will be reinstated to the Council."

Olivier bowed his head. "It is a pleasure working with you my King," Olivier said with a quiet smile. Although the plan had a few rough edges, it had worked out just fine for them.

***

Aden

5L 15/21/21/19

Olivier came to meet Samuel for one last time a couple of days before the Crossing.

"Holy Angels, you are aging very fast. Every time you come to visit me, you seem to have aged a couple of years". Samuel took a dig at his old friend.

"Okay, I know I don't visit you as often as I should, but I have eyes on me. If Malcolm knows about me coming here that will be game over for both of us and I will be joining you at the Banishment party. And all these greying hairs are because of living a dual life. Trying to keep your son safe, while pretending to lead a manhunt to track him down is no easy job."

"You have to admit that my idea to put up a false trail on Evan to gain Malcolm's trust was a genius move. That got you back on the Council and kept Malcolm looking in a completely different direction."

"But I had to catch a couple of your cousins to make the trail look genuine. They might be joining you in the banishment. Your idea worked in the beginning, but Malcolm is a shrewd man, and now it is a completely different story. He doubts me. I think this cat and mouse game is going to go on forever." Olivier paused for a moment. When he spoke his voice cracked due to the lump in this throat. "I think this is going to be our last meeting."

Samuel's expression didn't change. He looked as calm as ever "Yes, I know that. I don't have too much time left in this world."

Olivier got up from his chair and hugged his friend. Tears streamed down his cheeks. "I know I don't deserve it, but please try and forgive me for whatever I did. It breaks my heart to see you in this cell and your family hiding away like fugitives. This all happened because of me, my greed. Please Samuel, please forgive your old friend."

"I have told you before, I hold no grudge against you. And I am thankful to you for all the things you are doing for Evan."

Olivier wiped away his tears. "That reminds me of something. I have a farewell gift for you." Olivier took out a tiny gold chain from his pocket and gave it to Samuel.

Samuel recognized the chain and the tiny locket. Samuel himself had ordered that chain to be made for Evan for his naming ceremony.

"The amulet has his next heir. Evan was blessed with a baby boy last month. He has named him Samuel. That chain was worn by Samuel the second during his naming ceremony. Evan has sent it to you as a memento."

Samuel kissed the chain. His eyes became moist with tears of joy and grief. Although he might never see his grandson, he was happy that his family was safe. The amulet and its bearer were safe.

On the first day of the new cycle, Samuel, Desmond, Henry, and a few other Solomons were thrown into the whirlpool. They were the first people to be Banished from Aden. At the other end, Aden's soldiers took them deep into the unending forest and abandoned them to die. None of them made out of that forest alive. Nothing was ever heard of them again. Samuel the Brave met an inconspicuous end.

Malcolm kept hunting down Samuel's family, but Olivier kept protecting them. Malcolm's successors continued the manhunt and Olivier's descendants carried on his redemption. The regime captured and banished Solomon's descendants but somehow the true heirs and the amulet survived.

Destiny then played its part. It brought the true heir and the Amulet to Elisium, the world where they had to start the Transition. Moses met an untimely end but the amulet found a new Transitioner. And this time, the Amulet and the Transitioner merged into each other to truly become one. Their powers reached heights like never before and both the worlds shook in anticipation.

The time to unleash those powers was close.

The amulet, and the heiress of Solomon, were now ready to strike.

The Dance of the two worlds was about to reach its climax.