TW: This chapter contains mention of dismemberment.

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26 Years after the first Acid rain and the muti-quake that ensued thereafter.

The King looked up when a knock sounded on the heavy wooden door. Perhaps he was simply being paranoid, but the knock held an edge of urgency. He cleared his throat.
"Enter."

A long-legged man strode inside the throne room, his confidence never wavering even as he stepped up to the podium on which the throne was placed, and looked the weary King in the eye.

"Your Majesty, with all due respect, you need to come to a decision." The man began, his voice low and harsh. "The people are restless and angry. Not to mention our rapidly diminishing resources and laborers." The man hesitated before continuing relentlessly. "If you would just consider-"

"I have considered what you call the 'only option', General Keshev." The King interrupted him. "However, to my knowledge- and that of the highly attractive palace cook, of course," the King chuckled as if he knew an inside joke. "-we have enough food and resources to last us the next couple of years. I believe it's enough for the next five or six years."
"Yes," muttered General Keshev -he was forcing the words through his teeth. "We may not starve to death, but the uprisings-"

"Ah," the King exclaimed, as though it were his favourite topic. "The uprisings- of course- how could I possibly forget? Then again, I was under the impression that I told you to kill them all? Or perhaps you decided to make actual use of them, and had them cooked? If so, you should distribute it amongst the..less fortunate. They'll enjoy a unique taste, I'm sure."
Nothing about the Kings facial expression changed, but there was a disgusted glint in his eyes and a hard edge had creeped into his voice.

"Well?" He asked when the other man did not reply to his backhanded question.
"Uhm, actually, sire," Keshev began, the nerves evident in his voice. "I might've taken matters into my own hands and sent them..out."

"Out where?" The King asked sharply.
"Th-the Gates, sir." The general stuttered out. His hands were now twisting nervously in his finely tailored clothes. He was still staring down at the silver thread woven through his navy robes when the King spoke.

"Well, well, well. Looks like you're even smarter than I give you credit for, Kesh."
The general flinched slightly at the casual use of his nickname, but the tension in his body eased.
"You are too kind, sire. I only hoped that they might come back and bring some news from outside, seeing as we've been stuck in here for almost three dacades. And if they don't, well," he shrugged. "I don't think anyone would mind, and we'd know it's not safe to go out."
The King opened his mouth, but never got to reply, since another knock sounded at the door, this one rushed and insistent.

"Enter." The moment the word left the King's thin lips, a guard marched briskly into the room. "Your majesty, General." He said quickly, giving each a small bow. "Forgive me for disturbing you like this, but the people the general sent out are back." He seemed to want to say something more, but closed his mouth.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Another bloody disaster? Send them in!" The King said eagerly, leaning forward in his throne. The general, however, did not look so engaged. His jaw was tensed, deep lines creasing his forehead beneath graying hair. "Your Majesty," he began tentatively, "Are you sure it's wise, bringing them in here when they could have breathed the toxic gas themselves?"

"Of course it's not wise." The King snapped, spitting the word like it, in fact, was a poisonous gas from the earth's core. "But if it hasn't reached us in all these years, I don't believe it will." The general muttered something under his breath, but the King ignored him. "Indeed, I believe that the gas has dispersed. But let us see what these dimwits have to say."

Just then, the guards escorted a group of disheveled people into a the room. Among them, a well-built man covered with multiple cuts and bruises was dragged forward. A muscle in the man's jaw strained, but he seemed too exhausted to pull out of the guards firm grip. They came to a stumbling halt at the foot of the dias. "Your Majesty," the guard announced, "I bring you Theodore Hane, current prisoner for leading the uprisings against his Majesty."

The man looked up wearily, but when his grey eyes fell on the King, they hardened with undisguised hatred. He straightened his spine, rolling back his broad shoulders.
"To what do I owe the honour of being summoned by the King himself?"
Theodore asked, his tone bordering on a sneer. He stared with blatant dislike at the King's rather bloated face and form.

"Unless I'm here as his next meal. Not that his majesty needs any more." He added mockingly. The general, who had heard him, quickly stifled his laugh with a cough. The King pretended as though no one had spoken.

"What have you seen beyond the gates?"
He asked, attempting to sound mildly disinterested and failing.
And although nothing about Theodore's posture changed, nor his expression, something like fear crossed his slim features. This, unfortunately, wasn't missed by the King, whose piggy eyes narrowed.

"Well? What is it? What did you see?"
Still, Theodore did not speak. "I suggest you answer, before the King decides that you are no longer in need of your head." General Keshev warned, his voice stiff.
Theodore set his jaw, hands fisting as he braced himself. "Do your worst."

The King jumped up, his moustache bristling. "I asked, 'What. Did. You. SEE'!?" He roared, stepping closer to the defiant figure with each word.
Theodore did not flinch. "Nothing." He said, his voice flat. "There was nothing."

The King's face turned from red to an impressive shade of violet. He raised his hand as if to punch the man, but instead, signalled forward the short, stubby doorkeeper. "Y-your Majesty?" He mumbled, stepping forward.

"Bring me a pair of garden shears." The King said without looking at him. When the man stayed frozen, the King clicked his fingers impatiently in the man's round, chubby face. "Are you completely daft? I said; 'Bring me a pair of goddamn garden shears'! Honestly, does no one listen around here?" The man, now looking as though the King had just sentenced him to death, nodded with a clumsy bow before running as fast as his stubby legs could carry him from the room.

The King turned his attention back to Theodore, who was watching the door from which the man just escaped with a hint of amusement on his handsome face. "And you," he said roughly, "Are going to tell me what you saw out there- and if you decide on silence, I suggest saying goodbye to your fingers and toes."

"No!" A woman screamed from the back of the room. When all eyes turned to her, she cowered against the wall, the shackles around her hands clanking.
"Please..." She whispered softly, tears escaping from beneath her lowered lashes. "J-just tell th-them Th-Theo. Th-they're going t-to find out any-way."

"Yes, listen to this lovely woman and answer the question. I will find out eventually, no matter whether you tell me while one or ten of your toes are still attached to your miserable body." The King threatened, his voice dangerously low. The woman let out a soft whimper, tears still spilling over her eyes.
Theodore seemed to be steeling himself not to look at her. His fists clenched so hard that his nails broke skin and drops of warm blood ran along the lines of his palm.

"Fine." He finally huffed, unclenching his jaw. His grey eyes travelled- against his better instincts- to the dark haired woman, who nodded infinitesimally. "Although I wasn't lying. At first, when your general"- he shot a dirty look at Keshev- "shoved us out of the palace gates, there was absolutely nothing but mountains, land and trees. There was no food, no water, and no people. But then, as we travelled closer to the Nevercoast, we noticed something strange." He paused, seemingly forcing himself to continue.

"There was no ocean. Nothing. Just endless miles of sodden, salt-soaked land, and a massive lake kind of thing in the middle. But what was stranger, was the gold. Endless mounds of glittering gold, silver, jewels, pearls of every size and colour. You name anything precious and it was there. I think," Theodore hesitated. "It looks like the sea emptied itself with all the tsunamis that happened all over the place. Not that I personally thought that that was possible, but apparently, it is, since the sea is nowhere to be found and there are tonnes of gold laying in the middle of nowhere."

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Hello my beloved readers! 🤭
If you're reading this, I can only hope you enjoyed this chapter. I certainly enjoyed writing it. 😉
What I want to know is what you think so far, and how I could improve! Any and all feedback is really, really appreciated.
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Sapphire. 💋