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Chapter 4.02 K is the 3rd chapter of Volume 4 and Book 5, The Last Light. The K stands for King of Destruction Flos Reimarch.
tl;dr[edit | edit source]
Venith is bested by Flos again. Maresar joins Flos without much debate. Many Flashbacks.
Summary[edit | edit source]
Flashback:[edit | edit source]
A young man on horseback declares that he has come for Flos's head, whereupon a young Flos lying on the ground just looks up and yawns. Bewildered by this, the young man, Venith, stops. Shortly afterwards, Venith rides with his horse slowly towards Flos, asking him angrily if Flos had heard him correctly. Once again, Flos seems unfazed by the stranger's aggressiveness. Venith's pride can't tolerate it any longer, lifts his sword, and asks Flos if he had any last words before he cuts him apart. Unexpectedly, Flos simply wonders why Venith hadn't attacked him while he had his guard down. Although Venith doesn't admit it it, he seems to be too honorable for that. After a quick back and forth, Venith tells Flos to get on his stallion. To Venith's dismay, even that Flos won't do, and states that he will fight on foot. After a second of furious internal debate, Venith swings himself off his horse. As it is proper, both introduce themselves before the they start the duel. Five minutes later, Venith lies on the ground and lists internally the damage he had received. Then, refusing to cry, he tells Flos to finish him already off. To his surprise, Flos doesn't see a reason to kill him. When being asked why he had come for Flos' head, Venith replies with needing the bounty that is on him. That only makes the young king laugh, stating that it's then no wonder that he lost with a bad reason like that, as only someone with a dream that is at least half as big as his would have a chance of beating him. Flos leaves with saying laughingly that he can challenge him again if he has found a better reason for fighting.
Present Time:[edit | edit source]
Flos laughs, recalling how similar his first meeting with Venith was to the reunion he has with him now. Wiping the tears from his eyes, Flos ask if he has a better reason for seeking his life this time? Coldly, the now aged Venith declares that it's for the peace of his people and retribution for an oathbreaker. Hearing that reply, Flos's shoulders slump slightly, staring at Venith with disappointment and regret or guilt. Done with speaking, Venith rides forwards to kill the king that had betrayed him. The mob of villagers surrounding Flos make him stop, though. He orders them to move aside. A man comes forth from the crowd and pleads him to stop, as although Venith had ruled over them for the last 10 years, the villagers still see Flos as their [King]. The Lord is furious by this and tells Flos to send them away and to face him by himself. However, one knight of Venith's army seemed to have disagreed with them fighting each other alone and charges on his horse towards the King of Destruction. The king easily catches his weapon, though, making the knight fall off his horse. Having crashed on the ground, the villagers start surrounding and kick him for daring to attack their king. Realizing that this is the son of his former friend, Flos makes the villagers stop. Venith picks his son up and retreats with his army for the time being. Outside of the village, the father slaps his son for being an idiot. He tells his son and the rest of his army not to underestimate an army of villagers, and especially not Flos, as his Skills can make any battle even. He then orders his men to surround the village and alert him when the king moves.
Flashback:[edit | edit source]
Venith thinks back to the 2nd time he and Flos had met. Venith rides away from his father's burning castle and the screaming village, as armed soldiers were killing them. His attempt to escape is then ruined by 16 black armor wearing riders. Before the leader could kill him, Flos arrives to save him. The leader then reveals that they are the Black Judgement, that they punish pathbreakers and criminals. And they have come for Venith's family, the house of Crusland, given that they have failed to honor their debts. Flos isn't convinced by this argument, though, as paying their debts would have basically meant to sell their people as slaves. A young, frightened Gazi comes forth and reveals the enormous number of enemy soldiers, which vastly exceeds the number of Flos' army. The leader of the Black Judgement shouts that Flos has no right to interfere and they are following the law, which Venith's family have broken. The King of Reim ignores her, however, looks around and sees a dead child lying on the ground. After hearing from Venith the name of the girl, he raises his sword and says to his army that this is their reason, and charges towards the vast army.
Present Time:[edit | edit source]
Back in the village, Teres asks Flos the reason for Venith's hatred for him. Flos doesn't know if it was for abandoning him, for leaving the kingdom to rot, etc., but that he has to answer him. Trey tells him that he has just a single weapon, while Venith is wearing full plate armor. Flos replies that he would, indeed, prefer something else, but Venith will not wait and that a sword is all he needs. The twins keep trying to dissuade him from it, with no success though. With the two former friends now standing in front of each other in the duelling circle, Flos again asks him why he desires his death. Venith says that it is because he abandoned them, and then runs towards Flos with a raised sword. Despite his vast improvements over the years, Venith is still no match for his former king.
dRight before Flos wants to give him the finishing blow, Venith's son, Calac, throws himself in front of his father and begs for mercy. Flos watches as villagers and soldiers pull Calac away with Teres and Trey standing by his side. Flos, then, turns his head, frowns, and pushed Trey off his feet. Trey then sees an arrow flying where his legs had been. Flos reveals that Venith's wifes is the archer, who is standing on on a hill thousand feet away. Teres is starting to panic because she sees that the wife is about to fire another arrow. Flos remains calm, knowing that Gazi is on the hill as well with a sword in hand. On the hill, the archers, Lady Maresar, lowers her bow after noticing the Half Gazer. Gazi manages to convince Maresar to stop attacking her king by saying that her lord hadn't come to kill her husband in the first place. She ends the conversation with threatening Gazi with killing her first if she is wrong.
Having regained his consciousness, Venith Crusland tells him, as he did in the past, to finish him off. Flos smiles, as his friend hadn't changed even after all these years, and tells him that he could never kill him. Flos asks his old friend one more time to join him, after Venith had again mentioned furiously how he abandoned them and he vowed in the past to kill Flos the next time he saw him.
Flashback:[edit | edit source]
Before Venith gives his answer he recalls the moment when Flos had said that he is finished and will stop. At that time he said that he will never accept it and will wait for the day when Flos comes to his senses.
Present Time:[edit | edit source]
Venith takes Flos' hand, thinking that his old friend finally put his grudge aside, until Venith struck him in the face. Venith then rides away with his army, as he hasn't forgotten the day Flso turned his back on him.
Having left the village, Venith meets his wife, who asks him if he is feeling better now after having struck his king. Unlike Venith, Maresar still recognizes Flos as her king. Venith is confused when his wife tells him that she will waits for him at Flos' side and he should hurry up and make peace with the past. He calls for her but she doesn't look back. Maresar enters the village with a few of her soldiers greeting the king, who is overjoyed seeing her again. Gazi, who is also now standing beside her lord, mentions that Orthenon marches with an army towards the village, to Flos' dismay.
Venith, seeing Orthenon at the head of the army, greets him. Orthenon attacks him with his spear, making Venith fall down after having blocked it with his shield. Only, then, does Orthenon greet him calmly. Mars simply kicks Venith in the back, in passing. Shortly later, Flos meets Orthenon who begins to shout at Flos for being so reckless. Flos stops him and tells him to simply Take care of it ... Please. Orthenon smiles at Flos' order, as if remembering the past.
The chapter ends with Trey entering Flos's chambers with both of them talking about the events of the day and Trey's insecurities in the face of his sister's triumphs and abilities. Flos tells Trey of a secret that not even Gazi knows: Flos used to write poetry.
Characters[edit | edit source]
- Venith Crusland
- Flos Reimarch
- Trey Atwood
- Calac Crusland (First Appearance)
- Teresa Atwood
- Female Leader of the Black Judgment (First Appearance) (Flashback)
- Gazi Pathseeker (Flashback)
- Merisa (First Appearance) (Flashback)
- Maresar Crusland (First Appearance)
- Queravia (Mentioned)
- Tottenval (Mentioned)
- Orthenon
- Mars
- A Rustängmarder soldier
Locations[edit | edit source]
Groups/Organisations Introduced[edit | edit source]
- Black Judgment (Flashback)