fallen king ;; Holli$, aran

The harried overloridian sat at the end of his expansive dining table alone. In front of him sat an empty glass and a bottle of whiskey beside it. Behind him, tall windows exposed his crumbling kingdom. He poured himself another drink, and ran his hand through his hair again.

Kole hated drinking, it messed with his senses too much, but times like these called for a drink or two sometimes. What had happened? Everything had been going according to plan. Now all the sudden Amelia decided to fight back. Troops were beginning to retreat out of Earalas, Cuir rescued the brats he had collected for his army, his own clio were starting to rebel, and now there was a rumor that the next overloridian of Deilig was coming of age.

The glass in Kole's hand shattered suddenly. If he ever meets this "next overloridian" he'd be sure to destroy the worthless little maggot. His jaw tensed as he tried to steady his breathing. No sense in getting worked up over something easily fixed. A guttural sound escaped from his lips and he grabbed his bottle of whiskey and hurled it at the wall. The glass shattered and golden liquid splashed everywhere.

Kole felt like he was losing his mind. Kingdom Deilig was falling.

Aran and Holli$ arrived together outside the Deilig walls early in the morning, just as the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon. Going to Deilig at night would have been suicide, but they wouldn't have been able to sneak out of Dian during the day. While Tamar kept Holli$ well protected, she still gave him freedom and didn't keep him totally under lock and key, so it hadn't been too difficult.

They'd sneaked unto a carriage delivering supplies to Deilig to get inside the walls, and then knocked out the guards who came to search the carriage in a surprise attack. Once inside, it was easy enough to use the thick forest as cover to avoid any more guards as they made their way to the Deilig mansion.

They had no idea where Amerie would be inside--or, for that matter, whether or not she really was there. Luka had said it was likely though, and if not, maybe they'd have a chance to kill Overloridian Fuckface while they were here.

"In some books I used to read, big creepy mansions like this always had dungeons in the basement," Aran whispered to him as she picked the lock on a first-floor window to an empty room. They could have just broken the window, but the sound might alert security. "I say we start down there and work our way up."

Even though Tamar wasn't keeping Holli$ under lock and key, he still felt guilty for sneaking away. He felt like a teenager, sneaking out for a night of drinking and partying, only he wasn't like any other teenager, and he could die today. The whole way to Deilig, Holli$ was trying to remain calm and talk himself down alone in his head. He should have just stayed home, and let the real overloridians work, but he was going to be a real overloridian.

Holli$ came prepared though. Several different types of knives were sheathed in his belt, and his trusty bow and arrows were at the ready.

When the two of them were confronted by the guards, knocking them out was almost too easy. It gave him too much confidence. That confidence was gone however, when they arrived at the dark, ominous, estate. Holli$ made a mental note right then and there to destroy this place if he didn't become worm food that is.

Holli$ stood nervously behind Aran as she started to pick the lock. Another mental note came to him, when he rebuilds his own estate, make sure that the first story windows were too high for would-be lock pickers.

Aran wrote:"In some books I used to read, big creepy mansions like this always had dungeons in the basement," "I say we start down there and work our way up."

"Huh," he breathed, still staring up at the oppressive building. "I don't read much."

Finally, Aran managed to unlock the window.

Once Aran had the window open, the two of them climbed inside. Heavy dark curtains fell shut behind them, blanketing the entire room in total darkness. "Fuck, I can't see a thing," she said, forming a small, dimly glowing ball of light in her hands. Just enough to be able to see a few feet around them. Her and Holli$ cautiously left the empty room behind.

The hallway was even darker, not having any windows to the outside world. She knew that these Deiligs could see in the dark, but it was still bizarre to imagine living in a totally darkened house. Even back when she'd been unable to afford power for her apartment, she'd still had candles and windows.

They slowly crept along, looking for any kind of stairs, or locked rooms, or otherwise dungeon-y looking places. As they turned a corner, Aran saw two sort of vague blobs up ahead that were somewhat darker than the rest of the darkness. Then one of the blobs moved and yelled, "HEY!"

"Shit. Run!" she said to Holli$, turning around and taking off. Only after she had done so did she realize the smarter thing to do might have been to stay and fight, even if it would have been six-on-two with the guards' shadows. Now those guards would be able to tell someone they were there. Fucking hell. Too late now, they were already yelling for reinforcements.

Suddenly something grabbed at her ankle. She kicked it off and somehow maintained her balance, but something else jumped on her back. Fucking shadows. She could hear the footsteps of the clio who owned them rushing towards her. Letting out a frustrated breath, she created an extremely bright flash of light. The shadows seemed to dissolve off of her. When the flash faded, she could see two of the guards covering their eyes in pain. She made quick work of them, shocking them unconscious. "Holli$!" she called out as loudly as she dared. No answer. Fuck, they had lost each other in the mayhem. With no other choice, she continued on.

---

After what seemed like an eternity, Aran came across a huge set of doors guarded by three clio. She took them out the same way she'd done the other guards earlier, and picked the lock. A locked door with three guards. Seems promising. The door opened up to a descending staircase--also promising--that ended at another locked door, which Aran again picked her way into.

And there she was.

Aran's heart started to beat so insanely fast that she actually had to use her eilemaiden to slow it back down and calm herself. She wanted to scream, wanted to puke, wanted to kill every clio in this mansion when she saw her. Amerie was asleep or unconscious, chained to the wall, filthy, thinner than she had been, bruised, bloodied, brutalized. Fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck FUCK!

There was no time to scream or puke or kill the Deilig clio. Amerie looked more dead than alive. Aran rushed forward and picked the locks on her shackles. It took longer than it should have because of her shaking hands. "Am, are you awake?" she asked frantically. "It's Aran." Amerie was not awake. Maybe that was better. Aran hoisted her onto her back--she was lighter than nothing, even for an already tiny girl. "I'm takin' you home, Am," she told the girl who couldn't hear her as she started back up the steps. She hoped Holli$ was okay. But she needed to get Amerie out of here, now.

Note to self, Holli$ thought to himself again. Install lights in every room.

He knew however, that he'd be able to see in the dark, he just figured it would be a little less...creepy for his guests. As the two made their way through the dark hallways together, they were spotted and immediately turned to run. Holli$ turned down a hallway and felt safe only for a moment before an animated shadow began to snake its way up his leg. He yelped and started to panic while he tried to kick the tendril off, but luckily Jasmine changed her shape into a jaguar and ripped the shadow off from her clio's leg.

Thanks, Jaz, he sent her. I'm really going to miss that.

Holli$ didn't have much more time to thank her before the shadow's owner attacked him. The two started to scuffle, but Holli$ managed to fight the man off by reaching for one of his knives and stabbing it into his attackers leg. The guy started to scream and Holli$ began to panic again.

"Stop screaming!" He whispered in a frenzy. "You're going to attract attention!"

Holli$ looked around in the dark frantically, just waiting for Kole to show up around any corner. The man was still screaming, so Holli$ made the decision to punch the guy in the head until he knocked him out. The attackers daemon was still there, much to Holli$' relief. He really didn't want to kill anybody unless he had to.

It was quiet now, other than a few distant shouts from Kole's guards. Holli$ sighed and stood after gathering his wits. He knew he couldn't stay in that one spot for long though, he had to find Kole.

Kole was still brooding in his dining room when one of his useless guards rushed in, disturbing his thoughts.

"Overloridian Roden," the lackey breathed. "There are intruders!"

"What?!" Kole roared. "Who are they?!"

He stood and started walking toward the lackey, who flinched with every step his overloridian took.

"A bald woman," he whimpered. "And a young man."

The only bald woman that Kole knew of was that sniveling little Solas overloridian's body guard. The bitch must have broke into his home to try and rescue the little insect.

"Go to the prisoner," he growled darkly. "Now!"

The guard did not hesitate and practically flew out the door. Kole turned away and began to pace. How the fuck could this had happened?! When he caught these intruders he'd be sure to murder them along with his entire staff for being such incompetent cockroaches. He roared loudly and angrily and punched a hole into the wall. His world was in shambles. He simmered there for a moment until he was pulled from his trance when something hit the wall above his fist. He looked up and stuck in the wall was an, arrow?

Holli$ began to creep quietly around the halls, trying to avoid the sounds of running footsteps and shouting. Every few doors he'd find an open one with morning light spilling through. They were small gifts given from the Gods, to let him know that there was light at the end of the tunnel. Eventually he turned a corner and saw one room where the light seemed to be brighter than the others, as if there were more windows in this one. From the room he heard a booming, angry voice, shouting at someone else. He heard the voice command the other clio to go to the prisoner, who Holli$ could only assume was Amerie. He readied his bow and pulled an arrow from its quiver and ducked behind a creepy statue just in time for a guard to rush past him. Only when he breathed a quiet sigh did he realize that he had been holding his breath. He stood then, and slowly stalked his way toward the doors where he could hear someones presence. He jumped when he heard a roar and a loud thud. He peaked around the corner and suddenly lost his breath. There was Kole Roden, his fist stuck in the wall. Holli$ thanked whatever God was listening that the overloridian had been facing the other way. He lifted his bow, pulled back the arrow and released. He was aiming for Kole's head, but missed from pure shaky fear. If only it had been that easy. As soon as the arrow was released, Holli$ reached for another one.

---

"Who the fuck is out there," Kole growled, while turning. "Show yourself."

---

This was it, this was the day Holli$ was either going to settle, or die.

"Hello, Overloridian Roden," Holli$ said, in his strongest voice while stepping into the doorway. "My name is Holli$ Wren, and I am here to relieve you."

Kole just stood there for a moment, staring at the kid who called himself Holli$ Wren. Then he began to laugh, he started to laugh so hard that tears sprung from the corners of his eyes. Holli$ had a look of pure confusion on his face, that only made Kole laugh harder.

"You're the next overloridian?" Kole gasped through laughter. "A puny kid like you?"

Kole took several deep breaths and wiped away the tears from his eyes. "Very well," he said, with a satisfied sigh. "Come at me."

Kole's shadow became animated behind him while he spoke. The creature was tall, with claws for fingers, and teeth as sharp as Holli$' knives.

---

Holli$ took a good look at the grinning shadow monster and gulped. What the fuck did he get himself into? Why did he ever think taking on an overloridian was a good idea? He was definitely going to die today. Everything felt like slow motion. Holli$ lunged to the left of the door, lifted his bow, aimed, and released. He didn't have time to make sure it hit though, because Kole's freaking daemon's shadow was now solidified, and charging at him as a fucking bear. FUCK.

Holli$ closed his eyes for a second, ready to accept his fate, when Jasmine had changed her form to an equally large bear to fight back. He peaked around the two fighting bears and spotted Kole's daemon flying above their heads. Maybe he could just shoot an arrow through the birds chest and be done with all of this. He pulled another arrow from his quiver and released. It missed, but only by a few inches. Damn. He briefly thought it fitting for this fucked up man to have a freaking raven as a daemon.

Suddenly white hot pain radiated through his shoulder. Kole's shadow monster had sunken its teeth into Holli$' skin. He cried out in pain and wretched his body around until he could get away from the shadow beast. The monster was about to attack again before Jasmine, still in the form of a bear, swiped a few giant paws and the shadow backed off, for now. With the few seconds of time, Holli$ was able to grab another bow and shoot. His aim was off because of his wounded shoulder, but he managed to get the arrow deep within Kole's own shoulder.

---

Kole was taken by surprise when the arrow pierced his skin. He screamed in pain, grabbed the arrow, sucked in air, and pulled it out with an angry grunt. This kid was more skilled than he thought he was.

The two men continued their fighting. Kole and Briar's shadows, fighting both Holli$ and Jasmine. Jasmine would change shape with Briar's shadow, while Holli$ tried to avoid Kole's shadow while also shooting arrows until he ran out of them. He would have to start fighting with knives now. He had small ones to throw at Kole, which luckily hit their target. Holli$ was very wounded and starting to get worn out, trying to fight Kole and shadow monsters at the same time was hard. He couldn't believe he was even still alive. Kole looked pretty worn out himself. The two of them paused for a moment and stared each other down, breathing heavily. Holli$ pulled out two knives at the same time Kole's shadow disappeared and reappeared on his hands as sharp, knife-like claws. They ran at each other, ready for hand-to-hand combat. This ultimately may have caused Kole's untimely downfall.

Slashing and stabbing, the pair continued on like this until something distracted Kole. Jasmine had managed to fight off Briar's shadow long enough to change her form into a bald eagle and fight Briar in the air and take her down. While he was distracted Holli$ took this as an opportune moment to stab Kole through the stomach. Kole coughed and spit up blood, staring at Holli$ with a horrified look in his eyes. How could he had been defeated by an unsettled child?

"It's time to rest Overloridian Roden," Holli$ said gruffly, and pierced his other knife through Kole's throat.

The harried overloridian, bleeding and broken, choked on his own blood. His kingdom had fallen, he had been defeated, and now he was dying.

Holli$ stared in the eyes of his enemy until the life left them. He didn't see Kole's daemon disappear into a puff of beautiful gold, nor did he feel the tingling sensation as he began to settle. All he was focused on was the dead body of a man that he had killed himself. Holli$ had never killed anything before, even tried to spare the lives of spiders and other insects. Although he knew it had to be done, he felt numb. Kole's body slumped forward, his limp head hanging over Holli$' shoulder. He gently laid the dead overloridian down, and reached out the close his lifeless, staring eyes.

Holli$ couldn't look at Kole any longer and turned to Jasmine. She was now in the permanent form of a ptarmigan. He smiled weakly at his little bird daemon and the two of them slowly approached each other, not speaking. He collapsed to his knees and took his daemon into his arms and cuddled her closely. He began to cry into her feathers. He felt so exhausted.

"We did it Jaz," he whispered. "We actually did it..."

He felt so weak, and he just wanted to sleep. His vision became blurry and he started to faint. Right before he passed out, he saw blurry images of clio rushing into the dining room. The last thing he remembered before passing out was Tamar's voice, calling his name.

Holli$ Wren was now the new overloridian of Deilig.