Chapter Text
The harsh and bitter environment was not something Dark Cacao was unused to, having fought away the cold from seeping in to extinguish whatever warmth was left within him for years.
Still, a part of him always found it curious how no matter how hard they fought, no matter how often his soldiers trained, their enemy seemed relentless. Not even that, their claws seeming to grow sharper, their eyes more wild, with each wave that rolled over their frigid lands. Were he a weaker man, he would have envied the warmth of the sun that seemed endless within their neighboring kingdoms.
“Something on your mind?”
The voice of his closest confidant pulled him from the torrent of thoughts plaguing him. Blinking away the ice that threatened to form on his eyelashes, Dark Cacao turned to face the first watcher. It was difficult to see the years age him, his once dark hair growing gray and haggard. A common effect of the north's bitter embrace, grabbing hold of those who were well before the years where one would usually show such age. In comparison, Dark Cacao remained fixed in time. For a kingdom, his immortality was a boon, never needing to worry about their king falling to the race of time. Though to him, watching his subjects walk their paths while he stood still was nearly enough for him to curse his fate. Honor bound him to his position, he would not let it decay over such trivial, personal feelings.
“No, just observing the wall.” Patting his first watcher on the shoulder, Dark Cacao began to follow the wall walk, his gait slow before the first watcher matched his stride as they passed the arrow loops. “Have you heard any word from the scouting party? Its been hours, we should have seen some sign from them by now.”
The first watcher frowned, shaking his head. Dark Cacao felt his hand tighten to a fist, chewing on his inner cheek before exhaling. He should have grown used to such things, the fates of his citizens never guaranteed. Not if the frozen world they called home had any say in it.
“Send a tracking team. If they encounter trouble, have them fall back immediately. The snow should not fall for another two hours, that should be enough time for them to gather information and return.”
The first watcher bowed his head, quick to turn and make his way towards the stairwell. He had faith that his watcher would choose the team well, Dark Cacao could only hope that faith was enough to keep them from being engulfed by the darkness that brewed in the depths of the heavy forests surrounding them.
-
“Of course. Thank you.”
The messenger bowed before shutting the door to Dark Cacao’s chambers, leaving the king in silence.
The team returned, though no sign was left of the scouts. Though his heart was jaded and worn from years of the same routine, he found it no less difficult to hear. Families would be notified, compensation arranged, a new guard selected from a batch of overconfident or terrified hopefuls. Such an honor it was, perishing by the word of an undying king.
The dull thud of his armor hitting the carpeted ground echoed throughout the chamber as he pulled the straps loose. Perhaps more care should be put into his routine, but he was alone within a chamber large enough for an entire squadron. Grandeur befitting his title, but not his heart. Such large rooms, walls decorated in tapestries of war and glory, seemed almost to be reaching to the skies. Were he a giant, perhaps he would find this place a comfortable fit. The thought of it may have made him chuckle on a better day, tonight it felt like a flints spark being extinguished by a hearty wind.
Falling back into bed with a quiet huff, Dark Cacao let his head fall back onto his pillow, the furs atop his bed seeming to engulf him. Would he dream of the past tonight, of his travels with friends, or perhaps of the war, when his blood pumped with a purpose? As horrid as it felt, there had been purpose in each swing of his sword during those days, a warmth turned to inferno as he fought alongside friend against foe.
Now he lie alone, his heart as glacial as the winds whipping against the window shutters outside.
-
When he had drifted into unconsciousness, he could not say. The snow felt cold under his bare feet, though the pain had numbed enough to not bother him. He was walking, where to he could not say. The path was unfamiliar, something that did not sit well within him. Despite much of his land looking similar from one path to the next, he knew each marker and formation by heart. The fear fed his curiosity, pushing his exhausted legs to carry him further into the storm.
It was only when he saw a familiar emblem that the adrenaline pushed him from a brisk walk to a full run.
A tattered cloak, his symbol etched upon the back, lie discarded upon the ground. A small embroidered symbol on its sleeve, something he swore he had seen before.
“These are the new scout teams, then?” Dark Cacao lifted a brow, turning to look at his first watcher to his left. The watcher smiled, a rather pleased look upon his face.
“Of course! I have real hope for them, guided them through training myself. If anyone can get the job done, they can. Have I ever been wrong before?”
Dark Cacao felt the smallest smile threaten to form upon his face as he exhaled into the cold morning air. “No, no you have not. I shall trust your judgment.”
Turning back to the gathered soldiers, the king offered each a nod of approval. Most received the gesture with stoic grace, though a couple seemed a little more excited than their teammates. One such was a rather short cookie, her face betraying her youth, though the uniform she wore, a high rank for someone her age, showed only her dedication. Though he couldn't help but see a small, rather crude, symbol of a dragon embroidered upon her sleeve. Just small enough to evade most officers' eyes, though not his. It was childish, though he made certain not to betray his discovery before passing the last few of the group.
As long as their dedication to the kingdom came first, such things would not be a problem.
“Wh-” The exclamation jumped from his throat as his footing turned from solid to slippery, sending him reeling backwards and onto his back with a painful smack. Air forcing itself from his lungs, Dark Cacao gasped in to pull it back only to choke as the cold gripped him.
Get up, get up, his mind screamed as the familiar demonic energy of his lands greatest foes could be felt from all around him. There was no sword in his hand, his armor nowhere to be seen. Was he going to die? This was only a dream, wasn't it?
No matter, dream or not, he would not allow himself to be bested by anyone or anything. Gritting his teeth, Dark Cacao shoved his elbow into the ice below him, forcing himself onto his side and off his back. His fall and subsequent struggle had dislodged most of the snow beneath him, exposing the hardened ice beneath him. Was he atop some form of lake?
Before Dark Cacao could continue his movement, a faint glow of color caught his eye. It was so small, deep within whatever formation of water he had found himself atop of. But it was clear, a brilliant orange. Far too deep down to make out, but enough to snag his attention. It was strange, but it almost felt as if it called to him, speaking into his very mind.
Come to me.
Come to me.
The shadow that slammed down atop him, fangs burying into his shoulder, ripped him from his trance as a scream followed it clamping down on bone.
Dark Cacao woke with a jolt, sitting upright as his chest heaved for air. Pulling away his cloak as the king stumbled from bed, he nearly toppled over his discarded armor before wrenching away the tattered tapestry that covered the large mirror affixed to the wall.
It had been some time since he had seen his own face, a reminder of his last attempt to view himself clear in the cracks that zigzagged across the mirror's surface from where he had struck it long ago. Still, it held on, and he could see himself. Distorted, certainly, but enough to show his
shoulder as good as it had been before lying in bed. Ghostly pain still held him, though no new wounds marred his skin as his calloused fingers traced the points where the beast had impacted.
“What… What matter of curse has befallen me..” Dark Cacaos' voice barely passed his lips, pulling his clothes back into place and tightening his hands into fists to still the trembling. His dreams often brought distress, yet never in such a manner as to convince his mind that harm had been brought to his physical flesh.
Perhaps the incident with the scouts had affected him more than he previously thought. That soldier may not have even been on the team to begin with, so why had he seen such a thing? It was not as if she had been the only one of his troops to add some symbol of individuality to their uniform.
Shaking his head, the king raised his head once more to face his reflection, his arm raising to pull the tapestry back into place, though it froze in place as a tremor ran up his spine.
There was something behind him, something large, humanoid. That faint orange glow swelled within its chest, though shed no light as to illuminate any other feature of its form.
Come to me.
The crash of the candle-holder hitting the wall echoed on the empty walls around him as he whirled around in a matter of seconds, having tossed whatever was in range.
There was nothing there, but he could feel the ripples it left behind, heart thudding in his chest.