Abyssal (ManxMan)

The Kingdom of Astria Part 1

The Kingdom of Astria Part 1

It was not King Marius he'd punched in the face, but a man he'd never seen before. No, not a man. A merman. He was surrounded by them, if the getup was any indication. A cursory glance revealed that he was in a luxurious, cavernous bedchamber much like King Marius', but it was not his.

He was no longer in the Palace of Nostraza, that was for sure.

He immediately became on guard. Carefully, he scanned the room he was in.

Gone were the black and gold colors splashed everywhere, replaced by royal blue and red that were also everywhere. Man, these merfolk really took their color themes seriously.

Glancing down, he saw that he lay on a king-sized four poster bed, buried under a ton of soft, silky bed covering. And he was no longer naked. These merpeople, whoever they were, had actually put something decent on him.

Around him, guards whose metallic armor reminded him of General Ryodan stood glaring down at him with sour expressions. Among them, a few non-armored individuals stood.

And among them, richly-dressed and exceedingly handsome, was the so-called king he'd punched right in the kisser.

Though from the way he was warmly smiling down at Kai, he didn't look like he'd just taken one to the face. There was no trace of any injury -Kai supposed he should have been thankful for that.

Gingerly, he sat up.

At least, he tried to.

He'd been too preoccupied by his surroundings to notice his impossible fatigue, but now there was no ignoring it. It weakened him immensely, draining him of any ounce energy one expected to have upon waking from a deep sleep. His bones felt as if they'd turned to jelly, and they were as stiff as statues simultaneously. The headache he'd roused with returned to him in full blow, eliciting a wince out of him. Even keeping his eyelids open became a struggle.

What the hell happened to him? He couldn't remember a damn thing...
"It takes monumental strength to host the Spirit of the Sea. So, it is only natural for you to feel exhausted afterward."

Kai's eyes met the King's shrewd eyes, and he finally took note of him from head to toe.

He was dressed regally and meticulously, as a king should be. Circling his head was a crown that was one of the most beautiful pieces of craftsmanship Kai had ever seen. Living in Turkey, he'd visited many museums dedicated to Ottoman Sultans, so he'd seen his fair share of crowns. But he'd never seen anything quite like this beauty. It was pure gold and encrusted with huge precious gems. Two parts of it extended upward, forming what looked like two towers. An intricate gold chain extended from the left tower to the right tower beneath the King's chin.

Like Marius, he exuded a kingly air that demanded attention and respect. And like Marius, he was unbearably handsome. His shark-like eyes were dark with flecks of gold in his irises. His shoulder-length raven black hair glowed under the jellyfish chandeliers, and his skin was so alabaster white, he could spot the bluish nerves running up his thick neck.

Body-wise, he was clearly strong. Broad-shouldered and tall, he was another specimen of male perfection in this imperfect world.

The similarities with the Conqueror of Nostrazia did not end there. These two kings shared a heavy air of danger, prompting Kai to momentarily believe that it was some kind of job requirement.

Except this king's air of danger was much subtler, as if he meant to conceal it, like an anglerfish fooling its prey into approaching with its glowing filament, only to be devoured soon after.

Perhaps it was because of the way he looked at him, or the way he smiled, or the way he breathed. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. But he was sure of one thing.

This King too could not be trusted.

Kai couldn't begin to fathom how he was sensing all this, as if by some internal compass, but by now he knew to trust his instincts. Well, some of the time.

"How...?" He tried to swallow, but his mouth was so incredibly dry that when he spoke, he sounded hoarse. Tiredly, he asked, "How would you know anything about me or the Spirit of the Sea?"

"You will address His Majesty with respect!" One of the mermen surrounding the bed -there were six of them- suddenly went very red, looking incredibly insulted on his king's behalf. He puffed up his chest and Kai couldn't help but recall a raging bull about to charge.

The King raised a hand, interrupting who Kai assumed was an overly-enthusiastic, loyal servant. "You're all dismissed," he said.

Kai stole a glance at the King's face to see that he wasn't upset that Kai hadn't immediately begun to grovel at his feet. If anything, he thought he dedicated the hint of amusement in his dark eyes.

In a manner of seconds, the enormous room emptied, leaving just him and the King.

Once they were alone, the King declared with a flourish of his hands, "Welcome to Astria, Prince Kai."

Kai inhaled sharply.

He was in the Kingdom of Astria!

It explained the armor those guards were wearing.

So, if this is Astria, then...

Then standing in front of him was none other than the King of Astria. Well, the King Regent.

If what he'd been told so far was true, Kai was the legitimate King of Astria, per law of inheritance.

"How the hell did I get here?" Even as he said the words, he couldn't begin to remember a single clue about how he'd come to be here. He remembered the atrocious amphitheater, the fights, being cornered by Marius and... nothing. He remembered nothing else.

"You brought yourself here."

"What, did I magically teleport here?" he asked sarcastically. He tried to sit up again, but again he failed.

"Yes."

He stopped and looked up at the King Regent with surprise.

That was not the response he was expecting.

"You possess a very special power, Prince Kai."

Kai didn't miss the way he'd said 'prince' Kai.

He pretended not to notice, and said, "So, my power brought me here? Through teleportation?" It sounded absolutely insane.

"Remarkable, isn't it?" The King traced a long, black-fingernailed finger across the outline of Kai's body. "To think your body holds such wondrous power."

Kai instinctively snatched the arm he was tracing away. He couldn't bear the touch of anyone at the moment.

"Not really," he mumbled unconfidently.

Who was he kidding? Even Kai was still shocked he'd done something like that; teleporting who knew how many miles away from the Empire of Nostraza in the blink of an eye. He had actual superpowers!

The thirteen-year-old him would have been thrilled at the thought. The twenty-seven-year-old him realized just how big of a target this made him. 

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