A Ghost's Wish [MxM]

4. Anima Wish

The Anima Wish was folklore grandparents would recite. It was a story they would embellish with magic and dragons to appease the children.

"Do not tell me you laid waste to this land and its people for a cursed bedtime story?" Oliver growled.

Piers crossed his legs and kept smiling. "It's real... As you know, that story begins with a world filled with magic and grand creatures. However, the humans abused magic and set the world on fire for their desires, and thus arose the great Eternal War, the century-long struggle for dominance between our current four nations and the Kirith Empire.

"The dragons—damned tyrants of magic—hated this fate, so they stole the world's magic. They sealed it in the heart of the Rucrean Kings' ancestor, the dragon Anima. Without magic, the Kirith Empire fell to ruin and went into hiding. Without this foe, the remaining humans created a truce between the most powerful families. They broke the dragon's heart into five pieces to guard separately to ensure no one could undo the magic's seal.

"A piece stayed with the dragon-blooded Lyrell family in the North. A piece was given to the pious Commodus family in the East. Another to the Tuah strategists of the South. And a piece to the affluent Belelots of the West..."

Piers stood up and calmly stalked up to Oliver. His gloved hand caressed Oliver's cheek. "The fifth piece was given to the undefeated and glorious Kardos family... This was the piece that eluded us the most. We only knew that the oracles determined that it would rest with the greatest Kardos warrior."

Oliver flinched. Oracle? These mythical beings were born from a sacred bloodline that allowed them to see glimpses of the future.  Their magic was from the ancient roots of the world, born with the dawn of time, and lived amongst the dragons... But this bloodline dwindled and was thought to be extinct.

Piers continued. "I originally sent you off to war because I expected you to die early. Then I wanted to frame you, even with flimsy excuses, so that I could execute you. But in the end, my associate convinced me otherwise."

Oliver almost missed what Piers said.  Not only did Piers have Ewen by his side, but he had an associate to assist him in destroying so many lives. Who would be so blackhearted to join Piers?

"We didn't know who would emerge as the greatest warrior, so we laid waste to Wynter in search of illegitimate children and the missing piece.  Thirty damn years of a fruitless search... until now."

Oliver sighed. "So you brought me back because you finally found the last piece." 

The rabbit was finally caught, so it was time to boil the hound.

"You are suddenly useful again.  All others had treated these pieces as a sacred heirlooms, something cherished.  Yet this entire time, we never once thought that you would have been holding on to it so casually.  You have even surprised my associate."

He tucked a strand of silver hair behind Oliver's ear, but Oliver jerked his head away to avoid the touch.

Piers laughed sinisterly. "The myth continues and claims that if all pieces of the heart were gathered together, a great wish would be granted."

Oliver pulled his head away from Piers' touch. "It's a fucking myth. You start a thirty-year war for fairytales and forgotten magic?"

Piers leaned forward with a dark smile. "I would have burned the continent down for my wish."

"What could be worth the lives of so many?" Oliver asked quietly.

"Power... Power to suppress dragons. Power harnessed from the ancient world to subjugate everyone. All kingdoms will fall to their knees in front of me.  I will be the land's sun and moon, and all will worship my divinity." Piers' deranged smile widened.