Eli Fletcher: The Mark Of The King

Prologue

Prologue

            "Eli, no!" Fiona cries as I rush into the cave. Tentatio's pushed me beyond my limits, and I'm going to end him for it.

            I ignore Fiona's pleas to stop. Tentatio must be stopped and he must be stopped now. I can't let him keep taking people away from me. As it is, Fiona and Grace are all I have left.

            Without stopping, I run straight through the rock wall of the cave; I don't even notice the constricting pressure on my chest this time. I step into a version of the room I've only seen once. The Black Pool of Death has grown from the lives that have been lost under my watch. I can't let it grow any more. One more death and it would overflow and destroy the city I've come to love; and if that happened, the death it would bring will continue to grow the boiling pool until it ultimately consumed the world. I know, no pressure, right?

            "Tentatio!" I bellow into the empty room.

            "Eli Fletcher," his smooth voice fills the cavern. "How good of you to join me."

            I glare at him as he appears on his stone throne above the opposite end of the pool. His perfect smile of bright, white teeth flashes at me mockingly; his eyes burn red as they challenge me to attack, and attack I will; his black, obsidian armor reflects the orange flames of the torches lining the walls. I slowly make my way up the steps to meet him face-to-face, but my progress is impeded by an unseen force. Looking up at him again, his palm is outstretched towards me. I grip my sword tighter in my hand and push forward; Tentatio stumbles back, falling onto the seat of his ugly throne.

            "How are you doing this?" he asks in fear.

            "I'm stronger than you now, Tentatio. You can't stop me," I say arrogantly, which is my first mistake. By assuming the power is my own, I weaken myself, but not enough for him to stop me from climbing the steps.

            I don't look down, but I can feel the warmth in my hands that indicate they are glowing with power. As I draw nearer to my enemy, the warmth moves up my arms, towards my shoulders. A strange glow appears around Tentatio, but I know it's from the power growing in me. This has only happened to me one other time, but I was too young to understand what it was, and it ultimately blocked my memories of who I was for months. I'd also had my eyes closed the whole time back then and was unable to see just how much brighter everything looked as this power consumes me. I don't try to control it like I have the past six years. This time I want it to destroy everything around me. The hell mount must be destroyed one way or another.

            "Give me the key," I demand as I stand over Tentatio's trembling body cowering below me.

            "No," he refuses stubbornly.

            I reach down and grab him by the perfect, black armor and lift him up to my eye level. "Give me the key, now," I demand again.

            "Never," he whimpers, though he tries to look brave.

            "You know I will destroy you, right?"

            "You know you can't really do that," he corrects me.

            I shrug. "So, as soon as you try and return through the hell mount, I'll destroy you again, and again, and again until you give me the key. It won't be as fun for you as it will for me."

            He looks at the black pool and I know his thoughts. "It won't work," I warn him. "You aren't strong enough to throw me in."

            "You're right," he says and I feel a different kind of warm begin to spread through my body, starting at my stomach. I look down and see Tentatio's curved, black sword impaling my gut. I cough and spit blood in his face. He doesn't wince, he grins because he knows he's won. My vision blurs and then goes black...