The Shadow Court

Chapter 9 - Exiled

"This can't be good." Callum muttered. "The King usually doesn't summon me this late at night unless I've done something wrong."

Jack grunted. "Maybe he has a special mission for you."

"For us." Callum cast a sideways glance at his best friend and fellow Samurai. "I'm glad you're back, and I'm assuming this means you're staying?"

Jack held up his staff and admired the electrical tip. "Yeah, I've missed using this."

The two boys approached the King's chambers, which was guarded by three men. Callum knew by now that when they saw him coming, they let him pass. Sure enough, one guard swiped an access card underneath a scanner, which buzzed and turned green. Callum took a deep breath and gestured for Jack to follow him inside.

Jack's electric blue eyes explored the throne room for a few moments before coming to rest on Callum. "Where's the King? Isn't he always here?"

Callum shrugged. "He could be busy with... something else."

"What else?" Jack demanded. Of all the years Callum had known him, one thing was certain: Jack didn't have a lot of patience.

To spare any explaining Callum would've had to do, the King materialised in a flash of red light a moment later. He stepped down from his throne and motioned for the two boys to come closer. They obeyed, then proceeded to kneel at his feet.

"You summoned me, your highness?" Callum asked, cleverly masking his hatred for being treated like a slave after a lot of practice.

The King didn't seem to notice, because he continued on as usual. "Yes, I did. You may rise."

Callum rose, then watched as the King eyed Jack up and down with a look of disapproval. "And where've you been?"

Jack gritted his teeth for a moment before answering. "I was... training."

"In the mountains." The King closed his eyes, obviously reading Jack's mind. "To the north of Ganghye."

"Yes, your highness."

The King didn't looked pleased. He narrowed his eyes for a moment, then turned to Callum. "As for you, I don't have any new missions for you at the moment." Callum was used to the King answering his questions without being asked by now. The joys of having a psychic mentor. "However, regarding your current role as Rose's guardian, she's going to be training a lot more with me from now on."

Callum tried not to look worried. "Why's that?"

The King seemed to find the idea amusing. "She has no idea what I've given her. As you know, I upgraded you by transferring a fraction of my energy manipulation skills into your body."

Callum smirked and displayed said powers by summoning an energy sphere to his palm. He loved the exhilarating rush that came from using energy as a weapon. "Yeah, I know." He closed his hand, dissipating the sphere into red mist. "But what about Rose?"

The King pointed to his head. "As well as removing or changing a large amount of her memories, I also transferred a fraction of my telepathic capabilities onto her. Unfortunately, I couldn't transfer enough of it to make her mind as strong as mine, but she can still use it as a powerful manipulation device."

"How?" Callum asked. "Can she like... use mind-control?"

"No." The King said quickly. "Not even I can accomplish that, easily." He paused, apparently thinking for a moment. "I believe - with the amount of telepathic power I gave her - that she can, on some level, sway the emotions of her enemies, therefore changing their motives and reactions to better suit her needs."

Callum heard Jack exhale sharply beside him. The two exchanged a nervous look before returning their eyes to the King.

He stroked his thin grey beard. Callum noticed that his red eyes seemed to be filled with wonder and excitement. "If she were trained the right way... she could become more destructive than either of us. Perhaps even more than..." He didn't finish the sentence, instead fixing his gaze upon Jack once again. "Now, back to more current matters. Jack, I'm afraid your services are no longer needed."

Callum widened his eyes in disbelief. "What? Why!?"

Jack was struggling to keep a passive face. His hand, which was clenched around his staff, was now red at the knuckles.

"The Samurai were entrusted with two goals." The King said. "Number one: to make sure the other kids didn't interfere with our endeavours, and number two: to secure Mr. Stone's daughter and bring her to me. Neither of which, you accomplished."

Callum was at a loss for words. It was true, in some way, what the King had said. The only reason Estella was captured was because the King himself had stepped in last minute, and Callum remembered the events that took place during the invasion all too well. He still had a scar across his stomach from the exploding arrow.

"Wh-... Where would I go?" Jack asked, sounding very desperate. "What am I supposed to do? I've been just as loyal to you as Callum has from the start!"

The King's eyes suddenly began to glow an intense red. "If that were true, you would've done exactly as I asked!" The ground around his feet suddenly cracked as red tendrils of energy snaked outwards.

Callum and Jack scooted backwards as the door opened from behind them. The guards began to enter but the King waved them off, then took a deep breath.

"All the power I've been using lately has taken a toll." He said, clenching his fists. Callum was about to ask why, but the King's murderous glance silenced him. "Leave me now. And if I see Jack in this factory again..."

He didn't need to finish.

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"This is insane!" Jack screamed, shoving a t-shirt into his knapsack. "All I've done is what he's asked. Me! He wants me to help you take out The Crime Lords? I bloody did that! He wants me to capture his bitch of a granddaughter? I electrocuted her in a metal chair! How can you stand to be around him!?" A pair of black pants fell victim to Jack's solid punch.

Callum sneaked a quick glance out from Jack's bedroom door to make sure no guards could hear him. "Keep it down! He could be listening!"

"Oh." Jack rolled his eyes. "I'll give him something to listen to!" He flipped the knapsack closed and pulled the string tightly. 

Callum tried to say something to make his best friend feel better, but the only words that escaped his mouth were: "I'm really sorry."

Jack sighed quietly and swung the bag over his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. We're assassins, remember? We're not supposed to have feelings." He picked up his staff and brushed past Callum but stopped at the door. "Of course... you could just come with me."

A dagger pierced through Callum's chest. He wanted to. So, so badly. The idea of living with Jack somewhere far away from the King and the whole rotten district sounded like bliss, but his twisted loyalty and knowledge of the consequences were screaming at him to stay. In the end, it all came down to the choice of which person would be more likely to kill him.

And in this case, the King won.

"I can't leave." He said, straining with the effort. "The King would find me and kill us both. I can't risk that. I won't risk you dying because I was stupid enough to disobey him. I'm sorry."

"Oh come on!" Jack was getting very worked up now. "He's controlling you! The Mason I knew would never-"

"Mason?"

Jack looked like he was about to scream at the top of his lungs, but then a look of complete and utter shock crossed his face. It stayed that way for a few seconds, then he dropped his gaze altogether. "Of course. You wouldn't remember. He destroyed you."

Then he left, leaving Callum confused, scared, and suddenly very alone.