Stories

Chapter 1
Even Diamonds Shatter

In a kingdom ruled by the rich and structured by the poor. Wealth and social structure determined your life. This kingdom was envied by the surrounding societies for its great wealth, power, and strength. Jealousy turned the other kingdoms mad which created hideous war in trying to bring the most powerful kingdom down. The poor where enslaved and dragged into the war to fight for the rich. The rich whom created the wars for, greed and secretly cruel entertainment. Young men and even women sometimes were drafted, when soldiers where running low and death was on the uprising. The kingdom would take children as young as the age of fourteen to fight. No choice, no training, not even a shield all they got was a sword before being tossed to the fields. They were watched as they turned either to an animal fending for his/her own life or victims to someone else becoming corrupted and killing for themselves. Who could blame them? No one could, not even the Kings and Queens. They actually agreed to such actions chuckling as they recalled the last beheaded person they saw. The enslaved are the puppets of the royalty whom /pulled their strings in twisted, sickening ways. No one could do anything though. Remember this kingdom was all powerful of all the land.

Kingdom Strasza finally had won the war were three smaller kingdoms, Rhea, Anthenia, and Zantolix united to try to over rule Strasza. It was almost to a point of an even match but Strasza pulled out their secret weapon and sent out their high class top fighters on an secret mission to kill the king of Rhea since he was the head of the three kingdoms. They didn’t quite kill the king but they managed to poison him with something that will slowly paralyze him and also managed to steal his queen. They finally decided to trade off and surrender some wealth and warriors in trade for the cure and the Queen of Rhea. Strasza agreed to this but told the three kingdoms, “We will not stop killing your men ‘til they completely pull out of our land.”

Blood continued to be shed even though the war was settled. Then finally Strasza told their fighters of the winning. This enraged the fighters but they had no power to defy the King for such cruel decisions. The fighters where sent home finally for the first time in four years. These men where never the same again tragic how some went as children and now come home as strong warriors who have seen the worst in humans and the worst in themselves. Stephan Wright was among these once children, now he returned at the age of eighteen to his sickly twin sister they have had to hide since she was twelve for the higher ups didn’t know of her presence and send her to do dangerous or indecent tasks. They faked a death that everyone believed even sometimes Stephan believed it himself when his twin sister Kairi Wright, was too ill to even open her eyes at times, but now as he comes home and enters the door he hears his name from a familiar but transformed voice.

“Stephan!” an eager Kairi cries out as she drops her knitting and runs to her brother embracing him with her arms wrapping around his neck, she is picked up by Stephan as he squeezes her tight noticing she is slightly easier to lift than before, or maybe he is just stronger with all the physical endurance he had to put up with.

“Kairi you’ve gotten fat and short!” he exclaims chuckling as he observes her after putting her down. It is true she finally looks like she is being fed as properly as a low class citizen may be fed, but even so fat she clearly isn’t. For the shortness though, well he knows he has gotten taller. Her mouth gapes open.

“Stephan, really!? You just come home and your already insulting me?” She pouts kidding as she knows this isn’t a complete insult being fat in the kingdom shows wealth and health and she is gaining one of those characteristics.

“You know I am kidding little sister,” he cups her chin with his hand as he says this and tilts her head up pecking his lips on her forehead in a gentle sibling kiss. She then observes Stephan and realizes how strong built but also ill he looked. She takes his hand and leads him to the kitchen where half finished meals sat on a small round table looking as it where ready to collapse.

“We heard you were coming home but we didn’t know when and the food was getting cold so we decided to eat. We made a big meal though just for you. I will go call Grey over to see you, since it has been four years,” Kairi explains as Stephan doesn’t even wait and begins gulping down the food. In earlier times she would scowl him for such crude manners even if no one really cared but right now there was an exception for he was finally home.

She straps a long cloak and pulls the hood over her head hiding almost all of her features as she cannot be recognized by anyone. Stephan glances and calls over his shoulder not wanting to even leave sight of his prey as he stuffs it down.

Filling his stomach after he litterally licks the bowls clean. Stephan sits there thinking what has happened to his life in the last four years. He ponders also on how much has changed. Rarely anyone recognized him when he was back. Kairi looks like a woman rather than a young little sickly sister he had left under Grey’s care. 
He then remembered the words of an old lady he was forced to kill in order to survive.

“War stole your innocence, and pity the human that lets it steal their virtue. It’s brings the worst in humans and I will bring the worst towards you in my after life. Death has spread on this kingdom for righteous rebellion against the blindly overpowered of your kingdom, and the day will come where death shall silence your kingdom as well. The cure for life is deaths arrival. Wait for it son it shall come for you as well all too soon. Even your diamond of a kingdom will shatter one day. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! ” she had said these worths with such a menacing tone with laughter that send shivers down the strongest warrior. These words echoed in his head and sent a small shutter throughout him and out of no where in the deepest corners of his minds, he swore he heard the old woman whisper Kairi. Suddenly feeling as if there was a cold draft in the room that went throughout his system. 
Stephan takes deep breaths to sooth his mind. He suddenly feels like he’s in danger again. Instincts and habits of war have grown on him and they weren’t going to be gone all too soon. He hears the nob turn and springs to his feet ready to fight with his bare fists whoever is coming through.

Kairi and his old best friend Grey step through the door. Stephan gets quickly back in composure Kairi and Grey didn’t notice Stephan was ready to ring their heads. Kairi’s and Grey’s faces break out into contagious grins making Stephan smile as well. Grey takes some careful steps towards Stephan and Stephan braces his arms around his back in a brotherly hug, which Grey returns.

“Stephan don’t crush me!” Grey shouts between chuckles. Stephan had given him a strong hug. He hadn’t noticed that Grey wasn’t as strong built as he was. Not surprised, Grey didn’t have to fend for himself against savages in war.

“Grey I think Kairi stole all your fat. Your just skin and bones,” Stephan said half joking because now that he saw Grey clearly, Grey seems like he is withering away. His skin is pale and all his bones stick out making him look angular. His cheeks looked hallow causing his eye to look like it was bulging out of his face while the other one sits behind his eye patch. Grey laughed at this, while Kairi was aware of the teasing and teasingly elbowed Stephan’s ribs which just created more laughter and a lighter mood in the room. Stephan patted Kairi’s head and they pulled up chairs near the stove. Their small home is really one big room with a stove and table in one corner and 2 beds on the other side there is a smaller table in the center of the room stacked with unimportant books and a basket with yarn and needles with a knitting in process. Finished off with hooks near the wall for coats.

Their conversation was light. They all avoided touching any subjects that may lead to the war and any fresh wounds that may be just scabbing over with Stephan. Grey was beginning a story when the loud dong from the kingdom’s bell rung through the air. Then it rung four more times meaning it was a all kingdom meeting including the King and Queen. Kairi quickly scrambled for her cloak and pulled the hood over her head not wanting to risk being seen by the messengers that are sent to check every home to make sure no one stayed indoors and avoided the meeting. Everyone streamed out their homes and towards the Kingdom’s square and herded like cattle.

After a few minutes everyone was gathered chattering within themselves like bees spreading rumors of what they think is the meeting for. Stephan stood stiff he despised the King and the Queen and everyone in royalty for what they have done. His hands clenched and Kairi noticed how tension grew in him she grasped his hand and tightly gripped it pulling him back from his deep thoughts. He didn’t glance at her though he stood staring straight ahead where the King sat.

The royal family all sat in their thrones from the castles balcony looking down how they would always do for a kingdom message. Their pet crier of the royal family began a long speech of the ending of the war and welcoming the warriors back in town.

“We praise our fellow strong and courageous warriors, for being patriotic to their land and defending with pride and honor...” everyone is only half listening as they don't truley care what is to be said, “There will be a honorable funeral later today for our dear fellow men and women who are now deceased by the savage three kingdoms Rhea, Anthenia, and Zantolix.” Bickering and low hush whispers floated just under the citizens lips. No one said it directly but many where thinking, "Rest assured that we have made them feel our wrath and know we are not a kingdom to be fooled with, because we are, Strasza the mighty!” Everyone was getting ready to go into a unison bow and singing   the Strasza’s anthem. No anthem started instead the king spoke. Such a rarity but everyone’s ears perked and came interested clinging on every word. Including Grey's, Kairi's, and even Stephan's.

“For all those noble warriors that fought actually on Rhea’s land and participated in the kidnapping of the Queen please step up to the stage-” the king interrupted himself when he saw the scribe with a scroll, “actually here is the list of the exact noble fighters.” He unrolled the scroll took a few seconds and then read the names a loud, “Arya Fellise, Dayton Ewing, Kilandra Zol, Maliko Tross, Mustafa Baron, Nyle Ward and Stephan Wright.

“I praise you for your nobleness, for your great effort and accomplishments in keeping the other kingdoms in line and your kingdom safe,” said the king. The men and women knelled and bowed their heads to the king.

“Thank you my lord,” was heard in unison from the warriors. Then suddenly there was coughing through out them increasing into harsh raspy coughs.

“What is this you servicemen? Did you get a cold from coming back or something? Off my stage before you contaminate it,” the king ordered. Peeved a bit on how informal their posture and rude while they coughed and wheezed. The seven of them start getting off the stage when all of a sudden pressure builds in their heads. Then all the warriors clutched their heads. Groaning and shrieking in pain and fear as the intensity of the build up pressure increases, their hearts beating like hammers on their ear drums.

“What is this a evil!” pain building up more and more, everyone can hear there agonizing shrieks of terror. Then boom! One by one they fall dead. The crowd goes wild as they witness the horrid deaths. The faces of each person young or old of the crowd, contort as pure anguish is felt through every single one of them.

Stephan looks up at the king and shouts loud enough for the king to hear, “This is your doing you sorry excuse for a king! You brought this on our land with your cruelty now we all shall pay for your pathetic wrong doing,” he spits blood and continuous to yell, “You have brought a plague to our kingdom in return for all the murders and deaths you have caused! I wish you the worst of hell in your next life! May you burn in hell for all eternity and feel eternal tortures you rightfully deserve!” Instantly Stephan’s head exploded and his headless body collapsed on the ground.

Startled, the king bolts up to his feet and looks down at his people all screaming and one by one blowing up splattering blood and head parts on each other and the ground and walls causing trepidation and dread for the people waiting for their own heads to explode into bits.

He then turns his attention to the queen who begins coughing and clutching her head. Her screams match the ones in suffering. The king gawks in awe and then suddenly his wife’s head detonates and spatters on him staining his silk and fur apparel with his wife's blood. His head tips slowly towards insanity unable to believe this nightmare that is nothing but reality.

Suddenly, he feels a tickle in his throat and coughs involuntarily. This strikes him and his head begins to thump. His hands go up and clutch his head as if this where to stop it all, but sadly to the king it is useless. Panic strikes the fear enlarges and his legs move to runaway from it all, but the pounding grows intensifying the pain. 
Doubling over to the ground the king goes, panting he coughs up blood and it splats and pools on the ground. His body contorts into the fetal position shaking, trembling. Then there is silence in his head with a soft ominous whisper of Stephan’s words. He cried, “NO!” and shuttered regretting every mistake and hopelessly begging for mercy to no one in particular. Sick snickering echoes in the depths of his mind as it was all too late though, and boom went the kings head as well with the kingdom, because even diamonds shatter.

.:One In Countless:.