The Crimson Prince： Awakening 29 Chapter 28: The Crimson Prince

As Will sat at his uncle's bedside, the only thing he could think of was Bianca. 'How could I have just left her alone?' he thought to himself. The scene of Maya being slaughtered right in front of him was worrisome enough to him since it was the same thing that could happen to Bianca. Staring at Michael, Will could only hope that he would wake up soon and be able to transport them back to the desert.

He couldn't stand waiting around and instead brought out his phone. Will inserted his flame the same way he always did and summoned the image of Bianca. The screen went dark for a long time, the vortex of crimson gold swirling around the screen was the only light he could see. 'Find her,' he thought as he stared into the black abyss. "Bianca, if you're alive say something to me," He whispered into the phone.

Out of no where Will heard a low rumble of laughing. 'If you want her, come alone.' A dark voice rang in his head. 'You will be able to transport yourself to this location if you feel the need to get to her.' The rumbling laughter continued until Will allowed the image to disappear. A face appeared within the screen moments after, showing a cloaked figure holding Bianca's face to the screen. 'You have one hour to find me.' He said with a chuckle, playing with her hair with a knife. 'After that, the consequences for keeping me waiting will come from this girls flesh.' The image in the screen dissipated, but the laughter of the man rang clearly in Will's mind.

"You know it's a trap right?" Leo said from the doorway, obviously he intercepted the call. "They'll surround you the moment you get there." His face lit up with concern as Will stood from the chair. His anger fueled his aura, giving him a glow without even activating the flame. Where Leo stood, he saw a man in a blood red aura and felt his intent. "What he said about the transportation was correct, all you have to do is think of the place you wish to be and allow your aura to do the work." With that, Leo left the room. He said a silent good luck as he shut the door, leaving Will and an unconscious Michael in silence.

Looking back at his uncle, Will couldn't think clearly. "I'm not about to lose another person I care about," He said to the sleeping man. "Especially not her, I'd die before I let anything happen to Bianca. It's not going to happen again." Images flashed within his mind of Maya giving him one final smile before her eyes went dim, the image that haunted him every day since it happened.

"Then don't let it," Michael said, slowly coming back to life. "But don't go there without first knowing what they're capable of." Will's uncle, the only relative by blood he actually knew looked him straight in the eye. "The corrupt flame is responsible for ending your mother's life." He said in a solemn tone. Will couldn't believe what he was hearing, all this time he thought his mother left him, just to find out she had been gone all this time. "It was against a dark flame user, your father tried to defeat him and failed, the same man who just contacted you through the flame." Will's eyes burned with hate as he looked at his phone, history seemed to have repeated itself. "If you still plan on going," He said as he put his hand in his pocket and took out his own cross, "Take this with you."

Will went to his uncle's bedside and took the cross within his hand. The pendant was much like his, but it didn't have the royal gold embroidery, instead it held a single yellow crystal at the bottom. "I don't know what it could do for you, but it would probably be more than I can at this time." Michael looked at his closed up chest. "The wraiths blades damage is more than just physical." His eyes met Will's.

For a long time, the two of them sat in silence. Will held his uncle's pendant in his hand as though it were already a sword, his knuckles turned white around it. In moments he placed it in his pocket. "I swear I will get vengeance for our family and bring Bianca home." Taking his phone out one more time, Will looked at his uncle. His vow had been made and the power given to him. Staring into the screen, he focused on Bianca's face, how much he cared for her, all of the memories he shared with her. He focused on his need to be with her and within mere moments, he inserted his flame. Her face showed up within the vortex in moments and he thrust his hand into the darkness within the vortex. The rest of his body followed as he cast himself into the dark abyss.

In mere moments, he was no longer within the Devereux Manor, instead he stood in what could only be described as a dungeon.

Will looked around, but within only a few steps, he felt a chill. He had grown to know the chill quite well after all of the battles and all of the close calls. He remembered the chill as the last thing he felt when Maya died in front of him. He remembered it from the time in the field. This chill had followed him, stalking him without falter.

Anger seeping into his features, the dark blood red aura surrounded Will, casting off an eerie red glow showing him the circle of wraiths that closed in on him. Will looked past them to see a chained up Bianca with a cloth tied to her mouth. It didn't look as though she needed it, her head was slumped to the side as the chains held her up.

'Protect her,' His pendant called out to him, burning his chest with the urge to spill blood. He clutched the cross in his hand, enveloping it in the crimson flame. The moment the blade bathed in the flame, it sprang to life as his sword. Within moments the uncountable wraiths were upon him, swords drawn and slowly closing the gap between him and Bianca. Those moments were all Will needed.

With vengeance in his eyes, he allowed the sword's golden aura to mix with his crimson. The flame around him grew so intense, it lit up the entire dungeon. Will charged for his first target. With a swift swing of his sword, he cut the wraith in half. The rage of the aura burned the creature to a crisp. Without any delay, Will allowed his aura's defenses to guide him through every attack. A sword from behind was blocked as Will brought his sword around to his other hand, not letting a single blade touch him. In moments, he was in a trance. His sword danced with the wraiths, outstepping each one as they went down in a piles of black sand. The sword itself was cleansing the taint in which they had lived in for decades.

With each wraith that was cut down, another took its place. Will faced a never ending dance of blades. Though with each wraith that was cut, he had a clear view of Bianca. Even though she had been unconscious, her flame was reacting to his presence. It seemed like the crimson flame within her was still trying to help him.

The never ending flood of wraiths continued on, testing Will's limits. He was just one person while decades of preparing for this exact moment, the wraiths seemed to be unlimited. Within moments, Will felt yet another burning sensation coming from his pocket. As he continued his onslaught of the enemy, Will could feel the flame of Bianca funneling into him, as well as the burning sensation coming from his uncle's cross. In moments he felt a huge surge of energy within his sword.

Pointing the sword at the horde of creatures, Will went back to the basics. The first thing he learned to do as he practiced the flame with Maya. At the tip of the blade, a ball of fire erupted forth. Holding it there, the wraiths faltered. A few got close to the ball only to be disintegrated by the pure light emitted. Will condensed the flame allowing the ball to shrink slightly yet compress the explosion. Looking at the wraiths one final time, he released the ball into the horde of darkness.

Shrieks followed the flames path as each and every one of the dark creatures were caught by the ball of pure light. The ones too far back caught the flame from those who had already received it. Within moments, the shrieks of terror slowly subsided. Will watched as the blindingly bright flame burned away all of the darkness, leaving nothing behind but ash. In mere moments, the last people that were in the dungeon were Will and Bianca.

As soon as the wraiths shrieks of pure terror had subsided, Will went to Bianca's side. Her body was limp within the chains and sweat covered her brow. Checking for a pulse, Will was relieved to find a pulse within his girlfriend.

Taking his sword to the chain which held her to the wall, it gave way easily as he caught the falling unconscious girl. Will looked around only for an instant before reconnecting his sword to the chain on his neck. As soon as it turned back to the pendant, he released it and grabbed his phone. Channeling his need within the device, Will found himself yet again within the confines of the manor.

Without breaking a stride, Will brought Bianca to her bed to rest. He knew what it felt like to be chained up and how long it would take for her to come around. Opening the door to her room, Will placed her on her bed. The sweat had subsided a little, and he could see the color returning to her face. "Take as much time as you need, Bianca," he said as he went to the door. Taking one more look at her, he shut it and took out his phone again. Inserting a flame, he located Leo. "I want you to post guard on Bianca's room until she wakes up." Will looked at the screen long enough to see his friend nod.

Putting his phone away, Will went to his uncle's room. As he walked in, he noticed the man standing at the window, his hands folded behind his back. With the usual business suit donned, the man looked like he was going to a meeting instead of having just avoided death's cold touch. When Will closed the door, Michael turned to him. "William," he said with a smile of relief. "I take it you were able to get Bianca back?" Will only nodded toward his uncle.

Taking out the pendant, Will looked at it for a time. "This pendant was part of the reason I got out of that situation alive," he said as he gave it back to his uncle. "I don't know how I used it, but it seemed like I was drawing its strength in order to fight the impossible." Michael waved his hand, telling Will to keep it. "If it reacted to you, it's probably better off in your hands," he said as he took a step toward the door. "You did really well, William, your father would be proud." With that, he took his leave allowing Will the s.p.a.ce to think.

Don't think this is over, Crimson Prince, a voice rang out in his mind. We are growing stronger every day. Soon, we shall have what's rightfully ours. Will closed his eyes for a moment and saw a shocking sight.

Within a cobblestone room, Jake stood over a body of which looked familiar. Placing a black flamed hand on the corpse of Maya, he allowed his darkness to spread throughout the figure. As the flames seemed to catch the body, the icy chill of death surrounded her. Instead of burning, the flame produced a shriek. The sound was so unnerving that the body itself reacted. In moments, a pale Maya stood to greet Jake. The young man looked out into nothing while holding the girl's hand. "Your fate has been sealed, Crimson Prince," he said in a voice that was not his own. "You will come to us of your own accord," he placed a kiss on Maya's cold lips.

Will opened his eyes in terror, his friend had turned corrupt. Jake had so easily turned to the darkness that Will had to think back to the man's true intentions when he first met him. He had thought to give the man his trust and so easily was it taken away. Now with Maya at his side, he knew Will wouldn't be able to resist the call. Will couldn't believe that Jake could've ever been capable of such evil. Though the more he thought about it, the more he realized that it wasn't Jake's voice that rang from him. It was the voice of the corrupt flame, the darkness that had taken his mother from him.

Looking out the window of his uncle's estate, Will made a silent vow that he would find Jake and Maya. He would drag them back to the manor even if against their will, and purge the madness that had taken over them. He would cleanse the darkness to allow their freedom. He would not lose Maya to corruption again.

Will clutched a hand over his own pendant, allowing his flame to burst forward. Holding his gold and silver sword, he made a vow. "Darkness will not take any more from me," he said as his flames burned brighter. He had made his promise, and now it was time to take the responsibility. He was the Crimson Prince, and it was about time he and his father will have a reunion.