The Crimson Prince： Awakening 63 Chapter 1: Soul Of Flame

"Relax, William." A voice rang out all around him. "There is too much to discuss, yet so little time."

Images came into focus , though not as Will would have hoped. He could see the castle not too far off in the distance. He stood in the field which had been torn away by the battle with the dark G.o.d, Aremesis. The slashes and craters in the earth from the inhuman attacks which he had gone up against, and the many bodies which littered the yard.

Getting to his feet, he could still hear Maya sobbing his name. Confused at first, he turned to her. "Maya, it's okay, I'm right here." He said as he looked at her.

At first, all he could see was her dark hair surrounding her face. Tears were still falling and he could tell something was wrong. "You promised to take me to your world, Will. You promised me a date, don't forget." She wasn't looking up at him, instead down at her lap.

Will followed her gaze, he stared in shock as he saw that laying on her lap was an unconscious Will. "Maya, I'm right here!" He tried to shout, but no one heard him.

A hand was placed on Maya's shoulder, making Will turn to see his father. "Worry not, child. My son's job is not over yet, he is just resting." He turned his head to look at the son which was not within his body. "Your job starts when you wake."

A shiver went down Will's spine. His father looked directly into his eyes, as if he could sense him. "Can you see me?" Will asked as King Ragnos turned to Michael and Jonathan.

"Bring him into the castle," the king said as he himself turned to his home. "He will wake in his birthplace."

Will watched as his father left. Michael and Jonathan helped Maya to her feet, whispering soothing words to get her to leave Will's side. She didn't release him until Will's dad, Jonathan gently took him in his arms.

Maya went behind him to Michael who embraced her, helping her with the long walk to the city.

Will was about to walk with them when someone else caught his eye. Someone else was crying just a few feet back. Bianca.

She had her arms around Leo as her wide eyes watched as his limp body was taken from the battlefield. "It wasn't him." She whispered.

"Cainus probably gave him a boost of power at the end. It wouldn't have been the first time we have seen his speak through Will. Leo said as his eyes followed Jonathan's back.

Bianca shook her head. "Cainus has never given off such power before, and it didn't sound like him." She remembered the feeling of the man that stood behind her, feeding her power to use against the dark G.o.d. "Cainus has never used any element besides the flame. The one supplying me with strength had every element crammed into one powerful force." She forced her eyes from Jonathan and looked at Leo. "We have never come in contact with such power before."

Will's brother in life looked at Bianca and sighed. "We won't figure this out sitting in a field of corpses, Bianca. Lets follow them and prepare our next move." He knelt down and picked up Jake who looked in about the same shape as his brother

Will tried to follow them as they left, but he couldn't move. Lines upon lines of surviving aura weilders followed the two as they departed for the castle. Will recognized those that he had changed from all around Ebonhart. The orphans and widows he had given hope to, as well as the slaves he had set free from the trade city Holtz. He recognized the former slave trader, Roland as he walked towards the gates.

As the last of the men and women left the field, Will noticed some movement behind him. "I thought they would never leave." Will turned to see a man he had never laid eyes on before.

The man wore what looked like a black fur jacket and trousers. On his back, he wore a traveling pack. Long black hair draped over his shoulders. Will followed the hair up to a mouth which had a wild black beard, and further up were hawk-like hazel eyes. The man smiled at him kindly. "It's nice to finally have time to talk, William."

Will took a step back, not knowing what to expect. "You can see me?" He asked with just a small amount of panic in his voice.

The man let out a throaty laugh as he placed an arm around Will's neck as if they were old friends. "Of course I can see you!" He said cheerfully. "I've been waiting for you."

"I'm sorry sir, but who are you?" Will asked as the man was in the process of giving him a bear hug.

The man released Will and looked into his eyes. An annoyed expression played within his features. "Of course you don't know me. He put a pointer finger on Will's temple. When he released it, a gold thread of power came with it. The man threw the thread, which opened and Cainus stepped forth.

Looking confused, the late king stared at Will with a look of bewilderment. "Will, how did you summon me in this form?" He asked. The king would not tear his gaze from the young man, yet he noticed that Will's faze rested on another man.

"Long time no pray, Cainus." The man moved his gaze to the scarlet wearing king. "What exactly have you been teaching my lineage?"

Cainus moved his hard blue eyes to the man, about to let loose his fury to the one who was so arrogant as to address a king with such disrespect. Though, as soon as he laid eyes on the one who spoke, his own voice was choked out.

"My Lord!" Cainus exclaimed as he went to one knee and bowed is head in deference.

"Yes, I'm glad you still recognize me, now answer my questions." The man looked over the king in distaste. "What are those carbs you addorn yourself in?" He looked over the gold embroydered scarlet robes and the multicolored gemmed crown upon Cainus's head. "You look ridiculous." With a wave of the stranger's hand, the once proud king knelt in brown linens. "William here looks more like me than you do. Someone fit for the role of king who follows my teachings."

"I am sorry, my Lord" Cainus's eyes did not dare leave the ground. "I followed your teaching to the best of my ability, I swear!" He yelled at the dirt. Will had never seen such humility from the spirit which lived in his body.

"Then are three of my line walking to a castle?!" The man roared in anger as he pointed to the group walking towards Ebonhart castle.

Will was just beginning to process what was happening. "Ragnos?" He asked as he looked at the man dawned with fur.

The man tore his gaze from Cainus and looked back at Will, for a moment, he could see the fury which was pointed at the late king. Will knew that this man was not one to be taken lightly. In a second, his expression softened, allowing Will to calm. "You know me, then." He said as he approached Will once more.

Will took a couple steps back as the man approached. "I'm talking to a G.o.d?"

Will had dealt with a dead king in his head for the last half a year. He had dealt with Aremesis, the G.o.d of death, he never thought he would have to deal with even more.

"I know it's hard to take in, William," he pointed at Cainus over his shoulder. "How do you think he took it when he first met me?" He smirked as he looked at the groveling man kneeling on the ground.

"Please don't," Cainus said without raising his head. "It was not my proudest moment."

"I'll say!" Ragnos bellowed a laugh which rang through the field. "He wet himself!" The G.o.d roared with laughter as Cainus tried to bury his face in the dirt.

"What the h.e.l.l!" Will yelled at the top of his lungs. Both king and G.o.d looked at him with wide eyes. "Not so long ago I found out this world existed, then I get the power over flame, then my first friend dies but hey, lets just bring her back." Will ranted without looking at either of the men. "My dad is not my father, while my father is king of a place I never knew about. My uncle steals me away to Crystallia, my mother is missing." He began to pace. "I saved a kid from the streets which happens to be my brother, only to have him possessed by your brother." He pointed to Ragnos. "I have a king inside my head who is now groveling at his knees to a G.o.d who hasn't had the care to show himself and fix his own mess!"

Will stopped pacing and looked at the wide eyed G.o.d and gaping king. "Do you have any idea the amount of orphans I have saved? Or how about the slaves I've freed? I have fought two wars in less than a year." He raised two fingers at the men. "Two!" He shouted at them. "Both with the orphans, once with the former slaves yet both have been against your brother!" Will could barely hold back his anger. "I don't care if you're a G.o.d or George Clooney, I'm not a d.a.m.ned puppet!" His last words echoed throughout the field. He felt no fear towards the higher beings, only the annoyance that he had been used to clean up an age old mess.

"W-Will," Cainus was the first to end the silence. "I understand your frustration, really I do, but you are talking to a G.o.d."

Ragnos raised a hand for the kings silence. "William," he began in a gentle tone. "I understand your pain," he walked to the young man and put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "You have faced many challenges which no other has had to besides myself. You have accomplished all that has been thrown at you and done so by doing what I myself would have done."

Will looked up into the eyes of the G.o.d who stood before him. "What was it all for? How could you allow all of this mess to happen in the world you reign over?"

Ragnos sighed. "I was waiting for you." He looked into Will's eyes. "There is so much we need to talk about before you awaken. There is so much you need to learn." He looked at Cainus with contempt. "Much that your teacher has forgotten in his thousand years of service."

Cainus looked at the ground once more. "I beg forgiveness, my lord Ragnos. I have failed in my service. I couldn't rule the way you wished and I put my own legacy in the way of your own." He said silently.

"Get up, Cainus." Ragnos raised his hand and the king's body followed. "I still have work for you."

Cainus looked at Ragnos, a spark of hope lit in his eyes. "What would you ask of me, my Lord?" He asked reverently.

"The conversation I am about to have with young William is for his ears alone. We are not within his mind, so it will take much longer than it would, were you teaching him." His stearns eyes followed the last of the crowd which entered the gates. "You will return to William's body and reside as the prince until such time he reclaims his position. Do not do so under false pretenses, let them know it's you."

"Yes, my lord Ragnos," Cainus bowed deeply. "It will be done."

With a snap of the G.o.ds finger, Cainus disappeared in a puff of gold smoke. "Now then," he turned back to Will, "Shall we begin?"'