Thor followed on Reese's heels, Krohn behind him as they weaved their way through the back passageway to his father's chamber. Reese had brought him through a secret door, hidden in one of the stone walls, and as Reese held a torch, they walked single file in the cramped space, working their way through the inner guts of the castle in a dizzying array of twists and turns. They ascended a narrow, stone staircase, which led to another passageway. They turned, and before them was another staircase. Thor marveled at how intricate this passage was.
"This passageway was built into the castle hundreds of years ago," Reese explained in a whisper as they went, breathing hard as he climbed. "It was built by my father's great-grandfather, the third MacGil king. He had it built after a siege - it's an escape route. Ironically, we were never under siege since, and these passageways haven't been used in centuries. They were boarded up and I discovered them years ago. I like to use them from time to time. I can get around the castle and no one knows where I am. When we were younger, Gwen and Godfrey and I would play hide and seek in them. Kendrick was too old, and Gareth didn't like to play with us. No torches, that was the rule. Pitch black. It was terrifying at the time."
Thor tried to keep up as Reese navigated the passage with a stunning display of virtuosity, obvious that he knew every step by heart.
"How do you possibly remember all these turns?" Thor asked in awe.
"You get lonely growing up as a boy in this castle," Reese continued, "especially when everyone else is older, and you're too young to join the Legion, and there's nothing else to do. I made it my mission to discover every nook and cranny of this place."
They turned again, went down three stone steps, turned through a narrow opening in the wall, then went down a long stairwell. Finally, Reese brought them to a thick, oak door, covered in dust. He leaned one ear against it and listened. Thor came up beside him.
"What door is this?" Thor asked
"Shhh," Reese said.
Thor grew quiet, as he hunched over and put his ear against the door, listening. Krohn stood there behind him, looking up.
"It is the back door to my father's chamber," Reese whispered. "I want to hear who's in there with him."
Thor listened, his heart pounding, to the muffled voices behind the door.
"Sounds like the room is full," Reese said.
Reese turned and gave Thor a meaningful look.
"You will be walking into a firestorm. His generals will be there, his council, his advisers, his family - everyone. And I'm sure every one of them will be on the lookout for you, his supposed murderer. It will be like walking into a lynching mob. If my father still thinks you did it, you'll be finished. Are you sure you want to do this?"
Thor swallowed hard. It was now or never. His throat went dry, as he realized this was one of the turning moments of his life. It would be easy to turn back now, to flee. He could live a safe life somewhere, far from King's Court. Or he could pass through that door and potentially spend the rest of his life in the dungeon, with those cretins - or even executed.
He breathed deep, and decided. He had to face his demons head-on. He could not back away.
Thor nodded. He was afraid to open his mouth, afraid that if he did, he might change his mind.
Reese nodded back, with a look of approval, then pushed the iron handle and leaned his shoulder into the door.
Thor squinted in the bright torchlight as the door flew open. He found himself standing in the center of the king's private chamber, Krohn and Reese beside him.
There were at least two dozen people crammed in around the king, who lay on his bed; some stood over him, others knelt. Surrounding the king were his advisers and generals, along with Argon, the Queen, Kendrick, Godfrey - even Gwendolyn. It was a death vigil, and Thor was intruding on his family's private affair.
The atmosphere in the room was somber, the faces grave. MacGil lay propped up on pillows, and Thor was relieved to see that he was still alive - at least for now.
All the faces turned at once, startled at Thor's and Reese's sudden entrance. Thor realized what a shock it must have been, with their sudden appearance in the middle of the room, coming out of a secret door in the stone wall.
"That's the boy!" someone from the crowd yelled, standing and pointing at Thor with hatred. "He's the one who tried to poison the king!"
Guards bore down on him from all corners of the room. Thor hardly knew what to do. A part of him wanted to turn and flee, but he knew he had to face this angry mob, had to have his peace with the king. So he braced himself, as several guards ran forward, reaching out to grab him. Krohn, at his side, snarled, warning his attackers.
As Thor stood there, he felt a sudden heat rise up within him, a power surging through him; he raised one hand, involuntarily, and held out a palm and directed his energy towards them.
Thor was amazed as they all stopped in mid-stride, feet away, as if frozen. His power, whatever it was, welling within him, kept them at bay.
"How dare you march in here and use your sorcery, boy!" Brom yelled, drawing his sword. "Was trying to kill our king once not enough?"
Brom approached Thor with his sword drawn; as he did, Thor felt something overcome him, a feeling stronger than he'd ever had. He simply closed his eyes and focused. He sensed the energy within Brom's sword, its shape, its metal, and somehow, he became one with it. He willed it to stop in his mind's eye.
Brom stood frozen in his tracks, wide-eyed.
"Argon!" Brom spun and yelled. "Stop this sorcery at once! Stop this boy!"
Argon stepped from the crowd, and slowly lowered his hood. He stared back at Thor with intense, burning eyes.
"I see no reason to stop him," Argon said. "He has not come here to harm."
"Are you mad? He's nearly killed our King!"
"That is what you suppose," Argon said. "That is not what I see."
"Leave him be," came a gravelly, deep voice.
Everyone turned as MacGil sat up. He looked over, very faint. It was clearly a struggle for him to speak.
"I want to see the boy. He is not the one that killed me. I saw the man's face, and it was not him. Thor is innocent."
Slowly, the others relaxed their guard, and Thor relaxed his mind, letting them go. The guards backed away, looking at Thor warily, as if he were from another realm, and slowly put their swords back in their scabbards.
"I want to see him," MacGil said. "Alone. All of you. Leave us."
"My King," Brom said. "Do you really think that is safe? Just you and this boy alone?"
"Thor is not to be touched," MacGil said. "Now leave us. All of you. Including my family."
A thick silence fell over the room as everyone stared at each other, clearly unsure what to do. Thor stood there, rooted in place, hardly able to process at all.
One by one the others, including the King's family, filed from the room, as Krohn left with Reese. The chamber, so filled with people but moments before, suddenly became empty.
The door closed. It was just Thor and the king, alone in the silence. He could hardly believe it. Seeing MacGil lying there, so pale, in such pain, hurt Thor more than he could say. He did not know why, but it was almost as if a part of him were dying there, too, on that bed. He wanted more than anything for the king to be well.
"Come here my boy," MacGil said weakly, his voice hoarse, barely above a whisper.
Thor lowered his head and hurried to the king's side, kneeling before him. He held out a limp wrist, and Thor reached up, took his hand, and kissed it.
Thor looked up and saw MacGil smiling down weakly. Thor was surprised to feel hot tears flooding his own cheeks.
"My liege," Thor began, all in a rush, unable to keep it in, "please believe me. I did not poison you. I knew of the plot only from my dream. From some power of which I know not of. I only wanted to warn you. Please, believe me - "
MacGil held up a palm, and Thor fell silent.
"I was wrong about you," MacGil said. "It took my being killed by another man's hand to realize it wasn't you. You were just trying to save me. Forgive me. You were loyal. Perhaps the only loyal member of my court."
"How I wish I had been wrong," Thor said. "How I wish that you were safe. That my dreams were just illusions; that you were never assassinated. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you'll survive."
MacGil shook his head.
"My time has come," he said to Thor.
Thor swallowed, hoping it wasn't true but sensing that it was.
"Do you know who did this terrible act, my lord?" Thor asked the question that had been burning through his mind since he'd had the dream. He could not imagine who would want to kill the king, or why.
MacGil looked up at the ceiling, blinking with effort.
"I saw his face. It is a face I know well. But for some reason, I cannot place it."
He turned and looked at Thor.
"It doesn't matter now. My time has come. Whether it was by his hand, or by some other, the end is still the same. What matters now," he said, and reached out and grabbed Thor's wrist with a strength that surprised him, "is what happens after I'm gone. Ours will be a kingdom without a king."
MacGil looked at Thor with an intensity that Thor did not understand. Thor did not know precisely what he was saying, what, if anything, he was demanding of him. He wanted to ask, but he could see how hard it was for him to catch his breath, and did not want to risk interrupting him.
"Argon was right about you," he said, slowly releasing his grip. "Your destiny is far greater than mine."
Thor felt an electric shock through his body at the king's words. His destiny? Greater than the King's? The very idea that the King would even bother to discuss Thor with Argon was more than Thor could comprehend. And the fact that he would say that Thor's destiny was greater than the King's - what could he possibly mean? Was the king just being delusional in his final moments?
"I chose you...I brought you into my family for a reason. Do you know what that reason is?"
Thor shook his head, wanting desperately to know.
"Don't you know why I wanted you here, only you, in my final moments?"
Thor racked his brain, desperately trying to understand. But he had no idea.
"I'm sorry, my liege," he said, shaking his head. "I do not know."
MacGil smiled faintly, as his eyes began to close.
"There is a great land, far from here. Beyond the Wilds. Beyond even the land of the Dragons. It is the land of the Druids. Where your mother is from. You must go there to seek the answers."
MacGil's eyes opened wide and he stared at Thor with an intensity that Thor could not comprehend.
"Our kingdom depends on it," he added. "You are not like the others. You are special. Until you understand who you are, our kingdom will never rest at ease."
MacGil's eyes closed and his breathing grew shallow, each breath coming out with a gasp. His grip slowly weakened on Thor's wrist, and Thor felt his own tears welling up. His mind was spinning with everything the king had said, as he tried to make sense of it all. He could barely concentrate. Had he heard it all correctly?
MacGil began to whisper something, but it was so quiet, Thor could barely make it out. Thor leaned in close, bringing his ear to MacGil's lips.
The king lifted his head one last time, and with one final effort said:
"Avenge me."
Then, suddenly, MacGil stiffened. He lay there for a few moments, then his head rolled to the side as his eyes opened wide, frozen.
Dead.
"NO!" Thor wailed.
His wail must have been loud enough to alert the guards, because a moment later, he heard a door burst open behind him, heard the commotion of dozens of people rushing into the room. In the corner of his consciousness he understood there was motion all around him. He dimly heard the castle bells tolling out, again and again. The bells pounded, matching the pounding of the blood in his temples. But it all became a blur, as moments later the room was spinning, he fainting, heading for the stone floor in one great collapse.