Revenge Of The Black Cloak Society Chapter 7 (A King's Quest Fic)

Attention: King’s Quest is property of Sierra. Most character names are also from the King’s Quest Companion by Peter Spear. Some characters are my creation. This story also takes place after all eight King’s Quest games.

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Revenge of the Black Cloak Society

Interlude 1: Family Ties (Audio)

King Alexander of the Green Isles was glad to see his father was all right. When the magic connection disappeared all that time ago, he was afraid the worst had happened. Now, seeing that his parents were alive, he felt better. Shamir, however, was exhausted from the process of teleporting them to Daventry. Alexander was sure this was because of the dark magic that was surrounding the country now. It was part of the reason he had brought Shamir’s bottle with him. He looked at the djinn for a moment and said, “Shamir, do you wish to rest in your bottle?” Ever since he had defeated Abdul, and become King of the Green Isles, he had given the djinn his own room. However, he wasn’t sure if his father could offer the same thing.

Before Shamir could answer, he heard his father, King Graham, announce, “Son, if your djinn is in need of a place to rest, I’m sure Crispin can set up a room for him. Unless the djinn truly needs the bottle to rest?”

He watched as Shamir nodded. “The offer of a room is most gracious, Your Majesty. Your son did that after he freed me from Abdul’s evil control. I thank you for the same consideration.” He watched as Shamir nodded, and the headed towards a door where the wizard was now standing at.

When both were gone, he turned to his father again and asked the important question on his mind. “So how did you defeat Dahlia again, Father?”

He watched as his father walked back to the throne next to his mother, and sat down. “It was difficult, since I didn’t dare chance repeating my first victory over her. This time, I had to literally confront her. Thankfully, the combination of the Magic Shield, as well as a spell to make it absorb and reflect magic, allowed me to defeat her.”

He was surprised when his mother spoke up at that moment. “It was a long battle for your father. She was very close to completing a spell that would affect all of Daventry. Luckily, when she was defeated, her spirit left, as well as the spirit of one of the townsfolk, a girl named Anne.”

Alexander gasped when he heard that. “You mean to say that Dahlia possessed a woman? That must have been a very dark magic spell. It must be of the same lines as the dark magic that is surrounding Daventry. It took Shamir a good deal of time to magically put a hole in it so we could get through.”

He turned to face his father, when his father spoke again. “Wasn’t there another way, maybe like Connor did, by traveling through the Dimension of Death. Maybe that would have worked easier.”

Alexander shook his head. “No, it wouldn’t. I don’t dare venture too far on the Isle of the Death. After I managed to bring Cassima’s parents back, I got the feeling that next time I set foot on the Isle, I will die for real.”

He watched a slight look of shock passed over his parents faces. They must have forgotten that fact, and he was certain he had told them. However, he was sure his mother was wondering something. His thoughts were confirmed when she said, “Alexander, would I be able to ask for a soul to be restored. I hate it that the young girl lost her life. Surely there must be a way to save her?” He wasn’t sure if his mother would like to hear what he would say, especially given the reasons why she asked.

Queen Valanice waited eagerly for her son’s answer. She was seriously hoping there was a good answer for giving the spirit of Anne another chance. However, she felt her hopes almost shatter when her son said, “I hate to say it, Mother, but the odds are not good. Samhain, who rules the Isle of the Dead, had dared me to make him cry. If I had not had the magic mirror, he wouldn’t have cried, and I would have joined Cassima’s parents in the afterlife.”

Valanice stood up from the throne, and started to pace. After word had gotten to Anne’s parents, they were devastated by the news. Deep down, Valanice would have loved to bring their daughter back to them. The way their daughter was just sacrificed by the dark magic of Dahlia, Shadrack, and the Black Cloak Society, just to try to get revenge was wrong. It couldn’t have been what fate had in store for the girl.

Suddenly, Valanice remember the Fates. When she had gone in pursuit of Rosella in the land of Eldritch, she came across the Fates, three sisters who apparently controlled the fates of all mortals. They had helped her in her quest to find Rosella, and in turned helped saved the Kingdom of Eldritch. Maybe they could help her again, in hopefully restoring Anne to the world of the living.

She turned to face her husband and son, and smiled. “I think I may have a solution to that dilemma then. When I went in pursuit of Rosella, I met the Fates themselves. Maybe they can help restore the young girl. I’m sure they did not intend for the girl to be used as a sacrifice.”

She almost jumped when Crispin spoke. She had been unaware that he had returned from setting a room for Alexander’s Djinn. “I do believe they would be unable to help.” She turned to face the old wizard as he continued. “Thanks to the Dark Magic used by wizards like Shadrack, they have effectively lengthened their lifespan numerous times, destroying the destinies that the Fate’s have set up for many.”

She heard her husband speak the same question she was about to ask. “Are you certain they cannot help? Surely they have the abilities to mend a fate that was undone.”

She felt crestfallen when the wizard nodded. “I know from experience, Sire. One time, I was asked to cure a child who had been cursed by the witch that had been in Serenia. When I realized what had been done, I cast a spell to contract the Fates. They then told me there was no hope for the child. The child’s life thread had been shredded, and rewoven in to another thread. The magic took the child’s potential and given it to the witch.” Valanice quickly realized what that meant. Not only did Dark Magic destroy lives, it took their potential life and gave it to whomever cast the spell.

She wasn’t the only one who realized it, when Alexander spoke. “Tis a terrible thing. There has to be ways to counter such effects of Dark Magic. I just wish I could think of a way.”

She watched as Crispin thought about it a moment. “Not with resurrection. I’ve heard that a spell that only kills can be used in a way that isn’t dark. However, that would be in the way of something morally wrong to help someone.” Even as the wizard had said it, Valanice could think of no situations where one would kill someone that wouldn’t be evil.

She was broken out of her thoughts when she heard the door of the throne room open. She glanced over at the door, only to see Cale Silver, the temporary historian, heading out. She had been unaware that he had come into the room, since her son had arrived. Just that thought made her think about Rosella, and her family back in Kolyma. She nodded towards her husband, and then her son, before speaking again. “I think that right now, I need to head back to my room, and write a letter to our daughter. I do hope her wedding plans are continuing.” She then left the room, not only intending to write her daughter, but also to ask if Edgar’s parents might know a way to restore a lost soul.

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Hagatha entered her cave, carrying a new victim. At least once a month, she used her magic to sneak into the town to nab a victim. Unfortunately, since the time when the old King’s daughter was rescue by King Graham, the powers of the good witch had grown, and her forces decreased. The only upside was that parts of Kolyma were still under her control, even though it was just the southern part, as well as the dark castle in the poison lake. The woods were now the homes of some werewolves, which had been the monks of the monastery.

What further hindered her was the good witch. Even though the old one had passed away, the new one was more powerful. It took almost all her power just to be able to snatch a victim from town to make her meals. Occasionally, a person would get nosy and enter her cave, but over all, her meals were sparse. Had she not been resourceful, and had a long life, she would not have been able to last so long.

Just as she threw her latest victim into her cauldron, smiling as the calming spell she placed on the man ended, she watched him splash through the now forming face of Shadrack. She knew the boiling stew would kill the man, slowly, since she still had a disorientating spell on him. However, his thrashing would disturb the image of her superior in the Black Cloak Society. Doing her best to smile, since it was a bit disturbing now, she looked at the image. “Brother Shadrack, didn’t you just speak with me yesterday?”

She stifled a cackle as the victim’s arm thrust out of the pot, right through Shadrack’s eye. However, with the look on his face, she could tell he was upset. “Yes, I did, Hagatha. I had asked how soon the Quartz Tower would be ready. I need you to set things up now. Things have changed here. The son of Graham and Valanice arrived earlier than I initially expected. However, this can be handled. It will still take time for them to get there. However, I want it to take time for them to find that Princess Yvette of Kolyma is in the Quartz Tower.”

She was surprised by that. “Shadrack, if you truly want the Quartz Tower to do what it must do, wouldn’t it be best for her disappearance to be undiscovered?” The last time the Quartz Tower served it’s purpose, the victims family received a vision as their daughter was engulfed in the energies of the tower, which aged everything thousands of years in an instant.

Again, her current victim’s arm lunged out of the cauldron, and through the image’s nose. Of course, Shadrack seemed not to notice this. “I want King Graham and Queen Valanice to make their way to Kolyma. I want them to watch their failure and then meet their fates. I’m sure you can come up with something fitting.”

Hagatha nodded in understanding, and smiled. “I’m sure my minions can give them an appropriate fate. I shall begin when nightfall comes, Brother.” She watched him nodded, and saw his image disappear. This time, her victim’s head managed to surface, apparently making a last gasp as he expired. Now, with the dead face of her victim looking out, she could truly enjoy her meal, as well as plan for the abduction of Princess Yvette. That was something she was looking forward to, especially since the Princess’s beauty surpassed her aunt’s.

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Princess Yvette of Kolyma sat in her room. She was staring out of the window, wishing a bit to be elsewhere. Her father had been lecturing about how she should be married now, or at least engaged, like her cousin Rosella. Like always, she tuned him out. She wasn’t ready to get married. All of the men that had been suggested to her either didn’t seem right, or she didn’t have any feelings for. She had heard how her cousin had meet the prince she was going to marry, and hoped to meet a man in the same way. Soon, her father finally said, “Are you even paying attention?”

She turned to face her father, and said, “Of course I was, father. It is just that none of the princes has appeared to be right in my mind. Isn’t there any other ways to find a suitable husband for me?”

She watched as he shook his head, and raised his arms in defeat. “I swear, I should have never told you about your cousin’s adventures. I sometimes wish your Aunt Valanice had not told me about them.” She watched as he then went to the door, and left, saying, “Let’s think about it more in the morning.”

When the door closed, Yvette turned back to the window and sighed. There had to be more Princes in the world, some even better that the ones she had so far met or even heard of. In fact, for right now, she didn’t even want to think about the topic again.

As night was beginning to fall, she saw the first star in the sky appear. Feeling a bit romantic, she looked up at the star, brushed back a lock of her red hair, and closed her eyes. With her eyes closed, she softly spoke. “Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish that you could see fit to help bring about an end to my father’s nagging.”

When she opened her eyes, she noticed that the starlight had disappeared. In fact, the room seemed unnaturally dark. She started to move towards the door to her room, but stopped when she heard a slight commotion outside the door. Her reaction was to back away from the door, and hide someplace. However, as she went to move, she couldn’t. Something was keeping her stationary. She was just thankful that she hadn’t gotten ready for bed yet. It would have been unsightly to be caught in a state of undress.

Soon, she heard a scream coming from outside of the door, and then the door flew open. When she saw the hideous face when the figure came in, she knew exactly who it was. It was the ogress witch, Hagatha. As the ugly woman came towards her, she could smell a foul odor, like the ogress had just feasted on some unlucky person. “Princess Yvette, I have a great honor for you.”

Before she could respond, she was blinded by a flash of light. She blinked her eyes several times, before she could finally see again. As she looked around, she was no longer in her room. It was a beautifully furnished room, and she saw a window, but it was not her room.

She quickly ran to the window, and gasped as she saw the scene outside had changed. She appeared to be on a solitary island, in an oddly colored ocean. Even the sky had a different tint to it. She also noticed that the building she was in was a crystalline tower. She quickly ran to the door, and gasped as she noticed it was locked. As she backed away from the door, she realized she was in trouble. It was almost like the story her father told her about her Aunt Valanice.

She then walked over to the bed, and sat down. Deep down, she chastised herself for making that wish, but there was no way the stars knew this would happened. She also started to hope her parents would figure out what had happened. Since Hagatha was involved in her being here, she had a feeling that something very bad might happen to her.