Ben exhaled and shut his eyes tightly hoping for the worst. The room had gone completely silently now and he was wondering what would happen now he had annoyed the Kind king.
If he died here, he'd be dead for good. His system had said so. He would never see Teresa again. That thought alone baffled him.
"I believe that you don't know how you got here." King Ailwin's calm voice finally broke the silence. Ben looked up.
He continued. "But that's the problem, isn't it?"
Ben was confused. "What....do you mean?"
Ailwin leaned forward, his hands clasped. "You're not from here and you don't understand or know how to use magic. You don't understand this world and you certainly appeared out of nowhere." He paused. "Do you know what that makes you?"
Damn, that didn't sound good. Ben swallowed. "...W-what does that make me ?"
"Dangerous." The king said firmly.
The word rang like a bell in Ben's head. "I'm no...,"
"Not intentionally," Ailwin interrupted gently. "I know that. But Ben, you walked through a door that was mistakenly left open. And you don't even know what's on the other side."
Ben's chest tightened. "I'm not a threat, I swear."
"You don't know that, Ben." Ailwin's voice was still kind and soft. "You said it yourself. You don't know how you survived in the arena. Even though you were lying, I could smell some truths in your words."
Ben was speechless. The king was making sense. Come to think of it, the system was precise in it's directions on what Ben should do and how to do it. And everything was just in place when he needed it. It was almost too perfect.
"What if whatever brought you here wants something?" Ailwin continued. "You, a complete amateur defeated two of our strongest warriors. The Ash Reavers from the first realm and Lycans from the fourth realm."
Ben swallowed as he remembered. His eyes locked onto Ben's. "Above all, what if what brought you here.....is using you?"
"It's a system," Ben whispered.
Ailwin stopped. "Pardon,"
Ben sighed. "The thing that brought me here was a system. It said it needed help and just....."
He stopped talking before he revealed too much. He had wondered how he previously revealed his life story to the king even though he was comfortable with it. And now, he was telling the king about his system? Shit. He really shouldn't have drank from that cup.
'A system huh?' Ailwin thought and smiled to himself. 'So someone's been using the Sesh-Medw without his permission.' he believed he had banned it after he became king.
Anyway now was not the time. Ben as slowly delivered himself into his trap. Now was just to lay some icing on the cake.
"I know what you're talking about. And I would be as plain as I can." Ailwin said. "You're being used for a selfish agenda."
Ben gasped. "How...?"
"Think about it."
Ben couldn't breathe. Now that he thought about it, it all made sense. Why now? Especially the fact that it came exactly when he lost everything.
Ailwin reached across the table and put a hand on Ben's.
"You don't have to be scared anymore," he said softly. "Your actions have brought a lot of changes to the contest before it's official start. I don't think you should cause any more trouble.'
Ben killing two of the warriors who have always been victors and stood by the king's side, it meant that this year was going to be a tough year for the king and for the first time in five hundred years, he may have to be more careful otherwise he would loose his place as king to another.
"Ben," he called out calmly. "You don't have to fight anymore. Think about your sister. You chances of winning the Blood Reaping Contest are as slim as New York becoming a better place over night."
Ben chuckled despite the confusion.
"Exactly. I know that life is cruel...,"
"So cruel," Ben whispered.
"....and that things are uncertain. But I know and believe that things will get better. I like you and I don't want to see you die aimlessly due to some selfish reasons. The Blood Reaping Contest is reserved for monsters alone for a reason. I was lucky but you can't bet on luck, Ben. Go home. Refresh and continue trying hard till you succeed. This..."
He gestured to the walls and the surrounding, ".....is not for you. Now I'm not saying you can't try. But if you were told you are going to die if you try would you still try"
Ben knew the answer to that and he lowered his head.
"You have my word. If the guards or council ask where you went, I'd say we agreed on a truce and you've left Eryndor for good. There's no need for conflict Ben, don't you agree?"
That made sense. The king was right. Fighting aimlessly and throwing his life away was not what Ben imagined at twenty-five years old. He had dreams and ambitions.
'Fuck all this,' he thought. 'The king is right. I would return home.'
But before Ben could answer,
Bamm!
The door flew open. A guard burst in, gasping. "Your Majesty! Forgive the intrusion....There are intruders at the gates!"
Ailwin's crown flared. His eyes went cold. 'Intruders?' he thought. 'how?'
He looked up at the guard. "Are you sure of what you speak?"
"Yes, sire. A Glacian male and a female. They're fighting through the guards."
Ailwin's jaw tightened. 'Glacian? Of course. It all made sense now.'
He stood, glancing back at Ben. His eyes were flat for just a heartbeat. Then a gentle smile spread across his face.
"Stay here, Ben." He said calmly. "And think on all what we've discussed."
He walked to the door, pausing. "The doors here... they don't reopen easily."
He motioned to the guards in a cold tone. "Take me to them."
He glanced back at Ben one last time. Ben met his eyes.
'He'll choose to leave. I've given him every reason to.' Ailwin thought. But if he doesn't...' He smiled at Ben.
"Think carefully, Ben," he said softly. "Your life depends on it."
"Yeah," Ben smiled back. "I know."
He turned. 'Then I'll have no choice but to opt for plan b' He smirked.
And with that, he was gone.
***
Outside the Palace Gates,
Eryndor Central.
Ezra and Tabitha stood before the massive iron doors. Guards blocking their path with swords and spears raised.
"No entry!" one snarled.
"I need to...." Ezra started. "There's a human inside!"
"I don't care if there's a god inside," the guard snapped. "No one enters without the kings permission!"
Tabitha stepped forward, energy humming in her fists. "Ez."
"Tabitha,"
"Go!" She said. "I'll handle this."
She didn't wait. Immediately she charged at them. The guards moved to intercept, but Tabitha was faster. She grabbed the nearest spear, yanked it free, and swung hard landing it on the back of his head with a sickening crack. He dropped.
More guards gasped and charged at her direction
Tabitha grinned, rolling her shoulders.
"Seventeen of you? Good. I was getting bored anyway."
Ezra didn't hesitate. He dropped low, slid under an attacking guard's arm, and bolted through the gates.
Behind him, Tabitha's voice rang out. "That all you got?!....Haiii!" The sound of metal clashing and bodies hitting the ground echoed through the balcony.
Now Inside the Palace, Ezra sprinted down corridors. His heart was pounding.
'Where is he? Where would the king take him?' he thought as he searched everywhere for Ben.
He skidded to a stop in an empty hallway, gasping for breath. His hands shook as he summoned the Sesh-Medw.
The grey screen flickered to life. He typed into it.
< Ben Scott. Respond > Error!
"No..." He groaned.
He tried again. Error!
"Damn it!" Ezra slammed his fist against the wall. "Come on!"
He took a shaky breath and tried one more time. The screen flickered. It worked.
"Yes!" Ezra shouted, his voice echoing.
***
Back in the Study, Ben sat alone by the fire, staring into the flames.
Ailwin's words echoed in his head. Above all the king said. He knew he was right. He had no grudge for the system. People always had reasons for doing things. And now he had a reason for the decision he was about to make. He didn't want to die aimlessly.
But the hand on his knee still burned. He clapped his hands together angrily.
'But why does it feel wrong?'
Ping!
Ben's head snapped up. The grey screen appeared, glowing faintly in the dim light.
< Ben, I'm sorry I couldn't reach you >
< Are you okay? >
< Where are you? >
Ben stared at the message. His whole body started shaking because of what he was about to say.
"System," he whispered.
Ping!
< Yes? >
Ben's voice cracked. "I want out."