“Seeing as you didn’t know me previously though...you may call me Rudo!” The creature or rather...’Rudo’ said with a laugh at the end.
I-I...I was dead! I could still feel the stab in my chest! If this wasn’t the afterlife...where was I-
“Who are you human? What are you doing in my plane of existence?” Rudo asked, interrupting my thoughts.
“C-Chelidon.” I said.
“Chelidon Ahusaka Abrecan and what do you mean your plane of existence? In fact, why were you chasing me in the first place?!” I questioned.
Rudo tilted his head before he lifted his head and suddenly opened his wings. “Everywhere here is my plane, storm and water make for a peaceful resting place!” Rudo explained.
“Or an electrifying death...” I mumbled.
“That still doesn’t explain why you chased me though!”
“Well, first, I can’t see too well with these eyes of mine. I identify things by smell and sound! Not to mention...you’re an intruder in my home, imagine what you’d do if an intruder suddenly came into your home!” He screeched.
“No human, especially the dead, can come here. You’re an oddity.” He continued with a low hiss, his head once again bending down to where his eyes were directly in front of me while his tail curled around us, blocking all my points of escape.
Even as he stared at me in curiosity, a strangely comfortable silence falling upon us, the lighting stopping to be replaced with a light drizzle. I couldn’t help the barrage of thoughts that began to flood my head before I had a mind to sit down and sigh. From the mentioning of ‘Koinai’, to him being a Thunderbird, to him being just as confused as I was in terms of why I was here to begin with! This entire situation? It was just one big circus of confusion and unanswered questions, but, at least I could rest easy in the arms of knowing this wasn’t the afterlife. That my chances of getting revenge, even if it was just killing the person who tricked me into this situation in the first place, was still possible.
I looked back up at Rudo, the sight of him busy preening his feathers making me clear my throat.
“I’m listening,” he said before he shook himself a little and looked at me.
I let out a sigh. “Is there a way for me to leave? A way for me to get back to my old life? Or at least escape your plane of existence?”
“Yes, to all three.”
I could’ve sworn I felt my heart begin to beat again with hope.
“Well, can I leave? I want to go back to my old life. What do I have to do?” I asked with wide eyes, Rudo suddenly letting out a snicker.
My slow smile faded away immediately to my usual monotone expression.
“Why would I let you leave? I’m terribly lonely here!” He said, my hope faltering more and more.
“It drives one mad to go without conversation for thousands of-”
“I don’t care.” I interrupted.
“Come again?”
“I said I don’t care. I want to go home, let me go home!” I huffed, my eyes narrowing while the creature narrowed its eyes in return.
“...And why should I listen? Because you ordered me to do so like a child? It’ll take more than that to convince me. A creature that can, indeed, give you an electrifying death.” He said with a cruel chuckle, my anger and annoyance only flaring up more and more.
But, eventually, I sighed.
‘If I want to go home, I have to play nice.’ I thought with a grumble.
A mumbled curse escaped my mouth before I shot my eyes towards him.
“Spit it out then, what do I need to do? What do you need done?” I asked.
“Hm, funny that you asked.” He smirked.
“I’m in love with a woman! A very pretty one at that! She-”
I couldn’t help but tune him out, if he wanted a romance counselor then I wasn’t the one. I already rolled my eyes at the sight of my dads being all lovey-dovey with one another, why in the hell would I care about a bird-dragon trying to find love?!
If this was his price then I was about to be in this realm for a while.
“-Which is why I need you to act as Emperor in my place!” Rudo squawked, his words making my eyes widen.
“Emperor?” I repeated dumbfoundedly.
“Yes! Haven’t you been listening?! I really like this girl but...as Emperor, they will force me to marry someone befitting of a god rather than a peasant girl!”
“Still doesn’t explain really why I have to actually go somewhere and be Emperor in your place, can’t I just...watch from up here and give advice like that? There are a few choice words you can say in order to avoid people telling you who you can and cannot love.” I sighed before Rudo suddenly showed me the tip of his tail.
It was spinning earlier but now? I was spinning to the point it was nearly a blur, an almost ethereal glow surrounding it while the diamond itself seemed to look like it was going to break any minute or so.
“This tells me how long I have left until I’m forced to return to my world, Haloke, with me being Emperor, I will not have time to find my love and build a relationship...much less take your advice,” Rudo said.
“Not to mention...with my position? She’ll be too nervous to show her true personality to me! God, as well as the Emperor, are two things that make for a frightening encounter.” Rudo continued while I could only cross my arms and sigh.
I didn’t know whether to label him determined or pathetic but, nonetheless, he caught me in a tight spot. I wanted- no, I needed to go home.
It’d be stupid of me to think I’d be able to do it from within’ here. To return to the life that was stolen away from me.
Even still, however, I had no idea how to rule an empire.
I could barely stand to work with a group on a class project!
People were difficult to deal with, to rule over them as Emperor? A nice ego boost but still tiring nonetheless.
“How do I know I can trust you?” I grumbled, crossing my arms.
Rudo cocked his head before the edges of his beak curved upwards into a smile that reached ear to ear.
“Have a little faith, will you? After all, what other choice do you have, hm?”
None.
Faith was dead to me, I had faith in Dillon and...look where that ended me at the end of the night.
Dead and immensely pissed off.
Nothing more than a ghost trying to get revenge before he possibly croaks for good.
“How am I supposed to do this then? I have no experience being any sort of ruler, much less ruling an Empire.” I asked, causing him to giggle excitedly before he turned his head upwards and made a rattling noise with his beak, the wall of lightning water crashing behind us.
Quickly, the drizzling began to cease before the clouds parted to reveal a starry purple sky underneath while the faint sounds of whale calls began to reach my ears.
As soon as Rudo began to walk off, I immediately followed after him. “I hate starry nights,” I grumbled.
“You seem to hate a lot of things.” Rudo scoffed.
“I have a particular reason for hating starry nights,” I grumbled.
“Anywho, there will be advisors and others who shall teach you the ways of the kingdom. After all, they assume that after nearly two thousand years of ‘rest’ or visiting my sister. I would become rusty at ruling an empire! You will be taught, just make sure to listen!” The creature chuckled.
“Don’t cause any trouble to my empire. I love my people and they love me, be yourself but be me! Be just and be fair, don’t stray nor let your mind get side-tracked.” He continued, causing me to narrow my eyes.
I didn’t and wouldn’t say a word.
I wasn’t going to make a promise that I most probably wouldn’t be able to keep.
After all, I had my own agenda from this point forward.
Comments (0)
See all