The dragon flew away and grumbled. Jace waved cheerfully at him even though his face was ashen and his body weak. Jace walks escorted by the forces of darkness.
They went to the City of Darkness to meet West and his siblings. After facing an attack by the werewolves at the memory plaza and losing Rain in plain sight, Jace becomes very weak. His body was increasingly showing a stronger monster side. He didn't even dare to appear before Rain when Benjamin took the girl away in her last moments.
Jace watched the soldiers of darkness trailing him around. Jace knows the forces of darkness live long and that the more powerful they are, the longer they live.
How many years will Jace live to protect the Darkwood Kingdom and its entire bloodline, if any? Can he guard Darkwood wisely, or will he succumb to the madness of eternity that befell his predecessors? And will the people of Darkwood accept Jace, or will the people in time think that Jace is not normal?
Those thoughts kept filling Jace's mind during their journey to the city of darkness.
Erica suddenly stopped walking, so Jace, behind, almost bumped into her.
"What's wrong, Erica? Is there something blocking up ahead?"
They had just passed through the underground passage leading to the city of darkness. A black tower loomed before them. The amber panels glowed gold under the artificial, gloomy, and strange glare of the city of darkness.
Jace could see the frozen shapes of giant insects in every tower panel. Like a firefly, the light source came from the bug emitting light in the darkness. The entire tower structure seems to be buzzing due to the giant insects that are its energy source.
"Nothing, Your Majesty," Erica said. "I never got used to this city's light source using bugs. It looks a bit repulsive, and the sound is really annoying."
"From now on, you should get used to it, Erica. Because the decision to bring me here came from you. No matter how hard I refuse, you keep dragging me to come here under the pretext of doing healing and medication or whatever it is. Even though we both know this curse has no cure other than finding the witch."
"Dragon tower," whispered Samantha excitedly.
Sam always liked seeing dragon sightings and friendship with the dragon. Even now, they are looking at the black tower that feels like a terrible and holy temple, symbolizing the dragon's power in the city of darkness.
"You were wrong about the bonfire," Erica told Samantha. "Is there anything we really know about the ritual?"
"The ritual of releasing the soul of a monster from within His Majesty's body? Only that the ritual is dangerous," said Samantha.
"I thought Your Majesty would just have to eat the candy and deliver a monologue."
As they drew closer to the black tower, the panels shifted and rearranged to form an entrance. Inside, the air smelled of roses and honey. While everything stands golden like the moments before sunset. Even though the sun doesn't set there because there is no sun in the city of darkness.
"Welcome," West greeted coolly. That shadowy figure always gave off a cold impression. He never spoke, but his voice could be heard by any head he wanted.
Even if West and the other forces of darkness living in the city of darkness were surprised by Jace's unexpected appearance, they didn't show it. Instead, they were friendly to Jace's entourage.
"My king, ah, how about we have a look? Can we summon that monster to appear?" West asked inside Jace's head.
Jace was silent, like a confused person.
"When the time comes for the ritual to be performed, I will awaken the thorn forest from the darkness."
West ran his fingers as he spoke, and a branch of iron spikes emerged from the ground in a pot.
"When the shoot is mature, its thorns will be as long as a sword. You summon that monster and will drive a thorn into both of your hearts when it comes out."
"How can he be saved?" shouted Erica at West.
The small thorn tree seemed to grow, its thorns elongated.
"That matter is up to the king himself, Erica. We can train to help him summon and control the monster. However, he must fight that battle alone. As long as his willpower was strong enough, he would survive. If not, the monsters will overwhelm it. Or… the best option would be to bring in the witch and get her to lift the curse before the king actually runs out of time."
Jace found himself rubbing his own chest and suddenly forced himself to stop. "My resolve?"
"The exam is both physical and mental, Your Majesty. Its purpose is to separate humans from monsters and monsters from humans. The pain is more intense than anything you've ever experienced. But what was harder was facing the monster."
"Exactly what is he?" asked Jace, who still couldn't understand the monster side in him.
This time, West seemed to smile pityingly. If he had a face, he would act like one. It was as if West could feel the fear that Jace had inside of him. The anger and confusion had been eating away at Jace since the demon outbreak.
"Remains of the dark one's power, fragments of will, and ambition. Besides, I don't know for sure. The monster doesn't want to be chased away. He will confuse you to keep you from completing the ritual and using the thorns. If that happens, the monster will completely overwhelm you. Do you think you can win, Your Majesty?" he asked. "And, in fact, it is this test that the witch actually gave to have that monster in your body."
Jace was silent as he clenched his fists. "I don't know what sins my parents have committed in the past to make the witch so vengeful towards me and drop this curse on us."
"We've beaten the witch before," Samantha said.
"Erica beat her," Randall corrected. "Until she disappeared until now."
"And you remind me of that mistake, Randall. Thank you!" Erica retorted curtly.
An expression appeared on West's face, shown by the increasing black smoke around his body.
"How dying people yearn for a miracle. How they were willing to humble themselves thus. However, it is not the darkness that you will face, Your Highness!" West continued.
The thorn tree stuck out over the cracked pot as tree roots that moved like tentacles dug into the clay.
"This monster is a being empowered by the sorcerer. Just as your will empowers the forces of darkness. However, this monster has been living inside you for five more years. He shares your thoughts and your desires. Then, he will use the things he already knows against you. He will fight to protect his life just as you fought hard to protect yours."
Jace guessed he should be terrified. A wise man would probably think twice before he was impaled with giant thorns. But Jace felt nothing but anticipation. Imagine this creature can be faced and conquered even without the existence of the witch or Rain by his side.
Jace was suddenly stunned.
"Can I face without that girl? Even though she didn't bring any good to me, nor did she bring any badness."
Jace corrected his own thoughts. But much easier to accept than talk about the nightmare he continues to endure forever.
Jace believed that this creature would always be with him. Certain parts of himself he hated—the endless ambition, the selfishness that Erica had so accurately highlighted. If it's true that West the monster is going to deploy that weapon and something else more severe against Jace, then so be it. Jace knew his zest for life would prove even more powerful.
"When the time comes," Jace vowed. "I'm definitely ready."
The blackthorn tree suddenly jumped up from the table. The stems are thick and pulsating. Its thorns were like iron daggers. The tree slid across the floor and stopped inches from Jace's chest. The lethal end of a long thorn was thrust into Jace's heart.
"I hope so," West said. "We've been waiting for you for years, Jace Dauntess. It's a shame if you fail."
Jace exchanged glances with Erica, Randal, and Sam.
"You're trying to scare me, West?" he asked. He held up a finger to touch the tip of the thorn. "I don't know why, but may I suggest using a spider in a suit instead of thorns?"
"Why are you wearing a suit?" asked Sam innocently, frowning. "Why not just spiders?"
West and the other brothers of darkness watched them. West snapped his fingers and backed off the thorns.
"I intend to torture one of you to force the monster to the surface," he said thoughtfully. "But, it seems you won't be strong enough to lure him out."
West raised an arm and took the floor around Erica, Samantha, and Randall. West confined them to gleaming amber panels.
Erica shouted. Her face was aghast and frightened before her instincts took over. She pushed both hands forward, hitting the amber wall with the onslaught of her supernatural powers. A golden substance started to rise from her feet, filling the space.
The same cage also appears around Sam and Randall's bodies. They all struggle to break free but in vain.
Jace tried to reach them. However, a forest of thorns had grown between them in an intricate tangle, impenetrable and surrounded by thorns. Matches of sharp, deadly spikes coiled around Jace like a barrier
"Stop it, West!" he shouted. Even though he could no longer see West's figure.
Jace heard Rain screaming somewhere. He was beyond shocked. Jace thought he was daydreaming, but Rain's voice was so natural before his eyes.
"Rains?" Jace screamed in panic. "How did they get you here?"
Jace was almost running through the thorn bushes. "I knew you wouldn't kill her!" Jace said. Though he didn't know for sure. "I need that girl!"
A cage appeared in the middle of a thicket surrounded by blooming black roses.
"You think I care about what you need? What you need is freedom," West said. "And if losing a mortal girl has moved you to act, then such a small price would be worth it."
Jace charged at West, but the figure disappeared into the thorny forest. He jumped into a thicket of thorns, ignoring the pain as sharp spikes dug under his clothes. Its sharpness pierced Jace's flesh like a tooth.
"You must fly, ah, my King!" said the army of darkness, also confined by thorn bushes. "Or you will never be free, neither will we, nor Rain."
Rain's screams grew louder.
From the thicket, Rain called out, "Oh, no! Please, no, I beg you."
Jace forced himself to close his eyes. "Come on, Bastard, show up!" Jace asked the monster inside him. "You want to spread wings? This is your chance. I'll even let you nibble West as a thank-you gift."
However, if the monster was listening, he must be laughing too. A moment ago, when he was with Rain, Jace could easily control the beast. He took out and kept his wings. But why is it that whenever he is away from Rain, the dark creature that resides inside him has no interest in participating in this game?
"West definitely won't hurt Rain," Jace said to himself. "It's just a trick."
And then stopped Rain's screams. Samantha could be heard sobbing.
"Rains?" he shouted. "Sam!"
Jace began to approach. He ran and hit a thorn bush. "Girls?" Jace screamed but what came out was a growl.
Jace felt the creature that possessed him to drag itself to the surface as if its claws were scraping against his chest cavity.
"Not!" Jace didn't want this. He didn't want to hand back control to the monster. But another voice inside him hissed. "Yes!"
"Remember," Jace threatened himself, "Remember who you are!"
Jace felt the claws pop, felt the teeth grow out.
"I'm Jace Dauntess. Leader of darkness and King of the Darkwood Kingdom."
Jace screamed as a pair of wings spread behind him, and he soared above the thorny forest to the high ceilings of the cave in the black tower. "Remember who you are!"
West and the brothers of darkness looked up at Jace with triumphant expressions. Erica wept beside them. Samantha floated in a golden sarcophagus like an angel trapped in amber. Erica's eyes closed, and her body froze.
Jace didn't recognize the sound that came from his throat. As he flung himself into the cage that he thought was trapping Rain, he crashed into the cage with a bone-chilling thud. But the cage still didn't budge.
Jace turned to West and the brothers of darkness and growled ferociously.
"I am the monster, and the monster is me."
Jace could feel the demon struggling to reclaim it even as the monster lent its strength. But West and the brothers of darkness only smiled gently and lovingly.
West waved and knocked over the amber cage that contained Erica, Samantha, and Randall. Wither the thorny forest to the floor.
Jace ran to grab the cage and thought Rain might be in there. However, he only received emptiness. Only the bodies of Erica, Samantha, and Randall had fallen from the cage.
They were covered in golden latex. Randall clenched his fists, and Erica started coughing. Sam opened her eyes, her eyelashes stuck to thick resin. She blinked in confusion then horror flooded her face. She thrashed out of Jace's arms.
However, when Jace realized it was Samantha and not Rain he was hugging, Jace looked disgusted and disappointed. Rain wasn't there.
"Your Highness, it's me!" shouted Sam. "Not Rain!"
"What did I see just now?" Jace said, backing off. "So everything is just an illusion created by my own fear?"
That realization made Jace drunk on it. He gets hungry. He wanted to sink his claws into West's body and the creatures around him. He wanted so badly to devour those who were there.
"Where's Rain?"
"Remember, Jace! Remember who you are!" Erica shouted.
Jace's consciousness was being pulled in all directions. Jace kept reassuring himself. "I am Jace Dauntess, ruler of the Kingdom of Darkwood, leader of the forces of darkness, and son of the slain king."
A growl thundered through Jace's body as the figure of Rain he thought was in danger disappeared and broke free, only an empty steel frame.
Jace clung to the memory of that sensation. To his memories of the vibrations of the body and torturing it.
"Go!" Jace demanded. "Go!"
Reluctantly, haltingly, the monster crept back into the darkness, whatever place resided within Jace. The beast left a sour burnt taste in Jace's mouth.
Jace fell to his knees, shaking. He couldn't bear to look at his comrades' faces and see the disgust on them. They certainly couldn't go back to how they used to be after seeing the shape of the monster inside Jace.
Jace felt Erica's hand on his shoulder. Jace forced himself to look at Erica.
"You did it," Erica said. "You called him, and then you kicked him out."
"I saw Rain. She almost died. Because of that, I was furious and did everything. What would happen if there wasn't her even in my imagination?"
Erica grinned even more expansive. "But that girl is still alive out there. If her existence can cure you, why don't we get her back?"
Jace wiped the tears from his face. "Can we pick her up again?"