King Righteous: An Achievement Hunter AU Short

The Mad King fell to his knees, staring wide-eyed at the decapitated beast. “Edgar,” he whispered, taking the head of the monster, cradling it in his arms before looking up and hissing. “How dare you,” he spat at the man standing in front, “My best man – my siege – you dare kill a guard of the king–”

“Quite frankly, your Highness, you were the one who offered the challenge to the rest of us.”

“And they all died!” King Ryan’s eyes glinted at the thought, but the twisted smile on his lips disappeared. “Of all the men, you survived. The fool. The idiot decked in green who uses a bow and arrow to get what he wants and fails every single time.” King Ryan cackled momentarily before standing, looking at the man with a loathing look in his eyes. “I never believed that the Gods would grant you the power to overcome Edgar the Mountain.”

“Perhaps they did,” the man replied, looking at the severed head that King Ryan held in his hands. “Perhaps this time, they decided that your reign should end.”

“My reign will never end.”

“It just did, my poor man. It just did.”

King Ryan dropped the head of his beast and went for his sword, but stopped upon seeing this winner, this King raise his bow and aim the arrow right at his head.

“Don’t make me do this,” he said softly. “I am a fair and just man. A fool I may be, but a fool with a kind heart, even towards the most hateful and those with ice wrapping their heart and cruelty plaguing their mind.”

“That will be your downfall,” Ryan smirked and dropped his sword, letting it hit the stone ground with a loud crash, the fair iron striking the surface below. “Geoffrey the First was arrogant. Ray the Red was simple-minded. Mogar the Valiant? He was nothing but a war-waging psychopath–”

Ryan failed to finish his sentence and looked down, spluttering blood from his mouth. An arrow had lodged into his stomach, and he looked back at the new King, who merely looked back with a slight of sadness etched onto his face.

“Geoffrey was a father to all of us. Ray, no matter how child-like, was wise and kind to all of us. And Mogar – Michael,” he felt his throat close up and he nearly choked on his next words, “Michael was my friend. I was his Knight until his death. And you...”

He looked upon Ryan with fierceness and rage this time, slowly walking towards him as the previous King staggered back, “You were his friends – my friend, Geoffrey’s friend – until you let the blood stain your hands and your mind,” he spat, raising the bow, “No, Ryan. The arrogant, the simple-minded, the war-waging monster?”

Ryan drew a quick breath, and Gavino Free spoke softly, so softly that he strained to hear this man’s words.

“You are arrogant. You, no matter how clever or intelligent or skilled with books and magic, were not wise. And most of all?”

The blood in Ryan’s ears pounded as Gavino – no, Gavin’s – voice rose and shook him to a brief moment of clarity.

“You are the monster.”

And Ryan broke into laughter until tears streamed down his cheeks and splattered on the floor was small, miniscule droplets.

“Oh, such bravery…” Ryan shook his head and looked at Gavino, smiling for once without a hint of malice or insanity into it.

The familiarity of it nearly made the other lower his weapon, thinking the old Ryan had come back to him.

“I hope this crown is worth it.”

Last words spoken, he let Gavino shoot the arrow into his heart.

Gavino, for the nth time, found himself alone.

* * * * *

He wiped the red from his ledger and ruled the kingdom with a different approach. People from different lands came to see how the kingdom of Chieve survived the rise of the Mad King, and fell on their knees upon walking into the throne room and seeing a new man sitting on the throne, the golden crown on his head and eyes blankly awaiting their presence.

Immediately, people allied themselves with him.

Mages, soldiers and warriors from all over came to see what had happened, and men had written songs of Gavino’s victory while women came and named their children after the previous men who had fought valiantly to put an end to the Mad King’s reign…

Gavino found himself surrounded with people once more. High officials introduced themselves and he found himself meeting a man named Burnie with his friend Gus, a fair lady named Barbara who called herself the Master of Words (he had learned in an amusingly painful way), and a sad-eyed girl named Lindsay who simply told Gavino that she had known Michael for a short while.

The two bonded over their grief and he swore her as his Knight, Lindsay proudly kneeling in front of him as he dubbed her.

“I will protect you as you protected Michael,” she told him when she rose, and it took him a lot to not cry in front of all his people – his new people.

The paintings of his friends had returned. When in the castle, people were greeted by the sight of the mustached Geoffrey the First, a red-clad Ray the Wise, and a battle-scarred Michael “Mogar” the Valiant. When night came, talk came amongst the people that Gavino was often found wandering and gazing at the paintings of his brothers –

Of his friends.

Jack had survived, after all. After being sentenced to death by the Mad King for treason, Gavino had helped him escape despite the tensions between them. Jack, the knowledgeable builder and mage, had offered Gavino the singular thing that he wanted, expecting for a reply of ‘yes’ from the King.

“My King, it could bring you happiness from this day forth.”

“It will make me happy.” Gavino chuckled sadly and turned away from Jack, who had healed as time had passed, “But it won’t make them happy.”

“Your friends – our brothers will be back, and you don’t want that to happen?”

Gavino breathed in slowly, the temptation making him want to give in to the mage’s request, give him permission to execute such a wonder.

“All of them?”

“All of them,” the bearded man promised. “Anyone you would want to come back, I can bring them back for you. Helping me escape makes me owe a life of favors to you, my King, no matter how difficult.”

“You make this so hard,” Gavino managed.

Jack smiled. “I’m not asking for an immediate answer. Just say the word and I shall offer my service.”

“I shall contemplate on that. Thank you, Jack. You may return to your home and rest.” In turn, Jack nodded and bowed, leaving Gavino alone in the middle of the hall as he heard his friend return to his home and his wife.

Gavino never said ‘yes’ to Jack’s offer.

Jack understood.

For the rest of his years, King Gavino ruled virtuously, going back time after time to study what the previous things had done to learn and avoid potential error.

His last request was to be lain beside his King, and the court had allowed it to be so.

When Gavino the Righteous had passed, the people had wept and women sang their sorrow into the air as the King, their hero, was finally put to rest.

…

The Fool came in and swung his sword
The head of the best becoming no more
The Mad King had died and King Gavino took sorrow
Firing it away with a shot of his noble arrow

King Gavino was kind, so golden, so great
Forgiving the Mad King with no haste

King Geoffrey, King Ray and Mogar the Great
Welcome the past Fool into his glorious fate
Fool no more Gavino may be
For he is ours, and Long Live the King.

…