A New Arrival Part 1: The King’s New Jester
Dead King Drye finds himself lost in the after life. Until a strange man comes from no where and guides him to the beginning of his journey beyond.
@kingdrye Owned by @dryeguy
@dexterelech Owned by @dex-ter-ous
As the King walks through what is seemingly an endless fog. His thoughts coming down on him, doubt and questioning filling the mind with dread. After he has walked for so long while making what seems like so little progress, there is a noise. The soft sound of bare feet hitting the solid stone surface beneath.
King Drye quickly turns to try and find the source of the noise, a hint of a shadow or silhouette perhaps?
“Hello?” He asks with a calm tone. He has been in tense situations before, but this is a new playing field for him, as the King already knows, there are dangers here he isn’t equipped for. The shuffling seems to speed up the more he looks for it. The crippling lack of any noise but this damn shuffling starts to drive him mad.
As he begins to reach his limits for the charade, his movements quicken and he tries to ignore the sound.
‘Just keep forward Theodore. There has to be a way out of this damned fog.’ He thinks to himself trying to deny the situation. Then suddenly a sensation, a touch. As he swings around to see what's there, a sense of tension exploding forth as he prepares for the worst. He stops in his tracks… Not from fear or anger, but from a genuine confusion that plays across his face, as before him stands a man with long black hair, torn pants that seem centuries out of date, a hard amber stare, and… A smile?
The man looks the King up and down.
“Good stance, but your guard is trash.” Then looking around at the fog.
“Nice hellscape though.” a light chuckle from this new stranger.
KD thinks for a moment after the man speaks, piecing together what he knows so far.
“Who are you?” He asks the man with a cold tone and look.
The stranger stares at KD with a look of amusement.
“I'm the guy that's been navigating this place for thousands of years.” a small shrug. “But I prefer to be called Dontei.”
KD and this man stand, evaluating one another. Dontei has an obvious build in muscle tone, but something seems off. As the King continues to look, he sees that the man's wrists have shackles melted to them and obvious brands and scars, all from torture no doubt.
“So you have been here?” A small gesture to the fog around them. “For thousands of years?”
Dontei sighs shaking his head with a grin.
“I've been in hell for thousands of years. But not in your hell though.”
He chuckles. “Made a convenient place for me to hide away in though so… Thanks.”
A wave of his hand to try and dismiss this subject and move on. “So what are you looking for?”
KD maintains his cold demeanor, but that question feels to have struck a nerve of sorts. “What do you mean.” his voice having more volume than before.
Dontei laughs with a hand on his chest. “Usually when I find someone in the fog. It's because they are looking for something lost.”
A cold silence, until a noise rings out in the distance. Dontei looks over with a look of annoyance.
“Well fuck, thought it'd take them longer than that.” He looks to the King, his speech hurried.. “Alright, I want to make a deal with you.”
KD looks almost frustrated.
“What? A deal? What for?” He speaks loudly, as though demanding answers. He continues. “What could you possibly offer me?”
Dontei sighs heavy at the Kings questions.
“I can get anywhere in hell with little to some issues. I know spots nobody else does.” He pulls a bleeding black rose from a small bag hanging from his side. “And I killed a demon to get this bad boy.”
KD looks at the flower. “And?” He says shaking his head.
Dontei rolls his eyes.
“Its a demon soul, found a guy to help me catch it.” He gestures for Drye to follow him. “And if you wanna find whatever you are looking for. You should start moving with me so we can get somewhere better to talk.” He begins moving away. “They find out I was here and you also get punishment for helping a criminal.” A semi-sadistic grin grows on his face. “Be a shitty way to end your tale wouldn't you say? Leaving something undone?”
The King looks to Dontei, then towards the sound of large batlike wings and back. Frustration, confusion, and internal conflict dance inside his head, until he finally gives.
“You have what I need?” he asks quickly.
“Most of it, and getting the rest shouldn't be TOO hard. As long as you are at least semi-competent.” A mocking shuffle as he continues to move. “So, you trying to die? Or do we have a deal?” He stops moving, then turns his body to face the king, and extends a hand.
KD sighs, his fists clenching as he realizes the situation this man just put him in. He quickly moves forward and grabs Dontei's hand.
“Deal.” Raising his chin slightly to show a position of authority. “But I am to know the plan the whole way through.”
Dontei shakes the King's hand firmly.
“Deal.”
As they begin moving at a hurried pace Dontei turns to the King.
“What do I call you anyways?”
The King looks to this strange man, being sure to keep pace.
“I go by King… King Drye.” Slowly they disappear into the fog away from Dontei's pursuers.
After what seems like hours of running, both men begin losing steam, pace slowing, muscles tensing. Dontei looks to his new accomplice a weak grin showing. “Y-ya know. You’re- Pre-pretty fit.” He jokes between breaths.
KD rolls his eyes at the remark. “Where is the way out.”
Dontei waves his hand in front of him. “Little further.”
The pair look forward and a light can be seen. The fog loosening up, revealing silhouettes in the distance. “There.” Dontei says slowing to a fast walk. “The start of the city.” He takes several deep breaths then claps, slowing to a stop.
“What are you doing?” KD asks with a level of exhausted aggravation, as he slows to turn and look at Dontei. “If the city is right there then lets go.”
“Hang on.” Dontei says still recovering from their run. “We have to be careful, because should a demon lock us down. We’re done for.” He gives one big inhale and a slow controlled out, then walks with somewhat of a skip in his step.
“So what do you suggest then?”
“We go in at the edge of the gates where new arrivals usually go missing.” A quick hand gesture signals to the pairs left.
“How would it matter where we go in. There is nobody else here. We will be spotted no matter what.” The King seems to say finally catching his breath.
Dontei’s mouth opens and his brow furrows as he thinks hard trying to pick his words.
“Yeah, you make a good point.” He says looking defeated, as he walks forward. “Let’s do this.”
“Wait. First you argued against it, but with so little discussion on the point, you buckle.” KD asks with a look of sheer disbelief.
“What can I say. I’ve got a weak will.” He utters as he steps through a wall of fog. The King rushes after him.
Once on the other side, KD finds himself surrounded by people flowing in from outside the gate. He looks around for a moment until he spots Dontei watching him from the side of the crowd, as they go to move towards each other though, a familiar voice rings out.
“Your highness!”
Dontei and the King look over to see a demon, one with a soft face, half of which is obscured by raven black hair, he jumps with his long and animalistic legs towards the King. Dontei moves to intercept, but quickly finds himself confused. “Huh. That’s different.” He says seeing the demon hold the King closely with a large grin. KD looks to Dontei with a look of discomfort and light irritation. “You good big guy?” Dontei says motioning from Drye to the Demon.
The demon quickly turns around, a guarded look on his face. “Sire do you know this man?”
KD sighs. “Down Dexter.” He moves past the demon. “He is a businessman of sorts.” He looks Dontei in the eyes. “What was that?”
Dontei smiles wide. “Oh ‘Milord’ those be the front gates.” His tone mocking the stereotypical peasant, as he rolls his eyes, and moves his body around pretending to cower.
This gains him a look of pure disdain from the demon, that then looked to KD for his reaction. The King looks calm and collected, his focus honing in.
“Front gates of what?”
Dontei throws his head back inhaling with his arms resting on his stomach, then swings his head forwards coming inches away from KD’s face, eyes locked.
“The abyss my friend!” He booms and begins to laugh loudly, a screech howls in the distance. “And we gotta go!” He begins to run into an alley on the right side of the inner gates.
KD and Dexter stand daized for a moment.
“What do we do now?” Dexter snaps, looking towards the King.
The King stands focusing on Dontei running.
“Follow the new court Jester Dexter.” He begins sprinting towards the alley. Dex blinks and stares hard at the pair, until the screech of an incoming creature snaps him out of it and he follows them.
As they run Dontei laughs.
“Welcome home Your Highness!”
