Tale of the True King
One day, on my journey between worlds, I found myself in an empty world. But it was different from the simple empty worlds in which there was no life at all. In this world there was, and has been recently.
I decided to get to the bottom of the truth and find out where all the living things had gone. It looked as if people and animals had simply disappeared in an instant.
As I looked into each house, I noticed that all the things were laid out as if people lived here. There were many places with food that had long since cooled down and could no longer be described as edible because of the passage of time.
And so, walking the streets of the city, I noticed a palace. I am sure that few people could resist the temptation to enter it, and neither could I.
As I entered the throne room, I heard the sound of footsteps coming toward me. When I turned around, I saw a little boy with a crown on his head. And though travelers between worlds don’t have to do that, I knelt before him. And then he turned to me.
- Who are you?
- I am Nereida, a sea elf who travels between worlds.
- Then you are a visitor from another world. My name is Nilo Branec, I am the King of Erlandseek, the true king of this world. I will receive my guest as befittingly, I invite you to join me for lunch, it is coming soon, but in the meantime you can explore my palace.
The king was a little boy, looking no more than 10 years old. His clothes were elaborate and his head was adorned with a crown. Even though he was just a boy, his appearance inspired an undeniable power, as if he were the real ruler of the world.
At lunch, of course, I asked where all the living things in the world had gone. And then he told me the story of how he became a true king.
“My father died shortly before my decade, and then, as befits tradition and law, I was to take his place and become the new king. But coronation doesn’t just give you the title of king and a certain power, wearing the crown for the first time, a person can make any wish, and the crown will fulfill it. This is what happened when I wore the crown. I wished to become a true king and have sole authority over the entire world. Immediately after these words, everyone disappeared. People, animals, birds, and even insects disappeared. I was completely alone in the world, but I had infinite power over it.”
I have been to many royal receptions in my travels, but none compare to this one. Though the table was modest, it felt so grand, as if you were standing before a god who towered over the rest. There was also an air of bitterness and endless longing all around. Not once did the king’s voice tremble or give a hint of emotion. His speech was loud and uncompromising the whole time. And yet, in my heart, I could feel the longing in everything around him. And especially in his eyes. He looked so young, but it was as if he’d lived for more than a thousand years.
When we had finished eating, the king said he had something to show me and told me to follow him.
We walked, he showed me the empty pond by the palace in which he liked to feed the fish, showed me the street where his father often held parades, showed me the houses of his friends, who in the future were to become loyal associates. A lot of revenge I saw, but they were all empty and gloomy. As the king spoke, his voice never wavered once. After this excursion, we left the city and went in a direction unknown to me on the road.
And then, the longer we got away from the city, the darker the sky got. The sun began to be hidden by clouds, a strong wind rose, and suddenly, my eyes began to weep.
That’s how we got to the precipice. The weather was already raging with all its might. The wind was so strong that it blew the trees away, and the thunder was so strong that it felt like the ground itself was splitting in two. There was a real whirlpool below the cliff. And the sea itself was hit by a storm of unprecedented strength, with waves rising dozens of meters high. And tears streamed from my eyes. And in the midst of all this horror stood the king. But the wind seemed to pass over him, and the thunder seemed to sound like a quiet melody to him.
The king turned to me and said he was waiting for someone to see the end of his reign, and with it the end of this world. I couldn’t say anything back to him anymore, tears blocked my view and stifled any attempt to say a word. And then, the king turned to face the cliff and said his last words, after which he lunged forward and flew straight into the center of the whirlpool, into the abyss that swallowed him up in seconds.
“People relentlessly desire unlimited power, but they do not know that once you are at the top, you will inevitably be alone.” — The True King’s Last Words.