Kaan's head throbbed. Pressure lingered in his eyes. He slowly situated himself upright on his stone bed. The chill of the dark stone cage penetrated his flesh, along with its branding sorrow.
Heavy footsteps grew in resonance from the outer hall. The elf from the forest entered.
”Guards, leave us,” he commanded.
They marched from the dungeon without question.
Silence.
"You must be him."
"You know who I am, Erebus," Kaan replied.
"Aaahh, Kaan, the King of Kings, isn't that what they call you?" He remained silent. Kaan lifted his head as the elf came a little closer.
"You are not what I expected".
Kaan scoffed, "What were you expecting?"
Erebus shrugged, "Someone who looked like he had power." He reached through the air and closed his eyes. Old dark-wood that remained in a poorly lit corner began to rattle before levitating off the ground. They morphed snake-like into a chair, forming detailed arms, legs, and a back. The elf lowered his creation to the ground and took a seat. "Are you impressed? It is a rare talent to morph raw material into something new via magic, but I have my ways of learning that skill."
"You stole that gift from a young elf."
Erebus smirked, "You know your gifts."
"I know my people," Kaan replied.
He smirked, "I hope it wasn't someone you know."
Kaan was silent.
The elf stood taller and placed his hands behind his back, "I just cannot believe that this is the man who has been giving me so much trouble. I thought this man would be obvious, given how much power he has."
"Power does not give one the right to be a king."
"Oh, but it does," Erebus countered as he stood and walked slowly to the cell. "Tell me, where did you get your power from? How did you get it?"
"I have always had it."
Erebus laughed, "Oh, then what do you do with that power? Useless, child's play! Could you imagine what the world could be if the two most powerful beings in it worked together? Combining their magic to create a newer better earth."
"What do you want, Erebus?", Kaan questioned.
"You know what I want, Kaan."
Kaan shook his head, "I will not give you my power".
Erebus puzzled a moment, "Perhaps you need to be...illuminated."
Kaan's eyes grew wide.
"Let me show you what kind of a king you could really be...". The dark elf reached through the bars and touched Kaan's left temple.
His mind's-eye was taken past the jagged mountains and black rivers, past the green forests beyond the sea. Atop the earth, he peered down on every corner. All power, all magic.
"All of this, Kaan," Erebus said slowly, "all of the power, magic, and glory will be yours-if you but give me the key and become my servant!"
Kaan stood in silence.
"Think of what this world could become if you were in my service."
He shook his head, "You know very well who this world belongs to." Kaan turned toward Erebus. "You did not hang the stars and carve the mountain sides. Nothing in this world bears your image. This world is not yours to give. It never was."
"GIVE ME YOUR POWER, KAAN!"
"Erebus, you are not their king, nor are you mine." Kaan breathed heavily as he zapped back to the dungeon.
"Your friends will burn. They shall die by the Forbidden blade, as traitors to the crown!"
"You have no claim on their blood. Not one drop."
"If you will not give me their blood, I must take it."
Kaan narrowed his gaze.
"There is an old ritual, written by my forbearers', for one to obtain all magic and become the true ruler of all the earth: the Sacrifice." He scoffed, "I bet-
"I do know of the magic you speak. For that, I propose an offering."
Erebus glared at Kaan, "What might that be?"
Kaan faced the elf.
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