Maximus and The Purple Embers

The red sun was always riding the horizon this time of the year, never truly setting. It made the nights a bit brighter, and gave an eerie red hue to everything in sight. The day was ending however, and the white sun made its way down into the depths of the sea. This was the first night of what the northern part of Asiea called the ‘purple embers.’ This happened every year for two weeks straight. It was when the sky turned a dark purple at sunset, and nightly meteor showers show up with a pretty lighter purple hue as they fall through the atmosphere.

Most people think the purple embers are pretty, but few know of the magical powers the phenomenon is said to possess. Maximus knew of these powers all too well, as they were entrenched in the dark arts, something he was too familiar with. He had been studying the dark arts for years, but no one could know. It was forbidden to study the dark arts in this day and time.

Tonight, Maximus sat outside on his balcony, gazing up at the purple embers with a slight, knowing grin. He had his feet up on the railing, his deep blue robe hanging down towards the ground. His boney fingers were laced together, resting contently on his stomach. His light green eyes were looking up as his head was relaxed on the back of his black iron chair.

He enjoyed the rather large balcony that faced away from the castle to the north. Maximus also appreciated the fact that it was on one of the taller of the two towers. It was very fitting for him. Other’s rarely bothered him, and his forbidden studies and experiments would never bother a soul.

He had been the king’s trusted advisor for over a decade now and Maximus was fed up with it. It should be him on the throne. He wanted the power, and the wealth that went along with. He deserved that much. Maximus felt that the king relied too much on his advice, but only when there was no other opposition. Maximus was much smarter than that foolish Captain Perruzzi. The man was a soldier, and nothing more. He was definitely not politically minded. Maximus scoffed at the thought of what he might do to the captain, when his current plans succeeded.

Sitting next to him was a golden cauldron which had the impression of three faces. One was that of an ox. Another was that of a hawk. The last face was that of a demon. Inside the cauldron was a swirling mixture of black and dark purple, as dark as the sky. As it swirled, a purple mist rose from it, churning as it rose into the night sky.

Maximus has mixed this concoction up earlier in the evening. It contained a vast amount of dried and dead herbs, the finger of a man that had been buried 20 years earlier on this night, and a solid gold coin. It was a spell from a book about the dark arts that he had saved from being destroyed. The spell was for good fortune, by cursing another. In order to bind the curse to the king, Maximus had to inscribe the king’s full name on one side of the coin, and his own name on the other.

He also had to say the incantation in the book over the mixture, and let it set for the full duration of the purple embers every night for each of the fourteen nights. Once the incantation was done, he could do what he wanted, but had to speak the ending charm just after the last ember fell.

The purple embers fell for at least an hour every night, and since the nights were cool and calm, Maximus decided to relax and watch his handiwork unfold. It would only be a matter of time before the spell began to work its wonders. As the curse began to affect the king, Maximus’ time in the spotlight would begin to emerge.

The tall, lanky advisor closed his hollow eyes and imagined just how it might unfold. Maybe the king would grow deathly ill, naming Maximus as his successor, since there were no children to speak of in the royal family now. Or maybe he would become completely delusional. What a sight that would be! He could be talking to pink ponies and polka dotted penguins about how the world is upside down. The kingdom would have no choice but to make Maximus the rightful heir to the throne. He would be their best choice after all. Captain Perruzzi was a militant man, and would lust for war.

Maximus opened his eyes again and looked up at the purple haze fading into the sky. His thin lips stretched into a wide grin. Yes. He would like his new life very much. Nothing could stop him from taking over the throne now.

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Word Count: 828