Chapter Seven

Downfall

Mustang broke free from the battle and pushed the Royal chamber door open. The picture unveiled struck a chord of disbelief into his heart. The King lay dead at the end of the room, towered over by a silver haired stranger, and Vallen lay unconscious to his right. Mustang wept whilst he ran to Vallen’s side.
“I would leave him if I were you,” the silver haired figure snarled. “Or you will meet the same fate as his father did!”
“I would never betray my country like that!” And with those words, he lifted Vallen up over his shoulders and moved to the Chamber exit.
“Then you are already dead!”

Athan was the only soldier standing on entrance to the hall, “We’re too late!” Mustang cried, dirt filled tears falling down his cheek, “The King is dead, Dimona is lost! We must make haste, the King would not have us lose our lives foolishly.”
All colour left Athan’s face as he nodded determinedly; Mustang clapped him on the back and urged him forward.
Escaping the Palace minutes later, the path that lay ahead became clear to Mustang. Dimona would have to be regained and Vallen would have to accept his destiny as King. And as they made their way into the smouldering town of Dimona, Mustang whispered to Vallen, words of hope that flew into night and went unheard.

Xenias examined the dead King whose crown had rolled from his head and was positioned on its side at Xenias’s feet. As he lifted the golden crown into his hands, some of the remaining army had run in to try and defend their King. Instantaneously they came to a halt at the sight of King Tidus, lying spread eagle on the ground, a pool of blood underneath him.
Xenias carefully placed the crown on his head and then turned to the army, “King Tidus has fallen in battle,” Xenias spoke powerfully, “Dimona is no more! Either lower your arms and submit or die like your King did!”
The reduced army looked at each other, then one after the other knelt to the ground, lowering their heads in a bow. One member of the army spoke, “You are our King and your every order…” Xenias looked over his new army and gave a victorious grin.
“We will obey.”