Ethereal

"No!" Ashan said defensively "Look, when the kingdom fell, I became just another ordinary citizen. And to be perfectly honest, I rather like it that way.

"But your not just and ordinary citizen! You're a prince!" 

"No I'm not! Not anymore."

"Hey guys?" I said, my eyes still on my hostage. "Kinda have a sword to a guys neck, so if you could finish up that would be great. Thanks."

"Right." Ashan turned back the the men, still on their knees. "Who else is here?" He directed his question to Grebon.

The man Grinned and cackled madly 

"No one, no one. We are all that remains after you and your pitiful father left."

"Watch it" Tennin growled from somewhere behind me

"Just the faithful Grebon is left here with his little band" As Grebon spoke I had to suppress the urge to shiver. This man had gone mad. But I suppose, if I had been left to suffer years of isolation, seeing only the same eight or so people everyday, I would go mad too. 

"How disappointed your grandfather would be." Grebon remarked to Ashan "And he being the one who raised you"

Ashan's expression never faltered, but at these words his hand twitched. 

He cackled again "Didn't like that did you my majesty? I got you there didn't I! Didn't I!"

"Don't flatter yourself." Ashan's voice was cold. Colder than I had ever heard it. "The Kingdom has fallen" He repeated. 

"Because you left it! You left it! You left us to die!" Grebon was struggling now. Thrashing about as though to punctuate his words. "You were all we had and you left us. You let the city fall to those blundering idiots that call themselves the order! You are a traitor!"

Ashan's face broke then. 

"No! Don't you see?! There was no need for the Kingdom anymore!" He shouted, his voice raw with pain and anger "It's time had passed! There was nothing I could do!..... There was nothing anyone could do."

"LIES!" Grebon shouted. His thrashing became stronger now, disregarding the sword  that was still close to his neck. I dropped it. Who was I kidding I wasn't a killer. "You could have stayed! You could have fought for it! But you left. You left like the coward you are!"

"That's enough!" I looked over to see that Marcie had come closer now standing only a few feet from the huddled group. But there was something different about her. It was as though her whole body was buzzing. Alight with energy. And her eyes... They were blazing. 

"What do you care you stupid girl!"

"I said enough!" and without warning a blue light shot from her. Hitting Grebon straight on and knocking him back into me, as well as rendering him unconcious. We toppled backwards and fell in a heap. I untangled my self with the help of Tennin, but while he was staring at Marcie. I was staring at the floor, because I had felt it. I had felt it as though it had come from me and not her. I glanced up at my friend, she looked as shocked as the rest of us. She met my eyes, and I knew she had felt it too. 

"I think," I said, leaning on Tennin as I stood up "I think you two have some explaining to do."