The Dark Fairy King
Chapter 65: High Sounding Nonsense

Chapter 65: High Sounding Nonsense

I instinctively turned to Scarlette, just about to complain about the rubbish Nathaniel was spouting—and she turned to me too.

I nearly jumped. Right. She still looked like Faragonda.

Lumera stifled a laugh. Devran shushed her impatiently.

So it begins. The impending high-sounding nonsense from Nathaniel.

And here we were, sitting like ducks on a pond that had suddenly frozen over.

"The Anti-Magic Mages stand for the purity of the natural order," Nathaniel declared, his voice smooth and commanding. "Magic that is not born from the mixing of species. That kind of magic is tainted. It births monsters. Harbingers of doom."

The room quieted as he lifted a familiar scroll.

"Now, don’t just take my word for it," he continued. "Ancient texts don’t lie. They whisper truths beneath centuries of denial. Behold—the Dark Fairy Scroll."

Of course. The Dark Fairy Scroll.

He began to read:

A Love Fairy will marry a Dark Fairy and give birth.

Something born not of natural magic, but of strife, pain, and greatness.

A hybrid with a dual nature—great power—walking the line of Light and Dark.

He will be a force of change.

A harbinger of doom.

A destroyer.

A venomous spider in the cosmos.

A threat to all who will not bend to his will.

"These," Nathaniel continued reverently, "are the words of the Dark Fairy scholar Haroduj. Yes—Haroduj! A mind so brilliant, her knowledge predated this world itself."

He raised his hands skyward as if expecting thunder to roll and angels to sing.

I, however, sincerely wished an elephant would fall on him.

"Knowledge of an impending catastrophe," he said gravely. "A warning." His voice hardened. "But what is brilliant knowledge if it is hidden?"

"Hidden in the library archives of your king," he gasped theatrically, raising the scroll.

The congregation collectively gasped.

I had hidden that scroll to prevent its misuse.

Now here it was—twisted, weaponised.

"See?" Devran muttered, nudging me. "You lost your chance. Now it’s out of context."

Lumera yawned. Scarlette rolled her eyes, but stayed sharp. Poised.

"Reduced to whispers of dangers we might never have known," Nathaniel said. "Haroduj’s words are a warning of a union so taboo, it would fracture the balance of the world."

He leaned forward.

"What is love... if it destroys the world?"

Here we go.

"That’s not love. That’s selfishness. A crime wrapped in the illusion of acceptance."

"Utter nonsense," I grumbled under my breath.

Scarlette sighed.

Nathaniel pointed to the crowd—at all of us.

"But hear this. We are the chosen few. Architects of a new dawn—for purity. For balance."

His voice sharpened. His hand slammed the pulpit. The crack rang out through the cathedral.

Silence fell. Sharp. Final.

"I am no Fairy," he said, voice cold as steel. "But I know enough to see that corrupt magic will destroy both the magical and non-magical world. The natural order."

He let it hang.

"That’s why I became a mage.

That’s why I invite you all to join me—

To prevent harbingers from rising.

To kill the curse before it draws breath.

To remind you: you are on the right side."

He stepped down from the pulpit.

His shadow stretched unnaturally long behind him.

His voice softened—warm, almost kind.

But it was the warmth of a noose.

"The price of purity is blood.

Let us not shy away from it.

Let us embrace it."

He let the words linger like smoke, then smiled—a slow, serpentine smile.

"Come, Faragonda," he called, eyes fixed on Scarlette. "Let the ceremony begin."

Scarlette turned to me briefly—steady, composed—then walked forward.

Lumera’s eyes stayed locked on her, fingers trembling as she clung to the illusion.

"I thought you weren’t going to make it," Nathaniel murmured. "You weren’t exactly responding to my raven-mails."

"There was an incident at the palace," Scarlette replied smoothly. "But we made it."

"Just as I guessed." Nathaniel nodded. "But I had already made my move on the palace. Cleared it out." He chuckled.

So it was him. Why wasn’t I surprised?

Scarlette’s expression darkened—but she smiled in the same breath.

Flawless.

Sharp. Effortless.

She didn’t flinch. Didn’t hesitate.

She had changed.

"Do you want to lead the ceremony, or shall I?" Nathaniel asked.

"You may proceed," Scarlette said in Faragonda’s tone. "I will assist if required—as always."

Nathaniel gave her a doubletake but Scarlette did not flinch.

For a moment, I almost believed it really was Faragonda.

"The Midnight Orchid—do you have it?" he whispered.

Scarlette handed it to him without a tremble, with a gloved hand.

Mages began emerging from the shadows. One brought a tall standing mirror to the stage.

Nathaniel’s grin turned knife-sharp.

"Good. All of us are here."

His voice remained hypnotic as he signalled to the back.

Doors locked with glowing sigils.

Layer upon layer of suppressive spells.

The congregation stirred. Whispers rose.

"What is he doing?" Lumera asked, distracted.

The illusion faltered at the same moment.

Scarlette dropped to the floor in a spin, pretending to fumble something while the illusion gave way.

"Lums... focus," Devran hissed. "You have one job."

"It was hard earlier when he spoke but it is harder now," she gritted. "The sigils..."

"They’re suppressing you," I said. "Just hold a little longer."

Lumera refocused, pouring magic into her illusion—Scarlette’s Faragonda mask barely holding.

Nathaniel raised his voice:

"Ladies and gentlemen... let the ceremony begin."

Behind me, Lumera’s hands shook again.

The illusion flickered—again.

But Nathaniel missed it.

"Come on Lumera, do not fail your mentor now, " I encouraged her.

A single sweat bead rolled from Lumera’s forehead as she pressed on.

"Tonight, we summon a scholar who knows truths beyond this world. A guide to our future."

He laid the scroll before the mirror. The candlelight dimmed.

The scroll pulsed. Words crawled like spiders across the floor.

"A powerful summoning requires powerful magic," he said. "And that does not come freely. It comes with balance."

"Balance? What magic is he using?" Devran whispered.

But I already knew.

"Sacrificial magic," I said, my throat dry.

"I can’t hold it—" Lumera gasped.

"Push through," Devran muttered, tightening his grip on her hand.

"Why don’t you do it, huh?" Lumera snapped—then sighed. She knew we couldn’t.

"Bring the prisoners," Nathaniel commanded.

I froze.

They dragged them in—palace workers.

My workers.

People who had swept my floors. Brought me soup. Served my kingdom.

Scarlette’s expression cracked. Just for a moment.

"Sacrifice is necessary for greater things," Nathaniel said, raising the Midnight Orchid high. Its dark red petals shimmered beneath the tainted glass.

"What better sacrifice than those who served the King and Queen of censorship?"

"Wait—are we really sacrificing them?" someone shouted.

"My sister is in there!"

"Oops." Nathaniel smiled. "Too late. It’s begun."

He plucked a petal. Dropped it on a Light Fairy.

She disintegrated instantly.

A pool of blood spiraled toward the mirror.

Too fast. Too brutal. Not natural. Not even for the Orchid.

I wanted to scream. To lunge. To tear him apart.

But I couldn’t move.

"You brought the real one, Faragonda," Nathaniel said. "And I enhanced it with my powers. Some might call it accelerated martyrdom."

Scarlette’s mask shattered.

She yanked the Orchid from him—too late.

The illusion collapsed.

Yes, Lumera’s illusion spell had faltered completely.

"Sorry," Lumera mouthed, pale, drenched in sweat.

Nathaniel blinked—then laughed.

"Seriously? They sent the Queen here?"

Scarlette glared at him, rage simmering. "Don’t you have any remorse?"

He didn’t respond.

"This isn’t what I signed up for!" someone screamed.

"Mages," Nathaniel ordered. "Arrest all the Fairies. Especially the one behind me."

"You dare lay a hand on the Queen?" Scarlette snarled.

"But you came willingly," he sneered. "And now you’ll serve the cause."

She turned, walked backwards, and vanished into the crowd.

"Run," Nathaniel called. "But you can’t hide."

I pushed through the chaos.

But she was gone.

I couldn’t find Devran and Lumera either.

"You said we were mages!" someone cried, flashing the tattoo.

"Fairies as Mages? How can it be?" Nathaniel laughed. "Idiots."

"I thought you stood for the natural order of things," another Fairy yelled.

"Natural?" Nathaniel scoffed. "I only said the mixing of species was unnatural. You are a Fairy who wants to be a Mage? You think that’s natural?"

"That’s not what you said!" the Fairy shouted—before being pinned to the ground by a Mage.

The room erupted.

"Liar!"

"Let us out!"

"It was a trap!"

Fairies clawed at the glowing sigils.

Nothing gave.

"Why do you think I talked for so long?" Nathaniel smirked. "To buy time. Until you were all here. More importantly, to drain all of you out as we speak."

Even I had to admit: diabolical.

With each syllable Nathaniel spoke, the Fairies groaned.

The Mages swarmed.

The Fairies were tackled, bound, dragged to the centre.

"Relax," Nathaniel said, words like poison, slow and inevitable. "Accept your martyrdom. The sigils will suppress all natural magic. There is no point. Only purpose."

I spun. Searching.

But Scarlette was still gone.

Devran and Lumera—nowhere in sight.

Where were they?

Crap.

We had walked straight into the maw of the beast.