The Ashen King

The cave had proven deeper than the Yale explorer had believed. How far had they delved? How long would they be in here? Their steps became shakier as time passed, as their confidence faded, as they heard something breathing. They looked up and bit back a scream. This massive creature, they had no idea how it was alive. Its body was charred and broken, bones and organs exposed, some this fluid that reeked of blood, and its breath smelt of rot. The Yale held their lamp, hand quivering as they stammered out a question. “Who...are you?”

It was hard to judge the thing's thoughts as the flesh of its face was missing. It had no lips to form expressions, no eyes or lids to squint or furrow. Yet still, a voice rang through the cave, old and strange, foreign but clear. “I am the Ashen King. Kind traveler, will you listen to an old man's tale?” The Yale nodded slowly, never moving their eyes from the beast looming above them.

“I was once the King of Sol Garden. The last of my kind, and also the first. I know not where I am from or what. Perhaps there are more, but I know them not. The land was beautiful, the sun always shove and the wind smelled of life. But then, we foolishly allowed death itself into our city.

“Death's Blush, it swept through our streets on the bodies of the damned, choking their screams past thick vines twisting and pulling their bodies against their will. Fires sparked as people tried to cleanse themselves. I was powerless, a failure. I could only do one thing. I could follow the example of my people, as I felt the vines growing through my muscles, around my bones, as flowers bloomed form my eyes....I set myself ablaze from the inside out.”

The Yale reeled back in horror, how could this thing be alive if its story was true? “That...doesn't make sense, how are you alive?”

“Ah, I have no way to answer that for I do not know how myself. For years I was but bones, watching as people returned and tried to rebuild. As they moved me and became sick once more. As dirt was poured over my remains. I wait, and watched, and let my tendons mend. Let my body become something from nothing. Perhaps I once knew how I did it and that is why I destroyed myself, but that knowledge is gone along with my home.”

The Yale frowned as the creature turned to leave. “Thank you for listening to an old man ramble....the exit is not far, just that way....” And with that, the fallen king shambled off, only now did the Yale notice the massive crown placed on the beast's brow.