The hall was immense, with flickering orange torches all the way along the walls. It once held grand balls, was home to a large and beautiful court. But that was long ago. Before greed and corruption overcame it all.

“Where are the knights?” Croaked an old, soft voice, like rocks grinding over each other. The voice came from a large, deep throne, set back within tree roots. The speaker was in shadow, all that could be seen of them was a single gloved hand, clasping the arm with an immovable grip.

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“They’re all gone my lord. All gone. Only us left. No others to carry out your demands.” Replied another. This one was weary, but where its companion was like the earth itself, this one sounded like water over rocks on an autumn morning. The figure was looking not at the king, but out a large window to the left of the throne. Where once there were immense panes of iridescent glass, now there was only a few jagged remains. 

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“And what of your promise to me? You gave your word, Jester, yet here we are. Is this what you call a wish fulfilled?” The figure at the window turns at this, pushing aside their once brightly coloured cloak as they did so. Now threadbare and moth bitten, but enough to keep out the bitter cold and its wearer in shadow.

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“It is in fact. You stand correct, I gave you my word and my word you have had, is it my fault you did not think more carefully? You heard of what I am, and you had heard tales of me yourself, and yet you still asked anyway. One would have to wonder why? Why you would risk so much for so little?” The voice remained smooth, barley a hint of what its owner was truly feeling. 

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“Your word I have had?” The first said, now like those same rocks, crashing down a hill, “We stand alone, in the halls of my fathers, once full of life, now nothing more than decay, and you claim to have kept your word. Pah! Damn you, you promised me my kingdom, my power, my rule! For all of time! And now look at it! All gone, and all thanks to you, I have kept my side, but you have not kept yours!”

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“Have I not?” Quieter now, the warning of an oncoming flood, “Have I not? I have given you your kingdom, none other rules this land. You have your power still, none can pass through without feeling it, that is why none pass through. And you have your rule, you simply forgot to keep those you rule close. And do not act as though you kept your end for my sake, you would not choose to leave that seat unless forced. For your final point, you are much mistaken. I made no promises for eternity, only while this hall stands. Not long now. Not long at all.” The figure looked pointedly at the near ruins around them. “And then we will both be free of your bonds.”

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“Curse you, you fowl being. You ignorant trickster. You cur. You have bound me here. You have brought all to ruin, and I curse you for your dishonesty, for your surety, and for your malice. I curse you, in the same way in which you have cursed me! I curse you for twice the time you have cursed me. Two thousand years you will find no peace nor rest. Maybe then you will finally repent for that which you have rought!” 

The cloaked figure turned swiftly to their companion, pushing back his cloak to reveal a fair, soft face with dark curls falling to his shoulders. The soft features were broken by an enraged scowl, which felt out of place on such fair features. He flung out a hand to point at the kins, but as he opened his mouth, a great crack! could be heard.

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Right along the ceiling, a new seam could be seen, and as the sun broke over the horizon, the great roof started crumbling drops of light filtered through it. As the sun rose more, first dust, then small pebbles started falling in. The so-called jester dropped his hand, and turned towards the sun as more started to stream into the still widening cracks. Bigger stones started falling now, but the man did not move, instead watching the destruction take place, with no regard for his own safety.

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As sunlight reached the shadows cloaking the king, they started to hiss angrily. The more the two fought, the louder the noise got, like a nest of snakes kicked, before the shadows started to give. It was when the light reached the king's feet that he spoke again.

“Is this to be the end of me? To wither in this new light, with the first rays. I suppose you would find this fitting, a new beginning to an old end. How long have you seen this coming?”

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As the sun reached his knees he grew more desperate, “You have brought this, have you not! You can stop this, I know you can. Just fix the roof, and I can give you anything you like. Anything! I have a lot of gold, you know this, you have seen it. I will give it all to you. Or sanctuary, you have been safe here, for all these many years, content, no? Will you not fix this, give me more time, I can bring back the old days. Just like the old days. You always liked the dances, I know that much, that cloak of yours only hides so much.”

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The sun had reached the shoulders now, “I will not accept this! I will not! I am not done yet! I am not! You will not have me! I will not be another you have taken, go, leave me, leave! Go you foul being! You cursed beast! Go, and leave me to my rule. I release you!”

As the sun reached the king's head, it revealed no flesh, but nothing more than dusty old bones, a faded crown upon the brow. As the last few wisps of shadow dispersed, the echoes of life seemed to leave them. The skull rolled forwards off the spine, the pale crown slipping off and falling to the ground with an unnaturally final thunk! And there it would rest for some time.

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“And so the light reveals you. Nothing more than lifeless bones. Don’t fear, I never wanted you anyway.”

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With that, he turned away, and with swift strides, he walked out the now crumbled room, untouched by the crumbling stone. It was only as he reached the threshold that he paused to look out. The land had changed much since he had last looked upon it. What was once a great garden was now overgrown with dead trees, reaching up like brambles to the sky. Despite the sun, the land never warmed. It looked far less inviting than the hall had mere minutes before. Despite this, with a deep breath he took a first step through the doorway, did not look back.