To The Top

Arturo did it. He was finally the ruler of the Air Demon Kingdom of Arrownite. Now that he cast out Antonio and his family he could finally run things the right way. However, once everything settled down he hadn’t realized how much was involved in running a kingdom. It felt like every morning there was some new problem to solve. Someone always needed something and his ideas weren’t seen as inventive like the first time he bought them up. Arturo thought that since he was the ruler all of his ideas would be accepted with no question like Antonio’s ideas. Well, that’s what he thought. It turns out that all of Antonio’s ideas weren’t accepted. The laws that he proposed went through so many people and drafts that the law that he announced was to help the majority of people.

Arturo had some great ideas. He was sure if he ran it by Julia and her team then it wouldn’t be long before it would be made into a law. Wait, he forgot that Julia left and took many members of her team with her. Well, the ones that survived the battles and the raid on the castle. Well, he was sure that he could go to Emilio; he knew that he would be able to make some sense of the law he wanted to make. Wait, no one could find Emilio. The only thing that was left of him after the battle where he defended the castle was a piece of his armor, one of his feathers, and his sword. Was there really no one left to hear his ideas?

Another thing he learned about running a kingdom was maintenance. It takes a lot to make sure that his home is kept up along with the kingdom. One morning he woke up to his room cold as ice. He looked for the fire demon Leon that took care of the castle when Elliot, his new advisor, told him that he didn’t feel safe with Arturo’s ideals so he left to go back to the Fire Demon Kingdom. Sean, the new person he got to fix everything, didn’t know the castle the same way Leon did. Once he found someone to get the castle running in a way that was sustainable he ended up neglecting the citizens. The citizens who helped him overthrow Antonio now didn’t agree with many of the laws he tried to place.

One law ended up raising their taxes which made the citizens upset.

Bernard Winchester, the current leader of the Fire Demon Kingdom, refused to do any trade with him. Bernard had many leaders from neighboring kingdoms join him in stopping trade with the new Air Demon Kingdom which made those products go up in price which made the citizens mad.

Another time Arturo tried to get a well known body of water cleaned when Alan, the water demon originally in charge of it, left to take care of his kingdom who was going through the same thing.

Arturo was almost at his wits end. He couldn’t believe that all these things were happening when he became king. It didn’t happen to Antonio! He didn’t face any pushback!

Except that he did.

One day Arturo was complaining to Calen about how Antonio didn’t have as much pushback. The citizens loved him and his ideas, but they didn’t want anything to do with him. Calen used to work with Antonio. He only stayed because his mother was too ill to be moved anywhere else. Calen kept his voice quiet, until Arturo mentioned how he doesn’t know why Antonio was so loved when Arturo offered them change.

Calen sighed as he closed his book. “Do you know why the citizens loved Antonio? Do you really want to know why they don’t like you? It’s the way that you took over. You promised them that it wouldn’t be a violent takeover when it turned out to be the opposite. You split up Antonio and his family. There’s no telling where his kids are or his wife. Winchester doesn’t like you and now the majority of other demon leaders don’t like you. I don’t know why you didn’t like Antonio. He was always willing to listen to your ideas. He always put your ideas in mind when it came to doing something new, but someone convinced you that this is what you were made for. Well, you got what you wanted. You have the kingdom, you have the title, you have every ounce of power that Antonio has without the respect. And you know why because you don’t have genuine love for the people and this kingdom. You thought that it was going to be easy because Antonio made it look easy. You got rid of a good man for your ideas.” He stood up and grabbed his book. “...I hope it was worth it.” He walked out of the meeting room leaving Arturo with his mind reeling and his stomach in knots. The next day Calen wasn’t anywhere to be found, but his words left its mark on Arturo.

Arturo did get rid of Antonio’s team, but he thought about how those same people he got rid of were the same people who helped him when he was struggling. The same team who scouted the neighborhoods to make sure that they could help the citizens the best way they could. He changed the castle staff with people who could care less about the place as long as they were paid. He changed businesses, schools, hospitals, and the roads without realizing that they didn’t have any of the funding to keep it up. All the connections Antonio fostered didn’t want to work with him. Sure he had his allies, but they were only able to offer smaller aid compared to the bigger kingdoms. Even his fiance would mention Antonio without realizing it. She always apologized and let him know that he was going to be just as good.

Arturo was going to be just as good even if there was a doubt that sat in the back of his mind. One day while going through his closest he found a letter from Antonio who congratulated him on winning the vote to join his team. The letter praised him and ended with Antonio’s excitement of working together. Arturo read the letter in disbelief on the floor of his bedroom, until his fiance found him. He always thought that Antonio looked down on him. Antonio always made it look as if it was so easy, yet Arturo learned about all the sacrifices he made to make sure that his kingdom could thrive.

Arturo did it. He was finally the ruler of the Air Demon Kingdom of Arrownite. A kingdom slowly falling apart everyday. A kingdom with citizens who felt cheated by their current leader. A kingdom where the team didn’t agree with him. A kingdom ran by someone who believed in him.

Arturo did it.

He finally made it to the top.

He just wished there were more people who wanted to sit next to him.