In a different region, it was almost dawn. The sky was still dark. There was a huge castle that was similar yet eerily different from Drudar's castle. A banner with the image of a wolf was at the top of it. It was huge, but today it was not riding with the wind. It seemed desolate.
The castle was situated at the centre of a very big region, it seemed. From the top, there were 8 roads that seemed to point in 8 directions all the way to the kingdom's boundary.At the front of the castle, there stood a girl, adorned with a black dress and black pearls. Her small lips were painted black. Black eye color and black earrings. She wore a regal dress that flowed to the ground. Her hands were covered by a black arm covering as though a living doll had manifested.
She was surrounded by numerous black knights, each with a huge pressure.She looked at the view in front of her eyes as she blinked. Hundreds of people were cheering.An old man was standing nearby. He had very strange clothing. Clad in a yellow dress, he was wearing a blindfold and a stone piece around his neck as though he were a slave. He carried a book in his hands. The book's title was "Truths of the world," but this was a very big, black rune-covered book.
He looked at the number of people cheering. The black knights also stood like statues. Only the regal dress of the girl gently swung in the wind.
There were all kinds of shouts."Today's the day our Breavan wins back that princess of Drudar.""Yes... long live our queen..."
"Do you know even one of our princess went there."
"Why?"
The whispering died with numerous shouts were raised as a small boy somehow squeezed through the people to arrive at the front. There were armed knights everywhere.
He looked excited. He raised his small hand as he looked at the distant regal princess, and he shouted, "Princess, can you hear me? Is there any news from my sister?"
"Brat, why are you shouting...?" An old lady stuck her head... and the others nearby reacted to the old lady as though she was new here.
The boy angrily replied, "Just you wait, old hag... you don't know who my sister is... she is Merissa..."The old lady trembled as she went back through the crowd..."Hmphhh."
The boy again shouted as he noticed the princess gaze in his direction, but she just gazed. No words.......The princess looked at the boy in the distance as she started walking back. The old man followed her as he said, "Princess, it is thy duty to carry out thy mother's ascendence." Two knights followed her steadily. As she walked gracefully, she eventually entered the castle. She looked at the castle and her mother's seat.
All the decorations seemed dim. Candles were glowing, but it seemed the presence was dull. There were knights all around, but something eerie was flowing.
The seats were empty, but not all. She looked at a man sitting on the right side. He didn't look at her. It seemed he was absent-minded.
The old man commented, "Don't mind Sir Rhyvis, he has been like that since Sir William took the lead." She didn't say a word as the other nobles and ministers didn't say a word. All had their heads down.
She walked past her mother's throne as no one talked. There were only heavy and graceful steps. She gently passed by another intricately designed door. As she passed, the knights bowed their heads and stood there. The door closed. The old man said with a grave face, "It is thy duty to forgive."
The area was huge inside. It was a very strange architecture with patterns of flowers and ornaments etched into the walls. Gentle moonlight seemed to be passing through the top of the room. There was a strange goddess's image there with two animal statues. One was a drake surrounding her, and another was a small wolf.
The room was very strange, as there were candle stands all around. On each pedestal was a severed head.
As she walked towards the goddess, all the heads turned in her direction.There was a huge candlestick near the statue. As she lit it, it dwindled. She clasped her hands as she gently prayed, "Are ni tay are ma te..."
The heads behind started screaming as blood started to flow.As the blood flowed, it gently gathered at the footsteps of the girl, staining her black dress and feet with shining red.
She gently murmured, "Mother has erred... so it is my duty to let them go to destiny...."She looked behind at a particular head that was screaming in her direction. Its head was strangely distorted compared to others as the princess consoled, "Merissa, don't cry..."....In the outskirts of Drudar, Veer looked at the huge baby howling, formed from specks of starlight glittering like stars, and his eyes were tearing up. He stared and muttered, "Again I am feeling like that...""Why?"
The night was nearing its end
He looked past the baby into the dark sky as he said, "Old man better survive... this... I need answers..."
He started walking heavily as he started walking in the direction of the kingdom. The baby was forming in the sky as it kept howling.
As Veer was not looking, it turned its eyes to Veer, watching him go towards the walls."So much is happening that I am not able to even connect anything. Where exactly everything tilted.""I cannot even remember myself.""I need to hurry.""Is Eleana okay? What about Eryssa?"
He placed his hand on his chest as he murmured, "Why did I feel she went far away?"He didn't think much about the baby starlight as though it escaped his thoughts.
As he moved, he saw the walls of Drudar. He examined himself as he murmured, "Damn, other than my sense I can't use a bit of strength of Nadis. This hand injury is taking time to heal."
Somehow, he got teleported outside even the walls. The walls were a bit damaged. It seems fighting even happened here. "But with whom?"
He saw fire glowing and also heard a few screams. His footsteps grew faster.As he got near, he felt baffled. He could see that the gate was damaged. The armoury and strange artifacts that he had no idea how to use were all scattered among the bodies of soldiers. He could see a few people far away scrambling away in fear.
Then he suddenly shivered as he clutched his hand. He gritted it, "Damn it, it is worsening..." He felt someone was close, but he redirected his senses as he got a warning.
"Young man...." Veer was shocked to find a person standing near him.
"When did this person appear?" he thought inwardly.
Veer looked behind as he smiled half-heartedly, "Who are you, sir?"
He looked at the man. He wore a long dress of some black pattern and had a gourd at his waist. He wore some kind of hat made of bamboo? He wondered inwardly.
The man smiled as he took a strange bamboo-like artifact and spat it near his lips as it started making music.
The man paused suddenly. Veer also paused his thoughts. He sensed something even as he looked toward the south of the kingdom. A bright pillar of emerald light split the dark sky.
Veer was struggling to understand as the man paused and said, "Weavers fall, and stars rise...." as he patted his shoulders."The players are ready. You... hahhh... still too young," as he sighed.
The man continued to play his flute as he went on his own way. Veer felt the man was dangerous. So he ignored him."I need to be quick," as he started to approach the very distant castle.
As he went by the man with a bamboo hat looked in the direction Veer came from. His gaze was on the baby forming in the sky.
"So only one left... now." He sighed again.
Then he sipped from the gourd. He started rhyming laughing heartily,
"All my life, I bled for a freedom never caught…Tell me—when the hand moves you… are those still your thoughts?"
"Hahah? Not even the king ,queen or bishop?"He shook his head as he sang......In the outskirts of Drudar walls, the abomination rose and was trembling as it created shaking of the earth."Rylaghhhh, you have done it now.""Yooor... leader..... I will crush you just like himmmm."Clayren suddenly noticed that Rylagh seemed a bit serious and angry for the first time..."Rylagh...""Clayren, let's do this..... I can't take this insult to 'Him'," he said seriously.He looked back and said to Sylwen as he raised a hand, "You guys prepare yourselves..." as he gave a deep look at Sylwen and nodded.Sylwen's hair fluttered as her pupils dilated and she bowed. Rylagh also gave a faint smile at Myrieth.
Sylwen took out a simple pendant. It had an ephemeral white glow. She instructed everyone, "I understand the plan now. I will go to the north. Aowyn, you go south," as Aowyn nodded as she took out her weapon. It was a black shield with a mouth-like design.
Then she addressed the fair-looking person who took out a sword. "Vryger takes the east."Vryger nodded as she asked another lady, "Laria, you go to the west....You all split among yourselves and follow the leaders. Myrieth will follow me."
Myrieth nodded with a sad face. Before all scattered, another girl patted Myrieth on her shoulder and said, "Don't worry... about uncle... he is strong..." as she drifted."Myrieth... quick..." as she also drifted with Sylwen.
As Rylagh looked at the Mythrians, including his own daughter, he showed a satisfied smile among the huge tremors spreading.
Suddenly, he sighed, looking far in a different direction as he paused, "He is falling... ...another soul goes..."
"Forgive me my friend...."
"hah...""Clayren, forgive me...."
Suddenly, blood splattered as Rylagh stabbed himself.Clayren said in shock, "What? What are you doing?"as she pulled out a bright sword of red.She clutched his injuries that didn't stop.
"What a fool?" a voice came heavy among tremors.The abomination was nearing as the huge eye scanned everywhere.Rylagh screamed, "Ahhhhh...." then pulled something out from his abdomen. As Clayren grabbed him, he thrust that red piece at Clayren's forehead.
Suddenly, as though time stopped briefly... there was silence. The winds seemed to stop. The abomination halted for a second.
Then there was a scream. Clayren started screaming like a beast."Awwwwww"
"Rylaghhh"
Her forehead split, and a ray of concentrated emerald light emerged. It pierced the night sky with a boom. Her whole body started healing. She was encased in an emerald case of light as her eyes were closed.
The scene was a bit disturbing as Rylagh was shedding blood and Clayren screaming as she seemed to break. There was a distant shout from Myrieth, who screamed, "Father....." as she tried to run but was held by Sylwen.
She said loudly as she struggled, "Is this really worth it...?"
"My father, he is dying... let me go....."
"Oh Ancestor... just what do you want us to do...."