The men of Thaloria marched with pride, their faces smug as they knew that they had the world watching their backs, ready to catch them should they fall. And yet the surprise attack they endured was out of their expectations. The sky lighting up as I the sun had descended flooded their vision, before they could react they were bathed in brimstone and fire.
Horses fled, men crying from the agony as the battlefield turned into anarchy. The general who was about to instill order had a bullet kiss his skull ending his life in an instant.
*Zoom-Zoom-Zoom*
Bullets whizzed through the already chaotic air claiming live left and right. The snipers lurking in the shadows, their aim uncannily accurate at their targets before the scene fell silent. As for the other end, they didn't fair much better.
The group meant to infiltrate and take them by surprise were perplexed when their own people began to sing and holler about Guinevere, praising her as if some revered goddess. Guinevere's army however wasn't spared from the Hine's effects, succumbing to the drug with crazed looks on their faces.
The demons nestled in her ranks met their end, those in the main killed with no cause by the darkness. For the rest, her drugging her own men was an act of her ruthlessness, unaware that she was flushing the pests in her rank. By dawn, the war had come to a grim end.
Soldiers filled with valor and unwavering faith resented their kings and gods submitting to Guinevere. The sight jarry altogether to witness as the heads grit their teeth. They hadn't curbed much less startled her, they gave her their men to fuel her army.
***
'As for Thaloria, it should fall in a week's time. And with their severance of communication, planting the seers of doubt should be even easier for me.' Guinevere remarked as she saw the aftermath of the battle. Her eyes drifted elsewhere.
'As for these demonic nobles, their need on Hine only grows by the day, already too far gone to stop, wrapping leashes around their necks for me to pull to my satisfaction.' Even though she knew there were a select few individuals that would be a thorn to deal with, she didn't bother herself too much with it as she checked her records.
'The supply to the demons is perfect as always, the dwarves holding their end of the bargain as well.' She flashed a smirk of sinister satisfaction. 'Everything ticks like clockwork. Just the way I like it.' With her puppets for nobles and citizens, nothing was ever out of place. They had lost their sense of self but the rewards were undeniable.
With a system as flawless as hers, it was a matter of time before she carved her presence into the annals of history as the queen that ruled the world. 'However as for now, it would seem that Brose is about to make a move. Good for him as it would be too boring if he was too weak to fight back.' She had placed her idea of slaughter on pause for now.
But time, a concept she could toy and dismiss without a thought wouldn't last long before withering away. 'At the end of it all, it'll be satisfying to watch these crawling rats be put to rest. Their foolish ambitions a great test for my benevolence.' A grin far darker for any mortal to wield rested on her face.
Her mind drifted to Reynolds, then the old king of the demons who sat with a look of dread on his face. Her gaze transcending the veil or reality resting on the elves who scurried about in their domains and the dwarves grinned at their luck. 'This world will be nothing more than a canvas of my ruin. As my first, I'll make sure to make it memorable.'
With Callista and Clomere's influence blurring her reason to resist Jarren, she found herself diving into the walking abyss that was the Pale Sovereign. Elsewhere Jarren smiled, his eyes filled with stars and dying gods that wished for their own undoing. 'It's only a matter of time before she fully succumbs.'
He was a being that never experienced a loss. The game would shift in his favor, gods bending the knee into the unknown that he was and so far the greatest obstacle he faced was Orsen's persistence that lasted multiple eons, a fool that wished to fight the unknown with the hopes of surviving was now caving in.
'Soon you'll be far more than just another trick on the board, you'll be my equal.' His laugh radiating through the void shaking everything and nothing at once.
***
Queen of Thaloria, Delyth Maren sighed at her losses. Sure the other kingdoms would help her negate the damages but the loss of her men wasn't something she could overlook. "I'll make sure that she pays!" She vowed, making her way to her throne room before being intercepted with one of her servants.
"My queen, the elders of the church seek an audience with you." At first taken aback, she wasted no time making her way to the court where saintly figures draped in pristine white robes stood. Their mere presence wishing one to kneel and worship all that was holy.
"Queen Delyth." Their leader spoke, their tone calm and measured offering no bow. "Father, what reason do I own for your presence in my court?" Her tone warm not out of fondness but respect. The church played a significant role in her kingdom, helping easing turmoil and at times aiding her leadership.
She would be a fool not to appreciate them. "It would seem that you faced grave losses against Redfall. Truly a pity." The father mused, his tone dripping with melancholy as he paused and made a bow wishing the lost souls to rest in peace. "However we have a urgent need to relay for you."
Her brows knitted, her face though calm hinted at her burning curiosity. "What is it that you wish to tell me?" In her mind she thought that it would be a prophecy about the ongoing war with Redfall. "It is about Guinevere." His tone grim. Even though inwardly she sighed that she had managed to guess correctly, sensing the direction of the narrative it was clear that it wasn't good.
"What about her? Will we face defeat at her hands?" Though the possibility of us was low, ruling it out wasn't logical either. 'In a war anything could happen. And if the other kingdoms see that the losses are too great, they could cut ties with us leaving us to fend on our own with that monster.'
Her head supported with her hand as she leaned forward with intrigue. "It's more than just a loss. It'll be assimilation into their ranks. I'm sure that you've seen how hollow their smiles are. They are no longer humane but her puppets and we are on her list. People have already began to coo praises about her in the streets, making it clear that she has infected them with a toxin or virus."
The father paused, deliberate to let his words simmer before pressing on. "And as much as we have tried to identify it, more of our people fall at her hands. At a rate like this it's only a matter of time before she claims us as her vassal like Dreshaire." Words Delyth didn't want to her but opted to settle for. She preferred uncomfortable truths rather than beautiful lies.
"How many?" Her tone solemn. "About half in the past day, the entire kingdom will fall by tomorrow from the rot within." Delyth let out a helpless chuckle. 'It would seem that I underestimated her.' She grit her teeth, laughing at her own pride. "Her means of contamination, have you figured out how it works and if there is a cure of it?"
The father shook his head, dark lines forming on his forehead. "...As a matter of fact, I'm fairly certain that I myself have already been infected with her drug." The court fell silent, strange glances shot at the father as he roared into a maddening laughter from casual chuckles. "Hahaha!! My queen! Why don't you join us and revel in the rot and madness! Resistance is futile after all!" His eerie claim making Delyth's hair stand on ends.
"Have him taken away now!" She ordered, raising a barrier to coat her body. "My queen, it's already too late! I've had my men to willingly spread her drug across the people of Thaloria. You won't have a kingdom to order by tomorrow!!" His maniacal laughs persisted as he was joined with his subjects.
'Damn it!' Delyth cursed, clicking her tongue wondering whether she had already been infected. 'Delyth, I was wondering when I would get to meet you but I guess you won't be worth my attention!' Guinevere's chilling voice echoed in her head. 'And for that you might as well perish.'
Before she had a chance to inquire how she was contaminated, her hands rose gripping a dagger. 'Wait! I don't recall carrying around a dagge-' It was then that reality hit her. 'I've been under her influence this whole time!' The dagger plunged into her heart ending her life.
Her crown crashed onto the cool marble floor, subordinates rather than rushing to her aid merely flashed grins of insanity at her corpse.
***
"King Atherion, it is confirmed about the fall of Thaloria. Guinevere had managed to claim it." James mused, his tone low as he handed over a document. On it detailed the fall of Thaloria, Delyth writing a letter to the other kingdoms about submitting to Guinevere as they were merely delaying the inevitable.
Atherion's spine tingled after he was done with the contents of the letter. He gave a log solemn sigh as he clutched his brows. "It would seem that with each passing day that she grows far too powerful for us to curb. It would be optimal to go into war." His words making James wonder. "But sir, our systems may be comprised. It would be better to first wait and see how the game unfolds."
Atherion's reaction was that of a ridiculing laugh. "Wait?! When she barges into the kingdom walls do you still plan on waiting? When will we make a move or are we meant to watch as she grows stronger till she culls each and every single one of us?! At this point we can't wait anymore, it's time that we strike back!"
James fell into thought, as much as he hated how Atherion wasn't wrong, he knew the possibility of a war was bound to happen eventually. "Very well, I'll have Toren manage the troops and have them ready for war." His tone one of finality as he took his leave. Atherion glanced into the distance, his eyes long gone.
'It would seem that I won't be able to protect you Diana! I already failed once with your mother and now the same will happen to you again.' His heart yearned for Jarren's head, the flame of revenge had slowly began to simmer down till it was nothing more than a candle at the wind's mercy.
'Guinevere, you run a system that has no life in it. You people don't bleed, the don't cry and don't laugh with you. What is the point of such a system? What use is it for such kind of power if meant to appease no one?' He was sure that she used a drug to sedate her own people into submission turning them into mindless drones.
Her kingdom thrived overnight but it was nothing more than a corpse ticking like clockwork. 'And with the fall of Thaloria, her resources or people have only gotten better.' He couldn't help but wonder at his own people. He glanced at his own hands, shaking subconsciously as his breath hitched with no calm in sight.
'Or have I myself been infected and simply waiting for her order of my demise?' His thoughts darkening as he watched the sun set in his room. It's warm rays felt cold, the orange hue once entrancing felt l more like a warning of the fire and smoke she would inflict onto the world and he could only watch and wait for his demise.