The light from the crystals were beautifully low and dull adding a refined look to an already lavish room. There were three bodies sprawling on the large bed while Amara laid astride another, sweaty and naked, her movements vigorous and intense with so much passion, and just when the man achieved loud climax the princess' door opened. She turned to see her father, standing by the door but she moved 3 more times before she casually unsheathed herself from the tired lover's slimy prick and walked to one of her room's tables that had a silver pitcher, a couple of herb bottles and ornate silver goblets.
The king took a detached survey of the surroundings then back at his daughter as she poured a bottle of herbs into the wine pitcher and began filling a goblet.
"Drakoria's king has been attacked" he announced.
There was a sudden brief surge of power in the room but not enough for just anyone to notice.
"Hmm..." was all she said as she walked back to the bed, kick her lover's leg to rouse him up and handed him the goblet. The wine seeped out slowly from where a finger had made a deep dent on the goblet.
"Is he dead?" she asked conversationally, returning to the table to fill another cup.
"We don't know," the king replied, "We received word it happened this evening at the ridge of The Broken and it's still ongoing"
Taking a casual sip of her wine, Amara turned to face her father. "And you came to tell me yourself because you don't want me to get involved."
"Yes," the king affirmed. "Don't interfere in the politics of the south. I gave him something; if he needed help, he would use it."
"...okay," she responded, her demeanor unchanged
The king considered for a short moment then nodded. He turned to leave then paused at the door and turned back.
"You do know no king will tolerate this from his Queen?" he said referring to the different lovers.
"He wouldn't have much of a choice, would he?" Amara retorted calmly, meeting her father's gaze evenly.
If he was disappointed he didn't show it, he just looked at her then turned and left the room.
"Altan," she called quietly after a few moments. "Go get our things ready"
┌─────── ♕ ───────┐
The movement was too slow. I had already lost too much blood, making my hold loose, but I felt safe. I was dozens of feet above the ground, moving blind through the thick mist on the enchanted stick. Suddenly, as though to mock me, I got hit. I found myself crashing through the branches, some dead and dry others fresh and sturdy until I hit the ground with a heavy thud. I lost all will to rise but the shuffling of feet made that shortlived. The will came but the movement was slow and extremely painful and too loud for my liking. I propped myself to lean against a tree. It felt hopeless and I was giving up hope. I was considering using a self delete spell that would have me burn to dust than surrender myself to whatever these motherfuckers have in store for me. Their movements seemed fairly distant and even though they couldn't see through the mist they were heading at my direction and closing in fast.
I heard clashes of fighting from one part of the movement but the rest seemed undeterred. My breathing was deep and heavy, I was done for and I was coming to terms with that but the shame of death wouldn't let me. Another life wasted, and this one on a platter.
I picked up a stick and shuffled myself to my feet. I knew the noise I caused and almost immediately with all the strength I could muster I tried to spin away but was too slow. The arrow tore deep at my side and buried into the tree vibrating. That's when I realized my shield wasn't on. Now on the other side of the tree I was heavy breathing.
<ἑτοιμάσθητι ναῦ, ῥάβδε>
The stick stood there levitating and giving off slow vibration.
I tried to relax and listen for my pursuers but they too seem to be listening and approaching with caution. I made the the stick get inbetween my legs and I grasped it with my hands as tight as I could. I would pass out any second now, I could feel it. Before I moved I cast another spell and a physical form almost as white as the mist detached from my body. It walked away towards the opposite direction while I escaped.
Moments later, I saw it from the corner of my eyes. Already too fast and near to turn my eyes to it and the leveled sword was already swinging at me and it connected with my shield and sent me flying. I smacked into a tree and slumped down. My body was too numb for pain but I think I felt that.
My attacker approached and turned me to face the sky. The mist were already clearing.
"You are a very difficult man to kill, ain't cha, Your majes--"
A monster roar sounded off in the distance. My attacker turned around to look up even though the mists were still enough to obstruct his view of the sky.
"Dragons..." he spat quietly like the word itself was the most disgusting thing to the tongue.
I too was distracted to even take advantage of the moment, or maybe I was just tired of fighting. I closed my eyes as he raised his blade.
Whoosh! A sudden gush of wind interrupted the moment and I opened my eyes to see that the man wasn't there. I felt ashamed that part of me was angry at the interruption. My limbs were weak almost to the point of paralysis. I can hear the commotion of a battle from the direction the wind had gone to but I saw nothing much. As I paid more attention I felt the near presence of the river before I heard the flow but it didn't matter, nothing matters again. I just wanted it to stop. Would have preferred going out with a bang though but it's not like I could afford it. There was a spell in the Grimoire that would have light this forest up in a fire that can't be quenched for a month but no doubt I would be the only casualty and that sounds sad. Or maybe that doesn't sound so bad.
Moments later, when I thought the battle was subsiding another started and I felt the very grounds beneath me tremble and then began to slide off. Soon I found myself free falling with the land and trees. A figure leaped off the cliff coming right after me, I couldn't figure out who it was but he was closing the gap pretty quickly but then got knocked off course by a bigger blur. It didn't matter though. I had in me just one more action and it's all in fate's hands : a chance to end it all, or a chance for another shot at life. One last chance. All I need is a splash. Just this once, I can't go out a victim.
Boom!
┌─────── ♕ ───────┐
The wretched drunk stumbled to his door. He kicked it open to find his terrified wife waiting to welcome him back. Save from the healing black eye and bruises she was clean and almost naked but not that he noticed.
"I made you---"
He sholved her out of the way before she could say whatever she wanted to say. He was back early today and he had a bulge again she could see. She held his arm, trapping it inbetween her bosom.
"Come let me take care of you, honey"
"Let go of me you old hag!"
Despite been heavily drunk he was still stronger than her and he forced his arm out like it was trapped in something very disgusting. The struggle sent her to the ground but she quickly got up and stood before the door of their daughter, tears and pain filled her eyes.
"Please honey, I beg you, not tonight, not again" she pleaded, her voice shaking.
When he got close he hit her with a heavy backhand that sent her to the floor again. She was not quick to get up and he just stepped over her and open the door to his child's room. She managed to sit herself up against the walls of the room near the door, gather her knees to her chest and bowed her head, trembling in sobs as her daughter cried for her.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" she sobbed, wishing it could all go away.
She raised her tear-streaked face when she noticed another presence in the room. A noble lady. The lady pushed her hood down and she recognized her as the witch of the court and guilt overwhelmed her and she started bawling her eyes out.
"I tried everything I could, I tried to make him stop."
The witch squatted before the crying woman and laid a comforting hand on her head but that made the woman cry more even before the purple flames began to burn her hair. She let out a loud scream of anguish but it was short-lived because the purple flame instantly consumed her to dust.
There was shuffling behind the door but it was already too late. Helene stood back up and opened the door to find the man struggling into his trousers. He was petrified when he saw her and with just a mutter of a quick spell and the wave of a hand his blood and mashed flesh splattered the walls and she continued into the room like he was something insignificant.
The child on the bed could barely move but she was trying to get away from her, her eyes wide in fear.
"It's alright," Helene said softly. "It's alright, the bad man is gone"
The girl couldn't move further, she recoiled when Helene tried to touch her. She couldn't be more than seven and her face was all covered in bruises.
"It's alright, you are safe now" Helene reassured her.
The little girl looked at where a big chunk of what's left of her father laid on the wall. If she recognized it for what it is she didn't show it.
"where is mama?" she asked, her voice cracking with fear as Helene wrapped her with a blanket.
"Don't worry mama has gone out," Helene smiled genuinely. "She say to look after you"
The girl didn't resist as Helene scooped her into her arms. She buried the girl's face into her body as they walked over the mother's pile of ashes. As soon as she sat the child on the horse and was about to climbed on, the city's emergency bells went off. A red mist was coming from the tower of the goddess temple.