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The Sands of Doom

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Synopsis
A story of two mortals lurking in the Land of the Dead.
Table of contents
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Chapter 1 - Part 01

The courtroom was filled with a countless throng. Its very walls did listen to every sound and did reflect all that they heard. All the great and puissant of the government and the host were present that day at the place of judgment. The one who was to be brought to account for her deeds was no common wight, nay, in truth, she was once the one who held sway over all judges, commanders, and nobles. The sovereign queen of the realm, whose name was Maera, stood as the accused before the law's wielder.

The judge did begin to read the decree: "Maera, daughter of Ilya and Angelina, erstwhile Queen of the Kingdom of Dorath, I do banish thee to the land of the dead for the remainder of thy days."

The queen held her tongue. She knew well that such a sentence was a fate worse than death itself. The sins and black deeds she had committed were unheard of throughout all history—horrific crimes that would cause even the heart of the King of Hell to tremble.

It was a still and pleasant midnight. The wind did gently caress all living things of the grove. The trees, the blossoms, the beasts both tiny and colossal, the fish in the lake, and, aye, the desiccated skin of a man walking amidst the grass and trees, beneath the bright moonlight, towards the crest of a peak. The peak was tall and slender, a symbol of the steadfastness of the people of that region. Its name was Amin. The man, with all his might, did drag his weary body toward the peak. He held three clay jars in his hands and did guard them at any cost. After much toil, the man reached the peak's summit. His name was Lucian, a man who had become old and frail in his youth. The bones in his body could no longer bear him onward. The man had lost all. Within the three jars, he carried the ashes of his wife and two young children.

Beneath the moon's light, he did fashion a small wooden pyre. He kindled a fire. The sound of burning wood shattered the peak's deafening silence. The flames grew ever larger. Lucian held the three jars fast in his embrace. Tears did stream from his eyes—tears filled with great sorrow. Each one seemed to come from his heart, a heart torn asunder and broken. The sight of Lucian's weeping would break the heart of any living creature, even that of the crow that sat but a few paces from him. The crow watched the man's wailing and remained silent—a silence born of utter helplessness and want of power.

Whilst in mourning for his dear ones, Lucian rose to his feet, feet that had no strength left to continue. He stood and moved toward the flames. The flames did warmly embrace him, as if they were his own kin, and in this manner, Lucian did end his mortal life.

"Arise, Nebula, the time for vengeance has come. Arise and harken to my whispers. The time is now…" Nebula heard this voice whispering in her ear many a time. When she opened her eyes, no one was there.

Nebula, a former member of the five-man council of the erstwhile King of the Land of the Dead, Hermes, awoke with a cold sweat upon her face. She dwelt in the Star Palace, which was situated in the northwestern reaches of the Land of the Dead. She had a tall and noble bearing, eyes like the reflection of the stars, hair as soft as silk and the hue of an extinguished star, and skin like the snow. She was known to be one of the greatest warriors in all five lands.

"What manner of sound was that?! 'Twas no sound, in truth, but a most gentle whisper. A whisper that seemed to come from the very depths of the shadows. What did it mean by 'the time is now'? Does it mean the time for our lord's vengeance has come? But I did witness his death with mine own eyes and did mourn for him. Yet, I must not take it too seriously; that whisper was but a dream."

"My lady, the four horsemen have come to seek an audience with thee. They do await thee in the court. They say they have a most vital matter to discuss with thee."

"I do understand. Summon the servants. I must make ready with all haste. The four horsemen do not come themselves for trifles; it must be a matter of great import."

The Land of the Dead and the Land of Men were divided by a great ocean. An ocean so deep its bottom could not be fathomed. Some tales of the Land of Men say that in the ocean's depths, a gate to hell does stand. Others believe that a great beast lives in its depths, whose spittle brings forth immortality. The two shores of this ocean were guarded by two great ships. No mortal man has ever yet seen these ships up close.

The question that arises is, why are these two worlds connected? In the Land of Men, there are a myriad of punishments for wrongdoers: hanging, boiling in oil, stoning, and more. But the worst of them was exile. Exile to the Land of the Dead, a punishment held to be worse than death. The one sentenced to exile would go to the Land of the Dead by way of the boats at the port of "Akhirat." Those condemned to this sentence were not permitted to meet anyone for a month before their departure; indeed, they would see no human save for their special guard until they reached the Land of Death. This punishment was considered a torment worse than death because men do not perish in the Land of the Dead. In fact, after many a year, they do gradually begin to lose their souls. All their memories, their feelings, and the very parts of their being slowly do fade away. They themselves do become aware of this but can do naught to stop it. To see oneself slowly wither and to be powerless to halt it is far more terrible than death. After several years have passed, the condemned become an empty husk, remembering only a small shred of what they once were. They see their sweet past memories fading away, the parts of their being that once gave them their identity slowly do separate from them, and they spend the rest of their days in wretchedness, hoping to find the parts of their being again, parts that shall never be found… This is the curse of the King of Death.

The main prison's dungeon was full of men whose very existence was a threat to others. Murderers, rapists, thieves, and more could be found among these souls. But one person in the dungeon did draw more attention than all the others: the former queen, Maera.

A month had passed since her sentence was decreed, and now the time had come for her to go to the port of Akhirat. The guard entered the dungeon's portal with slow, quiet steps and did walk toward the queen's cell. Maera's cell was at the end of dungeon passage number one—the darkest and coldest cell. The guard wore armor the color of charcoal, a hue that did show that he was a member of the capital's royal guard. His helmet did cover his entire face, with only a small slit for breathing. With measured and slow steps, he came toward the cell and took the key from the key-master who stood to his left. He did slowly open the door; there was not a whit of light within. After the door was opened, a cold wind did touch the knight's armor. He saw Maera before his eyes, seated with her knees drawn up. Her pale skin was white and cold from the chill, as if her body held no life. For the past month, her daily sustenance had been but a single piece of bread and one cup of water. The cloth she wore did not cover all her parts; it only reached to a portion of her upper thighs. Because of her raiment, her long and fair legs did show themselves when the light shone upon them. Now, after 30 days, she did recall what light and brightness were. The knight did step forward and came to Maera. He took hold of her long, golden hair and pulled it up with great force, so that Maera was lifted from the ground. She did whimper softly; she lacked even the strength to speak. "I can recall that day exactly. The day thou didst command us to… thou didst command us to behead every woman and girl who had longer hair than thee. I still do remember their wails and their cries. Thousands of innocent women and girls lost their lives for thy childish and foolish envy. Thou didst desire to be unrivaled in beauty, and now behold where thou art. Thou art dying like a swine in this dark dungeon." After hearing the knight's words, Maera bowed her head in guilt and sorrow and said softly, "Thou who wert the most beautiful of the fair, unrivaled, now look upon thyself; thou hast fallen into the depths of darkness like an unclean mouse." The knight said after hearing the fallen queen's words: "It seems thou dost still hold onto thy ridiculous pride. Arise and bestir thy carcass. We must make for the port." The fallen queen rose to her feet with all the strength she possessed and, with the knight, set forth toward the dock.

After an hour's ride, Maera and the knight did reach the port of Akhirat. The stench of death was palpable everywhere. The air was as though a mist of darkness and despair had been spread. A total silence reigned. The only sound was that of the ships jostling against the dock. The knight did dismount Maera from the horse, bound her hands with a rope, and led her to the second ship on the eastern side of the port. After reaching the ship, he unbound her and gave her to the special officer of the ship. The officer wore a full-length black robe. His face was entirely hidden by his hood. The ship's officers were known by the name of the Duke. Just by gazing upon his form, a shiver did run through Maera's body. The Duke took the erstwhile queen's hand and did gently lead her onto the ship's deck. Maera leaned against the inner hull of the ship. The Duke did release the rope from the dock, and the ship did set forth toward the western borders of the Land of the Dead. Maera turned her head and looked behind her. She saw that the ship was getting farther and farther from the Land of Men. She began to weep—tears that were not of remorse, but of sorrow and being sundered from her family. She had just now realized what she had lost during her reign; she had lost herself, she no longer knew who she was. Fear, regret, sorrow, guilt, and emptiness did come upon her. As they moved a little farther from the port, she began to hear voices within her head. "Why?... Why didst thou kill us?... What sin did we commit?" These voices were in her mind for the whole of her journey. She knew well what these voices were and whence they came. Now, whilst weeping, she also cursed her destiny. Truly, the curse of the King of Death was worse than death itself…

The tale of the Land of the Dead has just begun. A tale full of sorrow that shows the fate of two souls who do wander in the depths of the darkness…

End of Chapter 0

In a place nigh unto the northwest of the Land of the Dead, a radiant thing, like unto a shooting star, did fall upon the earth. The blast of its descent caused a great hollow where it landed and did scorch the sands about it. In the midst of the hollow, a man of middle years lay upon his back. The signs of burning were marked upon his raiment and his very flesh. Lucian had survived by a wondrous happenstance and had been carried to the Land of Death. No one did know why or how, but the only thing that could be said for certain was that this was a miracle…

From the very first moment of his descent, Lucian began to hear a whisper within his mind. A whisper that bade him to live on until the promised day should arrive…

Lucian did rise and began to look upon his surroundings. He remembered naught, naught at all. As he did survey the place, he began to walk. He saw nothing but the sand and dust around him. His eyes were half-open and he could not see well. He knew not where he was. He knew not if it was day or night. And most importantly, he knew not how he had come to this place and yet lived. The only thing he knew was that he must follow that whisper.

Let us return to the ocean, where Maera on her vessel was nearing the western shores of the Land of Death. Along the way, she passed by a dark and tall tower. That tower was the dwelling of the Librarian of the five realms, Anath.

Anath never left her tower. In truth, the Sacred Library was housed within that tower, and Anath was its guardian. None but her father, her mother, and Anath herself did know the contents of this library. Not even the "Firstborn."

After the vessel carrying Maera did pass by the tower, Anath was aware of a strange feeling within her. "A familiar and ancient feeling… I do not recall what feeling this is. But I can say that it is an ill omen, as if darkness has set foot upon this land. First, that meteor, and now this feeling… I hope that no dire and ill events shall befall us. This land has already witnessed two great wars…"

The four horsemen had come to visit Nebula. A matter of great import had drawn them there. After their secret council was concluded, the four horsemen mounted their steeds to depart. They had a fearsome visage. Tall and noble of stature, with voices like the grunt of a hog, and long robes the color of the midnight sky. Their steeds, too, were of a rare breed, frightful creatures with manes the same color as their rider's robes and as soft as a flower. The trembling of the ground beneath their hooves was a sign of darkness; no good thing would come after that sound was heard, only death…

Nebula walked toward the small garden of her palace. The matter of the meeting was so important that she had used the safest room in the palace, the Star Room, for its holding. As she walked toward the blossoms of the garden, she sought to connect the events and tidings of this day. Events that, to her mind, could not be unrelated to one another. The horsemen had brought news that had but one meaning: war. "Why did this news come to me on the same day I heard that whisper? Why not on another day?" As these thoughts consumed her mind, she sensed the presence of a black bird. She knew well why that bird was there. After sensing the bird's presence, she summoned one of her servants to deliver an urgent message. The servant came to her and heard his mistress's command: "Hasten, send a message to Dante and summon him, the matter is of great import…"

The vessel carrying Maera came to the Sand Harbor. A deathly silence held sway there. The ship docked, and Maera disembarked, setting foot upon the Land of Death. From the first moments of her arrival, fear seized her soul. The air of that land was beyond compare with any place in the world of mortals. Its feeling was as if the seeds of sin had been scattered upon the wind. The first sign of the curse was this very thing, a feeling of guilt and a tormenting conscience. Maera looked about her with dread, fear, and trembling eyes. She looked behind her; the ship and its servant had vanished, as if they had drowned within the water.

The guardian of the entry gate, whose name was Janus, did suddenly appear from the sky. His visage was like that of a man of fifty years. He was of a rather short stature. His hair and beard were long and gray. In his right hand, he carried a long spear. He cast a look down upon Maera from on high. A dry and grim look that made the bones of the wretched woman feel cold. Maera did not speak a word; in truth, she could not say anything, as if she had forgotten the power of speech. Since it was the first time she had seen a Nephilim, this was a natural occurrence. The old man raised his spear toward the heavens and slammed its end into the ground. The shackles upon Maera's hands suddenly turned to sand, and she was now free, but what freedom was this compared to the freedom in the world of men… Maera, with her head bowed, passed by Janus and went through the great gate. What she saw beyond the gate she could not believe. The sky was split in two; in one half, the moonlight was shining, and in the other half, the sun was showing itself. To see the moon and the sun at the same time in the sky was the first of a thousand wonders in the Land of Death for Maera. After seeing this sight, she took a step forward and began to walk.

The new chapter of her life had just begun, a chapter that held naught but endless pain and suffering for her…

End of Chapter 01

Within the heart of the Land of the Dead, there lay a realm called Zarix. A land adorned with the bounties of Mother Nature, with groves as green as emerald, trees as great as mountains, and a people as calm as the silence of the fields. This land did declare its independence after the War of the Crown and separated from the borders of the Land of the Dead. Zilop, the current king of the dead, was not pleased with this in the slightest. The separation of the largest part of a realm was not pleasant at all, but this was the decision of the Queen of the Groves. Queen Anahita was the lady who ruled over Zarix. A beautiful lady with eyes and hair the color of henna, whose sweet voice did bring comfort to all hearts; even those who bore a sorrow as great as all the cosmos did find peace upon hearing her voice. Her title was Anahita, Queen of Wisdom and Prudence, and she did truly have a temperament befitting her name.

Anahita had worn black garments since the War of the Crown and the death of Hermes. This grief of loss was so great for her that she made a vow: "The cloth I wear is a sign of the grief in my heart; until this sorrow leaves me, I swear upon my mother and father, I shall not remove these black garments."

In Anahita's Green Palace, built amidst the groves, a dark and ominous creature had taken refuge. A creature whose name caused a shiver to run through every living being, a creature who wore clothing darker than the hearts of the dead and held a long scythe that symbolized one thing and one thing only: death. His name was Dante, the Messenger of Death, the most merciless soldier of the former king.

After Zilop had slaughtered Hermes, Dante became a wanderer. Zilop offered him command of his entire army, but he answered thus: "To serve a traitorous cur is a thousand times worse than the treachery itself. Thou shalt spend the last day of thy life in fear of being slaughtered in thy sweet slumber; I swear upon the life of my dead lord that I shall not let thee live." After speaking these words to the king, he took refuge in the Land of the Groves. Anahita welcomed him with open arms and swore that she would fully support Dante as long as she lived, for both of them shared a common grief: the loss of their king. Truly, what events transpired during the reign of the true king of the dead that ended in such a tragedy…

The exiled queen had passed through the gate. She knew not where she was or what she should do; a deep emptiness had overcome her. The wails of the innocent souls slaughtered by her command would not leave her. A hollow creature with a poisoned heart, she began a journey to the south, not knowing where her feet would take her; she only wished to find a settlement and rest, for the scorching heat of the desert was hell itself for her.

She headed south. As far as her eyes could see, she saw nothing but ground covered in sand. She did not encounter any living being; there was only herself and the endless burning of the sun.

The Land of the Dead, as was mentioned before, was divided into two halves: day and night. The northern half was protected by the eternal moonlight, and the other half welcomed the heat of the sun.

The queen of the moonlight was named Selene. A lady with skin the color of the moonlight and a face as pleasant as a calm lake. She had black tresses that flowed over her shoulders like the unending night. The jewels that glistened upon her body made her dazzling beauty a timeless legend and gave it an even greater splendor. Another name chosen for her was Elnaz, a name her mother had given her, as she was the very embodiment of beauty and charm in the Land of Death.

Three days had passed since Maera's journey to the south began. During these three exhausting days, not a drop of water touched her parched lips, nor a morsel of food soothed her hungry belly. Her frail feet could no longer walk; she had prepared herself to surrender to death. Her knees did bend, and her face fell toward the burning sands. Every part of her being had lost hope. She prepared herself to accept her fate, but all at once, she heard a sound from afar. In that desert where silence reigned, even the sound of small creatures walking could be clearly heard. Maera turned her head to the east and saw a black spot approaching her. With lips that had lost all color from thirst, she pleaded for aid. Her voice was so weak that only her own ears heard what she said. That black spot was a man on horseback, galloping toward Maera. He had long hair the color of a raven's feather. His name was Aristo.

After a few minutes, he reached the place where Maera lay. He dismounted his horse and turned Maera's body to see if she still breathed. She was still alive, but she was slowly nearing the brink of death from thirst and hunger. He had a waterskin with him, which was on his horse's saddle. He took the skin and brought it to the girl's thirsty lips. The sweet and cool water flowed down her throat and gave her new life. Maera feebly opened her eyes and whispered to Aristo: "Please, save me. I don't want to die here." Her body was so weak and frail that the very wells of her eyes had dried up. Aristo embraced her and lifted her. "I shall not let thee die before mine eyes. I shall save thee, no matter what." He seated Maera upon the saddle and mounted his horse as well. He touched the horse's flank with his right foot as a sign to move, and he began to gallop with the speed of the wind.

Aristo had no inkling of the fate that awaited him after meeting the girl; the journey the two began together would end in a fate more bitter than death itself…

End of Chapter 02

Beneath the moonlight, a broken man walked slowly. Two days had passed since he fell from the heavens. Weary and without hope, he continued on, searching for a thin ray of light. "None of these events do make sense. How did I survive? How did I end up here? What was that voice I heard in my mind?" As he walked with such thoughts, he saw in the distance specks of light from a torch. He walked toward the light and saw a castle behind which lay an unbelievable sight: countless stars in the sky above the castle were shining like Nebula's eyes. He had reached the Cloud Castle, the dwelling of the Queen of the Stars, Nebula herself. He made his way to the main gate of the castle. The guard on the wall saw Lucian and spoke in a loud voice: "Halt! Who art thou? Present thyself." "My name is Lucian, I have come here from the world of men. I do not know how, in truth. I have been traveling for two days; I have had neither water nor food. I implore thee, help me." The guard cast a look at the soldier next to him. He was at a loss for what to answer Lucian. He was responsible for the gate's entry and exit, and if any problem were to arise from this matter within the castle, he would have to answer for it. Lucian repeated his request, but this time in a louder voice; he knelt desperately at the foot of the gate and begged the guard for mercy. It was not long before his wails disturbed the silence of the castle, and everyone in the castle, including Nebula, was made aware of his presence.

The Lady of the Stars walked toward the main gate to inquire about the trouble. She reached the top of the wall and said to the guard: "What is the matter? Why is all this noise coming from here? Who is that man before the castle?" The guard and the soldier both knelt, and the guard opened his mouth to speak: "My lady, I deeply apologize for troubling thee. Before thee is a man who says he is from the world of mortals and has come to the gate to ask for our help. When he saw that no answer was forthcoming from us, he began to wail and plead for mercy." Nebula replied: "It pleases me that thou dost perform thy duty well, but I must see this man myself; we have never had such a case in this castle before." The guard and the soldier rose from their knees and stepped to the side to make way for their queen. Nebula stepped to the edge of the wall to see who this human was. She bowed her head and cast her gaze upon Lucian. Lucian looked up and met Nebula's eyes with a face full of sorrow. Suddenly, Nebula felt a familiar feeling in her heart, as if she had seen this man before, but she knew not when or where. From that first glance, a strange trust was formed between the two. The queen turned to the guard and spoke her command: "Open the gate. This man means no harm." The guard and the soldier, without a moment's hesitation and without questioning the queen's command, opened the main gate. The light of life returned to Lucian's eyes; he was now hopeful of surviving. He walked into the castle and was struck by its grandeur and glory. His tongue was unable to speak; never in his mortal life had he seen such captivating beauty. The Lady of the Stars came down the stairs of the wall and walked toward Lucian. "My lady, I know not how to thank thee; thou hast saved the life of this humble servant." "There is no need for thanks; in truth, it is my duty to rescue those who wander in the desert of death. The state of things out there is changing." The guard and Nebula's personal maid, who was with her, were surprised by her words. In truth, this was the first time a foreigner had ever set foot in the Star Castle. "What is thy name, human?" "I am Lucian, my lady. Lucian the carpenter." "Lucian the carpenter, I deem thou canst be of use in this castle. Go and rest for a while; from tomorrow, thou shalt begin thy work as a carpenter in the castle. Lisa, whom thou see beside me, is in charge of the castle's affairs. Thou must be hungry; first, go with Lisa to the dining hall and fill thy belly. She will also show thee to thy sleeping quarters. From tomorrow, thou shalt begin thy work in the workshop." Lucian, with tears of joy streaming from his eyes, knelt before Nebula and said: "I know not how I can ever repay thy kindness and grace, my lady. I shall do my utmost to be of use to thee." Nebula gently caressed Lucian's head and sent him away with Lisa. Then she turned to her guard and said: "Is there any news from the messenger? Has Dante given us an answer?" The guard said: "Not yet, my lady. I believe he may be hesitant in response to thy request." "I hope his answer is positive. It is the only way to save this corrupt land."

What was she truly thinking of? Would her plans be the salvation of the Land of Death, or would they lead it to a time of destruction?

"My lord, it seems to this humble servant that his plan is quite mad; I do beg thee to reconsider. This land is not ready for another war." These were the words of the Commander-in-Chief of the dead's army to King Zilop. "My commands are absolute, and my will is the will of this land. Convey my orders to all the other commanders and bid them prepare themselves." "Thy will be done, my lord." Then the Commander-in-Chief exited the royal chamber, the room where the throne of the dead was kept. Once, Hermes sat upon it; now, Zilop. A throne made of the bones of the dead that called to mind the terror the King of the Dead inspired in other creatures.

Zilop, the erstwhile God of the Shining Sun, was a fearless warrior. In the days of Hermes's reign, everyone spoke of his valor. He had a righteous heart and soul, which caused him to rise against his own king and mete out justice. But now he was changed; he was no longer that innocent and pure Zilop. His heart and soul had become corrupt, and his former righteousness had abandoned him.

What was his command to his commanders, truly? Would his decisions be for the good of the realm or its ruin? Who can say? We must wait and see what fate has decided for this land and its people...

End of Chapter 03

"My lady, a messenger from Queen Nebula has come. He says he must meet with Lord Dante; it is a matter of import." "Bring him to the council chamber; Dante and I shall await him there." "At once, my lady."

Dante was resting upon the grass of the groves in the palace's main courtyard. His thoughts were of naught but vengeance; he believed that vengeance was the only way to soothe his grieving heart. As these thoughts held sway over his mind, Anahita came to him. Her sweet scent brought Dante back to the world of the living. "There is an important matter, Dante, that needs special attention." "What manner of matter?" "A messenger from the Star of Stars has come; he says he carries an important message." "A message from Nebula? I had not expected it. I thought she had imprisoned herself in her castle. Let us go and see what important matter has arisen." Dante rose from his place and, accompanied by Anahita, headed toward the council chamber.

"My lord Dante, Queen Anahita, this humble servant has brought an important message from the Queen of the Stars. My lady has requested the formation of an alliance, an alliance against the traitor king."

Dante was filled with wrath upon hearing Zilop's name. His only goal was the slaughter of that traitor. "The four horsemen shall also aid us in this matter." Nebula's messenger spoke these words and awaited Dante and Anahita's reply. Both of them were thinking of vengeance, and this was the best opportunity for them. Anahita fixed her gaze upon Dante; anger and rage were clear upon his face. She turned to the messenger and spoke thus: "Tell the Star of Stars that we shall aid her in this important matter. I wish to know what truly happened to our lord." The messenger bowed his head in obeisance and made his way to the Star Castle.

In a place nigh to the castle of Saulith, a man in a black robe was wandering. No one was aware of his presence, for they were unable to see him. He passed through the walls of the heavenly castle and entered within. No guard sensed his presence. He began to wander through the castle. It seemed he had no specific purpose in entering; he had no interest in gold or jewels, nor in causing mischief. Saulith became aware of this man's presence. He was resting upon the royal throne. He felt no danger from the black-robed man. On the contrary, he had a familiar feeling from him. He whispered beneath his breath: "Why dost thou enter my castle and wander like a thief? Come to the royal chamber; thy presence in this manner troubles me."

The man heard the whisper and headed toward the room. He saw a great door before his eyes. A door adorned with a stone as white as the clouds. He opened the door and entered into Saulith's presence.

Saulith, Son of Light, was the king of the mortal world. Among the Firstborn, after his elder brother, the true King of the Dead, he was the most powerful. He was a wise king with a peaceful temperament. The thing that must be noted is that the duties of this kingship were a little different. In truth, he was the protector of the world of men. The Father, at the beginning of his creation, gave him but one duty: to protect the world of men from outside threats. "O Saulith, Son of Light, thou shalt not interfere in the affairs of mortals; thy only duty is to protect them from external dangers."

The black-robed man stood before Saulith and began to speak: "I thank thee for inviting me to thy presence, brother. Thou hast a most beautiful castle, far from the fires of war in the world of men."

Saulith replied: "Welcome to my castle, my sinful brother. I suppose the throne of hell is not comfortable for thee at all, is it not?" The man who stood before the Son of Light was none other than the King of Hell, Satan.

"My throne has been occupied by our younger brother for a long time. Lucifer has become infatuated and smitten with it. In truth, the reason for my coming here is not unrelated to Lucifer." "What is the matter? Has anything special happened?" "In truth, I have had a dark feeling for some time, as if chaos and darkness are spreading everywhere." "And that is why thou hast come here?" "Yes, I feel no peace anywhere but in my own land. There is also another reason." "What reason?" "I implore thee to tell me what happened on that night when Hermes set foot in this land, what drove him to madness?" "That is a difficult request, but if thou art eager to know what happened that night, thou must gather all thy wits, not a word of these events must leak out."

Saulith began to tell him what happened on that fateful night…

After galloping for several hours, Aristo finally reached his settlement. He quickly took Maera to the physician to be treated. The girl was at death's door. The physician told Aristo to go and get special medicines. Aristo listened to his command and set out to get the medicine. The physician, whose name was Victoria, took the clothes off Maera's body. The girl's body was so frail that the veins beneath her pale skin could be easily seen. Victoria first began to clean Maera with lukewarm water; at the same time, she poured cool water down her throat. After cleaning her body, she put a clean garment on her and prepared a hearty meal for her. Maera still had no strength to speak, and with great difficulty, she opened her eyes. She could not see her surroundings clearly; she only saw a halo of light. She was so weak that she could not even use her power of thought. As the meal was prepared, Aristo also arrived with the medicine. Victoria told him to give the food to Maera so that she could prepare the medicine. Both of them set to work. Maera with great pain lifted her head and brought the spoon of food to her mouth. With every mouthful that went down her throat, life returned to her soul. She finished the meal, and now it was time for the medicine. Victoria poured the medicine down her throat with a wooden spoon. A medicine more bitter than poison and more effective than any physician. After taking the medicine, the girl fell into a deep sleep. Aristo and Victoria also came out of the room so that Maera could rest comfortably. "Everything happened so fast that I did not have time to ask thee who thou hadst brought with thee." "I apologize for putting thee in trouble; besides thee, I know no other physician who is so skilled. I thank thee from the bottom of my heart." "Enough with the flattery. Now what will thou do? With this foreigner thou hast brought, dost thou still mean to go on thy journey?" "I know that it is not right, in good conscience, to leave her here alone. I shall postpone my journey. This human has nowhere to go; whenever I see that she can live here alone, I shall leave this place." "Thou stubborn boy. Is that tomb so important to thee?" "That tomb is all that I have."

Lucian was spending peaceful days in the Star Castle. This peace was before a great storm that would swallow all.

Lucian's days passed peacefully within the castle, but within his heart and mind, a contradiction was slowly devouring his very being. He was happy that he had survived, but this joy would completely vanish with thoughts of his past life. He knew not whether to mourn for his dear ones or to be thankful that he still breathed. Life without his family was worse than death for him. He was wandering in the depths of the darkest dungeon of his mind, a place where light chose not to shine. A few times, the thought of taking his own life crossed his mind, but the contradiction within him no longer allowed him to do so. His instinct told him to live, but his soul was too weary to go on. And of course, the whisper within his head that constantly whispered in his ear: "Thou must live until the promised day arrives; this is thy destiny." Hearing this phrase each time made him think that he was but a pawn of fate and had no will of his own. He knew not, but this destiny that had brought him here was his own will to live. Somewhere in the depths of his being, in that same dark dungeon, there was a small boy who wanted to live. The boy, unlike Lucian, had come to terms with that pain and sorrow that burned his soul and had accepted it. The boy wanted him to live; in this way, the memory of his loved ones would not fade. These contradictory thoughts and feelings made him ask this question every day: "Why did I survive? Do I truly want to live? What is this whisper inside my head that I hear every day? Is it a person? Or merely an illusion?"

What was the true desire of that human whose being was crushed? And more importantly, why did that whisper want him to live?

End of Chapter 04

The Land of the Dead was made up of many great and small sections. One of the most important of these was Dragonia, the land of the dragons.

The dragons were Hermes's mightiest creations, stronger even than Zilop, Nebula, and Dante. The dragon who ruled over Dragonia and the other dragons was named Balor. He came to this position after the War of the Crown and had sealed the former ruler, Leviathan, in a prison near the western borders. Balor had a terrifying and colossal form. His skin was interwoven with black scales. His fangs tore through the flesh of any living thing. His fiery breath melted mountains, and his wings were like blades fashioned by a smith, slicing the skin of his foes. His amber eyes had a strange, contradictory beauty to his horrifying form.

"I had not expected the King's advisor himself to come to see me. Is the matter so important that you could not send your ravens, Dainos?"

"You have guessed correctly; the matter is so important that I could not send my ravens."

"Well, well, well, what is this vital matter?"

"Our lord's plans for the future of this land. Our lord intends to restore the Land of the Dead to its former glory. The first step on this path is to eliminate the traitors who intend to rebel against our king. After eliminating the traitors, we shall reclaim Zarix."

"I very much like that you speak so shortly and to the point. The title of Master of Speech truly suits you. What are our lord's plans after eliminating the traitors?"

"To conquer hell, the seat of two of the Firstborn." Balor was astonished upon hearing these words; he had not expected such a thing. With a trembling voice, he asked Dainos: "I do not intend to disrespect the king, but with what plan does our lord intend to defeat Lucifer and Satan? These two brothers threw all five realms into chaos 500 years ago."

"Our lord is fully aware of this. Lucifer and Satan lost half of their power and were weakened after the War of Blood and the duel they had with Hermes and Saulith. Defeating them will not be a problem for Zilop."

"That you speak with such certainty shows that we shall be victorious in this war."

"There is no doubt. The first plan will be carried out today."

"What is my role in this?"

"You must, along with your army, attack Nebula's castle. Your only goals are to kill Nebula and destroy the Star Chamber; in this way, the core of the rebellion will be shattered. As for hell, we will first proceed through diplomacy. If we do not receive a favorable answer, we will be forced to wage war."

"Diplomacy? For what reason would they accept such an offer?"

"The land of the demons is in a state of decay. Our offer will be that with the help of the Land of the Dead, hell will be restored to its rightful place. I cannot reveal the details of this offer."

"Interesting. When should we begin our attack on the rebels?"

"You and your forces should be on standby; as soon as the attack begins, I shall send a raven."

The fires of war were now closer to this land than ever before. We must see who will be victorious.

Five days had passed since Maera's treatment when she regained her former strength. After waking, without wasting any time, she began to learn about the Land of the Dead. To survive, she needed many skills. Aristo taught the girl everything he knew: horseback riding, hunting, sewing clothes, building a shelter, and many other things. She also learned the skills of healing and medicine from Victoria. Her high intelligence helped her learn all these skills in less than two weeks. During this time, the girl spoke no word of her past; whenever she was asked a question, she would say, "I remember nothing of my past." Her words were logical because many foreigners lost their memories due to Hermes's curse. But for the exiled queen, every second of her past passed before her eyes. The wails of the innocent souls would not leave her for a moment. The heavy burden of her sins was so great that she always had nightmares at night. A nightmare she avoided even speaking about: absolute darkness and madness, and a whisper that constantly told her, "Live on until the promised day." What was the hidden secret of this whisper, truly?

"I think she can manage on her own now, don't you, Victoria?" As he said these words, Aristo's gaze did not leave Maera. A bright spark was in his eyes.

"You are looking at the poor girl too much. Are you in love?"

"It is not love; it is a kind of sense of responsibility."

Their bond had become so close in this time that I think Maera would not allow Aristo to go on his journey alone.

"How will you tell her that you are going on a journey? A journey without return."

"I will do it without her suspecting a thing."

"The girl is very clever; she will certainly find out."

"That is why I told you to prepare a very strong sleeping potion for me."

"You are a madman. I hope you don't get yourself killed."

At mealtime, Aristo poured the potion into the girl's food without drawing her attention. They finished their meal and washed the dishes. As was their custom, after the meal, Maera embraced Aristo, and Aristo held her in his arms as if she were his sister. Maera went to her bed and closed her eyes. Aristo, once he made sure she was asleep, rose and loaded his travel gear, which he had secretly prepared beforehand, onto his horse and mounted its saddle. He was slowly moving away from his home when he heard the footsteps of another horse behind him. He looked back and saw Maera.

"You should be sleeping now. What are you doing here?" Maera replied without a word: "I am coming with you." "You cannot; this journey is far too dangerous. There is no reason for you to come. Please, return to the house at once; value the life you so painstakingly held on to." "I am coming with you; I have my own reasons for this journey. I want to find out what that voice in my head is and what it wants from me." "Your reason is in no way logical; to risk your life for a voice in your mind?" The argument between the two became so heated that it was as if they intended to take each other's lives. All the residents of the settlement came out to see what was happening.

As the people came out and their argument grew, a great black spot in the sky drew everyone's attention. A spot so large that it blocked the light of the sun from the town. That blackness was none other than the God of Chaos, Balor, and his army flying toward the northwest, where the Star Castle was located. The war had begun.

Dante and Anahita were sitting together in the palace's green garden. It was a peaceful day. A cool breeze was blowing, caressing the grass and trees. In the midst of this peace, chaos suddenly arrived and descended upon them from the sky. Zilop had broken through the surrounding barrier. He attacked the palace, and Dainos attacked the city. The king landed right in front of Dante and Anahita. The two could not believe what they saw. The barrier was broken, and they were under attack. Blood rushed to Dante's eyes when he fixed his gaze upon Zilop. In a flash, he took up the Scythe of Death and attacked Zilop. The battle between the two had begun. In the meantime, Anahita summoned her stone golems to stand against Zilop's army, and she rushed to aid Dante. Powerful blows were exchanged between the two. Zilop attacked Dante with his hammer, which was as heavy as an elephant, and Dante parried his attacks. In agility, both were evenly matched. They attacked each other from various directions. Dante decided to change his position to land a mighty blow from behind. A dark hole appeared beneath Dante's feet, and he fell into it, vanishing from Zilop's sight and reappearing in the air to attack. His speed was so great that it tired Zilop. Anahita did not dare to get close. Zilop saw Anahita standing defenseless in a corner. Dante delivered a blow from above, but his blow was parried. Immediately after parrying the blow, Zilop attacked Anahita at the speed of light. Anahita saw that she could not parry the blow with her dagger, and she was forced to cast a defensive spell. Zilop raised his hammer and attacked Anahita when suddenly Dante arrived and blocked the blow. The force of the blow was so great that it tore the surrounding trees to pieces. Now the battle grew fiercer. Anahita with her magic and spells, and Dante with his Scythe of Death, attacked the former God of the Sun like madmen. Truly, the title of Champion suited Zilop well. He kept pace with them. Their battle was so fierce that it destroyed half of the palace. In the midst of the chaos of attacks, Dante delivered a powerful blow to Zilop's right side. Zilop's right hand, which was in the path of the blow, was severed below the elbow. Dante and Anahita, relieved for a moment and weary from the battle, lowered their guard—a fatal mistake. In the blink of an eye, while his right arm was severed, Zilop delivered a mighty blow to Anahita's face with the head of his hammer. The queen's head and face were completely shattered. Dante stared helplessly at Anahita's face as it exploded. Her blood splashed onto Dante's clothes, and the upper part of his garment took on the red color of the dead queen's lips. Dante let out a scream from the depths of his heart, a scream that showed what had befallen him. At that moment, Zilop laughed in victory and spoke these words in a loud voice: "This is the punishment for rebels and traitors to the realm." Then he launched a powerful attack toward Dante. Dante, who no longer had the strength to fight, parried the blow with difficulty and fled the place.

"Take my hand, Lucian, we must escape from here. I do not have the power to face all these dragons. Now that the dust of the castle covers the air, this is our chance. Hurry and take my hand." Lucian took Nebula's hand and sat on the horse behind her. Nebula opened a gate through space and, along with Lucian, teleported on her horse to a desert a few kilometers from the castle. The black-winged Balor and his army reduced the entire castle and everyone in it to ashes. Nebula fought a heroic battle with them and even took down three of them, but it was not enough. Of the castle's staff, only Lucian survived. Nebula and he escaped from the castle. Truly, it was fate that wanted Lucian to live…

"What must we do now, my lady?"

"First, we must find a shelter for ourselves; no place in this land is safe for us anymore." They set off in search of a shelter.

Zilop had landed his first blow, and a mighty blow it was, indeed. Queen Anahita had been slain, the city of Zarix and the Star Castle had burned in the flames, a great victory for Zilop. At this very moment, Lucian and Maera had both begun a new journey. What was their connection to these events? Was it related to that whisper? No one knows for now; we must wait and see what the hand of fate has in store for these two.

Satan returned to hell after speaking with Saulith. He had now understood, to some extent, the truth about his brother Hermes.

Let us go to Limbo, the place that was known as the royal chamber of hell. After returning, Satan went there to see Lucifer and to inquire about his well-being.

"Welcome, brother, how was your short journey?"

"It was good. It is a strange feeling to see the world again after 900 years." The two brothers were busy conversing when they suddenly sensed an unusual presence in the corner of their room. A shadow, most dark and ominous, was there. It had no face. It was just a black spot with a terrifying voice. "Greetings to the King and Prince of Hell…"

What was that shadow, and what was it doing there?

Part 1 of the story, "The Foreigners," ends here.

Thank you for accompanying me, Lucian, and Maera this far. Part 2, titled "The Journey," will begin soon.