"Hold the door!" A knight of Inaha shouted.
Just as a group of empire knights made it to one of the guest halls to warn them of the threat, they began to hear an incessant, horrible, inhuman gnashing. The infected had made it there too. They turned down the hall, looking just as human as the knights. But their looks were the only similarity to be found. Their eyes lacked humanity and they growled and hissed like crazed beasts. There was no time to prepare. The only thing the Knights could do was hold them off. Some of the infected were knights of Forsyth and some were civilians. Some were maids of the castle and some served representatives of other Kingdoms. The invasion was a strange conglomerate of different people. Nobody knew what was happening. Nobody knew what to do. So they barred the doors as fast as they could. But it wasn't enough.
The steel hinges on the doors were beginning to break from the wall and they knew once the doors came down, there was nowhere else to run. And then, just as the last screw on the top hinge of the right door broke loose, the corridor exploded with light. Shades of red and blue covered every inch of the hall, an inexplicable magic that none of them had ever seen. The creatures screeched and hissed a horrible sound, cowering to the light.
And then, it was gone.
Where the corridor was once bathed in light, there was only silence.
Just as quickly as the light came, it was as if it was never there at all. And so was the force of the creatures that suddenly attacked.
The knights looked to each other and hesitantly let the doors fall open. What they found, they almost couldn't believe. A horde of people lay motionless on the floor. They were different from just moments before. There was blood smeared on their clothes and skin, but where gaping wounds once were — bloody and exposed — now there was only smooth, unblemished skin, as if they were never there at all.
Among the horde of bodies, the eyelids of one representative flitted open. The Knights of Forsyth jumped, backing away behind the doors, clambering over each other. The woman slowly sat up, her body entangled among the people. She rubbed her eyes, as if waking from a deep slumber. She looked over at the Knights, confused, then down at the lazy horde that surrounded her.
"W-what happened?" she asked, looking at the Knights.
Each of them stared at the other in dumbfounded silence. Aside from the broken doors, it was as if they were never attacked. The horde before them was no longer a bloody, viscous horde.
It was simply a group of sleeping people.
***
In the kitchens, the chef and two cooks huddled beneath the preparation table, their trembling hands gripping one another in comfort. An infected repeatedly slammed its body against the door. Its angry howling sent dread and fear down their spine in waves like hordes of tiny spiders running for their lives, begging them to move. But the kitchens only had one door and as long as that monstrosity had its sights set on them, there was no way out.
Then, the metal door began to bend inward, concaving from the force of the monster. One of the cooks could no longer hold back his tears of terror, allowing them to cascade down his face. One of the other cooks held him, his expression more stoic but no less afraid.
Then, the door burst open.
And just as their hearts seized — just as the creature's body came into full view — sapphire light flooded the room. It was so bright, they each averted their eyes, shielding themselves from it. The initial flash was shocking but the feel of it instantly relaxed them. The anxiety and terror that took hold of them slowly began to loosen its deathly grip. The minor cuts and pains on their bodies disappeared into nothing but memory.
And then, the light was gone.
THUD!
The body fell to the ground, hard.
"AHHH!" The four of them screamed in unison, recoiling.
But their fear was short-lived. The monster that had fallen to its knees was nothing more than an old man — one they knew.
"It's George," the Chef whispered, instantly recognizing the palace baker.
The baker lay there, breathing steadily, as if anchored in a deep slumber.
"He looks…normal again," the line-cook, Mary, added. "What happened?"
"It was the light," line-cook John answered.
Mary shot him a confused look.
"It had to be," he continued. "My ankle broke when I was a young boy and it never healed right. I've become so used to the pain that I hardly registered it anymore. But now…the pain is gone, as if it was never there to begin with. Yes…it must be the work of The Goddess' vessels!"
***
Deep beneath the fireplace, Selma could feel the walls tremble with the force of magic. She folded herself as small as she could, crouching in the ash, pushing herself as deep inside as she could go. She could hear the hiss of the infected somewhere above, writhing in pain from some unknown force. Selma hoped, prayed --- possibly seriously for the first time in her life --- that Maren and Cora had figured it out.
And then, her eye caught it. Seeping between the cracks of the fireplace, was a familiar Sapphire light. Her eyes widened and she shot to her feet instantly. They were only the distant, faded rays of her light but as Selma reached for it, bathing her hand in the glow, her body began to heal. She didn't realize what was happening at first. She didn't recognize that Maren's light had this effect. But as the bruise on her hand began to disappear right before her eyes, Selma began to feel it all over her body. The bruises, the cuts, and even the rib that she wasn't sure was bruised or broken — all of them began to heal faster than any wound she'd ever had.
Tears broke free from her eyes, spilling over her face as she basked in the light. A quiet chuckle burst from her throat, and steadily turned into laughter.
Then, Maren's Sapphire light was gone and so was the hissing of the infected.
Selma fell to her knees, the ash lightening the blow on her body.
A tired smile tugged the corners of her mouth. Her ash covered hands gripped her nightdress and exhausted tears dripped down upon them.
"They figured it out," she whispered, not bothering to wipe the tears away. "Thank the Goddess…they really figured it out."
***
Locked in her room, Queen Victoria stood alone in the darkness. For so many weeks, she'd experienced only moments of each day. She knew there was something wrong with her but she couldn't bring herself to admit what she knew must be true. Were she to admit it, she was sure death would come to her swiftly.
She'd spent the last few weeks trying to give her children signs that something was wrong. She'd stare at Selma during dinner, hoping that her daughter, more intelligent than anyone she's ever known, would see her through the Darkspirits facade. She'd act strangely around Darrun, just enough so the Darkspirit wouldn't catch on. When she'd gained sentience before the start of the first trial, she had just enough time to slip her son a piece of paper so that he knew the safest route but to never enter the cave.
The spirit wanted him infected and in the most recent weeks, its feelings began to twist into hers. Sometimes she didn't know whether her anger or her fear was her own. But even through all that, she had one thing that was her own. One thing that the Darkspirit could never covet.
Love.
The love she felt for her children.
The spirit wanted to infect Darrin, so it allowed her to give him the paper. But the Queen knew her son was perceptive. She knew that he would never fall for its trap.
And as she paced in her room, finally sentient for one more moment, listening to the cries of the palace, she craved for this horror to end. Her body, now weak from having gone days without eating, trembled violently. The Darkspirit was quiet inside her now, likely too involved with everything else going on.
Sometimes she instinctively knew what was happening around the castle, her thoughts melding with the hive mind. But now, as the hive began to dwindle and weaken with every minute that passed, the Queen began to feel relief.
"I'm such a coward," she whispered as she paced in the darkness of her bedchamber. "Selma is out there. Darrin is out there. And I can't do anything. I can't…"
Then, blue light shone brightly through her window.
Instantly, the Darkspirit within her began to recoil.
"AHHH!" She screamed, her body suddenly stricken with pain. The creature gripped every nerve inside her, willing her to shrink away from the Sapphire light.
But the Queen had heard the stories.
Sapphire heals.
Then perhaps… she thought.
The Queen fought against herself, falling to her knees. The spirit was weaker than before but it showed her visions of her children. She saw her son, crying for help in a tree on the mountain. She saw her daughter, thin and with a crazed, stubborn expression, kneeling in the rain, yelling for the infected to chase her and not the maids.
"No," the Queen said as she watched her daughter escape into darkness. "I have to save them! I can't let this be the end!"
She crawled toward the window, reaching for the Sapphire light. Her body burned with a vengeance she'd never known. It was like being set aflame yet having complete control over her limbs. The Queen crawled, and just as her fingers brushed the light that peaked through the curtain, she knew a ray of light wouldn't be enough to get rid of this thing inside her.
The Queen gripped the thick curtain of her room and used the last of her strength to tear it from the window. The fabrics clattered to the ground in front of her, and before she felt what was happening, she saw them in the sky.
The starblessed princesses danced in the sky, bright as stars.
She'd never witnessed such a thing. Both of them glowed so brilliantly that she finally understood, just a little, why her daughter was so enamored with them. They were like beings of another world. And though the Ruby Princess glowed just as bright, it was the Sapphire light that reached her.
Then, her vision became unfocused.
The Queen reached her hand out in front of her, but she didn't know what she was reaching for.
She could feel the spirit inside her dissipate into nothing, but her body still felt weak.
"My babies.." she whispered.
***
The rain had finally subsided, leaving only a chilling wind in its wake. Hayden gripped the Inahian Prince with the last shred of strength he had left. When they took the far branching path left to follow the river up, he hadn't expected that monsoon. The river overflowed just as quickly as the rain had started. Had Prince Elio of Inaha not grasped his arm at the last second, and pulled him to safety, he would have surely been swept away.
Hayden had grown up in Garyn but ever since that day when the water turned crimson, he'd never dared swim again. And because of that, he had completely forgotten how to swim.
Yes, he thought. Had Elio not been there, I surely would have died tonight. His thoughts wandered to the palace. Surely they didn't intend on killing us? But how could they have set this up without that intention? Rivers overflow seasonally. Surely someone would have protested against it. Or is having two Princesses really that big a deal?
Hayden rolled his eyes.
He never had much affection or attraction for either of the Princesses. He'd seen portraits of Princess Maren for most of his life. She was beautiful, that much was true, but there was something too soft and compliant in her expression — it disgusted him. Cora on the other hand, was not compliant in the least.
He remembered that year when their families reunited, a business venture to be sure, hidden beneath the mask of familial piety. Hayden blushed, thinking of that year. The children played tag in the forest. Hayden had scared Cora and in return, she'd thrown mud in his face.
That defiant personality.
That angry look in her eye.
He wanted to break it. To soften it. He didn't like things that were too easy to control. He had seen her in the distance at family gatherings after, though she hadn't seen him. He saw the spark in her eye had all but been extinguished by her family. So when his father commanded him to take part in the trials, he did so only out of duty to his family. Cora didn't excite him anymore.
But then, when he walked that stage, when he made eye contact with her for the first time since they were children, he saw how wrong he was.
He saw that same fire in her eyes that he so coveted for himself.
It excited him like nothing ever had before.
Then, something caught his eye.
Shooting stars, in shades of red and blue, flitted across the sky.
Hayden's eyes grew wide.
"What is-" he whispered, but stopped.
He'd known all his life that Cora was a Starblessed. His parents had even prepared him for their first meeting as children. But when he met her, he didn't understand what all the fuss was about.
She was anything but divine — all he saw was a weak human girl.
But now, his eyes grew wider to take more of their power in. It was them — Maren and Cora. They were Starblessed, their power fully unleashed for the palace to see. Both of their lights radiated brightly but it was Maren's Sapphire light that rejuvenated his body. Hayden loosened his grip on Elio, but not completely.
As Elio stared into the sky in awe, Hayden stared as well. But instead of awe, something else replaced that feeling. Hayden knew how she should be feeling. He should've been in awe. He should have also been a little bit afraid. Cora had unlocked something divine within her — power. Hayden knew all of these things, but instead of fear, he felt something much darker.
Irritated.
This power made Cora untouchable. If he crossed the line with her, she could get rid of him whenever she wanted. He didn't know why or how this was happening, but he knew one thing as they watched the princesses dance across the sky, lost in a jovial daze together.
Hayden could absolutely never let that happen.
Excitement bloomed low in his stomach, and laughter bubbled up from the idea that came with it.
Elio gave him a strange look.
"Are you possessed or something? I'm going to drop you if you keep acting like that," he said with a look of disgust.
But Hayden hardly heard him.
Ah, he thought with a bright blush that spread across his face, yes, that's what I need. I might not win tonight. But I absolutely must have that power for myself. [1]
***
Maren and Cora flitted through the air above the palace, twirling and leaping hand in hand. Maren had been smiling for so long, she thought she may have forgotten how to frown. But unlike usual, her long-lasting smile didn't hurt. In fact, no part of her hurt.
Just listening to the sound of Cora's laughter as they stepped through the air was enough to make her lose her senses. They might not have had a chance to dance at the ball but the night sky was better a dance floor than any. As they danced, Cora held Maren, unabashedly in her arms. They swayed, dipped and twirled through the air as Maren allowed her light to completely engulf the castle. She could feel the Darkspirits dissipating with every second, until there was not a single one left that she could feel.
"Cora," Maren whispered in a language she'd never spoken before. She reached her hand, covered in blue light, and cupped Cora's face. "We should move on. I still feel a few more at the mountain peak."
Cora gazed down at Maren, holding her by the waist. Maren could feel Cora's desire. She could see the way it burned behind her eyes. She could feel it in the tightness of her grip as her fingers dug into her waist. Cora was hungry in a way that mirrored her own yearning, and Maren savored every second of it.
But they had to finish what they started.
"Let's-" Maren began, twisting out of Cora's arm.
But Cora pulled her back. She dipped Maren back, holding her by the waist. Maren extended her head back, excited by Cora's enthusiasm to keep her close. She loved the way Cora's hand felt on her lower back, steady and firm. She liked the way Cora extended her body through dance. It was electric and exciting and passionate in a way Maren didn't know how to explain. It was like, for the first time in their lives, they could be exactly who they were. Expressing themselves came easy like never before. And Maren knew, feeling Cora's hands on her body, that she wanted more.
And when she came back up, her lips met Cora's.
Maren's eyes went wide, feeling Cora's lips on hers fully for the first time. She was so shocked, she couldn't move. But Cora did. Cora's mouth moved against hers, her tongue greedy and wanting more. Maren's breath quickened, breaking through the shock, and soon, she melted into Cora's embrace.
Maren tossed her arms around her neck, leaning into her passion. A small sound of pleasure escaped her throat, one she hadn't meant to make. She blushed furiously, but Cora wouldn't let her go. This kiss was unlike anything she'd felt before. Her body trembled yet glowed brightly. Her senses were alight yet entirely consumed by Cora.
It was a feeling she didn't want to end.
But then, they both felt it — magic from the peak of the mountain.
They breathed into one another, pausing briefly, interrupted by their sense of duty. Cora leaned her forehead on Maren's, brushing her nose against hers.
"We will pick up where we left off," Cora whispered with a breathy giggle.
Maren nodded with a smile and as they calmed, breathing into one another, the tone suddenly became more serious. Maren realized not only what happened, but what this moment meant for them.
She didn't know if Cora felt the same way, but she knew one thing. Something she felt in the deepest reaches of her soul.
"I love you," Maren whispered, shutting her eyes so she didn't have to see Cora's reaction. She was terrified by this feeling. Terrified of Cora's rejection, so much so that tears threatened to escape her eyes.
But then, Cora responded with a tenderness Maren didn't expect. She brushed her nose against Maren's once more and then brought her lips to Maren's and kissed her softly. Maren swallowed and Cora kissed her once more. That was all it took for Maren to melt into Cora once more. Maren kissed her back, more fervently than before.
"I love you too," Cora whispered into their kiss. [2]
She was so quiet, Maren thought she might not have heard it, had she not felt Cora utter the words against her lips. Maren's breath hitched, and suddenly her magic began to spark all around her, popping brightly like fireworks.
She opened her eyes to gaze at Cora, and when she did, she saw the sincerity within her. Cora looked bashful, yet excited at the same time. And when she grinned, her own magic began to spark and pop even louder around her.
"Come on," Cora said gripping Maren's hand with a bright smile. "Let's finish this."
[1] I love a villain, but I absolutely cannot STAND Hayden, even as a lover of villains. I wanted to write him as a true misogynistic sadist, but I know that because sometimes in Dark Romance/Dark Fantasy, the lines between a male lead and a villain can be blurred. But I wanted to make sure I wrote him in just the right way so that the audience knows this dude is actually crazy lol.
[2] As the writer, I have been ITCHING to write this scene! The Avelle Arc is going to be so SPOICY! XD