That day was a grand day for the Infernal Dynasty. It was the 10000th anniversary of Infernal Dynasty's birth. At the same time, Old King Quasar's 462nd birthday was nearing. Yet, at the request of King Himself, his birthday was made in the same day as 10000th Anniversary.
Though birthdays were very important to rulers, they were not equal to the Dynasty's Anniversaries. King's humble request was taken as, for some people, an offense, and Conceit. Still, King Quasar was not bothered by the thoughts of low-level nobles and officials.
King Quasar, from the moment that day arrived, sat on his humble wooden throne and awaited the Glorious Infernal Dynasty's Sunrise. When the first lights of Sun illuminated the golden buildings and high skyscrapers, a small smile was plastered on his beloved face. Slowly and steadily, without even blinking for hours, King Quasar watched the sun's rise.
His Jade-like green eyes glittered with stars and heavenly matters, making his humble abode like a celestial residence. His fair skin was purer than everything in the universe, his smile more brighter than all existence. With a step, he stood up from his throne. One step, one hour. With his every step, an hour passed for him. Yet, it was only matters of seconds to people outside.
With a small touch, he opened the 10-meter wide Gold-Diamond gates and left the residence. Even after his departure, the dominating and merciful aura lingered around. As he left, the Gold-Diamond gate closed by themselves, telling to the world that even without their master, they wouldn't let anyone inside his residence.
...
The capital of Infernal Dynasty was bustling with energy. People ran from side to side and shouted each other in hurry. Each person here had different stories, different lives, and different positions. Yet, there was one point, a point that everyone carried. Unlimited Joy and respect. Joy towards the happiness they found in this lifetime, under the rule of the Infernal Dynasty. And respect towards the Dynasty, towards the King.
Soon, the sun was high up in the sky, it's lights reaching to every corner of the magnificent city. As people were brimming with excitement, the long-awaited event started.
High up in the sky, 2 giant bells appeared. One of them was Jade-like green, the one right beside it Darker than the void itself. Behind these 2 bells, 2 phantoms appeared.
Jade-like Green bell had a man who wore imperial robes with a golden crown. Dragons and miscellaneous mystical creatures danced around the man, letting out roars of excitement.
Void-like Dark bell also had a man who wore a cloak darker than all of the existence. It's pair of eyes, flashing with myriad colors, gave a mysterious aura. With a long scythe and a dark vibe, he stood right beside the other man.
These phantoms represented the fate of Dynasty, as well as the world's fate. Founder of the Infernal Dynasty, Infernal Emperor Tarsus, created these 2 bells as he sacrificed his lifeblood and soul, only to let his offspring live safely.
Every people in the existence held their breaths as they kneeled towards these 2 bells. As the objects that carried the blood and soul of the Infernal Emperor Tarsus, they still held some 'Consciousness' It didn't have any will, this consciousness only had the ability to decide and obey. Still, to the great man who found Infernal Dynasty and let people live merrily and safe, each race and people held endless respect.
2 shadows looked down towards the masses. Imperial Robed shadow waved his hand and masses stood up. Cloaked Shadow chuckled, masses laughed with joy. Slowly, King Quasar appeared from the horizon. He was walking, without any escort nor guard. Behind him, a magnificent and merciful aura followed.
His jade-like eyes glittered as he looked towards the 2 shadows. Shadows also turned towards him and locked their gazes on him. Suddenly, a majestic aura enveloped every inch of the Capital. Millions upon millions of people stood rooted at their places, not even breathing nor blinking out of excitement and fear.
King Quasar's complexion turned slowly complex, then ashen gray. Yet, people couldn't look at him as the pressure made them unable to even tremble. Imperial robed shadow shook his head, slowly touching the green bell.
With a huge sound, whole Capital shook and people started to shiver. Green bell represented the future as well as the life of the Dynasty, which was connected with the common folk. Dynasty lived, people lived. Dynasty died, people died. The only thing they awaited right now was how many times would the bell ring.
Yet, the green bell didn't ring again. People waited, officials waited, nobles waited, the royal family waited. Every existence was hoping for another ring, yet that sound didn't reach to them.
Slowly, Imperial robed shadow fused with green bell and disappeared with a trail of light, leaving the land of Imperial Dynasty. The only thing left was the dark bell. Cloaked shadow let out a sigh and reached towards the dark bell. With a touch, bell ringed one time.
*WRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY*
A sharp scream echoed out from the bell and shook the hearts of people. King Quasar slowly lowered his head, looking down at his clothes. His majestic eyes have lost the sparkles it had, his aura diminished. He felt that a power was stripping him out of his powers. He didn't even have a chance to resist.
''What did I do wrong?'' he asked himself with a loud voice. People slowly shed tears, yet it was still not over. Cloaked shadow touched the bell again, and it ringed another time. Same shrill, sharp scream echoed out but this time much more powerful.
''Did I ruled my people unfairly?''
A 3rd time, a stronger scream.
''Did I use my force for evil?''
4th time, people slowly felt their hearts turning cold.
''Was my thoughts wrong?''
5th time, all nobles started to kneel towards the Cloaked shadow, begging with tears and screams to stop.
''Did I failed my family?''
6th time, people started to lose control. Shouts of rage and hatred rose.
''I knew that our Dynasty was not eternal but why it ended with me?''
7th time, screams of agony rose from people. Tears spilled like waterfalls and blood painted the streets from chaos.
''Was I undeserving of my position?''
8th time. People turned their gazes towards the King Quasar. Hatred, Sorrow, Pity, Fear, and excitement.
''Tell me, Ancestor.''
9th time.
Slowly, clouds gathered above the capital. Clouds that even King Quasar, in his fairly long life, didn't manage to see. Thunders gathered and rain poured down to the majestic city. King Quasar stood like that, clenching his fists as masses slowly walked towards him.
''MY KING!''
''Why? Why? WHY!?''
''You promised! You said that you would always protect us!''
''Yet what have you DONE!''
''I knew that magician was true. He said that you were going to be a calamity!''
''It's all your fault that we are dying!''
''Are you happy, Majesty?''
King Quasar gritted his teeth. His fingernails slowly seeped into his fair skin as blood spewed out. People who witnessed his bleeding hand trembled. Blood slowly evaporated, turning into a mist of red. Still, they advanced. With shouts, with hatred, With sorrow.
''Your Majesty.''
Quasar turned around. He knew this voice very well. The voice that accompanied him for a lifetime. He woke up to this voice every morning, slept while listening to this voice. He looked at the woman, who was standing there like a doll.
Her eyes reddened, her lips bleeding from biting. Her white skin was pale and her whole body was trembling. King Quasar couldn't stand to this scene.
''I'm sorry.''
That was all he could say. He took a step forward to his wife. He held her delicate and tiny hands, only to feel a coldness. His hands trembled as he slowly embraced the woman he loved. ''You don't have to be sorry dear, you don't have to be.'' She said in a quiet voice.
Just like her body, her voice was also trembling. Quasar's eyes reddened yet he didn't spill any tear. He didn't, no, he couldn't. He slowly turned around as he held his wife's hand.
He looked up towards his ancestor for one last time. Dark clouds were already like a tornado as thunders size of the half of the capital traveled inside it. Dark cloaked shadow, his ancestor, let out another sigh. It contained myriads of emotions as well as countless thoughts.
''You trusted the wrong person.''
With a sweep of his scythe, he tore the whole capital to two and also merged with the dark bell. Just like the green bell, he left a trail of light as bell left this world.
Feeling the earth rising and falling like waves, King Quasar stood dumbly. He couldn't comprehend the words of Cloaked shadow. As he stood there, the clouds in the high sky started to rumble with deafening sounds. He clenched his left fist from the fear of hurting his wife's hand.
''Who, Who was the one that betrayed me?''
''Alexa? Krull? Leonidas? Baar? Uriel? Tark?''
''Why?''
Pitifully, like a lost dog, Quasar stood. Suddenly, a huge boom echoed out as an eye appeared inside the storm clouds. It was a beautiful eye, it was Jade-like green with stars and heavenly masses floating inside it. Yet, it didn't give any aura of mercy or kindness.
It only had an aura of death.
As the despair and frustration were filling his heart, King Quasar heard a chuckle. Slowly, he turned towards his wife, who was letting out tears as she chuckled. Slowly, her chuckles turned into a laughter, a maddened laughter.
''?!'' Before he could do anything, a sword pierced through Quasar's heart. He coughed a mouthful of blood as he looked at his wife with pitiful eyes.
''Fool.'' His wife said as she kicked him to the ground. His body fell like a doll as he coughed more and more blood. His wife came to his side and took out the sword.
''Do you remember this sword? This is the sword you forged me yourself at my birthday.'' She said as she stabbed the sword once more.
''Do you feel pain?'' She stabbed once more.
''Do you feel despair?'' Once more.
''Do you feel hatred towards me?'' Once more
''Do you hate me?'' Once more
''DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I WANTED TO STAB YOU LIKE THIS?!'' She let out a scream as she stabbed Quasar's body continuously. After some time, she was feeling tired as she kneeled in front of Quasar's body, looking at him with a mad gaze.
''So, What do you feel?''
''Do you like the feeling of what you accomplished being turned into dust?''
''Do you know how much I suffered, I cried for this day?''
''No, of course, no. How could our high and esteemed King know the worries of someone like me!''
She got on him as she lifted the sword once more, aiming for his neck.
''Do you have any last words, you worthless King?''
Quasar lifted his eyelids and looked towards Her. He slowly raised his hand towards her head. ''You want to hit me?'' She said with ridicule but didn't interrupt him. She knew that he was going to die anyway, he didn't have any strength left in him.
Slowly, Quasar reached out towards her cheek. His wife was shocked as Quasar slowly caressed her face with a soft gaze.
''Yes... I remember.''
''I...I remember everything.''
''How much time I spent on it...''
''How I put a magic that can even kill me on it..''
''I... remember.''
''How much Love I put in it...''
''Don't MESS WITH ME!'' Quasar's wife screamed as she cut his arm that caressed her cheek in a fit of rage. Quasar let out a groan as more blood seeped out from his body.
''But... Do you remember?''
''Do you remember... what I said?''
''Our lives are like the sun... It's a cycle.''
''We live, We die. It's connected.''
''If you fear from the night, then you can't live in the day...''
''This is also how our dynasty is.''
''It may be destroyed, may become ruins or can get annihilated.''
''But, it will rise again.''
''Like how Phoenixes rise from their ashes.''
''Like how Flames of Live can be rekindled.''
''Like... How Sun rises and falls''
''Then... What was the point in all of this?''
''Just like How my father always said: What makes a kingdom is not King, but people.''
''As long as my people are alive... then I will also be alive.''
Quasar struggled to speak once more but all he could do was let out a small groan. His eyes were unwilling like he was struggling to say something. Yet, he still couldn't. All His wife could read from his mouth was:
''I love You''
Feeling Quasar's body going limp, She stabbed the sword to his side. She slowly stood up as the eye above the clouds locked on her. As Aura of Destruction descended, the world started to quake. Waves rose from the seas and beasts howled in anguish.
All living beings could do nothing but accept this punishment. And at the center of the punishment was her, Quasar's wife.
She looked upwards towards the eye and laughed. She laughed like a roaring of the beast. ''EVEN AT THE END, YOU INFERNALS ARE NOTHING BUT JOKES!'' Jade-Like green eye turned looked calmly towards her.
She could hear a sigh of pity coming from the eye. Yet, she didn't care. Feeling the accomplishment of completing her quest, she only laughed. Laughed like a madman.
''LONG LIVE TO SOVEREIGN!''
With her last shout, she turned into dust. After her, one by one, every being started to become dust piles. Slowly, countless dust specks filled the air and traveled around the world. Only the body of Quasar remained in the dead world, lonely, silent.