At the gathering...
"You are as beautiful as the rumors said about you" Edmond raised a cup in honor of Elora's beauty.
The gathering was filled with laughter and drunk men whose eyes were filled with lust and finally, the night came to an end and Elora and her family were given a place to stay for the night.
Elora stood at the window captivated by the view of the kingdom. She realized how small her father's kingdom was compared to Amira's.
Suddenly an unsettling wind blew past her sending chills through her body and so she folded her arms and shiver as the wind became colder.
"Elora, Elora did you think you could outsmart me" the voice whispered into her ears.
She shook her head and closed her ears to stop herself from listening to the voice.
And suddenly it stopped and slowly she opened her eyes and removed her hands from her ears.
"You must think of me as a fool" a male voice spoke behind her and immediately she realized who he was and turned to face him.
She was scared and wary of him and for that reason, she maintained a distance between them.
"H-how did you get in here?" she asked in a stuttering voice.
He scoffed and said, "Hmmm I believe I should just make Levine disappear for good."
Her eyes widened with fear and anguish without realizing it she was on her knees.
"No!, p-please, you promised to let me see him" she pleaded while sobbing.
He stood up and got closer and bend a knee to level up with her.
"You had one job, just one job and you had to fall in love," he said to her.
She wasn't expecting his response. "N-no i-it's not true I-I-I.." she struggled to speak.
"Don't try to explain dear, so since I am a benevolent man I will give you another chance to find me his weakness by sundown" he instructed.
"B-but I can't leave here" she pointed.
"Hmmm, let's see, I believe it's not my concern. Find a way to get to him and make sure you get want I want or else you will never see your lover again" he warned.
He gave her a peck on the forehead and disappeared into thin air. She was shattered and scared, all her life, all she ever wanted was to love and be loved.
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be what she expected.
Spirit Realm.
Kali gathered his fellow friends for a sword fight but his true aim was to have a duel with his mortal enemy Raul.
He hated and envied him because he believed he was favored by everyone.
He gathered the gods and guardians to witness his sword fight with Raul and he asked Raul to fight with him.
Raul rejected the idea in the beginning but rumors started spreading that he might be afraid of losing to Kali which was the reason for his rejection.
He wanted to prove a point and so he accepted the challenge.
Everyone gathered at the light arena, where gods and guardians train among each other for battle.
Kirrinoth and Paxive had bet on who would win. Kirrinoth bet on Raul and Paxive on Kali.
"Why are you betting on Kali, is it because he is ruler now? No guardian can beat Raul when it comes to sword fights" Kirrinoth enquired.
Paxive scoffed. "I know, I have witnessed his countless wins but this time around he will surely lose"
Kirrinoth scoffed. "You and your damn predictions".
As the sun set above them, casting eerie shadows across the arena. The two guardians Raul and Kali prepare for their epic sword fight that would decide who was mightier.
Raul, known as the best swordsman with his divine power of lightning and thunder, stood adorned in glistening silver armor and his sword crackled with electrical energy.
Opposite him, stood Kali, the fearsome ruler of the demon realm whose divine power was mastery over the elements, granting him the power to manipulate sand (earth).
his sword aglow with flickering sand.
The air crackled with anticipation, heavy with the weight of impending clash. Raul narrowed his navy eyes, his powerful build emanating confidence as he summoned a lightning storm above his head.
Arcs of vibrant electricity danced around him, emphasizing his readiness to strike.
Kali, on the other hand, closed his dark eyes, resting one hand on his hilt, and whispered ancient incantations under his breath and cracked the earth.
Rocks and sand danced around him and with his fierce look showed how ready he was to strike his opponent.
They circle each other, their eyes locked in a fierce gaze. Their swords clashed and only the sound filling the arena was the faint clinking of metal. The tension was palpable.
Kali striker first, launching a swift and powerful attack. Raul parried skillfully, but Kali weakened his stance. Their swords clash with a metallic ring, each strike sending sparks flying.
As they continued their back and forth, Kali begun to overpower Raul, slowly pushing him toward the ground. Despite the intensity of the fight, Raul never lost his determination.
Unfortunately, the fight came to an end with Raul bending one knee and a sword to his neck.
Everyone was shocked to see Raul defeated and the fierce glance from Kali made everyone swallow their words.
He withdraw his sword and whispered into Raul's ears. "If you hurt Rhoda in any way possible I will make you regret it"
He lifted his sword and they hailed him for his victory. Paxive held his hand towards Kirrinoth waiting for his reward but the intense look on Kirrinoyh's face made him wonder what he was thinking about.
He snapped at him and he came back to his senses and smiled.
"I lost, I didn't see this coming" Kirrinoth sighed.
"I never lie" Paxive praised himself.
Kirrinoth scoffed.
Raul went to his chambers to change. Even though he was defeated he didn't feel sad or angry rather he felt relieved.
"If you hurt Rhoda in any way possible I will make you regret it" he remembered the words of Kali and scoffed.
"He still loves her tsk, ridiculous"
He suddenly became quiet and sighed.
"What are you doing here Kirrinoth?" he asked as he took his armor off.
"You hesitated when you were fighting with Kali" Kirrinoth pointed out.
He paused and turned to Kirrinoth.
"I did not, I was defeated"
Kirrinoth scoffed. "I know you and I know how you fight. You made him win"
"Kit, I am not the most powerful, I can be defeated I believe you understand. Now leave I need to get changed"
Kirrinoth was annoyed now, he scratched the back of his head and left the room.
Raul smiled at his reaction and got ready to leave for Vallee.
He left without anyone noticing and waited for Elora under the oak tree. He waited and waited until he fell asleep.
He woke up to see Elora looking at him and he smiled wholeheartedly at her.
"How long have you been here?" he asked.
"Long enough" she answered and they both giggled.
"I have missed you," he said to her. "And so do I" she forced a smile.
Elora knew what she was about to do was something Raul would never forgive her for and yet she had no choice but to do it.
They embraced each other in their arms and stayed together for a while and suddenly Elora asked a strange question.
"Raul, what is your source of power?"
"Why do you ask?" he answered with a question. "No particular reason I just wanted to know more about you" she convinced him.
He smiled and pinched her cheeks. "Ouch that hurts" he scoffed at her reaction.
"My sword helps me channel my power, so without it, I am guessing I am powerless" he revealed to her.
For a moment she wished he hadn't told her and that he kept it to himself because she had no choice but to betray him.
"I don't believe it, I am sure there is more to you than just your sword," she said.
"No, each of us of something special that helps to channel our divine powers and mine is my sword" he explained further.
She was feeling more guilty than before and so she suddenly kissed him on the lips startling him.
She pulled away shyly but he pulled her for a passionate kiss which lead to another.
As their lips glued to each other, the sun sets down, a warm golden glow across the vast enchanted garden.
The air was filled with the gentle whispers of leaves rustling in the breeze, adding an ethereal touch to their surroundings.
They paused to take a breather as Elora's delicate hand pulled away to avoid Raul noticing her shy and reddish face.
Raul was tall and strong, pulled her slowly to his side, and his piercing gray eyes locked onto hers and they were lost in their gaze as he caressed her cheeks.
They exchanged a knowing look, understanding the rarity of this moment, where time seemed to stand still.
A soft melody played in the background, composed by nature itself as if celebrating the union of desperate souls yearning for each other.
Without a word spoken, Raul closed the distance between them, his strong arms encircling Elora in a delicate frame.
The warmth of his touch sent shivers down her spine and before they knew it they were lost in the moment still the next morning.
The next morning Raul woke up alone. Elora wasn't with him, he search everywhere for her but she was nowhere to be found.
He soon gave up and believed she had left for her kingdom.
He sat under the tree and reminisced on the night he spend with Elora and he smiled. Suddenly an ominous sound cuts through the air. It's a sharp whistling sound, growing louder by the second piercing through his left shoulder.
It was an arrow and no ordinary one and so he leaned his back to the tree for support. His heart races as he scrambles to his feet and scanned the forest, trying to identify the hidden assailant.
Before he knew it he was hit by another arrow to his right leg and the next to his right chest making him cough an amount of blood out.
He closed his eyes and opened it again only to witness an army of mortals with arrows and swords aiming for his throat.
And for a moment he believed he saw Elora look at him and turned away. He turned to search for his sword but it was gone.
He fell on his knee defeated for his heart was shattered into pieces and they charged at him.
*****