Gasps filled the air as the revelation about Athiel's pregnancy sank in. Accusatory eyes shifted to Princess Athiel, whose face had lost all colour. The discovery sat heavy in the air, filled with disbelief and disappointment.
"What?" Queen Evangeline whispered, her eyes widening in disbelief. "You cannot be serious." Her face twisted in anguish as she turned to her daughter, Princess Athiel, who had gone deathly pale. "This cannot be true. Tell me It is not true!"
"No!" Athiel shrieked, her denial echoing off the damp stone walls. "No, it is not true! I swear it!" Tears streamed down her cheeks as she staggered backwards, her hands pressed against her stomach as if to ward off the truth.
Layil inclined her head, her eyes full of satisfaction. "Oh, but It is, dear princess," she purred. "Why do you think you were so... fascinated with that guard, 'K'?"
King Eldarion's face contorted in pain; his knuckles white as he gripped the bars of his cell. "This cannot be happening," he whispered, feeling as though he were drowning in a sea of betrayal.
"Your precious daughter wanted to pin the pregnancy on 'K' because she knew he was favoured by the king," Layil continued, her voice dripping with venom. "She thought she could frame him and take his place in your heart, but she never expected us to find out about her little tryst."
Evangeline, her face distorted with hatred and disappointment, turned her rage on her daughter. "Athiel!" she screamed. "Who is the father? Tell me his name!"
"I..it...it was not..." Athiel stammered, her voice barely audible above the sound of her own sobs. "I mean, it was a mistake. A mistake!" She sank to her knees, her hands still pressed against her stomach as if trying to protect the life growing within her.
Coriel, who had been quiet spoke up for the first time. "Athiel," she said, her voice laced with concern. "Tell us who It is. We can deal with this as a family."
"It was... one of the drivers." Athiel sobbed, her voice barely audible. "He did not mean it. It was a mistake; I swear it was!" She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the tears to stop flowing. "He said he would marry me, but then he changed his mind. He said he was afraid of losing his job."
Evangeline let out a choked gasp. Added to everything else, this news appeared to tip her over the edge. Her laugh broke out in fits of hysteria, sending shivers down the room. "Oh, how perfect," she scoffed, her voice shrill and bitter. "A bastard child, born of infidelity and deceit. The very thing that would bring our kingdom to its knees!" She turned her gaze to King Eldarion, her expression twisted into one of disgust. "A driver?" she spat. "Your daughter sleeps with a driver and now we are all paying the price."
"Do not sit here and judge me!" Athiel shrieked, her face contorted in anger as she struggled to her feet. "You are all the same! You have always been so damn perfect, so damn cold! Well, I am done pretending! I am done trying to be someone I am not just to please you!"
With a dejected expression on his face, King Eldarion pounded his fist against the floor. He yelled, "Silence!" as his voice echoed through the dungeon. His eyes darted between his wife, his 'not' son, his daughter, his concubine, his other son Akiel and finally at Layil.
Layil, seemingly unfazed by the chaos she had caused, walked over to a nearby table and uncorked a bottle of wine. Taking a long swig, she addressed the room with a smile.
"Well, well," she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "It seems I have accomplished what I set out to do. With the Althean monarchy in shambles, the witches will have no trouble invading the kingdom. And once I have dealt with the aftermath here, I can finally focus on my true target – King Kiyoshi and the Kingdom of Ivamis."
Weeks had passed and Kazi and her army finally arrived in Althea
Weeks had passed and Kazi and her army finally arrived in Althea. They boarded off the ship, but something felt different...
The hooves of Kazi's army's horses resonated through Althea's otherwise peaceful streets. The city was a ghost town, in stark contrast to its typical bustling energy. Shops were bolted shut, flags hung limp on their poles, and a sense of foreboding weighed heavily in the air. As they continued their march towards the palace, Kazi took in the scene with a mix of determination and cautiousness. She knew that the Althean royal family would not go down without a fight, and she had to be prepared for anything.
Arriving at the palace, Kazi's gut clenched. This was not right. "Spread out," she commanded her soldiers in a hushed voice, "secure the perimeter of the palace. This city is... it is too quiet."
They dismounted outside the huge Althean palace, and Kazi's soldiers formed a protective ring around it. Kazi, her heart hammering, brought out her sword and cautiously entered the palace.
The silence that greeted her was almost deafening. The air inside was thick with dust and the lingering scent of old perfume. The throne room, once bustling with activity, now felt like a graveyard.
Kazi's footsteps were muted against the soft carpeting, the only sound in the deathly silence. She walked through the hallway, each step taking her closer to the throne room. The air felt heavy, as if it was pressing down on her, making it difficult to breathe. She reached out a hand to steady herself against the marble wall, her knuckles white from the strain.
Suddenly, a muffled groan echoed down the passage. Kazi rushed forward, adrenaline pumping into her veins. She froze as she rounded the corner. Seraphinael, the royal advisor, laid on the floor. She moved closer, her sword still in its sheath. "Seraphinael?" she whispered, kneeling beside the man. His usual pale blue eyes were black and rolled back in his head. His breathing was shallow and ragged.
He twitched frantically, like a puppet with hidden strings.
"Who did this?" Kazi whispered, her hand flying to Seraphinael's neck, feeling for a pulse. It was weak, but there. "Can you hear me?" she asked, shaking him gently. There was no response. Panic began to set in. She glanced around frantically, looking for anyone else. But no one was there....
Before she could think more, the sound of shattering glass echoed down the hallway. Her heart pounding, Kazi drew her sword and dashed back down the hallway. She skidded to a halt as she reached the entrance, her breath catching in her throat.
The once grand throne room had been completely destroyed. Broken furniture scattered across the floor, and sunshine streamed through a huge hole in the shattered window.
Kazi slowly walked to the window, her heart racing. She looked out at the courtyard...There, lying motionless on the ground below, was Uriel.
Dead.
Kazi's mind reeled as she stared out the window at the lifeless form of Uriel. How? Uriel, the traitor, the one she thought responsible, was... dead. Her heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand. Her eyes darted around frantically looking for answers.
Then a chilly sensation came over her. The sky, once a pure blue began to darken, an unnatural blackness seeping into the corners of her vision. The air grew colder, and a distant rumble echoed through the courtyard. Kazi looked in horror as Althea's beautiful, angelic aura faded, leaving behind a cold, empty void.
A scream rang out from outside, followed by another. Kazi hurried to a nearby balcony, her heart hammering frantically across her ribs. Althea's once-pristine streets were now a warzone. The sky was dark, as if night had fallen prematurely, and hideous, jet-black beings ripped through the city, their shapes twisting and morphing, their screams echoing with terrifying inhumanity.
These were not Althean soldiers. These... these were changelings. And they were everywhere, tearing through the city, their touch leaving death and destruction in its wake. Kazi experienced a flash of chilly horror. Althea, the realm of light, was falling. And whatever force was behind this nightmare, it was far more sinister than she could have imagined.
The sound of her soldiers ripped Kazi's attention away from the carnage below. She had to get to them. She raced from the throne room, her boots thumping frantically on the marble floor. She burst through the palace doors, only to be struck with a scene that sent chills down her spine.
The once-pristine palace grounds became a battleground. Changelings, their forms twisting and shifting into horrifying new shapes, swarmed around the soldiers, tearing through their ranks with inhuman speed. Kazi fought with renewed fury, her sword slashing through the air, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Her soldiers, though brave, were no match for the overwhelming numbers of the changelings.
Side by side with her soldiers, Kazi and her soldiers managed to fight their way through the palace grounds, driving the changelings back towards the city gates. The battle raged on for what felt like an eternity, the air thick with the stench of blood and the cries of the wounded. Kazi's sword arm ached from the relentless fighting, but she refused to give an inch. She could feel the weight of her responsibility pressing down on her shoulders, the knowledge that the fate of Althea rested on their success.
Finally, with a last, coordinated strike, they managed to drive the remaining changelings out of the palace gates and back into the streets of Althea. The battle was won, but the victory felt hollow as they looked out over the city that now lay in ruins.
The buildings that had formerly been immaculate had been burned to ashes by the fierce attack of the changelings. The air was thick with the stink of devastation and death, and the sky remained gloomy.
Kazi looked around and saw someone moving at the courtyard's edge. A number of housemaids and attendants approached them with their eyes black and rolled to the back of their heads.
Kazi cursed internally, they were facing changelings and Althean servants who were clearly under a kind of spell.
"Careful! Do not harm them!" she cried, rushing forward. The maids and attendants looked up, their eyes dazed and confused. "They are under a spell," she explained. "We must help them."
Her soldiers hesitated; their swords halfway raised.
Uncertainty twisted Kazi's gut. This was not just some random attack. This was a meticulously orchestrated invasion, and the puppet master was definitely here.
Leaving brief instructions with Ren, Kazi ran back inside the palace. The corridors, once elegant and huge, were oppressive, and the silence was thick. A sudden realisation struck her.
"The royal family!" she said, her palm rushing to her mouth. Layil and Aradiel had suggested a kidnapping, but she had not seen them amidst the chaos. Kazi rushed towards Layil and Aradiel's chambers, fuelled by a fresh sense of urgency. She burst through the door and examined the room, her gaze fixed on the magnificent bedchamber. Every instinct shouted at her to look for clues.
Her gaze rested on a dressing table, and a gasp escaped her lips. A pair of silver scissors might be found snuggled among a collection of beautiful combs and brushes. The same pair of scissors she had used to stab the changeling on the foot months ago...
Her heart hammered against her ribs. It all made a horrifying sense. The kidnapping, the sudden attack - it was all a smokescreen. Layil or Aradiel, and whoever was working with them, had orchestrated this invasion. But why? And where was the royal family?
Kazi clinched her fists, a violent look flashing in her eyes. She would not let Althea fall. Not on her watch. She needed to discover the royal family and uncover the truth about this dark conspiracy more than ever before. Time was running short, and Althea's fate hung in the balance.