Hybrid Empire
Two weeks had passed since the king and queen had received that horrible news, and tensions were running high within the palace and the council halls. Thalorn, his face flushed with anger, rose from his seat and confronted his son, Xandor. His once neatly tied white hair now fell messily around his still young face, a stark contrast to his age of seventy. It was no secret that shifters had long lifespans, but hybrids were renowned as the longest-living among them all. Legends spoke of their ancestors who had lived for over a thousand years.
"What are you waiting for, Xandor? Do you want our kingdom to crumble into even greater ruins?" Thalorn's voice boomed, his frustration evident. Xandor, though visibly calm, felt the weight of the situation bearing down on him. The pressure from his father, his siblings, his kingdom, and most importantly, the silent treatment from his wife, weighed heavily on his shoulders. Since he had shared his father and the high dowager's words with her, she had become distant, her gaze fixed on the window, barely uttering a word.
"Father, please understand. You're asking me to kill my own child, your own granddaughter. How would Mother feel about this if she were still alive?" Xandor's hand ran wearily across his face as he spoke. Thalorn's response was sharp, snapping Xandor out of his thoughts.
"Do not bring your mother into this. I know she wouldn't have approved, but she would have understood that this is for the greater good of our kingdom." Thalorn's words hung in the air, leaving Xandor conflicted. He didn't know what to do, and the pain radiating from his wife through their mating bite connection only added to his turmoil.
Xandor questioned, "How do we know my child is to blame for the issues plaguing the kingdom?" Thalorn simply gazed at him as if he had grown horns on his head.
"The drought, the mysterious deaths, the failing crops and livestock - these are just a few of the problems we're facing," Thalorn replied before taking a seat.
Thalorn couldn't told xandor of what his eyes had seen when the high dowager revealed the truth about his unborn granddaughter. It was hard to fathom at first, but now he understood that what he had been told was indeed true. Xandor, his son, looked up at him in astonishment, eager to understand what had been shown to his father.
Confusion filled Xandor's voice as he asked, "What did he show you, father? I don't understand." Xandor sat upright, his curiosity piqued. He hadn't been aware of any visual evidence that proved his child's significance. Thalorn had only mentioned the high dowager's words before.
Zephyrath, one of the most powerful sorcerers in the kingdom, suddenly interjected, "There's nothing to understand. We must eliminate it." Xandor's eyes snapped towards him, surprised by the sudden declaration. Zephyrath stood by the door, his face etched with a frown. He was dressed in the traditional attire of the dowagers, a white robe made of fine linen. The robe was adorned with intricate silver and gold embroidery, symbolizing his status as the highest sorcerer. The flowing robe added to his imposing presence.
To further enhance his air of authority and mystique, Zephyrath wore a long white cloak over the robe. His pure white hair cascaded down his shoulders in waves, framing his face with an ethereal glow. His neatly trimmed white beard completed the picture of wisdom and power.
Zaphyrath's face, marked by the passage of time and etched with the lines of wisdom, displayed a somber countenance. His piercing, intense eyes, a captivating shade of icy blue, reflected not only his magical prowess but also the depth of his experience.
In a commanding and unwavering tone, Xandor directly addressed Zephyrath, "Zephyrath, mind your words. You speak disrespectfully of my child, the future ruler of this kingdom."
Zephyrath's expression remained unchanged, his unwavering gaze meeting Xandor's. "Regardless of respect, the threat persists. We must take decisive action for the sake of our realm."
Xandor's determination solidified, his jaw clenched. "I will not entertain drastic measures without concrete evidence. My child's destiny will not be dictated by fear and speculation."
Zephyrath's frown deepened, but he nodded curtly, acknowledging the king's stance. "Very well, Your Majesty. Please follow me."
Xandor followed, with his father Thalorn trailing behind, as Zephyrath led them to his chambers. With a swift motion, Zephyrath unveiled a crystal ball, its surface shimmering with a mesmerizing bluish reddish glow.
With a solemn expression, Zephyrath chanted a magical incantation, "Phasmatis Ignis," and the crystal ball erupted into a cloud of white smoke. Within its depths, they witnessed a harrowing scene: their kingdom consumed by flames, buildings crumbling, and the anguished cries of their people filling the air.
Xandor's heart clenched in terror as he witnessed his siblings in the middle of the chaos, their voices drowned by the roar of a large black dragon spewing out fire and stone. But then, to his astonishment, the dragon transformed into a young girl clad in white with patches of blood around her body, her commanding presence striking fear into the hearts of all who beheld her.
"Who is she?" Xandor stammered, his voice trembling with disbelief.
Before Zephyrath could respond, Xandor's gaze locked onto a figure stepping forward to confront the mysterious girl. It was his wife, her voice filled with desperation as she pleaded, "Please, Tallulah, stop."
A gasp escaped Xandor's lips as realization dawned upon him. This was their daughter, the very name they had intended to bestow upon their unborn child. In that moment, the truth hit him like a thunderbolt, shattering his world and leaving him reeling in shock.
As Xandor's wife, Valeria, stood before the girl who bore the name they had chosen for their daughter, her voice trembled with emotion, "Tallulah, my dear, please, this isn't you. You must stop this madness."
Tallulah, her eyes ablaze with anger, regarded her mother with a mixture of pain and sorrow. "I am no longer the girl you once knew, 'Mother'. The power within me cannot be denied."
With a swift motion, Tallulah conjured a pulsating blue orb of energy, hurling it towards Valeria. Xandor's heart lurched as the orb struck his wife, enveloping her in a blinding light. When the light faded, all that remained was a pile of ash where Valeria once stood.
A strangled gasp escaped Xandor's lips as he watched in horror, his mind struggling to comprehend the devastation before him. The realization that he had lost his beloved wife, and that their daughter was the perpetrator of such destruction, left him paralyzed with grief and disbelief.
Then they observed as the future Thalorn approached Tallulah, his expression a blend of remorse as he hobbled towards her. She turned to face him, her eyes filled with accusation and animosity. "You are the reason for what I have become," she began, her voice laced with bitterness, "you attempted to—"
Before Tallulah could finish her accusation, Zephyrath spoke words that echoed throughout the chamber. With a swift motion, the crystal ball sealed shut.
Xandor turned to Zephyrath, his gaze demanding answers. "Why did you close it?" he asked urgently, his voice thick with concern.
Zephyrath met Xandor's gaze with a solemn expression. "Your Majesty, you do not wish to witness what unfolds next," he replied gravely.
"But how does this impact the current state of our kingdom?" Xandor questioned, tears welling up in his eyes as he realized the difficult decision he had to make, regardless of what he had just witnessed.
Zephyrath, his voice filled with sorrow, stepped forward to address Xandor. "Your Majesty, what you have glimpsed is only a fraction of the pain and terror that awaits us if we do not take action. The gods are angered by the existence of such an abomination, such wickedness among us. This is their signal, their warning to us. The child must be dealt with before she brings ruin upon us all."
Thalorn's eyes locked onto Xandor's, his expression serious. "The gods' anger has no limits, Xandor. Unless we banish this darkness, our kingdom will suffer endlessly. The child is the root of our downfall, and her mere presence threatens to destroy all we cherish."
Xandor's thoughts raced with conflicting feelings as he grappled with the gravity of the situation. The weight of duty pressed heavily on him, his heart burdened by the responsibilities of leadership, fatherhood, and marriage.
Zephyrath, his tone firm and unwavering, stated, "Your Majesty, we cannot afford to delay any longer. The future of our kingdom hangs in the balance. Time is of the essence."
Xandor's determination hardened as he set his jaw, his resolve unwavering. "So be it," he announced, his voice filled with both sorrow and command, "make the necessary preparations. We will take whatever steps are required to safeguard our realm."
Suddenly, Elowen burst in, her breaths frantic and urgent. Xandor, instantly alert, demanded, "Out with it, Elowen. What news do you bring?" Elowen's eyes widened with urgency as she gasped, "The queen... She's going into labor, Your Majesty."