A chair scraped on the floor. A fire element moved awkwardly, looking at Heather. The emperor was dead, and her best friend, whom she had taken for granted, had just left to hunt down a killer. She could hear the door, the feeling of losing something dear and precious to her invading her racing heart. The light was dim and oppressive, the sense of despair and loss weighing heavily on her.

A tear warmed her cheeks, and she wiped it with her sleeve. Then another came unbidden and sudden. She realised that her whole world had just collapsed from under her. Heather recalled the events that had caused all this chaos. Ethan sipped his warm chocolate drink at the tavern on the border of the Divine Nexus, which had a dark, gloomy atmosphere. The scent of wood and oil filled the establishment, and the energy lanterns cast dim light. They were well polished and floating around the patrons like living beings. Divine citizens came to relax and socialise there.

On this night, Heather sat across the table from a rock elemental high lord. Gavin looked stoic as he sighed and sipped his fairy dust, a popular drink for rock elementals. As always, Ethan savoured his drink, giving a satisfied moan. It consisted of brandy mixed with chocolate.

She knew he loved it as she had known him since they were children. Ethan was an orphan just like her and has always been around. She knew he wanted her, but she loved another. His foreign looks did not appeal to her at all. She had realised she only cared for him because he was a childhood friend. Heather's memory flashed back to this morning's events. Heather watched the scene unfold before her eyes.

She stood by the emperor, her fingers tapping on her sword hilt.

"Lo, Your Highness, every thousand years, the veil opens, and the doors to the linked realms become accessible to enemies and foes."

Steel flashed, and blood sprayed onto the white marble table. The contrast between white and crimson was surreal but sobering, reminding the guards of the severity of the moment. The guards moved forward, and swords left their sheaths, culling the court. Heather parried a sword thrust, and her sword was flung across the room.

"Lo to me. We have foes in our midst."

Ethan dodged an attack from the side and cleaved the man in half as he surged forward towards Heather. Shouts of pain and surprise mingled with the sounds of steel on steel and men dying in a chaotic chorus. Heather's heart pounded as a soldier leapt forward, sword held high, to strike her down. Ethan's sword parried the blow, and she felt his arm around her waist.

"Alas, Gavin, the counsellor of agriculture. He had just slit the emperor's throat, do not let him slip away."

Gavin blocked the sword with his massive hammer, and steel flashed as the man's head left his body. Ethan held Heather in a firm grasp, his enormous frame blocking another attack aimed at Heather.

Moving back rapidly, he blocked and parried thrusts. Gavin engaged another attacker to their right. Her soft body was against his hard, muscled body. His scent intermingled with the smell of blood as sharp steel bit into his arm as he parried strike after strike, trying to defend their lives.

There was a glint of victory in the soldier's eyes as he drove his advantage. Ethan moved slower as he held Heather and his massive broadsword. Heather had her arms around his neck, her feet dangling. Heather's heart rate increased, and she could feel heat flow to her face and groin. With her softness against his hard, chiselled body, she could feel her hands become sweaty. She could hear his breathing in her ear, and her mouth filled with saliva, all her senses working overtime.

Heather realised she had become aroused.

"Alas, Heather, hold on tightly. This might be it for us."

The man pushed forward relentlessly, and suddenly, he slipped into a pool of blood, causing him to fall forward. Ethan brought his sword up and sliced into the man's inner thigh. The wound's blood flowed freely as he fell to the floor in pain. The minister laughed. His face had a mask of insanity, and his eyes darted everywhere as he spoke.

"This is not the end. I will find another body and end you."

Blood splashed in our faces and onto their clothes as a hammer blow crushed the man's head. Heather had her face in Ethan's neck, the sight turning the stomach, and nausea overwhelming as the sight of the crushed head pulled the eye but also repulsed the senses to the point of vulgar fascination. The man that had slit the emperor's throat had made his escape during the turmoil; the blade of the dagger stuck in the table near the emperor's head. The warm chocolate soothed the feelings of horror and apprehension at what had happened just hours ago.

Ethan looked at Heather. He let her go reluctantly. She had never felt urges like this before. Her body against his made her feel ecstatic, and she wanted him inside her. Now, she could not deny her attraction to him. As he sat next to her, she could feel his warmth. Gavin grinned but did not do anything about it.

Her thigh was touching his, warm and inviting. Heather breathed in slowly after she had stopped breathing. She felt hot, and sweat rolled down her back. They grew up together and trained together, but he had never held her before this day. She would never have thought he would feel rock hard, yet his touch tender.

The dim light played off her skin. The glow of the yellow dust, Gavin's eyes swirled like a whirlpool. The soft sounds as everyone whispered to each other, the air was suffocating, and the atmosphere was stiff.

The aroma from the kitchen dulled by the scent of blood that lingered even though Heather had washed herself three times. The fact that the soldiers had been affected gave Heather a creepy feeling. She did not want to admit it to herself, but this looked like an inside job. Someone had been working with the enemy.

Soon, the medical staff would know what they were facing. Heather thought about the counsellor who had escaped. He should know what was happening. Heather knew that she would have to hunt this person down and get answers from them. She would rout out the traitor. Heather realised there was a traitor between them.