The heavy stone walls of Skyreach Citadel held the night's chill, the air cold and still as I moved through the quiet corridors. My feet barely made a sound against the dark marble floors, but my heart pounded loudly in my chest, a dull, constant thud that I could feel in my throat. I was trying to suppress the feeling of dread, the growing unease that had been gnawing at me for weeks. Azaroth and I had been distant lately, the chasm between us growing wider with each passing day. The man I had once loved so deeply, whose ambitions had seemed noble and fierce, now felt like a stranger. His silence was a blade, sharp and constant, cutting deeper every time I sought him out and found nothing but coldness in return.
I paused just outside our chamber, the heavy wooden door slightly ajar, a thin sliver of light spilling out into the hallway. I could see the faint outline of Azaroth's shadow cast on the floor, unmoving. He was inside, waiting. I drew in a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. Perhaps tonight would be different. Perhaps he would finally let me in, share his thoughts, his worries, anything to bridge the distance that had grown between us. I couldn't bear this silence any longer. Not with everything else weighing on me.
Pushing the door open gently, I stepped into the dimly lit room. Azaroth stood by the window, his back to me, staring out into the night, as if the darkened horizon held some secret answer only he could decipher. His figure, once so strong and familiar, now seemed foreign, like a mountain looming too far in the distance to ever truly reach.
I closed the door softly behind me, watching him for a moment before I spoke.
"Azaroth…"
He didn't turn. His voice, when it came, was quiet, almost indifferent.
"Seraphina."
That one word, spoken without warmth or recognition, was like ice to my heart. It was a formality, not a greeting. I crossed the room slowly, stopping just behind him. From the window, I could see the dark expanse of the Cloudsea stretching endlessly beneath our floating kingdom. The stars were veiled by heavy clouds, their faint light barely visible, mirroring the suffocating heaviness I felt inside.
"I can't keep pretending nothing is wrong,"
I whispered, my voice soft but trembling.
"You've been distant for so long now. I don't know what's going on, but it's tearing us apart."
For a long moment, he didn't respond. His eyes were fixed on the sky, cold and far away. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, tinged with something darker.
"I've had much on my mind."
I swallowed hard, my heart aching.
"I know. I know you're carrying so much, Azaroth. But you don't have to carry it alone. Let me in, please. We've always shared our burdens… until now."
He turned slightly, just enough for me to see the sharp profile of his face, shadowed by the firelight. His jaw was clenched, his lips a thin line.
"Not everything is meant to be shared."
The words stung more than I expected. I took a step closer, desperate to reach him.
"We are bound, Azaroth. As king and queen, as husband and wife. Whatever it is you're holding back, it's affecting everything- the children, the entire kingdom. I'm worried about you. I'm worried about us."
His eyes flicked toward me then, cold and unreadable. "Worried, Seraphina? About me?"
"Yes,"
I said, my voice breaking slightly.
"You're not the man I married. You're not the father our children need right now. Something has changed. I don't know what it is, but… I feel it. The weight, the darkness."
Azaroth's expression shifted, a glint of something fierce flashing in his eyes. He turned fully toward me now, his tall frame casting a long shadow across the room.
"Do you think I'm weak?"
he asked, his voice sharp as a blade. My breath caught in my throat.
"What? No, of course not. I never said—"
"You think I've lost control,"
he interrupted, his tone rising, a dangerous edge creeping into it.
"That I've become distant because I can't handle the burden of ruling."
I shook my head, reaching out to touch his arm, but he pulled away before I could make contact.
"That's not what I mean. I just… I'm trying to understand. You're pushing everyone away, and I don't know why."
Azaroth's eyes darkened further, his gaze hard and cold. "You've become soft, Seraphina. You and your endless talks of peace, of balance. You don't see the truth. You never have."
I stepped back, hurt and confusion swirling inside me. "What truth? What are you talking about?"
He turned from me again, moving toward the hearth where the fire crackled quietly. His broad shoulders were tense, his hands clenched at his sides.
"This kingdom, this fragile peace you hold so dear, is nothing but an illusion. The humans think they can hold us back, that their pitiful treaties can keep Drakhelm in chains. But they are wrong. They are weak. And weakness must be purged."
I stared at him, the full weight of his words crashing into me.
"Azaroth, no…"
I whispered, my voice trembling.
"You can't mean that. We've worked for centuries to maintain the peace with Valtoria. The humans are not our enemies."
His head snapped toward me, fury blazing in his eyes. "They are our enemies, Seraphina. They've always been our enemies. The only difference now is that I've decided to stop pretending otherwise."
I felt my heart race, my thoughts spiraling.
"What are you saying? What have you done?"
Azaroth's lips curled into a cruel smile.
"Tomorrow, when the sun reaches its highest point, the human royal family will be dead. Their empire will crumble, and with it, any hope they had of standing against us."
My stomach dropped, and I stumbled back, my hand covering my mouth in shock.
"What? Azaroth… no. You can't—"
"I already have,"
he said coldly.
"Alaric saw to it. The assassins are in place. When the time comes, the humans will fall. And when they do, Drakhelm will rise."
My mind raced, the horror of what he was saying sinking deeper with every word.
"You sent assassins to kill the human royals? You've planned all of this behind my back? Behind the kingdom's back?"
He stepped closer to me, his eyes blazing with anger, his voice a low, dangerous growl.
"You never understood what it takes to rule, Seraphina. You and your peace- it's nothing but a fantasy. The real world is ruled by power, by blood. And I will not allow Drakhelm to be weakened by your naivety any longer."
Tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. "You're going to destroy everything,"
I whispered, my voice trembling.
"You'll bring war to our lands. Thousands will die- humans and monsters alike."
Azaroth's expression twisted in fury.
"War is inevitable. The humans are too weak to rule. And once their leaders are dead, their lands will be ours."
I shook my head, my tears finally spilling over.
"This isn't the man I married. This isn't the father of my children. You've become a traitor to the crown."
His hand shot out, gripping my wrist with a force that made me wince.
"Don't you dare question me,"
he hissed, his face inches from mine.
"If you stand in my way, I will not hesitate to remove you."
Fear gripped my heart as his words sank in. He would kill me. He would destroy anyone who stood between him and his twisted vision of power.
"You've lost yourself,"
I whispered, my voice breaking.
"You've become blinded by your own ambition."
Azaroth released my wrist, shoving me back with a sneer. "No, Seraphina. I've finally opened my eyes. The time for peace is over."
Before I could respond, the door to our chamber slowly open. Evander stood in the doorway, his face pale, his eyes wide with shock. He had heard everything.
"Mother… Father… what's happening?"