Queen Ashe POV

I have been a Queen and a ruler of the kingdom of Borne for 15 years. 15 years of my ruling, the kingdom has been safe and peaceful. Never in my life have I made enemies that could potentially harm the safety of my kingdom. But if I do, I just… quietly kill them.

For 15 years, the kingdom has been a safe place for tourists to come and stay. A safe path for travelers to visit. I was ready to give up my position and give it to my daughter. However, the day I announced my retirement and told the whole world that I would give my position to my daughter, the very next day, war came crashing down against the kingdom of Borne.

Every side of the kingdom was being attacked. Thousands? No, more than that. Citizens that couldn't fight were being evacuated to our neighboring allied nation, while those who could chose to stay to defend our kingdom.

It was a tough fight. A rough battle. Too many soldiers have died fighting for the kingdom. Too many have lost their lives.

"Your majesty, let's take you to a safe place." My knight said. But I refused his hand and put on my warrior robe which gives my mana a boost.

"No, I shall fight with you, my soldiers. Prepare to defend with all your might!" I roared and the soldiers roared their battle cries. Their voices echoing the deafening battlefield. However, amidst the noise of the field and darkness shrouding the war, our cries were heard by the Heavens and light shone upon us. "Fight my soldiers! For the kingdom of Borne!" I shouted once more before charging through the battlefield.

15 years of being a ruler did not make my fighting skills rusty. Instead, for 15 years I have been secretly training in the dark where no one can see me. And the day has arrived to show the results of my skills.

Ten enemies come rushing at me and with a flick of my wrist, magic comes from me, flying like a bullet towards my incoming enemies. In a blink of an eye, they all died. Twenty, thirty, forty more come towards me. I raised my hands on the sky and magic circles with inscriptions written over it appeared in the sky. Purple bursts of magic hailed down on my horde of enemies, spilling their blood on the ground. I was covered in blood, but I gave no attention to my appearance. What was once a beautiful queen, is now a blood thirsty and guardian of the kingdom.

I jump high in the sky, high enough for my enemies to see me. I moved my hands again and more magic bullets burst out from me, shooting my enemies down. Even their strongest shields were canceled and whoever was behind them, all died from my magic. I look back at my soldiers who are still fighting, but fatigue is catching up to them. I recited a spell that gives my allies a boost and a heal, and then all my soldiers behind me were once more healthy. They began to fight and push back our enemies.

"Do not falter, my soldiers! Continue to fight! Push them back until they are no more!" I roared from the sky, and I'm pretty sure everyone heard me including our enemies. I see them. Their fears. They are scared and weary as they stare at me from the ground. If you want peace, you have to dirty your hands. This kingdom is peaceful and beautiful because I have been putting dirt and blood on my hands. For the sake of my people, my soldiers, and my kingdom, I am willing to be a monster for them.

I moved my hands again and more magic came out from me, killing our enemies and slowly pushing them back. With no care of my safety, I come crashing down like a meteorite in the horde of my enemies. Shockwave pushes them back and stumbles them away from me. Without giving them rest or time to recover, more magic attacks them, killing them on the spot quickly even before they could blink their eyes. I danced like a ballerina in the battle, while my hands guided my magic against my enemies. I danced… beautifully. As I moved around the chaos, bodies were dropping behind me. This is what they get from trying to ruin the peace of my kingdom. And hopefully this would be the last. Let the whole world see how I burn my enemies and slaughter them like a pig being slaughtered in the factory.

Finally, when no more hordes of soldiers were left alive, I stopped. I looked at my art behind me. Crimson rivers with large bodies of corpses were all left behind. Meanwhile, my soldiers were winning. They have pushed back the enemies from our kingdom. I never paid attention to it, but we are already at the outskirts of the kingdom. Damn, this is how far I pushed through them? How weak.

"You are really strong, Ashe." My best friend, Vivian, said as she landed beside me. And my other best friends come near me.

"For 15 years, I have been putting blood on my hands. What do you expect? Besides," I turned around, walking away from them, "I have all of you, my sisters. If we win this war, let us celebrate as if there is no tomorrow." I smiled at them.

Cecilia spoke first. "Yes, Ashe. Let's celebrate until we die."

"Over Exaggerated." Nashia scoffed at Cecilia's words.

"Yeah… Until we die." Alexis said.

Suddenly, a sharp knife pierced from my back. I quickly pushed myself from my attacker and turned around just to see Alexis holding a sword in her hand. I was about to open my mouth to ask her why, but Vivian, Cecilia, and Nashia rushed towards me, weapons ready to kill me. Without second guessing myself, I dodged their attacks and simultaneously counter attacked them. But as time went by, my vision was becoming blurry. My head was spinning fast and my breathing became rugged.

"Feeling tired, my dear Ashe?" Alexis said mockingly. "This is not an ordinary sword you know? I imbued a very strong poison from the legendary serpent monster you slew five years ago. Who would've thought that the poison is still active?"

"Blast off, Alexis!" I attacked her with my magic but my vision is blurry, missing all my attacks at her. I felt presence behind me so I rolled forward to dodge their attacks just for me to be met with a strong kick to the face. "This war… Don't tell me it was you four that caused this war?" I asked, my fears finally controlling me. The fear of knowing the truth.

Silence enveloped the air until Cecilia broke it. "Yes."

"Why?"

"Because..!" Cecilia's anger showed. "For 15 years we have been waiting for the spot to be opened, to be given to us! Instead, you chose your daughter who is clueless and weak over us! We have been waiting and waiting… When you announced your retirement, we were joyful because we thought we could finally have the spot! Not until you announce you will give it to your daughter instead."

"So if we can't have it, no one can have it. If there is no ruler, there is no kingdom. This war's goal is not to overtake the kingdom, but to destroy it and its ruler. You are the last ruler of this kingdom, Ashe. Be glad that you are last." Nashia said.

She was about to kill me by putting her sword on my head, but before her blade could reach me, I used all my magic to teleport back to my chambers. And there I saw her… My daughter, Ashe, looked at me with wide eyes.

"Mommy!" She ran towards me, but I came to her and hugged her tightly.

"I'm sorry, baby." I whispered and kept repeating it until I heard a loud thump behind me. The doors of my chamber are being kicked down with powerful force.

"You can't run from us, Ashe." Vivian roared. But I paid no attention to them. My eyes fixated on my daughter.

"My baby, Ashe. I'm sorry if this is how you see my death. Please, run. Go somewhere. Live a peaceful life or whatnot I don't care. But please be strong. Can you do that, baby?" I whispered to her ears.

"Mommy, why are you bleeding? Why are my aunties charging at you with their weapons?" My daughter cried. But I pushed her away. I recited another incantation, and a bright portal opened behind my daughter. With my last strength, I smiled and whispered to her, "I love you, Ashe." then she disappeared, sucked in the portal to wherever it will lead her. And my world became dark.