The battlefield was a paradox—a place of chaos where something akin to order was beginning to emerge. The armies of the princess and Queen Selene, bitter enemies for years, now fought side by side against the encroaching shadows.
But the alliance was tenuous, held together by fear rather than trust. Soldiers from both sides cast wary glances at one another even as they stood shoulder to shoulder. Weapons meant for each other were now turned toward the common foe.
The princess watched from the front lines, her sword still drawn but lowered. "This won't hold for long," she said to Eldric, who stood at her side.
"It doesn't have to," he replied, his shield battered but raised. "Just long enough to survive this."
---
Selene moved among her soldiers, her commanding presence keeping them in line. She spoke few words, but her sharp gaze was enough to silence any who dared question her orders.
One of her generals approached her, his face pale beneath his helmet. "My queen, we've sustained heavy losses. The men are restless. They don't trust—"
"They don't have to trust," Selene interrupted, her voice ice. "They only need to follow. Ensure they do."
The general bowed and retreated, leaving Selene to stare out at the battlefield. Her eyes found the princess, standing resolute amid the chaos.
"She's young," Selene muttered to herself. "Too young to carry this burden. But she carries it well."
---
The child stood at the center of it all, their light a beacon in the storm. The shadows recoiled from the glow, their forms flickering and unstable. But for every one that faltered, another seemed to rise in its place.
"These things don't end," Eldric muttered, cutting down a smaller shadow that had strayed too close.
"They aren't meant to," the child said, their voice steady despite the strain on their face.
The princess turned to them, her frustration evident. "Then how do we stop this?"
The child met her gaze, their glowing eyes unreadable. "By ending what brought them here."
---
The storm overhead began to change, its swirling clouds taking on a strange, unnatural hue. Lightning flashed, illuminating the battlefield in bursts of blinding light. With each flash, the shadows seemed to grow more erratic, their movements disjointed and frenzied.
Selene noticed it first. "They're reacting to something," she said, her tone sharp.
The child nodded. "The balance is shifting. But not in your favor."
The princess frowned. "What do you mean?"
Before the child could answer, a deafening roar split the air. The ground trembled, and from the far end of the battlefield, something massive began to emerge.
It was unlike the other shadows—its form was solid, tangible. A hulking beast of darkness, its eyes glowing with a malevolent light.
The soldiers on both sides froze, their fear palpable. Even Selene and the princess felt the weight of its presence, a primal force that seemed to crush the very air around it.
"What is that?" Selene asked, her voice low.
"The herald," the child said softly.
---
The creature advanced, each step shaking the ground. Its presence seemed to draw the shadows closer, their chaotic movements aligning into a single, focused force.
The princess gripped her sword tightly. "If that thing reaches us, it's over."
Selene drew her blade, the enchantments along its edge flaring to life. "Then we don't let it reach us."
The two leaders exchanged a glance—brief but charged with unspoken understanding. Whatever their differences, whatever their hatred, they would fight together now.
"For my kingdom!" the princess shouted, raising her sword high.
"For survival!" Selene echoed, her voice cutting through the storm.
The soldiers rallied, their fear replaced by a surge of desperate determination. Together, they charged toward the oncoming beast, their battle cries mingling into a single roar.
---
From the temple steps, the child and the seeker watched as the two armies collided with the herald.
"Will they succeed?" the seeker asked, her voice tinged with doubt.
The child didn't answer immediately. Their gaze remained fixed on the battlefield, their glowing eyes reflecting the chaos.
"They will fight," the child said at last. "But fate rarely shows its hand so early."
The seeker frowned. "Then what's the point of this struggle?"
"To see if they can rise above it," the child replied.
---
From His vantage, He observed the clash with quiet intensity. The mortals fought valiantly, their unity forged in desperation. But He could see the fractures beneath the surface, the mistrust and fear threatening to undo them.
The herald was no ordinary foe. Its very presence tested the resolve of those who faced it, drawing out their doubts and insecurities.
For now, the mortals held the line. But He knew the true test was yet to come.
And so, He watched.