The world rejoices as beautiful crimson ornaments cover the sky. Remaining on the tall balcony, King William and Queen Sylvia gaze down at the citizens en masse. Today marks the birth of two wonderful heirs, and Vamore's future will be bright with Priestess Ana's blessing.
As the two enthusiastically greeted the crowd, the hurried steps of a concerned Marquiss Frotho abruptly interrupted the couple's moment of rejoicing.
"Your Majesty!"
King William gleefully greeted the Marquis as he stepped behind. There was a letter from the Marquis that bore a familiar emblem. As soon as the King reads the letter's opening lines, his face breaks.
"My Queen, I have to trouble you to this." King William said.
The marquis and king hastily depart from the queen and stroll towards the official library. He keeps taking big steps as his grip on the letter gets tighter. Queen Sylvia, in the meantime, was limited to concentrating her gaze on the agitated mass.
Upon arriving at the halls, the king promptly tore open the letter and skimmed through its contents. He crumbles the paper and opens the entrance to the massive library, instructing the Marquis to give him a pen.
"We have control over this issue. What is making it so hard for the duke to maintain order?!" Shouted King William.
Standing by his side, the Marquis examined the contents of the crumpled letter. It seems that the distinguished Duke had finally messed up the so-called ideal plan. A smirk dared to show up on Frotho's face.
"Deliver this quick. I want a reply within the next few days!" He demanded.
Merely, Frotho carried the letter as the King William brashly exited the chamber. That the Ducal family's downfall would occur gradually was acknowledged by the Frotho. Tucking the letter into his sleeves, he followed the king out of the room.
A feeling of gloom crept up the Queen's sleeve while she was alone. She smiles and gives her neck a gentle scratch. Still, her joyful disposition came back as soon as she heard a footstep.
"My King, what took you so long?" Sylvia asked.
"Your Highness."
Queen Sylvia turns quickly to face the grating voice. Old Nurse Mary had arrived with a desperately depressed face. Her whole being looked like it was drain from blood as her wrinkly face crumpled.
"What is it?"
Her question was delivered with disdain to the Nurse.
"It is the Heir, your Highness. "There's a problem with them." Nurse Mary cowardly stated.
The Queen's heart sank upon hearing such a statement. She had been trying desperately to get pregnant for years. If something happens to these heirs, she will lose everything. Her calm is lost as she rushes up to her sons.
The ground trembled fiercely, frightening the residents. Several people eventually stumbled and fell on top of one another. The figure peering directly at the balcony went unnoticed as everyone was preoccupied.
"My babies! Don't you dar-!" Queen Sylvia shouted.
The queen hits the floor as everything topples over. Rubbing the Queen clean of filth, the Nurse held her up quickly.
When the Queen hears her infants crying, her expression turns frightened. With a panicked sweep away from the Nurse's hands, the Queen opens the nursery room door, her heart almost stopping.
"My babies? My little ones! Are you OK?" She shouted hysterically, clutching them tightly.
All the Nurse could do was get water for the Queen, who was lying on the floor, in a lot of pain. Unable to keep looking at the babies, the Nurse closed her eyes.
Not unlike the Queen, the King was furious and hurried through the door in a matter of minutes. Behind him stood a handful of medics and troops.
They all seemed to have noticed the unusual nature and suddenness of the large earthquake. But as the King walked up to the Queen, he was horrified to see his two heirs.
"Where is the Priestess?! Arrest her!" William spat out.
—-
"Mom?!"
Neo charges through the swarm and heads for the car his mother had just gotten into.
Navigating this area was challenging enough for a novice, but this many people? Without his mom, he could not survive.
"Shit!" Neo shouted as he almost bumped onto the traffic of people.
Elaine turned the pages of the books she held in her hand. A few of them were very old and reeked of antiquated waste products. Hopping over to his mother's seat, Neo looks over at the book.
"Light wishes? Weren't those just some made up stuff?" His expression was perplexed as he read on.
After Elio's passing many years ago, the light wishes first surfaced in the shape of clear, water-like orbs. Such powerful objects could only be used by devoted Elio's supporters, opening the path to success.
By their light wishes, people gain power and immortality. Utilizing such authority inevitably has repercussions. Numerous conflicts that persist to this day are the consequences of the wartime era.
But they disappeared almost as swiftly as they appeared. Nobody could fathom the reasoning behind it, only fending for their kingdoms in new ways.
Like this, everything that was known as it was, was thrown away. Society strayed away from such cursed way of living and began depending on technology.
"Is this a storybook?"
Neo questioned while eating some fruits. The mouthwatering flavor highlights just how sophisticated everything was in the city. The quality was so poor where they came from that it was on par with dumpster food.
"No, it's-."
His mother's face was hurt when chains shattered through the car window. Elaine picks up her pace and gives the book to Neo. Glancing out the door, she notices a girl sprinting in the direction of their car.
A few armored men chased after her as if they wanted her dead. The girl carried several garments and books in her hands.
She pulled up to Elaine's side of the car, trying to get inside with her bare feet. After encircling the girl, the guards cautiously remove the chain from the window. Elaine steps out of the car, shielding the girl behind her.
"Step aside." The guards commanded.
They spoke in a dialect. Elaine could only assume they were royal guards based on how sturdy their equipment was. When you look closer, the blue mark on their forehead shines.
"May I ask why you are chasing said young lady?" She questioned them.
The shackles clattered on the floor as each individual moved in closer. Elaine clutched her dress and did her best to stay in her position. She waits for the guards to elaborate without showing any fear.
"Treason. Proceed now." They issued.
After hearing the justification, Elaine moves aside to let the guard talk to the girl. All she does is yell in a tongue that neither of them understands.
"Mum, shouldn't we take action?" Neo said.
His mother just stared at the ground in front of her, shaking her head. The girl stabs and fights against the men that have taken hold of her.
In this situation, Elaine shuts her eyes as though to preserve her sanity. Elaine climbs inside the car and gathers herself as soon as the guards leave. Her whole body shook as she tried to gather herself.
"What was that all about? What did they say to you?" He repeatedly asked.
Elaine ruffled her son's hair and turned to face the book. His mother's abrupt shift in mood seems to have held Neo's questions at bay.
"We're ready to go." She muttered.
Elaine heard a piercing scream as soon as the taxi driver began the engine. Something soared in a few seconds and fell on the car they were in.
"A Hell Marmot!" He said in excitement.
Neo's glistening eyes expressed happiness, while his mothers were horrified. She turned away quickly, putting her head between her arms and trying to keep things peaceful.
Furious that his vehicle was damaged, the cabbie lashes out at the Hell Marmot.
"Get out of here! My beautiful baby!" The man screamed.
The Hell Marmot squeals at the man and pokes at his car as if to add insult to injury. A man with red hair gets off the Marmot and descends to look at the young girl being carried.
"Sir Dansa!"
The guards recited in unison. They bent their heads to pay respect. Neo turns to face the Marmot, who is now squeaking at him.
Not bothering with the Hell Marmot, he came face-to-face- with his mother, realizing something was wrong. She was shaking on both sides and muttered something to herself.
"It's nothing, Mom. It's alright. Let me just."
As he attempted to protect his mother's ear, the Hell Marmot got fascinated by her reaction and kicked at their door. His mother suddenly let out a yell in response, enraged by the bird's hammering of his beak.
The men's focus swiftly turns to them when she keeps crying out. Jabbing the Marmot with the book in his hand, Neo grows irritated. But he tried everything, and it still squeaked at him.
Schlingz!
A flurry of their packages dropped to the floor, and something sharp and dark rolled slowly over the surface. Dansa moves closer to the dropped object, a grin gradually spreading across his features.
"A void blade? A forbidden item?"
The little girl was silent, as though she had heard the man's mutterings. She is still biting their wrists desperately in an attempt to escape the men's grip.
"Sir! Please! It wasn't me! The lady held a grudge towards the royal family! It is her who threatened me with those!
You know how it is! We holy people will die if we touch those forbidden items! She forced me to do all of this! I am innocent!"
Her voice grew gruff as she finished her tirade, sounding like she had been yelling for days. Dansa looks at the dark and sparkling spike, planting a quick kiss on it.
He couldn't resist chuckling to himself since he felt like he was having a fantastic day. Taking the gift out of Elaine's hand, he takes a quick look inside.
"Hold the girl still. Take the two into custody. They are the poor, cursed ones."
Neo clutched his mother as Dansa remounted his Hell Marmot, holding the satchel that his mother had gripped so tightly. The girl finally breathes a sigh of relief as the guards focus on Neo and his mother.
Neo felt horror and uneasiness creep up his back as he alternated between the girl and his distraught mother.