Hard footsteps of shining armors roar within the dark forest. As the coldness of the night envelopes the creep of the darkness, capturing the beauty of the moon, a mother and a child is running within the dim lights, chasing for their lives...
"Aria, you stay here okay? I'll be back in a minute!"
"M-momm...I'm scared...Wh-y are they chasing us? Did we did something wrong?"
"Hussshhh!!!... Listen, Aria. You are a very special child. Just stay here and only...Only go out when the first ray of the dawn comes out. Promise me!"
"But Mom! I--"
"Hide, Aria!"
The mother ran to the dim lights of the moon, luring the Lightens out of her daughter's life...
"BOOOGSSHH!", a loud bang of the door has woken up the sleeping beauty of the underworld, followed by the loud footsteps of the chasers...
"A dream, huh? I need to get out of here before anyone can smell my trace", Aria immediately jumps off the walls of the trees looking out for manticores and other darkens lurking around the area as she eradicates each of her trace.
In a distance, she notices something ominous in the center of the nether world. It is creepier than anything else in the place. Surrounded by total darkness where other beasts resides, one thing captivates the eyes of the shining moon -its thorn like, sharp alexandrite stones glow bloody colors of ruby, some parts are like raspberries with the dim lights of the moon casting upon it.
"Oh, I'm guessing that is the perfect place to hide into. It must be a forbidden area!", Aria confidently stated to herself, looking astonish to the charming view on top of a tree in the beast forest.
Neitheria is the home for bloodlust demons, werewolves, and other supernatural beasts that wields the power of darkness. This realm is an outlaw land where the people live seeking for the strongest individual power. And, the one who will stand atop the summit of the strongest is proclaimed by all beasts as their liege, the Darken King...
"Woopsiiee! This place is hell...", Aria seems confused of the tunnels in front her. She has entered the tower of the king. The tunnels appear damp, scary, and echoic. Different voices are heard from inside but, the tunnel at the right end is silent. Still dark and damp, but there's a peaceful ambiance in the inside.
"Commander, the crossbreed might have flew far from now. They couldn't find any trace of it in the villages."
"We should not let our guards down. The King is flustered at the moment, we should not cause something that will kill us at instant."
Aria heard the muttering voices in one of the tunnels. She moves her feet to the right end tunnel straight away in dispatch...
"Hear my voice, and let the darkness glow", Aria casts a shadow spell to light the path as she enters the dark tunnel. The air is wrapped with the coldness and evil smell coming from the ends. As the light from the spell envelops the place, the path also glows along the covered crystal ices with frozen blue roses beneath.
"Should we inform the Liege of the problem?"---
Accompanied by the thundering footsteps outside the tunnel, Aria rushes to the ends full of confusion. "Wh-what is this? Why are there people here?" She is starting to cower in fear at the situation. Knowing how risky it is to be in the enemy's den, Aria is being wary of her dear life.
As she passes the end of the tunnel, she was welcomed with the tallest twin dragon door she has ever seen. It is made of olive wood with a white gold mixture in it. The twin dragons are made of alexandrite stones and receive dim lights of the moon reflected in the open windows on the sides.
Aria was stunned and amazed by the beauty in it. But footsteps inside the tunnel are banging that made Aria more panic and immediately open the doors. It was heavy at first, but the adrenaline has made the maiden stronger in an instant.
"Did our Liege has went outside?"
"The door is slightly open...Should we check it out?"
"But, no one is allowed in the King's lair!"
"Anyone who tries to get in were never been seen again."--
Aria can totally feel her heart's beat after hearing the words. She initially entered thinking the tower is safe and no one would dare enter it because of its eerie vibes but an unbelievable thought has been circling above her head.
"Did I...just enter the lion's den?", she looks around the room for escape. The cresset in each corner of the room is the only source of light. There's apparently no windows at all but, a balcony opposite to her gave light to her fading rays of hope.
Her eyes roam around for more. She notices the devilish style of a bed and a rack of books beside it.
"I guess there's no one in here...", she started moving a step but a sudden knock on the door was heard. "My Liege... are you in here?"--
Her heart beats faster every second of the moment. She can feel the death hugging her from behind. And, things become more complicated and difficult for her now. "I should hurry my escape now...My shadows, carry the wind and cover the place with darkness", she immediately rushes to the balcony with despair in every step of her feet. Her breath is getting heavier as the seconds pass by and the nervousness has come over her.
"Dear life, this is a castle!" She gasped as she took a look at the front view of the tower. Manticores are gathering on the ground and other beasts are all around the forest. Aria is cornered...
"Am I..." She knows the fate of a crossbreed. She thinks of fighting back but the doubt of escaping is eating her out...
A while later of battling with her mind, a grunting howl has made her shiver through her entity that has entered from the twin doors.
"Who are you?", A loud and doleful voice growls gets closer to the balcony. Aria's voice is cracking as she move a step behind the railings, "A-aa..w-olf?"--
"What is a crossbreed doing in my lair?"
Aria is shivering in fear while looking at the hungry beasts below them. She then wields a shadow sword as she corners herself at the end of the balcony...
"You might have fooled my gofers from finding you but a King's smell is the strongest...What are you doing in my den?"
"Do--don't move a single...s-step from there..", Aria trembles in fear as she pointed her shadow sword to the being in front of her.
"What can a mere young crossbreed do with her little toy?..."The wolf laugh at her. He moves toward her grinning from ear to ear as he sniff her scent in the corner...
"W-what are-- what are you d-oing?"
The wolf growls and howls as it get closer and closer to her. Aria is in dreadful fear and feels like she's losing her hope to live. Her tears are starting to fall from her eyes and her hands are shaking tremendously. The wolf has come in to her face with its fangs drooling...
"Please..."Aria cries in awe for her fate. She kneels down, succumbs the energy of fighting..."Spare me..."
She raises her head and see the tantalizing eyes of a half-naked man staring at her face intently. As the salty waters in her eyes fall, the man slowly lends his face into her and says the three words that made her crawl in hope and in despair...
"Then..."
"Become my wife!"
"Become my wife?", Aria pushes the hunk man away from her with full desperation. She cannot find any words to say about what the man has just said. "Who the hell are you?""Me?--Can't you tell where you are right now?"The man sits on a chair surmounted by a canopy, and set on a dais-like golden walnut seat characterized by a raveled carving of a wolf stamping on its preys. The man lays his head on his wrist crossing his legs and looks at Aria in the eyes. "Now... Can you already tell who you are talking to?"Aria bluntly lays an eye on the man shortly and instead, let her eyes explore the entirety of the room. She notices the structure of the room clearly as the once dark, now lit up place displays its form."You're kidding, right? I can't--" Aria feels devastated realizing the situation she got into. The room is classic and meticulous with the round red king bed placed on the center and the King's
That night, Aria's thoughts are clouded by uncertainties. Conri's words has been bothering her since the announcement of their wedding. She rolled over the round bed and look at the enchanting half-moon glowing in the balcony.Conri told her to stay in his lair so that she can be safe without him at nights. There is a legion of hell soldiers guarding her behind the twin dragons’ door and servants that will take care of her while the king and her soon to be husband is away for his duties as the ruler of the nether world.She can't stop thinking about the warning her about to be husband has said before he depart for an odyssey in the south borders. "My queen, my journey will take long. These soldiers and servants will be with you while I'm still away. Take your time and explore my realm but- don't you dare enter the west woods..." What is in that place that I am not allowed to enter; her thought listening to what he said. This has
The blast whirl of sand blows down the empty land of south Neitheria. The place is arid, dusty, and dry. The voice of the harsh winds echo through the unseen horizon beyond the starry night with only the smiling moon as its light. Behind these spectacular view, seven shadows of people in red cloaks are sighted standing in the middle of the borders… “What a sight! They really are going all out tonight, huh?” “Hey, are you hiding with your tail in front, Matt?” “NO! You should be—“ “Everyone…” “ARE YOU READY TO RUN WILD?” The six look at the person in their middle with adornment. It was Conri in his werewolf form, whitest and mischievous looking at the battalion of Lighten armies. “Now…”, he raises both of his hands heightening the excitement everyone is feeling. “Let’s run free!”--- Everyone scatters shouting from the ends of their breath. Each of Conri’s squad take on one army on their own and face them with bewilderment. On th
“Who would visit me, anyway?”, Aria asks the two servants curiously while walking back to the castle. The three are holding baskets of roses- blue, pink, white, purple, and red. Behind them are the hell soldiers that are ordered to give an eye to the soon to be queen of Neitheria.“It must be one of the Darken races who wants to give you their blessings!”, Annie told her confidently. Aria frown her forehead taking second thoughts on what Annie said. She is somewhat afraid of the possibility of the chasers who have been after her life since she escape the black hole, the place with no ends in her mind.“Probably... let’s just put it that way, I guess?” Aria makes herself believe the safest option. It can’t be possible that those chasers can track her this easily. She looks at the two young mortals beside her playing with each other.“I thought we can enter the West woods this time...” L
Aria has been longing for love and belongingness ever since she was a child. She wanders and wanders, hoping that someone will accept her despite her appearance and curse. When King Conri said that he wanted to marry her and become his wife, a part of heart flatters in the calmest way. It feels like an old thorn was pulled out of her numb emotions. For the first time, for sixteen years, Aria feels happy.Yet..."ARIA! What did you do?""C-conri...I-I..." Weaken by her fading energy source, Aria tries to stand up and speak to Conri who's carrying the two young mortals to his arms in distressed. It is evident in his eyes the disappointment and anger towards the maiden in front of him, struggling to make her stance. But what Conri saw already tells everything. His heart and mind already close its doors to listen to her talks.Conri walks back to the castle quilted. Nevertheless, he still took a glimpse of Aria in his peripheral view. She's crying rivers, mum
"Aw! What was that?" Conri murmurs in pain. He stands up from lying head's down on the floor and sees Aria's wide open mouth staring at him in a blow. Then a moment of silence has envelope the room. Conri is the first to let go of his eyes and walks towards his closet. They seems to have develop some distance after what happened in the West woods.On the other hand, dismay is visible in Aria's eyes and is totally bothered by Conri's cold treatment just a second ago. She gets out of bed, confused, wanting to ask about waking up in Conri's bed rather than the icing grasses of the forest, as well as asks for forgiveness about what she had done.She comes near to Conri's wardrobe looking away at the undressed hunky man inside. "C-" She was cut off..."Get dressed. We have an important visitor today!" Conri walks out of the wardrobe without giving an eye to the silent Aria beside the door. He walks straight to the twin doors with no words and not anything. Nonetheles
It is time for Aria to ready herself for the upcoming wedding.It's been weeks after the incident in the west woods and Conri is still on the dark cold mode. Lucia and Annie are no longer serving her but she is trying to get in touch with them. She always asks the other servants where the two young maidens are transferred yet no one would even answer her.Today is her fitting day. The fairies of the eastern borders have come to the castle to take her measurements. The fairy of Rose is the one making her veil. The fairy of Marygold will be for her upper garments and the fairy dust for the lower garments. The dwarves are also there. Their work is to make the perfect shoes for the new queen of Neitheria."It seems to be so busy today, right Rosie?""I can't wait to see her wear the dress made by our race.""21...30...16...24-""Bring it here! Yeah! That! That one!"The whole castle is in absolute mess. A lot of darkens has al
In the small space of an arid cave-like structure in the basement of the king’s castle, the young maidens are seen covered in bandages. The air is filled with herbs and fresh fragrance of the flower garden. As the blow of the wind enters the window, the other one lying in bed starts to get consciousness and slowly opens her eyes. “Oh, you’re awake. Here, drink your medicine An.” Lucia who has bandage in her arms helps the poor Annie that is covered with bruises and bandage to get up from her bed. She guides her until she manages to finish drinking her herbs. “The wind is so fresh. I hope the queen is good right now.” Annie sadly exclaims as she put the glass to her side table. “I heard the preparations for the wedding is starting. Let’s do our best to get better so that we can see her in her charming wedding dress.” Lucia chuckles and help Annie get back to bed. The two are in the castles heal room to receive treatment. They are severely wounded after