“Mom? Dad? Wh-Where are you? It’s so dark. So cold. Please…please let me out! I’m sorry for being a bad girl! I won’t see her again; I won’t disobey you again. I’ll be the perfect daughter and do anything you want! J-Just don't leave me here…PLEASE! LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!”
Annalay, the Throne of Nature
———
The Knight
“Hah, so you convinced them to traverse below the earth?” Satanael asks while playing with Aegis. “My, my. How very cruel of you.”
“I did not know of their fear,” The Knight replies, a hint of annoyance masks its words. “The Seraph of the past did not fear the underground. On the contrary, they navigated the winding paths with great speed, moving through the land undetected. To think they’ve acquired such a phobia… there must have been a trigger for it.”
“Oh, you didn’t know? You are the source of their fear.”
The Knight stares at Satanael blankly, confused at its involvement in such a deep-rooted terror.
“I haven’t resurfaced in many millennia. How did I contribute to their decay?”
“Did you not slay the first Seraph, Valkyrie, below the earth?”
“….Ah.”
“Yes, indeed. The story of her death has been passed down for generations, serving as a bedtime warning for the little children about the underground’s danger. How did it go again… ah, yes-
"Her guiding light had shone so bright, none could possibly compare. But on that day her light had sunk, filling the nation with despair. Heed my words, o’ those that soar through the sky. The underground is filled with naught but peril, for to traverse it means your end is nigh.”
“I see. To think that a singular death has caused such a dramatic change within their nature…”
“Do you regret it?”
“…To an extent.”
The Knight plucks a blooming flower from Satanael’s garden and gingerly places it onto Aegis’s hands. The little baby gleefully plays with it and waves it in the air, unaware of its true origins.
“I have caused many tragedies, Satanael. The lives I have taken… it numbers so high that it reaches The Stars themselves. The pain I have inflicted upon this world will never truly heal, doomed to bare the scars of my cruelty. And I will continue to enact these atrocities in the future, but this time, it will have a greater purpose. It will serve as Aegis’s growth.”
“Why go to such lengths?”
“…It’s time I head back. It will be suspicious if my room is silent for too long. There isn’t a way for you to join me during the invasion, so mingle amongst the Nox citizens for now and report back to me once I call for you.”
“As you wish, my shining Constellation. But allow me a few parting words before your departure.”
“Speak.”
“Ascalon is much more terrifying than he appears. I have never attempted to aim for his head, and for good reason. I do not know his true power, but his aura is… endless. I’ve run many simulations through my mind, and they all end in crushing defeat. Whatever your goal is, be careful.”
“I shall keep that in mind.”
The Knight returns to its room, Aegis back on their head, and begins to prepare for the looming assault. Satanael will not be able to serve as an emergency hideaway due to the lack of doorways, so The Knight will have to make due with the environment.
It brings out the various maps and guides of the surrounding area. Even if the millennia’s come and go, the geography will remain unchanged unless something impacts the landscape. The earth is still intact, so many of the underground tunnels and passageways will be the same. All The Knight has to do is hint their locations to the scouting squadron and the invasion will progress as planned.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
The hard part will be investigating the depths of The King’s power. Questioning the advisors about The Monarch’s Wings will bring about suspicion, and The Knight cannot let an unknown ability hinder its goal.
There are hints to its inner mechanism that have subtly leaked out during the strategy meeting. All it has to go on is that his strength increases depending on the number of people around him, but just what exactly is the power itself? Isolating The King will be easy due to his love for Lorelai, but it has to be completely sure about his prowess. The Knight has an endless amount of experience in combat, and the one thing that it prioritizes above all else is information. It cannot be allowed to be blindsided, or else it would have perished a long time ago.
For now, it will wait until the invasion progresses further before making any other moves. The Knight will witness The King’s strength at the fortress's siege, and it will plan accordingly after The Grand General is dead. This experience will be of great value to Aegis’s education, and The Knight is interested in the evolution of warfare in the current age.
The dawn is approaching, and so too is Nox Caelum's end.
———
The Citizens of Polus
The square of the capital is packed with the bodies of the populace. Every citizen in the city has gathered here today under the official command of The King. Soon, a grand proclamation will come from the castle. The air is tense with anticipation, and the people are desperate to know about The King’s plans. Will this be about The Nox? About Lorelai? None know, but the faint light of hope looms amidst their hearts.
A large clang from the bell at the top of the castle silences the vibrant crowd. The Seraph begin to fly high in the sky, assembling the ranks and flying banners of the various knight orders within the kingdom. Every division of the army has gathered here today, and the earth itself shakes before the vast legion of knights that stomp upon its body.
The three Thrones of the kingdom soar out of the castle to the cheers of the crowd. Nature, Steel, and Heaven have gathered together once again, their armor shining in the sun’s morning glow. Although Lorelai’s wings have changed, she remains an invigorating comfort to the eyes of the scared and downtrodden below.
“O’ citizens of Polus!” The three recite in unison. “We hear your cries. Your pain. Your worry. We hear them all. The morrow is filled with uncertainty, but today we shall step towards the light. King Ascalon, make your presence known. Bring solace to the hearts of those that wish for the sky above!”
King Ascalon steps out into the castle's promenade dressed in full war attire. His new-bound armor is covered in a swirling pattern of color made from orange and amber. The royal Polus insignia lies adorned on his massive chestplate, and a large, white feathered cloak covers the surrounding of his body, decorated with specks of gold. The Mattatron is sheathed upon his back in an ornate black scabbard with tiny hues of blue and white emblemed on the outside, and two large wings jut out towards the sky on his helm. His presence exudes the authority of a Ruler, and the people below are spellbound at his appearance. Something is different about him. The tired and despondent King of yonder days is gone, replaced by a monarch emboldened by the flame of conviction.
"Heed my words!" Ascalon decrees. "For years, we have cowered before Xeros and his treacherous nation. Many great men and women have perished due to his bottomless greed. Their sacrifice to this country will never be forgotten, but how many will need to die before his avarice is sated? How many families must be separated in order to usher in an age of peace?"
Ascalon gazes at his concerned citizens below. His words strike true to their hearts, and a wave of sorrow passes through their expressions. Everyone has a friend, a sibling, a parent out on the battlefield, and none know grief like them; death has become an everyday part of their life. They can only grit their teeth and live on to honor their memories, but even the most stalwart of people will cave in to despair eventually.
"I have been negligent in my duty. I believed that Xeros would cease his ambition if we remained on the defensive. That he would give up his wretched plan of conquering the continent if we repelled his forces. But I was wrong, and the blood of our people continues to flow because of it.
"...Someone very dear to my heart once said this to me, 'Complacency grows from incompetence'. No other phrase suits me more at this moment, for my incompetence has led to our decline. I was scared, cowardly, hiding my eyes from the truth in a vain effort to escape from reality, but no longer. My eyes are wide open, and now I finally see the path I must take."
Ascalon manifests The Monarch's Wings and soars high above the people. His wings change the sun's rays into a beautiful amber shower of sparkling light, covering the people in its incandescent aura below.
"The time is now to end this conflict. No longer shall we wait with tortured breaths for our loved ones to return. No longer shall we live in fear of what tomorrow will bring. Xerox is now exposed, his back turned against us. Hear me citizens of Polus! We shall march with the full might of our army and bring peace to these lands once and for all. I will lead the charge and cut down Xeros's head with my own hands. Together, we will bring forth the dawn!"
The crowd erupts into a cacophony of cheers and cries. The thunderous roar echoes throughout the city, drowning all those inside with its victorious rally. The light of hope rages within their hearts, for the morrow holds promise of liberty.
Ascalon turns and beholds the emboldened army before him. The time is now. He must not fail.
"Warriors of Polus!" he roars. "Onwards, to Nox Caelum!"