Nothing ever lasts—it is a trivial, unavoidable truth. However, Kellvar—a nation in the north, had survived what everyone thought would be its end.

...only to face the world’s final tragedy.

On that day, there was no warning, only hopeful rays of the afternoon sun shining across the great royal hall, coupled with the sound of hearty laughter. “But of course, HA-HA-HA! It’s all thanks to y—” A shame it had to end all too abruptly...

“YOUR MAJESTY!”

...replaced by the desperate scream, born in the throat of the general standing by the Queen’s side.

“ERAYLEN!”

“MOTHER!”

“WHAT’S HAPPENING?!”

A chorus of cries left no trace of the festive atmosphere that had been there just a moment ago.

Of the people gathered round the table, half were stunned to witness the Queen’s body collapse into her assistant’s arms, while the others were blinded by a wave of light emitted from the crystal floating in the middle of the room.

“It’s The Blessing! DESTROY IT!” The general commanded without hesitation, even though his face was a mess of worry and fear—fear of the magic that suddenly swallowed the space around him. A cold void tugged at his very soul, is how it felt.

Several attendees whose magic was weakest fell to the floor, but all who survived the initial wave heeded the general’s order—or acted of their own volition. There was no time for hesitation; in mere seconds, mana-infused spears, swords and hammers struck the crystal in quick succession. The blinding light posed a difficulty, but high pitched clangs confirmed the hits... and yet, the crystal remained undamaged.

“Thirty! ...seconds!” A struggled shout escaped a woman’s mouth as she tried to concentrate—she was the only grand archmage serving in the royal guard. The woman wasn’t keen to waste time either, even if using her strongest spell right away could make it seem otherwise; there just was no point in trying anything else. The thought of it sent a chill down her spine, but her magic didn’t falter.

The two opposing mana streams clashed around the mage wildly, creating spontaneous wind, lightning, flames... It all looked surreal, with her long flaxen hair caught in the currents.

“By your lead!” The response came from one of the nation’s ministers, but all mages present shared his sentiment. Those who were familiar with the Grand Archmage’s spell’s resonance began preparing their own strikes, while the rest focused on restraining the hostile mana.

In the meantime, the warriors formed a defensive formation around the circle of wooden shards—the remnants of the table that not long ago stood below the crystal. They took turns carrying out attacks in the hopes of expending The Blessing’s mana for its protection, but... everyone gathered in the hall knew that something was wrong.

The amount of mana being released was unreasonable—the act should have been unreasonable...

Now that the initial shock began to wear off, among anxiety, brewed doubt. The Blessing had saved the people of this land when the greatest war of all times threatened the remains of the northern alliance; it was a gift to the Queen... so why would it turn on them on this victorious day? Add to it the fact that everyone who collapsed earlier was still breathing, as individuals checking up on them signaled... but the magic unmistakably elicited dread from whoever it touched, and the Queen was still unconscious.

Stolen story; please report.

Without their ruler’s guidance, the general relied on the Grand Archmage’s judgement; she voiced no complaints to his order, but... perhaps if only the mage had waited a moment longer with casting her spell, she would have noticed what was happening...

As the Queen’s subjects were left to face the situation by themselves, her own mind had drifted far away from the castle—

‘This... It cannot be...’ Were she able to form an expression in her current state, it would be of terror.

Not unlike before, the crystal took over the Queen’s—Eraylen’s, senses. It brought her to a palace dripping with grandeur unmatched in the north... in all of the northern continents. There, it showed her the king—her husband; his body lay lifeless on the beautifully crafted marble tiles... next to his men, but also the governors of the south. A foul stench akin to burned hair permeated the air and there was about as much blood on the floor as rubies on the columns—and those were not spared the surrounding excess.

‘No... No! Why?!’ Soundless shouts echoed in her thoughts.

She saw it—the golems she had built with The Blessing’s help and their bloodied arms... this was their doing. This was her doing—is what she believed.

However, even whilst grief and regret flooded her mind, the Queen hadn’t lost sight of what needed to be done. The general had told her about his bad feeling regarding The Blessing before. Now, she needed to get back—to him, to the others. But first, she would confirm whether the artifact had truly tricked her. Its unusual silence, though, was telling.

In the past she could command The Blessing to end the possession through magic, yet nothing happened this time.

‘I ask for thy forgiveness, Ravessia.’ The apology was directed at the goddess whom the whole world revered; it was an apology for calling the crystal her blessing.

With that, Eraylen may have realized that her mind was trapped in here, but she was far from hopeless. ‘There was a cause for the trickery, wasn’t there?’ Whatever were its goals, the crystal had to have a weakness.

Even if she were unable to escape the possession, she believed that her nation would survive this emergent threat—but she would return, no matter what. Because, while The Queen of Kellvar may not have been the greatest mage in the world, that was primarily due to her having a nation to lead.

And indeed, the possession proved unchallenging to break. Within a minute, Eraylen had dispelled it, but... what she ‘awoke’ to—it made her heart drop.

At first she noticed that her ears were ringing; next came the lingering smell of singed hair; then lastly... a myriad of shiny particles blurred her vision. They were floating around human statues, from which protruded crystal blades.

“D... Drasyl...?” She spoke in a timid, quivering voice.

It was when she saw her general’s motionless body at her feet, that Eraylen learned despair.

Even though several of the nation’s mightiest were gathered in that hall today, they all failed to stop The Blessing’s spell—another trick. It made Eraylen realize why she had been shown her husband’s misfortune... it was only to cause her pain.

This... being... it reveled in her pain.

“WHY?!” The Queen screamed, surrounded by her rigid subjects, the last of warmth leaving their bodies.

For the first time in her life, she shed tears.

But then, a weak plea sounded from behind her...

“M-mother?”

...and Eraylen’s shoulders shook.

“Ve... Venny!” She turned around in a jittery motion to find her daughter on the brink of death. Just how the general had saved his Queen, the assistant had done his utmost to save her daughter... but it was not enough.

Seeing half of Venny’s body covered in the mixture of jagged crystals and skin, Eraylen’s face was no longer able to express the pain she felt in her chest. At the same time, she noticed The Blessing encroaching into her mind, as if preparing to steal her very soul...

The end was nearing, as Eraylen looked into the beautiful rubellite eyes of her daughter and gently stroked her cheek. The Queen had failed, but the mother... found the last strand of hope.

“Live, my child.” Delicate voice escaped her trembling lips. “Live, in a different world.”

Eraylen had done many mistakes, but The Blessing made one—one that it would come to regret.

In the next instant, before Venny had the chance to ask, the air rumbled while another flash of light swallowed the great royal hall.

And as the radiance faded, the disappearance of two forms was revealed.