King Uldor sat on his throne and brooded, getting up suddenly and stomping to down the hall past his other wife.

“Uldor, don’t.” the ebony queen beg-whispered. “Let Diaz conjure and read her blood magic. She is your wife and your advisor, not your king. YOU are the king. Do as you wish and let her advise, not rule. You can see now her prophecy is broken.”

“Incomplete, not broken.” He sighed.

“That is not true. She said your enemies would fall, and for every one that has fallen, a new one has formed and Hafth still remains strong, nearing our gates. Where is her sword? Where is the bow you were to wield? Your dragon is dead, Dravenguard is stronger than ever, Ahndra somehow still lives despite her king being dead and now a woman claiming to be a god is holding up in our Eastern manor demanding our kingdom. The white witch was wrong. She misread the stones and her blood magic is misguided. You should have followed your heart and your duty, not your witch.”

“I remind you, that you are both my queens and conspiring against another queen is grounds for conflict. If you hate her so, by the old ways, do challenge her. The white witch was prophesied before she was even born, and you don’t dare challenge her power. Yet you challenge her faith and come to me in secret and tell me to defy her and believe you. You have always been jealous of her. She has bore me sons, Ioa, SONS. You have not. Her advisement has kept me king through 2 conflicts, and all you have done is whisper and ask for my power as king to defy her. So go…defy her yourself. I allow it.” he said as she nervously breathed a few deep breaths, debating her words carefully. “I thought not. Now be gone from my sight or have the courage to fight her for that position you want.” He snarled, looking out the window at the guest manor where Nicole waited. He stood at the door to the sorcery tower, debating on entering and demanding answers, and then stepping back into the faith he dare not abandon in these times. He began walking to the guest manor to speak to Nicole. Waving his guards away as they stood to follow. He crossed the long bridge to the high stone walled island and knocked on the door with the giant stone crest, staring at the image of a dragon of green and gold he no longer had, and looking up at the blue wings of the dragon perched atop the manor now. The doors opened. Nicole stared impatiently at him, arms crossed and waiting for something to impress her.

“A light of green that pierces sky, a brave 600 men will die. As gods arise and man will kneel, a sword of power they shall steal, a broken King in cove of Dyre, sacrifice of blood and fire, brothers pure they shall conspire, but he who waits, his heart’s desire. A witch with locks as white as snow, to her true love will hold the bow, with sword in hand on final hour, Elvin blood releases power. Elvin kings will turn to dust, as one of blended blood and lust, shall watch the ruin of the pure, for only one king can endure.” he said poetically. “What does it mean?” he asked her.

“Dude, I just woke up. It’s like 8am. I love riddles and games but not before breakfast and there’s no coffee here, so the last few days I’ve been moody as hell pounding frigging tea.” She sighed. He noticed her hair, now more grey than black, the offset column of snow white to one side, still partly braided.

“I married Diaz, the white witch because she was the first born daughter of my father’s mage. The only one in the land to be born with hair white as snow and mixed blood like my own. Her father said she was born to lead a king.”

“Really…” Nicole yawned “I just assumed the big tittied goth vibe got your peener tingly and you said THAT ONE and she was like…I get to be a queen, hell yea. I get it, she’s hot. She’s built like a satanic anime babe and I can’t fault you for that. What’s your point exactly?”

“She advised me to follow the prophecy, and I have. And then you showed up and claimed my kingdom. I saw the green light, I send the dragon to Thalebrook to claim 600 lives and sacrifice my dragon of blood and fire, and my brothers all turned on me. And now a risen god with locks as white as snow stands before me, demanding my obedience, telling me only her kingdom will endure. Have I followed the truth, but the wrong white witch?” he asked.

“I’m married, chuckle nuts. I’m not gonna make you my king-wife and let you rule everything as my second in command. I’m not here to empower you, I’m here to disempower you. You know why you’re alive right now? Because I am trying to be a nice god, and not kill people. I’m trying to STOP the killing, but you stupid Elves don’t know anything but war, so do you want mercy or violence, because I can be a real bitch too. Your Goth-piece didn’t get that prophesy from me. She didn't write it. You know who writes the prophecies…WE do. They change when gods decide to change them and I have spent 4 days in a stupid castle getting ass-kissing bribes and gifts, sitting on my tiny ass doing nothing because I’m trying to prove that this can be done without bloodshed. Am I wrong? Because there’s another white witch as powerful as me on her way here…apparently, she should be here by now, but whatever. Fucking slow-ass Gizzy taking her time. And SHE prefers bloodshed. She likes war. The last king that gave her shit, got cut in half. You want THAT white witch on your ass? Because she is coming, and I’m the nice one who got here first. You really want this bowing down taken care of before she does, and me proven right. You wanna know a secret, just between us?”

“Yes.” He nodded. “Enlighten me.”

“I’m new. I’m basically a god in training. I'm powerful, I'm cute, but I'm not experienced. She's like 15 thousand years oldr than me. I’ve never taken over a world before, she has. This is my graduation test, from sidekick to main character, from second in command to one above all. And I was doing great, and then you refused to bow. I thought you’d listen to a god, maybe if you slept on it, maybe if your sexy satanic titty-mage with her mega cleavage of destiny had a vision or some shit, you’d get it. We’re here for this world, it’s ours now, one way or another and by force and death or by willing knees, and I am TRYING REALLY HARD!!!” she roared, eyes glowing and frost covering the doors where her nails dug into the wood. “Trying really hard to show Gizzy that you can take over a world and fix it, without murdering half the population. What’s gonna happen when she gets here and you’re still not obeying me, and my new Dravenguard army is just sitting there ready to wipe you out, and I got 2 dragons with their thumbs up their asses doing nothing because you haven’t cooperated? She’s gonna tell me I fucked up, and you can’t be nice to these stupid mortals, and dead bodies everywhere will be the result. And THEN I either have to fight her to give you a SECOND chance to prove I was right, or admit that you’re all too dumb to get along, and then I have to kill you all to prove I can rule. I don’t wanna kill you all. I like not killing you all, do you like not being all killed because this is how you all get killed. Now I told your brother Hafth to bring an army ready for battle, and if he gets here, and you already bowed down…then nobody dies and I look really good on record. Or he arrives and you haven’t, and I gotta let him kill you to save face. Look I know being a king is fun but you know what’s also fun? Not being a dead king. Being an alive…I dunno duke or something is pretty cool. Beats dead king, right? Your prophecy said your brothers will fall and one king will remain, it didn’t say it was you, now did it? I’m sorry, but the titty magic can sway men and mesmerize you but it won’t save your ass. I can. Or I can hand it over to your brother and HE can remain king, and rule under me.” She said, looking unsettled. “Not like UNDER me, I'm married but, you know what I mean."

“My eyes have seen the truth. She will be very displeased to hear it, but she will be displeased and alive, rather than a fallen martyr.” He said, kneeling and paying his respects.

“And tell me I’m merciful and right and pretty.”

“Your wisdom and mercy is only outshone by your beauty, my goddess.”

“Okay, well…” she grinned and blushed, rolling her eyes playfully. “That will due, remember I’m married. Go. Go tell your magical tits she works for me now. And for the love of fuck, something has to have real caffeine in it in this kingdom, chocolate, coffee, something. I’m jonesing so hard my hair is turning white. That or the frost dragon blood magic thing. Either way, beans, brew, stimulants my manz, like ASAP.” She dramatically sighed. “I’m Dragon my ass here.”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Gizzy stared at a bright red dragon ass through her spyglass.

“There it is…The Rose of the Desert.” She sighed. “Which is either the city or the dragon, because the context is always questionable, but we’re here for the dragon. Not the city. You two ready to do this?”

“No.” Dee winced. “I’m just being honest. I hate this.”

“I’m…kinda on the fence.” Vinn nodded. “Like, yea dragon fight is pretty badass, and I’m stoked, but also Nicole would hate us killing a dragon that was just chillin there protecting the city, and also it’s just kinda intimidating. That thing is WAY bigger than the other ones.”

“Well yea, thankfully. It’s an easier target to hit. The damn black one is so fast I can’t even get a shot close without it Starfox barrel-rolling out of the way. Let alone Dee hitting it with her garbage bow aim.” Vinn squinted in both gamer nerd and pilot license.

“You realize it’s not even a barrel roll.” He said.

“Yea but if I say pulling an Aileron maneuver, nobody will get the joke. I’m sacrificing accuracy for reader enjoyment here.” Gizzy muttered. Dee blinked and looked like she was having a stroke.

“Readers? Who’s reading? Are we supposed to be taking notes on this shit?” she said looking worried.

“Moving on. So the plan is simple. Vinn gravity shield pulls the dragon down, I chop it’s head off. You distract it with laser arrows.”

“I’m the distraction?” Dee said, looking annoyed.

“Honey, I love you, and you have so many amazing skills…medieval combat is just not one of them. Unless the dragons are susceptible to tits and beer, you’re not the heavy hitter in this fight. He’s defense, I’m offense, you’re cover fire."

“You know, my tits and beer tamed you, and you’re supposed to be some kind of dragon thing. Maybe these dragons can be controlled with love instead of firepower.”

“Different mythology entirely, doesn’t help us now. They’re infused with evil and their existence provides chaos god potential. Hell just their bones or blood brewed into a potion could make someone turn into a chaos god for all we know, turn them evil and give them superpowers. Then we have to kill someone else and we’re back to square 1. Nope. Bullshit. We kill the dragons, we destroy the items together, everything is covered, no chaos magic, we go home.”

Diaz squinted her milky eyes, filled with rage as King Uldor stood against the wall, leaning and waiting for her to simmer down.

“You betray me for her?” she screamed.

“My love for you does not change, but my allegiance is to fate. I was one king of 4, and now I will be second to a god, that is the rise I have earned, is it not enough?” he asked her.

“I am your white witch, not her. She arrived with locks of black and changed to trick you. Her magic is powerful, but it does not make her a god, my king. The prophecy I have seen cost me my sight, do not lose your faith because your brother’s army is on the horizon. He will fall to our gates and when his beast arrives our weapons will bring it down. Kill Hafth, and you kill The Rose, one stone from a catapult can end this. His foolish faith in his false white witch made him stand in front of his army like a target for you to strike, and he calls for your head and insults you. He is vulnerable, his dragon vulnerable as he is, strike, my king. Mercy is a trap to buy time for the Rose to arrive. Don’t you see? She is HIS witch, and The Rose will not leave Dravenguard unprotected until the last moment, but a dragon flies quickly and will be here on command. Men will die, our walls will be battered and burned if you do nothing and allow mercy as she commands. Kill your brother like we planned, leave his city without a dragon, his army without a king and become the last king of the land as I fortold, Uldor.” Diaz barked.

“She offers power through mercy, you demand power through death. You have my heart, but she has my fate. I would order you as your king to challenge her and see who’s magic is truly of the gods, but I will lose you and gain nothing. We are mortals in the presence of those who create prophesy, not decipher it. My love, you have deciphered the ending wrong.” Uldor said as she scrunched her face in tears of anger and betrayal.

“If you go to face him on foot, you will die.” She said quivering. “Your brother is a master of the blade, and you are simply not. You are destined and wise, and on the side of truth, but if you face Hafth or do nothing as he summons The Rose to our city, then I must do what needs to be done and fight her, so that you will see who is the true witch of fate.” She said, storming out of the room and grabbing her staff.

“I order you not to defy a god, Diaz. Her mercy has limits, and I cannot save you from your own lack of faith. DIAZ!” he bellowed as she continued her march towards the bridge.

“Incoming.” Nathan yawned. “Goth Felicia Hardy with an attitude approaching your six.”

“What is my six? Just say a direction.” Nicole said, heading downstairs to meet her.

“LIAR!” Diaz yelled with tears in her eyes. “FALSE GOD!”

“Morning to you too. So you’re not here to bow and bring gifts, I take it?” Nicole said casually.

“You stole my husband’s mind and corrupted him with lies and trickery.”

“I literally JUST did my makeup. You know, maybe if you followed your KING, you’d be a lot less aggressive towards his boss.” Nicole said, shaking her head and turning her back as Diaz launched a dagger at it. It bounced off the shielding and fell to the ground. “Seriously?” she asked calmly.

“Now do I have your attention?” she snarled, drawing a sword and rushing at her. Nicole stomped the ground, a shock of cold wind and frost forming at the impact. She grabbed the stone rail and engulfed it in ice, blue flames rolling from her robes as Diaz rushed her again with the blade and Uldor came running to stop them.

“Are you just stupid?” Nicole asked. “I’m King fucking Kong up in here, and you come at me with a letter opener and expect to survive? Do you WANT to get murdered because that’s how you get murdered.” She snipped, conjuring lightning and slamming her to the wall with the staff’s concussive attack. “Sit…stay!” she ordered, turning her back again to shrug at Uldor in disbelief as Diaz made one last attack, slipping on the ice and falling, colliding with the rail and gliding over the edge into the water. “I guess she didn’t sit OR stay.” Nicole sighed as she hit the water below.

“Save her! PLEASE, She can’t swim!” Uldor begged.

“She literally tried to kill me, but you know what, I’ll save her stupid drowning ass anyway because I’m a good-oh damn. Maybe not.” Nicole said peering down and seeing the body laid out over a large rock. “About that. Didn’t actually matter if she could swim or not, I guess.” She cringed.

“She’s dead?” Uldor said, dropping to his knees, peering down at the body.

“Damn…bye bitch. What a waste of epic titties.” Nicole sighed softly. “That was not my fault. Who lives on a lake and can't swim? Who bum-rushes someone on ice? She should have watched her footing better on a bridge over water, especially with rocks down there. That’s on her.”

“She was blind, she gave her eyes for the gift of future sight...for the gods” He cried.

“Oh, well now I just feel bad. Sorry about the…hey she came to start a fight she was NOT ready for. That’s mostly her bad decisions…starting with the blind thing. I was gonna save her. Wow, she really just royally dicked that up in the worst way. Tell you what, we’ll just not tell anyone about this and her dishonorable conduct, we can have a big funeral, whatever your tradit-oh Damnit, seriously? BLUEBERRY NO!! BAD!" She yelled as the dragon swooped down to the sea."…aaaand she’s eating the body. So this went poorly.”

King Hafth pounded on the gates and yelled for his brother over and over. The gates slowly opened and a very defeated looking Uldor stepped out, followed by Nicole.

“King Uldor. I am here to claim my penance for the 600 men you murdered in Thalebrook, and an insult to my land, breaking the treaty of peace and spitting on my family’s bloodline. Bow before me and I will take your head and my kingdom. Your castle will be mine to rule, your people will be treated as mine, your wives and children free to live their lives in exile, with enough gold to wisely sustain them, but your head will be placed on a pike as a reminder of what betrayal buys you. Or return to your walls and my army will burn the town, tear down the kingdom and your family will be thrown from the highest towers. I have a dragon, a goddess, and fate on my side. Do something honorable for once in your life Uldor, and offer your head.” Hafth said, raising his blade. ‘

“Boys, can we take a minute to discuss the violence?" Nicole sighed dramatically.

“No. He is right. I have broken laws following the prophesy of a witch who broke my heart and turned on fate. For that I am sorry brother. But I cannot simply bow to you and your blade.”

“Then everything shall burn, The Rose will feast on charred royalty tonight.”

“Okay, both of you. Brothers, family.” Nicole said. “Can you just compromise a little? Something between sacrificial decapitation and a full attack on Spirecrest. I kinda like this city. This is clearly a fight between you two, not nations, not armies, not peasants and innocent people. Can’t you settle this like brothers for shit’s sake!?” she yelled.

“She is right, shall we settle this like the old kings, no armies, no innocent bloodshed?” asked Uldor.

“YES!” Nicole said with relief.

“Yes, brother. We shall. We will duel fairly to the death, and to the victor belongs the kingdom and the families of the slain will be treated as the victors.”

“NO!” Nicole sighed. “You know what, whatever. I’m not gonna stop you. No war, no dragon strike, no genocide, if you two wanna kill each other and be done with this, then just do it. Get yer dicks out boys, swing away!” she said stomping to a nearby fence to sit and wait. They drew swords and nodded, the clash of steel on steel immediately following.