—The Past Revisited—

—18 Days Ago—

This unsettling night, highness of emotions. Enemies lurking in the town, steadily falling resistance. A nightmare on the humans, efforts of the king in vain.

This gripping despair, hearts crying out. None answering them, flowing sadness. Within the castle, through the many hallways, passing numerous paintings. This room of the princess, her luxurious setting.

Extravagance of a bed, a balcony with a wonderful view. Far too many closets for a normal person, this place now her home. Anya standing by the bedside, a young woman from the Elven Kingdom.

Two kingdoms coming together, the bond between a prince and princess. An opportunity in this, their flourishing lives. Her vibrant hair, extending long and proud, its rosy color.

A traditional dress from her home, its fine dark and crimson color. Walking to the window, distantly gazing on the land. Concerning with her fiancé, his long absence.

A harsh reality, those fiends in the shadows. Deeply worrying for his safety, almost missing the knocking at the door. Turning in the direction, hope in her.

"Enter." Eagerly urging.

Waiting many hours, wishing for information on the state of another. This unsettling night, monsters lurking around each corner. That opening door, disappointment coming to her.

Richter, this knight of the late king, standing on the other end. His grim expression, this to Anya's awareness, her churning stomach. Her steadily increasing heart rate, fear gripping at her.

"Princess, we should speak..." His painful eyes on her.

This dreadful night, mysteries hiding inside of it. That crimson moon shining down, bathing the land in its sorrowful light. Fiends lurking in the deepest of shadows, loss around every angle. Something else in its meaning, one steadily returning from the abyss.

That princess fearing the worst, madness falling upon countless. Her beating chest, not wanting to think of the possibility. The king no more, the Queen in the wind, a never ending nightmare.

"What do you mean...?" her hesitating voice.

Turning from her, closing the door, shutting his eyes. His actions in going forward, moving along his road. Seeking after what is within, his burning resolve. Starting this conflict, this war upon countless.

Intending to finish it, his many sins. Extending his hand in this actuality, running towards his desire. Opening his vision, facing the princess. Her concerning eyes, expecting this. That sighing former knight, confronting the Elven.

"I came to regrettably inform you that...the Prince is no longer alive..." Slightly looking away.

Trembling at these words, her paining heart. This bolt of lightning crashing down on her, her crumbling world. Stepping back, trying to rationalize the situation. Her hands to her chest, her sight a bit to her side.

Shortly returning it to the former knight, tears forming in her eyes. This unbelievable situation, that resilient prince. Falling to a challenge, difficulty in accepting this, her heart yearning for something else.

"I—It can't be...! He can't be!" shaking her head in refusal.

"Aye..." Turning from her.

Losing someone dear, this former knight in awareness on those emotions. Memories to his mind, horrific images never leaving. Atrocities in the night, continuously pushing forward.

Giving the princess a moment, gazing at his hand. Shutting his eyes, thinking on his path. Shortly opening his vision, confidence in him. Holding his hands behind his back, proceeding with the rest of the information.

Everything slowly coming into place, his desire moving towards reality. Paving his way in blood, shouting his soul.

"He proudly fought against those demons...dying an honorable man." Faintly smiling.

These infuriating words, pointlessness in honor. Reporters constantly with this message, uselessness in this knowledge. This unable in quelling her sadness, possible feats still remaining out there. Returning in good health, this of more worth.

Her agonizing pain, anger boiling at her depths. That former knight understanding this, his growing hatred. Taking numerous actions, necessity in doing so. Giving back this pain, his dreadful heart. Glancing to her, his lightening vision.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Which is why...we should discuss your options." His tone a bit more serious.

His sickening words, her fiancé not of this world. Unable to grieve, this cruel night. Her shaking fists, her heart in bondage. Her soul binding to the land, this surreal situation.

Her increasing pain, tears in her eyes. Monsters lurking everywhere, this realm in a state of insanity. Feeling her crushing world, despair clawing away at her.

This boiling anger, her new reality. Memories of the past, bliss in them. Days of pleasure far away, one on her own. The king no more, the Queen in the wind, that prince joining his father. This hopeless dusk, tormenting sadness.

—Present Time—

Cruelness in the night, coldness of the rushing air. That bleeding moon shining down its light, leading one back to her past. Challenges underneath the dusk, hardships along the way. Tormenting sorrow, an enemy to countless.

Her venture in a wasteland, sand blowing through. Smaller shrubs in the area, trees scattering far. Breaking platforms, rocky terrains for miles. Flying high, a beast in the sky. Half griffin, half Elven.

Her rosy color hair and eyes, this resemblance to someone. Scouring the land, this beast locking onto a rodent scurrying along the earth. Her talons in view, circling the area, shortly diving in precision.

Instantly grabbing the animal, savagely devouring it. Some passing time, that stretching monster, a yawn leaving her. Approaching individuals, facing them. Scowling at the two, loudly squawking.

Warning these intruders, trespassers of them. Standing from afar, their eyes on the beast, that demon positioning his arms in a thinking posture.

"That's...the princess..." His grim tone.

A sad outcome, words deeply hitting. Her promise to another, a prince seeking her out. Believing in her possibility, resisting his agony. Working with this one, a moment in it. His plea towards her, the state of his fiancée.

That former knight reaching another one, this actuality before her. Glancing back to the vampire, soon looking at the beast. This hostile one, wishing for a different result. A victim of the night, her aching heart.

"No doubt Richter's work once again..." That maiden slightly looking away.

His vision on the young woman, awareness on her direction. Difficulties in her life, constantly weighing options. Choosing her own path, damning innumerable. This trial in the night, wondering on her aim.

One from the deepest abyss, steadily returning with each passing hour. Facing this princess, a monster in the twilight. Yearning to oppose this rationality, her heart in these tides. Pushing against the reason of others, her deep frustrations.

"Your choice?" his uncertain voice.

"I agreed to find her...and I did." Lowering her head.

Blackness surrounding her, two paths before her. Glancing from one end to the next, these tormenting feelings. Her vision behind, nine pure white wings. Eyes meeting with the other, this warm feeling within her.

Proceeding onward, her aching heart. Not accepting this, leaping off the edge. Diving to the abyss, reaching for the faintest light. Opposing the logicality of others, her burning drive.

That princess carefully gazing at the two, their confusing actions. That turning vampire, bearing witness to this development. Despair clawing away at the soul of one, her heart in bondage, shackling to the land.

Disgust in her eyes, actions by Richter, Hades commanding this board. Glancing back to her companion, his vision to her. Allowing her direction, a hint from him. Importance in maintaining herself, shifting her attention onward.

"Do what you feel is best." His hands in his pockets.

These resonating words, difficulty of a decision. Considering it, a monster turning around, trying to kill them. This innocence from the princess, a chance of a difference. Her horrific existence, possibly living forever in this form.

This igniting heart, steadily breaking her shackles. Standing on her side, directing Reviver at the Elven. Those struggling eyes, moving deeper into darkness.

"Forgive me..." Sadness from the maiden's tone.

Her confusing words to the princess, that beast gazing onward. Slightly tilting her head, that weapon to her attention. This warmly shining light, alarming the beast.

Squawking in anger, ascending to the sky. A threat below, revealing her talons. Malevolence not from this monster, these conflicting feelings. Her job in silencing these fiends, her increasing emotions. This descending foe, striking down, shredding an illusion.

Landing on her feet, confusingly looking around. That vampire stepping away, moving off of the battlefield. The young woman materializing behind the princess, binding her neck, aiming Rebellion at the skull of the beast.

Glancing to the blade, tears in the fiend's eyes, frantically squawking. Standing in darkness, holding a life in her hands. Doing this many times before, a difference this time.

Freezing in this moment, hearing the cries of the princess. Flailing around, that maiden moving aside her blade. Holding this one still, thinking of a solution.

Her soft heart, this showing once more. Importance in maintaining herself, this decision to make. Those sounds turning into words, this catching the two off-guard.

"Lance...! Lance!! Help!!!" she wails.

Increasing movements, tightly keeping her grip on this princess. Unable to come to a decision, her heart clashing against her requirements. Not wishing to do this, despising the battlefield. A worse outcome of a possibility, yet the tiniest chance to her eyes.

Her burning heart, shining brighter in this night. That will from long ago, slowly coming about. Slightly lowering her head, this distressing situation, that princess butting her head against the young woman's own.

"Ugh...!"

This staggering impact, releasing her hold on the fiend. This one escaping, rushing onward. Standing from a distance, facing the maiden, her thumping heart.

That vampire's attention to the young woman, someone aware of her struggles. Her great capabilities, this dictating by her emotions. That ending with the prince still eating away at her, believing in another solution.

This pure one before her, these familiar sentiments. Racing along her path of darkness, reaching for the slimmest of light. Her vision on Anya, that Elven slowly backing away, tears forming in her eyes. Her rapidly pounding chest, hostility from her.

"If only..." Distantly gazing at her blade.

"Sta-stay away...from me...!" the princess trembling.