The ride back to the capital was as cold, bleak and depressing as it could possibly get for Ishtar Ddraig. She was no foreigner to missions that ended in failure or in the death of close companions, but the pain of losing a family member was like a cold dagger driven through her chest.

Ishtar had felt this heartache before, this clawing sensation which made her world feel like a void which sucked away at her will to live. She could feel her eyes burning with the sensation of tears begging to be freed, but she held them at bay.

Looking around, she saw the familiar looks of horror, rage, confusion and even heartbreak amongst the crew of her vessel. No one said anything, they all just sat in silence as if some malicious Mizihimo had stolen the ability to speak from them.

"They have become like the living dead," she thought as she caught a glimpse of Dolton, the fae did not express anything, Infact his face was a total void.

She wanted to approach him and ask for advice, for anything. But she could not in this crowd, none could know that the Paladin of secrets was in their midst.

"Just wait for when we land within the capital," she thought as she looked out the aircraft's window to see Asalon, the capital of Avalon, a home that she rarely knew.

The capital was always mystifying under the setting suns rays but now in Ishtar's opinion the gorgeous view of the thriving metropolis almost felt like it was mocking her. Why else would it dare to look so pristine and beautiful, when it should have been in morning like the rest of them.

It felt like a cruel joke by the universe to rip her brother from her grasp once more after she finally gotten a moment to see him after so long, simply to recreate her original failure.

The cold and somber atmosphere was intensified as they landed the aircraft within the royal palace. Ishtar was met by a mob of politicians and palace staff, at their head stood Mithrose, the First Minister.

The old elf struck a somber visage which made his age more pronounced than ever. He slowly lowered himself onto both knees with much struggle, he then raised both his hands upon which rested a iron rode.

The rode was a plain piece of grey iron, though the thin red engravings of various glyphs which ran from its top to bottom made it clear to any Avalonian who caught sight of it what this rode was.

"In my authority as First Minister, I Sorta Mithrose..." the old elf's voice quivered and a stream of hot tears began rolling down his cheeks. "... present to you the Naglamos, the septar of Queenship... my Queen, my lady, I am sorry."

"This isn't right, I shouldn't be holding this." she thought as she looked at the symbol of rulership.

She had always known that her reign would come after her parents had died. It was all she had known from the day that she could understand the meaning of terms like kings and queens, and she had done her best not to fully think about what such a thing truly meant.

But it was now when the full reality that it was their deaths would be what came before her ascension finally dawned on her. The pit in her stomach grew as she remembered her past excitement at seating the throne.

"Is this what father felt like when..." she remembered her grandparents, just more people who she had lost in less than two years.

"Please your grace, take it. Your people need you at this dark hour," the First Minister pleaded in-between his sobs.

Ishtar outstretched her arm and she grasped ahold of the rode. The iron felt cold and heavy in her hand as she picked it up, but no cheering came from those around her at this impromptu coronation of her reign.

"So this is what the crown feels like.... it's so hollow," the now Queen Ishtar thought.

"Ready the entire council, I will await you all in the throne room," she commanded the First Minister in some simulacrum of the voice her parents commonly used in their capacity as rulers.

"Of course your grace," First Minister Mithrose responded as he got back onto his feet and he walked off to gather his cabinet.

Ishtar started to walk into the palace and the halls of her home felt so empty. Every bright colour and beautiful tapestry which usually made the palace feel alive were simply grey and hollow to her. She did not pay them much mind as her full attention was fully focused on replaying the battle which had just taken place.

From being teleported to that mountain, to watching the woman unleash waves of shadow which destroyed the entire landmass and sent her flying off of it and to the ground.

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A physical reminder of what had just occurred could be found at the doors to the throne room. Here the entire Vortiguard should have stood in their stoic vigilance as the guards of this most sacred of administrative centers.

But only one stood in this duty, Hector Mychana, one of the legendary ten paladins. Though he didn't strike his usual imposing figure, for were once his armor was beautiful in its gleaming gold and white colours, it was now chipped, dented and splattered with red stains which she suspected to be blood.

His legendary bronze tower shield was no where to be seen and the fearsome spear had become a walking stick to stop the exhausted man from tipping over.

His face was sweaty and with how he winced every once in a while, She did not have to be a genius to know that he was far more injured than he was letting on. When he saw her, Hector brought his right fist to his chest in salute, though the Paladins movements were sloppy and caused him clear pain.

"My Queen, I am truly sorry for my failure," he spoke with voice burning in barely held back frustration and rage.

"There is nothing to be sorry for," she responded with understanding of just what he must be feeling. "The enemy was far too powerful for any of us, even for them. What could we possibly do in the face of such power."

"Fight on, I should have joined my brothers and sisters in the Vortiguard to the grave," Hector gnashed his teeth in pure hatred as he spoke. " I should have dragged ten thousand of them to the grave with me."

"Live and avenge them and my my parents. But you can start that by going to the doctor and having your injuries looked at." as soon as she finished speaking, Hector tried to protest, but she would not allow him. "I need you at your full strength for what is to come. I am asking this not just as your Queen but also as a friend."

Hector opened his mouth to say something but he paused and thought better of it. He reluctantly nodded and turned to walk away, a limp in his step.

With him gone, Ishtar was able to walk into the throne room. As soon as she shut the massive golden doors behind, she wept. All of the anger, rage and pain flowed out at once like a great dam that had finally burst.

She fell to her knees and pounded the floor with her fists, as if this assault on the earth itself would walk back the horrors of this day, but she knew that wasn't the case and that just made it hurt even more.

In the throne room of Avalon, the symbol of power for a great people, a young woman's wailing haunted it as the weight of the world almost seemed to crush her underneath.

XXXXXXX

Her weeping lasted for a long time until it became physically impossible for her to cry anymore. Only then did she pick herself up and try her best to regain what little remained of her composure.

She knew what she had to do next, but it felt so unnatural and sick that it made it step feel like a million tons had been tied to her legs, but after much longer than was needed to she sat herself upon the throne of her father.

"Was it always this big?" she thought as she squirmed uncomfortably in her father's chair.

She looked to her mother's throne, but the thought of sitting in that thing was even worse. Christian might not remember much, but she remembered the monster their corrupted mother had become. The thousands dead in brutal fashion and the constant horrors of the civil war were burned into her eyes for all eternity.

She did not trust this supposed light half when it first appeared. Ishtar could look intos eyes and she saw a glimpse of the darkness within them, the promise to become the threat that had rained havoc upon her home.

Her musings ended when the doors were pushed open and a stream of military commanders and the First Minister minister's cabinet came flooding in. Ishtar took in a deep breath as she thought of the next words that she utter to bring order to this mass of chaos.

"My fellow councilmen and women, we stand under a dark cloud, our northern neighbour has attacked us and my parents... your king and queen are no more. But we will not fall to this backstabbing cowar..." she did not get to finish as chaos broke up amongst the members of parliament who began yelling over her and at eachother.

Some called for caution in dealing with the situation, others were more brash and they called for immediate vengeance upon the Lunar Empire. These two factions immediately began turning on eachother shouting.

"Spineless coward."

"Blood thirsty fool."

"Traitor."

"Warmonger."

Ishtar tried to bring peace to everyone, but all this shouting was like a raging ocean that swallowed her voice into nothiness. She felt her heart tighten with irritation and anger as she looked at the red faced people beneath her. She was about to raise from the throne shout at all of them, but another voice beat her to it.

"How dare you try and make peace with them!".

Voice came from a young woman who looked so similar to Christian, after all she was his twin and Ishtar's youngest sibling. Though she was a total opposite of what Christian was like from how she was shaking with a righteous fury that manifest as pure white flames that danced around her shoulders.

Ishtar did not know how her sister had gotten here, but she knew that more trouble had been added to her plate. Though on the bright side she had helped shut everyone up.

"Why is it that someone who managed to learn is divine power is volatile," she thought as she remembered Joan's temperament for its violent, loud and bombastic self.

When she wasn't on knights duty Joans clothing options and general behavior could easily have her be mistaken for a young thug rather than an enlightened person.

"Princess please.." First Minister Mithrose tried to calm her down, but all that did was turn her rage upon him.

"Don't you princess me!" her hands were now emitting heat thanks to her fire magic that caused everyone around her to move back for safety in case she lost control and exploded. " Those bastards have not only attacked our homeland, my people and my family but they ran with even more people lost. This insult will need to be paid in blood, Deus Vault, Deus Vault!".

"Princess, we are only saying that some cautious actions have to be taken before we act," one of the ministers tried to explain his position but that was a mistake which brought him under Joan's glare.

"You will sit here and try to talk to me about cautiousness?" she angrily snapped as she stomped towards the man. "Our enemy just stepped on our land, you absolute fool!"

"Joan, thats enough!" Ishtar could take no longer and she made her voice loudly known. "Please take a seat and may we conduct my parliament with some damn dignity."

Everyone shifted awkwardly in their seats as they realized that they had ignored their very queen to argue with one with one another.

"Now, you may please stand and say your case, anyone who raises their voice in some opposition without the previous speakers finishing their speech will be thrown out," she spoke more calmly this time. " Are we of an understanding here?"

Everyone grumbled out a reluctant sign of agreement and though Joan needed a full glare from Ishtar to concede, she finally took a step back and sat down upon one of the chairs.

"Your grace, if I may be so bold," a minister asked with more calm to his voice. "We should not be too hasty to act. We are not yet fully aware of why the Lunar Empire is attacking us, if these people truly are Lunar Empire forces."

"They are Lunar Empire forces, our question of captured prisoners has proven that much."

Ishtar had interrogated a few of the POWs in her aircraft after they departed from the north. In her frustration she had taken the questioning to an extreme which made her sick as she remembered.

"What of our spies in the empire, surly they can grant us a better picture of the ground before we throw ourselves into this meat grinder which has taken the outside world," another minister chimed in.

"We have not been able to contact them, there is too much chaos and all communications run the ris..." she was stopped when Dolton in an Asikaris uniform came into the room.

"Your grace, forgive my intrusion, but I bring word from the border" he said as he bowed.

"Go on."

"The navy has began an engagement with multiple Lunar Empire vessels, reports say hundreds have died so far," he responded and Ishtar felt her blood run cold as she processed that.

"Then open warfare has already started. We are now truly at war." she whispered.