The King could hear the rumbles of combat occurring and echoing from the stairs he climbed up from the throne room.

‘They have reached the throne room.’ he had thought. He began playing scenarios in his mind on the possible situation that was going on down under him. Using only the heavily muffled sounds that echoed to him as reference. He can faintly hear a male voice. Likely belonging to the champion he despises so much. Despite their repeated history of fighting one another, he had no respect for the man who is considered by the world to be the one who will end his life eventually. The king does not believe he even has the strength to do so and relies heavily on the Queen to give him an edge in combat.

Truly, he was more so an avatar for the Queen than a soldier. Constantly sent into combat with her blessing and magic enchantments that make his dull sword swings pack a punch, even for someone as powerful as him.

The Queen on the other hand, was a different story. They previously engaged with one other in fierce combat. This occurred very early on in the years of the world. Back then, there was more space for their destructive dance. Thinking back to those times, he could recall the burn marks whenever one of her attacks would land on his battle. It only heated up his blood and wanted to return the favor with a good strike of his own. But as he felt the excitement of their battles, he recalls the last time the two crossed paths. All that excitement was replaced by the calm and loving sense.

Another rumble disrupts him again. He now hears something approaching him and his machine. Whomever it was, they would die before they set foot into the room, so he wasn’t worried much. But the echo hid something, it was two footsteps. Someone was accompanying the Champion. Or perhaps he failed worse than he expected and his generals are approaching him to share their victory. Something that should at least deserve some praise.

Indeed, it was his two generals that rose up to them. But they were in awful shape. The shiny armor one of them had was cracked and he could see their exposed flesh underneath. Something she was proud of. The other was shamefully holding their broken orb in their hands.

“I’m sorry, my liege. S-she was more powerful than we anticipated. We had to warn you.” She states through her cracked armor. It was difficult to tell whether the drips of liquid on her face were her tears or sweat.

‘She?’ He took notice but couldn’t because again, footsteps began to climb up the stairs behind them to disrupt. The two pressed on each other and behaved like they were attempting to act as a blockade from the invading party from getting into the room. The King simply projected his immense aura of miasma that he could weaponize to knock out his own generals. Carefully, he moves them to the corner of the room and tucked behind a desk. Though he didn’t admit it to them, he valued them dearly and couldn’t bear losing them, even if he was unsure of the future.

His attention was taken when he felt daggers being shot at him. He turns to see the Champion standing in the doorway, sword in hand. Fresh blood dripped from the blood. He could feel rage building inside of him, but with a steady breath, he was able to swallow it back in the depths of his soul with the other burst moments of rage he had in stock.

“So this is where you have been hiding, you devil.” The Champion stated. Wiping the blood off his weapon as if it was filth. The champion's attempt to get him to snap and lose his cool continues on.

“This is my home, where else would a person be?” The King retorted. Making his way back to the front of the machine. As he did, the flooring began to have glowing lines form under them slowly.

The champion stepped back into the stairway to not get caught within the lines. “A Magic Circle!? This is your tool?” He exclaims.

“Magic is one of the most powerfulest forces in the world. You should have practiced it more than simply relying on that hand-me-down toy you use to claim masculinity.” With a wave of his hands, the line of lights grew more strongly as they began activating. But then the light began flickering strangely.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“Indeed, magic is quite powerful. But so are people who know their stuff.”

The hairs on the King’s arm stood on their end. It came from a voice he hasn’t heard from a long time. There she was, standing behind the swordsman. The two locked eyes for a moment until the King was able to come up with a retort he felt comfortable using.

“Well, if it isn’t her majesty. If I had known you were coming along, I would have been more of a good host and used my finest wine and death traps.”

She chuckled in a playful manner as she waved her hand and the lights that illuminated the flooring disappeared for good. “Well, after ignoring my invitations to join the global council so many times, I just had to come here to make the invitation be in person.”

The King was about to answer her, but was rudely interrupted by her Champion, “Come on, your majesty, don’t even joke about the idea of being friendly with the likes of him. He’ll betray us when he gets the chance. It’s in his nature!”

“Your little boy soldier has a point. You know my intentions.” He would say as he moves his hand up and attempts to revive the magic circle. But the lights kept flickering as the Queen prevented its usage. The Champion felt this was the right moment to strike. Gripping his sword with both hands, he begins to charge at the King.

“And here comes the sword swing at full charge.” The King declares. He stops his attempt to do magic and catches the blade with such ease that most of the momentum went through the Champion’s body. Very quickly, the King would twist his body to perform a powerful kick that knocked the wind out the Champion in a single blow.

The Queen also stopped her own magic to catch her knocked knight. Taking advantage of the situation, the King uses his magic to complete the circle. Once completed, the glowing light began melting into the stone floor and soft rumbling began to occur.

It felt like they were moving. Or something was occurring around them, it was hard to tell exactly what it was. The stones that formed the room began to split apart, crumble away even. They were no longer in a room anymore. They were suspended in the air. The light under them was the only thing keeping them in the air.

The queen looks down to the ground level. She could see the castle was surrounded in violence and mayhem. The two forces fighting never stopped. And the ground wasn’t visible to her, as it was layered in bodies. The fullest visual of wars are at full display to the queen, and it makes her heart heavy with sorrow. But she had no time to mourn for the dead, the platform she was on continued to rise up further. At the edges, blue flames began igniting.

“Don’t tell me we failed in stopping the magic.” The champion asks as he recovered from the strong blow and was finally able to get some words out.

“I’m afraid the magic was a mere ruse, this seems nothing.” She explains to him.

“Then what the hell is your endgame!?” The Champion yelled. Clearly frustrated over being tricked.

The King merely smirks as he turns his back on the two and begins to occupy the panel in front of the machine. That was when the Queen clicked it together.

“No, the magic and the mention of it being a tool is just a ploy. That large contraction he is using is the real thing. Zero, wait!”

The King paused his hands before the final button he needed to press to activate the machine.

“Listen, you don’t have to do this!”

“What do you mean by that? Of course I have to.” He says straightforwardly. “In all my life, I have never been given the ability to choose for myself. And neither have you. But with this…” He slams his hand down, the machine begins whirring, gradually getting louder.

The Queen simply watched, unsure of what they could do to stop it. The Champion on the other hand, rose to his feet and with all his remaining strength, threw his sword with a good thrust in his attempt to pierce the machine. But the weapon was caught by the King and thrown off the platform they were on.

The machine grew in size and light began beamin out from the inside. It didn’t stop though, it simply continued on and on until it was getting too much to simply leave their eyes naked and uncovered. Even the Queen wasn’t strong enough to endure. Soon, the area around them was enveloped with light and they were unable to realize that the world was soon engulfed in the light. And finally, the rest of everything.

The World was blank.