The Moon's ethereal light cast a silvery gaze across the world. As a result, the darkness is not wholly dark anymore, and the event that is meant to happen on that day is no longer hidden from its eyes.

A baby cry echoed in one of those shoddy houses on the outskirts but it didn't warrant any celebration from his parents and their neighbours.

A man's cry echoed in the royal palace but it did warranted curses and profanity.

An obsidian blade shot through the air, its tip glowing faintly as it sank into the one-handed man's abdomen, the weapon's intended target. The man's shrieking wail reverberated across the luxurious hall as he fell unceremoniously to the bloodied ground, surrounded by corpses. His screams and frantic breathing resonated all around and began to slow down as life seemed to leave his body.

The person who stabbed the victim did not appear content as the blade gleamed repeatedly, transforming his body into an unrecognizable gruesome jumble of flesh. Finally, the attacker appeared to calm down and dropped the weapon to the ground. It was a woman with short, harsh black hair and a face full of old scars.

She was the youngest princess of the Agensal Kingdom, also called the Benevolent Princess by the masses.

Tears mixed with blood streamed down her face. She stared at the cold corpse of her brother and slowly turned around towards the lonesome throne, her hands still stained with her brother's blood. A throne made entirely of gold with several crystals embedded in it. Rubies, Emeralds, Sapphires and even Silorite crystals.

In the eyes of the princess, it was not a seat of power. Not anymore. It's a cursed throne filled with broken oaths and shattered alliances. It demanded one to bear the weight of countless lives in this country.

And the princess fulfilled that demand.

She walked towards the throne, uncaring about the corpses of royal guards surrounding it. Her soldiers had already vacated the throne room after killing everybody except the King's Regent that was her brother. He was severely injured with his one hand missing. As Royals could not be killed by a soldier without due order of the royal court. She had to take responsibility as she's the last remaining one of the House of Agensal. Catherine dut Agensal.

As she neared the throne, her eyes blurred as she remembered the events that led to this moment.

~The Horde of Demi-humans overwhelming the border defences.~

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~Pillaging and burning of villages and towns.~

~Her father, aging and cautious, focused on fortifying the capital and waiting for aid from the allied kingdoms.~

~Lack of aid from the said kingdoms. Only verbal promises that hadn't been met.~

~Siege of the Royal Capital Agensal.~

~Ancient wall of the capital standing unflinchingly.~

~Rise of plague among the nomadic beastmen camping outside the capital on the marshy lands.~

~Betrayal of Duke Maximilian also known as Coastal Duke, who also owns major shipyards and had significant fleets.~

~Coup d'état of the second prince Osoric Dut Agensal tired of his father's defensive actions and jealous of his elder brother, the crown prince.~

~Alliance between the second prince and the Coastal Duke with Duke's daughter tied to the prince.~

~Murder of her father, King Osomaric Dut Agensal and the crown prince Maric Dut Agensal.~

~Second Prince taking the position of regency while blaming the beastmen assassins for his sin of familial homicide.~

~Prolonged military campaigns leading to the depletion of the treasury. Her now dead brother's reckless order of high war taxes on the people. ~

~Cost of grains and other food items skyrocketing.~

~People's riot. ~

~The order of cruel execution of all those involved in the would-be rebellion.~

~Loss of morale among the defeated populace.~

~Various factions attempt to claim the royal status. Her father's velvet guard unit supported her.~

~Retake of various institutions and granaries of nobles. ~

~Killing merchants, both cruel ones and innocent ones and retaking the food produce and distributing to her people.~

~And many more.~

~But at last, she captured the throne, slain her brother, amassed a large number of soldiers and peasants with her charisma.

The Coastal Duke escaped with half his fleet. He didn't even take his family with him.~

After what seemed like an eternity, the princess blinked her eyes and sat herself on the throne. There is still some blood splashed on the intricate carving of the throne but she seemed uncaring.

The Moon seemed to fade due to the coverage of the clouds, darkness blanketing the room but the bloody princess’s eyes still glinted sharply.

Far away, in that shoddy house, the baby’s eyes also glinted.

This is how the two people who would later shape the world emerged. One from the womb and the other from blood treachery almost at the same time, as destiny intended.

***