The day had begun like any other, with the sun rising over the First Dukedom and the promise of tranquility lingering in the air. Lilian, wrapped in the routines and joys of her daily life, had allowed a semblance of normalcy to veil the looming threat of the prophecy. The warning given by the Scarlet God had momentarily receded into the background, overshadowed by the immediate demands of estate management and personal connections.
However, that fragile peace shattered in a single, harrowing afternoon. It started with a distant rumbling, a sound deep and ominous that seemed to rise from the very bowels of the earth. The sky, previously a clear expanse of azure, turned a furious shade of red, the clouds swirling as if angered by some unseen provocation.
Lilian was in the garden, attending to her beloved plants, when the first signs of disaster manifested. The air grew oppressively heavy, and a strange, eerie light bathed everything in a sinister hue. Celeste, sensing the change, hissed a warning, her fur standing on end as she looked towards the horizon.
Pip, usually so full of humor and light, fluttered anxiously around Lilian, chirping, "Something’s wrong, very wrong, Lilian!"
Before she could respond, a servant rushed towards her, panic etched across his face. "My lady, you must come quickly! The sky has turned red, and there are reports of lightning striking homes and farms!"
Grabbing her skirts, Lilian ran towards the manor, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and adrenaline. As she entered, her family and several advisors were gathered around the windows, staring out in disbelief at the chaos unfolding.
The sky was indeed a violent red, lightning arcing through it with ferocious intensity, striking the ground with devastating effects. Far off, towards the coast, a massive wave could be seen forming—a tsunami, its waters unnaturally tinged with the same angry red that filled the sky.
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Duke Alistair turned to Lilian, his face grave. "The prophecy... It’s coming to pass. The gods are angry, Lilian. What have we done to provoke such wrath?"
Lilian, her mind racing, replied, "We didn’t heed the warning. The marriage... it was supposed to be halted. The emperor laughed it off, refused to believe..."
As they spoke, reports continued to flood in. Farms were being destroyed, livestock was in disarray, and now, the red tsunami threatened to wash away coastal villages. The kingdom was on the brink of a catastrophe of biblical proportions, a direct result of ignoring divine command.
Kael, clutching a tome of ancient prophecies, looked up from the pages, his expression somber. "This is just the beginning. A warning. If we do not correct our course, if the marriage proceeds, the wrath of the Scarlet God will escalate. We are facing the undoing of our kingdom."
The room fell silent, each person processing the magnitude of their oversight. Rylan stepped forward, his voice steady despite the chaos. "We need to act, and quickly. We must appeal to the emperor again, show him the consequences of his arrogance."
Lilian nodded, her resolve hardening. "And this time, we bring proof. We show him the destruction, the suffering. We make him see that this is no mere superstition. We are dealing with forces beyond our control, forces that demand respect."
The decision was made. As the red sky roared with thunder and the ground trembled beneath their feet, Lilian and her allies prepared to confront not just the emperor, but a divine anger that threatened to unravel everything they held dear. They were racing against time, against the very elements themselves, in a desperate bid to save their kingdom from annihilation.
As they organized their expedition to the capital, Lilian looked out at the raging sky, a mix of determination and fear in her heart. This was a battle for their very souls, fought not with swords and shields, but with courage, faith, and the hope that they were not too late to avert total disaster.