Chapter 19: Complications... The game
Queen Melissa sat at her working table, a grand masterpiece crafted entirely from the finest gold. Upon its polished surface lay countless documents, each awaiting her scrutiny. One after another, she attended to them with unwavering focus, her hands moving swiftly yet precisely as she signed, sealed, and stamped orders that dictated the course of her kingdom.
With each passing hour, a slave would enter, offering her a cup of soothing tea to relieve the mounting stress of her endless work. However, Queen Melissa often rejected the drink. To her, accepting such gestures too frequently was a sign of weakness. She prided herself on appearing strong at all times—unyielding, unshaken. After all, the foundation of the Exorcist Kingdom was built upon fear and strength. To be perceived as weak, even for a moment, was to invite disaster.
The wrong perception could stir the worst kind of wars.
She dipped her quill into the ink once more, preparing to sign yet another decree, when the grand doors of her chamber groaned open. The sound was not unfamiliar, yet the presence that stepped through immediately captured her full attention.
A man clad in dark armor, his formidable battle axe strapped to his back, strode into the room with the measured steps of a warrior accustomed to both bloodshed and discipline. His aura alone commanded respect. And yet, despite his imposing presence, he knelt before her the moment he reached the center of the chamber.
"My Queen," his voice was steady, yet there was an undeniable edge to it, "I bring— I'm afraid— terrible news to your hearing."
Queen Melissa, still holding the last document she had been reading, set it aside with deliberate care. Now, her full attention was on him.
"You may speak."
The kneeling warrior, a high-ranking exorcist named Teras, took a measured breath before delivering his report.
"My Queen, there has been an unusual stir among the beasts and spirits across the continent. Reports from various clans confirm the same phenomenon. It is as if all the forces of darkness are converging to a single point."
His voice grew heavier.
"A very strange occurrence, one that the Alchemist Clan believes is a precursor to something far worse."
Queen Melissa leaned back slightly, her regal composure unwavering, though her eyes betrayed the storm brewing within her mind. She recalled a similar disturbance, a time when the shadows had moved unnaturally, a time when—
"Just like those days... When I lost my husband," she whispered, almost to herself.
Teras, hearing her murmur, shook his head grimly.
"No, my Queen. That is the worst part. It is nothing like those times."
Queen Melissa's fingers tightened into a fist, her nails pressing into her palm.
"Back then," Teras continued, "we faced a single war. A battle fought and won. But what is happening now... this is different. This is a chain reaction, a storm gathering momentum. If we do not prepare adequately, this may very well lead to our extinction."
A heavy silence settled in the room. The air itself felt suffocating.
Queen Melissa exhaled slowly, her mind racing through countless possibilities.
And yet, no matter which path she considered, the conclusion remained the same—this was a threat unlike any before.
Her people would have to be hardened. The coming generation would need to be stronger, more ruthless, more willing to wield power without hesitation. But what, she wondered, had triggered such an unnatural convergence of darkness?
What had set this storm in motion?
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"If that is all, you may leave."
Teras bowed his head low before rising to his feet. Without another word, he turned and exited the chamber, the heavy doors sealing shut behind him.
Now alone, Queen Melissa let her thoughts wander.
This was no ordinary threat. It felt calculated, as though some unseen force had orchestrated the chaos, nudging the world towards disaster with deliberate intent.
She pondered long and hard, staring at the flickering candlelight on her desk, the shadows dancing as if whispering secrets she could not yet comprehend.
She knew they would have to push the next generation beyond its limits if they hoped to survive. But deep in her heart, a question lingered.
What had caused these abnormalities to surface? What force was bold enough to challenge the balance of the world?
Unknown to her...
The true game was only just beginning.