The screams echoed through the empty palace.

Blood was shed on the ground and walls. Bodies lied lifelessly on the floor.

"I told you, you can't win over me, Naviel."

In the middle of the throne room stood a tall, broad-shouldered man, in his hand a sword.

It was pointed at the young man sitting on the floor. His shoulders slumped back. His breaths heavy.

"I had to try anyway." He spoke calmly, too calmly. His eyes were the colour of the ocean, his hair soft blue.

Blood poured from his wound on his head and stomach. He was pierced with a sword.

The floor was red with a pool of blood.

"She will hate you for it." Naviel spoke.

"She won't, she's a good apprentice, loyal."

Naviel just chuckled.

"You don't know her." He looked up at the man standing in front of him. His eyes gleaming with fury and determination.

"I might not bring you down, but she will!"

Cough. Blood oozed from his mouth.

"I hope you pay for everything you've done." Naviel fell down to the floor, his body lied there, lifeless.

The other man just turned around and left with a smirk on his face, not knowing someone was listening this whole time.

"Naviel!"

The figure ran towards the body on the ground. She fell down on her knees.

Naviel's eyes opened a little.

"A queen... shouldn't kneel..."

"And a king shouldn't fall." her words weren't mocking, they were full of desperation.

"Naviel, get up."

"I can't." His voice was barely a whisper.

"Let's go home...please."

"You go...make the realm a better place...teach the gods...who they... should be.." Naviel's hand moved towards her hand. He gripped it tight.

"Don't leave me, Naviel...please..."

"Stay with me...you promised..." Tears flooded from her eyes uncontrollably. They fell to the ground, into the dark blood, mixing in with it.

"Naviel... you're a god...you can't fall this easily..."

He just smiled. His eyes stuck on her.

"I'll tease you forever for it... I'll say you lost to them... I'll make fun of you... I'll...sniff..."

"If it makes you...happy, then do...so."

Sniff...sniff...haa...

"Naviel, I'm begging you. Get up."

Her hand wrapped around his waist, trying to lift him up. His body didn't move. It was cold to the touch.

"Tarisha...promise me something...promise me, you'll never forget me...promise you'll keep me in your memories forever....promise you'll take good care of my people and the others... that you'll...be happy..."

"I promise! I promise everything! Just...you, promise me... you'll stay my friend forever..."

"I...promise..." His hand loosened the grip. His eyes closed and breaths stopped.

The last thing he saw were the shining stars in the night sky. Tarisha didn't look up at them, she only saw one star, the brightest in her life. The one that made her happy.

There's one thing, one promise, she couldn't keep. She couldn't be happy. Not inside. Not in her heart.

TO BE CONTINUED...

The knock on the door was subtle.

"Your Majesty?" A man's voice spoke from behind the tall, wooden door.

"Are you awake?" He sounded worried.

Behind the wooden door lay a dark room. There were two big windows, which were covered with curtains, so no light came in. On the left side of the room was a king-sized bed, next to it was a small table and on it a mirror.

On the other side of the bed stood a big wardrobe with clothes. Next to the wardrobe were doors, they led to a dressing room with more wardrobes and clothes, no one used it much though.

Opposite of the bed stood a table under the window. All kinds of papers lied there.

The room was engulfed in dark colours. And on the bed there, was lying a woman.

The voice behind the door grew more restless.

"Your Majesty?"

With a loud knock, the woman woke up. Her eyes sparked with red for a while, before turning into a dark brown with a hint of green color.

She looked as if she woke up from a nightmare. Her long hair, upper half of them was brown, the lower one was red, fell of her shoulders as she sat up straight.

"Abello?' He voice was hoarse.

"What's going on? What time is it?" She asked the man, Abello.

"It's still very early in the morning, Your Majesty, but the king of Fulgur is here...." Abello spoke with disgust in his tone.

"Arlechino?" The queen frowned.

"Why would he be here?"

"I do not know, as he did not state his business." Abello spoke calmly this time, over time, he learnt to keep calm in all kinds of situations.

"Give me few minutes." She got up from the bed and walked to her wardrobe. She didn't even use the dressing room that often. She didn't have the mood to, and the time.

She picked out her favourite dress. They were dark blue colour with golden ornaments, some signifying dragon heads and flames.

She brushed her hair neatly and braided a small braid on her hair, just so it didn't get in her eyes and face.

Then she walked out, composed, calm. She has walked through this palace many times over the years, she's lived here for over 9 thousand years.

Abello, her loyal servant and assistant, stood by her left side, slowly walking a bit behind her.

He always helped with anything she needed. He was her most trusted servant, and he was more than that, he was a friend.

His grayish eyes shone in the light, same as his silver hair.

He was a tall man, but the queen was just as tall.

The Flamanian women were known to be very tall in comparison to others.

Flama was one of the five great nations. It was secluded from other nations, but the Flamanians didn't care. They liked it like this. They were free.

The imperial family, the family of the highest Gods, resided in Laevis, the central nation. It was north of Flama.

Tarisha has been the queen of Flama for several thousand years. No one knew it, except for the Flamanians, as Flama had closed off it's gates a long, long time ago, because of some circumstances.

Fulgur wasn't a great nation. It was a small island located near Laevis, it was so small in comparison to Laevis, no one really cared about it.

Arlechino, the king of Fulgur, knew the queen of Flama from many years ago, however, she didn't like him.

He was suspicious. He always acted harshly and weirdly. He couldn't be trusted.

Not anymore.

TO BE CONTINUED....

TARISHA'S POV

I walked into the meeting room. He sat there, on the couch, as if he owned the place.

His hair was long and silver, his eyes had the golden color. He was fairly tall, taller than Abello by a few centimeters and a bit taller than me.

"Arlechino." My voice was steady, cold.

"Tarisha, no need to be so cold, we're friends."

"It's Your Majesty, for you." I said, looking into his eyes.

"Come on, we're friends."

"Are you sure?" I raised my eyebrow.

He stayed quiet, just looking at me with his innocent eyes. But he wasn't innocent, I knew it.

"What do you want?" I asked seriously.

"The imperial family is hosting a ball. I'd be good if you'd come."

The imperial family, the Lux family.

"What if I don't?"

I sat across from him, my voice getting colder.

"Nothing happens, I guess. You've never come before, so why now, right?" He laughed.

He could never be serious, and that's what made me suspicious of him. He has many secrets, secrets he hides behind his smile, his laugh.

I have been betrayed many times in the past, I didn't want to trust him, not now, not ever.

"I won't be coming. Act like you don't know me if anyone asks."

"It's not like we know each other anyway." He said, his eyes darting around the room.

"If that's all, get out." I spoke as I raised up to leave.

"Do they trust people too much, Tarisha. It could back fire."

What is he on about? Me, trust anyone? Why would I? Why would he say that to begin with?

"What do you mean by that?"

"Just saying." He got up from the couch and left.

An unsettling feeling settled in my chest, my heart pounded with fear. I couldn't shake it off, what did he mean by that?

I shook my head and in a hurry left the room where he sat just a few minutes ago.

Arlechino Fulmen Umbra was the god of lightning. He was the king of Fulgur, a small nation between Leavis and Flama. We got to know each other ten thousand years ago, he was helping the Three creator gods back then, his main purpose was to assist them with anything they wanted.

We were all clueless at that time, so it thought he was just like the rest of us, blinded by their words.

But maybe he wasn't, maybe he was just working with them of his own will.

And that feeling scared me, it was my intuition, what my head and my heart were telling me.

Long ago, I wanted to trust him, but gradually, it all faded away. We met less and he started forgetting me, I never did. I always listened and learnt. He probably thought I was just a little girl like the others. It might've seemed like that, but Flama closed off it's doors for a purpose.

Wars happened in secret, promises and protests, rebellions, too.

There were many thing to get over, many times people died.

But others held on strong. They fought like it all mattered.

Flama has been closed off for over 10 thousand years. No one ever cared enough to reach out themselves. So why should I?

I had only one purpose in living, helping and protecting my people, my home.

To be continued...