The Darkness versus The Light (Blackrock and Lamenting_Quill)

[Lamenting_Quill]

The gray and black clouds swirled over the palace of the Tenrethian empire in the far distance, so very far away but Savina saw it nonetheless; trouble was brewing and she felt it deep down into her very core.
The wind ruffled gently through Savina's golden hair as she forced herself too look away from the high reaching spiraling towers of the Tenrethian palace, she tried so hard to combat the fear the bubbled and grew in her breast; Could she protect her people from this menace?
In her hands she clutched the Crystal Rod as if she was afraid it might disappear on her, she had been trying so hard to wield the ancient weapon of light to it's full potential as her mother had done once before to push Tenreth back for a great many years.
Tenreth grew strong again now and her beloved mother and father had been killed a few years ago due to a strange and powerful surprise attack as they were returning home from a diplomatic mission to an empire far to the east. No one ever knew the cause of what happened, only that the attack had been swift and brutal.
Savina was left alone now to defend and lead her people on her own.

“Mother... Father...” Savina murmured, turning her face up to the sky “Please give me your strength, help me to protect our people”
The day seemed to be fading faster this night, as if darkness threatened to engulf them all and in a way, it did. The black magic of Tenrethian empire was strongest as night, one reason Savina had the Imperial City guard more numerous than during the day.
She shivered though as she thought of the current emperor of Tenreth, Dorien, people said he murdered his own father for the throne and he now set his sights on Nevaeh in a way that his dead father never did.
Savina had also heard the rumors that Dorien was staring at a portrait of her for many hours it seemed, never blinking even once; Just staring intensely. Savina prayed this was a false rumor, the last thing she needed was her enemy being obsessed with her in any way.
“I'd rather die than be of interest to that monster” Savina whispered softly to herself.
She turned her face up as the sun made it's last few inches to sinking beneath the horizon and drenching the world in night, the moon slowly climbed up to shed ribbons of silvery white light.
The beautiful empress seemed to glow in the moonlight, her golden hair seemed like molten sunlight and her creamy skin was light the softest lily petals.
She turned her ocean blue eyes to the moon once before she turned away and left the balcony, entering her private chambers and closing the curtains behind her.

There was nothing more Savina could do at this time to comfort herself or to prepare for any possible attacks headed their way, she needed rest now and she well knew it.
Going the way she was would lead to exhausting herself and leaving her mind dull and weary, she needed to be alert and on top of everything.
With a sigh, Savina placed the Crystal Rod upon it's stand before she moved towards her wardrobe and opened it to withdraw a pale pink silken nightgown; Perhaps she would indeed feel better after some much needed rest.
Once she was changed and her hair was brushed to a golden shine, she carefully braided her hair and move her way to her bed; it would be difficult sleeping with all the worries on her mind, but she'd manage it with how exhausted she was.
Sure enough, it didn't her more than a half hour to slowly drift off into a light slumber; her dreams fitful and filled with dark fears.

[Blackrock]

The last rays of the flickering sun were slowly receding from the world, giving way for the comforting darkness of the night. Dorien smiled as he watched the nightly landscape before him; from his high tower he could observe the city below and gaze far into the distance. He could see as far as the lands of Nevaeh, the so-called Empire of Light. He both loathed and pitied their kind, so blind, so fearful of the dark, chilly mistress. The night was, of course, his favourite time of day – it was calm, it was still, it allowed one’s mind and senses to roam free. But it was deadly for the unprepared, this was the time went the predators left their lairs, feeding on the weak; when occasional screams and wailing would be heard from the city below. It was...marvellous.

He took a sip from the silver goblet he held in his hand, the ruby-red wine flowed down his throat, sending a wave of refreshment coursing through him. It was a lighter sort of wine, suitable for reinvigorating mind, rather than muddling the wits. Dorien smile as he lowered the goblet, the liquid was just perfect – neither too warm, nor too cold. It was owed to the intricate shapes engraved on the chalice, simple runes that could influence the temperature. He used them mainly in his dungeons, where the atmosphere was perpetually frigid, but it didn’t mean he couldn’t use them to enjoy the finer things in life as well.

Ah...the finer things, he had plenty of that. The entire city below him, all the lands and towers and keeps, farms, cottages, woods, lakes, rivers, and roads – everything belonged to him. But he wanted more. So much more. What use for his powers, knowledge and might if he were to just idly sit here, content with what his father had possessed? The old man had unquestionably done good for the Empire, but he was too weak and timid to be a great ruler, not like Dorien. No, he would bring change; he would make Tenreth mightier still.

He took another sip from the wine, as he continued peering into the darkness. He couldn’t do anything without breaking the seals, they were the key to it all. Earth, Air, Fire and Water – they tightly held the beast in place. The wards had been placed there since the dawn of his dynasty, the old rulers were careful enough to have a backup plan should their pet become too headstrong; but their power meant it was always kept under control. And his father...the fool, he was too weak to claim his birthright and so he locked it away. The action was simple enough, Dorien thought with an annoyed expression, even the old Emperor’s mediocre magic was sufficient. But breaking the seals...it was an entirely different matter.

Once more he raised the goblet, this time downing whatever was left in one go. What he intended was going to be hard, near impossible some would say....but nothing was impossible for Dorien. A chilly gust of wind blew through the opened window, causing his black cloak to flutter. It distracted him from his thoughts and returned him to the present. Already he had sent out his spies to search for the locations of the items he would need, they would start bringing in news soon.

Still looking out of the window, he heard the door behind him open. Dorien quietly took a few steps towards a nearby table, placed the chalice there and turned to look at the man who had just entered. Their crimson eyes met for less than a second, before the other lowered his gaze.

“My lord” he said

“Selenar. What is it?” Dorien asked in his melodic voice, neither too high nor too low, too gruff or too soft. It was as if a musical instrument was being played, both enthralling and alarming at the same time.

“The man who had spoken against you, the son of Baron Blackdell, has been killed. He-“

Dorien waved his hand with a bored expression.

“I know.” the young Emperor could see and hear all that transpired in the shadows of the night.

“The Baron offers his apologies once again and asks that Your Highness be merciful to him. He offers his youngest daughter as a gift.”

“Let him keep his holdings, but he is to erect a statue of me in his palace, so that it serves as a reminder of my mercy.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“As for the girl...” Dorien pondered for a moment, he was feeling generous today “...I give her to you. Use her in one of your rituals.”

“It will be as my lord commands.” Selenar said with a sly smile.

The aging man was tall, very tall, and thin. His naturally jet black hair had long since turned grey, but his eyes still burned with the vigour of life. He served as Dorien’s advisor and steward, taking care of the mundane, day-to-day activities that kept the Empire running. Apart from that, he was regarded as one of the most terrible and powerful black mages in history and the mere whisper of his name brought dread to men’s hearts. And yet, he was no match for Dorien.

“Anything else?”

“No, my lord...there is nothing else worthy of your attention.”

“Then leave.”

The black mage bowed low and left the room, silently closing the door behind him. Being alone, Dorien walked away from the window and headed for a different door. It was right by his bed and few people apart from the Emperor had seen the inside of it. He traced his fingers along the polished surface, deactivating the wards that protected it and went in.

It was a small room, with only a single armchair in the middle. One look at it was enough to tell that it was made to accommodate the user for long periods of time, it seemed to radiate comfort. The room itself was mostly dark, save for a few candles that illuminated a portrait in a cold blue light. It was a picture of young, astonishingly beautiful woman and it was placed a few steps away from the armchair.

Dorien was not in the mood, so this time he merely spared the portrait a few minutes. Other times though, he would gaze into it for hours and hours on end. It was his favourite past time and he would come here when he needed to focus and clear his head. The woman was none other than the Empress of Nevaeh, Savina, his sworn enemy. And the single thing in this world he desired most.

Her golden hair...the soft, clear skin. The arched eyebrows and the juicy-looking lips; those deep, blue eyes, her full bosom....and he could only imagine what the rest of her must be like. Her natural beauty was one thing, but what made her all the more alluring was that she unreachable, for now. Dorien could have any woman he desired, lords and nobles would throw their daughters, wives, mothers at his feet. It took only but a word from him. And yet...he could not have her. Closing his eyes for a moment, he imagined all the things he would do to her if she were within his grasp. That line of thought almost drove him insane with lust, before he shook his head at his own lack of restraint.

Waving angrily at a segment of the wall, he walked towards it as it moved away and revealed a hidden passage. As he walked in, the opening behind him closed silently and left him in the dark. Dorien closed his eyes again, touching his eyelids with the tip of his fingers. He muttered a few words to himself and then opened them. His red eyes took on an even bloodier glow, as they reflected what little light there was here. While his pupils had become small slits, like that that of a cat. He could now see well enough in the dark and began his journey unhindered.

Dorien walked through the dark corridors, stairways and dungeons of his palace for a long time. Using only passages he was aware of, he descended ever deeper into the bowels of his domain. Deep into the earth he went, in places few mortals dared to tread. Even his most loyal men seldom ventured here, only when it was absolutely necessary. And yet, Dorien had nothing to fear. He was the greatest horror one could meet here.

In time, he found himself in a larger chamber, well-lit and, through various enchantments, kept clean without a fleck of dust. Two huge braziers lined the, equally huge, door directly in front of him. Their blueish-white flames seemed to have a life of their own and they sent various twisted shadows racing across the room. This was the Imperial Crypt, where all members of Dorien’s family were laid to rest, since times immemorial. Each Emperor had to make a pilgrimage here at least once a year, lest he risk irking the spirits of the powerful sorcerers entombed within. But the young ruler had not come here to pay his respects, not today.

To his left, there was a much less imposing door. Its features were only illuminated by two small torches, nestled in their sconces. When compared to the rest of the chamber, it seemed completely dark – as if someone wanted to keep it out of sight; and with good reason, Dorien thought with a smile.

He approached the door and began carrying out a few complex gestures with his thumb, index and middle finger. In the end, he uttered a word of power and placed his hand on the door. A sudden rushed through the air, a deep, frigid cold that seemed to touch one’s soul. It was unnatural and it lasted only for a moment. The door slung open.

When Dorien found himself in the now-familiar chamber, his eyes wandered to the massive door looming above him. The one leading to the Imperial Crypt seemed like a pitiful hatch compared to it. It was a thing of beauty and dread, made of steel and stone, wood and magic. Dorien waved his hand idly and the dark chamber was illuminated by the hundreds of torches placed throughout it. The light twisted and reflected itself off the door’s surface, granting it the image of a cascading waterfall of molten silver and gold. Many times Dorien had wondered if it was due to the exquisite craftsmanship or some magic he not aware of (which was a great cause of annoyance for him). Regardless, it almost seemed to beg to be opened.

As much as the Emperor wanted to grant it its wish though, he could not. Not yet. After all, it was not so easy to break the hold on Tenreth’s greatest weapon – the shadowbeast of legends.

[Lamenting_Quill]

The next morning came like every other had done for the past few years, with an eerie feeling of dread and fear deep within the young empress's breast. The sunlight that poured into front her balcony gave her little comfort these days it seemed.
As she gracefully tossed her legs over the edge of her bed, Savina gave a great shiver; it was like the expression of someone walking over your grave. Though Savina knew what it meant, she always knew when that monster Tenreth called an emperor was thinking about her; She could feel his desire and possessive longing. It made her feel ill. She could almost feel his eager hands trying to pull her into an embrace.
Her nightmares this night were worse than ever, he was there this time... She was trapped alone with him in Tenrethian palace...

'You are mine' he had told her 'You will never escape me, why bother trying?'

The dream had ended just as he'd tried to kiss her, a beam of light had shot towards him and fended him off. Savina guessed that the sunlight streaming into her room had influenced the beam and woken her.
She was grateful for that, the horrible nightmare had felt so very real; It felt as though Dorien had really been standing before her.
Savina could still smell his scent of spice and musk clear as day.
“Leave me alone, just leave me alone” Savina whimpered softly, cupping her face in her palms “ Let me be free of you... Dorien...Go away... just go away... please... please... cease haunting me!”

Savina was startled from her fears as a gentle knock rapped upon her bedchamber door, she knew it was her ladies maids coming to prepare her for the day as they did every morning. Lately their routine presence had become more welcome than usual as chased away the phantom Dorien that threatened to consume her in dark desires.
“Come in” Savina called, doing her best to compose herself before her ladies maids entered; she did not need to see her in such distress during such times as these, she needed to be symbol of strength for them.
The door opened and in stepped three young Nevaehin women, each of them fair haired as most Nevaehins were, their eyes a gentle aqua color; They took her in with an expression of adoration and devotion.
Savina wondered why she looked a bit different from most of the Nevaehin people, everyone said it was simply because she was special; Blessed by the Gods of Light.
While most Nevaehin people had a pale silvery blonde, Savina's hair was as golden as the sun and her eyes unlike their aqua blue-green; her eyes were the deep sapphire blue of the azure oceans that surrounded the coastline.
“Your highness” They said with a graceful dip “Good morning”
“Good morning, ladies” Savina managed with a gentle smile, hiding well the chills that still traveled up and down her spine.


“It's happened again, your highness”
Savina took on the grave expression upon the face of her captain of the guards and her own personal bodyguard “Rafael... you cannot mean... another village?”
Rafael shook his head sadly, his sky blue hair dancing gracefully on his forehead “More than just one, I am afraid... three villages were ransacked and everyone killed”
“Ransacked?!” Savina exclaimed with confusion “But why?! What were they looking for? You don't think...”
Rafael nodded solemnly “Yes, your highness, I do. I believe they are seaching for the elemental idols your father managed to steal from the late Tenrethian emperor Luka. Two idols have now been recovered by Dorien's men, there are two left that remain within Nevaehin hands”
“That lunatic...” Savina gasped softly, her eyes wide with fear “He means to break the elemental seals on the shadow monster, if he should succeed.......”
Rafael nodded “I know, we must stop him. I have already dispatched some of my men to recover the remaining idol statues of air and water”
“Are the idol statues all he needs?” Savina inquired desperately.
Rafael shook his head, his aqua blue-green eyes filled with a small shred of hope “No, he will require of sample of each element from a sacred place to be placed upon four pedestals around the seals along with the idol statues. There is an incantation, though I do not know what it is; my resources are also uncertain if Dorien himself even knows the incantation. It is possible Luka took it with him to his grave”

“Unless Dorien forced it out of him before killing him” Savina murmured softly, her sapphire eyes filled with a foreboding sense of dread “We must get those remaining idol statues before he does, there is no other option”
Rafael nodded in agreement “So we shall do, do not worry, your highness. We will stop him”
Savina's eyes met his and she smiled, nodding “I trust you, Rafael. I always have and I always will”
Rafael gazed at the angelically beautiful face of his empress before he turned to rejoin his men on this most important of missions.
If he could never tell her how he felt for her, then the least he could do was protect her at all costs and make sure this Tenrethian menace would never reach her.

[Blackrock]

Dorien spent quite some time examining the ancient rules and symbols, once more making certain that he had deciphered the steps of the ritual correctly. He would need the idols of each element – four in total; a sample of those elements – again four; he would need to speak the proper words of power and…there was something else. “An heirloom of the House” it was called, but what it was he could not guess. The “House” part most likely referred to his own House, the rulers of Tenreth, but if there had been such an item, it was not given to him. In fact, in all his days living with him, he had never seen the late Emperor display such an item. Was it another part of his heritage that the cowardly Luka had locked away?

The young ruler considered the dilemma briefly; it seemed to him that if such an item did exist – it would be kept in the Imperial Crypt, which happened to be placed, rather conveniently, nearby. Regardless, he would not waste his time with that now, acquiring the other ingredients was far more important. He was certain that his enemies would not sit idly by, while he ravaged the land to find what he needed. Time was of the essence, in this case.

Waving his hand again, Dorien extinguished the lightning in the room and walked away. He spent a few minutes at the door, reactivating the wards and then returned to the darkness of the endless corridors. This time he took a different path, which ultimately brought him to another part of the palace. Going up a small flight of stairs, he found himself before a door, which he opened with a simple flick of his wrist. It was magically sealed, like most doors in the palace, but most any mage would be able to open it.

After passing through the doorway, Dorien turned left and then right, which brought him to a different corridor. He was now, roughly, located a wall away from the northern part of his throne room. It was a grand sight and he would hold court there, when it fancied him, but ever since he had become interested in the shadowbeast, Selenar had become the almost permanent resident of that room. He reminded himself that he would have to show up one of these days, to remind his subjects that he was still very much alive and in power.

He walked a bit more, before he opened a door on his left and entered a small antechamber. The only other door was located directly in front of him; it led to his office, where he spent a great deal of his time. The tower, where his bedchamber, study and other such rooms were located, was his favourite part of the palace; it was truly his own personal space, where none of the little pests inhabiting the castle could disturb him. And yet, all official business he had to conduct from here, such was the way established long before his time. Even Dorien could not go against such a long-standing tradition, not yet at least.

At the door, two black-clad guards stood. They were outfitted with the best arms and armour in Tenreth and they bore their black-silver cloaks with great pride. Those were the colours of their liege and only he and his personal guard were allowed to wear that combination. They were useful tools in his arsenal, not that Dorien feared assassins – who would be foolish enough to draw his attention? However, having loyal, unwavering, unquestioning men was always a boon for people like him.

During the day and parts of the night, they could be seen in the palace in force. Patrolling, standing guard, ever-vigilant, ever-eager to find a traitor or a spy. However, during the early hours, when the night was at its darkest, they would withdraw and only a few of them would remain, at critical locations such as this one. They knew that this was Dorien’s favourite time to walk amidst the corridors of his home, and he didn’t like anyone getting in his way.

As he neared the door, the two men simultaneously brought an armoured fist to their hearts and bowed their heads. Their faces were fully covered by their helmets; only their red eyes, seemingly shining, could be seen. Alert, proud eyes, but in his presence, even they were bowed low.

Dorien entered his office and, as he had done in the shadowbeast’s chamber, ignited the numerous candles with a flick of his wrist. He waved his other one at the thick curtains, which covered the windows and they parted, revealing the black night outside. It was still dark, but the dawn would find him soon. Of course, he would have concluded his work by then and would be in his bed. Unless his man brought bad news.

The room itself was decorated, much like the rest of the palace, in various shades of black and grey. Only the candles burned with a normal flame and that was the only vibrant colour which could be seen here. In the center of the room, a large desk was located – on one side was his own throne-like chair, while on the other – six less-imposing, but equally comfortable, chairs were arranged in a semi-circle. On the right side of the room, were the large windows, which provided a clear, picturesque view of the city below. While on the left, a smaller table, with a map on it, was placed. Behind Dorien’s seat, obscuring the wall, large bookshelves were placed, containing various tomes he needed to consult before, after or during the meetings held here. It paled in comparison to his personal library, which contained thousands and thousands of books gathered over the ages, but what he had here was sufficient. History and geography mainly, those were the topics the books dealt with.

Taking his time, Dorien moved through the room and took a seat, sinking back into the chair. He stretched his legs and, crossing them, rested them on the table. A rather boorish pose, but who would be man enough to point that out to him? Yawning slightly, he patiently awaited the person who was soon going to arrive. Even as he was exiting the beast’s chamber, the shadows had told him that one of his most trusted men would come bearing news. What they were, he was about to find out.

True enough, after a few minutes, there was a faint knock on the door.

“Enter”

And so he did. A wiry, short man, with tanned skin, blue eyes and black hair. He was not a Tenrethian, but his loyal service has ensured him a high position in the Emperor’s court. Unlike Selenar, he was not reluctant to show his respect. He dropped to his knees and spoke:

“My liege, your loyal servant has returned.”

“Rise. Take a seat, Ilin.”

The man took a seat opposite of him, doing his best not to make eye contact, and placed a rectangular object wrapped in black cloth on the table. Dorien removed his feet from the table, straightened up and looked at his master of spies.

“What have you got for me?”

“Your Highness, I have sent my men to seek out the items you required of me, th-“

“Speak plainly.”

“As it pleases you, liege.” he cleared his throat “Our spies and scouting companies have managed to locate and recover two of the four idols – Earth and Fire. They are being brought to the capital even as we speak.”

“Good. And the others?”

“They....my lord, they are in the lands of Nevaeh.”

“And the sacred places?”

“I believe we have found a shrine dedicated to Earth, there is also much evidence that points to one of Air, but I cannot be certain yet. I would not wish to misinform you, Your Highness.”

“Where is this shrine?” Dorien asked in a low, menacing voice.

“In t-the kingdom of Rinland, my liege. At the capital itself, Rin; the locals think it to be the source of the fertility in their land. They almost worship it.”

“Spare me the details; I will acquaint myself with their customs. How do you intend to retrieve it?”

“I am afraid that it is beyond the scope of my...profession.” he said in a, sincerely, apologetic tone “The lightly defended towns and villages of the borderlands were easy prey, but Rinland is defended by strong and zealous forces.”

“They will be no match for the Legions of Tenreth.”

“I wouldn’t underestimate them, my lord.” Ilin spoke rashly.

Dorien starred at him, compelling the other man to look him in the eye. Those blue orbs of his...they were loyal and sincere, the man had taken a great risk by speaking against him, but it was not out of pride, but because he wanted to give him the best possible advice. He would forgive his offense.

“Your concern is noted.” Dorien nodded his head at the wrapped bundle between them “And what is this?”

“A tome of magic my lord, one group of scouts brought it. It had been in the possession of a mage who was guarding one of the villages they passed through. He tried to fight them...but was no match for my men” he said with a small smile.

Dorien nodded. “That is all. You may go.”

Ilin stood up and bowed deeply, before he noiselessly left the room. It was one of his many positive qualities Dorien had noticed, the man never made a sound no matter what he was wearing or on what surface he stepped. He had served as his master of spies for a few years now and the Emperor was very pleased. He was perfectly loyal and always seemed to know more about everything than anyone else. Even Dorien’s methods couldn’t compare to his when it came to information gathering. He simply called him Ilin, an unassuming name, but to most he was only referred to as the Lord of Crows.

And indeed, the man would often be in the company of those birds, Dorien had noticed that as well, but it was not simple magic that drove them. It was something far darker and mysterious, some foreign art which Ilin had brought with him from his faraway land. What it was, Dorien was not yet able to understand, but it was something he reminded himself to look into when he had the time. He would not call the man a mage, but he was no common rogue either – that much was certain.

After a few more minutes, Dorien got up and left the room. He then headed for his personal chambers and was soon in his comfy bed. Before he fell asleep, he lazily waved a hand at the curtains and they quickly covered the windows. It would be dawn soon, the most hated time of day for Dorien. His magic was at its weakest then, not to mention the tranquil, peaceful night gave way to the busy, noisy day. It was disgusting. He only hoped that his magic would be powerful enough one day, so he could permanently tear away the hated flaming orb in the sky. If only....

Lost amidst such thoughts, the Emperor quickly fell asleep. Many people found it hard to sleep, tortured by their conscience. Few could claim they were completely pure and innocent...only they could enjoy it unburdened. And then there was Dorian.

The man simply had no conscience, so he never had such problems.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Jessair did not know how he ended up in such a miserable position, he would have rather to remain among the great Emperor Dorien's ranks waiting for the next village or kingdom to demolish; Not here in the Kingdom of Renaid playing spy, as if there was anything of value here.
He and his partner Heggier has been here for months, just waiting and watching for something that may be of interest to pop up; For months now they had played servants to the king of Renaid, a cousin as it was to the empress of Nevaeh. Not once did that useless coot they called a king ever cough up anything good when Jessair tried to play confidante, no but he sure did have a lot of other useless and utterly boring topics to complain about.
Jessair was certain that if he had to listen to any more of this, his ears would start to bleed.

Here he was now polishing ALL of the king's boots, he was wondering most of all where Heggier was and why the fool was skipping out of helping him with these mediocre chores; He would certainly catch it from Jessair the moment he found out where he was.
The magic upon his eyes making them appear brown instead of red itched like crazy, he could not wait to return to Tenreth; he prayed to the dark gods that something would arrive that he might be able to appease his emperor with and get his butt home, back into armor hopefully.
The poor distressed spy just about jumped out of his own skin in shock when the king of Renaid suddenly thrust open the doors to his chambers and entered with a gleeful expression that Jessair could only describe as absurd “Your highness?”
“Jessair, prepare my public attire and my best pair of boots, my cousin Savina comes to visit with me; I cannot frighten the girl by looking as I do right now” The king said, his hands clapping together semi-excitedly; This poor moron rarely had visitors of importance.
The Nevaehin empress was visting? This could be his chance, he knew the emperor had a thing for her, maybe he could snag something off of her; Something undeniably hers.
There was hope for Jessair once more.


*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

“Why must we meddle with this fool, your highness? I know he is your family, but honestly” Rafael groaned, the carriage wobbling a bit making him feel a little sick. Funny how being on horse back never did this to him.
“Because he rarely receives visitors, Rafe and in these times, we must do all we can” Savina replied, her smile gentle and warm “Yujin is the last of my family and he elderly, his son also rarely visits him. I feel it is my duty”
Rafael nodded, his empress was far too kind sometimes, but that was what everyone loved about her; There was no heart more beautiful.
“We shall arrive soon, do try to be nice” Savina replied as she gazed out her window, giving Rafael one of those knowing looks “No pranks”
Rafael chuckled and made his promise that no pranks would occur on the old idiot this time around.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

“Savina!” King Yujin exclaimed as he saw he younger cousin strolling into his throne room, her personal bodyguard in tow.
“Hello cousin” Savina replied with a sweet smile, accepting the gentle hug she was drawn into.
When Yujin released her, he motioned to Jessair “This is one my new servants that came to us a few months ago, there is another working in the stables today that came with him. This gents name is Jessair”
Savina smiled and gave a polite nod to the servant before returning her attention back to her cousin.
Jessair took in the beauty of the Nevaehin empress and vowed never again to speak ill of the emperor's discreet obsession with her, she was indeed very breathtaking to behold.
It was while he studied her that he noticed what he could take off of her, there was a ribbon at the back of her hair that looked about ready to fall out; Jessair just had to wait long enough for the ribbon to fall out of her hair and then grab it when no one noticed
It seemed forever that the empress and her cousin chatted until she stood and then as she turned, Jessair about cried when the ribbon slithered out of her hair and floated to the floor; No one noticed it at all.
“Return to your duties, Jessair” King Yujin said cheerfully “I have no need for you at this time”
The king stood from his seat and walked off in the direction of the kitchens, probably to badger some poor scullery maid to cook him a snack.
Jessair rushed forward once the king was out of sight and scooped up the pale pink ribbon, he would wrap it up into a package with a letter and teleport it to his magnificent emperor.

Jessair did indeed return to the kings room to finish his polishing, but he did stop for a very small box and other necessary items to package the ribbon, it was plus the thing had some of her golden stands entwined with it. The emperor would surely adore this gift.
He finished packing and with a few magic words, he sent the package to his emperor's bedchamber; With this letter included:

My all-powerful magnificent emperor,

Your humble servant has dutifully stayed in Renaid as you ordered, then much to my surprise the empress of Nevaeh herself paid a visit to this idiot they call a king. A single ribbon fell from her hair and I could think of no one else whom would appreciate such a trinket from the head of such a goddess.
I hope this shall place my magnanimous ruler in a state of bliss, if even for awhile.

Sincerely, Jessair.

[Blackrock]

Dorien woke up, as he heard the door to his chambers open. He didn’t open his eyes though – he detected no danger. Slow, methodical steps could be heard throughout the room, as well as the sounds of surface touching surface. After a few moments, the curtains were pulled back and light seeped into the room, this caused the Emperor to finally open his eyes.

It was some time after noon, which meant that the sun would slowly start retreating into the horizon, making way for the glory of the night. It was still far off, but Dorien didn’t care, what mattered was that it was setting.

“Breakfast has been served, Your Highness” an elderly voice announced.

Of course, that was Fran, the servant. He was a man well past his prime, gaunt and wiry. His face bore many wrinkles and his hair had long since turned white.

Nevertheless, he still stood tall and proud…for good reason. He was the only person who could enter Dorien’s room without knocking. Being the Emperor’s personal servant was a position of honour, but one which had once been considered short-lived. That is, until Fran managed to hold on ever since Dorien was crowned and, some say, even before that, serving the late Luka.

Dorien pushed himself away from the bed and took a seat on the nearby table. The meal was well-made and quite fresh; Dorien quickly began enjoying it. In the mean time, Fran was shuffling through his wardrobe and preparing the Emperor’s outfit for the day.

“What will m’lord be wearing today?”

“The usual, Fran.” he took a bite and then asked “What about my cloak?”

“Right here, Your Highness”

Dorien turned around and saw the man hold up a neatly-packed cloak; after a nod from the Emperor, Fran carefully placed it in the wardrobe. The servant himself was simply, but elegantly dressed. Dark grey breeches and a loose-fitting shirt, with a silver chain around his skinny neck. It represented his position – the silver was a luxury, but the heavy chain was a symbol of his tie to the Emperor.

After Dorien finished with his meal, he stood up and headed for his bed, where Fran had laid out his clothes. Meanwhile, the servant had already cleaned up the table and made his way to the door, but not before asking:

“Anything else, my Emperor?”

“No, Fran. You may go.”

The clothes which Fran had placed were simply immaculate; such great care had been taken for them to be this way. Dorien would have nothing less. His clothing was austere, bearing next to no decorations a man of his position would normally wear. And yet, only his high place of power allowed him to wear such simple garments and remain divinely elegant at the same time. By all means, he was a cut above normal men.

Dorien slipped out of his bedrobe and took a few steps towards a nearby mirror. He spent a few moments examining his body which, like his clothing, was perfectly-shaped. It was not bulky or overly muscular like that of a seasoned fighter, he had no such needs. And yet, every muscle was clearly defined, as if chiseled; his shoulders were broader than his waist, his stomach was flat and the abdominals could be seen clearly underneath. In short, it was the physique of a man who had no need for physical labour, but desired perfection in both mind and body.

With a slight smile he turned away and began putting on his clothes. Dark, riding boots of high-quality leather; black, tight-fitting breeches clasped by a dark-grey belt with a silver buckle. Afterwards he put on a grey shirt, which seemed to have been molded to his body, it slipped on as if a second skin. A black doublet followed, it was waist-long and, like the other parts of his outfit, clung tightly to his body. Finally, a black cloak followed, the inside of which was grey; it was clasped around his shoulders by a silver brooch. Its shape was intricate, a couple of triangles that overlapped with each other, creating a dizzying pattern which seemed to shift and change. Whether it was some clever illusion or something else was left to the observer to guess. Regardless, it blended in nicely with the silver buttons of his doublet.

With that done, he reached for the two last accessories. A sword-belt which he buckled around the doublet and a pair of black gloves which he tucked into the belt. Of course, there was a scabbard which he attached to the belt, but it was only an unimposing dagger. The sheath itself had a few interesting silver patterns as decorations, while the hilt was of some soft dark leather. Dorien didn’t like swords; they felt heavy and awkward to walk around with. Instead he had his dagger, which was more than enough – if he ever needed to result to crude, physical means.

After a few minutes he left the room and headed for his office, down in the main part of the palace. The number of guards and courtly visitors was greater now, during the day. Those who chanced to meet the Emperor himself were quick to drop to their feet and express their deepest respect. Some threw petty baubles at his feet, baubles which would be a fortune for a lesser man….but for Dorien all that was meaningless.

He entered the room, waving his hand to pull back the curtains, in order to bar the accursed sunrays from streaming into his chambers. It was dark, cool and tranquil – a pleasant environment to work in. The Emperor took his usual sit and glanced at the two items which had recently made their home here. The first one was, of course, the magical tome from yesterday, while the other one was a letter and some package put to the side. There was also a more informal note accompanying them. He took that and read it.

“My Emperor,

I know you dislike it when such items are delivered to your personal chambers directly. That is why I had it moved here, when I noticed it in your room earlier today.”

Your humble servant,
Fran.”

A slight smile. The old man was efficient, Dorien hadn’t even noticed when he had managed to remove the package, let alone delivering it here before he himself arrived. Another remainder why it was worth keeping him around, sometimes he wondered if Fran wasn’t the only competent man in his employ.

With a weary sigh he read the letter and put it down immediately when its contents became clear. He quickly reached for the package and opened it in a manner of seconds, eager to see this ribbon. It was much more valuable to him than the gold and silver the fools threw in the halls….raising it he could see the strands of golden hair still clinging to it. It was a precious token…but it was not enough. Not nearly enough – would a man settle for a ray of moonlight, when he could have the moon itself?

Dorien’s eyes passed through the letter again, signed by some spy sent in the petty court of Renaid. That kingdom’s existence was so pointless, he wondered why he had even bothered to send men there in the first place. It was probably one of Ilin’s contacts, the devil had a network of spies throughout the lands. And, as in such cases, the Emperor couldn’t help but wonder why these insignificant flies even took the effort to sign their letters. How, more importantly why, would he have to remember who they were? Shaking his head slightly, he crumpled the letter and threw it in a bin nearby.

He glanced at the ribbon in his hand; it would be something he would add to his collection, alongside the portrait. Now, however, was the time for more serious matters….pleasure would have to wait. He carefully placed the small box in one of his pockets and then reached for the tome. It was old, beyond a doubt, but he wouldn’t call it ancient. The tome was bound in thick, brown leather; it had a seal which prevented it from opening, but it was not merely a physical thing.

The Emperor frowned for a few seconds as he puzzled out the nature of the spell, after which he smiled slightly. It was a simple warding technique, slightly outdated and used by pedantic practitioners of the arts. Tracing his index finger along the circular area of the seal, he uttered a few words and soon enough, the book lay open.

It contained the writings of some mediocre mage, either the man which had been killed or those of his mentor. A few interesting spells were mentioned here and there, a couple of philosophical methods which could be applied to the traditional arts to produce questionable results….interesting from a scholar’s view point, but for Dorien there was nothing here which would benefit him.

In the mean time, the door to his office opened and a tall, powerfully built man entered. The clanking of his armour could only mean that he was Ralin, his High Marshal and commander of the Tenreth forces. He stood still as a statue by the door, waiting for Dorien to signal for him.

“Take a seat. I’ll be with you in a minute.” he said, flipping yet another page of the tome.

The man set without a word, the room sinking into a long, drawn-out silence. There was something sinister about Dorien reading, it was as if he devoured the book itself. Of course, he read much faster than any normal man would, his eyes seemed to fly across the pages and he could easily finish a tome as simple as this one in a matter of hours. Ralin watched him carefully, until the Emperor finally put the tome down with a thoughtful expression.

“You had summoned me, my master.” Ralin said.

“Yes, I have.” he peered into the man in front of him for a few seconds.

Ralin had the crimson eyes of Tenreth, but his black hair had been shaved completely, leaving only a pale, rock-chiseled face behind. His jaw was strong and wide, his nose was wide and short – it seemed to have been broken once, the way he held his teeth clenched and his brow slightly furrowed gave him a permanent killer-like expression. There was no mistaking he was a soldier. And a very good one at that. As with the others who helped Dorien run the kingdom, Ralin had earned himself the rather sinister title of “The Flayer”. An unimaginative word attached to him by the fools he had trampled under his boot, at the behest of his Emperor. Men dreaded the sight of his black armour and they said it meant that the fight had been lost for good, another piece of fiction surrounding him. In truth, he was like a sword to Dorien – cold, sharp, unbending and utterly merciless. A useful tool to have.

“Rinland have something I want. “ Dorien announced unceremoniously “I doubt they will just let me have it, so I will need you and your Legions for the task.”

“Rinland…” Ralin uttered, as he considered the future target “It will be arranged, my Emperor.”

These few words between the two were enough to seal the fate of a nation, the condemning of thousands of lives. It was as simple as that. Dorien had stated what he wanted, the experienced commander gauged the probability of success and had clearly stated that victory was assured. No more, no less.

“Good.” Dorien looked towards the curtains, before turning to his man again “We shall speak more of this tonight, I will call for you, Ilin and Selenar. Prepare your forces in the mean time.”

“It shall be done, master.” he stood up and bowed his head.

“Then that is all, you may go.” the Emperor waved the dreaded master of the battlefield away.

When the man left, Dorien turned his gaze towards the tome. What had caught his attention were a few paragraphs towards the end of it. In it, the author described his journey to some abandoned tower in the far south, a journey undertaken in his youth and before Dorien’s time. Apparently a powerful object had been detected, but the author was too weak to get a hold of it. He spoke of some “dark power” barring the entrance – hardly a concern for Dorien. Based on the vague description it was somewhere along Tenreth’s southern borders, which had been a popular location for court mages to settle back in the day. Perhaps he could find something of interest there. It definitely warranted attention.

He closed the tome again, sealing it with the same spell and reminded himself to place it in his personal library. Useless or not, a book was never worth throwing away – the current situation had proven that. All that was left to do now was to wait for the gathering tonight, he no longer had to stay in his place. Perhaps now he would have some time to admire his prize.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Evening had set in quicker than Savina would have liked, it seemed these days that the daylight hours were growing shorter and shorter with every passing; It was most likely her own imagination and fears that made it seem so. She only wished a few more hours of the sun upon her skin to bring warmth into her heart to drive away the cold fears of Tenreth... and it's ruler..
She dreaded sleep as of late, putting it off for as long as she possibly could manage to do; Emperor Dorien seemed to stalk her nightmares with a vengeance, always reminding her that no matter how she struggled against him it would be useless... she would belong to him eventually, her and the rod both.

The white chiffon curtains of her balcony fluttered gently behind her in the wind as she gazed down below into the courtyard, it was a beautiful sight to behold; Though nothing it seemed could shake off her feelings of dread.
"You will not win, monster" Savina whispered softly, hoping Dorien could hear her words and the determination that filled them "The rod will never enter your grasp... and neither will I"

With a sigh, Savina's cerulean blue eyes turned up towards the pink and lavender horizon in the distance and took a deep breath before she began to softly sing a song of strong magical protection, a song to protect her during rest; Savina put nothing past Dorien at all, so she made certain he would not try to beat the protective barriers by trying abduct her while she slept with his dark magic. There was no telling what his powers were capable of given how he had surpassed even the terrible power of his late father, Dorien was truly dangerous.

The spell cast by her song would keep Dorien from her mind while she slept, which in turn would keep him from doing a vast number of things with his evil powers; He could not steal information from her subconscious and he most certainly could not try to use any sort of hypnotism or teleporting magics.
She dared not speak a word to her bodyguards about it, but she feared that one of Dorien's highest motivations to break through their barrier was herself; He wanted her, she knew this... and it frightened her, he could not be allowed to know how much. He would use it.


"Your highness?"

Savina turned around, slightly startled as she had just finished singing to see her head ladies maid, Mithra "Yes? What is
it, Mithra?"
"Dinner is served, your highness. Your cousin the king of Renaid and a few of his servants have joined us as well. Is that
acceptable?" Mithra asked, smiling warmly upon her kind mistress, so very beautiful in the light of the setting sun.

Savina smiled sweetly and nodded "That is fine, extend also an invitation to remain in the palace for a time; It would be
safer here within the barriers surrounding Nevaeh"
Mithra nodded, her brown eyes sparkling with adoration "It will be done, your highness. I am excused?"

With a kind smile and gentle eyes, Savina nodded softly "Yes, dear Mithra, you may go. I shall be done in the Great Hall
momentarily"
She turned as she heard the door click behind her maid, her eyes drank in the last remaining bits of the sun before she
turned her back on the balcony to prepare herself for supper and entertaining her elderly cousin.


^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^


Jessair could hardly believe it, he was actually inside the Nevaehin barrier, INSIDE THE PALACE!
He was careful to contain his glee and made certain to keep his eyes and ears peeled, he would have to report all of what he saw and heard to the lords Ilin and Selena. From there the information would be passed to the emperor himself, Emperor Dorien would surely be pleased with him after all the emperor's grand soldiers failed attempts to infiltrate the Nevaehin palace. So very close to the golden goddess herself, she really was by far the most beautiful woman Jessair had ever seen; even a celibate monk would be insane to not lust for this woman.

Very soon, this glorious beauty would stand beside their emperor whether she liked it or not; He had to keep from chuckling at the image of this delicate beauty bound and gagged as she was bound to their emperor forever.
Then again, their classy emperor would probably think of something clever to get the lady to do as his wished and marry him quietly enough.

For all of this, Jessair would tail after this moron of a king he was pretending to have allegiance to; He would find something of use to his superiors even if it killed him in the process. He would bring glory to the empire of Tenreth. He would bring glory to their magnificent emperor.

"You are awfully quiet, Jessair, something on your mind?" the elderly king asked as servants laid silver trays upon the surface of the grand cherry wood dining table.
"No, your grace" Jessair lied silkily "I am simply weary I believe, a good rest would serve me well if my liege permits it"
The king nodded "Of course, Jessair. You are by far my most reliable manservant, you have earned yourself a decent nights rest"
Jessair nodded in fake gratitude and kept from smirking, he would be doing some careful snooping tonight; This palace would bare its secrets no matter what Jessair had to do.

His thoughts did not remain undisturbed for long however, the goddess haunting his emperor's thoughts floating in as graceful as ever; he had to wonder what this female was like when pushed too far, the beautiful females were always the feistiest ones of the lot. Jessair smirked, he knew his emperor didn't find much pleasure in the docile do-as-they-are-told ladies; If Savina was far from being a door mat, Dorien was going to enjoy this woman a great deal.

She was accompanied by two female maids in pristine and elegant uniforms, there was also a male in their company with a peculiar hair color, a bright azure blue. His eyes were a doe brown and vastly intelligent, there was a great deal of knowledge behind those eyes; Jessair had a feeling this man was far older than he looked, the oldest Nevaehin known of had been Savina's father. The late Nevaehin emperor Cornelious had appeared no older than possibly twenty years old, though in truth the man was well over five hundred years old.

Tenrethians had the same sort of longevity, though Tenrethians had a bit more an aggressive lifestyle and often didn't make it quite as far as five hundred. Emperor Luka had come darn close at four hundred and thirty two until... well... he met his rather tragic end.
"Welcome" The golden angel murmured with a warm smile to her dinner guests "I assume you have all accepted my invitation to remain here in the palace for a time?"
"Indeed, dear cousin, you are most generous" the dizzy headed old fart replied, causing Jessair to nearly roll his eyes.

Savina gave a pleased smile before she allowed one of the servants to help seat her at the grand table with her guests, she turned her blue gaze to the man whom accompanied her and her maids "Rafael, will you be staying for dinner? I understand your duties for the day are completed"
The man smiled at her like a man would a woman he adored as more than just a monarch "I may stay if you wish it, your highness"
"Your presence is always warmly welcomed, Rafael" Savina replied, a sincere sweet smile upon her rose pink mouth.

As Rafael sat down, Savina turned her attention to her idiot cousin "Cousin, you remember my head bodyguard Rafael?"
Jessair tuned out the conversation as best he could, idle chatter did nothing to interest him in the slightest. He had no idea how long the group passed pointless conversation back and forth until his keen ears picked up on just what he'd been hoping for, this time it was slightly hushed and between Savina and Rafael.
Grateful for the sharp ears granted by his Tenrethian heritage, he was careful to avoid being noticeably eavesdropping and made certain he missed nothing important.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"We figured out where to go next, we will get in and get out before Dorien has even realized we made a move" Rafael murmured intently, Savina paying him every bit of attention "The sands of Sebar, the fire temple deep within the desert will be where we will find the dragon statue and a sample of the sacred fire sand"
Savina nodded, taking in his information and mulling it around her head "Is fire all that’s left?"
"We are not sure" Rafael replied worriedly "Our mages are finding it difficult to locate any of the other relics, but we are not giving up just yet"
"We must hurry" Savina murmured, her blue gaze down at the table as she pushed food about on her plate with her fork "Rafael, the shield is weakening with every day that Dorien's powers grow stronger. The darkness is closing in on us, slowly eating away at the shield... Rafael, if Dorien should find out... Rafael, I am worried he could bust right through it"

Rafael shook his head and placed a gentle hand upon Savina's shoulder "Worry not, your highness, there is no way that monster could ever know about this. He will continue trying to find all he needs to break the seal on the beast, but he will have to take from us what we already have to do so. He will probably give up and try to find some other complicated 410means of trying to bust the barrier, he is completely unaware of its current state"
Savina sighed and nodded "I pray to the gods that you are right"

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Jessair was fighting to keep himself from grinning, this was exactly what they needed; Emperor Dorien would be able to smash right through the barrier, take the relics the Nevaehins have along with the empress and once the shadow beast was freed... Emperor Dorien would conquer everything and the whole world would see him for the glorious god he was.
"I must excuse myself" Jessair spoke up, bring a hand to his stomach as if to hint at a stomach ache "I find I am rather full and need a good rest, I must have eaten too fast after working so hard all day"
He was quietly excused by the royals at the table and swiftly made his way to the room that the maid Mithra told him to occupy for their time there.
Once behind a locked door, Jessair pulled a small round mirror from his tunic and held it up to his face "Lord Ilin, I must speak with you. I know where the relic of fire is, along with other valuable information, this could win us this war"

[Blackrock]

The meeting was about to begin, all they were waiting for was Ilin. Dorien was, naturally, seated; a silver goblet full of exquisite wine in his hand. He sipped from it every now and again impatiently. The other two – Selenar and Ralin – were standing quietly, just behind their seats. They were in Dorien’s office, which was the same as usual, with the only difference being the detailed map of Rinland, standing on the table between them, which the Emperor had brought out. It was made during the time of his father, but he was certain that nothing interesting had changed about the small kingdom since then. But he was quite certain that a lot of things were about to change, after he was done with it. A small, sinister smile crept across his face for a moment.

Ilin came a few moments later, bowing low and apologising for the delay. Selenar and Ralin eyed him sternly, considering they had stood there like common servants thanks to him, while Dorien simply shrugged and told them to take a seat.

“Have some wine” he offered, gesturing at the polished, silver pitcher standing nearby “some faraway lord had it brought to my father, as a token of his respect. It truly is marvellous.”

To reinforce his words, he took another swallow of the blood-red liquid. It was indeed quite an interesting blend and he couldn’t quite put what it was made of, the bouquet of aromas and flavours mixed in flawlessly to create something like he had never tasted before. They all followed suit, taking a quiet sip and nodding and muttering their compliments.

“Now then” Dorien said, locking his fingers and resting his hands on the table “Ilin – I trust you had a reason for being late? What news have you for us?”

“My master...it is of the most delicate nature...” Ilin began

“I trust all of you here equally If you know of this delicate matter, so can the others.”

“Yes, master. Of course” Ilin bowed his head “One of my spies has reported that the Empress Savina has sent men into the desert of Sebar, in an attempt to secure the items we need. They are located in the ancient fire temple.”

“Interesting, Ilin. Very interesting...”

Dorien mused, rubbing his chin. Sebar was an old, desolate land. The histories spoke that, perhaps, once – long ago, in the distant past – it had been a land of marvel and splendour...but all of that was gone. Now it was but a barren desert, with only the endless sea of dunes and the scorching sun to keep men company. But there were remainders of the old – whatever it had been. Ruins as old as memory, little more than sand-smoothed stones by now, but here and there one could see broken spires and remnants of domes. Signs of a powerful civilisation.

The most interesting thing, however, was the Fire Temple. It was tended by the so-called fire priests, strange creatures, even to Dorien. It was said that the Temple stood alone amidst the sea of sand, the only structure built by human hand for miles and miles. At least a week’s travel from any nearby oasis. And yet, nobody had ever seen a Fire Priest go out in search of water. What they needed, their Temple provided. If they needed anything at all...

The Emperor had often thought of visiting the place sometime, all such mysteries were of interest to him. And yet, he had never found the time. Now, it seemed, he would have to do it, regardless.

“Ralin, I want you to send men to find that temple.” His gaze became focused again and turned on his Marshal “They will need food and water, the Temple is days away from any inhabited place. Speed is of the essence, they must move swiftly, but before embarking on the last stage of their journey let them seize one of the fortified oases. ”

“Yes, my Emperor” Ralin bowed his head.

“Have them carry a focusing stone as well. I don’t have the time to march through some desert, but if they prove too inapt to handle it themselves, I must be there to deal with any issues myself.”

Even though Dorien was a powerful mage, not even the strongest practicioners of the Art could teleport everywhere. Within the confines of his domain, the Emperor had free reign and could go where he please, it only took some concentration and thought. Distance was seldom a problem. However, outside the borders of Tenreth, it became progressively harder for him to move about. It would most likely be impossible for him to join his troops if they were in the middle of Sebar. That is where the focusing stone came into play. Through it, a skilled user could focus his essence and teleport himself in its vicinity. It wouldn’t be as easily accomplished as he was used to, but conquering the world was never meant to be easy.

“Anything else?” he turned towards Ilin again.

“Yes, master. The barrier surrounding their wretched Empire...it is faltering, growing weaker as your power increases.” A moment of silence followed, the words hanging in the air “If you were to push hard enough...I dare say the shadow beast won’t even be needed.”

Dorien’s face twisted into a deep frown, pondering intently. His prize...so close, if only he were to reach out and seize it; did he even need to go through all these pains to see this plan advance? Was all his research a waste of time, when a single word from Ilin’s man was enough to reveal Nevaeh’s weakness? No, no...it could not be as easy as that. He mustn’t be a fool...a misstep now could bring ruin to all his dreams and goals. He took a longer sip of the wine.

The course of action was taken; he had to see that through. When his men were given their assignments, he would have time to look into this weakness in the barrier himself...for now though, he had to leave cold and calculating logic guide him, not some petty emotion.

“I will look into that, Ilin. Your information will be of use, I don’t doubt that.”

“I always strive to bring you the best, my master.”

Dorien nodded, then turned his gaze to Ralin. “Are your men prepared?”

“Yes, my Emperor. The legions of Tenreth are eager to venture out into the world once again, too long have they idled at home, content with petty pillage and plunder from time to time. The time for real conquest is at hand...”

“Perhaps, Ralin, perhaps.” Dorien smiled “Rinland is still a petty kingdom, even if its defences are strong. Rin will fall, but I do not intend to add it to my Empire, I only wish to get what I need from the shrine of Earth. Is that understood?”

“Of course, my liege.” Ralin bowed his head.

“Selenar” Dorien turned towards his former mentor “tell us more of Rinland.”

He had already done his research, but he wanted to give the old man a chance to speak – if only to remind him that he could take that chance away just as easily.

“Yes, Emperor, yes.” He muttered “A petty kingdom. Rin is the only city there worth mentioning, it was built around the so-called Temple of Fertility, where the essence you seek is located. It is a powerful source of arcane energies, as I am certain Your Highness knows. The locals, however, have painted it in more divine tones – it is a place of worship and pilgrims flock there, praying for the fertility of their lands.”

Dorien snorted, and then waved his hand. “Go on.”

“They will defend it quite zealously, Rinlanders are fiercely independent and they have a strong army. Armoured, well-trained, not likely to break at the first sign of invaders. They will fight your forces for every inch of ground....”

He spent the next few minutes describing the small kingdom, touching upon local politics, beliefs and other such petty things, the tone of his voice was enough to indicate how Selenar felt about them. Dorien was of a like mind – something a fool would care about, for even a blind man could see Rinland was of no importance whatsoever. They were stiff-backed and would bleed his armies, but he did not care. As long as he got what he wanted.

“Ralin, I trust you will see this through as efficiently as possible?” he turned towards his marshal again.

“Of course, my liege.” He slammed a mailed fist to his chest, bowing his head “What is to be done of the locals? Their towns and villages?”

Dorien shrugged, an annoyed frown twisting his features. “I don’t care, Ralin. Kill them, spare them; burn all the kingdom to the ground or pillage it as you see fit.” He said idly, the fate of an entire nation not concerning him.

“Just get me the sample from the essence of Earth. And do it quickly, I don’t want my legions preoccupied with foolishness. Do not waste time with petty pursuits.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Ralin then added “When do we set off?”

Dorien glanced at the curtained window, the hated sun hidden from sight. But it was going to set sooner or later...and then, then Rinland would be reminded what it meant to be a neighbour of Tenreth.

“Waste no time, as I said” he told his marshal “You set off tonight.”

“It will be done, Emperor.”

“Then this meeting is over” he waved them away “see to your tasks.”

The three stood up, bowed low and exited one by one. Dorien poured himself another cup and pondered on Ilin’s words. The barrier guarding Nevaeh was weakening, growing weaker as his own powers increased. He was more than certain that even if he went through, he would not be able to stay for long – this was powerful, ancient magic after all. It could not be toppled so easily...

And yet, during that short time – what if he had a chance to seize the girl? It was a slim one, no doubt about it...but nobody ever forged a legacy by sticking to the safe and certain ones. Tonight, while he was at his strongest and the magic of Nevaeh was weakened – he could try his luck. If nothing else, so that the so-called Empress could be reminded that she was his and nothing could change that.

Finishing his wine, he got to his feet and left the room himself. He would sleep through the rest of the day, gathering his strength. Tonight...not only his advisors would have their hands full, he thought with a smile.

[Lamenting_Quill]

Kneeling amongst the rainbow of roses within her personal garden, the fair Savina brought her nose down to smell an orange pink tipped rose. She inhaled the sweet musky scent deeply, it brought her comfort that she sorely needed; Her the beauty and innocence of her flowers was the only thing at this time that could bring an unforced smile to her lips.
“Goddess of Light” Savina murmured against the velvet softness of the roses petals “Please protect us from the evil I feel creeping steadily towards my people. Spare them, if anyone must suffer, let it be me”

She knew deep down that she would gladly sacrifice herself if it meant her people would be safe, but only if there was no other way to save them. They were everything to her and if a sacrifice on her part was necessary, she was ready to lay down her life for them.
With a deep sigh, Savina stood up and gazed towards the sun that was slowly starting to sink down toward the earthy crust below. Dread filled her heart, dread and fear.
“Why do I feel as though something terrible will happen very soon?” Savina whispered to herself, a hand coming to her chest as if to try and steady her trembling heart “What is this ominous feeling that haunts me?”

“Milady?”

Savina turned to see her trust maid Mithra, always hunting her down in time for everything “Your cousin and his servant have retired to their chambers, shall you like to retire for the evening as well?”
Savina turned briefly from her maid to observe the steadily sinking sun once more, that same feeling of all encompassing dread consuming her heart.
It probably would be for the very best if she retired to the insides of the palace, it was unwise to be out here when the darkness of night fell upon the earth; regardless of the protective barrier.
“The library, you may escort me to the library, after that I would like some tea sent for me” Savina requested, turning to walk towards her ladies maid “I'd like to have some time alone for awhile after tea has been sent in”
Mithra nodded and smiled “As you wish it, your highness”

************************************************************
Rafael lounged back on a burgundy chaise, his doe brown eyes staring half consciously at the library ceiling; His mind was completely focused on the past and people that should not have died.
Images from the past haunted the bodyguard's memories, he could still see the late Emperor Cornelious, full of life and laughter.
His eyes closed as memories placed back in his head as if they'd happened yesterday.

“Come on Rafael” Cornelious chuckled, climbing up onto the balcony railing despite the bodyguard's pleading to get down “Don't you just feel like you could fly? Nevaeh is so beautiful in the light of the sunset, it makes your heart cry from the sheer beauty of it”
“Yes, your majesty, it is beautiful” Rafael agreed, his doe brown eyes keep a weather eye on the emperor's feet “However, I do not believe Empress Alexandra would like you standing on the railing like that”
“Spoil sport” Cornelious laughed, leaping gracefully back on the safety of the balcony “No need to go telling my wife about my 'reckless habits' now”
“Three hundred years old and you still behave like fresh teenager” Rafael chuckled, brushing some azure blue hair out of his eyes.
“Need a haircut, old friend?” Cornelious said with a cheesy grin.
“Don't even think about it” Rafael replied, a big grin on his usually serious face “I like my hair just the way it is, never got in the way of my job before”
“I know, I know” Cornelious laughed, placing a hand on the shoulder of his friend and personal bodyguard “I have no doubt of your abilities”


Rafael opened his eyes, he could feel a hot tear rolling down his cheek “Cornelious, my emperor... my best friend... why did you have to die? You knew, didn't you? You knew you were going to die, that's why you ordered me to take your daughter away to the capital where she would be safe. You and Alexandra both, you seemed to accept your fate... because it meant your daughter would live”
He forced himself to sit up and wipe away the tear the was tickling at his chin, he remembered the day the summer palace had been attacked by Emperor Luca.
None of the servants had survived and when it seemed the Imperial family had been cornered in the palace, Cornelious revealed a hidden passage in the tunnels beneath the summer palace.
Rafael was ordered by both the emperor and empress to take their sweet Princess Savina away to safety while they held the Tenrethians at bay with their magic, he had tried to argue with them but they would have none of it.
Their daughter would be guaranteed a future and that was that.

“Rafael? Are you alright?”

Rafael turned his head to see the source of the heavenly voice and found none other than the beautiful Empress Savina herself, a woman so serene and beautiful that she had to have been touched by the hand of the Goddess of Light while she was in the womb.
He smiled warmly and nodded “Yes, your highness, I am well”
“I was about to take tea in here if you would like to join me, I had originally wanted to be alone... but your company is always welcome, I feel safe and calm when you are near by”
Rafael beamed at the compliments of the woman he secretly loved, but forced himself to remember that he still had to patrol the grounds and make sure all the traps and alarms were in their proper working order, also that the sentries were at their posts. There was hell to pay if they decided to slack off.
“Alas, your highness, I have important business to take care of” Rafael replied, swinging his long legs off the chaise and standing “However, I shall come to check on you and perhaps sit awhile after my duties have been taken care of”

Savina could nod in understanding, Rafael was very diligent and filled with determination to make sure she was safe no matter what. Though she was a little disappointed, she had liked the idea of some personal time alone with the man she loved but could never have... Not to mention she didn't feel so frightened of the ominous feeling all around her when Rafael was around, she knew he would protect her no matter what.
She watched him bow politely before he departed from the library to tend to his duties, it seemed it would be only in her dreams that she would be able to love her courageous bodyguard.
Moving forward to the chaise when Rafael had been sitting before as her maids came in with her tea tray, they set it upon the cherry wood table beside the chaise and departed the library to give their empress the privacy she had requested.
“Alone at last” Savina murmured as she began to fix herself a cup of tea, somewhat disappointed now that Rafael was gone.

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