Fall from Grace

Fall of Orion I

One year after the Legion of Death crisis.

One year after the disappearance of the Lord Inquisitor.

Queen Ashley, sitting inside a carriage, was shrouded by a black cloak. Her head lowered, and her eyes looking down at the carriage floor.

Thunder could be heard. Lightning flashes could be seen. The sound of rain pillaging the ground could be heard. It was hurricane season in Orion, and the entire continent was feeling it. It wasn't a good time to be travelling around. The intense combination of heat and humidity made humans and elves alike feel miserable, so many people who didn't have important business stuck to their cities.

For Queen Ashley, a Frostarian elf who was adapted to colder weather, she was having trouble with the high temperatures and the humidity that made her sweat profusely. But no matter how bad the weather could get, no matter how strong the winds could be, her travels wouldn't be stopped. They were a top priority, and she refused to delay their meeting.

When the carriage stopped, when the door beside her opened, Queen Ashley stepped outside and onto the wet dirt road filled with brown puddles. They were stopped in the middle of a dense forest. The forest was dark, for those who traversed inside the forest it would've seemed like nighttime when in reality it was midday.

The rain repeatedly pelted Queen Ashley's head. But luckily for her, her cloak was absorbing every single drop. Her hair and skin untouched. When a gust of wind blew by, she was unaffected by the chill breeze - unfazed by how cold it was.

She looked ahead. Down the dark forest path, down the dirt road, there was a cavern - hidden from plain sight. While she was looking ahead, Grandmaster Oramon, Grandmaster of the Knight Order, shut the carriage door and stood beside her.

"Have they been alerted to our presence?"

Queen Ashley was referring to House Diane, the owners of the region that they were traversing in. At their head was Lady Diane, and she alone owned the entire region. House Diane was a small house but had strong connections with the Inquisition, and had many servants. There are two heirs to House Diane as well; Shane Diane and Isla Diane.

Grandmaster Oramon shook his head.

"Precautions were taken when the carriage entered the forest to ensure that House Diane wouldn't be aware of our presence, Queen Ashley. There is no way they'll learn about our visit unless we tell them about it."

"Good," she said while still looking ahead. "Stay with the carriage. Wait until I return."

Grandmaster Oramon nodded.

Queen Ashley stepped forward, leaving the obedient Grandmaster Oramon behind, and she wasted no time walking over to the entrance of the dark cave. On her way over, her foot stepped in a few puddles and sunk into a pit of mud, but she was never bothered by it - she never looked down at her feet.

Her physical appearance did not matter.

When she arrived at the cave entrance, she stepped inside and a horde of bats came flying out. She was caught off guard by their sudden appearance, she didn't show it, and she certainly wasn't frightened by them. She recognized that they were a thing, that they were there, and that was it.

She continued into the cave. It was dark, murky, deep and a tight fit. Sounds from inside; kicked rocks, droplets of water hitting small puddles, tiny insects and creatures bugging, were amplified and echoed throughout the inside.

For most, turning back and coming back another day would be an option. This cave would be ignored by wisemen. This cave was frightening for anyone concerned about their life. This cave was used as ghost stories, and would even haunt adults who were halfway through their life. This cave would turn around veteran soldiers who have seen grim fates handed to men by the cruelty of war. This cave would be frightening for even the strongest mortal warriors of Sol.

Queen Ashley was none of those.

Not only was she not frightened by the cave, but she had no concern for her own life. If she was to die, right here and right now, she wouldn't care.

Was she suicidal? Was she dealing with depression? Did she hate herself?

It was none of those feelings.

Simply put, Queen Ashley is apathetic to most things - outside of one man.

The Lord Inquisitor, and everything connected to him.

Some may describe it as love. Some may describe it as an obsession. Some may describe her passion as insanity. But no matter what, everything Queen Ashley does is for the sake of the Lord Inquisitor. In her eyes, she can only do good things for him.

Does that sound like love - or does that sound like an obsession?

Honestly, even as the Time Covenant, I don't know the answer. I think what I've realized is that it comes down to how you are raised, what you've experienced, and how you view Sol.

That's kind of a beautiful thing, isn't it?

That Sol can be so different, for so many people - despite being just one world.

When Queen Ashley reached the bottom of the cave, she stopped. A dimly lit room ahead of her. A person was standing between two lit candles, and she was staring at the person's back.

At first she was silent. She was looking on at the shadowed man who's features were hidden by the darkness. But when her mouth eventually opened and her lips got to work, a firm but pleasantly surprised voice came out.

"So... it really is you..."

The man then turned around and revealed his face. The first thing she noticed was the man's lackluster silver eyes. The second thing she noticed was his apathetic pale face that looked like it hadn't displayed any form of emotion in a millenia. The third thing she noticed was the man's slick sable black hair that blended in well with the room's darkness.

Who was this man? What is this man?

It was someone Queen Ashley thought she was well acquainted with.

What is she to him?

He is an individual she is acquainted with, and they share common goals.

So who is this man?

This man is the Fallen Inquisitor, the Forbidden Inquisitor, the seventh Inquisitor who fell in the Legion of Death war during the final battle. His defeat was brought about by a minotaur who rose from the ground and snatched him away from Sol - him and only him.

Queen Ashley knew the Fallen Inquisitor by the name he held, Archer. But since the Legion of Death crisis, the titles of the seventh Inquisitor and the name 'Archer' no longer accurately reflect this man standing in front of her, and they aren't used by the man himself.

So what are his accurate titles? What is his real name?

His real titles are simple, but they are revered across Sol. His name is from ancient times, from the beginnings of Sol, and when his name is used along with his titles they mean something.

His name is Zheoyon Iskandar.

He is the Minotaur King, the King of Destruction, and the holder of the Defiance Covenant.

He has returned to Orion in opposition to the holder of the Domination Covenant, and along with his return, he has a proposition for the Queen of Orion.