Queen of Darkness WATTPAD VERSION [Inter-Universal Protectors: Book 3]

In Days Long Forgotten

Millions of Years Ago

The day the sky turned blue was the day Aurelia thought the world would end. She'd never believed in end of the world prophecies. They were impossible. All the past dates had long since past and the Terpolite people were still standing strong. Oh, how wrong she had been.

The Terpolite sky was never blue. In the day, it was an eery red. At night, it was black with dots of silver coming from the light of the universes. It was impossible for it to go blue! That was what scholars said throughout her life. The only time it would go blue was if the world did end! She blew those people off as crazy.

But they had been right.

So very right.

The day the sky turned blue was the day the Photon Queen's power rained down on them with a fury no one had ever seen. It was her vengeance. Archeron – the Dark King – had recently destroyed the city of Lemuria on that strange world the Photon Queen liked. Aurelia couldn't remember the planet's name. Hadn't cared even when she had been chosen by the King himself to kill. Had cared less as she killed the people who lived there. It had been a job, nothing less, and she was a warrior of the King.

As the chaos begun, Aurelia found herself running to Archeron's side. She didn't realise her power was all but depleted until she saw him fighting against the Photon Queen.

Only now did she understand the true power of the Cores. They were unyielding. They stopped for nothing, no one. The power could level cities, destroy worlds, do anything. Aurelia didn't know why the Photon Queen hadn't tried to destroy the world, instead only attacking the city. Perhaps it was a sign of mercy. Perhaps that was still to come.

The Photon Queen spotted Aurelia. The warrior froze. She was terrified. The woman before her . . . She didn't want to fight! It was a losing battle! She wanted to run. Now, that was a though. Shame washed through Aurelia. She was a coward. No warrior would run, no matter how outmatched! Clenching her shaking hands, the warrior raised her arms in a defensive stance. As the Photon Queen summoned her power, Aurelia prepared to take the full brunt–

Aurelia hit the dirt. She had been pushed out of the way, but by who?

Glancing up, she saw Archeron himself defending her with a crimson shield. The Dark King had come to her rescue. Aurelia was relieved. A flash of red sent the Photon Queen flying. Archeron held a hand out to the warrior who took it gratefully. In a single motion, she was in his arms.

"Go to the chambers."

Aurelia looked up at her King's voice. "I can't leave you to fight her alone!"

"You can," Archeron said, "and you will." He lifted her chin and kissed her. "Now run."

Aurelia ran.

Light flashed behind her but she refused to look back, even as her King roared. She couldn't look back. It would become real if she did. Instead, Aurelia focused on running for the chambers, on what was in front of her. She could see Lyriumian soldiers appear and cut down her comrades, the dirt turning a darker red than the sky ever had. There was nothing she could do. She had her orders. Go to the chambers.

A cyan force hit Aurelia's spine. She tumbled to the ground. The was when she looked back. The Photon Queen was standing over her, eyes burning with the fury of a thousand stars, her skin glowing so bright that Aurelia had to look away. Oh, she was furious at what they had done. She was out to kill.

Aurelia managed to jump the her now-aching feet, running once again. The Photon Queen followed close behind. Aurelia ran faster. Another cyan blast brought stone down on the doorway she was aiming for. She wasn't going to make it! A shake of the head. She had to make it. Aurelia jumped, rolling to the floor with a cry of pain. Stone blocked the doorway behind her. She was trapped.

But she had made it.

Hands hauled her to her feet, the world spinning around her. Raising a hand to her head, Aurelia found a steady stream of blood coming from a large cut. Those hands helped her into the crystal chamber. She knew the chamber would heal her body so didn't fight against it. Aurelia managed to open her tired eyes. "Is he here?"

"Who?" a voice asked.

"The King."

Silence. "No."

Tears stung in her eyes.

"I doubt anyone outside this room will be left, even our King."

She knew it was the truth. Aurelia reached her mind out to reach Acheron. There was nothing. An everlasting emptiness. He was dead.

"Are you ready?"

The warrior's hands clenched, released, and clenched again. "Yes."

The crystal chamber was closed. A sweet smell filled it. It calmed her, dulling her senses, but the anger remained even as Aurelia drifted into slumber. Her life became a blur, a dream. Over time, she begun to wonder if it was real. There were some things she was certain of, though. She was certain her people had fallen before the Photon Queen. She was certain the Dark King – ­her Archeron – had fallen before the same woman.

There was nothing Aurelia could do. So, she slept.

Dreamt.

Withing her dream state, she planned for her awakening. It could be in days. It could be in years. She didn't know but it gave her time. And within her dream state, Aurelia made a vow to the King who had fallen protecting her.

She would finish what he set out to do.

She would be the one to destroy the Photon Ruler.