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

3

Tara Kymmer, the now-regent Queen of Terpola, was leaning on the metal railing of the balcony overlooking a dark stone room. There were few lights to keep the place preserved, though most were around the crystal chambers. This was the room of the Frozen Ones.

These people had been encased in crystal for only-the-gods-knew how many millions of years. A predecessor of hers had decided the crystal alone was not enough to protect their famed age-old warriors, and placed a shield of magic-infused glass over each individual chamber. She had no idea why. Nothing could breath the crystal.

Tara, along with many others, had tried to break the crystal with everything she could get her hands on. Nothing worked. There wasn't even a scratch. It seemed as though the crystal would never be broken - or opened - until the day they awoke. 

After freeing Enliatu from Negative Space, Tara half-expected the Frozen Ones to appear in battle and kill her for what she'd done. Releasing the Dark King was one of the biggest mistakes she'd ever made in her lifetime, and she had made quite a few. This was a hindsight realisation, of course, and she'd been lucky this time. So many others who followed her had been as well.

There were still plenty out there who wanted Enliatu to rise again, but those who didn't now seriously outweighed those who did. The 'rebels', as they were now called, were very few in their numbers. Even so, it was enough to worry her. They still didn't know who the leader was!

Tara spent the last two years trying to create relations between her world and the sister world, Lyriumia. Sure, the two worlds were supposed to be in an eternal war, but no one knew why. The reason was forgotten along ago and had begun many multiverses ago. It was time for the worlds to move on. She couldn't help but be amazed at the thought. How times had changed! Not too long ago she would have done anything to get rid of the Lyriumians. Well, more specifically, their Queen. 

The thought of the new alliance was what brought her beneath Crita's castle in the first place today. To the room where the Frozen Ones slumbered. She'd only discovered the room a year or so ago. Very few knew about it. One of those few was Kek Temples. She was watching him from her vantage point. He was wandering between crystals and stopped at a certain one. She couldn't see whoever was inside it. It was too far away. 

From this distance, Tara could barely make out her Third-In-Command's movements. She let him do as he pleased when he wasn't needed. Hell, she doubted he knew she was there.

Tara let herself out of the underground chamber, heading back into the castle. She made her way up several flights of polished black marble stairs to the throne room. Her hand brushed over the red-and-black throne as she passed it, heading for the balcony overlooking the city. She'd been in charge of it for what felt like forever. 

It was strange to see people from the two worlds getting along. They were chatting cheerfully as they worked together, the occasional bit of laughter floating up from the damaged city. Nowhere in history was there any record of anything like this happening. It did feel wrong, that much was true, but it was a good way to move forward. The scars were finally beginning to heal. Tara knew she should help rebuild the city, but the people denied her help. 

The people had eventually forgiven her for all the damage she caused, even allowing for help from the Lyriumian people after Enliatu decided to punish all those who didn't follow him. Well, forgiveness was a stretch of what happened to her.

Some Queen she was! Her own people rejected for majority of the first year before caving in, accepting they needed someone to lead them until another could be found. 

That was the other reason Tara was in contact with the Lyriumian Court.

They were helping her track down the only person the Terpolite people would willingly place on the throne: the next Dark Ruler. The irony was not lost on her. Enliatu had been a Dark Ruler and things had gone to hell. Even so, they were willing to risk another. No one can be as bad as the Dark King! they'd said to her.

There was a catch, unfortunately, when it came to actually figuring out who the next in line was. No one knew who he or she was. There were rumours of magic scrolls which told of how the Dark Ruler was chosen through the power of the Silent Core, but that was all. Nothing but rumours and stories. She hoped that it would be enough. 

A part of her was beginning to doubt the scrolls even existed. 

It was taking far too long to find any sort of information and, from what she had been told, the Lyriumian Court hadn't been all that successful in finding anything. Either that or they were withholding information. It wouldn't surprise her. She didn't deserve to be trusted.

The people would only allow for her to remain in charge for so long before deciding to get rid of her for good. They would take matters into their own hands sooner or later. The thought alone made her shiver despite the oddly warm day. That thought was part of the reason Tara made plans to leave as soon as the new ruler was found. Maybe she'd start again on a beach on a world far away. Somewhere no one knew her name. The idea brought a smile to her face.

It didn't matter whether or not the Lyriumian found anything in the end, Tara decided. She was leaving this world for good either way.