-Well well. We finally meet. The powerful Ariel and the mighty Lucius. Not so mighty and powerful after all.-
A man dismounted from one of the monsters, his face was hidden by a golden helmet.
Ariel and Lucius stand in front of him, in chains.
In what once was the public square, dragons carry their black armoured knights, quiet and obedient, surrounded by goblins, orcs and the last soldiers left alive. Begging for mercy.
The breath of the dragons gives a creepily whistles in the air that breaks the silence of the place.
-I am the first of the four commanders of the army of our Leader. His powers are beyond imagination. The rumour of the beauty of this land has reached my master's ears. So much that he asked me to personally come to... negotiate with you to share it with him. Sadly negotiation has proven not to be easy. But you have proven yourself worthy of your powers. You have fought to the last soldier and to your last breath.-
His words are as heavy as steel, as powerful as the wind that minutes before blew dust and ashes.
His long hair flies violently on his face, giving his face the image of a warrior with the soul of a monster.
The only sound echoing his voice is the breath of the dragons: their paws could move a dozen men, wings could cover acres on each side, eyes as red as blood, the smoke coming out of the nostrils blown away by the wind.
-I come here to give you the honour to serve my Master; He can rebuild this world into what your king once called "a perfect world". A world in which there's no monster to fight, no vampires to threaten your lives at night, no ogres or goblins to fight at day. All this can be accomplished.
Sadly your former king was not strong enough to.....accomplish this. It's such a pleasure, however, to meet Ariel, the descendant of the most powerful of all time. Where's Celandra? I would not believe the most powerful witch might be hiding.-
-She's dead. - Ariel's eyes are still wet from despair, but also full of hatred.
-I see. Has her power surrendered to the power of our Master, then? Her powers must have not stood the rumours then. Disappointingly I could not meet such an interesting.... being.
However I hope her descendants may be more..... Considerate.-
Saying these words, the Commander approaches Ariel, with a heavy step, lifting his hand to stroke her face. Ariel coldly refuses turning aside, her eyes never lowering.
-So you truly are the descendant of a filthy witch.-
Now his hand is lifted higher, but not to stroke.
-Commander!-
Lucius steps forward, halted by the chains.
-Only a soldier without honour soldier would hit an unarmed woman!-
-Without honour? Not what I am! Unarmed? Not quite sure. However you're a soldier. And an armed one. Or at least you were!-
Too quick to react. A steel smack upon Lucius face and his mouth is bathed with blood pouring out of his mouth. Fighting the pain, his eyes lift slowly to meet the Commander's. He spits his blood on the commander boots. No anger, no joy. Only a smirk of satisfaction appears on the commander's face, as he watches the blood evaporating from his boots. The commander kneels to look into Lucius' eyes.
-You truly are what I heard. A soldier of honour! We are so similar. We both serve a higher purpose. We both serve a higher power.-
-I do not serve Death! - Spitting the blood again upon the Commander's armour, Lucius stares at his red eyes, full of power and desire for more power.
-I came here to offer you one last chance to survive, to willingly offer your service to my master and grant your army (or what's left of it) a safe place and a safe life. Think about it, Ariel. No more fighting, no more pain, a powerful witch serving our powerful master. Or his Commander.... -
He looks at Ariel with desire, straight into her eyes, trying to read her mind or her soul, his hand once again very close to her cheek.
-I serve only one power, my heart knows only one King. No more pain, no more fighting means surrender. I will surrender when my heart will stop beating. And it will stop beating when I will stop believing in my Master and King Feldor. Your Leader can chain me for the rest of my life. I will never submit to your master. Or to his Commanders.-
Lucius can hear Celandra's pride and her power into Ariel's eyes, filled with rage and hatred.
Looking at Ariel, Lucius sees Celandra in those eyes.
-As I thought, you truly are Celandra's heir. Then you shall also die. You will be taken before our Master, where he shall use more "persuasive" manners.
As for you, loyal soldiers, I give you the choice to stay alive and serve our army. Refuse and I'll make this your last fight.-
Heartbroken men are standing before him, some have already lost everything they live for. What's to lose now?
-We're trying to make this world safe. No more monsters to fight, no more friends lost in battle. How many friends have you lost? How much family? How many left? How much longer do you wish to fight for what is lost?
His voice is becoming softer.
-No more vampires, no more orcs, no more monsters to fight. A peaceful world where nothing is a menace. Live in peace in a perfect world. Die old in a peaceful house. What say you? -
A weary silence, carried away by the cold wind, stabbing sharply into those broken hearts.
-I join, sir! -
-Marcus! You cannot possibly......-
-I apologise, SIR! I lost my family, my friends, I have nothing left.-
Lucius' anger is strong, but looking into the once faithful warrior's eyes, who has been on his side since childhood, the memories of battle, loss and death softens his scarred features.
He cannot hold anger against those who have lost everything.
-As you wish, Marcus. But the next time we meet, we shall be enemies.-
Even as his words are heavy, his eyes hide the despair now ruling his heart.
Most of his once loyal soldiers join the enemy side, leaving him with a handful of loyal men.
Loyal for how long?
Lucius and Ariel are rudely pushed inside a cage carried away by a blue skin dragon. Even miles high up in the sky, the flight feels as stable as walking on land. Sitting on the cold bars, leaning her face, Ariel stares at the once beautiful land, now destroyed by flames. Desolation of Death.
A lonely tear stains her skin, also stained with blood and mud.
The cold wind blows her hair around, so beautiful and yet so desperate.
Their hands and ankles have been chained.
Neither talks.
Only one thought crosses their minds.
"I have failed everyone!"
"We have failed!"
