"What do you mean you traded Dagna to those monsters?!" Brynja who had never raised her voice to her father was now infuriated, her chest heaving with rage. Dagna next to her didn't share the same sentiment as her as she locked eyes with her father. They didn't show betrayal or pain but rather apathy.
One that made Thargrim's skin crawl. "There's no need to be so furious with father. After all I was never fit for the crown like you. I've been nothing more than a disappointment to our family name with my fixation on trinkets that never work." Her tone filled with shame as she looked to the side.
"Still! That doesn't give father the right to sell you off to those....monsters at Redfall." Thargrim watched Brynja lash out, understanding her rage as he inwardly wondered his choices. Unable to bear her rants, he broke his silence. "It would be foolish for us to save one soul for the sake of thousands if not hundreds of thousands."
His rationing, one fit for a king was something that irked Brynja. It wasn't that she didn't understand it but rather found it unfair. "They'll be here in an hour so rather than complain at me, it would be best to spend this time bonding with your sister." Left speechless, Brynja grit her teeth as her fingers dug into her palms.
*Knock-Knock-Knock*
"You may come in." Ysolda walked in, her face grim. "My king, they're already here." Thargrim let out a disgruntled sigh, shocked with Redfall's pace. "It's time Dagna." Brynja walked in front of Thargrim to shield her from Dagna. "There's no need to make this way more difficult than it needs to be." He said, his tone grim as he reached out to Dagna.
"Father's right Brynja, it would be best for all of us. After all I've done nothing more than a disservice to our family name." Dagna stated as she made her way to the exit taking Brynja by surprise. "Wait! You can't just leave like this." Her protests met with a light chuckle. "You've protected me for more than enough older sister, it's time for me to face the consequences of reality."
There was a tinge of pain in her words, her smile akin to a dagger piercing through Brynja's heart. Ysolda escorted her to the court where a carriage waited for her. A figure leaning donned in black robes. It was Seryn as she narrowed her gaze on the royal family.
Her gaze filled with apathy before turning into hostility as she focused on Brynja and the latter felt it. "Father, I'm sure that we could work out some form of accord with Redfall." Her pleas were met with helpless sighs from Thargrim. "I've done all that I could dear, there's no other way out of this one."
Dagna made her way to carriage, Seryn stood upright before casting a final glance at Brynja and getting into the carriage. The banners of Redfall began their march back to their kingdom, Brynja took her leave without explanation. "Don't bother with her, she'll come to her senses sooner or later." Thargrim instructed Ysolda who was about to give chase.
"It's just so hard for her to face such an action." Thargrim looked at the carriage, an air of somberness enveloping him. "She'll have to learn if she wants to be the next ruler. After all it's not an easy sail in the political world." As much as he wanted to personally console her, he knew that it would be better for her to vent out her rage.
'It was for the greater good darling.' He sighed inwardly, cursing at his weakness to protect his daughter.
...
*Thud*
A wolf met it's end as an arrow embedded with malcore found it's way into it's skull. Brynja let out an infuriated cry into the sky which was met with flutters of birds. "It's not fair!" Her roar chilling the air scaring off any monsters in the vicinity.
"Oh my, all that rage and for what?" A sound echoed through the air that made her figure freeze. 'Who's that, why didn't I sense them?!' She mused as her eyes landed at the source. 'What?! Who is that?!' She couldn't help but wonder as she saw a figure perched on a lily, their presence radiating overwhelming pressure to not just her but the entire forest as well.
"Who- Who are you and what do you want?!" Her question met with another chuckle. "What a tragic fate awaits you princess Brynja Frieven, sire of Thargrim Stonehenge of Durahelm." The face of the individual bathed in an unnatural glow that hindered her from seeing her face. With her voice, she could conclude that it was a woman.
"What do you mean a tragic fate?" The air fell silent, not with intent but devoid of words. "I do have to ask for your forgiveness little one." She didn't bother elaborating any further, before Brynja could make out what she meant, a sharp dazzling light bore into her skull sending her crashing to the earthy ground.
It wasn't painful but rather mind boggling, she wasn't the individual wanted her dead or any of her other intentions. 'She definitely strong.' Her teeth grit as she scrambled to get back to her feet. A wave of relaxation washed over her, whatever it was rather than bother her served to put her at ease.
"What have you done to me? Why do I feel so...different?!" Her response was silence and in the blink of an eye, the figure was gone. Not in a dazzling light but as if the world had swallowed her whole. Her heart raced, her mind processing what had just transpired. "I have to get back to father." Her initial rage had been initially dispelled as an unnatural calmness now claimed her heart.
She took a few steps before realizing what has changed about her. She felt the earth breathe, the sway of the branches over her and the scurrying of creatures beneath her feet. She felt as if her perception had been opened to a greater scope, something she wasn't capable with malcore prior. She stood in the silence, taking it all in before letting out a gasp of air.
"I never thought that nature would be this peaceful." Her mutters slurred with amazement of the woods she was in. "I have to get back or I'll be here the whole day." And with that unbeknownst to her she had met one of the gods of Arcania, the goddess of Nature and Hunger, Theylune of the Verdant Maw.
...
"A fitting candidate." A voice boomed in satisfaction watching over the veil of Arcania. "She would have to suffice, the growth of this new plague bothers me. Ends my children and births those that mimic my work." Theylune stated flatly as she watched Brynja converse with her father. The gods growing more and more fearful with the tick of time.
"The monsters have chosen to rest in the nest of Redfall. But their plans for Arcania are rather intriguing." Azrith, the pale mind stated with a sinister smirk resting in his face. His proposal to the game of horrors made them pause, while they waited for their death, he cackles at their fear as he embraced what was to come which contrasted his scheming persona.
"What do we do with the earthling? Anointing him as a champion would greatly stir the game." A god murmured flatly, it was Kaelorin, the god of storm and strife. "That one wouldn't prefer to have his toys prodded in such a manner. It would be best to birth another in Caerthalas. With the looming war, it is to be expected."
Ignovar, the god of flames and rebirth said with his focus locked on Solthuriel who had yet to chip in. "Does it have to be an elf? After all I'm sure they would be expecting one, no?" Azrith lazily mused as he glanced at the rest of his comrades. He could sense the air of death lingering above them all, amused with how they had grown comfortable in their position.
'Gods that have grown complacent now nothing more than entertainment for the unknown. How laughable.' He chuckled inwardly as he expected the usual push back. "Azrith is right, it would be best to pick another candidate." Myreth, the god of death and passage didn't speak, the air around him thick with tension.
"Does this explain the sudden urge to pick champions? After all you are capable of making mistakes." Azrith stated sharply attracting skeptical glances. "There are those here who think that you have betrayed us and sided with the horrors, it would be best to watch your words Azrith."
Ignovar's words as equally sharp as his. "Hahaha! I just find this all to be extremely whimsical, comical without a doubt. The way you cry and fawn over something you have no control over. Should they want to end us, what would you do to stop them?" His words making the golden halls of the heavenly palace darken.
It was a rational response from them however to go to such lengths with the belief that they would get to see another day was something he couldn't entertain. "I take it that you won't be with us then." Kaelorin rumbled as sparks cackled all over his figure. "Only a mad man would do what you dare to do. It would be best to embrace death."
Rising to his feet, he made light of the perilous situation as he gave a psychotic cackle. "What I see is a party no different from the humans below clutching to something, anything to preserve their lives aloof to the fact of their certain death. I'm sure that Myreth already knows this." The gazes cast towards him turned sharp however he didn't care as he took his leave.
"It's clear that he has a plan brewing. Maybe he really is in collaboration with the monsters or Redfall." Theylune spoke flatly, coming to terms with the reality that even they as gods would meet their deaths at the hands of something greater. "His facade of apathy at the face of death is laughable, how low he's fallen."
Velethar, the god of shadows and secrets mused as he went on. "However there is some truth to his words. Our means to please the inevitable is pathetic. Should death come and court us, it would be best to-" He didn't finish his words before golden blood covered the faces of the other gods.
Ignovar blinked once, the twice before it dawned on him. 'They really could kill us at any time.' The realization heavy as he grit his teeth. As a god who watched over the world or Arcania, the notion of his life at stake had never crossed his mind till recently. "Pity befall on us. For we can only pray for what has to unfold." Myreth finally parted his lips and spoke, his words grim.
'It would seem that there is no means of escape other than to engage in their game.' He wasn't sure that with death they were safe given how lightly they would claim and take life away from the board. 'They have no respect for the title of godhood, giving damned beasts consciousness.' A feat that not only took him but the rest by surprise.
Their creator had grown silent, some of them saw it as him abandoning them. Other speculating that he had met his end at the hands of Jarren or his harem of monsters. 'Isn't justice meant to prevail over evil? Then what is this anomaly?' Ignovar couldn't help but wonder. His flames had kept the darkness at bay, illuminating the world and helping those in need in the shadows and for once, the darkness that he faced didn't waver.
Rather it swallowed the light and hungered for more, yearning till he was nothing more than a corpse. He wasn't sure of what to do, calling to the gods felt like a cruel joke, death wasn't certain not to mention it would mean they had chosen defeat and their future remained at the hands of the abyss that watched their every movement, calculating and planning.
'It would seem that at this point, it's all a matter of luck.' He cursed at his helplessness as Azrith's words echoed in his mind. 'Maybe we really are no different from the mortals below.'