Chapter 7: The Queen's Descent
Orin woke up in his bed, his eyes fluttering open slowly as the weight of the night before still lingered in his mind. Yet now, unlike before, he carried a purpose. He wasn't just a lost boy stumbling into mysteries anymore—he had a goal.
To free Nyxara, the Goddess of Dreams.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, Orin exhaled deeply, his expression shifting between determination and awe.
Orin (to himself): "Even a Goddess… even she carries emotions like a human. Love, sacrifice, pain. Who would have thought? Maybe gods and humans are not so different after all… Interesting. Finally, I can sleep without nightmares haunting me."
For the first time in what felt like ages, Orin laid back down and drifted into sleep without fear, his heart strangely comforted by Nyxara's revelation.
---
The next morning came with the warmth of sunlight peeking through his window. Orin yawned, stretching lazily as the golden rays touched his face. He quickly freshened up—washing his face, brushing his teeth, bathing, and then settling at the table for a quick breakfast before stepping outside for a casual walk.
But even in the calmness of the day, his thoughts were restless.
Orin: "Tch… Karisila is really stingy. She's acting like some devoted servant to that 'so-called Lord Liriya.' And yet, she didn't even bother to explain how I'm supposed to use this essence she gave me. What am I supposed to do, figure it out while yawning on the street?"
He yawned again, frustration mixing with exhaustion.
The streets were quiet until—suddenly—an unknown man, face covered with cloth, came running at full speed. In his haste, he rammed straight into Orin, knocking both of them to the ground.
Orin (angrily): "Oi! Can't you see where you're going? What's with the mask? Some kind of thief?!"
But the masked man barely looked back, running off again without a word.
Orin brushed the dust off his clothes, sighing.
Orin: "Weird guy… Anyway, I should just head to Liriya's place. Maybe Karisila will be there too, and I'll finally get some answers about this essence."
---
He had barely taken a few more steps when the world itself seemed to shift.
A deafening crack tore through the sky. Red lightning arced violently across the heavens, painting the clouds in crimson. The air trembled as if the world itself was suffocating.
Orin froze, heart pounding.
Orin: "Wh… What the hell is happening?!"
The once-blue sky was drenched in red, as if bleeding. Thunder echoed like the roar of a demon. His instincts screamed danger. Without wasting another second, Orin sprinted straight towards Liriya's home.
Orin (running, panicked): "This… this has to be it. They're after her Golden Luminara Wave! Damn it!"
---
When he reached the house, his voice cracked as he screamed desperately.
Orin: "LIRIYA! LIRIYA, OPEN THE DOOR! You're in danger!"
But there was no answer. His eyes caught the front door—it was slightly ajar. Dread washed over him like ice water. Slowly, he pushed the door open, every step heavier than the last.
The sight that greeted him stole the air from his lungs.
Blood.
The floor was drenched in it. Crimson stains splattered across the walls. And lying lifeless, twisted in unnatural positions, were Liriya's parents. Their blank eyes stared at nothing, their blood painting the home they had once filled with warmth.
Orin's hands trembled, his breath rapid.
Orin (horrified whisper): "…No… no, no, no, please…"
But he couldn't stop. With trembling legs, he dashed toward Liriya's room.
Orin: "LIRIYA! I'm here! Don't be scared!"
He burst through her door—and froze.
A girl, cloaked in malice, had her hand wrapped around Liriya's throat. With terrifying calmness, she plunged her other hand directly into Liriya's chest.
The sound—flesh tearing, blood dripping—was unbearable.
The shadows Liriya once controlled lay dead around her, scattered and broken like discarded dolls.
Liriya's scream cut through Orin's soul as her chest caved, blood gushing down her dress, pooling on the floor.
Orin (screaming): "NO! STOP!!!"
He rushed forward, but with a mere flick of her hand, the mysterious girl hurled Orin across the room. He crashed into the wall with brutal force, his body crumpling to the ground. Pain exploded in his ribs, but he still clawed at the floor, desperate to move.
Through blurred vision, he saw it. The girl pulled her hand out of Liriya's chest, and within it—gleamed the Golden Divine Wave.
Liriya's body went limp.
Her life… extinguished.
Orin collapsed to his knees, tears streaming uncontrollably. His voice broke as despair crushed him.
Orin (weeping): "Liriya… Liriya… I never told you… I never confessed how much I loved you… This—this is all my fault. If only… If only I hadn't dragged you to that damned museum that day… none of this would've happened. Please forgive me, Liriya… I failed you. I failed my promise. I couldn't protect you…"
His tears stained the bloody floor, his hands shaking as he held his head, unable to bear the weight of his guilt.
---
The girl—the killer—finally turned toward him, eyes gleaming with cruel amusement.
Girl (smirking): "So… you're the one who killed my little pet, Hozane."
Orin's rage flared, though his body still trembled.
Orin: "Hozane… You mean… the 'Queen' he spoke of… was you?!"
Orin (through clenched teeth): "Who… Who the hell are you?!"
The girl tilted her head, a wicked grin curling her lips.
Queen: "My name? Hah. I don't waste it on nameless brats. But I see… you cared for this girl, didn't you? You loved her? How tragic… then allow me to reunite you with her."
Orin's eyes widened in fury and horror.
Orin: "KARISILA! Karisila, where is she?!"
The Queen's expression shifted into amusement.
Queen: "Oh, that servant of your beloved girlfriend? Yes, I know of her."
Orin's breath caught.
Orin: "You… You can see her?!"
The Queen chuckled darkly.
Queen: "Why wouldn't I? After all…"
She raised her hands, palms glowing ominously. From them emerged four luminous waves, each radiating with divine power.
Queen: "How do they look? Beautiful, aren't they? Took me quite some time to collect these treasures. And yet, I still need four more. As for your little friend Karisila… she's sealed nicely inside this one."
Her hand pulsed, revealing the violet Luminara Wave within.
Orin's fists clenched, his grief twisting into rage.
Orin (yelling): "Why?! Why is the entire cosmos obsessed with these damned waves? Why do monsters like you crave them?! They've brought me nothing but misery! NOTHING BUT DEATH!"
But the Queen only laughed.
Queen: "How naïve. You're just an edgy sixteen-year-old boy, blinded by your little tragedies. You know nothing. You haven't experienced what true power means when wielding these waves. You haven't even scratched the surface. You people… you can't even comprehend what you're holding."
Her smile vanished, her voice sharp and merciless.
Queen: "Now shut your mouth. It's time you die."
She spun her hands in a full 360-degree arc.
In that instant, Orin's world ended. His head twisted violently, snapping with a sickening crack as blood sprayed like rain. His body collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
The house, once a place of warmth and laughter, was now a mausoleum—blood, silence, and death reigning supreme.
The Queen stood in the midst of it all, her presence like a shadow blanketing the cosmos.