The chamber known as the "Forbidden Wing" within the palace of Rama was swallowed by a terrifying silence, as absolute as that of a graveyard.
But this silence was not the peaceful rest that follows exhaustion; rather, it was the suffocating, heart-stopping quiet of death that hangs heavy in the air right before a catastrophic storm strikes.
Qaduel, the King's personal advisor and supreme military commander, violently threw the door open, completely disregarding the ancient protocols and etiquettes of the palace. He held his golden helmet tucked under his arm. On his sweat-drenched forehead and relentlessly twitching wings, one could read not just physical exhaustion, but a profound terror that cut straight to the bone.
"My King!" Qaduel dropped to one knee, not even waiting for permission to speak. His breath came in ragged gasps; his voice was broken with desperate urgency. "Forgive my breach of protocol. But we are out of time; every passing second is signing our death warrants."
King Saruel stood with his back to the room, gazing out through the massive balcony window. With the twin suns of Rama blazing behind him, his majestic silhouette was cast in deep shadow, making his dark and brooding mood appear even more pronounced.
"I felt it, Qaduel," Saruel said. His voice was as cold as ice, yet it carried the subtle, painful sound of splintering glass. Without turning around, he continued, "He is forcing the construction of Toram's machine to breach our outer defensive barrier, isn't he?"
"It's not just that, my Lord!" Qaduel stepped closer to the king, driven by panic. "Our spies report that Daruel is absorbing the power of the Ten Tribal Gods. We have confirmed that he has completely drained the essence of every single tribe. Daruel is no longer just the Lord of Darkness; he has become a walking sun of pure destruction. If he reaches us, the barrier of Rama might hold him off for a few hours, but it will not buy us days."
As Saruel gritted his teeth, the muscles in his jaw visibly tightened. When he clenched his fists, faint sparks of electricity crackled between his fingers. "He is coming for the time machine. He wants Toram."
"Exactly!" Qaduel confirmed rapidly. "If he gets his hands on that machine, it becomes his gateway back. He will rip open a portal to travel back and forth through time."
King Saruel let out a bitter, hollow laugh. "So, he intends to break Zagura's laws, travel back to twist the flow of history, and quench his thirst for vengeance?" he muttered to himself.
Understanding the king's deep concerns, Qaduel pressed on. "But my King, I have a far worse fear. When Daruel arrives, if he seizes both the time vessel and her, he won't just alter history—he will obliterate our very existence. He will reduce absolutely everything to zero."
"What do you expect me to do?" Saruel finally turned around. Lightning violently flickered within his eyes. "You saw my limits. Standing before Daruel, I am nothing but a gnat. To face him head-on in my current state is simply offering myself up for execution."
"Not you, my King," Qaduel pointed toward another section of the palace, toward the guest quarters. "Her. That armor she wears... those swords she carries on her back... they are not ordinary steel. They are weapons forged from the words of Zagura, classified as 'God Slayers.' Even you and I cannot bear their weight; they would burn us like molten rock. But she... she is wearing them."
Saruel furrowed his brow. He knew what Qaduel said was true, but it was incredibly difficult to accept.
"And what are you suggesting? That a mortal woman of science, a creature with absolutely zero combat experience, should face Daruel?"
"We have no choice!" Qaduel raised his voice. "We must train her. Right now! The armor and the swords have fused with her body. But she has no idea how to command them. If we don't force her to use her scientific intellect to control their power, when Daruel breaks through the barrier, he will simply walk over all our corpses. Rama will be annihilated!"
Saruel stared intensely at Qaduel for several long seconds. The decision was agonizingly heavy. This was a desperate gamble; but they had absolutely no other cards left to play. Finally, he drew a deep breath. He first murmured to himself, "Perhaps Zagura chose her after all?"
"What are you thinking, my King?"
"Go!" Saruel commanded with absolute resolve. "Take her to the training grounds. Tell her she has no time. This is not preparation for a tournament; this is a frantic struggle for survival. Whether she wants to or not, through her science or whatever else she can muster... she must awaken the beast within her. If she is to save Rama, she must first learn to save herself."
"As you command, my Lord!"
Qaduel shot out of the room like an arrow released from a bow. Saruel was left alone in the vast hall. He turned his gaze back to the sky. He felt as though the sky of Rama was darkening, the stars slowly losing their brilliance. Even from afar, the impending arrival of Daruel was already swallowing the light of the palace like an all-consuming black storm cloud.
To be continued…❤❤❤