194 We Have Failed Her
With a regal air, Rowena gracefully descended from the torn belly of the Kraken. Her dragon-like wings caught the wind, and she floated gently downward, her crimson eyes surveying the battlefield as her feet finally touched the ground. The sand shifted beneath her as she landed, her very presence commanding attention.
At the same time, Asher had managed to make the disgruntled Isola place her arm around his neck for support since she still wasn’t in a state to walk.
With his ring blade still at the ready, though no longer pressed against her throat, Asher effortlessly leaped down from the Kraken’s wounded body to the sandy shore below.
Moraxor’s eyes widened with confusion and surprise as he watched the Bloodburn Queen’s forces cease their attacks.
This was not what he had expected, considering what he knew about the merciless reputation of the Bloodburn Kingdom. They were known for showing no mercy to their enemies, leaving nothing but death and destruction in their wake.
His thoughts wandered to the dark history of his people, where the Ravager had brutally massacred many of his ancestors, despite their surrender and pitiful pleas for mercy.
The memory of that cruelty always sent a shiver down his spine, and he could not help but wonder if this sudden show of mercy was genuine, or merely a ruse to lull them into a false sense of security. Still, he couldn’t think of a reason for the latter.
Esther forcefully guided a battered and resentful Narissara to stand beside Moraxor, her injuries apparent but not quite enough to break her spirit. The two monarchs stood side by side as Moraxor glanced at his wife whose entire body was trembling with fevered emotions.
Rowena’s gaze fell upon the king and queen, her expression ice-cold, “Kneel before me,” She commanded as Flaralis bared its menacing teeth with a low growl, staring down at the two.
The weight of her words carried the unspoken demand for their official surrender. Kneeling before her was the only way to convey the meaning of surrendering to the entire Bloodburn Kingdom.
ƥαṇdα-ηθνε|·ƈθm
Slowly, he lowered himself to the ground, his gaze never leaving Queen Rowena’s eyes, a silent defiance still present within him.
Narissara, her defiance still burning bright, refused to yield, “I will not kneel to these bloodthirsty plunderers,” she declared, turning to her husband, “Please get up, husband. Don’t give them the satisfaction. They will only slaughter us all in the end.”
Moraxor drew a deep breath, grasping Narissara’s hand firmly as he pulled her down to kneel beside him, “Enough, Narissara,” he implored, his voice strained, “Stop fighting back. We have lost. As the queen of our people, do your pride or the survival of our people matter more no matter how small the chance? Isn’t that why we even raised our daughter to become a sacrificial lamb? Look at our daughter. Haven’t we failed her enough as her parents? Why can’t we at least make a small sacrifice for her sake?”
Narissara’s eyes flickered as she hesitated, her gaze drifting towards Isola before quickly averting it. She clenched her eyes shut, taking a moment to compose herself before finally allowing her knees to fold beneath her, sinking to the ground alongside her husband. Her body felt heavy, burdened with the weight of her decision and the pain of surrender.
As the Umbralfiends watched their proud king and queen kneel before the Bloodburn Queen, a wave of shock and disbelief swept through their ranks.
They had never imagined they would witness such a sight in their lifetime. Yet, there it was, unfolding before their eyes, a stark reminder of their crushing defeat.
Despite the bitterness and reluctance that churned within them, the Umbralfiends knew that their leaders’ decision was the only option left if they wished to preserve any semblance of hope for their people. And so, one by one, they dropped to their knees, their heads bowed low in submission.
The sight of these fierce warriors, who had once been a force to be reckoned with, now kneeling before their enemy, created a somber and poignant scene on the battlefield.
The once raging fires of battle were snuffed out, replaced by an eerie silence that spoke volumes about the gravity of their situation. It was a moment that would be etched in the annals of history, a testament to the fall of the previously dead Umbralfiend Kingdom.
As Isola watched her parents and her people kneel before the Bloodburn Queen, a whirlwind of emotions stirred within her.
Her eyes filled with tears as she saw their proud figures, who had always been pillars of strength in her life, now kneeling in surrender. The sight of her people, once fierce and unyielding, now broken and resigned, was a crushing blow to her spirit.
It felt as though the very essence of their kingdom was slipping away, like sand through her fingers.
She had never felt so helpless and defeated. Her heart ached with the weight of the guilt she carried, wishing she shouldn’t have been so naive and foolish to believe in a man she had just met.
The pain of witnessing this scene was almost unbearable, and Isola felt the sting of bitterness and anger toward herself, most of all, at Asher.
*Rumble*
Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled subtly, catching everyone’s attention. The waves of water from the sea suddenly surged, rising up to engulf the colossal corpse of the Kraken. The sight was both startling and awe-inspiring, leaving everyone momentarily speechless.
Flaralis growled and tensed, preparing to stop it from getting pulled into the seas, but Rowena raised a hand to calm her dragon, “Easy, Flaralis. The Kraken is dead. The sea can’t bring it back to life,” she said, her voice steady, but her eyes betraying her surprise.
Asher, too, was bewildered by this unexpected turn of events. It was as if the sea had a life of its own, making him wonder if the Kraken being the child of a devil was really true or not.
As the waves wrapped around the Kraken, cradling its lifeless form, it was as if the sea itself was paying tribute to the fallen guardian. The water gently lifted the immense creature, carrying it back into the depths from which it had emerged.
“Return to the ancient depths where you may find solace and peace, guardian of the seas,” Isola suddenly mumbled in a melancholic voice as Asher observed her.
She bowed her head right after, her hand placed on her chest, as she appeared to be mourning the death of the guardian that had fought so valiantly to protect her people, despite its age and weariness.
Isola knew even if their guardian helped them in exchange for a favor, its ancestor had protected and fought for them unconditionally. Expecting such loyalty from its last descendant who lived in captivity for its entire life and never knew them was not realistic.
The least they could do was at least help the Kraken fulfill its final wish of birthing an offspring. But because of her, it died for nothing, the bloodline of such a majestic creature forever lost in the seas.
It wasn’t just Isola who grieved. Each Umbralfiend seemed to share in her sorrow, their eyes downcast and their expressions solemn. The weight of their collective loss hung heavily in the air, casting a somber pall over the battlefield.
They still couldn’t believe the Prophecy of the Ancients failed to come true, making them realize how they had nothing to believe in now.
A bit far away, Thorin who had come back to the battlefield upon hearing the echoes of surrender, stood by his wife’s side, his eyes flickering with a mixture of relief and deep-seated disappointment.
He clenched his fists, feeling the bitter sting of losing the Kraken, “We have won the war, yet lost our greatest weapon,” he said, his voice heavy with the weight of a thousand regrets, “The Kraken was once ours, and now it has fallen, fighting for our enemies.”
Esther sighed softly, her piercing gaze surveying the battlefield, “I know but we must not forget that this outcome is far better than the alternative.” She paused, allowing the gravity of her words to sink in, “We could have lost everything if not for him and even our daughter,” Esther said as she narrowed her eyes and looked at him from afar.
Thorin reluctantly nodded, his expression stiffening as he attempted to come to terms with this new reality.
But hearing her mention him, his gaze landed on Asher, who stood at a distance, still holding Isola firmly.
A sense of unease crept into his mind, and he couldn’t help but voice his concerns, “That boy,” he said, nodding toward Asher, “I don’t think we should consider him as a junior anymore. Keep a close eye on him. I feel that his impossible feat today wouldn’t be the last.”
Esther nodded in agreement, “Sabina is already on it, and she said she is very close to having a hold on him. Let’s do our part in the meantime.”
However, Esther suddenly caught a familiar figure in her peripheral vision and saw Rebecca standing a few hundred feet away, staring at something or someone far away.
Rebecca’s eyes were shaking upon seeing Asher standing beside Rowena. She clicked her tongue as her expression contorted and immediately left the battlefield as if she was never there in the first place.
Just as the atmosphere was becoming calmer, a mysterious murky green light emanated from the depths, casting an eerie glow on the water’s surface.
Confusion and surprise rippled through the onlookers, and Rowena’s brow furrowed as she placed her hand on Flaralis, signaling her dragon to remain vigilant.
Unease spread like a contagion among the Bloodburn armies, their minds racing with wild theories.
Could the Kraken have somehow survived its brutal defeat despite dying before their eyes? No…that should be impossible.
The Umbralfiends held their breath, daring to entertain a flicker of hope as they beheld the enigmatic light.
Moraxor, however, felt no such relief; with his daughter still in enemy hands and his people exhausted and defeated, a revived guardian would change little, though he still couldn’t help but feel hopeful.
Asher and Rowena exchanged glances as the water’s surface churned with increasing turbulence, giving rise to small, lapping waves.
“It can’t be…” Isola softly mumbled, making Asher glance at her, though he knew there was no point in asking her.
They watched, hearts pounding, as something beneath the surface began to emerge. The two prepared themselves for whatever unknown threat might surface, their senses heightened and bodies poised for action.