Alderth Castle
Highark [capital city], Raeo [planet], Aurum [star system]
18 May; 06:08:47 Hours - Seven months ago
A royal blue carpet lined the center of the glossy white marble hall, as thunderous pounding of armored boots neared the massive double doors to the throne room. Two soldiers of the Glaive, Sabers, stood guard but were quick to open the doors for those approaching. Six more Sabers, adorned in full armor accompanied Dax and an olive-skinned woman, Kaendra who was a Captain of the Sovereign's Gardna.
“<Sire!>” the royal presenter announced and drew the attention of the King and Queen as the group entered the chambers. “<Princess Dax and Capt—”
“Lei’lah?!” Dax’s mother, Yael who had ebony skin and gray-and-white dreadlocks down to her knees, cut the presenter off as she exclaimed, “<You’re alive!>”
Dax forced out a smile for her mother. “<Yes, Mother… I am alive.>”
Her father and king of the Sovereign Kingdom of Wendale, Laes who had fair skin, slowly turned his attention from his wife to his heiress. His face remained cold whereas tears ran down Yael’s as she hurried to their daughter. She hugged Dax as tightly as she could, admitting, “<I was so worried that you fell to Beelezika and his Knights! I feared the absolute worst! I could not sleep! I could not stand the thought that your light was extinguished - I just could not!>”
“<I’m fine, Mother. I promise.>”
“<How did you escape?>” Yael asked as she took stock of her firstborn.
“<Yes,” Laes bellowed, “how did you escape that backwater monster? Do you bring me his head? Or perhaps his Stygian?>”
Dax’s lip quivered and her nostrils flared as she looked up at her father while he remained on the throne.
“<Sire,” Kaendra took to a knee, where she addressed him, “we regained the Princess upon the planet Titus—”
Laes raised his hand, snapping, “<Silence! You, Captain, have failed me!>”
“<But, sire!>”
“<You are to be the Princess’ sword-and-shield, and where were you? Where were you when Beelezika attacked?>”
“<We were outnumbered and blindsided,>” she attempted to justify what Laes called her failure, looking up to him with her eyes sunken. “<They came heavy with a platoon, and we could not have been ready for HIM and his Knights!>”
He slammed his fist down on the armrest of the throne, roaring, “<And you failed!>”
“<No!>” Dax erupted at her father, “<Where were YOU, father?>”
“Lei’lah,” Yael gasped as she watched her daughter step toward her father.
“<Excuse me?>” he growled.
“<I said: Where were you?>”
“<How dare yuh—”
Her eyes began to glow bright blue. “<Oh, I know exactly where you were…>”
“Laes?” Yael now turned to her husband, her eye squinted as she took steps toward him.
“<…He told me.>”
In an instant, the King arose from his throne as his eyes too glowed bright blue and hands clenched. Yael glanced at her daughter before looking back at Laes, now firmly demanding, “<Laes, what is she talking about?>”
“<Go on, Father, tell Mother where you were!>”
But he remained silent, gritting his teeth while refusing to break eye contact with Dax.
“<Laes! Tell me!>” she now raised her voice at her husband.
“<How dare you!>” he growled. “<How dare you accept words from that monster! How
dare you!>”
Dax rolled her eyes before looking at her mother, saying, “<Fine, I’ll tell you - Father was right here, upon his throne while he sent ME to Gavilun and into what he foresaw to be a death trap!>”
“<No,>” Yael chuckled at first, looking Dax in the eyes before turning to Laes who was livid and her tone became shaky, “<That’s not… Laes, please, what Lei’lah says cannot be true… Is it?>”
He turned his back to his wife and daughter, looking at the royal blue and white Wendale flag that hung behind the throne. “<The duties and especially the sacrifices of a king are heavy—”
“Laes!” Her eyes tripled in size and she yelled again, “<You didn’t!>”
“<She is MYArchangel! She has ONE duty - to king and throne! The weapon she wields is only hers on that basis, and if she cannot terminate enemies of this kingdom… then she needs just return it!>”
The atmosphere was thick and staticky as the four stood with Laes’ voice echoing, but as Dax’s glowing eyes didn’t dim and her father retook the throne, she stormed out of the chamber with Kaendra right at her heels. The group of Sabers remained at attention and Yael placed her hand over her mouth, whispering, “<Ohhhhh, Lei’lah.>”
***
Present…
The night sky was scattered with intense stars and Raeo’s twin moons that sat just out over the horizon, one slightly higher than the other as they were both in their full phase. The gigantic courtyard of Alderth Castle was home to some of the most beautiful flowers in the universe, most taken from the numerous planets conquered by Wendale and seeded there, their beauty was only visible from the light of the moons and Esaehs - half-dollar-sized insects that glowed bright white - buzzing around. Laes stood underneath a stone archway that symbolized the eternal power of his people, as he gazed up to the sky.
“<Come,” Laes said as a man adorning white and silver armor walked up beside him, “look to the vastness and tell me what you don’t see.>”
“<My Lord?>” the man, Waelum Gaesh hesitantly said as he slowly looked to the night sky.
“<What don’t you see?>”
“<I’m afraid that there is much I cannot see, sire.>”
Laes looked at Waelum and smirked before pointing to the sky. “<There. For a billion years there reigned the King Star, Alderyt. It was the biggest star in the universe. It was even said that Alderyt was more than a star, a power that could be wielded against the Darkness.>”
“<Forgive me, my Lord, but I don’t understand,>” Waelum said as he looked to the spot Laes was pointing out but couldn’t locate Alderyt.
“<I’m sure you felt it, Waelum,>” Laes said. “<You are a Pure. Your connection to the Shine is much like Dax’s, like mine - There was a reach from the Deep that has not been felt for quite some time, and now Alderyt’s halo has faded into the Eternal.>”
“<Sire?>”
“<When the Deep isn’t held in check, WE are at risk.>”
Waelum turned to Laes, whose hands clenched tightly. “<What are you saying, my Lord?>”
“<I fear that my daughter has been corrupted. That she’s allowed darkness to touch her spark. That Alderyt’s absence has allowed monsters… a monster to leave an imprint.>”
“<My Lord, what do you wish of me?>” he said and bowed his head. “<Say the word and it will be done - Nothing will stop me!>”
“<You are my right hand, Waelum; you are the fist of Wendale…” Laes said as he turned to Waelum before placing his hand upon Waelum’s shoulder armor, “… Terminate Beelezika, and she will be purged of his darkness!>”
“<Consider it done, my Lord!>”