[Scrapped] The Cult of Noka Draft
Oct. 30th, 2017 12:15 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aftanithTitle: [Scrapped] The Cult of Noka Draft
Author: AFTanith
Fandom: Yihasa's Chosen (original fiction)
Wordcount: ~4500
Genre: Fantasy
Notes: old and outdated af, though there might still be something useful in it; also note that character names are all very different from both their original and current incarnations
Lilina awoke, her heart pounding. Beside her, Lor snored peacefully, his mind still drifting in slumber. Lilina looked around the room. She didn't know what had woken her; she didn't remember having a nightmare, and there didn't seem to be anything out of place in the room.
She laid back down, resting her head once more upon the soft pillow and pressing her body against Lor's. Nothing was amiss. She could go back to sleep.
She awoke again, seemingly as soon as she drifted off. She didn't look around this time; she had the strangest feeling that she wasn't alone.
But that was silly, she realized. Of course she wasn't alone. Lor's arms were tight around her and his warm breath tickled the top of her head.
She closed her eyes again. Across the room, a floorboard creaked, and she felt her heart skip a beat, then start to race. Her heart pounded so loud that she could hear it, and she feared that the intruder--if there was one--could hear it, too.
Frozen in her panic, Lilina had no idea what to do. She would be so embarrassed if the floor was just settling; she didn't' want to wake Lor if there was no danger. But she certainly didn't want to die while she tried to decide what to do.
She waited silently, her ears perked and ready to catch the slightest sound of a threat. No sound came, and the longer she hesitated, the more she doubted she'd heard anything in the first place. Finally calm, she smiled at her own foolishness and waited to drift back to sleep.
The floor creaked again, closer this time. Lilina held her breath, her muscles paralyzed in fear. There was someone in the room, she knew, and even if she was wrong, she had to check. She only wondered for a split second whether or not to wake Lor. If she woke him, she could accidentally alert the intruder that she was awake. No, she decided. She wanted to have the upper hand.
She took a deep breath, and counted down in her head. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
She sprang out of the bed, illuminating the room with purple orbs of light.
No one was there.
Lilina felt a hot blush spread across her cheeks. She'd been hearing things after all.
A little black rodent scurried across the floor, its star-shaped nose wiggling as it sniffed the air. Lilina couldn't help but laugh at the sight of it. "Did you wake me up, little guy?" The creature paused, turning its tiny eyes toward her. "Oh, don't act like you understand me. Go to sleep. I know I'm going to." She turned to the bed, yawning as she folded back the covers to slide in beside her lover.
Just as she was about to pull the covers over herself--hopefully for the last time that night--a deafening crash shook the room.
Lor bolted upright, looking at Lilina with wide eyes. "What the fuck was that?"
Lilina looked back at him with wide eyes. "I have no idea," she whispered.
Lor climbed out of the bed, motioning for her to stay. "I'll go check."
Lilina watched him walk toward the door on the other side of the room. "No!" she said, getting up to follow him. "I'm not gonna stay here and get murdered." She followed him out of the door and into the hallway beyond. Light blue orbs of Lor's magic hovered in the air above their heads, lighting the way as they tiptoed over the cold stone floor. The noise had seemed to come from one of the rooms to the right of Lilina's bedroom, and that was where they headed.
Lor peeked into the first doorway, sending an orb of light into the room. "See anything?" Lilina asked.
Lor pressed his finger to his lips and shook his head. "Library's empty," he whispered.
They checked each room as they walked down the hall; every one was empty, and not a thing was out of place. They came to the end of the corridor; a final door stood before them. This one opened into another hallway, that of Lilina's mother, Empress Serar.
Lor knocked on the dark wood. There was no answer; Lilina pressed her ear against it. Something gurgled faintly on the other side. "Mother?" Lilina called, turning the doorknob. "Is everything okay?" She pushed the door, but it wouldn't budge. "Lor, it's stuck."
He grabbed the knob. "Are you sure?" He twisted it and pushed, but the door stayed closed. "It's locked. Back up."
She retreated several steps, and Lor released another blue orb of magic; it blasted through the wooden door, creating a large hole above the doorknob. Lor reached in, twisting his arm around to unlock the door from the inside. "Go it!" The door swung open when Lor pushed it this time, and he stepped inside.
Lilina was right behind him. "Mother?" she repeated. "Where are you?"
She heard the gurgling sound again, but it was louder this time. "What is that?" Lor asked, walking toward the door on the opposite side of the room. It was propped open, and Lilina could see firelight flickering in the room beyond--her mother's bedchamber. She followed Lor, but he stopped dead in the middle of the doorway. "Lil, go get your uncle."
Lilina's brow furrowed. "Why?" Standing up on her toes, she peered over Lor's shoulder.
She screamed. Lor held her back as she struggled to push past him. In the room beyond, only a short distance away from where the couple stood, Empress Serar lay on the floor in a pool of crimson. Blood trickled from a gaping wound in the woman's chest, and her eyes were dim.
Lilina broke past Lor and ran into the room. He started to follow her as she raced toward her mother, but the door slammed shut right as he started forward. Lilina heard another crash as it collide with him; she spun at the sound, frozen halfway between her mother and the door. They weren't alone, she realized. In a second that seemed to play out in slow motion, Lilina met the stranger's eyes as he raised his hand to her, an orb of magic as red as the blood of the dying empress welling up in his hand.
Lilina ducked instinctively, and she heard the orb crackling as it hurtled through the air where her head had been a moment earlier. Lor pounded on the door, yelling for Lilina, but she ignored him. There was no time to let him; her mother was dying, and the stranger sent blast after blast of deadly energy at Lilina. She glanced at her mother only for a moment before throwing herself behind the sofa in front of the fireplace.
The door rattled in its hinges as Lor beat against it. Lilina screamed as an orb blasted through the back of the couch only inches from her ear and into the fireplace. It hit the flames, and Lilina ran as the fire grew in the hearth and caught hold of the rug under her feet. She met her mother's gaze as she darted behind the four-poster bed. Empress Serar's eyes were blank, and a sob caught in Lilina's throat. Her hands curled into fists, and she couldn't contain her scream as she rose to her feet, sending a barrage of purple energy toward the intruder. He was dressed all in black, and Lilina could barely see him, but she recognized the pain in his face as her attack tore through the flesh of his upper arm. His roar of pain pierced the air, and Lilina suddenly noticed that Lor had stopped banging on the door. Trapped in a burning room with an assassin and her mother's corpse, Lilina could only hope that he had gone for help.
A fierce look on his face, the intruder raised both his arms high above his head, a massive orb of magic forming between his palms.
"I don't fucking think so!" Lilina raised her own arms out in front her. Before the man had a chance to unleash the power he was building, Lilina roared, her entire body burning from the inside as her magic blasted toward him in barely visible waves of energy. His eyes widened just before it hit him, and when the waves collided with his torso, he screamed. The orb above his head, no longer under his control, toppled down upon him, and his scream intensified as his skin started to blister.
Lilina looked away as he crumpled to the floor, his flesh bubbling. Nauseous, she stared her mother, but dared not get closer; the woman's lower leg had caught the flames, and she made no sound nor sign of pain as it burned. Lilina started to cough; the air was thickening with black smoke, and she rushed to the door, turning the warm metal knob. The lock wasn't pressed, but as she twisted and tugged on the doorknob, it refused to give. She started pounding her fists against the wood, screaming for anyone to hear her.
She almost laughed in relief when she heard voices on the other side. "Open it!" she yelled, but the doorknob only rattled as they tried. She looked up at the door hinges; they had melted. She doubted the fire could have done it--if it was hot enough to melt metal, she would already have been dead. The intruder had sealed her in, and she didn't think that she had the strength left to knock it down. "Hurry!"
"Back up, honey!" she heard her uncle yell. She glanced behind her; there was scarcely anywhere to go as the flames crept closer to her, and she inched to the side of the doorframe just as the door blasted into the room. Lor grabbed her by the hand and tugged her into the hall as her uncle, Prince Kalin, ran in. Lor started to lead Lilina away, and Kalin withdrew a moment later, his face grave. "Get a conjurer!" he yelled. "The whole damn place's on fire!" Each of the servants in the corridor darted off to look for someone who could help put out of the flames. Lilina watched Kalin glance back into the room, his face twisted in agony, but he closed the door between himself and his sister's body. "C'mon," he said, ushering Lilina and Lor away from the inferno. "We've got to go; this place could be completely engulfed before anyone gets up here to put it out."
They raced through the halls of the pace, the blue orbs lighting their way. Lilina could hear footsteps ahead of them; everyone was evacuating. As they descended the grand staircase two steps at a time, a tall woman ran in a housecoat past them. The woman nodded to them as she passed, and Lilina recognized her as a mage from the Academy.
Lilina, Lor, and Kalin reached the great hall, but Kalin stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Lilina noticed several steps later and turned to him, ignoring the servants that rushed forward to usher her to safety. Kalin saw her staring and waved her on. "Wait outside," he said. "I'm gonna help put out the fire."
Lor nodded, pulling across the room. She had started to feel odd, dizzy almost, and found that she could barely walk straight. They emerged into the jungle air as several more mages rushed inside, and Lilina hazily realized that the entire population of the village stood in the palace's meadow garden. High above their heads, the door to the Empress' balcony was closed, but the flames were visible through the glass panes; the aura of alarm in the throng was almost tangible, and it was obvious that even those who couldn't see the flames knew something was gravely wrong.
The moon hung low in the sky, and Lilina spotted her cousin in its dim rays. Kihagera saw her, too, and ran over to meet the young couple. Her eyes were wide in panic when she reached them, and as she gasped for breath, she asked, "What's going on?"
Lilina opened her mouth to answer, but no sound came. Kihagera continued to stare at her, and Lor finally answered. "There's a fire." He hesitated, glancing at Lilina. Hot tears trickled down her cheeks in streams, and she bit her lip to keep from sobbing. "There was... there was an attack."
Kihagera gasped and threw her arms around her cousin. Lilina was nearly a head shorter than her; normally, she would feel dwarfed in the embrace, but tonight she simply rested her forehead on the other girl's shoulder and let her tears flow. "Are you alright?"
Lor nodded. "We are," he said. "But..."
"What?"
"Her Majesty is..."
He didn't need to finish sentence, and it didn't seem like he could. Kihagera sobbed and hugged Lilina tighter.
Lilina closed her eyes, her body trembling. With nothing in sight but darkness, she could pretend she was still safe in bed, dreaming.
Sitting in her new room, Lilina gripped the small stone that hung from a chain around her neck. She watched its smooth purple faces catching the light as she turned it, but her mind wandered. Everything felt numb when she thought about yesterday. In less than an hour, she had become both an orphan and a killer. She supposed she should be pleased at the justice she'd delivered to her mother's murderer, but she couldn't close her eyes without hearing his screams of agony.
Now here she was, halfway across the empire, sitting atop the plush covers of a strange bed inside a strange room with her knees to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. Lor sat behind her, massaging her shoulders in hopes of helping her relax.
"I'm sure we'll be able to go home soon," he murmured. "The repairs shouldn't take too long."
Lilina hugged her legs tighter. "I don't like being here."
The massage stopped. "I'm sorry."
Lilina glanced over her shoulder, uneasiness washing over her at the sound of his pity. "I need some air," she said, climbing off the bed. She pushed the glass door to the balcony open and stepped outside into the cool mountain air. This had been her father's castle when he was alive; he had been banished from the Capitol when Lilina was eleven and assassinated here when she was fifteen. Still, she felt better being in the castle where her father died than the one where her mother did. She had actually liked her mother.
Coming up behind her, Lor pulled her into a hug. "Come back inside," he said. "It's cold out here."
"It's not that bad."
Lor rubbed his hands along her arms. "You've got goosebumps."
Lilina glanced down at the tiny bumps covering her exposed flesh; the mountain climate was a far cry from the humid jungle air of the Capitol. She nodded to Lor. "Let's go," she said, pushing him gently toward the building. He stepped to the side, letting her walk in front, and he shut the doors behind them.
Lilina lingered in the middle of the room, uncertain about what to do with herself. Lor watched her for a moment before breaking the silence. "Onagera should be here soon," he said. "I'm actually a little surprised that she's not here yet. I thought the coronation was supposed to have started by now."
Lilina bit her lip. "I don't think I'm ready for this."
Lor walked over to her, pulling her into an embrace. "I know, sweetheart. But... you are ready."
Someone knocked on the door. Lor started to answer it, but Lilina grabbed his arm. "Why?"
He smiled at her. "Because you're strong. If you can handle an assassin, you can handle a ceremony." Pulling his arm out of her grasp, he walked over to the door.
Onagera, Lilina's handmaiden, stood on the other side of it with a wide grin. "Are you ready, Your Majesty?" she asked.
Lilina rubbed her palms against her jewel-encrusted coronation gown, trying to ignore her churning stomach. "I guess."
Onagera's smile faltered, and she glanced at Lor. "Is she okay?"
He nodded. "Just nervous."
"Oh." She walked into the room. "In that case..." Arms held wide, she pulled Lilina into a hug; Lilina, after brushing unruly blonde curls out of her face, welcomed the embrace. When Onagera released her, her dazzling grin had returned. "Better?"
Lilina couldn't help but smile slightly. "Yeah. Thanks."
Onagera clapped her on the back. "That's what friends are for," she said. "Now, to try it again: Are you ready?"
"Yeah."
The blonde nodded enthusiastically, pushing Lilina toward the door. "That's what I like to hear."
Lor laughed and held out his arm for Lilina to take; she did, and the trio walked toward the palace's theatre together. Lilina still felt slightly nauseous, but she did her best to ignore it. Lor was right, after all; she'd been empress since the moment her mother died. This was just a formality.
Yet when Lilina and Lor reached the stage doors--Onagera having left them for servant's entrance--it seemed far more like a trial than a formality. Lilina once again wiped her palms on her gown; on the other side of the doors, she could hear an announcer speaking to a small but restless crowd.
Lilina instantly recognized the announcer's voice as that of her uncle, Prince Kalin. "...in our hearts," she heard him say. "But while my dear sister may have been taken from us, her legacy was not. The Golden Era is still with us; this changes nothing."
Lor nudged Lilina. "Ready?"
"I wish everyone would stop asking me that."
He laughed and squeezed her hand. "When this is over, I have a surprise for you."
She turned to him, brow furrowed. "Wha-?" The doors in front of her swung open, and Lilina's thought vanished; her mind blank and hazy, it was something of a miracle that she managed to walk into the room without toppling over.
A large, embroidered rug had been placed in the center of the stage, and at the end farthest from the audience sat an ornate silver throne. Lilina had never seen it before, but she recognized it in a sense; years ago, it had been made especially for her in anticipation of her coronation--an event that the builders had thought would take place in a far more distant future.
At the other end of the rug was a silver podium, the design of which perfectly matched that of the throne. Prince Kalin stood beside it; as he stared at the approaching couple, one of his hands rested in the center of the massive tome that lay open upon the podium.
Far more interested in reaching the podium without tripping, Lilina hardly noticed the crowd's applause. A plethora of light-giving orbs floated above the stage, but the audience was sitting in nearly complete darkness; everyone could see her, but she could see none of them. Her hands shook.
They stopped in front of the book, and Lilina's uncle gave her a comforting smile. Lor released her arm, stepping to the side of the podium opposite Prince Kalin as the latter started to speak to the crowd once more. "We have lost something very important to us," he said, "but this is not a time for mourning. This is a day of celebration, of looking to the bright future that lies ahead of us. Empress Serar ushered in an era of peace not seen since the Age of the Reridona, and we can look forward to many more years of the Golden Era under the reign of Empress Lilina!" He waved his hand toward her, a proud grin on his face. The audience erupted into applause once more, and Lilina stared fixedly at the book in front of her as she heard several cheers ring out of the crowd. "Today," Prince Kalin continued, "we make our next great ruler." He turned to Lilina. "Your Highness, place a hand on each side of the Book of Yihasa." Lilina pressed her moist palms against the ancient, fragile paper. You are a descendant of Korina, first Empress of Shalmar and the avatar and vessel of the goddess, and her legacy lives on it you. Lilina, daughter of Serar, only you can accept this sacred inheritance; shall you provide Her Magnificence with a safe harbor in Akteva?"
Lilina nodded. "Yes," she said.
She watched, wide-eyed, as the black ink on the pages beneath her hands started to glow purple; the veins in her wrist followed suit a moment later, and the luminescence flowed like blood through her body.
The color vanished a moment later. "Your Majesty, you may take to your throne."
Trembling, Lilina obeyed. As she sat in the massive chair, feeling quite dwarfed by comparison, Onagera ambled onto the stage with a small smile on her face and a cushion in her arms. She knelt in front of the throne, her head bowed; the Empress' Crown, a relic from the waning days of the Age of the Reridona, perched atop the satin pillow. Prince Kalin lifted it into his hands and carried to Lilina. He stood behind the throne for a moment, and Lilina could feel the crown hovering just above her head.
Lilina stared out into the darkness engulfing the audience, and when the crown's weight settled atop her head, a din rose the likes of which she had never heard.
Her eyes shifted to Lor; standing beside the podium, he clapped along with the crowd, but there was a devious smile on his face. He started to walk toward her, and she furrowed her brow; beside her, her uncle appeared just as confused. Onagera moved away from the throne, and Lor stopped in the spot where she had knelt a moment before. He bowed slightly, the sly grin never leaving his face and gestured to Onagera. Lilina watched suspiciously as her handmaiden handed Lor the crown's cushion. He held it in front of him with one hand and let his other hand hover over it.
"What are yo-?" She stopped, staring at the golden tiara that now sat upon the cushion. She looked up and her eyes met Lor's. As soon as she saw the intensity of his gaze, she knew what he was about to ask her, and she could feel her body tense.
Lor held her gaze. "Lilina, will you marry me?"
She blinked. Knowing what was coming had done nothing to lessen the blow, and she wondered for a moment if she would either faint or vomit. Neither happened.
Instead, she cried. She didn't notice it at first, but when she finally nodded after a tense silence, she realized her cheeks were wet. Only when Lor wiped the moisture from her cheek did she recognize her own tears.
Lilina could barely hear her uncle when he addressed the crowd again. He had not been expecting this anymore than she, but he seemed to be taking the news far better. Lilina, pulled into Lor's tight embrace, felt like she was spinning. She held the golden tiara in her hands and stared at it blankly.
"Lor," she said. "Lor, I want to go."
His almost euphoric grin faded into a more concerned expression. "Of course," he said, turning toward Onagera and waving her over.
Onagera brought a distinct aura of excitement with her. "Congratulations!"
Lor smiled. "Thanks," he said. "Lilina and I are going to go upstairs. We need to talk. Tell Kalin, please?"
The blonde nodded. "Sure, guys." She patted Lilina on the arm and turned toward Kalin.
Lilina pulled Lor toward the stage door, and slammed it behind her when they reached the hallway. "Why-?" She stopped, a spell of dizziness overcoming her; she rested against the wall to hold herself upright.
Lor didn't seem to realize that she hadn't finished. "Why?" he repeated, frowning. "What do you mean, why?"
"Why didn't you warn me?"
"I think you're misunderstanding the word 'surprise'," he said, but put a hand on her shoulder. "Should I have waited to ask?"
Lilina hesitated. "Well... I wish it had been, you know, a private thing. I didn't expect you to..."
He looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry," he said. "I wanted it to be a big deal. I hoped it would cheer you up."
Lilina shook her head. "No, it's alright. I... you certainly surprised me."
"I'm sorry," Lor repeated.
"Don't be," Lilina told him. "I'm thrilled." Lor snorted. "No, I mean it. I'm just a little... shocked, I guess? Too many major life events compressed into too few hours."
Lor pulled her against him. "Maybe I should have waited."
"No," Lilina said firmly, finally cracking a small smile. "I'm glad you didn't." She twirled the tiara he'd given her. Reaching up, she removed her crown and let the tiara take its place. "Queen of Iyita, eh? I could get used to that."
Lor smiled back. "Maybe, maybe not. I don't really know what'll happen to Iyita now. The whole province might be re-assimilated into the kingdom proper." He took the crown from her hands, and offered her his arm as they started to walk back toward their bedchamber. "But we don't have to worry about that right now."
Lilina chuckled. "What should we worry about, then?"
"Well, we have a wedding to plan," he answered. "But first, I think we ought to do a little celebrating."
Lilina raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? And what kind of celebrating might that be?"
Lor gave her a sly grin. "I think you can guess."
She laughed, relieved at her own joviality; he'd managed to cheer her up, and she couldn't have been more grateful.
"I bet I can."
They slept in much later than usual, and Lilina awoke well-rested and content. She was grateful that no one had bothered them since the ceremony, and now she felt ready to talk to her friends about the news.
She waited for Lor to wake before leaving. "Good morning."
Lor sat up, yawning, as the thin sheet fell around his waist. "Up already?"
Seated in a large armchair by the bookcase on the other side of the room, Lilina grinned. "I feel great this morning."
"You're welcome."
Lilina laughed, closing her book as she walked over to him. She gave him a quick kiss. "I'm going to go find the girls."
Lor nodded, fully aware that "the girls" meant Onagera and Lilina's cousin, Kihagera. "Okay," he said, laying back down. "I'll be there in... a while."
She chuckled. "Take your time, then." He waved as she stepped out into the hallway, and she returned the gesture before shutting the door behind her. She headed for the library; if Kihagera wasn't in class right now, she would likely be there.
Author: AFTanith
Fandom: Yihasa's Chosen (original fiction)
Wordcount: ~4500
Genre: Fantasy
Notes: old and outdated af, though there might still be something useful in it; also note that character names are all very different from both their original and current incarnations
Lilina awoke, her heart pounding. Beside her, Lor snored peacefully, his mind still drifting in slumber. Lilina looked around the room. She didn't know what had woken her; she didn't remember having a nightmare, and there didn't seem to be anything out of place in the room.
She laid back down, resting her head once more upon the soft pillow and pressing her body against Lor's. Nothing was amiss. She could go back to sleep.
She awoke again, seemingly as soon as she drifted off. She didn't look around this time; she had the strangest feeling that she wasn't alone.
But that was silly, she realized. Of course she wasn't alone. Lor's arms were tight around her and his warm breath tickled the top of her head.
She closed her eyes again. Across the room, a floorboard creaked, and she felt her heart skip a beat, then start to race. Her heart pounded so loud that she could hear it, and she feared that the intruder--if there was one--could hear it, too.
Frozen in her panic, Lilina had no idea what to do. She would be so embarrassed if the floor was just settling; she didn't' want to wake Lor if there was no danger. But she certainly didn't want to die while she tried to decide what to do.
She waited silently, her ears perked and ready to catch the slightest sound of a threat. No sound came, and the longer she hesitated, the more she doubted she'd heard anything in the first place. Finally calm, she smiled at her own foolishness and waited to drift back to sleep.
The floor creaked again, closer this time. Lilina held her breath, her muscles paralyzed in fear. There was someone in the room, she knew, and even if she was wrong, she had to check. She only wondered for a split second whether or not to wake Lor. If she woke him, she could accidentally alert the intruder that she was awake. No, she decided. She wanted to have the upper hand.
She took a deep breath, and counted down in her head. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
She sprang out of the bed, illuminating the room with purple orbs of light.
No one was there.
Lilina felt a hot blush spread across her cheeks. She'd been hearing things after all.
A little black rodent scurried across the floor, its star-shaped nose wiggling as it sniffed the air. Lilina couldn't help but laugh at the sight of it. "Did you wake me up, little guy?" The creature paused, turning its tiny eyes toward her. "Oh, don't act like you understand me. Go to sleep. I know I'm going to." She turned to the bed, yawning as she folded back the covers to slide in beside her lover.
Just as she was about to pull the covers over herself--hopefully for the last time that night--a deafening crash shook the room.
Lor bolted upright, looking at Lilina with wide eyes. "What the fuck was that?"
Lilina looked back at him with wide eyes. "I have no idea," she whispered.
Lor climbed out of the bed, motioning for her to stay. "I'll go check."
Lilina watched him walk toward the door on the other side of the room. "No!" she said, getting up to follow him. "I'm not gonna stay here and get murdered." She followed him out of the door and into the hallway beyond. Light blue orbs of Lor's magic hovered in the air above their heads, lighting the way as they tiptoed over the cold stone floor. The noise had seemed to come from one of the rooms to the right of Lilina's bedroom, and that was where they headed.
Lor peeked into the first doorway, sending an orb of light into the room. "See anything?" Lilina asked.
Lor pressed his finger to his lips and shook his head. "Library's empty," he whispered.
They checked each room as they walked down the hall; every one was empty, and not a thing was out of place. They came to the end of the corridor; a final door stood before them. This one opened into another hallway, that of Lilina's mother, Empress Serar.
Lor knocked on the dark wood. There was no answer; Lilina pressed her ear against it. Something gurgled faintly on the other side. "Mother?" Lilina called, turning the doorknob. "Is everything okay?" She pushed the door, but it wouldn't budge. "Lor, it's stuck."
He grabbed the knob. "Are you sure?" He twisted it and pushed, but the door stayed closed. "It's locked. Back up."
She retreated several steps, and Lor released another blue orb of magic; it blasted through the wooden door, creating a large hole above the doorknob. Lor reached in, twisting his arm around to unlock the door from the inside. "Go it!" The door swung open when Lor pushed it this time, and he stepped inside.
Lilina was right behind him. "Mother?" she repeated. "Where are you?"
She heard the gurgling sound again, but it was louder this time. "What is that?" Lor asked, walking toward the door on the opposite side of the room. It was propped open, and Lilina could see firelight flickering in the room beyond--her mother's bedchamber. She followed Lor, but he stopped dead in the middle of the doorway. "Lil, go get your uncle."
Lilina's brow furrowed. "Why?" Standing up on her toes, she peered over Lor's shoulder.
She screamed. Lor held her back as she struggled to push past him. In the room beyond, only a short distance away from where the couple stood, Empress Serar lay on the floor in a pool of crimson. Blood trickled from a gaping wound in the woman's chest, and her eyes were dim.
Lilina broke past Lor and ran into the room. He started to follow her as she raced toward her mother, but the door slammed shut right as he started forward. Lilina heard another crash as it collide with him; she spun at the sound, frozen halfway between her mother and the door. They weren't alone, she realized. In a second that seemed to play out in slow motion, Lilina met the stranger's eyes as he raised his hand to her, an orb of magic as red as the blood of the dying empress welling up in his hand.
Lilina ducked instinctively, and she heard the orb crackling as it hurtled through the air where her head had been a moment earlier. Lor pounded on the door, yelling for Lilina, but she ignored him. There was no time to let him; her mother was dying, and the stranger sent blast after blast of deadly energy at Lilina. She glanced at her mother only for a moment before throwing herself behind the sofa in front of the fireplace.
The door rattled in its hinges as Lor beat against it. Lilina screamed as an orb blasted through the back of the couch only inches from her ear and into the fireplace. It hit the flames, and Lilina ran as the fire grew in the hearth and caught hold of the rug under her feet. She met her mother's gaze as she darted behind the four-poster bed. Empress Serar's eyes were blank, and a sob caught in Lilina's throat. Her hands curled into fists, and she couldn't contain her scream as she rose to her feet, sending a barrage of purple energy toward the intruder. He was dressed all in black, and Lilina could barely see him, but she recognized the pain in his face as her attack tore through the flesh of his upper arm. His roar of pain pierced the air, and Lilina suddenly noticed that Lor had stopped banging on the door. Trapped in a burning room with an assassin and her mother's corpse, Lilina could only hope that he had gone for help.
A fierce look on his face, the intruder raised both his arms high above his head, a massive orb of magic forming between his palms.
"I don't fucking think so!" Lilina raised her own arms out in front her. Before the man had a chance to unleash the power he was building, Lilina roared, her entire body burning from the inside as her magic blasted toward him in barely visible waves of energy. His eyes widened just before it hit him, and when the waves collided with his torso, he screamed. The orb above his head, no longer under his control, toppled down upon him, and his scream intensified as his skin started to blister.
Lilina looked away as he crumpled to the floor, his flesh bubbling. Nauseous, she stared her mother, but dared not get closer; the woman's lower leg had caught the flames, and she made no sound nor sign of pain as it burned. Lilina started to cough; the air was thickening with black smoke, and she rushed to the door, turning the warm metal knob. The lock wasn't pressed, but as she twisted and tugged on the doorknob, it refused to give. She started pounding her fists against the wood, screaming for anyone to hear her.
She almost laughed in relief when she heard voices on the other side. "Open it!" she yelled, but the doorknob only rattled as they tried. She looked up at the door hinges; they had melted. She doubted the fire could have done it--if it was hot enough to melt metal, she would already have been dead. The intruder had sealed her in, and she didn't think that she had the strength left to knock it down. "Hurry!"
"Back up, honey!" she heard her uncle yell. She glanced behind her; there was scarcely anywhere to go as the flames crept closer to her, and she inched to the side of the doorframe just as the door blasted into the room. Lor grabbed her by the hand and tugged her into the hall as her uncle, Prince Kalin, ran in. Lor started to lead Lilina away, and Kalin withdrew a moment later, his face grave. "Get a conjurer!" he yelled. "The whole damn place's on fire!" Each of the servants in the corridor darted off to look for someone who could help put out of the flames. Lilina watched Kalin glance back into the room, his face twisted in agony, but he closed the door between himself and his sister's body. "C'mon," he said, ushering Lilina and Lor away from the inferno. "We've got to go; this place could be completely engulfed before anyone gets up here to put it out."
They raced through the halls of the pace, the blue orbs lighting their way. Lilina could hear footsteps ahead of them; everyone was evacuating. As they descended the grand staircase two steps at a time, a tall woman ran in a housecoat past them. The woman nodded to them as she passed, and Lilina recognized her as a mage from the Academy.
Lilina, Lor, and Kalin reached the great hall, but Kalin stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Lilina noticed several steps later and turned to him, ignoring the servants that rushed forward to usher her to safety. Kalin saw her staring and waved her on. "Wait outside," he said. "I'm gonna help put out the fire."
Lor nodded, pulling across the room. She had started to feel odd, dizzy almost, and found that she could barely walk straight. They emerged into the jungle air as several more mages rushed inside, and Lilina hazily realized that the entire population of the village stood in the palace's meadow garden. High above their heads, the door to the Empress' balcony was closed, but the flames were visible through the glass panes; the aura of alarm in the throng was almost tangible, and it was obvious that even those who couldn't see the flames knew something was gravely wrong.
The moon hung low in the sky, and Lilina spotted her cousin in its dim rays. Kihagera saw her, too, and ran over to meet the young couple. Her eyes were wide in panic when she reached them, and as she gasped for breath, she asked, "What's going on?"
Lilina opened her mouth to answer, but no sound came. Kihagera continued to stare at her, and Lor finally answered. "There's a fire." He hesitated, glancing at Lilina. Hot tears trickled down her cheeks in streams, and she bit her lip to keep from sobbing. "There was... there was an attack."
Kihagera gasped and threw her arms around her cousin. Lilina was nearly a head shorter than her; normally, she would feel dwarfed in the embrace, but tonight she simply rested her forehead on the other girl's shoulder and let her tears flow. "Are you alright?"
Lor nodded. "We are," he said. "But..."
"What?"
"Her Majesty is..."
He didn't need to finish sentence, and it didn't seem like he could. Kihagera sobbed and hugged Lilina tighter.
Lilina closed her eyes, her body trembling. With nothing in sight but darkness, she could pretend she was still safe in bed, dreaming.
Sitting in her new room, Lilina gripped the small stone that hung from a chain around her neck. She watched its smooth purple faces catching the light as she turned it, but her mind wandered. Everything felt numb when she thought about yesterday. In less than an hour, she had become both an orphan and a killer. She supposed she should be pleased at the justice she'd delivered to her mother's murderer, but she couldn't close her eyes without hearing his screams of agony.
Now here she was, halfway across the empire, sitting atop the plush covers of a strange bed inside a strange room with her knees to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. Lor sat behind her, massaging her shoulders in hopes of helping her relax.
"I'm sure we'll be able to go home soon," he murmured. "The repairs shouldn't take too long."
Lilina hugged her legs tighter. "I don't like being here."
The massage stopped. "I'm sorry."
Lilina glanced over her shoulder, uneasiness washing over her at the sound of his pity. "I need some air," she said, climbing off the bed. She pushed the glass door to the balcony open and stepped outside into the cool mountain air. This had been her father's castle when he was alive; he had been banished from the Capitol when Lilina was eleven and assassinated here when she was fifteen. Still, she felt better being in the castle where her father died than the one where her mother did. She had actually liked her mother.
Coming up behind her, Lor pulled her into a hug. "Come back inside," he said. "It's cold out here."
"It's not that bad."
Lor rubbed his hands along her arms. "You've got goosebumps."
Lilina glanced down at the tiny bumps covering her exposed flesh; the mountain climate was a far cry from the humid jungle air of the Capitol. She nodded to Lor. "Let's go," she said, pushing him gently toward the building. He stepped to the side, letting her walk in front, and he shut the doors behind them.
Lilina lingered in the middle of the room, uncertain about what to do with herself. Lor watched her for a moment before breaking the silence. "Onagera should be here soon," he said. "I'm actually a little surprised that she's not here yet. I thought the coronation was supposed to have started by now."
Lilina bit her lip. "I don't think I'm ready for this."
Lor walked over to her, pulling her into an embrace. "I know, sweetheart. But... you are ready."
Someone knocked on the door. Lor started to answer it, but Lilina grabbed his arm. "Why?"
He smiled at her. "Because you're strong. If you can handle an assassin, you can handle a ceremony." Pulling his arm out of her grasp, he walked over to the door.
Onagera, Lilina's handmaiden, stood on the other side of it with a wide grin. "Are you ready, Your Majesty?" she asked.
Lilina rubbed her palms against her jewel-encrusted coronation gown, trying to ignore her churning stomach. "I guess."
Onagera's smile faltered, and she glanced at Lor. "Is she okay?"
He nodded. "Just nervous."
"Oh." She walked into the room. "In that case..." Arms held wide, she pulled Lilina into a hug; Lilina, after brushing unruly blonde curls out of her face, welcomed the embrace. When Onagera released her, her dazzling grin had returned. "Better?"
Lilina couldn't help but smile slightly. "Yeah. Thanks."
Onagera clapped her on the back. "That's what friends are for," she said. "Now, to try it again: Are you ready?"
"Yeah."
The blonde nodded enthusiastically, pushing Lilina toward the door. "That's what I like to hear."
Lor laughed and held out his arm for Lilina to take; she did, and the trio walked toward the palace's theatre together. Lilina still felt slightly nauseous, but she did her best to ignore it. Lor was right, after all; she'd been empress since the moment her mother died. This was just a formality.
Yet when Lilina and Lor reached the stage doors--Onagera having left them for servant's entrance--it seemed far more like a trial than a formality. Lilina once again wiped her palms on her gown; on the other side of the doors, she could hear an announcer speaking to a small but restless crowd.
Lilina instantly recognized the announcer's voice as that of her uncle, Prince Kalin. "...in our hearts," she heard him say. "But while my dear sister may have been taken from us, her legacy was not. The Golden Era is still with us; this changes nothing."
Lor nudged Lilina. "Ready?"
"I wish everyone would stop asking me that."
He laughed and squeezed her hand. "When this is over, I have a surprise for you."
She turned to him, brow furrowed. "Wha-?" The doors in front of her swung open, and Lilina's thought vanished; her mind blank and hazy, it was something of a miracle that she managed to walk into the room without toppling over.
A large, embroidered rug had been placed in the center of the stage, and at the end farthest from the audience sat an ornate silver throne. Lilina had never seen it before, but she recognized it in a sense; years ago, it had been made especially for her in anticipation of her coronation--an event that the builders had thought would take place in a far more distant future.
At the other end of the rug was a silver podium, the design of which perfectly matched that of the throne. Prince Kalin stood beside it; as he stared at the approaching couple, one of his hands rested in the center of the massive tome that lay open upon the podium.
Far more interested in reaching the podium without tripping, Lilina hardly noticed the crowd's applause. A plethora of light-giving orbs floated above the stage, but the audience was sitting in nearly complete darkness; everyone could see her, but she could see none of them. Her hands shook.
They stopped in front of the book, and Lilina's uncle gave her a comforting smile. Lor released her arm, stepping to the side of the podium opposite Prince Kalin as the latter started to speak to the crowd once more. "We have lost something very important to us," he said, "but this is not a time for mourning. This is a day of celebration, of looking to the bright future that lies ahead of us. Empress Serar ushered in an era of peace not seen since the Age of the Reridona, and we can look forward to many more years of the Golden Era under the reign of Empress Lilina!" He waved his hand toward her, a proud grin on his face. The audience erupted into applause once more, and Lilina stared fixedly at the book in front of her as she heard several cheers ring out of the crowd. "Today," Prince Kalin continued, "we make our next great ruler." He turned to Lilina. "Your Highness, place a hand on each side of the Book of Yihasa." Lilina pressed her moist palms against the ancient, fragile paper. You are a descendant of Korina, first Empress of Shalmar and the avatar and vessel of the goddess, and her legacy lives on it you. Lilina, daughter of Serar, only you can accept this sacred inheritance; shall you provide Her Magnificence with a safe harbor in Akteva?"
Lilina nodded. "Yes," she said.
She watched, wide-eyed, as the black ink on the pages beneath her hands started to glow purple; the veins in her wrist followed suit a moment later, and the luminescence flowed like blood through her body.
The color vanished a moment later. "Your Majesty, you may take to your throne."
Trembling, Lilina obeyed. As she sat in the massive chair, feeling quite dwarfed by comparison, Onagera ambled onto the stage with a small smile on her face and a cushion in her arms. She knelt in front of the throne, her head bowed; the Empress' Crown, a relic from the waning days of the Age of the Reridona, perched atop the satin pillow. Prince Kalin lifted it into his hands and carried to Lilina. He stood behind the throne for a moment, and Lilina could feel the crown hovering just above her head.
Lilina stared out into the darkness engulfing the audience, and when the crown's weight settled atop her head, a din rose the likes of which she had never heard.
Her eyes shifted to Lor; standing beside the podium, he clapped along with the crowd, but there was a devious smile on his face. He started to walk toward her, and she furrowed her brow; beside her, her uncle appeared just as confused. Onagera moved away from the throne, and Lor stopped in the spot where she had knelt a moment before. He bowed slightly, the sly grin never leaving his face and gestured to Onagera. Lilina watched suspiciously as her handmaiden handed Lor the crown's cushion. He held it in front of him with one hand and let his other hand hover over it.
"What are yo-?" She stopped, staring at the golden tiara that now sat upon the cushion. She looked up and her eyes met Lor's. As soon as she saw the intensity of his gaze, she knew what he was about to ask her, and she could feel her body tense.
Lor held her gaze. "Lilina, will you marry me?"
She blinked. Knowing what was coming had done nothing to lessen the blow, and she wondered for a moment if she would either faint or vomit. Neither happened.
Instead, she cried. She didn't notice it at first, but when she finally nodded after a tense silence, she realized her cheeks were wet. Only when Lor wiped the moisture from her cheek did she recognize her own tears.
Lilina could barely hear her uncle when he addressed the crowd again. He had not been expecting this anymore than she, but he seemed to be taking the news far better. Lilina, pulled into Lor's tight embrace, felt like she was spinning. She held the golden tiara in her hands and stared at it blankly.
"Lor," she said. "Lor, I want to go."
His almost euphoric grin faded into a more concerned expression. "Of course," he said, turning toward Onagera and waving her over.
Onagera brought a distinct aura of excitement with her. "Congratulations!"
Lor smiled. "Thanks," he said. "Lilina and I are going to go upstairs. We need to talk. Tell Kalin, please?"
The blonde nodded. "Sure, guys." She patted Lilina on the arm and turned toward Kalin.
Lilina pulled Lor toward the stage door, and slammed it behind her when they reached the hallway. "Why-?" She stopped, a spell of dizziness overcoming her; she rested against the wall to hold herself upright.
Lor didn't seem to realize that she hadn't finished. "Why?" he repeated, frowning. "What do you mean, why?"
"Why didn't you warn me?"
"I think you're misunderstanding the word 'surprise'," he said, but put a hand on her shoulder. "Should I have waited to ask?"
Lilina hesitated. "Well... I wish it had been, you know, a private thing. I didn't expect you to..."
He looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry," he said. "I wanted it to be a big deal. I hoped it would cheer you up."
Lilina shook her head. "No, it's alright. I... you certainly surprised me."
"I'm sorry," Lor repeated.
"Don't be," Lilina told him. "I'm thrilled." Lor snorted. "No, I mean it. I'm just a little... shocked, I guess? Too many major life events compressed into too few hours."
Lor pulled her against him. "Maybe I should have waited."
"No," Lilina said firmly, finally cracking a small smile. "I'm glad you didn't." She twirled the tiara he'd given her. Reaching up, she removed her crown and let the tiara take its place. "Queen of Iyita, eh? I could get used to that."
Lor smiled back. "Maybe, maybe not. I don't really know what'll happen to Iyita now. The whole province might be re-assimilated into the kingdom proper." He took the crown from her hands, and offered her his arm as they started to walk back toward their bedchamber. "But we don't have to worry about that right now."
Lilina chuckled. "What should we worry about, then?"
"Well, we have a wedding to plan," he answered. "But first, I think we ought to do a little celebrating."
Lilina raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? And what kind of celebrating might that be?"
Lor gave her a sly grin. "I think you can guess."
She laughed, relieved at her own joviality; he'd managed to cheer her up, and she couldn't have been more grateful.
"I bet I can."
They slept in much later than usual, and Lilina awoke well-rested and content. She was grateful that no one had bothered them since the ceremony, and now she felt ready to talk to her friends about the news.
She waited for Lor to wake before leaving. "Good morning."
Lor sat up, yawning, as the thin sheet fell around his waist. "Up already?"
Seated in a large armchair by the bookcase on the other side of the room, Lilina grinned. "I feel great this morning."
"You're welcome."
Lilina laughed, closing her book as she walked over to him. She gave him a quick kiss. "I'm going to go find the girls."
Lor nodded, fully aware that "the girls" meant Onagera and Lilina's cousin, Kihagera. "Okay," he said, laying back down. "I'll be there in... a while."
She chuckled. "Take your time, then." He waved as she stepped out into the hallway, and she returned the gesture before shutting the door behind her. She headed for the library; if Kihagera wasn't in class right now, she would likely be there.
