The Doom of the Lost Kings

Prologue

The New World

Tobias

This realm had long been forgotten by the time help arrived. It's rivers sending bodies soundlessly to the open sea, the soil beneath his hoofs tainted with blood and debris. The world felt hollow, vast of any gentle breeze and forgiving sunlight.

Tobias found himself with his back up against a ruined pillar, the memory of the temple sinking into the mud below his feet, this place seemed to worship an almighty God, one sole Creator of the universe who's was depicted as a man made of shadow and black bone. Bones of the people had fallen before the ruin statue, a gut-wrenching reminder of the people's final unheard prayer, a last sacrifice to a divine being. Thunder boomed on the mountainous horizon where it's ice capped peaks were blanked in heavy smoke that the sun fell weak to.

However, they had found the last remaining light in this realm, a baby, with golden cheeks and tuffs of dark hair. Her eyes were black voids which crinkled when Tobias bounced her on his knees, desperately trying to distract her from her people's remains and his partner's arguments which echoed around him, they stomped around the ruined town houses with their arms throw up wide in fury; there was no hope getting between the pair as they became a dark and golden blur on the horizon.

"I wonder why he spared you, little dove." He held her hands gently, letting her poke and prod at his talons and tug gently on his horns, she wasn't more than two months old surely. "Are you a powerful baby? Do you hold the secrets of the universe?" He cooed making her eyes widen in curiosity. She tilted her head and he mimicked the act with a soft smile, behind her he spotted the others returning; they had calmed down enough to walk side by side.

"I'm sorry we didn't get here earlier. This realm was lost to us, locked away until the stars were ready." He sighed, "We would of saved everyone, I swear it." He knew she couldn't understand a word coming from him but he tried anyway, hoping she would remember his words instead of the battle, instead of the blood which her blankets were soaked in. "Your people worshipped the God of Chaos, he was made to protect you from it, he never would of let this happen purposefully. You know that don't you?" The girl giggled making his mouth twitch upwards.

"It is he who believes it is wrong to keep you, for no child should be ripped from their own world, he says. As if we aren't all children displaced from their own realms to begin with," He shook his head. "Me and Sam will fight for you, little dove. You'll return with us to live a happy life, one where you can live the life written for you." Her ears darkened, as if they swallowed in the remaining night. The sky was dark red, it's clouds an awful cherry colour.

"You're just like Chaos." He grinned, watching the way some of the debris floated around his ankles, just small rocks at first until she let out a laugh, it was music to his ears. She was the last hope of this realm, all magic diverted to her blood. "Our little nightmare."

"But we can't have you going around by that now can't we? Did your parents give you a name already?" He frowned but she only squished up his cheeks with small hands. Louis and Samuel hung by the entrance of the temple, leaning against separate pillars with distant smiles directed towards him. His heart sunk at the mere thought of her parents, who in their last moments had covered her with their own bodies to brace the oncoming blast. What would they want? He would never know.

"You know, you seem like my great aunt Adaline. She was a rather noble woman," He raised her with a content nod. "Who knows, maybe I'll tell you about her when you're older" Her eyes lit up and let out a gurgle of approval. He gently brought her forward, bumping foreheads with her; grinning when she reached for his horns with another grin.

"Welcome to the new world, Miss Adaline Gold."