Deadly Darkness

Prologue

Prologue

On his massive bed, the king painstakingly turned his head slightly to the left. This little movement caused him great pain. The sky had turned an ugly shade of deathly grey outside the window. Not long ago, in the place of the troubled sky, there had been a cluster of fluffy white clouds accompanied by a golden jewel of warmth. The king's thoughts were interrupted as he became aware of a new presence in the room.  

"Your majesty? Lord Albert and his son Alexander have arrived. They await outside the bedchamber." the servant mumbled quietly into the king's ear.

"Please send them in." Eyes closed, the king released a sigh.

"As you wish." the servant bowed and backed away. The footsteps of the visitors stopped beside the bed.

"Your majesty! The messenger said you were ill and we left at once. How are you feeling? Should we summon a physician?" a voice asked, edging with concern.

The eyelids of the king's eyes were rolling back slowly, and when he was able to see properly, he smiled weakly. Lord Albert, his most trusted friend and advisor was gazing down at him, his forehead creased with worry. Behind him, stood Albert's only son, Alexander, who was also staring at the king with concern.

"No, don't send for a physician. I am afraid my time has come. He will not be able to do anything." the king answered, sadness filling his eyes.

"Your majesty, now is not the time to give up the war between life and death. The Vampira Empire are planning an invasion as we talk. They have been wanting to rule Xenia for centuries more.  We can not devise defences as we have no idea what abilities they have. It is the perfect opportunity for them to strike if our king is ill and giving himself up to death." a new voice broke out.

The king blinked in surprise. It was Alexander who had spoken.

"It is not my choice to give up or not. My fate has already been decided. Death is lurking near, I can feel it in my bones."breathed the King.

"The important matter here is, who will be the heir to the throne?" Lord Albert asked the key question. The king did not wed during his lifetime and he was the last of the royal line.

"Ahhh, my old friend, this is why I sent for you. I am not the last of the royal house."

Both father and son looked at the king in confusion.

"But there is no-" Lord Albert was cut short by the king.

"There is another of the same royal blood as I. Her name is Cassandra de Nox, Princess of Xenia."

"Cassandra? De Nox? Princess of Xenia? I know the royal house's family tree up and down, but I've never heard of her." Lord Albert furrowed a brow and looked to Alexander to see if the boy understood what the king was talking about. Alexander only looked back with blank eyes.

"Yes, you would not have heard of her. She was wiped from memories and has disappeared into the folds of history itself. She was born two centuries ago to King Alexei and Queen Elizabetha, the reigns of that time. At that time, no one dared to venture into the forest behind this castle. Wolves of great sizes roamed freely everywhere, the tangles and vines of trees was so thick a person that entered would not come back out alive and the most horrifying was that the ancestors of Vampira Empire had begun to develop in the mysterious forest. Cassandra was there one day, with her cat.