The Broken Rules

Chapter 21: Gaining and Losing

           I thought that seeing and hearing Gwaine's face of agony when his Father got murdered hurt me deeply. I thought that seeing someone getting executed up close would have already got me in a terrible state. I thought having already felt pain from my family's execution would be painful enough. I was wrong. King Angus of Ragdos laid on the stone floor, bleeding out his veins from a stab wound. A stab wound so large and deep it would be impossible to save him.

           I didn't understand. Jania, who had a duty to protect Queen Lydia and King Angus, stood there, weak and pale with some blood running out from her mouth and tears streaming down her cheeks. A sword was piercing through her stomach. She whimpered as she struggled to breathe. The blade pulled out and let out a sluicing sound resonate in my ears. She let out a painful low scream. Her body dropped. Terror came upon me as I saw Queen Lydia stand there above Jania's dying body. Emotions of rage grew upon me and flames started to grow around me. My eyes grew dark and fearsome.

-Welcome back to you both. You should be dead.

-How dare you!

-Ah, well you see, I was never on this Kingdom's side. Never.

-You killed Jania and your husband!

-A husband forced upon me, you arrogant Prince! I never wanted to be married to this atrocity!

           King Angus whimpered in desperation as death was taking him slowly and painfully. The Queen walked further away allowing me to go to Jania's aid. Gwaine had gone to Angus but returned shortly to my side, signalling the death of the King without words being spoken. I held up Jania with my left leg, held her right hand covered in blood with my left and tried to stop the bleeding from her stomach with my right. Gwaine stood up. She was coughing blood out, her eyes were going cold, her skin felt like ice and her blood felt warm. She couldn't speak. She started to shake less and go numb until her eyes could no longer look into mine, her hand dropped from mine and her last breath was taken. Jania had died in my arms.

*Gwaine's perspective, facing the Queen. Luna is still at Jania's body behind him*

-You are both quite pitiful. I became Queen against my will. My true husband is Alfred. He was taken away from me, my so-called daughter was never mine either! How did you think you knew exactly when to go to the forest? Communication.

-You told them our plans...

-Clever boy! Unfortunately, the plans did not get altered in time. Your Father did not take the risk to listen to my dearest. Even so, that gave me enough time to kill off this wench and this atrocity of a King. It's such a shame, Jania had the right guts about me but did not act upon it. Alfred will take over Claribel and I will take over Ragdos and we will unite the Kingdoms under our rulership!

-You bi--!

-Gwaine...

-..?!

-Step aside.

           I turned slightly around to see Luna standing with her hands covered in blood from men she had slain and the blood belonging to our friend. Her blue eyes were flaming with rage, her piercing blue made my heart sink in fear. Goosebumps covered my body. The air grew warm around her and cold around the rest of the room. I was afraid but willing. I stepped aside knowing that the Queen's life was not mine to take. The atmosphere in the halls changed from loss to fury. Luna looked out of control. However, she was fully in control. She controlled every inch of power in her to fury and the will to kill. The scent of an unavoidable death was fogging up everything else. She had lost her friend, her family, her liberty. In exchange, she gained power and fury.

           She walked silently as flames rose from around her. every step she took, the ground was left scorched and black from the burn. She took a sword and set it ablaze. The beautiful Angel became a Devil. The Queen stood frozen in fear. Tears tried to break free from her eyes. One step was taken backwards to try and widen the distance between herself and Luna. Another. A trip. A fall.

-N--No! Ple--Please! I beg of you! Don't come any closer!! Yo-you devil!!! Forgive me!!!

-...

-Spare me! N-no!!

-You have no right to live after everything you've done. With your life? you shall repent.

           Lydia had lost her crown in fright as she screamed and lifted her arms to protect herself from the Demon standing in front of her. She drew the sword and plunged it deep into the false Queen's heart. She came closer to her face and stared her deep down in the eyes, listening to her taking her final breath. Her body was then set on fire. Hell could be portrayed in the décor around us. She stood up and pulled out the blade from the Queen's heart. A fire cleansed the sword, making all the blood vanish. Luna's hair was no longer silky, it had blood and dirt in it, it was slightly tangled. Her eyes were angered. They could invoke fear in anyone who dared to stare at them for too long. Her presence was everlasting. I had feared Luna once, I would not fear her again.

           We heard screams getting closer from outside. Lincon entered and was shocked by the sight before him. A dragon roar. Saphire's turn to bring chaos had come. We were surrounded. We gained a second chance at victory at the cost of the lives of those precious to us. The stronghold's outer walls were broken down due to catapults. Those catapults were being taken down. The battlefield had become an open one. The new ruler of the Claribelians was Alfred, he was pushing through. This event would go down in history. Death we faced. Luna turned around and spoke with a resonance of power:

-It's time. This is our final attempt.