The Two Authorities [[ HIATUS ]]

Prologue (Omniscient POV)

Not with her quintessence spiraling out of control. That energy was a conglomeration of the four natural elements, which crowned it the fifth. The fifth element of the world meant to bring peace had brought their ceremony crashing down with only a few allies in their midst to uphold what little order remained. One trusted ally being Raven Storm of the Allegiance Army.

"Move quickly!" Guests flocked to the glimmer of her violet armor knowing their lives were safe in the hands of such a renowned soldier. 

Her bobbed hair swayed as she swung her mace. Its crown glowed emerald like her eyes with every orb she batted away from them. When the final guests escaped, and the doors slammed shut, she found Beacon's side at the column.

They may have belonged to opposite Authorities, but Raven and Beacon held the utmost respect for one another. Raven flushed out whatever weaknesses were to be had as a Nightmare woman in society by projecting a stubborn confidence that Beacon's jovial countenance always rendered useless. This time it was the smile Beacon forced, meant to reassure Raven, that provoked a concerned frown from her instead.

Then unstable orbs floating about like tainted dandelions jittered and jerked towards them.

Raven jerked her mace downward and extended it. She twirled the glowing staff around their bodies and deflected the volatile energy from both sides while Beacon reached into the glowing center of his shield and pulled out a sword to join her.

Not too far from them, Morvaan's wife - the host of all this chaos - writhed in the center of the hall with strained fingers as a pool of blood developed underneath her. Navi's alabaster gown was tarnished crimson as blood stretched across the polished floor. 

She gripped her bulging belly full of life and anguish as blood seeped between her trembling hands into the cracks.

"No..." she begged. "No, please!"

Navi scooped the blood toward her in desperation as though drawing it nearer would rekindle the life within her womb. This was the risk she and Morvaan chose to take for the sake of their union. Their loved ones warned them of their actions with soft pleas, but it was often a warning bred of blood that solidified such qualms.

"Please don't take her from me..." Navi sobbed on her hands and knees.

The orbs interrupted her grieving with a vengeance and spiked out of control. Navi twisted onto her side with an outstretched hand to shield herself. Her guttural scream excited the flaring orbs of light ignoring her and destroying the banquet hall. 

Navi failed to heed their warnings and now the time had come for nature to take its course while Morvaan watched his wife wither away before him. Her outstretched hand dropped into the pool of blood and her fierce eyes were reduced to the light flutter of her eyelids as her conscience waned.

"Release me now!" Morvaan shoved Rorik off him.

Before Morvaan could pass the column Beacon was at, he tackled Morvaan to the ground with his shield overhead.

"Are you mad?" Beacon shouted over the collision of orbs with his shield.

"She is my wife, now release me!" Morvaan shouted at him.

"None of us can get close enough without getting hit!" Beacon argued.

"Stop arguing and give me a damn barrier!" Raven yelled at them.

During their unproductive squabbling, Raven had taken the first opening she spotted to maneuver the chaotic swarm of energy like an agile feline. Only the naive would have thought Raven's armor enough to weigh her down, for beneath its glory was the physique of a warrior.