All leaders of the noble houses are summoned to the royal castle along with their children, who will become their future heirs. The carriages display the emblem of each family, with knights guarding their integrity on the way.
A massive crowd gathers in the streets watching the noble houses head towards the royal castle of the Sky Blue Mountain Kingdom. Trumpets announce the arrival of each participant, all noble houses are introduced aloud, along with special guests who do not necessarily belong to one.
The throne room displays a majesty like never before, the nobles and guests are amazed as they enter. All seats are reserved, no one daring to speak out of turn, only whispers can be heard.
When the doors close, the musicians play a harmonious, solemn melody.
“His Majesty King Gray Solstice grants us the honor of his presence.”
Immediately everyone rises from their seats and applauds, the king walks calmly to his throne.
“Her Highness Princess Reminiscent Euphony is presented before His Majesty the King.”
The leaders of the noble houses manage to stay calm, but unlike them, all the guests are surprised. It is unusual for someone to appear after the king’s arrival, it is an indescribable disrespect, to make a king wait even a second is a crime, a sin.
The doors open and a beautiful noblewoman walks on the grand carpet. All murmurs cease, only the sound of the woman's heels walking can be heard.
Once she stops before the king, she does not kneel before him. On the contrary, it is King Gray Solstice who rises from his throne. By this moment, the guests would be foolish not to understand what is happening despite all the signs.
“Princess Reminiscent Euphony, you have earned my recognition, the recognition of the Sky Blue Mountain Kingdom.”
This is the coronation of a new queen.
“Today I cease to be a king, to be a man.”
The king descends each step and stops when he reaches her side. Immediately the royal servants approach them and present a red cushion with golden ornaments. Seeing this, King Gray Solstice removes his crown and places it on the cushion.
When it is time to hand over the ceremonial sword to one of the servants, the king unsheathes the sword and sighs. The next moment he moves his lips and gives a small speech, words that echo among all present, bringing back the glamorous and devastating memories of his reign, words that will be remembered forever.
“As the former king, I declare…”
At the end, the king, now as a man, takes the crown in his hands and places it on his daughter’s head.
“I declare you the new queen of the Sky Blue Mountain Kingdom.”
The ascension of Queen Reminiscent Euphony, whose name will be recorded in history.
In the following days, the news spreads throughout the kingdom, the new queen makes her presence known and the streets are filled with formalities. The capital Lakeleaf is the center of this celebration, the only place where the queen greets the people.
The same day Queen Reminiscent Euphony concludes all formalities, the former king disappears without a trace.
+++
On the borders of the Sky Blue Mountain Kingdom, the army of the Dajhir Kingdom advances fearlessly through the annexed enemy territory. These paths were paved with blood, there was a time when this was the battlefield where allies and enemies fell in the war between kingdoms, that is no longer the case.
“Commander Fallen Feather, this mountain is hidden under the magic formation Denial Domain, so it will take us some time to reach it. I beg your patience.”
“Is it true that its elemental minerals are of the highest quality?”
“Yes, commander, never in my life have I seen such imposing elemental minerals.”
Fallen Feather smiles cheerfully at the praises of her subordinates. She, like many of the high command of the Dajhir Kingdom, comes from a humble, common origin. Her kingdom is the only one in the Inferior Plane that favors talent over blood, whose king is not the ruler, but the prime minister.
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If there is a downside, it is that the Dajhir Kingdom has nothing to extract from its lands. They may be fertile lands, but compared to copper, coal, or elemental metals, agriculture is nothing.
The kingdom has had to carve a difficult path, but today they are what they are thanks to talent, to their business management.
“Three times we have walked through the same place, this magic formation is ingenious in allied hands and to be feared in enemy hands.”
Fallen Feather sighs. The magic formation Denial Domain seals a space entirely, whose limits are restricted by a labyrinth through which the exit will never be found unless the answer is already known, if not, the only escape is to kill the creator of the magic formation.
“That’s right.” The subordinate by her side nods, “On this occasion the hunter in charge of the magic formation used these dirt paths as a clue for the labyrinth, the same tactic used to destroy the cities and towns of the Sky Blue Mountain Kingdom.”
“If you control the labyrinth, you will know where the enemy will appear and anticipate their movements.”
The army continues to advance for long minutes, until at some point the landscape changes radically. A new mountain appears before their eyes, at whose feet lies the mine they were looking for.
“As planned, from today onwards you will be the ones guarding this mine from enemy attack. In the coming days, specialists will arrive to evaluate how to excavate its elemental minerals and after that, its transport line.”
Today the Dajhir Kingdom begins its long-awaited business of mineral extraction, a milestone in the history of the kingdom.
“Lead the way, I wish to see it with my own eyes.”
“Yes, commander.”
While the army settles in the mine, Fallen Feather and her subordinate enter this dark passage. The atmosphere inside is cold and dry, breathing this air for too long would damage the lungs of mortals, but not those of hunters.
“They are beautiful…”
In front of them lie elemental minerals of different colors, whose rocks illuminate the surroundings. Their colors are rooted in the circumstances of their creation, they are no different from the dyes of garments, so there is no contradiction that they are all of the same element.
Fallen Feather extends her hand toward one of these rocks, but immediately stops.
“Silence.”
The subordinate does not understand what is happening, but then hears steps behind him.
Their origin, does not come from one of their army’s soldiers.
“You must take command again, your army must attack the Sky Blue Mountain Kingdom once more.”
“Who are you?!”
A man suddenly appears a few meters away, his smile is vile, dark.
“It’s the first time I’ll manipulate someone’s mind, don’t give me more work woman. I don’t want to have to modify more memories.”
“C- Commander!”
The soldier beside Fallen Feather screams in fear, not knowing when golden chains had imprisoned his feet and not only that, they are expanding towards the rest of his body.
“You have shown your enmity with my kingdom, you will have to--”
“To the ground.”
Fallen Feather intended to fight against the man, but he did not give her the opportunity. No, it would be wrong to say that there was even an opportunity. From the beginning, she did not meet the requirements to be his enemy.
“Kuh… W- Why are you doing this?”
“Manipulation must be minimal, I must leave no traces. This place is sterile, no one knows I was here.”
The man starts talking to himself, not looking at Fallen Feather and her subordinate. Both are at the mercy of this man, who extends his hands towards their heads.
“Attack the Sky Blue Mountain Kingdom with all your army, decide its future in a single battle.”
The commander and the soldier fall to the floor, as soon as this happens the man disappears.
“What… What happened?”
Fallen Feather is the first to regain her senses, followed by her subordinate.
“Hah, it doesn’t seem to be anything important. Let’s go back, I’ve seen enough.”
“Yes, commander.”
Both give no importance to their loss of consciousness and continue the planned itinerary. After achieving her goal, Commander Fallen Feather returns to the Dajhir Kingdom with a goal in mind, one that will decide the future of her kingdom.
“The war will end with our victory.”
In the following days, the soldiers of the Dajhir Kingdom are summoned to the final battle.
+++
Capital Lakeleaf, Sky Blue Mountain Kingdom. Inferior Plane.
The news reaches Queen Reminiscent Euphony’s ears. The Dajhir Kingdom is gathering its army, the battles will no longer be occasional and isolated, the enemy is planning a large-scale attack.
“Indolent Ice, do you know what this means?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After those words, silence is maintained in the private room. Queen Reminiscent Euphony looks through the windows as an eagle with dragon eyes flies away in the distance and thinks: ‘Why did he do it?’
She knows what that man is planning, but not how, not why. Having so many ways, why must it be this one?
“Gather the army. The Dajhir Kingdom will lose this war, it’s a fact we all knew. If they want to end this once and for all, so be it.”
“As you command, Your Majesty.”
Commander Indolent Ice bows respectfully before leaving the room. The queen continues watching through the window and then sighs.
“It’s better this way. Let it all end with the death of soldiers, let no civilian be involved.”
Her greatest pain was to see the Dajhir Kingdom completely seal cities and destroy them in one night. There were large-scale battles, but none like the one approaching. The enemy was always cautious, but their losses were much greater than theirs, because if anything is plentiful in the Sky Blue Mountain Kingdom, it is mineral resources.
Their weaponry was always superior, the mountains were always in their favor.
Victory was always on their side.
“If we sinned in anything, it was in not taking the offensive. None of this would have happened if…”
Regrets are the burden of a king. This is what her father had to endure, a father who has disappeared without saying goodbye. Where is he? What is he doing? Why did he leave?
She is the queen, she cannot indulge her personal desires when something much more important is happening at this moment. With sadness, she decides to let her father go, because she, not even she is allowed to attend the battle that will decide the future of her kingdom.
She can only wait and wish, wish that the victory is not the beginning of her tragedy.
