New Identities

[] Kaiden []

A trail of mess followed him as he desperately tried to keep himself together. He could feel it, the door opening. It was only a matter of time before he switched. He saw himself in the reflection of one of the decorative mirrors placed in the corridors. His complexion was turning slightly paler, making him look tired and hollow. The most worrying to him, however, were his eyes.

His left eye had already been affected, a bright green iris staring back at him instead of his biologically brown ones. A wave of guilt and anger filled his heart at the sight, even though he knew this change wasn't within his control. They were the only thing that reminded him of his late mother and now, they felt foreign, almost as if this body of his was slowly turning into someone else's.

His panic continued to accumulate when he began to understand every single word of the exotic language that filled his ears, slowly jamming his mind with fanatical whispers.

'I-I have to get Nox.' He managed to think amidst the immense pain he felt. 'Before it's too late-'

He trailed off his sentence as a sharp stab engulfed his whole body with a pain so awful it made Kaiden lose consciousness. He tripped and fell down the stairs of his private residence with no one there to hear or help him.

His hands slightly twitched before they balled into fists and punched the ground. As if nothing happened, Kaiden jumped back on his feet, completely unfazed by the massive fall he endured a moment ago.

"Finally, I'm out of that damned hellhole." The stranger spat, patting off the dust that accumulated on his clothes due to the fall. "I was beginning to wonder when you'd finally give in."

He stretched his body, warming himself up before disclosing the magnificent pair of marble white wings blessed by his ancestors.

"Now, let's go find out that little sister of yours, shall we Kaiden?"

==========

"Greetings, Minister." An irritated voice greeted me as she landed smoothly on the ground. "Please excuse me for my tone, I would've been much more welcoming if you weren't so late."

The grey weather did very little to hide the subtle distaste Arius displayed towards his comment, the next sentence that came out his mouth was apparent of that too.

"I am quite aware of that but surely, I've disappointed you a decent amount during this lifetime. I don't get why you still be upset by it." He answered cynically, adjusting his disorganized clothing caused by the unpredictable winds.

"By the looks of it, I'm assuming she denied just as we predicted?" Idris said with little surprise. "Well, I guess this is truly the end of the royal family's reign-"

"You really need to fix your habit of assuming things too early, Idris." Arius raised his hands as a hint to stop Idris from saying anymore nonsense. "I haven't even said anything and you're already predicting that the worse has happened."

"Gather the royal council here immediately." Arius ordered as he smiled, staring at the skies. "Tell them that the future Empress of Stygia has arrived to claim her throne."

==========

Gloomy clouds casted an unsettling darkness above the majestic palace, mystifying the royal structure even more.

The spacious corridors were dimply lit with ancient lanterns, coloring the obsidian corridors amber with its radiance.

The winds blew their way gently as they walked through the long corridors, making the candle flames violently flicker.

Lifeless shadows cast themselves in contorted shapes on the walls, dancing in bizarre patterns lead by the wind's control over the flames.

A hundred other footsteps followed Zeya's own as she made her way to the throne room, where her father's corpse remained one final time before the burial.

Her own shadows followed closely behind her, swiftly avoiding the blinding lights while silently observing their surroundings.

Unlike before, they were much timid with their movements, obediently following me like frightened children.

She often found it fascinating how these mindless beings knew when to read the room.

Then again, the palace was indeed not a place to play around in, especially when there was an important matter at hand.

As she neared the end of the corridor, a pair of heavily decorated doors came into view.

A million thoughts started to erupt in her mind as she stopped directly in front of it, her body hesitating to step inside.

Knowing that there was nothing that she could to do prepare her for what was beyond those doors, her legs refused to move any further until she was mentally ready.

Her father was dead she realized, the hard truth beginning to hit her as she finally returned to her home country after so long.

Zeya could feel the pairs of curious eyes gazing at her back, waiting for her next move.

It wasn't until Arius placed his hands on her shoulders that she came back to her senses, slightly jerking away in surprise.

"The others and I will stay right here. I'm sure you want to greet him privately." He whispered softly, easily opening the massive doors with only one arm. "Go, he's waiting for you."

The atmosphere that greeted Zeya was just like the grey clouds that dominated the skies, making it an eerily suitable day for such an event. This wasn't the first time Zeya attended a funeral and yet, her heart felt heavier as she neared the coffin where her father laid.

"I don't recall receiving an invitation to a funeral, let alone it being your own." She managed to sound strong despite how her heart swelled up in pain. "Even in your deathbed, you know just how to stupefy me."

"Well, at least Mother finally has someone to accompany her now." She spoke as if there was nothing wrong, trying her hardest to appear indifferent. "It gives me slight relief knowing that she will be less lonely with you there with her."

She waited for a while before she said anything again, almost as if she was expecting her father to reply with an equally sarcastic remark but unfortunately, only silence filled the spacious chamber.

"... I should be mournful, shouldn't I? I'm supposed to be on my knees before you, begging you to come back, aren't I?" She asked herself, wondering why her heart felt more rage than sorrow. "And yet the only thing I can think of right now is to burn this nation you love so much to the ground... until there is nothing, but ash left in its place."

"How could you even think about electing me, the daughter that you chose to abandon, as the only successor to the throne?" She clenched her hands, holding back the tears that threatened to fall any minute. "What am I to do when I had already forsaken this nation the day you did the same to me?"

"You're just set on making me a slave to your kingdom, aren't you?" She whispered with her gaze fixated on the lifeless expression of her father. "After all that has happened, you still... you still expect me to obey you."

Again, her words simply dissipated into the looming silence, never truly receiving an answer.

"At least show me a sign that you still hate me." She heaved a long, heavy sigh, looking up to the beautifully painted ceilings, the tears finally escaping as they fell down her cheeks. "Maybe that would've been easier to deal with than what you've done now."

"... Just until I find the bastard that did this to you." She stated out of the blue, her eyes showing a new resolution. "The least I can do as your daughter is to avenge your death."

"So, until then, I ask of you to watch over your beloved citizens who are now prime targets of this monster." She plead, bowing her head in earnest. "I don't think I can watch any more innocent people die under my watch. Rest in peace, Emperor."

==========

Her expression was the same as the one she entered with, cold and inscrutable as the council greeted her awkwardly at the entrance. They were still wary she thought, noticing the slight discomfort showing involuntarily in their eyes. She couldn't blame them, after all, she was back after so long, it wasn't a surprise to see them so cautious.

'They must think I'm a fraud.' She thought, quietly observing the group of strange men surrounding her. 'A desperate attempt to stop Varen from inheriting the throne.'

"Are you ready to meet the others?" She heard Arius ask from behind her, his tall figure appearing from the shadowy corridors. "Nox had already gathered them while you were inside.

"They got here faster than I expected." She involuntarily sighed, her exhaustion slowly seeping into her expressions. "I suppose it is rude to leave them waiting, let's go."

"My Lady." Nox's loud whisper suddenly filled the corridor, surprising the council as it was their first time seeing the monster. "There seems to be a problem we must inform you of."

"What is it?" Zeya asked, sounding less concerned than she intended to.

"Lord Kaiden, he..." Nox trailed off its sentence, a thing that only happens when its mind was occupied in some other places it was watching over. "Lord Kaiden has switched, and we can't seem to find him."

"Arius!" Zeya called out instantly, her voice echoing in the long passageway. "Find Kaiden immediately. Lex has finally woken up."