Chapter 2 The Falling of Aldon

Niffa slowly put down the basket in the table as she tip toed to go upstairs up to her room, but her mother the queen notice her.

"Oh there you are Niffa, where have you been? I've been looking for you a while ago."

"Hello mother, I was just… just hanging out with my friends"

"Friends? You don't have a friends… ah! I knew it." Her mother said approaching her in the stairs as she gulp in nervousness trying not to say that she's been off in the forest.

"I bet you… spent the coins I gave you yesterday, and you smell like a cookies, with peanut butter on it."

"Mother, haha yes I do ate peanut butter flavored cookies I'm glad you knew it." Niffa said as she pretend to chuckle and slowly making her way upstairs.

"Wait, Niffa? Tell me you're lying right?" Niffa suddenly froze on the stairs as she slowly look back trembling. She can see her mother's furious eyes towards her as the maid behind his mother signed her to run.

"Mom… I just… spent my time in the woods!" she said as she quickly run upstairs towards the corridor and look for her room, her mother run after her as the maids in the living room chuckle from their mother and daughter petty fight.

"I like how Niffa still admit her mistakes and run away from the queen." The maid said to the others.

"I know, Niffa always do it, it's pretty hilarious to always have this bonding scene between them." The other one said. They saw the king entered the living room as two guards were behind him. The maids greet him immediately as he smiled, then they heard Niffa laughing from upstairs.

"What happened?" King Morphis ask.

"Niffa admit her little mistakes again your highness." One of the maid responded.

"Oh not again" he signed as he went upstairs to check them,

He opened the door and saw the Queen tickling Niffa in her bed as they both are chuckling.

"Father!" Niffa said as she run towards him and gave him a hug.

"So tell me, what mistakes did you admit today?" he ask as Niffa look at her smiling mother.

"I… uhm… I"

"She went outside the gate into the forest."

"Mom! Why did you tell him, you promise me not to!"

"Sorry Princess… I did" the queen said as she chuckled.

"Niffa? Why are you going out alone? What if someone kidnaps you?" her father said.

"But dad what's the point in teaching me your battle moves if I can't protect myself."

"Okay… but do not show them such strong moves, by the way you wear a maid's clothe?"

"Yes father, it was a good costume"

"Costume? Haha very clever."

"By the way my Queen how was the meeting with the other kingdom?"

"uhm…" Queen Luize look at Niffa staring at them.

"Maybe we can talk this outside, so that we can give Niffa a chance to change her clothe" the queen said as they kissed Niffa's forehead and leave her alone in her room. She wondered why they need such privacy about the meeting so Niffa quietly walk outside and approach her parents' room as she eavesdrop sticking her ear in the door.

"We can't let them do this Luize"

"I know but they figured out about our secret that we lost our powers it was just an hour ago when King Seres suddenly showed up in the meeting with some of his sorcerers."

"What is the evil king doing in the meeting?"

"He knew that we lost our powers Morphis, and he is already planning on how to make Aldon fall! I don't want Aldon to become a fallen kingdom like what happened to the kingdom of Samari"

"How did you found out that Seres is planning something?"

"Rico told me"

"Rico? The violet-eyed sorcerer? I thought he is an adversary?"

"Rico is my oldest friend, he is one of the Royalties' trusted sorcerer and I trust him too."

"Then let's plan something to stop this"

"How Morphis?! We don't have the powers to do that, besides Niffa is still young she can't control the powers we passed her."

"Then let's ask Rico to kill Seres"

"No Morphis! You don't understand! Rico cannot just showed up to Seres he might be killed, I assigned him to take care of Niffa"

"Fine… I do trust you on that."

"We have to make Niffa safe, she is our only hope to save the kingdom."

"But we don't have time left, we have to do something, it's for the kingdom's sake"

"Then there is only one thing we could do"

"Tell me Morphis what is it?"

"War, we have to get ready for a war, I knew Seres for a long time and he is a big fanned of beginning wars"

Niffa gasp as she widened her eyes upon hearing all her parents' conversation.

"Wait, you hear that Luize? Something is outside the room I better check it."

Niffa heard footsteps coming towards the door as she quickly run back to her room closing her door slowly and hop in the bed pretending to be asleep. She heard the door opened and she closed her eyes.

"She was asleep maybe it was just the maids passing by." Her father said as they close the door.

She opened the window to see that it was already dark, she quickly fall asleep afterwards.

Niffa smells a burning thing around her as voices are heard outside panicking, it seems like a nightmare to her that she heard such horrific cries in the middle of the night. The atmosphere is also hot like it was almost going to burn her skin as she cough smelling the smoke.

"Niffa wake up!" she was awake by the voice and the cold tap of hand from her cheek, it was her mother crying while coughing from the smoke.

"Mother? What's happening?" she asked as she wipe her eyes to see fire everywhere, people are heard screaming for help outside and a sound of horses and swords sparing.

"Let's get out of here!" Queen Luize said as she wrapped her by her royal cape. They quickly run down the stairs as Niffa witness such bloody wars inside the palace where other kingdom came to fight with them, bloods everywhere as swords struck lives of each men. They went outside the palace as she saw the town people losing their lives while they fight against the soldiers from the other kingdom.

"Mother we have to help them! We can't just escape!" Niffa said as they run away from the crowd.

"Niffa no! It's too dangerous! You have to be safe!"

Niffa saw her father fighting a tall and huge man wearing a crown, it was indeed the King Seres he talked about.

"Father!" Niffa shouted and her mother was shocked from it. King Morphis and Seres look back as Luize covered Niffa's face from the cape.

"Father? What does that mean King Morphis? So you do have a child?" Seres said teasing him.

"Shut up Seres! Let's end this fight here!" Morphis said as he make his move against Seres.

"Hopped in your highness!" General Malta said forcing his horse to stop in front of the queen and Niffa. They quickly ride as the horse lead them away from the war as they reach the forest peaceful as usual.

"General Malta led us to the sorcerer's place"

"Yes your highness, hya!"

Niffa stared at her mother as she can see the fear, sadness and infuriation from her eyes.

They stop in front of a cottage surrounded by a lot of flowers making such a violet radiant light, squirrels run away when they step into the door as queen Luize knocked it. A tall man wearing dark cape opened the door.

"Mister?" Niffa gasp in surprise looking straight at the man's violet eyes.

"Rico… I need your help! Take Niffa with you like what I told you yesterday!"

"Mother? What's wrong? I thought we will going to stay here"

"Niffa listen! Rico is my good friend and I want you to be safe with him… Rico take care of her as you promise" Queen Luize said as she walk away from them.

"Mother? Mother please don't leave me!" Niffa said as she run towards her and hug her from behind. Queen Luize started to cry as she hug Niffa back.

"Niffa, are you really going to do this?" Rico ask from behind.

"I'm sorry Rico but I don't have a choice, I can't keep the promise I told you years ago"

"Mother you can't leave me!"

"I have to go Niffa, I have to help your father in saving the kingdom"

"Mother please promise me to come back!"

"I… I promise" she said as she ride back in the horse with Malta and off they go.

Niffa stumbled and cry while hugging her mother's cape, Rico leaves her alone outside for a moment.