The reign of terror begins

Zain was still yet to tell Zelta what had become of her mother.

"Talk to me Zain, what did he say about her, where is she!?" yelled Zelta.

"She's gone Zelta, I'm so sorry," answered Zain at last.

"Wait, what do you mean she's gone?" asked Zelta.

She has been trying to stay positive ever since, trying to convince herself that nothing bad has transpired, and trying to avoid negative sentiments from obscuring her mind, but right now she began to doubt herself, to lose hope.

" She's dead," answered Zain in tears.

"No, no, no, you're joking with me aren't you?" asked Zelta in great shock and disbelief. She just couldn't accept her fate, not now.

" Tell me you're joking with me, please tell me you're just kidding," pleaded Zelta.

Right now her heart was beating faster and harder than it should. She put both of her hands behind her head, walking to and fro around the chamber.

"I would never lie to you Zelta, you know that," answered Zain.

"Or maybe you're mistaken because uncle O'Neil told me that everything is fine," said Zelta. She was speaking very fast.

"He told us that he couldn't tell you himself, he knows how much she is worth to you," answered Zain.

"No this isn't happening, this is not happening to me," said Zelta, bursting into tears.

She fell to her knees, weeping and wailing.

"I'm so sorry," cried Zain. She knelt too, patting Zelta on her back through the spaces between the bars.

"Why would she just leave me like this?" said Zelta as wept.

" I feel so lonely, I have nothing else left here," she added.

" No Zelta, you have friends, you have a family. O'Neil, Tobin, Alec, and me, we'll always be there to comfort you, you are not alone".

This was now the seventh day since the death of priestess Arorah. Rumors of the death of the priestess were now all-over the realm. Her absence made it clear to everyone that the rumors were true. Ever since, De voe and his men, which include, the majority of the army, and some other base people who claimed to be his followers, displayed complete dominance all over the realm. Right now, everyone was summoned to the center arena. De voe summoned them there, he wanted to address the people, whose majority were already fed up with this new administration and governance demonstrated and depicted by De Voe.

De voe ascended the elevated platform to address the people, while his men were armed to the teeth, and at every corner, maintaining order.

" Greetings people of Sirkari," greeted De voe.

"Most of you are wondering why I summoned you all here," said De Voe. There was silence now.

"The reason why I called for this gathering, is to announce to you that the rumors that you've been hearing for the past six days are true. The mighty has fallen, your priestess is dead," announced De voe.

When they heard this, there was a long moment of mumble and hum. There were also sounds of crying and wailing of people, expressing their emotions towards the death of the priestess. Zain, Tobin, and Alec were there too, in the midst of the crowd. Zain was weeping badly. Tobin consoled her all through the time.

"Silence now!" ordered De voe.

"I didn't summon you here to weep and whine to my ears. The past few days, I took it to myself to fill in that space of responsibility, for when the going gets tough, the tough always find a way to going," he said.

"I will rule this realm with an iron fist, and I will correct all the mistakes of the past leaders, making this place a perfect world," he added, with viciousness in his eyes.

"Who do you think you are!?" shouted a stout old man, who stood in front, but he wasn't heard or noticed by De voe.

"Who made you leader of this outfit!?" he added.

This time, De voe heard him. He motioned to his men to bring him the man. Two of his men approached the old man where he stood by the aid of a stick, and roughly grabbed him, whisking him above to the platform where De voe stood. De voe drew out his blade at once and thrust it through the guts of the old man.

Thud!!

...he fell dead on the spot.

The same men who brought the old man alive came back and took away the corpse, leaving trails of blood behind. After witnessing this, people we're left in shock and disbelief. There was pin-drop silence as they were all gripped by fear. Tobin couldn't take it anymore. He charged towards the platform but was caught quickly in his tracks, by a club to the forehead, sending him crashing to the ground. Zain quickly rushed to help him.

"What you just witnessed, was a sacrifice made for the greater good. For all is fair in love and war," said De voe, whipping off the blood stains on his blade with a piece of fabric.

"I assure you that the same will be done to anyone else who tries to challenge my order. Prepare, because very soon the royal palace would be opened for the first time in a long time so that I can sit upon the throne and reign supreme," said De voe.

The attention of everyone shifted now to one of De voe's men who dragged a girl of about Zelta's age to the platform. When he dropped her at De voe's feet, he told him saying;

"This brat was caught ranting that the priestesses daughter is heir to the throne, not you".

"The priestess's daughter is ineligible for the throne. She disobeyed the law by going beyond the mountains, so I've locked her up," answered De voe.

"And perhaps, how can I leave the destiny of this great realm to the hands of an amateur little girl?" asked De voe.

"You all have to understand that we are under. Beyond this valley exists dangerous beings who are seeking to invade our home, so we can't let them have it without a fair fight. You might hate me now, but I assure you that soon enough you'll come to understand that I mean only good. The end justifies the means," he said at last.

Then turning to the girl he said;

" It's a miracle you're still alive".