THE INCOMING END

Michael walked to his personal room, knelt before the mirror on the wall, and retrieved a long katana with his father's name engraved on it. He picked up a sack from his drawers, stored it in his pouch, and grabbed his bag of personal belongings. As he descended the palace steps, he greeted his people with a final farewell, then climbed onto his horse and rode away. "Move, boy. Today we deliver death."

In the throne room of Britannia, Elara commanded, "Let us send the bomb tomorrow by noon. If we wait, they may send a scout to find out. By noon tomorrow, I will bring other monarchs, but I won't tell them what we are using it for. Let them see it with their own eyes."

Felicia grinned but couldn't contain her laughter. "No problem, my loving highness."

Meanwhile, through the grasslands, Michael sped at 100 miles per hour, having injected his horse with a dangerous concoction to keep its adrenaline pumping. The horse's eyes turned red, and foam frothed from its mouth, but Michael didn't care. All he wanted was Elara's death. His eyes were fixed ahead, waiting to see the border of Britannia, where he would exact his revenge for his destroyed family, Juli's suffering, and his nation's ruin.

After forty minutes of relentless riding, Michael saw the border of Britannia. Spears flew towards him, but he didn't care. He bent low over his horse as it was pierced by spears. The horse, driven by the concoction, continued to run. Michael recognized the guards' sack and jumped off the horse, holding a rope connected to it. He was dragged along the ground as he lit sacks of black powder with his flint and threw them at the guards' sack. The explosion propelled him into the sky, tearing his arms open, but he landed back on his horse, focused solely on killing Elara.

News quickly spread around the kingdom. A guard rushed to Elara in the throne room. "My Queen, Michael, the King of Scotland, has arrived and is wreaking havoc. He is speeding to this castle, killing anything in his way."

Elara didn't seem shocked. "Call all the monarchs to be here in an hour or two. Those who don't make it, it doesn't matter." She left her throne. "Get me my horse."

Elara climbed onto her white horse and sped through the streets, followed by her knights.

Michael arrived at the castle just as the last knight was leaving. He jumped off his horse, drew his katana, and asked, "Where did she go?" The knight, trembling, replied, "Straight ahead. You will see a cube of metal." Michael slashed his head off. "Thank you." He mounted his horse again and sped through the streets.

Elara reached the structure and ordered the guards to destroy Michael as she entered the building and locked the metal door. Inside, she dragged Felicia aside. "Prepare the missile. We are launching it today in an hour. Make sure it works."

"But my Queen," Felicia hesitated.

"No buts. Do it fast. The monarchs of other nations are coming, but the monarch of Scotland is also coming to kill me." Felicia wasted no time. "Minion!" The missile was being prepped for launch while the monarchs entered through a back door that Michael did not know about. The monarchs of Germany, France, Belgium, and Spain, each with forty guards, stood ready.

Michael saw the forty guards blocking the door. "ELARA, I'M COMING TO END YOUR USELESS LIFE!" He screamed, drawing his katana. The guards unsheathed their swords. He ran forward, throwing four exploding sacks of black powder. Body parts flew as he slashed, kicked, and dodged, killing until each guard was dead. He piled up a massive bundle of black powder at the door and lit it, blowing it open.

The whole cube shook. Michael walked inside, blood-soaked, and saw the gigantic missile and Elara with the four monarchs and their knights. "Elara!" he shouted.

Elara shivered but steadied herself. "Michael, you idiot. Now you have entered my trap. This missile will wipe out Scotland, with your beloved Juli. And these guards will erase you from existence. At least you'll be in heaven with your world. Just look at you, Michael Floxinia, son of Ben Floxinia and brother to Elara Floxinia."

Michael's eyes widened. "You bastard. Don't abuse our name. You are not one of us."

"Oh, father didn't tell you? Of course, he wouldn't tell the adopted black sheep. I was never there because he hated me. He chose Mary over me all the time. He didn't even know my birthday because he cheated on his wife and had me, his mistake. So yes, I, Elara Floxinia, the mistake child, killed his joy, his little Mary. I watched her die, and now, the mistake will erase your lineage."

Michael's hatred boiled over. "My loving sister who never felt love, GET READY TO DIE, YOU STUPID MISTAKE." He injected a red liquid into his chest, pumping adrenaline. "GET READY TO DIE. NO ONE WILL TOUCH MY JULI." He ran forward with his katana, throwing black powder sacks, exploding everywhere. He killed, dodged, got hit, but kept fighting. The explosions killed the monarchs and many guards. Elara braced herself as Michael killed every guard, bleeding but relentless.

Elara, injured, shouted at Felicia, "HOW LONG?"

Felicia, sweating, replied, "TEN MINUTES, MA'AM."

Elara tore off her royal robe, revealing battle attire, and jumped down with two knives. "Michael, I learned how to correct mistakes. You'll find out how."

Michael, bleeding and enraged, relocated his shoulder. "Elara, you will die by my hands." He ran towards her with his katana. They clashed, Elara's slash landing, but Michael didn't care. He slashed, she dodged, and they fought fiercely.

Felicia announced, "It is ready."

The missile shook the ground, launching into the sky towards Scotland. Michael, desperate, chose both revenge and saving Juli. He slashed Elara's neck, killing her. "Finally," she murmured. He ran to his horse and chased the missile. Knowing he couldn't catch it, he devised a plan. He used the black powder to launch himself into the sky, breaking his ankle but determined. He grabbed the missile, slashing it to slow it down.

Juli, in the throne room, saw Michael's flare. She alerted everyone, and they watched the missile coming. Juli found a blood-written note from Michael, "I'm up there. Find me." She fell to her knees, crying.

Michael, on the missile, slashed it to slow it down. He fired the flare towards the castle. Juli saw the flare and knew what she had to do. Michael, hanging onto the missile, knew he had to act quickly. He saw Scotland approaching and murmured, "I'll marry you if I survive this."