Her Presence

The room was filled with five of the most powerful individuals in the world participating in the war, myself excluded though I'd argue I hold my own. 

Rosaline, the Saint of Peace, was here.

Percival, the Hero of the World.

Noctalis, the Moon.

And Vlad, the Star the one I despised most.

And then there was me. While I consider myself the weakest among them, these fools apparently deemed my presence worthy.

We were gathered around a large round table, a fitting metaphor for the symbolic weight each of us carried in this war-torn world.

Rosaline was the rebel, determined to end the war regardless of the cost.

Percival and Noctalis hailed from Veritas, the instigator at the heart of the conflict.

Vlad represented Grandia, the kingdom fueling this chaos with unbridled ambition.

As for me? I wouldn't even be here if Kivana hadn't insisted.

Still, I knew my place: one of the few capable of standing against Rosaline when she overstepped.

I once stopped her from storming Novastia to confront the king, though I eventually relented.

Could I have won had I gone all out? Perhaps.

I glanced upward at the chandelier's bright light before turning my attention back to the heated conversation. I hate World Wars.

"Rosaline, you must understand! Him and his bastard kingdom must perish!" Vlad slammed a fist on the table, his voice sharp with anger.

His yellow hair gleamed brightly, complementing piercing golden eyes that exuded arrogance.

The golden hues of his sleek armor mirrored his fiery personality, making him a striking figure despite my disdain for him.

Attractive? Sure, but compared to Kivana, Vlad didn't come close.

"Bastard? You're lucky I don't kill you where you stand, you mutt," Percival shot back, his voice like steel. His glare locked onto Vlad with an intensity that could cut through stone.

This reckless fool didn't know when to back down. He once bested Rosaline, though I knew she hadn't fought at her full strength. I was there I saw it.

Rosaline sighed deeply, pressing her fingers to her temples. "Both of you, shut up, or I'll kill you both."

Her tone was icy, commanding silence. She turned to me, her expression softening just slightly. "Do you have any good news for me, Malachi?"

I sighed, brushing at my chin out of habit. "Novastia won't sit idle while Veritas wages war against Herstia. As long as they persist, we're involved."

Her expression darkened, and she muttered a curse under her breath. "Please, Calida, get here soon," she said quietly.

Calida. I'd almost forgotten she was supposed to join us.

A close friend of mine, she hailed from Herstia and shared Rosaline's aversion to conflict.

Despite her pacifistic nature, her strength was undeniable.

Noctalis, silent until now, finally spoke. "This war would end if you surrendered, Vlad. All Veritas seeks is recognition as a notable power."

Vlad shot out of his chair, his face twisted in fury. "I'll slaughter you and your entire family!"

The words barely left his lips before Noctalis acted. His hand snapped forward like lightning, gripping Vlad's throat.

"You're bold," Noctalis said evenly, his dark blue eyes boring into Vlad. "But don't be stupid. My family's name means more to me than your life ever could."

The weight of Noctalis's lineage hung in the air. Lancelot, his father, had died defeating an army of ten thousand.

Noctalis's only surviving family member was his sister a fragile thread connecting him to his past. To threaten her was beyond foolish.

Noctalis released Vlad, who slumped back into his seat, clutching his neck. Calmly, Noctalis crossed his arms, his long, ocean-blue curls tumbling free from their bun.

"Listen," Rosaline said sharply, drawing the group's attention. "We're here to end this war. If not, I'll act and we all know none of you want that."

Before anyone could respond, the door burst open, and a short figure stormed in. Calida.

Her orange hair framed a bright, determined face, her vibrant eyes glowing like embers.

Her heavy plate armor clinked softly as she crossed the room, bowing briefly to Rosaline before taking a seat beside her.

"Apologies," she said, slightly breathless. "I was delayed."

Noctalis turned to her, his voice measured. "Delayed by Bala's situation? Veritas continues to press into your borders, I assume?"

Calida nodded. "Yes. Their forces advance daily. Herstia is holding, but only barely. Bala's resources are stretched too thin to support us properly."

I leaned back in my seat, observing the dialogue as alliances and grievances collided like waves in a storm.

Vlad broke the silence with his usual arrogance. "Perhaps Bala wouldn't struggle if Novastia weren't busy playing savior. How's that working out with Valtoria and Edlaris hounding you at sea?"

I fixed him with a calm but firm gaze. "Novastia stepped up because Herstia and Bala needed us. Valtoria and Edlaris escalated the conflict by dragging it into naval warfare."

Rosaline interjected, her tone sharp. "You involved yourselves in the eastern continent. What else did you expect?"

I shook my head. "Novastia is honoring long-standing alliances. When Veritas initiated this war, we responded appropriately. The western kingdoms are the ones who turned it into a maritime conflict."

Percival leaned forward, his tone cold. "You speak as though alliances justify everything. What of Veritas's right to expand? Or Grandia's endless provocations?"

Calida's voice rang out, steady and unyielding. "Right to expand? Is that how you frame the invasion of Herstia? Grandia wouldn't even be involved if Veritas hadn't attacked them first."

"Enough," Noctalis said, his voice carrying an edge that silenced the room. "The situation is clear: Bala is collapsing. If they fall, Herstia follows, leaving Novastia to face the western kingdoms alone."

The silence was deafening.

Vlad broke the silence with a scoff. "Then let Bala fall. If they're weak enough to collapse, they deserve it."

I leaned forward, my voice low but unwavering. "If anyone moves against Bala, I'll intervene personally."

The room fell silent, all eyes turning to me. Rosaline shot up from her seat, her tone laced with urgency. "Woah now, Malachi. That won't be necessary. Please, let's not escalate things further."

I crossed my arms and leaned back, my gaze steady. "Fine, but I'll say this once: the next person who even considers attacking Bala will face my full wrath personally."

A tense quiet settled over the room. Rosaline exhaled heavily, tugging at the collar of her shirt. "Alright, alright. We're straying too far from our goal of peace."

Calida broke the silence, her voice calm but firm. "Percival, please tell Stark to cease all actions against Bala."

Percival turned to her, his expression unreadable. "You think I have control over Stark? You'd have to take that up with Rahbel."

Noctalis sighed, his voice soft but resolute. "I'll step in before Malachi does. We don't need someone like him escalating this war further."

Vlad turned to me, his expression almost pleading. "Listen, everyone has already come to terms with you staying out of this conflict. I'm begging you don't get involved."

I met his gaze with a glare before speaking evenly. "I won't have to use my power if you all would just come to an agreement."

The weight of my words hung in the air as I turned to Rosaline. "This war is spiraling out of control. If we don't find common ground soon, it might even involve others."

Seven children were born on the same day, each embodying a power tied to the colors of the rainbow.

Rosaline represents Red. Calida is Orange. Vlad is Yellow. Noctalis is Blue. Pink is a... mystery. Purple belongs to Kivana, my soon-to-be wife.

Well, she doesn't know that yet. I've only spoken to her in political contexts, but I'm certain we'll end up together. At least, I hope so.

The real reason I speak with her so often and why we're growing closer is that she's the princess of Bala. Naturally, I need Bala to stay intact.

"Kivana has agreed not to fight, and so have I. But don't mistake this for weakness. If necessary, I will take back my words," I said firmly.

The room settled into a heavy silence once again. I rose from my seat, breaking the stillness with a steady voice. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go kill a dragon."

Noctalis sat upright, his expression tight with urgency. "Wait, Malachi. You need to stay here. You're the representative for both Novastia and Bala."

I turned sharply to him, my tone firm. "I don't need to do anything. Need I remind you of my position?"

Rosaline's expression softened, her voice calm and rare with gentleness. "Please stay. You're the only one here with any real common sense."

All eyes shifted to her, and she offered a small shrug. "I'm not lying."

Calida sighed, shaking her head slowly. "Listen, Bala's survival is as important to me as it is to Malachi. Let's all sit down and focus on the more urgent issue."

Percival groaned, rubbing his temples.

"The real problem is Veritas and Grandia. Grandia has started attacking Bala as well as Herstia." Calida said.

Calida's voice sharpened, her gaze steady on Percival. "And Veritas is the one who started this six-year war."

Noctalis glanced toward me, his expression exasperated. I wasn't sure why he looked at me it wasn't as if I started the war.

"Listen," Percival said calmly, his tone measured. "I've told you before, Grandia and Herstia limited Veritas's movements."

Noctalis continued, his voice smooth and deliberate. "And with that, they kept themselves from advancing in technology and adopting the updated ideals of the rest of the world. They declared war on Grandia because of the constant provocations."

"Provocations? They were warranted! Your king is a greedy bastard!" Vlad slammed his fist down again, his voice sharp with anger.

I let out a heavy sigh as Rosaline noticed the brief twitch in Percival's face, but Vlad pushed on without pause.

"Maybe if he wasn't so caught up dealing with that feeble rebellion, he might have gotten some help."

Before the final word left Vlad's mouth, Percival drew his blade. Instantly, Vlad followed suit, and their swords collided with a harsh, metallic sound.

The clash was sharp and cold, two silver blades striking against each other with deadly precision.

They did not have their custom weapons, but that did little to dull the intensity of their clash as they fought with the silver ones resting along the walls.

I doubted Calida saw them move, but I caught the brief moment as they rushed to grab their weapons before returning to their seats.

I, along with Noctalis, kept our own swords ready, simply because we could.

"You're really trying to kill me, huh?" Vlad said mockingly, a smirk on his face.

Percival's smile was cold, devoid of amusement. "Trying? No. I'm going to kill you."

They both leapt back, Percival landing on the edge of the table while Vlad moved slightly further back from his chair.

The room was vast, yet it only held a single table in the center and hanging swords adorned with images of the dead.

Noctalis sighed heavily. "It's like watching children bicker."

Percival walked down from the table and stood before Vlad. "Children? I'm the strongest one here."

I audibly gasped, and Rosaline chuckled at his words.

But Calida was the only one to take action. In an instant, she lost her heavy armor, now wearing a slim black dress.

She broke past my perception, her movements so swift that flames covered her hands. With a fierce grip, she slammed both Percival's and Vlad's necks into the ground.

Before they could even counterattack, she had already sat back in her seat and donned her armor once more.

I think she's one of the fastest out of all of us, other than me and Noctalis.

When I looked at the two idiots lying on the ground, they were coughing and gasping for air.

"The strongest? What a terrible lie. You're barely worthy of standing in my presence."