Fallen Part 1

"Krogar and Ragor have fallen," rumbled a deep, ominous voice emanating from a shadowy figure with piercing red eyes.

"Withdraw the energy you've poured into those Emergence," replied a shrill, otherworldly voice from a small figured apparition that seemed to flicker in and out of sight. "We've taught those fools enough lessons... but keep a close watch on Reiji."

Lyrien sprinted forward, her gaze fixed on the figure ahead. As she neared, her voice cut through the air, "Reiji! I knew you couldn't finish him, just like with Krogar!"

Reiji turned to meet her, his expression calm but firm. Lyrien, undeterred, began to chant her finishing spell, her voice steady and determined.

Before she could complete the incantation, Reiji moved swiftly, closing the gap between them and halting her mid-chant. Standing in her way, he said, "Lyrien, this time I'm hearing their side of the story. Please, don't interfere."

Reiji's words sent a cold chill down her spine. Her thoughts raced, "Is he protecting these monsters?"

Her eyes reflected a mix of regret and suspicion. "After what they had done?"

She stared at Reiji, uncertainty clouding her mind. "This is the same as in the stories about them, Earthborns are drawn to monsters."

Their gazes locked, tension crackling between them.

Reiji's steady eyes conveyed his determination to stop her from delivering the final blow to the defenseless Ragor, who lay motionless on the ground

"Are…" Lyrien stammered, her voice trembling. "Are you—"

Before she could finish, a deep rumble interrupted her.

The sound of Ragor's massive stone body collapsing onto the ground echoed through the air, signaling the end of its life.

Reiji turned sharply, his attention drawn to the fallen monster. He approached the debris cautiously, scanning the scene. Something didn't add up.

Looking back at Lyrien, his expression was laced with confusion and suspicion. "What just happened?" he asked, his voice steady but probing.

Lyrien was frightened by the way Reiji looked at her and she took a step back, her face pale, eyes wide with doubt. 

Without a word, she spun on her heel and ran away, her movements fueled by suspicion and fear.

"Lyrien!" Reiji shouted after her, his tone firm yet concerned. But she didn't stop or turn back.

Reiji furrowed his brow, his thoughts swirling. "Why did she run? What's with her terrified look?"

Then he turned his focus on Ragor and said aloud, "How did you even manage to takedown Ragor without me noticing, Lyrien?"

Lyrien ran, tears streaming down her face, her breath hitching as fear and regret gripped her. "It all started with me! I was so naive!" she whispered, her voice trembling with guilt.

Bursting through the kingdom's shattered gates, she slowed as the acrid stench of blood and smoke filled her lungs. 

Her tears stopped, but her heart clenched painfully at the devastation before her.

Placing a hand over her chest, she whispered, "Why? What have I done?" 

The weight of the destruction felt unbearable, each step dragging her deeper into despair.

As she stumbled forward, the sight before her grew even grimmer. 

The once-thriving kingdom lay in ruins. The cobbled streets were littered with bodies of fallen warriors, their armor battered and broken, their swords and shields abandoned in defeat.

The ground was drenched in blood, the air thick with the silence of death.

Lyrien's gaze darted across the wreckage, her shoulders trembling. The impregnable fortress she had believed in was no more, and she couldn't shake the belief that this was all her fault.

Amidst the devastation, Lyrien's gaze fell upon the fallen remnants of the kingdom's elite warriors, their legendary strength reduced to mere shadows of its former glory.

Aetus lay face down in the dirt, motionless.

Lucas knelt nearby, his body trembling with exhaustion, his armor battered and his weapon nearly unrecognizable. Yet, it was the look in his eyes—sunken, hollow, and devoid of hope—that struck Lyrien the hardest.

Mortus' body was a grotesque canvas of the battle's fury. His limbs twisted unnaturally, his armor shattered and bloodied, his flesh torn beyond recognition. He was a chilling testament to the brutal end that had befallen the kingdom's mightiest defenders.

The weight of it all crushed Lyrien to her knees. Her mind reeled with the image of the warriors she had once believed invincible—now lying broken and defeated. 

The suffocating silence pressed down on her, broken only by the faint groans of the few still clinging to life.

As her tears blurred the grim scene, a familiar voice pierced through the oppressive quiet.

Lyra's cry echoed across the ruins, desperate and frantic. She stumbled toward the kneeling Lucas, her voice trembling as she pleaded, "Lucas! Lucas! Oh, gods, please tell us! Where are our parents? Are they... are they still alive?!"

Her words hung in the air, heavy with fear and the faint hope that some part of their world had survived this nightmare.

Lyra kept pressing Lucas, her voice frantic, while Lyrien, weakened and trembling, crawled toward her sister. Before she could reach Lyra, a shadow emerged from the chaos—a figure stepping forward with measured, weary steps.

With the silence signaling the end of the battle, King Theodorus appeared, his face etched with grief and exhaustion, the weight of the kingdom's tragedy resting heavily on his shoulders. 

His voice, raw and strained, broke the tension in the air. "I'm here, Lyra."

The words, heavy with sorrow and relief, struck Lyra like a tidal wave.

With tears still streaming down her face, she rushed toward him, throwing herself into his arms. 

Her body trembled with sobs as she desperately demanded, "How did this happen? How did we fall like this?" Her voice cracked under the weight of her grief and fear.

As the king held his daughter, slowly, the people of Bellatoria began to emerge from their hiding places.

From the shadows, survivors stepped out, their faces pale and etched with the shared pain of the kingdom's fall.

Among them was Eudia, her gaze scanning the ruins until it landed on Lyrien, who was on her knees, her body wracked with silent agony. 

Without hesitation, Eudia moved to her, wrapping her arms around Lyrien in a warm, grounding embrace.

Eudia's voice, steady and filled with maternal strength, whispered to Lyrien, "Daughter, I know this is more than devastating. But now, more than ever, I need you to be strong. These warriors gave everything to protect us from the monsters. Now it's our turn to help them."

The king stood silently, his arms still around Lyra, waiting patiently as her sobs subsided and her breathing steadied. His sorrowful eyes reflected not just the grief of a father but the burdens of a ruler mourning his people.

Eudia looked over the broken landscape, her hand gently brushing Lyrien's hair. "We cannot let this defeat define us," she said softly. "We have to rebuild. Together."

With a steady resolve, Eudia began moving through the battlefield, her hands thrown in the air as she chanted, "Aqua, voluntati sumae, healing stream." 

Streams of water formed around the wounded and unconscious, weaving through the chaos and tending to the physical injuries of the defenders. 

The soothing magic mended broken flesh, closed wounds, and brought relief to the battered warriors.

Watching her mother's unwavering dedication, Lyrien gathered her courage, brushing away the last of her tears. 

She stood tall, her breathing steadying as she stepped forward. Mimicking Eudia, she began to channel her own magic, helping to heal those in need.

All around them, the remaining Bellatorians rallied. Those gifted with healing abilities joined Eudia and Lyrien, working tirelessly to save as many as they could.

Others, lacking such powers, focused on the solemn task of identifying the fallen, carefully collecting their bodies and bringing them to a single location to honor their sacrifice.

Reiji entered the kingdom, observing the people around him. Behind him, a Faifi carried Cornelius, who still hadn't fully recovered.