The_Lazy_Editor

The realm of Lusara is a land of splendor and strife, where towering kingdoms rise above fertile lands, and shadowed secrets dwell within the hearts of the powerful. The empire is upheld by a delicate balance: a sovereign monarch presiding over lesser lords, and beneath them, the two dominant Houses—House Avernal and House Crimsonvale.

These Houses are the empire’s shield and dagger, bound by duty yet divided by enmity. Known as the "Houses of the Devil," their reputations stem from the lords who rule them—individuals whose power, ambition, and ruthlessness have made them both revered and feared.

Each House serves the empire in its own way: House Avernal safeguards the northern frontiers, a land of unyielding mountains and winter's breath, while House Crimsonvale governs the southern expanses, a place of blazing sands and endless sunsets. Though their territories form the empire’s spine, their hostility toward each other threatens to tear it apart.

In a time of rising tensions, their paths converge not on the battlefield but at the edge of the empire, where an abandoned orphanage crumbles in solitude. There, among overgrown flowers and whispered memories, lives a girl who calls herself a flower. This meeting will set the threads of destiny spinning, entwining love, hatred, and the bittersweet fragility of life.

Devils Tied By A Flower

The sun was just beginning to dip toward the horizon, casting a golden hue over the endless flower field. The soft rustle of petals in the breeze was a calming contrast to the tensions that lingered in the air. Caelum Avernal stepped out of his tent, his dark cloak swaying with his purposeful stride. His violet eyes scanned the expanse until they fell upon the small figure of Lyra, standing amidst the flowers, her silver hair catching the warm light.

She hadn't eaten yet. The thought tugged at him, though he wasn't sure why he cared so much. With deliberate steps, he began walking toward her. However, as he approached, he noticed another figure moving from the opposite direction. The crimson cloak and fiery hair of Seraphina Crimsonvale were unmistakable.

His steps slowed as his gaze fixed on her. She was walking toward Lyra, her stride confident yet soft, as though the flowers might bruise under her feet. The child stood between them, oblivious to the tension that hung in the air. Lyra turned her head, her bright blue eyes lighting up as she saw them both approaching. Her smile widened, a pure and innocent expression that seemed to pierce through the veils of animosity surrounding the two lords.

Caelum stopped just short of where Seraphina had halted. They stood across from one another, a mere arm's length apart, with Lyra at the center. Their eyes locked, violet meeting crimson, and for a moment, the world seemed to still. The distant rustling of flowers and the chirping of birds faded into an almost tangible silence.

Lyra's curious gaze shifted between the two towering figures, her small hands clutching a bouquet of flowers she had gathered. She tilted her head, as if sensing the unspoken tension but unable to grasp its depth.

"You're hovering again, Crimsonvale," Caelum said at last, his tone smooth but laced with a sharp edge.

"And you're brooding as always, Avernal," Seraphina retorted, her voice calm but with an unmistakable bite.

Lyra blinked up at them, her innocent expression breaking through the rising tension. "Why do you both look so serious? Are you playing a game?"

The question caught them off guard, and for a brief moment, both lords looked at the child. Her bright smile disarmed them in ways they couldn't have anticipated. Seraphina's lips quirked upward in the faintest hint of a smile, while Caelum's sharp features softened, though only slightly.

"No, Lyra," Seraphina said, crouching to meet the child's gaze. "We're just… discussing something important."

Caelum raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He, too, knelt down slightly, bringing himself closer to the child's level. "Have you eaten yet, little one?"

Lyra shook her head, her silver hair shimmering in the golden light. "Not yet. But I'm not hungry. The flowers keep me company."

Seraphina sighed softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from Lyra's face. "Flowers are lovely, but they can't fill your belly. Come, let's get you something to eat."

Before Lyra could respond, she glanced between the two lords again. Her small hand reached out, one toward each of them, as if trying to bridge the gap.

"Will you both stay?" she asked, her voice tinged with hope.

Caelum and Seraphina exchanged a glance, the air between them crackling with unspoken words. Yet, in that moment, standing in the middle of the flower field with the child's innocent plea hanging in the air, neither could find it in themselves to deny her.

"For now," Caelum said finally, his voice quieter than usual.

"We'll stay," Seraphina added, her tone unexpectedly gentle.

A Pause in Time