Chapter 5: talk with the queen

In the grand throne room of the royal palace, the atmosphere was thick with tension, yet oddly serene. Queen Seraphina sat regally upon her throne, her hand resting gently on her cheek as her eyes focused on the figures in front of her. To her left, her sister Amara sat with her gaze fixed entirely on Kek, the older of the two brothers. Amara's usually calm and composed demeanor had given way to something more vulnerable as she couldn't hide the faint blush staining her cheeks.

The silence stretched until it was broken by the queen's voice, which rang out across the chamber, strong yet warm.

"I thank you for saving my sister," Seraphina said, her voice echoing through the marble walls. Her words carried an air of sincerity, but they were met with nothing but calm from the trio standing before her. None of them bowed, nor did they show any sign of submission to the queen's words, though all three gave her a nod of acknowledgment.

Lucian, ever the energetic one, was the first to break the silence that followed, his cheerful tone ringing out as he leaned forward slightly, eyes glimmering with mischief.

"So, what reward are you giving us?" His voice had an air of playfulness to it, the kind of carefree enthusiasm that was typical of the younger brother.

Kek, who stood next to him, shot him a sharp glance, his expression suddenly turning serious. His voice was low, but there was authority in it, the kind of authority that only came from being the older brother.

"Didn't I tell you to mind your manners when speaking to the queen?" Kek's reprimand was stern, but his tone lacked malice. He was simply trying to teach his younger brother the value of respect.

Lucian, unperturbed, smirked, his arms crossed as he raised an eyebrow. "What's the problem? She herself told us she's grateful for saving her sister, and her sister loves me. So, what's the issue?"

As Lucian spoke, Amara's face flushed bright red. She quickly turned her eyes away, though she didn't deny his words. It was clear she felt a mix of embarrassment and affection, but she wasn't willing to contradict her brother's teasing.

The queen's lips curled into a soft, knowing smile, her gaze turning toward Amara. "Is that true, my sister?" she asked gently, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.

Amara nodded slowly, her face still tinged with red. Lucian, now satisfied with the confirmation, leaned back in his chair, smirking victoriously.

"See? What did I tell you?" Lucian exclaimed, giving Kek a teasing glance.

Kek, still silent, lowered his head, a slight grimace passing over his features. Though he didn't deny his brother's words, it was clear he was feeling conflicted. The silence stretched on, and the tension in the room deepened.

At that moment, their father, Primorath, who had been watching the scene unfold with an amused yet somewhat disapproving expression, finally spoke. His voice was calm but carried the weight of authority that only a father of his stature could possess.

"Lucian, don't talk. Stay quiet," he said, his tone low but commanding.

Lucian immediately fell silent, his posture straightening as he turned his attention back to his father. "Yes, Father," he muttered, his earlier mischievousness evaporating in the face of Primorath's quiet authority.

Primorath's golden eyes shifted toward Kek, his gaze piercing through him like a beam of light through a darkened room.

"Is it true, Kek? Do you have feelings for her?" His voice was gentle, but there was an undeniable weight behind the question, as if he already knew the answer but wanted to hear it from his son.

Kek, still with his head bowed low, let out a quiet sigh. "Yes, Father," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

The atmosphere shifted subtly as Primorath regarded his son, his eyes softening ever so slightly. "For how long?" he asked, his voice still low but filled with a curious tone.

"Three years," Kek replied without hesitation, his voice steady despite the vulnerability of the confession.

Primorath's expression remained unreadable for a moment, and then he nodded slowly, as if the answer satisfied him in some unspoken way. "And why didn't you tell me?" he asked, his tone now tinged with a hint of disappointment.

Kek hesitated before answering. "You already know," he murmured.

Primorath smiled, a faint, almost imperceptible smile that spoke volumes of the understanding between them. "Yes, that's true. But I wanted you to tell me yourself. Don't you think so?" His voice was soft, but there was an unspoken lesson in it: openness and communication were essential.

Kek nodded, his head still lowered. "Yes, Father."

Seraphina, observing the exchange, gently cleared her throat to draw attention back to the matter at hand. Her voice was soft but firm, a sharp contrast to the casual atmosphere that had briefly overtaken the room.

"Now, let us focus on the topic at hand, please," she said, her voice carrying the authority of a ruler. All eyes turned toward her, and the room fell into a respectful silence.

"Now, please," Seraphina continued, her gaze sweeping across the room, "tell us more about yourselves."

She began the introductions, her words formal yet welcoming. "I will start. I am Seraphina, Queen of this country. It is nice to meet all of you."

Her sister, Amara, who had been quiet up until this point, nodded in agreement. "And I am Amara, the healer of the kingdom. It is nice to meet you all," she added, her voice carrying the same warmth but with a hint of shyness that was hard to miss.

Lucian grinned as he leaned forward, his demeanor relaxed and carefree. "Hi, my name is Lucian, the younger of the family. It's nice to meet you all."

Kek, the older and more serious of the two brothers, stood tall and nodded respectfully. "And I am Kek, the elder of the family. It is nice to meet you all."

Finally, Primorath, the figurehead of this family, regarded the group with a quiet smile. "And I am Primorath, the father of these two. It is nice to meet you all," he said, his voice calm but filled with the weight of immeasurable experience.

As they finished introducing themselves, the room seemed to relax, the formalities now out of the way. But little did they know, far beyond the walls of their realm, in a kingdom on the verge of darkness, events were unfolding that would soon pull them into a conflict unlike any they had ever faced before.

---

In a distant kingdom, the rival nation of Eldoria Prime, a dark ritual was taking place. In a chamber hidden deep beneath the earth, a group of robed figures stood around a massive summoning circle. The air was thick with arcane energy, and the atmosphere was charged with a palpable sense of foreboding.

At the center of the circle, dark energy swirled, and from the shadows, a voice echoed out—low, guttural, and filled with malice. The figures within the circle continued their incantations, their eyes glowing with a crimson light as they chanted in unison.

The summoning was reaching its climax.

Far from the peaceful family scene unfolding in the royal palace, in a realm untouched by light, millions of eyes opened—fiendish, bloodshot, and burning with a malevolent hunger. These were the eyes of creatures from a forgotten corner of the universe, beings of unimaginable power and fury, each one bound by the same dark energy that now pulsed through the summoning circle.

They were the Harbingers of the Void, creatures that existed only to devour and conquer. As the summoning ritual completed, the first of them stepped through the dark rift, a towering figure shrouded in shadows. His form was indistinct, yet his presence was suffocating, as if reality itself bent and twisted in his wake.

The invasion of this realm had begun.

In the royal palace, a subtle tremor passed through the floor, unnoticed by all but Primorath, whose eyes narrowed slightly. He could feel the disturbance from miles away—a ripple in the fabric of existence itself. His expression darkened as he gazed at his sons, who had also felt the shift in the air.

"Something is coming," Primorath murmured softly, his voice carrying an ominous weight.

Lucian's eyes lit up with excitement, and Kek's gaze grew serious. The peace of the moment would soon be shattered, and the family would be forced to confront the darkness that threatened their world.

As the air grew heavier with the arrival of the dark forces, Seraphina's voice broke through the tension.

"We must prepare," she said firmly, her gaze hardening as she met the eyes of the others. "For what is to come will test us all."

And thus, the stage was set for an inevitable clash between light and darkness, where every bond would be tested, and the fate of the world hung in the balance.

" A little note "

This takes place after kek save Amara

Three years after that