The Queen's Dark Curse

These gifts enabled them to combat the forces of darkness and safeguard the land’s citizens. Maven, a skilled fighter who had triumphed over countless enemies in his missions, was taken aback when he saw Starry approaching him with a smile. His friends paused their training, curious about her visit.

“What brings you here during our training session?” Maven inquired.

“King Arthur summons you,” Starry replied.

Maven followed her to the throne room, his heart pounding with fear for his life. As Arthur sat on his throne with closed eyes, Maven trembled, fearing the worst. Sensing Maven’s anxiety, Arthur opened his eyes and addressed him.

“Fear not, my faithful warrior. I brought you here to discuss your love for Starry,” Arthur reassured him.

Maven dropped to his knees, acknowledging his secret affair had been exposed.

“Forgive me, my king. I allowed my heart to interfere with my duty to you,” Maven confessed.

“Rise, Maven. You have done nothing wrong. I have known you for five years, and during that time, I often wondered if you had a woman in your life. Now I know the truth. I choose to grant you and your lover freedom to live and marry among friends and family,” Arthur proclaimed.

“But, my king, if I leave the castle and no longer serve as a warrior, I will lose these bestowed gifts,” Maven voiced his concern.

“Choose then, Maven. Decide whether you desire your lover or your service to me and the gods,” Arthur offered.

“I choose to remain here with my beloved Starry and serve you until my last breath,” Maven declared.

“Indeed, both you and Starry have chosen to serve me. Hear my decree: Maven, you shall continue to serve me as a defender of my people, and your gifts shall remain with you. Starry, you shall no longer serve as my maiden but as Maven’s wife. With your gift of foresight, guide my people in their journey through life. I grant you your freedom,” Arthur declared.

Starry and Maven bowed before King Arthur as a portal materialized before them. They entered the portal, which transported them to their new home. Maven discovered a document of

Ownership for the house, thanking the king for his generosity. He had heard tales of the king’s substantial rewards for loyal guards. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Starry had a fleeting vision of a chest before her. A few moments later, a chest materialized, bearing her full name, “Stark Starry.” She eagerly opened it to find a vast amount of gold. They thanked the king, offering a brief prayer.

As the day neared its end, the king’s duplicates fulfilled their duties and swiftly returned to Arthur’s body, their task accomplished. Unbeknownst to Zara, who was absent from the castle, Sylas had paid a visit. On every seventh day of the week, Zara would be seated on a cloud, accepting the sacrifices offered by the people before the king’s duplicates. As Arthur’s duplicates returned to his body and Zara made her way back to the castle, she encountered Maya, the Queen of the Night, waiting in the air. Maya, adorned in a black gown and wielding a staff with a crystal ball, pointed her staff at Zara, unleashing a powerful surge of dark energy that sent her plummeting from the sky to the ground, causing an explosion. Witnessing Zara enveloped in dark energy and descending to the earth filled Maya’s heart with a twisted sense of satisfaction. Hurriedly, Maya departed, knowing that the explosion would alert the guards of the royal house castle.

As the day drew to a close and the king’s duplicates attended to the people, returning to Arthur’s body in a flash, their duties fulfilled, a few seconds passed before Arthur anticipated the arrival of his queen. While he waited, a guard relayed information through their communication device to the castle, reporting that the queen had fallen from the sky into a dense forest, surrounded by dark energy. Maxwell, the chief captain, swiftly received the information and reported to the king. Falling to one knee and bowing, Maxwell addressed Arthur.

“My king, news has reached us from the land regarding the queen,” he said.

Arthur, filled with impatience and concern for his beloved, urged Maxwell to speak.

“The queen was sighted falling from the sky and landing in a desolate forest, enveloped in dark energy,” Maxwell revealed.

“No, this cannot be! No one has ever come close to harming Zara in such a manner. I must go to her immediately,” Arthur declared.

Without hesitation, Arthur soared out of the castle, heading toward the location where Zara usually sat. Using his keen vision, he surveyed the lands and was taken aback when he spotted a dark energy shrouding someone in the deserted forest. He flew swiftly toward Zara, scooped her up, and hastened back to the castle, ensuring that mortals wouldn’t witness her lifeless form on the ground, preventing them from perceiving darkness overpowering light. Upon reaching the castle, Arthur gently placed Zara on a bed and, with a touch of his fingers, attempted to see who had caused this harm. As he touched her eyes, a vision revealed that Zara had flown directly to Maya, who, with her staff, had struck her down. Anger surged within Arthur, and he cried out in fury.

While Arthur wept, the palace healers entered the room to tend to Zara. Mayan, possessing the gift of healing, joined them as they surrounded the still-unconscious queen, weakened by Maya’s dark energy. Despite their best efforts, they fell to their knees, pleading for mercy, as they had failed to heal the queen. Paying them no attention, Arthur walked out of the room, observing that those who had been blessed by the universe could not even cause a flicker of hope in Zara’s eyes. Restlessly pacing in his throne room, he suddenly remembered Hellas, who possessed dark powers. Hastily, he sought her out.

Hellas, bowing in deference to the king, was surprised to see him at her door.

“Greetings, my king,” she said.

“Hellas, I know you are aware of the queen’s condition, and I know you have the power to break the spell that binds her,” Arthur declared.

“My king, you have forbidden me from using such magic. I have honored your words,” Hellas replied.

“I am now asking you to disregard my previous command and use your power,” Arthur demanded.

“No, my king, but there is another way,” Hellas proposed.

“What other way?” Arthur inquired.

“The princess, my king,” Hellas revealed.

“What do you mean? Explain,” Arthur pressed.

“The princess possesses the same power and light as the queen. While it may take a week for the queen’s radiant energy to course through her veins and free her from the dark energy, the princess can connect to her light energy, granting it the strength it needs to liberate the queen,” Hellas explained.

“Then we must speak to her immediately. Follow me,” the king commanded.

Lara sat in class, trying to focus on the lesson when she suddenly heard her father calling her name.

“Lara,” Arthur said.

Despite her reluctance to respond, her father persisted, calling out to her continuously. Unable to concentrate due to the persistent calls, Lara decided to come up with an excuse to leave the class.

“Miss Nadia, may I be excused for a moment? I need to use the restroom,” Lara requested.

Miss Nadia nodded in agreement and continued with her teaching. Lara swiftly left the school premises and found herself in the empty school field. She responded to her father’s continuous calls.

“I’m sorry, father. I was in class,” Lara said.

“Daughter, I need your help,” Arthur said urgently.

“But father, I’m far away from you. How can I be of any help when I’m not with you?” Lara replied.

“Your mother has been affected by a dark energy. Hellas will guide you on how to free her,” Arthur explained.

“Mother? When did this happen? Talk to me, Hellas. How can I save the queen?” Lara inquired.

“Princess, based on what your mother told me weeks ago about her light energy, you will have to fly up to the clouds, surrender yourself to the light of the universe, let it flow through you, and then channel it to your mother,” Hellas explained.

“I’ve never done anything like this before. I don’t know if I can do it,” Lara expressed her doubts.

“Just try, daughter. If you don’t attempt it, it will take a week to bring your mother back,” Arthur urged.

“Focus your mind on home. Concentrate on your mother,” Hellas advised.

Feeling worried and unsure, Lara questioned Hellas, “How do you know so much about these things when I’m still learning about my powers?”

“I believe it’s a gift passed down by blood from my mother or father,” Hellas replied.