The Girl in the Woods

INTRODUCTION

Every day is a bright prosperous day in the kingdom of Asteria. The wagons are being loaded, men are shouting and horses shove their hooves on the slightly muddy ground as they are being led to their stables. The alpha knight who is shouting commands stops midway when he is called by a servant, telling him that his presence is needed by the King.

He left the busy and noisy crowd and went on his way towards the palace.

As he reaches the throne room where the King is seated while picking a cherry, he bows his head and puts his hand on the hilt of his sword.

“Of what service I may serve you, your majesty?” he asked, politely, his tone is flat and calm for all those shouting.

The King made frowns as he waves the servants out of the hall to give them some privacy. They will have to talk about a very confidential matter.

"It is a great day, isn't it? The outside world is quite busy and there are rumors are spreading around that piqued my interest." He swallowed the cherry and popped his lips, it made the servant cringe because he didn't like the sound of it.

"Only if you're outside, your majesty. I have also heard about the rumors. What could it give us but a waste of time?" He tilted his head sideways and rubbed his neck as if he's stressed about what is happening.

The King stared at him with an amused look on his face and burst out laughing.

"You should take a break and enjoy, Frio. You are always the serious one, eh? Although the world is a lot of problems and rocks and fires, it is still a wonderful place. But I do not blame you, I know you!" He laughed again causing the Knight to heave a sigh and massage the bridge of his nose. Here we go again, his mind said.

"Your majesty, are we not going to discuss the important matter which is the reason that you summoned me?" He remained calm, her tone still flat.

"Hmm, oh yes, yes!" The King cleared his throat and his face became serious.

"There is darker than the world in the nighttime and is in daylight." He leaned, restlessly on his chair. The wrinkles on his forehead became clear and he looked appease. The Knight stared at him in a way, not creepily, but curious and slightly confused.

His face became solemn, then confused again, then frightened, then serious and it remained just like that.

The King looked at him and waved him away when he realized he got the hint.

"The world is born in the darkness and it will start again."

The sky was filled with smokes, coming from the blacksmith's house, the bakery's and every household's, birds chirp perching on the branches, and some are on the ground, sitting on twigs and picking worms on the seemingly dry ground.

Moki, the King's stepbrother, bowed as he arrived at the throne room. He has a favor to ask the King and he looks desperate as if he has something to accomplish sooner than later.

"Greetings, your majesty. I have a favor to ask to—" He was stopped midway when the King gestured him, his face filled with disappointment and dismay.

"I told you, I will not grant your wish unless you work hard for it, brother. Our parents—"

"You will not talk about our parents here! You were always like this. You had the throne without doing anything— I just wanted a position of my own... not like, not like some lowly servant! This punishment will become my power, brother. I swear in the name of our cruel parents." His face was filled with fury as he marches his way outside the throne room.

The King sighed, sadly.

He doesn't learn, does he? He asked himself.

Later that day, Moki was no longer in the kingdom.

It goes on and on until the King met a rightful Queen who was a commoner. He found her when he visited outside the palace. He immediately fell in love with Vixra.

Little did he know, Moki was arranging a rebellion against him. His greatness, humbleness, and kindness, where would it bring him?

A few months later, the alpha knight was rushing towards the throne room and did not hesitate to open the double doors. As he took sight of the king, he bowed instantly and went in front of him.

"My king, I have bad news. Your stepbrother, Moki is launching an attack in the palace. Our seer saw them from one of our towers and they are coming fast. They have a huge number and their weapons are rare to find. They carry large canons and arrows. Sire, our kingdom is unprepared for this. What shall we do?" He informed him in a haste. His face is full of seriousness.

The queen was seated next to the king, waiting for his orders as well.

"Send my child into the forest, and don't ever come back." His voice roared in the throne room and everybody's attention is onto him, not moving a single bit. Shocked by what they heard, but suddenly, the queen stood up from her seat.

"My king, that is ridiculous. We cannot ensure the child's safety alone with Frio!" Her face shows worries that touched the king's heart. He held her hand and told her to calm down.

"That is final. I have no other reasons to change it. I know Frio, he will not neglect my daughter and her safety. He will take good care of her and protect her with all his might." The king's eyes never left the knight's eyes and Frio nodded in agreement. Unnoticed to him the sudden fierce expression flashed on the queen's face. She looked at one of her servants, her most trusted one, and they exchanging stares that both of them only understands. The servant then left quietly, rushing.

"Yes, your majesty. But we need Spirit and Lightning to accompany us. We need fast runners, so we cannot be chased by approaching enemies."

The king summoned his horses, Spirit's color is orange, his hooves are black and his hair is silver. They shone and danced even though there is no wind inside the palace. Lightning's color is silvery-white, he is the rarest of his kind, he runs faster than spirit. Both of them are the king's majestic horses.

"Go, now." The king demanded when one of the servants rushed inside the hall to tell him that they are already in the gates, firing their canons, the wagons and properties were on fire and destroyed.

Frio nodded and took the child with him, he summoned two high hierarchy servants whom he trusts the most to come with them. Frio and the child rode Lightning, Orlando rode Spirit and Kitler had his black horse. Together they took the route at the back of the palace towards the forest, they intend to go on deeper because they knew something or someone will help them get to safety.

"The world is born in the darkness and will end in the darkness." The queen suddenly muttered under her breath while the king was busy clothing himself with armor and equipping his sword.

"My queen, the world won't end like that. The gods will protect us."

The queen was standing in the doorway and a shadow looms over her. The king noticed it and drew his sword.

"My queen! Get away from there." Vixra smiled like a witch with evil intent and raised her palms on the level of her shoulders. A hand then rested onto it as the shadow slowly revealed itself. The shock petrified the king in his place and replaced with anger.

"Traitors... traitors! How could you do this to me? How could you!"

He radiated energy from his body and transferred it into the sword. Now, the sword was engulfed in fire and it crackles with red lightning all over.

"That is a fine sword, brother. But can it defeat the two of us?" Moki grinned slyly at the king, provoking him and mocking his ability.

"Oh, you will see." The king suddenly waved his sword towards Moki, creating several fireballs that will definitely burn Moki but then, a staff countered the king's attack by wavering it to the attack points and it was the queen.

"My queen... what's this all about? I thought you remained loyal to me?"

"No. Everything was a lie and it is all your fault. You do not deserve the throne!"

She cast a spell that made the king unmoving, he was bind by strong branches that came from the ground, binding his legs and arms even his body.

"You will die. I am the daughter of the most powerful evil wizard in this kingdom and I declare you dead!"

She waved her staff in a fan shape towards the king and a bow and arrow appeared. It is dripping with a green substance that looked like a deadly poison. The king's eyes were horrified upon seeing such a weapon.

"That is the weapons used to kill my parents... I will not allow this!"

The bow and arrow were given to Moki who was looking at him with pity in his eyes, it wasn't genuine but a mockery.

"Pitiful, brother. Your reign ends here."

No!

The king dropped his sword and generated energy from his energy using the bit of his strength and took the branches from binding him. He threw his hands towards the queen, fire daggers were summoned and were rushing towards the queen.

But before it hit her, it was gone.

Because the king was already kneeling on the ground, pierced the poison arrow shot by his cruel stepbrother.

Vixra looked at Moki and kissed him on the lips then both of them went towards the king who was dumbstruck.

"I curse you both. My daughter... my daughter will avenge me, you will see!"

“My servants are following them, to make sure that your daughter will die before she will kill us.” The Queen said and laughed evilly echoing inside the palace that made everyone trembled in fear.

“We will see, Brother.” Moki chuckled and kicked his brother on the face, causing the king to drop his body on the ground— lifeless and bloodless.

"Now, the world is darkness itself."

While on the other hand, the child and three servants were on the pinnacle of the tallest mountains, watching how the kingdom was engulfed in fire and darkness. Mourning and grieving for the great loss.