Explosion after explosion rocked Guldtosia right to its foundations as Rebecca sought revenge against the False Priests. Nothing could stand her assault of magic. Mediators were reduced to ash where they stood and the Knights were knocked unconscious by Rebecca’s power. When she did reach the castle gates, they were blasted into splinters with a single strike from the Angelheart Blade. When she was inside, she met with a small surprise – the False Priests were actually going to fight her! They carried black swords that glowed darkly with their false god’s power.
They were outmatched by the pure power of the Angelheart Blade. Rebecca met them all head-on, tearing through one of them with her sword and vivisecting them with one hard tear to the left. Another Priest died with a hole burned into his chest, and another’s head exploded.
When they were all dead, Rebecca blew the apart the reinforced doors that led to the main chamber of the Priest’s chapel. To her surprise, it was completely empty save for one thing: a 12-foot creature with two jet-black, bat-like wings. This creature had the head of a dragon and the body of a bear. It had six arms, each ending in a hand that had three claws on it. Its think, hairy legs were that of a Glodistia Beast – with the knees bent backwards and four claws on each foot. It settled its blood-red eyes on Rebecca.
The aura of power vanished, and Rebecca stepped back and fell over. She had never felt so scared in her life! Was this...thing the False One’s true form? If it was, then how was she supposed to fight it? A kind of evil sneer came across its draconic face, and it lunged at Rebecca, its claws ready to rend and tear…
“NO!”
The Queen leapt in front of her daughter, and blood suddenly appeared on her back as three of the creature’s claws impaled her. The creature tossed her aside like a rag, and turned its attention to Rebecca…only to step back in shock at the sight of the massive, blood red aura surrounding her body.
“You DEMON!” she screamed, rage and sorrow apparent in her voice. “I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!”
She leapt at the demon at the same time as it leapt at her. It swung its claws, intending to rip her apart with on hit, only to reel back in shock as its claws struck a fiery shield. Screeching in pain, the demon leapt back, its middle-right clawed hand smoking and black. It screeched in agony when Rebecca’s sword tore up its right wing with apparent ease, the magic of the blade tearing through the thick membrane with terrible ease. It retaliated by opening its mouth and sending a blast of pure black energy at Rebecca. Her shield shook with the impact, but remained intact. Another blast followed that, and another two after that. Finally, Rebecca had just had enough, and decided to end it right here, right now. She raised her sword above her head, and the blade shone with power.
“I call upon all of the gods of Truth and Justice to aid me now in my time of need! Vanquish this demon to the darkest abyss, so that it may never again harm another living soul!”
The entire
chapel seemed to quake as Rebecca’s prayers were answered. Your prayer is
answered, child, came several power-filled voices in one united voice. For
you are indeed worthy!
A great pillar of light engulfed Rebecca, giving her power unknown by any mortal. The pillar narrowed into her blade, and she lowered into an attacking position in front of her. She looked at the demon, smirking when she saw it quake in fear.
“Prepare for oblivion.”
With that, she leapt at the demon and drove her blade straight into its heart, a massive aura of power surrounding her.
“Hilara Lis
AGARA!!”
The second those words left her mouth; the demon knew that it was over. The energy from the sword literally exploded inside of its chest, blowing it into ash before it could even utter a scream of pain.
The huge blast of power tore the chapel apart, leaving nothing in the room intact.
Darkness overtook Rebecca, and she welcomed it.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*
“Hey! She’s waking up!”
“She is? Thank the gods! She’s alive!”
Rebecca opened her eyes slowly, wincing at the light. “Ouch.”
“Becca!” Samuel came running over to her and hugged her tightly, pulling away second later, his face a bright red. “I’m…glad you’re alive.”
Rebecca smiled and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. “Thanks.”
Samuel blushed and stood up and walked away. Mary chuckled and helped her up, her face suddenly grave. “Your mother’s dead,” she said. “That means that you’re the Queen.”
Rebecca looked down. “I know,” she said. “She gave her own life to save mine. I managed to kill the False One. His body was reduced to ash…”
“…Along with the chapel,” Alex walked up to her, smiling. “I never realised just how powerful you were, Your Highness. The False One underestimated you as well, it seems, and he paid for it. His Priests have all surrendered and are in prison.”
Rebecca nodded. “Good,” she said. “How…are the Knights? I was forced to fight them when I got here.”
“All of my Knights are alive, Highness.” Richard walked up to her and knelt down. “You managed to control your power just enough so that they would survive.”
“Yes, I did,” Rebecca replied. “They are fine warriors.”
“We have yet to find the Fourth Warrior,” Alex said. “If we haven’t found the him, or her, yet, then that means that your troubles are not over.”
Rebecca sighed. “Oh do try and look on the bright side of things,” she said. “At least now I can improve the center of the city! Those people won’t have to suffer anymore.”
To this, they all nodded. Then Samuel came up to Rebecca. “What was the False One like?” he asked.
“Ugly,” Rebecca said. “Now give me your sword.”
Samuel looked at her, but did as she asked. She took it by the handle and held it up, looking at it closely.
“Edana.”
The sword glowed brightly, and changed into a 5-foot broadsword made of clear crystal with a silver handle. The cross guard was made to look like leaves from a tree, and there was a red jewel embedded where the blade met the cross guard. “Kneel,” she said. When he was on one knee, she took the blade and touched it lightly on his shoulders.
“I name thee Sir Samuel the Tempest, Knight to the Sorceress Queen,” she said, and the sword glowed, and Samuel was suddenly dressed in white armour made from strong crystal. “Arise.”
Samuel stood up and accepted the sword, sheathing it moments later. “I am honoured, my Queen,” he said. “I will always be loyal to you.”
Rebecca nodded. “I know.”
*-*-*-*-*-*
The funeral was held the next day. Everybody came – this was the burial of the queen after all. They buried her in the Angelheart family tomb, right next to her husband. The tomb was sealed again, and Rebecca used her new powers to place a Spell of Protection on the tomb, so that nobody could despoil the tomb and the bodies within. After the ceremony, they all dispersed, looking forward the crowning that would happen two days after the funeral.
*-*-*-*-*-*
Samuel waited patiently outside Rebecca’s bedroom for her. He turned when the door opened, and stared at her wide-eyed and open-mouthed. Her brown hair was held back with a white jewelled clip, and she wore a long white, strapless, dress that fell like a waterfall about her feet, which were covered in white boots. She was wearing white elbow-length gloves, and the Angelheart sword was at her side in its silver sheath. She smiled at him.
“Close your mouth, you’re catching flies.”
Samuel blinked and snapped his mouth shut. “You look beautiful,” he said.
“I know, doesn’t she?” Mary smiled as she walked out behind Rebecca, dressed in a long red dress with puffy sleeves, and the same waterfall effect of Rebecca’s dress. She held the Staff of Galachar in her right hand, and her golden hair was loose around her shoulders. “How do I look?”
“Almost as good as Rebecca,” Samuel said.
“Suck up.”
“Oh be quiet, I’m telling you the truth!”
Rebecca chuckled. “Come on, we have a crowning ceremony to get to.”
*-*-*-*-*
“And with this crown, I name you Queen Rebecca Sarah Angelheart!” the newly appointed High Priestess of Deltania said. Rebecca bowed her head and accepted the crown with a straight face – this was a massive responsibility that she was accepting.
“I accept the crown,” she said. “And I promise to improve the Lower-Class District, so that nobody suffers in our fair city! I ask for your help in this task, Nobles of Guldtosia. For too long have we ignored the Unfortunates living in the centre of the city! We must now accept responsibility for them, as well as ourselves!”
The crowd cheered, and the ceremony ended and the reign of the Sorceress Queen, fairest and most just of all of Trivadia’s Queens, began.
End of Book One