The Calm Before the Storm

When Hala finally returned to the Lazurite Pyramid, her heart light from the week-long respite in the hidden oasis, she was greeted not by the usual warmth of her people but by a palpable tension that immediately set her on edge. Her footsteps slowed as she approached the pyramid's gates, where her closest advisor, Najma, stood waiting. The ever-watchful Gypsy leader wore her usual vibrant attire, but the expression on her face was dark—her golden jewelry seemed to glint ominously in the setting sun.

Hala could feel it in the air. Something was wrong.

Najma inclined her head slightly in greeting, but there was none of the usual warmth in her voice. "Empress," she said, her tone strained, eyes flicking to the side as though she couldn't quite meet Hala's gaze. "We have much to discuss."

The weight of her words, the tightness in her voice, sent a chill down Hala's spine. She had left the kingdom in good hands—her advisors were more than capable of handling any crises that might have arisen in her absence. Yet, the tension in Najma's voice, the anger barely hidden beneath her calm exterior, told Hala that something had gone terribly wrong.

Hala nodded, though her mind was already racing. "On the fifth layer," she said firmly, deciding there was no time to waste. "Gather everyone."

As she ascended the pyramid's steps, her thoughts began to churn. What could have happened in her absence that would stir such feelings in her most trusted allies? The kingdom had been stable when she left. Had the Holy Ruberios Empire made a move? Or was it something internal—something closer to home?

Whatever it was, she would soon find out.

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The fifth layer of the Lazurite Pyramid was reserved for Hala's inner circle—a sacred place where her advisors met to discuss matters of great importance, shielded from the prying eyes of outsiders. As Hala entered the grand chamber, she immediately noticed the heavy atmosphere. Her trusted advisors stood or sat around the great circular table, each one radiating a mixture of anger, frustration, and something else she couldn't quite place—shame.

Najma took her seat near Hala's right, her face still unreadable, though her dark eyes simmered with barely controlled emotion. Faune and Pan, the elder desert fae, exchanged glances, their usually serene expressions now shadowed with concern. Even the gnomes who had been instrumental in the kingdom's technological advancements seemed unusually quiet.

But something else caught Hala's attention—Zephyra and Caelum were not present. Their seats, positioned near the head of the table, were conspicuously empty. The absence of her two envoys immediately set her on edge.

Hala's eyes narrowed as she scanned the room. "Where are Zephyra and Caelum?" she asked, her voice calm but edged with concern. "They should have returned from the Holy Ruberios Empire by now."

Her question was met with an uncomfortable silence. Her advisors shifted uneasily in their seats, some squeezing their fists in frustration, others glancing away as though unable to meet her gaze. Najma clenched her jaw, her eyes darkening as she stared at the table. Faune and Pan lowered their heads, their usual confidence now replaced with unease.

Hala's heart began to pound as a knot of worry tightened in her chest. Something terrible had happened—she could feel it. And it involved her most trusted envoys.

"What happened?" she demanded, her voice calm but sharp now, cutting through the tense silence.

It was Faune who finally spoke, her voice soft but heavy with sorrow. "Zephyra and Caelum have been… captured," she said, her words hanging in the air like a death sentence. "By the Count of the Holy Ruberios Empire."

The words hit Hala like a physical blow, and for a moment, she could only stare at Faune, her mind struggling to process the information. Captured? By the Ruberios Empire? How had this happened?

Before Hala could ask for details, Pan stepped forward, his face etched with guilt and frustration. He handed her a small, rolled letter, its seal broken, the wax bearing the unmistakable crest of the Holy Ruberios Empire.

"This came just before your return," Pan said, his voice low, barely containing the fury that simmered beneath his calm demeanor. "A ransom demand from the Count of Ruberios."

Hala took the letter from his hands, her fingers trembling slightly as she unrolled it. As her eyes scanned the words written in neat, arrogant handwriting, a surge of cold fury washed over her.

The letter was cruel and calculated, filled with mockery and threats. The Count of Ruberios, an ambitious and treacherous noble, had captured her envoys during what should have been peaceful negotiations regarding a potential trade agreement for her kingdom's magic tech. Instead of honoring their diplomatic mission, the count had taken Zephyra and Caelum prisoner and was now demanding an impossible ransom—one that included the secrets of the Lazurite Kingdom's magic tech, as well as a massive sum of Lazurite crystals.

And the threats—the vivid descriptions of what the count would do to Zephyra and Caelum if his demands weren't met—boiled Hala's blood. The letter was more than just a ransom note; it was a declaration of war wrapped in arrogance and cruelty.

The room was silent as Hala read, her expression darkening with every word. By the time she reached the end of the letter, her hands were shaking, not with fear, but with a rage so deep and cold that it chilled the very air around her.

Without a word, she set the letter in her hand ablaze, burning until there was nothing but ashes. Her mismatched eyes—one glowing golden, the other a deep, starry blue—burned with cold fury.

"How dare they," she whispered, her voice low but filled with deadly intent. "How dare they take advantage of my generosity."

Hala's advisors remained silent, watching her closely as her anger simmered just beneath the surface. They knew that her fury, once unleashed, could tear through the very fabric of reality itself. The Great Cosmic Thoth system hummed softly in the background, aware of her growing rage, but it offered no words of comfort. Hala didn't want comfort—she wanted answers.

She turned her gaze to Faune, her expression stoically calm. "Tell me everything."

___________________________________

Three days after Hala had left, Zephyra and Caelum left for their journey to the Holy Ruberios Empire.

The journey from the Lazurite Kingdom to the Holy Ruberios Empire was long and treacherous, crossing through hostile desert terrain and regions known for monstrous creatures. Zephyra and Caelum traveled with a small group of protectors, including desert fae and Pride Beasts, ensuring their safety as they made their way to the empire.

Zephyra, ever the optimist, had high hopes for the negotiations. "The Ruberios Empire is known for its greed, yes," she said to Caelum as they rode through the desert, "but they are also practical. Once they see the power of our magic tech, they'll be eager to make a deal. Who wouldn't want access to crystal tablets and VoidTV?"

Caelum, ever the cautious one, was less convinced. "The empire's nobility is fickle. They may be practical, but they're also dangerous. We can't forget that they view us as outsiders, and to them, outsiders are potential threats. We should be on our guard, Zephyra."

Zephyra gave him a soft smile. "I'm always on my guard, Caelum. But I have faith in our Empress's plan. Hala has a way of seeing things others can't. She wouldn't send us if she didn't believe this could work."

Caelum nodded, though his expression remained grim. "I trust the Empress's judgment. But still, something about this feels… off."

As they continued their journey, the group encountered a few skirmishes with desert monsters and bandits, but nothing they couldn't handle. The desert fae and Pride Beasts were skilled in combat, and with Caelum's leadership, the group made it to the Holy Ruberios Empire safely.

Upon their arrival, they were greeted with the typical cold formality of the Ruberios aristocracy. The count they were scheduled to meet was Count Orthon, a high-ranking noble who had made a name for himself through ruthless politics and his vast wealth. He was rumored to be one of the most ambitious and greedy of the Ruberios elite, a man who would do anything to further his own power.

The initial meeting between Zephyra, Caelum, and Count Orthon was cordial, though tense. Orthon seemed intrigued by the Lazurite Kingdom's magic tech, especially the crystal tablets and VoidTV, which Zephyra demonstrated during the negotiations.

"Remarkable," Orthon said, his eyes glinting with greed as he watched the crystal tablet project a moving image into the air. "Such technology could change the world. It could make Ruberios… unstoppable."

Zephyra, ever the diplomat, smiled politely. "That is exactly why we believe a trade agreement would be beneficial, Count Orthon. With our magic tech and your empire's resources, we could create something truly remarkable."

Orthon nodded, but there was something predatory in his gaze. "Indeed. But tell me, what's to stop someone from simply… taking this technology? Why trade when we could seize it for ourselves?"

Caelum tensed, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword. Zephyra, sensing the shift in the conversation, remained calm but alert.

"We are here to negotiate in good faith," Zephyra said, her tone measured. "The Lazurite Kingdom believes in cooperation, not conflict. A trade agreement would be mutually beneficial. Attempting to seize our technology by force would only lead to unnecessary bloodshed."

Orthon leaned back in his chair, smiling coldly. "Of course, of course. I was merely speaking hypothetically. I am, after all, a man of business. But you must understand, we in Ruberios have our own ways of doing things."

Despite the uneasy undertone, the negotiations continued for several days, and it seemed that a deal was close. But beneath the surface, Orthon's true intentions were beginning to take shape. The count had no interest in a fair trade. He saw the magic tech as a means to consolidate his own power and believed that if he could capture and extract the knowledge from the Lazurite Kingdom's envoys, he could control the flow of magic tech himself.

On the fourth night of the negotiations, everything changed.

Zephyra and Caelum were resting in their chambers when Ruberosian soldiers stormed the rooms, overwhelming them with sheer numbers. Despite their best efforts to fight back, Zephyra and Caelum were captured, bound in chains infused with powerful anti-magic properties that neutralized their abilities.

When Zephyra tried to use her magic to call for help, the chains tightened, cutting off her power entirely. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded, her voice filled with fury as the soldiers dragged her and Caelum into the dungeon beneath Count Orthon's estate.

The count appeared before them, flanked by his personal guard. "My dear Zephyra," he said with a smile that did not reach his eyes. "Did you really think I would let such valuable technology slip through my fingers? The Lazurite Kingdom has something that could make Ruberios the most powerful empire in the world. Why would I trade for it when I can simply take it?"

Caelum struggled against his bonds, his eyes blazing with fury. "You fool! Do you have any idea what you've done? The Empress will come for us. She will not stand for this treachery."

Orthon laughed, the sound cold and cruel. "Let her come. By the time she arrives, I will have extracted everything I need from you, and Ruberios will be ready for her."

With that, Zephyra and Caelum were thrown into the dungeon, where they were subjected to torture and interrogation. Orthon's mages attempted to break their will, hoping to force them to reveal the secrets of the Lazurite Kingdom's magic tech. But Zephyra and Caelum were loyal to Hala, and no matter how much they suffered, they refused to betray their kingdom.