1 Going to Alcazar

Victoria had long accepted her fate. Being the human reincarnation of an unknown goddess,she was destined to bring about hope as well as justice to the Light Realm otherwise known as Elveria, and . Fighting in the War had been her destiny, but now she had little say or will when it came to self-preservation

Her entire being was created to be the salvation of Elvaria but despite her efforts in the War, she couldn't help her people achieve victory. The Shadow Realm – Acalzar had won the three-hundred-year war and she had not felt any more incompetent, even with her godlike abilities, she wasn't strong enough.

Elveria looked like it would end and the people she battled to protect would perish or be enslaved, so when the newly crowned Demon King the reason why Acalzar suddenly attained victory, announced that he had no interest in slavery or collecting spoils of war,Victoria felt a relief far greater than any, but she didn't forget the lives of those lost to the bloodthirsty hands of the Acalzarian soldiers.

Especially her earthly parents, she would never forgot their deaths.

The anger as well as a sense of justice made her shift her plans. She would no longer have to play a part in a war where the friend you made today might be the one you watched die tomorrow. All she had to do was kill the new King, and she would watch as the Shadow Realm crumbled without a King to rule it. Up until the next Blood Eclipse where the gods would appoint a new one to restore balance, the Light Realm would have nothing but peace for about a thousand years.

An opportunity eventually came for Victoria to worm her way into the Shadow court,by getting closer to the Demon King himself as a potential queen (if she was unbelievably lucky) or concubine to his haremIt was shocking to Victoria's people, when the Alcazarian soldiers came for her under the order of their King, and she didn't put up a fight..

She was known for being the one woman to stand against the Shadow court, so it made no sense for her to want to be a part of it, not only that, she was a goddess reincarnated. This earthly body of hers had to be pure forever, meaning no sex or childbirth until it became ash and her godly spirit had to find another vessel. Being a concubine meant she would have to lose her virginity eventually and become a mother.

"You don't suppose it isn't too late to turn back?" Mallory said, trying to convince her.

Mallory was Victoria's nurse; she had always stuck by Victoria's side throughout her life, from Victoria's Elemental training to her days fighting on the battlefield, Mallory was like the sister she never had.

Victoria rolled her golden eyes and turned to the window of the flying carriage, it didn't fly per se, more like the horses pulling the carriage were walking on a transparent path amongst the clouds, a road deserted for the Royals of Elveria and in recent cases, Elementals.

Victoria was somewhat of a goddess, so she had every right to voyage through the Mystic Path. It was an effortless way to get to the Shadow Realm. She smoothed out her white silk dress with golden roses embroidered all over it. White and gold was the color of the Light Realm.

"Too late to back out now…even if we could, the soldiers of the Shadow Realm will come for our heads."

Mallory placed her shaking hands on her lap, her brown eyes filled with fear. She was loyal…too loyal, never once had she abandoned Victoria on her journey to achieve her destiny, even as she had always spoken about how much she never liked Victoria's decisions.

They were journeying towards the lion's den. The Realm was full of darkness, evil, shadows, monstrous creatures, and dark magic.

Mallory knew Victoria wouldn't survive there, that place was a completely different world compared to the Light Realm. She fought back tears, Victoria said the reason why they were going to the enemy kingdom was because of the influence she would have there in court, the Alcazarians would be less likely to start another war if she joined them as an Ally. But Mallory knew that wasn't the only reason why Victoria was going there, Victoria hated the Alcazarians with burning passion.

Mallory knew if she asked, Victoria would only lie to her again.

Victoria placed her hand on top of Mallory's own. "It's alright, Mal." She said softly. "The Oracle said we would be safe there."

"The Oracle?" Mallory scoffed. "The same Oracle that's said we'd win the war? The same Oracle that said we would win and that all we had to do was pray and celebrate in advance. We can't put trust in the Oracle anymore."

"The Demon King sent for me to join his Selection, you know very well I can't refuse." Victoria defended. "I have no choice."

"The Victoria I knew would have fought, she would have found a way around it, you know full well that you're the vessel of a goddess. You cannot give your body to a man, much less the Demon King!"

"Maybe she has just given up!" Victoria retorted, starting to get irritated. "Victoria has been fighting since the day she was born, she's just glad that Elveria hasn't been wiped out! All she wants is to secure whatever peace is left now that the war is over!"

Mallory glared at Victoria, "Elveria is under Alcazarian rule, the light is being ruled by darkness, aren't you angry about that?"

Victoria shrugged and darted out of the window, watching as the clouds went by, she had nothing to say to that. Not a day went by that she didn't feel either saddened or enraged about that fact. It was one of the reasons why she was planning to kill the Demon King.

Mallory watched her, being Victoria's nurse for eleven years made it easy for her to read Victoria. "What are you truly planning, My Lady?"

Victoria barely spared her a glance. "Nothing you should concern yourself with."

"I hope it's nothing stupid, you might die if you try anything suspicious." Mallory warned.

"Like I said," Victoria gave her an intimidating and cold look. "It's none of your concern."

The less people that knew of her plans the better.

*******

******

After some hours filled with silence and fearful comments for Mallory like; "I hear the sky in Alcazar is red and the clouds are black!" or "I hear the Demon King killed his own father with his bare hands to achieve the throne quickly during the last Blood Eclipse." They came to a portal that would lead them to the Shadow Realm. The portal was as large as a house, it looked like an oval mirror with reflected the carriage with dark smoke- like mist trailing along the edges.

"It's now or never." Victoria said, smoothing out her dress again out of newfound nervousness. Mallory took to whimpering and bitting her nails.

With that the horses went on, going through the portal as easily as a stone through water. Taking the goddess vessel and her trusted maid servant toward the land of the enemy.