1 Against the Law of the Land

"According to the law of Akijam, you, Queen Macrena is now stripped from your duties as the ruler of this land and be banished to the land of the mortals. You are no longer belong to this kingdom and do not have the right to be called god."

Macrena firmly gripped the sides of her dress as she heard the final verdict of the elders of the land of Akijam, the land she grew up, the land built up by her ancestors for them to rule. Her heart was full of fury that made her body tremble.

"This are the final words from the Counsel of Ednir, and no one should oppose, not even the queen goddess. You will be replaced by your next of kin, Lord Matius."

Her glimmering blue eyes flew over to the smirking man on the right side of her throne. Her uncle Matius, the only blood relative she had, this evil man who pretends to be good and schemed her to this situation!

She gritted her teeth in a fury and gave him her coldest look, sending him the message of hate, silently. The man stared back at her with his chin up and a devilish smirk, mocking her.

The Counsel of Ednir, the elderly and advisers to the throne, is composed of seven members, they have the right to decide if the queen or the king is unable to do so, this time, they decided since she, the queen, was the accused.

"Your highness..." the leader of the counsel stepped up to where she was seated with a respectful look at his face. "I will now take the scepter," he held his hand in front of her.

Instead of replying to the counsel head, she stood up, calming herself, she spoke. "Listen, Akijam, my beloved land!" she swept her eyes to the people witnessing her dethronement. "I will step down from this throne not because I am guilty in violation you are accusing me!" her was voice loud and clear, she intended for all the gods and other creatures who were present to hear. "I will go in honor of the decision made by the counsel, but one thing is certain, this is a plot against me, and I am warning everyone to be very careful and take good care of this beloved land. Otherwise, we will lose it!" she gave a hateful look at her uncle, one more time.

She held the wand in her hand and raised it above her head. "In the name of my father Lord Mordeco, I swear, I will come back and take what is rightfully mine and will bring destruction to whoever schemed the true killer of that innocent human being and me!" she shouted with all her might and full of resolution. Her eyes were burning with fury and longing for justice.

In one hundred twenty-seven of her existence, she never felt such rage. She was not embarrassed at all that she was being dethroned. All she could feel was that she was unfairly judged and given unjust punishment without allowing her to prove her innocence.

The members of the counsel, together with the citizens of the land who heard her, cowered in fear. Fear in her vow to return and bring destruction. No god had ever tried to return in the kingdom after banishment to another world, or they will be destroyed and will be locked on one of the foundation stone of the kingdom. Considering also her destructive power that no other gods dared to challenge.

"Your highness…" the elderly man in front of her trembled and looked at her in fear. "Please retract your vow in honor of your father," he fearfully whispered to her so nobody can hear.

Instead of listening to the elderly, "May my father bless me!" she shouted and handed the wand to the head of the counsel.

The whispered murmur filled the throne room in her last word.

"Is it even possible for her to come back?" one audience asks to another.

"No one ever dare to come back."

"If she can come back…"

"Isn't she being bold in swearing-in her father's name? How dare she use Lord Mordeco's name, even if he is her father," one creature said.

"I heard she struck the poor human with a bolt of lightning." Another creature said.

"She still dares to say she will come back?"

"She looks like she has no remorse at all. Tsk, what a shameless creature."

"I still can not believe that she can do such a horrendous crime."

The buzzing sound inside the hall was becoming bigger as each one pointed out their opinions.

While she stepped down the throne, her uncle spoke. "It hurts my heart to see my dear niece receive this kind of punishment, but as the new ruler, everyone must abide by the law of the land and receive whatever punishment they deserve." He looked at her with pretense sadness in his eyes. He was showing to the audience that he was concern about her as his relative.

Matius made his way to the throne, who Macrena just vacated and stood in front of it and face the audience. "It is my honor to serve the creatures of the land of Akijam!" he proudly yelled then received the scepter handed to him by the head of the counsel.

Macrena, for the last time, took a sweeping look at the audience, her head held high, not showing any remorse or emotion in her face and walked down from the throne. She walked to the side of the hall out from one of the doors.

She released a deep sigh when she was out of the hall. Her maid went to her in a hurry and held her arms.

"Your highness…" the maid looked at her with sadness in her eyes. Tears were starting to form on the side of her eyes.

"We better go, there is so much to prepare before I leave." She walked away from the maid and went to her chamber in the palace.

How dare they stripped her from her throne and frame her up in killing an innocent human being?! Her heart was beating fast in her rage as she hurriedly went to her chamber. The tears that were threatening to fall earlier freely dropped and rolled on her cheeks. She aggressively wiped them with her hands. She doesn't feel sad; instead, she was furious. Her whole body was trembling in full fury as hot tears continuously flow from her eyes. She was wrongly accused and judged unfairly! She cried in silence in her room, longing for her father to be there to guide her.

It has only been five years when she ascended the throne as the new ruler of the kingdom of Akijam, the land of mystic creatures. Them, the gods were in the highest in their social status, any other creatures, such as the fairies and the elves, fell slave under their kinds during her ancestor's reigns. The mages and sorcerers were the exceptions, for they were regarded as the enemy of their kinds.

Only when she sat as the queen that she dissolved the ancient practice of their land and freed the fairies and the elves free from their slavery and gave them equal rights as the gods. Many were pleased; however, some opposed to this decree.

-----

A week ago.

"I really don't like the way my niece let those elves free. They should be making homes and slaves for us gods!" Matius was seated on the receiving of his palace, talking to Arwono, one of the members of the Counsel of Ednir. They were the number one opposition to the enthronement of Macrena as the ruler of the land when Lord Mordecu, her father, died. Matius was the younger brother of Mordecu and had been longing to sit on the throne. He believed that he was more capable of ruling the land than his soft-hearted niece. He has been planning to take the throne from his brother, but his brother has a massive loyal supporter. When Mordecu died, he saw an opportunity. However, Macrena got the heart of most of the creatures in the land and their support.

"What do you think of me sitting on the throne?" Matius looked at the man sitting opposite him.

The man stroked his beard and looked at him in delight. "You will be a remarkable ruler. You are strong and capable."

When it comes to power, no one can surpass Macrena. However, Macrena, the goddess of healing and destruction, is too kind-hearted; she rarely used her destructive powers, making it useless in Matius' opinion.

"Isn't it?" he smiled. "That Macrena, she is too soft, that's why the creatures can just easily play around." He pouted in disgust. "If I can only find a way for her to give me the throne." He furrowed his brows and went into deep thinking.

"If you really wanted her to abdicate the throne, there is only one way." The elder looked at Matius with a meaningful eye.

Matius' eyes glistened, "What is it, Arwono? Tell me!" he excitedly leaned over to the man.

Arwono, thinking that he was doing an excellent job in supporting Matius, strokes his beard with a delightful smile on his lips. "The law against the humans."

Matius was a little startled about the idea of Arwono, "You mean, human murder?" his eyes grew wide as he looked at his accomplice.

The man nodded, still stroking his beard, leaning on his back.

"But how will we do that? Macrena is fully aware of the law?" the excitement Matius' face vanished in an instant, thinking about the impossibility of the idea.

In their land, every creature was free to live harmoniously with other groups of creatures, including the mortals, but mortals can not see them in their bodily form. There was only one law applied to all beings regarding humans. That is not to kill them for any reason. They can either inflict physical and mental illness as a punishment or can reward them with treasure. But, no matter how bad the human can be, they must not be killed.

"We have to make her do it…or…we'll do it ourselves." Arwono's eyes were sparkling with his evil plan.

"You mean, we're killing a human?!" Matius gasped in unbelief. His eyes were wide, looking at the man across him.

"And blame it on her."

Matius leaned on his back on the seat. He was starting to understand their scheme made sense. "That is a very bright idea, Arwono!" he exclaimed. "The whole of Akijam will be disappointed when they hear their beloved queen violated the sacred law against humans." He let out a devilish laugh imagining himself seated on the most coveted throne. 'I will be King Matius, ruler of the kingdom of Akijam!'

-----

Back to the present.

"Your highness, Lord Mokabe, is here to see you." Her maid informed her of the presence of a visitor.

"I will see him." She released a deep sigh. She only has a few hours left before she walks out from the portal to the human world. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Nobody would have known that she was a queen, in her looks now, stri.pped with her usual elegant dress and robes. Her face was void from colorful jewelry and her crown.

Lord Mokabe, the head of the Counsel of Ednir, silently stood up when he saw her walked out from her room. They were in the inner chamber of her palace, where she receives distinguished visitors only. The elder head was a loyal companion and advisor of her father when he was a king. She respects and trusts the elder leader and his decisions. She considered the older man as her second father.

The elder looked at her with sadness and pity in his eyes. She was dressed in a simple house dress and her face void of any color. Her hair was freely draped at her back, swaying as she moves. She was not the queen Macrena the elder knew.

"My lord," she made a small bow to the old man.

"Your highness," the man replied with a bow too.

"How can an elderly call an ordinary woman like me 'your highness?'" she chuckled and gestured the older man to sit down in front of her.

"You are still your father's daughter." Mokabe smiled at her with a sad expression.

"Can you please do not look at me with those pitiful eyes." She pouted at him. "I don't like it."

"How many hours left?" he asked instead, not changing his sad tone. If there was one person who cares the most about Macrena, it's him. He watched this woman grew up to a lovely and strong woman until she ascended to the throne. And now he stripped her from her throne himself. He was heartbroken. What can he do? He was only one vote against the majority of the counsel.

"I have four more hours to play around." She chuckles. Then her eyes became serious. "The vow I made earlier."

Mokabe's eyes grew solemn as well.

"I will come back and reclaim the throne." She spoke surely in a smooth and undeterred tone.

Mokabe looked straight to her eyes with seriousness. "You know that it is almost impossible, right?"

"It is almost impossible…" she nodded. "Then, there is a complicated way?"

"I never heard of any successful story, or even tried it. I don't even know if there is a way." Mokabe shook his head helplessly.

"I will find a way." Her voice is full of resolution.