Rika’s desert

After a few years in seclusion, Archanium had become the wind that blew between the mountains, striking, ravaging and caressing. The wind no one could escape, the wind that knew everything, he was everywhere.

A wind that allowed him to find his other half on the light world. Trapped in an aging golden body. Zaelia had been sitting on her throne all this time among the golden statues, waiting for her beloved with the little shiny ball in her arms. If he couldn't be there with her, with them, he could feel her, he could be the wind caressing her face as she cried, rustling her hair with a gentle breeze. He was all around her, and he used his powers to stay close to her until the end of her time.

Her long life was coming to an end, at last, she was free of her sorrow. Still sitting on her throne, clasping their daughter in her arms. She breathed a final sigh. Pain had never left her, yet she had never felt alone. He had always been there for her. She felt warm air on her hand as she left, and it was enough to fill her with happiness. Her golden eyes gazed up at the sky. 

"Bury us. Cover the golden city with sand, give her the most beautiful tomb that has ever been offered to a loved one."

A wave of sand rose without delay. Zaelia didn't close her eyes, she became a golden statue in the now-buried palace. What had once been the most beautiful city in the world, in honor of the most beautiful God in existence, became the most beautiful tomb for the most beloved child. 

Archanium smiled from the other world. The golden city was completely covered. 

"Rest well, my Queen, we shall meet again soon enough."

His heart was broken but he knew that one day, Zaelia would come back. In another life, in another dream, with another name.

As the last grain of sand felt on the tomb, he whispered in the wind, transporting his words to all mankind.

"And now raises Rika's Desert" 

For them, for her, for this baby girl who would never grow and have the chance to have a life. He respected the will of Zaelia and named the desert after the name she would have given her. A name that would survive in the time and the millennials. Rika would now be eternal. The desert of Rika became the biggest desert in the world. Days turned to weeks, weeks to months. Eventually, they turned to centuries and travelers came from everywhere over time to find the treasures of the Golden City. The desert became the cradle of tales and legends. Rika's name remained, synonymous with wealth, hope and glory, and Zaelia's was forgotten. 

The people who survived her reign preferred to keep it silent, in the fear that she would awake one day, rising from the sands and ruling again. 

Once upon a time, the Queen of the Sun who had golden eyes built the most beautiful city for a god. The city was wonderful, the paths were covered in marble, and golden columns were all along the main road. The city was guarded by golden statues keeping imprisoned the souls of the men and women who dared to be against her will or worshiped other gods than hers. The Queen of the Sun was merciless, she was cruel and she was serving a god of fire and destruction.

Once upon a time, a man tried to stop her. The man was killed by the god. This man was a noble hero who did everything he could do to change the fate of the world and his bravery was celebrated all around the world. 

He sent his family away to protect them under the care of the sea but he stayed to face the Queen, and even if he was scared, he did his best to do what was right. 

Once upon a time. In the desert of Rika, the golden statues of the golden city on earth stood proudly, protecting their treasure. In absolute secrecy, the city disappeared and it was said that no traveler should ever disturb the resting place of Rika or the statues would awaken.

Archanium took a deep breath.

"And so they glorify this traitor who attacked her from behind? This is what the world says about us ?"

Tridjan appeared next to him laughing. 

"Brother, what did you expect? You left a pool of blood behind you, humanity prefers to forget. I would do the same."

Archanium shook his head with a long sigh. His anger towards the world and Zarkhaïm would never lower. Tridjan was a rival, but in the end, Archanium respected him for being a fair opponent. He was seeing him as an equal while Zarkhaïm has always been his little brother, the one to be guided and be led, Zarkhaïm never was a true warrior, he didn't have rage in him like them. He was sensible and kind, he was different. Archanium could never accept that the little brother he discovered in the darkness could ally with Tridjan to defeat him. 

Tridjan was coming to visit the Ombrae from time to time. At first, it was to be sure that Archanium was respecting the deal but with the years passing the situation was a bit nicer between them. Tridjan kept in mind Archanium was a threat to humanity and the worlds in the sun. Tridjan would never let Archanium take the upper hand and Archanium needed someone to resist him and give him a challenge. 

Archanium didn't have many contacts with the outside world. He observed the humans evolving, using the winds to search for Zaelia's soul reincarnated. He made the promise to himself to always search for his Queen, no other being would ever mean anything to him, and his love would remain. He spent hours every day staring at the desert, in the nostalgia of their long nights embracing each other. He refused to lose hope, no matter what. Every time he closed his eyes he was seeing her face, admiring him, smiling at him. Tridjan stopped laughing, a little worried about Archanium's obsession with Zaelia.

"Each year passing her soul is a bit more lost, Archanium. Even if she comes back, she will never be the same."

"I will make her the same, I will find her in time. I refuse to let her into the past," answered Archanium with anger. 

Tridjan realized that if Archanium had been dangerous before, he was just a being with powers who always wanted more, but after these events, he had become a calculator. He was thinking before acting, and that made him more dangerous than ever. Tridjan was actually a little afraid that Zaelia might return one day, afraid of Archanium's secret plan and that it might provoke a new war between the three of them.