First Nightmare: The Blood River

Leoric rose from the couch and walked towards the bed. He gazed at the pale yet stunning face of his newly-wed wife. Her face was perfectly symmetrical, with thick, long eyelashes that could be mistaken for artificial. Her upper lip resembled Cupid's bow, while her lower lip was full and luscious. He had seen many beautiful women, but hers was at a different level. Her eyelashes, eyes, nose, lips, and chin were perfectly coordinated, resulting in a face one could not forget.

The woman stirred, and her brows were furrowed.

Leoric wondered if she was having a nightmare. He reached out to smooth the crease on her forehead, but as he realized what he was doing, his hand stopped halfway. He put his hand in his pocket and returned to the couch, where he sat down.

Angel was having a dream.

"Lando, promise me, no matter what, you must save her." King Toren was panting, shoving a little bundle wrapped in white cloth into his arms.

"No, my king, I cannot leave you now. We can still defeat them," Lando said amidst the screams, as chilly as the night breeze that filled the air.

"There is no time. Take this." The king took his necklace and handed it to Lando with his dagger.

King Toren peeked at the sleeping baby and gave her a quick peck on the forehead.

"I'm sorry, my little princess. I cannot watch over you. Grow up bravely and take revenge for us. My spirit will guide you," he croaked.

He used his strong hands to push Lakan onto a small boat and cut the rope attached to the ship. He then handed Lando a wooden paddle which he caught instinctively.

"I am counting on you, Lando. You are my most heroic Lakan. Protect her with your life and help her take back what has been stolen from us." He watched as the small boat and the slouched figure of his most loyal phari disappeared into the darkness of the night.

He hurried back to the cabin where his wife was. He found her looking at the door, and under the flickering light of the torch, he could see her smile—the smile she had given him when she had sent him off with their child earlier.

She shielded him from the spear of a warrior who sneakily entered their cabin to kill him. That was Yuri, one of the pharis he selected to serve and protect his family, but he betrayed him in the end. Despite her wounded body, Queen Narida pierced Yuri's chest with a sword, giving King Toren time to flee with their daughter Tala.

"Go. Save her first." Her breath was labored. She could feel her life force leaving her body.

"I love you. I will wait for you to save me." Queen Narida gave him her sweetest smile despite the excruciating pain in her body.

When King Toren was gone, she whispered in the air. "Sorry, my love. I can't keep my promise. I cannot hold on anymore." She closed her eyes, and her clenched fists went limp.

King Toren kneeled beside her and gently held her in his arms. He swept away the bloody hair that covered her face. He pressed his lips on her cold ones before letting out a beastly scream that pierced through the stillness of the night. His agonizing screams startled the birds resting on the trees lining the river bank, and they flurried away in panic. The warriors fighting outside paused for some time as fear gripped their hearts.

He picked up the spear that took his wife's life, and with the sword in his right hand, he left the cabin in big strides.

It was now the crack of dawn. The east was splashed with warm yellow and pink hues, and the sun, like a shy lady hiding behind a fan, did not want to show its full face but let its rays peek teasingly from the horizon. What a beautiful scene, a scenery that every artist dreamt of capturing on a canvas with his brush.

King Toren surveyed his surroundings. The six boats that escorted their boat were devoid of their occupants, and dead bodies were sprawled everywhere. The few remaining warriors fought hard to keep their enemies from entering the King's boat.

The Pharis were incapacitated and unable to use their powers. A traitor from within their ranks poisoned the ship's water source, restraining their ability to use their mana. Without the ability to use the 'force', they turned into ordinary warriors.

King Toren moved forward and killed a few rebel warriors with his sword and spear. He killed a few more, but there were too many, and his strength ebbed away each time he swung his sword.

All his remaining pharis were subdued, and he himself had no more strength left. He dropped the spear on the floor but held on to his sword, which he used to prop himself up.

"O my, O my! You killed many of your brave warriors today, my brother!" A man, a head taller than the rest wearing regal clothing like his, stepped out from behind the row of warriors.

"Look at the river, brother. The water glistens like ruby in the morning light. That's the blood spilled from your proud and stupid warriors who did not take my side!" 

King Toren gasped. "You.."

He stepped back and clutched his chest. He let go of his sword, and it fell to the ground. The pain he was feeling from his wounds was nothing compared to the pain of knowing the identity of the perpetrator who betrayed him.

Facing him with mockery written all over his face was his half-brother, his second in command, the mighty Zurin, whom he trained.

"You traitor! This is treason!"

"Ha ha ha ha! Indeed, you are right, and you lost! Today, I will be the new King, and the Kingdom of Atralis is mine," he said, laughing maniacally. The air surrounding him swirled.

Zurin took a few steps forward until he was a sword's length from the king, who was badly injured.

"You are now stripped of your crown, my brother! As your new king, kneel before me, and I might have mercy on you and spare your life!" Zurin drew his sword and pointed it to King Toren's neck.

King Toren answered him with a taunting smile. "Over my dead body."

With lightning speed, he pulled his two daggers from his thighs and slashed Zurin's face in a cris cross pattern.

Gasps were heard from the warriors standing behind Zurin. Before King Toren can plunge the daggers into the traitor's chest, a shower of arrows hits his body. He fell on his back.

"Aaaaahhhh." Zurin's screams were agonizing. The ship's mast was cut in half because of the power that emanated from his screams.

"Kill him. Kill him." He ordered as he staggered backward, holding his bleeding face with both hands.

"Your Majesty, I think he is already dead. So many arrows pierced his body." One of his warriors said a tremor could be sensed in his voice.

King Toren knew he was dying. So much blood gushed out from the many wounds on his body.

With his last ounce of strength, he cried out in a booming voice. "All of you traitors who betrayed Astralis today, you will regret it! Your end will come upon you ten times worse than what you have accorded us today! And you, my brother, whatever is not yours will never be yours! I placed a mark on your face, and when the time comes, that mark of a traitor will haunt you. Bathala, I implore you to bear witness to this day!"

He shifted his gaze to follow where the river flows towards the sea. "My little Princess Tala…" Then he looked at the sky. "My little angel..." His voice was so soft that nobody heard it.

With much difficulty, he cried in his loudest voice ever. "Remember this day and avenge us! Avenge Astralis and take it back!" He closed his eyes and breathed his last.

Angel opened her big eyes!