The Destroyer's Prophecy

 "You have quite the nerve to willingly bring this human to me, brother." Zeya glared angrily at Lex, who just ignored it by avoiding eye contact.

 "Weren't you the one that kept badgering me to get along with everyone, sister?" Lex asked with a shoulder shrug, welcoming himself inside her chambers. "I'm merely listening to your wishes as an obedient older brother would."

 "... That still doesn't give you the authority to bring whoever you please to my private chambers." Zeya managed an insult before she turned to the princess.

 Hesitantly, she stepped backwards into her room so that there was enough space for the human to walk in herself.

 "I've been seeing you more often than I'd like, Princess. Were humans always this stubborn?"

 "I'm just here to extend an invitation hailing from Toyah, Your Majesty." She explained before pulling out what appeared to be a formal letter. "Their advisors paid me a visit earlier today and had expressed their emperor's willingness to have the Roseabelles join this time around."

 "... Are you saying Muir himself offered this invitation?" Zeya seemed surprised, checking the letter to confirm Kaari's claims. "Hm, since when were those water beasts so welcoming to outsiders like us?"

 "... It appears like the two of you are close?" Lex inquired, noticing his sister's expression soften ever so slightly.

 "... We used to train under the same marksman when we were younger. He was the only one who could handle being my sparring partner amongst the many other students." Zeya answered, placing the letter on top of her desk. "However, we did lose contact after father officially declared war with the Kaxarenes. I doubt he still remembers me now. It has been centuries since we last met after all."

After the war concluded, Stygia cut off all foreign ties with its former allies, turning into an isolated state.

 Numerous nations, including Toyah, tried countless times to restore its ties with Stygia but Baron Reyes, Zeya's father, rejected those offers every time.

This strategy was primarily aimed at damaging their chances of attacking the weakened nation, given their heavy reliance on Stygian weaponry.

 For once in her life, she had agreed with her father's decision and had no intentions of changing anything... at least for the moment.

 "You shall go to Toyah alone, Princess. There's no point in letting outsiders into personal business. It'll do only more harm if Muir finds out I'm alive." She declared, determined not to fuel the rumors of her survival by revealing herself to Muir. "Now if that is all you're here to say, I'd like to ask you to leave so I can rest."

"Are you just going to reject the offer so easily?" Kaari asked, watching how Zeya effortless dismissed the invitation. "Please, I implore you to reconsider your decision. This could be a wonderful opportunity for our two species to grow closer-" 

"I thought we already had this conversation before." Zeya shut her down, utterly unbothered. "Now leave, before I make you."

"Forgive me for what I'm about to say but... " Kaari spoke with hesitance, the fidgeting of her hands increasing with each passing second.

 "I just can't help but feel as though you're going to this length because of your past with emperor Varen. Perhaps this is your way to get back at him... b-by making everything more difficult than it should be."

 "..."

 "M-My apologies, Empress." Kaari stuttered out an apology when she realized that she had gone too far.

 "Since my return, my primary goal has been to suppress the centuries-old resentment for the benefit of all, myself included. Perhaps this is how I am attempting to come to terms with the relationship my foolish father had made with your kind while I was away."

"... I admire the love you have for your people, truly, I do. However, we both know how this will end." 

The whites of Zeya's eyes had turned pitch black.

 "The ignorance you bring to this conversation is almost appalling, Princess. Did you really think that this alliance movement you had out up for show will work wonders when it was your kind that ruined it in the first place? Don't make me fucking laugh." 

 "... A human that dares to dig too deeply never survives for long, Princess Kaari."

 Zeya's voice had dropped an octave, her eyes glowing a brilliant golden hue.

 "Whatever past, present or future I have with Varen should be none of your concern. So, stay out of it."

"Humans and Roseabelles will never learn to live peacefully side by side. It doesn't matter how hard you, Varen or even Father force it." Zeya heaved a heavy sigh, growing tired of the Kaari's persistence. "You and I are the perfect example of this."

"Because nothing can go against nature, not even magic."

 "I believe the empress has said enough, Princess." Lex finally decided to get in between the two, gently guiding the crushed human towards the door. "Get some rest, sister. I'll come see you another time, when you are less tense."

 "Don't even bother to show up if you're thinking of bringing that pesky human again, Lexian." Zeya concluded the conversation with her final warning before shutting them out with a loud bang.

=====================

The darkness that enveloped Zeya's room was somewhat comforting to the empress as she sluggishly walked towards the bed.

 Right now, even the tiniest ray of light was going to make Zeya absolutely lose it, especially after that ordeal she had with the princess just a moment ago.

 Her hands were trembling from the complicated mixture of emotions and not even a swig of hard alcohol could steady them.

Varen had started to grow busier by the day after he foolishly decided to postpone his duties just to find Zeya.

The entire wing of the palace was interlaced with a gigantic magical bubble to conceal any of the magical traces she may have left from him as an extra measure.

 It served as an ideal disguise method, should Varen suddenly choose to sweep the premises for her presence.

 Nothing seemed to be going to plan, and even after months of searching, she still couldn't seem to capture the monster.

 She was slowly starting to lose hope in herself, but she tried not to think too much of it; after all, it would only lead to the loss of her precious sleep.

 She dug through the drawers where she had secretly kept the medication that was prescribed to her long ago.

 Margaret had specifically told her to stop taking the pills, but Zeya was starting to grow desperate.

 The spell contract she shared with Varen was no longer beneficial anymore due to the distance between them but at least it wasn't hurting her either.

 "Desperate times call for desperate measures." She told herself as she gulped down two tablets in one swift motion.

She nestled into the soft, velvety sheets, and soon, her eyelids became heavy, the weight of tiredness drawing her into the deep abyss of unconsciousness.

=================

Zeya awoke to find herself encircled by strangers. They chattered incessantly as she remained motionless, completely bewildered by the scene unfolding around her. 

 'Where in the world am I?' She thought, looking around frantically.  'I... I could've sworn I was in bed.'

 She was almost certain that this was unfamiliar territory. Everywhere she looked had an interesting blue hue, as if she was looking through a pair of tinted windows.

She remained in the same attire that she slept with, but everyone else was dressed formally, as though they were attending a party. 

 She realized that they were not ordinary when she could not make out any of their facial features. Every face she tried to make out seemed blurry, likely because she was in a dream.

 "Oh, the child has finally arrived." The familiar voice pierced her ears from afar, causing goosebumps to form all over her body. "I was starting to wonder when you'd come to your senses."

Zeya tried shouting profanities at the monster, but her voice failed her; no sound would come out of her mouth.

 This was the first time where she found herself voiceless in a dream, and it was frustrating beyond belief.

 This time, Tvar showed itself in the form of a well-dressed gentleman in the middle of this deserted piece of land.

 The disguise would've been seamless if it weren't for its unnaturally wide and orb-like eyes that eerily peered at Zeya.

 She attempted to approach the man, yet her legs refused to budge, a clear sign that Tvar was behind her frozen state.

 "Quite exquisite, isn't it? This was your mother's favorite view in all of Toyah. She never failed to come to this place a visit every time she paid the nation a visit."  

Tvar started, completely ignoring Zeya's seething glare.

The view Tvar was referring to was the mighty Toyahan ocean before them, which was quite the eyesore compared to everything else around her. 

"She was the only shadow being I knew that loved the water, even if it hurt her to be around it. I never understood her for it, not one bit."

 "Perhaps it was because of her uniqueness that made her an excellent ruler, and an even greater companion."

 "You knew the entire time, didn't you?" Tvar's voice deepened with anger, although his stature remained calm. "Did you truly think you could trick me forever by pretending to search for the book elsewhere?"

 "Let us end this game once and for all, shall we? We're clearly starting to grow tired of each other's bullshit." 

 Tvar caressed Zeya's cheeks, holding the empress's glare with delight.

 "I pray that you find that book before I do, child." Its eyes glowed demonically, walking towards Zeya. "If you wish to save those abhorrent humans, that is."

 "Let this be a warning, Zeya Reyes, child of Baron. The next time we meet again will end with only one of us alive."