Three Days Of Hysteria

The Council, the High courts and the Officials found Rama's story to be quite unbelievable after making an announcement that they had only three days left to go to war with the devil himself after his uncanny visit, made their blood run cold with terror.

They had no choice but to believe her story of the vampire king accepting her proposal for a fair war but there was nothing fair about the war, the night creatures were more powerful compared to them, only the black dragon's strength could be compared to theirs.

Even though they didn't want to start a destructive war with the infamous vampire king, their Queen had already made a declaration and no one could alter it, after all the black dragon had chosen her so they were convinced she would lead them into victory even though they all had their doubts and fear residing in their hearts.

Most of them believed the vampire king was immortal which made them wary of the war as going to battle against the immortal vampire king seemed like a death sentence, but most of them believed the immortal black dragon would defeat the vampire king, different thoughts and beliefs ran through their head, sleepless nights and inauspicious days reigned throughout the Empire.

Rama had her share of desperation, ever since her encounter with the vampire king, she could see his red eyes haunting her whenever she closed her eyes, she could still vividly remember every sense of darkness that emanated from his body and she shivered whenever she thought of it.

She tried so hard to gain composure of herself, the people all had their hopes and expectations on her, the fate of the Empire depended on her and their future laid on the choices she made, ever since she declared a war with him, the fate of their Empire had been sealed.

Once again, Rama felt trapped, she had only made the proposition to go to war with him to preserve her life, she knew he would have put an end to her when he visited her chamber so she made the proposal out of impulse to live, she didn't know she was that desperate to live until the words came rolling off her tongue and fortunately, he accepted.

She had the black dragon, a powerful beast with inexplicable power that couldn't be measured or contained, but yet she felt burdened, she felt adrenaline flowing through her veins as every minute passed and the day got nearer, it felt like time was fleeting in front of her eyes.

Rama resigned to her room after visiting her mother in her chamber whom was said to have collapsed after gaining news of the war to come with the vampire king.

She couldn't even judge her for being fragile if she wanted to, she didn't want to admit, but she was equally dreading inwardly even though her outward appearance seemed composed and poised.

Each day passed with trepidation in the hearts of the people, everyone walked with dread on the street in fear of the night creatures manifesting in their midst and pouring their wrath on them, laying their Empire to waste.

Even Rama feared the vampire king might lose his patience to wait three days before watching her Empire fall to ruins and putting an end to her, but nothing happened the first, second and third day, it was quiet and murkily serene, it was three days of hysteria for the people of Saba Empire.

It seemed like the vampire king had stood by his words and waited for the war to commence even though she hadn't fully trusted his words and had communicated with the dragon beforehand through her mind core as she had the ability to control it, she could feel the black dragon respond to her which gave her a sense of relief and hope.

Three days had gone by, sunsets and sunrise manifested but for every change of time and weather, dread settled heavily on her heart, the fear that she could be leading her Empire into doom troubled her, the fate of her Empire was obscure.

The day when her Empire's fate was unseen finally arrived, she assembled her armies consisting of a thousand men who were prepared to fight or die by their Queen.

She got ready for the battle which was taking place in the previous Kingdom which fell to the wrath of the vampire King.

She put on her fighting amour which increased her size, it was heavy but she could still move effortlessly in it. She moved to the drawer in her dressing mirror and opened it to reveal a box engraved with the seal of the Empire.

She took it out slowly before opening the lid to reveal a dagger seated inside, the hilt was embedded with black stones and the blade glinted from the rays of the sun reflecting on it. She took the dagger out and sheathed it before tucking it in her high boot.

Her mother was still asleep when she left and she was glad she didn't' have to see her face before leaving to face an undefined fate.

She marched through the corridors to meet her men outside with her helmet in her hand, but she halted in front of her Father's portrait hanging on the wall.

"Give me your strength Father, I've never been so insecure in my life but I'm unsure of what the future holds for me and for the Empire. I'm scared I might lead us into our end, I hope I made the right choice."

Rama said with a low voice almost like a whisper as she muttered those words under her breath. She turned to face ahead and continue treading when her eyes met Malika's brown ones with tears at the brim.

She moved towards her and she felt her chest tighten when the tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Your Highness, please be safe." She heard Malika say with a croaked voice almost as if the tears she was holding back from exploding choked her and she heard her light sobs become heavy with every passing second.

Rama didn't say anything but instead took the girl into her embrace as she stroked her golden hair while the girl hugged her back, sobbing in her hold.

"I'll be fine, I promise. I won't let any harm come to you or the Empire even if I have to use my last breath."

Rama promised with a gentle voice, but her words were firm.

She pulled from the embrace as she didn't want to keep her men waiting.

"I have to go." She said as she moved away from her while Malika clung onto her arm like a child about to let go of her Mother, but she eventually did as she beamed her a small smile while tears flowed freely from her eyes.

Rama disappeared out of sight to meet her troops who were already prepared for the war. She could feel the dragon getting prepared too through the bond they shared and somehow, her face lit up with hope and expectations.

"Your Highness, we're ready." She heard the chief commander of the armies say with a stern expression as he mounted on his horse, no hint of fear on his face as well as the others. It wasn't unexpected, the guards and armies always maintained a neutral expression even though they felt fear.

She immediately mounted on hers as well as the others and they immediately set to leave for the kingdom which lay in ruins just across the river.

Rama led her troops as their horses galloped through the forest for what seemed like an eternity, before they reached the river.

They crossed the river by turning around which was a far long distance as they couldn't swim across it. Their horses galloped for hours as they set for the ruined Kingdom.

They arrived during twilight in the ruined Kingdom and she could feel as though the air whispered into her ears the danger that lurked in the place.

Their eyes scrutinized the ruins of the Empire, houses destroyed and burned, rotting corpses dispersed on the floor as they moved towards the palace of the ruined Kingdom and not much was to be seen as the palace barely stood standing, a ghost of the great building it once was as only the debris of the burnt down palace remained.

The stench of rotting corpses filled the air of the desolate land and Rama wriggled her nose in disgust at the stench.

She could feel the wrath brought down on the Kingdom, she could feel the outrage and hostility reigned down on the kingdom and she visualized her Empire in the same hideous fate if she failed to be victorious.

She pulled on the reins of her horse to halt its movement and her men followed after her as she clambered down her horse.

Darkness suddenly swallowed the land like a cloak and with confusion written on their faces, they raised their heads up to look at the skies and their eyes widened when they caught sight of the majestic beast soaring in the sky just above them with bat like wings spread out.

Rama's face lit up with a smile as her eyes narrowed to the black dragon.