Ava Galliano: The Last Dark Queen

Zuki's Original Body

Flashback

The newborn’s cries echoed through the castle, piercing the stillness of the night and waking Zuki from his deep slumber. Perfect. The princess had been born. Her Highness had been told that her second child would carry great darkness within her, unlike the first, a disgrace in the eyes of many. Poor boy didn’t understand why everyone seemed to despise him, until the news came of his dark sister’s arrival.

Elnos, the dark king, felt a surge of satisfaction. Finally, the darkness had been passed on. He had feared for a moment when his only dark heir had given birth to a light son, but now—now, things were as they should be. There had already been murmurs of disappointment throughout the castle when Charles, a light-hearted traitor, had fallen in love with Amelia, his beloved.

Elnos had already damned the Light King a thousand times over, condemning him to death a million times in his mind. Now, he had to watch as his dark daughter fawned over her new husband, oblivious to the implications. Zuki rubbed his eyes as he dragged himself out of bed, tired but determined. He made his way down to the infirmary, feeling the weight of his duty pressing on him.

When he entered the room, Her Highness, Amelia, gave him a warm smile. Over the past few weeks, she had confided in Zuki, sharing her deep fear that Charles would try to harm their daughter the moment they were alone. She needed someone she could trust to protect Ava from the dangers lurking within the castle’s walls.

“Zuki, come hold her,” Amelia said softly, her eyes full of both love and anxiety.

Charles, standing to the side, raised his arm to stop Zuki from approaching. He gave a curt bow, a show of politeness that couldn’t quite hide the coldness in his eyes. But before he could say anything, Elnos stepped forward, pushing the light king aside with a force that left no room for argument.

“Remember, Charles,” Elnos’s voice was low, but commanding. “Zuki is one of us now. I welcomed him as I did you. Let him through.”

Charles immediately lowered his arm, stepping aside with a reluctant bow. Zuki moved forward and gently took the newborn from Amelia’s arms. He cradled her against his chest, the weight of the child small and fragile in his arms. Her dark eyes stared up at him, swirling with an unnatural depth, full of promise and potential.

Zuki stared back into those eyes, feeling a strange pull in his chest. The darkness that thrummed in her aura called to him, a whisper of power that promised to be something extraordinary. The baby blinked, her gaze steady, almost amused by him—too young to understand, but not too young to sense something about him.

“She’s beautiful,” Zuki said, his voice soft, yet full of awe. “Have you chosen a name, Your Highness?”

“Ava,” Amelia replied with a smile, her eyes full of warmth and hope.

Zuki’s grin widened as he looked back down at the newborn. He thought she would be perfect for him—a perfect companion to rule over the world with. Together, they would rise above the mortals that Lord Elnos held so dear. He imagined their future, a future where Ava would stand by his side, where he would finally shine brighter than any of them.

After a moment, Zuki carefully handed Ava back to her mother. He stepped back, his gaze sweeping over the room. The family was almost happy, he noted. Almost.

Charles’s face was twisted in distaste as he looked at his hybrid daughter. The resentment was palpable. Dion, the older brother, stood at the back of the room, his face a mask of barely-contained fury. His eyes bore into Ava with a hatred that was both ancient and new—his claim to the throne now threatened by her very existence.

Zuki observed it all with a detached interest. He knew how the game was played.

“Dion,” Zuki said, his voice calm but laced with a dark amusement, “let’s go for a walk. It seems we share the same ideas.”

Dion’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. He followed Zuki out of the room, the weight of their unspoken alliance hanging between them.

“And what’s that, Uncle?” Dion asked, his voice low, dripping with anger.

“The demise of your dear little sister,” Zuki replied smoothly, a smile curling at the corners of his lips.

Transition Back to Present

Zuki jolted awake, the scent of blood still lingering in the air as he was pulled back into his original body. The demons around him rushed into the room, their wails and panicked movements only adding to the disorientation he felt. He quickly gulped down a glass of water that appeared before him, trying to clear the remnants of the dream and the lingering effects of human blood.

Flopping back into his coffin, he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He clicked his fingers, and the noise around him stopped instantly, the demons retreating with frightened haste.

“Leave,” he commanded, his voice low and unwavering.

The demons scattered, leaving Zuki alone in the room. He stretched, feeling more alive than he had in millennia. He wasn’t sure whether it was the taste of human blood that had revitalized him or the years of normality he had spent with his dark queen that had given him this newfound strength. He groaned as he sat up, shaking off the fog that still clouded his mind.

After a long pause, he got up and showered, knowing he had to make his rounds once more—check in with the Dark Mother, ensure that Hell hadn’t descended into chaos during his absence.

An hour later, Zuki stood before the Dark Mother’s door, knocking softly. She smiled widely upon seeing him, clearly not expecting his early return. She had hoped that the Dark Queen would keep him busier for longer.

“Ah, my lord,” she greeted him, her voice dripping with sweetness. “It’s good to see you’ve finally returned. I trust everything went according to plan?”

“It did indeed, mother,” Zuki replied, his voice smooth as silk. “I will need to step out for a while. I’ll be able to do so freely, in my true form. I see that you’ve proven yourself capable of handling Hell in my absence. I trust you to keep things in order?”

“Of course, my lord,” she replied with a deep bow, her eyes glinting with something unreadable.

“Good,” Zuki said, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Prepare the door ritual. I wish to feel the green grass beneath my feet once more.”

“As you wish, my lord,” she said, bowing again as he turned to leave.

Zuki paused at the door, glancing back one last time. The Dark Mother watched him go, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. As soon as his footsteps faded, she turned to the mirror in the room, and a demon seer waddled to her side.

“This isn’t going according to plan, mother,” the seer said quietly, its eyes dark with foreknowledge.

“No,” the Dark Mother agreed, her voice tinged with frustration. “We wanted him out of Hell. I thought my daughter would keep him distracted, but now he’s regained full power.”

“What should we do now?” the seer asked, its voice small, unsure.

“Wait and watch,” she replied, her eyes narrowing with cold resolve. “I want to know what his true plans are with my daughter. He is not done yet.”