THE HALO SPAWN

4 years after Eldoria fell. The city of Avelyn doesn’t smell like smoke and war anymore. Rather now, It smells like fresh waters, rain on stone, and the ocean. The king finally insists on opening the gates to the world, the kingdom flourishes. Markets are loud. Kids chase magical creatures descendants through the courtyard. Gold filled the treasury, peace returned to the streets. King Lynford is 19 now. Taller, but still the same eyes. Still the same crown that feels two sizes too big some days. He rules well. Too well. His Aunt Elina says. “You've become a king of his words. you parents stand at the edge of Heaven's gate and smile. What joy you bring them.” His elder brother, Kael, stands at his right hand, a the only most powerful human mage in Eldoria with magic and Runes dancing at his fingertips even when the wind gets mischievous. Rina, Kael's fiance and Lionford's sister in law, paces the training yard, turning nervous squires into actual knights. “Elbows in! If a dragon sneezes on you, you’re dead.” Word begins to spread across the kingdoms like wild fire: _King Ezran welcomes foreigners._ Humans, elves, even a few foreign merchants who never thought they’d see Eldoria and Avelyn without a sword in hand. “Eldoria is for all,” The young King will say to his council. “We survived by closing doors. We’ll thrive by opening them.” ___ The survival of the fittest was a treacherous game. Where all men stood for themselves but in the case of a certain queen, it required to stand for the universe. Nyra Seraph. A half breed of the human world and the celelyst. With four feathered wing that pierced out of her delicate skin behind her and a mysterious piercing gaze, she stared out at the kingdom before her. A place she had fled with her relative to escape the suffocating hands of death. From her uncle, the great evil that had vanquished her kingdom. She was a queen, yes. But now....she find no solace calling herself so. The only title she bares that make a mortal kneel, THE HALO SPAWN! _________ Hannah bursts through the palace gates like a storm. Older, scarred, armor dented from running. Behind her a set of two wings. White and silver, folded tight like she’s trying to disappear. She was the aunt and only surviving relative of the Halo Spawn. She’s beautiful in the way winter is beautiful. Sharp. Silent. Her eyes scan the surrounding like a readied arrow about to be launched and find it's target at all means. Behind her stood without a single fear, Nyra. Cold. The cold of a girl who grew up knowing only war and despair. The cold of a girl whose parents, the rulers, were taken by her uncle’s greed. The cold of a girl who doesn’t know how to cower in fear and to kills without hesitation… yet she only does so to foes and her enemies. The sudden burst attracts the Knights and guards and before a blink they were surrounded by men and women in Armours and shields, wielding the swords they used to slay enemies and traitors and pointed in the face of these strange winged creatures. Nyra stood perfectly still and not bothered by this situation but Hannah was already ready for any attack, her twin blade swords in both hands and death glare on her face. "We come in peace!! Put your weapons away and I shall do same!!" Hannah demanded with a stern voice. The Knights scorned and the highest ranked of them questioned in disdain. "You trespass into our gates and demand we be unharmed? What kind of moron are you? Put your weapons down and step back. You've been warned." He challenged. Hannah gritted her teeth in anger but before she could say another word, Nyra stepped in. Her voice so calm and soothing even the waters stood still and the Sky opened. "Soldiers of this great kingdom. We mean no harm. I've only come to seek audience with your king. Please let us pass!" Nyra knelt down on one knee and raised hands in a pleading gestures with her eyes down. The soldiers were shocked to the bone. Hannah rushed to her side in shock and panic. "Your majesty. Please...get up!" Nyra raised her head slightly and looked at the the people before her. Both soldiers and Knights, the women and men and even the children clinging on the the mother watched in awe as Nyra glowed softly with a golden light. "Alright then. I shall take you to our king. Come with me!" The high ranked Knight said in his authoritative tone and walked away slowly. Nyra stood up and pats Hannah on the back softly yet her calm expression did not waver. "It's alright! You did well!" They moved on to walk with the Knights. _________ They arrived at the palace, a building with walls that told stories. Black Stone walls cut before steel existed and ore was discovered. Older than the kingdom's name itself. Arrow holes like constellations, one tower cracked by a strange blast now patched and blended with gold. Nyra could see from within her "Banners moving in the wind. The boots of the Warriors still echoing, and the fire that still burns in every hearth." She touched the walls as the approached the throne room doors. Still firm, still strong, still alive. The doors opened and the throne room came into view. A long hall where people dances during celebrations, where Kings once spoke to the people, where the crown was always seen. The marble walls cracked yet polished. The floor, a thousand swords melted into it as an ancient warning. Echoes like war drums when the doors closed. Nyra graced the walls with her fingers and felt them, warm, from centuries of hands. The smell of old stone, iron, and roses. She walked alongside the Knights slowly yet gracely and when the reached the throne and there he stood. A king with the kingdom on his shoulders. Nyra looked at him as his back was turned against them as he faced the king's throne lost in thoughts. "He's young!" Her thoughts echoed and as if he heard it, he turned and their eyes met. A sudden wave of connection. It electricuited the entire room, one could feel it. The vulnerable yet steady eyes of a victorious Kings and the cold yet soothing eyes of a fallen Queen. The room went quite and their gaze spoke. His: blue but tired. They look older than his face. Hers: defiant, broken yet still pushing hard. Too hard. "Your majesty. Please forgive my intrusion at this hour but They requested to speak with you." The Knights said falling on one knee. King Lynford looks at the heavenly creation before him, he knew little to nothing about other worlds creatures but he could tell, they weren't from Earth. His gaze darted back to those calm green eyes. He couldn't bring himself to look away not even when he addressed them and welcomed them warmly. Hannah was impatient, there wasn't any time for greetings and she went ahead to hit the nail on the head. "Your Highness, we came in peace. We only seek solace and shelter in your kingdom......" Nyra's eyes dimmed. Hannah was not one who begs but right now that pride has been tossed into fire. It made Nyra's heart burn to see her Aunt this way. "A great destruction has befallen our world and we have no means to stop it....as we roamed this realm for a safe place we discovered the kingdom of Eldoria, and we came here because of the praises and good words spoken about your kingdom. Please let us stay within the walls of your city until we can go back home revived with a solution to save our world." Hannah bowed slightly but Nyra remained ever so calm, her eyes locked unto that of the king. "Please raise your head. I don't intend to turn your away but if this destruction you speak of finds you here, what will become of my people? I'm not a person to refuse to help those in need of it but at what cost will it take to save your head?" The king said calmly but Hannah was persistent. Hannah drops to her knees. “your Highness Please. it's not about us alone, our kingdom will suffer worse if they find us. He’ll destroy everything. I can’t protect her alone anymore." Nyra's sighed deeply. And walked forward towards the throne.. "Who is he..?" "The destruction!" Nyra said suddenly cutting the knight off short. She stood before the king and said. "King of Eldoria, I came to you with no Army by my side even as a queen of my world, I have no aid." Nyra's started. "Look at us both. I'm sure a man of your intelligence can tell..." Her wing slowly spread out. "We are not of your world." "Yes. I can see that. But..." "I'm a descendant of the seraphs celestial bodies and a protector of it's power source. The Halo Spawn. And I can't expect you to know what that is..." King Lynford suddenly spoke in a calm tone of realisation. "The creation and destruction of all life. The Halo Spawn, spiritual mana blessed upon a generation of Heaven's gate keepers giving them the power to over come and conquer the demon realm. Stopping them from reaching Heaven's gate." Nyra's eyes widened in surprise. "That's rather odd! I didn't think a human king could have such knowledge, it's very impressive." King Lynford smiled. "I do spend time in the library and mostly read about universal stuff." Nyra sighed. "In any case. The Halo Spawn is being targeted by a dangerous demon, aban! He attacked the gate and took with him most of the gate keepers through the gates of hell and trapped others in his prison. He demanded the Halo Spawn's spiritual mana but the doors closed permanently before he could get to me even so I could not protect the kingdom of keepers I was assigned to rule over." Nyra looked down in despair. "Even with the halo on my head." "Why? Was the Halo not powerful enough to protect them?" The king asked in pity but Hannah stepped in quickly. "Of course it was but her majesty would have had to kill the keepers too if she had fought aban. That foul beast." Nyra looked to her aunt with an assuring smile which made Hannah anger soften. She sighed. "A blood shed battle will never solve everything and just like you said..."at what cost will it take you to save our heads?" So I asked "at what cost will it take to destroy aban! It would be My kingdom! I can't afford such a thing." Nyra stepped onto one of the stairs leading to the throne as she got a list closer to the king. "I have nothing to offer but this: an alliance that doesn't end in betrayal. The Halo's protection. But if I die, the blood of a celestial being shall lie with your kingdom and remain on your head." Nyra raised her finger and pointed it directly at the king's face with a dark expression. to be continued....