The Celestial Gate
1052 Words
The sky burned crimson.
Every person in the Imperial Capital stood frozen as fiery streaks rained across the heavens. The once peaceful night had transformed into a terrifying spectacle.
Children cried.
Soldiers tightened their grips on their weapons.
Even the palace guards, trained never to show fear, stared upward in disbelief.
Seraphina could not take her eyes off the enormous crack stretching across the sky.
It looked as though the heavens themselves had been torn apart.
“What is that?” she whispered.
The Grand Oracle’s face had gone completely pale.
“The Celestial Gate.”
Kael frowned.
“I’ve heard the legends.”
“You mean the gate that only appears before the fall of an empire?”
The Oracle nodded slowly.
“The legends are true.”
A deafening roar echoed from above.
The crack widened.
An enormous pillar of silver light descended from the heavens and struck the mountains beyond the capital.
The ground shook violently.
Buildings trembled.
Several palace servants screamed as statues toppled across the courtyard.
Emperor Orion rushed onto the palace balcony surrounded by the High Council.
His expression darkened the moment he saw the crimson sky.
“It has finally awakened.”
One of the ministers fell to his knees.
“Your Majesty, we must evacuate the capital.”
“No.”
Orion’s voice remained calm despite the chaos.
“If we flee now, panic will destroy the empire before our enemies do.”
He turned toward Kael.
“Take the Imperial Knights.”
“Seal every city gate.”
“No one enters.”
“No one leaves.”
Kael nodded without hesitation.
“As you command.”
Before he could leave, the Grand Oracle raised her voice.
“It is already too late.”
Everyone turned toward her.
She slowly pointed at the pillar of light beyond the mountains.
“The first Guardian has awakened.”
Silence followed.
Then a soldier came running across the courtyard.
His armor was covered in blood.
He collapsed before the Emperor.
“Your Majesty…”
His breathing was ragged.
“The Northern Fortress…”
“What happened?”
“It…”
The soldier swallowed hard.
“It no longer exists.”
The courtyard fell silent.
“What do you mean?” Orion demanded.
“There is nothing left.”
“No walls.”
“No soldiers.”
“No bodies.”
“Only a giant crater.”
Fear spread among the nobles.
Entire fortresses could not simply disappear.
Unless…
The Oracle closed her eyes.
“The Guardian consumed them.”
Meanwhile, far beyond the capital, the silver pillar slowly faded.
Standing at its center was a giant cloaked figure nearly fifty feet tall.
Its armor was carved from crystal.
Its glowing eyes resembled miniature stars.
A sword longer than a castle tower rested in its hand.
Without a word, it took a single step.
The earth cracked beneath its feet.
Entire forests flattened from the force alone.
Back at the palace, Seraphina felt a sharp pain shoot through her shoulder.
She cried out.
The Heart Star Mark glowed beneath her skin.
Kael immediately noticed.
“What is happening?”
She grabbed her shoulder.
“It burns.”
The Oracle hurried toward her.
“The Guardian has sensed the Heart Star.”
“What does that mean?”
“It is searching for you.”
Seraphina’s heartbeat quickened.
“Searching… for me?”
“The Guardians were created to protect the Star Crown.”
“They obey only one law.”
“What law?”
The Oracle looked directly into her eyes.
“They will either kneel before the rightful Star Queen…”
“…or kill anyone unworthy.”
Before anyone could speak again, another explosion shook the palace.
This one came from inside the capital.
Smoke rose from the eastern district.
A captain rushed into the courtyard.
“Your Majesty!”
“Monsters have appeared inside the city!”
“What kind?”
“No one has ever seen creatures like them.”
“They’re made entirely of shadows.”
“They’re attacking civilians.”
Kael immediately drew his sword.
“I’ll handle it.”
“I’m coming too,” Seraphina said.
“No.”
Kael’s answer was immediate.
“It’s too dangerous.”
She stepped closer.
“If those creatures are here because of me, then I won’t hide while innocent people die.”
For a brief moment, they stared at one another.
Finally, Kael sighed.
“You stay beside me.”
“I wasn’t planning otherwise.”
The two of them raced through the palace gates with dozens of Imperial Knights following behind.
The eastern district had become a nightmare.
Buildings burned.
People fled through the streets.
Creatures made of living darkness climbed across rooftops, attacking anyone they could reach.
One beast leaped toward a frightened little girl.
Before anyone else could move, Seraphina raised her hand.
Pure silver light erupted from her Star Mark.
The creature disintegrated before it touched the child.
Everyone stopped.
The surviving citizens stared at Seraphina in awe.
“The Princess…”
“She saved her…”
Another monster charged from behind.
Kael intercepted it with a single powerful strike.
Black flames exploded from his sword, reducing the creature to ash.
For the first time, the people witnessed the Crown Prince and the forgotten princess fighting together.
Their powers complemented one another perfectly.
Light and darkness.
Hope and destruction.
The monsters continued pouring from the shadows.
“There are too many!” one knight shouted.
Just then, every creature suddenly froze.
They slowly turned toward the northern mountains.
Then, as if answering a silent command, they retreated.
Within seconds, every shadow vanished.
An eerie silence settled over the city.
Seraphina looked toward the horizon.
The giant Guardian had stopped walking.
Instead, it had dropped to one knee.
Its enormous head bowed toward the capital.
Toward her.
A voice echoed across the entire empire.
It was deep enough to shake mountains.
“The Heart Star has awakened.”
“The Trial of the Star Queen begins.”
High above the clouds, hidden behind the crimson sky, another pair of glowing eyes slowly opened.
Unlike the Guardian’s, these eyes burned with hatred.
A cold voice whispered through the darkness.
“Find her.”
“Before she claims the Crown of Stars.”
- Writer
