The Queen First Duel
1064 Words
The Blade of Eclipse hummed in Nysera’s hand.
Its silver-black edge glowed beneath the crimson light pouring through the cracks in the sanctuary ceiling. The air itself seemed to tremble as ancient power awakened inside the relic.
Across from her, Caelan smiled.
“So, you’ve claimed the second relic.”
He slowly lifted his own sword, its golden blade radiating a sinister aura.
“But a relic alone does not make a queen.”
Nysera tightened her grip.
“It doesn’t.”
“It gives me the strength to protect those I love.”
Caelan chuckled.
“Still so naïve.”
Without warning.
He vanished.
Nysera barely had time to react.
Clang!
Their swords collided, sending a wave of energy crashing through the sanctuary. Crystal pillars exploded into glittering fragments.
The force threw Nysera backward.
She rolled across the stone floor before quickly rising to her feet.
“Too slow,” Caelan said.
He attacked again.
His movements were almost impossible to follow.
Strike after strike rained down like a storm.
Nysera blocked desperately, her arms aching with every clash.
She had trained with Draven, but this…
This was completely different.
Caelan wasn’t simply powerful.
He was a master.
A warrior who had survived centuries of war.
With one final swing, he knocked the Blade of Eclipse from her hands.
The relic slid across the floor.
Nysera gasped.
Before she could reach it, Caelan placed the tip of his sword beneath her chin.
“Is this truly the queen chosen by the Moon Goddess?”
His voice dripped with disappointment.
“I expected more.”
Nysera glared at him.
“You’ll regret underestimating me.”
He laughed.
“I’ve underestimated no one.”
“I simply know your future.”
He raised his sword.
“And it ends here.”
Suddenly
A bolt of silver light shot across the sanctuary.
Caelan spun around just in time to block it.
Draven landed between Nysera and Caelan.
“You’ll have to kill me first.”
Relief flooded Nysera’s heart.
“You found me.”
Draven never took his eyes off Caelan.
“I told you.”
“I would always find you.”
Caelan sighed.
“Always the loyal protector.”
The Shadow King emerged from another tunnel, dark energy swirling around him.
“I suppose I’m not too late.”
Nysera stared in surprise.
“You came too?”
The Shadow King smirked.
“You’re still my daughter.”
“I won’t let anyone take you.”
Draven glanced sideways.
“For once…”
“We agree.”
The two men stood shoulder to shoulder.
Enemies.
Yet united.
Caelan shook his head.
“How touching.”
“But history is about to repeat itself.”
He snapped his fingers.
The sanctuary walls cracked open.
Hundreds of Silver Guardians poured into the chamber.
Their armor gleamed like moonlight.
Their empty golden eyes glowed with deadly purpose.
“Kill them,” Caelan ordered calmly.The guardians charged.
The guardians charged.
The underground sanctuary erupted into chaos.
Draven fought with unmatched precision, his sword flashing through the air like lightning.
The Shadow King unleashed waves of black flames that reduced dozens of guardians to ash.
Nysera retrieved the Blade of Eclipse.
As her fingers wrapped around its hilt, the weapon pulsed warmly.
A voice echoed inside her mind.
“A queen does not fight alone.”
The Mark of the Chosen Queen on her hand began to shine.
Silver light spread across the battlefield.
Every guardian froze.
The Blade released a circle of moonlight that swept across the sanctuary.
One by one, the Silver Guardians lowered their weapons.
Caelan’s confident smile disappeared.
“No…”
“They’re obeying her.”
The lead guardian stepped forward and knelt before Nysera.
Then another.
And another.
Within seconds…
Every guardian in the chamber was kneeling.
The sanctuary became silent.
Nysera looked around in confusion.
“What… is happening?”
The lead guardian removed his helmet.
Unlike the others, his face was human.
He looked at Nysera with tears in his eyes.
“We have waited centuries for your return, Your Majesty.”
Draven lowered his sword.
“They’re not his soldiers?”
The guardian shook his head.
“No.”
“We were never loyal to Caelan.”
“We were imprisoned by his curse.”
Nysera’s heart pounded.
“So all these years…”
“You were forced to fight.”
The guardian nodded.
“Only the true queen could free us.”
Caelan’s face twisted with rage.
“You insignificant insects!”
Dark energy erupted from his body.
The entire sanctuary shook violently.
Huge cracks spread through the ceiling.
Rocks began crashing down around them.
“This place is collapsing!” Draven shouted.
The freed guardians quickly formed a protective circle around Nysera.
“My Queen,” their captain said urgently.
“You must leave.”
“The final relic cannot remain hidden any longer.”
Nysera frowned.
“The Tears of the Moon?”
He nodded.
“It lies beyond the Valley of Eternal Frost.”
“The one who possesses it…”
“…controls the fate of every werewolf alive.”
Before Nysera could ask another question, a massive boulder crashed between them.
Caelan disappeared into the cloud of dust.
Only his laughter remained.
“You may have won today…”
“…but the final relic already belongs to me.”
The sanctuary gave one final violent tremor.
The floor beneath everyone shattered.
Draven grabbed Nysera’s hand.
The Shadow King caught Draven’s arm.
Together they leaped toward the collapsing tunnel as the ancient sanctuary disappeared into darkness forever.
Outside, they emerged beneath the crimson sky.
The kingdom lay in ruins.
Smoke drifted over the broken palace walls.
Villagers rushed through the streets in panic.
Lady Selene ran toward them, her face pale.
“My Queen…”
Nysera immediately knew something was wrong.
“What happened?”
Lady Selene struggled to speak.
“While you were beneath the palace…”
“…someone kidnapped Elder Cassian.”
She handed Nysera a bloodstained scroll.
Written across it in crimson ink were five chilling words.
Bring the Queen… or he dies.
Caelan has escaped, the hidden sanctuary has been destroyed, and Elder Cassian has been kidnapped. To save him, Nysera must decide whether to walk into a trap or risk losing the only elder who knows the path to the final relic.
- Writer
