The Queen's Relic

In the silence of the night, a howl resonated, shaking the grounds of the Vanuria. A Goddess has descended, alight under the moonlight. "You will become the shield of my child, the spear of my wrath, and you shall bring forth judgment to your enemies, and be crowned as king for you are of my blood," the Goddess declared. A grey wolf stands; his ears listening attentively to the words of the goddess. His eyes shone red under the moonlight. "Roam and find your home." With this, the goddess parted. She ascended back to heaven, leaving the wolf alone in the darkness of the night, with only the light shining from the moon as its guide. And so, the wolf roam in Vanuria. Years after years, he searched Vanuria for his kind. After 500 years, the wolf transformed into a man. Through the years, he has gathered many wolves under his name. The Grey Wolf became king, and he was known for his strength and power. No wolf could ever be his equal. He was unrivaled. However, no matter how much he cared and ruled over them, there are still disputes over status and hierarchy. Many have also dared to challenge him despite his prudence. Tired of resolving the disputes, he asked the Moon Goddess to give him a big heart so he could connect with his people. The Moon Goddess heard his prayer and granted him the ability Binding. This ability allows him to bind anyone at his whim and grant a person the ability to form a bond. In doing so, the king granted all Alphas the ability to form a bond over numbers of wolves. And for years, he was able to reunite his people, and was able to understand their needs. However, the peace did not last long. Alphas became greedy, and rebellions were ignited, causing a rift between the king and the people. Internal strife devoured the king's bond and different packs led by different alphas were established. Thus, war followed. The constant disrespect and insolence made the king close his doors and turn his heart to stone. To those who challenged him, the king declared war. For years, wars burned many places of Vanuria and killed multitude of wolves. The king himself has shed the blood of many. His silver fur was covered in bloodstains and dirt. He killed alphas one after another, and dissolved packs after another. The once patient and warm king turned into a cold-blooded ruler. His wrath spread through Vanuria, and just a mention of his name sent shivers to the bones of every wolf. The once paradise created by the king turned into a pandemonium, where the king reigns with terror and kills indiscriminately. Many lives were taken in the hands of the king. He sat on his throne, as he watched his guards take the prisoners of war. It was the Alphas that dared to stab him in the back. "O powerful king, this servant asked for your forgiveness. Please allow this lowly self to live and you shall be gracious in the eyes of your people." An alpha said. The king remained silent. He stood up and walked towards them. The guards took a step back in fear. He could no longer feel anything, even pain. It was one night when the king was stabbed by a wolf in the stomach with a knife, but he felt no pain. His wound was oozing with blood but no matter how much he concentrated, there was no pain coming from his wound. In return, he killed the wolf, choking him until he squirmed and died on his hand. And now that his treasonous people were in front of him, he felt nothing. It was void. "Cut off their heads, and hunt their descendants. Leave no soul." The king commanded, and then he left. And so, the wailing sound of their dying voices echoed in the air, carried by the cold breeze. For once, the king thought that he finally achieved peace. But he was wrong. After the war, the king continued to rule in terror, ruthless in all, even to women and children. The remnants of the war left many wolves as rogues, and the peace the king so badly wanted became a distant fantasy. It was a never ending war, and the king's wrath grew day by day. He became a cold-blooded killer, a merciless king, and all who stand against his ways are murdered in cold blood. His grey wolf sat atop the mountain of corpses. His silver fur was slick with blood, and his eyes were bloodshot, a trace of bloodlust in his system. He howled. He was mad. One day after his morning run in the forest, he met a woman. She was lying down in the field and her white hair sprawled all over. The king knew she was sleeping. Intrigued, he approached her, carefully, as if stalking his prey. He halted when she opened her eyes and sat up. Their eyes met. And it was that moment when the king realized he had met his match. To him, she was the most beautiful flower lying in the battered ground of Vanuria; the sole soul that lightens his dark days. It took a lot of effort to woe her, and the king didn't stop until she became his. He took her to his kingdom, and claimed her. They were mates. Everything was like a dream for the king. For he thought, how could he deserve such blessings when he was nothing but a murderous tyrant who went astray from his Goddess? But then, one day, his mate saw his past, and all the stories were told. For the first time, the king felt fear, fear that she might abandon him and break the bond. But she didn't. Instead she told the king that she wanted to quench the thirst for revenge of the people; to solve the past and encourage a harmonious future. The king's love for her grew. It was so strong that he ordered and built a castle in her name. And allowed her to come and talk to his people about peace and ending the war. He watched her all those times as she unites people. She spoke from the heart and listened to their hearts, and she fostered and guided them as if they were her children. There was peace. The king's most anticipated wish was granted through the love of his mate. But it didn't last long, for rogues raided their kingdom, slaughtered his people and his mate. He sat on the floor, sobbing, as he held her limping body. She reached out, her hand cupping his cheek. "Fear not my love, for I will return to you." Her hand dropped. The king cried as his heart broke in every piece as he held her cold body. He waited for hundreds of years for her return, but she didn't. And so, the king disappeared; never to be seen again. Others say he went into hiding, in fear of retribution from all he massacred. Some say he was assassinated in his own bedroom. A few believe that he couldn't handle the heartbreak and committed suicide. And one person believes that he is still waiting.