A World of a Thousand Lights

Chapter Three

Elder's chamber door loomed over Nova as she swam down the hall. Black with silver markings decorated the entrance. Perhaps it wouldn't have been that daunting if black and silver weren't the colour of senilorian blood. A shudder ran down her spine at the thought as she opened the door. Although she didn't mind the guardian, he terrified her a bit. He shouldn't. He was her age, but he still did. Nova shut the door quietly behind her as she turned and examined the room.

Plantlife crawled up the walls and hung from the ceiling in a black mess. A large oval sat in the centre of the room and slowly unravelled, revealing a male with glowing white eyes. His tentacles spread out as he circled towards Nova with a smile.

"Elder, you wished to meet with me?"

Elder nodded with a smile and turned to a fountain that remained behind him. She swam over to the well but not close. Not after what happened last time she went near it.

"You seem hesitant, my empress," He chuckled as if he read her mind.

"Yes," Nova smiled. "anyway, you needed me for what exactly?"

His smile quickly vanished as he looked down at the fountain. "Yes... Right,"

One of his tentacles reached into the fountain, and just like that, a black substance poured out of it. He shifted his gaze to Nova, a horror-filled expression written all over her face.

"Elder... Is... is that..?"

"Yes, that is blood. I do not know where it is coming from, and I do not wish to know. This is a sign, my empress, one we cannot ignore,"

"What does it mean?"

"Separation, death, or new beginnings. Maybe all three," He states as he swam away from the fountain as Nova trailed closely behind him.

"You really aren't being much help, you know that, right?" Nova shook her head as a low chuckle was heard from him.

"Oh, I know. That's my job, to be useful, but to not be useful," The guardian paused and looked down and slowly turned to Nova, "You should be careful. That isn't a good sign, my empress. Now you should leave. It is late,"

Nova headed towards the door. "I know, I know. Goodbye, Elder. Rest well,"

She shut the door behind herself as the elder turned away. He swam back to the fountain and stared at the black substance leaking out. It was sick to watch, but he had to. Anything could change at a moment.

Suddenly, the room around him faded to black. The plants dwindled and drooped down as silver lifeblood dripped down the walls. The entire chamber became darker as a large shape moved out of the fountain, loaming over the guardian.

Within a short second, everything went back to normal, as if nothing ever happened. The guardian franticly glanced around and laid on the ground in shock. This was not good, and it was worse than what he had thought.

An intruder was hiding in the castle.

* * *

A heavyweight crashed onto Nova as she shot up, throwing whatever landed on her onto the ground. That heavyweight was Pharadox, who was laughing to himself as he rolled along the floor. Nova got up and looked around for Echo, who was staring at her on the edge of Nova's bed.

"What... what are you two doing?"

They both gawked at her before swimming out of the room in a rush. They also knocked over the poor nanio that got in the lane of fire as well. She pushed herself up and placed the nanio back up so it could continue its cleaning. Stripping off her dress, Nova looked at the picture of Avala and sighed.

"Nova! Wake up, now!" Avala sang as she laid next to Nova, who was glaring at her. "Get up, or I will get the almighty powers and drag you out of bed,"

Nova scoffed and sat up, pulling her blanket over her sister's head. She swam over to her door as Avala shadowed closely behind. Parts of the castle were resting on the floor as builders wielded pieces together.

"The new castle is coming together nicely, no?" Avala asked.

Nova snickered and nodded. "It is," she went to say more but let out a startled yelp and gazed down at her tail. A little youngling, no more than 100, had her teeth clamped down on Nova's tail. The head guard and the lieutenant hurried around a corner, looking around.

"Elara! Over here!" Avala called out.

Elara and Leporis quickly swam towards them and tried to pull the youngling off.

"We are so sorry, mistress Nova!" Elara said as she pried the youngling's mouth open.

"It's alright, Elara. She has a good bite," Nova complemented as she patted the little girl's head. She looked back up at Elara and Leporis as they swam away.

"Wow... younglings are so carefree," Avala spoke as she swam away.

Nova wasn't sure if she was imagining, but Avala seemed more... happier than usual. Maybe it was because this was her first big task to do as the empress, but Nova wasn't sure, and she wasn't about to ruin it for her sister. Avala spoke to several workers and handmaidens, directing them. She is really good at this.

She will always be better than you.

Nova froze and looked and glanced around. "Avala, did you hear that?"

Her sister turns, shaking her head. "No, why?"

"Uh... n...nothing. I guess I am just hearing things,"

Whatever you say, princess~

Avala hums and continues her talking with others.

Nova stared down at her food with a pounding chest, the memory still fresh in her mind. That was the first day she heard the voice. It stopped after some time, but Nova could still feel that it was there. It was not a good feeling. It dragged its presence anywhere she went.

"Nova?"

She looked up at Stormflare and Talina, who were both staring at her.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

Talina groaned and shook her head as Stormflare leaned back with a tired exhalation. "We were asking if you are going to go to the Acata sometime?"

Nova looked back down and took a bite of food, nodding her head. She had to. It is part of her job to help prepare the andusk celebration. Which reminded her. She still had to teach Pharadox and Echo how they should act since they didn't have their parents to teach them.

"Yes, I am. I understand that you two are also?"

Talina nodded, getting up with her empty plate. "You seem a bit off today, so be sure to rest at some point,"

Talina gave her plate to a handmaiden and exited with Stormflare, leaving Nova alone in the room. Well, not alone fully. A few guards were stationed around the room, all having friendly conversations.

One of them caught Nova's eye. A darker-skinned male, who was tall, maybe the same height as Pharadox. His tail was red, and his fins were a faded teal. He had white hair, which matched with his eyes.

He wasn't talking to anyone. He scanned up and around before making eye contact with Nova for a moment. He quickly looked back down as Nova smiled, a handmaiden taking her plate.

She smiled at him and left the room, going after Talina and Stormflare.

* * *

"Talina, that is not how you play! The bishop only moves diagonally, and it cannot jump a pawn or any other piece. That is the wrong way to make a move,"

"I am going to make a wrong move on you in less than an anki if you don't knock it off," Talina growled, her thick accent becoming stronger. Stormflare placed her hands on the game they were playing with the same glare and held her ground. They tried an earth game called chess and, so far, several fights almost have broken out between the two.

Nova had been watching the entire situation go down with hidden amusement, sitting one seat across from the two. She shook her head and took a sip of her drink, perking up at the hum of a door opening. Looking up from her beverage, she turned to see the upset face of Echo, who quickly swam over to her. Nova tilted her head as Echo swam over and curled herself around Nova with her tail. Echo then rested her head on Nova's stomach, who took a quick glance at the two arguing behind them and then rolling her eyes.

"Echo? Are you alright?" Nova asked with concern in her voice. The nod against her stomach didn't give her an exact answer, but it was something. She placed a protective arm around Echo and relaxed in the chair. They sat in silence as they watched the two bickering about the game.

"I had a nightmare... about mother and father again,"

The nightmare. It was natural for Echo, although Nova wished it weren't.

"I had a nightmare too, about Avala," She says. It isn't a pure lie. Anything with their older sister in it is a nightmare to Nova, whether she was sleeping or not. A soft smile formed on her lips as Echo giggled at Talina and Stormflare. Their fight had become a "who can threaten the other the most" challenge. So far, both are winning.

The doors of the lounge hummed loudly as the general swam in with the chief guard. They bowed to the two who hadn't even acknowledged them and to the two royals. Echo sat up and stared at them as Nova got up off her seat to face the newcomers.

"Your greatness, we understand that you saw the guardian last night, correct?"

"Yes. That is correct. Is everything alright?"

They took a quick glance at each other with much hesitance. The four swam out to the hall as Elara began to explain. "After you left last night, Elder informed one of my elite guards that he had a vision,"

Echo crossed her arms as she looked up at Nova. "And what was his vision?"

"...There is an imposter in the castle who is not Senilorian," Elara whispered.

"What?"