THE FALL OF ARAGON
Aragon continues to lose tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians, a conflict beyond human capacity. Horace is able to speak, giving out a groan of anguish as his body slowly begins to rise. "The voice in my head!"
"My Princess, we must let him out." The warlock cries out in fear,
"We must let him out for the sake of the living." Princess Domitia hears the warlock exclaim,
"My love." Horace starts to extend his arms for her to take hold of.
"No. I can't. I can't let you go.
Princess Domitia cries angrily, shaking her head in displeasure.
" We have to....Look at me," Horace says, looking for His lover's gaze.
"See me, my princess." He says as She puts his palms on her face and sobs while Horace gently holds her head and removes a hair from her face.
Horace leans in for a tender kiss while taking her lips in his, telling her that it's good to let him go. His companions are all sobbing in silence.
"I'm pregnant," she say separating her lips from his and laying them on hers.
Princess Domitia sobs, catching Horace off guard. He looks at the woman he loves with happiness, sadness, and grief in his eyes and says,
"It's okay. It's okay, Horace replies as he gently places his hands on her belly and kisses her forehead. She clings to him closely and he speaks softly.
Never put the burden on yourself because the King's failure to protect his subjects is the cause of this, not yours. Horace replies, putting his head on hers for a bit before he lets out a scream as blood forms his mouth rising off the ground, his body trembling as he slowly raises his eyes to meet the love of his life, "I can't let you go..... No Horace please." As he tries to back away, Princess Domitia grabs his hands and commands, "Take her away from me." Horace responds to the soldier in front of him, "No.....no.....no." Princess Domitia pushes off the soldiers' hands who are attempting to stop her from holding onto Horace.
Princess Domitia, if you please. I can't turn into a monster, Horace shouts as he witnesses her attempting to approach him. In a fit of rage, Horace cries, "I can't become a father who..who hunts the woman he loves and his child." As they all sob bitterly, he chokes on his own spit. Although seeing her distressed face broke his heart, he maintained his composure and let out a loud scream as his body began to fracture. The crowd moved back as they sensed he was about to transform into a monster as he exploded, leaving his flesh all over the walls.
"No!!!!!!!" Princess Domitia cries out in agony, her knees clenched to her chest as she sobs. Tears flow from her eyes
She is comforted as the warlock healer approaches her, saying, "I know you're sad, but we have to evacuate." The warlock healer comforts her, massaging her back softly while he pauses. Before he could say anything else, loud shouts could be heard from outside, and Aragon soldiers rushed to the window to survey the scene.
The necromancer is transforming the populace into monsters. As he tenderly bows down to the broken Princess, a soldier says. When the warlock healer hears this, he hurries to the window and looks outside, observing the necromancer's terrible acts. "He's turning them into Typhons," he says. Staring at the catastrophic storm that is headed in their path, the warlock healer mutters in disbelief.
Now is the time to leave. Rushing back, the warlock healer exclaims
Come on, I know a secret entrance right here that will take us inside the southern castle's defenses. a soldier responds recalling General Caecilus' commands.
"Wait, there lies the pit of orcus," A man declares moving forward while holding his daughter precious.
"Yes, but that's our only alternative at the moment because we need to leave before the storm hits us. Otherwise, you risk having what happened to Horace meet you." The warlock responds hurriedly, "Lead the way, come on." In response, the warlock healer turns to face the warriors.
Soldiers were moving quickly around the castle in search of an unknown wall, kicking it till it broke as they inhaled the tunnel's stench of empty shells as no one had been inside.
"Come on everyone, hurry up!" We need to move quickly, the soldier announces hastily as they assist the people into the dim tunnel. It's approaching fast. Another soldier yells, as the warlock lifts the injured Princess off the ground and down the tunnel. The soldiers got in blocking the door as the storm blew,"
The warlock healer held the hands of the injured Princess Domitia and steadied her as they marched out of the tunnel, five soldiers at the front and five at the back.
Do you think we'll be safe? As they approached the southern castle, a woman asks softly, but when she hears nothing, she sighs with regret.
Although the sky god hasn't given up on us yet, we have no idea what is waiting for us outside these walls. A man responds with a positive assurance.
Cassyus, a sorcerer, was still at the temple of the sky god attempting to speak with the deity when loud screams and cries could be heard outside.
"Oh it has begun..... The day Deusdedit the third saw," Cassyus laments, stooping to his knees in helplessness.
"Where did we go wrong, I wonder?Oh, great sky god, have you abandoned your people? He says inaudibly, shaking his head in displeasure
"He hasn't," a voice said, A woman's shadow appeared in the light,
"Who are you, if I may ask?" Cassyus retreated in dread because he had never seen someone like this before.
"Who are you? Cassyus asks the stranger,
"I am Gaea, the blue knight of the sky, General Hermanus's massager." Ga answers
So, don't be afraid," she tells Cassyus.
Cassyus bowed his heads and said,
"Oh what has thou mighty knight of the sky come to do with me?
"The sky god's ears have been sealed off, Your prayers are useless because he can't hear you."
Gaea remarks as she continues to look at Cassyus.
"No, he didn't forsake you," Ga says that she seemed to have addressed his most pressing query.
What do you believe is the root of this ugliness?" Cassyus inquires, bowing his head in respect to the heavenly knight
"I'm sure you're aware of that answer Cassyus. The blessings of the sky god can be curses when fallen into the hands of evil,". Gaea clarifies.
"The blessings of a soothsayer upon a mortal man were ludicrous, and other gods never concurred because they were aware that such a day would come" Says Gaea subtly
"While the red dragon has left his mark on your planet, his chains have not yet been released, as only the chosen one is able to liberate him," Gaea reassures Cassyus as she approaches him.
General Caecilus, Julius, three wounded soldiers, and a few other people burst through the temple's doors before Cassyus could respond.
"Cassyus," General Caecilus says as he sees him,
"We've been searching for you cause no one saw you... feared you were dead." General Caecilus remarks as his concerns subsided
"Sorry for entering the temple so abruptly, but we had nowhere else to go."General Caecilus exclaims as he becomes aware of the strange presence among them.
Who is this," General Caecilus enquires.
"I am Gaea, a knight of the celestial realm," Gaea answers politely.
General Caecilus, the citizens of Aragon, and the army all bow their heads in homage to the celestial Knigh in response to Gaea.
"We have to leave; if we stay in Aragon much longer, we'll all perish. Cassyus hears General Caecilus speak.
, "Where do we go from here"? Cassyus asks Gaea, softly humming as he cries out
"In the woodland outside of Aragon,, "Forest of ușoară, there you shall find safety." As she responds to Cassyus, Gaea takes a big breath.
"If everyone departs tonight, it will take six days, but watch out for malevolent spirits who prowl the streets at night. Gaea warns as she issues a warning.
"We are not complete, Commander Flavio, flix, Horace went in search of survivors, but your sons have not yet been located." General Caecilus replies, looking worriedly at Cassyus.
"I have not seen them, we cannot leave until they are found,". Caecilus the General concludes
"How were our pleas heard if the sky god's ears were closed? While facing the celestial knight, Cassius ponders. Inquiringly, Cassyus says,
"I was sent to your realm as a messenger to the fire god, on my way back I heard your cries, returning to the sky god, General Hermanus sent me to pass a warning getting here, the war had started," to which Gaea responds that before Cassyus could answer, a loud magical outburst was made at the temple walls that caused a powerful shake.
As a fire-breathing creature arrives, the crowd screams loudly.
What is happening? startling the soldier who was alarmed by the outburst.
General Caecilus and the soldiers draw their swords as they stare at the direction of the noise, ready to attack their intruders. As they came close to reaching the wall, two swords clanged together as two eyes met
"Commander Flavio," As he shakes hands, General Caecilus exclaims, as joy fills his eyes.
As the troops embrace their friends and permit the people to enter the temple's walls, Commander Flavio replies, "General Caecilus," with calm and sincere joy.
Livio looks at his father as he runs to him in relief. "Father..." Hugging him fiercely, Livio replies, "I thought you were dead. I am so glad to see you." When he hears nothing from his father, he checks to see if he has any wounds. "I'm fine, boy," Cassyus says softly, assuaging his concerns.
Commander Flavio asks, "So how do we get out of here?" while looking at General Caecilus and waiting for a response, drawing the attention of the soldiers and bystanders.
General Caecilus approaches the temple's brick walls and remarks, "There is an underground tunnel that leads to the woods.
General Caecilus chuckles softly, "It's been here for ages," as Commander Flavio and other men hurry to assist him. attempting to escape by violently kicking the walls.
Gaea rushes to the castle and uses her celestial strength to hold it up as the walls of the castle begin to shake due to the influence of the Golems and neromancer magical outpouring trying to tear down the walls.
As Cassyus and the Soldiers continue tearing down the tunnel's entrance walls, Gaea hurriedly exclaims, "You really need to leave the castle walls right now." General Caecilus and Commander Flavio rush into the area after successfully tearing down the walls while assisting the survivors as they down the tunnel.
A woman expresses her fear by asking, "What if they follow after?"
"Be not afraid, for as you depart, the wall of the temple shall crumble, obstructing their entrance. However, they might encounter you beyond the castle gates, so you must be cautious." Gaea says as she comfortingly forewarns the group.
"Thank You Celestial Knight," Cassyus claims that they all kneel down in respect.
As they all enter the tunnel's walls, racing with all their strength as the temple's walls began to collapse.
Being the first to notice their approaching companions, Flix pauses and addresses his brother as "Commander Flavio" as they continue to flee. "Can you hear it?" Flix softly asks, piqued his interest.
"Yes I do, General Caecilus," says Flix, glancing at Commander Flavio.
Commander Flavio calls General Caecilus and the soldiers, along with the crowd, as they all pause and draw swords while gazing at the western end of the tunnel.
"You don't suppose they've followed us," A soldier says As Julius gives him a stare and silences him,
Are you afraid?" the soldier replies, getting no response from Julius he keeps quiet.
"There are ten footfalls" Flix states this while staring at Commander Flavio in fear.
Commander Flavio orders Flix to be silent as he hears roughly ten footsteps approaching. "There are more than ten," Commander Flavio replies,
"They are sixteen footsteps." As they prepare to strike, General Caecilius clarifies,
"Wait, Titus." Livio claims he recognized the man holding onto the female figure as Princess Domitia.
The warlock healer Titus calls out, "Livio," as Livio envelops him in a loving embrace.
As they recognize the northern soldiers who are smiling and greeting them as a few families reunite, General Caecilus, Commander Flavio, and Felix, along with other guards, draw back their swords.