Liberation of Ahrealia
1
Khari Ahrealia stared at herself in the large ornate mirror and giggled happily. Her hair was a deep red and accented her piercing green eyes very well. She was dressed in the casual garb fitting for her title as Queen of the Northern Vale. A Gold silk gown with a modest neckline and silver pearls worked into the lacing. She was tall compared to many women of the kingdom standing just below six feet and her muscular figure filled the gown well even after having 3 children. And now she had just found that she was about to have another. Her alabaster skin glowed as she turned sideways in the mirror and imagined herself with child once more. She couldn't wait to tell her husband.
Unable to wait until after evening meal to tell her husband the news she decided she would interrupt the courtiers and give the news to him right away, besides that would make the day that much more glorious after seeing the delight in his eyes. As she rounded the corner that would take her to the Kings receiving room she glanced up from her daydreaming and her heart skipped a beat. The two royal guards and the page that were always at attendance outside the door were lying face down in a pool of blood. Khari rushed to the door and stopped her hand inched from the handle when a coppery odor iassaulted her senses. Immediately she knew what she would find behind the door, there is nothing quite as identifying as the smell of freshly spilled blood. Khari threw open the door steeling herself for whatever she would encounter, nothing could have prepared her.
Christopher Ahrealia, King of the Northern Vale, War Wizard, hero to the people, and her husband stared back from under a crimson river of blood and gore. Khari tore her eyes from the scene as if to deny its existence but she knew it was too late. She had seen the blades piercing his harms outstretched against the wall above Christopher's desk. She had seen the royal robes of gold satin and blue silk, now savagely ripped open exposing the cruelty that had been caused by the iron hooks still hanging from the empty cavity that once cradled his heart. The dazzling green eyes that could either charm the most impetuous baroness, or humble the most arrogant lord, were nothing more than empty sockets now.
A cry of rage and despair rose in her throat but was drowned out by a sudden explosion from the city outside. Confusion and shock clouded her mind as she tried to take in everything that was happening. She could hear the Guards and the palace staff screaming orders and warning about the city being under attack. She could smell smoke blowing in from the open window that overlooked the proud city of Ahrealia. The horror of it all made it seem as though a nightmare had forced its way into the waking world.
Movement to her left broke the numbness of her shock. Five figures stepped from behind the heavy window draperies. They all wore black form fitting clothing that seemed to absorb the light around them. The clothing was tight enough that Khari could tell that they all where men of slender but muscular stature. They all wore a matte black mask seemingly made from some medal, each face portraying a different emotion. The only colors adorning the figures were the glowing yellow eyes gleaming from behind the masks. "Keerians." whispered Khari when she realized what race of being had invaded her Kingdom and murdered her husband.
As if confirming Khari's assessment of their identities, one of the assassins bowed his head in greeting, smiling with those cold yellow eyes. Khari had heard children's stories about the race of people who were descendant from demons, people who would steal away naughty children and make them into slaves for their amusement. Uncertain fear gripped her heart as the Kerrian's casually and with deadly grace spread evenly around the room. Khari's eyes returned to her husband's mutilated body and suddenly the fear was gone leaving only vengeful anger and malicious wrath.
Khari heard Jacob De Marx, Captain Royal of the palace guards' scream in alarm as one of the Keerians rushed into the hall closing and bolting the door behind him. Sounds of battle erupted as the Captain engaged the Keerian in a life and death struggle. Khari turned to the four remaining Keerians. "You will all die this night this I swear by the gods." she whispered coldly as she closed her eyes and reached out with her rage and gathered the magical energy around her. It was there, just beyond the reach of human understanding. It called to her longingly, aching for Khari to command it, to shape it into her desires. The magic that Khari had touched all of her life was hers to command and hungry to aid her in her desires. "Slooooow", Khari whispered, drawing the word out slowly as if it were soothing and intimate.
The air surrounding Khari began to crackle, when Khari opened her eyes she saw that the Keerians were indeed advancing one her, but at a snails pace. The time dilation spell had taken effect and now Khari could exact her revenge at her leisure. Khari smiled wickedly as she casually reached out and plucked a shining curved blade from the hand of the nearest Keerian and used his own blade to open his throat. In the normal flow of time it happened almost instantly, but to Khari several seconds had passed. Khari quickly cut two more throats and let the time dilation spell drop.
To the remaining assassin his situation went from aggressor to victim in less than a second. One moment he was with his fellow Keerians about to slaughter the Queen of the Northern Vale, and the next his three companions were drowning on their own blood and the Queen was standing mere inches from him and he had a sudden pain in his gut. Looking down he saw that the Queen was holding a curved blade hilt deep into his abdomen. The shock in his eyes showed both confusion and fear.
Khari leaned in and whispered into the Kerrian's ear, "I want to see your face as you die demon." With her free hand she pulled the mask from the man's face and was surprised to see a regular man except for those eyes. With a twist Khari lifted the blade and pierced the heart. The man's yellow eyes slowly stopped glowing as he died. Khari turned to see the door opening, as De Marx burst is sword at the ready, his look of fear turned to one of relief when he saw that his Queen was unharmed. "Majesty, the attack came so suddenly I..." he voice trailed off as he looked past Khari and saw the tormented corpse of his king. Tears formed in his eyes as he fell to his knees and allowed his blade to fall with a defeated clatter to the tiles.
Khari, fighting back her own tears knelt next to De Marx and placed a comforting hand upon his shoulder. "Jacob, my husband and your King is dead. We must see to the children immediately. Please don't fall apart on me now, I need your strength for I am not sure that my own will be enough." She said with urgency and barely contained hysteria. Slowly De Marx turned his suddenly fearful eyes to his queen. "Majesty, I don't understand. I just came from the nursery; I assumed they were with you. The Children are gone and the nursery in shambles as if they were gathered in a hurry." Khari's blood ran cold. "Weep the Father and the Mother for the Keerian have the children..." Khari whispered, reciting a verse from the old nursery rhyme. Turning her stunned wide eyes to De Marx, "Jacob, they have my children...The Keerians took my babies."