Nadia held her second-born with shaking hands, ensuring the infant's safety as she gazed at her in a mix of awe and trepidation. King Zarius had departed for an urgent council meeting with the Devil Lords, leaving Nadia to face this momentous occasion alone. She was still reeling from the shock of what she and King Zarius had created - a Nephalem, a being of both angelic and demonic lineage.
As she calmed herself, Nadia made a solemn promise to protect her daughter from the world, fearing the same persecution that had befallen Xeris might befall her child, "I swear to protect you, always. I will never let anyone outside our family know about you. You are safe with me."
The baby's unusual features only deepened Nadia's determination: white hair, small black horns, pale skin, a delicate halo, a devilish tail, and wings that were both black and white.
As Nadia spoke softly, the baby Nephalem opened her eyes, leaving her mother stunned. The left eye gleamed red, the Death Eye, while the right eye shone gold, the Life Eye. This rare combination seemed to hold a profound significance, and Nadia knew she had to safeguard her daughter's secret at all costs.
In that moment, Nadia knew she had found the perfect name for her daughter. The name meant "throne" or "lordly," a nod to her daughter's unique heritage and potential destiny. "You are Cyra," Nadia whispered, her voice filled with conviction. "And I will always be here to protect you."
But little did she know...
She wouldn't be able to keep that promise...
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────
King Zarius had prepared a sanctum fit for the Nephalem princess. The room was adorned with dark, rich woods and velvety black curtains, embroidered with intricate silver thread. A majestic crib, crafted from a single piece of polished obsidian, stood at the room's center. Soft, ethereal glow emanated from luminescent orbs, casting an otherworldly light on the space.
After Nadia laid Cyra down, King Zarius instructed her to wait for him in his chambers. Just then, Lloyd teleported into the room, his bright red eyes shining with excitement. "Wow! She's so tiny!" he exclaimed, gazing at Cyra in wonder. "Her horns are so cute! And her wings! Can I touch them?"
King Zarius remained silent, observing the scene with an unreadable expression. Lloyd asked, "Father, what's her name?"
"Cyra," King Zarius replied, his deep voice low and measured.
"I love it!" Lloyd chimed, beaming. "It suits her perfectly!"
King Zarius nodded, his gaze lingering on Cyra before turning to Lloyd. "Stay here and watch your sister. I have matters to attend to."
Lloyd nodded enthusiastically, still cooing over Cyra. As King Zarius departed, his thoughts turned malevolent. "The first phase is complete...now, onto the second phase."
With that, he vanished into the dark corridors, leaving Lloyd to watch over Cyra in the sanctum. The air seemed to grow thick with anticipation, as if the shadows themselves were waiting for the next move in King Zarius' mysterious plan.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────
King Zarius entered his chambers, a grandiose space adorned with dark, polished marble and lit by flickering crimson candles that cast eerie shadows on the walls. The air was thick with the scent of old leather and smoke, and the walls were lined with ancient, leather-bound tomes bound in black iron and adorned with mysterious symbols. Nadia sat on a plush, black velvet chaise lounge, her eyes cast downward in deep thought, her brow furrowed in concern.
King Zarius cleared his throat to announce his presence, and Nadia's head snapped up, her voice laced with concern. "My king?"
He feigned a warm, tender smile, his eyes gleaming with malevolence as he beckoned her closer. "Come here, Nadia. I have something for you."
Without hesitation, Nadia rose, her movements hesitant, and approached him, her eyes searching for any sign of what was to come. "Close your eyes, my dear. I have a gift for you."
Nadia's eyes narrowed slightly, but she complied, a sense of trepidation creeping up her spine as she shut her eyes. King Zarius seized her hand, his grip cold and unforgiving, and in an instant, they teleported to the deeper depths of Hell.
Nadia's eyes snapped open to find herself surrounded by a desolate, nightmarish landscape that stretched out before her like an eternal abyss. The air reeked of brimstone and ash, and the ground beneath her feet was dry, cracked earth that seemed to shift and writhe like a living thing. Twisted, black trees loomed in the distance, their branches like skeletal fingers reaching for the sky, their leaves a deep, fiery red that seemed to glow with an otherworldly energy.
King Zarius' smirk grew wider as Nadia stumbled backward, her eyes wide with fear, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "Where are we?" she asked, her voice trembling, her eyes darting wildly about the desolate landscape.
He didn't respond, his gaze fixed on her with an unnerving intensity, his eyes gleaming with a malevolent light that seemed to bore into her very soul. Nadia's weakness and vulnerability became apparent as she struggled to keep her footing, her legs trembling beneath her.
In a weak voice, she asked, "What's going on? Why do I feel so weak?" Her eyes pleaded for answers, but King Zarius just smiled, his expression cold and detached.
King Zarius' smirk never wavered. "It's all part of my plan, Nadia. You see, I no longer need you. I've gotten what I wanted from you." His voice dripped with malice, each word a dagger to her heart.
Nadia's eyes widened in horror as the truth dawned on her. She realized she was nothing more than a pawn in King Zarius' game of power, a mere tool to be used and discarded. The dagger in King Zarius' hand glinted with dark energy, its blade inscribed with ancient runes that seemed to pulse with malevolence, as if feeding off her fear.
Nadia tried to rise, but the oppressive energy of their surroundings weighed her down, pinning her to the ground like an insect under a microscope. King Zarius' final words were cold and detached, devoid of any emotion or empathy. "Goodbye, Nadia."
With a swift, merciless motion, he plunged the dagger into her heart, the blade slicing through her like a hot knife through butter. Nadia's energy waned, her body crumpling to the ground as her life force faded, her vision fading to black as the darkness closed in around her. King Zarius watched with a triumphant smirk as her body turned to dust, leaving nothing but a faint memory of her existence, a mere whisper in the annals of time.
»»—————- ♔ —————-««
Nadia: "What's the plan for Cyra's education?"108Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhonlNZXh2L
King Zarius: "We'll start with 'Introduction to World Domination' and go from there."
[A/N]: So... that happened 😗... Also, all this is still some sort of flashback. Including future chapters until I put down when it's over. And when you see that divider with a crown ♔ in the middle, it means the chapter is over.
Thanks for reading! ^^
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