>>Amber

I am alone up here, a solitary witness to the end, watching as everything is eaten up by the black miasma clouds. The tower trembles beneath me, ready to crumble as the dark fog climbs its way up.

The screams become distant and every ounce of light gives away to darkness.

The tower crumbles and just as I begin to fall, I see something in the far blackness.

Hollow white eyes, attached to a pitch black body that belonged to a monster I had never seen before.

***

At what point I fell asleep, I wasn't sure. But I woke up to the sound pounding on the door and someone shaking my body.

I shot my eyes open, "Cor-Amber!" It was Serena, "Wake up," She was the one shaking me.

I immediately half sat up and looked at her, pushing my body up with my arms half laying on the bed, "What-"

"Saint Amber," I didn't get to fully understand the situation, I didn't even get to ask what was going on when my words got cut short, "If you are up, please respond."

???

I was utterly confused as to what had happened.

I looked at Serena while half of me was still laying down. She didn't go back to her room and it seems like she slept with me but woke up before me.

"You should answer them," She looked at me, "They've been pounding the door for a while."

"Why?" I asked.

"I don't know why, but if you don't answer, they'll come in."

"Saint Amber?"

"Yes," I sat up straight on the bed, "What is it?" My voice was hoarse but I managed to get it out

"You have been summoned to the King's court." It was a guard's voice.

Serena and I exchanged a glance, "Why?" I asked as I slowly looked back at the door.

"You have ten minutes to come outside, if you fail, we'll be forced to come and take you ourselves."

I didn't like the sound of that. Not because they were going to be forceful but it sounded like I was in trouble.

Serena and I looked at each other, then nodded.

***

The throne room was filled with people, consisting of the King's advisors, the court officials, Prince Lyal, Princess Ophelia, The royal guards and the king himself.

I stood in the middle with Serena by my side. She wasn't even summoned here but she decided she was coming with me anyway. And honestly, she provided a lot of moral support. We held hands secretly as we stood right next to each other.

"I'm sure you have an idea why you were summoned here, Saint Amber?" The king said and I knew we were never going to get the answer to why he left us in the forest without any guards.

But what I wasn't expecting was for Serena to ask the question anyway, "Your Highness, you left Saint Amber and me in the forest alone without any guards. Don't you think that was a bit too cruel?"

The King frowned, "I did what?"

I saw Ophelia stiffen but she kept her mouth shut.

"You left us in a forest that's running wild with miasma corrupted beasts." She spoke confidently, "Why?"

"I had court matters to attend to," The King's eyes traveled to his daughter, "But I did leave the guards there," He looked back at us, "Who were told to go in and check on you after a while."

"Well, no one came in." Serena said, "And only one guard was there when we came out."

I turned my head to look at Ahin, he stood behind the line of court officials, among the other Royal Guards. He stood with a confident expression but when I looked at him, he turned his head to look at me and gave me a smile.

I smiled back and then turned to look back at the king. He had his eyes on Ophelia

"I don't know who gave the order to withdraw them." Ophelila didn't look back at him, "But I will find out and punish the person behind it." He looked back at us,

"You didn't announce the Princess's punishment." Serena added. I think she caught the act too, that The Princess was behind what happened.

"Why would I be punished?" Ophelia said, "The real criminal is the one standing beside you, Lady Serena."

"Ophelia will be punished for what she did," King Matthias said, "She will be locked up in the dungeon for two months."

"What? Two months!?!" Ophelia shot her head to look at her father, "But Daddy! Saint Amber tried to kill Saint Illaris! She's a criminal! Why would I be punished for hurting a criminal?"

Whispers erupted in the room.

I tried to kill Illaris? Is that what's going on here? I'm on trial now? Wait, why is 'I tried to kill' going on? What happened to Illaris?

"That hasn't been confirmed yet," The King said, "Saint Amber, step forward. You will now be questioned for your actions."

I did as I was asked and stepped forward, letting go of Serena's hand.

"Did you do something to Saint Illaris?" The King asked.

"Your Highness, you would have to elaborate on that." I said

"I've received a report that you both got into an argument. And you used your power on Saint Illaris while you pushed her which caused her to go into a coma."

A coma?

She's in a coma? What the hell!? Nothing happened that would push her into a coma!

"Your Majesty, we did get into an argument but I did not use anything on her. Why would I want to hurt her?"

"I wouldn't know 'why', would I?" All eyes were on me, "Did you push her or not?" He asked

"...I did, but it was a light push. It wasn't even strong enough to make her fall!"

"And yet she fell and lost consciousness." He said

"I don't know why that happened! I am being framed, Your Highness." I placed a hand on my chest, 'I have no reason to hurt her!"

"And yet you got into an argument with her." Lyal said

I looked at him. He and Ophelia stood at the bottom of the stairs that led to the king's throne. "An argument doesn't equal to trying to kill someone."

"It was enough to make you push her down." The Prince said

"I did not push her down. It was a light push." I said, "It was only to stop her from going into her room."

"The witness says otherwise." Ophelia said, "The worker who saw you two fighting claims you pushed her hard with so much anger and then once Saint Illaris was down, you even went to check if she was alive or not. Isn't that what attempted murder is?"

"No," I said, "I went to check on her because she fainted out of nowhere!"

"Do you have anyone that can vouch for that?" Lyal asked

!!

"W-well," I looked back at Serena, she had a worried look in her eyes, "No..." I looked back at the royals, "But, I wouldn't lie about something like this!"

"The other party would say the same." The King said

"No wait, if I had the intention of killing her, why would I let the guards take her back to the temple and let a doctor see her?!"

"It's because you failed," Ophelila said, "You got caught and couldn't complete the job since the guards came right away."

I shook my head in annoyance, "If I had plans of killing someone I wouldn't do it somewhere so obvious, where anyone can see me! This is obviously a step up!"

"Maybe it was your impulsive decision." Lyal said, "You were arguing after all. And clearly you were upset that you didn't get a single target yesterday."

"I-" His statement took me by surprise, "I lost, but I have no grudge over that."

"You both were arguing about that though." Lyal said, "The witness claimed so,"

!!!

Shit!

"Saint Amber," The King said, "Do you have anything to present to claim your innocence. Other than your words?"

My heart dropped and I frowned.

No

I only had my words.

"See?" Ophelia said, "She's a criminal! She tried to kill a Saint! A national treasure! She's a murderer."

All the people began to whisper while I looked down in frustration. There was nothing I could say that would work in my favor.

"If you don't present us with anything, you will be held accountable for your crime, Saint Amber," The King declared.

I closed my eyes in defeat.

***

>>Hael

I staggered through the dark place, my vision blurred by the pain radiating from my torn abdomen. Each step felt like a struggle against the agony that coursed through my body. My left hand was pressed against the gaping wound in my gut, futilely trying to push my spilling intestines back inside.

The slick warmth of my blood coated my fingers, making it nearly impossible to get a firm grip on the slippery organs.

My right arm, or what remained of it, hung uselessly at my side, a mangled stump dripping with blood. The miasma that had corrupted my body prevented any attempt at healing. Every time I tried to channel even the smallest bit of magic to mend my wounds, the dark energy surged through me, sending waves of searing pain through my nerves.

I stumbled over a root, nearly collapsing as my knees buckled. The pain in my side was excruciating, a constant reminder of the brutal attack that had left me in this state. I could feel the jagged edges of my shattered ribs grinding together with every ragged breath. My vision swam as I fought to stay conscious.

The forest seemed to close in around me, the shadows deepening as the miasma thickened the air.

I kept hearing that chittering sound.

With each step, my strength waned. I could feel the blood loss taking its toll, my limbs growing heavier and my movements slower. The ground beneath me seemed to tilt and sway, the world a dizzying blur of green and black. I tripped again, falling to my knees, the pain shooting up in my body.

I tried to rise, but my body refused to obey. My left hand slipped from my gut, and I watched in horror as my intestines spilled out onto the forest floor. Desperation gripped me, and I frantically scooped them back in, my breath coming in short, labored gasps. The miasma pulsed through my veins, attempting to take over my senses.

My blurry vision was painted red due to the blood spilling out of my head, the edges of my world fading to black. I could feel the cold fingers of death creeping closer

I can't believe this

Me? I got injured like this? ME!?!

I coughed up the blood. I couldn't hold my guts in anymore. I was losing my consciousness.

Is this how I'm going to die?

I'm going to die from mere carelessness? Because I couldn't access the situation fast enough?

I let out a final scoff.

Ironic.