>>Amber

The world below me is a nightmare painted in black.

Everything feels like it's distorting.

From the top of the tower, standing on the high balcony, I watch as the flames move like a dark mist, swirling and spreading with a life of their own. They devour everything in their path, all the trees, the birds, the animals, the buildings, even the people, leaving nothing but blackened remnants in their wake. The sky is a tumultuous sea of gray and black, the sun a dim, struggling orb obscured by the smothering darkness.

The mist like fire, if that can even be called that, does not flicker like the usual fires; they glide and twist, more like tendrils of smoke than tongues of flame. It seems almost sentient, creeping and consuming with a deliberate, malevolent intent. I can see them licking at the edges of buildings, turning everything into corrupted bodies.

Screams pierce the air, sharp and desperate, mingling with the low, constant hum of terror that underlies the chaos. The cries for help, the wails of confusion and pain-they rise up to me, each one a dagger of guilt and helplessness. I grip the edge of the railing, my knuckles white, my heart a frantic drum in my chest.

Down below, people run in all directions, their movements frantic and disoriented. They stumble over each other, some falling and being swallowed by the approaching misty flames, their final screams echoing up to where I stand. The black mist rolls over them, silencing their cries in an instant, leaving nothing but a hollow silence in their place.

The air is thick with an acrid scent, the taste of miasma bitter on my tongue. The once familiar cityscape is now an alien landscape of shadows and destruction. I feel a chill that has nothing to do with the temperature, a bone-deep cold that seeps into my very being.

I am alone up here, a solitary witness to the end. The tower trembles beneath me, the structure groaning as if it too is aware of the inevitable. I wonder how long it will stand, how long before the miasma even reaches this high place.

My eyes sting with unshed tears,

***

>>Amber

I gasp as I wake up, sweat sliding down my face and my neck

God

What was that? I let out a few deep breaths as I sit on the bed.

What kind of horrifying dream was that? I felt a chill go down my spine and the goosebumps made my skin stand up.

"It felt too real," I whispered, "And that view," I gulped, lubricating my dry throat, "That was the view from Hael's room." I gulped, feeling thirsty, I turned to get a glass of water from my side-table and drank the whole glass in one go.

Bringing the glass down from my mouth, I thought about it again.

Why would I dream of something like that?

It was like the miasma had started moving on its own, and consumed everything in its path.

I gulped.

Weird...

***

Hael had given me a number of teleportation scrolls. I use them to go to his tower in the morning.

I landed in his lab, like usual, but then I heard him talking with someone.

"You didn't fulfill your part of the deal, Hael," Who was he talking to? That voice seems so familiar. I didn't want to disturb him, so I moved quietly.

"I'm aware," Hael answered, "But I won't be coming back to the Elf Kingdom," He stood in front of the magic communication orb with his arms folded.

OH!

Is he talking to Queen Helena?

"You don't need to come again, let's choose a common point. Bring the saint and purify the elves." Through the orb, a faint image of Queen Helena could be seen. That orb costs a fortune, so only the wealthiest of people can buy it.

Hael must be loaded if he has that.

"Fine," He replied, "Bring me the information for the miasma origin too,"

"Done," Helena said, "I'll make the arrangements and then let you know."

Right

The elves seem to know something about where the miasma is originating from.

Wait-

A weird thought crossed my mind then.

I didn't see Hael in my dream. I was in his room, but he wasn't with me.

Why?

A feeling of dread washed over me,

Why wasn't he with me?

"What's wrong?" Hael's voice made me come back to reality

"Huh," I looked at him. He was done with his call, "Oh, nothing," I don't need to worry about it. It was just a dream, why am I fretting over it?

"You look pale," He said

"I just had a bad dream," I let out a soft sigh, "It just looked so vivid, I can't shake the feeling off,"

"A bad dream?" He gestured to me to come over to where he was standing and I walked towards him.

"Yea, usually when I wake up, I see all the flawed things in the dream that make you accept that it was all a dream." I reached him, "But with this one everything was so vivid and accurate." I felt a shudder as I recalled it.

"Hmmm," Hael stared at me, putting his hand over his mouth, he thought about it, "Tell me if you see it again."

I looked at him weirdly, "Why would I see it again?"

"Just saying," He stepped closer to me, "If you do, tell me."

I shrugged, "Okay," I frowned at him. He didn't even ask me what it was, and he's only asking to tell him if I see it again?

Well, there's no reason for him to be interested in my dreams.

He opened his palms for me, "The king called us,"

"Why?" I asked

"I'm not sure," He answered, "We'll find out once we go." He looked down at his hands and I placed mine in his.

"Okay,"

Ever since Hael told me his story, things have been a little awkward between us. Mostly from his side, I guess it's because he opened up and told me such a vulnerable thing and now he feels bare. I still come and train every day with him, trying to handle the immense power in me, but we don't talk that much.

***

We teleported to the royal palace and then walked towards the throne room. As we approached the giant door, I noticed two people standing outside, waiting.

An all too familiar woman, and a tall, sturdy man with blue hair, wearing priest clothes.

"Master," The man with navy blue hair bowed slightly to give Hael a respectful gesture as we approached them. Then he gave me a short nod which I acknowledged.

"High Priest Eldias," Hael showed the same action back, which actually caught me off guard. He's capable of respecting someone?

Wow

And, I looked at the man, that's the High Priest? He looks so young!

They both were done greeting each other, that's when the woman and I glanced at each other.

"Saint Illaris," I passed her a professional smile.

"Saint Amber," She passed me a worn out smile, after which we looked away and didn't speak to each other at all.

Why are they here? Calling both the saints to the palace, I don't like the sound of this. I feel like something bad is going to happen.

The grand doors of the throne room swung open with a resonant creak. The guards opened the door for us and we entered.

I stepped inside, my heels echoing with each cautious step, and took a deep breath to steady myself.

The room was eerily silent, save for the soft shuffle of the guards stationed along the perimeter. My gaze moved towards the throne, and my heart skipped a beat.

!!!

There, standing in front of the king, was Prince Lyal. Hearing our footsteps, he slightly turned his face around to look at us, with his hands behind his back, he stood like a prince.

"Looks like Illaris healed his broken neck," Hael whispered and I noticed it too.

Lyal was in perfect health and he could only be in perfect health because of Illaris. I glanced at the other saint, then looked back at Prince Lyal.

My stomach churned at the sight of him. As I approached the throne, Lyal's eyes met mine. There was a flicker of something-recognition perhaps but I forced myself to remain composed, not giving him any attention. And as we all came and stood on either side of him, he looked away from me.

He can't recognize me, because I am not Corvina. I am Amber, and Amber has nothing to do with the elite class.

"Welcome!" The king's voice boomed in the silence, welcoming us, but all I could focus on was the simmering tension in my chest.

Why did he call us here?

"You all must be thinking why did I call you here," He smirked, "Since we don't have other nobles and eyes watching us, I'll get straight to the point."

Oh Good!

I won't have to stay in this wretched place for long.

"We're doing a little event," The king smiled,

"What sort of event?" Lyal asked, I guess he isn't aware of his father's intentions either. I couldn't help but glance at him. It's a common thing to look at the person talking after all. But as soon as I looked at him, I looked away.

That's when I noticed Hael's gaze on me

!!!

But I turned and looked away from him as well, and simply watched the King.

How long has Hael had his eyes on me?

"Since there are two saints. One will be allocated to the elite class." The king said, making all of us curious, "And the other to the commoners."

Ah,

I guess this was something bound to happen. The nobles must have decided they didn't want to be cured by the same hands that cure the common people, so they must have asked the king to do something.

"And how do you plan on deciding that, Your Majesty?" Eldias asked.

"In order to decide who goes to who, a series of events will take place in the palace." His smile widened and I didn't like the sound of that.

"In the palace?" Hael asked

"Yes," The king nodded, "Both the saints will live in the palace for a while." As soon as the words left the mouth of the king, my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach.

!!!

What?

I shot my head at Hael, he had a frown on.

"May I ask 'Why' Your Majesty?" Hael asked as the anxiety inside me grew. The bad feeling I was having since earlier must have been this.

"Well, why not?" The King shrugged, "Seems like a fun event."

Hael's eyebrow twitched. I could tell he didn't like the idea either, "And why were the High Priest and I summoned here?" He asked.

"Well, that's because I'm sending The High Priest and The Magic Master on a mission." The King replied

A mission? What mission?

"What Mission?" Lyal asked. He was called here, but he was as clueless as the rest of us.

"I'm sending these two highly capable men out of the country," The king seemed amused, like he was having fun, "While you two are out, we'll hold the event with the saints."

!!???

Dread consumed me like wildfire when I heard him.

What did he just say?

He's going to send Hael out of the country? Not just out of the palace or city, but out of the effin country!?!? And then he's going to make the event happen?!?!

Wait.

I felt nauseous. My stomach churned again.

If Hael isn't here, that means I'm stuck in the palace with Illaris, Lyal and that obnoxious princess?? And only God knows who else!!