Age of Nightmares

[Queen Marcelle]

Darkness.

That was all Queen Marcelle knew since that fateful day when her beloved Osirus was slain during a valiant struggle against the despicable Order of Lumen. His death was a cruel twist of fate that brought her perfect world tumbling down, a tragedy that consumed her very soul, leaving behind a vengeful demon that longed for the flesh of those who turned her life into a nightmare.

And she planned to drag the rest of the world into the nightmare they created for her, damning them to the very hell they had sentenced her to. Ever since the Day of Lacrima, mass executions of common criminals and expected conspirators were conducted almost every day, and those believed to be even remotely associated with the Order of Lumen were taken to the Blood Chamber, never to return.

But this was not enough to appease the deranged monarch. Her lust for blood would only be satisfied when the entire world had joined the fallen Osirus in the beyond.

The Queen leaned back in her seat at the head of the banquet table, blue eyes skittering around the ruined Grand Hall. The once majestic room had been laid to waste, though it was hardly noticeable in the thick darkness that pervaded the room. She had ordered that all lights in the castle be extinguished, just as the light of her life was on that wretched day.

She fell forward onto the dirty table with an unceremonious thud, staring absently at the bloody corpse of a woman seated to her right, one of the numerous cadavers attending the insane queen's morbid banquet. This particular corpse was once an unlucky maid who dared to light an oil lamp in the royal bedroom so she could tidy things up, a crime equal to treason in the queen's opinion.

"Bassette...." Marcelle mumbled softly, gently running a gloved hand down the body's right cheek. "How could you take my Osirus away from me? ...He was a god among men... The only reason I would wake up in the morning was so I could see his beautiful face smiling back at me..."

The Queen paused and looked to the corpse of a young boy at the other end of the table, painted black lips curving into a disapproving frown. "Eros, don't play with your food! Do you want me to punish you?"

Turning back to 'Bassette', she offered the corpse a strange smile. "Children, what are you gonna do? As I was saying, your friend Aden must pay for what he did to my lord. But my men can't seem to find him anywhere! Do you know where he might be hiding?"

An awkward pause followed.

"You'll break down sooner or later," Marcelle chuckled as she leaned in and kissed the corpse on the lips. She bit into the bottom lip of the deceased woman and tore it right off her face. Pulling away, she chuckled madly, the lip danging between her teeth. "You and your Lumen knew how much he meant to me, and you STILL took him away! You really are a vicious bitch, Bassette. I'M GLAD YOUR DEAD!"

Marcelle gave the corpse a forceful push, sending it falling out of the chair, then turned on her side and erupted into a fit of deranged laughter that echoed throughout the pitch black room. She chewed on the torn lip and swallowed it, then closed her eyes shut and returned to wallowing in her grief. "He's dead... He's dead..."

[Aldebaran]

Had he been any other person in the world, he would have long since abandoned this idea. He would have taken one look at the demented Queen in her dark sanctuary and taken flight from the castle as soon as possible. Any sane man would have just left the sick woman to her sadistic delights and lived a happier life. But Aldebaran was not a normal man by any standards. He was quite different and hardly phased by Marcelle's strange actions. In fact, he found it quite depressing. The poor woman had lost her beloved husband. She was in no state to rule a land, but she persevered as best as she could. However, with the decimation of her army in the Day of Lacrima, her son missing, and her husband gone; Aldebaran could only guess what kept the woman going. She was a magnificent, she was strong, and she was losing herself. But this did not deter Aldebaran from his plans. He needed her.

Walking into the room with in a brazen, but respective way, he lingered at the large double doors leading into the grand hall, watching the woman in her demented fever. He stood there for a moment longer so that his presence was known before he would fully waltz in. Scaring her or surprising her was one thing he did not want to do. Stepping ever so lightly in the darkness, he walked towards the banquet table, looking up at her as he slowly removed his headpiece, tucking it under his left arm. His long, blond hair fell about his armor as he stared up at her with his crimson eyes. He stood there for a moment before going to one knee, bowing his head in respect. This would be the first time he had come face to face with the Queen ever since arriving in Alyssus and coming to Du Aurella to gain a position in the Knighthood.

"My Queen, my Lady; I know not if my presence has been announced to you. Help runs thin in the castle at the moment. My name is Aldebaran and I've come to offer my services," he said, keeping his head low, but eyes locked upon her. His thin lips were drawn tight, his long lashes focused on the Queen.

[Queen Marcelle]

Stretched out on the banquet table, Queen Marcelle stared up at the ceiling with misty eyes, completely unaware of the stranger loitering near the doorway. Even if she had seen him, it was hard to say how she would have reacted, considering her extremely unpredictable nature. Her connection to reality was flimsy at best, so anything was possible.

As he began to speak, she acknowledged his presence by rolling onto her stomach and giving him a vapid look. It was impossible to tell if she was listening to a word he was saying, but at least she was aware of his presence.

"Aldebaran..." she mumbled at last, sounding dejected and confused. "I'm afraid I don't know anyone in the castle named Aldebaran. But don't worry, sweetheart, I'm sure you'll find your friend sooner or later."

Without warning she swung her right leg forcefully, knocking several rusted dishes and a broken chalice from the table. Laughing like a giddy schoolgirl, she crawled to the other end of the table and didn't stop when she reached the edge. She fell off the side, snagging her leg on a chair and bringing down with her, along with the corpse that was sitting on it.

"Control yourself, you lecherous son of a bitch!" Marcelle shrieked at the top of her lungs, grabbing onto the diseased husk and tossing it aside. The corpse landed on its back, its head breaking from its neck and rolling over to the wall. "I thought you were above pulling nonsense like that, Eltana. What will my dear Osirus say when he finds out? And I had no idea you were into women, to be perfectly honest..."

Standing up, she staggered back to her throne like a drunkard and collapsed into it, staring at Aldebaran with a scowl on her face. "And who the hell are you? I don't appreciate people barging into my banquets unannounced."

[Aldebaran]

Aldebaran knelt there for a moment's being as Marcelle rolled around on the table and staggered around acting like a complete fool. Watching the woman and her lost mentality was almost painful. To see a woman of her standards and grace fall from such a level was sickening. Not even flinching as the dishes fell and shattered, he slowly stood up. Still holding his headpiece in his arms, he walked onto the raised dais that held the banquet table and the thrones. He moved directly in front of Marcelle, stepping gracefully over the debris before her. Now in front of her, he could see how wrecked the Queen looked. To think the esteemed and prestigious Valhalla family could fall to such a decrepit state...this is pathetic... he thought as he stared at the queen.

"Your Majesty, I am Aldebaran. I've come to offer my services as a Knight. Your previous General has died and you've no Knights. Despite this fantasy land of dead you play in, I'm real. I've come to help you get back for the death of Lord Osirus..." Aldebaran said, his voice calm and genuine. He did not want to appear threatening nor rude. But if the Queen was to resume ruling the kingdom, she had to be brought from her delusions. He moved closer to her, drawing up his full height in her presence. He knelt in front of her again, practically at her knees. Taking off the armored gauntlet around his right hand, he held it up to her.

"If you wish to test your dream, you may do what you will."

[Queen Marcelle]

Marcelle listened to him as he spoke, resting her chin against her knuckles. Her features softened slightly, and her eyes reflected a basic level of understanding. She appeared to be experiencing a brief moment of clarity, her true self pushing through the insanity that enveloped her mind and consumed her soul.

"Aldebaran...." he whispered to herself, her voice strong and certain. "...My general has died and I have no knights to continue the war against the Order of Lumen. This is what you're telling me? Yes..."

Closing her eyes, she leaned back in her throne and began humming to herself quietly. Her brow furrowed pensively, and she looked to the corpse she had been conversing with earlier. "I don't know what to make of this news. What say you, Nikanoru?"

She nodded her head emphatically as she pictured the corpse giving her counsel. "You have such a way with words, Nikanoru," she giggled hysterically at lunged at the corpse, pinning it to the ground. Pressing herself against the lipless cadaver, she went on laughing to herself, once again in her own little world.

"I'm afraid you are wasting your breath, sir," a soft voice purred from the doorway.

Eltana sauntered into the grand hall in his usual graceful way, being careful to avoid the numerous body parts and smashed dishes that littered the floor. The usual scanty black robe lined with golden silks clung to his shapely form, and a black beaked headdress decorated with innumerable violet feathers adorned his head.

He cast a glance at Marcelle, who was now rolling on the floor in hysterical laughter, and frowned in disgust. It was a sorrowful sight to behold; such a grand woman reduced to nothing more than a raving lunatic. Perhaps he even felt a tinge of remorse for exacerbating her condition with his dark magics. But it had to be done; she was a necessary sacrifice, a martyr for his righteous cause.

"The wise and honorable Queen Marcelle died with her husband that tragic day," Eltana said, turning to Aldebaran. "All that remains of her now is this all-mighty idiot. Such a shame, wouldn't you agree?"

[Draken]

Early in the morning, Draken would meet with the dark queen herself for orders. Lady Marcelle seemed to enjoy making her assassination orders personal and customized. If she had one, Draken would return late at night with the deed always done and dine on bread, cheese, the occasional leftover meat from dinner, and ale which kept him warm in the always chilling depths of the castle all from a mysterious, unknown benefactor. He would then rest for the remainder of the night until the next morning he would have company with the queen once more, presenting evidence for the dark deed and the rest of the day would be his. That was the routine, just as if Osirus had been there.




That was just the routine this morning. Draken pushed himself up, reluctant to face the cruel bite of the icy air. The ale was merely enough to keep him asleep at night, but even that amount made his head ache ever so slightly in the morning. It only added to the soreness of his shoulders from a non-stop flight and back. The stone floor that he had to sleep on didn't help either. He finally brought himself around to actually getting up, wrapping his blanket tightly around his bare chest as he helped himself to generous helping of dried meat he recieved last night, having already eaten the fresh cooked portion. There was no window in the room, so there was no way of telling exactly what time it was, but he knew he had to meet with Queen Marcelle as quickly as possible. He dressed himself in clothes most presentable to the queen; grey silken and heavily detailed and elaborate garments that he had once stolen from an unlucky craftsman. Still quite groggy, he left his quarters hoping he had not overslept too late...

Since the epic historic battle that took place two months ago, Since Osirus' death, queen Marcelle had not been easy on the assassination orders. She was very specific, often very brutal. Luckily, he hadn't failed her yet. That brought the king to mind...

Osirus...

The spy got away from Draken, and the word of Osirus' attack reached the Order of Lumen. For that reason, they were able to defend theirselves. For that reason, Osirus' armies lost. For that reason...Osirus was dead.

Fortunately, Only Osirus knew that.

The footsteps of the assassin echoed only to the keenest ears, or perhaps a human that was listening close enough. He made his way to meet the queen, finally reaching the door to the great hall. He peered inside the crack in the door, surveying the scene first before stepping inside.

[Aldebaran]

Aldebaran stared at the queen for a moment longer before retracting his hand and stand slowly, his eyes sad and filled with empathy for the deranged woman. Sighing, he turned slowly to the voice that had addressed him, casting a look to Eltana.
"It is quite a shame indeed. I had hoped that she would have taken to something other than corpses. It must be a terrible place to reside...in one's mind, lost within the memories of her beloved, but never again to see him," Aldebaran muttered, glancing at the queen as she cuddled and cooed at the lifeless form on the floor. Shaking his head, he looked back to Eltana.

"In any case, as you know my name, I would like to know yours. You seem to be the only one with a mind around here. If you don't know already, I'm here to offer my services as a Knight." Aldebaran stepped towards Eltana, his armor clanking ever so lightly in the darkness. The huge wing armor on his back would seem to topple the man over, but he seemed centered and poised. But as Draken stepped within the room, Aldebaran stopped and blinked.

"Hmm. Looks like we've got more company..."

[Eltana Remarque]

Eltana examined the impressive figure standing before him, a suspicious smile gracing his girlish features. There was no doubt in his mind Aldebaran would make an excellent addition to the Knights of Osirus. With his puppet Takashe missing in action, he was in desperate need of a new general; and this man looked perfect for the job.

"I am Eltana Remarque, trusted adviser to Queen Marcelle and current director of the Blood Chamber," he answered smoothly. "And I am glad to hear you wish to join our ranks. As I'm sure you know, help is rather hard to come by nowadays."

Hearing someone step inside the room, Eltana glanced over his shoulder and frowned when he saw Draken standing near the door. He strongly disliked the winged assassin, even though he barely even knew him. Something about him just rubbed him the wrong way.

"This had better be important, Draken," he folded his arms against his chest, giving him an annoyed look.

Queen Marcelle, meanwhile, had resumed the throne and was engaged in a rather loving conversation with a corpse she believed to be her husband. Judging from her words, her mind had apparently reset to an occasion many years ago when she and a young Osirus were playing outside the castle.

[Draken]

Draken's yellow eyes were fixed on Marcelle and her strange behavior upon entering, but drifted toward the new additon to the Knights. He shifted uncomfortably when he began to stare in the queen's direction again and it took a moment for him to realize he was being spoken to.

He flinched slightly, quickly dropping to his knees before Eltana in respect. "Y-Yes, my la...My lord." He quickly corrected himself. "The viera Queen Marcelle requested is slain," he held up a bloodstained burlap sack containing evidence. "And its body lays strewn about the desert, as ordered."

[Aldebaran]

As Draken addressed Eltana, Aldebaran glanced over his shoulder to stare at the Queen. The poor sick thing was so deposed over her husband, she would result to talking to a corpse and reliving the past. Then, he turned back to Eltana. So this is the adviser, hnn? It'll be quite interesting following this fellow's orders. It should prove to be a little more interesting... Aldebaran thought to himself before flicking his long golden locks over his shoulder.

"Fair Eltana, I'm honored to join the ranks of the famous Knights of Osirus," Aldebaran said, bowing in respect to the beautiful man before him. After a moment, he looked to Draken, a kind look in his eyes.

"Draken, is it? Shoulders up, young sir. You should speak to your Lords with composition and poise if you wish to gain favor," he said, speaking gently to the uneasy assassin. He then looked back to Eltana.

"I should introduce you then to my own personal assistants. They shall be helping me in executing my orders..." Aldebaran said. With an elegant movement of his right hand, four figures appeared in the darkness. They seemed to appear out of no where, all in respective bows. Aldebaran let a small smile grace his lips as he turned slightly, an arm extended out towards the four figures.

"Albafika, Jamir, Corcassax, and Geffil, say hello to our Lord Eltana," Aldebaran said. Then, ever so slowly, the dark figures came forth into what little light was offered by the opened double doors. A young man with a bushel of blond hair and an oddly butterfly-esque set of armor smiled brightly, bowing deeply.

"Albafika, the youngest of my men, but certainly not the weakest," Aldebaran said. Then a tall, slender figure came, kneeling on one knee. His long pink hair was straight and smooth. The purple armor reflected one of a dragon-esque armor.

"Corcassax; his beauty belies a true demon beneath." Next, a purple haired male with a snake headpiece nodded respectively to Eltana.

"Jamir; from the desert lands where even the devil himself wouldn't tread. And finally, Geffil, my strong arm," Aldebaran said as the largest of the men came forth, a large ax, longer than Eltana himself, rested comfortably on the tall man's shoulders. Aldebaran smiled gently as he took a long strand of Corcassax's long hair, holding it gently between two fingers.

"All of these men I would trust my life with. They each have a special ability," he said, looking at all four men fondly. He then turned back to Eltana and once again, bowed at the waist.

"I am here to serve the Royal family with my life."

[Eltana Remarque]

Eltana waved his hand dismissively at the assassin. "Good work. Now go stand somewhere until I need you," he commanded him, clearly annoyed.

He turned back to Aldebaran when he began speaking, and raised an eyebrow curiously when he mentioned four assistants. So he was getting not one, but five new soldiers to serve in his army. What a pleasant surprise! It would not be long before he had enough men to make his first attack on the Order of Lumen.

Standing near the table with his arms folded, he watched as the men came forth one by one, and listened to the brief descriptions their master gave him. They all impressed him, but one managed to steal his affection. The one clad in purple armor reminded him so much of himself; both were monsters whose beautiful appearances betrayed their true nature.

When the introductions were finished, he smiled at Aldebaran. "And you shall be expected to give it when called to, most honorable General Aldebaran. Welcome to the Knights of Osirus."

A sorrowful cry suddenly rang through the great hall. Queen Marcelle was holding the corpse she had been speaking with by the shoulders, shaking it forcefully. "H-How could you say such a thing to me, Osirus! I love you with all my heart! I would die for you! Please, I...." she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

And though it was hard to notice in the thick darkness, all of the corpses were smiling back at her.

[Draken]

Draken stood slowly from his grovelling position on the ground, glancing at each of the new additions. Even through the darkness, he could see them all quite well. In addition, he could see the bloody mess of lifeless bodies all around the once-Grand Hall. And, of course, what Queen Marcelle had been reduced to.

"No orders from the queen, my lord...?" He said, eyeing Marcelle skeptically.

(Gah, short post)

[Aldebaran]

Aldebaran smiled. Excellent... His attention was momentarily captured by the squeals that came from the Queen. He turned slightly, looking at her. For a moment, he simply watched. Then he turned to Eltana, placing the headpiece he had been carrying back on his head.

"I'm truly grateful of your acceptance. May I ask of the status of the rest of the Knights? And...if not too brash...the royal family? If I'm correct...aren't there a young prince and princess that belong in this family?"

[Eltana Remarque]

"Can't you see I'm speaking with our new general, you moron? I'll get to you in a minute," Eltana snapped at Draken, absolutely livid.

Turning back to Aldebaran, he forced a smile, pushing aside his frustration for the time being. "Our numbers are small right now, as I'm sure you're aware, but they're steadily growing thanks to my efforts. Soon we will be able to make our first assault on the Order of Lumen."

He paused thoughtfully before continuing: "And as for the royal family, you are correct. The fair princess has locked herself up in her room for the past two months, refusing to interact with anyone; as for the prince, he vanished some time ago, and we are currently searching for him."

"Osirus!" Marcelle wailed, collapsing onto the table once again. She closed her eyes tightly, overcome with grief.

The corpse to her left lurched forward slightly so that its head was next to hers. Marcelle turned to face the dead body, staring at it intently. Her eyes widened in shock and she shook her head. "No, I couldn't possibly.... No, I do love you! But.. are you sure there is no other way?"

Queen Marcelle rose from her seat and walked over to Draken, her face hardened with firm resolve. "Draken," she began icily, "your next mission is to assassinate Prince Eros. You are to bring his head back to me as proof."

[Draken]

When he saw her walking toward him, he instictively bowed in respect- but mostly fear. His eyes widened at the orders given, and he quickly took a few steps back.

"The prince?! Are you mad!" Draken exclaimed. "I just came back from an assignment, and besides we don't even know where the prince is."

Also, Draken had nothing against Prince Eros. Though he was the son of that wretched woman in front of him, he was one of the few Knights that he tolerated.