The temperature was cold and the surroundings were pitch-black. There was nothing in sight. The void expanse stretched endlessly. Monstro and Queen Pravita Traal were the only physical manifestations in this realm.
“Pravita, why are you trapping yourself in this dimension?” Mon asked with a sarcastic smile.
“You won’t be able to escape this realm,” said Pravita in a serious tone. Pravita summoned a golden spear out of thin air. “You will die here, Monstro!”
Mon grinned. He was eager to see how powerful the queen was. Pravita aimed her spear. It flew towards Monstro but he summoned a magical barrier around him. The spear did not stop in its track however. It kept piercing the barrier with full force. As the shield started cracking, Monstro’s expression changed. He teleported just as the transparent layer shattered. The absence of landscape disoriented him. He appeared in a random location. Pravita was right. He could not escape.
“Behind you!” taunted Pravita.
Monstro turned around. He was displeased that he did not sense her right away. He summoned an inferno. Fireballs rained down on Pravita. But her arms moved in an arc and the flames were doused in an instant. Monstro then encased the void in ice. The empty floor became a cold lake that crept up Pravita’s feet. As Monstro trapped her in ice she struggled to break free. The coldness was biting into her skin and was crawling up her waist. Pravita quickly lifted her arms towards the empty ceiling. An arrow suddenly pierced Monstro’s shoulder. He looked up. A thousand arrows were raining down on him. He stopped casting his spell. He had nowhere to teleport. As the arrows pierced his body, he fell to his knees.
***
Pravita walked towards Monstro. Even if he was a wanted criminal, he was a remarkable opponent. As she approached, the arrows she had summoned disappeared from his body. She would have him buried in the real world to honor his strength and magical prowess. As she got closer to Monstro, the latter moved and grabbed her wrists. She gasped.
You could kill me a thousand times, I still would not die!” exclaimed Monstro.
“How is that possible!?” she gasped.
Pravita pulled her hands away in vain. His grip was too strong and firm.
For each soul I eat, I receive one life. And I have eaten thousands and thousands!” he hissed.
Monstro stood up and pulled Pravita’s face close to his.
“Now, I will have a taste of your soul,” he rasped while smiling.
Monstro placed his hand over Pravita’s face. As she screamed, a white mist started leaving her mouth. Her soul was being pulled away from her body. The mist turned into a swirly white orb in his hand. A thin trail of mist was still connected to the queen’s mouth.
“Since you were so kind to let me live,” Monstro started.
Monstro bit into the orb and a strident cry resonated. Pravita was screaming as her soul was being torn apart. It echoed her screams of agony.
“I will do the same,” he continued.
Monstro had not devoured Pravita’s soul completely, leaving only a small figment. Her mouth was half-closed as the remnants of her soul rejoined her.
“Let’s test my newfound magic, shall we?” Monstro said.
Monstro lifted his hand and both him and Pravita disappeared from the void.
***
Nuvish widened his eyes as he saw a ripple in the air. The queen materialized in front of him. Her eyes were closed and she fell in his arms. Mauve jumped as Monstro appeared next to him.
“Queen Pravita! Are you alright!?” Nuvish asked worriedly.
Pravita was not responding.
“What have you done to her!” shouted Nuvish furiously.
“I only took away her magic, she is safe and sound as you can see,” Monstro replied.
Pravita opened her eyes weakly.
“Nuvish, I’m alright. I’m alive,” said Pravita.
Nuvish looked at Pravita with relief. Monstro turned his attention to Mauve.
“Would you like to accompany me on a journey, young man?” he asked.
Mauve gulped. Cold sweat rolled down his forehead.
“I’m sorry Mr. Monstro! I-I have to get back to the queen!” stuttered Mauve.
“I see,” replied Monstro.
Monstro walked past Mauve, sending shivers down his spine.
“Then I shall take my leave,” he smiled.
Monstro vanished from sight. Mauve changed back to his normal appearance. He wanted to vanish too. Nuvish and Pravita were looking straight at him and he had nowhere to run.
“Forgive me Queen Traal, if I had known that the man I helped was a criminal I would not have destroyed the null orb,“ Mauve said apologetically. “I did it because it was too dangerous.”
Mauve bit his lip as he looked at the body of the man he had killed.
“I’m genuinely sorry,” he said sadly.
Nuvish was furious.
“I knew Vellians were bad news. I thought I sent you to the desert prison!” said Nuvish.
“You sent this man to prison?” asked Queen Pravita.
Nuvish stayed silent. The queen did not know that he had acted on his own. He bit his lip. If Monstro was free, it was because he sent the purple-haired man to the desert prison.
“I came to Traal to request that the null orb be sent back to Queen Velli, to whom it rightfully belongs,” said Mauve.
Pravita stood up, freeing herself gently from Nuvish’s arms.
Your quest was for naught, you destroyed the orb yourself,” she said.
The queen was smiling sadly.
“I lost my powers to Monstro. I can no longer be queen without them,” she said. Pravita turned her gaze towards Nuvish. “But as a commoner, I’ll be able to live with the man I love!”
Nuvish blushed a deep shade of red.
“I...” he started. “I will always protect you. You will always be a queen in my eyes.”
***
Mauve looked outside his carriage. The rain had stopped and small rays of sun pierced the clouds. He watched as Pravita and Nuvish held hands. She would be replaced by another monarch. The ceremony was already underway. His carriage left, and the couple glanced at him one last time before they disappeared from his sight.
“Good luck and have a good life,” he wished in secret.
“””
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