EPISODE 79: LOVE WASN’T… ENOUGH

— Edryan Queendom. Year: 7291. Season Color Fading.

Every day, I pray to the Goddess for Edryan’s protection and for my son. A light, a love, I never knew I lacked. A child, I wanted… but truly didn’t know I needed. My son will be traveling soon… far outside my range of protection as he goes nearly halfway across the country. I pray for his victory… but most importantly… I pray he doesn’t become the person I am today… I pray he must never become… [Iron-Blooded] .

— Excerpt from the private diary of Queen Titiana Koltius Verlio Edryani.

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Queen Titiana paced back and forth, her footsteps making click-clock sounds as they traveled across the black marble floor. She paused suddenly, her head cocked as if listening to something or someone . It’d been hours since the Battle of Starglow Valley began yet no communication nor message of victory had been received. This wasn’t uncommon for high-intensity battles that could turn into a battle of attrition, but… knowing Laura, the fight would have ended within an appropriate amount of time. Fortunately, the Queen held insurance that her son was fine as the presence of her gift lasted. Its connection to her went through space and time within the Mortal Realm. That was the reason Queen Titiana hadn’t taken off to Starglow Valley herself. That, and the words of her advisors, who repeatedly told her that Lawruthian needed this opportunity to stand on his own two feet.

It was at this very moment Margret spoke. “I’ve got it! We’re back on!”

A simple incantation later and before them on a clear mirror-like surface was a display of Starglow Valley. Only things strangely seemed different since the previous view hours ago, different yet familiar. Both the West Gate and the Imperius Army were only just entering the valley. This confused the viewers for a moment as they tried to comprehend what happened. When the connection was cut, the Battle of Starglow Valley was entering what seemed like its height. That was hours ago…

“Margret,” the Queen simply stated.

“I’m on it,” came her response. It was quick, and her voice was tightly controlled, but the way her fingers weaved faster to cast magic showed the level of her worry.

Queen Titiana continued to gaze through the scrying mirror. Her eyes instantly spotted her son and relief flooded through her. She let out a heavy sigh, the woman didn’t know she kept in. Her body sagging in relief as she stood before the large scrying mirror. A smile blossomed on her face, and the Queen finally felt relaxed for the first time since this ordeal began.

That quickly faded once she noticed all the discrepancies. Her skills, especially those that affected her mind such as (The Queen’s Indifference) were telling her one startling conclusion.

“Something was playing with reality,” Margret said.

“Not something, someone … a demigod,” Queen Titiana responded. Her eyes went hard with intense concentration as she began to look for clues as to what type of demigod dared mess with her Edryan and son.

The surrounding ladies gasped, and many eyes turned to the Queen at her response. Her closest advisor’s eyes flickered with different types of emotions. Queen Titiana gazed through the mirror with concern. Her eyes stayed on her son. He’d run over to General Laura and was feeding her a potion.

“Hmm, an [Elixir of Life], I’ll deduct the cost from her salary,” the Queen stated.

“That is far too expensive for the likes of her.”

“My Queen,” Liana responded to her words. A hurt expression was on her face. Although such a price wouldn’t hurt the Lance family at all, it was the message it sent that mattered.

Queen Titiana didn’t bother to respond as she continued to watch her son. Lawruthian began pointing in a direction, and the Queen’s eyes quickly tracked what and where he was pointing.

“There’s nothing there,” Mariam stated, a frown on her face. She began to chant an incantation of her own, and Queen Titiana recognized it as a short-range communication spell. It was clear the [Spy Mistress] was alerting her Lash Agents.

The Queen’s eyes focused, her expression hard as her son pointed to nothingness. It was clear someone put on a display for them now.

“Who can cast such an illusion if not a demigod,” Queen Titiana stated. Her hands tightened into her palms. Someone, a demigod, lay hidden in her country and was plotting against her son.

“ This… will… not… due .”

The next actions were watched in stunned silence. No one spoke, nor did many even breathe as the events unfolded. Only a single notification made itself known to Queen Titiana, yet it never made its way into her eyes.

INTENT CHECK!

Your skill, (The Queen’s Indifference), has been broken due to intense mental shock.

Queen Titiana watched as Thraag rose into the air. The moment he did so, was the moment Titiana’s breath stopped. The events seemed to pass in slow motion to the Queen. She felt like the world slowed, and it showed her the next events in an agonizing extent of time. Each second seemed to hold the weight of an hour… a day… a month… a year .

Time slowed, and each second passed with completely clarity to Queen Titiana’s eyes. From the moment it began to the moment it ended, not a detail was missed as the mother watched her son. Nothing else entered her eyes and a pain emerged within her chest. A… heartache… no, a heartbreak . Titiana’s heart was breaking as she watched her son… breaking at the thought of her not bing there to protect him. That small bundle of joy she held in her arms. It broke as every single moment since his breath flashed through her mind.

His birth and the calm, silent stare he gave her that ignited the spark within her. The way he would jut out his lip and wet his eyes when he really wanted something and needed to convince her. The bright, excited energy that emerged when he came up with a brand new idea that would ‘revolutionize Edryan,’ as he put it. Her heart broke at the thought of never experiencing those moment again. Never seeing her son again.

A spell was cast and space tore open surrounding Lawruthian. Yet, just before the spell was let off, a young girl teleported in. The Queen recognized her as the youngest daughter of Marna Gamal, the one she hurried to have the moment her pregnancy was announced. Marina used her life magic to speed the birth of her along and alter her with it. The girl was a friend of Lawruthian and the first one he made into a [Hero]. Marna’s bragging from earlier did not go unnoticed by Queen Titiana. The Queen would have to apologize to Marna about her loss later, as there was nothing to be done in hopes of protecting the girl. Perhaps a resurrection would be possible, but … at least she still had five other daughters to comfort her. Not to mention her three sons as well.

Queen Titiana only had one son .

The world seemed to pause, no object was able to move apart from the scrying mirror. As she watched, space began to tear around the pair. Lawruthian reacted late, but Titiana knew [A Mother’s Gift] would protect him. She’d have to get it refilled upon Lawruthian’s return, as she felt the artifact on its third and final charge.

Time paused for a scant few seconds around Lawruthian and Madria. Titiana recognized the skill from his armor. She knew every skill and ability of his and, at this moment, that was the only thing that would give her son an opportunity to think.

“There is nothing you can do to save her,” Titiana softly whispered. Her heart softened as she recognized the stunned emotion on Lawruthian’s face in those scant few seconds of paused time. It brought back memories, remnants of Titiana’s past she rather let go. Times when she too… couldn’t save someone. Where the [Iron-Blooded Queen], a [Hero]… failed .

Inside the room, not a sound was made, and every pair of eyes locked onto the ongoings. Titiana’s heart squeezed at the danger her son was in, but she believed , through the convincing of her advisors and closest friends, that it was imperative she began to give Lawruthian room to grow.

‘ Look what happens the moment Lawruthian leaves the range of my Love. ’

Time resumed and so did sound as a scream reverberated through Titiana’s ears. The scream was filled with anguish, terror, despair, shock, sadness, and a spectrum of everything else. It was piercing, filled with magic and tears . The scream was horrifying, for such a sound had never been made… not like this. In the instant his skill was broken, Lawruthian reached up and grasped [A Mother’s Gift] and secured it over Madria’s head. His move was precise and instant as if he’d practiced it thousands of times. The scream continued to sound. It grew in crescendo as Lawruthian’s arm was sliced by a spatial rend. The air distorts in a whip-like fashion. The limb flopped down and blood squirted from her son’s limb and severed arm. The walls and room began to shake, and the scream continued to intensify.

Outside in the capital city Edrya, storm clouds gathered as the magic of the area trembled . The magic responded as a force, an Intent like no other spread around and seized control of it throughout the radius of the city. A sound emerged from the palace walls that caused the citizens within to hold their heads in anguish and despair. Shingles shook, as buildings trembled and Edryans looked at the sky in fear. It seemed like a punishment from above was coming the way the world shook. Mothers held their children near, and fathers held both within their arms. A feeling of intense Lovesettled over them as they did their best to shield one another. Their Intent failed to resist as another willed their emotion onto them.

Queen Titiana wondered what that sound was as it increased in crescendo. It grew to its peak as a spatial tear in the fabric of reality swallowed Lawruthian and the girl he shielded with his body underneath. The space they occupied was torn into shreds from the powerful skill. There seemed to be holes in the physical reality that showed a black and white light that flickered repeatedly. Slowly, the world guided magic into the tears as it began to repair them. It was here that Queen Titiana recognized something, as a warm liquid dripped down her face. Titiana recognized it as her. That sound was hervoice.

Queen Titiana was screaming .

It left those around her in shock and fear. For the only time, Titiana Koltius Verlio Edryani was ever known to scream was her birth. The only time Titiana Koltius Verlio Edryani was known to cry… Was. Her. Birth.

The warrior queen never once cried or failed to keep a strong front when all else seemed hopeless. If there was anyone to leave the Edryans with confidence when all hope seemed lost… it was their Goddess… and right after… it was Titiana Koltius Verlio Edryani — High Queen of Edryan. The very queen who slayed the members of her family and those High Houses who abused their authority and power out of her Love for the Edryan people.

Just as quickly as it began, it halted… as Titiana whispered the name of a skill.

“(The Queen’s Indifference).”

Instantly, the city’s trembling stopped and the skies began to clear. Queen Titiana shut her mouth as two white lines were left on her black skin… trailing from her eyes. Her advisors swallowed. Each held a different expression on their face as they understood what happened and pondered on what would occur next.

Margret's lips were pursed, and her eyes burned with a fierce, murderous passion. Lawruthian was a treasure to her. He was a student, and the young man held a wealth of ideals that brought her great strength in the form of achievements and attribute points. Because of him, Margret was able to think of entirely new ways to apply the same magic the Edryans always used in new and intriguing methods. His descriptions were what caused her to combine (Breaking Dawn Last Night) and (Madris’s Touch) to create the (Adaptive Learning Algorithm) with the help of Marna and others.

Eliana held shock in her eyes and heart. Yet, most importantly, it was disappointment she felt. Not disappointment in Lawruthian, but in her husband. He’d proven nearly useless at every avenue as he became too stuck with past emotions. Eliana thought those emotions were mainly gone, but the recent events shed new light on them.

Mariam wasn’t mute , the moment the Queen returned to herself, she barked out orders. Already, agents were seizing Starglow Valley members who hadn’t returned to the Convocation’s area of influence. They were not kind in their methods. Mariam’s jaw clenched and the woman continued to do the job she’d been trained to do nearly since birth. The Maar clan was not one of the three previous great clans for no reason.

Liana’s silence was the loudest . As the Queen screamed, she continued watching the events unfold. She’d watch the shock appear in most eyes of those present. She’d watch as Laura took several hesitant steps toward the spot Lawruthian disappeared at, only to halt in place. Disbelief was the only emotion present. Her thoughts flashed. She thought of their days on the battlefield, and the times they saved one another life as they fought for a better future. Her eyes traveled to the Queen’s face finally.

… Love … was still present, but the emotion was no longer the same as the Queen gazed back. The affection they shared would forever be different from this point forward.

Liana immediately kneeled, her voice trembled with emotion, and the words she wished to speak remained unspoken as she said another. “Punish me, for it was my fault in not recognizing Laura lacked the proper conviction to do the job.”

“Get up, Liana Drumian ,” the Queen began, eyes indifferent. “Now is not the time. My son is missing. My Love …”

“Your love was everything and more. It was my failings that caused this situation. Your love was enough, my Queen… a demigo-“ Liana’s voice was cut off as the Queen’s overpowered her.

“ LOVE WASN’T… ENOUGH! ” The Queen interrupted, shouting, her voice raw. It held anguish at the thought of her son’s death. Despair, at the fact that she didn’t push the right protection onto her son. Sadness, and so much more broke through the indifference she was supposed to have. The indifference that was supposed to guide her to the right action… every time.

Every… time.

“To protect my son,” she whispered finished.

“…my love… wasn’t enough,” she repeated, defeat in her voice. It was something that brought alarm to her close counsel.

“I am not a good mother. I’ve slayed my family who was infected by {Greed} and more. The same goes for the three great houses, who lost their faith in our Goddess as the Sin consumed them…” Titiana spoke, her voice harsh and raw.

“I held the opportunity to be Her [Chosen] but pushed this task onto an innocent soul… as the fire of ambition stokes its flames within me.

Yet, it was that very soul, my son… my little warrior… my Lawruthian, who allowed me to achieve what I longed for. It was when I first saw that small version of me, as I held him in my arms… that I comprehended what it meant to Love .

It was my son who completed my Path and allowed me to take that step… and how have I repaid him? When I should have been there to protect him… WHERE WAS I,” her voice boomed in a question that would remain unanswered by all except herself.

“Where was I…?” The question repeated. It was not asked to those around her, but to herself.

“Here in the safety of my capital when I should have cleaned up the remnants of our past.”

“Your Majesty,” Eliana spoke up. “You are hurting as we all are… Lawruthian is family to all of us… and we know he must be ready to lead the country once we leave in a few years' time.”

“…I should’ve never held the intention of leaving. I should have cherished my time with him and enjoyed the pleasure of motherhood. Now, it is unknown whether my son is… dead,” the Queen whispered the ending… “Or alive.”

“His arm is intact,” Mariam began. “It will be here within two hours or less. My agents are already moving. If he is dead, then we have a limited amount of time to revive him. Marna and the rest will be here soon. Compose yourself Titiana.”

“Don’t say that,” Eliana responded to Queen Titiana. “The plan was always to hurry in order to help Edryan and Lawruthian. I. Have. Faith… in our Goddess Madris… and YOU . She guides Lawruthian, and no [Chosen] of Hers will die so easily. Lawruthian is alive, I know it.”

The Queen responded with a sad, despondent smile. Skills and her emotions at war with one another within her body. She took one long, deep breath that seemed to hold the weight of a world. Then she released it, and the indifference of the [Iron-Blooded Queen] returned. An indifference that long faded since the birth of her son. No longer was the [High Queen of Edryan] present… the [Iron-Blooded Queen] returned.