The Goddess of Death and Her Empress

"You disobeyed and were rebellious. My Lena had to weaken you to the point of true death before you submitted." Gallae's avatar, the child wearing a small black robe, stood in front of Syl, her eyes glowing bright white.

"What will happen to me?" Syl said softly, as right now she was fully aware that the only reason she still lived was due to the Empress.

"You'll work." Gallae said. "The Empress does not know her origins yet, and you are not yet worthy to know them." Gallae spread her hands and gestured to the stone beneath her feet. "This is a barren wasteland, a stone floating in the seas of the empty void. My power builds it with the materials necessary, and comets will soon come to it. I will shape this world for her." Syl swallowed a lump in her suddenly dry throat. Gallae's eyes had never moved, but when her attention was on her, Syl could feel it.

"This world will provide you the energy you need to survive, but not thrive. It is in the atmosphere, although it will be thin for a while." Gallae smirked a little. "When you hunger greatly, call out. I will take you to the Empress, and she will feed you the power you need." Gallae turned to a large stone, swung her hand, and it was turned into long rectangular blocks.

"You may build a place to sleep off the hunger. When the comets come, water will come. Once water comes, you will call out, I will answer, and send you to the Empress. She will get the Others to assist you in collecting samples of life from Imera. Small parts, unlike what Kyrie took." She pursed her lips. "I have to remind that child never to strip Imera bare like that again." Syl shivered.

"How long will I be punished like this?" She asked quietly.

"Until Lena forgives you." Gallae's eyes lit up with more intensity. "You harmed her precious pillows, Syl. The fact that she decided to humble you instead of eating you is a blessing. You will not enjoy your life here." Gallae smirked.

"At least, not for a while." Gallae looked around and nodded quietly. "This celestial body is still being constructed, and you are the first inhabitant." Gallae rose up into the air.

"You have no idea that this temporary punishment is actually a blessing." Gallae turned her eyes back to Syl. "Build your shelter. Do not be afraid of calling out for help. Lena would be most upset to learn that you starved to death rather than work off your debt." Gallae disappeared from the surface of that planetoid, and left Syl completely alone.

Syl cringed as she remembered the crunch of Lena's teeth on the soul cores of the ones who rebelled against the goddess.

Isolated on a dead planet was not something she could say she looked forward to, but after hearing rumors of the dungeons on Haven, she knew it could be much worse. She stepped towards the stones and heard a crunch under her feet. She shivered.

It could be much worse.

* * *

"How do the provinces fare?" The king asked his eunuch slave. The eunuch grimaced as he read the reports.

"Not well, your highness. The cities are flooded with refugees, the farms have either been destroyed, or looted down to the dirt itself. The northern ones have already been taken over by the barbarians." The eunuch said as he read through report after report. "The eastern provinces are even worse."

"Worse than under siege?" Bardulf asked. The eunuch grimaced.

"Poor choice of words. The barbarians sent word to the commoners that they would be allowed to leave safely if they decided to do so before the tribes arrived. If they were already leaving, they could leave unharmed." The eunuch said.

"I see what you mean. The lowest of classes in the eyes of the nobles, and not worth saving. However, if they leave, they can survive. That not only strangles our lands of its workforce, and agricultural strength, it will starve the cities within a year." Bardulf shook his head.

"I understand what those ones meant when they said that the kingdom was protected because of the Empress." The eunuch said quietly. The king nodded reluctantly.

"As do I." He groaned and closed his eyes. "How could I have foreseen this outcome? The goddess took an interest in a mortal, and protected her. Not just that, but also kept the tribes at bay for her too."

"The harem has harmed the kingdom, sire." The eunuch said gently. "The consort is the mother of the prince, but treats that child like he is an enemy. Her actions have angered the goddess, and the people are suffering." The eunuch slowly turned his head as he head a bit of laughter.

"Foolish humans." A group of cloaked women appeared from a black mist. The Shadows only used red during normal operations, but used black for the more violent missions they sometimes undertook.

"Again and again, you've been warned about your actions, or lack of them." Valina lowered her hood. "The harem that intended harm to the Empress is still intact and unharmed almost a full year after she left." Valjhana lowered her hood and licked a fang.

"Let me eat her, Valina. Oh, I'm so hungry for the flesh of the ones who angered the goddess!" Valjhana said with a wicked grin.

"Spread out, sisters." Valina said. "Since this worthless king could not protect the Empress, the choice to discipline his harem is no longer his own. Bring each of them here, and let him watch." Valjhana shivered and giggled.

"Oh, this is going to be so much fun!" She glanced at the now pale king. "You get to watch that slut get turned into food." Valina looked at the eunuch and narrowed her eyes.

"You've always maintained neutrality, and done your duties, damaged man." Valina said, and lightly tapped her lips. "Yes, that would be a fitting reward." She turned to one of the shadows.

"When he wants to leave, escort him to the gate, and take him over the top. Leave him in the tribe's care, and tell them to escort him to the southern border. Give him supplies, and a horse." Valina shook her head. "Your loyalty is rewarded, damaged man. The Empress knows of your calm words, and respectable advice." The eunuch bowed his head.

"Would she look poorly upon me for leaving now?" He asked, unsure if he should leave, as it might show disloyalty.

"This kingdom is finished. The goddess will let the tribes do the deed, but she doesn't need to. A dozen squads of Shadows wait eagerly to rip these walls to the ground, and destroy this entire land." Valina growled. "There is no reward for loyally staying until you are a pile of ashes." The eunuch took a last look at the king, and bowed with all due respect he felt he owed to the king.

"Your majesty, it has been an honor to serve." The eunuch left the room, with the shadow following him as an escort.

"He'll die outside these walls, won't he?" The king asked. Valina smirked.

"Unlike yourself, our Empress keeps her word. He will live, and he will continue to serve. The Empress felt that his sacrifice for the kingdom of Krov was already too much for him to bare." Valina grinned. "His manhood, his ability to father children to keep him company in his old age, and serving a foolish king who let his harem rule his kingdom. Far too much weight on such small shoulders."

"However, you shall continue to live, Bardulf." Valina said with a smile that turned into a wide grin. "At least until the walls of this city fall flat." She turned as Valjhana walked back into the throne room with the consort over a shoulder.

"Now, shall the banquet begin?"