The chilling wind blew across the open top of one of the castle's high grounds, just a few meters away from the tower's towering tip.
With eyes locked into the distance, there stood a lady of unrivalled beauty, dressed in a flowing golden gown that seemed to flash an otherworldly divine light under the silhouette of the moon.
Her long golden hair cascaded down her head like a waterfall, her shadow sprawling all over the walls until it covered the castle.
Golden eyes stared calmly into the distant eclipse, and the palm of her hand held onto each other.
If one looked at those golden gems, they would barely notice the worry flashing in them.
STEP
STEP
STEP
The sound of footsteps suddenly rang out through the top of the castle, and the one revealed was none other than a silver-haired Fallen lady with two huge wings, dressed in knight's armour, her sword strapped to her side.
"My Future Highness..." Her words rang out as the golden-haired beauty turned her head slightly sideways, to the sight of the Fallen Knight on one knee, her hand firmly across her chest.
"Rise up, Chrysalis, and I've told you many times not to bother with that when we're alone..." Morgaine's voice echoed through the high top as Chrysalis rose up, a small smile appearing on the side of her lips, her eyes shining with familiarity.
It was clear this wasn't their first meeting, nor the discussion of this topic.
"I'm afraid that's required of me as an eternal guard."
"But I've noticed you've been out too far at night, My Lady and the trainings are getting harder with every fading moon silhouette, and they happen very early too."
"I'm afraid you need to retreat to your chambers early in order to be prepared for them lest you fall prey to crippling fatigue, My Lady..." Chrysalis tried to convince her as Morgaine stared at the night sky, before she eventually nodded her head.
"I understand you, Chrysalis. Just 10 more minutes with the breeze, and I'll go rest." Morgaine said as Chrysalis' eyes flashed in relief before she nodded her head.
"Well then, I'll be leaving you to your peace, My Lady," she said before the sound of retreating footsteps reached Morgaine's ears. After they were long gone, she sighed a bit, her palms slipping for her arms to wrap into each other, faintly brushing against her skin.
Her eyes looked lonely at the night sky, as if waiting for something to appear on the horizon.
But it's been days now, and no matter how she stared, it all remained like it was.
Time passed pretty quickly, and soon it was a bit more than 30 minutes.
Morgaine's look stayed at the sky for a long while before she eventually turned her gaze away.
"Seems like it won't be today..." She mused with disappointment before she turned behind her, her gaze faintly brushing against the corner of the railing as she moved to the door, only for her to pause in shock as she returned her gaze back to the railing corner.
And standing there, seemingly melding with the darkness, even though clad in white, was a figure who stared at her, amusement and a bit of a smile on his face.
"Have I made you worried again, My Lady?" His voice was like jolts of electricity that rang down her spine, yet a smile of relief on her face and in the next instant,
RUSSSSTTTLLLLE
The air slightly rustled, as Morgaine raised her head to find him just inches away from her, his hands slowly wrapping around her waist as he brought her closer to his chest.
"I'm sorry, Morgaine..." He whispered into her ear, and a smile appeared on Morgaine's face.
She closed her eyes, allowing herself to sink into his embrace.
"I'm not offended, Ryuk. Just... needlessly worried?" She mused as Ryuk smiled.
"It's a source of pride to have the Future Queen of the Fallens worried about me."
"Well, what will it be for the Current Queen to be worried then?" A third voice resounded through the top as Ryuk's eyes flashed, and he slowly released Morgaine from his embrace before he turned his gaze up into the sky where a figure slowly descended.
Clad in a long silvery robe with the same golden hair flailing down her face.
She was a beauty beyond even that of Morgaine, for she was not only beautiful but radiated an arcane power with every single one of her movements, the entire world seemingly dancing along with her and even the air seemingly submitting itself under her grasp.
And as she landed on the ground,
THUMP
Ryuk's knee hit the ground, slamming down with a faint thump, his head bowed with his hand over his chest.
"My humble greeting to the Half-Fallen One..." He said, but he never spent a second on the same position before he was raised up to his feet.
"One who has my daughter's heart need not royal courtesies..." The Half-Fallen One said, resulting in a red hue appearing on Morgaine's face, and Ryuk could only smile as he felt the hands that held his cheeks gently.
Abruptly, a feeling of warmth washed over his body, but he made no move to stop it from fully meandering through him before it returned back to the Half-Fallen One's grasp, and she finally released her touch.
"Seems like the Nagas really treated you well. It's amazing to see you standing after that amount of destruction that came upon you just a week ago..." The Half-Fallen One said as Ryuk's eyes flashed.
"I never knew it had spread so fast..." He said, heaving a bit.
Who could have guessed the news of his battle with the Knull Wanderers and his injuries had already spread to even the Fallens?
And all of this happened while he was in slumber.
"Spreading is the basic reward that is awarded to brave acts like yours."
"Your actions saved the lives of thousands, potentially millions, as no one in the beginning of the battle could have stopped the Knulls Wanderers, cementing their eventual demise, and they would have definitely spread to the other cities spreading chaos before they are stopped." Morgaine said to Ryuk, who could only scratch the back of his head.
And to be fair, it was the first he remembered receiving a praise from her, leaving him no way to handle it from experience.
"But I have a personal reward though..." The Half-Fallen One said, as she called Ryuk and Morgaine to follow her, and all three soon descended down the top of the building, heading down.