The Devil's Warrior Queen-Chapter 283: Ruins Of The Fallen

Rama was finally done washing up, excitement crammed on every etch of her beautiful face as she put on a simple dress and tied her hair up, ready to leave.

Marching through the corridors with excitement visible on her face, she halted midway when she started hearing muffled sounds of an argument from within the distance.

Tiptoeing closer, she hid behind a pillar while poking her head out. She caught sight of Aurora and Dalen discussing.

She decided to eavesdrop as she reasoned they might be talking about her or something that could help her obtain even a fragment of the truth.

"The best way to avoid Draco’s wrath, is to avoid angering him." She heard Aurora say.

She noticed Dalen’s immensely troubled countenance, she wondered what they were talking about and who this ’Draco’ might be.

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The corridors fell into utter silence as their startled eyes fell on her. Her presence was certainly unexpected, causing Aurora to curse inwardly, aware of the fact that she might have heard something significant or perhaps everything.

"What did you hear?" Aurora hastily questioned her.

Her eyes darted between Dalen before dropping back on her "Everything." She said confidently.

Aurora narrowed her eyes observantly at her before speaking out "You didn’t hear anything, just the last sentence and you’re not going to ask questions about it. I heard you’re going to see the ruins of your fallen kingdom, make sure he brings you back in one piece and whatever happens, save yourself and forget about everyone else, including him and if he’s trapped in a tight spot, unable to save you, use the necklace he gave to you to reach out to me, I’ll be there as soon as possible."

Rama’s pupils dilated at her remark "What do you mean? I can’t leave lord Dalen behind, he’s your brother."

"I know and I said to leave him behind. Do whatever it takes to protect yourself, Rama." She proclaimed, leaving Rama speechless as her eyes exchanged between both of them, surprised at their nonchalance.

"I don’t think I can leave him behind if anything ever takes place, also I’m a skilled fighter now, so I don’t need anyone dying for me." Rama stated fiercely.

"You owe me your life, you said and you promised to repay me. You haven’t forgotten our promise, have you?" Aurora noted.

"But..."

"You promised to live, no matter what." Aurora stated, interruption her.

"Not at the cost of his life, he’s been a good friend to me, I couldn’t just leave him to die when I know that I could have done something to help." Rama argued, unyielding to accept the cowardly act of running away to save her life.

Aurora’s lips pursed "What’s the purpose of your life then? Would you rather die to save one life and sacrifice the world or live to save the world by sacrificing one?"

Rama’s brows twisted at the pizzling question which she found hard to comprehend. How would her death eliminate the world and her life save the world from destruction? At that moment as she pondered, she realized just how significant she was to them, she was like a valuable piece of relic, fragile yet priceless.

"Maybe I choose to save while I can, also I doubt we’ll come across any danger. I’m sure everyone thinks I’m dead." Rama said defiantly.

"Be back before nightfall." Aurora said sternly, making sure it stuck in the two defiant’s heads.

"And also, be safe, both of you." Aurora said with a lingering softness in her eyes before turning away as she retreated from their sight.

"I don’t understand her, she knows it’s dangerous, but is letting me go?" Rama muttered in confusion.

"It’s worth the risk, you might recollect something from being in a familiar place, no matter how small it is, it’ll be a gain, moreover there might be little or no risk since everyone would probably presume you dead, so the chance of encountering danger is pretty low." Dalen explained.

"I see." She murmured.

"Time to leave." He said and before she could prepare herself for the next moment, he swatted her in his arms and a cloud of white smoke enveloped them.

The moment they opened their eyes, she saw herself standing in a foreign vicinity, but it was desolate and shriveled of any hint of life form.

The aftermath of a brutal defeat at the hands of invading forces had left this once beautiful land a desolate and haunting landscape.

Upon entering what was once the thriving capital city, the sight was harrowing. The cobblestone streets, once bustling with merchants and citizens, were now littered with debris and the remains of both human and animal corpses. The air hung heavy with the acrid smell of burnt wood and decay, assaulting the senses and leaving a bitter taste in the mouth.

The ruined houses that lined the streets stood as mere skeletons of their former glory. Charred beams and collapsed roofs lay scattered amidst the ash and rubble, bearing witness to the merciless flames that had engulfed them. The eerie silence of the deserted streets was occasionally broken by the creaking of timbers shifting in the wind or the distant cry of a scavenging bird.

Rama could feel her heart pound heavily against her chest as they walked along the desolate path, proceeding to the palace.

Approaching the palace, once a symbol of majesty and power, one could see its imposing structure reduced to a shell of twisted metal and scorched stone. The once-golden gates lay in ruins, thrown off their hinges, and the grand courtyard was now overgrown with weeds and thorny vines, reclaiming what was lost. Hesitantly, she followed Dalen as he walked into the palace. The main hall, where lavish banquets and celebrations were once held, was now a dark and foreboding chamber, the tapestries shredded, the ornate furniture overturned and broken. frёewebηovel.cѳm

Inside the palace, the scene was even more gruesome. The scent of decay lingered heavily, overpowering even the smell of smoke. Bodies lay strewn across the marble floors, frozen in contorted poses of agony and despair.

The once-magnificent throne room, adorned with exquisite paintings and intricate carvings, was now a scene of devastation. The throne, a symbol of authority and sovereignty, lay shattered, its gilded frame tarnished and broken.

The shattered stained-glass windows that once depicted heroic tales and noble deeds now lay in shattered pieces, casting fragmented beams of colored light onto the carnage below. The once beautiful frescoes that adorned the walls were defaced and marred by the brutality of war, their vibrant colors faded and chipped away.

Her senses were assaulted at every turn—the sight of destruction and desolation, the smell of death and burning debris, the touch of crumbling stone and splintered wood underfoot, the taste of ash lingering in the air, and the distant sound of wind carrying echoes of a once-vibrant kingdom.

"Here is your chamber, or was." She heard Dalen announce as they walked into another ruined space, nothing similar to a queen’s chamber as it fell to the hands of ruination.

There was nothing of meaning that she could use to trigger her memories whatsoever, everything was laid to waste. She felt the glimmer of hope in her die down to be replaced by hopelessness.

Rather than the place bringing back at least flashes of her memories, it made her nauseous to her bones and she wanted nothing more than to leave.

"Let’s just leave, there’s nothing here." She said hastily as she rushed out.

As soon as they reached the empty hall, they heard the distant shuffling of footsteps.

Silhouettes emerged from the nooks and crannies of the landscape, clad in ragged cloaks that fluttered ominously in the cool breeze.

"Bandits." Dalen hissed and without wasting a second more, he unsheathed his sword, while shielding Rama with his body.

Their faces obscured by hoods, they moved with the stealth of predators, closing in on their target with calculated precision. Each bandit bore the marks of a hard life etched upon their weather-beaten visages, roughened hands that had seen countless battles, eyes that held a glint of desperation and cunning.

The leader as they suspected, a figure cloaked in tattered black garments adorned with crude insignias, signaled his compatriots with a subtle gesture. His piercing gaze bore down upon the both of them, but it lingered longer on Rama, instilling a sense of dread that hung heavy in the air. Sensing the impending danger, Dalen sought to quicken his pace, but it was too late. The bandits had formed an impenetrable ring, cutting off all avenues of escape.

The atmosphere crackled with tension as the bandits encircled their quarry, brandishing an assortment of weapons, a motley collection of swords, daggers, and rusted axes glinting menacingly in the dappled light that filtered through the hole above. Their leader stepped forward, his gravelly voice cutting through the silence like a blade through flesh.

"You’ve trespassed into our domain, stranger," he growled, his voice laden with an air of authority and malice. "A toll must be paid for traversing this land."

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