~About One Millennia Later~

The splendor of a thousand clashing swords glinted like spirits of starlight trapped within the ghastly green glow of the wraith wyvern's deathly necrotic flames. The skeletal beast's spectral wings fluttered like a dark ethereal mist, while green lichfire burned within its empty eye sockets and poured from its gaping jaws of bone and fang. It forebodingly suffocated the pale blue beams of the moon as it glided upon rancid western winds, over the mighty battle, and across the glittering night skies. Haunting screams and screeches echoed throughout the once idyllic mountain meadows as the living desperately fought against the relentless forces of the dead.

Corpsen figures, sinister skeletons, and ghostly wraiths all continued to crawl up the perilous mountainside, invading the jeweled spires and golden streets of the dreamy cloud-kissed kingdom of Dianthus. Archers adorned in armor of pure glimmering white strung up their enchanted blue-mist arrows, raising their golden bows up against the midnight heavens from their places upon the lofty castle's marble walls. The clacking saddles and clomping hooves of white battle steeds charging into the chaos rang from down below. They carried hundreds of brave knights with sparkling swords raised and swinging, riding off to vaingloriously vanquish their ghoulish foes.

"Oh, frowning forsythias!" I fearfully cursed while yanking my velvety golden curtains closed, blinding my eyes to the harrowing battle raging just beyond my beautiful ivy-adorned bedroom window. 

"Princess, please you must come away from the window! It's not safe!" Edwina, my main lady in waiting, fearfully exclaimed. The sheer pink silk cascading from her tall cone-shaped hennin hat fluttered around her short plump figure while she frantically dashed across the room to fetch my cloak. "Quick, put this on! I fear that we will not be able to stay here much longer!"

My starfire heart thrummed with apprehension while I graciously took the silken cloak of silver from her. This was the first time a battle had been fought on Dainthien soil during my lifetime, and I was downright terrified. "Why are they attacking us? We are a peaceful kingdom and keep to ourselves." My voice quavered as I softly spoke. With trembling hands, I hastily threw the material over my fancy royal blue dress and pulled the hood over my long snow-white hair.

"Stella!" My father's panicked voice boomed as he abruptly burst through the flowery white door and into the elegantly decorated room. Edwina silently bowed and backed away, not having a chance to answer my question.

Gold-embroidered royal blue robes flicked out from his regal attire as he marched toward me with rabid determination. His sky blue eyes blazed with both fear and fury, and his lips were pulled into a firm frown beneath his brunette handlebar mustache. Several guards adorned in the signature solid white Dianthien armor followed close behind him, with magical blue mist swirling upon their ensorcelled swords. 

My bare feet pattered across the shiny marble floor as I rushed to meet him halfway. "What is happening, father!? What is all this bedlam about!?" My teary sapphire eyes peered up at him, looking forlorn and lost as I held onto his forearm. 

"You must come with me at once!" He urgently took my hand and began hastily leading me out of the room, heading toward the throne room. I stumbled to keep up. "We are under attack by the lich king and his army of the undead! That crazed abomination of life has somehow gotten word that we've been hiding the starfire." He looked at me with an expression of heartache and worry. "We likely have a traitor among us. There's no other way any other kingdom would know. But that will have to be dealt with later. Right now we have to ensure that he does not find out about you no matter what! Or all of Zizania could be at stake!"

Tears of distress spilled down my cheeks as we rushed through the luxurious blue, white, and gold colored castle halls, illuminated only by dim wall scones. Life had always been peaceful in the kingdom of Dianthus, full of warm sunny days and joyous occasions. Being built upon a lofty mountain, the breathtaking views of winding rivers cutting through verdurous vales and distant mountains kissing the horizon framed the land with beauty and magnificence. The citizens teemed with merriment and friendly fellowship, hustling and bustling throughout their everyday lives. Things I had happily watched from the safety of my window. This was the first time any kind of conflict had arisen, and I was heartbroken to discover that it was because they were after what lived inside of me.

Our people are dying because the lich king is after my heart?

"Stella..." My father's stern voice pulled me from my woeful thoughts. "You need to listen closely. There is a secret chamber accessible only by a trap door hidden behind my throne. It leads deep down within the heart of the mountain, where the traitorous warlock Morpeth is imprisoned. You will hide down there, but you must not enter his chamber for any reason. He is very dangerous."

"The warlock Morpeth?" My eyes widened in surprise, not having known there was a living magic-wielder hidden beneath our home. 

We rounded one of the grand archways leading into the extravagant main entry room. My father hastened me past mighty marble pillars and across the glittering blue carpet, then he began pushing open the lofty white double doors leading into the sumptuous throne room... And then the castle's main doors were abruptly slammed wide open, hitting the walls and crackling the marbled stonework with a deafening bang. I jumped in alarm while the guards swiftly got into fighting position, as a frightening figure loomed in the darkness of the doorway. Peeking over my shoulder in panic, I took in the evil and scary sight of the intruder.

He was unlike any other man that I'd ever seen before. His strong muscular frame was adorned in deathly midnight-black armor, with spikes and carved skulls embellishing his shoulders, chest, and forearms. He was tall. Easily the tallest man I had ever seen, with his menacing crown of eight symmetrical obsidian spikes only adding to his formidable height. Long inky hair flowed down his back in harmony with his tattered black cape, sinisterly fluttering in the nightly breeze. Bright poison-green eyes eerily shifted to my father, with equally green flames dancing like forbidden enchantments of death upon the baleful blade in his hand. A cruel grin was set upon his sharp and attractive face, and there was no doubt in my mind that this was the infamously wicked lich king.

Holy sweet peas, he's handsome!

"Run, Stella! Run!" My father desperately shoved me into the throne room in a fit of sheer panic.

The guards shouted as they leapt into action, with magical blue mist swirling from their swords like fluttering palls of fury. My eyes widened in terror as I briefly glimpsed a sphere of green lichfire appear in the enemy king's free hand, while he began wickedly cackling like a madman. The malevolent grin stayed twisted across his face as swiftly flung his deathly flames, causing two of the guards to grotesquely rot down to the bone before my very eyes. Then he callously pierced another man straight through the heart using his blazing blade, making him scream out in utter anguish as he convulsed in pain. They didn't stand a chance against him.  

Oh snapdragons!

The wall scones were dimly casting a flickering amber glow across the glossy marbled floors and cathedral ceilings, while my father and I frantically raced toward the two sumptuous ivory-carved thrones. Elegant crystal chandeliers glittered in the firelight high above our heads like frozen tears strung upon intricate coils of golden thread. I held up my dress so I wouldn't trip over it, suddenly feeling as though this room was far more spacious than I remembered. My heart rapidly rapped at my rips and my vision blurred with tears, as I feared that we wouldn't make it in time...

"Aghhh!" My father suddenly cried out and fell to his knees.

My worst fears came true as I turned to see the lich's large gloved hand grabbing the back of his head, roughly holding him by his greying hair. I shrieked in horror, the shrill sound echoing throughout the spacious room. I started to back away, knowing that it was of the utmost importance that I hide, yet I suddenly felt lost and frozen without my father by my side.

A dark murderous laugh rumbled within the lich king's chest, his eyes blazing with ferocity. "My, my, King Fergus... What a pleasure this will be." His deep deathly voice sneered. The menacing sound of it reverberated straight through my soul. "Tell me, where are you hiding the starfire?"

My father's blue eyes stared back at me with a flash of urgency. "Go!" He silently mouthed, then he began to fiercely speak to the lich. "There is no starfire here! You think we'd be foolish enough to keep something so rare and precious and risk starting a war with all of Zizania!? You are mistaken! Now take your sickening army of the dead and leave us in peace!"

Apprehension filled my soul as I stood there like a dumbfounded goose. The need to run loudly nagged at my mind, yet I couldn't bring myself to abandon my father while in the ghastly clutches of the lich king... Plus I was completely frozen in fear. The lich king suddenly began to laugh again, hysterically hunching over as though his mind was lost to insanity. He released his hold on my father and cackled as he predatorily stalked around him, moving between him and his throne. 

"Liar!" He abruptly dropped all signs of amusement and forcefully back-handed my father across the face. The obsidian spikes along his knucks sliced open my father's cheek, making crimson beads of blood splatter across the polished white floor. I gasped and covered my mouth, stumbling to take a few more steps back as bright shimmering tears poured from my eyes. The lich king's sword gleamed with swirls of green lichfire as he threateningly held the sharp tip beneath my father's chin. "I'm not just going to kill you, Fergus. I am going to murder your very soul. And then I will kill every living breathing being within these castle walls, as I tear your disgustingly ostentatious home down brick by brick until I find the starfire that I've searched so long for. And I will find it."

"You will find nothing here!" My father hissed in a breath as the sword burned a dark angry welt into his flesh. The green flames glowed eerily over his distraught features, mingling with the natural firelight.

The lich king darkly snickered, keeping his lips closed and turned up into a smile. "And you will find death..." He grinned as he raised his sword, ready to swing it down and mercilessly chop off my father's head.

"No!" The glittering chandeliers rattled from the sheer volume of my terrified scream. "I know where the starfire is! Please don't kill him!" My panicked voice rushed out as I collapsed to my knees with teary eyes and an outstretched arm. Breath quivered from my lungs as my voice echoed all around.

"Foolish girl..." My father quietly hissed, seemingly in disbelief of my idiotic actions.

The lich king's attention was immediately drawn to my pathetic and desperate display. His green eyes glowed with both malice and curiosity as they stared into mine. Then he flashed me a charming fanged smile, causing a dreadful shiver to drag up my spine. "Do you now?" He devilishly cooed.