Wielder Of Time

(I have a chem exam on my birthday… what is this horrible luck)

Khione sat in silence, her fingers lightly tapping against the polished wood of the armrest. The Queen's words lingered in her mind, twisting and turning like an unsolved puzzle.

The Asterios Empire was the only nation still blessed by gods. But why?

The question had gripped her ever since she learned about the existence of these deities—Aurelion, Nytheris, and Ignis. The three Gods have blessed the Asterios Empire? Yet no other nation seemed to share in such blessings.

Did the gods favor Asterios above all others?

Or had there once been others like them—nations blessed, only to be forgotten and abandoned?

Khione glanced at Bella. She had been quiet since the discussion began, though her sharp gaze remained trained on the Queen. Unlike Khione, Bella did not care for gods. She saw them as stories told to the weak—foolish myths clung to by those who needed something to believe in. It was an understandable stance for someone raised in nobility, surrounded by wealth, power, and security.

But Bella, too, was questioning things now.

"Why is Asterios the only nation still blessed?" Bella finally asked, voicing the thought that had been circling in Khione's mind.

The Queen let out a slow breath. She was composed, but there was an undeniable weight behind her gaze, as if she carried a knowledge that burdened her.

"I have no true answer," the Queen admitted. "Only speculation."

She folded her hands atop her lap, her expression pensive.

"I believe that long ago, many nations had been blessed. Perhaps as many as there are stars in the sky. But time is cruel. Wars raged, kingdoms fell. Even the strongest of them could not stand forever."

Her voice was even, but the way she spoke made it clear that she had spent much time pondering this mystery.

"Some may have been conquered by the Asterios Empire. Others could've crumbled from within. And some—" she hesitated, her fingers tightening slightly around the fabric of her robe, "—some may have simply been swallowed by history itself."

The flickering lanterns cast wavering shadows across the room.

Khione's mind raced. If these ancient nations had been blessed, why had their gods allowed them to fall? Was divinity not enough to prevent destruction?

As if sensing Khione's thoughts, the Queen continued.

"I believe that when these nations were lost, so too were their gods."

Bella frowned. "You mean… the gods abandoned them?"

"Perhaps." The Queen's expression darkened slightly. "Or perhaps they simply lost interest. It is possible that the gods only bless nations they are bound to."

Khione felt a strange chill at those words.

Bound to?

She recalled the statues of Aurelion, Nytheris, and Ignis in the empire's sacred halls. The reverence her people held for them, the way their names were woven into the very fabric of Asterios itself.

Were the gods truly divine? Or were they something else entirely?

Khione nodded slowly, acknowledging the Queen's words. There was no certainty in any of this. Only one thing was clear.

The gods were real.

The Queen, as if sensing the weight of the conversation, shifted her posture slightly. "I do not claim to understand the full truth. But what I do know is this: the gods still remain in Asterios, and that alone sets it apart from all other nations."

A pause settled between them.

Bella let out a thoughtful hum, placing a hand on her chin.

"And how do these gods relate to the destruction of the Isles?" she finally asked, returning to the topic that started this discussion.

The Queen's expression remained calm. "I do not believe the gods have anything to do with our destruction."

Khione narrowed her eyes. "Then what could?"

The Queen shook her head. "I cannot say. I do not know what force will bring ruin upon us, only that it will happen if we do nothing."

Silence.

Khione absorbed the words, letting them settle. She hadn't doubted any of the Queens' words. But…

Who or what could possibly bring about the complete destruction of the Isles of Azeroth?

"Not even the Asterios Empire would erase an entire region from existence," Khione blurted out.

It wasn't a matter of capability. It was a matter of logic. The empire was powerful, unmatched in might, but it was not a nation that conquered for the sake of senseless destruction. It absorbed, assimilated, ruled. Even lands that resisted were not completely eradicated—only reshaped under the empire's rule.

Bella crossed her arms. "Khione is right. Even if the empire wanted to, wiping out all life in an entire region is… excessive."

The Queen did not reply immediately.

For a moment, there was nothing but the faint sound of the wind outside, whistling through the wooden beams of the palace.

Finally, the Queen spoke.

"I do not know the answer to that."

That alone was unsettling.

The Queen of the Isles was known for her wisdom, her foresight. And yet, here she sat, unable to name the very force that would bring ruin to her own kingdom.

It was a terrifying thought.

And yet, in the face of that uncertainty, the Queen remained unwavering.

She took a breath and straightened her shoulders.

"This is why I seek an alliance with the Asterios Empire."

Bella's gaze flickered.

"This isn't a decision for us to make," she stated bluntly. "This matter has transcended beyond our authority. It will have to go through the Council of Nobles—or perhaps even be left solely to the High Nobles to decide."

The Queen nodded, as if she had expected this answer. "I understand."

Bella sighed. "That being said, until the decision is made, Khione and I will remain here to oversee negotiations. Though, another envoy may be sent in light of this information."

Hoping to lighten the mood a little. Bella smirked slightly, glancing at Khione before adding, "And in the meantime, she can use this opportunity to explore the Isles."

Khione blinked. "You're assigning me as a tourist?"

Bella shrugged. "You've never been here before. Might as well learn something."

Khione exhaled through her nose but didn't argue. In truth, she had no objections to seeing more of the Isles. If she was going to be involved in negotiations, it was only logical to understand the land she was dealing with.

The Queen, too, a little amused by the exchange.

"The Isles have much to offer," she said. "And perhaps, through your time here, you may come closer to finding the answers you seek."

Khione wasn't sure if that was a promise or a warning.

Either way, she would find out soon enough.