“Bring them forward!” commanded the Queen, her voice resonating with authority. Soldiers hastened to obey, ushering Klicker and Skray into the grandeur of the Throne Chamber.
The Queen, a majestic figure, towered above all. Her regal bearing was matched only by her radiant beauty, which seemed to hold sway over the hearts of her subjects. Her stern voice was not just heard but felt, a compelling force that seemed to gently bend one's will to her own.
There was no defying her. Outside the colony, for those who dared to venture alone, only death awaited in the crumbling world.
Under her gaze, Klicker and Skray trembled, involuntarily dropping to their knees, heads bowed in reverence.
“Stand up, my children,” the Queen ordered.
They rose, albeit hesitantly, under the weight of her commanding presence.
“Tell me,” she began, her eyes searching the vaulted ceiling for words, “as you and a mere 20 others survived the…” She paused, her gaze returning to them. “What befell our people in the wild?”
Skray's brow furrowed, puzzled by her apparent ignorance.
Klicker cleared his throat, preempting Skray's likely outburst. “Speak, child,” the Queen urged again, her eagerness a stark contrast to her usual composure.
As Klicker narrated the day's harrowing events, his voice trembled. “These beings are colossal, their mere step an act of destruction...” His words trailed off as a tear escaped, his gaze fixed on the ground.
The Queen turned to her silent generals. “How can such atrocities exist in my domain?” she questioned, her foot tapping rhythmically, a sign of her unrest. “Our losses?”
“In the past cycle, 200,000 have perished, my Queen,” a soldier replied, his tone betraying no emotion.
“And our remaining count?”
“Just shy of 2 million, my Queen.”
“Is there no way to fight them?”
The General hesitated, pain flickering in his eyes. “Our best were... crushed before they could engage.”
The Queen's frustration was palpable. “So, we are powerless?”
“It seems we must simply endure, my Queen.”
At this, Skray, unable to contain himself any longer, stood. “My Queen,” he began, his audacity drawing a sharp gasp from the assembly.
The Queen turned, astonishment etched on her face. Klicker pressed himself to the ground, fearing the worst.
“Our forces have known of these beings for cycles. We’ve been rerouted repeatedly, and yet...” Skray’s voice quivered with emotion. “We have all lost loved ones.”
“Silence!” The Queen's command was a thunderclap. “What do you suggest we do?” she challenged, her voice softening despite her anger. “They are my children, and I will not let them starve.”
Turning to her guards, she issued her decree. “Send them back out. Today.”
With that, she dismissed them, leaving Klicker and Skray to their fates, her back to them as she conferred with her generals.
Stefan:
All powerful yet completely paralyzed. What if our strongest forces and minds cannot overcome an existing threat! Would you put yourself in it and try to help?