The King with the cracked crown sitting on top of his head, rested on his cold throne. For the majority of his life, that was all he does. If he wasn’t he was out fending for his life and for what many assume to be his main goal in life. Domination. However, only he knows himself and he enjoys these quiets times of him sitting on his throne with just his thought process passing the time. But because of the position he gradually was placed in, he knew these times were getting smaller and smaller. And for today, it would be the last time he would enjoy himself like this.

The room where he sat in was fairly dark, damp, and cold. But that didn’t bother him in the slightest. He was used to this feeling, this lack of heat and warmth, this isolation. He grew up with it and nurtured him to what he is to this day. But not tomorrow.

At the thought of what might occur overnight, the double doors to his throne began to open. The light of the hall outside eclipsed the person’s identity, but for the Dark King, it didn’t work on him. The person would then walk in with the speed of the upmost, but didn’t dare to run to show respect to the crown on his head. Even if it wasn’t there, he knew she would still show him this type of respect. She was just that loyal to him.

“My king.” A female voice blew from the helmet of the being, her black armor clanked against the cold stones that made up the uneven flooring. Her voice carries the intense worry she had about the news. But he was wise and knew what she would likely have to inform him of. But to let her feel of use, he keeps his intelligence to himself.

“Speak.” The king replied. His voice had a touch of separation of the present as he looks onto the future he is anticipating. His mind obviously in another matter. His finger would gently tap against the arm of the throne, masking as the background drumming for his majestic attention.

“Enemies have begun to approach the castle, the head of the army seems to be standing over the cliff that watches over the crater. What do you propose for us to do? Shall I lead a counter-attack before they step into the grounds?” She overstepped her message, giving options for him to pick. If he had said yes to them, then it would mean that whatever ideas she would come up with would be the correct ones and make the progression on the counterattack that much faster. Anything to protect her majesty and to destroy any who would dare disrespect him in any shape or form.

The king would quietly shake his head at these options and news. This was something he could not ignore, however, even if he guessed as much. Today was the day that the plan he constructed for the past two years recently has finally been at its end and it would be active by the end of today. So having his enemies come in and destroy all that progress was something he would never allow. Even at the cost of his life and any others.

“No, we must be more focused on defenses rather than simple assault. We must not let the enemy enter the castle. It would disrupt the process we have built over the years and I will not wait any longer than I have to. Call forth every soldier in our disposal, every guard we have in our care, and every beast we have tamed. We will protect this castle and our plans. Treat this battle as if it’s our last.”

The female in pitch-black armor would then bow her head further as she takes his order by heart.

“Yes, your majesty! I will not disappoint you!” She felt the silent order of being dismissed and quickly left the king to his darkness by closing the doors just as she had entered it.

The king would turn his head a tad, just enough to see the lone hole in the wall that was a makeshift window that aided him to tell the time of day. He could see a tint of orange and purple, an indication that the sun was rising. With his incredible senses, he was able to pick up the sound of marching and some clanking that was similar to the armor clanks his knight just made when moving.

At last, the king has lived long enough to see this day. Out of all the schemes that he had conducted with his minions and soldiers, this one was the biggest of them all. Everything was precise and important to the main goal of his plan. And he should have expected a resistance like this at the worst possible time for him. For him, it was do or die. And he knew fate is betting on the latter.

Sitting at the edge of a cliff that gazes down at the lone castle sitting in the center of a massive crater in the wastelands, A man covered in the shining metal of platinum and gold looks forward with a stern look on his face. The sounds of more metal clattering against itself drew his attention from his target and turns around to see what was behind him. With the sun beaming straight down in the sky despite the swirls of gray clouds that covered the blue sky, he still radiated the area with his shine.

From a few feet behind him to the horizon far ahead, he could see many men and few women gather among themselves in all forms of protection and armor. Each of their wielding a weapon and shield to aid them in battles. And unlike him, many of them didn’t seem to have the confidence in staying in the area. Their armors continue to clank as they fidget in their steps and look around nervously. This was to be expected. No man outside of the hero has even ventured into the domain of the Dark King.

The journey to this place wasn’t safe for such a large army and the hero had to spend days with the bravest mercenaries to clean the area of monsters of all sorts who roam about here.

The people behind him were soldiers that had come from every country in the world. All united for a single goal: to finally end the Dark King and restore peace to the world once and for all.

His tyranny on the world has miraculously united for a single goal. With the Queen of Light and her hero leading the army.

What was occurring was a literal moment of history in the making, all because of one man. And he couldn’t have hated someone more than that person. It was a strange feeling as he considers the peace that would occur after today’s events. He wonders if the hatred will continue or develop into a form of respect. The idea disgusted him, but it didn’t change his mind on the possibility.

His train of thought of how other world events have changed throughout the years as he senses someone was rushing through the crowds toward the front where he was. His expression looked to be one of distress, something the hero worried depending on what he has to say.

“General Hiro! We have news from the Queen!”

Hearing that, he immediately rushes toward the messager to learn what it was quickly.

“Quickly then, what is it?”

The man had to regain his breath before he could reveal what it was. “She, she is coming to the battlefield. She is already on her way here. She plans to see this to the end and to ensure that everything ends today.”

The shock was shown on the hero’s face. After spending the previous night of pressuring his Queen to stay behind for her safety, she still chose to enter the battle at his side. Time was short, she would likely be reaching them in an hour or so. If he wanted her to be safe, he would have to start the invasion now.

The Queen was far more important to him than anyone can imagine. She was the goddess incarnate And that was aside the fact that he was in love with her. Even to the point he put his valor to the test and proposed to her. Her answer was postponed for after this battle and that in its form was the reward for winning this great battle. And after years of risking his life in fighting the Dark King’s forces to protect all the countries in the world, he wanted to be a bit selfish in this last one and fight for himself than for others.

He steps onto a boulder that was near the cliff to give himself a stage. He calls forth the attention of all the soldiers that have been collected there to inform them that the battle will be starting early than scheduled. Drawing his sword, he attempts to motivate them all by reflecting on the many situations that he feared for his life was about to end at the hands of the enemy. But the thought of his queen was something that kept him to continue to hold onto the living and his sword to end the enemy’s life. Making the comparison to his queen to their families, friends, and the flag of their country, the soldiers nod understandably to the champion that stood before them.

Turning his attention back at the fortress, he aims his sword at it and calls forth the charge. The ground below his feet shook steadily as all the warriors began to charge toward the castle with roars muffling all their hearing and causing confusion at their enemy’s base.

The battle has begun.

The doors to the dark throne room opened once more. This time, the woman in the black armor was accompanied by another individual. Another woman who was dressed as if she was in mourn. Wearing a veil to cover her face partially and wearing all black like her partner.

The Dark King would shift in his seat, overhearing the sounds of combat occurring through the slim window.

“My king, the battle has begun outside the walls of the castle. Judging from how it is being played out, the battle will quickly breach the walls and occur inside.” The Black Knight repelled the news of the battle to her majesty. News that causes the Dark King to shift his expression to indicate his disappointment with this reality.

He turns his shift to the other, who pulls out a black orb that looked to be filled with swirling smoke inside of it. It gives a faint glow to it.

“My king, it seems that the main vanguard of the enemy is the Hero of Light. And our spies have informed us that the army he has gained behind him is a united one from every country of the world.”

The Dark King closes his eyes, reflecting on this news.

“So, the world has had enough of us and has decided to finally go all out in finishing us. Should have guessed such a thing would occur.” He stands off of his throne, his 10-foot figure startled the two women and they duck their heads lower. “That would only give us confirmation that what we are doing is worth protecting. Something that the world can’t handle if we accomplish our goal.” Even hearing himself say this gave him a thrill. Something he hasn’t felt for a long time. A smirk appears on his face. “Give them everything we have. Anything we have at our disposal, use it on the enemy. This indeed will be the final battle we as the Dark Kingdom will participate in. Our victory will be the new beginning.”

The battle, as predicted, quickly expanded to the interior of the Dark King’s castle. The Hero dashes through its many halls taking down his minions who are merely trying to defend his home with swift swipes of his magic sword that has taken down numerous amounts of their allies. The time when he felt something of taking a life even when the enemy was of a race that mostly focused on ending other lives has passed.

Making some progress, the Hero would arrive at a forked hallway. A trap, he expects, as he notes how the interior looks extremely untouched as cobwebs and the smell of water in the air was any signs. He was faced with two options. Two identical doors were before him. Seeing similar things in other forts that the Dark King would occupy to toy with him, one of them leads to where he needed to go and the other was a dangerous trap that would end anyone’s life if he wasn’t who he was. But he didn’t have time to play his games, his possible fiancee would be arriving any minute and he couldn’t afford for the Dark King to know this. Especially after what happened before. That event changed her, and nobody knows why or what’ll happen if it happens again.

Taking the door on the right, he dashes into the darkroom but finds it to be a trap as his body stumbles forward as the next step he took didn’t go as he planned. There was no floor in the room. He couldn’t determine just how deep he fell. After landing onto a ground, looking up, he could barely see the low light of the hall that he came from. But before he could look around for a way to escape, he heard a sound. He wasn’t alone.

He jumps toward the nearest wall he could sense that was near him. He felt something under his boot when he stepped down. Picking it up, he instantly knew it was bones. And the texture it had indicated that it wasn’t old. It was fresh. Growling began to echo in the pit.

Sensing the threat and danger, his sword began to emit a light that brightened up the entire room. The Hero was facing against a large creature with pitch-black fur. Only his sharp fangs could be visible. He knew what this was, a fitting time to get his revenge on the Dark Beast. The Dark King’s pet that he often would unleash into the country where it would freely attack villages and eat whoever was unluckily in its path of destruction. The victims that he heard that was lost to the beast that made him even try to hunt it down was that of some family from his hometown. A family that he felt close to.

Thinking of the memories he had with them, he grits his teeth and looks angrily at the beast.

“You saved me the trouble of tracking you down. Your owner can wait. I’ll take your head now, you monster.”

He makes a dash at the beast with his sword ready for a strike, but his attack was repealed when it would lift its claw to block it. He attempts to push it through, but the monster’s strength was too much to surpass and he jumps back to keep distance as he thinks of another method. But the beast didn’t give him that moment to think as he charges at him with his fangs bearing its sharp points. Using his reflexibility, he jumps against the wall behind to push himself further upwards to dodge the attack, but the darkness worked it’s trick and hid how tall the beast was and his legs were struck against the head of the beast and he loses his posture in the air, causing his momentum to weaken and he falls on the back of his beast. The monster jerks about to get him on, but seeing that this was the safest position, for now, he grips on the monster's dirty fur. Next was something that he didn’t anticipate. The monster would rise on his hind legs and fall onto his back, the hero could do nothing to escape this and had to endure the immense weight that slams onto him into the stone floor. He could feel his bones being crushed and the air being forced out of his lungs.

The monster simply rolls off of him and further increases the fatal damage he received by swinging his leg at the hero, sending him flying into the wall, causing him to be stuck against it from the crumbling stones keeping him locked against it. His strength was completely drained so quickly and the remaining stamina he had was only good for keeping him conscious. He tried to move his body but couldn’t do anything at all. The beast seemed to understand the condition his prey had and savored the moment by slowly approaching him. It leaned it’s facing toward the hero, allowing him to breathe the horrid smell of spit and blood that came with it.

Just as the beast leans back and prepares to deal the final blow to the hero, something occurred that surprised both. Something shimmered into the room and illuminated everything. It was too much for both and especially the beast as he stops its attack to shield its eyes. It was the last action it would do as the shimmering thing then shifted straight down at the monster and pierced its thick body. The beast’s eyes slowly lose signs of its life and slumps onto the ground with a thump. The small shock of the body moving was just enough for his body to be freed from its impact crater and he starts to fall onto the ground. He anticipates for the fall, but something catches him before he makes contact.

“Huh?”

As he sounds out his surprise, he would hear a giggle.

He turns to see that the Queen of Light was holding him in her arms. The light behind her gave her body a faint glow that was fitting for someone like her. She was the Queen of Light, the holiest and pure woman in the world. The complete opposite of the Dark King. And the one whom he had fallen in love with.

“My queen, you are already here?” He says, attempting to be louder, but the energy in his body wouldn’t allow it. He holds her staff over his body and the light coming from the crystal at the center began to fall slowly onto him. She could feel it’s healing properties begin to work its magic on him. Pretty soon, he was back on his feet and with all his strength back.

“That’s the second time you have saved my life.” He says with a sigh as he recalls how she saved him from dying out in the wild.

His comment would only cause her to giggle once more. “Don’t forget the endless amounts of times that you have fought to save my own life.”

“I am your champion. A champion must save their leader.”

She leans slightly toward him with a smirk. “You sure there is no other reason why you do that?”

He reacts just as she expects of him by getting flustered and fidgeting around enough that his armor would clank from the movements.

“Y-yes, I won’t deny such a selfish feeling from you and say that I saved you because of my love for you.”

She responses with a smile and expression that others would compare to a mother gazing at their son proudly. “I see. Unfortunately, I can’t answer your feeling until our work here is done. Do you think you can wait a bit longer?”

He holds his sword skyward as he makes his promise. “I will wait as long as you need me to, my queen.”

“Good, because we must find the Dark King and stop his machine from being used to plunge the world into darkness.”

“But this castle runs deep with halls and traps. Who knows what we will run into next.”

“Not to worry, my champion. With our Ally in the Shadows, we will get to the throne room in no time.”

Somewhere in the castle, a man shrouded in robes that were decorated with stitched tattoos of magic circles and symbols would mutter to himself as he examines a large contraction that was moving in place as it seemed to be adjusting itself. He was too preoccupied with his train of thought that he couldn’t hear the sound of something moving from within the laboratory he was in and going down a series of stairs was the Dark King himself.

After hearing the news that the Queen of Light has entered the battle and even infiltrated the castle to join the Hero of Light, the Dark King took action in that he shall be with the machine as a last defense while he leaves his two generals to protect the throne room to keep them from finding this secret lab.

“What news do you have for me, wizard?”

The wizard whom he asked was startled at first as he hops from where he stood and turns to face him with his staff that he tucks inside his robe.

“A-ah, your majesty. I did not hear you arrive.” He goes to clear his throat as he begins to answer his question. “The machine itself is complete as we have confirmed yesterday. But now we are simply waiting for the energy fuels to fill up before we can activate it.”

“I don’t need a re-trend, I need results. How much time until the cells are full?”

“I regret to say that it could be another hour or so.” He states as he clears his throat and looks nervously at the machine. Keeping his head tucked deep into his hood.

The Dark King made no reaction at this fact, least, not one that the wizard could recognize. With being said, the wizard would return to the machine, fidgeting with the many levers and cogs that are around it.

As the two remained at the lab, the sounds begin to brew up at the throne. The king ordered his two generals to remain at the throne room for the chance that the Queen of Light and the Hero would reach it.

“Those two are already here.” The Dark King would say as he listens to the noises that were very much the sounds of combat. The lab trembled, getting the wizard’s attention.

“W-what was that?” He would say as he looks about nervously. “Are they here already?”

The Dark King raises an eyebrow at him, he seemed to notice and quickly reverts to working on the machine.

“Have you heard the rumors, wizard?”

“W-what rumors, m-my king?”

“About the spy in our ranks. The Kingdom of Light didn’t mobilize after we had gathered the last piece of the machine. And they are attacking us on the day the machine is nearly complete.”

“Y-yes, quite the coincidence. The fates are still trying to get in your way like always.”

“And now they are in my throne, attacking my two generals. The only other two aside from us who know how to enter it without setting the death trap.” Even with his hood on, both can tell how visible nervous the wizard seemed to be as the Dark King continued listing the strange occurrences.

“I think you understand what will happen next, do you?”

His threat was taken to heart, as the wizard quickly took out his staff and pointed at the Dark King. Invisible bullets were shot at him, but they barely caused him to flinch upon impact. Shocked at how much the power difference was between them, he aims the staff at himself, and in a split second, he would disappear right before the King’s eyes.

The Dark King would quietly step up to the machine and study the gauges on the machine. It showed that all of the cell fuels were nearly full. He smirks at himself, ‘Can’t believe that he tried to lie about the time.’

The room shook once more and then the sounds of someone being thrown against a wall could be heard. Looking up, the Dark King finds the Black Knight falling to him. With a single hand, he was able to catch her before she made contact with the machine and its panel.

“M-m-my king. I’m sorry...I failed you.”

Sleep, for now, my loyal knight. You have done work for your King well enough to gain his hand.

“Thank y-you, my lovely King.” She quietly shuts her eyes. The other general struggles to go down the spiral of stairs from the secret passage that leads from the throne room and to the secret lab.

“My M-master, I’m sorry, but it seems like we were no match for the Queen and the Hero.” She says struggling to walk toward him. She nearly falls over if he hadn’t extended his hand to her. He carries both in his arms over to the side of the room against the wall. When he turns around, he sees them.

The Queen of Light and the Hero of Light was standing in the lab with them. The Hero stood in front of his Queen with his sword aglow and ready for the battle.

“So you two finally made it.” The Dark King would say as he calmly approaches them to get in front of the machine.

They didn’t respond, except for the Hero re-gripping the handle of his sword.

The Queen’s lips move as if she was about to speak, “W-

“Your spy is not here. He managed to escape with his magic.” He announces, in anticipation of what she was willing to ask him.

While he cut her off because he didn’t want to hear her voice that only he and she seem to know why the Hero gritted his teeth in anger because the man he hated disrespected his love.

“Tell me, what exactly do you know about this machine?” He would ask as he gestures to the machine behind him.

“It is a Doomsday Machine bent on plunging the world in endless darkness.” The Hero answered him.

“Quite a one-note answer, but what did I expect you to know.”

The conversation gets cut when the machine gives off a beep.

The King smiles.

A cold sweat forms on the back of the neck of the Hero. Was it too late?

As the Dark King twists his body to turn to the machine, the Hero reacted by sprinting toward him with his sword.

Halfway making it to the Dark King, he ambushes him with an attack of his own. Dashing toward him with a simple fist, a wave of power erupts upon the impact that sends the Hero flying toward the Queen who forms a shield to catch the Hero.

“Hmph, I will not be holding back this time. It is a reality that this is the final battle between us. And I will not have you stop me this time.” He says as he holds his arm. While it didn’t look to be an attack that has affected him, the Dark King used his full power in the attempt of taking the Hero down in one blow before the fight manages to go against his favor. He could feel his arm stinging from the shattered bone pieces cutting into his muscle.

The Queen of Light senses the amount of damage that has taken the Hero to blackout, she uses his holy magic to begin to heal him.

Seeing that this was the perfect chance, he quickly begins to flip the switches on the panel of the machine. It begins to come to life. Steam begins to blow out at various parts of the small pipelines that stick out and connect to other portions of the machine. The fat body at the center would clank as something inside it hits against the walls repeatedly and gradually increases in the amount of it occurring the more the machine warms up.

A single button gives off a glow that seemed to be the activation button. The Dark King looks at it quietly as he hesitates.

The Queen looks up at him, her breathing heavy as she tries to think of what to do in this situation.

“Zero.” She mutters. Her voice snaps the Dark King from his sudden stalemate on his actions. He was thankful it was just the two of them as he could sense his heart was beating fast.

He turns to her with his hand hovering over the button.

She would take a deep breath as she feels the air get thick around them. Her eyes couldn’t look away from his eyes as he stared at her. This was the first time they have seen each other since the incident after all. “Don’t do this.”

“This isn’t what you think. You of all people know that.”

“I know what it does, but you can’t. We can’t”

“That’s what the machine is for.”

The Queen of Light has nothing more to say, as she had trouble with her own heart. But it was just enough time for the Dark King to press the button.

The last thing heard in the world was his laughter.

He had won.