The Spice Queen entered her throne room; Haze hovered not far away.

The banners of Omani and her rule billowed high and proudly.

"An amazing day, your majesty!" he said with a wide smile on his face. Green and white armor on his thin fae body. "May I ask what is next for rebuilding Omani?"

"I know what you should ask..." Blackstone began, entering the throne room from the shadows.

Cassia looked up with wide eyes. "Bl-BLACKSTONE???" Surprise leapt from her clear eyes.

The fae male turned towards his recent comrade-in-arms. "Blackstone?!? Where have you been?"

"Learning," the gruff warrior answered in a rumble. "Ask your queen how the aliens entered her kingdom. Ask her about their newly acquired shielding." His onyx-shaded armor was almost repaired. His wounds nearly healed.

The confused Haze turned to face the Spice Queen. "Of what does this crazed warrior speak, dear lady?"

Cassia stood silently. Her large eyes narrowed with an almost predator stare.

Unbeknown to the trio, a broken and dying alien soldier climbed the side of the castle. It left a trail of green as it continued to climb towards the throne room. Security was lax with the obvious defeat of the extraterrestrial leader but one wounded drone continued on.

"Your queen has long battled the others for possession of the MFC," the horned man continued, "However, there has been too even an edge between them. Cassia sought out external powers to give her an advantage. Her call for reinforcements riled giants, phoenixes...and conquerors from beyond."

The fairy turned wide green eyes at his majesty. Disbelief met with disappointment on his face.

"You--you brought these creatures to our home???"

"Haze, you don't understand--"

"B-but the aliens...they only want us for one thing--"

"Actually, several things," added Blackstone, "Testing, bioengineering, food, anal probing. And they wanted the technology of Omani's shields."

Cassia's lips trembled and her eyes narrowed as Blackstone's words continued and Haze's trust cracked.

"I OFFERED THEM A DEAL THAT OUR PEOPLE COULD THRIVE WITH!"

"You bartered in triage...the missing Omani..." Blackstone added.

Cassia nodded fervently. "Yes! Yes! The old! The sick! The dying!"

Haze shook his head. "NO! NO! Not you! You are kind and magnanimous! Your heart, my queen, is loving and wise to all your subjects!"

"You sent assassins to deal with me."

"Yes! I did! When I realized you would not give up looking for answers, I offered the aliens a truce if they slew you. At least I did so after fucking you!"

Haze grabbed his leafy, armored head. "WHAT? You fucked my queen?!?"

"It was not that good," Blackstone replied.

Cassia snarled.

"You have seen the horrors of war, warrior!" the woman shouted at the horned man. "You've seen what happens when conviction waivers on one side and power swells on the other! I brokered a deal for the greater good!"

Blackstone inhaled. "Six in one hand, half a dozen in the other." Even with his few words, he gave the enraged despot no quarter, no mercy and no sympathy.

"SHORT SIGHTED FOOLS! Don't you understand?!?!" Cassia shouted, slamming her fist against a column, her strength cracking the pillar. "With the aliens’ forces, I could have had the MFC!!! I could bend all of reality, time, space and more to MY will! I could undo any loss, restore any destruction!"

While the woman ranted on, Blackstone stood motionless and emotionless.

Haze watched in growing disgust with tears forming in his eyes.

The broken and dying alien soldier leapt into the throne room. With its last otherworldly breath, it swung its cannon arm into position and fired a death ray.

Haze saw the attacker.

"CASSIA!" the fae male shouted. Despite his breaking heart, leapt and took the alien's blast meant for the Spice Queen.

Blackstone hurled his sword into the alien, impaling it against the wall. It died. It disintegrated.

The horned man retrieved his sword as he moved towards the dying fairy.

The Spice Queen fell to her knees. Tears in her eyes. Hex the goliath cat purred against her.

Haze looked up at the horned warrior.

He looked at his queen. "...be...better..."

Then died.

#

A large collection of trees and bushes swayed in the gentlest of breezes. The sun shined warmly down onto the birds, the nymphs, the deer and the water sprites that moved around the wilderness. The fields waved back and forth and made a rhythmic swishing sound.

Blackstone walked into the wooded area. As he moved, the trees and branches, bushes and leaves all twisted and spun into Elke. He moved alongside the armored man.

The horned man stopped as did the wood spirit.

"I heard of your adventure, warrior," he began. His eyes flicked green and white in the sunlight. "I... I am sorry for the loss of the fae."

The armored man paused.

"Your flower that is vibrant and strong. You needed a name for it. Call it...Haze."

Elke nodded.

Blackstone walked away.

High above, Scorch soared wild and free.

THE END