"I, Alistar son of Aridan, am the only one who can save these lands from eternal darkness, it is why I was chosen to go on this path and rid this world of the evil witch Nagarind." I vowed to my two companions, the golden haired Naida, princess of Gildared, who is said to be the fairest maiden of the land and my trusted friend Arion.
The three of us had been journeying together for two weeks, for I had been tasked with saving the realm from the evil necromancer witch Irena. For decades she has corrupted the lands around her kingdom and raised an army of the dead to fight her wars. She seemed nigh unstoppable, but I inherited the sacred holy blessing from the sun goddess Aida that gave me alone the power to destroy Irena and end her corruption once and for all. For this I was destined and to inherit the throne and marry fair Naida, who is said to have received her divine beauty from Eiunu the goddess of prosperity. Many men would envy my position which I see as a sacred duty, yet little did I know that one of those men is my supposed friend Arion. He had sought for a long time to find any weaknesses in my devotion and to lead me of my path. With time and patience he had gained my trust and became my right hand man who I entrusted with all my secrets and he was too eager to learn them. One of such secrets was my deep-rooted longing for the very witch I was sworn to destroy, for I saw her many years ago when she invaded our kingdom for the first time. I know not if this strange affection is natural or a spell she put on me, either way I was incapable of getting her out of my mind for good.
After I told him this he began acting rather strangely. He left the kingdom often, sometimes for months and seemed to want to know more about this affliction of mine, explaining to me that he was looking for a cure, and so I trusted him. In fact he was doing the exact opposite. He risked his life, traveling all the way to the desolate lands of Nagarind to seek council with Irene. He told her all about my affliction to her great satisfaction and surprise, for it was not a spell she had conjured on me. Together they devised a plan so that they could both get what they most desired. Irene would get total domination of the only blessed champion who was destined to stop her and drain him of all his godly powers to make her stronger.
Aiden would ruin Naidas perception of me and clear the way for him to take my place by her side. Irene had some powerful allies who could falsify Aidens lineage, making him appear a suitable candidate for the throne. It would take allot to sway Naida from me, because she was already truly in love with me at that time. We had never joined however, for we wanted to wait till we were married and after the conflict with Irene was over. Because of her love for me she followed me on my journey to Nagarind, along with Aiden, who insisted on coming too. When we'd reached her dark fortress I told them to stay back, but to little avail, for they insisted on following me inside. I thought it strange that we met no resistance, Irene's skeletal guards just stood like statues while we walked inside the fortress entrance, all the way to the main hall. There Irene sat on her throne, her skin pale as I can remember, she also seemed even uglier then I had remembered. She had achieved immortality through necromancy, yet all the same her skin was rough and wrinkly. She was also more bloated and fatter than I had remembered, it was as if she cared nothing for her outward appearance, indeed a complete opposite to my fair Naida.
"Ah finally, the champion of Aida arrives with his faithful companions! I've been looking forward to this. You must be wondering why I'd let you walk in here so freely, no? Well let me tell you. I have a proposition for you." She said while smirking and with a twirl of her fingers the surrounding skeletal guards grabbed Naida and Aiden putting blades to their throats. I immediately cut down three guards when Irene shouted, "The proposition goes as follows: I shall let them go peacefully..." she said while she snapped her fingers and a purple portal opens behind them. "...if you agree to lay down your arms and discuss matters concerning the future of the kingdom in a more relaxed setting."
"Don't do it! Don't trust her! It's a trap!" Naida shouted in great disarray while trying to escape the skeleton guard.
"Fret not Naida, I carry the blessing of Aida, she cannot harm me..." I said as I looked back at Irene "Very well then, release them and send them back safely and we can discuss matters in peace." At another finger twirl from Irene the guards let them go and they went through the portal, Naida glancing back at me with sad eyes while I sent her a reassured look. Aidan led her through the portal, much to my surprise, smirking rather strangely at me as he went through.
"Can you assure me they are safe now?" I asked Irene.
"Of course" she said with a ugly smile as she led me to the through dining area, and to her quarters, "right this way, my prince."
As we walked into her room which was covered in black and red drapes, with lit candles, she clicked her bloated fingers and the fireplace was suddenly filled with burning green flames. She then took off her overdress with a magical flick of her hand and sat down in a arm red cushioned arm chair, wearing nothing but a thin silk nightgown. She sat there alluringly trying to capture my full attention. I could feel myself succumbing to her, she still had that hold on me after all these years.
"Is it me you want? If you have me, will you stop this pointless war?"
