Fires devoured what remained of her kingdom, her people, her family, her life.
Everything was gone.
The throne, the castle, even her name, were all meaningless now.
Let the bandits raid the vaults. Let the vultures pick through the scraps. What truly matters was already burning.
"I should've fought harder," Sinephilim whispered without thinking.
Her jaw clenched.
"I should've done more to protect them…" Her voice cracked.
Her fists trembled.
They killed everyone.
A finger tapped her nose.
"Boop."
"Wha…?" She said startled.
Rhenvar stepped out of her shadow like a bad memory.
"Y'know, arm thief," he said casually, "while you're busy monologuing in despair, Aucteros is siphoning your stolen power and gearing up to end the world. Just figured I'd mention it."
Her eyes narrowed. She ignored his words. "I see you really are immortal… have you come to put me out of my misery?"
"Nah," Rhenvar sighed, hands on hips. "Apparently, I'm here to save your life."
"I'm not interested in your games, jester." She sneered. "Or should I call you by your other titles? Mad shadow. Slaughterer of Elkweave. Aucteros's dog."
He shrugged, unfazed. "Better a dog than a corpse, like your brothers I guess."
"You monster!" Sinephilim lunged.
Rhenvar caught her arm.
"Careful, you lost your power and I'm no longer under the command to not attack you."
"I should reclaim your ring and drag you back to your leash." She held back her tears. "Then order you to stab yourself with that cursed blade."
That one landed. He released her arm.
She saw a red flicker within his light blue eyes.
"Relax, former demon queen," he said, voice a touch colder. "I did not come for a fight. I came to deliver a message."
He stepped closer, gazing at her.
"Your brother Karn wants to speak with you."
Her heart stopped.
That name. There's no way you speak that name to me you-
Both looked at each other. Her eyes scanned for a weapon.
Then-
"…Karn is dead," she breathed.
Rhenvar tilted his head.
"Yeah, I thought so too. Viir was supposed to eat him." He muttered to the side, "Still not clear on that part."
Then louder: "Turns out he's… kind of alive. Soul stuck. But I can take you to him."
She hesitated.
Hope… ugly, aching hope, slipped through the cracks of her grief.
He's got to be lying but-
"Why?" She asked softly. "Why would you offer this?"
"Because he asked," Rhenvar said simply. "And because he won't shut up about it."
"You're lying."
"I lie often, demon. But not about this."
Her eyes searched his face. Lips tight. Fists trembling.
I have one chance… this man is beyond mortal. I ripped out his throat. And he's alive, acting like nothing happened.
Sinephilim looked at his hand.
The stories were true, he can't be killed. This is the perfect opportunity to see what he is and how I can put an end to him.
But what if this is a trap? No, he'd have killed me by now if it was.
"…Fine," she finally said. "But if this is a trick, I'll tear your soul apart from the inside out."
She grabbed his offered hand.
"Wouldn't be the first time someone tried," he said, smiling.
His hand- it was cold yet oddly welcoming.
Their grips tightened.
Crimson light swallowed them whole.
****
The Chaos Temple.
They stepped into a ruined temple.
Black floor. Black walls. An endless sky of red stars shimmered above in eternal stillness. She could not hear anything, but one word did escape her lips.
"…Beautiful," she murmured before she could stop herself.
The stars pulsed faintly. They felt alive.
A crushing weight settled over her. As if thousands of eyes landed on her presence.
Was this his domain? It feels… chaotic. What is he?
The only shape in the room she could make out was a pedestal that held his red sword and a body-shaped indent in the wall behind it.
"Welcome to my little hideaway from reality," Rhenvar said, arms wide. "The chaos temple. Oh, and look! This here is where my sword goes, and my armor goes here in this wall!"
She felt odd seeing him excited, like he was showing off.
He's so... relaxed.
"Hey, any chance I can taste-"
A red blur zipped past her eyes, cutting her attention from Rhenvar.
"OH MY Rheeeen~! I didn't know you were bringing a girl!" The voice was high-pitched and annoyingly smug.
A palm-sized crimson fae zipped through the air, spiraling around her like an overly excited insect. An insect that looked at her like food.
"Mother would be so proud! Is she the ONE?!"
"…What." Sinephilim said in disbelief.
"Viir," Rhenvar snapped, flicking her midair.
"Ow! Pfft. Killjoy." Viir crossed her arms and stuck out her tongue.
Rhenvar turned to Sinephilim. "We'll give you privacy. Don't keep her waiting, Karn."
With that, he and Viir sank into the shadows and vanished.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then one of the stars drifted down from the heavens like a falling ember. It shimmered, then began to change.
A shape formed.
"K- Karn!"
He stood before her exactly as she remembered, tall, red-skinned, horned… healthy. And that same gentle smile.
He pulled her into a crushing embrace. His voice trembled.
"Sister… thank Father. I have a chance to speak with you."
She couldn't move. Could barely breathe.
"Karn, I-" her voice broke. "I tried so hard, I failed, I failed our kingdom."
Wait, Karn's here, he's really here, I can save-
Karn pulled back, smile never fading. "I know your heart, Sin. I know you're already thinking of a way to save me. But you can't."
"Why not? You're here. Rhenvar brought me. There must be something we can do."
"No." Karn's smile faded as he sat down. His voice grew serious. "This place… this magic… it's not part of our world. Rhenvar isn't just cursed. He's something else. Divine, maybe. Or damned. Maybe both."
"What is he?"
He shook his head. "I'm not one to pry. But still, he saved you, because I asked."
"I don't understand…"
She stared at the red-lit sky, unsure what to say.
"Why?" She finally asked. "I have nothing left. My power. Our kingdom…"
Karn looked up at the red stars with her. "Because you're my sister. And because you're special."
Sinephilim trembled.
"You always say I'm special-"
Karn sat down.
Sinephilim sat with him.
"There's much I want to discuss but I just want you to know. It's not your fault. None of it is."
She looked down.
"Please don't look like that." He touched her shoulder. "What you have done was nothing short of amazing. You truly lived up to the Queen I knew you could be."
"Are Flock and Golo here too?" Sinephilim stared at him, fighting the lump in her throat.
"They are for now."
"For now?!"
"Rhenvar doesn't view the souls here the same way he does outside this place." Karn looked at the thousand red stars. "We're nothing but food, it's a miracle he did not consume me for defying him."
"Karn, you're scaring me."
"Sin, I want you to trust him."
She blinked. "Trust him? He killed you. He killed so many- "
"He did but I have faith in this monster."
"I still don't understand. Why do you believe in him?" She looked away.
Karn smiled faintly. "Because you're still alive. He brought you here, all I did was ask."
Part of her hated hearing those words from him.
Karn put his hand on her shoulder.
"Better not test his patience, he's consumed for far less. I just wanted you to know, none of us blame you."
Before she could reply, his body flickered. The star rose back into the sky.
She jumped to her feet, still watching.
And she was alone again, clenching her fists.
"RHENVAR!" She screamed.
Rhenvar and Viir reappeared from the shadows, like summoned ghosts.
"So," he said, scratching his head. "Ready?"
"For what, cursed knight?"
He looked past her, at the void, at the stars.
"For the end of this world, Demon Queen," he said. "And hopefully a chance to save it. If Darkness is not dead…"
"Rhenvar… can you explain?"
"Sure," he sat down tracing the black stone tiles with his finger.
"Basically we'll be here for eternity if the Goddess of Shadow doesn't survive."
"W-" Sinephilim choked on her breath. "WHAT!"
"I mean that's a good thing isn't it?" Rhenvar looked at her. "You can talk to your brothers forever!"
"Plus it gets boring with just us two~" Viir flew up to her face. "What's a few thousand years?"
"Wait," Sinephilim rubbed her temples. "So, you really are immortal?"
"Yeah!" Rhenvar answered. "Trust me, it's not all it's cracked up to be. It's super boring."
"No it isn't!" Viir fluttered to him. "It's only boring to you because you're a human."
"Hey," Rhenvar grabbed Viir. "My only entertainment in this place is meditation!"
"And you look so funny when you do it," Viir giggled. "You should talk to the souls more often."
"What's the point in that?!"
"Because they're funny!"
"Don't give me that bullshit."
"Is this all a joke to you?" Sinephilim trembled with anger. "How is it someone like you was praised by the elves? How did anyone think of you as a hero?"
Rhenvar stood up.
"Humans are scum but you- I can't even call you one. You have this cursed place, this hell. And put on this act?"
"You're pretty soft for a demon-"
"Just shut up." Sinephilim sat down. "My brothers hang above my head, imprisoned for eternity."
She looked at him. His pupils were glowing red.
"I'm sorry…" his pupils went back to normal.
She hated hearing those words. But something felt different when he said them. For a moment she felt like he was sincere.
"Oh! Rhen, not good. Put a muzzle on it!" Viir said before flying off.
"Listen," Rhenvar sat next to her. "Everyone I killed is still here. I was not my choice to bring them here."
"Is that supposed to be comforting?"
"Demon Queen, I'll make you a promise."
"Just return my brothers, please."
"I- I can't, but I can at least offer something."
"…What?"
"If we're not stuck here for all eternity, I promise I'll drag Aucteros into my sky."
She looked up at the abyss littered with red stars.
I don't want to be in this place for all eternity…
If there is a God or Goddess out there, please don't let this be my fate.