»We had
won but we
also lost«

AUGUST
MAGNIKAI
THIRD KINGDOM

THE END of the war was the onset of a new infinity for every left resident of the world. As the homes of the royal families were repaired, the palace of the dark king was torn down and with it, the dark times passed, loved ones reunited, friends came together again and families got back jointly, yet humankind had made a tremendous loss, with half of their civilization having been slaughtered in the initial year of the assault, there still were many to be laid to rest and mourned, people still had to weep and find a way to move on without their adored ones by their side.

The threat was over, the life hazard to all was gone, yet the duration of anguish would never be over.

As months flew another actuality came to the people's senses, those who survived tried to gain vitality, re-discover technology and witchcraft that was forged by light and not darkness, injured combatants, deceased men and women and children got the crucial medical attention again but then a new hazard arose.

The planet was dying. Slowly. Torched cities and fields, no crops to grow, burned down villages and entire countries of nothingness and wasteland, all while still the dust of fear and toxic demonic nature polluted the air, causing many more once again disease and death. It was impossible to live on that way. Humanity would perish once again by the traces the great dark war had left. It seemed as if the war had left it's scars that would never allow any human to live in peace again. It was a horrific scenery to walk the earth by now. Ashes covered the grounds and one had to be careful to not be hit by a another collpasing building or get caught in a cloud of dark smoke that would corrupt their mind with evilness of suffocating the children who had no clue of the world they had been born into.

It was hopeless.

So, hopeless that the hope that ultimately appeared in front of them seemed like a dream to them all. Magicians banned together. Combined their powers and strengths to find their fellow humans a new home. Then it was found, like one bright star within the whole blanket of stars, one shining star that appeared to act out as the knight that cane to rescue the princess. It was their saving grace, deep within the dark ends of the mountains in an empty ghost village in the east of America, a portal was found, one so small and so hidden barely an ant would find it, yet with the powers the entire Trivaris family was gifted with, as weeks and months passed, through true magicians' strength, the portal grew and grew and grew, until it was large enough for a grown men to enter through.

Then they all did, system by system, rank my rank, old to young, they all went through ordered and civilized to enter and claim their new home.

A place that had the same structures and looks that their earth had, yet it had its differences, seemingly solely created by magic, they named it "MAGNIKAI". It was filled with magical energy, enough to banish the darkness away from certain parts. One nation was created, lead on by the three royal families, each household responsible for one part of what humanity required.

But since the end of the war, the civilization of the planet rose plenty, but there wasn't enough capacity for everyone to settle down in just one nation so they were able to construct three kingdoms, the kingdom "Cremona" which is moreover known as the first kingdom and is dictated by the „March" family a very highly worthy imperial family, the kingdom "Mandrel", which is commonly known as the second kingdom and is ordered by the most powerful family „Trivaris" and the third kingdom, the last kingdom, which is ruled by the  „Testrias" family, the leading family of the great dark war but that exceptional kingdom does not have a title. The supplementary kingdoms were named after the two most significant magicians that prevailed but had to give their lives in the war.

The magicians in this new universe were divided into the "light magic users" and „dark magic users" but in all three kingdoms, dark magic was prohibited because of the wreckage it could execute. The "Trivaris" family was the most dominant family which prevailed, that family was also the most extraordinary there was. Magic was created by Brandon Trivaris who was an old companion of the Testrias family but he got slain during the war.

Accordingly, the members of Trivaris family originated magic in its entirety which considerably made them the most vital and powerful magicians in the entire universe.

Most magicians are just restricted on to one method of sorcery, for instance, fire and stamina but if it was a name bearer of the Trivaris family, things were distinct most of the time...they are eligible of exploiting all varieties of magic even those sorts which were as remarkable as mind-reading or shapeshifting.

The previously small houses owned by the royskd were rehabilitated into the big mansion, some as big as a fort, yet designed by the technology of specialized and developed contemporary magic, the mansions were constructed by each member of the Trivaris family since their abilities were beyond tremendous.

On the first day of the new year, the coronation ceremonies of the kings and queens of each kingdom were applauded and Marcus Testrias, the son of Sam-Charles Testrias and Dirania Testrias was given a rare medal for his heroic act of triumphing over the dark demon lord and terminating the war, though he never respected the way he was commemorated, no one understood that because it was entirely him who was mindful what it had cost to end the war. He had saved everyone by slaying the dark king.

Now, despite the royals being so idolized and respected by their fellow inhabitants, none just, however, acknowledged that despite the adoration towards them, similarly sufficiently enough hatred and enviousness for what they possessed prevailed, adequately enough to organize an undisputed rebellion.

Lucas Testrias and Sara Melissa Doe, two royal guards, specifically responsible for the security of Marcus, who had always ever since the onset of the war shared their star crossed tragedy eventually got their opportunity of building a life together, without the concern of extinction crossing their path, the devotion they felt for each other was so credible that even the king of their kingdom, Sam-Charles authorized them to share a room at the mansion and live there with their child Lara Testrias, who was more typically known as the prince's cousin.

Lastly, another old compatriot of Marcus found his rightful place within the walls of the mansion, carrying the name Tim Miller, he had been his childhood best friend, ever since they had been born, even way before the opening of the war, though by now they had their differences, some that went so deep that their friendship was nothing more but a union on a professional basis.

The youthful prince was sitting on the vast ridge over the kingdom glimpsing over it. He held a necklace by its silver chain in his hand and glanced at it until unexpectedly he heard steps behind him, he turned. It was his father, who let out a deep sigh before taking a seat next to him.

"What is on your mind now, Marcus....?"
the king now questioned upon carefully examining his son and the serious glare onto the necklace within his fingers.

All while, the bitterness that was boiling within Marcus remained unnoticed by him and it only became awfully clear at his son's sudden burst out of furious words.

"Shut up!!" the tormented prince shouted at his father, defiant and without hesitancy, whirling his head around to glare into the leading man's eyes.

"Do not try to speak of matters you surely have no clue about. Of all people informed of the truth, you are the one who is assumed to know how I feel, yet you pretend it is just a thought stuck in my mind, easily eliminated. You are false. The way it ended was my responsibility. We all know that." he spoke, his tone reasonable and delicate, filled with grief, with those words uttered and his father, presently left relatively speechless he rose from his sitting position.

"What were you doing here, Marcus?"
His father now asked since this particular region was quite a distance from the mansion and not the most protected spot at all, imagining how near it was to the dark forest.

The dark forest was a location forbidden to be entered, as it was contemplated to be filled with all the banished magical energy from the universe, the dark aura the forest radiated was identical to the one, society could feel when standing right next to a sinister creature. Marcus nonetheless only rolled his eyes at the question.

"Thinking. In silence." he responded, certainly offering his father a sarcastic answer. The king rose just as Marcus had, raising an eyebrow at his behavior.

"Marcus.." he spoke in quite an authoritarian mood.

"What?"

"Did you tell Lucas?"

"Why would I tell Lucas?"

"You know why."

"No. I don't."

Sam-Charles Testrias sighed, occasionally he couldn't understand the dialogues he had with his son, evaluating the kind of chats they had, it was almost unimaginable in his mind that the boy standing in front of him had saved humanity. He took a step closer to his son.

"I don't know what occurred between the two of you but Lucas is your friend and not only that, he is your guardian too, as well as Sara is, if you leave the permitted parameter away from the mansion, you must inform either of them." he said in a dead serious tone, one that somehow also carried true care, but Marcus forbade to acknowledge that and clenched his hands into fists.

The emotions that went through his head were thoughts of outrage and hatred, as well as gloom, sincerity was communicated on his face and he forcefully thought his father had no indication of the life he lived and that pained him even more.

How can his own father be so oblivious of his own son's life?

He didn't appreciate it at all and it caused more invalidating emotions to take over his mind like a venom would spread out within a bloodstream.

"He's not my friend."

"He's your family"

Marcus laughed, clearly very entertained by the statement.

"Lucas Testrias is many things but he is not my friend and most precisely not my family, nor will he ever be." He clamoured in a tone, filled with aggression.

His father was alarmed to hear those cruel words leaving his mouth. They were harsh and unreasonable to be spoken towards a member of their family. It was shameful and although he wanted to speak his words of disapproval towards the bitter statements and declarations that left Marcus' mouth, he said nothing.

He was speechless, simply eyeing his son now, who had lifted his head now, standing in his common defiant stance.

"You can call him all you want, your friend, your family or whatever else you wish, but I will never call him as such, he simply is an ally, one entrusted to protect me and nothing more than that. Move on from that. I have no interest addressing this topic any longer.« He finally said, turning away nearly in an elegant demeanour before he started walking away, his black boots clicking on the heavy stone ground, as he walked away.

It didn't take him all too long to arrive at the mansion again, he gave the wardens at the front entrance a friendly nod before they opened the gate for him and he entered inside, walking along the enormous corridor amid the estate now, to get to his room.

He passed by the dining hall, the conference room with its intensely huge white doors and the kitchen as well before turning around another corner, looking around observantly.

The walls were painted in a plain white, all while illustrations of numerous historical magicians decorated the walls, one could practically think they were in an antique castle during the middle ages but the doors, as well as the lights above, his head suggested this was a modern era with very progressive technologies. He halted upon hearing a set of steps around the next corner.

The property was enormous, therefore running into someone was never rare, another Guardian, a maid, one of the many chefs...he never knew but in this case, he recognised the heavy steps and sighed deeply. A moment later the devil he had just spoken about to his father was spotted at the near end of the corridor, which Marcus aimed to reach.

"Marcus."

"Lucas."

Both spoke the other's name, as some sort of eerie greeting before Lucas stepped closer, a skeptical look on his face.

"Were you outside?"

"I was."

"Why was I not informed?"

"I suppose I forgot."

Lucas took a deep breath and his steps came to a halt in front of Marcus. Often enough he wished to recognize what exactly was going on in Marcus' mind but he was just about as uninformed as everyone else when it came to Marcus' thinkings but the dissimilarity between Sam-Charles and Lucas was that Lucas didn't know what had happened with Mia exactly but Marcus evidently recalled Lucas' antagonism towards her during the war and he didn't understand it.

The current confrontation got uncomfortable rapidly as stillness now replenished the hallway and both of them just glanced at each other, saying not a single word. Not moving at all. It was just a game of glares and stares into the other's eyes.

An unusual dispassion and coldness was glinting within Marcus' ocean eyes and Lucas finally looked away, breaking the rigid and awkward eye contact.

"I really wish you'll understand one day.«
Marcus said after clearing his throat for a second, only capturing a confused look on the royal guardian's face before he walked passed him and away, closer towards the end of the hall again.

"Understand what??" Lucas asked turning around just to see him walk away, prompting to run after him but something told him that it wasn't a sensible idea.

"HEY!" Lucas yelled after him.
"You know you can't hate the whole world forever. I really wish you'll find yourself again behind that arrogant prince facade!" He said bitterly before turning away as well to walk away into the opposite way, not even witnessing the way that Marcus had cringed at the words or that he had even halted to glance at Lucas for a moment longer before walking away, to get to his room.

Marcus angrily stomped inside of his room. He didn't understand. Lucas didn't know. He didn't know anything. He didn't know that she had died. That Mia was gone. Deceased in his arms. She was dead. Marcus executed her and because of her sacrifice, she saved them all, all of humanity, although she was demonic she chose to redeem and defend humankind.

All they invariably wished for was to end the war. To stop the horrendous time of terror, anguish and extinction, they were eligible to do that, but...for achieving that goal they knew that one of them had got to to die, but why her? She never deserved to die. A knock on the door tore him from those destructive thoughts and he looked up, glancing at the door, slowly he got up from his seat and moved towards the door, unlocking it before he pushed it open softly.

He saw Sara, feared to have to endure a lecture from her as well since he speculated

Lucas had informed her of how truly reckless he had acted.

"Sara?" He asked, since at least a minute had enacted by now in which Sara stood in front of his door, silently.

"Today's festivities will be in the fifth hall, your highness." She said.

Marcus cringed at the way she spoke to her.

"Please...don't..." He muttered.

"Marcus. Just call me that." He said.

Sara frowned but nodded.

"Okay." She said, in quite a cheerful tone.

He knew her. She constantly attempted to be cheerful, even if she wasn't. Despite his differences with Lucas, he always cared about Sara and she cared for him, while at the onset of the war, he was so left alone without his mother, it was Sara who always was there.

She safeguarded him and cared for him.

"Thank you." He said softly, before grabbing his velvety dark blue jacket, slowly putting it on.

It was a luxurious piece of clothing, one that shimmered in the lights above them and had golden linings by its sides, as well as the family emblem on the back of it.

He had to wear it to the festivities. Always. It is why he didn't like them. He walked outside of the room and with delicate steps and Sara accompanying him, they directed their steps towards the fifth hall by the other side of the building, on the top floor.