In the opulent palace, where lights shimmered on gold-adorned walls, a heavy silence descended upon the vast corridor. The Empress stood, her golden eyes glinting with a sharp gaze, contemplating the closed door of the Emperor's chambers as if awaiting news.
A maid approached with hesitant steps, her face etched with worry. She looked at the Empress, who made a soft sound as if summoning her.
The Empress, in a dignified and powerful tone, asked, "Has the Emperor awakened?"
The maid, avoiding direct eye contact with the Empress, replied with a trembling voice, "Yes, madam. He has just stirred."
The Empress's gaze froze, and her expression turned serious as she asked in a cold voice, "And what about his condition? Did anything seem unusual about him?"
The maid took a deep breath, then said shyly, "His eyes were red, and his gaze was... unstable."
The Empress understood that this was merely the effect of the cursed herb, and her expression shifted into a slight, mocking smile. Then she said in a quiet but powerful voice, "Leave now."
The Empress entered the room, where the Emperor stood by the window, his eyes burning red with anger, his body tense as if watching the wind's movement, as if it would bring him comfort. He suddenly turned to her, his eyes blazing with fire.
"Get out!" he said in a hoarse voice, his anger rising.
The Empress, with her serious face and a defiant gaze, replied coolly, "What's with those looks? Do you think I'm here to toy with you?"
His voice, which seemed to explode, said, "I told you, get out. I don't want to see you now."
The word was like a stab to her heart, but she didn't hesitate. She realized this condition was merely a side effect of the herb. She left the room, where she met Helibor in the corridor.
"Is Father alright?" Helibor asked, his face etched with worry and tension.
The Empress, maintaining her deadly composure, looked at him and said, "Don't go in to him now. He's in a state of rage, and his actions might not be rational."
Helibor approached her with nervous steps, his face showing anger and confusion: "And you are the cause... This way, he'll completely lose his mind."
The Empress smiled coldly, her golden eyes glowing with hidden fire, then said in a voice filled with mockery, "So what? Adonis's fate is sealed; he won't escape this mess."
Helibor's expression froze for a moment, then he burst into a bitter laugh, shaking his head in amazement, "I give up, you are unbelievable."
Then he turned and left, leaving behind an atmosphere charged with worry and mystery, while the Empress stood in the corridor, her golden eyes gleaming with cunning determination and burning malice.
The city of Vania, with its ancient history and winding alleys filled with ancestral tales, now bore witness to destruction no one had ever seen. The river, once teeming with wealth and bringing life to the city's people, was now a polluted channel of its sorrows. The waters that were once clear, reflecting the sunlight, had now turned gray, overcast with filth and mud, their flow resembling the groaning sound emanating from a wounded mouth. And the waves now lazily crashed, as if lacking the strength to carry themselves.
The streets, once bustling with movement and noise, were now empty save for the faint tremor of the wind, as if complaining about the weight of gloom. The houses, which once had colorful facades and cheerful windows, had become dilapidated; their walls cracked and roofs warped, as if fearing collapse at any moment. The smells of decay and blood filled the air, seeping from afar into the place, bringing with them the sounds of weeping and deep sorrow.
The animals that once lived peacefully with humans were also in a pitiable state. Small cats climbing walls had become scrawny, their dark eyes full of anticipation, searching for a lost crumb of bread. Stray dogs roamed the streets with tired eyes and trembling bodies, searching for food to satiate their hunger, while wailing in the distance heralded impending death.
As for the humans, their features were disfigured by the plague that ravaged them, and they wore torn clothes that barely covered their naked bodies. Their eyes, once full of hope, were now drowned in a sea of helplessness, and their brows were furrowed with intense pain. Children, who once played innocently in the alleys, now hid in the shadows, falling ill in their mothers' arms, walking barefoot on the dusty ground.
The crisis plaguing the city of Vania was but a result of continuous wars and the plague that had swept through it since the river's waters became contaminated. The streets had become a stage for tragedy, where the echo of wailing resonated in the distance, and the dream of life faded in the eyes of all who looked upon this wounded city.
Adonis walked with deliberate steps through the ruined streets of Vania, shrouded in a black cloak that enveloped his entire body, as if darkness had decided to make itself his shield. The black mask covering his face revealed only his blue eyes, which shone with a sad, powerful glimmer. His deep gaze, shifting between pale faces and emaciated bodies, spoke a language that needed no words; his eyes embodied worry and compassion, trying to pierce the silence of pain and ruin.
As he walked through the streets of Vania, a small girl approached him, her thin bones barely covered by torn clothes. She stood before him hesitantly, raised her head to look into his blue eyes, and said in a weak voice:
"Sir, do you have any food?"
Adonis stopped and looked at her with tenderness, his eyes gleaming with a sense of responsibility and sadness over her plight. He knelt slightly to be at her eye level and asked in a quiet yet deep voice:
"Are you hungry?"
The girl nodded shyly, her eyes filled with both hope and fear. Adonis reached into his black bag and took out a shiny red apple, then offered it to her along with a bottle of water he was carrying.
"Here, take this. It will help you," he said to her, handing her the food gently.
The girl clutched the apple with trembling hands as if she had found a precious treasure, then looked at him with a small smile that began to form on her tired face.
"Thank you," she said, biting into the apple eagerly, then added with childish innocence:
"I liked your eyes."
Adonis paused for a moment, as if touched by her simple words that carried sincere gratitude, then smiled under his black cloak. He said nothing, but gently placed his hand on her head, as if to tell her that everything would be alright, before continuing on his way through the pain-laden streets of Vania, determined to help those who remained.