Thantos stood on the balcony of his bedchamber overlooking the dark city below. He looked to the moon above, black as the rest of the world and blinked. By the time he opened his eyes, a beam of moonlight had manifested and coated him. Familiar as the magic was, he still found himself letting out a light gasp. He raised his arms from his side, and began to chant; causing the light to spread.

The city became bright, the landscape beyond followed, and soon, the rest of Tormern would be waking from the night.

Thantos let his arms fall and sighed. He rubbed at his eyes as he walked back into his chambers. He approached a white pedestal, removed his crown, and placed it on the pedestal. For a moment it lay flat, but then it began to rise, hovering a few inches above where he’d placed it. He stared at it for a moment, wondering how the weight of a kingdom could act as though it were weightless.

He shook his head, but chuckled to himself. You’ll never learn, old man. He turned to the balcony, hearing a noise. He began to walk, but was stopped by a hooded figure. He couldn’t see the face, but could make out the outline of a knife. “So,” Thantos said, regaining his composure. “You’ve finally come.”

The figure removed their hood and stepped into the light, revealing a young man with silver hair and pale eyes. “You know what I’m here to do. Just let it happen, and it’ll go so much quicker.”

Thantos scowled. “You still believe the lies of Arthos?”

“I believe his truths!”

“He deceives you!” Thantos held out his arms, and pleaded. “My son. Don’t do this, you’ll destroy our kingdom, not save it.”

“Enough! I am no longer your son! I am Ryak, high king of Tormern!”

Thantos glanced at the knife again, and noticed this time that there was blood already on it.  Does that mean… He fell to his knees, blinded by tears. Oh gods no, not her! I beg you please, take me from this- He looked at his belly and saw the knife being twisted by his son’s hand. The knife retracted, then entered again, and again.
*

Ryak stood over the body of the king, blood dripping from his hands. He went to wipe it on his shirt, but that was bloody too. He ignored it and turned from the body to the crown. Finally, he thought, the world will be graced by eternal light! He took the crown from the air and placed it upon his head. He stepped out to the balcony, a smile spread across his face.

He looked upon the city. Peaceful, just as it should be. His uncle had advised Ryak take the castle with his army, but Ryak knew that he could cut off the snake’s head by himself. He felt odd referring to his own father in such a way, but dismissed the thought. His eyes moved to the moon. Its light was not meant to fade with the days. “Its light will shine until the end of time!” Ryak threw his arms out to his side, a feeling of power surged through him, causing him to scream.

It stopped. He fell to a knee, struggling to keep from falling to the ground. He looked to the sky and saw a shattered moon. He stared, wide eyed and breathless as the shard fell.

There was a crash in the city, and through the railings, he saw a shard that was a quarter of the size of the moon had fallen into the city, annihilating whatever lay in its path. Another crashed, smaller, but just as devastating near the grand cathedral, causing the great building to crumble into debris. He looked back to the sky, a shard was falling to the palace. He let his head fall into his hands. The light around him faded, and in the blackness of the night, he could only hear the shard crash.