Diviner [DISCONTINUED]

1. Safina

As many tales of misfortunate and downfall do, ours started with an act of arrogance and greed.

Long ago, a king deemed himself worthy of stepping through the gateway leading to the home of the gods. As the ruler of the richest empire in the mortal realm, he believed himself worthy of ascension to godhood. He was wrong. Enraged by the man daring to step foot in their blessed home, the gods punished all of humankind for their insolence, and released a curse on the world.

Tears in the sky opened. All over the planet, people got sucked dry of their magic and spontaneously dropped dead, if they did not vanish entirely. The king begged for mercy, but didn't receive it until over half the population was decimated. The gods then promised to end the curse if the king, and all his descendants after him, sacrificed one of their children. With pain in his heart, the king gave up his firstborn son. The cracks in the sky healed, until a new generation was born. And thus, the blood pact cycle repeats endlessly. 

Or so they say. If you want my opinion, which I guess you do if you're reading this, I never believed the tales of how we landed ourselves in this shitstorm. An arrogant king stepping through a portal wanting godhood sounds like a fairytale. 

I could, however, certainly believe our 'curse' cycle all started with an act of arrogance and greed. I believe someone, somewhere, wanted more magic than they should. I believe the balance of the universe was unhinged by greed. And I believe that the people who caused it all were never truly punished,  just like they won't be punished now. 

Actually, whether or not our current king and queen are descendants of the fairytale king (I'm leaning towards not in case it wasn't clear), doesn't matter. Whatever their pedigree is, they are our rulers now. They produce the child who can stop the apocalypse. Everyone's fate is in their hands. Every one-hundred years, their actions decide what happens to all of us. 

For fuck's sake. 

I should've seen it coming. Why didn't I see it coming? Do I scoff at others who are arrogant while I, too, was arrogant to not realise how expendable I was in the grand scheme of things? 

Either way, I'll be long gone when you read this—I won't be able to further explain anything I said and did beyond what I wrote down. All I can ask is that you, who found my letters, read them. Judge me, hate me, but I beg of you: don't let the royal family's crimes be forgotten. 

Excerpt 1/8 of an anonymous letter hidden in the wall of the Diviner's cenobium. Found after the building was set on fire during an anti-prophecy protest. 

***

Chapter one

Safina Ro, royal assassin in service of Queen Calathea, let her displeasure be known by slamming the door shut as loudly as she could after entering Avery's private chamber. The sole occupant of the room leapt up from his chair. He braced himself, his fingers wrapped around the handle of his dagger. He sighed and lowered his hand when he saw it was Safina. 

"Avery," Safina addressed the bespectacled steward sharply, "Why was I summoned to the palace? Has our head-steward finally lost his marbles and decided to station me inside the walls?" 

Avery shushed Safina with wide-eyes. His gaze darted from left to right. "For goodness sake! Not so loud!" he hissed. "Have you forgotten? The palace walls have ears."