MLIII C1, P8.1- "Queen Of The Night"

"Queen Of The Night" is the first (and only) Extra Part of "Miracula Luxia III" 's Extra Chapter.
It was released on 15.11.2021.
== Plot ==
Taken away from her friends and family, Akira is captured and brought to a mysterious vampire known simply as "Gyendal".
She is forced to stay in Underfall- a small city which is rumored to be the capital of an evil empire. However, that is not exactly true.
Or, at least, not yet.
On the orders of Gyendal's master, she is taken into the Realm of Darkness- a place where very few are able to survive, let alone escape or live there undisturbed. There, she will have to face her greatest fears and overcome them.
It is her destiny, after all. Will she become one with it?
== Story ==
Akira opens her eyes. 
She tries to look around, but her mind is too clouded by fear.
"Where... am I?"- She mutters- "Why am I moving on my own?"
She looks up and sees some imps carrying her somewhere.
"Oh! That's right!"- She remembers- "I was with Adam and the others. I helped them defeat Trajkov and the evil Shaper who attacked us afterwards."
She tries to look around again.
"I was taken by surprise."- She admits- "Those creatures knocked me out before I could do anything. It happened in a matter of seconds and I... I... "
She hits her head in a rock.
"Ouch!"- She says- "Hey! Be gentle!'
One of the imps looks down and shakes his head.
"Sorry, mistress."- He apologizes- "Our master wants us to carry you this way."
The other imp shrugs, as if to say "Orders are orders".
Akari raises her eyebrow.
"Mistress?"- She wonders- "And... master?"
She tries to lift her head. It works, but only for a few seconds.
During that time, she notices some lights up ahead. It seems like there is a city... and those imps are carrying her there.
"So."- She says- "What's over there?"
The first imp smiles.
"Your new home."- He says- "The Darklings. They are waiting for you, mistress."
Akira nods.
"Good. I understand."- She responds- "But why are you doing this? What are your motives?"
The other imp grins.
"You will now soon, mistress."- He says in a very evil voice- "Soon. Very soon."
Akira sighs.
"So much for a good response, I guess."- She says to herself- "Oh well. I guess I don't have a choice, do I?"
It does not take them long to reach the city.
As they reach the gates, a large imp jumps down and prepares to scold Akira's escorts.
However, he looks down at her and thinks better of it.
He helps her stand up and brush the dust off her clothes.
"Finally, some who knows how to treat a woman right."- Akira says- "Thank you."
The creature bows to her.
"Welcome to Underfall, mistress."- It says- "Your servants are waiting for you in the cathedral. Don't keep them waiting."
Akira sighs.
"As you wish."- She says- "Let me in."
The imp nods, bows down again and backs away, allowing Akira to enter the city with her escorts.
As they move towards the cathedral, Akira looks at one of the imps.
"By the way."- She says- "I have a question."
The imp raises his eyebrow.
"Curious. Our queen has questions for us."- He says- "How can we help you?"
He grins.
"Remember."- He adds- "We are always at your disposal. Whenever you need us, we will be there."
Akira sighs.
"Earlier, you mentioned how this city is "my home". "- She says- "I... think that you're mistaken. My home is very far away from here. Plus, I'd never leave in an evil-looking place like this one."
The imp smiles.
"What are you talking about, mistress? Underfall is your true home."- He responds- "You have always been destined to lead and this is the place that will make sure of it. Your home. Your capital. Nobody else will treat you like we do."
Akira shakes her head.
"Yeah. You're just deluding yourself, little one."- She says to herself- "I'm sure there are many people out there who wouldn't carry me around like a trash bag or keep any secrets from me. If anything, you're just making a bad name for yourselves." 
She sighs.
"Forget it."- She says- "Just take me there. Let's get this over with."
The imps nod.
"As you wish, mistress."
Ten minutes later, they arrive at the cathedral.
One of the imps tries to open the door, but the other one stops it.
"What are you doing?! Stand back!"- He yells- "You are not worthy of opening this door."
The imps looks down.
"Sorry."- He apologizes- "I made a mistake."
Akira raises her eyebrow.
"If you're not allowed to open this door, then who is?"- She asks- "I'm confused."
Both imps look at her and smile. However, neither of them dares to say anything.
Akira sighs.
"Ugh."- She mutters- "I should have known."
She takes a step forward.
"Fine."- She says- "Your so-called mistress shall open this sacred door to... wherever this goes."
She sighs again.
"I'm sorry for leaving you like this, little brother."- She says to herself- "Give me more time. I'll be back soon enough."
Regretfully, she opens the door and enters the cathedral. Her escorts do the same.
Once there, she curiously looks around, having sensed that something is amiss.
It does not take her long to find out what it is. When she does, she backs away and starts to shiver.
Everything in this so-called "cathedral" is dyed in black. 
The walls.
The furniture.
Even the souls of its denizens.
It feels like this evil place is bereft of any light or kindness. If there was any, it seems to be gone forever.
Now, it only serves as a grim warning to those who would try to destroy the darkness within.
"No. No. I don't want to be in this place."- Akira mutters to herself- "Somebody! Get me out of here!"
Moments later, she hears the heavy clomping of boots coming from nearby. 
And it is getting more and more audible with each passing step.
"Get out of here? But mistress, you just arrived."- One of the imps behind her says- "And you'll be here for a long time."
Akira tries to hide her fear as the footsteps get louder and louder.
Soon, a nearby door opens.
Seconds later, a strange person steps through.
He has the characteristics of a human, but he is definitely not one of them. His skin is pale. His eyes are blood red.
And his teeth? They are sharper than swords, able to pierce through the hardest surface and tear it to shreds.
The imps bow down as the vampire enters the room.
Akira herself seems to recognize him.
Once she is able to see who he is, she gasps.
"It cannot be!"- She says- "You are... are... "
The vampire grins.
"Welcome, my dear."- He says- "At last, you have arrived."
Akira looks at him.
"You are... Gyendal Ravenfoot!"- She exclaims- "The Lord of Twilight!"
Gyendal nods and takes her hand in his.
"It is an honor to meet you, Akira Kaos."- He says and kisses it.
For a few seconds, Akira feels the vampire's lips on her skin. They are very cold... almost as much as his wicked heart.
"Your blood is so warm. Your soul- so full of life."- Gyendal compliments her- "Yes. I can see it now. You have a lot of potential. You have a destiny, but those fools are keeping you away from it."
He smiles and steps back.
"I'm sure that you know why you are here, young lady."- He says- "If not, let's just say that you are the heir of a powerful family. The descendant of evil who is destined to rule, to destroy all of those who oppose her. To be the leader of the poor creatures known as Darklings and make them her servants."
Having remembered what her father told her years ago, Akira quickly realizes what is going on and shakes her head.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not going to be a part of your mad scheme."- She says- "I am a devout warrior of the Light! I fight for the good of my people and live to protect them from evil megalomaniacs like you. I have a family that needs me and you are keeping me away from them."
She turns around and takes a step towards the door.
"So, farewell."- She continues- "Soon, I will tell my allies of this place and they will destroy you. Mark my words."
As she tries to leave, Gyendal rushes forward and grabs her hand.
He is incredibly fast. She's unable to protect herself.
"You're making a mistake. We are your people!"- He says- "Now stand still and wait for Master Darkthrop's messengers to arrive."
Akira realizes that she is in grave danger. Thinking fast, she grabs a nearby vase and slams it into Gyendal's head.
Unfortunately, it does very little. Instead, it makes him angrier than he already was.
"Still trying to deny your destiny, huh?"- He says angrily- "Don't worry. The flame of hope will soon be snuffed out."
Akira notices a candelabra nearby. 
"How can it help me out?"- She wonders.
Then she remembers something. Something pivotal.
"That's right!"- She exclaims- "Vampires are vulnerable to fire!"
She grabs the candle on top and prepares to strike.
"I know what to do!"- She says and tries to burn Gyendal with it.
It works! Gyendal is set on fire and screams as he tries to put it out.
"Agh! You little fool!"- He says- "You are not getting away!"
Akira is set free from his grip. She takes the chance to run towards the door.
Just as she is about to open it, however, something happens. She freezes in place and takes a step away from it.
"What?"- She says to herself- "What is happening?!"
Moments later, her entire body is forced to turn around as four more figures enter the room.
"Impressive."- One of them says- "She has a will like no other."
The other creatures nod.
"Bring her here."- It continues- "Too much time has been wasted. We must act. Now."
Against her will, Akira is brought in front of the four creatures.
She tries to get a good look of them, but they are all shrouded in darkness. Any features that she would have been able to make out were wiped away from them, leaving nothing but the silhouettes of four creatures that look like humans.
"Who are you?"- She asks them- "What do you want from me?"
One of the creatures steps forward and inspects her.
"Insolent child."- It scolds her- "We are the ones asking questions, not you."
For a few seconds, Akira's breathing stops. She collapses to the ground and struggles to live.
"Can't... breathe... "- She mutters- "Must... resist... "
The creatures sigh. One of them claps its hands.
Moments later, Akira is able to breathe again. She stands up and looks at the creatures, confused.
"Do you see it now, young one?"- One of them asks her- "It is foolish to disobey your superiors. To fight Destiny. Many have died before you. Do not become one of them."
Akira shakes her head.
"I will do anything to protect those dear to me!"- She yells- "Take my breath away! Erase me from existence! As long as they still live out there, I'm happy to give my life away!"
She closes her eyes.
"Do what you must!"- She yells- "However, I will not submit! I will not give in to the darkness!"
The creatures shake their heads.
"You do not have to pretend. The darkness is already inside of you."- One of them says.
Akira opens her eyes and looks up.
"What do you mean?"
One of the creatures seems to be willing to dignify her with a response.
"You are telling us that you forgot what happened out there? How you killed your father because you thought that he was the bad person?"- It asks him- "You are living in a world of lies, child. You refuse to see the truth and you kill those who try to help you. You think that you are a hero, but you are just a pawn. A tool that is used by a greater entity. A cog in the machine that is bound to malfunction, to misbehave. Your loyalties are not determined... and they never were."
Akira glares at him.
"My father was a fool! A traitor! A murderer and tyrant!"- She yells- "He was a monster. He deserved to die. That day, I did a favor to those tortured innocents. That tortured world. I was seen as a hero. As a savior. And I have always strived to fight for the good of everyone. Just like my brother!"
The creatures stare at each other for a moment. Then, they laugh.
"Your brother? Adam Kaos?"- One of them says- "He is nothing more than a simple-minded weakling. A worthless servant of a lost cause."
Those words make Akira very angry. Infuriated, she takes a step forward, intending to attack the ones who mock her brother very soon.
"My brother is the most honorable warrior this world has ever seen!"- She praises him- "He is brave. Intelligent. His heart always beats for the good of everyone and not for himself, like yours do. He promised that he will protect me and he will not be happy when he learns that you tried to use me!"
The creatures stop laughing.
"So. You really think that your brother will always see you as a good person?"- One of them says to her- "Face it, child. Now that you are here, you will soon become a different person. You will never be the same. Peasants will tremble in fear when they hear your name, even when you are far away. Cities will burn as your Darklings destroy those who try to maintain the Order. And your brother? That fool will see no difference between his dear sister and a warrior of darkness that used to be her. He would rather destroy you. He will never save you, Akira!"
Unfortunately, those words have a very negative effect on her.
"You're lying!"- She screams- "He would never do this!"
"Stop pretending, Akira!"- The creature says- "This is your destiny! Your destiny!"
Akira shakes her head. Her eyes go wild in a matter of seconds.
"You will pay for your crimes!"- She yells- "You will die, whether it is by my hand or by my brother's! You will not live to see another day!"
The creatures laugh.
"How naive."- One of them mutters- "In fact, we were never living to begin with."
Suddenly, they hear an ancient voice behind them.
"Enough, you worthless fools!"- It yells- "Throw the girl into the realm! Time is running out!"
The creatures obey their master's commands. In a matter of seconds, they force Akira to step forward and approach a nearby portal.
"Stop! Stop it!"- Akira yells- "I refuse to be a part of this! Let me go!"
The creatures laugh.
"You have no choice, young Kaos."- One of them says- "Your destiny has been predetermined."
As she steps into the portal, it cackles.
"Now face your destiny and prove that you're worthy to lead!"
After being teleported away from the cathedral, Akira falls unconscious for a minute.
During that time, she remembers how she volunteered to find her brother. How she finally forgave her father and decided that he and his family matter everything to her. How she saw her mother as her new protector and her brother as a new guiding light.
"They're still out there. I can feel it."- She says- "But why? Why can't I reach them? Why can't I be with them?"
She sees a light ahead of her. It is in the shape of a person.
Upon closer inspection, she realizes that it is her brother.
"Adam!"- She yells- "Help me! I... I can't do this alone! I need your help!"
Adam shakes his head and takes a step back.
"You ran away when I needed you the most."- He says- "I have forgiven many people, but I will never be able to forgive you. No matter how hard I try, you will always be a stranger to me. The darkness within your heart is insatiable and I am unable to cleanse it."
He takes another step back.
"Farewell, sister."- He continues- "You have a new life. New friends. Go ahead and face your destiny. Do not let us interfere with it."
Adam starts to fade away.
"No! Wait!"- Akira yells- "Brother, I beg you! Stay with me!"
Adam tries to say something, but thinks better of it and stops. Then, he simply fades away, leaving nothing but a few white motes of light behind.
Akira looks around and sees all of the people whom she met during her travels. All of the friends that she made along the way. Among them, she also sees her family- the Kaos, as well as her biological mother.
"Everyone."- She mutters- "What's going on?"
They shake their heads and start to fade away as well.
Akira looks at her mother, but it seems like she feels the same way as everyone else.
"My dear. You failed me."- She says to her- "I put so much trust in you... and you threw it all away."
She shakes her head.
"Is this the future that I fought for? Is this the daughter whom I loved for so long?"- She continues- "Yes. I can tell that you were never a part of the Light. You were born from the Darkness in my heart... and you will always be a part of the other side."
Akira looks down.
"I can still change, mom!"- She says- "Give me another chance! Please!"
Akari sighs.
"I did. I gave and I gave."- She says- "But I saw no results."
She starts to fade away.
"Now go. But remember this."- She says- "When you become a part of the Darkness, you will become a full part of it. Thus, you will be unrecognizable by anyone, but your dearest servants."
She sighs.
"Perhaps someone will end your pitiful life and help you reach the Heavens above."- She continues- "Hopefully, your little brother will soon realize that you are too far gone and do what must be done."
As the last star above disappears, so does Akari herself.
Soon, the young evildoer is left alone. In the dark.
Akira falls to her knees. She has lost all of her will to fight, to protect her allies. She has lost the hope that she had not too long ago.
Now, she is broken. An impure shell of her former self.
"I see it now, mother. I finally understand what you meant."- She says, glaring at the sky above- "Those fools never saw me as an equal. They pretended to care about me, just to make me feel better. To help me forget the pain. Ever since I moved there, they neglected me. They saw Adam as their favored child. I was inferior to my heroic brother... and I will always be."
She opens her eyes.
As her vision clears, she sees a large mountain ahead of her. On top of it sits a large staff, which seems to glow and radiate immense evil.
"But it's not over for me!"- She says- "No matter what my family thinks about my new, entirely pure self, they will never stop me from pursuing my destiny! I will be the queen of darkness! The mistress of evil! The entire world shall bow down before my power and remember one important thing- no matter how hard they pretend that it's not true, they are still mortal. They can still suffer. And, if they dare to oppose me, I shall make them suffer even more! They will beg me for forgiveness, for another chance. Just like I once did."
She takes a step towards the mountain.
"This mountain is nothing!"- She yells- "It's just a worthless obstacle! And I will prove it to all of you!"
Having said that, she starts to climb the mountain, intending to obtain the staff and use it to achieve her new, evil goals.
The hike is long and tiring, but she does not give up. Driven by pure hatred for the Light, she lunges forward and crushes all who stand in her way. Trails of blood lie on the ground behind her. The corpses of those whom she has slain remain there, giving a grim warning to those who would dare to challenge her and question her absolute authority over everything- living or not.
Finally, she reaches the summit. Bloodied and bruised, but still alive.
"What in the name of... what... am I doing?!"- Her former self whispers in her mind- "Why am I being so evil? So foolish and mistrustful of everyone? I need to stop now! I don't want to hurt anyone, let alone my friends and family! I refuse!"
However, her doubts are soon erased, as new, rebellious thoughts come to take their place in her mind.
"Be quiet, pathetic one."- Her new self says- "You have always lived a life of servitude. Of delusion and false hope. Of foolish ambitions and insatiable desires."
She grins.
"Your pain and anger awoke me from my slumber."- She continues- "Now it's my time to shine!"
Having wiped out every single trace of doubt within her mind, the evil Akira eagerly approaches the end of the dark summit and takes the evil staff from its resting place.
"I've only heard legends about this evil tool of destruction. This powerful weapon."- She says as he holds it reverently in her hands- "The Seeker of Fate!"
Unbeknownst to her, a massive demon appears before her eyes.
He takes the staff away from her and grins.
"Not so fast, young evildoer!"- He says- "I am the Guardian of the Summit. The chosen protector of this evil place... and the evil weapon that rests within it. I control all of the storms in this mountain and I can easily subdue you in the blink of an eye. I can tell that you want the Seeker of Fate, but I can't just give it away like this! If you truly want to own this mysterious and very dangerous weapon, you must face me in battle and prove that you are-- "
Suddenly, the demon grasps its chest and stumbles back. He coughs blood and notices that the staff has fallen on the ground.
He tries to take it back, but Akira is faster. She jumps away from his chest and nimbly leaps towards the staff, taking it before the demon can get close.
The massive beast is unable to handle the pressure anymore. It starts to stumble back again.
"Your time has come, guardian."- She says to him- "There is a new queen in this universe!"
The demon looks at her and cackles.
"You? You are the new queen?"- He says and laughs again, this time in a more menacing way- "Don't think that you're better than your ancestors. I've seen many promising evildoers before you, many wicked souls who tried to take the staff and use it for their own, selfish and evil desires. They were all the same, though. What makes you think that you're better than them?"
Akira smiles.
"I don't know. Perhaps it is my smile. My charm. Or maybe my gorgeous face."- She responds- "But there is one thing which they will never have, no matter how hard they pretend to make it otherwise."
She raises her staff and casts a powerful dark spell, which strikes the demon in the chest.
"Hate!"
The demon stumbles back, coughing blood as it struggles to stay alive.
"I know that I'm not the person who can tell you what to do, but remember this."- He says to her- "You may have power. You may have glory and servants. You may have lands above and below the ground. However, it could all be gone in an instant when you face him."
Akira raises her eyebrow.
"What are you implying?!"- She yells- "Speak, fiend!"
The demon grins.
"He'll be the end of you, Akira Kaos."- He responds- "If you value your life, you will learn to love those who care about you. Otherwise, your reign will come to a sudden... and bloody... end."
Angered, Akira decides that this demon is not worth her time. She raises her staff again and directs a massive bolt of dark energy at him.
Once it strikes his head, it is instantly incinerated to the bone, killing him.
His lifeless corpse stumbles closer and closer to the edge of the summit. Soon, he falls off, never to be seen again.
Akira breathes a sigh of relief. That battle was arduous, but she managed to survive.
"You are worthy of wielding this staff, young Darkthrop."- She hears whispers in her mind- "Now, let us go back. Your destiny awaits you."
Akira grins.
"I wouldn't want it any other way."
She lifts her staff in the air and begins to cast another spell.
The air crackles with dark energy as a large portal forms in front of her.
Undisturbed by how safe it is, she steps into it. And soon, she is taken back to the dark cathedral.
Gyendal notices that Akira has returned. He is genuinely surprised.
"What... what has happened to you, young lady?"- He asks her- "What happened down there?'
To him, it is clear that she is not the same.
Her eyes are now dark red. Her skin glows. And her greatest fears are under control.
As Gyendal bends down to kiss her hand, she sighs.
"Save your pleasantries for later, Romeo."- She says to him- "We've got work to do."
Gyendal looks up at her, confused.
"Work?"- He asks her- "But you're not the true leader here! I'm the one who was trusted with-- "
Akira slaps him in the face. It hurts a lot.
"Silence, imbecile!"- She yells at him- "I didn't go down there just to be used by a bunch of power-hungry maniacs. I became what I am now, because I want to chase my own destiny. My own dreams."
She glares at him.
"And I'm not going to forgive you or my so-called "masters" if you dare to stand in the way of my righteous goals."- She says- "Am I clear?"
Gyendal gasps. He has never seen such a powerful force of evil before. Such a cold-hearted individual who cares only about her rising, dark empire. Such a wicked personality that can make everyone gasp, evil or not.
"I think that I am falling for this fair maiden."- He says to himself- "Is this what love at first sight feels like?"
He bends down and kisses her hand again.
"I beg you for forgiveness, my dear. I never dared to look closer, but now, I can see that you are truly one of us."- He says to her- "What do you want me to do for you?"
Akira looks around and sighs.
"First, I want to know what happened here in my absence."- She says- "Did anyone come here to... see me?"
Gyendal nods and grins.
"Indeed, they did."- He responds- "Two warriors came here with their group and faced us in battle. They said that they are searching for Akira, their young daughter and that they will never stop until they find her. I told them that she is too far gone, but they refused to believe. I felt bad about them, so I decided to simply put them in a coma and imprison them."
This has Akira's full attention.
"You did what?!"
Gyendal looks down.
"I... I... "
Akira shakes her head.
"Adam will never forgive me for what you've done."- She says- "Revive them immediately!"
Gyendal sighs and shakes his head.
"I'm afraid that it's not that simple, my dear."- He says to her- "Your parents are... well, let's just say that they are on the verge of death. They are close to the end and I won't be able to save them like this."
He sighs again.
"The only way we'll be able to save them is to let Fate do its job."- He continues- "If they are truly destined to survive, then they'll surely find a way out of the darkness. I assure you."
Akira thinks about this for a minute.
Just as Gyendal thinks that this conversation isn't going anywhere, she comes up with a decision.
"Tell your warriors to take my parents far away. To meet a guardian named Emela and deliver them to her."- She gives him an order- "I suspect that my brother is with her and that he must be worried about them. I don't want him to suffer any longer."
Gyendal gasps.
"But Akira! Is this really what you want?!"- He asks her- "Your brother's not a part of us! If he sees my warriors, it is clear that he will destroy them! I do not want to send them to their deaths!"
Akira shakes her head.
"I don't care about those worthless peasants!"- She yells- "Do as I say!"
Terrified, Gyendal bows to her.
"Yes, mistress of darkness."- He says to her and takes a step back- "It will be done."
She approaches her new throne and sits on it.
Once there, she waves the vampire away.
"You're dismissed, Gyendal."- She says to him- "Now go there and do as you're told. There's a dark future ahead of us... and you shall be one of the few who will be truly important for it."
Gyendal nods.
"Farewell, mistress."- He says- "I wish you a wonderful, diabolical reign. Smite those weaklings down and show them what it means to fear and to hate."
Gyendal leaves Akira and her guards alone.
Meanwhile, the rest of the warriors bow down to her.
"It is an honor for us to be blessed by your presence, queen of darkness."- One of them says to her- "We will always stand beside you and protect you from both good and evil."
Akira smiles and nods.
"Very well, soldiers."- She responds- "Your honesty and loyalty are noted."
The dark soldiers nod and look away.
Akira sits in her throne for a while and finally realizes that she is no longer the same. However, this does not make her feel bad. Instead, it makes her much more confident in her new future, in her new allies.
"So it has come to this."- She says to herself- "I dreaded to even think about it, but it finally happened. The darkness is inside of me. It flows inside my veins. It corrupts my very being. It clouds my mind and drives me mad. But it doesn't matter. I have worked hard to achieve a great future, but if I can't achieve it for my mother, then I... will achieve it for myself. And the people who live in my new empire."
She grins.
"Soon, a veil of darkness shall envelop the world. A curtain made of nightmares will spread hate and despair everywhere. Like a horrible miasma, it will corrupt those who think that this world will change for good. Even the strongest will not be immune."- She continues- "And when they fall, the world will be weak. This will give me the opportunity to strike, taking down those who dare to fight me and obtaining what is rightfully mine."
She cackles maniacally and stands up from her throne.
"The world will be mine! All mine!"- She yells- "Nobody will dare to oppose the Queen of the Night! All will fall before my might!"