Carl is awake

                                    IN AZRAEL

   Eight months earlier 

Ashira, do you think Carl would make it?"

"I can't give you any assurance king Alan. If the gods are on his side, he might make it. Otherwise, you'll have to prepare a grave for your son-in-law."

King Alan and queen Lyarra were saddened by the news. Carl was the only hope of the six nations. Before it was seven nations, but now that king Luther took over his late son's kingdom(Neptune) and Carl's kingdom, merging them into one, it was now six kingdoms.

If Carl were to lose his life, what would happen to his queen and his people? The news of King Luther's brutal torture and killing was everywhere, and they knew it was only a matter of time before he attacked their nation. After all, he was now the strongest king in Mercury, and the three kingdoms who were against him, would not be able to stand him even if they were to join forces.

"Ashira, please you'll have to do whatever it takes to save our son-in-law. You know he's our only hope, please Ashira," queen Lyarra begged, with tears in her eyes. She has been traumatized ever since the war, because her only daughter Zara was in captivity, and only God knows what kind of suffering she was going through.

Sighing, Ashira said, "I will try my best your grace, but you all have to pray for him."

King Alan and queen Lyarra nodded. "We'll do just that."

    Eight months later...

Carl, slowly opened his eyes darting his gaze around the unfamiliar room. "Where am I? Zara, where are you?" he mumbled, raising from the bed. 

By now his wounds were completely healed, leaving just scars. And even though he looked a little weak, he was healthy.

A little boy who was about ten years old ran into the room. His eyes lit up in excitement as soon as his gaze landed on Carl. 

"King Carl, you're awake," he squealed, running away to inform the others.

"King Carl is awake, King Carl is awake," he yelled, as he ran along the hall. The boy's screams alerted everyone in Palace, including king Alan and queen Lyarra, and they all ran to the direction of the chamber, in which Carl was...

Carl followed the little boy, glancing around when he came outside the chamber. He stood for a while, taking in his environment.

He was deep in thoughts trying to figure out where he was, that he didn't notice the number of people ambling towards him.

"King Carl!" They squealed, and queen Lyarra immediately threw herself on his body, almost bringing him down, but Carl was quick to balance himself.

"Mother!" He dubbed, hugging her back. Carl was now relaxed as he was seeing familiar faces. He quickly put the piece together that he was in Azrael. But he still didn't know why he was there instead of Everton.

Pulling away, Queen Lyarra scanned Carl's body. "Are you alright? Does your wound still hurt?" She asked, concern evident in her voice.

Carl gave a small smile and nodded his head. He tilts his gaze to the audience in front of him, his eyes scanning them like he was looking for someone.

King Alan and queen Lyarra seem to notice Carl's divided attention and they discern that he was searching for Zara.

"Carl, come with us to the throne room, we have something to tell you," King Alan let out, patting Carl's shoulder lightly.

Carl quickly obliged, as he guessed what they wanted to discuss was in regards to Zara...

Once they reached the throne room, the council members of Azrael were present including Carl's soldiers who fled to Azrael after the war.

They were all so happy to see their king alive and strong as before. And they knew that the hope they've been waiting for has finally arrived.

King Alan sat on his throne with queen Lyarra beside him, while Carl stood amongst the council member. he was so eager to know what was going on, that he refused to sit.

Sighing, King Alan said, "Carl, I know you must be curious as to why you are in Azrael and not in Everton, and why Zara is not here with you_The truth is that Everton lost the war."

Carl was taken aback. Although he remembered everything that happened during the war, except the part where Everton(Morana) was now ruled by King Luther.

"Father, I don't understand. What do you mean, Everton lost the war?" Carl inquired his mind in a state of turmoil. 

King Alan sighed, then he said, "Carl you won, the war against Arthur on the battlefield, but Everton was ambushed by King Luther and he won." King Alan further explained how his soldiers fled to Azrael with him after they heard the news that king Luther was now the new monarch. He also told Carl that he has been asleep for eight months and they had almost given up, thinking he was not going to make it.

Carl was stunned. He couldn't believe what he just heard. "No, no! It's not true, Everton can't be ruled by King Luther_What about Zara? What about my mother and brother?" 

"Carl, we don't know. We don't know if they are alive or they were killed by King Luther, just like he has been killing your people," Queen Lyarra chipped in.

Carl was heartbroken. His mind wandered to Zara and his people. The image of Zara telling him to come back safe, that she had something important to tell him replayed in his mind, breaking his heart into a million pieces.

'I should have never left Everton. I should have never left you or my people.'

He blamed himself for everything that happened. Maybe if he didn't go to the battlefield, then he would have been able to save his queen and people.

With a clenched fist, Carl turn to his remaining soldiers, who were five thousand in number. His eyes were filled with lots of emotions, anger, pain, and guilt.

Carl took slow strides toward them, and when he was standing in front of them, he said, "Get ready, we march to Everton(Morana)immediately."