ꜦE SMIRKED PROFUSELY as he watched the guards shuffle through the palace to find the missing gem he bagged last night.

The pitch black twilight set itself over the vast sky, the feeble moonlight twinkled, the mighty street lights glowered, causing a dingy look over the waxing sky. The dance of destruction was just finishing its last moves, bringing an aroma of the heavenly earth to reign. The last few, low roars of the thunder cloaked him with a cooling mist. Not a single whisper nor any dim light glided past the massive glass walls of the palace. The murky night told the tale of just one element, the element of chaos, the element of total annihilation resulting in a tale of absolute tragedy.

In this tale, he had that element. He had the element which had the capability to lead chaos, total annihilation, and complete tragedy. A dark smirk crept as he tossed the glowing blue sapphire gem in his hands. He had the entire country spinning around in his hands.

He discreetly strolled towards the colossal balcony overlooking the surreal garden. He carefully covered his dark brown hair with his black hoodie before diving out of the balcony railing. His back landed safely amongst the bushes, suppressing any noise of his movements. He checked his pockets for the presence of the gem before hastened out of the bushes and into the rising streets of the town. The early dawn in this country will bring it a new day altogether.

⇜⚕⇝

Ash could practically feel the hot volcano release all the anger buried deep down in his body into his face. His fists were clenched tight, trapping all the blood out of them, resulting in a pale appearance and his eyes turning a very dark shade of grey. The circulation of hot steam instead of blood made way through his body as he slurred through the hallways, his mind dazing off in million different directions.

"Naira! Naira!" he howled in a wrathful tone, the words pouring out as more like a death sentence than a call.

His haggard eyes impatiently scanned his room to find her fast asleep like he left her this morning, but flamed, even more, when he found none. He scowled profusely when he heard the shower in the washroom run in rapid speed.

"You better be out in the next minute or I am going to drag you the way you are," he brutally banged the patterned glass door, resulting in a few cracks at the edges.

He heard the shower slow down for a while before turning back on at a rapid speed causing a rush of rising anger to hit him before he commanding in a dangerous threat,"I don't think you want to test my skills."

He smacked the edge of the cracked door harshly which originated a huge slice to form in between the door as a warning for Naira to get out. Ash's anger seemed to pleasantly decrease as he heard the shower shut off and a shuffle of clothes.

Naira groaned with displeasure as she wrapped a black towel around her body and coiled her black mask on her face. She loathed being commanded around. The first time she heard Ash bang the door, she presumed it was some sort of a joke to piss her off, but when the door began to crack, one crack at a time, it alerted her to come out or he would actually drag her out without consent.

She flung the door open, yelling furiously, "What the hell do you wan-"

Before she could finish her sentence of annoyance, she was yanked against a wall, her head slamming hard against the glass frame. She shuddered slightly as both her hands were clasped behind her with his face hardly inch away. He had stepped on her toes, preventing any movement of her feet and his strength was far greater than hers, resulting in her squirming for some space. Naira gasped inwardly as she saw his bloodshed eyes, his grey orbs darkening with the full revelation of his murder glares, no masking or any curtain hiding his true form. His nails digging into her skin were the true pieces of evidence of his inner monster, his true image; a tyrant.

"Where is the gem?" he barbarically barked through his gritted through teeth as his eyes pierced into hers, hunting for all hints of hesitation.

"What gem?" she asked with her voice still in a rigid, strict tone as she shifted her hands which made his grip tighten around her making her wince inwardly.

"Quit acting like you have no clue, where is the gem?" he roared in her face, his face radiating indignation which caused a wave of irritation to wash over Naira.

"I will. My life. My choice," she emphasized on each word, drawling out profusely as she smirked seeing frustration grow inside his voracious eyes.

He let out a sinister, bitter chuckle before growling like an alpha male wolf, "Humoring me with your bullshit isn't going to get you out of this situation."

"How about you explain to me exactly what the situation is," she snorted out bluntly, ignoring the blazing pain in her arms where blood was shooting out where he was digging his nails in.

"I have been way too lenient with you, but not anymore. Tell me where the gem is now or else I am going to burn you alive," he admonished as he exerted some more force which caused her head to slam once again in the glass wall.

Naira grimaced visibly as she felt a throbbing ache course through her head. That was it! She was done with this stupid game of 'finding the gem' where she had no idea what the rules even were.

"I don't know where your stupid gem is and I don't mind dying! You can gladly light the fire," she yowled with audacity as she locked her eyes in a challenging stare as she vigorously attempted to break free.

"Don't challenge my power when you don't know what I am capable off," as soon as the words left his mouth, Naira felt her a hand squeeze around her neck, cautiously choking her.

"L..Leave me," she stuttered as she gulped for breath as she saw a cunning look spread across his face.

"Where is the gem?"

Frustration was at its peak as Naira fiercely yelped, "Don't you understand? I DON'T HAVE ANY GEM!"

"I know you do and I am going to get it out with the truth serum," he deeply hissed as he hardened his grip around her neck and she scratched his hands off.

"Sure, I don't mind! I don't even know what you are talking about," Naira got his hands off her neck and gave into his demand.

If that is what he wanted, he shall get it. She hated explaining her choices and giving reasons for her explanations, but her determination was binding her to stay inside the palace otherwise she would have killed him long before.

"Besides, why don't you trust me?" she steely questioned as he finally took a step behind, giving her some space to breathe.

She always thought she would be the one intimidating, but this was the first time it happened the other way around and she was going to make sure it was the last time too.

"Maybe it has something to do with your face," he mumbled aggravated as he hauled her to the door of the room.

"What?"

"Who knows what you are hiding underneath that mask," he extracted her mask which was safely strapped to her hair making her wince.

As Naira rushed behind Ash, a thought occurred to her making her lips form a thin line. What if the serum makes her blurt the entire plan? He would surely banish her from the country without a second thought. There was only one option left to stop all this, but for that had to either give up her self-respect.

Self-respect or banishment?

"So this big drama is to see my face? Can you get any more pathetic?" she scoffed in a snicker as a huge smirk blew her face.

"I think I very well proved how much I remember your face," he snorted as he crossed his arms over his chest, a little tranquilized from his rage.

"Exactly! You can quit acting so desperate now," she further diverted the topic as an inner battle fought in her brain.

"I rather fight a war than waste my time to persuade you to remove the mask," she heard him say in a cold, dull tone which further infuriated her.

She sighed as she grasped his hand, facing him as she brought down her guards, revealing the inner vulnerability hiding away in her. She gulped as she whipped her eyes to face his, innocence and her broken state flashing. She could see the shock evident on his face as she revealed her inner form of a devastated and hollow girl, a side no one has ever seen in her life, "Look, I really don't have any gem. I never got the time to be alone. Ask your sisters, from the past two days, I have spent all my time with them."

He stared darkly at Naira, a fierce tension brewing in the atmosphere, so thick, slicing it with a knife would have been the only option if Ash didn't pull his phone and call Tanya, "Tanya? Yeah, was Naira with you all the time?"

There was a huge pause in their conversation sending a deep terror through Naira which she refused to show as a smirk blew on Ash's face. Was Tanya lying? "Really? No, nothing. Bye."

A long sigh of relief escaped her lips as she saw surprise cover Ash's face which made her snort strictly, "There, now you can leave me alone."

A low growl lurked the room as Ash muttered gravely,"Trust me, the last thing I will do is leave you alone."

Naira sighed as she watched his flaming figure retreat through the corridors. Gaining his trust was way harder than she expected.

⇜⚕⇝

"It is stolen. It is not her," Ash informed as Naira's eyes began to project before him.

It has been two hours. Two damn hours and he still couldn't manage to get her eyes off his head. The immense vulnerability threw him off guard, he had never expected a hollow, depressed girl to lay underneath a fierce, strong figure. He didn't know that the woman who inspired so many other girls in the society to follow their passion isn't admiring her own power. He could see the broken fragments of the heart, her shattered soul, and scattered hope. He didn't know what caused her, but he knew it was the reason for her transition from a chirpy girl to a brutal leader.

"I told you! She is a high patrol guard and now the leader. Why would she do it?" Rey softly rejoiced while Ash continued to wander off in his thoughts.

That is exactly what he has to figure out. Why would she do it? Although her fragility seemed genuine, he couldn't trust her. As a master of disguise himself, Ash knew the key tricks to fake trust, but he needed to make sure this wasn't her trap.

The door to his study burst open, revealing his two uncles, the fathers of Ajax and Divit, fuming in anger, "Are you insane to disobey my orders and leave the gem hanging on a necklace?"

Ash sighed as he jerked up from his seat as he gazed at the two identical old men, one with a little more white hair than the other, but both of them had dark brown eyes, stern facial features, well-built physique for their age and a coat of anger stewing them. Ash was presently having a conversation with Rey and Ajax about the next moves and it was quite clear that the news about the lost gem spread in the palace.

"It was the only way to keep the suspicion away," Ash defensively said in his powerful voice.

"There was another way and Ash you know it too. There was a safer way than that, a way safer one, but you didn't want to listen to anyone else. You thought that your idea will the right shot, but now it failed. Do you have a backup plan?" Divit's dad asked him in a gentle tone as they took a seat before him.

After the death of his dad, Divit's dad took over the supremacy of the country while Ajax's dad continued to train him to be the next ruler. If not for these two men, Ash had no idea what would happen to him and his siblings nor the country. He greatly admired them for their calculative moves, their critical ideas, and significant advice.

Upon not receiving another word from Ash, Divit's dad continued, "Ash, you think things through for every other decision, but didn't have a backup plan, a second thought for such an important decision? Has the thought of losing the gem never trigger in your brain? You worry about the smallest thing that will act as a threat to your power, but not about the gem that has the power to snatch the country from you?"

"It did, but I didn't think with so much control and hiding it in Naira's necklace will be easy to find," Ash defended himself as he fell on the couch.

"Ash, unless you find it before whoever took it opens the vault, a war will take place," his other uncle bluntly said as both the men stood up.

"We suggest that along with looking for the gem, you start preparing for the war too," Divit's dad commanded and Ash nodded, narrowing his eyes, knowing that they both were extremely mad at him for his carelessness.

Ash saw the look on Rey's and Ajax's face which were clearly worried for the future of the country while he called in a guard, "Call the other officials to meet us."

"Get me the maps of the city," he violently snapped at the other guard as he sipped his tea.

"What do we do now?" Rey questioned passively as he paced through the room.

"Order the guards to perform a thorough inspection of the palace," Ash declared in a firm, persistent voice, the aura of control snapping back into him.

"What if it were the inspection team who stole the gem?" Ajax asked dubiously as he typed something on his phone.

"I doubt it, but for surety, send my escort team for severe interrogation."

"I am going with them."

"No, I think it would be better if all of you stay in the country until this crisis is solved."

"The footprint scanner is being brought to the palace."

"Good. Where is Divit?"

"He has gone to meet the other officials and bring them to the palace."

"Tell him to make them distract the country. No matter what, this new should not, under any damn circumstances, go out to the public."

"What do we tell the guards then?" Rey asked as he spilled around orders around the palace.

"They don't know how important the gem is anyways, just tell them that Naira lost the gem in her necklace and they have to find it."

"Sounds good."

"Check all the guards in the palace, every single person who has access to the palace must be checked personally by all of you."

"You are leaving for the workout?" Ajax said shocked as he saw Ash throwing on a sweatshirt.

"I'm going to explode if I don't," Ash sarcastically retorted as he tossed his phone on the table before making a move to the shooting arena.

"Oh! And Ian knows about the entire thing too," Rey called out over his shoulder which made Ash immediately freeze in his steps.

"What? How?"

"He is her bodyguard. What do you expect?"

"Everything other than eavesdropping into my conversations. Only if Neil didn't send him," Ash mumbled under his breath irritated at this whole idea of a bodyguard. Naira could take on as many men he can alone, why does she need a bodyguard?

"And you know why he did."

He knew. Very well.

⇜⚕⇝

Ash continued to shoot at the dartboard placed a few miles away from him, the outer red circle was squirming under his constant hits while the inner red circle was just filling up. It was way past midnight, almost over five hours since Ash commenced his session. The shooting arena was Ash's private workout area with a gym, an indoor field, and a shooting area. Dark grey, soundproof walls surrounded the area with remotely operated walls appearing to separate the three different sections. This was the place Ash would vent out his anger from childhood, any form of exercise would calm down his heart rate and the loneliness would calm his wrath.

"Blasting all your anger on the board?" he heard a deep voice flinch him out of his concentration.

He turned around to see the smirking Ian leaning against the entrance of the arena making Ash mutter, "Just who I wanted to see."

"Not a wise choice to listen to conversations," Ash seethed heavily as he wiped the flowing sweat off his forehead, crouching to grab his bottle of water.

"Naira isn't the person to keep it exactly quite. She is also quite good at lighting the flame of hidden anger in people, reckless enough to throw a stone at a person's ego eh?" Ian further agitated him.

Ash chucked the water in his parching throat before blowing the trigger at Ian. A full proof smirk formed on Ash's face as he saw the shock take over Ian's face as the trigger lightly hit the outer edge of his earlobe causing a pool of blood to drop.

"Don't forget you are talking about my wife. And only, I repeat only I, can talk about her. I also received information that you have been pushing out of her limits, irritating her with talks not related to your job. Once more you do anything like that, that shoot will be right here," Ash snarled evasively as he pointed at Ian's forehead.

"Possessive much?" he heard Ian say in a disgruntled tone as he touched his bleeding ear.

"Trust me, you don't want to know. Now get out before I do something that you will regret," Ash yelled in a critical tone which caused Ian to hurry out of the room like a lost puppy.

"Sir?" he heard another drawl which made him groan internally seeing his exhausted muscles.

"Yes, General," he scowled as he rubbed his hand over his tan skin, drowning in sweat.

"The only hand prints found on the necklace were of the Heartless Queen's," he informed in a robotic voice which raised a wide range of suspicions.

"What about the footprints or any other trials?"

"All belong to her."

"How is the palace check going?"

"In progress, sir."

"Are you sure it is not the Heartless Queen, sir?" the General starts to accuse Naira, but quickly changes when he receives a death glare from Ash,"I m..mean that all the evidence point to her."

Ash's eyes start to flame with anger with the continuous accusations on Naira. Something was pricking inside him when everyone else was taking her name.

"General, are you suspecting my ability to make decisions? I suggest you control your words regarding my wife if you want to live your life at all. I am not going to hesitate to wring your neck right in front of your family if you ill talk about mine."

"Sorry, sir," he reluctantly said with fear of his life as he bowed his face down shamefully.

Before Ash could blurt out another order, a guard came running in, giving his phone which was ringing with the ID- Divit. Ash frowned as he lifted the call to hear Divit ramble desperately, "Ash, we have a huge disaster here. The news just broke free."

⇜⚕⇝

I'm finally back! Any idea who took the gem or who broke the news?

As you can see, the story picked up its rapid pace and will continue to race for a while. The mystery has finally began and I can't wait to unlock everything I have planned!

Also, How is the banner? THANKS A LOT @PoisonBish for the beautiful banner!

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