He opened his eyes to the light, allowing the pain to fill his heart and mind. It was still more comfortable than remembering. Slowly, he turned his gaze away from the blue moon's light that left a mark on his soul. Everything that wasn't bathed in bright blue was left in absolute darkness. The contrast made him swoon, but he wouldn't let it show.

Ignoring the pain, he stepped forwards, keeping his eyes fixed on hers. When he was right in front of her, he fell down on his knees, bowed his head low and whispered the words of submission. He knew he didn't have a choice, yet he also knew he wouldn't have chosen anything else. Even if he'd never even thought about joining the army, the thought of standing together with others as one made him feel stronger.

When his queen asked him to stand up again, he obeyed without a moment of hesitation. He proudly held her gaze and waited for her to speak. Once she finally did, her voice sent shivers down his spine.

'Well, well, you seem to have recovered. Introduce yourself.' The queen's voice was beautiful but sharp like a dagger.

'I am Raf'ney-krush.' He replied automatically.

'No, you are not. That is just a title that was given to you, it is not your name.' She got up from her throne and walked around him on tiptoes, hardly reaching up to his shoulders.

'I...' he started, struggling to remember who he'd once been.

'You don't remember, do you?' she said, smiling at him calmly. 'I will help you, kneel.' The queen demanded and he followed the order immediately.

He could feel her cold fingertips on his temple and wondered what she was going to do next. She whispered a few words and he could hear all her servants and soldiers leave the throne room.

'Names are more than just titles, you were born and named, that name became a part of you, but you have chosen to forget it, taking another title instead. Now, neither of these two truly fits you. I have hardly ever seen anybody changing so much over a lifetime...' She paused for a moment and he looked up into her eyes. Even when he was kneeling, she wasn't much taller than him. 'Well, Raf'ney-krush is what the dragons named you, I was there that day. Had to be, chances where you were going to die. But you didn't. Instead, they called you a peace bringer, the same as your old name had meant, but in a different language. Fools, the title had already not helped you before.'

Raf wondered how she could know all those things, he'd always thought she lived in another world and could only reach theirs when somebody was about to die. Yet he didn't dare to ask. Waiting in silence, he let her continue.

'What you truly have been over your life is a cause for dispute and arguments. You show the world what it does wrong and it refuses to listen.' She didn't seem to care about that sounding rather depressing. Instead, the queen seemed to be rather amused. 'And oh what a temper you have! I wonder, I really do, what would have happened had you not lost control that one faithful day so long ago. Would the war still have come?' Anger built up in his chest, that went too far, he wouldn't let anybody speak to him like that, but her soothing voice made him hesitate. 'Now, I guess I should thank you, had you not started that, it would have taken me much longer to return. But the hatred and blood you have caused is just so tempting, isn't it? I can hardly resist it, and soon, I will not have to anymore.'

He was breathing heavily now, trying to stay calm and focused. Punching the queen wouldn't exactly help his situation, actually, she was the only person who had the power to make his stay somewhat comfortable. And the only person to ever allow him to die.

'Let me offer you this: I want you to join my army as a commanding officer. You shall receive all the training you need and you will have the right to speak in the circle. But if you turn this offer down, you will have to start like anybody else as a foot soldier.' With her last words, her voice was suddenly cold and all beauty vanished from it.

He hesitated, unsure what to say. Her fingertips still lay on his temple even though he didn't understand for what purpose. Slowly, he closed his eyes and tried to focus. He didn't want to be part of a war, but he did want to be part of something. He didn't know how he'd gotten here, his memories were blurry and painful. Yet he knew that, in order to make the right decision, he had to allow this pain to fill him once again. He focused on the day he'd died.

Somebody had been shouting, somebody had whispered into his ear, but he couldn't remember the words. Who had he been? There had been a battle, had he been a soldier? No, he hadn't gone there to fight, he wanted to prevent it. And he wasn't alone. A strange melody echoed in his head, reminding him of a distant past. Then the pain came, it rolled over him in waves, growing stronger with each one of them. He distantly heard a sigh but didn't focus on it.

Outcast. The word had found him in a sea of emotions and pictures. Soon, other words joined it. He remembered them, Nume and Kran, they had become something like friends to him, even though the word sounded strange. Friends. He'd never had friends. But he had been with them for a reason. Another wave hit him, it felt like physical pain and made him groan. Together with them, he had truly felt like Raf'ney-krush, like a peace bringer. But now it was all gone, he was gone.

The next wave threw him to the ground but it didn't last for very long, for when the queen's fingertips no longer touched his temple, the memories faded away and left him feeling terrible. He looked up at her face, shining blue. Something deep inside him broke and he knew he was no longer Raf'ney-krush, he was somebody else entirely.

'Who am I?' he asked, looking up at his queen.

'You, my dear, are the bringer of chaos. There once was a god like you, his name was Rianoy, but you are not a god, so I shall choose another name for you. Stand up and be my soldier, take my offer and the name I give you, for you shall become Corvaer, the one who controls chaos.'

He nodded his head slowly as he pushed himself back up on his feet. 'I accept your offer, your majesty.'

She smiled and clapped her hands twice, signalling all the waiting soldiers and servants to come back in and take their places. 'Well then,' she spoke once everything was back in order and quiet. 'Introduce yourself, newbie.'

'I am Corvaer, commanding officer in the queen of the night's army.' Corvaer's voice was strong and determined. He looked around the room and saw many men bow their heads to him. The blue light already seemed normal to him and he could hardly remember any other colour now.

'And what is your purpose?' the queen asked, sitting back down on her thrown.

'To serve and obey your majesty's every wish.' Corvaer replied, bowing his head low to her.

'Very well, then you shall leave now. You there,' she pointed at a small soldier at the end of a row. 'take him to his rooms. His training shall start tomorrow, but don't forget to make him dine at my table tonight, I shall need to introduce him to the others.'

// Thank you for reading, don't forget to vote and tell me what you think about this chapter!