A ragged breathing and fast phased of footsepts echoes through the hallway, each step carried the emotion of the person carrying the step. Then after that sothing opened, along a voice that carried a lot of weight.
"Your majesty!"
"No need to run like that Lexo, I already what happened"
The servant nad Lexo felt weakened the news about the brood mother had been circulating throughout the empire and right now, more agencies are looking into it.
"Your majesty? Where are you going?"
"To my daughter?"
The king of the kingdom of Aileen was one of the few known celestial rank swordmaster in the kingdom. Despite so people know that it wasn't just a re celestial rank.
Lorenzo Ermita Von Aileas, the descendant of king Joaquin Von Aileas. That man was one that lead his kingdom in the Age of Extinction, his kingdom was one of those that remained and help the foundation of the empire. In that history stems the pride to be powerful and the desire to conquer. They had thought that because they are one fo the founding kingdoms they are eligible enough to lead like the family of Celestio. Joaquin was a strong warrier and the only being that said to rival him was the first emperor of the empire, Julius. And thus so believe that the entire continent wasn't supposed to be united as one only, it could have been devided in two. One that is lead by Julius and one that is lead by Joaquin but unfortunately for him, the people of the continent made thier choose and so, they choose the being that beca the light that saves them, the hero that beca the legends. They choose Julius and so Joaquin who wanted to honor the wishes of his ancestors failed. The dream of building thier own empire was later own pass to thier foolish descendants.
Thud
The doors opened revealing a certain panicking girl.
"Father?"
The king just entered and look more calm than her daughter.
"What should we do father?"
He didn't imdiately answer instead he sat down on her daughter's chair and took a sit.
"Father?"
Emilia's voice wavered as she called her father again, at first she startled by the sound of the heavy doors opening all of a sudden. And her father entered the chamber with calmness despite the situation. Seeing that deanor made Emilia's expression cool down a bit.
"What we need to do," he said with cold precision, "Is to create a diversion... sothing loud enough, dangerous enough to shift the eyes of the empire elsewhere. We need them to forget this situation, if only for a mont, my daughter."
From the folds of his coat, he pulled out a small, crystalline orb, it was pulsing faintly as if it was alive. Its color has a bit of purple with a blue-black light that seed to breathe like a living thing. Emilia's eyes widened in recognition and horror.
"Father, that's—!"
"The answer to our problems," he interrupted smoothly, raising the orb to the light. "It was a gift from our ancestors… the one your grandfather swore to keep buried beneath the frost. And now, it will be use"
His fingers curled tightly around the orb — and with a sharp crack, he shattered it.
A pulse of mana surged from the fragnts like a shockwave, flickering through the palace's walls and into the sky. Far, far to the north, beyond even the frozen plains, sothing more barren and deadly.
"With this," the king whispered, "The magical beasts of the north will rampage. The capital will have no choice but to divert its strength. And in that ti... I'll have everything ready."
Emilia took a shaky step forward, her voice trembling. "But father, wont they link this to us as well??"
The king didn't answer. His hand was already moving over a map, calculating routes and fronts — his expression was as cold steel remaining unbother.
"Buy ti," he said. "That's all I need. You wanted to protect what matters, didn't you? Then go. Make sure that the empire loses is focus on us"
Hearing that Emilia had one thought in mind, there was only one person who knows the connection between the broodmother and hers.
Right back at the north, Apollo felt the sudden shift of atmosphere.
"What was that orb?"
[Whatever that was its creating havoc at the ice shelf!]
"Dont tell what they did is...-"
The ground began to shake and Apollo flew into the air and began searching for the source. And there just like what Jeremiah said, it was the ice shelf.
"What the..."
Apollo felt even more cold as he saw how the shelf is collapsing fast at the frozen water.
The soud of a deep, groaning almost like a thunder that penetrated the earth. Then more cracks ca splitting the frozen sheet of ice. The rumbling continues as the shelf trembles until the splitting cracks snapped apart.
Apollo beca nervous seeing such disaster. Many celestial rank beast and baove resides inside that shelf, if it were to be destroy this way. So slumbering monsters might wake up and casuse trouble.
More chunks of ice fell into the icy floor so Apollo began to attack. Whatevrwas happening must be stopped.
.
.
.
anwhile away from the ongoing catastrophe, the Apollo in the forest of Afra was back on duty.
"Damn what a problem"
He just whispered feeling exhausted all of a sudden.
"What? Tired?"
Alicia asked but Apollo just look at her before sighing. This made her worried so he asked again.
"What's wrong did sothing happened?"
The boy just nodded before saying, "The ice shelf at the north..."
"Oh that? Why? What's wrong with it?"
"Its breaking apart" he answer looking stressed.
"Wha-....oh no"
Alicia who is known to be the most calm among her classmates slowly lt down along Apollo.
"Hey... Apollo...you have a plan right?"
"Yeah...I think so"
Alicia and Apollo havent completely recovered from the issue of the ice shelf when suddenly, the ground shook an a horde began marching up.
"Ah.. seriously it hasnt been a few hours since I killed their mother yet now they are still remaining?"
Apollo felt frustrated sa with Alicia, so with a nod with each other they decided to put thier frustration on the marching enemies up ahead.
"I needed a punching bag thanks for coming"
Apollo just said while cracking his knuckles.
.
.
.
Emilia's Pov
Father had asked to buy more ti
There was only one who needs to be taken care of
He stood there.
Apollo.
Alone. Back turned. Frad by the dying light of fire. Not afraid, not hiding. Just watching the flas consu the enemies right in front of him.
I didn't approach.
Not yet.
Instead, I stood still from the shadows, cloak drawn close, my breath caught in my throat.
What did I just witness? That wasn't so ordinary spell and the way he handled his weapon to kill, it was sharp precise and killng without hesitation.
He was a monster
And yet…
He looked so lonely.
I observed more
I couldn't say what kind of power Apollo had, only that it wasn't what the nobles had told about. I know when I first t him that he wasnt ordinary, but to this extent. It wasn't the kind of magic you will see at banquets or duels.
No, this was deeper. His power is unimaginable, even father might struggle with him.
Apollo
Are you being fuelled right now?
Sothing like grief... or rage that had learned how to walk and fight like that?
That made him dangerous.
But not evil.
Not yet.
Not for
It wasn't supposed to be for
And if I wanted to survive, if I wanted to buy ti. But we cant touch him, I already ask father, and this is as far as we can go. We cant go any further, or the tower's defenses will get us.
I cant be his enemy
Not yet
So instead, I did sothing few would think to do.
I sat down.
In the dirt. Not far from him, but not close enough to threaten. I didn't call his na. I didn't demand answers. I just sat there, letting the silence stretch like a rope between us.
Letting him decide if he will co
Minutes passed. The fire died down.
Then…
"You're not going to scold like the rest?" he asked, voice low, as if unsure he was allowed to speak.
"I don't know what you did," I said honestly. "And I don't know why."
Was it revenge for your brother?
Are you starting already?
His gaze flicked over his shoulder guarded, unreadable. "I actually wanted to ask you the sa thing, but I guess I already know why"
"Stop asking questions after all, we were never close"
"I know," I replied. "But I want to."
Silence.
I continued, gently. "You looked... free. For a mont. Not because it was violent but because you looked happy. Like the pain had stopped for a heartbeat."
He didn't answer. But he didn't leave.
I knew this mont was delicate. One wrong word, and he'd vanish. One wrong step, and he'd never trust again.
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