A few days later, Heaven’s Sovereign Peak
"Forgive us, Lord Ignis. His Majesty has given clear orders that none may leave the mountain. We cannot activate the array for you," said one of the guards standing at the only platform that allowed people to leave the mountain.
"How dare you refuse my order?" Ignis shouted. "The Flabane Sect is an independent territory. We do not fall under the jurisdiction of King Aurelion. Step aside this instant!"
Ignis was sweating profusely. His lips trembled in horror and his eyes constantly glanced backward, making sure no one was following him.
"We cannot disobey His Majesty’s order, Lord Ignis," the guard said. "Please do not force our hand."
"You lowlife imbeciles!" Ignis shouted, launching a blazing fist toward the guard in desperation.
Before the fist could strike the guard, a palm suddenly blocked it.
"Why are you in such a hurry to leave, Ignis?" Aethon asked, appearing out of nowhere. "The Prince has summoned all the sects to the castle."
"Taranis is dead! That man is an imposter," Ignis shouted. "Even if I acknowledge him as one, the Flabanes do not answer to any king, not to ntion a prince."
"Do not forget your place, Ignis." Aethon’s voice rose as he stared at him with his sharp amber eyes. "The Flabanes had, have, and will always remain subjects of the Thunderbanes. You are coming with whether you like it or not."
"That bitch died because she broke the Soul Oath," Ignis muttered inwardly, shivering. "Taranis must be aware of my treason."
Turning to his father, he said while tightly tugging at his sleeves, "Father, please let leave. If I enter the castle, I will surely die."
Aethon’s eyes narrowed and his voice turned grave. "Why would you die—"
His words stopped mid sentence as he saw the desperation on Ignis’s face.
"M-my son, what have you done?"
"I... I am afraid that Taranis will hold a grudge against because I tried to marry his betrothed," Ignis lied, too afraid to reveal the real reason.
"You do not need to worry about that, son." Aethon sighed in relief. "The Prince is not a petty person. Now co with and greet the prince."
"I... in truth, f-father, I..."
"Lord Aethon, the royal court is about to begin. What are you still doing here?" Barbatos asked as he approached the duo with a smile.
"I could ask the sa of you, Lord Barbatos," Aethon replied, dodging the question.
"Well, I was about to return after patrolling the area to ensure that no rat escapes the mountain," Barbatos said. There was a jab hidden in his voice that Ignis imdiately understood. "Shall we join the court together?"
Aethon nodded and the duo began moving toward the castle, with Ignis reluctantly following behind them.
---
Inside the Royal Court
The Royal Court was opened once again, but this ti it was not only the Sect Leaders who were present. All the key mbers who held high positions in their respective sects were also present, standing on the upper floor of the hall.
What surprised them the most was that Aurelion, instead of sitting on the throne, was seated on a seat beside the other Sect Masters.
While murmurs of confusion spread through the court over Aurelion’s unusual seating choice and the conspicuous absence of Lunaria and Nyria, Doran stood silently on the upper floor, his dark complexion stark against the light of the hall.
Amid the growing unrest, the last remaining key mbers of the court, Aethon, Barbatos, and Ignis, also arrived.
It was not only the Snowbanes who were the subject of the court’s chaotic discussions. The presence of two strange beastn sitting in seats reserved only for Sect Leaders had also beco a hot topic.
After a few minutes, two figures entered the court, instantly turning the entire hall silent.
After a brief mont of silence, ripples of gasps and shock echoed through the hall from their arrival.
"Th-that appearance... is she really her?"
"N-no way... is this so kind of illusion?"
"S-she is alive?"
"What in the heavens is going on?"
The reason for this restlessness was Aestra, who had entered the court walking side by side with Taranis with the presence of a queen.
Ignoring all the chaos caused by her presence, she moved straight toward the stairs that led to the throne above.
She sat upon the queen’s throne while Taranis stood before the seat ant for the prince.
In a thundering voice and with a hardened expression, Taranis commanded,
"Bow before your Queen!"
Taranis’s booming voice caused the whole court to fall silent again.
The first to respond to Taranis’s command was none other than Aurelion.
Rising from his seat, he drew his sword, pierced it into the ground, and declared while bending to one knee and holding the sword’s hilt with both hands,
"I, Aurelion El Snowbane, pay my respects to the Queen of the Hundred Sky Mountains."
Now that the man whom the court had served as their king for the past eighteen years had bent the knee, all doubts about Aestra instantly vanished.
Following him, the other Sect Leaders also bent their knees, declaring their loyalty and greetings to the Queen.
It did not take long for the entire court to bow before Aestra.
"Rise," Aestra said, her voice low.
With the composed deanor and commanding voice of a queen, she continued,
"All of you must have nurous questions. I shall begin by explaining how I am still alive."
Aestra, her eyes burning with fury, explained everything that had happened in the Sentinel Line, sending waves of shock and exclamations throughout the court.
Instead of revealing that she had not been conscious for the past eighteen years, she said that she and Taranis had been secretly regaining their strength, revealing themselves only when the ti was right.
Her unrestrained voice stirred the hearts of the court mbers, igniting their desire to take revenge on the Empire for betraying the Thunderbanes.
"How dare those empire bastards!"
"Command us, Your Majesty! We shall bring the empire to ruins!"
"The Empire must pay for their betrayal!"
"We want war!"
"We want war!"
"We want war!"
.
.
.
As the entire court erupted in fury, Taranis rose from his seat and shouted in a booming voice,
"Silence!"
"Before turning our fury toward the Empire, we must eliminate the traitors who dared stabbed us in the back."
"Lord Titan, co forth!" Taranis commanded.
When Titan reached the center of the hall, Taranis continued, his voice deep and his face unreadable,
"Neglecting your duties as a citizen of the Hundred Sky Mountains, serving the very empire that brought destruction upon us, dancing at their fingertips, and staining the na of one of the Seven Great Sects. The punishnt for such cris is imdiate execution."
Complete silence settled over the court as Taranis continued,
"This is the official report submitted by Lord Titan. Do you have anything to say in your defense... Ignis El Flabane?"
"H-huh? M-?" Ignis murmured, confusion laced across his face.
Titan turned his sharp gaze toward Ignis and said,
"His Highness has asked you a question, Ignis."
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