A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.1***1Ohms Xirquit entered the altar hall.
The place, circular and ancient like a colosseum, with weathered walls etched with faintly glowing runes and symbols of forgotten magic. At its center stands a worn altar, its surface carved with intricate symbols that pulse faintly with magic. The floor surrounding the altar is engraved with a vast array of interconnected runes, forming a ritual circle. The ceiling is absent, leaving the chamber open to the night sky, where the moons glide very slowly from the other side of the world toward alignment, their silvery light bathing the room in an eerie glow, heralding the coming eclipse. The sun is slowly retreating, as if it is afraid of what's about to come.
The Whitecloaks are adding the finishing touches to the details, preparing to the fullest for the ritual. They are moving like puppets, and their master is no other than Lorreign.
"My Love," his voice distracted her. She didn't even notice that he's behind her.
Her dark face light up brightly the moment she laid his eyes on him. She ran to him excitedly with open arms to greet him happily.
"Love," they kissed, "Where's Vars?"
"Asleep." Ohms Xirquit tightened his embrace around her, as if it's been so long since the last time he saw her.
"And the bastard?" She meant Prince Valerian.
"He just woke up. I came here to tell you that."
He knew she will ask about her father, so he told her already, "He's speaking with the Primordials. About his mother. He wants to know her from their views. And the brat Other Side Maxigaufeas..."
Ohms Xirquit rolled his eyes, so Lorreign chuckled and kissed him sensually.
"I got him. Don't worry about him, I can handle him."
"Hmm... That will make me jealous, baby."
Lorreign laughed with her head falling back. It's so cute, he's so possessive.
"Let's meet the poor boy."
Prince Valerian opened his eyes when he felt their presence beside him. He's calm, very calm, and they don't understand why he's not showing fear nor crying.
He said plainly when they got closer, "My Mommy will kill you."
Lorreign looked up to Ohms Xirquit who had no reaction, but she have---and she's laughing.
"Can she?"
"Release me, and I will overlook this treason of yours. Return my brother, too, and I will shower you my mercy. I am giving you a chance. Your last chance."
Lorreign approached him closer and began caressing his face, "I won't take a threat from a child who's about to die. You have the right to know, so I will tell you. The ritual will be very painful and it will kill you. It will destroy your soul and nobody knows where we are. Nobody is coming to save you. You should be grateful instead. Because of you, your descent's Patron Deity, my grandmother, will be back home."
She lean close to his ear to whisper, "What will your Daddy do? He can't touch a Deity, not his Patron Deity. And if any of them wakes up, you'd be dead and my Grandmommy will be here by then. Bet your mother won't even care. Because she doesn't give a fuck about you anymore now that her favorite Zodiac is with her."
"Thats not true," the Prince defended, unshakable.
"How can you say so? You know it, you see it: she loves Zodiac more. You and your brothers are nothing but spares. She only needed and wanted Zodiac. So, are you sure that she still cares about you?"
They were taken off guard when the Prince smiled. He looked at them with eyes that had accepted his fate before closing them.
"She told me she loves me, and I believe her. You will see, Lorreign, Ohms. You may not fear my mother, but fear my Kuya Zodiac. He may be her favorite, but I am his favorite. My Kuya...will avenge me."
Lorreign laughed it off, but it got under her skin.
"He's dead."
"Is he really?"
The Prince is very calm, as calm as the Ki'zaar when he flew out to burn the whole world to avenge his family and people.
"Once she comes late to save you, I'll send her after you. I will prove that nothing is immortal."
Prince Valerian only smiled peacefully at her with his eyes closed.
.
.
.
Emperor Maxigaufeas touched his reflection on the mirror.
Lorreign gave him a new body. She stole his kept soul from Azarese's vault and nobody noticed. The moment she saw his soul, she knew that he will be very useful. As she scuplt a body around his soul, she was altering his memories. She brainwashed him and made him believe that everything was a false reality---an illusion created by the Wicked Empress and her 'current husband', Emperor Ambrose.
That his father, his mother, his brother---that everyone who had lost their lives because of her---went back to life to play a role in her empty, stifling playhouse.
"Azarese Elyzena..." He gritted his teeth and punched the mirror.
Lorreign did not change his wrath against her, though. She made it worse instead. However, the Second Emperor had priorities.
It was Princess Eowyne, still imprisoned in her vault with his remains.
He will kill her. He failed to do so, but this time, he will make sure of it.
But how, if he's without his Core?
~
"Entity! Good news! We found one of His Equal's Earrings!" Wattroid delightfully announced as he ran to the Xirquits with his hands clasped together.
Everyone turned to him.
Leandrew is fine, but they regularly check his eyes. He shared the blueprint of what he saw to Watts Xirquit's people, who are now the ones doing the digging job in their stead as they plan things further.
They received reports about a sighted dragon between the Sides, fighting Veils and causing damages to the nearby towns of Their Side. Not only that, one of their Uncle's people brought Lord Thirdy to them with Archduchess Miss President. They joined their group and soon, the dragon will, too.
The dragon is, obviously, Prince Vyldread.
Franchette shared herself to the entity who met Wattroid halfway to see Her Relic. He slowly opened his hands and the Relic was cleaned and safe, lying on a soft and warm piece of cloth.
"Her Earring," called the entity, and they got so sad that His Equal didn't name them. They had to call each other by their role's names, not with one that identify them as themselves.
Soon, Franchette began speaking the oldest and first tongue of the Ancients. They couldn't understand, but surely, the entities are having a heartfelt conversation. Lord Thirdy gave the Xirquits a signal and led Franchette to the bedroom to be alone with the Relic in her palms. It's only one, the other pair is missing. However, it looked simple. Therefore, it must be a low-ranked Earring Relic.
"Let's get that dragon Prince," Lord Thirdy stated as they monitor the Prince Vyldread through a crystal ball. He's shooting random energy balls to his enemies and he looks like he's enjoying the chaos he's creating. He's become more powerful since the blending of the Ki'zaar and Azarese.
He's already a dragon, but with that much power, it terrifies them tenfold.
"The Prince is hostile to strangers. He liked Lady Solana most and she's not with us. Moreover, he's not that intelligent yet. Who would approach him?"
"ME!" Matthew, approaching, volunteered with his hand raising, "We played altogether once! I think we're friends. I'm his friend!" He confidently made known, and the elders somehow...didn't buy it.
Well, they trust him. They honestly do, but Matthew is something else. But what other choice do they have? They can't just capture the dragon Prince with a magic net and then convince him. Like Wattroid said, the Prince is not that intelligent yet. He harbors hostily to anything and anyone he's unfamiliar with. They'd be dead before they could do something on him.
So, they sent Matthew out with his eldest brother to the boundaries of the Other Side. The rest are waiting with their fingers crossed, watching the following events through the crystal ball.
"PRINCE VYLDREAD!!!" Matthew shouted at the top of his lungs. The dragon Prince was distracted and instantly glared at him.
He charged a Star Blast, pointed at their location.
"LADY! !! SOLANA!!! IS!!! IN!!! DANGER!!!"
The dragon Prince withdraw his attack.
"SHE!!! NEEDS!!! YOU!!!"
Kendrew handed the water bottle to his brother after shouting what the Prince needed to know. The Prince was still in the air.
Slowly, he began to curl like a ball.
With his in-born reflexes, Kendrew immediately put up a Wall Shield in front of them when the Prince unleashed a very powerful surge from his wrath. His size doubled, and doubled, then doubled until he's in the size of an adult dragon, his unrelenting fury was ignited by the news that Lady Solana, his friend, had fallen into danger.
In a second, he landed before the Xirquits and clawed the wall between them. It shattered, and the Xirquits trembled before the sight of a furious dragon towering before them. The Prince let out a thunderous roar in the air. Matthew and Kendrew covered their bleeding ears, grimacing from the power.
His tail lashed the ground, carving deep furrows into the earth as his fury threatened to consume him. A symbol light up on his forehead. And for the very first time, they heard his voice. It was channeled through the symbol.
"WHERE IS SHE?"
Matthew submitted to the weakening of his knees and hid behind his eldest brother. Kendrew, too, was shaking, but he needed to be strong. He can't fall or else, the Prince might eat them both.
"WHERE IS SHE!?"
The Prince lowered his head and his breath steamed and hissed.
"T-The Whitecloaks... They took her. E-Everyone..."
Kendrew balled his fists and looked down.
"MY BROTHERS?"
Kendrew shook his head. He doesn't know what to say. He don't know what even happened, they just concluded things up. What if they're all dead?
Matthew began sobbing.
"They took Prince Valy! They put everyone into deep sleep, but we don't know for sure if they're still alive! Even the Ki'zaar... My Mommy and Daddy..."
Prince Vyldread pulled away, his red eyes still flaring red. Then he flew away. His destination, to the Palace. He roamed in circles past the skies while assessing the situation below him. The Whitecloaks are dragging the Vernignians forcefully from the streets and raiding homes. He couldn't find a trace of their descents.
"DRAGON!" The Whitecloaks shouted once the dragon Prince was sighted.
Powerful Whitecloaks positioned themselves to deal with him. Meanwhile, Matthew and Kendrew returned to their Uncle's office. They're panicking, everyone is, but they are prepared. They're finding the perfect timing. They will leave it on the dragon Prince.
Prince Vyldread descended and ate the Whitecloaks with some Vernignian he gathered in his mouth. He chewed them and spit what was remained of the to the ground and fired the flames of his wrath.
A wild dragon.
The Prince was never taught nor disciplined; therefore, he is ignorant about morality and values.
"ATTACK!!!"
Prince Vyldread landed and crushed the people on the ground with his foot. He scorched everything in flames and Star Blasts. Consequences? Fuck consequences. He's the consequence.
The Whitecloaks released consecutive attacks against him but nothing went through the Prince's scales. In a flap of his wing, the area around it was blown away. He flew high and circled the Palace overhead.
"Prepare! He will destroy the barrier!" Lord Thirdy ordered to the Xirquits as he zip his suit up.
They scattered, waiting, hiding. The barrier goes through the soil, that's why drawing a path below is impossible.
The Prince spread his wings widely as he breathe in, charging his most powerful dragon breath.
"DON'T LET HIM BREAK IT!" The Whitecloaks shouted at each other as they strengthen the barrier.
From the purest energy, Prince Vyldread let out a cosmic breath with the power of the hottest star, twice the power of a supernova.
Lord Thirdy gave them the signal to take the chance to take several the Whitecloaks down using Veil-tainted weapons. Their presence, unbeknownst to those Whitecloaks, gave them the upper hand. With their attention and focus taken by the dragon Prince, they killed as many Whitecloaks as they could.
"XERENA, GO!" They said when an opening cracked in the barrier.
A portal open high in the skies, came descending the youngest of Elektra Harmony Xirquit equipped with twin artifacts created by Watts Xirquit. There was an ecstatic grin on her face and when she landed, she buried her artifact, piercing through the barrier, enlarging the tiny opening until she got in.
Not long did the news reached the ears of Lorreign.
"Fucking brats of that bitch!"
She stormed put of the room to look for the Primordials. They are gathered in the throne room, kneeling before the newly ascended Deity.
The Deity of Darkness, Light and Chaos, Ral'zunr Liorei.
"I hate to ruin this greatest moment, but we must hurry. Elektra's brats are moving, and that stupid Zin Draji Teivel descent Prince!"
The dark-with-gold-cloaked Primordials turned their heads to her, their eyes shooting glares at her for ruining their business.
Already pissed that she is, Lorreign glared at them with a greater intensity and showed her hands covered in Chaos Energy.
"Look at me that way again, I dare you. Begin the ritual NOW."
And she left, with a portal already behind her to go to Vernignac Empire.
Oh, she's definitely killing Elektra's brats.
In. Front. Of. HER.
.
.
.
"Are you in, Xerena? What's your situation over there?" Lord Thirdy asked through their earpiece, a communication device created by Watts Xirquit, designed by Blane Steele.
"I'm in! No Whitecloaks on sight so far. I'm going to the Throne Room!" answered Xerena while running in the lightest steps.
"The knights are all still and frozen. Like statues," she added.
Until she made it to the Throne Room. She slowed down until she's only walking. Standing at the aisle was---
"Hi, Auntie Selene! Are you here to stop me?" she greeted cheerfully but her guards are up, weapons ready.
Duchess Selene breathes in deeply. She's sitting on one of the steps of the throne stage's stairs, on her lap lies Crown Prince Claxiord, 'asleep'.
The Duchess...too, is a member of the Whitecloaks.
"What are you here for, Franchette?" the calm Duchess asked while caressing the Crown Prince's hair, "You can't be here. Go."
Her stares went down on the Crown Prince. He's peacefully asleep, under the illusion of Lorreign's Chaos Magic.
"What are you planning? Tell me. It's not like there's something I can do to stop it. Everyone is here, asleep, frozen. What can I, my brothers, my Uncle's friends, and a stupid dragon Prince, do? Tell me, I will listen."
Xerena walked down the aisle. The Duchess sensed no hostility from her and let her get close. The child sat beside her, on her left, and there's distance between them.
"You already know. Lorreign wants to bring her banished grandmother back."
"Since when?" Xerena asked, buying time while looking at her family, "Tell me how long you've been betraying us."
Duchess Selene's fingers trembled. She's touching the Crown Prince gently, so gently. Very carefully, very lightly.
"Ever since."
Xerena was confused.
The Duchess looked straight to her eyes. There's no spiral in her eyes, but Xerena could see how corrupt the Duchess is in a different way.
"She's not real. Lorreign is not my sister."