Many of the soldiers surrounded the Queen Mother but they didn't know that she was a force to be reckoned with. Her strength and speed allowed her to move through the battlefield like a whirlwind. With a flick of her wrist, the blood within her enemies’ veins twisted and turned against them. One soldier lunged at her, but before he could even swing his sword, his body seized up, his veins bulging grotesquely as she manipulated his blood. He let out a strangled cry before collapsing into a lifeless heap."Your mistake was thinking I was helpless," the Queen Mother said coldly. Another soldier charged from her side, only for his blood to boil under her control, his body bursting apart as he disintegrated into a fine red mist.Alaric continued casting his spells, summoning gusts of wind, hurling soldiers back and slicing through them like invisible blades. He raised his staff and chanted a longer spell. A massive whirlwind erupted, lifting soldiers into the air before throwing them back
To their horror, just the soldiers were swept up in the hurricane while the skeletons continued marching on. With each step they took, the ground shook, as if they weighed tons."Fuck! It didn’t work!" Prince Ludiciel shouted, watching as the skeletons began to close in on them. "What do we do now?!"Everyone began to panic.Princess Mariel quickly stepped up. "Leave this to me. Grab big brother and get ready to leave.""No Mariel." Prince Ludiciel refused. "You can't handle them alone. I won't let you do this.""Then who can get all of you out of here?" She asked. "Your ability is to create illusions. Mother uses blood magic and the twins use fire and ice. Aunt Sera can only make weapons and Alaric has already tried and failed. If I push myself to the limit, I can suppress them with my powers while you all escape."Prince Ludiciel wasn't convinced. He shook his head. "There has to be another way. I can't let you stay here.""He's right, Mariel. You can't do this." The Queen Mother sa
The carriage rattled violently as they tore through the forest, the horses galloping at full speed, their breath visible in the cold night air. Prince Ludiciel gripped the reins tightly, tears still stinging his eyes. His mother and sister were gone, killed right before his eyes and there was nothing he could do. He wanted to shout, to scream into the night but he had no time to grieve. Not now. They had to make it out alive first or his mother's and sister's sacrifice would be in vain."Hyah!" he cried, snapping the whip again as the horses surged forward.Inside the carriage, the others huddled in tense silence, their faces pale with shock and grief. The twins could not stop crying while Zedekiel leaned against Sera, his body getting colder with each minute. They could hear the thunderous footsteps of the undead gaining on them, growing louder with each passing moment.Alaric stood up and peeked from the window, gasping when he saw a skeleton close by. He quickly jumped out the carr
Sera climbed out of the carriage, her robes flapping in the wind as she joined Prince Ludiciel at the front. "The Griffin is on it's way." She said, her voice strained. "What's the rest of your plan?" Prince Ludiciel kept his gaze ahead, eyes fixed on the road. "I’ll create an illusion," he said. "I'll hide the Griffin from the necromancer’s sight. You’ll all climb on and leave. I'll stay here and keep driving the carriage to distract them." "No!" Sera immediately snapped. "What is wrong with you? You want to sacrifice yourself just like your mother and sister?" She looked at her nephew, unable to believe how he could just make such a decision. Ludiciel’s expression hardened when he recalled the way his mother and sister were killed. He snapped the whip, pushing the horses faster. "I will if I have to, aunt Sera." He had to protect Zedekiel and the twins. "Then let me be the one to drive the carriage." Sera said as she grabbed the reins, trying to wrench them from his hands. "I wo
"Go down the cliff. Find their bodies and bring them back." Hugh ordered his army who had returned without a single person. They needed to be sure that everyone was dead or else, they'll keep living in fear, thinking the family will come back one day for revenge. "What should we do if we cannot find their bodies?" He asked, turning to Prince Kayziel who was squatting before the dead bodies of the Queen Mother and Princess Mariel. "We keep searching." Prince Kayziel replied. "They must be found no matter what." Hugh nodded. He then looked at Prince Kayziel’s hand, where the mark of the oath still remained. "Are you sure you'll be fine? Two of them died before our eyes. It's possible that the others are dead too. What if the Earth Spirit takes your soul and sends you to the underworld?" Prince Kayziel chuckled. "Oh Hugh, you're so gullible. Just like the naive human Prince. There is always a loophole in everything. Every spell, every deal, even oaths. Prince Ron required that I do
In seconds, memories of their past flooded Alaric's mind. Talon’s handsome face, their beautiful shared moments, and then, when things turned sour, the haunting vision of Talon in his true Phoenix form, terrifying flames blazing as he attacked Alaric without mercy. Alaric's hand flew to his neck as he recalled the way Talon nearly choked him to death. His pure flames burning his skin. It took Alaric years to heal the burn caused by one of the purest and most lethal forms of fire in the world. His heart pounded, and he stumbled backward, whispering "no" over and over again. He had gone to great lengths to hide from Talon. He even had to seek Zedekiel’s help back then. There was no way he was going to the Infernal Mountain. That was like flying himself to his own death. "No." He said firmly. "I... I can't go there. Take the twins. Let them go with you. I'll stay here and watch that necromancer’s movements." "I'm sorry, Alaric." Sera replied. "I am aware of your past with the Pheo
She guided the griffin to a hover, her hands gently pulling the reins as she saw three men approaching from the distance. Their fiery wings glowed like bursts of sunlight against the clear sky. She recognised the the lead figure and her lips curled into a smile. The griffin’s flapping slowed as the men stopped before them, their wings gently stirring the air. "Oh Dorian," she called out. "You didn’t have to come all the way out here to receive us." Dorian, the royal physician of the Infernal Mountain Kingdom, let out a hearty laugh. He was quite tall and a little chubby with curly grey hair and a bushy mustache. "Nonsense, Sera. We go way back." He chuckled. "Of course I’d come receive you myself and the King of the Elves." His eyes shifted to Zedekiel, lying still on the griffin and his expression darkened. "Oh my, this is serious. We need to get him inside right away. Follow me." Without further delay, Dorian turned, swiftly flying downward, back toward the Kingdom and Sera
True to their word, within minutes of him returning to his quarters, a knock sounded on the door. When Alaric opened it, a servant wheeled in a cart laden with food. The aromas of roasted meats, fresh bread, and a rich stew filled the room, making his stomach rumble even more. "Thank you," Alaric said as the servant set the tray on a table. The warmth of the meal seemed to chase away any lingering discomfort from the journey. He sat down, eagerly digging in, all the while thinking about how much smoother things had gone than he expected. No Talon, good food, Zedekiel was getting treated, and a chance to rest. It wasn’t so bad after all. After finishing his meal, Alaric sat back in his chair, letting out a contented sigh. There was no fruit salad but the food was good. He reached into his robes and pulled out a shard of the contact mirror. It was a mirror that enabled one to contact anyone from anywhere. The enchanted piece shimmered faintly as he whispered a spell, summoning the ref
Kayziel snickered inwardly, though he kept his expression solemn. It didn’t matter whether the phoenix joined or not. The moment Zedekiel saw what he had to show, the damage would have already been done. He couldn't believe his nephew was still so naive. Even after all the centuries that had passed, he still trusted people easily.So foolish.Zedekiel had hacked off his limbs one by one and sealed him beneath the sacred roots of the Mother Tree. Stripped him of power, dignity, and freedom.Now, he had destroyed his plans to take over Netheridge and live a good life. Why should he let Zedekiel be happy?He already knew that Zedekiel was not going to let him off. He was going to die in the most painful way Zedekiel could conjure so he would take something from Zedekiel first.If he could not live, then let his nephew’s love burn instead.“What are you waiting for?” Zedekiel snarled, his grip tightening around the Soul Crucible. He had half a mind to not see what Kayziel wanted to show t
Alaric didn’t answer. His face, usually impassive, was drawn tight. His onyx eyes were stormy and his lips parted as if he wanted to speak, but no words came. He clenched his jaw and fists, unable to tell Zedekiel what he was about to see. How would he even tell him? They had opened the lantern, ready to unleash hell on whoever had possessed Ron but when they saw who it was, they knew Zedekiel had to be called back.Zedekiel drew in a deep breath. He didn’t need words to know something was deeply wrong. He couldn't wait to know what it was so he increased his speed, disappearing in a blur and reappearing before the cell door in the dungeon’s lowest levels. Alaric arrived three seconds later.They both stood still for a moment, facing the thick metal door and Zedekiel curled his fists. It was time to face whoever had made their lives hell for 3 months.He pushed open the door, the hinges creaking as they stepped inside. The room was dimly lit by the light pearls embedded into the walls
“Wow, I never knew Prince Ron was so brave and fierce.” Elliot said to Prince Ludiciel, looking thoroughly fascinated.Prince Ludiciel wasn't sure if it was because of Prince Ron or the story or both.“Judging by his looks, one would think he cannot handle a sword but did you see those moves?” Elliot continued. “He once wrestled a python and rescued a princess from a tiger. Then he saved your brother and travelled all the way to the North to marry him. Isn't that amazing?”Prince Ludiciel didn't know whether to laugh or cry. “It's amazing indeed.” He answered, nodding. He couldn't even imagine Prince Ron wrestling a python or rescuing a princess from a tiger. Knowing the lazy Prince, he would just assign Leo to do all the fighting and rescuing.Then again, it didn't really matter. It was a nice story Prince Ron told. Now he knew how Prince Ron met his brother.“But wait,” Elliot said, pausing. “If Prince Ron went after your brother, when did he get the chance to tell the story to the
He paused dramatically and everyone shook their heads.“Exactly! No, he didn’t!” Prince Ron pointed with glee. “He turned every one of them down, declaring boldly that he would only marry for true love!”Everyone went; “Awww.”“And then!” Prince Ron threw up his hands with a dramatic flourish. “One day, the brave Prince was at an inn. He’d heard rumors about some King in the North—one who dared to ask for his sister’s hand in marriage. But this Prince wasn’t the type to trust someone based on hearsay, so he went himself to gather intel.”At this point, Zedekiel frowned. Why did the story sound familiar but wrong somehow?“So there he was, chilling at the bar, sipping on ginger ale and chatting with the barkeep, when he spotted someone. A ridiculously handsome man, sitting alone in the corner, just enjoying his meal.”Zedekiel’s frown deepened. This story sounded really familiar…“What the handsome man didn’t realize,” Prince Ron continued, “was that a group of shady-looking bandits ha
Prince Ron gasped, eyes going wide. “Your what?!”Elliot smiled sheepishly, but his eyes flicked affectionately to Prince Ludiciel as he held his hand. He never really thought some harmless flirting with an Elf Prince in a flower house would result in a relationship but he was happy it did. Prince Ludiciel was the most caring, considerate, and loving creature he had ever met.Prince Ron was still stunned. He glanced at his beloved who was just smiling and then he realised that his beloved already knew! Was he the only one that didn't know? Was he the last to know? Why didn't they tell him first? His brother-in-law had found a partner! He was the one that was supposed to announce it in a grand style! Throw a party! Celebrate!He gazed at the couple then asked with little hope. “I-I'm not the last one to know, am I?”Zedekiel shook his head with a sigh. Was that was his little husband was concerned about?The Ice Fairy Queen, Prince Ludiciel and Elliot chuckled.“Well…the entire Royal f
Prince Ron sat obediently on a bed—well, as obediently as he could manage—while the Ice Fairy Queen moved gracefully around him, her shimmering white gown trailing like mist on ice. Her crystal blue eyes sparkled as she checked over him and gently examined his belly.“Would you stop staring at her and smiling like that?” Zedekiel, who was beside him, holding his hand, huffed.Prince Ron blinked. “But I’ve never seen an ice fairy before, let alone their queen.” He replied with a pout. Besides, she was really pretty. Her knee-length snow-white hair swayed as she moved, and everything about her was elegant, ethereal… cold, but really beautiful. He wondered if she had wings and if she would show him if he asked.“I don’t care.” Zedekiel grumbled. “Stop staring. Now. It's rude.” And what happened to him being the most handsome in the world? If his little husband wanted to stare at someone, couldn't he stare at him? The Ice Fairy Queen was his friend but he couldn't help feeling jealous whe
From the sidelines, Alaric and Talon watched in silence. Neither spoke, neither moved. They just stood there, watching Zedekiel and Prince Ron, a million thoughts racing through their minds.Talon’s gaze lingered on Prince Ron and Zedekiel, the way Zedekiel held his Prince Ron so tight, yet so gentle, the way Prince Ron melted into him, safe, reassured, like he trusted Zedekiel more than his own self and looked to the Elf King to keep him together. Prince Ron looked at Zedekiel like he was the only one he could see. As if when they were together, nothing else mattered and it was just them.His hands clenched at his sides in frustration. He wanted that. He wanted that and more. He felt envious—achingly envious. To the extent that his chest felt stuffy, and his teeth ached. He wanted to hold a particular person like that, have the person look at him with that kind of love, that kind of devotion. He wanted the person to trust him, to make him feel like he was the only one in the entire w
Prince Ron beamed, rubbing the back of his precious frying pan. Oh, he’ll make it count alright.And make it count he did.Some minutes later, the dungeon echoed with a loud CLANG as Prince Ron’s frying pan made direct contact with Hugh’s head. The unfortunate man let out a strangled grunt before slumping forward, completely dazed. He didn’t know if it was because he had received several beatings from Zedekiel earlier, but the human Prince’s hit was quite painful. He was tired and he wanted it all to stop.But Prince Ron was not done. He signaled the guards to lift Hugh up which they did. He then took two steps back and BANG! smacked Hugh on the side of his face. Blood sprayed against the wall of the cell and Hugh groaned, coughing out a mouthful of blood and a few teeth.Everyone’s eyes widened in alarm. Was the human prince that strong or was the frying pan really that heavy?Prince Ron glared down at Hugh, his grip tightening around the handle of the frying pan. For three months, h
Prince Ron’s attention, however, was immediately drawn to the weird and spooky looking lantern. His emerald eyes sparkled with curiosity as he pointed at the lantern. "What is that?" he asked, staring at the glowing light. He had never seen such a lantern before. Could it be a genie? He wouldn’t be surprised if it was though. He fell in love with his sister’s husband to be who turned out to be an Elf, married him while having sex under the moonlight and was now carrying his babies. He had also been kidnapped by a deranged Elf and was saved by his beloved who brought along a weak rude witch. They even battled the Dark Lord from hell who came to take him away and some hours ago, he was possessed by an evil uncle Elf spirit. Seeing a genie now who could grant three of his wishes would not surprise him at all.Although, he did truly wish it was a genie. His first wish would be to have more stamina so he could go long hours in bed with his beloved! He could never forget the way his beloved