"The eighth circle," Prince Drakan rasped, his voice a grating echo of its former grandeur, "I attained it before I'd even tasted the sweetness of two decades. Yet, the ninth stage, the pinnacle of power, remained tantalizingly out of reach. Fifty years I toiled, clawing my way through the celestial labyrinth, only to find myself forever tethered to this desolate plane. A cruel jest, wouldn't you say?"His laughter, a hollow, mirthless sound, reverberated through the chamber, bouncing off the cold, obsidian walls. "The heavens, they are not merciful, you see. They bestowed upon your father the gift of the spirit body, a shimmering beacon of divine favour. But for me, they offered only this…this prison."He gestured around them, his eyes burning with a cold, bitter fire. "They delivered you to my doorstep, a fragile offering, a pawn in a game far grander than you can comprehend. And your father," Drakan's voice dropped to a menacing whisper, "he will pay the price for your demise. He w
The news of Lance's capture rippled through the Empire like a shockwave, leaving a trail of stunned silence in its wake. Duke Kelvin, the stoic patriarch of House Kelvin, received the news with a silence that spoke volumes. Whispers of his fury, of shattered porcelain and splintered wood, painted a picture of a man consumed by rage. Mansions, symbols of wealth and power, crumbled under his wrath, but no official word, no declaration of war, emerged from his lips.Princess Ladia, her brow furrowed with worry, felt the weight of the Empire's precarious situation settle upon her shoulders. She hadn't anticipated the devastating impact of a single city's fall, a single life's capture. The Beastmen, with a cunning stroke, had severed a vital artery in the Empire's military might.The four Ducal houses, pillars of the Empire's strength, were now fractured. House Kelvin, shrouded in a veil of silent fury, remained a question mark. And House Lance, their heir captured, had fallen silen
As if responding to my command, the magic circle erupted in a blinding flash of crimson light. The air crackled with raw energy, the scent of ozone mingling with the ever-present stench of decay. The ingots, bathed in the blood-red glow, began to vibrate, their metallic surfaces shimmering with an otherworldly luminescence.Runes and symbols, ancient and arcane, sprang to life, dancing and swirling within the magic circle like a swarm of fireflies. They pulsed with an eerie light, their intricate patterns weaving a tapestry of power that stretched towards the ceiling of the basement, forming a crimson pillar that seemed to pierce the very fabric of reality.A stark counterpoint to the vibrant crimson pillar of light, a hazy grey aura began to emanate from the decaying corpses. It coalesced, swirling and twisting, until it formed a dense, inky black cloud that billowed upwards, attempting to smother the radiant energy.The air filled with a cacophony of anguished cries, the tormented w
"The audacity of this author!" Roland exclaimed, his voice laced with a mixture of awe and apprehension. He found himself pausing every few sentences, his gaze lingering on the words as if they held some hidden power. The book was a veritable bombshell, daring to criticize the very foundations of their society. It painted the royal family in a scathing light, accusing them of insatiable greed and a complete lack of self-discipline.However it was the author's stance on slavery that truly captivated Roland. With unwavering conviction, the book condemned the practice, asserting the fundamental equality of all humans and denouncing the notion of one person being inherently superior to another.This was a dangerous message in the Brightwing Empire, where, despite the law prohibiting slavery, the practice persisted in the shadows. Noble families, cloaked in their wealth and influence, continued to exploit the vulnerable, their illicit activities shielded from the prying eyes of the law. R
His gaze fell upon the decree, the stark black ink proclaiming a chilling mandate: all nobles were obligated to dispatch five thousand soldiers to the frontlines."Five thousand," Roland breathed, the words heavy with disbelief.The impossible weight of the order pressed down on him. They had been meticulous in their training, their ranks swelling daily with eager recruits. Their prowess had blossomed over the past few months, their strength rivaling even the most formidable armies of the esteemed nobility. Yet, their numbers barely scraped the surface of the demanded quota, hovering around a meager three thousand."So we march to the front," Roland murmured, the grim reality settling upon him like a shroud.A ripple of unease spread through the ranks of the new recruits, their faces pale with apprehension."Are we truly going to the front?" one young man stammered, his voice trembling.The northern front, while not an immediate threat to their isolated city of Ice Demon, was a chilli
Miron approached the city with a sense of trepidation, expecting the usual lax security measures that were common in many of the smaller territories. However, he was pleasantly surprised to find that the checkpoint at the gate was both rigid and strict, a testament to the city's strong defenses.As he entered the city, he was immediately struck by the vibrant atmosphere that pervaded the streets. The residents of Ice Demon City went about their daily lives with genuine smiles on their faces, as though the war that was raging in the north was of little concern to them. Children played and laughed on the streets, while adults busied themselves with their work.Miron's eyes widened in astonishment as he realized that the roads within the city were all paved, a luxury that was rarely found in such remote territories. He shook his head in disbelief, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him."I must be seeing things," he muttered to himself, unable to comprehend the level of develop
The whispers and hearsay suggesting that Ethan Slayer was the individual responsible for instigating a full-scale conflict between the formidable Beast Kingdom and the vast Empire were, in the opinion of Miron, nothing more than baseless conjecture. He was firmly convinced that these rumors were merely the result of devious political machinations being orchestrated by a select group of nobles within the Empire, who were cunningly manipulating the situation to their own advantage.Such tales of intrigue and deception were likely to be believed only by the most gullible of commoners and the lowest-ranking of nobles, who were easily swayed by sensationalist stories and exaggerated claims.Furthermore, there was another outlandish rumor circulating, which held that Ethan Slayer had single-handedly defeated an entire legion of the Beast Kingdom's most formidable warriors, and had compelled a daunting elite force of ten thousand beastmen to retreat in disgrace, with their tails tucked meek
"You won't find Baron Ethan in the mansion," Zikk stated, his hand resting lightly on Miron's shoulder. "He should be in the Endless Forest, training his soldiers."The gesture, though seemingly warm and reassuring, sent a chill down Miron's spine. He sensed a veiled warning in Zikk's words, a subtle reminder of the stakes involved. This was no ordinary mission; it was a delicate dance, a test of Miron's competence and discretion."I am busy," Zikk continued, his tone shifting to one of finality. "I'll get going."Miron, still reeling from the weight of Zikk's revelation, blurted out, "Sir, you're working in this city?" The thought that the Grand Knight, a legendary warrior, would be toiling away in the mundane tasks of everyday life seemed utterly incongruous.Zikk chuckled, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Of course, I need to feed myself, right?" He winked, a playful glint in his gaze. "See you around."With that, Zikk turned and strode away, disappearing into the labyrinthine all