Chapter 94: The Horseman of Conquest

Arriving in his room, Kristian did not even bother to call a servant. He removed his dusty clothes and stepped into the bathtub where the lukewarm water awaited him.

Kristian blamed himself terribly. He knew he had committed a reckless action in the Catacombs and that everything had gone wrong from that precise moment.

He recalled the moment when they had arrived in the hall housing Pandora’s Box. He had sent Katelyn to make a reconnaissance round in the adjacent corridors, remaining alone facing the relic of El’s heart.

At that instant, he had done something stupid.

‘Why did I do it?’ he asked himself, eyes fixed on the steam rising from the water. ‘Perhaps it was that envious feeling toward Daemon? Or simply recklessness.’

Kristian knew that even if he trained relentlessly every day, he still felt too weak in the face of the true stakes. One of the moments when he had most cruelly felt his powerlessness was the day he had been unable to do anything to help Andromeda, leaving Daemon to be stabbed. He had then made a foolish resolution and, reaching toward the forbidden artifact, he had opened Pandora’s Box.

Nothing extraordinary seemed to have happened.

Even when Katelyn had returned, she had noticed nothing abnormal, unaware that the second chain guarding the jar had just broken. Yet he could clearly feel the difference.

All his vital energy had been violently sucked toward the object, inflicting an atrocious headache that gave him the impression his skull was about to explode. It was this sudden weakness that had paralyzed him when Kellen attacked them, preventing him from fighting at his full potential and forcing Katelyn to sacrifice herself to save his life.

Kristian let out a long sigh of weariness, then stepped out of the water. He tied a towel around his waist and stood before the large full-length mirror.

After a few seconds of waiting, a burning sensation began to radiate across his chest.

A tattoo of broken chains appeared on his pale skin, starting from both pectorals and meeting at the center of the sternum. The black links knotted together to form a crown of thorns of immaculate white, while a black sword crossed the whole to descend vertically into his abdomen. The throbbing pain that had accompanied him since the Catacombs gradually faded, replaced by a sensation of euphoric power.

“The ability to subjugate by force…”

Kristian gently touched the motif engraved in his flesh.

“I believe I have become a horseman of the apocalypse,” he murmured, looking at his reflection. “The Horseman of Conquest.”

…

A few minutes later, Kristian dressed, choosing blue and white noble clothes.

Upon arriving on site, he found his mother.

“We have contacted Lord Ravenna to inform him of his daughter’s condition.”

Kristian nodded. “How is she?”

Erinda shook her head. “The doctors are doing their best, Kristian, but it is impossible to stop the bleeding. She is still in a state of extreme weakness.”

Kristian furrowed his brows. “How is that possible? She was only wounded by a spear during a close-quarters exchange. A Chi User of her rank should already have begun her natural regeneration.”

“A spear?” asked Erinda, narrowing her eyes.

“The spear that Kellen Strain carried,” explained Kristian. “It was wrapped in thick bandages and radiated a feeling of omnipotence as it greedily absorbed Chi.”

The Snowfall Matriarch froze. “Could it be… No, it is theoretically impossible, unless the Sorcery Clan deliberately gave it to him.”

Kristian immediately understood where his mother was heading. “You think it is the Spear of Destiny? That relic which causes incurable wounds?”

“There is no other known weapon in Hundun that possesses this property… If that is the case, Kristian… I am afraid Katelyn is already condemned to bleed out until death follows.”

Kristian inhaled deeply.

“There must be another way to save her, mother. She took that attack for me… I must do everything to heal her.”

Erinda remained silent for several seconds. She finally sighed.

“This weapon has not been used often, and there are only rumors about its true powers. And one of them says that if you kill the spear’s user, you can cancel its power on the person who was struck… But these are only assumptions. After all, the last time the spear was used dates back about five hundred years…”

“I see…” replied Kristian, nodding slowly.

He turned again toward Katelyn. He recalled his promise, the one to ensure that a Lady Ravenna would always lead House Summer.

‘I was so weak in those Catacombs… if I had not opened that box out of pure selfishness, she would not be in this state.’

He pivoted on his heels to leave the room, but Erinda’s hand rested on his arm.

“My son… do not do anything you might regret,” she said.

“I have already thought it through carefully, mother.”

Erinda scrutinized her son’s face. She saw the irreproachable heir fade away to make room for something else. A sad but proud smile stretched her lips.

“If you have already thought it through… Your mother trusts you. Even if I know you carry a share of shadow, I will always be on your side, darling.”

Erinda approached and gently stroked her son’s head. Kristian took his mother’s hand between his own, bowed, and placed a respectful kiss.

“Kristian thanks the Matriarch for her support…”

Erinda smiled more widely, her gaze shining with a new light. “Well, who would have thought that my irreproachable son would become so bold… so, what do you have in mind?”

Kristian looked at his mother, his blue eyes having become as cold as the peaks of Mount Sandalphon. “I believe the Spear Clan has existed long enough. The conquest of that territory we had abandoned out of a simple desire for peace… I will make sure to finish it.”

Kristian left the infirmary at a rapid pace. He crossed the inner courtyard of the manor, ignoring the servants’ greetings, and headed toward the stables. His white horse awaited him. He leaped onto his mount with disconcerting agility, pulling on the reins to make the animal rear.

“Next, the Sorcery Clan will have to answer for its betrayal…” he murmured to himself.

He launched his horse into a gallop toward the military barracks located on the outskirts of the domain.

Upon arriving on site, he saw that the agitation was at its peak. Numerous soldiers of the Sword Clan, belonging mainly to the House of Spring, had already gathered. Kristian stopped his horse in the center.

“Listen to me! It is the heir of the Sword Clan speaking to you! Prepare yourselves, we leave immediately for the territory of the Magic Clan.”

His voice, amplified by his Third Sense Chi, resonated with power.

Quickly, more than five hundred elite men aligned. It was a considerable force, the maximum Kristian could mobilize using his authority as heir without seeking the formal approval of the Patriarch. The soldiers observed their young master, noting that he no longer wore his usual expression of benevolence.

Kristian spoke again, his gaze sweeping each row with an intensity that commanded respect.

“The head of the elemental house of fire has been assassinated! Furthermore, the house of wind has openly allied with the Spear Clan to pressure our long-standing ally, Lord Drigan! In the Catacombs, Kellen Strain dared to lay hands on our people and grievously wounded Katelyn Ravenna! According to the clan’s charters, with what will they pay this vendetta!?”

“WITH THEIR BLOOD!” shouted the first rank.

“WITH THEIR BLOOD!” answered the entire troop, striking the ground with their swords.

“WITH THEIR BLOOD!”

The soldiers were galvanized. Kristian drew his right sword and pointed it north.

“Good… We have a subjugation to carry out.”

That day the perfect genius of the Sword Clan died and made way for the White Horseman of Hundun…