Chapter 352: _No One Leaves The Palace

Elian’s POV

*****

They rushed out of the control room the second they got the news.

The palace—under attack?

Elian’s mind swirled with a plethora of possibilities. Whoever it was couldn’t have breached the gates. They were heavily guarded and only an idiot would charge in through them.

Unless, of course… they had enough power to challenge an Empire’s capital city.

‘Amara?’ he refused to believe the thought as he and Lucian turned a corner in the hallway.

Lucian was still on his communication bracelet. “Give me details. Who are the attackers? Have they reached the palace or—”

A muffled explosion cut him short.

Dust fell from the ceilings above while the crystal lights lining the walls flickered. Lucian paused by just a step as he and Elian shared a glance.

“We’re not sure how they got in yet, your majesty.” The soldier’s hologram buzzed with static for a beat. “I got some reports saying they saw portals opening.”

“Witches.” Elian’s forehead creased.

“They must be after something,” Lucian didn’t waste a moment. “Get every available guard and soldier to flood the hallways. Keep the strongest stationed at the palace’s most important sections.”

Elian reached for his ruby necklace just then.

Like before it was dead silent when he called out to Kyren.

Originally Lucian had mentioned that he was probably occupied. Now it was clear as day there was something wrong. And he feared it might be linked to what was happening here.

“Elian,” Lucian grabbed his hand just then. “Can you teleport us to Aurora and the others?”

Elian nodded, his eyes already glowing with bright violet light.

The world warped.

Then they were standing in front of the door they left Aurora and Elowen at. The princess burst out of the room at that same moment, confusion wrinkling her face.

“What’s going on?” She questioned, gaze flitting between Elian and her brother. “First the power went out. Then I felt this weird energy burst and now—”

“We’ve got good news and bad news.” Lucian pulled her away from the door, opening it further to let their mother scurry out. “Good news is, our plan worked. Elian managed to split the wards and destroy them.”

Shock and relief flashed past Aurora’s eyes. “Really? That’s—”

“The bad news is, we’re under attack now and can’t waste another second.” He swerved his head to his mother. “Where are Sylas and Seraphyne?”

“Gods,” Elowen’s face drained of colour. “He’s in his room.”

“Seraphyne is at mine,” Aurora added. “At least, when I checked last anyway. Shit, we’ve got to find them.”

“Our attackers seem to be witches,” Elian warned. “Probably Dark Hand affiliated too. Whatever we’re doing next we have to be careful.”

“We’ve dealt with our fair share of Dark Hand people,” Aurora gave him a quiet nod. “We’ve got this. But what about you two?”

“I have this strange feeling,” Lucian looked ahead. A few palace guards in the hallway had drawn out their weapons in preparation. “They might be searching for something. And my bet so far is the sacred water.”

“Go.” Elowen patted him on his face. “Amara won’t win. Not today.”

“Not ever,” Elian added, grabbing Lucian’s hand again. “If anyone’s facing any trouble use your communication devices.”

“Right.”

“Be careful, my boys!”

Elian barely had the chance to acknowledge the Dowager Luna Queen’s endearment. They disappeared, arriving at the private Ascension platform leading to the underground sections.

[Well, this doesn’t look so private anymore…]

Ahead of them, just a few feet away from the Ascension platform doors were people donned in black cloaks. Five of them. They swivelled their heads around.

Elian’s fingers sparked with magic.

“You fucking rats.” Lucian already reacted, firing a beam of silver energy at them.

The energy beam burned the air in its path, lighting up the hallway like a second moon. But the witches were quick, parrying it with a combined force bubble.

[They’re all Mythic core witches, each close to breaking through to the Celestial core.]

Great.

One level ahead of him.

Lucian was far from finished.

He shot another fist forward, sending a bigger, more powerful blast. They only created a larger force bubble—then one of them appeared right in front of them.

“Shit.” Elian’s eyes bulged as he conjured an energy sword.

He blocked a dagger aimed for his eyes, inching back a couple steps. The witch disappeared again, this time sticking to a wall to his right.

“You can only escape destiny for so long, moon blessed.” An unnatural grating sound broke past the witch’s lips alongside their words.

“Fuck your destiny.” Elian clenched his fist.

Jagged rock spikes sprouted out of the wall. The witch jumped, lunging right at him again.

Lucian grabbed Elian’s shoulder, pulling him back. Before he could send a slash at the witch with his claws, they disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Both men snapped their necks to the Ascension platform doors.

[I’ve run a scan and I think I understand how they were able to get in.]

[The wards. Garrick must’ve found a way to use them as access points. For a teleportation spell—right before you destroyed them at least.]

‘Wait, so does that mean Garrick is here?’ Unease crawled down Elian’s spine merely thinking about it.

“Give up while I’m still holding back,” As Lucian let that out his body pulsed with the might of a Celestial sovereign.

The witches stiffened, shifting backwards like they were about to escape.

“Hmph. I knew going through the baptism would magnify your already bloated arrogance.”

Elian’s heart skipped a beat.

That voice.

They both turned.

And right there, standing behind the cloaked witches all this time was none other than a familiar brown-haired and golden-eyed bastard.

He was donned in a full-body black suit of armour, brandishing a glistening black sword in one hand. A cold smirk stretched his lips as his gaze locked on Elian.

[Ah, shit. Looks like you jinxed things, fruitcake.]

Yep.

You guessed right.

Garrick Ironclaw, still shamelessly wearing the skin of Axel Thorne.

He tilted his head leisurely. “It’s been so long,” he murmured. “Me and the two of you. In the same room. Brings back memories, right?”

“The only thing it brings,” Lucian stood in front of Elian, “is the desire to feed you your tongue before ripping out your heart.”

“Oh, Lucian. That was a bit too gory.”

“Believe me when I say I could and would do more. I knew your disgusting hands were involved with this somehow.”

“Poetic, isn’t it?” Garrick chuckled. “Despite your dear mate’s best effort to sever his connection with me, I still found a way to reach him.”

Rage bubbled in Lucian’s chest so much that Elian felt it as his own. He gave the Alpha King a side eye, linking with his mind telepathically.

‘He feels different, Lucian.’

‘I mean, obviously.’

‘You don’t get it. There’s something different about his aura. He doesn’t feel like a werewolf anymore. Not entirely.’

Lucian’s eyes narrowed. ‘… No matter how different he is, I’ll make sure he doesn’t leave this palace alive. He wanted to come back so much. Then he better be ready to never leave.’

Without another word, Lucian twisted his wrists.

Two twin silver plasma blades appeared in both hands.

Before Lucian could move, Garrick raised his free hand.

At first nothing happened.

Then the ground trembled.

Shadows spread across the walls like ink. They took the form of tall humanoid figures. Slowly—creepily slow—they peeled out of the walls.

Elian’s throat constricted as the shadows straightened, staring down at them with small red eyes.

“Umbra beasts?” Elian was utterly confused.

“Far more evolved than any Umbra beast you’ve faced before now.” Garrick’s eyes darkened. “Just to even things perfectly.”

Lucian no longer waited.

He spread out his arms and darted forward.

The Alpha King blurred through the hallway with enough speed to leave silver streaks in his wake.

One of the shadow creatures raised an arm. Lucian’s plasma blade sliced clean through the limb.

The severed arm hit the floor.

Then immediately dissolved into black smoke.

A second later another arm grew from the creature’s shoulder.

Exactly where the old one had been.

Lucian’s eyes widened as the shadow answered by driving a fist into his chest.

The impact sounded like a cannon blast.

Marble shattered beneath Lucian’s boots as he was hurled backwards several metres.

“Elian, stay back!” He barked.

The Alpha King’s aura erupted.

Silver energy flooded the corridor, forcing the witches nearest to Garrick to retreat.

Yet Garrick merely stepped forward casually like none of it concerned him.

His black sword scraped against the marble floor as he walked.

“I’ll admit,” he mused. “Watching you become a Celestial Sovereign was entertaining.”

His golden eyes gleamed.

“But after all that effort, all that worship and all that power…” a cruel smile stretched his lips. “You’re still disappointing.”

Lucian’s expression hardened. “Keep talking.”

“Oh, I intend to.” Garrick vanished.

The hallway exploded, black and silver colliding with enough force to crack every nearby wall.

Elian barely tracked the movement before Garrick’s sword slammed into Lucian’s crossed blades.

A shockwave burst outward, throwing the witches backwards.

The shadow creatures staggered.

Even Elian was forced to shield his face.

Silver lightning danced around Lucian’s body while black mist coiled around Garrick’s armour.

For several seconds neither of them moved.

Then Garrick smiled.

“You still haven’t figured it out, have you?” He tilted his head. “I’m not the one trapped in this palace with you.”

His grin widened.

“You’re trapped in here with me.”