Thunder rumbled in the clouds. The air was thick with tension—Axel could almost smell the carnage about to unfold.
?
?He turned just in time to see a shard of ice flying toward his face. It grazed his cheek, leaving a thin trail of blood. With a low growl, he lunged at the king.
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?Sheets of ice rose in defense, but Axel’s fists tore through them like cheap glass, shattering them on impact. He ignored the sting in his wrists, hardening his skin as he bounded forward, tearing through another barrage of frozen barriers.
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?Mitsuki danced across the rooftop, dodging flames, rocks, thorns, and blades of air like it was a game. Her laughter was bright and sharp, a jarring contrast to the chaos unfolding below.
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?The ground shook as a blazing figure crashed down in the center of the hall like a meteor. Knox stood tall, mask on, sleeves rolled, skin glowing orange-hot. For a moment, there was silence—shock at the sight of fire incarnate. Then came the screams. Any guard within fifteen feet erupted into flames, burning to ash from his mere presence. Their pitiful flames were nothing compared to him.
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?Axel allowed himself a fleeting moment to admire the carnage before focusing back on the king, who was desperately raising more walls of ice. Axel’s lip curled into a snarl.
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?"Stop hiding behind those walls. Be a man. Face me."
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?His bloody fists shattered barrier after barrier.
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?"You think you've won, boy?" the king’s cold voice echoed from behind the ice. Another volley of shards shot forward. Axel barely hardened the skin of his neck in time to avoid being beheaded.
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?"We let your pathetic little kingdom fester too long. You harbor filth—enemies of God."
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?Axel’s jaw tightened. He leapt forward, dodging a barrage of needle-like daggers.
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?"Big talk for a dying old man. Your army’s crumbling around you. Starting a war in enemy territory was foolish."
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?"And yet we were winning—until your little friends arrived," the king hissed. "By the time you reach me, my reinforcements will have breached your walls."
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?"That’s where you're wrong. You think numbers mean victory? You brought the Blessed—but we brought monsters."
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?The king suddenly lunged, a shard of ice aimed at Axel’s chest. Wrong move.
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?Axel’s skin hardened. His hand shot up, gripping the king’s throat. The king’s eyes widened as he pushed the shard deeper—until it shattered harmlessly.
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?"Bad idea, old man."
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?Before the king could summon another weapon, Axel’s fist rammed into his stomach, launching him across the room. He slammed into a wall, the wind knocked out of him.
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?"You pathetic child—"
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?Wham! A kick to the gut made blood spurt from his mouth.
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?He raised a trembling hand, trying to summon an ice storm—but Axel grabbed the arm and tore it clean from his shoulder.
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?A scream ripped through the hall. The king’s crown fell to the floor, his eyes wide with disbelief.
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?"What... what kind of manipulation is this?!"
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?Axel crouched before him, voice low. "A special kind. I’d tell you, but... does it really matter anymore? You're dying."
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?He slammed his fists into the king’s chest. Bones cracked. The king’s breath hitched, shallow and frantic.
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?"W-We offered you peace... and you spat in our faces. Filthy traitor... Just like those worthless unblessed heathens you protect... they were born to serve us! We offered peace...and you killed him...you killed my son"
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?Axel’s gaze turned to steel. "Your son got what he deserved."
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?He lifted the king into a seated position. Slowly, deliberately, his hands closed around the old man’s throat.
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?"And so will you. So will anyone who threatens my people. My kingdom."
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?The king's eyes bulged. Axel’s grip tightened—
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?Crack.
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?The sound echoed like a whip through the hall. The king went limp.
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?Axel stared at the corpse, expression blank.
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?He didn’t see her. But behind him, the queen had risen. Electricity crackled between her fingers. She aimed a surge of energy straight at the back of his head—
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?BAM!
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?Axel jolted, whipping around. Aki stood between them, sword drawn, smoke curling from the dark blade. His expression was calm. Unbothered.
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?"I’ve got it from here. Go see a healer. You’re hurt."
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?"But—"
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?"Look around, Axel. We’re nearly done here. You had your moment. Let the rest of us take the glory."
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?Axel turned, eyes scanning the battlefield. Mitsuki and Knox were tearing through the last of the enemy—ice and fire weaving a beautiful destruction. He nodded and forced himself to his feet, every muscle screaming in protest, and limped toward the infirmary.
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?Aki’s cold eyes met the queen’s hard stare.
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?"Hmm," she said, almost amused. "It’d be a shame to ruin such a handsome face."
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?"Too bad. That won’t be happening."
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?His voice was like steel.
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?And without another word, Aki lunged. His blade crackled with electricity as he brought it down upon the queen.
?
?*******************************
?
?Axel limped through the bloodstained halls, his body aching, his mind reeling. The infirmary—once an auditorium—was now overflowing, packed with rows of wounded bodies and desperate cries. Healers in green rushed frantically, their hands glowing with weak spells, doing what they could but clearly overwhelmed. Men, women, children... the groans, the weeping, the begging—it filled the air like smoke after a blaze.
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?Everywhere he looked: missing limbs, charred skin, eyes pleading for mercy or death. And he felt it in his bones—failure. This was his fault. He’d failed his people. But at least... at least Lily was safe. Maybe that was enough. Maybe she'd be better off without him anyway.
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?"Please... please help me..."
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?A bloodied hand clutched the hem of his shirt.
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?Axel looked down to find a young man—barely in his twenties, one eye missing, his face half-burned. His lone remaining arm trembled as it held Axel's tunic. The ruined crest on his uniform marked him as one of the royal guards.
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?Valedor’s king’s guard.
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?His father’s.
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?“I… they’ll be here soon,” Axel muttered, glancing toward the frantic healers, trying to keep his voice steady. But the guard shook his head, breathing in short, ragged gasps.
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?“N-no... kill me... please... just end it.”
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?Axel froze.
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?“No... you’ll be fine. You’ll make it.”
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?“I don’t want to,” the man whispered, clutching a locket around his neck. He held it out. Inside was a faded picture of a young woman holding a child. His one good eye filled with tears as blood streamed down his face. “They’re gone... they’re dead... I-I couldn’t save them.”
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?The image hit Axel like a punch to the gut. His breath caught in his throat.
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?“I saw them burn... I was too slow... I couldn’t do anything. I-I’d end it myself, but... my hand...” He choked back a sob. “Please... please...”
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
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?Axel reached out. His fingers hovered over the man’s throat. He understood. Gods, he understood that pain—of losing everything, of having nothing left. He’d felt it the moment he asked Knox to marry Lily. He still felt it.
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?But something made him pause.
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?"I’ll do it," he said, voice low and steady. "But on one condition."
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?The man blinked up at him.
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?“Tell me where my father went. And how many guards are with him.”
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?A flash of surprise crossed the man’s face. But after a moment, he gave a weak nod.
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?“I... I don’t know for sure. But I heard... I heard he was heading to the dungeons... right wing. Five guards. Grade-one fire manipulators. And... and his wife.”
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?Axel gave a quiet nod.
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?“Thank you.”
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?With one swift motion, he snapped the man’s neck. Gently, he closed his eyelids and laid him back down, then stood, pain screaming in every nerve.
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?But his path was clear now.
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?As long as the king lived, Lily would never be free. She’d never think for herself. Never be more than a puppet.
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?He limped toward the door, jaw tight, heart burning.
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?It was time to end this.
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?Time to give Lily the life she deserved.
?
? *******************************
?Micheal pushed through the winding maze of halls, Jasmine’s fingers laced tightly with his. The sounds of battle roared behind them, faint but brutal, like a dying heartbeat echoing through stone. They had to get out before the fighting reached further in.
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?"Do you even know where you're going?" Jasmine asked, breathless, barely keeping pace with him.
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?"I... I think so. There was a map somewhere," he replied, legs burning as he forced them to keep moving.
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?"Great," she muttered. "If I die because you read a map wrong, I'm haunting your ass."
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?"Don’t worry—you won’t have to," Micheal said, spotting a pair of towering doors ahead. He pushed them open with effort, grinning as sunlight spilled in.
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?Jasmine gave him a skeptical look, raising an eyebrow at his smug expression. "Don't get cocky now. I did save your ass back there."
?
?"And Aki saved yours."
?
?"Big deal. At least I wasn’t the one crying like a baby."
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?"Yeah? At least I wasn’t the one clinging to me all teary-eyed when we were about to get roasted."
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?Jasmine’s face flushed. She smacked his arm lightly. "Shut up! I—I wasn’t crying."
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?The red tint on her cheeks said otherwise.
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?A comfortable silence settled between them as they slowed to a jog, finally breaking away from the chaos. Behind them, the kingdom smoldered, smoke rising like dark fingers into the sky.
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?Once they were far enough from danger, Jasmine turned to him.
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?"Alright. I’ll be fine from here. You can go back."
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?Micheal blinked. "Wait—what?"
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?"You heard me. Go back. You’re not seriously planning to run from the fight, are you? Is this what I trained you for?"
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?"But Aki—"
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?"I’ll be fine. It’s literally a fifteen-minute walk. The fighting’s in the castle, not out here."
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?"But what if—"
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?"If you’re scared, just say it."
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?That hit him. He folded his arms. "I’m not scared. Aki told me to drop you off safely."
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?"And you did. So go."
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?"Jasmine—"
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?"Go." Her voice dropped, her eyes narrowing. "Or I’ll tell Aki about the time you hit me."
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?His eyes went wide. "You wouldn’t! That was an accident—we were training!"
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?She smirked, victorious. "You think Aki’ll believe that?"
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?When he didn’t respond, she chuckled and turned, sauntering away. “I’ll be waiting~”
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?Micheal just stood there, stunned. Then his lips twisted into a small smile.
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?"Well played, Jas..."
?
?
? ***************************
?
?Angelica stood silently behind the castle walls, the sounds of battle raging in the distance like a distant storm. She leaned back, eyes half-lidded, a small pang of satisfaction curling her lips.
?
?She’d done this.
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?Played her cards with precision. Waited. Tugged at the right threads until it all unraveled. A beautiful collapse, orchestrated to perfection—for one purpose: destabilize Valedor. Destroy Axel. She could never beat the prince in a direct fight, but emotionally? Mentally? She could grind him into dust.
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?Nothing would stand in the way of her perfect world.
?
?A barrier flickered faintly nearby—her early warning system. If Micheal came close, she’d know. For now, the sky was quiet, and for the first time in days, she allowed herself a breath. A rare moment of peace. Of reflection.
?
?Would Micheal be happy to see her? Would he figure it out? The threads she’d pulled, the chaos she’d unleashed?
?
?No.
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?He couldn’t know. He couldn’t hate her. Not now. Not after everything. She had to protect him. Protect Lily. Eliminate anyone who got in the way.
?
?"I'm doing this for you," she whispered into the sky, her voice barely audible.
?
?And for a moment… she wasn’t here.
?
?She was back on that old bench, sipping her first coffee with Micheal and Lily. Back when things had been simple. Back when her scars—both physical and emotional—were still raw from the labs in the south. When her mother had given her up without hesitation.
?
?She remembered watching Micheal and Lily talk, their conversation flowing easily. She’d felt like an outsider. Until Lily turned to her with that warm, disarming smile.
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?"Your drink’s gonna get cold. It’s best when warm."
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?Angelica had barely responded. Just a sip. A small one. But in that moment, something shifted. Just a little. They’d been children then. Innocent. And that moment—simple and fleeting—had meant everything.
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?A tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away, voice trembling.
?
?"I’m doing all of this for you. For you two..."
?
?Another memory surfaced—her first meeting with Micheal.
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?She’d woken up in an abandoned shed. Cold. Scared. Alone. A dog had been licking her palm, and a green-eyed boy knelt beside her, smiling as though she wasn’t broken.
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?"Hey... I’m Mike! What’s your name? That’s Amy!" he’d said, pointing at the dog.
?
?The dog had a name. Angelica didn’t. Not until years later.
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?She hadn’t spoken a word for days, but Micheal never gave up on her. He included her, tagged her along in everything. And when disaster struck him, she was the one he’d run to. The one he’d cried with.
?
?Then came Lily.
?
?And somehow, for the first time in her life, Angelica had something like a family.
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?She would do anything to protect that.
?
?A sudden jolt in her blood made her breath catch. She stiffened. Her eyes snapped open.
?
?He’s close.
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?She wiped her face quickly, forcing herself to be composed. The moment she stepped out, Micheal’s emerald eyes met hers.
?
?Her breath hitched.
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?God… he’d grown.
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