The Emperor's Concubine

Chapter Forty-Nine

(Trigger warning: Read at your own discretion.)
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Luna sobs as she hugs Emperor Cabel's lifeless body.
She holds his shirt tightly, the memories of her parents coming to mind. Her fear, frustrations, and trauma replay in her head as she sobs.
Suddenly, her cries silence down.
A bright memory appears in her mind of Emperor Cabel. His kindness, the awkward encounters, and the warmth care he gave her.
She sits up holding Emperor Cabel in her arms, listening to the cruel silence. She takes broken breaths, feeling her pain and frustration grow intensely.
Her heart aches as she looks out to see the sun slightly rise, tinting the sky with a beautiful orange of the morning.

"How cruel..." Luna whispers.
Her breaths quicken as she looks down at Emperor Cabel in her lap. Her heart in disarray as tears drip down her face.
Her trembling hand picks up a shard of glass beside her, pressing it against her wrist. She stares at her wrist, her body and mind numbed, haunted by the silence.
"You who gave your life for me... I'll do the same for you, if this means we can find happiness in our next lives."
The shard digs into her wrist, puncturing her skin as it draws blood. She winces, pressing the shard deeper into her wrist.

"I'd die again for you if it means I can protect your smile."
Emperor Cabel's voice replays in her mind.
She looks down at her wrist, dripping blood. Emperor Cabel's lifeless body in her lap.
"I-I can't end my life when you risked yours to save mine... I-I can't live because the pain is unbearable without you... I-I didn't even have a chance to love you or to have more memories with you... We couldn't have that, and yet you're taken from me this soon... I-It's not fair... You left without even giving me a chance to protect you the same..." Luna sobs, dropping the shard as she holds Emperor Cabel's body close to hers.
"It's not fair!" She screams, sobbing into his chest.
Suddenly, a light radiates off of her, filling the room with a warm golden light. The light is accompanied with a strong wind, blowing away shards of glass and dust.
Luna takes a deep breath. Her pain instantly gone, all her cuts and bruises disappeared without leaving even a scar.
She gasps for air, feeling a pressure release from her. She looks down at Emperor Cabel. His clothes soaked in blood, with his eyes still closed.

"W-What happened?" She whispers.

"Ack!"
Luna turns to see Micheal sit up on the floor, coughing up blood.
He gasps, turning to Luna. He looks down at his hand, shocked by the blood.
Once black, now crimson red.
The blood drips down his fingers onto the floor.
"You bitch! You did this to me!" Micheal stands, running across the throne room to her.
He picks up a sword, aiming it at Luna.
She shuts her eyes tightly, holding Emperor Cabel close to her.

Shwing

Luna opens her eyes.
Micheal stands, stabbed through his shoulder by a spike sticking out from Emperor Cabel's shadow.
Luna looks down to see the colour return in his face. His body emitting a bright red aura.
Emperor Cabel's eyes slowly open, his pupils dilating to focus on Luna. His eyes gently look back at her.
"C-Cabel?" She whimpers.
Tears begin to drip down her cheeks again as he cups her cheek gently. The warmth of his hand radiating on her skin.
"You... Your eyes are beautiful..." Emperor Cabel smiles softly, gazing back into her eyes.
Her eyes glow a bright vibrant gold tone as she looks back at him.
She hugs him tightly as he sits up.
"I thought you died!" Luna cries.
She pulls away, smacking his arm.
"How could you die for me! How could you leave me alone!"
"You'll have to forgive me, like I said... I'd gladly die again for you, if it meant protecting your smile." Emperor Cabel chuckles, pushing up onto one knee.
He lightly kisses Luna's forehead, gently wiping her tears away with his thumbs.
He stands, turning to Micheal.
The spike retracts, and Micheal begins swaying as he drips blood.
"W-What's happening?" Micheal looks down at his hands.
His dense crushing aura no longer around, his blood drips down his chest onto the floor.
"His aura..." Luna whispers. surprised.
"He's powerless." Emperor Cabel grins, approaching Micheal.
Micheal backs away as he grabs his wound, sweating from the pain.
"You... You wouldn't kill me. I'm weak now! It wouldn't be a fair fight!" Micheal quickly stumbles to back away, tripping on a step of the stage the thrones sit on.
He stares up at Emperor Cabel glaring down at him, walking slowly.
"What a coward. Where did all your bravado from earlier go?" Emperor Cabel languidly approaches him.
Micheal holds his wound, trying to find strength to run.
"I wanted to kill you when I first took over this castle. I wanted to kill you when you entered my palace, and I wanted to kill you when I saw what kind of state Luna's been in every single time because of you. I have no pity, certainly not towards those filled with hatred, and a level of disgust that they turn to borrow a demon's power." Emperor Cabel's hand glows, emitting a red fog as he summons his powers.
"N-No! I did what was right! You're filled with the powers of a demon too, don't act high and mighty!" Micheal shouts, filled with fear.
"Yes... We are similar in that way, both cruel demons. Unlike yourself, I still have my powers, while you have the ignorance to powerlessly sit before me, insulting me." Emperor Cabel glares down, flashing a cold smile.

Riddle, Cethin, and Xal instantly jump through the broken windows.
Cethin claws his fingers into Micheal's jaw from behind, holding a blade against his throat. Riddle holds a scythe in between Micheal's legs, stepping down on Micheal's ankle, crushing it. Xal helps Luna up, removing the cuffs around her wrists and neck.
Micheal screams in agony as his ankle is crushed more.
"Whoo boy, you annoying motherfucker. I've been dreaming about the day to repay you for my injuries." Cethin spits out cheerfully, pulling the blade closer to Micheal's throat as he slightly slices into his skin.
"Contain yourselves." Emperor Cabel steps forward, glaring down at Micheal, "Where's your younger sister?"
"Esmerelda? Ha! You'll never find her! You can torture me all you want, but you'll never know where she is!" Micheal shouts.
Emperor Cabel grins, coldly looking down at Micheal.
"What a fool. All I needed to know was if she's still alive. How could an imbecile like this, cause such a disturbance?" Emperor Cabel scoffs.
He turns to walk to Luna, covering her eyes and ears as he gently pulls her into his chest.
"Do it." Emperor Cabel's deep voice calls out, watching Cethin and Riddle.
"Celeste, you bitch! You'll get what you deserve! This isn't the last time-" Micheal shouts angered.
He's cut off as Cethin instantly twists his neck, causing a full paralysis of his body. He slices his throat; cleanly cutting his airway.
Riddle watches Micheal suffer, gasping as he attempts to breathe, unable to move as his body trembles.
Riddle counts for a few seconds and grins as he slices the scythe upwards, cutting Micheal's body in half.
"Can't hurt anyone if you're dead, idiot." Riddle rolls his eyes.
"Tad bit of an overkill?" Cethin looks down at Micheal's twitching dead body, and back up to Riddle.
Riddle stares at Micheal's body and nods slightly.
"Eh, it's too late now." Riddle spits on Micheal's mangled body, turning around.