A Dance Of Crowns & Thrones | Book I

Chapter 178 | Sounds Of War

Deshelled and weakened, Eko was forcefully brought to the moon by Cid, his grip tight around the back of her neck as he marched her forward. Teshia trailed behind, Isis watching her as her heels clicked against the barren wasteland as she cackled with sinister glee. Both husband and wife were consumed by anticipation for what lay ahead.

Blonde locks tumbled into Eko's face as she gazed upon the darkness enveloping her former home. Even as the sun threatened to rise, the icy chill of this desolate world persisted, intensified by the presence of her enemies' stronghold looming before her.

Just an hour ago, she had been wrapped in her husband's arms, lost in the height of passion and with a future brimming with promise. Now, that world seemed to crumble away, leaving her feeling utterly defeated.

Here Eko stood, forcibly returned to the place where it all began, where her enemies, judging by the appearance of the monsters that leered at her, had been lurking in hiding.

Among the shattered remains of the palace, the monsters emerged, a haunting presence bearing witness to the unfolding scene. Though she tried to hold her head high, the Sorcerer's grip tightened, urging her onward. Guided through the ruins, they arrived at the courtyard, now a mere field of rubble and dust.

Both girls watched with dread as the battered bodies of the surviving Mages and Elders knelt before their captors, their expressions a mixture of terror and despair. Despite their bound and gagged state, their eyes pleaded for mercy, their muffled cries unable to convey the extent of their fear.

A gasp of delight from the Sorceress drew both girls' attention to the open space ahead. There, standing tall and imposing, was the beast itself. Its demonic visage was marked by a jagged scar running down its left eye, and its piercing yellow eyes seemed to bore into their very souls.

Teshia's advance was halted by Isis, while Cid pressed on, eager to meet their master. Eko attempted to resist, but Cid's forceful push left her no choice but to continue forward. With a rising sense of dread, she found herself forced to her knees before the beast, its presence casting a shadow of fear over them all.

Her neck firmly gripped, she was held in place, unable to move as she locked eyes with the creature that leered at her with sadistic delight. Its black-scaled face twisted into a malevolent smile, revealing sharp, pointed teeth.

"Shall we finally begin, your highness?" the beast's warm laughter filled the air, its tone dripping with malice.

For the beast, it all came rushing back—the events that led them to this pivotal moment, the divergent paths of the other timeline. Now, standing on the brink of war once more, they were tantalizingly close to the crystal. Yet, just as quickly as it had come within their grasp before, it slipped through their fingers.

But not this time. The beast was determined to ensure that history would not repeat itself.

---- Flashback ----

In front of him, the barrier rose, emitting a pulsating holy light that compelled his black irises to widen as he gazed up at the sky. The crystal's intense hum resonated deeply within him, its presence overwhelming his senses.

With a ripple of magic, the barrier dissipated, and the crystal vanished from sight. Beside him stood the woman that stood with him all these years in search of the crystal with. Her complexion drained of color. "Emmaine has gone after the crystal."

The beast observed as she gracefully wove her hand, her powers extending around the armies in the timeline they found themselves in. With a swift motion, she transported them from that known world to one where the crystal lay.