"Ahh, there you two are, I was worried sick not being able to contact you. Thank you for keeping an eye on them, Grandpa. I owe you."
"Anything for my sweetpea."
Amber arrived with a wide grin on her face. She walked with pride and confidence as she approached her two older siblings. Her forces surrounded the entire destroyed estate, leaving them no chance of escape.
"So, how does it feel to lose?" She asked
They didn’t answer, just sat there in fear and shock.
"Well, I expected this. Ruby, your family is completely ruined, gone, dead, and you, Lapis, my people are currently raiding your home as we speak, killing all of your blood relatives, on your mother’s side at least. What do you two have to say to that?"
Amber scoffed. "Pathetic. You two talked so big, and now look at you, not even answering basic questions. Fucking disgusting. You’re worse than Crystal. At least that bitch knew how to express herself, sometimes."
"You fucking bitch! Don’t you dare compare me to that illegitimate whore!"
"Aww, big brother, you’re gonna make me cry."
Everyone turned, recognizing that voice and saw Crystal descending from the sky alongside Zion, Lidia, Zaleena, Raven, Ignis, and thousands of other masked individuals.
"Hello, everyone. Nice to see you all are doing well." Zion fake bowed.
Zion rolled his eyes. "Yes, me. I’m really getting sick of people saying that."
"What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t going to intervene." Amber could tell something was off. The number of people Zion brought, as well as her sister, who was there with him. Something was fishy.
"Well, I lied. You see, I support Crystal in her rise to the throne, so you have one last battle to fight."
Amber shook her head, laughing as Zion revealed his true intentions. "Fool. Crystal signed a contract, a magically binding contract. She can’t aspire for the throne no matter what."
"True, very true. But, do you know of the term, ’Loophole’?" Zion asked
No one answered, only furrowing their brows as they waited for him to continue.
"You see, while she can’t actively fight for the throne, she can still claim it. If her siblings are dead, that is."
Their eyes all widened with shock at this revolution, but Amber called his bluff. "I don’t buy it. You wouldn’t do something like that."
"Bitch I killed your father in front of the most important people in this kingdom, there’s nothing I wont do if I want to do it."
"Prove it!" Sweat poured down her face, and her throat was dry. Zion was the last person she wanted as an enemy.
"Really? You know what, fine. Bring him in."
One of Zion’s men dropped a beaten, half-dead Beryl onto the ground, wheezing in pain.
"See this guy? Your idiot brother?" Zion stomped on his head, completely crushing it under his boot.
"Dead. If you still don’t believe me, then here." He pointed a finger at Lapis’s head and blew his brains out, killing him instantly.
"Kid, you got a lot of nerve showing up here and-"
"Shut the fuck up old man. You’re gonna die today as well, alongside your entire family. So just shut the fuck up and wait until I’m finished speaking."
Yole looked at Zion as if he had cursed a god. There was no way he talked to him like that, and thought he could get away with it.
Yole gripped his spear so tightly that his palms turned white, and when he swung his weapon, it bounced off an invisible force and staggered him back.
"Did you just try to kill me?" Zion looked at Lidia for confirmation
"He definitely tried to kill you."
Zion looked at Yole. "You motherfucker!"
’What the hell was that? He parried my attack? Me? A transcendent on the verge of becoming a Mystic being? No, it was divine power. He’s an apostle, so he’s protected by a god. Yes, that’s it. There’s no way he could block my attack.’ Is what Yole concluded in his head.
"Duke Yole Slyff, while I respect you as a carrier, I cannot allow what you did to my son to pass without any consequences."
Yole turned to the woman who spoke these words. "Zaleena, my dear, you were always my best student back when I taught at the academy. I’m sure I told you to know when to pick your battles."
She chuckled. "Sir, the moment my son was born, that advice was thrown out the window. He’s changed my life more times than I can count, and I’ve gained more knowledge and power that far surpasses what you could ever teach me."
"It’s a shame. I truly wanted to teach you how to achieve the power of a Mystic Being." Yole stopped holding back his power, unleashing everything he had.
The power, the pressure, the intensity, and the bloodlust, it was insane. His power didn’t even feel like it came from a human. It was as if everyone was standing in front of a Dragon.
But that intense power did nothing against Zaleena, or even Zion.
"Sir, like I said before, my son really opened my eyes to things I wouldn’t have even dreamed of doing or understanding. I don’t need to learn how to become a Mystic Being," She unleashed all her power, dwarfing Yole’s own and causing space to bend around her.
The ground cracked, the wind went wild, people fainted, some even died, and her power could be felt from miles away.
Yole stiffened, his eyes not missing a single beat of her power. He didn’t understand how she did it, how she became so strong. Was it truly her son? He didn’t know. But he could feel the power she gave off, and he was scared.
Throughout his life, Yole faced hardship, trials, and tribulations. He worked hard and made sure to always surpass his limits.
After reaching the transcendent stage, there were few beings who could pose a threat to him. Even a stronger member of the dragon race would be needed to stop him. He was the ultimate human.
But now, today, as he felt the presence of his former student, he truly understood what the word fear meant.
’Ahh, my granddaughter, I’m sorry I won’t be able to help you achieve your dream.’
With a single swipe of her hand, Zaleena completely atomized Yole, leaving nothing but a massive Y-shaped split in the land as her immense power tore through the ground.