With a sharp breath, Duke Norish finally spoke "I… I cannot let the Norish family fall into the hands of another. I cannot sacrifice everything we have worked for all these years. Marcus…"
His eyes softened, filled with regret, but his voice hardened. "I am sorry, but I have no choice. The family comes first."
Marcus's face fell as if the ground had been ripped from beneath him. His father's words cut through him like a dagger.
"No, Father… please!" he begged, but his voice cracked in desperation, knowing the weight of his father's decision.
The Duke with his heavy heart, closed his eyes unable to look at his son any longer. The decision had been made, and there was no going back.
"You must face the consequences of your actions," he whispered, barely audible.
Julian's laughter echoed through the air, cold and mocking, as he turned toward the Duke of Norish.
"Wise choice, Duke of Norish," he said, his voice laced with amusement.
There was no hint of mercy in his tone, only the chilling satisfaction of someone who had already decided their fate.
Before anyone could react, Julian manifested the Cosmic Spear of Death in his hands. He barely gave the Duke or anyone else a chance to comprehend his actions. Without a moment's hesitation, Julian launched it at Marcus.
The spear shot forward, faster than anyone present could follow. In an instant, it pierced the air, cutting through the tension. The very atmosphere trembled at the sheer force of its speed.
Marcus's eyes widened, frozen in shock and fear. His mouth opened, but no words escaped, only a breathless gasp. His body went rigid, and time seemed to stretch as he watched the spear draw closer.
Then, with an effortless motion, the spear cleaved through Marcus's neck, severing his head from his body in one clean stroke. The head rolled, still wide-eyed in terror, and the body collapsed on the ground. Blood spilled onto the ground as it painted the earth red.
The onlookers stood in stunned silence. The scene was too brutal to fully comprehend.
The Duke of Norish who was on his knees, looked on with a broken heart. His son, his flesh and blood, had been destroyed before his very eyes, and all because of a choice he had made to protect his family's legacy.
Julian's gaze lingered on Marcus's fallen form, his expression unreadable. The scene was a reminder of what power, when wielded mercilessly, could do.
The sight of Marcus's decapitation left the Dukes and the King frozen in place, their faces pale with shock and disbelief. A chill ran down their spines. The sheer ruthlessness of Julian's actions had taken them all by surprise, leaving them speechless.
None of them could deny it—Julian was no longer the charming, playful young man they once knew. He was a force to be reckoned with, someone who wielded his power without hesitation or mercy.
Alden stood frozen, his eyes wide as he watched the decapitation unfold before him. The sight of his son's brutal execution struck him like a thunderbolt and his mind struggled to process what had just happened.
His body tensed as he turned to Julian, his voice barely above a whisper. "What have you done, Julian?"
For a moment, Alden saw nothing of the son he had raised. Instead, he saw the ruthless heir of the Easvil family, someone who would do anything to secure his position and power.
Alden's chest tightened. A father's instinct screamed for him to act, to protect his son from his own dark path, but he knew it was too late. The decision had been made. There was no turning back from this. Julian had crossed a line, and so had he, by standing by and allowing it to unfold.
The Easvil family had changed, and in that change, his son had become something beyond his control. Something that even the Dukes and the King were beginning to fear.
Duke Norish's hands tightened into fists, his knuckles white with suppressed fury, but he held himself back.
Julian's laugh echoed through the air. "Careful, Duke," he sneered "Revenge only leads to ruin. Don't let your family fall as your son did."
The Duke's jaw clenched, but he knew Julian's words were true. His family's future now rested on restraint, not retaliation.
Julian then watched the spectacle for some moment before leaving. He made his way back to the castle, each step heavy with exhaustion as the adrenaline faded. Upon reaching his room, he shut the door and let out a long sigh, sinking into the nearest chair.
"That was... tiring," he muttered to himself, a trace of tension still lingering in his voice. "I nearly died."
The weight of the encounter settled over him, and for a moment he closed his eyes feeling the pain from balancing so many powers at once.
*****
A few days later, the city had returned to how it was, with the events involving Marcus and Duke Norish carefully concealed from public knowledge.
The army were reassured by the restored peace and prepared for a complete retreat from Azazel.
Alden, Julian also made their way back to the Easvil family estate, the weight of recent events lingering between them yet unspoken.
Their journey back was filled by an unusual silence, with no exchange between father and son. Alden was absorbed in contemplation, processing the drastic changes he had witnessed in Julian; the power, the ruthlessness, and the command over energies beyond his understanding.
Meanwhile, Julian was inwardly focused, concentrating on balancing the three potent energies coursing within him. Each absorbed in their own thoughts, they rode in silence.
As they entered the Easvil Duchy, cheers erupted from the gathered citizens. They all celebrated the army's triumphant return.
In front of the castle, Easvil family awaited; Gregoria and Augustus stood with pride and dignity, Regina's smile radiated warmth, and Eleanor watched with keen eyes.
Beside them, Eva stood with her husband and young daughter, each looking eagerly toward Julian and Alden.
The sight of his family brought Julian a mixture of relief and anticipation, knowing this homecoming marked a new chapter and new challenges that awaited him in The Easvil Estate.