The Palace War Room — Midnight Storm
The tension in the room was unbearable.
The Emperor stood near the fireplace, fists clenched, and his crown resting heavily on his brow. "I'm going," he said firmly. "They've taken my wife—my child—how can I sit here while—"
Alex raised a hand. His voice was calm… but something beneath it cracked like thunder.
"No."
The Emperor froze.
"You are the Emperor," Alex said. "You are the pillar holding this kingdom together. If you fall, the kingdom falls. That's exactly what they want."
The Emperor's breath caught. His grief threatened to break him… but Alex stepped closer, his own eyes rimmed red.
"Let me go. For Maria. For Her Majesty. I will bring them back. I swear it."
The room was silent for a beat.
Then the Emperor stepped back.
"Come home, Duke," he whispered. "Come back with them."
Alex bowed his head, but the fire in his eyes never dimmed.
In Chains — The Darkness Beneath
Maria stirred first.
Her body ached. Her wrists were bound. The scent of mold and damp earth filled her lungs. The walls were stone—no windows. A cell carved deep into the earth.
She turned her head.
The Empress lay unconscious beside her, her hand protectively cradling her still-growing stomach.
Maria's breath hitched. Panic clawed at her.
She reached the Empress and whispered, "Your Majesty—wake up… please…"
But there was no answer.
Then she heard the footsteps.
Boots. Slow. Deliberate.
A masked figure approached the bars and stopped.
"Welcome, Lady Maria," the voice slithered. "The North's precious rose… and the future of the empire…"
They leaned in. "You will soon learn what it feels like to lose everything."
On the Road — Elisha's Defiance
Elisha stormed through the courtyard, fully armed and cloaked.
"He thinks he's going alone? He should know better than to think I'd let him."
She was just about to mount her horse when a voice called, "Wait!"
It was Oliver.
"Where are you going?"
"To follow Alex."
"You're insane," he said. "And I'm coming with you."
Elisha glanced at him—sharp, proud—and nodded. "Good. Then try to keep up."
As they galloped out of the city, another figure leaned against a far pillar, having heard every word.
The moonlight caught a glint of silver on his collar.
He smiled faintly to himself and whispered:
"I suppose it's time I got involved, too."
He whistled once, and a white horse trotted to him from the shadows.
Raymond Von Calix mounted it without a word.
"Let's see what truth the darkness hides…"
Back in the palace, the Emperor stood alone on the balcony, staring at the stars.
Inside his fist, he clenched the edge of Maria's fallen shawl.
"Don't fail me, Alex," he whispered. "Bring them back… before it's too late."
Below him, the capital slept peacefully—unaware that somewhere far beyond the walls, their Queen and Duchess were shackled, surrounded by enemies…
…and the hourglass had just begun to run out.
The Designated Place — Eastern Forest
The moonlight filtered through the dense forest canopy, casting silver streaks over the earth. Alex rode silently, his eyes sharp, his body tense. He reached the place — a small clearing surrounded by thick trees. Waiting in the shadows were several masked figures, cloaked in black.
He dismounted without hesitation.
"I'm here," he said, his voice calm… deadly calm.
One of them stepped forward, tall and imposing. "Weapons."
Alex wordlessly removed his sword and the hidden blades tucked beneath his coat. The man checked him and nodded.
Without another word, they tied his hands and led him deeper into the forest, the sound of cracking twigs and rustling leaves their only witness.
Elisha and Oliver arrived at the forest's edge moments later. Alex's horse was still there, breathing heavily.
"There—hoof prints," Elisha said.
They followed the trail through the trees. The deeper they went, the darker it became. A castle soon emerged, nearly swallowed by vines and shadow. It looked abandoned… until they saw Alex, bound, entering the gates with masked men.
Elisha and Oliver crept to the door — but once inside, the castle was eerily quiet.
"This isn't right," Oliver whispered. "Where are they?"
Elisha narrowed her eyes. "From the outside, this castle looked huge. But in here, it feels… wrong. Too small."
Suddenly, they heard rustling behind them. Elisha whirled with her sword drawn.
It was Raymond — stuck in a hidden snare trap.
"What are you doing here?!" Elisha snapped, blade against his throat.
"I came to help," he said, holding up his hands. "I swear."
Oliver lowered her hand. "Your Highness… this is dangerous."
Raymond gave Elisha a concerned glance. "I couldn't sit back. Not after what I heard."
Elisha took a breath. "Fine. But if you're lying to me—I'll kill you myself."
Then Raymond stumbled against a statue.
It shifted.
A click echoed.
A hidden door opened beneath the staircase.
They descended the stone steps, every breath filled with damp, ancient air.
At the bottom was a chamber.
What they saw made Elisha freeze.
Alex knelt in the center of the room, hands tied, beaten and bloodied.
Maria and the Empress were caged opposite him, gagged and restrained.
Masked figures — at least thirty of them — circled like wolves.
Then a man entered. Cloaked. Regal.
He sat on a makeshift throne.
"Welcome, Alex," he said, voice laced with venom. "Been waiting a long time for this."
Alex looked up. "Who are you?"
The man removed his mask.
Elisha gasped. Her sword hand dropped. Her knees trembled.
"Uncle…?"
Alex's eyes widened in disbelief. "James Luxembourg?"
"Yes, dear nephew," the man sneered. "Alive. And very much unimpressed by your little empire."
Elisha covered her eyes and began to shake uncontrollably. Trauma surged through her like ice.
Oliver stood frozen — until Raymond moved forward and wrapped his arms around Elisha, grounding her, holding her until she stopped trembling.
James laughed. "So emotional… how touching."
Alex's voice was steel. "You were dead."
"Clearly not dead enough."
"Everything," Alex realized. "You're behind it all. The poison. The child. The Empress."
James bowed mockingly. "Yes. And now, the final act."
He gestured.
Guards dragged Alex into a cell opposite Maria and the Empress. Stripped of his jacket, blood already staining his shirt, he was chained to the wall.
Chains rattled.
Alex knelt on the cold stone floor, hands bound above his head, blood dripping from his mouth.
Across the cell, Maria and the Empress sat gagged, helpless. Maria's eyes were red, overflowing with tears she couldn't wipe, screams she couldn't voice.
James Luxembourg smiled.
"Still trying to be a hero?" he sneered.
Then the beating began.
Fist. Iron rod. Boot.
Over and over again.
Alex didn't fight back.
Not once.
He let it happen. Every blow meant for him — not for her.
"Why?" James spat, grabbing Alex's bloodied face.
"Why won't you fight?"
Through swollen lips, Alex whispered,
"Because… she's watching."
Maria's muffled cry cracked through the silence.
And Alex… collapsed.
Unmoving.
Maria's scream tore through the gag — raw and broken.
"Alex…"
And then, the dungeon went still.
Except for the sound of dripping blood.
And a love too strong to scream, too broken to heal.
The Empress shut her eyes, tears falling silently.
When James finally left, Alex barely breathed.
Elisha, Oliver, and Raymond broke in moments later.
"Alex!" Elisha cried, running to him.
He looked up through blood-matted hair. "Take them… take Maria and Her Majesty… go."
"No," Elisha said, sobbing. "You're coming too."
"You're shaking," Alex said softly. "You can't face him again. Take Maria. You're the only one who can help her through this."
Maria stumbled to him, her mouth free now, tears pouring down her face.
"I'm not leaving without you," she whispered.
Alex placed a trembling hand on her face.
"You have to. Protect her. Elisha needs you. I'll be fine."
Raymond and Oliver untied the Empress and Maria.
"We'll come back," Maria swore. "Just wait for me."
Alex smiled faintly, his blood-stained lips barely moving.
"I'll wait… always."
He looked at Oliver and nodded.
Oliver returned the nod — this time, not as a rival, but as a brother-in-arms.
They carried Maria and the Empress.
Elisha lingered one more moment.
"I'll kill him myself," she whispered, eyes on the stone above.
"I know you will," Alex said.
Then they ran — into the shadows, escaping with everything they could… except the man they couldn't leave behind.
The castle's underground chambers echoed with rage.
James Luxembourg stormed through the cell corridor, his dark cloak trailing behind him like smoke. When he reached the cell, his blood ran cold — Maria and the Empress were gone.
His jaw clenched, his voice a thunderous growl.
"Find them! Now!"
Masked men scattered, but James didn't follow. Instead, he stepped into Alex's cell, grabbed him by the face, and hissed:
"Where did they go, you bastard?!"
Alex, slumped against the wall, blood crusted across his mouth, laughed.
"Gone. Free. And you… you've already lost."
The laughter echoed through the chamber, a sharp blade cutting through James's pride.
The Chase
In the forest, the golden rays of dawn broke through the trees as four horses galloped with desperate urgency.
Maria rode behind Elisha, her arms clutching tight, while the Empress leaned into Maria, her strength waning with each breath. The Empress's face was pale, sweat trickling down her temples.
Elisha glanced back. She could see the fear in Maria's eyes, the pain in the Empress's posture — they were close to collapse.
Behind them, Raymond suddenly tugged his reins.
"We're being followed!"
He could see the masked men in the distance — shadows weaving between the trees.
Raymond turned to Oliver. "Take them. I'll hold them off."
Oliver stared for a moment — then nodded without a word.
"No," Maria cried. "You'll die!"
Raymond smiled — a charming, sincere smile. "Then it will be an honorable death."
But Oliver stayed. "We'll face them together."
They turned their horses and drew their blades as Elisha took off, her eyes burning with purpose.
In the castle
James stood smirking, thinking Alex was still tied.
He wasn't.
The chains lay broken on the ground.
Alex rose like a shadow reborn. "You made one mistake, Uncle…"
Before James could move, Alex slammed a fist into his stomach, sending him crashing into the stone wall. James screamed in pain, echoing like thunder through the halls.
"Gua—!" James tried to yell, but Alex silenced him with another punch.
Alex ran.
In the capital, merchants opened their stalls, and children laughed in the streets. Morning had come like any other.
Then came the thunder of hooves.
Three women rode into the market at full speed — Elisha at the front, Maria behind, and the Empress struggling to remain upright.
"MOVE!" Elisha shouted. "Clear the way! It's the Empress!"
The crowd froze.
Then gasps.
Then awe.
The Empress?!
People stepped back, then knelt, confused and emotional. Guards sprinted from the gates, their eyes wide as they recognized her.
Just then, the Empress let out a faint gasp — and collapsed.
"CATCH HER!" Elisha cried.
A few men rushed forward and caught the Empress before she hit the ground. Maria jumped off the horse, trembling, checking her pulse. She was alive — but barely.
"To the palace!" Elisha ordered. "Get her to the royal physician — NOW!"
Soldiers rushed to obey.
One guard bolted toward the court hall.
Inside the courtroom, the Emperor sat surrounded by ministers and nobles — but his mind was miles away. His hand trembled slightly on the throne's armrest.
Then—
"Your Majesty!"
A soldier burst through the door.
"The Empress… the Empress is back! Lady Elisha and Lady Maria are with her!"
Gasps erupted.
The Emperor stood so quickly that his chair toppled behind him.
He sprinted from the hall.
"Move. MOVE!"
Ministers followed. So did Marquise Morgan, his face stricken with fear and hope.
In the Empress's palace, chaos bloomed like wildfire. Servants cried. Healers scrambled. The Empress was being stabilized, unconscious but breathing.
Maria stood to the side, clutching her chest, her own body shaking from exhaustion and trauma.
Elisha was speaking rapidly with the healers, blood on her clothes, her hands trembling.
Then the Emperor arrived.
"Where is she?!"
Maria pointed wordlessly. He burst into the room and fell to his knees at his wife's side. His hand trembled as he took hers.
"You came back… my Queen… you came back."
Tears streamed down his cheeks.
Maria turned to Marquise Morgan, who had just entered.
The father and daughter locked eyes — and Marquise ran forward, embracing her.
"You're safe," he whispered. "My little girl is safe."
Elisha stepped outside and looked toward the horizon, where two of her comrades still fought.
"Hold on," she whispered to Oliver and Raymond. "Hold on… we're coming."
At the Edge of the Eastern Forest
The leaves rustled in warning. Steel clashed against steel. Blood mixed with the morning dew.
Oliver and Raymond stood back to back, breathing hard, their clothes torn, blood dripping from shallow wounds. Around them, a dozen masked soldiers advanced, blades gleaming in the early light.
It was their first real battle.
And it showed.
Raymond's arm trembled as he blocked another swing. A masked attacker slipped past and cut across his back. Raymond let out a cry and collapsed, his sword clattering against the forest floor.
"Raymond!" Oliver shouted.
He rushed to his side. Raymond was breathing — but barely.
Oliver's hand tightened around his sword. He turned, prepared to make a final stand. The enemy stepped forward, raising his blade for the finishing blow.
Oliver closed his eyes.
Forgive me…
Then— thwip!—
An arrow tore through the air and struck the enemy in the chest. He fell instantly.
Oliver's eyes snapped open.
From the trees, Elisha rode in like a storm, royal soldiers thundering behind her.
"On them!" she roared. "No one escapes!"
The soldiers overwhelmed the remaining enemy forces, tying their hands, forcing them to their knees.
Elisha leapt from her horse and ran to Raymond.
"He's alive," she whispered, cradling him. "He's alive."
"Get him to the physicians," she commanded. "Now!"
She turned to Oliver and gripped his shoulder. "You did well."
Then, with fire still in her veins, Elisha turned her eyes to the distant mountains.
"Now we end this."
Inside the Castle
Deep inside the ruined stronghold, Alex was running out of time.
James's men were everywhere, their boots echoing like thunder.
"Where the hell is everyone?!" James roared, his voice shaking the walls. "FIND HIM! But don't kill him—I want his screams."
Alex was cornered.
His only chance was a narrow, winding corridor, just wide enough for one man. He sprinted toward it, forcing his way in as the enemy followed.
The corridor became a trap.
James snarled.
"Burn him out!"
Oil was poured.
The fire roared to life.
Smoke swallowed the corridor.
From outside, James stood grinning, listening for Alex's screams.
"Scream, nephew! Let me hear it!"
But no scream came.
Minutes passed. Silence.
Then—panic.
A soldier ran back, breathless.
"Sir! There's a hole… a narrow one. He may have escaped."
James's grin fell.
"What?! SEARCH THE WOODS! BRING HIM BACK!"
But James never realized… Alex never left.
From the smoke and ash, Alex emerged like a phantom.
Blackened from soot. Bleeding. Breathing like a beast.
James turned — just in time for Alex's fist to collide with his jaw, slamming him into the stone.
Before he could scream, Alex grabbed him by the collar and threw him against the wall, then brought his boot down on James's arm.
CRACK.
James howled in pain, his arm bending in ways it shouldn't.
But then—
Footsteps.
Enemy soldiers stormed the room.
Alex turned, cornered again. He was weak. He could barely lift his sword. His vision blurred from the blood loss.
One lunged. Alex dodged.
Another slashed. He blocked with a broken spear shaft.
And then—
"AGHHH—!"
James stabbed him from behind, a dagger piercing between his ribs. Another soldier drove a sword through his side.
Alex dropped to his knees, blood pouring from both wounds.
The world began to tilt.
"Fall," James whispered. "Just fall, you bastard."
But Alex didn't fall.
Instead, he rose. Slowly. Like death itself had refused to take him.
"I'm not finished," he muttered through clenched teeth.
Hidden in his palm was a jagged spike — a broken arrowhead.
With a roar, Alex spun, driving the spike into one soldier's throat. The man gurgled and fell.
One left.
James.
The Last Stand
The two men stood in the chamber, lit by flickering torches and the glow of death.
James raised his dagger with his good hand, panting.
Alex dropped the spike, bleeding, but standing tall.
"You killed my child," Alex said, voice shaking with pain. "You hurt my wife. You betrayed everything we stood for."
James chuckled weakly.
"And still… you can't save them."
Alex looked him in the eyes.
"I already did."
And with the last of his strength, Alex charged forward.