Second Arc (His Art of War) – 25. Asteria's Downfall
The morning sun that was shining above the Eternal Harmony City was getting higher. The city's situation was in chaos. At some places, Asterian troops were seen in the middle of the battle with Euphorion troops, they clearly outnumbered. Only a few minutes later, all of the Asterian troops fell.
At the moment, Euphorion troops already successfully penetrated Golden Light Castle. King Gervis and Ilex were pressed, they had no choice but to hide in the main hall. In front of the hall's door, enemy forces had gathered and tried to break in.
-BANG! - BANG! - BANG!
The sound of impact came from the hall's door. The remaining elite troops blocked it, preventing them from breaking in.
"Your Majesty, please escape through the secret passage!" said one member of elite troops.
King Gervis paused a moment as he watched his last elite troops desperately defend the door.
"I will always remember your sacrifice!"
He approached a gold ornament beside the king's throne and turned it, then a secret door opened behind it.
Before King Gervis and Ilex managed to enter it, suddenly black uniform troops came out from there, surrounding them.
They quickly took out their swords.
"How do they know ?!" said Ilex in surprise.
Meanwhile, from the front door came a large explosion sound along with the broken door.
-BOOM!
Enemy forces burst in, followed by a dark blue-haired man who was holding a black sword in his hand. He wore a black royal military blazer with gold buttons. A black badge with the king's crown crest of Euphorion embedded on his collar signified he was a king. On his back, a black cape with the king's crown crest threaded in gold that hung to his back.
He greeted them with an evil smirk.
"I'm the one who told them."
They turned their gaze to him, their eyes instantly widened in surprise as if seeing a ghost before them.
"Angelus Raizel! It's you!" said King Gervis angrily.
Angel approached them with casual steps.
"It's been five years since we last met. How are you, uncle?" he greeted.
"Ah... Forgive me, I should have called you King Gervis. Since I'm not a Reinheart anymore, but a Moonfall, " he added.
"You traitor! You even didn't hesitate to attack your homeland!" shouted King Gervis.
He gave them a sarcastic laugh before glaring at them.
"King Gervis, weren't you the one who attacked Euphorion before? You even collaborated with another kingdom to attack me. Do you think I'm that kind so I won't attack you back?"
In desperation, King Gervis tried to threaten him.
"Asteria is the peace alliance's leader! You already attacked us, are you not afraid that you will be targeted by all kingdoms in Andromeda Continent ?!"
"Are you trying to threaten me? Or are you telling me to keep quiet watching you attack my kingdom? I'm not the old Angelus Raizel, I won't back down. If anyone tries to attack me, I won't hesitate to crush them!" he said with a clear threat in his tone.
Suddenly, Ilex broke through the siege and attacked him, Angel brushed off the attack and manoeuvred his sword to throw Ilex back.
"Father, there's no use for talking to a traitor like him!" shouted Ilex.
Angel glared at him a moment.
'You are the one who pushed me into the corner and turned me into a real traitor. Yet you blamed me for that.' He smiled wickedly.
'Fine then. Since I have already become a traitor, I will play this role well.'
"You're right, there's no point talking to a traitor like me. Since whatever I say has no meaning for you."
"Attack them!" he ordered.
The Euphorion troops advanced towards them. While the remaining Asterian troops desperately tried to fight them back.
Ilex swung his sword towards him and Angel resisted his attack. Their swords clashed, their eyes met each other.
"I should have executed you right away and made sure you really died!" he said angrily.
Angel smirked.
"Oh? That's too bad," he said in a mocking tone.
King Gervis suddenly attacked him from his left side. He swung his left hand towards King Gervis, the dark aura came out from his hand and threw him against the pillar.
Ilex turned his gaze at King Gervis.
"FATHERRR !!!" he shouted, then he turned his gaze back to Angel as he pushed his sword against him with all his might.
"I WILL KILL YOU!"
Angel didn't budge as he kept resisting Ilex's sword.
"Killing me? Even your fighting ability didn't make any progress from the last time we fought." He brushed off Ilex's sword easily and kicked him.
Ilex fell down, but he quickly got back to his feet.
"Ilex! Use this!" King Gervis shouted as he threw the King's Sword at Ilex.
Ilex dropped his sword and caught the sword that was thrown at him. Without wasting time, he swung it towards Angel.
Angel countered his attack and made their swords clash once more.
Ilex stared at Angel's sword for a while with a confused expression. His sword seemed to be fine, there wasn't a single crack on it.
Ilex swung his sword again, attacking him repeatedly, but Angel simply kept brushing off the attack with an evil smirk on his face as if he was just playing with Ilex.
Ilex stopped his attack and was breathing heavily.
"It can't be! How can your sword not be broken ?!"
Angel looked at the black sword in his hand.
"Nightmare will not break unless I die." He turned his gaze back to Ilex.
"Let's end this! I had enough of today's game!"
He dashed toward Ilex.
Ilex swung his sword to resist him. Angel brushed it off, quickly turned around behind Ilex and slashed Ilex's back followed by his groans of pain.
Ilex turned around facing him.
"How dare you!" he shouted, he raised his sword, preparing to attack.But before Ilex swung his sword, he staggered, dropped his sword, held his head with a trembling body and cried out in fear as if he saw something frightening.
Angel laughed evilly as he turned around and walked toward the throne. He sat on the throne leisurely and plugged his sword beside him. He shifted his gaze at Ilex in disdain.
"Ilex, you are still the same as before. Easily carried away with emotions, reckless. Your movements are predictable. Really disappointing!" he said in a condescending tone.