Chapter 2.
"Pardon me, my lord. I just got the news that the envoy from the Miracle kingdom was unable to attend this party."
The king Claudio raised his eyebrow when he heard the news from his bodyguard. However, before he was able to say anything, all of sudden the sound of hand clapping echoed the room.
"It's true, the envoy from the Miracle Kingdom will not come here, that is why I'm here as their replacement. Let me congratulate you, my brother."
He said with a loud voice that instantly surprised not only the king Claudio but the queen Contessa as well as Dame Elina. Apparently, he also took all the guests there by surprise that they immediately turned their gaze to the source of the voice.
"I came here for you, my brother, so where is your hospitality toward me? Why didn't you invite me? I've been longing to see my lovely nephew you know? Is this how you treat your own family?"
The man whom his age was almost thousand years old looked so gallant with blood-red silk embroidered clothes and a black cloak behind his back as well as a sword with a neat holster on his right waist.
The man stepped right into the room. His presence alone made the people who were there raise their alert including the king Claudio who had already released his killing aura the moment he heard the man's voice in order to protect Contessa and Lars. The king's aura was so strong, that it caused shockwave and made whoever was near him could feel uncomfortable.
"Take it easy, my brother. Why did you release your killing aura like that? Did i do wrong by coming to this coronation ceremony of Lars? I'm your uncle, remember? So it's only natural if i come here. Am I right?"
The sudden arrival of the man who named Luciano caused the atmosphere of the party became so tense. The people whom their power was in low rank immediately felt so dizzy because of the terrified killing aura radiated form Luciano that enveloped the room.
As result of the radiated beam aura, they fainted and fell down to the floor one by one. Meanwhile the other half of the people there who managed to survive Luciano's aura slowly started to hallucinate.
The king Claudio tried his best to protect Contessa and Lars. The small baby had not fully acquired his own power and that was what drove Contessa to transfer her power to the baby in order to protect Lars from the evil aura released by Luciano.
"How are you able to come back to life? Didn't you already dead?"
The king Claudio could not hide his surprise and so were queen Contessa and Dame Elina. Everyone knew that Luciano died several decades ago. But somehow, Luciano came back to life with a power stronger than before. Who would have thought it turned out like this?
"Bodyguard, quick capture this man!" the king Claudio instructed with sharp tone. The moment he ordered his guards, one by one came to the room. However, none of them managed to get closer to Luciano.
By only using his killing aura, Luciano managed to turned the tide and made the guards crouched to the floor and dropped their weapon without putting a fight.
Having seen what he capable of, the king Claudio was shock that it clearly looked on his expression. He did not expect that these last decades, Luciano successfully increased his power to the higher level and as a result of that power, his opponent who only had low rank power would not stand a chance against him. They could not even touch him.
Luciano laughed so hard. He felt head above the cloud as he saw the people in the room all bowed down to him so easily.
The strong killing aura radiated from Luciano's body managed to make the little Lars cry. As result, the baby threw tantrum in the queen Contessa's arms. The queen tried to calm Lars who was barely forty days old.
Luciano stopped his laugh when he saw the baby. His eyes were locked on Lars who was still in the queen's arms. He raised his hand mid air and snapped his fingers just like typical magic user. In an instant, Lars was already in his arms.
"Lars!"
The queen Contessa lost her baby. With quick response, the king Claudio took an action and released his killing aura stronger than before. However his aura did not give an effect on Luciano at all. He could not even make Luciano move an inch from his position.
"Stop right there! One move and your son's life will be gone!" Luciano threatened him with a sharp tone.
Having heard Luciano's words, he took a slight back and cancelled his intention to fight him. Scary was not the right word to describe his reason because he thought about Lars' safety rather than his own. He could not do anything at this current situation when his own son was in the enemy's hand.
The queen Contessa could not hide her sadness. Tears started streaming from her eyes as she watched her loved one was on the edge of his death. She put all the blame onto herself because she could not protect her own son.
"Calm down, I'm sure Lars will be just fine. Big sis, you have to be strong. Don't let what's happening here turn you into weak person. Come on, it's not over yet."
Dame Eline comforted the queen who looked really down with uplifting words. Her words, however had the opposite effect causing the queen Contessa to lose strength, her sturdy body became weak and powerless now. it's as if all of her strength were gone and nothing left.
"Luciano! Don't you dare lay finger on him! Lars did not do anything wrong. He only a baby who don't have any power. Don't hurt him. This is between us, and us alone so don't drag Lars into this! Let's fight, you and I right here right now!"
The king Claudio said, trying to persuade Luciano as not to hurt Lars. However, his attempt seemed in vain. The grown man showed his wicked smile as he stared at Lars who was still in his arms.
"Do you see that, my sweat boy? Your father is mad at your uncle. What exactly have I done to him that your father really hates me to the core? Is it wrong that your uncle wants to see you? is it wrong to come to your coronation, dear my nephew?" Luciano said as he looked at the baby he held in his arms.
Lars did not evoke any reaction. He fell silent when Luciano talked to him. somehow there was energy flew inside his body, something mysterious that made the baby stay still the whole time.
Having seen his son's life threaten, the king Claudio grew tense and so was the queen who was standing near the king. She could not hide her sadness and anxiousness. If only she was allowed to fight back she would do anything in her power to take back her son. However, the king Claudio had given his sign not to attack Luciano.
"Say something to your uncle. Tell me why your father is so made at me and why didn't all of you invite me to this party?"
Luciano still tried to talk to the baby who did not even understand what he was saying.
"Stop with that nonsense! Stop pretending to be a good man. You are not his uncle. You are traitor of this country and an enemy of this kingdom! There's no way Lars will acknowledge you as one of his family." The king Claudio rebutted,
He slowly walked to where Luciano was standing and intended to give surprise attack. Even though the king approached him so slow, the man who called himself as king's uncle kept his alert and did not let his guard down.
Luciano turned his gaze toward the king as he approached him. When the king Claudio felt like he had a chance, he quickly attacked Luciano with all his might. However, he was too late to bring Luciano down because Luciano was able to read his movement.
Before the king Claudio was able to give his final blow, Claudio had already concentrated all his energy into his palm. He lifted up his hand mid air toward the king and immediately burst out full power that managed to wound the king. In instant, the man who had lived for almost nine hundred years bounced back a few meters away.
Contessa screamed hysterically upon seeing the king wounded by the enemy right in front of her eyes. Her hand that being gripped tightly by Dame Elina suddenly slipped away as she ran in a hurry to where the king fell down and quickly supported him to get up again.
"Are you okay?"
The queen Contessa asked with concerned expression, her eyes were teary. Her son held hostage by the enemy and now she had to watch her husband crouch to the floor and wounded. This was heart-wrenching moment for her.
"Yeah, I'm okay so don't worry about me." The king Claudio responded while holding his chest that wounded by Luciano. Even though at glance, it looked like mere blowing wind, but it was actually overflowing energy that could hurt whoever get direct blow from it.
The king Claudio's eyes rounded when he finally realized how far the difference between their powers, just like sky and earth. He knew he should not underestimate him now or else he would be defeated again.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure that our Lars will be just fine. I'm sure Lucian wouldn't dare to hurt him. Trust me." He continued, trying to console her.
The queen Contessa gave a little nod as a response and tried to calm herself down. Deep down, she had bad feeling that today would become the dark history for the kingdom of Cloud Armor. In spite of everything that happened, she still had a glimmer of hope that there would be a miracle.
Having said what he had to say to the queen, the king Claudio let go off his wife's hand and tried to get up by himself. The next seconds, he drew his sword from the sword's sheathe while running quickly toward Luciano.
The scream from a knight echoed through the room. Even when the king came toward him with full power, Luciano still looked so relax and did not move an inch from his position. While holding Lars in his arms, he waited for the king's attack with a smirk across his face. He knew the victory was his.
"Claudio!" the king Contessa screamed from the back, trying to stop her husband who acted too reckless at time like this. However, it was too late because he had already running halfway toward the enemy with a sword in his right hand.
When he was right in front of Luciano and swing his sword at him, at the exact same time, Luciano flicked his black cloak causing to create an intense shockwave. For the second time, the king Claudio bounced back so far away to the back of the room. The sword slipped from his grip and his body hit the wall.
"Claudio!"