Empress Lamaine moved through the dimly lit corridors with silent determination, her footsteps echoing faintly against the cold stone floors. The night was still, a heavy silence blanketing the palace as she approached the Emperor's chambers. Her face was a mask of calm composure, but her eyes held a dark purpose.
As she entered the Emperor's room, her gaze fell upon the frail figure lying motionless on the grand bed. The Emperor's breath was shallow, his once powerful presence reduced to a mere shadow of itself. Empress Lamaine's heart was untroubled by the sight. She had long since hardened herself to any trace of pity.
She reached into her robe, pulling out a small, ornate vial filled with a dark, viscous liquid. This was the final step, the one that would secure her power once and for all. With practiced precision, she uncorked the vial and drew the liquid into a syringe.
Just as she was about to administer the lethal dose, the door to the chamber burst open. Theo, eyes wide with panic, stumbled into the room. "Mother, no!" he cried, his voice thick with desperation. He threw himself to his knees before her, his hands trembling as they reached out toward the syringe.
Empress Lamaine turned to face him, her expression softening into a cruel smile. "Theo, my dear," she cooed, her voice dripping with false affection, "what are you doing here? You should be resting."
Theo's eyes filled with tears as he pleaded with her. "Please, Mother, don't do this. Let him live. I'll do anything you want, just don't—don't take his life."
Lamaine's gaze hardened as she looked down at her son. "You're too soft-hearted, Theo. Your father is already gone in all but name. It's time to end his suffering... and secure our future."
Theo shook his head frantically, his hands clutching at the hem of her robe. "Please, if Axel knew—"
"Axel won't know," Lamaine interrupted coldly, her voice firm and unyielding. "He consumed enough of the potion to keep him asleep for days, just like you. He'll never wake in time to stop this."
Theo's desperation grew as he realized the futility of his pleas. He knew his mother well enough to understand that once her mind was set, there was little hope of swaying her. But he couldn't let her go through with it—not like this.
"Mother, please," Theo whispered, his voice breaking. "There has to be another way."
Lamaine sighed, as if weary of the conversation. "There is no other way, Theo. You'll see in time that this is necessary. Now, step aside."
But Theo didn't move. He remained where he was, blocking her path to the Emperor, his eyes filled with a silent, desperate resolve.
Seeing his defiance, Lamaine's patience snapped. She raised her hand to strike him, but paused, her expression darkening with anger. "Do not make me choose between you and the future of this empire," she warned, her voice low and menacing. "You will regret it."
Just as she took a step forward, ready to push him aside, a soft groan from the bed made them both freeze. The Emperor, in a rare moment of lucidity, stirred slightly, his hand weakly reaching out as if sensing the danger that loomed over him.
Theo's eyes widened, and he clung tighter to his mother's robe, his voice a choked whisper. "Father, no…"
But Lamaine's resolve had returned. With a cold, calculated movement, she pulled away from Theo's grip, holding the syringe aloft. "Enough," she hissed, her voice deadly calm. "This ends now."
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Axel sprinted down the palace corridors, his heart pounding in his chest, fear and fury fueling his every step. The moment he realized what Empress Lamaine intended, he knew he had to reach the Emperor's chambers before it was too late. The effects of the drug she had slipped into his tea still weighed heavily on him, but sheer willpower pushed him forward.
He burst through the door of the Emperor's chambers, his breath ragged, eyes blazing with determination. The scene before him made his blood run cold. Empress Lamaine stood over the Emperor, syringe in hand, while Theo lay crumpled on the floor, broken and pleading.
"Stop!" Axel's voice thundered through the room, startling the Empress. She turned sharply, her eyes widening in shock as she saw Axel standing there, very much awake and fully aware.
"Axel…?" Empress Lamaine's shock quickly turned to cold calculation. She recovered her composure with a smooth, icy smile. "You should be asleep, my son."
Ignoring her words, Axel's gaze locked onto the syringe in her hand. "What have you done?" he demanded, his voice trembling with barely restrained rage.
The Empress's smile faded as she realized the gravity of the situation. She stepped back, her eyes narrowing. "Lionel!" she called, her voice laced with urgency. She had no intention of letting Axel disrupt her plans now.
At her command, Lieutenant Lionel stepped forward, his hand on the hilt of his sword. The tension in the room escalated instantly, the air thick with the threat of violence. Lionel's gaze flickered with hesitation before settling into a determined stare. He began to draw his sword, ready to act on the Empress's orders.
Axel's attention shifted to Theo, who lay slumped on the floor, his face pale and streaked with tears. Seeing his brother in such a vulnerable state only deepened Axel's resolve. Whatever Empress Lamaine had planned, he couldn't let Theo suffer any more than he already had.
But before he could move, Empress Lamaine's cold voice sliced through the air. "Axel, I won't let you ruin everything. Lionel, deal with him."
As Lionel's sword began to leave its sheath, Axel's instincts kicked in. He lunged forward, his only thought to protect Theo, to shield him from any further harm. But before he could fully place himself between Lionel and his brother, Theo, with a sudden burst of strength, pushed himself up and threw himself in front of Axel.
"No!" Theo's voice was a broken cry as he intercepted the strike meant for his brother.
Time seemed to slow as the sword's blade bit into Theo's flesh, a sickening sound echoing through the room. Blood sprayed through the air, staining the cold stone floor beneath them. Theo crumpled to the ground, his body falling limply into Axel's arms.
"Theo!" Axel's voice was raw with horror as he cradled his brother, his hands already slick with blood. He looked down at Theo, who was gasping for breath, his eyes wide with pain and fear.