"I'll avenge your death, Elena," Adrian vowed. "I don't care what it takes. Even if I have to die or sell my soul, I will ensure they pay for what they did."
His words echoed through the silent, desolate throne room.,
With great reluctance, Adrian stood up and let out a heavy sigh, his hands stained with Elena's blood.
He sheathed his sword and left the throne room, making his way to the pool located just at the back of the palace. It was a place where Elena and he had often found solace, a tranquil oasis in the midst of chaos.
Staring at his own reflection in the still waters, Adrian could hardly recognize the man that stared back.
His face which was once youthful and full of life, had now taken on a gaunt, haunted appearance.
Dark circles marred the skin beneath his eyes. His eyes, which were once a vibrant shade of green, had dulled. His hair, once neatly groomed, hung in disarray around his face, a tangled mess of brown locks.
The loss of his kingdom, his beloved wife, and their unborn child had transformed him into a different man, one who would stop at nothing to make those responsible pay for their sins.
Quickly, Adrian washed his hands and face in the pool's clear waters, trying to cleanse himself of the grim reminder of the tragedy.
As he stood up and headed for the entrance to the palace, he could hear the sound of someone following closely.
It was Marcus; Adrian could tell by his footsteps.
"Where are you off to, my king?" Marcus asked.
"What's a king without a kingdom, Marcus?" Adrian replied bitterly. "I'm no king until I get vengeance, until I can proudly stand and face these people and tell them I've gotten justice for those that made them widows, widowers, and orphans."
"I was thinking we would bury the queen first...," Marcus suggested.
But Adrian couldn't bear the thought of saying a final goodbye to Elena.
Burying her would mean accepting her loss forever, and he wasn't ready for that. 'Am I trying to stay in denial?' he asked himself silently, his heart torn between grief and anger.
Adrian waved his hand dismissively, cutting off Marcus's suggestion. "I'll do that as soon as I've gotten revenge," he declared firmly. "Only then can her spirit rest in peace."
Looking at Marcus with determination in his eyes, Adrian asked, "Are you coming with me or not?"
His response was almost immediate: "Of course, my King."
They both saddled their horses and left the ruins behind, determined to track down the Draegonians.
Their journey lasted for days, with only a few brief breaks in between.
As they ventured closer, Adrian whispered to Marcus, "There they are."
"We should try to get ahead of them, strike from the front, and eliminate their leader. The rest will crumble," Adrian suggested.
Marcus looked at him skeptically. "There are only two of us. How do you expect us to face an entire army?"
"But that's suicide, Your Majesty," Marcus exclaimed.
"You knew that when you decided to come with me," Adrian retorted firmly. "With or without you, I'm going."
With that, he spurred his horse forward.
Soon, he heard the gallop of Marcus's horse behind him, and he managed a brief smile.
They rode through the forest all night, and as the sun began to rise, they had successfully bypassed the Draegonians. They had set up camp in valley ahead - the Valley of Shadows.
Approaching their camp, Adrian dismounted a few meters away, choosing to proceed on foot.
"Halt!" one of the guards shouted, but Adrian continued walking, unbothered.
"Do not take another step, or it might be your last," another warned.
Adrian hesitated for a moment, as if considering their threat, then pressed forward with a smirk on his face. "Well, I'm still standing," he taunted.
In response, they unsheathed their swords, and two of them charged toward him.
Adrian maintained his composure and continued walking until they met in the middle. With swift motions, they swung their swords toward his upper body.
Anticipating the trajectory of their weapons, Adrian dropped to the ground just in time, the lethal blades slicing through the air mere inches above him.
The shock on their faces was the last expression he saw before the burning rage in his eyes took over.
Swiftly, he drew his sword from its sheath and swung it in a deadly arc toward their necks, starting from his lowered position.
The sharp tip of the blade dug into their throats, mercilessly slicing them open.
THUD!
Both guards crumpled to the ground, their attempts to gasp for air futile as blood gushed from their throats, staining the earth beneath them.
Fear and horror consumed the face of the third guard.
Before he could react, Adrian conjured a fiery chain from his hands and launched it toward him, the chain swiftly wrapping around his neck.
His agonized scream pierced the air as the flames scorched his skin. With a decisive pull, Adrian drew him towards himself and grabbed him by his armor, the fiery chain retracting in response.
"Where's your leader?" Adrian demanded through clenched teeth.
The guard's eyes were wide with terror, his voice trembling as he stammered, "I-I don't know... Please, spare me!"
Adrian tightened his grip, the flames licking at the guard's flesh. "Tell me, or you'll suffer a fate worse than death."
"I-I swear! He's in the central tent, towards the back of the camp!" the guard cried out, tears streaming down his face.
Adrian released him, and the guard fell to the ground, clutching at his scorched neck. Without a second glance, Adrian turned and signaled to Marcus. "Let's go."
"I don't think this is a good idea. We're practically walking into the lion's den," Marcus whispered to my ears.
"It's not too late to turn back, you know? At least until we cross those lines. After that, there's no going back," Adrian replied.
The guard led the way as they approached the camp, Adrian's hand gripping his shoulder while Marcus followed closely behind, his weapon drawn.
After a few more paces, the guard abruptly halted.
"Why are we stopping?" Adrian questioned with a curious look.
"Once the gates open and they see you two, they won't hesitate to slay you both," the guard explained in a trembling voice.
Adrian didn't respond.
Instead, he summoned fiery chains with sharp spear-like ends from his back, three on each side.
The gleaming points of these fiery chains hovered menacingly, and he used one to wrap around the guard, lifting him off the ground, the sharp edge poised just inches from his chest.
"I believe this isn't the way you planned to die, correct?" Adrian asked, his voice dripping with venom.
The guard swallowed hard, fear etched across his face. "This way!" he stammered, his voice shaking in pain and fear.
They continued toward the camp, the guard hovering a few feet from the ground, his life hanging by a thread.
As they approached, some of the Draegonians who were awake saw their approach.
Panic spread like wildfire through the camp as they shouted alarms from one tent to another. "Intruder!" "We have intruders in the camp!"