The hall was filled with an uneasy silence, punctuated only by the faint clash of steel and explosions echoing outside. Queen Alessa stood tall, her ice magic still crackling faintly at her fingertips. Surrounding her, the royal knights formed a protective semicircle, their swords drawn, faces hardened in determination.
Arlen stood in front of his younger brother Ina, tension visible in his trembling hands. His fiery temper burned under his skin, but his mother's commanding presence kept him rooted in place.
Then, without warning, the double doors to the hall exploded inward with a deafening crash, sending wood and metal flying. Dust filled the air as a tall figure stepped through the haze, his crimson eyes glowing faintly like burning embers.
The knights instinctively raised their weapons, moving to block his path.
"Hold your ground!" barked the captain, his voice sharp with authority.
The figure took another step into the room, the sound of his boots echoing ominously in the now-silent hall. He was tall, with long black hair cascading messily over his shoulders. His unadorned black coat fluttered slightly as he moved, his piercing red eyes sweeping over the room with a detached calm.
"You…" one of the knights hissed.
Before anyone could act, Queen Alessa raised her hand, her tone like steel. "Stop!" Her icy command froze the knights in place. Her eyes, sharp and calculating, locked onto the intruder.
"Harek of Draethor," she said coldly. "The Crimson Shadow."
The weight of her words settled over the room like a lead curtain. The knights exchanged uneasy glances.
Arlen furrowed his brow, stepping closer to his mother. "Who is he?"
Alessa didn't break her gaze from Harek. "A monster from the war twelve years ago. He single-handedly razed entire cities to the ground. His name is synonymous with destruction." She let her words hang in the air before continuing. "If Draethor has allied with Darius, then this war is far more dangerous than I imagined."
Harek chuckled softly, the sound low and mocking. "You've always been clever, Alessa. I still remember how your ice nearly caught me off guard back then." He took another step forward, ignoring the knights who hesitated between duty and self-preservation. "But that was a long time ago. You've grown weaker."
Arlen clenched his fists, fire flickering around them as his anger boiled over. "Where's Sir Rayen?" he demanded, his voice trembling with fury. "What did you do to him?"
Harek's crimson eyes lazily drifted to the boy. "Still alive. For now."
The words hit like a thunderclap, and Arlen surged forward, flames roaring to life around his fists. "Liar!" he shouted, swinging with all his strength at Harek's head.
The Crimson Shadow moved like lightning. He sidestepped the attack, catching Arlen's wrist mid-swing, and flung him across the hall as though he weighed nothing.
Arlen hit the ground hard, groaning in pain but already trying to push himself up again.
Harek shook his head, his voice low and cold. "I was ordered not to kill you, boy, but if you keep testing me…" He let the sentence hang, the threat implicit in his tone.
"Enough!" Alessa's voice cracked through the hall, frost forming under her feet. "You've delivered your message. Leave my son alone."
Harek tilted his head, considering her. "I wasn't sent here to fight you." He glanced toward Ina, then back to Arlen. "You're lucky. For now, you're to wait. He'll be here soon."
Before Alessa could reply, a sudden, overwhelming surge of magic exploded outside. The air in the hall grew heavy, pressing down on everyone. Even Harek's expression darkened as the aura washed over him.
"What… is that?" Arlen whispered, his voice trembling as he clung to Ina, shielding him.
Alessa's face tightened, her voice barely audible. "Helios…"
The immense energy continued to build, suffocating and all-consuming, before it abruptly stopped, leaving an unsettling void in its wake.
Everyone stood frozen, staring at the entrance as the seconds stretched into eternity. The sound of footsteps echoed down the hall.
And then, Darius stepped through the doorway.
The room seemed to shrink around him, his presence filling the space with an oppressive weight. His dark eyes scanned the room, pausing briefly on Alessa and then the children.
"Good evening," he said softly, his voice calm and measured, but carrying an unmistakable menace. "I see Harek has done his job."
Alessa's icy gaze locked onto him. "What have you done?"
Darius didn't answer immediately. His gaze swept across the knights, then back to Alessa. "We've won."