The air was thick with tension as Darius stepped into the hall. His presence was suffocating, an oppressive weight that settled on everyone present. The flickering torches along the walls dimmed as though the room itself recoiled from him.
Arlen froze for a moment, staring at his uncle's cold, calm expression. Then realization hit him like a hammer. The truth was plain in Darius's presence alone: King Helios was gone.
"No…" the whisper escaped Queen Alessa's lips, her voice trembling. Her icy composure shattered as her knees briefly buckled. The weight of her husband's death bore down on her, but she forced herself to stand tall.
"Father…" Arlen muttered, his voice breaking. His fists clenched at his sides, flames licking at his knuckles as tears began to well in his eyes. Then, in a surge of raw emotion, he screamed, "What did you do to him?!"
He bolted forward, rage and despair fueling his every step.
"Arlen, no!" Alessa cried, but the boy was already too far gone.
Before Arlen could even reach Darius, Queen Alessa unleashed a devastating blast of ice magic that exploded through the hall like a blizzard unleashed. The temperature plummeted as jagged spikes of ice surged toward Harek and Darius, forcing both men to leap aside to avoid being impaled.
Arlen skidded to a halt, his uncle momentarily forgotten as his mother's power swept through the room like a tempest.
Alessa's icy assault didn't stop. She moved forward, her hands glowing with an otherworldly blue light. "You killed him!" she roared, her voice trembling with fury and grief. "You took him from me! From his children! You dare show your face here!"
Harek dodged another sharp blast of frost, moving with effortless precision, while Darius calmly sidestepped a shard of ice that shattered against the stone wall behind him.
"I warned you," Harek muttered, his crimson eyes narrowing.
He moved in a blur, grabbing Ina by the arm. The boy let out a startled cry as Harek yanked him toward him and seized one of the knights' fallen swords. In one fluid motion, Harek pressed the blade against Ina's throat, his crimson eyes cold and merciless.
"Stop." Harek's voice was calm, but the menace in it was undeniable.
Alessa froze, her next attack already forming in her hands. Her eyes darted to Ina, who stared back at her with wide, terrified eyes. The ice magic in her palms flickered, unstable, as her breath came in shallow gasps.
"Let him go!" Arlen shouted, his fists igniting again. He moved to charge, but Alessa's hand shot out, stopping him in his tracks.
"Don't!" she said sharply, her voice cracking with panic.
Darius finally spoke, his voice smooth, almost gentle. "Alessa, you've always been strong. But strength alone won't save him." He gestured toward Ina, who flinched as the blade pressed a little closer to his neck. "You know how this ends. Submit, and no harm will come to your son. Resist, and…"
His words trailed off, the implication chillingly clear.
Alessa's hands shook as the frost around her began to dissipate. Her heart pounded in her chest as she weighed her options, her mind racing. The weight of Helios's loss crushed her, but the thought of losing her son too…
"Your terms?" she forced out, her voice trembling with suppressed rage.
Darius nodded approvingly, though his expression remained impassive. "Order your soldiers to stand down. Announce the kingdom's surrender. If you comply, your children will remain unharmed, and you'll live to see another day."
Arlen glared at his uncle, hatred burning in his eyes. "You won't get away with this!" he yelled.
Darius glanced at him, his gaze cold and unfeeling. "You're young, Arlen. You don't understand the choices a leader must make. But one day, you will."
Harek's grip on Ina tightened as he shifted his gaze to Alessa. "Choose quickly. My patience is running thin."
The room was deathly silent, save for the sound of Ina's shallow breaths and the faint crackling of frost still dissipating from Alessa's magic.
Her voice was soft when she finally spoke, barely audible. "Lower your weapons," she ordered, her tone broken.
The knights hesitated, looking between each other, their queen, and the intruders.
"Do it!" Alessa snapped, her composure shattering as tears welled in her eyes. "Do it now!"
The sound of swords clattering to the ground echoed in the hall as the knights reluctantly obeyed.
Darius inclined his head slightly. "A wise decision," he said quietly.
Alessa's hands fell to her sides, her magic extinguished. Her gaze locked on Harek, who still held her youngest son captive. "Now let him go," she demanded, her voice sharp despite the tears streaming down her face.
Harek smirked but didn't move, keeping the blade against Ina's neck.
Darius raised a hand. "Patience. You've done your part. We will do ours. For now."