Rovan gripped his sword tighter as the beast lunged. Time seemed to slow, each moment stretching out like a string ready to snap. His heart, which had been racing, now slowed to a steady, almost unnatural rhythm.
He could feel the beast—its muscles coiling, its sharp claws aiming for his throat.
With his eyes closed, he let the sensation guide him. When the beast struck, he sidestepped before the claws could land, slashing his sword across its side. A howl of pain echoed through the hall.
The crowd gasped.
The beast circled him, growling low. Rovan's chest heaved, his body already aching from the scratches it had landed earlier. Blood dripped from his shoulder, and pain burned through him, but he pushed it aside.
The beast charged again, faster this time. Rovan felt the air shift and dropped to the ground, rolling beneath the massive creature. He thrust his sword upward, piercing its chest.
The beast let out a deafening roar, stumbling. It clawed at him one last time, slashing across his arm and ribs. Rovan gritted his teeth through the searing pain. With a final surge of strength, he pulled his sword free and drove it into the beast's heart.
The room erupted. Some cheered, their voices full of awe, while others growled and murmured in confusion.
Rovan dropped to one knee, gasping for air, his wounds throbbing. He looked down at the blood-soaked floor and then up at the massive body of the beast, now lifeless before him.
He couldn't believe it. He had survived.
The crowd's noise was silenced in an instant when the half-human raised her hand. She stood slowly, her glowing yellow eyes fixed on Rovan.
She turned, her gaze sweeping the hall until it landed on the emperor.
"And you say you haven't found the blessed yet?" she asked, her voice sharp and cutting.
The words hung in the air like a thunderclap.
Rovan, still kneeling, froze. His breath caught as the meaning of her words sank in.
The beasts in the room, who had been standing idly by, suddenly shifted. Their weapons—gleaming with dark energy—turned toward the emperor.
The emperor's smug expression faltered.
"Did you wish to hide him from us?" the half-human asked, her voice laced with venom.
The emperor opened his mouth to respond, but no words came.
The tension in the room was suffocating.
Rovan, still on the ground, felt the weight of every eye in the hall on him.
And then, the half-human took a step toward the emperor, her lips curling into a dangerous smile.
The emperor fell to his knees, his robes dragging on the blood-stained floor. His face, usually smug and proud, was now pale with fear.
"Please!" he begged, his voice trembling. "I swear, I didn't know he was one of the blessed! If I had known, I would have—"
The half-human raised a single finger, silencing him instantly.
"Spare me your excuses," she said coldly, her golden eyes glowing brighter. "Your ignorance is no defense."
She flicked her wrist, and a chilling gust of wind swirled around the emperor. His pleas turned into a strangled cry as his body stiffened, frost creeping over him. Within seconds, he was encased in solid ice, his terrified expression frozen forever.
The room was deathly silent.
The half-human turned to the guards. "Carry your emperor carefully, lest he break," she said with a cruel smirk. "We have more important matters to discuss."
Her gaze shifted to Rovan. "Blessed one," she said, her tone softening. "Come with me."
Rovan blinked, still kneeling by the beast's body. His heart raced as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. Blessed? Him?
Two guards approached and helped him to his feet, but he shrugged them off, his legs steady despite the pain.
The half-human led him out of the grand hall and into a smaller, dimly lit chamber. The air was thick with the scent of incense, and strange symbols glowed faintly on the walls. A low table stood in the center, laden with exotic fruits and steaming dishes.
"Eat," she commanded, gesturing toward the table.
Rovan hesitated but sat down. He took a small piece of fruit, its flavor unexpectedly sweet and soothing against his dry throat.
The half-human circled him, her gaze unrelenting. She studied him like a predator sizing up prey, her lips curling into a satisfied smile.
"You will make a fine vessel," she said, her voice dripping with anticipation.
Rovan froze, the fruit halfway to his mouth. "Vessel?"
She didn't answer immediately, her glowing eyes locking onto his. The intensity of her stare made his skin crawl.
"You were born for this," she said finally, her voice a mixture of reverence and hunger. "Soon, you'll understand everything."
Before Rovan could demand answers, the chamber door slammed shut behind him, the sound echoing like a final toll of a bell.
*********************************************************************************
Rovan sat on the edge of the plush chair in the grand throne room, his body tense. Around him, strange creatures and beings watched with quiet curiosity, their glowing eyes unblinking. The half-human sat regally on her throne, her posture elegant yet commanding.
The silence stretched as servants approached, carrying ceremonial robes of deep crimson and black. They placed the garments at Rovan's feet and bowed deeply before retreating.
"You are invited to join us," the half-human said, her voice like velvet over steel. "These are the symbols of your new life. Soon, you will be trained in our ways—ancient, powerful ways. I will oversee it myself."
She leaned forward, her eyes gleaming with an emotion Rovan couldn't quite place.
"You see," she continued, "there is a prophecy. My father, the greatest of all, is to be reborn among humans as one of the blessed. He will save us, lead us. I have no doubt you are him."
The room murmured in agreement, but Rovan felt a chill crawl up his spine.
"And so," she added with a triumphant smile, "once your training is complete, you will take the throne in your world. Together, we will rule. My father reborn, and I, his loyal daughter."
Rovan's face remained calm, betraying none of the turmoil inside him. His mind raced, piecing together fragments of the truth.
The half-human tilted her head. "You seem troubled. Tell me, what weighs on your heart?"
Rovan met her gaze, his voice steady. "Nothing," he said slowly, "except I would not want to join hands with a betrayer."
Gasps filled the room like the sharp intake of a single breath. Faces twisted in shock and fear, and a murmur of confusion rippled through the air.
The half-human's smile faltered, her eyes narrowing. "Betrayer?" she repeated, her tone a mix of disbelief and anger.
"You dare insult me?" she said, her voice rising. "If you wished to refuse my offer, you could have done so with honor. But instead, you call me a betrayer?"
She stood abruptly, her presence filling the room with an overwhelming energy. Her expression softened into something cold and distant.
"Very well," she said. "Let me tell you a story."
The room fell silent again as her voice dropped, rich with ancient sorrow.
"There was once a human princess," she began, "born with ambition that knew no bounds. She craved power above all else and sought to claim it through forbidden means. She seduced a god, bore his child, and stole the child away."
Her golden eyes flickered with a dangerous light.
"But instead of raising the child to honor his divine blood, she taught him only cruelty and hatred. When the child grew, he returned to his father—not to honor him, but to kill him. And thus, betrayal sowed its seeds among the mortals."
Rovan leaned forward slightly, his mind catching on her words. "Was the princess," he asked carefully, "from the emperor's bloodline?"
The half-human's lips curled into a sly smile. "How perceptive you are," she said. "Indeed, she was."
Rovan exhaled slowly, his suspicions confirmed.
He straightened, meeting her gaze with calm defiance. "Then perhaps," he said, "it is all the more reason to keep him alive. Let him witness greatness achieved, let him see justice done. And let him be judged by humans."
A heavy silence fell over the room. The half-human's expression turned unreadable, her golden eyes boring into him.
Suddenly, a rumble echoed through the throne room, shaking the very walls. The creatures and beings around them looked startled, their gazes darting to the ceiling.
The half-human frowned. "What is this?" she demanded.
Before anyone could respond, the grand doors burst open. A shadowy figure stepped into the room, their silhouette sharp against the flickering light.
Rovan's heart clenched as the figure raised their hand, the air around them crackling with energy.
"You should not have kept me waiting," the figure said, their voice deep and resonant.