Ella walked briskly into the grand hall, her boots
echoing softly against the polished marble floor. The flickering lights of the chandelier above cast long,dancing shadows, painting the room in an eerie glow.She turned a corner, heading toward her chambers,when a familiar voice stopped her.
"Ella," Queen Elara's voice carried an unsettling
calmness, yet her words sliced through the silence
like a blade.
Ella froze, sighing softly before turning back. "Yes,
Mother?"
Queen Elara stood near the tall windows, her figure
framed by the pale light of the moon. Her hands
moved gracefully, weaving delicate patterns in the air as glowing symbols materialized and dissolved in front of her.
"Where have you been?" the queen asked without
looking at her.
Ella hesitated before replying, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "Out breaking some royal rules. Isn't that
what you taught me?"
The queen's hands paused mid-air. "Stop right there,"she commanded, her tone suddenly sharp.
The flickering lights above dimmed and died, plunging theroom into darkness.Ella barely had time to react before the lights flared back to life. Queen Elara stood directly in front of her
now, so close that Ella stumbled back. Before she
could regain her footing, the queen's hand shot out,
grabbing her by the neck. Shadows swirled around
them like living entities, drawn to Elara's anger.
"Tell me, Ella," Elara hissed, her voice venomous,
"since when did you start consorting with our
enemies? What's between you and Billy? TELL ME!"
Ella struggled to breathe, clawing at her mother's
unrelenting grip. Before she could answer, a dagger
materialized in the queen's other hand, forged from
the shadows themselves.
"You think I don't know?" Elara snarled, her eyes
blazing with fury. "You've betrayed your bloodline."
And with a swift, merciless motion, she plunged the
shadowy blade into Ella's stomach. The young
princess let out a choked cry as pain and shock
overwhelmed her, and she crumpled to the floor.
---
Elsewhere in the castle, King Morphine stood before an ancient, stone wall in a hidden corridor. His magic staff gleamed faintly as he struck it against the wall three times. The stones shifted and groaned,revealing a secret passage that led into a dimly lit chamber.
Inside, Queen Lysandra lay motionless on an ornate bed, her face pale and serene despite the black aura crackling faintly over her body. At her side stood the royal mage, Ben, his aged face etched with worry.
The king entered, followed by two towering figures-
Agents Smith and Buckler, seasoned warriors and
trusted generals.The mage looked up from the magic crystal he was holding, its surface shimmering with visions of faraway places.
"You've returned," Ben said solemnly. "And as I feared, not unscathed."
"Only we survived," Morphine admitted grimly, placing his staff on the queen's body. A sudden surge of dark electricity erupted from her, sending the staff clattering to the floor.
Ben shook his head. "It's worse than I thought. Every healing spell has failed. The darkness clinging to her grows stronger by the day."
"It's not just her," Morphine replied, his tone heavy.
"The Shadow is moving. Its true target is the dark orb,but I fear it might use her as a vessel. Any bright ideas?"
Buckler stepped forward, producing a small, ornate
box from his waist. "This might help," he said.
Opening the box, a golden ring inside radiated a soft,warm light.
"The Ring of Spiritual Protection," Buckler explained. "It's designed to shield the wearer from dark magic's influence for 14 days. It's our best chance."
Morphine studied the ring, gratitude flickering in his
eyes. "This could save her life. You've done well,
Battle Lord. But won't you need this in the battlefield against the shadow?"
Buckler shook his head,"Her life is worth far more than mine."
Before they could proceed, Agent Smith spoke up.
"Concerning the Shadow's next move,we need more than defense, my king. I suggest we call
upon the Beast Summoners and Tamers.Their strength might give us the edge we need."
Morphine's eyes lit up with hope. "You're right. The Orthy tribe has been one of a kind. It's time we engage their hostile self with castle issues."
Ben's voice broke through their planning. "One
problem remains: how do we place the ring on her
without triggering her shadow shield?"
The room fell silent. Morphine sighed. "We'll figure that out tomorrow Mr. Magus.For now, let's rest. We'll need our strength for what's to come."
Billy, who had been hiding nearby, absorbed every
word of their conversation. Quietly, he slipped away,his mind racing with questions about the shadow and the queen's condition.As he made his way to hisbchambers, a sharp, blood-curdling scream shattered the silence.
"Ella," Billy whispered, his heart leaping into his
throat. He sprinted down the halls, following the
sound until he reached her room. Without hesitation,he flung the door open.
Ella lay crumpled on the floor, unconscious, a pool of blood forming beneath her. Before Billy could react, a figure materialized out of thin air-Kai.
His twin brother's cold smirk sent a jolt of fury
through Billy.
"You," Billy growled, stepping forward.
Before he could say another word, Kai moved with
inhuman speed, delivering a punch that sent Billy
flying out of the room. He crashed into the hallway
wall with a grunt of pain.
Billy forced himself to his feet, glaring at Kai, who
now stood in the doorway with Queen Elara beside him.
"I knew you'd come, Prince Charming," Elara taunted,her voice dripping with malice.
"What have you done to her? She has nothing to do with our deal." Billy demanded, his
fists clenched.
Elara's smile widened. "At least you remember about it.Bring me the dark orb by tomorrow morning if you want to see her again."
And with that, she slammed the door shut.
Billy felt a ball of anger rising to his throat. He really wanted to get hold of Elara and punch her brains off. His eyes glowed crystal blue as rolled his hands to fists. Then, aching his back,he let a sharp vengeance scream that echoed across the castle.
" You need to get some sleep," her soft voice whispered from a distance. He looked up and saw Catherine, the maidservant.
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