[Silthara Palace — Continuation — The Emperor’s Chamber]
"...What’s happening...?" Slyvarakh staggered backward, his silver eyes darting wildly around the ruined chamber as his breathing became uneven.
"...Why...? Where are they going?"
Every strand of black mist that had once obeyed him now ignored his command; it rose toward the heavens. It abandoned him like loyal soldiers deserting a fallen king.
"No..." His voice cracked. "No...COME BACK!"
The darkness never answered. Across the shattered chamber... Levin slowly forced himself upright; blood ran from his forehead. Another crimson trail slipped from the corner of his lips.
His robes had become almost entirely red, and yet...a small, cold, and victorious smile appeared as his voice was hoarse.
"It’s over...your borrowed power has finally abandoned you."
Silence.
Slyvarakh slowly turned toward him and then...his expression twisted, not into fear but into absolute fury.
"You..."
The marble beneath his feet exploded; his silver eyes had become almost crimson beneath the remaining corruption. "...All because of you. You...and that Prime Alpha...You dared...to steal what belongs to me."
The chamber shook violently.
"I shall make certain...that both of you regret being born."
WHOOSSH!!
His enormous tail shot across the chamber before Levin could evade—
CRAAAAACK!!
The corrupted tail wrapped tightly around his waist and then—
GRAB!!
Slyvarakh’s hand closed around Levin’s throat, lifting him effortlessly into the air. Levin struggled for breath; his vision blurred once more.
Slyvarakh slowly pulled him closer as his smile became monstrous and his grip tightened around his throat.
"So this...is how heroes die. You wished to save an empire...then die watching it burn."
Levin’s breathing faltered; every instinct screamed for air, and yet...his fingers still searched and still reached and still refused surrender.
Then his hand found the dagger in one swift movement.
STAB!!
The blade buried itself deep into Slyvarakh’s tail and the serpent roared, then without hesitation—
SSSSSLLLLLLLAAAAAAASSSSSHHHHHH!!
Levin ripped the blade sideways; corrupted scales shattered, and dark blood burst across the floor. The enormous tail convulsed violently; its grip loosened.
Levin immediately tore himself free.
THUD!!
He landed hard upon the broken marble, rolling several times before forcing himself back onto one knee; his breathing became ragged, his hands trembled, and yet...the dagger remained firmly in his grip.
Slyvarakh stared at the wound and for the first time... It did not heal. His eyes slowly widened.
"...Impossible..."
Then rage consumed every remaining trace of reason.
"I WILL TEAR YOU APART!"
The serpent lunged, its jaws opened wide enough to swallow Levin whole but before they reached him—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
A colossal silver tail crashed into Slyvarakh’s face; the impact sounded like mountains colliding.
CRAAAAAAASH!!
The corrupted serpent was hurled across the chamber. Ancient pillars shattered beneath his body; walls collapsed. The bed itself split into countless fragments.
Silence.
Dust slowly drifted through the ruined palace, then...a cold, ancient voice echoed.
"How...dare you..." The dust slowly parted as golden eyes blazed through the darkness. "...lay a single hand...upon my consort."
The chamber trembled not from corruption, not from fear but from authority. An enormous silver serpent emerged from the collapsing smoke, larger, older, and majestic beyond words.
Every scale reflected molten silver. Golden markings glowed across his colossal body like sacred scripture carved by the heavens themselves; his presence alone forced the remaining darkness backward.
This...was the true Prime Alpha, the rightful Malik of Zahryssar and the king who had returned. Levin slowly looked upward, and for the first time since entering the palace...his shoulders relaxed.
"...Zer..."
A faint breath escaped him; the prime alpha’s enormous head lowered only slightly. One golden eye briefly met Levin’s, and within that single glance...there was reassurance.
I’m here.
Then...his attention returned to Slyvarakh; the warmth vanished, and only judgment remained. Slyvarakh slowly pulled himself from the rubble; blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
His silver eyes narrowed and then...unexpectedly...he smiled.
"So..." His laughter echoed throughout the ruined chamber. "You recovered well enough to stand before me again."
Zeramet’s golden gaze never wavered; his voice rolled through the palace like distant thunder.
"I did not recover...I endured...because my empire needed its king, because my people deserved justice." His colossal tail slowly coiled behind him, and his golden eyes became frighteningly calm.
"And because...you touched the one person this world could never give you the right to touch."
Silence.
The air itself seemed unable to move; the remaining pillars groaned, and the palace walls cracked. Outside...every serpent...every servant...and every knight...turned instinctively toward the Emperor’s Chamber.
Because they all recognized it, the pressure of two serpents...no...two brothers, two kings, and the rightful ruler...and the usurper. Slyvarakh slowly lowered his body into a battle stance.
The remaining corruption swirled around him like dying embers. Zeramet mirrored the movement, neither blinking, neither breathing, and neither intending to retreat.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The two colossal serpents collided. Silver scales crashed against silver scales; the impact shook the entire palace. Ancient pillars burst apart. The marble floor fractured beneath their weight.
Neither brother yielded and neither stepped back. For one endless heartbeat...they simply pushed against one another, golden eyes locked with silver eyes.
One carried the authority of Lord Urzan, and the other carried centuries of stolen corruption.
Then—
ROOOOOOOOOOOAR!!
Zeramet moved first, his enormous body coiled with terrifying speed, his silver tail wrapped around Slyvarakh’s torso.
CRAAAAACK!!
The corrupted Malik growled as the crushing force tightened around him.
"You stole my throne...my people..." The pressure increased. "...my kingdom...and dared..."
The Prime Alpha’s golden eyes blazed.
"...to lay your hands upon my consort."
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
With one violent motion... Zeramet hurled him through the chamber wall, and the palace exploded outward. Stone rained from the heavens. Entire balconies collapsed. The two colossal serpents burst into the open night.
CRAAAAAAAAAAAAASH!!
Slyvarakh’s body smashed across the Imperial Training Grounds. Ancient statues shattered. Sacred pillars crumbled; the frozen earth split apart beneath his weight. The palace guards immediately fled.
None dared remain; the pressure alone was enough to make veteran warriors collapse to their knees.
Dust erupted into the air; moonlight reflected across two enormous serpent kings. One silver... One corrupted. Facing one another beneath the ancient heavens.
Silence.
Only the wind remained, then Slyvarakh laughed. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
"...Wonderful." His monstrous smile widened. "This...is the battle I waited for."
Darkness exploded around him; the remaining corruption twisted around his scales like black flames. Without warning—
WHOOOOOOOSH!!
He vanished. Even Zeramet’s golden eyes narrowed too fast.
Then—
CRAAAAACK!!
A claw slammed across Zeramet’s shoulder. Silver scales burst apart, blood scattered across the snow. The Prime Alpha slid backward nearly thirty paces before forcing himself to stop.
A crimson trail stained the white ground. Far above...every attendant and knight watching from the palace balconies froze.
"He wounded Malik Zeramet..."
Someone whispered.
"...Impossible."
Zeramet slowly looked toward the wound; blood flowed steadily down his arm. He simply flexed his claws; his expression never changed.
"Good."
Slyvarakh blinked.
Then Zeramet smiled.
"If you had become weak...this battle would have disappointed me."
Silence.
The corrupted Malik’s smile widened.
"So...my brother still remembers how to enjoy war."
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
Both disappeared simultaneously; the night sky erupted with shockwaves. Silver bodies collided above the palace. Their tails struck like divine hammers, and every collision echoed across Zahryssar.
BOOM!!
BOOM!!
BOOM!!
As the clouds themselves split apart, lightning illuminated the battlefield. Slyvarakh twisted through the air; his tail descended like a falling mountain.
CRAAAAASH!!
It struck Zeramet’s ribs; the prime alpha was driven into the earth. The Imperial Training Grounds collapsed inward.
A crater hundreds of feet wide formed instantly. Dust consumed everything.
Silence.
Then...a golden light ignited beneath the rubble.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The earth exploded upward. Zeramet emerged like a dragon rising from beneath the world, his colossal jaws closed around Slyvarakh’s neck.
CRUNCH!!
The corrupted Malik roared; the two serpents crashed together once more. They rolled across the shattered grounds. Destroying everything unfortunate enough to stand between them.
Ancient towers, training platforms, and stone walls. Everything became rubble. Slyvarakh suddenly drove his claws deep into Zeramet’s side.
SLAAAAASH!!
Blood poured across silver scales; the prime alpha’s body shuddered. Yet...his grip never loosened. Instead, he drove Slyvarakh headfirst through three ancient watchtowers.
BOOOOOOM!!
One after another they collapsed. Slyvarakh retaliated instantly, his tail wrapped around Zeramet’s throat. The corrupted serpent tightened mercilessly.
CRAAAAAAACK!!
Even Zeramet’s scales began cracking; beneath the pressure, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Their eyes met, only inches apart, and neither blinked, neither showed fear.
Only hatred born from betrayal and only judgment born from duty.
"You should have obeyed your elder brother..." Slyvarakh hissed.
Zeramet’s golden eyes never moved; his claws slowly dug deeper into Slyvarakh’s chest. "You should never...emerge back from death. You should’ve stayed dead."
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!!
Both serpents released one another simultaneously, then lunged again. Fang met Fang. Silver scales shattered beneath brutal impacts. Blood painted the frozen training grounds.
Neither king resembled a ruler any longer; they had become ancient beasts. Two primordial forces tearing apart an empire beneath the moon and somewhere behind the shattered palace walls... Levin forced himself to his feet. Despite every wound...and despite every drop of blood he had already lost...
His blue eyes never left the battlefield because he knew...this was no longer merely a battle between two brothers. It was the battle that would decide whether Zahryssar would be reborn...
Or buried forever beneath its own ruins.