The End of Xeida's Rule

Amidst the tumultuous clash of elemental powers in the grand hall of the host kingdom's palace, King Aldric and Queen Lysandra fought valiantly to defend their kingdom's honor. Fire, water, earth, and air clashed with dazzling displays of power as Xeida's royal family pushed back against the treacherous attack.

King Aldric, his voice filled with determination, shouted to his loyal guards and knights, "Stand firm, protect Xeida with all your might!"

Queen Lysandra, her eyes blazing with elemental fury, added, "Our unity is our strength! We cannot let them divide us!"

Their words inspired those who stood with them, and the guards and knights fought with unwavering loyalty. Swords clashed against elemental shields, and the festivity's grand hall became a battleground of fierce determination.

As the battle raged on, Queen Lysandra turned to her husband, her voice tinged with concern. "Aldric, we must find a way to end this chaos and bring our family back together."

King Aldric nodded, his gaze never leaving the host family's monarch, Lady Isolde. "We will, my love. We must protect our legacy and our people."

But the odds were stacked against them, and Lady Isolde, with her Telepathy and Mind Control powers, seized the opportunity. She sent a surge of mental energy into the minds of Xeida's royal family, leaving them incapacitated and vulnerable to their adversaries' attacks.

Lady Isolde, her eyes gleaming with triumph, surveyed the chaos she had wrought. She released a devilish laugh and looked up at the partially melted chandelier, her elegance replaced by a sinister aura.

"The mighty Xeidan royal," she began, her voice dripping with malice, "how does it feel to finally have your fate lying in someone else's hands? For a long time, that's how it has been for all the other seven kingdoms. You thought we respected you? No! It was all fear, fear that if we got onto your bad side, you wouldn't hesitate to disintegrate us and our kingdoms to ash."

She continued, her tone mocking, "Here we are now, the mightiest royal family known to ever lead a kingdom on this earth fell when faced with an alliance of the seven other kingdoms. Y'all were just mediocre after all. Or maybe the lineage has gotten weaker after generations. Now the fate of your family and kingdom at large lies in my hands. But let me get this over with, and then we'll deal with the kingdom later."

King Aldric, his brow furrowed with regret, responded with a flash of determination in his brown eyes, "So that's how it is. I'm really disappointed in myself for not seeing through all this and had to put my family in danger by attending this festivity. But how could I have even thought... this is a festival that has been held for centuries, and I could never have thought you would commit such a taboo, Lady Isolde. And your husband is my good friend, so he didn't attend such the Regel, and I didn't notice anything fishy about that, how sad. But now I see, he couldn't be here to look me in the eye..."

As the final blow was about to be landed by Lady Isolde, it was as if time had slowed down by a million-fold. King Aldric heard her spouting words about the children not escaping too. In those final moments, King Aldric's thoughts turned to Seraphin, who would bear the responsibility of taking care of Gideon.

As King Aldric's eyes drifted closed, he clung to one last thought that welled up from the depths of his heart. "Seraphin," he whispered in the confines of his fading consciousness. "Take care of him, my beloved son, for he bears the weight of a destiny unknown. A child who, unknowingly, may someday re-establish the very peace of Xeida we hold dear."

Tears welled in his eyes as he continued, his voice a mere breath. "In these final moments, I entrust you with our legacy, the hopes of a kingdom torn asunder. You are our last hope, Seraphin. For now, I leave it all in your capable hands, and I just pray, I pray that Gideon will grow to find it in his heart to forgive me."

King Aldric's words quivered with the weight of a father's love and regret, a bittersweet plea for forgiveness that hung in the air as his final act of desperation.

As King Aldric's eyes closed, he unleashed a cataclysmic power, surging with a force that would forever alter the grand hall of the host kingdom's palace. In a blinding burst of energy, the castle's defenses crumbled, and a monumental shockwave swept through the structure, obliterating three-quarters of it.

Debris rained down as walls collapsed, leaving chaos in its wake. Knights, maids, and those who had aligned with the host family perished within the shattered remnants of the castle. It was a devastating spectacle, leaving no doubt that King Aldric's last act was one of overwhelming elemental force.

However, those who had sought refuge within the castle's hidden chambers, including the children of the other royal families, were not spared from the impact. The shockwave's resonance reached them, leaving severe injuries in its path. The castle's very structure had absorbed the force of King Aldric's unleashed power, offering a protective veil to those concealed within.

The older royals, although also injured, had strategically positioned themselves in readiness for the battle, hidden from King Aldric's sight. Yet, their purpose had been to protect their younger family members, and this unfortunate event had not escaped their well-laid plans.

This destructive power that had been wielded by King Aldric remained nameless, a silent testament to the grand hall's shattered remains. Its origin might have been known to some, but its consequences were undeniable, setting the stage for a future filled with questions and answers yet to be revealed.