The Fall Of House Whiteguard (15)

Thank you, DereckESCL, for the 1 Power Stone!

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Zoverth's lip curled in disgust as she glared at General Riker, sprawled in a deep crater. His human form was now exposed, and he clutched his side, his left arm missing. The battle had been a relentless storm, with Zoverth's power overpowering Riker's, leaving him wounded and defeated.

"Pathetic." She said.

She herself was covered in deep gashes as blood flowed freely from each wound, but if one were to look closely, one would have noticed each wound was rapidly sealing before one's very eyes.

Zoverth and Riker suddenly froze in place, their eyes widening as a surge of powerful mana burst forth. Their attention shifted collectively towards Ciaran and Luther.

Luther and Ciaran found themselves in a completely transformed world. Luther's surroundings resembled a hellish landscape; the ground was scorched with ash billowing everywhere, while Ciaran's side was a breathtaking winter wonderland, with snow swirling all around.

Zoverth's eyes sparkled with excitement, and a hearty laugh escaped her lips. "He's been keeping this from me all along," she said, her eyes taking on a dangerous glint.

Riker couldn't believe his eyes as he witnessed the unfolding scene. Luther, renowned as one of the most powerful fire users in the kingdom, was engaged in a face-off with fifteen-year-old Ciaran. Despite the vast difference in their abilities, Riker was astonished to see Luther's fiery domain gradually being overpowered by Ciaran's ice magic.

Suddenly, Leo appeared beside Riker and grabbed him, "Let's go." He commanded.

"We can't leave the duke." Riker said through clenched teeth.

Leo remained silent, his expression solemn as he reached into his pocket and produced a gleaming signet ring. Without uttering a word, he extended his hand to Riker, offering the ring as a silent token. In that moment, Riker grasped the weight of the unspoken message. It became clear to him that Luther was prepared to confront and defeat Ciaran in a selfless act of sacrifice, thereby ensuring Leo's ascension as the new ruler of House Whiteguard. 

"What's this?" Came Zoverth's cold tone, "Rats trying to escape?"

In an instant, a thunderous explosion reverberated through the air, causing everyone to freeze in shock as Luther and Ciaran engaged in a ferocious clash. As the confrontation reached its peak, a dense fog rolled in, enveloping the surroundings in an unsettling shroud of mist, casting everything into an eerie silence.

Leo and Riker waited with bated breath as the mana from Ciaran and Luther disappeared. "Did he get him?" Leo whispered. 

In the midst of the fog, the eerie sound of footsteps echoed through the air, sending shivers down their spines. A mysterious figure emerged from the mist, prompting the trio to ready themselves for a confrontation. However, before they could make a move, the footsteps abruptly ceased, followed by the ominous thud of something heavy hitting the ground.

Leo's face twisted in horror as a round object began to roll toward him. As it drew closer, his fear became tangible as he realized what it was. His eyes tracked the sphere as it came to a halt at his feet.

"Why?" Leo struggled to say as his eyes never left his father's frozen head. 

"Because." Came the sinister reply as Ciaran stepped out of the mist, "You touched my Liz." He added as he snapped his fingers. 

"Lord Whiteguard!" Riker yelled as he pushed Leo out of the way, just as multiple shadow spears appeared and hurtled toward the pair. 

Leo's heart shattered as time seemed to slow down, allowing him to witness Riker's selfless act of sacrifice. The deadly spears mercilessly pierced Riker, who coughed up mouthfuls of blood before collapsing.

"Run." Riker struggled to say before a large great sword severed his head.

Leo collapsed onto the ground as the will to fight left him. All he could do was watch as Zoverth bent to pick up Riker's severed head by the hair and let out a hearty laugh. His eyes darted towards the right as Ciaran slowly walked toward him, and it looked as if each step he took, his shadow grew bigger.

"Pl…please." Leo stammered as he backed away from this monster in human form.

"Please, what?" Ciaran asked, taking another step closer.

"Please, spare me." He began crying, "Please don't kill me. I'll give you anything." He begged.

Ciaran's legs felt like lead as he strained to take another step. The world around him seemed to fade into darkness, making it difficult to keep track of Leo's form ahead of him. His mana had been completely drained, leaving him relying solely on his sheer determination to stay on his feet.

"Fitting." He began, not realizing he was talking out loud, "Today is the day I was supposed to die." He pointed at the fallen Leo, "This was supposed to be your day of triumph." He laughed, "You were supposed to be surrounded by allies and lovers." He fell silent as he balled his hands into fists, "I was supposed to fall to the power of friendship and the bonds you have cultivated." He looked up at the sky and spread his arms, "I was destined to die today, but look." He laughed again, "Destiny is for those too weak to do anything." He broke off into a maniacal laughter that echoed across the eerie silence.

Each Death Knight that was connected to Ciaran was shown a vision. As Ciaran led a vast army that spanned miles and marched upon the world. Cities fell while castles burned. Dragons were enslaved. The forest of the Elves burned. The great Dwarven doors sealed shut for generations were blown inward as Ciaran marched his army deep into the depths of the mountains.

The Death Knights surrounding Elizabeth pounded their arms across their chest in unison as they joined in and began chanting his name. Zoverth followed suit by raping her knuckles across her great sword while chanting his name.

"I will bring this world to its knees." Ciaran said as he stared at the cowering Leo before him.