Tension filled the rebel camp, uncertain as Liam, Nyx, the prince, and Kael prepared to leave. The survivors worked in silence, too afraid to even mourn their dead, as the shadow of the Princess's magic lingered over them.
Liam paced near the remnants of the burned sigil, the vial of purified essence glowing faintly in his hand. His mind raced as Kael laid out the plan.
"The Princess is bound to the summoning ritual," said Kael calmly, though there was urgency in his voice. "If we interrupt her control over the sigils, we can weaken her connection to the dark magic. But she will then have to come after us."
Nyx flicked his tail, sitting on a nearby rock. "And that is what we want? To draw her out?"
Kael nodded. "Exactly. She is too powerful to take head-on right now. But if we sever her link to the ritual, it will destabilize her magic. She will be vulnerable-for a time.
Liam stopped pacing and turned to Kael. "And how do we sever the link?"
Kael hesitated, glancing at the youngest prince. "The sigils are tied to her bloodline. We will need someone of royal blood to break them."
The prince stiffened. "You mean me."
Kael nodded. "You're the only one who can do it. But it won't be easy. The sigils are spread across the kingdom, each guarded by her shadow creatures. You'll have to place the purified essence at each one to disrupt the ritual."
The prince looked down at his trembling hands. "I don't even know if I'm strong enough to fight anymore. After everything that's happened... how am I supposed to do this?"
"Yeah, you'll be able to do that," Liam stepped forward. He gripped the prince's shoulder. "You don't have to do it alone. We'll be with you every step of the way."
Nyx jumped down from his perch and grinned wickedly. "Yeah, kid. In fact, I think it would be quite fun to watch her face when she finds her precious sigils going up in smoke."
Kael crossed his arms and narrowed his sharp eyes. "The first sigil is in the ruins of the royal library. If we are fast, we can reach it before she reinforces the defenses."
The Royal Library
The trip to the library was scary. The once-thriving streets of the kingdom have become stark and barren, bearing traces of broken carts, abandoned houses, and now and then, an occasional shadow creature lurking in the dark corners.
The group had moved cautiously as they tried to avoid detection. Liam was sword-ready while scanning his surroundings with his eyes for any sign of danger. Nyx, as always scouted ahead, his lanky form almost invisible in the darkness.
The library was in ruins when they reached it. The once-grand stone structure had been turned into rubble, while the interior had gone from lofty white clean halls to blackened and pulsating tangles of vines tainted with dark magic.
"This is it," Kael said quietly. "The first sigil is inside. Get ready."
The moment they stepped into the library, the air was thick and oppressive. The walls seemed to close in, and faint whispers echoed through the halls.
"Keep moving," Liam said, gripping his sword tighter. "Don't let the magic mess with your head."
Moving deeper, they found the sigil engraved on the floor of the library's main hall. It glowed above, with an ominous black light; the pulsing energy radiated outward, like a heartbeat.
Kael handed the vial of purified essence to the prince. "This is your moment. Place it at the center of the sigil."
The prince hesitated. His hands trembled as he took the vial.
"You can do this," Liam said firmly.
The prince nodded and moved forward. As he approached the sigil, whispers grew louder, rippling into guttural voices that seemed to claw the mind.
"You are weak," they hissed. "You are nothing; she will destroy you."
"Shut up," the prince muttered, shaking his head.But just as he reached the center, the entire hall reverberated with thunder.
The Guardian of the Sigil
Then, amid the shadows, came a creature; massive, hulking. The body composed of thick, black smoke, contorted into jagged, shifting forms, and glowing red eyes locked on the intruders.
"A shadow guardian," Kael said grimly, drawing his own blade. "It won't let us disrupt the sigil without a fight."
It lunged, its massive claws swiping at the group. Liam barely had time to push the prince out of the way before the claws struck the ground, leaving deep gouges in the stone.
"Distraction, Nyx!" Liam shouted.
Nyx darted forward, his sleek form weaving between the creature's attacks. "Come on, you overgrown puff of smoke! Let's see what you've got!"
Kael joined the fight then, precise of movement, as he slashed at the creature's shifting body. Liam stepped in, sword glowing faintly with the moonstone power as he struck at its core.
"Go!" Liam yelled to the prince. "Place the vial!"
The prince hesitated, glancing from the fight to the sigil. Then he squared his shoulders, and raced toward the center of the room.
The creature roared, turning its attention toward him."Not so fast!" Nyx leapt onto the creature's back, sinking his claws into its smoky form. The creature roared in pain, thrashing wildly.
Finally, Liam saw the opportunity, driving his sword into the creature's chest. The moonstone's power flared, and the creature let out an ear-split screech before disappearing into black smoke.
The silence fell inside the room.
The Sigil Broken
The prince reached the center of the sigil and placed the vial containing the purified essence. Black energy around the sigil began crackling and sparking, the pressure of energy almost dissipating before the essence started to take effect.
"It is working," Kael said as the sigil went dim.
But the second the sigil broke, a chilling laugh echoed through the hall.
"Well done, little brother," the voice of the princess said, though her form was nowhere to be found. "You've made it further than I would have thought. But it will not matter. You're too late."
Exchanging uneasy glances, the group looked at one another following the fading of her laughter.
"What does she mean?" the prince now asked, his voice trembling.
"She's bluffing," Liam declared, yet his face was anything but cheerful. "We take out the rest of the sigils, and we'll finish this."
There was an unreadable look on Kael's face. "If she's bluffing, then we still have time. But if she's not ..."
"Then we'll deal with it," Liam said firmly.
To be continue...