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The cavernous throne room brimmed with tension, shadows flickering as torches lined the walls. The heavy scent of incense mixed with the metallic chill of anticipation. The witch Queen's footsteps echoed like thunder as she stormed forward, eyes blazing with rage.
"Where is my daughter?!" Her voice cut through the silence, sharp as a blade. "Where is Zaria?"
The Demon chief, seated on his obsidian throne, remained motionless, his face a mask of controlled fury. Finally, he spoke, voice low but hard. "Your Majesty, your anger blinds you. Rash accusations solve nothing."
A cold laugh escaped the Queen's lips, filled with scorn. "Blind? I gave you the throne you sit upon. I lent you my armies, my power, my loyalty. Do not speak to me of control."
The chief's dark eyes flared. "And yet without my bloodline, without my strength, your kingdom would have fallen long ago. I command legions born of the war god's fury. My power is the backbone of this realm."She leaned forward, voice dripping with venom. "Power? A fragile illusion. I am the storm goddess's heir. My storms can drown your armies. My loyalty is to my blood, not your fragile throne."
The room crackled with tension, breaths caught in the throats of courtiers and guards. The two rulers stood, their presence overwhelming.
The King's tone dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Enough words. Summon Valeria."
From the shadows stepped Valeria ,the chief of the guard. Her posture was proud, though unease flickered in her eyes.
The Queen's gaze cut to Valeria like a dagger. "You were charged with protecting my daughter and the prince. How could you fail so utterly?"
Valeria's voice was steady, but firm. "I served with honor. This disappearance—this betrayal—was beyond any guard's power to prevent."
The Queen's sneer deepened. "Do not hide behind duty. Your failure is unforgivable."
The King's voice boomed, silencing the murmurs. "Valeria, your failure has cost us dearly. For negligence and betrayal of trust, you are stripped of your rank and sentenced to death."
A stunned silence fell. Valeria, renowned for her fierce mind and unwavering loyalty, stood condemned.
The executioner stepped forward, the weight of the moment pressing down on the hall.But before the blade could fall, the Queen's voice cut sharply through the thick silence.
"You think this punishment will quench my wrath? You think that by spilling her blood, you erase the past? You think I do not know what you did—what you sacrificed—to have Lyren?"
The room froze. Courtiers exchanged nervous glances.
The King rose from his throne, eyes blazing with fury. "Speak your venom, but remember who rules here."
Valeria, calm and unyielding despite the cold steel poised to end her life, she stood proud and tall.
The executioner's blade gleamed as it fell.
Gasps erupted through the courtroom. Whispers rippled like wildfire. How could one so powerful be struck down so swiftly?
The King gestured sharply. "Appoint the new chief immediately."
A young guard stepped forward, nodding solemnly. The throne room buzzed with tension, the air thick with unspoken fears.
The Queen fixed the King with a piercing glare. "Remember this—one wrong move, and I will unravel your carefully woven lies."
The King's fury roared like a storm, but he held his ground, face contorted with rage.