King Xavi's face was unreadable as he gave the command to his son.
"Return to the castle," he said coldly. His son bowed once and left swiftly. The air around the battlefield trembled as Josephine still floated high in the sky, her aura blazing like a storm about to swallow the world.
The guardians fell to their knees, their voices echoing like a war-chant.
"ALL SHALL BOW TO THE QUEEN OF ZEPHYRIA!"
"Jojo!!!" Tess screamed, her voice breaking, tears streaking her cheeks. She turned on Sophina, her anger pouring out like fire.
"I FUCKING BLAME YOU FOR THIS!" she cried. "We were trying to keep her stable, and now we have lost her—and she will kill us all!"
Callum's voice shook as he looked up at Josephine's glowing figure.
"ALL OF YOU MUST BOW TO THE QUEEN OF ZEPHYRIA!" Hetragon shouted with authority.
Sophina stood her ground, fists clenched. "She's just a child! We can't bow to her. You're controlling her!"
Hetragon's voice boomed like thunder.
"JOSEPHINE!"
Josephine's blackened eyes locked on them all. Slowly, she raised her hand, pointing at the crowd below.
"Make them bow to you," Hetragon whispered to her mind.
Josephine's delicate hand opened wide—then clenched into a tight fist.
The ground split open. The sky screamed.
The people shrieked in agony as invisible pressure crushed their bodies, forcing them down. One by one, they collapsed onto their knees, their cries filling the air.
King Xavi stood tall, refusing to bow, his eyes locked on Hetragon.
"HEY, HETRAGON!" he roared.
Hetragon whipped her head toward him, her expression fierce.
"You're angry because of your lover," Xavi declared. "The one you never got to meet in the afterlife… because he was reborn here—among us."
Hetragon's eyes widened. "NO!"
Josephine's body trembled, her voice soft and broken as she moved like a puppet in the sky. Hetragon twirled her in a twisted dance.
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhh…" Hetragon sang, her voice eerie.
Josephine fought against the pull, snapping her fingers and trying to stabilize herself. Her body shook violently. She reached out desperately to her father and her siblings.
"Jojo!" Tess cried, stretching her arm out.
Josephine's eyes flickered black, her face twitching, until she was dragged back up into the storm. Clouds swirled, twisting into monstrous faces, their howls echoing like demons.
A roar shook the heavens.
Everyone froze as a powerful woman's voice bellowed across the sky:
"JOSEPHINE!!!"
They turned—and there she was.
"Ceillie…" Hendrick whispered.
"Nana!" Tess, Callum, and Piere cried out in unison.
"Jojo!!! Look down—it's me!" Ceillie shouted, her voice desperate.
Hetragon's laughter echoed as she floated lower, her eyes locked on Ceillie.
"Hiiiii Ceillie," she mocked, smiling coldly.
"Remember what I said?" Hetragon whispered with venom. "I told you I'd make sure she breaks free. And now… look at her."
Ceillie dropped to her knees, tears streaming. "Please, I beg you… she's just a child. She's not grown enough for this. If you want to teach her, not like this! Whatever pain you went through, don't put it on her. Don't you see? This isn't going to work!"
Her voice cracked as she sobbed.
Noah's voice thundered, shaking the crowd.
"Oliver… is Simon's reincarnation!"
"LIES!" I never got to meet him He wasn't there! He left me Hetragon roared, spinning in fury. But when she turned, Oliver was standing before her, trembling.
She froze. Her breath caught. Slowly, she stepped forward, staring into his face. Her hands shook as she reached out, brushing her fingers against his cheek.
"Simon…" she whispered, her voice breaking. "My Simon…"
Xavi's voice cut through the silence.
"His soul was lost, wandering for forty years. When Sophina carried Oliver, his soul found its way back. He was searching for you."
Tears filled Hetragon's eyes. She turned upward.
"Josephine!" she cried.
Josephine glared down, her black eyes glowing. Her voice was not her own when she screamed:
"REBORN ME!"
The clouds split apart as she raised her hands, lightning surging between her palms. With a single thrust, she blasted Hetragon with blinding lightning.
Hetragon's body flickered. Her voice echoed faintly:
"See you all soon…"
Her spirit dissolved, rushing into the body of Queen Victoria—King Nereon's wife.
"AHHHHHH!" Queen Victoria screamed, clutching her stomach as Hetragon's soul slipped into the child within her womb.
The air fell silent.
Ceillie, trembling, pulled out a small wooden box. She opened it to reveal a freshly baked blueberry pie.
"Jojo! Look—it's your favorite pie!" she cried, holding it up.
Half the castle walls lay in ruins. Dust and broken stone covered the ground.
"Jojo!" Ceillie cried again.
Josephine's body trembled in the air, her markings glowing wild and unstable. Suddenly, with unreadable speed, she shot downward like a hurricane, the wind roaring around her.
"COME DOWN, LOVE!" Ceillie shouted, her hands shaking.
Xavi stepped forward, taking the box of pie from her. He stripped off his suit, his eyes glowing with fierce determination. "Hold on."
With all his strength, he soared upward, piercing the raging clouds. Josephine screamed as faces within the storm shrieked along with her.
Xavi pushed forward and shoved a piece of pie into her mouth.
She froze. Her eyes flickered wildly—normal, then black, then glowing colors.
"JOSEPHINE! Look—Nana is here!" Tess cried, pointing down.
The clouds themselves whispered in eerie voices: "Nana!?"
"Yes, Nana!" Piere yelled.
In an instant, Josephine vanished from Xavi's arms, appearing face-to-face with Ceillie in a blink.
The storm dissipated. Her eyes returned to normal.
She dropped to the ground, pie in hand, her face smeared with blueberry. She clapped her hands joyfully, bouncing on Ceillie over and over. She ate greedily, giggling like a child.
Everyone stared in shock as Josephine's aura glowed once more. She stomped the ground, and the broken walls of the castle began repairing themselves, stone reforming into place.
But before she could take another step, her body went limp.
"Jojo!" Ceillie shouted, catching her before she hit the ground. Her skin burned like fire in his arms. He rushed to the fountain, laying her inside and holding her head as water cascaded down, cooling her feverish body.
The kings and the terrified people fled, retreating from the chaos.
Ceillie wrapped Josephine in cloth, holding her trembling body. "My Jojo…" she whispered, tears dripping onto her granddaughter's skin.
Xavi carried her gently back into the castle and into her chamber. The family followed, silent and shaken.
Sophina's voice cracked as she finally spoke.
"What the fuck just happened?"
Hendrick turned to her, eyes hard. "This… is what we've been trying to avoid, Sophina. We wanted to explain it, but you… foolish woman."
Noah's voice was sharp. "Dad, Hetragon did say… Mom would be the one to make Josephine snap."
Oliver sat in the corner, covering his face, Anesthesia rubbing his back. The twins clung to each other in fear.
"Come here, you two," Ceillie whispered, pulling Tess and Callum close.
King Nereon stepped in. "Is everything settled now?"
Hendrick nodded stiffly. "I'm sorry about your wife."
"It's fine," Nereon said quietly. "Goodbye." He left with heavy steps.
Ceillie dressed Josephine in a simple gown. The markings across her body glowed bolder, darker.
King Xavi's voice carried authority. "King Hendrick, I will come tomorrow as promised. Prepare for my arrival—ten sharp." He glanced once more at Josephine, then vanished in a flash.
The silence weighed heavy.
Oliver broke it, his voice cold.
"Mom… we're all disappointed in you. Look what you've done to Jojo. Please… leave."
Sophina's lips trembled, her eyes glassy. Hendrick spoke in a low, tired tone.
"Sophina. Please leave."
She turned and walked out, her heart breaking.
Piere placed his hands gently on Josephine's forehead, chanting softly. Warm light spread across her body, sealing her wounds and calming her aura.
"She'll wake in the morning," he whispered.
"Thank you," Hendrick said. "Everyone go and rest. Tomorrow will be long."
"I'm staying with Jojo," Ceillie said firmly.
"I know," Hendrick replied softly, leaving the room.
Tess, Callum, and Piere dragged their blankets into Josephine's chamber, laying close to her bed. Slowly, they fell asleep, protecting her through the night.
And so, the Silent Queen lay unconscious, her storm settled—for now.