"Is there a distance limit to the spell?" Matheas inquired, his gaze fixed on Isolde. She was now visibly struggling against the binds he had placed on her after Elias had effectively sealed her magic.
Elias and Caelum exchanged a brief, knowing glance before both turned to look at Matheas.
"Please, we ask that you don't reveal this information to anyone," Caelum pleaded, his voice earnest.
Matheas, though clearly puzzled by the urgency, nodded in agreement.
"We sealed Uncle Arnold's magic and then teleported to the beach near the manor," Elias explained, indicating the sandy stretch of shore behind the sprawling estate with a gesture. "We remained there for about ten minutes before teleporting back."
"Sir Arnold informed us that he was completely unable to use his magic until we released the spell," Caelum added, providing more detail. "Given that his manor is located at the opposite edge of Ingris, we now believe the distance the spell can cover might extend far beyond the country's borders."
Elias offered a confirming nod.
"And why exactly did you create it?" Julias asked, his voice ringing with authority. "What specific situation compelled you to invent this rune?"
Caelum looked over at Elias, who let out a long, heavy sigh that suggested deep weariness.
"It was because of Arthur," Elias stated, and at the sound of the name, Alexander visibly swayed on his feet, requiring immediate support.
"What did he do, son?" Alexander asked, his voice strained with concern, as he leaned on Matheas for steadying support to remain upright.
"It wasn't what he did, Your Majesty," Caelum interjected before Elias could impulsively blurt out the full, unfiltered truth. Caelum chose his words carefully. "It was because of what he meant to do," he clarified.
"What exactly did he plan?" Raphael demanded, his eyes narrowing into a furious glare directed squarely at Arthur. Among Julias's children, Raphael favoured Alexander, and similarly, among Alexander's children, just like Matheas, Raphael felt a strong affinity for Elias.
Elias bore a stronger physical resemblance to Julias than he did to Alexander, a fact that even Alexander himself had acknowledged during their last visit to Port Manor.
Caelum sighed, a quiet sound of resignation. He understood that Elias was determined to let his father know about Arthur's sinister intentions. Caelum remained patiently silent, his gaze fixed on Elias, allowing him the space to speak.
Alexander, also sensing that Caelum was giving Elias permission to discuss the plan openly, looked at his son, prepared to wait until Elias was ready to explain everything he had overheard.
Elias took a slow, deep breath, consciously tightening his grip on Caelum's hand for reassurance.
"I learned about this plan just last night," Elias began, his voice low. "I woke up abruptly because of a nightmare. Caelum woke up almost immediately after, because he heard my gasps. I decided a walk around the manor might help me get back to sleep, and Caelum naturally came with me.
As we were walking past Arthur's room, we heard faint whispers.
I have never truly trusted Arthur, not since he made that derogatory and insulting comment about my relationship with Caelum, so I instructed Caelum to listen closely to what he was whispering about," he recounted.
Arthur had turned a sickly, ashen white, his face completely drained of color.
"What was it?" Matheas asked, his curiosity piqued.
"He was planning on using the potion that the Ravenlofts had once forced me to drink, and then giving me the potion that Aurelius drank," Elias revealed, his voice laced with disgust. "He wants Caelum to be his own, and he was even willing to put his own life in jeopardy to acquire him."
"But why Caelum?" Raphael questioned, still looking bewildered. "Why not choose someone else?"
"He has only ever witnessed Aristotle and Caelum in their roles as personal knight and mage," Elias explained logically. "And who, between those two, represents the better choice, the superior option?" he asked, turning his intense gaze toward Raphael.
"Caelum," Raphael stated without any hesitation or doubt. He had heard stories of how Aristotle constantly attempted to dictate Aurelius's actions, a stark contrast to Caelum, who consistently offered Elias suggestions and the freedom to choose from multiple options.
"And he knows the entire story of how Caelum and I first met," Elias continued, emphasizing the personal connection. "He knows how Caelum selflessly put his own safety aside and made my life his absolute priority," he said. "If there were absolutely no one else in the manor except me and Caelum, who would be the most obvious choice for him to target?" he asked, looking directly at Alexander.
Alexander gasped, the realization hitting him hard. "That was the reason Caelum felt the need to warn Arthur about the dangers of jealousy," he murmured, remembering the conversation. "He was fully aware that Arthur harbored jealousy toward you."
Elias nodded grimly. "And he desperately wanted Caelum," he reiterated.
"I do want him!" Arthur suddenly shouted, the restraint snapping. "At first, I genuinely thought Aristotle would eventually tire of Aurelius and finally come to me, especially since you rejected him. But then, you joined the academy and brought Caelum to this manor on the very second day," he fumed. "After watching him in action, I knew immediately that he was the best knight and mage anyone could ever hope to have. He is better than Matheas and even Raphael," he insisted, directing his defiant look at Elias. "He is exceptionally powerful, highly skilled, wonderfully calm, quietly observant, and shows absolutely no concern for his own well-being when the person he has sworn to protect is in danger. I want him. And I will take him," he screamed, his voice cracking with intensity.
Caelum could clearly see the sheer effort Elias was expending to hold back his raging anger.
"That older brother of mine stole my entire teenage life," Elias said, his voice dropping to a dangerously low and menacing whisper. "And now you actually think you have the right to steal the one person who has consistently stood by my side, despite every danger I have inadvertently put him in?" he asked, seething with fury. "Do I, in any way, look like the kind of person who would let you take him without a vicious fight? And do you honestly believe that you would be victorious if we were to fight each other?" he challenged, taking a menacing step closer to Arthur, instantly towering over him by a full two feet, emphasizing the physical dominance.
His raw magic began to visibly leak out from his body, creating an immediate, visible freezing effect in the air and on the surfaces around him, causing the nearby area to become icy cold.
Caelum offered a small, reassuring smile as he simultaneously neutralized the intense freezing effect of Elias's potent ice magic with a subtle burst of his own warming fire magic. "I wouldn't go to him, not even if he were the last living royal left in the world," Caelum whispered intimately to Elias, leaning in very close. "You are the only person who has ever truly held my full attention, the only one I have had my eyes on," he assured him softly.
Elias's tense expression softened into a slight smile as he looked at Caelum, then he flicked a quick glance at Arthur, who looked furious enough to commit murder. Elias smirked triumphantly, closed the small remaining distance between himself and Caelum, and gently placed a soft, lingering kiss on Caelum's forehead, a simple gesture that instantly made Caelum's cheeks flush bright red with unexpected warmth.
Raphael and Matheas both gave distinct, signaling coughs, indicating that the tender public display was perhaps inappropriate given the extreme severity of the current situation.
Caelum smiled sweetly as he instinctively tightened his hold on Elias's hand. He felt Elias immediately glare at Matheas and Raphael after pulling Caelum securely close to his own chest, making sure that Caelum was unable to see the intense look Elias was giving the two men.
Caelum then looked at Arthur, his expression cool. "And how exactly do you plan to force me to become yours?" he asked, his tone mocking. "You plan on using that ridiculous potion?" he asked, letting out a dry, sarcastic chuckle. "I would actually ask Elias to teleport you directly to a brothel and simply leave you there to your fate," he stated clearly. "No one in that environment would ever question any of your actions, and you would be free to take anyone you want, in whatever manner you desire," he finished, his voice dangerously smooth.
"You will help me because Elias could never bear to watch me suffer the same horrific fate he endured," Arthur retorted, a desperate smirk playing on his lips.
"Is that a certainty?" Elias asked, his eyes narrowing as he fixed his gaze on Arthur. "Are you truly confident about that assumption, my dear little brother?" he challenged, his voice dangerously low. "Do you want to put that theory to a real test, right here and now?" he asked, his expression looking distinctly vindictive.
Arthur shook his head rapidly, a frantic, visible movement of fear. He knew, deep down, that Elias would now be perfectly fine watching him suffer. Elias would likely even ensure that Arthur suffered a little bit extra, primarily because Elias knew precisely how the effects of that specific potion felt and was aware that it was due to Arthur's assistance that he had been forced to drink the vile liquid in the first place.