Under the starlight and silvery moon, the shadows of the trees danced upon the Winston manor. The leaves flickered like candlelight, creating a new picture from moment to moment. Amid the perfume of the summer blooms, feeling the cool of the evening wash over the Pentown as the waves kiss sun-warmed sand. The green-colored atmosphere was getting mixed with cloudy light. Little showers of rain were blowing down on the manor as the soldiers and the guardians patrolled the area vigilantly. They were all informed about Noah's decision to summon the Dark Lord. Hence, the soldiers looked pale and gawked at the sky, expecting the Dark Lord to arrive anytime. The sun slowly disappeared from the horizon, paving the way for the darkness to conquer the land. When the stars peeked through the night sky and the silvery moon bathed the land with its dazzling light, the nobles who left the manor returned. This time, they stayed in the air, keeping their distance from the Winston manor.
Many were still on their way to the Winston manor, and Xanali was one of them. Since she was a guardian and lover of Noah, she was granted permission to descend down within the main gates.
"Guardian Captain," Alvaro, the Dark Lord's inside man, greeted Xanali with a bow.
"Where is the Supreme Guardian?" asked Xanali as she rushed into the home.
"Inside," Alvarod didn't even finish his words as Xanali entered the hall, leaving him behind. Unlike the rest of his team, Alvaro chose not to stay inside. Ever since he started to work for the Dark Lord, he felt uneasy looking Noah in the eyes. To keep his nerves in check and remain calm, Alvaro patrolled the manor alone. His hands shivered, thinking about the Dark Lord and the Supreme Guardian under the same roof. Deep down, he couldn't wait to see them slaughter each other, and that way, he would be a free man once again.
Recently, he was ordered to learn where Noah keeps the inventor they rescued from the dwarves. Apparently, Noah didn't trust his elites enough to reveal the inventor's location. Except for Noah himself, no one in the guild knew about the location. Like it or not, Alvaro had to find the location and give this information to the vampire handler, or they would send the feed of Alvaro forcing himself on a woman to Noah directly. If that happened, it would not only destroy his career as a guardian but also get him thrown into the dungeon. So he had to choose between serving the Dark Lord or spending his life in a dark prison cell.
"I have to work on Neela," Alvaro mumbled under his breath. Among all the elites, Noah trusted Neela the most. Thus, Alvaor planned to gain Neela's trust and make her learn the inventor's location. He would be able to get the information from Neela once she has it.
While Alvaro was formulating a plan to learn Hammond's location, Xanali reached Noah and tried to talk him out of his plan to call the Dark Lord for his aid.
"Nothing you say will make me change my mind, Xanali. I have no choice," Noah and Xanali stood in one corner and conversed in a husky voice.
"I know how much your father means to you-"
"Do you? If you know, you won't try to talk me out of this. Listen to me, Xanali. I don't like this any more than you do. Every fiber in my body tells me not to call him, but I have no choice. I have to do this for my family. I cannot lose him," said Noah. Xanali clenched her fist. She knew Noah was right but couldn't let him ask for the Dark Lord's help, who brutally murdered her best friend, Peyton.
"Look at her," Noah turned his head, looking at his mother.
"She is not even crying. I don't think she will ever overcome father's death. If I lose him, I will lose her too. Without them, there is no Winston family," Noah's voice stuttered. Seeing him like this made Xanali forget all her hatred toward the Dark Lord for a moment and agree with Noah's decision. She knew Noah was right. Even the Skyhall elder failed to lift the curse. So if anyone could help Noah, it was the Dark Lord himself. However, Xanali was afraid of the consequences of seeking his aid.
"Whatever happens, I will be at your side," Xanali took Noah's hands in her and gently squeezed them.
"I just wish Lord Andreas was here," said Xanali as Noah nodded.
"Me too. Lately, we have had too many arguments, and I didn't leave him to his slumber on good terms," Noah sighed. Then, his gaze swept across the hall until he locked his eyes on the cake.
"I should have been more careful. How could I let this happen?"
"Don't blame yourself, Noah. Don't do that now. As much as I hate that murdering son of a bitch, he might be the only person who could lift the curse and save your father. He did heal my sister's broken meridians and lifted Princess Chanel's curse," said Xanali.
"I know. I don't know what I would do if he couldn't," Noah's body trembled as he looked at Ethan's blood on his hand. The blood glistened like a mirror and showed him the images of his childhood with his father. Noah could hear Ethan's words in his mind loud and clear, as though he was behind him.
"Winning is great, but losing with grace and humility is just as important,"
"I can teach you how to throw a punch, but never start a fight… and always know when to walk away,"
"I'm so lucky that I get to be your dad,"
Noah's eyes watered as he heard his father's words that were like mantras to him. His entire life was shaped around Ethan's words and his teachings. Noah knew although his father might not be as strong as Andreas, he was always there for him, no matter what. Now that he was on the verge of losing Ethan forever, Noah missed him more than anything. He regretted the moments he spent roaming around instead of staying with his father.
Suddenly, the sound of thunderclaps stopped Noah's train of thought and brought him back to reality. The windows in the manor shuddered, making a thudding noise. Xanali looked around the hall as the chandeliers and light orbs flickered. Soon, they noticed the area around the manor darkened. Xanali strolled outside the manor and joined a group of guardians staring at the sky.
The stars and moon were nowhere to be found in the sky. Instead, dark clouds surrounded the sky as far as one could see. When the lightning flashed across the dark sky, Xanali saw a large shadow of a dragon above the clouds.
"He is here," Xanali muttered under her breath. Through the dark clouds, a dragon with crimson-red scales descended to the ground. The soldiers and the guardians tensed as they clenched their swords and spears tight. But no one dared to cast a spell or attack the dragon as they all moved away from the front yard, making space for the dragon to land.
Finally, Xanali saw the Dark Lord and the Dark Queen standing atop the dragon. They stared at the guardians and the soldiers without a shred of fear in their eyes. In fact, they looked amused to see so many of them. The dragon bore its teeth, threatening everyone to burn them down if they even lifted a finger against the Dark Lord and the Dark Queen.
Just the sheer size of the dragon and its Fusion Stage cultivation level was enough to make many soldiers shudder in fear. When Michael slid down Nightmare's wings and landed on the ground, Diana came running outside. As soon as she laid her eyes on his smiling face, all the worries and sadness drifted away from her heart. She wanted to welcome him with open arms, yet she had to control her motherly instincts for now.
The nobles who witnessed the Dark Lord walking into the Supreme Guardian's home gasped in shock. Nadia Hall was in the crowd, watching and recording everything to put in the newspaper the next day. Under their shocked gazes, Michael made his way into the home and met Diana before the doorway.
ραпdǎ Йᴏνêl(сòm) "I wish we had met under different circumstances, Lady Diana," Diana stood before Michael like a statue.
"Everything will be alright," Michael said with a reassuring smile. Whenever he saw this woman, he felt a deep connection with her to the point he wanted to wipe those tears off her face. He couldn't see her shedding tears.
Michael knew words weren't enough to make her feel good. Thus, he entered the hall with the system screaming in his head. The trip was worth the risk as he earned hundreds of thousands of badass points in a few seconds. As soon as he stepped into the hall, Noah was the first one he saw. But to Michael's surprise, Noah looked relieved to see him instead of furious or tense. Contrary to Noah's demeanor, Xanali, and King Bredia trembled. One trembled in anger for killing her best friend, while the other trembled in pure fear. No one in the hall dared to make a sound in front of the Dark Lord.
"Brother Ghost," Sabrina broke through the silence with her words. She came running to him and jumped onto him for a hug.
"I should see Lord Ethan first," said Michael, ignoring everything and everyone else. While Michael was following Sabrina toward Ethan, Xanali, and Gaya entered into a staring contest. This was the first time they met each other in their real form since Xanali threw Gaya in prison. The tension between them was certainly high. One could see the burning rage in Gaya's eyes. She took a couple of steps and met Xanali in the middle.
"Gaya," said Xanali.
"Xanali," said Gaya.
"Believe it or not, father still regrets breaking your meridians. He even wants to see you again," said Xanali.
Gaya let out a murderous chuckle.
"Why? Is he tired of living? I am asking this because," Gaya slowly leaned forward,
"I want to drag his ass off the throne and put an arrow through his heart," Gaya whispered into Xanali's ear.
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