Emperor Lloyd was already there, standing at the heart of the throne room, flanked by his royal guards. There was a palpable mask of relief and apprehension on his face. “Thank spirits you’ve made it,” he rushed out the words.
Silas strode toward the Emperor. "How long since he breached our walls?"
"Less than five minutes," came the grim response.
The doors to the throne room burst open, the atmosphere seeming to quiver as the embodiment of all of my grief walked in. His eyes were ablaze with an infernal fire that scorched me as he leveled his gaze on me. His features twisted into a sinister sneer, a grotesque mask of twisted pleasure that set my nerves alight.
An eerie chill snaked its way down my spine, my instincts wailing a dire warning that he wasn’t going to let me live without bonding him this time. His aura was suffocating, a smothering shroud of darkness that clawed at my senses.
The natural world seemed to recoil. In all my encounters with darkness, Matthieu's aura was the deepest abyss, a void that threatened to devour all that stood in its path.
This spiritwas the embodiment of my deepest fears, the living spirit of power-sucking evil that I had dreaded facing. I knew that he was powerful, but I had never felt his presence this intensely before.
This man was the one and only spirit I’d been afraid of in my life, and Ihatedthe feeling swirling inside of me being confronted with his true identity.
Emperor Lloyd was the first to step forward, his voice a defiant beacon despite the danger of Matthieu. "What is the meaning of this, Matthieu? Did you truly have to stoop to this betrayal? You have forsaken our family in the worst way.”
Matthieu's response was a chilling chuckle, a cacophony of madness that reverberated through the room. "Betrayed? Oh, that’s a good one. Lloyd, your comprehension is sorely lacking. I was never your family. I slipped into the skin of your great-grandfather, a puppet master pulling strings since before your inception. This conspiracy is far beyond your feeble comprehension. I am here to reclaim that which is inherently mine."
Silas's hands came alive with the pulsating dance of ink and water, a tangible manifestation of his magical powers. "And what do you seek to claim?"
Matthieu's gaze flickered. "Fawn, of course. You had a good run, but it’s time to come with me."
An icy shiver snaked its way down my spine, my skin prickling as a suffocating dread settled over me. His obsession had grown into a monstrous entity. Yet, beneath the surface, I recognized that it was notmehe craved, but the power that flowed through my veins, the potential to reshape the world itself.
"I amnotyours," I hissed, fury lacing my words as the wind stirred around me, a tempest of my own emotions.
Matthieu's lips twisted into a cruel, calculated smile. "Oh, my dear mage, you have been mine since the very beginning. As soon as I had heard of your existence the day after your magic manifested. You just lacked the clarity to see it."
Rage surged through the bond, a clash of anger and defiance that resonated with each of my bonded mages. "I am not yours, and I never will be. You can never have me, Matthieu. You’re the definition of delusional, a twisted distortion of reality because you have been all-consumed by madness.”
Matthieu's face contorted in a storm of rage, his fingers clenching around a sinister potion that pulsed with nefarious energy…the same potion that was able to turn him into a monster. "Is that truly what you think? Allow me to enlighten you, then.Iam thecreatorof your existence, Fawn."
“The only beings responsible for my creation are the spirits,” I snapped.
Silas's blue eyes blazed with an inferno of anger, his voice dripping with venom. "You will never lay a hand on her, Matthieu."
Matthieu's smirk persisted, a maddening grin that seemed to mock us. "You underestimate me, Silas. You always have."
Aimon's presence loomed at Silas's side, his form adorned with creeping vines that became a visible representation of his anger. “You’ll have to go through all of us before you ever get to her. We won’t let you lay a finger on her.”
"We'll show you just how far we're willing to go to protect her. You are the one underestimatingus.” Casper's voice became a low growl.
Jasper's darkness melded with his form, tendrils of shadow slithering like serpents as if the magic swelled up and leaked from his vessel. "And we’re more than happy to show you just how much.”
Matthieu's gaze swept over us, a calculated assessment that seemed to measure our very spirits, something I knew hecouldn’tdo. "Very well. I can tell you won’t make this easy for me, but mark my words, your defiance will not make any difference. I will bond our souls together in madness, birthing a new world order."
In his ominous proclamation, a potent mixture of anticipation crackled in the air.
A stream of searing fire surged through the air, hitting its mark in Matthieu's chest. His body convulsed as he stumbled a few steps back, shock registering in his widened eyes.
He cast his head back and released a manic peal of laughter that reverberated off the walls. "Emperor Lloyd," he taunted with a twisted grin. “How amusing that it isyouwho strikes first. A delightful twist in our tale, considering our history."
Emperor Lloyd’s eyes narrowed, and fire licked up his arms. “You’re not the only one who has been planning, Matthieu. Weknowhow to fight you.”
With an eerie grace, Matthieu straightened, his very presence oozing sinister feelings as he advanced. “I have eyes everywhere, so I know that youthinkyou can win this, but you are mistaken if you believe you possess the means to stop me, Lloyd. My power eclipses your comprehension. An army of monsters stands poised to enactmywill, and as we speak, they feast upon your people, sating their bloodlust."
As if on cue, anguished cries pierced the air, and the guttural roars of monstrous creatures sent chills down my spine.
