Chapter 56 - Helios (Part 5)
-2 and a half years later; In Helios' Study- 11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDptiVTVQGi
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsecNYZhxdn
Helios sat in his study, surrounded by a sea of political documents. The room was quiet, save for the rustling of papers and the occasional sigh from the prince. Suddenly, a misty form materialized, swirling around the room with dramatic flair.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ423lF8KI8b
"Haaaaaaaaah.........it's so boring. Your life is soo booooooooring!" Xerxes exclaimed, his ethereal voice echoing off the walls.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoXrYDby9A
Without looking up from his work, Helios quipped, "Damn, my life must be really interesting if you're this obsessed with it."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCB7TEkRGM
Xerxes responded with an exaggerated groan that seemed to stretch on forever.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvwwWBPRNB
*Knock Knock*
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4VLkoczUw
Just as the ghostly wail reached its crescendo, a sharp knock at the door cut through the noise.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCA7QIGP02
"Come in," Helios called out, and Xerxes vanished into thin air.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYsLe2xDNX
The door opened to reveal Talon Brunte, the Emperor's advisor. His presence commanded attention, despite his subservient posture. "His Majesty, the Emperor commands your presence in his study," he announced with practiced formality.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLrtLxgQob
Helios rose from his chair, his face a mask of calm indifference. "Understood," he replied, moving towards the door.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYi4aHIc4Q
As he passed, Talon bowed low, a gesture of respect that seemed almost exaggerated. Helios paused for a moment, his eyes catching something unusual. With a hint of curiosity in his voice, he remarked, "Your hair.......really are turning black, huh?"
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvgmVGk3Y3
The comment hung in the air as Helios continued down the corridor, leaving Talon to straighten up and resume his stoic demeanor. The advisor's eyes followed the prince's retreating form, a flicker of something unreadable passing across his face.
-In the Emperor's Study-
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hOvRXR71u
The Emperor's study was a chamber of shadows and secrets, where the weight of history hung heavy in the air. Sunlight filtered through the long window, casting elongated shadows across the polished marble floor. The Emperor stood silently, his silhouette a dark monolith against the brilliant backdrop of the world beyond. His hands were clasped behind his back, fingers intertwined like the threads of fate that had spared him from death twelve years prior.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdxrko0zET
The room was thick with unspoken truths. The very walls seemed to whisper of the brutal attempted murder, a memory now erased from the minds of both the Emperor and Hades by Xerxes' arcane powers. In its place, a fabricated tale of the Empress's treachery had taken root, leading to her unjust execution.
Behind the Emperor loomed his study table, a massive slab of ancient oak that had borne witness to countless decisions that shaped the empire. Its surface was a landscape of parchments and sealed documents, each one a potential decree or death sentence. Further back, Hades stood at attention, his posture mirroring that of his father, a living echo of authority.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo49M9jW88T
The door creaked open, admitting Helios into this tableau of power. "Your Imperial Majesty," he intoned formally, his voice cutting through the silence as he bowed deeply. The floorboards whispered beneath his feet as he moved to stand beside his brother, their identical faces a study in contrast – one open, one guarded.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBItjCj04nt
The Emperor pivoted, his movement deliberate and measured, turning just enough to regard his sons with a single, piercing eye. The light caught the silver threads in his beard, a testament to the years that had etched themselves into his very being.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3InNPZM5I
"I trust you are both cognizant of the imminent military engagement," the Emperor's voice rumbled, each word falling like a stone into a still pond.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡim6FONFbNW
"Indeed, Your Majesty," Hades responded with military precision.
Helios offered a measured nod of acknowledgment.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWAq6vLQsA
"It has been determined that one of you shall represent Domino's interests in this conflict," the Emperor declared.
A moment of tension crystallized in the room. Hades' composure fractured, while Helios remained outwardly impassive.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbyhSHNgbc
"Your Imperial Majesty," Hades implored, "I beseech you to consider sending Helios in my stead. My impending nuptials with Princess Roxana are of paramount significance."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM3v9Mubxz0
Helios began to counter, "Imperial Father, if I may be so bold, my brother has already entered into matrimonial arrangements with five noble ladies-"
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAk4uKJhYk9
The Emperor's raised hand silenced both sons. He then declared with regal authority, "Helios, you shall depart for the war under Hades' name. You will serve for half a year, during which time we shall expeditiously solemnize Hades' wedding to Princess Roxana. Subsequently, Hades will assume your position in the conflict, thereby facilitating your return. Do you both find this proposition agreeable?"
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPVf396jlH
"Your will shall be our command, Imperial Father," Hades proclaimed, his enthusiasm barely contained.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcIHVDAlhL
Helios stood momentarily transfixed, a fleeting vulnerability crossing his typically impassive features. Swiftly, he reconstructed his stoic demeanor, offering a nearly imperceptible bow of acquiescence.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPGQrXzN4q
As Helios withdrew from the chamber, his departure was a masterclass in controlled movement – each step a silent testament to his complex inner landscape.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uftoUUk5T
The door closed with a soft, definitive click, leaving behind a room pregnant with the weight of imperial decisions and altered destinies.
-Helios' Bedroom-
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUK8jmtP6X
The heavy oak door creaked shut behind Helios as he entered his private sanctuary. With a swift motion, he engaged the lock, ensuring his solitude. Or so it would seem to any mortal observer.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfD9CKl66b8
"Xerxes," Helios called out, his voice a mixture of exhaustion and resignation.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFdktqqrAg
The air shimmered, coalescing into a writhing mass of inky darkness. Xerxes' disembodied voice emanated from the void, tinged with irritation. "What?"
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjP65ttULJN
Helios moved towards his ornate four-poster bed, his shoulders sagging under an invisible weight. "Father has decreed that I am to join the war, masquerading as Hades."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡediILLRXns
The black mist swirled violently, Xerxes' shock palpable in the air. "Are you fucking kidding me? And you just rolled over and took it? What happened to all that talk of vengeance, huh?"
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSlY3u1po5
Helios reclined on the bed, his eyes closing as if to shut out the world. "Vengeance? That's a child's fantasy, Xerxes. I harbor no such delusions."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5c20V3igz
"Bullshit!" Xerxes spat, his form roiling with anger. "We had a deal, remember? All those nights spent purging the empire of its filth, razing those godforsaken auction houses and black markets to the ground. Was that all for nothing?"
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TWZSyT9Kq
Helios' eyes snapped open, a hint of steel entering his voice. "I never desired to be cast as either villain or hero, Xerxes. My actions... they were all to ensure a safer empire. For the child."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8Rgu9tpNh
"Child? What fucking child?" Xerxes' form expanded, filling the room with his incredulous rage. "You mean to tell me you've been using me, making me complicit in your little cleaning crusade, all for some hypothetical brat?"
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWMWnc8NCT
Helios sat up, his face a mask of calm belying the storm within. "Yes," he stated simply, his gaze unflinching. "My goal was singular - to eliminate the Empress and secure my future. Look around you, Xerxes. I've built an empire within an empire. Three international branches, countless properties, a sterling reputation. That's the vengeance I sought."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpiq8QUTUUP
"Fuck me sideways," Xerxes growled, his form condensing into a tight, angry ball. "All this time, I've been itching to possess the body of a man who doesn't have the balls to embrace true power? You're pathetic, Helios. Just like that weak bitch who birthed you."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmDTp406DT
The temperature in the room seemed to plummet as Helios' eyes flashed dangerously. His voice, when he spoke, could have frozen flame. "You will not speak of my mother in such a manner, Xerxes. Ever."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYADkJ2kjcO
"Ugh, whatever," Xerxes snarled, his form dissipating like smoke in the wind.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjzd2eSCoZ
Left alone, Helios fell back onto the bed, his hands covering his face. A deep sigh escaped him, laden with the weight of secrets and unspoken truths.
-Outside Roxana's Room, in the Corridor, Late afternoon-
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSl9FIoXCSR
The corridor outside Roxana's room buzzed with an eerie silence, broken only by the sudden crash of a door flying open. Lady Vespera, the most recent wife of Hades, stumbled out, her appearance a stark contrast to her usual regal demeanor.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDbVxs5cSO
"UGHH!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing off the stone walls. Her once-pristine hair now resembled a bird's nest, as if invisible claws had raked through it mercilessly. Her elegant dress hung in tatters, the bottom hem frayed and torn, while the bodice gaped open at the top. She cast a venomous glare back into the room before fleeing down the corridor, her footsteps fading into the distance.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyg7i9qRZCJ
At the far end of the hallway, Helios stood frozen, his eyes wide with shock. Curiosity overcame his initial hesitation, and he found himself drawn towards Roxana's room. As he approached, he noticed the door left ajar in Vespera's wake.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7MevU9IA4
Peering inside, Helios saw Roxana standing near the window, one arm crossed over her chest while the other hand was raised, her eyes focused intently on her fingernails. The late afternoon sun cast a golden glow across her features, highlighting the subtle curve of her lips.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sGQsDGo4t
*Knock Knock*
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvqbTQkQl2
He knocked on the open door.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YTzz4LAzY
Helios rapped his knuckles against the open door, the sound seeming to startle Roxana from her reverie. She raised her eyes slowly, looking up at him from beneath long lashes.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFNrij0w3y
"You are permitted to enter," Roxana said, her voice a low, melodious purr.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5KcB806Mk
Helios slipped inside, his movements fluid yet cautious. He glanced back over his shoulder, ensuring they were alone before swiftly shutting the door with a soft click.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAi0ZIRNE9
As he turned back to face Roxana, Helios noticed her gaze fixed on the letter in his hand. He extended his arm, holding the missive halfway between them, silently inviting her to close the distance.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXekGFqYwTx
Roxana glided forward, her movements graceful and deliberate. She plucked the letter from his fingers, her touch feather-light. With deft movements, she unfolded the parchment, her eyes scanning the contents:
Roxana, do the echoes of your slaughtered kin not whisper vengeance in your veins?
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjgfYd915t
The Azones demand your presence. Your weakness bleeds our power. Come to Ossa now, or I will ensure what remains of your fractured lineage becomes nothing more than a whispered curse. Your siblings' survival depends on your submission.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9T5xRxwGs
Arrive, or be erased.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvb8wZ9kpuk
Your Aunt
"HMMM," Roxana murmured, her left hand lowering the letter to rest against her right elbow. Her right hand rose to her lips, fingertips brushing against them as she turned to face the fireplace perpendicular to her ornate bed.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl040TP9olu
Helios tilted his head, curiosity evident in his voice. "What's wrong?"
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqCtlXo8nz6
Roxana remained silent, her eyes transfixed by the dancing flames. The fire cast flickering shadows across her face, accentuating the sharp angles of her cheekbones.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxAlJ31DMy
"A child. Strong enough to bear that," she said suddenly, her left hand still clutching the letter as she pointed towards the roaring fire. "Can such a child be born?" Her tone was ominous, her face an impassive mask.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoq4heh967a
Helios turned to follow her gaze, his brow furrowing slightly. "You mean a child who can bear the Flames of the Dragon?"
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJP2lWjEOOR
A smirk played at the corners of Roxana's lips, her eyes never leaving the hypnotic dance of the flames. "Exactly."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83mzUOQXPj
"You don't mean what I think you mean, right?" Helios questioned, a frown deepening on his face as he too became mesmerized by the fire.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVHdFLoJtI
"I mean exactly what you think," she replied, turning back to face Helios with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49Sn7v66TJ
Roxana's eyes narrowed as she studied Helios, her fingers tracing the edges of the letter. "You once told me you'd do anything for me," she said, her voice low and measured. "Did you mean it?"
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkvkJfES1w
Helios stiffened, his red eyes flickering with an unreadable emotion. "Roxana, you know I—"
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvMoHPGKIT
"Because I need you now," she interrupted, taking a step closer. "Not for some frivolous wish or fleeting desire. This is about survival."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXsTcBKJHn
He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. "What exactly are you asking of me?"
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4AyquvwDF
Roxana held up the letter, her knuckles white against the parchment. "Ossa. On the western coast of Kior. We need to go there, and we need to go now."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVpSCDkDP5
"Ossa?" Helios's brow furrowed. "That's an abandoned land. Not to mention, all the cursed stories which revolve around this region, Roxana. You can't seriously be considering—"
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfibB2zsJF
"I'm not considering anything," she snapped. "I'm going. With or without you."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAjBsCsqos
A tense silence fell between them. Helios paced the room, his movements agitated. "This is madness. You're walking into a trap."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtDjaBuuky
Roxana's laugh was bitter. "Perhaps. But it's a trap I can't avoid. My family, Helios. My siblings. Their lives hang in the balance."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqS02j4PAG
He stopped, turning to face her. His expression softened slightly. "And what of your life? Does that not matter?"
"Of course it does," she whispered. "That's why I'm asking you to come with me."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7lnHbQeUR
Helios closed his eyes, conflict evident on his face. When he opened them again, there was a resigned determination in his gaze. "Very well. But we do this my way. No unnecessary risks."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXUvdllSqh
Relief flooded Roxana's features. She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Thank you."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUk41ZemAf
"Don't thank me yet," Helios muttered. He raised his hands, black mist beginning to swirl around them. "This won't be pleasant."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeSuNS5myP
The air crackled with energy. Roxana felt a pulling sensation in her gut, the world blurring around her. When everything came back into focus, they were standing in a dark, misty forest. The scent of salt and decay hung heavy in the air.
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWfRLZUW5P
Black cloaks materialized around them, offering protection against the chill and concealing their identities. Roxana pulled her hood low, scanning their surroundings.
"Welcome to Ossa," Roxana announced with a theatrical flourish, spinning on her heel and spreading her arms wide. Her voice carried an odd mix of excitement and caution, lilting with a sing-song quality. "Isn't it delightfully dreary?"
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIAaK1z5Is
Helios tensed beside her, his muscles coiling like springs. His eyes, sharp and alert, scanned the misty, seemingly deserted landscape. He shifted his weight, ready to move at a moment's notice. "It's..." he paused, his voice low and gravelly, "...exactly as abandoned as I thought."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wYdPGqMAA
"Oh, don't be so quick to judge," Roxana chided playfully, her lips curving into an impish grin. She pirouetted gracefully, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat. With a delicate finger, she tapped his nose. "The best hosts are the ones you can't see."
11Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBiZbHfNzjY
Helios's hand instinctively moved to a concealed weapon, his fingers curling around the hilt. His jaw clenched, eyes narrowing. "Roxana, what aren't you telling me?" His tone was taut with suspicion.
To be Continued...
ns 15.158.61.17da2
