ENCHANTED WORLD SERIES BOOK 2: TEMPTING THE DARK KING
Chapter Thirteen

The army moving to the Legin Glacier was prompted and prepared to head out while more warriors flocked the Fortress premises preparing for whatever Rowan had planned for them. Lyrah sat on the bed in the bedroom quarters obliviously caressing the silky material of her royal gown. Her mind was tuned to what was happening outside. Trucks were moving out, warriors were getting ready for the fight to their deaths to protect their home.

Her brother and her mate were standing amidst all that chaos. It was replaying all over again like the time Queen Noelle was kidnapped by her deranged uncle in the Realm of Spells but the unfortunate part was that this whole time could result in her losing the two most important males in her life. She was very nervous and she didn’t want to go back home anymore. This was her home now and she wanted to remain there and make sure that Rhol and Tyran remained safe.

“My queen.” Leah entered the room and bobbed lightly then clasped her hangs together and looked up at Lyrah. Tears were dancing in her eyes and her mouth trembled lightly. “I have been sent to come and help you pack for your journey back to the Realm of Spells.”

Lyrah bit her lower lip to stop it from betraying the effort to try and hide her sorrow. She, too, had gotten used to so many people there. She loved the family she had with the Jinns. She loved the Black Fortress because it was where she belonged with her mate.

“I am not taking much since I will not be away for a long time.” Lyrah assured the female as she got up and walked to the wall or wardrobes. She opened one of the doors and removed a small bag. “I am only taking this with me so I can do my own packing.”

“That’s awfully small for the things that a queen needs.” Leah shifted from one leg to the other nervously then threw her hands up and approached Lyrah. “No need to worry, I will take care of everything. That is why I am here, right?”

Lyrah watched as the female took the small bag from her hands and sighed in defeat as she went to the window facing the fortress yards. So many warriors were down there buzzing around, preparing their weaponry. Some were practicing others were casting chants and others were shifting into their counter parts. It was interesting as one moment a warrior would be standing and the next his body would contract, muscles bulged and bone snapping into a Jaguar, or oversized eagles.

“Has the army from the Realm of Spells arrived?” Lyrah turned to the female who had removed to more bigger bag from the wardrobes.

“I have seen several Mage have arrived. I have also seen a team of Centaurs, a pack of Leos and quite a large group of shifters.” Leah began to sort out through her clothes.

Lyrah felt her stomach making nots inside her. “I need to go down there and talk to my brother before I leave.”

Leah stopped and looked up. “I would not advise it, my queen. So much is happening, it is not very pleasant for you to be down there--”

But Lyrah had already flashed herself out, searching for the familiar energy aura of Lord Mage. She found him, out in the terrace overlooking the yards. He stood beside her mate, muttering quietly while watching over the hordes of males below them. Zafrina, Saigon, Zach, Constantine, Dawn and Ruvin were standing right behind them. Lyrah wasn’t surprised to see that Drake wasn’t there because he was the second in command and during the Lord Mage’s absence, he was to aid the Queen overlook the Realm.

Both Rhol and Tyran’s heads snapped up and they turned to her. Now, she had a connection with the both of them. While Tyran’s eyes narrowed at her, Rhol’s eyes smoldered with purple fire.

“Dirani peeta, I thought you were preparing for your departure?“Rhol asked her.

Lyrah’s eyes swept across the terrace. Everyone inclined their heads to her. Lyrah was happy to see Zach and his Mage and Ruvin again. It felt as if she was already back at the Realm. She was caught in between the feel of happiness and dread because she knew why they were all there. This was what she had wanted to achieve when she first approached Rhol. She wanted to tempt him to align with her brother and now he did. The two Realms were working together to bring down the enemy and also prove to the world that the Mage were innocent in everything that was happening. She was supposed to feel glad about it but she wasn’t. Instead, anxiety was eating her alive, threatening to engulf her to non-existence.

She couldn’t bare the thought of all these people putting themselves in danger, in situations of life and death so that everyone else would feel safe. She didn’t even know what they were going up against. What if there was a sorcerer army lead by Rowan? Not to mention that Rowan was able to cripple the Mage using their energies. And then there was the fact that Rhol was very susceptible to the darkness and that if he got himself poisoned, he could turn against his people. Was it a good idea that she went away when she was the only one able to bring him back from the darkness? She longer wanted him to be known as the Dark King. She wanted him to be known as the courageous Jinn King and her mate.

“Lyrah?” Rhol called her cautiously.

Lyrah snapped out her thoughts and realized everyone’s mouths were dragging on the floor in shock. She looked down at herself and realized she was glowing again. “Oh, this happens when I get too emotional.”

Rhol reached forward and touched her hand, linking her fingers with his. A tingle ran up her spine as his tattoos began to glow violet.

“Try and calm down. Everything is alright.” Rhol told her lightly.

“But that’s the thing.” Lyrah rasped turning to the rest of the people standing before her. “Everything is not going to be alright and you all know that but why am I the only one leaving the Realm?”

Rhol grinned wickedly. “I never run away from a fight.”

Lyrah rolled her eyes. “Seriously, you and my brother are cut from the same cloth.”

“You are far too important to stay here, Lyrah. You need to stay safe. You are to leave with Muriel, Dante and Eva.” Rhol assured her.

Lyrah lowered her voice, wanting the next words to reach her mate’s ears only. “For how long am I to stay away from you? The mate pull--I don’t want it to be too much for me to bare.”

Rhol’s large arm went around Lyrah’s neck and he pulled her close to him.

Lyrah closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of him, locking it deep in her lungs and letting it engrave itself in her mind. His tattoos slithered around her too, cooing her and warming her.

“This will be over before you have time to miss me.” Then he chuckled and purred in her ear. “I’m not done with you just yet so I will bear that in mind when I go into the battlefield.”

Lyrah’s face turned red as everyone else cleared their throats, muttered to the heavens for patience and muffled their smiles. “Take care of yourself and watch out for my brother.”

“I’m not in the mood of babysitting that overgrown spoiled brat but if you want me too I will--“Before he could finish something hit Rhol on the back and Rhol stiffened.

Lyrah’s eyes widened when she discovered Tyran had zapped her mate! “Tyran!” She glowered.

All he did was shrugged his shoulders and turn away.

“See, quite spoiled if you ask me.” Rhol flinched lightly. “Go inside and get ready for your departure.”

Lyrah frowned at him.

“Please.” He added.

Lyrah moved away, already missing the warmth of his body. Even his tattoos were mourning her absence. “Stay well.”

Rhol inclined his head to her. “My queen.”

The surprise on Lyrah’s face must have been comical because everyone around her smiled softly. That was the first time Rhol had ever called her his queen. She was rejected twice times by the male and he made it quite clear that they only thing that they were ever going to have was the mate bond, nothing else. Or maybe he was just putting on a show for everyone? Lyrah turned to her brother and the male approached her. She held up her hands to him and tried to smile but she was too nervous with them having to be there to fight off Rowan without any guarantee that any of them will survive the attack.

Tyran took her hands and bent down to place a kiss on her cheek. No one missed the soft growl of warning from Rhol beside him but Tyran just ignored him. The two of them were acting very childish but that didn’t change what she felt for them.

Lyrah loved her brother dearly because he was the only blood family she had left. He was her other half, her anchor and her support. Without his brutal ways, Lyrah didn’t know where she would have been. And as for Rhol. Every time she thought of him, something bloomed deep within her. She liked being his presence and liked the way he would look at her. She loved the way he would go out of his way to make sure she was okay. Her cheeks turned red when she thought of his wicked ways in bed--or on any other surface for that matter.

“You are glowing, sister mine.” Tyran muttered to her and Lyrah could tell he knew exactly what she was thinking about.

She quickly looked away and cleared her throat. “Keep yourself safe. I can handle you returning home with bruises and wounds but I will not have you not return at all.”

“I have battled with worthier adversaries than Rowan. It takes a whole lot to send me to an early grave.” Tyran assured her.

Lyrah nodded vigorously. “Watch over each other. I need you both to return to me.”

“You have my word.” Tyran drew down and gazed into her eyes, his promise engraved in his eyes.

Lyrah gave him a little nod and hugged him. Tyran lifted her from the ground and held her tightly for a moment then whispered. “Though Rhol and I may not see eye to eye on most things, I’d rather have him beside you than any other spineless fucker.”

Lyrah grinned. “Is that approval I am hearing?”

“I will never approve of the pairing the heavens made for you and him and even in the after-life, I would make sure my maker understands that but it could have been worse--” Now it was Tyran’s turn to cringe as Rhol’s tattoos attacked him on his back.

Lyrah looked over at him and scowled. He merely shrugged his shoulders.

Tyran placed her back onto the ground and nudged her lightly towards the double doors leading back into the fortress. “Go on.”

Lyrah nodded and looked around her. “I wish you all the best. Take care of each other, okay?”

They all inclined their heads towards her.

Lyrah breathed in hard and went back inside.

Leah had already packed her bags and she together with Muriel, Nolan, Eva and Dante were waiting for her one of the many lounges.

“Are you ready?” Eva asked excitedly. “I have never been outside of the Realm. I’m so excited!”

Lyrah smiled at the female. “Yeah, we best be going. Follow my aura.” Lyrah flashed away.

Rhol knew precisely the moment when Lyrah had left the Fortress. He felt the emptiness tugging lightly in his heart. He pushed the feeling away and turned to the new team of commanders standing in front of him. The team heading to the Legin Glacier was already moving out with Saigon, Constantine and Leon. The ones remaining in Karah were under Zafrina, Zach, Stef and Ruvin. Each commander remaining in Karah was heading out to a district in Karah with a team. Since Rowan was going to attack the city, defenses in Karah were fortified.

People entering and leaving the city were closely monitored. Mage and Pure-bloods were stationed in different places since they were able to sense different energies in the air.

The pure-bloods used the psychic link with their beasts to detect anything amiss but their abilities were not as strong as the ones of Mage and the Nosferatu.

Dark clouds boiled over them casting an eerie shadow across the land. Both Tyran and Rhol turned to them.

“There is a subtle hum of energy in the air but I can’t pin point the location of it.” Tyran frowned lightly as the two males made their way down to the grounds with their commanders behind them.

“We need to prepare as soon as possible.” Rhol stated.

The commanders nodded and each other flushed to take their teams out.

The dread began churning in his gut as the knock of his boots of the marbled floored echoed in the hallways. Even the helpers were nervous. It didn’t take a Mage to know what was about to happen. The entire Realm was as if it were holding its breath, waiting and watching to see what was to follow.

A lot of people were fleeing out of the city. He got a report from several warriors posted in the borders of the District of Shalarian. Trains were working over-time carrying people out. Traffic jams congested the roads and bridges. Rhol made sure the families living within the Fortress yards were also taken care of. He knew of the children who fished out of his lake without permission, stole bread and sausages from his kitchen and shampooed his horses. The thought of Furis and his little gang made his stomach tremble. He feared for their safety and hoped that they had made it alright out of the city.

Seven military hammers were parked outside by the training grounds and the warriors were packing weaponry inside. Black-cloaked Mage shifted about the yards, their bodies zinging with power as they organized themselves under Zach, the Mage-Shifter and one of Lord Mage’s commander. Two trucks carried the warriors who couldn’t flash their way to places.

The Jinns took the front line, their tattoos and hair undulating with anticipation.

“Impressive.” Tyran crossed his arms as they watched the warriors organize themselves and start moving out.

But Rhol wasn’t impressed especially since this was a war and not a celebration of some sort.

“The Suran Bridge will be very susceptible to invasion since it is the main entrance to the Realm. That should be covered.” Tyran stated.

Rhol turned to the Lord Mage and sighed. “I have never had to work with anyone before since the last time we teamed up to battle the Dark Energy.”

Tyran shrugged his shoulders. “Neither have I. You don’t have to bark orders to me. I know what me and my warriors have to do.”

Rhol nodded. “Alright then--”

Tyran’s head snapped into the sky and lightning streaked across the black clouds and thunder rumbled so loud that the earth shook at the intensity. “The energy is getting stronger.”

The clouds finally gave way and raining started pattering onto the ground.

Rhol frowned when a droplet splattered on his skin. “Black rain?”

“It has started.” Tyran said grimly.

As if on cue, a warrior puffed right in front of him. “My king! The Ghouls are moving into the city. They have surrounded it and the people who have not yet moved out are in great danger.”

And so it begins. Rhol muttered to himself as he turned to his warriors. “Move out warriors!” He bellowed.

The warriors lifted up their weapons and roared again. The shifters began to change into their animal forms. Large eagles took into the sky, glistening in the black rain while over-sized bears, tigers and other ferocious animals stomped the ground.

Centaurs, Leos and Lycans towered over the rest of the warriors with their immense bodies, their hooves and paws trembling the ground with their movements. The Nymphs contorted into hideous creatures with venomous fangs, claws and bat-like wings sprouting from their backs. They screeched into the skies, their cries being carried across the land by the bristling wind warning every enemy of what was to come.

All that was fascinating but what fascinated Rhol the most, was seeing the magnificent transformation of the warriors from the Realm of Fire; the dragon and the phoenix.

Five Dragons took into the sky, their scales glowing eerily in the dim light, their eyes bright with menace and thirst to destroy. Their wings flapped so hard that they sent a small gale down at them. The strength of the beasts was overwhelming. They circled above them, tracking for any disturbance in the air.

The phoenix were right behind, large fiery birds with different colored flames streaking in the skies like fireballs.

“Queen Malenna sends her greetings.” Tyran stood behind them watching the wonder above them.

More lightning streaked and landed in the forest behind them. Thunder rumbled, rattling the doors and windows in their hinges.

Lord Mage’s body began to pulse with energy. “Handle your warriors, I will handle this.” He levitated into the air as several lightning bolts split trees into two and set them on fire.

“Lightning not your cup of tea, Tyran?” Rhol teased.

“Not at all when it brings nothing but trouble.” Tyran growl and zoomed towards the forest.

One of the warriors came forward and handed Rhol his royal signature daggers. Rhol nodded and soon they all flashed themselves to fend off the Ghouls entering the city.

Lyrah wrapped her arms around her waist to shake away the shiver that went up her spine and turned around. Everyone had made it safely to the front entrance of the Mage Fortress. Thanks to Tyran, no one could infiltrate the fortress without dire consequences. But that was what you got for having beings with the ability to move from one place to the other with just a thought.

“Wow! This place is as impressive as the Black Fortress.” Eva squealed as she linked her arms around Dante’s crook.

Even though this place was once her home, she didn’t want to be there. She wanted to return to the Realm of the Dark and help were she could whether it was looking after the wounded or helping the children away from the danger…anything was far better than just sit in there helplessly waiting for the worst to happen. She swallowed back the lump that was threatening to cut her oxygen and watched as the heavy doors swung open and four guards came out. They inclined their heads to her and let her and her guests enter.

“Lyrah!” Queen Noelle hurried to her, her black royal gown flowing behind her. She had guards chasing after her and what looked like the Royal Court. “Oh, Lyrah, are you alright?”

Lyrah pasted a small smile on her face. She didn’t want the female to worry anymore because she knew she would just head back to Rhol if it happened. “I am alright. You are well?”

Queen Noelle hugged her middle, her eyes wary. “I am but my fear for the Lord Mage.”

“I fear for everyone back in the Realm of the Dark.” Lyrah assured her as Drake came and stood beside the Queen Mage.

“I just received a message from the Black Fortress. Ghouls are attacking Karah.”

Lyrah’s eyes widened as everyone around her gasped in horror.

Nolan squealed in his mother’s arms and that reminded Lyrah that she was not alone. She turned to Queen Noelle. “Everyone needs to settle down first. Muriel and Nolan need some rest.”

Queen Noelle nodded vigorously and turned to one of the guards. “Please show them to their rooms and we will meet in the conference room in two hours after lunch.

The royal court inclined their heads and turned away muttering in fear amongst themselves. The guards took Muriel, Eva and Dante towards the sleeping quarters upstairs while Leah was taken away by one of the helpers towards the kitchen.

Queen Noelle suddenly clasped her hand around Lyrah’s and led her towards Tyran’s office with Drake behind them.

Jax and Storm joined them shortly afterwards. Lyrah had to watch Queen Noelle pace up and down the office floor until finally Jax stepped forward and guided her to Lord Mage’s chair where and sat down and sighed then turned to Lyrah.

“I have a terrible feeling about this. I can’t put my finger on it but something horrible is about to happen.” She bit into her lower lip.

“The feeling is mutual.” Lyrah sighed softly. “I wished I had remained behind. For the past several weeks that I was there I have become stronger and I have acquired a new ability that I believe would have been of use but Rhol didn’t even want to hear about it.”

“Two of the most powerful and ancient males are teamed up and fighting against the evil. The last thing they need right now is seeing their mates facing the danger with them.” Drake assured the two females. “Rowan might be a thousand times more powerful than Ron ever was but I believe in the Lord Mage and he will defeat him.”

Storm scratched his head, his eyes glowing eerie amber. “I’m just disappointed I’m not there.”

Lyrah could see the Leo was close by.

Because of one incident that left her bed-ridden for a while and Storm fighting for his life, the male was able to achieve his first Ulti-breed transformation. This was when both the male and the beast forms merged to become a powerful predator. It only happened to very ancient pure-bloods who underwent intense training but for Storm, he achieved it in a hospital bed after his life was threatened by a spy.

“With your cat driving you around like a freight train, I don’t think being there would have been a good idea.” Jax crossed his arms and leaned on the window sill.

Storm’s Leo snarled. “Choke on your tongue, fish-boy.”

Drake stepped in between the two males and turned to Lyrah. “The information that I got from the Lord Mage was that Rowan has an army of sorcerers ready to attack at any time. We don’t know just how large this army is but what I can’t understand is that if they were after the Thyest bow like Ron, why attack the city knowing fully well that the mortal lock is not there? What is it that they want apart from the Thyest Bow?”

Lyrah felt her heart sinking in its fluids. “It’s not only the Thyest Bow that they are after. They also have plans for me and Rhol. It is the reason why Rhol had me come here in the first place. Apart from teaming up with the sorcerers, Rowan has been resurrecting fallen warriors, traitors who betrayed the Realm and who embraced the dark energy back then. He has been killing hordes of Ghouls--”

“Why?” Noelle frowned lightly.

A life for a life….the words filtered into her head and her body shivered. “A life for a life.” she said out loud. “If he is going to resurrect a warrior, he needs to exchange it with another soul.”

Drake frowned pensively. “Just how many Ghouls are we talking about here?”

“Hundreds and thousands of them. And if I am not wrong, the Ghouls attacking the city are just pawns, a very small part of the bigger picture. The more the Ghouls die, the more dead warriors resurrect.” Lyrah breathed.

The room went silent before Storm settled down and asked. “So Lord Mage and the Jinn King are not only going against the strongest Bachua’ne Priest alive but also an army of Sorcerers and dead traitors?”

Lyrah let those words sink in. “Do they stand a chance?”

“They will stand a chance if they go after Rowan himself.” Drake said. “Sorcerers depend on the staff for power after they go to the dark side and I believe Rowan too has a staff. Destroy the staff and everything that has been created with it dies too.”

Lyrah’s eyes widened. “Could that be the reason why Rowan wants to destroy the Mage in the Realm of the Dark? Because we are the ones who could actually destroy him?”

“Possibly.” Drake shrugged his shoulders again.

Lyrah bit into her lower lip. She needed to get this information to her brother and mate and destroy the threat once and for all. But Lord Mage was very observant when it came to such things. He would always find a way to get rid of the enemy.

“Alright,” Jax clasped his hands together and turned to them. “Enough with the speculations. Our queens are distressed and the last thing we need right now is to distress them even further. I suggest you two need to go upstairs and rest.”

Lyrah’s heart heaved in her ribs reminding her that she was miles from her mate. She tried to rub the ache away but it was no good. It was like that annoying little thought you always tried to get rid of but it returned and nagged at you with every chance it got.

Queen nodded as she rubbed her temples. “Jax is right. We are not helping by speculating like this. I will be up in my quarters. I will see you at the meeting with the royal Court.”

Lyrah nodded and she too flashed herself to that familiar room she had used for the most part of her life. Now, it felt a little foreign because she had a mental map of yet another room that played a vital role in her life. She ran her hands over the big black desk that had her computer then touched the delicate crystal ornament beside it.

She had missed this place when she was in the Great Hall representing the Realm of Spells at the High Lady. Now that she was to take her position beside her mate, it meant the Realm needed a new High Lady or Lord and since they didn’t have a living relative, someone close to the King was going to take that position.

However, that was not something to worry about at the moment because with all the chaos that was happening in the enchanted world, every High Lord and Lady was asked to return to their rightful Realms until the confusion was resolved.

The Great Hall was a place she loved because there, her voice was heard and she was able to do something that actually brought change to her Realm. Lord Mage had always thought she was out-spoken...well only until he got to stick around his mate!

Lyrah was always outspoken but Lord Mage never took her seriously. It was quite frustrating when she had brilliant ideas that went on unheard but he gave her the chance to do something about them by sending her there as the High Lady. She knew how hard it must have been for him because she was his only living blood relative but he had no choice in the matter.

Now, Lyrah was feeling like she was heading back in time when everything was dictated to her and she was helpless to protest against it.

Lyrah stopped short and frowned, glowering at herself. What was she doing there in the first place? She was supposed to be beside her mate and her brother fighting this menace, not cowering away like she was doing! She needed to get back to the Realm of the Dark. She needed--

There was a knock on her door. Lyrah kicked her gown out of the way and went to answer it. When she opened it, Drake was standing there with his arms crossed and his eyebrow arched.

“Don’t even think about it.”

Lyrah eyed the dragon in puzzlement. “But how did you know?”

Drake entered the quarters and turned to her. “I have been around you for the longest time. I know exactly how you think...plus Red, sort of gave me a heads up. He felt your distress.”

Lyrah started pacing in front of Drake. “But I shouldn’t be here, I should be there. I know I can help one way or the other.”

“That’s the mate-bond talking. I know right now, all you can think of is being with your mate, but if you decide to go back and get yourself into trouble, the Jinn King will have himself to blame. The best thing to do is to occupy yourself with something—anything for that matter just so the mate-bond does not drag you back to the Realm of the Dark.”

Lyrah found herself nodded as she walked over to her bed and settled on the corner. “Why is it so easy for Tyran and Noelle but it is so hard for me and Rhol?” S~ᴇaʀᴄh the FɪndNøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“The King and Queen Mage have been around each other for a longer period than you have. With time, the tug between the two of you will lessen but it will not disappear.” Drake explained.

Lyrah rubbed the center of her chest and sighed heavily. “So, what do you suppose I should do until then?”

“Don’t think about it.”

“Easy for you to say.” Lyrah looked up at the dragon.

Drake always had super-intelligent explanations for everything but his solutions were shitty!

“I know you will not be able to rest without thinking about it so come with me.” Drake extended his hand to her.

Lyrah frowned but accepted it. “Where are we going?”

Drake grinned mischievously. “You’ll see.”

Lyrah found herself being dragged out of her room by Drake to only-heavens-knows-where. She didn’t mind if it helped keep the thoughts of self-destruction at bay.

Rhol’s tattoos were agitated and he had to snarl and roll his shoulders every now and them to keep them in check. They snapped and moaned like before. He had been far too long in Lyrah’s presence that he had forgotten how it was before she appeared in front of him. To make matters worse the voices were murmuring in his head again.

Rhol didn’t want to lose focus like the last time the Ghouls attacked and he ended up attacking his warriors. He didn’t know what prompted the voices but ever-since he was attacked and poisoned by the Jinn that nearly killed Lyrah; he had been having visions of his father and some army. He didn’t want to lead an army that sought out to destroy his home. His father was the last person he wanted to align with in that world or in the next.

After the fake Lyrah tried to coax him to embrace his true-self—whatever that was—Rhol kept having voices whisper sweet promises of what was waiting for him on the other side; power and greatness. There was no male in the enchanted world who didn’t want all those things but the cost for them was too great and he saw it when Aidan and Uzrel fell into the temptation of the Dark Energy. They were no longer the beings he once knew. They were monsters; the creatures that appeared in nightmares.

That scared him to the point that he fought with every fiber of his soul to stay sane and to resist the sweet temptation of power. He wondered why he was the one mostly affected by the dark pull and why Yosurn wasn’t.

It was as if he and his father were cursed by the heavens to follow that terrible road but he didn’t want it.

A screech behind him, gave Rhol a splitting headache as several Ghouls rushed forward to attack him. Rhol was more than ready for them as he and his warriors fanned out and shook out their tattoos. Several Jinns began emptying their magazines on the Ghouls’ heads. One by one, the foul creatures began to fall but more popped out from the alleys of the buildings and others from the surrounding trees.

Rhol looked up as the humming in the air became louder and louder. The clouds were sent as a cover, allowing the Ghouls to attack during the day. The last time the Ghouls attacked, in was in broad daylight with the sun high in the sky yet it didn’t deter the creatures from their target. So, maybe this wasn’t the cover for the Ghouls...maybe something else was coming.

“Watch the skies for anything that is out of the ordinary!′ Rhol called out to his team, watching as some of the centaurs he came with stomped over the Ghouls. “I don’t think the Ghouls are the only ones showing up today.”

A wretched cry rang on Rhol’s side, distracting him from the Ghouls. One of the centaurs had deep Ghoul grooves on his side. Though he was staggering on his feet, he managed to lift his front hooves up and pound onto the Ghoul that had just assaulted him, spluttering his black brain onto the pavement.

“Watch out for the poisoned claws!” Rhol roared to his warriors as several Ghouls raced to attack him. Rhol sliced his way to the other side, leaving their head rolling on the ground.

Thick and black puddles littered the streets as the black rain continued to pour. Shifters couldn’t take to the sky anymore because the goo plastered their wings together. Even the phoenix, whose fire could never be extinguished by anything, found themselves fighting among the others on the ground. It was only the dragons that were able to stay air-born, breathing the fires of hell and burning the hordes of Ghouls into ashes.

More screams came from his team as a shifter was tackled down by the Ghouls. Rhol watched helplessly as flesh was ripped away from the shifter. Soon the cries stopped as the Ghouls fed on him ferociously. Rhol snarled and attacked, his heart hammering in his chest, pumping the rage-filled blood through his body.

His tattoos shot forward and speared into the Ghouls’ heads, splitting them into two and tossing them behind him.

Three Mage levitated around them with balls of energy in their hands. It was as though they were playing handball, tossing the orbs into the Ghouls and watching them explode and splinter the Ghouls into cinders. The orbs reminded Rhol so much of Lyrah. The thought of her away from all that horror was a relief because he didn’t want her to see any of the things he was doing.

“Somebody help me!” Another warrior exclaimed as the Ghouls clawed him and were dragging him away.

Rhol ran after them, slicing and dicing until he freed the warrior but he was too late, The warrior’s head hung loosely on his shoulders and deep wounds were carved on his chest, shredding his heart and lungs. Rhol threw his head back and roared so loud. To everyone’s surprise, the Ghouls answered the roar with their screeches and it seemed it had just maddened them because the attacked even more.

“They are too many!” One of the warriors came beside Rhol with wounds on his arm and cheek.

“We need more warriors!”

Rhol turned and watched in horror as more of his warriors were being slaughtered. So much blood was running down the streets, mingling with the black rain and other body parts. The stench of death was thick in the air and so was the stench of evil and foul-play. Even though the dragons were frying most of the Ghouls, a lot more were coming in from all directions. Even the chanting was getting louder.

Your fate draws close...a voice hissed in Rhol’s head.

Rhol shook the thought away and turned to his warrior. “Return to the Black Fortress and bring the remaining males here.”

The warrior could barely stay on his feet but he was able to flash away.

Accept it, Rhol. Accept your fate and be the strong male that you were meant to be. The voice rasped to him. This is what you were meant to do...this is what I have groomed you to be!

Rhol’s eyes widened when he finally realized that the voice that always coaxed him to fall was his father’s. Amongst the death wreckage, Rhol saw the male step forward with something in his hands. His eyes shone bright red in the darkness.

Rhol recognized him before he even got close. He could tell from the built that it was Uzrel, the male he killed with his own two hands. Uzrel sneered and spat onto the ground.

“You are no son of mine if you do not do as I say.” Uzrel was filled with loathing for his son.

“But why me?” Rhol managed to ask. “Why is this affecting only me?”

“Because my bloodline was born for this. It has always been our destiny to change the enchanted world, to become kings and rule this world, make it ours for the taking!′ Uzrel bellowed.

“But—what about everyone in this world, what about me and Yosurn?”

Uzrel scoffed. “And why would I care about Yosurn?”

“He’s your son!′ Rhol roared.

“He is no son of mine!” Uzrel snarled back. “He never was. He never carried my blood. He is not your brother.”

Rhol felt as if the world underneath him has shifted on its axis because suddenly he felt dizzy.

“You and Yosurn have never seen eye to eye because you were never brothers to begin with. Take the bow and lead your army, Rhol. This is what you were brought in this world to do.” Uzrel commanded.

Rhol looked down at his father’s hand and the Thyest bow was in his arms, trembling with power. Was this just another dream? Was Uzrel truly there handing him the Thyest Bow? And what was this shit about Yosurn not being his blood brother? How come he could feel him, his presence whenever he was around? If he wasn’t his blood-brother, then who was he?

“Take the bow, Rhol!′ Uzrel bellowed into the night.

Rhol felt the raging burning in his soul as he looked at the bow then up at his father. The rage engulfed him and he felt himself drowned into the pits he dreaded the most. His only light, his only means to save him from such a fate was miles away, leaving him alone and cold.

Lyrah...the name shimmered in his mind before his entire world went black.

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