Chapter 16: The Meeting of Two Brothers
The night had not yet recovered from the grip of shadows. A thin mist shrouded the palace's rear courtyard as Xebec walked past the stone pillars. His steps were steady, yet there was a restlessness he could not hide.
He knew that tonight, Bastian would return from his brief visit to the ancient temple where he often "meditated." But what Xebec felt was not the usual peace that accompanied his brother's homecoming. There was something different—a foreign pulse of energy that made his skin crawl.
In the main hall, torchlight flickered like frightened flames. Xebec stopped before the door to Bastian's private study.
THUD
The door creaked open slowly, and there stood his younger brother, his back to the grand window. His silhouette appeared tall, calm—but his aura... felt wrong. As if the very air around him refused to touch him.
> "You came, Brother," Bastian's voice was soft, yet hollow.
Xebec stepped inside carefully. "Bastian... we need to talk. I know about the seal. I know you—"
> "I don't want to explain anything. I know you'll reject me. Just like Father did."
Xebec clenched his fist, struggling to contain his emotion. "I'm not King Phillipe. I'm your brother. I... want to save you."
Bastian turned around. His eyes looked darker than usual. And above his left brow, faintly, a demonic seal began to emerge, pulsing like a black heartbeat.
> "They say... you are the kingdom's hope. But do you know, Brother? I was supposed to be the heir. I was born perfect. You lost your hand, and they pitied you. They used your weakness as an excuse to crown you."
Xebec was silent. Beneath those words was a wound—deeper than mere ambition.
> "And you were tempted by Duke Malefic, weren't you?" Xebec whispered. "He gave you that power."
Bastian smiled. "Not him. This power... chose me."
Suddenly, the back wall of the room trembled. Red magic symbols flared and burned in the air. Demonic energy surged, forming a shadowy figure with three floating eyes behind Bastian.
"Xebec..." the voice echoed from within the soul, like a whisper dragged from the depths of hell.
Xebec drew his sword in an instant.
A blue aura enveloped him, wind howled, and the floor cracked beneath his feet. The sharp light of his blade pierced the darkness, resisting the demonic energy that tainted the air.
> "I won't let darkness take my brother."
But Bastian had already moved. With a single hand gesture, a black sword emerged from his shadow. It hovered, pulsing like a living creature.
The first clash struck.
Flashes of blue and black collided, shattering windows and obliterating bookshelves. Steel rang against steel, magic exploded in bursts. They no longer fought as brothers—but as two opposing legacies.
Elsewhere, Nanea ran through the palace corridors. In her hand, a scroll detailing how to weaken the demon seal. She couldn't let Xebec and Bastian destroy each other. She had to reach them in time.
> "Please... let me bring you back together," she whispered between ragged breaths.
As Xebec and Bastian unleashed their powers, an explosion hurled them both away. Xebec slammed against a cracked pillar, blood dripping from his lip. Bastian panted, the seal on his brow glowing ever brighter.
> "Stop, Bast!" Xebec shouted. "You can still come back! I don't care about the throne! I care... about you!"
Bastian's face trembled. Doubt flickered in his eyes.
And that's when Nanea burst in, standing between them, her body shaking.
> "We're family... don't let the demon take what little we have left..."
Bastian looked at his brother and sister. For a moment, the seal weakened. Its three red eyes flickered. But then—
BOOM!
A blast of magic exploded from the palace wall—the shadow army of Baal had begun their assault.
Xebec rose at once, pulling Nanea behind him. "Our fight isn't over, Bast. But right now... we have a common enemy."
Bastian closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the seal still glowed—but now calmer.
> "Protect her, Brother. I'll hold them off for a while."
And for the first time that night, Xebec saw a glimmer of the brother he once knew.
More magical explosions shook the palace walls. The rumble echoed like an ancient beast awakened from slumber. Flames licked the towering pillars, and the royal guards were being pushed back by an impenetrable black mist.
Xebec looked at Bastian—their eyes met in a silence thick with sorrow.
> "This isn't the time to hurt each other," Xebec said softly, blood dripping from his temple. "If we want to save everyone... we must stand together."
Bastian grit his teeth, fists clenched. The demonic aura around him still pulsed, but it slowly began to recede. The voices that once whispered temptations now felt distant... hesitant.
> "I... I don't know if I can control it," Bastian said, his voice cracking.
Xebec stepped forward, nearly collapsing, but steady. He looked at his brother—not with anger, but love and belief.
> "I believe in you. You're not a demon... You're Bastian, my brother."
And for the first time since their clash began, Bastian lowered his gaze. The seal's glow dimmed—not gone, but subdued.
Suddenly, a dying guard crawled into the study.
> "My lord... they've... breached the eastern gate... those creatures... they're not of this world..."
His body went limp. Lifeless.
Nanea covered her mouth, holding back a sob. Xebec gripped his sword tighter, and as he stood, his blade's aura flared even brighter. No longer just the light of a Swordmaster—but the resolve of a rightful heir who had embraced his duty.
> "I won't let this palace fall. Not tonight."
Bastian looked out the window. Beyond the mist, a towering figure appeared—an armored giant with horns and a cloak of shadows, leading the dark horde that crawled like a black river.
> "That's... one of Baal's Generals," Bastian murmured. "He came... because of me."
Xebec shook his head. "He came because we're the only true threat to them."
> "What's the plan?" Bastian asked.
Xebec turned with a faint smile. "Plan? I'll do my best as always... and hope you meant what you said."
Bastian took a deep breath… then exhaled slowly. "Then tonight... I'll start making things right."
And for the first time, the two brothers stood side by side. Behind them, Nanea prepared her protective magic, her eyes glowing with the newfound strength of the Phillipe bloodline.
In the distance, war drums echoed. The mist thickened, and from the sky fell black raindrops—a sign of Baal's presence tearing through the kingdom's sky.
Tonight, blood would be spilled. But not without resistance, and amid the ruins, a new beginning would rise.
Another magical explosion shook the palace floor, shattering windows and making the stone pillars tremble. Black smoke crept through every crack, carrying the stench of sulfur and blood.
Xebec tightened his grip on his sword, eyes sharp with a resolve that merged with his blade's aura. His shoulder bled, but he stood firm.
Behind him, Nanea chanted protective spells, shielding the room with a silvery blue sigil. Her breath was heavy, sweat pouring—but her gaze remained full of resolve.
Bastian stood with his back to them. One side of his back had turned black, the demonic seal on his chest pulsing like a torn heartbeat. But he still stood—not defeated, not broken.
> "Xebec," Bastian said quietly. "If I completely lose control tonight... end me."
Xebec didn't respond right away. He glanced at Nanea, then back at his brother. "If you lose control... I'll bring you back. Death isn't the answer."
Bastian lowered his head, a bitter smile on his lips. "Still as stubborn as ever."
Suddenly, Nanea's barrier trembled violently. From outside came human screams mingled with the shrieks of unearthly creatures. Demonic roars and hoofbeats of nightmare steeds drew closer.
On the eastern horizon, a blood-red light pierced the night sky. The demon fog began to cloak the palace towers.
> "Baal's army has breached the outer perimeter," reported a wounded young knight as he stumbled into the room.
> "The Archem Tower has fallen. They're advancing toward the palace center!"
Nanea looked at Xebec, pale-faced. "If the central tower falls... the seal gate will open."
> "Then we hold our ground," Xebec said. "If we must, we'll take the fight into their shadows."
He stepped forward. His sword's aura now shimmered like silver light slicing through the dark. Each step left a faint trail of light on the floor—a sign of a true Swordmaster.
Bastian followed, demonic aura still lingering—but now held in check, darkness bowed under newfound willpower.
> "If we lose," Bastian said, "the entire kingdom becomes a demon nest."
Xebec turned with a faint smile. "Then we make sure we don't lose."
The three of them stepped out of the room. In the shattered palace corridor, the remaining knights stood ready, eyes filled with despair—until they saw Xebec standing before them like a beacon in a storm.
> "The Crown Prince is with us!" shouted an old knight. "The Sword of Light has risen again!"
A cheer rang out, small but enough to ignite fading spirits.
And beyond the night mist, Baal's creatures began to show themselves—monstrous forms embodying humanity's nightmares. Among them, a black silhouette wearing a demon crown marched forward… The first General of Baal had arrived.
Tonight was not the end.
But the beginning of the final battle.
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To be continued...