Hundreds of Dread Knights burst forward, clashing into the Golden Guards’ own charge. Much to their surprise, the Dread Knights were not immediately destroyed but instead fought back. The Dread Knights were obviously weaker than the Golden Guards, but they were strong enough to exchange several blows before they were destroyed.

  And the pool of oily blankness around Alaster constantly spawned more.

  Spells were cast; explosions rang out. Bodies thrown.

  Despite the chaos, the King and Alaster had not moved. They had not once broken eye contact.

  With Sir Castiel’s Holy Aura suppressed so heavily, Alaster’s pool began to spawn other types of Undead.

  Shadow Assassins clung to the walls and from the ceiling, firing black bolts from their small crossbows, and constantly attempting to stab the Golden Guards in the back.

  Iron Guardians crashed into the Guards, forcing them back a step or two, protecting the other Undead with their massive shields.

  War Born charged recklessly into the fray, swinging wildly, occasionally landing a blow before they were immediately shattered.

  Alaster even spotted a few Black Guards and Minotaurs in the mix.

  A few of the Golden Guards had escorted the Duke and his family away from Alaster and behind the King, but Evelyn was still on her knees behind Alaster, in shock and frozen.

  For nearly an hour, the battle was in a standstill. Neither side making any progress. The King had mentally commanded the other seven hundred Golden Thousand, and the many Silver Guards, to remain away.

  The King was not using his full force, but he knew neither was Alaster.

  Neither of them were participating either.

  The battle seemed eternal, until something broke through the roof, raining stone down on the battle, interrupting it.

  For the first time since the conflict began, the King and Alaster looked away from each other, staring up at the intruder, along with the rest of the crowd.

  “Cease this pointless conflict!” Sedall shouted, blowing away the dust with just his voice.

  “Stay out of this Sedall.” Alaster growled.

  “No. You asked me to help you, and this is not helping your plan” Sedall turned to the King, “And you, I thought you were smarter than this. At least your father was. Get your head out of your ass and look at the bigger picture. Right now, three Demigods are on their way to invade your Castle and kill someone under your protection. On top of that, you need to prepare for the Demonic Invasion.

  You do not have the luxury of losing even a single soldier.”

  “Sedall?” The King asked, “The Demigod?”

  “Yes.”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  “Why are you telling me to prepare for the Demigods like you want me to fight them, if you are one yourself?”

  “Have you not been listening?” Sedall asked the King of Lissura like he was an idiot, “We have bigger problems coming. We need every advantage we can get. And the only way we can get Alaster’s advantage on our side, is if we can protect his sister from my bloodthirsty kin.”

  “His sister is the target? Lady Evelyn?”

  “Yes. Now put this behind you and get to work! Because I can feel them coming. They will be here in just a few hours.”

  The King considered the words for a moment, “Fine. I will comply for now, but I want a detailed explanation before the day is done.”

  The King turned around and walked away, the Prince, the Duke’s family, and the Golden Guards following behind.

  With Alaster’s Mana no longer covering all the doors, the crowd began fleeing out whichever exit was closest.

  Sedall hovered down, landing on the polished marble without a sound, right in front of Alaster.

  “I have always thought you were in control of your emotions. Now, when it is most critical to stay levelheaded, you completely lose yours! What were you thinking!”

  Alaster glared at Sedall, “I don’t know! I saw him, and it just all came crashing back. How my family would still be alive if he man calling the shots was not Redmond. I just lost it!”

  Sedall sighed, “It is not completely your fault, even separated from you, I could feel the Anti-System feeding on your anger, making it worse. But listen to me, you have to learn to control it better. Even if we can get all the Kingdoms and Races of Humanity to work together, it is still doubtful we can survive the Invasion.

  I can feel the Demons coming closer to the World’s Seal. Once they breach it, all hell will come upon us. We have to be ready.”

  Alaster sighed, looking down at his Sister, still kneeling in shock. He did not blame her. Everything she had known for the last several years had been wrong. He imagined it would take her a while to figure it all out.

  He knelt down beside her, struggling to find the right words. This was not at all how he wanted to tell her. He did not know what to say now.

  Before he could figure it out, she launched herself at him, hugging him tightly as she cried loudly. He hugged her back, letting her cry. Gods knew he had.

  He had had the last eight years to come to terms with it, and he still hadn’t.

  She had had it thrown in her face all at once.

  Eventually, the tears stopped, replaced by sobs.

  “I am sorry. I am so sorry.” Alaster said, tears threatening stinging his own eyes and threatening to fall as the plagued his word.

  Several more minutes passed in silence before Sedall hesitantly rested his hand on Alaster’s shoulder.

  “Alaster, we have to go. The preparations are complete, but they need you.”

  Alaster nodded, struggling to let Evelyn go and stood up.

  Evelyn looked up at him, with big teary eyes, her face a mess.

  Alaster summoned Catherine.

  “Bring her to the bunker and protect her. I will be there as soon as I can.”

  “Yes sir.” Catherine saluted, all her usual humor gone. She knew how serious the situation was.

  “Evelyn,” Alaster called her attention, “Please go with Catherine. She will bring you somewhere safe until the Demigods are dealt with. You can trust her.”

  Evelyn silently nodded and stood up. She swallowed hard before she opened her mouth, “You better come back, we have a lot to talk about.”

  Alaster nodded and turned away.

  “Al?”

  Alaster turned back to his sister.

  “I have a pendant with a Red ribbon on it I want to give you.”

  Alaster smiled before he turned around back around and vanished with Sedall, leaving Evelyn and Catherine in the ruined Ballroom alone.

  Appearing atop one of the tall bell towers in the capital city of Zolis, Alaster glanced around at the Undead as they did the final preparations.

  It felt as if a large weight had been lifted off his chest.

  Alaster felt lighter than he had in years.

  He wanted nothing more than to jump around and hug his sister, talking for hours on end. But he had to do something first.

  He had to ensure that the so called protectors of the world did not get to her. They were on their way to kill her.

  This time, for the first time, Alaster intentionally called forth the Anti-System, feeling its black oily Mana spread out, radiating its sense of wrongness. As if the world itself was rejecting it.

  Alaster would do whatever it took to protect his sister, even if it meant burning the world to ash. Even if it meant sacrificing every living thing in this city.

  After all, she had remembered his favorite color.

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