The mood in the chamber was tense but quiet, making it more eerie. Melora wanted her question answered one way or another. Even though the revetion crippled her emotionally, she had to stand strong. Her steely gaze never left Lucius, who returned it in kind. Stephen made sure everything was set properly, then handed Jacob a parchment.

  “Melora, since you invoked this, you will be the first to receive your questions.”

  Stephen opened the parchment and paused momentarily.

  “How did you survive the attack in the forest?”

  “After I was betrayed by some of the Credoan knights and the Empire, the orcs ensved me for an unknown amount of time. A demon then saved me, and the elves healed my core.”

  The answer drew some gazes from the knights, but the priestess remained silent. Jacob was next, who also opened the parchment, and his eyes slightly widened.

  “Have you ever betrayed Credoa and its people?”

  “I have not and will never. I will always uphold my duties as a knight and as a Stormville.”

  Silence engulfed the hall once more as Stephen took Jacob’s parchment, pced it together with his, then suddenly burned them.

  “For the st question, Lucius gets that honor.”

  There was a long pause as Lucius started to think.

  “Do you have any intention to collude with demons and act against humanity?”

  “No, I do not have any pns to do so.”

  Lucius waited for a reaction from Melora, but she seemed fine. He silently cursed as Stephen pulled another set of parchments and handed it to Jacob. He slowly opened it, then momentarily stared at the parchment.

  “Did you conspire to betray Melora and her knight company?”

  “No, I was not involved.”

  Cracking sounds could be heard as Lucius’s eyes turned bloodshot, and he spat blood. He started to wildly touch the table, as if reaching for something.

  “He has lost his sense of sight. We will continue.”

  The priestess’s face visibly frowned. The knights’ reactions were hidden behind their visors, but Jacob’s face contorted widely. He felt the highest level of betrayal as a knight and a Credoan. He opened his parchment violently and started to read.

  “Did you conspire to kill the te Grand Duchess?”

  Lucius coughed more blood as he tried to think past the incredible pain throughout his body.

  “I am the Grand Duke. My will is final. I earned this through hard work and sacrifice. You should all be thankful that I am the one who secured peace with the Empire!”

  Lucius spat more blood as his legs lost strength, and he fell to the ground. Melora rushed to his side and lifted him by the neck.

  “Who killed my mother? Tell me now!”

  Melora yelled as Lucius simply stared, with a bloody smile on his face.

  “You will never know.”

  Cracking could be heard as bck liquid started to flow out of his eyes and mouth, then a huge bang as he seemingly exploded in her arms. Inconsoble rage rose from Melora’s heart as she unleashed her purple fires, destroying the barrier and throwing the wizards and witches away. Her entire body was on fire as the heat continued to rise. Jacob preemptively took a defensive stance as he shielded Stephen. The priestess and the clergy fell to their knees as they started to pray.

  Her rage knew no bounds as she released more of her mana, and parts of the hall started to catch fire. With a powerful yell, her purple fire rose to the ceiling. She released all of her internal pain. Stephen started an incantation as he formed a shield to protect the rest, while the sword masters all released their mana, shielding themselves from the intense heat.

  Melora had fully lost it. She bmed the Empire, the one she called father, and herself for being such a fool. Everything was in front of her, but she chose not to see. Her father was right; she was a failure.

  “It is time.”

  A distorted voice could be heard in Melora’s head as her body suddenly colpsed to the ground. Everyone rushed to her side as they started to diagnose her. Stephen checked her core and pulse and confirmed they were intact. He also noticed a small fragment of unknown mana, but he overlooked it. He called for the healers and to transport her to a secure area. Jacob, in a daze, looked around the hall. He slowly walked to where Melora stood and saw the stone floor burned with intense heat. He crouched and inspected what was left behind and saw a fragment of bone, which instantly turned to ash when he came into contact with it. The entire room was scorched; some of the knights’ armor had started to melt, with the stone pilrs showing signs of turning to gss. He had never witnessed such a phenomenon. The doors swung open as a middle-aged man slowly walked inside. Jacob instantly bowed, but the man passed him and started to look around the room.

  “Did the commander do all this?”

  “Yes, General Arthur.”

  “I could sense her mana all the way from the gate; the heat stung my very soul.”

  “If she hadn’t suddenly colpsed, this entire castle may have been consumed by her fire.”

  “The Grand Wizard sent me an emergency message on the crystal ball about the trial of Judgment. I take it the former Grand Duke, no, Lucius, has failed.”

  “Yes, his body exploded.”

  “Secure the entire castle; no one is to enter or exit it. I don’t care for their rank or situation. If they die, they will die within this castle.”

  “As you will, sir.”

  Arthur gnced one final time at the room, then slowly exited the room.

  “Also, make this pce worthy for our Grand Duchess. We should prepare adequately for her return.”

  The door behind him slowly closed, leaving behind Jacob. Arthur slowly made his way to the Grand Duchy’s quarters. There was a dramatic increase in knights and soldiers who bowed before him. As he was about to enter the room, a priestess emerged and blocked him. He silently stared at the woman as a rge white snake with red eyes appeared from around the corner and slid into the room. Arthur gently moved the priestess aside as he unsheathed his dark sword and entered the room. The healers’ gaze turned to him, while Stephen was busy checking on Melora. His sharp eyes darted around the room as he saw the snake once more, but it had already slid up the bed and appeared to coil next to Melora. Stephen’s gaze also shifted to the odd snake.

  “What is a hydra doing next to her majesty?”

  Arthur’s thick voice filled the room as he cautiously approached the bed. Stephen instantly stopped him.

  “Hydras are fiercely protective by nature; they can sense your intentions. Leave it be for now; we don’t want to agitate it and, in turn, hurt the Grand Duchess.”

  “Are you implying that a hydra is protecting her?”

  Melora’s body suddenly started to contort as the snake uncoiled itself, then wrapped around her. It then started to spit magical crystals. Arthur quickly advanced, ready to strike, but was once again blocked by Stephen. The snake turned towards their direction, then towards the magical crystals. Stephen understood the intention as he started to feed Melora the crystals. Her body returned to normal as the snake returned to her side.

  “Bring as many magical crystals as you can.”

  The healers left the room as the priestess joined them once again. She stared at the snake, then slowly approached it.

  “Have you all gone mad?”

  “No, you just don’t understand nature.”

  “May, I won’t be able to protect you if you get too close!”

  May ignored him as she cautiously extended her hand. The snake’s head slowly turned towards her. Her red eyes shimmered like blood-red jewels, but May felt no fear. She slowly started to pet the snake, then retracted her hand. Arthur was stunned, but Stephen’s attention had returned to Melora.

  “You gave such a cruel name to a gentle creature.”

  May smiled as she stared at the snake.