The Fall Of House Whiteguard (14)

Thank you, DereckESCL, for the 5 Power Stones!

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Olivia sat comfortably in the plush seats of her luxurious carriage as it slowly made its way towards her destination. The journey was expected to take a few hours, and her heart was beating with excitement and anticipation. She knew she needed to keep her composure and remain calm. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and focused on her breathing, letting the sound of the carriage's wheels against the cobblestone road lull her into a state of relaxation. She knew that staying calm and collected was essential, especially considering her counterpart was losing control. The tension in the air was palpable, and she could feel the weight of the impending confrontation hanging over her like a dark cloud.

As soon as she and Ciaran formed a bond, she began to experience a range of new sensations. She could sense his emotions, thoughts, and even some physical sensations. However, something seemed to have changed in Ciaran. The person she knew, who was once cold, calculated, and focused, had transformed into a completely different individual. He appeared to be driven by a fierce desire for battle and conquest, which was a stark contrast to his previous demeanor. 

"Maybe this was his true self." She thought.

The intense battle that he fought yesterday left her feeling lightheaded, and even though she could sense that he was injured, she couldn't help but focus on the lingering phantom pain on her own side. The memory of the violent clash replayed in her mind, the deafening sounds of swords clashing and angry shouts, while the smell of blood and sweat still lingered in her nose. Even though she was actually never there.

"Just what is this bond?" She questioned as her gaze shifted toward the window, and she found herself staring up at the sky.

"Pardon, your royal highness?" Her aide asked. 

"Nothing." Olivia said in a dismissive tone.

House Whiteguard had outlived its usefulness, and she had planned to dismantle and absorb it. However, the adrenaline running through her veins told her the plan would fail.

Ciaran's anticipation for a confrontation was palpable. Despite many attempts to dissuade him through their bond, he appeared to be unresponsive and resolute in his desire for a fight.

"Qhessa?" She called out in her mind. 

A few moments later, what felt like a thousand spiders began crawling around in her mind.

"Yes, princess?" Qhessa whispered.

"What did you do?" She asked. 

"Me?" Qhessa asked in a hurt tone, "I did nothing. He woke up and chose violence." Suddenly, her tone shifted into a more teasing tone, "It might have something to do with the fact that Leo is touching her."

"Ah." Olivia said and fell silent.

"Oh, before I forget." Qhessa said, "You might want to hurry to your destination."

"Why." She asked. 

But she was greeted by silence as Qhessa withdrew from her mind.

 ***

As Ciaran stood there, his eyes fixed on the sharp daggers that were inching closer and closer to his throat, he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. He had always known that Leo's fighting skills were lacking, but now it was becoming painfully apparent. The way he attacked was so predictable, almost as if he had never faced an opponent who was stronger or more skilled than him. 

Leo's eyes widened in horror as he watched his daggers completely miss as Ciaran seemingly leaned out of the way with ease. Before he could recover, Ciaran's fist landed hard in his stomach, causing him to double over in pain. 

Just as Ciaran was about to deliver the final, fatal blow, a sudden surge in temperature caught his attention. He turned to see a small, glowing sphere of fire materializing next to him, drawing his focus away from Leo and momentarily giving him pause.

Ciaran activated shadow blink and disappeared just as the sphere exploded.

Luther appeared next to his son, "Brute force won't work against him."

"I know." Leo said as he recovered, "I thought I could end it while he was focused on you."

"I guess the rumors about him facing a demon general were true after all." Luther grudgingly admitted.

"All he does is run and hide." Leo said with anger. 

"Are we talking or fighting?" Ciaran asked with a smile. 

Both Leo and Luther froze as Ciaran stood behind them. 

"Impossible." Luther thought as he jumped away, "There's no way he could appear behind me without me knowing."

Leo thought the same thing as he turned to face Ciaran: "Face me, you coward!" He roared, taking a step forward. 

Out of nowhere, a paralyzing fear gripped him as he felt a cold, slimy grip wrap around his body. He tried to move, but his limbs wouldn't budge. He turned around and saw the writhing, inky tendrils emanating from his shadow. A sense of dread washed over him as he looked at Ciaran, who wore a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

"You're far too weak to be facing me." He whispered again.

Suddenly, Luther launched a fireball aimed directly at Ciaran.

As the blazing fireball hurtled towards him, Ciaran calmly lifted his hand, bracing himself for impact. The fiery projectile struck him directly, unleashing a deafening explosion that engulfed the vicinity in a thick, billowing shroud of smoke and heat.

"Light's judgment." Leo said, and a blinding light appeared around him that burned the tendrils, allowing him to move again, and he landed next to his father. 

"Did you get him?" Leo asked as he stared at the disappearing smoke.

Luther strained his eyes to see through the smoke. Gradually, Ciaran's figure emerged, his arm stretched out in front of him. Luther's heart began to race as concern crept over him, there was no way he could still be standing. Could he?

"That was quite powerful." Came to a cold reply as a pulse of magical energy was released, and the smoke disappeared.

Luther's eyes grew wider as he gazed in horror at the scene before him. Standing a few feet away was Ciaran, with his arm outstretched as if frozen in time. In his hand, the blazing fireball was wholly frozen in midair. The air around them was filled with an icy chill as snowflakes swirled and danced about, creating a wintry wonderland. The frozen fireball cast an eerie glow on everything around it, casting long shadows in every direction. 

"Impossible." Luther's mind struggled to grasp. 

"Tell me." Ciaran began as he clasped his hands together, "Which burns hotter? Fire or ice." He asked as he slowly separated his hands, and a sphere made entirely of ice slowly formed.

Luther stood transfixed as the spherical object made contact with the surrounding atmosphere. In an instant, a sudden chill spread through the air, causing water vapor to condense and freeze into tiny ice particles. The frozen particles glittered like diamonds in the air, creating a breathtaking spectacle that left Luther in awe.

"Son." Luther turned toward Leo, "Take Riker and escape. Spread the word about what type of monster Ciaran Maxamus is." He finished as he summoned what mana he had remaining.

"Father." Leo said as he suddenly found it hard to breathe as the area became hotter

Luther took off his signet ring and tossed it to Leo, who caught it. "You are now the leader of House Whiteguard."

Leo found himself in an area that was too hot to handle, making it impossible for him to speak. He had to step back and watch as his father and Ciaran faced off against each other in a tense showdown. One final attack that would ultimately determine the winner of their intense battle.

Luther nodded to his son before he turned to face his opponent and muttered, "Hell's paradise."

The area suddenly became a hellish landscape, as everything within a ten-meter radius burned to ashes within moments—everything except for Ciaran, who stood in the center of an icy field, with the ice sphere growing larger with each moment.

Luther summoned countless fireballs that formed behind him and began rotating. 

"You ready?" Ciaran asked with a smile.

Luther's only response was, "Hell's barrage." As he unleashed his fireballs with impressive speed.

"Absolute Zero." Ciaran said and unleashed his attack.