The other kids burst into laughter, the sound sharp and cutting as it echoed across the courtyard.
And then—
it happened.
Imperial screamed in angler.
A crackle of lightning burst from his palms.
It was wild. Uncontrolled.
The power struck the boys, knocking one flat, scattering the others, who fled in terror.
But when the light faded—Imperial saw with horror that the bolt had also hit Ray.
The pup laid motionless, small body twitching from the shock.
"No… no, Ray, I'm sorry!" Imperial fell to his knees, gathering Ray gently in his arms.
Without thinking, he ran—through alleys, across courtyards—until he burst through the doors of the Alden estate.
"Mother! Please—help him!"
Lyra saw the desperation in her son's eyes, saw the small creature cradled in his trembling arms. Without hesitation, she called for an animal healer.
Hours passed. The healer came, examined Ray with care, and finally spoke his voice gentle:
"The dog had a hole in his heart from birth and something made it even worse. I'm afraid… he doesn't have long. Perhaps a few days. I'm sorry, young master."
Imperial sat in silence, numb. His small hands stroked Ray's fur as the dog rested weakly beside him.
Days passed. Ray tried to wag his tail when Imperial came near. He licked Imperial's fingers with all the strength he had left.
Then, one quiet morning, Ray slipped away—his eyes closing as if falling into peaceful sleep, his small body finally at rest.
Imperial sat beside him for hours, tears falling silently, the weight of guilt heavy on his shoulders.
I hurt him. I couldn't protect him.
That night, Lyra found him in Ray's resting place. She knelt beside him, wrapping him in her arms.
"Imperial," she said softly, "this wasn't your fault."
"But I—I hurt him, Mother… It was my attack that landed, the one that made his wounds even worse."
"No." Lyra shook her head, her voice firm yet kind. "You did everything a boy could do. You fed him, you loved him, and you tried to protect him. You gave him joy. That is what matters."
She wiped the tears from his face.
"Don't carry shame for the love you gave. Ray was lucky to have you. And you were lucky to have him, even for a little while."
Imperial nodded, burying his face in her shoulder.
From that day on, he carried Ray's memory in his heart—not as a burden of guilt, but as a reminder of what it meant to care, to fight for someone, even when the world turned cold.
Back in present.
Imperial suddenly felt himself engulfed by darkness. The world around him dissolved until he was floating in an endless black void.
"Where… am I?" he whispered, voice shaking.
A strange heaviness pressed down upon him, as if raw, unstable magic surged within every fiber of his being. It felt overwhelming — suffocating — and yet… in the heart of this darkness, a figure appeared.
A girl. He couldn't make out her face, only a luminous silhouette glowing like a beacon. She stepped closer and gently pressed a hand to his chest, right over his heart. In that moment, the turbulence, the heaviness, the sheer chaos of the magic within him… vanished. Peace replaced it.
Then she stepped away, her form fading until it was gone.
Left alone in the void, Imperial felt a shift. His wounds from the battle began to knit themselves shut. A warmth surged through him, and strength bubbled forth. Suddenly, a sphere of swirling black flame appeared before him — a smoky, living thing. As he reached out to touch it, he felt its pulse, its secrets, and a buried part of himself he had kept hidden for so long.
With a firm grip, he clenched the flame in his left hand. The dark energy surged, wrapping him whole.
Back on the battlefield, everyone froze. The remaining captains and vice captains fell to their knees, unable to move, unable to comprehend the pressure crashing down upon them. Even Ari, Tracey, Dawn, and Gray felt it. The Emperor and the Generals stopped in shock.
"What is this?! Where is this magic coming from?" Malrik exclaimed, terror breaking through his voice.
Magnus clenched a shaking fist, incredulous. "How… how is this possible?"
For the first time, fear surfaced in the Emperor's eyes.
Then— BOOM!
A thick beam of darkness erupted from where Imperial had stood. The ground shook violently, and every gaze was drawn to that pillar of night. As it subsided, Imperial was gone.
CLANG!
He reappeared behind Cravik, swinging down with brutal precision. The vice general managed to raise his chains in defense, only to watch in horror as they crumbled to dust. A beat later, Cravik felt the sting of a blade… and then nothing. The blow had taken one of his hands before he could comprehend it.
Before the shock could sink in, Imperial was gone again. He appeared in a blur, now behind Dragan. The dragon-bodied vice general spun, steel muscles tensing for a counterattack, but it was too slow. Too slow for Imperial. Too slow for this dark, burning force. In a flash, with a single stroke of his blade, Imperial cut through dragon steel and bone, cleaving a gaping line across the beast-like warrior's chest.
Then he was gone again.
He appeared beside Cravik, a whisper in the storm. The vice general didn't even notice until Imperial's hand came to rest upon his shoulder. Suddenly, Cravik crumpled to the ground as if some unseen force had ripped the very life from him.
Imperial pressed on. Velda and Morne tried to rally, terror burning in their eyes, weapons shaking in their hands. But before they could move, a dark square shimmered under their feet. The ground bubbled and surged, swallowing them whole. The blackness rose to their knees, their waists, their chests, until their screams disappeared and silence claimed them.
Their presence winked out of existence.
Everyone — friends and foes alike — watched in sheer terror. Ari's voice shook as she spoke.
"What happened to him?"
Dawn and Tracey exchanged horrified glances.
Gray clenched a fist, voice wavering. "He looks like… like a devil. A devil of darkness."
Imperial stopped, dropping his sword to the ground with a sharp clang. Slowly, he lifted his gaze and found Jack.
Jack froze, understanding. This was the signal.
Flashback:
Imperial had told him, "When I drop my sword and look to you, it means it's time. You teleport to me, and we rescue my father. Stay calm — no one can touch you as long as I am with you."
Jack had asked, voice shaking, "But how will I teleport us to the platform?"
Imperial had replied calmly, "Gray has a sticker. He can fire a bullet marked for teleportation to any spot. The moment it lands, you can teleport us there."
Present:
Jack acted instantly. Gray, wounded and leaning on a crumbled wall, drew a ragged breath and fired a bullet. It screamed across the ruins and lodged itself into the platform. In a heartbeat, Jack appeared beside Imperial.
Closer now, Jack felt the sheer pressure of the boy's magic — dark, swirling, suffocating. Pure, unimaginable force. Terrified, he laid a hand on Imperial's shoulder, fearing for a moment he too would be reduced to ashes.
But nothing happened. Imperial met his gaze, then gave a sharp nod. Together, they teleported to the execution platform.
The Emperor and Generals froze, unable to move, unable to comprehend the impossibility of what they were seeing.
Imperial, burning with dark energy, met Emperor Magnus's gaze. In the silence, faint, faint voices crackled in the Emperor's earpiece:
"What's happening, Magnus? Is it done?"
"Have you killed that boy and Cyrus?"
Magnus said nothing aloud. His voice remained silent, but the terror in his eyes spoke louder than any words.
Imperial didn't understand who was speaking. Didn't care. He waved a hand, and the chains binding his father disintegrated to dust. The Emperor and Generals didn't dare move, didn't dare breathe. Without permission, none could lift a finger.
Imperial lifted his father, Cyrus Alden, upon his back. The dark ground surged, swallowing him whole and pulling him out of sight. Then Imperial placed a hand on Jack's shoulder, and they too disappeared, reappearing moments later beside the rest of their friends.
Imperial walked to where he had dropped his blade, gripped it, and pulled it free from the earth. He sheathed it and glanced at the group.
"Jack, prepare the teleportation."
Jack nodded, swallowing hard. Everyone drew closer, forming a tight circle, gripping hands. Even Gray, half-conscious and leaning heavily, felt Imperial's hand holding him firm.
In that moment, surrounded by friends and burning with a quiet, unimaginable force, Imperial gave a final glance to the Emperor and Generals.
Jack started weaving the spell. But with so many people to teleport, it was going to take a few precious seconds. Suddenly, a voice rang out from the ruins:
"Where are you going, old friend… without meeting me?"
A tiny stone shot out like a bullet, slamming into Jack's stomach. He doubled over with a gasp, blood spilling from the wound. The spell faltered, dissipating into mist.