Rhonex had been roaming around the kingdom all night. He was just observing how things were going. He saw many different things; children chasing fireflies, teens singing, an old grandma telling a story, and many other sights. He didn't sleep because he didn't need it.
He decided to go to the library to check for something. When he got there, he went straight to where the books were kept. He took a book out and started reading, but he was actually searching for a particular book called "Fox's Legacy: Awakening,
Tails, and Power." It talked about foxes, and he wanted to learn more about their kind since he was planning to marry one.
After searching all night, it was finally this morning that he found the book. He felt relieved, if not, he might have had to burn the old building down.
The book was really big and would take hours, maybe until evening, to finish. But he didn't mind. He was bored, and there was nothing to do at home. If he finished reading by evening, then he'd head back. By then, his tailor would have arrived, he leaned against the bookshelf.
He flipped through the pages and found some useful things about foxes. They are naturally cunning and seductive. They're ranked based on how many tails they have. There are seven clans in the fox realm. And before any fox can gain a tail, they must pass through trials with the guardian of their fox spirit.
The trial is not chosen by the fox themselves but rather by their magic. Magic is alive in itself and it senses the fox's essence and assigns the trial they need to grow.
In each tail lies a core of divine power. When a fox successfully cultivates all nine tails, they become godlike, immensely powerful, almost untouchable. The only ones known to achieve this level were the ancient ancestors. Seven elders from different clans came together with one shared goal: to eradicate a great evil in Hell. They succeeded in cultivating all nine tails, and the only message they left behind was…...
Rhonex, who was reading, suddenly paused. He felt a surge of pure energy enter the library. It was familiar, almost nostalgic.
He raised his head and turned toward the source. The heavy doors to the library opened slowly, and the most beautiful girl he had ever seen stepped inside, silver hair flowing like moonlight, icy blue eyes that sparkled with curiosity.
The librarian gasped slightly and bowed. "Your Highness, I'm honored to have you here! "All hail Princess Aralyn" ."Ronex's lips curled into a smirk. So this is my bride? he thought. Interesting.
Unseen by anyone, thanks to the invisibility spell he'd cast, he gently closed the book and observed quietly from the shadows.
The moment Princess Aralyn stepped into the library, a chill ran down her spine. She could feel it, an eerie, heavy presence in the air. It was dark… negative. But she pushed the feeling aside and headed toward the shelves, searching for a specific book.
Suddenly, a loud crash shattered the silence. Something burst through the ceiling and landed with a violent thud right in front of her. Dust flew everywhere. As it cleared, Aralyn's eyes locked onto a terrifying sight, a Zarkrath, a soul-sucking creature straight from the depths of cursed magic.
She had heard her father speak of them. These creatures had been showing up more frequently across the kingdom, and they never came on their own. Someone was summoning them.
The library erupted into panic. People scrambled, fear thick in the air. Aralyn could feel their emotions pressing in on her chest. She stepped forward and said firmly, "Do not fear. I will handle this."From the shadows near the shelf, Ronex watched quietly, still cloaked in invisibility. He rested casually against the bookshelf, eyes locked on her. He was amused, but curious. Who keeps summoning these things? he wondered. Still, this was a perfect opportunity to observe his future bride. He had no interest in a weak partner.
He could destroy the Zarkrath with a snap of his fingers. But that would be boring.
Aralyn's icy blue eyes shined like a sapphire gem stone. She reached behind her and drew a glowing divine sword, a blade she had earned during the awakening of her first tail. The air around her shimmered with energy as she stepped into position.
The battle was about to begin.
The soul-eating creature let out a chilling laugh, its eyes glowing red with hunger.
"Do you really think a one-tailed fox like you can defeat me?" it hissed.
"Just this morning, I devoured a delicious three-tailed fox. Maybe I should start hunting foxes more often."
Aralyn smirked, eyes fierce. *l"Watch me kill you."
She lunged forward, divine sword in hand, aiming straight for its heart, the only way to end a Zarkrath. But the creature vanished in a blink. It was fast. Too fast.
Aralyn gritted her teeth. She hadn't unlocked the power to vanish yet. But what she had was vision, eyes everywhere. With a wave of her hand, a portal opened beside her and she hurled her sword through it. The blade sliced across the Zakkurat's side, making it snarl in pain.
The battle raged on. Aralyn fought like a storm, graceful, deadly, determined. But every time she came close to striking its heart, something stopped her.
Then, in a sudden move, she slashed across its neck. Their eyes met.
It was a mistake.
What Aralyn didn't know was this, when a Zarkrath makes direct eye contact, it instantly sees your deepest weakness. A sudden burst of unstable magic erupted, sending Aralyn staggering back. The creature grinned and shapeshifted, twisting and morphing, until it took the form of her mother.
Aralyn froze.
Her breath caught.
Her sword lowered.
It was as if time itself paused.
The Zarkrath raised its jagged blade, its deadly , fast lightning soul removal ready to strike.
Aralyn's knees buckled. She had failed. She was too weak. Her mother… her trauma… it was too much.
Then, snap.
A single sound echoed through the library.
The creature vanished in black smoke.
Aralyn gasped, still trembling. Her vision blurred as she looked up.
Rhonex, who had been silently watching the entire fight, was impressed.
She had skills, sharp, refined but like every creature, she had a weakness.
That was the one thing Rhonex himself never possessed. Born without emotions, he had no fears, no attachments, nothing anyone could use against him.
So when the Zarkrath aimed to strike down his bride, he didn't hesitate.
A single snap of his fingers, and the creature vanished into smoke.
The tense atmosphere in the library instantly shifted. Everyone exhaled in relief. Two young girls rushed to Aralyn's side.
"Your Highness, let's go back to the castle," they urged, helping her up.
She was injured, clearly in pain, but she wasn't ready to leave. She still hadn't found the reason she came, the book.
"Stubborn, aren't you?" Rhonex thought with a smirk.
He closed his eyes briefly, using his magic to scan her mind. He found the image of the book she sought:
Fox's Legacy: Awakening, Tales, and Power.
He flicked his fingers subtly, making the book glow faintly on the shelf.Aralyn noticed immediately, her eyes locking onto the light. She moved toward it, wincing slightly with each step. Just before she grabbed it, she paused, looping around, as if sensing someone watching.
Rhonex stood still, invisible. Silent.
She took the book, paid ten gold coins to the keeper, and left the library.
Back in the royal carriage, Aralyn clutched the book tightly.
Someone had helped her. Someone had saved her life… and helped her find exactly what she needed.
Who was it? Why was the person helping her? And how did the person know her?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the pain.
"Princess, let me heal you," Pearl offered, seeing her wince.
Aralyn could heal herself, of course, but if her father found out she'd been injured , he'd ban her from leaving the palace.
So she nodded silently, and Pearl began to heal her wounds.
Meanwhile, Rhonex stood just outside the library, a wicked smile on his lips.
In his hand, hidden in his cloak, was the still-beating heart of the Zarkrath.
Tonight wasn't about protecting the kingdom.
It was about the hunt.
And he planned to kill every last one of them,
collecting their souls, not for mercy, but for power.
Twisted as it was, it served both him…
…and the kingdom.