In the dark corner of the imperial palace, the wind whispered through the halls. Shadows running along the high walls seemed almost alive, concealing the two intruders from sight. The air carried the heavy breath of ancient magic, mixed with the scent of stone and dampness.
Rion folded his wings and landed softly on the marble floor.
Above, the twin moons—Siamond and Ruya—bathed the palace walls in a pale, cold glow.
Noa descended right behind him, his steps nearly soundless against the polished stone.
Rion scanned the surroundings.
In the gloom beneath the towering walls, they had finally crossed into the Imperial Palace.
> "We're inside," Rion said quietly but firmly. His voice echoed faintly before dying in the vastness.
"Tell me, Noa… what are you thinking? No matter how I analyze this, coming here is utterly irrational."
Noa remained silent. His eyes, fixed on the distant golden roofs, burned faintly in the moonlight. Then, slowly, he turned to Rion and placed a hand on his shoulder.
> "Thank you, Rion," he said, softly but with conviction. "You brought me here. Now… we need to find my brother. He knows what happened to my parents. Only he does."
Rion sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead.
> "We could've just written a message," he muttered. "There's magical correspondence, Noa. One signal rune would've been enough."
Noa gave a faint, pained smile — one that carried both warmth and sorrow.
> "Yes, maybe," he said quietly, his eyes glinting with cold fire. "But if my parents were killed for political reasons—if their deaths are tied to the throne—then I have to return.
This isn't just memory for me, Rion. It's opportunity."
He took a deep breath.
> "Sometimes, the most dangerous place is the safest one. If I'm under my brother's protection, no one would dare move against me.
And if they do—if they kill me in the palace itself—then it proves everything. No one would take that risk."
Rion looked at him, searching for the boy he once knew.
But the innocence was gone. Only the fire remained — cold, focused, merciless.
> "People like you don't last long in political games," Rion said grimly. "Every smile here is a mask. Every word — a blade."
Noa met his gaze, unwavering.
> "I'm not the boy I once was," he said firmly. "I'm done hiding who I am.
If this game is played with fire — then I'll burn with it."
Silence fell. The wind moaned between the marble walls.
In the distance, the faint clink of guards' armor mingled with the cries of nightbirds.
> "So what's the plan?" Rion asked finally. "How do we get in?"
> "We find my brother's chamber," Noa replied. "Once we reach him, we'll plan from there. For now, we observe."
Rion raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips.
> "So you don't even have a plan. And I thought you were getting smarter."
> "That's why we don't rush," Noa said calmly.
Before Rion could answer, a sharp thud struck his chest — hurling him against the wall. A dagger embedded itself beside his head, runes glowing crimson.
> "Ambush…" Rion growled.
His veins shimmered red as his hands changed — claws forming, skin thickening.
Noa's eyes widened as he glanced at the blade.
> "Dragon talons…" he whispered.
A low voice emerged from the shadows.
> "What do we have here? The fallen prince and the young lord of the Jogan tribe.
What an unexpected meeting."
> "Who's there?" Noa demanded coldly. "Stop hiding like a coward and show yourself!"
The shadows stirred. Fifteen dark figures emerged, cloaked and masked, eyes gleaming red.
They encircled Noa and Rion — a silent ring of death.
> "An assassination unit…" Rion muttered. "They don't act without orders."
One of the figures stepped forward.
> "You may call me Varzak," he said, his voice sharp and cold.
> "Why tell us your name?" Noa asked, narrowing his gaze.
> "So you'll know who kills you," Varzak sneered. "You couldn't save your parents.
At least die knowing who ended you."
He lunged forward, blade blazing crimson.
Noa's eyes flared with light, his fists clenched tight.
> "So that's how it is, huh?!"
"WHO DID THIS TO ME?!"
A surge of red aura erupted from him, shaking the air itself.
> "Such murderous intent…" Varzak laughed. "Magnificent! I haven't seen power like this in ages!"
Then, suddenly — the air grew heavy. The ground trembled.
Both Noa and Rion fell to their knees under the crushing pressure.
A colossal shadow took form in the sky — the silhouette of a dragon.
Moments later, it descended and shifted into human form: black hair streaked with white, eyes like obsidian, robes of ivory marked with black sigils.
Noa's voice trembled.
> "T-The First Elder… Marius S. Dragon…"
Marius smiled faintly.
> "It's been a while, hasn't it, little one?
I had thought the cold had taken you long ago. Yet here you stand — still breathing. Remarkable."
> "Bastard!" Noa shouted. "The cold didn't kill me!
The pain did!
You did!"
Marius sighed.
> "Such rude children these days…"
> "A traitor to the Empire talking about respect?!" Noa spat.
Marius descended slowly, landing before Noa. He grabbed Noa's arm and twisted — bones snapped with a crack.
> "AAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"
> "I've served this Empire longer than a thousand dragons like you," Marius said coldly.
"Even more faithfully than your father."
> "And yet you betrayed it all…" Noa hissed through his teeth.
Marius chuckled.
> "Defiance… just like the S bloodline."
He flicked his fingers — the air split open.
Blood streamed from Noa's eyes.
> "MY EYES! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"
Blood dripped onto the marble, glowing faintly red.
Rion stood frozen — this was no battle. It was punishment.
> "What's wrong, boy?" Marius mocked.
Noa lifted his head, trembling but unbroken.
> "You can take my sight and my arm… but you'll never erase your treachery."
> "You carry the spirit of the S Clan," Marius said darkly.
"Once, we were feared — revered.
Then three emperors came, one after another, and crushed us.
Your father — our leader — betrayed his own blood.
Do you know why?"
> "I don't," Noa gasped.
> "Because we sought power. And the world always fears those who seek it.
They called us monsters — the Black Dragons.
So your father destroyed us… to save his name."
> "And that's why you killed my parents?!" Noa roared.
> "No," Marius said, his tone chillingly calm.
"That's why you must die."
He raised his hand — but another voice cut through the air.
> "That's not enough, Grandfather," said a cold voice from the shadows.
"This boy disgraced our bloodline. The upper clans mock us because of him.
His punishment isn't over."
Noa froze.
Rion's eyes widened.
> "That voice… Azel S. Dragon — the Crown Prince?!"
From the darkness stepped a tall young man with long black hair, dark eyes, and a white-gold robe trimmed with black. A cloak hung from his shoulders like a shadow.
> "Brother… is that you?" Noa whispered. "You've joined them?"
Azel's answer came in the form of a brutal kick.
Noa hit the wall, coughing blood.
> "How dare you call me brother?"
> "It's me… Noa S. Dragon…"
> "You are not one of us," Azel said coldly.
"You never were."
Noa bowed his head. Memories of childhood laughter — of warmth — shattered within him.
> "So it was all a lie…" he murmured.
> "Fool," Azel said. "You were never my brother.
You were an experiment.
The Emperor believed that a child born from the Ice Queen and the Black Dragon bloodline would restore true power.
But you were a failure."
He drew out a black cube from his robe.
> "And failures… must be erased."
He tossed the cube into the air.
It exploded in a pulse of black light, swallowing Noa and Rion.
The earth quaked. The air cracked open.
Rion could only stare, helpless.
Noa didn't move — as if his heart itself had stopped.
Azel turned away.
> "It's done. Take them."
Marius smirked.
> "No… this is only the beginning."
Hey there, my dear readers! 💫
Did you enjoy this scene? What do you think will happen to Noa now?
Will he be taken away as the main heir — or is something even darker waiting for him?
And that mysterious black cube — what do you think its true purpose is? 🤔
Also, a small correction: there is no moon in this world — that was a little technical mistake in the previous chapters. My bad! 😅
Leave your thoughts and theories in the comments!
Don't forget to save this chapter to your Library and give it a Power Stone — it really helps the story grow!
If everything goes well, I'll be posting one chapter every day from now on.
The author is back… hehe 😁🔥