Even though Ethan's binding spell broke, Ronan didn't harm Mia. He simply stood there in stunned silence, unable to comprehend how Darkan had managed to inhabit an innocent woman's body for so long without anyone noticing.
"W-We're going to the Mo Kingdom. Right now." Ronan demanded, his voice dangerously low.
Before doing anything else, he used a fraction of his energy to erase Mia's memories of the alarming incident, returning her safely to the company. Shortly after, Michael and Sophia arrived at the Brown estate after hearing the frantic news. Finding Ronan on the brink of losing control, they worked together to calm him down.
"Relax, Ron. We need an actual plan." Michael reasoned softly, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. "We aren't just going to the Mo Kingdom to rescue Liora, we're going to liberate the realm from Darkan once and for all. He kidnapped Liora specifically to draw you there."
The other guardians nodded in solemn agreement.
"Please, just do something fast, Mike" Ronan begged, fighting back the hot tears gathering in his eyes, refusing to break down in front of them. "I don't know if that monster is already hurting my Liora..."
"Let's do this together." Maya encouraged, looking around at the determined faces in the room. "We will save Liora and reclaim the Mo Kingdom. We start right now. Isn't this exactly what we've been preparing for all this time?"
A shared wave of resolve swept through the room as everyone nodded. For the next several hours, they meticulously mapped out their strategy for the impending battle against Darkan.
"How are we going to cross over to the Mo Kingdom now?" Ronan asked, breaking the silence. "How did Darkan take Liora there? Do you have a gate key?"
"Yes, I have one." Maya replied. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a shimmering object. Ronan's eyes widened in recognition.
"Wait... isn't that the pendant from Liora's necklace?" Ronan asked.
"It is." Maya explained. "That necklace didn't belong to her birth mother. Her human father must have picked it up from the ground where Liora was found as a baby. It's an ancient key to the realm gate connecting the Mo Kingdom and Earth. Only the royal family held those keys, but we were given duplicates when we were dispatched to Earth. Darkan must have used the key from Liora's necklace to transport her back. Though honestly, Darkan has plenty of them by now, he already occupies the royal palace."
While the guardians finalized their plans on Earth, thousands of miles away in the dark heart of the Mo Kingdom, Darkan had locked Liora inside the desolate throne room of the grand palace.
Liora slowly drifted back to consciousness. Her head throbbed, and her surroundings were shrouded in deep shadow.
"R-Ron? R-Rony?! Rony, where are you?!" Liora cried out, attempting to push herself up.
Pain shot through her arms as heavy iron chains bound her wrists and ankles, biting deep into her flesh and leaving bloody, raw gashes across her skin.
Back on Earth, Ronan suddenly squeezed his eyes shut, gasping as a sharp spike of vicarious pain shot through his soul. Through their soul bond, he saw the horrifying vision of Liora in chains.
"L-Liora?" Ronan gasped, leaping out of his chair. "Maya, she's chained up! She's in so much pain! We have to leave right now!"
Closing his eyes, Ronan summoned his power. A massive aura of brilliant red light erupted around his body, illuminating the room. But a second later, the power flickered and completely vanished, leaving him standing in the middle of the floor. He blinked in utter confusion.
"W-Why can't I use my teleportation power?!" Ronan demanded in frustration.
"Teleportation magic doesn't work between two different dimensions, Ron." Sophia gently explained. "You can only instant-travel to places within the same world."
"Dammit!" Ronan roared in fury.
"Calm down, Ron." Maya said firmly. "Rest up tonight. First thing tomorrow, we open the realm gate and march into the Mo Kingdom."
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Morning broke over the Mo Kingdom. While Liora endured a grueling night of freezing cold, unbearable thirst, and agonizing pain, Ronan suffered every bit as much back on Earth. Unable to bear the thought of his angel being tortured, Ronan's explosive anxiety nearly leveled the interior of the Brown mansion by daybreak.
Inside the pitch-black throne room, the heavy creak of the iron doors echoed through the silence. Exhausted beyond measure, Liora barely had the strength to lift her head.
Through the faint glow of an iron lantern, she watched a figure approach. As the light cast warm shadows, Liora realized it was a handsome young man walking toward her with slow, deliberate steps. Tear-filled eyes met, and the young man set his lantern on the cold stone floor, immediately dropping to his knees and bowing his head in deep respect.
Liora stared at him in utter disbelief.
"Your Majesty..." the stranger spoke softly, raising his head. "So... you are the true guardian of the Blue Gem. I-I can hardly believe my eyes."
"W-Who are you?" Liora rasped, her throat bone-dry.
"I am Richard." the man replied smoothly, a faint, dimpled smile appearing despite the sorrow in his eyes. "I was the commander of the Mo Kingdom before our realm fell to darkness. Now... I am nothing more than a slave to Darkan."
Liora gasped softly. "W-What? So... I'm really in the Mo Kingdom?"
Richard nodded grimly. Tears overflowed from Liora's eyes, dripping onto her bruised arms.
"R-Ron..." Liora whispered to herself, swallowing down her despair.
"Darkan brought you here himself." Richard shared quietly. "I overheard him talking to his disciples. He drained a portion of my spiritual energy earlier, but I managed to secretly follow his trail here after he left. I want to set you free, Your Majesty, but I don't possess the strength. Darkan's dark magic has grown exponentially; he forged those chains directly from his soul energy. Not even the magic of the two ancient gems can break them."
Liora let out a weak, dry laugh. "Yeah... finally figured that out after staying up all night."
Richard blinked, tilting his head in confusion at the unfamiliar phrasing. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, your manner of speech is quite unique."
Liora offered a faint, tired smile. "I grew up on Earth, so..."
Richard smiled warmly. "How is Prince Vante doing? He must be all grown up now."
"He is." Liora murmured softly, a fond look passing over her face. "He's bigger than you can imagine... and remarkably handsome."
Richard chuckled softly. "The late Emperor shared his master plan with me before he separated the two gems. I knew the Red Gem remained with Prince Vante, while the Blue Gem was hidden on Earth. But I never knew who was chosen to bear it until today."
Suddenly, Richard's expression froze, his ears twitching as he sensed a dark shift in the air.
"Darkan is returning." Richard whispered hurriedly, panic bleeding into his voice. "Your Majesty, please be careful. Only you and Prince Vante have the power to save our people."
Without another word, Richard bowed deeply, grabbed his lantern, and melted back into the shadows just in time.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Heavy footsteps echoed across the stone floor as Darkan strutted into the throne room. A cruel, mockery of a smile twisted his face as he looked down at Liora's bloody wrists.
Seeing the villain's grotesque features up close, Liora felt overwhelming disgust.
"You can't break chains forged from my raw dark energy, little one." Darkan taunted, his harsh voice echoing off the walls. "Liora... that's what they call you on Earth, isn't it?"
Darkan cackled, circling Liora like a predator stalking cornered prey.
"My power has eclipsed the strength of those two ancient gems." Darkan boasted loudly. "You know you can't destroy me with them, don't you? Those foolish guardians must have made that clear. Only the Primordial Energy can destroy me now. And soon? I will claim that Primordial Energy for myself! Once I merge it with my spirit, no one in this realm, or any other, will ever stop me!"
Liora glared at the tyrant, her eyes blazing with quiet defiance. "And what exactly do you expect to gain by hoarding all that power, Darkan?"
Darkan halted his pacing, turning around with a sinister grin. He leaned in close, his pale, decaying face hovering inches from Liora's. Sickened by the proximity and the repulsive, putrid odor clinging to the creature, Liora squeezed her eyes shut.
Darkan traced a long, pitch-black nail lightly along Liora's cheekbone, scraping the skin.
"When I become the absolute ruler of this universe... everything will belong to me." Darkan hissed. "Not just the Mo Kingdom. I will conquer Earth and subjugate every living soul beneath my boots!"
Darkan pulled back, throwing his head back in a chilling laugh.
"And then what, Darkan?" Liora challenged, her voice steady despite her trembling body. "What will you do after that?"
"I will enslave humanity!"
"And after that?"
"I will claim the entire universe!"
"And then what?!" Liora pushed, opening her eyes to lock gazes with the monster. "What do you actually get once you've conquered every last star in the sky?"
"Happiness!" Darkan declared proudly. "Eternal, absolute happiness!"
A bitter, mocking laugh escaped Liora's lips.
"Think about it, Darkan." Liora said, her tone dripping with pity. "No matter how much power you chase, no matter how many realms you conquer... you will always be the exact same miserable creature. All that stolen magic won't fix your twisted face. It won't wash away the foul stench of decay clinging to your soul. You aren't a god, you're just a pathetic, greedy spirit who died craving control and returned even more desperate for it. Even if you force every creature in existence to kneel before you, no one will ever love you. Everyone will hate you for the monster you are."
Liora let out a heavy sigh, looking down. "Power has blinded you. You think conquering everything will make you whole, but at the end of the day, you'll still be completely empty. There's no escape from the miserable existence you've built for yourself."
"SHUT UP!" Darkan roared.
Before Liora could react, Darkan unleashed a massive blast of dark energy straight into her chest. The force sent Liora crashing violently against the stone wall. She spat up a mouthful of blood, gasping for air as agonizing pain surged through her ribs.
"Shut your mouth!" Darkan screeched, his face contorting in rage. "When I become the supreme ruler of all existence, I will have everything! A foolish, fragile human like you knows nothing!"
Suddenly, Darkan's fury vanished, replaced by an unsettling, evil grin. He tilted his head toward the entrance.
"Ah... speak of the devil. Your sweet prince has arrived." Darkan sneered. "Too bad he's too late to stop me from breaking you."
Liora's eyes widened in horror.
"My plan worked flawlessly." Darkan chuckled darkly. "I knew that if I kidnapped you, Vante would foolishly follow with the Red Gem. Now I can strip both gems from your bodies and claim the Primordial Energy all at once."
"Y-You can't..." Liora wheezed out, coughing blood. "The gems are bound to our souls... you can't just take them!"
Darkan laughed maniacally. "With my current power? Extracting two tiny gems from fragile mortal hosts will be child's play. Now... let's go welcome your prince."
With a flick of his wrist, Darkan used his dark tendrils to violently yank the heavy chains, dragging Liora's bruised body across the stone floor as she cried out in agonizing pain.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
At that exact moment, the realm gate tore open on the outskirts of the Mo Kingdom. Through his soul bond, Ronan felt the precise moment Darkan struck Liora. Fueled by righteous rage, Ronan stepped through the portal alongside the four guardians, determined to tear the tyrant apart.
They were clad in sleek battle attire; Ronan wore a form-fitting suit of black leather that emphasized his regal, imposing frame.
The once-vibrant Mo Kingdom was now a desolate wasteland. With the separation of the two sacred gems, the sky had been swallowed by permanent, swirling black clouds, trapping the realm in an eternal, eerie twilight. Slaves bound in heavy iron dragged stones across the dirt, men, women, and even terrified young children were routinely struck with spiked whips by Darkan's ruthless overseers.
Ronan's eyes flashed a dangerous crimson as he witnessed the suffering.
"Your... Your Majesty?!"
Richard came sprinting from behind a ruined pillar.
"Richard?!" Ethan gasped, tears springing to his eyes as he rushed forward to embrace his old friend tightly.
"It is so good to see you all." Richard said, a tearful, dimpled smile breaking through his dirt-stained face.
After quick introductions, Richard bowed respectfully to Ronan. He desperately wanted to recount the horrors of the kingdom's fall, but seeing the thunderous expression on Ronan's face, he quickly redirected his focus, recounting his brief encounter with Liora in the throne room. Hearing that Liora was chained and bleeding sent a wave of raw panic crashing through Ronan's heart.
Suddenly, a horde of Darkan's shadow guards emerged from the gloom, weapons drawn. Driven by furious instinct, Ronan and the four guardians cut through the dark army effortlessly, obliterating them within minutes.
Without losing another second, they stormed the perimeter of the grand palace. As Ronan drew closer to Liora's energy, his heart hammered against his ribs. His crimson eyes glowed brightly, and the radiant diamond mark materialized on his forehead. The power of the Red Gem surged through his veins, amplifying his strength tenfold in his native realm.
Just as Ronan reached the main gates, the heavy iron doors burst open. Darkan stepped out into the light, an arrogant, wicked smile plastered across his face.
Ronan raised his hand to unleash a lethal strike, but the breath was instantly stolen from his lungs.
Dragging behind Darkan, bound in thick green magical tendrils and heavy iron chains, was Liora. Her clothes were torn, her skin bruised, and fresh blood dripped down her arms.
"L-Liora? Love?!" Ronan's voice trembled violently.
Liora raised her weary, bloodshot eyes, weeping tears of relief the moment she saw him. "R-Ron...?"
Ronan took a frantic step forward, but Darkan tightened his grip on the chains.
"Don't move!" Darkan commanded loudly. "You all know my power vastly outweighs yours now. If you try to fight me, I will crush this fragile human right in front of you!"
"D-Don't listen to him, Ron!" Liora called out weakly, struggling against her bonds. "We knew we'd have to fight... save the Mo Kingdom-"
"SILENCE!" Darkan snarled.
With a brutal flick of his wrist, Darkan wrapped a burning shadow-chain around Liora's throat, constricting her airway. Liora choked out a agonized scream as the metal cut into her neck, blood welling over the iron links.
"STOP! LET HIM GO, DARKAN!" Ronan roared, throwing a burst of red energy toward him. But Darkan effortlessly deflected the blast, tightening the throat-chain even further.
Ronan fell to his knees, his composure shattering entirely. "P-Please... don't hurt her! Stop!"
The four guardians and Richard watched in utter shock as the proud prince begged on his knees.
"That's better." Darkan sneered. "If you obey my terms, perhaps I will spare your precious lover."
Ronan looked up, his eyes bloodshot and pleading. "If I do what you want... will you let Liora go?"
"Ron, NO!" Liora cried out through her restricted airway.
Darkan's grin widened with evil delight. "Of course. Surrender the power of the two gems to me willingly. Once I have them, you and your human can return to Earth and live out your peaceful little lives, completely forgotten by the rest of the universe."
"R-Ron, don't do it!" Liora sobbed, tears cutting tracks through the dust on her face. "Save the Mo Kingdom! Save these innocent people! Don't throw away the world for me!"
Liora desperately wanted to run into Ronan's arms and escape to Earth, but she couldn't bear the weight of letting an entire realm burn for her sake.
A suffocating silence hung over the courtyard. The guardians, Richard, and Darkan all waited with bated breath for the prince's decision.
"The choice is yours, Prince Vante." Darkan purred, holding the bleeding chain taut around Liora's throat. "Your precious love... or the Mo Kingdom?"
Ronan closed his eyes tightly, letting out a long, shaky breath. The weight of two worlds rested squarely on his shoulders.
Opening his eyes, his burning crimson gaze locked onto Liora's tear-streaked face.
"I choose my love."