Julian’s gaze drifted to Lilia. He couldn’t help but recall the memory of the night when he had claimed her, the moment when he had humiliated the Count in his own home.
The memory still lingered in his mind. The satisfaction of dominating her in such a way, and the silent rage it must have stirred in the Count.
Julian approached the Count and Lilia, his steps confident and measured. As he neared them, both the Count and Lilia shifted uncomfortably.
The Count’s pride was completely wounded from the earlier humiliation. He forced a smile and spoke, “Your Grace, welcome to the feast.” He tried to mask the bitterness that lingered in his voice.
Lilia, too, bowed gracefully, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of unease as they met Julian’s.
Julian’s lips curled into a smooth smile as he responded, “It’s my pleasure to be here.”
His gaze lingered on Lilia for a moment, before he shifted his attention back to the Count. There was an undeniable tension between the three of them.
As Julian continued his exchange with the Count and Lilia, a strange sensation suddenly crept down his spine, an intense shiver running through him that made every muscle in his body tense.
His senses heightened, and instinctively, his gaze snapped toward the source of the strange aura he felt.
Before he could fully react, a dark figure materialized out of thin air. The figure was cloaked in shadows and moved with terrifying speed. It appeared directly in front of him in the blink of an eye, and without warning, a sharp blade pierced through Julian, cutting through his flesh.
The force of the attack pushed him back and blood began to fall from the wound.
Lilia’s and the Count’s faces instantly twisted in shock, their eyes widening in disbelief.
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“What—” Lilia gasped, her hand instinctively reaching toward Julian, but she was frozen in place, unable to process the sudden violence.
The Count stood still, his face pale as the situation unfolded before him. He had expected many things, but not this, a sudden, attack on Julian.
Julian’s own expression was momentarily stunned as the blade sank deeper into him. His body instinctively tried to react, but the pain was sharp and immediate.
For a moment, everything seemed to freeze, as the room around them adjusted to the shocking turn of events. The laughter and celebration came to a immediate halt as all eyes shifted to Julian, who had been struck in front of everyone.
The figure who was still cloaked in mystery, stood in front of him motionlessly.
Julian stood there his eyes locked with the assassin and immediately a chilling sensation spread from the wound. It was something that was unlike anything he had ever experienced before.
It wasn’t just the physical pain, it was as though the very energy flowing through the wound was eating away his soul itself. The wound seemed to grow on its own. The cold energy that spread through his body felt foreign.
Alden who witnessed the scene unfold, reacted instantly. His aura flared and an overwhelming pressure emanated from him as he moved to attack the shadowy figure.
His power surged and the raw energy of an Arch Mage made its way through the air, but the shadow figure moved with an unnatural speed and quickly dodged the attack. It almost seemed to vanish into thin air for a moment before appearing again in a different position.
Alden’s eyes widened in shock as he saw the movement of the figure. He was even more shocked by the energy that surrounded him.
The energy that surrounded the figure was not the elemental energy that they were used to—it was darker, colder, more sinister. It felt as if the very essence of life itself was being drained, replaced with something purely malevolent.
“What is that?” Alden muttered under his breath, his expression one of pure astonishment and unease.
The King was equally taken aback by the turn of events and he muttered in disbelief. “That is not a simple energy…”
The dukes sensing the grave danger immediately surged their auras. Their powers filled the room with intense pressure.
Duke of Hans could feel the shiver running down his spine and turned to Alden and warned, “Alden, be careful. That energy… it has the property of corrupting life itself.”
Alden nodded sharply, his eyes locked on the shadowy figure, understanding the gravity of the threat before him.
Duke of Ethwer, acted swiftly. His voice rang out with authority, commanding, “Everyone, leave the hall immediately! Inform everyone to stay away from the castle and do not approach! Get out now!”
His words were met with swift action as the guests began to panic, all running towards the exits.
The once celebratory atmosphere in the hall was now shattered, replaced with a sense of fear and urgency.
The shadow figure remained calm, its presence chilling as it stood unshaken by the chaos surrounding it.
The king began channeling his own mana. A golden aura erupted around him as he raised his hands high, his voice barely a whisper. “Royal Protection,” he muttered.
As if answering his call, a radiant, golden barrier formed around the castle. The barrier expanded, covering the entire structure in a protective dome that pulsed with immense power.
The energy from the barrier pushed back the oppressive and corruptive energy, clearly not letting it leak out the barrier. They knew what destruction this energy was capable of inducing, if allowed to leak out to the city.
The guests who were now outside the hall, looked back in awe as the castle became completely enveloped in the golden barrier.
Inside, the King stood tall, his eyes locked on the shadow as he prepared for what was to come. The barrier would hold, but for how long?
The four dukes surrounded the shadowy figure as each of their auras flared.
Duke of Norish’s eyes darted around the room as he searched for his son. “Where is Marcus? I don’t see him!” he shouted, his voice betraying the sudden fear that gripped him.
“Is that what you are worried about when we all could basically die any moment”, Duke of Ethwer shouted.
Then, Alden’s voice rang out, “Tempest of winds”
Immediately, A ferocious storm formed as it slowly increased in size and surged towards the shadowy figure.
However, the shadowy figure remained eerily calm. With a simple flick of his wrist, a dark aura launched forward and it devoured the storm like a hungry beast.
The four dukes stood in stunned silence, their eyes wide with disbelief as the shadow man’s energy seemed to nullify the storm without effort.