Inside the Eternal Musical Hall…
In the grand hall of crystals, the Red Witch sat before a circular red table, her presence alone enough to suffocate the very air around her. She was more than seven feet tall, draped in thick red garments from head to toe, with small red dots etched across her face and hands.
The red witch’s pupils gleamed an eerie crimson, contrasting sharply with the dark hollows around her eyes, as though she had been awake for centuries without rest.
The heavy silence in the hall was only interrupted by the flickering of crystal flames that adorned the chamber. She had not touched the wine or fruits placed before her. Nor had she spoken a word since her arrival. Yet, her hands trembled slightly, and sweat glistened on her forehead—a strange sight for someone feared across realms for her unshakable composure.
Amelia, standing beside her, shifted impatiently. She had never seen a Red Witch behave this way. Why was she so tense? And why had she been waiting for Kent for so long without a single complaint?
Then, the grand doors at the far end of the hall creaked open.
Kent walked in, his steps unhurried, his golden eyes locked onto the Red Witch. The moment their gazes met, a spark of recognition flickered between them. Kent’s aura was calm but commanding, while the Red Witch’s lips curled slightly, a faint sign of amusement or perhaps trepidation.
“Apologies for keeping you waiting… I had some urgent matters to attend to.” Kent said smoothly, taking his seat across from her.
The Red Witch did not smile. Instead, she exhaled, her gaze unwavering. “You need not lie, Dragon Lord. I know what you just did. But I am not upset from the delay. Meeting you, seeing your fate, was already written. No one can change fate. Not even me.”
Kent raised an eyebrow. “You speak as if you already know everything about me. Can you really see my fate?”
She tilted her head slightly. “I know more than you assume, Dragon Lord. But the real question is—do you truly wish to hear what I can see?”
Kent chuckled, leaning back. “If fate is so absolute, how can you read it? More importantly, can you read your own fate?”
“Nothing is absolute and perfcet, not even fate,” the Red Witch answered. “It is a blessing of the Red Witch Goddess that I can see the destinies of others… and yes, I can read my own fate as well.”
Kent smiled in amusement. “Then tell me—when and how will you die?”
The Red Witch’s expression didn’t change, but a strange heaviness filled the room. “I know what you are thinking, Dragon Lord. But what you do not know is… my death will happen in your hands. And that too, on this very day.”
Kent blinked. Then, throwing his head back, he laughed. “That’s a clever prediction. Fine then. Stay here for the entire day. I won’t kill you, no matter what. Let’s see if your prophecy holds true.”
“As you wish,” she said, unperturbed. “But before that, let me complete the task I came for.”
She reached into her robes and pulled out a fire crystal, a translucent sphere that burned with red flames. She placed it at the center of the table and gestured for Kent to place his hands over it.
Kent hesitated for a moment, then did as instructed. Amelia watched anxiously as the Red Witch began chanting, her voice a soft hum that gradually grew louder. The flames in the crystal flickered, swirling like a storm contained in glass.
Then, suddenly, the Red Witch stiffened.
“God…!” she gasped, her fingers clutching the edges of the table.
Kent narrowed his eyes. “What did you see?”
“Demons… the Demon Lord…” she whispered, her voice hoarse. A sudden shudder racked her body, and blood trickled from the corner of her lips.
Amelia took a step forward. “What’s happening to her?”
The Red Witch’s entire body began to shake violently. “Dragon Lord… the days ahead are dark for you. Your fate shifted the moment you killed a god. Both demons and gods now seek your death. Your future is shrouded in calamity. The Nine Realms will turn to ash if you remain here. Your luck is spent. Everyone you love will die before your eyes.”
A deathly silence followed her words. Amelia began shaking in fear.
Kent clenched his fists. “Who is it? Who is my enemy?”
The Red Witch convulsed, coughing up more blood. She tried to speak but choked. The fire crystal between them flickered violently, its flames turning black.
Kent gritted his teeth, tightening his grip on her trembling hands. “Speak! Is there any way to change it?”
With great effort, she forced out a broken whisper. “One chance… Dra… Lord…”
“What is it?” Kent yelled.
“Chase the calamity,” she rasped, her voice barely audible now. “Write your own fate… but you… you will not… survive… here…”
Her body convulsed violently one last time before she fell back, her breath ragged. But even as life drained from her, she clutched Kent’s wrist with a firm grip, locking eyes with him in a final moment of clarity.
“I am honored… to die in your hands, Dragon Lord,” she whispered.
Her grip slackened, and her body went still.
Kent stared at her lifeless form, his mind racing. Amelia let out a gasp, stepping forward in disbelief. “Kent… she… she really died in your hands…”
Kent slowly released her hands, looking down at them. The warmth from her touch lingered, but her prophecy rang louder in his ears. His fate had shifted. The world was now against him.
And the calamity… was coming.
With a deep breath, Kent stood up. “Amelia, Do not speak of this matter with anyone. And prepare the hall for her rites. We honor her today.”
Amelia swallowed hard and nodded. She had seen many things in her life, but this… this was something else entirely.
As the fire crystal on the table dimmed. And in the distant shadows of the realms, something stirred.
A storm was coming.
And Kent was at its very center of the dark storm.