Chapter 152: You won because of me, brat.
The night sky burned red.
The ruins of the citadel lay in silence, its walls melted, its throne shattered, its king lying headless in a pool of steaming golden blood. Outside, the valley screamed with fire. The Nova Sanctum drifted above like a black star, its cannons flashing, tearing settlements into craters. Each impact shook the mountain, flames swallowing entire districts. The Lion King’s nation was no more—it was ash, and the ash kept falling.
Lucian stood over Taragon’s corpse. His chest rose and fell heavy, every breath dragging pain through his ribs. Blood streaked his arms, his cloak was gone, his skin burned raw, but he still stood tall. His golden eyes glowed faint through the smoke, sharper than the flames around him. In his hand, he still clutched the Lion King’s severed head by its mane.
The ground cracked behind him. Two figures stepped through the rubble.
Lucy came first, Infernal Eclipse still burning in her hand, black fire licking faintly along the edge. Her hair smoldered, her steps steady despite the blood on her shoulder. Beside her, Karl walked with his usual swagger, his claws still smoking, his grin wide even as fresh wounds bled down his arms.
Karl’s eyes went straight to the corpse. He let out a low whistle, then smirked. "Well damn. You actually did it. Took down the big cat himself." He tilted his head, his grin smug. "Not bad for a human."
Lucian’s eyes flicked to him, flat and sharp. He scoffed and let Taragon’s head drop with a wet thud. "Shut it." He straightened slowly, rolling his shoulders, his body trembling faint but refusing to show weakness. "This was only the start. From here on out, the fight’s going to be real."
Lucy’s brows furrowed as she stepped closer. "You mean..."
Lucian’s gaze cut to her. "I need every ounce of strength I can get. And you—both of you—you need to get stronger. Much stronger. What’s coming next won’t fall as easily as him."
Karl barked a laugh, leaning against a broken pillar. "Stronger than this? I’m already on fire." He lifted his clawed hand, flames curling in his palm. "You saw me out there—I’m not exactly the weak link anymore."
Lucian’s smirk was faint, sharp. "You’re not strong. You’re reckless. There’s a difference." His eyes glowed brighter, voice hard. "Recklessness will get you killed. Or worse—get her killed." He jerked his chin toward Lucy.
Karl’s grin faltered for half a heartbeat before curling back, but softer this time. "Tch. Fine. Point taken."
Lucy shook her head, lifting her sword, staring at the flames still crawling along its edge. "He’s right. If Taragon was only a Beta... then what’s higher than that will crush us unless we’re ready." Her grip tightened, her black fire flaring brighter. "I won’t let us be crushed."
The air shifted on Lucian’s shoulder. Kaelis stirred, shrinking into his smaller form, claws tapping faint against Lucian’s collarbone. His molten eyes blinked lazily, his tail flicking with casual boredom. "Hmph. You won because of me, brat. Don’t pretend otherwise."
Lucian’s head tilted, his eyes narrowing. His voice came quiet but sharp. "You’ve been sitting there, acting high and mighty, laughing while we bleed. That ends now." He turned his head slightly, his gaze pinning the little dragon. "It’s time you started pulling your weight."
Kaelis snickered, smoke curling from his nostrils. "Oh, demanding now, are we? You forget—you’re alive because I chose to let you live."
Lucian’s smirk was cold. "Then keep me alive again."
The silence stretched for a heartbeat. Then Kaelis chuckled low, his tiny fangs flashing. "Fine. But don’t expect me to fetch sticks like your lapdog." His tail curled smugly around Lucian’s neck as he rested his head back down. "When the time comes, I’ll remind you why they once called me god of gods."
Karl raised a brow at that, smirking. "So he finally admits he’s been slacking."
"Shut up, brat," Kaelis growled.
Lucy rolled her eyes, exhaling a long breath. "Children, the both of you." She turned her gaze back to Lucian, her expression steady. "So what’s next? We destroyed their nation. Their king is dead. What comes after this?"
Lucian’s eyes burned faintly as he looked past her, past Karl, toward the valley still burning under the Sanctum’s fire. The screams outside were fading now, the beastkin scattered, broken, nothing left but smoke and ruin.
His voice came low. "This was only a message. To the world. To the monsters. To whoever’s watching." He stepped forward, the weight of Taragon’s head still bleeding into the earth. "That nothing is untouchable."
The Sanctum’s cannons fired again overhead, their roar shaking the sky. Flames blossomed across the far settlements, fire raining down in endless rhythm. The nation burned, its power broken, its king slain.
Lucian stood in the center of the ruin, his golden eyes sharp as he looked at his sister, at Karl, at the dragon on his shoulder. His voice cut through the storm, calm but heavy.
"From here on out, we fight for real. And if you want to live through what’s coming..." His smirk curved faint, sharp, blood dripping from his chin. "Then keep up."
The night swallowed his words, the valley still burning beneath the Sanctum’s shadow.
And in the ruins of the Lion King’s nation, the storm had only just begun.
Ash drifted thick through the air, glowing faint like dying stars. Where once had stood a proud nation, there was nothing but fire and ruin, the black carcass of a kingdom still crumbling beneath the endless rain of missiles. The valley was broken. The Lion King’s line ended.
Lucian’s golden eyes lingered on the flames for one last moment. Then he turned.
"Let’s move."
Lucy nodded without a word, her blade dimming, black fire fading back into steel as she sheathed Infernal Eclipse. Karl let out a low whistle, kicking a broken helmet across the dirt before falling into step. Kaelis yawned from Lucian’s shoulder, smoke curling faint from his nostrils, as if none of this was worth the weight of his attention.
The three of them crossed the charred courtyard, the rubble crunching underfoot. Above, the Nova Sanctum loomed, its engines humming low as it drifted through the smoke. Its hangar bay opened, spilling cold light onto the ruined ground.
They rose into it together, the battered frame of the ship swallowing them from the firestorm outside.