Chapter 9: A Voice from the Shadows
The sky above the palace looked grim as Xebec's entourage returned to the capital. A light drizzle greeted their arrival, like an omen that the fragile peace was beginning to fracture.
But before Xebec could report to the King, terrible news struck him first: a nobleman known to support him was found dead under mysterious circumstances in his study. There were no visible wounds, yet the walls were covered with dark magic runes—like a message from a long-slumbering force.
"This wasn't an ordinary murder," Xebec muttered, staring at the corpse still lying on the blood-red carpet.
The investigation led him to a terrifying trail: a shadowy figure cloaked in black had been spotted outside the palace walls the night before the murder. Several witnesses claimed to have seen blue fire glowing in the creature's eyes—the same fire Xebec had seen in his dreams, in his confrontation with Baal.
But the threats didn't stop there. That night, the royal hall became a warning ground. One of Xebec's personal guards was attacked by a shadowy creature while on duty.
Xebec arrived just in time.
With a single swing of his sword—the one-handed blade now fused with his soul—he sliced through the air, and the shadow vanished in a scream of magic. All eyes turned to him. The true aura of a Swordmaster radiated from his body.
"I will not let a single dark force poison this land," he declared boldly.
But while everyone was still in awe of his actions, Xebec realized one thing: that shadow didn't come alone. It was only a messenger.
And far away, beyond the forbidden forest, another seal had crumbled.
The rain hadn't stopped when Xebec stood by the window of his tower chambers, gazing out at the city slowly vanishing beneath the mist of night. His mind was heavy. The murder of a loyal noble, the shadow beast's attack on his guard, and... those glowing blue eyes from his nightmare—again they haunted him.
"Is this all a test... or a warning?" he whispered to himself.
A soft knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. Astrid entered silently, draped in a deep violet velvet cloak to keep out the chill. In her hands, an old book filled with forbidden symbols.
"I found this in the palace library," she said, placing the book on the table. "One of the symbols on the dead noble's body... matches this page."
Xebec stared at the page. The symbol resembled a closed eye encircled by fire—a summoning sigil from the cult of Baal, said to have been extinct for hundreds of years.
"So... Baal is truly rising," Xebec whispered.
Astrid nodded. "And they're using the bodies of their followers as vessels. Maybe Bastian wasn't the only one."
Silence. Stillness. But the room felt thick—not from the cold, but from the truth slowly revealing itself.
"I have to warn Father," said Xebec. "If this spreads, the entire kingdom is at risk."
But as he stepped out of his chamber, the sound of hurried footsteps down the hall made him pause. A guard approached in haste, face pale as a sheet.
"Your Highness! We... we found a secret room beneath the old church in the western district. The walls were covered in blood... and your name was written in it."
Xebec froze. "Show me."
---
The underground chamber reeked of iron and death. Among the piles of melted black candles and magic circles carved into stone, the name "Xebec von Phillipe" was scrawled large—encircling the same eye symbol.
"This isn't just a threat," he murmured. "This is a summoning."
Astrid exhaled heavily beside him. "They don't just want to destroy you, Xebec. They want to replace you."
Xebec's gaze sharpened. "I won't fall. And I won't yield."
His steps were steady as he left the summoning chamber. Night had swallowed the sky, but the fire burning in his heart would not be extinguished. Beneath the pouring rain, Xebec looked up and spoke softly, as if to someone lurking in the dark:
"Come. Send all your shadows. I'll cut them down, one by one... until the sun rises on this land without fear."
And somewhere far away, in a place unnamed between magic and reality, a pair of glowing blue eyes opened.
Baal... smiled.
---
The next morning, the sky remained gray as the Closed Council convened in the innermost chamber of the palace. Only the King, his highest advisors, and the two princes were allowed inside. A tense stillness lingered in the air, as if even the stone walls were holding their breath.
King Edric looked older than usual. The lines on his face were deeper, his eyes weary as though just waking from a night of nightmares. Before him lay reports of murder, blood symbols, and eyewitness accounts.
"This isn't just a threat," one of the elder advisors said. "This is a declaration of war—against the throne, and the royal bloodline."
Bastian stood to the King's right, dressed in black without any family crest—a notable difference. He said little, occasionally casting glances at Xebec. His expression was unreadable—a mixture of jealousy, worry, or perhaps... something darker.
"Whoever is behind this, they know our weakness," Xebec finally said. "They know we're divided—by suspicion, by ambition masked behind oaths."
Astrid sat quietly in the royal guest bench, allowed in as a representative of House de Malefic. Her head was bowed, but her ears were sharp, catching every word and subtle gesture.
The King sighed heavily. "From this day forward, the inner palace shall be guarded by ancient protective magic. I won't let my blood be spilled in vain. Xebec, you will lead the secret task force to investigate the roots of Baal's cult. And... Bastian."
All eyes turned. Bastian straightened.
"Father?" he asked calmly.
The King closed his eyes briefly before speaking. "You will remain within the palace. I... can't take the risk."
Bastian's expression tightened—barely noticeable, but caught by Astrid and Xebec.
"So I'm being imprisoned?" he asked flatly.
"For your safety," King Edric replied.
But behind his words, they all knew: it was a decision born of doubt. Suspicion. And perhaps... a father's guilt.
After the meeting dispersed, Xebec walked the stone halls with Astrid at his side.
"Did you see his eyes?" Astrid whispered. "Bastian hates being caged. He... feels betrayed."
"He is being betrayed," Xebec murmured. "But if it saves him, I'm willing to be the traitor."
Astrid looked at him for a long moment. "You don't know if he can still be saved."
Xebec stopped in the middle of the corridor. Silence. Then he looked up at the sky through a narrow window.
"I have to believe he can. Because if I don't... then the only option left is to kill him."
And deep beneath the palace, far below even the secret chambers unknown to the King, a third eye opened on a stone wall, whispering in demonic tongue into the darkness.
The voice said:
> "Blood will awaken the old king... and brother will become enemy."
---
To be continued