Chapter 2047: Dark Spells.

"The Sovereign has fallen."

"What...?"

No one could believe it, but—

"He was returning from Zagarh and was ambushed by Eight Eternals."

"S-Six...?"

The man widened his eyes in shock.

"What were Eight Eternals doing together?"

No High Level World had that kind of strength. Plus, Vorran wasn’t weak; he was counted amongst the strong Eternals. If those eight Eternals managed to surround and actually kill him without letting him escape, it must mean they weren’t weak either.

"They are saying it was a planned ambush."

"Planned...? But no one should know his rout—"

Before the man could even complete his words, he froze as the realization struck him.

Betrayal.

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE

The entirety of Nocthys went into uproar. The people trembled in fear; many fell in sorrow. Yes, Vorran ruled by fear, but he was a loved Sovereign. He was fair and treated everyone equally. He gave chances to those who showed potential.

Under his rule, many had their lives turn for the better.

But now...

With Vorran, the Pillar of Nocthys, gone, things would become much more complicated.

"We need to find the traitor."

The decision was made.

The investigation started.

Sharnoth was only eleven.

She didn’t cry, not at first. She asked questions—how could he die? Who did this? How did they know?

Every single day, she bothered the investigating team, wanting to see if there was any progress.

But it was already too late.

CRACK

Three days later, the skies split open.

Enemies poured in.

It was their longtime enemies,

Aurendor and its Army from its Faction.

And with Vexarion Aurendor, the Herald of Justice, the Leader of Aurendor and an Eternal Level Being leading the charge, there was no hope.

Allies turned traitor. Even Sharnoth’s father’s most loyal generals disappeared or submitted to new masters.

The palace was stormed.

The Eclipse Guards, elite defenders of the throne, were butchered without being able to offer a second of resistance.

Ritual altars were defiled, ancient curses were broken. Sharnoth and her mother fled through a tunnel, but—

They didn’t get far; they were captured.

The worst part?

The Herald of Justice didn’t want them dead. Sharnoth and Isaveth were beings of ’darkness,’ the ’filth that corrupts the Universe.’

Such beings couldn’t directly be killed—they needed to be ’purified.’

And the Herald of Justice wanted the entirety of Nocthys to see this purification.

They wanted the people of Nocthys to see the Queen of Nightfall chained like a slave and the Princess of Shadows fall from her throne into the dirt.

Sharnoth remembered the cage—its walls made of a strange light that burned her skin whenever she moved. It was called the

Cage of Radiance,

a torture cage for any being even remotely linked to the Power of Darkness.

Her mother, once a being of infinite poise, was gagged and shackled before her.

Sharnoth didn’t know how long they had been imprisoned. Time blurred in the prison she was in.

Her mother—Isaveth, the Queen of Nightfall—had not spoken since the capture. Not out of fear, but pride.

She wanted to keep her last bit of dignity.

Even when gagged and shackled, her presence was fierce.

However, Isaveth knew the truth.

She knew this wasn’t going to end like this; therefore, she made a decision. A decision Sharnoth was oblivious to at that moment.

On the night of the ’procession,’ Sharnoth woke up to a strange chill. As she opened her eyes, she finally saw it—a familiar, purple energy in the air.

An energy that she usually sensed from her father but... something was wrong.

Something didn’t make sense.

She turned towards the source of the energy with a frown and there, she finally saw it—

Her mother’s eyes were closed. Her lips moved, silently mouthing the forbidden words, invoking powers without using her energy.

Sharnoth instantly recognized what it was. Her father warned her about it every time he read her those forbidden texts at night.

A Dark Spell.

A power strong enough to bring a strong nation to ruin. A power that does not require one’s energy to cast—a limitless source of power—

But—

A power that no being is able to master.

What’s worse?

If used without mastering it correctly, it would reflect back and harm the user instead.

’Shar, never try to use Dark Spells. They may be destructive, but one wrong move and they will kill you.’

Sharnoth remembered how her father repeatedly told her not to dabble in the Dark Spells and how almost no one in the entirety of Nocthys’ history had been able to master it,

But here it was—

Her mother was using it right in front of her.

Sharnoth’s eyes widened in surprise. To think her mother, of all people, had mastered this power—a momentary joy was seen on the Princess’s face.

Soon, however, that joy turned into horror as once again she recalled her father’s words:

’Shar, never try to use Dark Spells. They may be destructive, but one wrong move and they will kill you.’

Her mother...

She wasn’t using the Dark Spell to free themselves or in retaliation...

She...

She was trying to kill herself by using them incorrectly!

It was the final act of defiance—an act to preserve her dignity.

To deny them the spectacle of her breaking.

To die on her own terms.

Whoosh

A whisper of black flame crept along her spine, eating her Life Force from within, curling around her dark heart like a serpent preparing to strike.

It was... horrifyingly beautiful.

Even in her final moments, the Queen of Nightfall remained dignified.

Or at least... that was how the Queen had imagined it.

But then,

Fwhoosh

The light screamed.

WEEEE

Holy alarms rang across the hall and dozens of radiant chains shot forward, embedding themselves in Isaveth’s body, ripping her to the ground and devouring the Black Flames in an instant.

But they didn’t stop there.

Suddenly,

"AAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Sharnoth screamed in agony. The collar around her neck lit up brightly, pouring the holy fire through her spine, her skull, her bones.

For a child who was born with the Power of Darkness, this was no different than tearing her insides again and again, as slowly and torturously as possible.

"SHAR!!!"

Isaveth shouted, extending her arm towards her daughter, wanting to hold her. Even when she was on the ground and in pain by trying to forcefully burn her Life Force away, she cared more about her daughter.

Step Step Step

Then, the footsteps were heard.

Isaveth raised her head and her eyes fell on him,

The Herald of Justice.

"Try and end your life again, Isaveth... and she will pay the price."