Chapter 50: trapped

The hall of the fallen king was a stark contrast to the crystalline elegance of Elandor. Here, stone walls absorbed light rather than reflecting it. Veins of dark mana pulsed faintly beneath the surface, and the air was thick with the scent of earth and magic, raw and untamed. The shadows seemed to shift subtly, as though alive, whispering with voices only the king himself could hear.

Ian moved with careful precision, each step measured, each breath controlled. He had been summoned to the king’s presence—a summons that carried with it an unspoken weight. The figure at the far end of the hall emerged from the darkness, tall and imposing, his eyes deep pools that reflected neither hope nor fear. This was the fallen king of Central Geneva: a man whose ambition had once unified his lands but whose obsession with dark magic had consumed his reason.

“You come prepared,” the king said, his voice reverberating unnaturally in the hall. “Good. Few dare step into my domain willingly and leave intact.”

Ian inclined his head. “Your Majesty, as requested, I have gathered information regarding the Prince of East Geneva. Thalen. And the current state of the divisions. All you asked, one word and that kid will be butchered .”

The king’s smile was thin, almost predatory. “Information… yes. But understanding is far more valuable. Do you understand, Ian, why the Prince is important to me?”

Ian’s expression remained neutral, though his pulse quickened. “Because of his position? His lineage?”

The king’s laugh was low, echoing like rolling stone. “No. Not for politics, not for lineage. Thalen possesses a key—something even I cannot access without him. He can open the passage to Central Geneva. A hidden gateway buried deep beneath our lands. One that even I, in all my studies and power, could not locate alone.”

Ian’s jaw tightened. “A passage… to Central Geneva? Surely it exists only in myth.”

“Not myth,” the king replied, voice cold and precise. “Reality. Once he opens it, other kingdoms will gain access as well. If my enemies learn of this passage first, they can invade. East Geneva itself could be a conduit for chaos. That is why I must control him… or control what influences him.”

The weight of the king’s words pressed heavily on Ian. The Prince’s life was not merely a pawn in political games—it was the linchpin of Central Geneva’s security. And yet the king’s plan was far from defensive. It was manipulation in its purest form.

“The civil war among the divisions,” the king continued, stepping closer, shadows stretching unnaturally, “is not accidental. I orchestrated it. Tension in the north, sabotage in the south, interference in the west… the beasts I released, the infections I seeded… all are designed to weaken them, to test loyalty, to prepare the stage. Geneva's kingdoms cannot function under my control if it is united. Fear fractures allegiance. Chaos ensures compliance.”

Ian’s mind raced through everything he had witnessed—the attacks in West, the manipulation of resources in the North, the sudden uprising of beasts at borders, the mounting tension in the South, and now the kidnapping of a prince. Every seemingly random act of violence, every death or near-death, had been deliberate.

“that pink haired boy, his name is Ryo,” the king said, his gaze sharp at a glowing orb “was meant to be my instrument. A spy, a vector for influence in West Geneva. I intended to use him to guide events subtly, to manipulate like the others, but…” The king’s lips twisted. “The beast within him resisted. He is stronger than I anticipated. His instincts, his will… it rejected my influence. Interesting. Perhaps useful in ways I had not foreseen.”

Ian shifted slightly, feeling the tension coil in his shoulders. The implications were staggering. The beast in Ryo had protected him. “Does he even know how dangerous his existence is?”

The king’s smile darkened.

Ian’s hand brushed the hilt of his blade, tightening instinctively. “What if the prince resists?”

“Then you adapt,” the king said smoothly. “The passage cannot be left vulnerable. Other kingdoms… they would exploit it instantly. East Geneva itself could be the key to my downfall if the Prince wields it against me.”

The king’s tone shifted, darker now, more intimate, almost mournful. “There is one other reason I have sought this power, Ian. One that transcends politics, strategy, and conquest.”

Ian tilted his head, curiosity masked by composure.

“My wife,” the king said, his voice little more than a whisper, “Lara’s mother… she was everything. Brilliant, radiant, irreplaceable. But death took her before her time. Science, magic, evolution—none of it could bring her back to me. Not until I discovered a way. She had always spoken of a previous life, and I… I managed to make a deal with an angel of reincarnation. He gave me his power, his ability to access forbidden knowledge. With that power, I manipulated another angel of reincarnation. And so, I gained the right to choose who would be reborn next.”

He gestured broadly to a corner of the hall, where a strange construct glimmered faintly—a globe of twisted mana, hovering in a dark aura. “This is the Reincarnation Orb. A device I am creating to restore her. But to succeed, it requires human subjects, potent life energy, controlled magic, and… exceptional mana.”

Ian’s stomach turned. The fallen king’s ambition was no longer merely political—it was personal, consuming, and terrifying.

“Your Majesty,” Ian said carefully, “ isn't it dangerous ?”

The king’s eyes glimmered, unyielding and unrelenting. “you are part of this, Ian, you serve me, every step, every mission, every decision… must be calibrated. One misstep, and the plan collapses.”

Ian bowed once more, carefully suppressing the tension in his shoulders. He understood now why the civil war had been orchestrated, why beasts had been unleashed.This was not chaos—it was a calculation. And the Prince’s unique ability to open the hidden passage made him the keystone of everything.

“And yet,” the king said softly, leaning close, “there is one more uncertainty… Ryo. My intended spy has already defied me. The beast within him resists. If his influence continues unchecked, it may threaten the path I have so meticulously planned. Keep an eye on him”

Ian bowed once more, hiding the unease coiling in his chest. “Understood, Your Majesty, I will now leave to find the prince.”

The hall pulsed with a dark resonance as Ian turned to leave.

---

Aldah’s fists still hummed faintly, her knuckles raw from the clash. Thalen’s cloak was wet and muddied, and every footstep carried the weight of exhaustion—and unease.

“I can’t believe he was… using me,” Aldah muttered under her breath. “After everything…”

Eryndor placed a hand on her shoulder. “Focus, Aldah. Ian is gone, for now. There will be other threats. And right now, we need to ensure the Prince’s safety.”

Ryo’s beast growled low in agreement, scanning the misty treeline.
“That was… too many copies,And the beasts…” His ears twitched. “They weren’t normal. Something is powering them—magic beyond the usual. Ian has… allies we didn’t see.”

Thalen’s jaw tightened.

Eryndor was looking at them guilt starts piercing his heart “i can't keep going with you, I betrayed you my prince, I almost handed you over...”

Thalen froze, the words hitting him like ice. “Hand me over? To whom?”

“Central Geneva,” Eryndor said quietly, voice low.

Aldah’s fists ignited again, mechanical energy flaring. “So all the warnings, all the supposed intelligence… it was just to guide you there ? To make you compliant?”

Vix exhaled slowly. “Sounds like The council has already decided that you are… a tool.”

Thalen’s hands clenched at his sides. “A tool… to save a kingdom by giving myself away? To a man who seeks to control all of Geneva through fear?” His voice shook, anger and disbelief mingling. “I cannot… I will not.”

Eryndor stepped closer. “Then we leave this path behind. We do not trust the council. We will find another way to protect East Geneva, the people, and yourself.”

Ryo’s beast sniffed the air, growling at unseen movements in the fog. “They’ll come after us. They know Ian’s plan failed, but they won’t stop now. The council… they are part of it.”

Aldah’s fists clenched, hydraulics whirring softly. “So, we’re fighting the council too?”

Vix nodded, voice hard. “If it comes to that. We protect the Prince, no matter the cost. The council’s politics are their game. We’ll survive their traps.”

Kael shook his head. “This is worse than I imagined. We just survived, and now the people want to sell the Prince?”

Thalen’s face hardened.

Lara stepped beside him, voice firm. “Then we fight with you. Not for the council. Not for the fallen king. But for what is right. For Geneva itself.”

A soft, almost imperceptible hum echoed from the roots of Elandor. Arachne’s eyes flared, scanning the enormous network of living wood beneath the city.

Suddenly, a shimmer of movement appeared along the root pathways—guards in crystalline armor, partially invisible in the mist, blocking the way forward.

“Ambushed,” Kael growled. “By the council?”

“Yes,” Vix said coldly. “And they brought reinforcements. They know the Prince cannot be allowed to leave alive without risk. The council’s ‘protection’ was a lie—a trap to deliver him to Central Geneva loyalists.”

Aldah’s fists sparked violently. “So… every step we take from here, we’re walking into another battlefield. Ian was just the beginning.”

Ryo’s beast growled and bared its teeth. “Then let’s make sure this next battle is the last. For now.”

Thalen looked around at his companions: Eryndor’s resolute stance, Vix’s icy focus, Aldah’s mechanical power bristling, Kael and Ryo ready for combat, Lara summoning faint bursts of magic.

The mist thickened, swirling around the living roots like an advancing tide. Crystalline guards began moving closer, their enchanted weapons glinting faintly. The first whispers of a magical trap spread through the roots as the council’s betrayal became undeniable.
---
From above, faint shadows of council enforcers began emerging from the high branches of the Elandor roots, moving in synchronized patterns. The living city seemed to anticipate their movements, the roots bending subtly under the weight of the threat.

The first crystalline guard lunged. Aldah’s fists exploded forward, cracking the armor and sending the figure sprawling into the misty roots. Sparks and magical energy lit the fog as the battle began.

Arachnee snapped her fingers and everyone suddenly found themselves trapped in the legs of a giant spider.
“You are as noisy as larvae,” Arachnee murmured coldly. “Your Majesty, Ian was supposed to take you by force if the council refused to hand you over; they ended up giving up — having too little for their kingdom. I promised them an army of monsters, anyway. Either you come with me willingly or your friends die before your eyes, and I’ll take you regardless.”

“Don’t give in to her blackmail.” said Eryndor.
“You think I’m joking, boy?” Another snap of her fingers and a spider appeared and bit Eryndor’s shoulder, tearing his arm off — it was a horrifying scene.
“Your choice?” Arachnee asked, ready to snap her fingers again.

The others were terrified; this had gone too far. Eryndor bit his tongue — the training was nothing compared to the pain.

“I’ll come with you,” said the prince, lowering his head.