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In the dark corner of the imperial palace, the wind whispered through the halls. Shadows racing along the high walls seemed almost alive, concealing the two intruders from sight. The air carried the heavy breath of ancient magic, mingled with the scent of stone and dampness.
Rion folded his wings and landed softly on the marble floor.
Above, the twin moons—Siamond and Ruya—bathed the palace walls in pale, cold light.
Noa descended right behind him, his steps nearly soundless on the polished stone.
Rion scanned the surroundings.
In the gloom beneath the towering walls, they had finally entered the Imperial Palace.
> "We're inside," Rion said quietly but firmly. His voice echoed faintly before fading into the vastness.
"Tell me, Noa… what are you thinking? No matter how I analyze it, coming here is utterly irrational."
Noa remained silent. His gaze fixed on the distant golden roofs, faintly glowing in the moonlight. Then, slowly, he turned to Rion and placed a hand on his shoulder.
> "Thank you, Rion," he said softly but with conviction. "You brought me here. Now… we need to find my brother. He knows what happened to my parents."
Rion sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead.
> "We could've just sent a letter," he muttered. "There's magical correspondence, Noa. One signal rune would've been enough."
Noa gave a faint, pained smile—one that held both warmth and sorrow.
> "Yes, maybe," he said quietly, cold fire blazing in his eyes. "But if my parents were killed for political reasons—if their deaths are tied to the throne—I have to return.
This isn't just memory for me, Rion. It's opportunity."
He took a deep breath.
> "Sometimes, the most dangerous place is the safest one. If I'm under my brother's protection, no one would dare move against me.
And if they do—if they kill me inside the palace itself—it proves everything. No one would take that risk."
Rion looked at him, searching for the boy he once knew.
But the innocence was gone. Only the fire remained—cold, focused, merciless.
> "People like you don't last long in political games," Rion said grimly. "Every smile here is a mask. Every word—a blade."
Noa met his gaze without flinching.
> "I'm not the boy I once was," he said firmly. "I'm done hiding who I am.
If this game is played with fire—then I'll burn with it."
Silence fell. The wind moaned between the marble walls.
In the distance, the faint clink of guards' armor mingled with the cries of nightbirds.
> "So what's the plan?" Rion asked finally. "How do we get in?"
> "We find my brother's chamber," Noa replied. "Once we reach him, we'll plan from there. For now, we observe."
Rion raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips.
> "So you don't even have a plan. And here I thought you were getting smarter."
> "That's why we don't rush," Noa said calmly.
Before Rion could respond, a sharp impact struck his chest—hurling him against the wall. A dagger embedded itself beside his head, its runes glowing crimson.
> "Ambush…" Rion growled.
His veins shimmered red as his hands transformed—claws forming, skin thickening.
Noa stared at the blade, eyes widening.
> "Dragon talons…" he whispered.
A low voice emerged from the shadows.
> "What do we have here? The fallen prince and the young lord of the Jogan tribe.
An unexpected meeting."
> "Who's there?" Noa demanded coldly. "Stop hiding like a coward and show yourself!"
The shadows stirred. Fifteen cloaked, masked figures emerged, eyes glowing crimson.
They encircled Noa and Rion—a silent ring of death.
> "An assassination unit…" Rion muttered. "They don't act without orders."
One of the figures stepped forward.
> "You may call me Varzak," he said, voice sharp and cold.
> "Why tell us your name?" Noa asked, narrowing his eyes.
> "So you'll know who kills you," Varzak sneered. "You couldn't save your parents.
At least die knowing who ended you."
He lunged forward, blade blazing crimson.
Noa's eyes flared with light, fists clenched tight.
> "So that's how it is?!"
> "WHO DID THIS TO ME?!"
A surge of crimson aura erupted from him, shaking the air itself.
> "Such murderous intent…" Varzak laughed. "Magnificent! I haven't seen power like this in ages!"
"My noble prince, please enjoy your humble servant! Hahahahahaha!!!!"
Then, suddenly—the air grew heavy. The ground trembled.
Noa and Rion both dropped to their knees under the crushing pressure.
Varzak stopped laughing, looked up at the sky, and sighed in disappointment.
"What, already here so soon?"
A colossal shadow appeared in the sky—the silhouette of a dragon.
Moments later, it descended and shifted into human form: black hair streaked with white, obsidian eyes, robes marked with black sigils.
Noa's voice trembled.
> "T-The First Elder… Marius S. Dragon…"
Marius smiled faintly.
> "It's been a while, hasn't it, little one?
I thought the cold had claimed you long ago. Yet here you are—still breathing. Remarkable."
> "Bastard!" Noa shouted. "The cold didn't kill me!
He clenched his fists.
But it gave me far too much pain!"
Marius sighed.
> "Children these days are so rude…"
> "A traitor to the Empire talking about respect?!" Noa spat.
Marius descended slowly, landing before Noa. He seized Noa's arm and twisted—bones snapped with a crack.
> "AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"
> "I've served this Empire a thousand times longer than you," Marius said coldly.
"Even more loyally than your father."
> "Yet you betrayed it all…" Noa hissed through gritted teeth.
Marius chuckled.
> "Defiance… just like the S bloodline."
He flicked his fingers—the air split open.
Blood streamed from Noa's eyes.
> "MY EYES! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"
Blood dripped onto the marble, glowing faintly crimson.
Rion stood frozen—this was no battle. It was punishment.
> "What's wrong, boy?" Marius mocked.
Noa lifted his head, trembling but unbroken.
> "You can take my sight and my arm… but you'll never erase your treachery."
> "You carry the spirit of the S Clan," Marius said darkly.
"Once, we were feared—revered.
Then three emperors came, one after another, and crushed us.
Your father—our leader—betrayed his own blood.
Why do you think that was?"
> "I don't know," Noa gasped.
> "Because we sought power. And the world always fears those who seek it.
They called us monsters—the **Black Dragons**. Our clan's power was diminishing. Your father wasn't a traitor, but I tried to elevate it. Am I the traitor? In truth, my father was the traitor."
> "So that's why you killed my parents?!" Noa roared.
> "No," Marius said, tone chillingly calm.
"That's why **you** must die."
He raised his hand—but another voice cut through the air.
> "That's not enough, Grandfather," a cold voice said from the shadows.
"This boy disgraced our bloodline. The upper clans mock us because of him.
His punishment isn't over."
Noa froze.
Rion's eyes widened.
> "That voice… Azel S. Dragon—the Crown Prince?!"
From the darkness stepped a tall young man with long black hair, pitch-black eyes, and a white-gold robe trimmed with black. A cloak hung from his shoulders like a shadow.
> "Brother… is that you?" Noa whispered. "You've joined them?"
Azel's answer was a brutal kick.
Noa slammed into the wall, coughing up blood.
> "How dare you call me brother?"
> "It's me… Noa S. Dragon…"
> "You are not one of us," Azel said coldly.
"You never were."
Noa bowed his head. Childhood memories of laughter—like glass—shattered within him.
> "So it was all a lie…" he murmured.
> "Fool," Azel said. "You were never my brother.
You were an experiment.
The Emperor believed a child born from the Ice Queen and the Black Dragon bloodline would restore true power.
But you were a **failure**."
He drew a black cube from his robe.
> "And failures… must be erased."
He tossed the cube into the air.
It exploded in a pulse of black light, swallowing Noa and Rion.
The earth quaked. The air cracked open.
Rion could only watch, helpless—he couldn't even move under Marius's pressure.
Noa didn't stir—as if his heart itself had stopped.
Azel turned away.
> "It's done. Let's go."
Marius smirked.
> "No… this is only the **beginning**."
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Hey there, dear readers! 💫
Did you enjoy this scene? What do you think will happen to Noa now?
Will he be taken away as the main heir—or is something even darker waiting for him?
And that mysterious **black cube**—what do you think its true purpose is? 🤔
Leave your thoughts and theories in the comments!
Save this chapter to your **Library** and give it a **Power Stone**—it really helps the story grow!
If everything goes well, I'll be posting one chapter every day from now on.