Chapter 18: The Face Beneath the Mask

The battlefield fell into complete silence.

The Blood Hunters stopped fighting.

Moonhaven’s warriors lowered their weapons.

Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.

The masked man slowly lifted the golden mask from his face.

Click.

The metal mask slipped into his hand.

Gasps echoed across the valley.

He wasn’t old.

Nor was he the scarred monster everyone had imagined.

He looked no older than forty, with sharp features, ash-blond hair streaked with silver, and piercing violet eyes that held neither mercy nor regret.

A long scar ran across his left eyebrow.

His smile was calm.

Almost fatherly.

Yet something about it made Lyra’s blood run cold.

Arnold’s face lost all color.

“…Malrik.”

Lucien clenched his fists.

“So you survived.”

The man smiled.

“I’ve disappointed many people over the years.”

Karl narrowed his silver eyes.

“You know him?”

Lucien never looked away from Malrik.

“He was once the High Chancellor of Lunaris.”

“The King’s most trusted adviser.”

Lyra’s breath caught.

“…Trusted?”

Lucien nodded grimly.

“He was like family.”

Malrik chuckled.

“Family…”

“What an amusing word.”

Memories flooded Lyra’s mind.

The burning palace.

Her mother’s terrified face.

A man dressed in black.

She looked at Malrik again.

The scar.

The smile.

The eyes…

Her vision blurred.

“I know you…”

She whispered.

Malrik’s smile widened.

“Yes.”

“You’ve finally remembered.”

“You were only five years old.”

“I wondered whether your memories would ever return.”

Lyra staggered backward.

“It was you…”

“You were in the palace.”

“You killed them.”

Malrik sighed dramatically.

“I did what was necessary.”

The entire battlefield erupted.

“You monster!” Damien shouted.

Karl’s wolf roared with uncontrollable fury.

Lucien drew the enormous sword strapped across his back.

Arnold stepped protectively in front of Lyra.

Malrik simply laughed.

“Must we pretend they were innocent?”

His voice echoed across the valley.

“The King was weak.”

“The Queen trusted too easily.”

“The kingdoms were falling apart.”

“I merely accelerated the inevitable.”

Lyra’s eyes filled with tears.

“They trusted you.”

“They called you family.”

“And you murdered them.”

For the first time…

Malrik’s smile disappeared.

“They chose sentiment over power.”

“I chose survival.”

Karl stepped forward.

“Enough talking.”

His Alpha aura exploded across the battlefield.

The earth cracked beneath his feet.

“I’ll end this here.”

Without another word, Karl charged.

His fist shot toward Malrik’s face.

But…

Before it could connect

Malrik caught it effortlessly.

The impact sent a shockwave through the valley.

Karl’s eyes widened.

Impossible.

No one had ever stopped one of his attacks with one hand.

Malrik looked almost bored.

“This is the famous Alpha King?”

“I’m disappointed.”

With a flick of his wrist…

Karl was thrown nearly thirty feet across the battlefield.

He crashed through a stone wall before rolling to a stop.

“Alpha!” Damien shouted.

Arnold attacked next.

His silver blade flashed toward Malrik’s chest.

Malrik sidestepped gracefully.

Then struck Arnold once in the ribs.

Crack!

Arnold was sent flying into a nearby tree.

The trunk split in half.

He dropped to one knee, coughing blood.

Lucien’s blue eyes darkened.

“So you’ve mastered it…”

Malrik smiled.

“Of course.”

“I perfected Blood Magic years ago.”

Lucien lifted his greatsword.

“Then I’ll kill you before you perfect anything else.”

The two men collided.

Steel rang across the valley.

Unlike the others…

Lucien could match Malrik blow for blow.

Their swords moved so quickly that most warriors couldn’t even follow them.

The ground shattered beneath every strike.

Lyra watched in horror.

Karl was injured.

Arnold was struggling to stand.

Lucien was fighting alone.

People were dying because of her.

Tears rolled down her cheeks.

“No…”

She whispered.

“This has to stop.”

The silver pendant around her neck suddenly grew warm.

The Royal Moon Mark spread across both arms once again.

This time…

It continued to her shoulders.

A gentle female voice echoed inside her mind.

The power was never meant for revenge…

It was meant to protect.

Lyra closed her eyes.

She took a deep breath.

When she opened them again…

Her silver eyes glowed brightly.

She stepped onto the battlefield.

Everyone froze.

Even Malrik paused.

The wind circled around Lyra as silver light radiated from her body.

Flowers bloomed beneath her feet despite the broken ground.

The wounded warriors closest to her felt their pain begin to fade.

Cuts slowly closed.

Broken bones started to mend.

Damien stared in disbelief.

“She’s… healing them.”

Moonhaven’s warriors looked at one another in amazement.

Lucien smiled for the first time since the battle had begun.

“The Queen’s gift…”

“It awakened.”

Malrik’s calm expression finally cracked.

“No…”

“This isn’t possible.”

“The royal bloodline lost that power centuries ago.”

Lyra looked directly at him.

Her voice was soft.

But it carried across the entire battlefield.

“You stole my family.”

“You destroyed my home.”

“You turned people into monsters.”

She raised her glowing hand.

“But I won’t become like you.”

“I’ll stop you…”

“…without losing myself.”

For the first time in decades…

Fear appeared in Malrik’s violet eyes.

He had expected a frightened girl.

Instead…

The last Princess of Lunaris had begun to awaken.