THE FALL OF THE PRINCE

Chapter 46

The Fall of the First Prince

The crimson comet tore across the darkened sky.

Every pair of eyes on the battlefield followed it.

The First Prince's body burned with the Forbidden Blood Flame, leaving a blazing trail that split the clouds. The fire wasn't consuming the world...

It was consuming him.

Queen Selene fell to her knees.

"My son..."

"Please..."

"Don't leave me again."

The Grand Sage closed his eyes in sorrow.

"The Forbidden Blood Flame turns its wielder's life into pure power."

"He has already accepted death."

---

Varkor raised all six arms.

"So the forgotten prince finally remembers what it means to be a king."

The monster gathered rivers of darkness into its claws.

"Come, then!"

"Show me the strength of the one who was born first!"

The First Prince didn't answer.

He simply roared.

His crimson sword blazed brighter than the sun.

With a single downward strike, he unleashed every remaining drop of his strength.

The attack split the sky.

A massive crimson arc crashed into Varkor's chest.

For the first time...

The monster screamed.

A deep wound opened across its body, black blood pouring onto the valley below.

The battlefield erupted in hope.

"He did it!"

"He hurt Varkor!"

But the celebration lasted only a heartbeat.

Varkor's four eyes flashed with fury.

"You insignificant insect!"

One enormous claw shot forward.

It pierced straight through the First Prince's chest.

Silence.

Time itself seemed to stop.

The crimson flames flickered.

Then...

They began to fade.

---

"Brother!"

Ethan's scream echoed across the valley.

Without thinking, he sprinted toward Varkor.

Aria tried to stop him, but he was already gone.

The First Prince looked down at the claw buried in his chest.

Then he laughed softly.

"I guess..."

"I was never very good..."

"...at staying alive."

Blood ran from the corner of his mouth.

Yet he still smiled when Ethan reached him.

"You came."

"I'm here," Ethan replied, his voice breaking.

"I'm here."

---

Varkor tried to pull its claw back.

It couldn't.

The First Prince had wrapped both arms around it.

His grip was unbreakable.

"What are you doing?" Varkor growled.

The prince smiled.

"Buying my little brother..."

"...a little more time."

The crimson flames erupted once more.

Not around his sword.

Around his entire body.

The Grand Sage's eyes widened.

"No!"

"He's going to explode his royal core!"

Queen Selene screamed.

"Stop!"

But the First Prince only looked at Ethan.

"You once promised..."

"...you'd become stronger than me."

A tear rolled down Ethan's cheek.

"I never wanted it like this."

The prince chuckled weakly.

"I know."

He reached into his armor and withdrew a small wooden wolf carving.

Its paint had faded with age.

"I kept it."

Ethan stared at it in disbelief.

He had carved that toy when he was five years old.

He had given it to his brother before the palace fell.

"You..."

"You still had it?"

"I carried it..."

"...so I'd never forget..."

"...that I had a family worth fighting for."

His strength began to fail.

"Ethan..."

"Take care of Mother."

"And protect Aria."

"You've already protected all of us," Ethan whispered.

The First Prince smiled one last time.

"No..."

"My little brother..."

"Now..."

"...it's your turn."

He shoved Ethan backward with the last of his strength.

"GO!"

---

BOOOOOOM!

A pillar of crimson fire erupted into the heavens.

The explosion swallowed Varkor's upper body.

The force blasted every warrior off their feet.

Mountains crumbled.

The Black Gate cracked from top to bottom.

When the light finally faded...

The First Prince was gone.

Nothing remained of him except his shattered crimson sword...

And the small wooden wolf lying on the ground.

---

Ethan slowly picked up the carving.

His hands trembled.

His brother...

The man he had only just found again...

Had sacrificed himself to save everyone.

Queen Selene wept openly.

Aria stood beside Ethan, tears streaming silently down her face.

Even the Blood Wolves lowered their heads in mourning.

For the first time in centuries...

They had lost not a tyrant...

But a king.

---

Then something unexpected happened.

The shattered crimson sword began to glow.

Fragments of red light rose into the air.

They drifted toward Ethan.

The Fang of Kings vibrated in his hand.

Silver light and crimson light intertwined.

The two powers merged into a single blade.

The Grand Sage stared in amazement.

"The Twin King's Blade..."

"It actually exists."

Ethan looked at the transformed weapon.

Its silver edge now carried a crimson core.

His brother's power...

Lived on within it.

Suddenly, Varkor emerged from the smoke.

Half of its chest had been destroyed.

One of its four eyes was gone.

It was wounded.

Truly wounded.

But it was still alive.

The monster let out a furious roar that shook the heavens.

"You've taken much from me..."

It locked its remaining eyes on Ethan.

"So now..."

"I'll take everything from you."

Behind Varkor, the shattered Black Gate opened completely.

From the endless darkness beyond...

A million glowing crimson eyes slowly opened.