Endless Evolution: Last Star

Chapter 992: Kreyna

High heels clattered on the marble floor, reflecting the golden light coming from the flames burning among the tall carved columns - the beginning of the throne room.

A woman in black armor, stern visage, and shoulder-length platinum hair stepped forward confidently, her fingertips trembling as she tried to calm her inner anger. Flashes of flame flickered in the distance, the first sparks of the rebellion that was just at its beginning.

Her purple eyes combined wisdom, calculation, and cruelty, but even she sometimes made mistakes - the scar on her neck was proof of that.

Once in the throne room, she dropped to one knee before the great silhouette cloaked in shadow.

”Master,” Kreyna proclaimed, slowly raising her head. ”What do you command me to do? Iʼve already given the Light Legion instructions to move towards the castle and destroy every serpent in the way.”

”And...?” Arnothʼs hoarse voice rang out. ”If youʼve already done everything, why did you come to me? The rebellion has begun... The only thing left for us to do is wait.”

Kreyna gulped. ”But... That filthy serpent Vorx. Heʼs done something I didnʼt expect. There are Phantoms among the resistance forces.”

Oddly enough, there was almost no reaction from Arnoth. He raised his hand in a slow, almost nonchalant wave.

”Hmm? As far as Iʼm concerned, Vorx has accomplished my assignment...”

”W-What...? Sir, please explain what you mean.”

”Itʼs simple. I was looking for a strong Phantom, the one who can compete with me and give me a decent fight... This is necessary for me to advance further.

”Vorx brought Phantoms, two... Iʼm sure you can feel their auras, they move separately.”

Kreyna nodded in confirmation, not daring to interrupt Arnoth.

”One of them has a weak aura, but the second one... Hah...” his dark laughter erupted. ”Maybe Iʼll get something resembling a decent fight...”

After a few moments, Kreyna nodded and rose, her aura shuddering, growing stronger in purple flame.

”What do you tell me to do about the resistance? I know you prefer to act pragmatically, but...” Kreyna gritted her teeth, her face contorted in a cruel grimace. ”I want to kill every one of them! Strangle them with my own hands and tear them apart! They mistook your mercy for weakness!”

Arnoth shook his head.

”Sooner or later, it would have happened, so... For once, I agree with you.”

Kreyna gasped in disbelief. Though she and Arnoth worked together, she always preferred more radical methods than he did.

”Kill everyone you can. If the Light Legion doesnʼt get it right with the resistance because of the Phantoms, itʼs not a problem. Today will be our last day in this castle. We will leave behind us rivers of blood, full of energy, and hundreds of bodies, knights and serpents alike.”

For Kreyna, there could not have been better news than this.

A cruel smirk covered her face as her heart began to beat faster in anticipation.

”What... What will you order me to do?”

With a brief pause, Arnoth wheezed. ”Wait. You donʼt like to wait, but itʼs necessary. There are only two Phantoms, and they move separately. Most likely, the weaker one is going to fight against you.”

Clutch.

Kreyna clenched her hand into a fist, her long nails almost like claws digging into her pale skin.

”Great, this is just fucking incredible! Sir, you are right, as always, you turned out to be right! Vorx has actually done your errand! When that Phantom comes here, Iʼll just destroy it, squash it like a bug!”

Arnoth leaned on his fist, watching the shadows fighting each other in the distance with a bored look.

”Do whatever you want, the main thing is donʼt you dare interfere with my fight. That Phantomʼs aura... It looks intriguing... At least I hope so...”

Sure enough, Kreyna didnʼt even dare to think about interfering with Arnoth. Her loyalty to his direction was absolute.

After a few moments of heavy silence, she looked down.

”Sir... After this, when we reach the next stage, it will be time to return, right? Do you think weʼll make it in time?”

In response, Arnoth nodded deeply. ”Thereʼs no doubt about it... I know itʼs hard to realize that the long journey weʼve gone through together, for some people, is only a small part of their long lives... But, if we want to live, weʼll have to go through it too.”

Kreyna said nothing more.

She bowed low and walked out of the throne room.

She knew what Arnoth was talking about. The Crimson Monarch, Damien, Erik, and Douglas would have no trouble understanding the essence of their conversation.

But, for Adam, it was still a mystery he was about to find out.

Neither Arnoth nor Kreyna thought they could lose. To them, this was just one stage. The Light Legion would fall just like the serpents.

None of that mattered as long as they were the strongest beings at the Fallen Ring Castle.

”Gha...” Arnoth sighed heavily, his eyes traveling forward, wandering to two silhouettes.

A young man with black hair and blue eyes and a serpent wielding a green flame approached the main square. This would be their first point on their way to the castle.

”Good... That young man looks strong... If he knew how unlucky he was to be born at this time... He could be powerful, standing much higher than he is now...”

Arnoth closed his eyes, going to quietly await the arrival of his opponent.

”What a shame that this will be the end of his path. We both have little time, but... thanks to his life, thanks to my greater power, I can outrun him and save myself from what is to come...”

...

Step. Step. Step.

At the same time, unaware of the events that happened in the castle, Adam and Heret ran forward. On their way, they killed several dozen soldiers and knights, which helped a lot of serpents to survive and continue their attack on the Light Legion.

However, none of this was a realistic goal for Adam and Heret.

They were moving towards the main square, where a special enemy was already waiting for them.

Not only were there weak soldiers and knights in the ranks of the Light Legion. Many strong monsters were serving Arnoth and Kreyna.