Chapter 39— Whispers Beneath the Flame!
Ko... ko... ko... ko...
The slow, rhythmic echo of footsteps crept down the hallway, each beat a nail in the coffin of Prince Alloysius' courage. The flickering torches mounted on the stone walls trembled, casting uneasy shadows across the corridor that led to his chambers.
Inside the room, Prince Alloysius stood frozen. His robe clung damply to his back, his hands trembling at his sides. Sweat trailed down his temple, and his mouth was parted slightly, as though even breathing too loudly would summon death. Behind him, Chaver, once a proud steward of the court, was reduced to a pitiful, quaking figure. He clutched the prince's arm as though it were the last bastion of life.
"Six feet..." Alloysius whispered, voice brittle. "Five..."
The steps grew louder, closer. They weren't rushed — no. Whoever approached walked like he owned the floor beneath him, the air around him, the very world they were trapped in.
"Four... three..."
Alloysius's gaze shifted upward, searching the ceiling as though a god might descend and snatch him from this cursed hour. But none came. In desperation, his mind scrambled through every deity he had ever learned of. He called on the stars. He called on shadows. He even whispered the name of Josh Aratat, his brother, who had disappeared two winters ago — presumed dead after sacrificing himself for someone else, he was a warrior, a dreamer, a brother now lost to memory and ash.
"Two feet... one..."
The heat hit them first — a wave of unnatural warmth that filled every corner of the grand chamber. It was suffocating. The room, built to house nobles in comfort, now felt like the inside of a furnace. Chaver gasped audibly as sweat trickled down his back.
Then the laughter came.
Low. Raspy. Unhinged.
And then he stepped in.
The Scarlet Raven.
He was no myth in that moment. No tale exaggerated by frightened storytellers. He was flesh. Bone. Fire.
His towering frame dominated the arched doorway — broad shoulders like a war god's, a chest sculpted beneath the dark crimson armor that clung to him like blood on old steel. His arms bulged with veined muscle, and his thick neck flexed as he turned his head slowly, the grin never fading.
But it was his eyes — glowing with that eerie gold — and his mouth, curled in a feral smile, that made Alloysius's stomach twist.
"You're the boy..." The Scarlet Raven's voice rumbled like an avalanche. "...spying on me?"
Chaver let out a whimper and dropped to his knees. Alloysius wanted to collapse too — to dissolve into the floor and disappear — but instead, something inside him shifted. Perhaps it was fear. Perhaps it was the last remnant of princely pride. Or maybe... it was strategy.
A plan flickered in his mind, delicate but desperate.
He knelt slowly, bowing low, his voice soft and laced with reverence. "My Lord... please... forgive my transgression."
The Raven raised a brow.
Alloysius continued, face pale but voice steadier now. "Your legend burns brighter than the sun — but the world... it forgets. The people whisper another name now... One they call a king. A man who claims glory undeserved — the Black Dragon."
At that name, the Raven's eyes narrowed.
Alloysius's heart thundered. "If you wish to rule... to be Emperor, then you must roast the dragon whole. Only your flame should be feared. Not his. Right now, he sits on a throne in Region 32, draped in loyalty, and crowned with the people's love."
Scarlet Raven paced slowly, heat rippling in his wake. "This Black Dragon... has he ever challenged me?"
"No, my Lord," Alloysius said quickly. "But his title alone is an insult. Who dares to name himself a dragon when the Raven still flies? If you strike now, the people will see... they will kneel."
The Raven paused. His fingers flexed, claw-like, and he turned with a deep exhale. "You're not as useless as you look," he muttered. "Perhaps I'll let you keep your dog life after all."
Alloysius forced a small smile, hiding the storm in his chest. "The people of Region 32 will guide you. They speak of him often... Ask for the black dragon directly, and they will tremble."
Scarlet Raven's head tilted. "The black dragon..."
Then, without another word, the crimson figure stepped back, and with a surge of heat and a gust of feathers, transformed into a massive bird and soared into the night sky. The room's temperature dropped instantly, and the silence that followed was as thick as smoke.
Chaver collapsed flat on the floor. "Haaaa... I'm alive..." he knew that the only reason he was still breathing was because he wasn't out there with the others.
Alloysius remained kneeling, sweat cooling on his skin.
He turned slowly toward Chaver, frowning. "You owe me your life... and I'll collect that debt. But not today."
Chaver nodded quickly, too terrified to speak.
"Go," Alloysius ordered. "Find Marni. He's training on the western mountain. Tell him to return at once. If Raven slays the black dragon... the throne of Region 32 will be vacant. I plan to fill it."
"But master," Chaver stammered. "Everyone else is... they're dead."
"First of all, when I speak you listen and obey, second, Marni isn't dead." Alloysius's voice sharpened. "Go and fetch him... and we'll take Region 32 after the Raven has done the damage I expect he would. Nothing will stand in the way of me dominating that region, even the Scarlet Raven can be talked into becoming my body for hire"
Chaver bowed and fled, vanishing down the hall like a ghost chased by flame.
Alone once more, Alloysius exhaled and walked to the balcony. His eyes turned westward — toward the mountains... toward the direction the scarlet Raven had vanished into.
"One day, everyone would bow to the name—Alloysius. The world would tremble and the earth will bear witness to my greatness."
A flicker of mischief crossed his expression, but it didn't stay long. The game had begun.
And he intended to win.