Chapter 38: The Fall of the Valion Heir

Akin's sword clashed against the rebel leader's blade with a force that shook his arms. Every strike, every parry sent a shockwave through his body, but it was becoming clearer with every passing moment—he was outmatched.

The mastermind, standing before him in his dark armor, moved with a calculated grace that made him seem untouchable. The energy surrounding him was palpable, the dark magic swirling around him like a living force, feeding his strength. Akin's strikes were swift, fierce, but the mastermind deflected them with an eerie ease, barely breaking a sweat.

"Is this what the son of Thorian Valion can muster?" the mastermind sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "You're nothing but a child playing at war."

Akin gritted his teeth, pushing forward with every ounce of strength he had left, but deep down, he knew it wasn't enough. The dark magic coursing through the mastermind made him nearly invincible. Every time Akin thought he'd found an opening, the mastermind countered effortlessly, his movements as fluid as a shadow.

Lyara and Elyndra were engaged with the remaining rebel soldiers across the room, but their fight was growing increasingly desperate. The rebels seemed endless, and the weight of the dark energy in the air made every move feel heavier, slower. Akin could feel their struggle, but he couldn't afford to let it distract him.

He had to focus on the mastermind. If he could take him down, the rest might crumble. But each moment, his hope faded further.

The mastermind's next strike came faster than Akin could react. His jagged blade cut through the air, slashing across Akin's chest. Pain exploded through Akin's body, and he staggered back, clutching at the wound as blood seeped through his fingers.

"You can't win," the mastermind said, his voice calm and steady, as if he had already declared victory. "Your father's legacy dies with you."

Akin's vision blurred, but he refused to fall. He raised his sword once more, even as his strength drained away, but the mastermind was relentless. A second strike followed, cutting into Akin's leg, and this time, he fell to one knee, barely able to hold himself upright.

The dark magic surrounding the mastermind pulsed, growing stronger with every strike, and Akin could feel it pressing down on him, suffocating him. His breath came in ragged gasps as the realization hit him—he was going to lose.

"You should have stayed out of my way," the mastermind said, his voice low and dangerous. "But now, you'll suffer the same fate as your father."

With a final, brutal swing, the mastermind's blade came down on Akin's shoulder, sending him crashing to the floor. The world spun around him, his body screaming in pain, and for a moment, everything went black.

But he wasn't dead. Not yet.

Akin's mind swam with confusion and agony as he struggled to move, his limbs heavy, his vision clouded with blood and sweat. He could hear the mastermind's footsteps approaching, slow and deliberate, the sound of someone savoring their victory.

"Take his body," the mastermind commanded his soldiers. "Let everyone see the end of the Valion line."

Panic surged through Akin's chest as he realized what was coming. He was about to be paraded as a trophy, a symbol of the mastermind's victory. His family's legacy—the legacy his father had fought so hard to preserve—would be reduced to a spectacle.

No. He couldn't let it end like this.

With the last of his strength, Akin forced himself to move. His body screamed in protest, his wounds threatening to pull him back into unconsciousness, but he couldn't stop. He had to escape, had to find a way out.

The rebels moved toward him, their footsteps heavy on the stone floor. Akin's heart pounded in his chest as he pushed himself up, staggering to his feet. He had to move now, or it would be over.

Without thinking, Akin bolted for the nearest exit. His vision was blurred, his legs barely holding him up, but he forced himself forward, ignoring the pain that shot through every part of his body.

"Stop him!" the mastermind roared, his voice echoing through the throne room.

Akin's pulse raced as he stumbled through the darkened corridors of the palace, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. Behind him, the sound of pursuing footsteps grew louder, but he didn't dare look back. He knew the mastermind's soldiers were close, but he had to keep running.

He reached a narrow hallway that led to an open balcony overlooking the dark river far below. Desperation clawed at his chest as he realized he was out of options. He was trapped, with the rebels closing in behind him and the deadly drop before him.

For a brief moment, Akin hesitated, his mind racing. If he stayed, he would die here, at the hands of the mastermind's soldiers. If he jumped…

A sharp shout from behind snapped him out of his thoughts. There was no time left. He had to choose.

Without another second of hesitation, Akin leapt from the balcony, his body plunging into the darkness below. The cold air rushed past him, and for a moment, the world fell away, the chaos of the battle above fading into silence.

The impact came hard and fast. Akin hit the rushing river with a force that knocked the air from his lungs, the freezing water enveloping him in an instant. Pain exploded through his body as the current pulled him under, dragging him downstream with relentless force.

For a moment, Akin's mind was blank, the cold shock of the water and the weight of his injuries pulling him toward unconsciousness. But his survival instincts kicked in, and he fought to stay afloat, his limbs flailing against the current.

But the river was too strong.

As Akin's vision faded, he heard distant voices calling out, the rebels searching for him along the cliffs above. But he was too far gone to care. The water pulled him deeper, the darkness closing in around him until, finally, everything went black.

---

Back in the capital, the mastermind stood at the edge of the balcony, his cold eyes scanning the river below. The moonlight reflected off the water's surface, but there was no sign of Akin.

"Search the river," the mastermind commanded, his voice steady, controlled. "I want his body found."

The rebel soldiers hurried to obey, spreading out along the cliffside and following the river's edge. But deep down, the mastermind already knew the truth.

Akin Valion was dead—or as good as.

He turned away from the balcony, his expression calm, almost satisfied. The final obstacle to his rule had been removed, and soon, the rest of the kingdom would fall in line.

The nobles would submit. They had no choice. With Akin gone and no one left to challenge his authority, the mastermind would take his place on the throne, and the kingdom of Elaris would belong to him.

He had waited years for this moment, planning in the shadows, building his power in secret. His father's legacy would finally be fulfilled.

As the rebels spread out across the city, securing their control over Eldoria, the mastermind's gaze turned toward the palace, where the throne waited.

It was time to claim his crown.