The Stone of Dremivia - Book 1 - Rise of the Demon King

Chapter 14 - Unknowingly Activated

Just as the sharpened blade began to come downward, a tremendous bright blue light suddenly exploded outward, its incredible power forcing Millane’s palm to shoot open as the entire room was lit up with a brilliant glowing blue light.

A forceful pulse emanated out from the stone now hovering just above her open palm. It swept outward from the centre of the room where Millane knelt in a rippled effect.

The mystical pulse was powerful enough to suddenly knock everyone off of their feet and flying backwards away from here. The only people the magic hadn’t managed to affect were both Millane and Atamier, still kneeling in their original positions.

Soldiers flew backward, as if in slow motion, hitting the walls hard with clattered thuds. As did the twelve hooded figures, some of their hoods flying off of their heads and revealing their truly hideous natures to the human couple.

The force had also worked against both Magnerian and his Master Mage, sending them hurtling through the air and down towards the ground.

Grunting as he pulled himself up to sit, Alabam seemed stunned, shocked even by what had just happened to him. He had not been harmed by anything or anyone in centuries!

No one had ever been this powerful before.

And what’s worse was that this clueless human had no idea of the power she currently possessed. It enraged the Master Mage to no end.

Deciding it would be best to leave now and regroup with a new plan, Alabam glared one last time at the pregnant woman before he suddenly disappeared into a thickened cloud of black smoke.

His eyes were the last thing to disappear into nothing but thin air and within seconds he was gone.

The soldiers holding onto Chelsea had also been thrown across the room from the mesmerizingly magical force, leaving her free once more. She stood quietly behind the oak throne, watching on with a shocked expression painted upon her youthful face.

Seizing this opportunity and with the soldiers all dazed, Atamier quickly pulled himself up to stand from his kneeling position and ran across towards one of the discarded swords now lying on the stone floor.

He was not a skilled swordsman, but he would do whatever he had to, in order to protect his family from these demonic creatures. They would not lay a hand on his wife!

Bending down and firmly grasping the handle, he manoeuvred it around so that the blade was facing the rope binding his hands together behind his back. Working hard to thrust the sword’s blade up and down in a sawing motion, he cut through the rope in a matter of seconds.

Millane watched as he rushed over to stand between her and their enemy, holding the sword out in an offensive stance.

She knew that he wouldn’t hesitate to fight.

She knew that he would die for her.

Holding his head and gritting his teeth together in pain, the mighty Magnerian appeared astonished by what had just happened as he pulled himself up onto to his feet once more.

He glared at Millane with his glowing red eyes, which were now filled with a bitter frustration. He would make her pay with her life!

Pointing his finger toward her, the Demon King barked his order with a snarl.

“Bring me the b***h’s head!”

Hearing their King’s command, the now recovered soldiers standing around the room unsheathed their swords and began to rush in as a group towards where Millane was still kneeling on the floor, with her loving husband standing in front of her.

In this split second, Atamier knew that he would not live through to see another sunrise. But for some reason it didn’t seem to matter at all. He would go down fighting.

Time suddenly seemed to slow down to a crawl as Millane began to feel a sudden warmth growing from within her. A light of pure energy and peacefulness. She could feel as it shot out and surrounded both her and her unborn child and in that moment.

She was no longer afraid of them.

As the dark soldiers quickly advanced upon the human couple Millane suddenly thrust her free hand out in front of herself, shouting at the top of her lungs.

“NO!”

The moment she had a second bright blue light suddenly emerged from her open palm and shot out a powerful energy ball. It fizzled and crackled whilst flying across the room and hitting several of the soldiers all at once.

Atamier watched in wonder as the soldiers who were hit by it cried out in pain before suddenly exploding into fiery balls of flames before his very eyes.

It was mesmerizingly terrifying to say the least.

Their impacted bodies were instantaneously reduced to nothing but piles of grey ash where they had once stood only moments before.

The other soldiers quickly skidded to a halt after witnessing their fellow men disintegrating into thin air. Their panicked eyes darted toward the pregnant human as Atamier assisted his wife to slowly stand and cut her free from her bindings.

Magnerian’s expression was that of disbelief as he too stood staring at Millane.

He now held a serious concern for the incredible power that this mortal somehow possessed and with his Master Mage apparently nowhere in sight, the Demon King was weary of challenging such a high level of magic on his own.

“What the f**k are you waiting for?” Magnerian shouted angrily at his hesitant soldiers.

“All of you, get in there! Kill them, now!”

Looking at one another for a moment of consideration the darkly dressed soldiers now appeared fearful of Millane and her powers. Of course, they were loyal to their King, but this woman had powers that she could use against them… dangerous powers.

Millane turned her attention towards the Demon King himself now, bravely staring him down as the glowing gemstone appeared to hover just in front of where she stood.

Atamier could only stand by and marvel at such a display of bravery, coming from none other than his loving wife.

He was incredibly proud of her.

The sound of the Demon King’s angered voice pulled him from his thoughts suddenly.

“You insolent fools!”

Magnerian was clearly pissed now as he glared around the room towards his terrified soldiers.

Millane chose this as her moment to take control of the situation once and for all. She stood her ground proudly, lifting her head up in confidence as she gave her command to the fearsome King.

“Take your men and leave Dremivia, never to return!”

Magnerian glared defiantly back at her, a menacing grin slowly spreading across his face as for a moment he unsheathed his sword and contemplated challenging her himself.

His idea instantly crumbled as he noticed her hand glowing brighter and brighter as she summoned her incredible power a second time. It looked as if she were preparing herself to fire yet another energy ball; this one apparently had his name on it.

Narrowing his crimson eyes, he reached out his arm and pointed a finger directly at her as he spoke his harsh warning aloud.

It was intended for Millane, and Millane alone.

“You think you may have won, but I can promise you that this is far from over.”

Millane did not falter beneath his threatening promise, instead she held her ground. Her hand glowed brightly beside her as she continued staring him down confidently.

“I vow that I will not rest until I have my revenge on you and your entire pathetic family!”

Clenching his mouth firmly and gritting his teeth together he snarled angrily and squeezed the handle of his sword as his soldiers started running for the doorway.

Magnerian couldn’t believe it…

His men were fleeing!

“Are you deaf, you cowardly bastard? I SAID LEAVE!” Millane shouted at him now.

Her voice echoed, bouncing off the walls and sounding over and over until it had finally dissolved away, leaving the room silent once more.

Feeling an uncontrollable sensation of failure and fury, Magnerian acted without thinking and suddenly began charging towards his adversary at full speed and with his sword held out in front of him.

Atamier thought him to be mad; he intended to try and take Millane out with nothing but his sword!

A second blinding blue light appeared and Millane shot out her hand, sending an energy ball soaring rapidly through the air towards the mighty Demon King.

It looked as if Magnerian would finally meet his end at the hands of a pregnant human…

Mere seconds before impact, a cloud of black smoke suddenly engulfed the charging King, causing him to instantly vanish into thin air. The glowing energy ball zipped past quickly and hit the stone wall with a powerful explosion.

Both Atamier and his wife stood staring in disbelief as the now silent room which had them baffled. It appeared that the mighty Demon King Magnerian had managed to escape, right in the nick of time.

He was gone.

A deep horn sounded from outside, causing the couple to turn toward one of the large glass windows of the Throne Room. The horn was to sound their retreat.

As Millane suddenly ceased her connection with the stone’s power the gemstone quickly lost its luminous glow and quickly fell, allowing her to catch it in her hand. She carefully placed it back inside of the open locket and clicked it shut once again.

Atamier was the one to cross the room and he stood before the thickened glass peering out at the scene unfolding before him. He felt a strange mixture of both shock and relief as he watched the movement going on from down below.

Magnerian’s soldiers… they were actually retreating!

“I can’t believe it! They’re retreating from the castle…” Atamier spoke with disbelief as he turned around to meet his loving wife’s gaze.

“They’re really leaving?” came the younger voice of Chelsea as she suddenly emerged from her hiding spot behind the throne.

Stepping out into view, the younger maiden made her way down the short staircase and over towards the couple. As soon as she reached Millane she wrapped both of her arms around her saviour and began softly sobbing.

“Are we safe now?” she asked, sniffing.

The soon-to-be mother began to stroke her fingers through the maiden’s long brown hair, over and over in a soothing motion as she spoke her reply.

“Yes dear. They’re gone now… you’re safe.”

Atamier came to stand beside them, smiling.

“Millane my love, you did it. Somehow, you defeated him! You’ve saved us all from him.”

Smiling, Millane successfully masked her thoughts at that very moment. In truth she was beyond baffled by what she had somehow managed to do. She had used the gemstone’s powers to fend off their enemy and send Magnerian’s forces into a retreat.

“I can’t believe that just happened. This is unimaginable!” Atamier announced to no one in particular, his smile infectiously genuine.

Chelsea who was now smiling with excitement also gave Atamier a big hug, one of sole appreciation for saving her life. She would be eternally grateful for their efforts here tonight.

Closing her eyes, Millane suddenly groaned as she felt as a wave of dizziness crash over her. She quickly shook her head from side to side in an effort to try and rid herself of the sensation, but it still remained.

Fortunately, Atamier was quick to notice her distress and immediately came over, placing his hand against the side of her face as he looked to her with a new level of concern in his expression.

“My love, are you alright?” he asked, looking directly into her eyes with a frown.

Lifting her hand up to rest upon her forehead, Millane also frowned as she fought to stop the entire room from spinning uncontrollably.

“I feel… uh…”

Unable to finish her sentence, Millane suddenly collapsed into her husband’s waiting arms and closed her eyes.

In a surprising turn of events, she was suddenly pulled into a state of unconsciousness as the world around her disappeared entirely.