Chapter Eight: The Man Who Refuse to Die
586 Words
CHAPTER EIGHT
The Man Who Refused to Die
The Great Hall fell into complete silence.
No one moved.
No one even dared to breathe.
Every noble stared at the man standing in the broken entrance as though they had seen a ghost.
General Ronan Draven...
The man executed fifteen years ago for treason...
Was alive.
Kael remained frozen.
His golden eyes filled with disbelief as memories he had buried years ago came rushing back.
"I watched you die..." he whispered, his voice barely audible.
The man standing before him smiled sadly.
"You watched the kingdom believe I died."
Lyra's heart pounded.
Nothing made sense anymore.
The execution had been witnessed by hundreds of people, including her late father.
How could a dead man stand before them now?
Captain Rowan slowly raised his sword.
"Whoever you are..."
The stranger lifted a hand.
"I have no wish to fight you, Rowan."
The captain's expression changed.
"You know my name."
"I trained you."
Rowan's grip weakened.
Only one man had ever trained him before he became Captain of the Royal Guard.
General Ronan Draven.
Lord Cedric suddenly stepped forward.
"He's an impostor!"
The stranger looked toward him.
"Still hiding behind lies after all these years, Cedric?"
Cedric's face turned pale.
"You..."
Before he could finish speaking, dozens of Black Wolves surrounded their leader.
The Great Hall erupted once again.
"Protect the princess!"
Captain Rowan shouted.
Steel clashed against steel.
The palace shook as another explosion echoed through the corridors.
Lyra unsheathed her sword.
"Everyone who can fight, defend the throne!"
Without hesitation she charged into battle.
A rogue warrior lunged toward her.
Their blades collided.
The impact echoed through the hall.
Before the attacker could strike again, Kael appeared beside her.
"I thought you said you didn't need my protection."
"I don't."
She kicked the rogue backward before driving her sword into his shoulder.
"But you keep showing up anyway."
Kael couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips.
The moment was short-lived.
Another group of enemies poured into the hall.
Captain Rowan barked orders as the royal guards formed a defensive circle around the Moon Throne.
Meanwhile, General Ronan never moved.
Instead, he watched the battle with calm eyes.
"Father!" Kael shouted.
"Why are you with them?"
Ronan's expression darkened.
"I'm not."
"Then why are they protecting you?"
"Because they think I can give them what they want."
"And what is that?"
Ronan slowly turned toward the glowing Moon Throne.
"The Heart of the Throne."
Lyra frowned.
"The what?"
Before Ronan could answer, Lord Cedric suddenly pulled a hidden dagger from his sleeve and rushed toward him.
"You should have stayed dead!"
Ronan dodged the attack effortlessly.
The dagger struck the marble floor instead.
Everyone stopped fighting for a split second.
Cedric's desperate attack had revealed something important.
He recognized Ronan.
Not as an impostor...
But as someone he feared.
Ronan looked him straight in the eye.
"You've been afraid of this day for fifteen years."
Cedric's breathing became uneven.
"You have no proof."
Ronan smiled.
"I don't need proof."
He slowly reached inside his cloak and removed an old leather journal.
"The truth is written here."
Every eye in the hall fixed on the journal.
Ronan tightened his grip.
"This contains the names of everyone who betrayed Mooncrest."
The room exploded with shock.
Several nobles instinctively stepped backward.
Others exchanged frightened glances.
Lyra immediately realized something.
Someone inside this very room...
Was one of the traitors.
And they would kill to keep that secret buried.
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