Their journey back took about a week. Even with the use of teleportation runes scattered across the empire, Solara knew that the mont she returned to the capital, she would be buried in work. As such, these few days were deliberately spent in relaxation.
The whole ti General Hadrik was with her, it wouldn't be a lie to say that it felt strange—almost too peaceful—returning to their empire as if nothing had happened.
The princess especially took her sweet ti, as she even visited not-so-popular bathhouses while making sure that the truth that she had returned was kept secret for a few days.
At this point Hadrik's feeling changed from weird to bizarre. He didn't know how to feel, as he basically just went everywhere she did. He was more like a butler than a general, but he didn't mind.
The fact that Solara had been captured by the enemy forces was a great mistake that shouldn't happen again.
And so, Hadrik began investigating. Trying to understand how it had even happened. The deeper he dug, the clearer the answer beca.
And the results were shocking to him. Because no matter how he looked at it, only a single conclusion ca to mind.
'But… is that possible? Would she really do it?' These thoughts were eating at him.
Finally, the day before their official return, he gathered the courage to ask her.
"My princess… did you let yourself be caught on purpose?" It was a bizarre question, but this was the only way that Hadrik could explain how that happened.
Solara was probably one of the toughest people that he knew, not just physically but ntally as well. There was even theory that if she were to be captured, she would kill herself just so sensitive information wouldn't fall into enemy hands.
Hearing the question, Solara abruptly stopped and turned as she gazed at the eyes of the general.
A few seconds passed in silence.
Until her lips curled into a twisted smile as her eyes shined dangerous crimson. She moved her right hand, placing a finger over her lips.
General Hadrik's eyes widened in shock. This was all the confirmation he needed to know—she had planned this all from the beginning, and most likely, he was the only one that knew this.
She could have killed him to keep the secret buried. But either she didn't care if it leaked… or she trusted him.
The general remained frozen for a mont, before snapping out of it and catching up.
"Ah… ho, finally!" Solara exclaid with a smile as she gazed at the capital of the Crimson Sun Empire—or more accurately, she gazed at its most notable feature.
The giant volcano that was in the middle of it.
Why would they build a capital in the middle of a volcano?! Only a madman would have this kind of idea! Not to ntion how did the civilians agreed to live so close to such thing?!
The answer was in the na of their empire, Crimson Sun. Most of the people here not only got stronger as the sun was higher in the sky, but one thing also greatly powered them up.
Heat—and very few things were hotter than the magma in the volcano, not to ntion that there were a lot of people that were able to control that magma to an extent. Solara herself, though her control was still limited.
They were able to use the heat in creating and coming up with countless inventions that were unique to their own empire.
And even all that was not all, because the volcano was also the capital and, in a way, the empire's last stand if the push ca to shove.
Or more accurately, not the volcano itself but the thing that resided inside.
"Hey, are you spacing out?" Solara asked as she gazed at Hadrik.
Hadrik imdiately bowed his head down, "I am sorry for slowing you down."
Solara only laughed in response. "I don't bla you. It must've been hell crossing the ocean just to avoid the Draconian Empire's forces. Honestly, even I wouldn't be crazy enough to attempt sothing like that. And the fact that you convinced so many of our n to follow you? That alone proves your worth as our general."
"Thank you for the words," Hadrik answered with a nod as he watched her back.
She had complinted him… and yet he knew that she didn't believe a part of the things she spoke.
Solara knew that the soldiers didn't cross the ocean because of him… no, they crossed it because of their unyielding loyalty for Solara Virelia, their one and only princess—
The person that was loved the most in the empire.
And what had the Draconian Empire done to their princess? To the person that they respected and loved the most?
They had locked her in isolation with no food or human contact, away from sunlight.
When the public heard about this… it caused outrage. Riots. Fury.
It wasn't just contained to the capital—this anger spread to every corner of the empire, even the most remote regions.
And the people ca to a single, unified conclusion,
They wanted war.
Revenge.
Not the sorry excuse of a war that had been led up until now.
No—this one, with the full support of the general population, would be all-out war, using every single resource they had to crush the already weakened Draconian Empire.
*****
In a brightly lit room, thirteen figures sat around a circular table—the full Council of the Crimson Sun Empire. Among them sat Solara, with General Hadrik standing silently behind her.
"I believe it is ti for a vote," Solara spoke with a smile.
The past hour she had explained what had happened when she was in captivity and what had happened when she had managed to break free.
How the Draconian Empire's capital was badly damaged, how their queens had all died without exception, how most of the Draconian Empire forces would be forced back to support the capital and nd the damage.
Not letting her twisted smile disappear from her face, Solara raised her hand, and shortly after, all of the other mbers did as well.
"So it is decided then," Solara spoke with a smile. "We are beginning full-scale invasion."
*****
The room was silent with the exception of the antique clock that made ticking sounds every second.
Elysia stared across the desk at Zaroth, watching his unreadable expression.
"As I said, due to the damage, the academy will be closed for a while as repairs continue," she explained. "Once things are settled, you and your friends will begin your second year. So… you could say your first year is over."
"So… does that an we're on sumr vacation?" he asked in an emotionless voice.
"Yes, you could say that. Though it might last longer than expected."
Elysia threw him another worried look. After the castle attack and Althea's death, Zaroth had been acting strange. He hadn't responded when she wrote him, so out of concern, she asked him to co to her office.
But now that she was before the man, she wasn't sure what to say to him.
"Thank you for taking the ti out of your day to co here," Elysia spoke as she got up.
"You can leave now. I'm under enough stress as it is. The pressure of the Crimson Sun Empire's attacks… and the fact we have no Emperor... it's all too much."
She was about to head out only to see that Zaroth was still in place.
She raised an eyebrow. 'Does he have sothing to tell ?' she asked herself.
"You say that we are under attack?" Zaroth asked for confirmation.
"Yes." Elysia sighed as she began to explain. "We've been hit on dozens of fronts all at once. It's never happened before. We can only assu they're going all out, especially with a large portion of our forces—"
"Then," Zaroth interrupted her as a twisted smile appeared on his face.
"I'll help. I'll join the war. Just give the most troubleso spot. Pull the troops from there and send them elsewhere—I'll handle it. Alone."
Elysia's eyes went darker, as did her voice, "No, I am not sending a teenager that—"
"The one who won the tournant and beca champion?" Zaroth interrupted. "Or the one who slept with you? Or the one who killed a Demigod?"
Zaroth's eyes narrowed as a dangerous light began to shine in them.
"When I said that I would join the war, I wasn't asking."
Reviews
All reviews (0)