CHAPTER 45
Sihyun stirred awake, his hand reaching out instinctively for the small warmth that had been curled against him. Empty sheets. His eyes widened faintly, whispering under his breath—
"…Taeyang?"
His voice cracked. He sat up sharply, gaze darting around the room.
The chamber door creaked open. Two guards entered, their faces pale under the torchlight. One of them carried the glinting sorcerer chain coiled in his grip.
Sihyun's body tensed immediately, his expression darkening.
"Where is Taeyang?"
he asked, his voice low and edged with danger.
The guards froze, their boots seeming to sink into the floor. One swallowed hard and forced words out.
"Lord Sihyun… please, relax. We're just following orders."
They stepped forward slowly, cautious as though approaching a wild beast.
Sihyun's gaze dropped to the chain, and something inside him snapped. His tattoos and eyes flared alive in gold and red, the dimly lit chamber bursting with an eerie glow.
In the blink of an eye, Sihyun vanished from the bed.
A strangled cry filled the air as he reappeared behind one guard, his hand clamping around the man's throat from behind. With a savage twist, Sihyun ripped his neck open, blood spraying hot against the walls. The guard's body collapsed instantly, lifeless.
The second guard bolted for the door in sheer panic, but before he could reach it, a violent pull of magic yanked him backward, dragging him across the stone floor.
The man spun around to face Sihyun, terror written all over his features. He dropped to his knees, his voice trembling.
"L-Lord Sihyun—please… spare me, I beg of you—"
Sihyun's face was blank, cold as death itself. He tilted his head slightly, then with a sudden jerk, snapped the man's neck like dry wood. The body hit the ground with a heavy thud, the sound echoing in the silence.
Breathing hard, eyes blazing, Sihyun turned to the chamber door. He raised a hand, and with a violent surge of magic, the heavy wooden doors slid open with a thunderous crack, smashing against the walls.
He stepped into the corridor, his glowing tattoos illuminating the darkness. Each footstep echoed ominously as he walked, his expression unreadable, his aura suffocating.
The palace was about to awaken to a nightmare.
The corridor trembled with the sound of armored boots. Dozens of palace guards stormed in, their swords, spears, and chains drawn. The torches along the walls flickered violently as if even the flames feared what was about to happen.
Sihyun stood in the center, eyes and tattoos burning with an unnatural glow, blood still dripping down his hands from the guards he had slain.
"Lord Sihyun!"
one of the captains shouted.
"By His Majesty's order, stand down!"
But Sihyun only smiled—a smile twisted, empty, dangerous.
The first wave of guards lunged, sorcerer chains aimed at his arms. Sihyun's body flickered, disappearing and reappearing behind them in a blur of red light. Screams filled the corridor as he tore through them without hesitation, slamming one against the wall until bones cracked, ripping another's throat with raw magic.
Blades clashed against his glowing shield of power, chains flew toward him, but Sihyun shredded through everything. His laughter—low, bitter, and broken—echoed in the blood-soaked hall.
---
Meanwhile, in Taeyang's chamber—
Muwon sat on the edge of the bed, gently patting his son's hair. Taeyang breathed softly, still dreaming peacefully. For a fleeting moment, the storm outside didn't exist.
Then—
"Your Majesty!"
A guard burst in, his face drenched in panic. Muwon's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing instantly at the man's trembling voice. He didn't need an explanation; the blood-drained expression on the guard's face told him enough.
Something terrible was happening.
---
In another part of the palace—
Yuhyun sat propped against his pillows, unable to rest despite the pain in his body. Taejin lingered at his side, refusing to leave him alone.
Then, faint but unmistakable, the sounds reached them—shouts, steel clashing, terrified screams.
Yuhyun's eyes widened, his body jolting as he threw the blanket aside, trying to get out of bed.
"Yuhyun, no!"
Taejin grabbed his arm firmly, holding him down. Their eyes met.
Yuhyun's breathing grew uneven, his lips trembling as the truth settled in his heart. Taejin didn't have to say it—he could see it in his friend's gaze.
Slowly, Yuhyun's voice broke into a whisper, heavy with grief.
"…Sihyun."
The stench of blood hit them first.
Muwon, Yuhyun, Taejin, and Dohyun froze as they reached the corridor. The sight before them stole the breath from their lungs.
Half of the palace guard lay scattered in pieces across the stone floor—arms severed, hearts torn out, brains splattered against the walls, their lifeless eyes staring into nothing. Blood pooled thickly, painting the ground in crimson rivers that soaked through their boots.
And in the center of it all…
Sihyun stood. His chest rose and fell with heavy, animalistic breaths, his body trembling from the sheer amount of magic he had unleashed. His hands dripped red, and with a twisted grin, he smeared the blood across his own face like war paint.
A laugh spilled from his lips—broken, hollow, chilling. It echoed off the stone walls, sending a shiver down every spine in the room.
None of them could move.
Muwon's eyes fixed on him, unblinking, as though trying to find the man he loved inside the monster before him. But the more he stared, the more his chest clenched—this wasn't Sihyun. This was something else, something wild and uncontrollable.
"Sihyun…"
Muwon's voice came out low, shaky, barely a whisper.
Sihyun's glowing eyes slowly turned to them, and then he smiled—wide, terrifying, cruel.
Yuhyun's knees nearly buckled. His entire body trembled as he whispered,
"No… no… this isn't real. This can't be my brother…"
Dohyun's face hardened, though his heart sank with guilt—this was the consequence of his choice, bringing Taeyang to him. He could hardly breathe as he took in the carnage.
Taejin clutched his bandaged arm tighter, his heart racing. He had seen war, but nothing compared to this. Nothing compared to him.
The silence was broken by Sihyun's voice, sharp and sing-song, dripping with madness.
"…Finally. You're here."
The silence snapped.
Sihyun's body vanished in an instant, dissolving into a blur of light and shadow.
"Where—where did he go?!"
Dohyun's panicked voice broke through, his eyes darting wildly across the blood-stained hall.
Before anyone could react, Sihyun appeared directly in front of Muwon. His glowing hand, thick with condensed magic, shot forward—aimed straight for Muwon's throat.
Muwon froze. He didn't flinch, didn't move—only stared back at Sihyun's twisted smile. For one unbearable heartbeat, time stood still.
Yuhyun and Taejin both gasped, their bodies tense but helpless, too far and too slow.
Then—
SHHCK!
A long spear tore through Sihyun's back, bursting out through his stomach. His glowing eyes widened as blood gushed from his lips, the force of the strike lifting him off his feet.
Before he could even turn, the spear was yanked backward, dragging Sihyun's body away from Muwon. His magic flickered, destabilized.
More guards stormed in from every corner, their faces grim, their formation precise.
Chains rattled—Sorcerer Chains. In seconds, the glowing links clamped around Sihyun's neck, his wrists, his ankles.
The glow in his eyes died. His tattoos dulled. The crushing pressure of his magic vanished.
Sihyun collapsed to his knees, coughing violently, blood splattering the polished floor. His body jerked as the spear was torn free, leaving a sickening wound across his abdomen.
Muwon, Yuhyun, Dohyun, and Taejin stood frozen, shock painted across their faces.
Then came a slow, deliberate sound—footsteps echoing down the corridor.
From the shadows, Elder Baekjin emerged, his hands clasped neatly behind his back. His expression was calm, too calm, as if he had foreseen this bloodbath.
"It seems…"
he said, his voice carrying through the chamber,
"…that we arrived just in time."
The guards bowed their heads slightly at his presence, though their weapons never lowered from Sihyun's trembling, chained body.
Baekjin's eyes slid toward Muwon, unflinching, sharp as a blade.
"Your Majesty, this… creature has proven what I warned you of. Now, will you finally listen?"