The night sky burned with a crimson glow as three figures moved swiftly through the fractured ruins of Khalab's fortress. Lior led the way, his sword gleaming faintly beneath the pale moonlight, every step driven by determination. Beside him, Junia, her golden mark flickering like a fragile sun, kept her gaze sharp and steady. Aryan followed closely, his fists clenched, each stride echoing with silent fury.
Their destination was clear—Princess Aurelia Zephyrion, imprisoned within the depths of the enemy's hold.
The narrow stone corridors opened into a vast chamber. At its center stood Setar, son of Khalab, draped in flame-forged armor that pulsed with an unnatural glow. His eyes glimmered with cruel confidence, and in his hand burned a whip of fire, its crackling heat scorching the ground with every movement.
Behind him, chained and weakened, knelt Princess Aurelia. A collar of fire circled her neck, glowing ominously, feeding on her strength and suppressing the divine marks that defined her bloodline. Her body trembled from exhaustion, yet her eyes still carried defiance.
"Finally, you've come," Setar sneered, his flame whip snapping at the ground. "Did you think saving your little princess would be so simple?"
Junia stepped forward, her voice steady though her heart pounded. "Let her go, Setar."
Lior's grip tightened on his sword, and Aryan's aura flared faintly, the promise of violence radiating off him.
But Setar only laughed, raising his weapon. "You'll bleed before I surrender her."
At the far corner of the chamber, a shadow stirred. Alma, Setar's personal maid, stepped into view. Her eyes were sharp, her face delicate yet twisted with bitter devotion. She clutched a dagger close to her chest, and her gaze fell upon the chained princess with unmistakable hatred.
"Setar," Alma whispered, her voice trembling with adoration, "I will never let her be taken from you. She doesn't deserve your attention… she is nothing compared to you." Her eyes burned with jealousy as she glared at Aurelia, spitting venom in every word.
Aurelia lifted her head weakly, meeting Alma's eyes with calm disdain. Alma's hands shook on her blade, consumed by her obsession.
But the moment allowed Junia to act. She surged forward, golden light flaring around her, hurling radiant strikes toward Setar. Flames and light collided, explosions shaking the chamber. Setar snarled, forced to meet her head-on.
"Your tricks won't save her!" he roared, his fire whip snapping through the air. Junia dodged narrowly, her radiant blade clashing with molten flame. Each strike between them sent searing sparks across the stone floor.
Meanwhile, Lior used the opening. He sprinted toward the princess, his sword glowing with silver intent. Kneeling beside Aurelia, he examined the fiery collar constricting her neck. The heat seared his skin the moment he touched it, but he refused to recoil.
"Hold still," he whispered. His sword shifted, its edge glowing with precision as he struck the collar. Sparks burst, the flame resisting, hissing like a living serpent. But Lior pressed on, his blade cutting through the cursed lock. With a sharp crack, the collar shattered, dissipating into smoldering embers.
Aurelia gasped as the weight lifted, her body collapsing forward before steadying. Her power stirred faintly, freed from suppression.
But Alma screamed. "No! You dare touch her!" She lunged, her dagger flashing toward Aurelia's throat.
The princess turned just in time, but Alma's blade cut across her arm, crimson spilling to the ground. "Setar belongs to me!" Alma shrieked, eyes wild with rage.
Aryan intercepted her next strike, slamming his fist against her wrist and sending the dagger flying. Alma staggered back, but her madness did not falter. She spat at Aurelia, her voice breaking with hatred. "He should never waste his flame on you!"
Aurelia's eyes hardened. With slow resolve, she reached for a weapon displayed on the wall—an abandoned sword, its blade scarred but sharp. She wrapped her hand around the hilt, rising to her feet despite her wounds.
Junia turned in shock. "Princess, stay back! You're injured—"
But Aurelia cut her off, raising the blade and stepping forward, her posture regal and unyielding. "No, Junia. This is my battle."
Her voice carried the steel of command, silencing them instantly. Lior froze, his breath caught. Aryan tensed, uncertain.
Aurelia's gaze locked on Setar, who grinned savagely even as he battled Junia. Flames coiled around him like serpents, eager for blood.
The princess raised her weapon, stepping between her allies and Setar. Her sword trembled slightly in her grip, but her eyes did not.
"Step back," Aurelia ordered. "All of you. I will face him."
Junia shook her head, her voice almost desperate. "But—"
"I said step back!" Aurelia roared, the force of her will cutting sharper than her blade.
Junia halted, disbelief burning in her chest. Aryan clenched his fists, but even he understood the command. Lior lowered his sword slowly, his jaw tight with conflict.
Setar's grin widened. "That's more like it. Show me the pride of Zephyrion blood." His flames ignited with greater fury, the chamber's walls glowing red.
Aurelia leveled her sword, ignoring the pain in her arm. Her resolve radiated in every motion. "You will not break me, Setar."
And then the battle erupted.
Setar unleashed a torrent of fire, waves of molten heat crashing toward her. Aurelia met it head-on, her blade slicing through the flames, sparks scattering like stars. The ground shook as their strikes collided—sword against whip, steel against flame.
Blood flew as Setar's fire scorched across her side, but Aurelia pressed forward, her counter carving a line across his shoulder. He laughed through the pain, swinging his burning whip again, tearing through the air with brutal force.
Aurelia ducked, retaliating with a slash that split the stone beneath them, her blade fueled by sheer will. The clash became a storm of blood and fire, their duel consuming the chamber itself.
Junia, Lior, and Aryan stood frozen at the edges of the battlefield, their weapons lowered but their hearts pounding. Each strike between Aurelia and Setar sent shockwaves through their chests, each wound drawn feeding the battle with greater fury.
Alma, crumpled to the side, wept as she watched her beloved Setar fight. Her tears mixed with blood, whispering through her sobs, "Why her? Why not me?"
But neither Setar nor Aurelia paid her any mind. Their world was only steel and flame, locked in a storm where only one could stand victorious.
The chamber walls cracked. The floor split under the weight of their fury.
And as the sparks of battle rained down like falling stars, the bloody war between Princess Aurelia Zephyrion and Setar, son of Khalab, had truly begun.