The Citadel was in chaos.
Chunks of stone rained from the ceiling. Pillars groaned beneath the violent tremors, while terrified nobles and servants scrambled toward the exits.
Yet the six kings could not flee.
Black-armored guards surrounded them from every direction, with their weapons drawn.
Amidst the chaos, King Ikaris remained on his knees beside Star’s motionless body, completely oblivious to everything around him.
Queen Aurelia collapsed beside her son, trembling so violently she could barely breathe.
"Pity."
Prince Dante’s voice cut through the chaos.
He looked down at Star’s motionless body, a cold smile spreading across his face.
"The boy was weak. Afraid. A child who was never fit to carry the weight of this kingdom."
His gaze shifted toward the Golden Vial that rested perfectly in his palm.
"He was given everything simply because he was born a Crestfold. Yet he refused to embrace power... And chose to remain a coward."
Dante let out a quiet, contemptuous laugh.
"But... I’m no coward."
He raised the Golden Vial. "The Golden Phoenix Powers is mine now. I will tame this glorious beast, wield it’s powers and bring the Seven Kingdoms under my command."
"You... you traitor..." King Ikaris growled through clenched teeth.
Dante’s smile only widened. He raised his hand to smash the vial against his chest.
But King Ikaris launched himself at him like a blazing spear.
He crashed into Dante with enough force to send them both skidding across the floor.
Before Dante could react, Ikaris pinned him beneath his weight and wrapped both hands around his throat.
His eyes burned with a fury Dante had never seen before.
"This is the last light you’ll ever see," he snarled as his grip tightened.
Dante’s eyes bulged. Veins spread across his face while he clawed desperately at Ikaris’s wrists.
His breathing faltered.
His heartbeat slowed.
Life was going out of his eyes.
But then...
A brilliant golden light ignited within his eyes.
Golden energy surged throughout his body, flowing visibly beneath his skin like molten fire..
He grabbed Ikaris’s wrist and slowly began prying it away from his throat.
Ikaris’s expression changed. "What...?"
But Dante only smiled.
Ikaris roared and tightened his grip, pouring every ounce of strength into his hands.
Dante barely seemed to notice.
"Do you really think your Dragon powers can stand against the Phoenix?" He smiled evilly. "This power is beyond anything you’ve ever known, brother."
"Your beastly Vial was once among the strongest in all generations..." His smile widened. "But that era is over."
He tightened his grip around Ikaris’s wrist.
"Because the Phoenix has awakened."
With terrifying ease, he twisted Ikaris’s wrist beyond its natural limit.
CRACK!
The sickening sound echoed throughout the Citadel.
Ikaris roared in agony as bone burst through his flesh and blood sprayed across the floor.
Before he could recover, golden energy gathered around Dante’s palm.
He drove it straight into Ikaris’s abdomen.
The king was launched into the air and smashed against the vaulted ceiling with a sickening sound.
Cracks spread wildly across the ceiling as it shook violently. Chunks of masonry and reinforced concrete crashed to the floor, twisted iron rods jutting from the broken sections.
Dante calmly rose to his feet and dusted off his royal robe.
Before Ikaris could hit the ground again, Dante stretched out one hand.
Golden energy flashed around his fingers.
Instantly, Ikaris’s body was dragged violently toward him.
Dante caught him mercilessly by the throat.
"Stop... please stop!" Queen Aurelia cried, her voice breaking.
Elder Mousack clenched his teeth so hard they nearly cracked.
He remained trapped beneath the daggers pressing into his back.
There was nothing he could do.
Ikaris looked weakly into his brother’s eyes.
"Why..." he whispered, blood rolling down from his lips.
Dante’s expression remained cold.
"Aw! Come now, brother. Why shouldn’t I?" He tightened his grip around Ikaris’s throat. "Unlike your son, you were the real obstacle in my way."
"What were you called again? Ah... the Demonbane King. The Lightbringer of the Seven Kingdoms. The monster Reaper. The Dawn of Nethros." He chuckled softly. "Such glorious titles for a man who was once feared by demons themselves."
He leaned closer, bringing his face within inches of Ikaris’s.
"But you were always so predictable." An evil smile touched his lips. "Just kill your son, and suddenly the raging dragon of the Seven Kingdoms is nothing more than a dying king beneath my hand."
He gave a quiet laugh.
"Pathetic."
He studied Ikaris’s fading eyes.
"But I suppose that doesn’t really answer your question, does it now?"
His smile slowly returned. "The truth is... I’m tired...
Tired of living beneath your shadow....
Tired of watching you receive the glory, the praise, the throne... everything."
His golden eyes gleamed. "And now that I possess the Golden Phoenix... Why would I ever allow you to stand above me again?"
A cruel smile slowly spread across his face.
"Oh... and brother." He leaned close enough for only Ikaris to hear. "This is the last light you’ll ever see."
Ikaris choked under the pressure, but yet, he managed an annoying smile. "You talk too much."
Those were just four mere words, but it twisted something deep down inside of Dante.
Without the slightest hesitation, he drove his hand straight through his brother’s chest.
Ikaris’s body jerked violently.
Blood spilled from his mouth as his eyes widened.
For one final moment, his gaze found Aurelia’s, then the motionless body of his son.
Everything seemed to slow down...
Then slowly...
Light left his eyes.
Dante calmly withdrew his arm and allowed the king’s lifeless body to collapse onto the stone floor.
For the briefest moment silence took over.
Queen Aurelia stared blankly. Her lips trembled as though she wanted to call his name, but no sound came out.
Slowly, she crawled toward him and gathered his lifeless body into her arms.
She brushed the hair away from his face with shaking fingers.
"...Ikaris?" Her Voice broke as tears blurred her vision. "Please... I can’t loose you too."
But the King didn’t respond.
"Noooooo!" Queen Aurelia screamed as tears flooded endlessly down her face. "Noooo ooo ooo!"
Dante didn’t even spare her a glance.
He slowly raised both arms and turned toward the few people still frozen inside the hall.
The air around him erupted as an overwhelming golden light burst from his body, blinding everyone nearby. His hair floated wildly in the air as golden energy surged around him.
A massive translucent phoenix emerged from the radiance behind him before disappearing.
"I am now the Golden Phoenix!" he declared proudly. "And I am your new king. Bow before—"
Before he could finish a bolt of crimson lightning crashed down from the heavens.
BOOM!
It struck Star directly in the chest.
His eyes snapped open, burning crimson.
A deep growl escaped his throat as his body suddenly began to change.
His muscles expanded rapidly, making his once youthful frame broader and far more imposing.
His silver-white hair darkened before their very eyes, turning jet black as it grew wildly down his back.
Dark crimson markings slowly spread across his pale skin, twisting over his face, neck, and arms like living scars.
His fingers lengthened into jagged claws, their tips black as obsidian, while his teeth sharpened into long fangs that protruded from his mouth.
His once youthful features gradually twisted into something far more sinister.
With one violent motion, he tore apart the ropes binding him to the cross and sprang to his feet with somewhat renewed agility.
Dante’s smile disappeared, as his breath caught in his throat.
"This..." He took an involuntary step backward. "This isn’t possible."
His eyes widened, but almost immediately, his expression turned ice-cold.
"Fine." He slowly raised his hand.
"Since the Demon Vial didn’t kill you as planned..." A sinister smile returned to his face. "...I guess I’ll have to do it myself."
However, Queen Aurelia didn’t look less baffled. Her mouth hung open as he stared at what his son had become...
She could vividly see there was no recognition within those crimson eyes.
No humanity.
Star threw his head back and unleashed a deafening roar that shook the entire Citadel.
The few people still inside stared in absolute horror.
Someone screamed.
"He’s a monster!"
Then another screamed too, and the next thing shouts filled the hall.
"HE’S A DEMON!"
"KILL IT!"
"KILL IT!"
As they yelled they fled in terror, stumbling over one another desperately.
The cries echoed endlessly inside Star’s mind.
He grabbed both sides of his head painfully, as yet another monstrous growl rumbled from within his chest.
Still shaking violently, he slowly lifted his head.
His burning gaze wandered across the ruined hall; Broken pillars, pools of blood...
His mother’s cries...
His father’s motionless body...
Something inside him twisted violently.
An emotion that clashed between his humanity and darkness.
But when his gaze landed on Prince Dante, a surge of hatred flooded his entire being.
He didn’t even hesitate.
With another earth-shaking roar, Star charged.
"That’s more like it," Dante snarled smiling.
Golden energy erupted around him as he too rushed forward to meet the demon head-on.
The distance between them disappeared in an instant.
And then...