Chapter 26: Through the Storm
BOOM.
The palace gates thundered under the assault of the foreigners' battering ram. The iron-bolted wood cracked, dust puffing from the hinges. From the highest tower to the deepest cellar, the castle shook.
Horn blasts pierced the wind, sharp and terrible. Soldiers in black and green uniforms clamped over the fences, scaling them like shadows. Screams rang through the corridors as palace maids scattered in confusion—trays and linens abandoned. Panic smothered the air.
In the heart of the castle, the King stood in front of his mirror, dressed in half his war gear. His fingers trembled as he fumbled with the last buckle of his armor. The wrinkles on his face deepened—not from age, but regret.
He turned toward the wide window that faced the eastern tower. Rain began to fall. Thunder cracked like an omen.
His voice cracked louder:
"KIMO! My son—please hear me! I've failed you… Not as a king… but as your father."
His hands clenched. "I was too afraid to show weakness. I thought if I hardened you, you'd never break. But I see now… strength isn't in silence. It's in love."
He wiped his eyes and murmured, "And Elira… I never stopped loving you."
Outside, the air twisted into chaos.
A violent wind spun around the palace tower.
Suddenly—a powerful blast of ice and wind shattered the clouds above.
Prince Kimo emerged on the balcony, bathed in a furious blue light. His long black hair lashed around him like ribbons of shadow. His icy eyes burned with power, colder and brighter than ever. The marble beneath his bare feet cracked with every step.
His body stretched taller. His voice, when it came, echoed like thunder and frost combined:
"You will not take my home."
With a single gesture, the wind obeyed him. Bolts of lightning curved around his body like serpents. The air screamed. The guards shielded their eyes, retreating from the frozen blast that pulsed from his skin.
Even the queen, watching from behind her veil of lies, froze—her smirk finally vanishing.
The king gasped as he beheld his son—no longer just a prince, but a force of nature awakened.
But Kimo's aura became too violent. Unstable. The storm thickened. He struggled to control it. His body shook. His power lashed at friend and foe alike.
He was losing control.
And then—
A streak of silver-green light raced across the courtyard.
Oki.
Her bare feet touched the stone with the grace of a spirit. Her eyes gleamed like moons. Her hair flowed, glowing, as her demon side awakened.
In a flash, she stood before him, arms outstretched.
"Kimo." Her voice, gentle and firm. "Come back."
He trembled. The wind fought her presence, but she didn't budge.
"You are not a monster," she whispered, hand touching his heart. "You are more than what they see. Let it go."
The power faltered. Lightning vanished. His eyes dimmed.
Then—she raised her hands. Her voice, now ancient and commanding:
"Sleep."
A wave of green light rippled across the battlefield.
The guards, the nobles, the enemy warriors—collapsed into sleep, gentle and painless.
Only the King and the foreign general remained awake, protected by Oki's will.
They looked on in stunned silence.
The enemy retreated, whispering of gods and legends.
The queen stood behind a pillar, dazed. Her memory—gone.
Kimo stumbled, exhausted.
Oki caught him.
He whispered, "What… what did you do?"
She smiled gently. "I protected you… like I always will."
The King stepped forward, eyes shining. "You saved us."
Oki turned to him, her voice calm but firm. "Protect him better this time, Your Majesty."
Then, with a sweep of wind and leaves, Oki disappeared into the forest—taking Kimo with her, vanishing like a whisper in the storm.
The battlefield was silent.
The stars reappeared.
But nothing would ever be the same again.