(Royal Palace — Dravareth)
Eyan spun around, snatched his black cloak from the bloodied floor, and rushed to Eva.
She lay curled on the stone, clutching her swollen belly, her torn dress soaked in blood dripping from the gash on her head.
Her eyes fluttered weakly from the pain.
He draped the cloak over her shivering body, then gently lifted her into his arms, cradling her head against his chest.
"Eva… are you okay?" he whispered.
She grabbed his sleeve, tears streaming. "Eyan…"
He picked her up and carried her to the nearest wall and eased her down, propping her up carefully.
"Stay here," he said, voice low and steady. "It won't take long."
Eva nodded through the pain, eyes full of trust.
Eyan rose slowly.
His gaze locked onto Velco, who lay sprawled on the floor.
The emperor's eyes burned with pure fury.
He stormed forward, grabbed Velco by the hair, and slammed his head against the wall.
The skull cracked like dry wood, blood exploding across the stone in a crimson starburst.
Velco crumpled, face a ruined mask of gore.
Eyan snatched Velco's sword from the floor, planted his boot on the prince's right hand, and crushed the bones with a wet, grinding crunch that echoed like breaking glass.
Velco's scream tore through the hall, high and animal.
"I told you," Eyan growled. "If you touched her, I would rip you apart."
He raised the blade and brought it down.
The edge sheared through flesh and bone in a single vicious chop, severing the hand at the wrist. Hot blood jetted out in thick pulses, spraying Eyan's boots as Velco howled and clutched the ragged stump.
Eyan pinned him down, knees grinding into thighs until bone creaked.
Velco begged, voice cracking.
"Don't kill me… please… forgive me…"
"Forgive you?" Eyan's hand clamped around Velco's throat, squeezing until veins bulged.
His eyes blazed. "You attacked my eight-year-old son. He's still in deep sleep because of you.
Then you took my pregnant wife, beat her, made her bleed, and tried to defile her right in front of me… and you think I'll forgive you for that?"
"Please… mercy…" Velco whimpered, blood bubbling from his lips.
Eyan smiled coldly and leaned close to his ear. "When you reach hell, tell the devil, Eyan Lucian Therald sent you."
He drove the sword straight through Velco's heart with a wet, meaty thunk.
The blade twisted deep, shredding muscle and cartilage.
Then Eyan reached in with his bare hand, fingers clawing past ribs, and ripped the still-pulsing heart free in a spray of warm gore.
Velco jerked violently, eyes wide in shock, before his body went limp forever.
Eyan tossed the dripping heart aside with a wet slap. Then, with cold fury, he hacked Velco's body into pieces.
The sword rose and fell in brutal arcs—flesh splitting with wet tears, bones splintering like brittle twigs, blood and entrails splattering across the floor in thick ropes.
Crimson sprayed across Eyan's face and chest, but he didn't stop until Velco was nothing but scattered chunks of meat and bone.
The Velmorian knights stared at Eyan in horror. They had never seen their Emperor like this—blood-soaked, eyes blazing.
Eyan rose, wiped the gore from his face with the back of his hand, and noticed a small locket lying beside Velco's dismantled body.
He lifted his boot and crushed it under his heel with a sharp crack.
The magical chains binding the knights shattered instantly and vanished into smoke.
The knights rose and dropped to their knees before him.
"Your Majesty!"
Eyan tossed Velco's sword aside.
"Search the palace. Find the Emperor and bring him to me alive."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Most knights bowed and rushed deeper into the ruins; a few remained to guard the hall.
Eyan walked back to Eva and crouched before her.
He lifted the edge of the cloak, his gaze falling on her bare, bloodied body.
I can't take her like this.
He looked at the waiting knights.
"Search the rooms. Bring women's clothes. Now."
The knights bowed and hurried off.
Eyan turned back to Eva. Blood still trickled from the split gash on her head.
He gently touched it.
"AHH!" she gasped.
"Does it hurt that much?" he asked softly.
"Yes…"
"Just hold on a little longer. I'll get you to the physician, then we'll go home."
She nodded weakly.
The knights soon returned with a simple dress. "Your Majesty."
Eyan took it.
"Leave the hall. All of you."
They bowed and filed out.
He slipped the cloak off first, then carefully peeled away the torn remnants of her gown.
When she was completely bare, his eyes fell on her belly—swollen far larger than before.
"Eva… why is your belly so big?"
She winced. "The baby grew… Velco did something. He kept feeding me something. I don't know what it was… but I'm fine. Don't worry."
Eyan swallowed hard and dressed her with gentle hands.
When the fabric was settled, he slid one arm around her waist and the other beneath her knees, ready to lift her.
"Let's get you to the physician."
Eva grabbed his arm, stopping him.
"Eyan…"
"What?"
Her face twisted in pain. "It hurts… my stomach… it hurts so much."
Panic flashed across Eyan's face. He scooped her up swiftly, cradling her against his chest.
"Hold on—just hold on."
He rushed out of the ruined hall. The knights outside bowed as he passed.
"BRING A CARRIAGE! NOW!" he shouted.
One knight sprinted ahead. Moments later, a carriage rolled up. Eyan stepped inside, still holding Eva in his arms. He sat down, keeping her close as her head rested against his chest.
"Hold on," he whispered.
The carriage doors shut. Then the horses surged forward, racing through the palace gates.
__________________________________
(Afterlife — The White Mist)
Leo stared into the mist where the events in Dravareth were unfolding.
His small hands trembled as he watched his father carrying Eva away.
Worry filled his eyes.
"How…?" he whispered.
His brows tightened in confusion.
"How can the child grow so much in just two weeks…? I fed her the poison… this shouldn't be happening…"
Then—
a soft laugh echoed through the white void behind him.
Leo turned quickly.
Aurelthia stood there, her hand lightly covering her lips as she laughed.
The sound was calm… almost amused.
"Aurelthia…?"
But the woman only continued laughing.
"Zeradros," she said slowly, "did you truly believe that by feeding her poison… you could change what has already been written?"
Leo's expression hardened. "What do you mean?"
Her smile deepened. "That child will be born."
"And that child," she continued softly, "will be the very reason your mother dies."
"No!" Leo shook his head violently. "That's not true!"
But the woman only laughed again, the sound echoing strangely through the mist.
Anger flared in Leo's chest.
"You lied," he said, his voice sharp.
His eyes narrowed at her.
"You're not Zeradros's mother."
For a moment, the woman simply looked at him. Then she smiled.
"You're right." Her voice changed. It became deeper… older… carrying an authority that seemed to vibrate through the entire space.
"I am not."
The white mist around them began to stir slowly.
"The monster who took countless lives in the name of sacrifice…" Her gaze rested on Leo. "…cannot possibly have a mother."
Her eyes gleamed with something ancient.
"So tell me, child… how could I be the mother of such a cruel being?"
Leo stared at her. "Then who are you?"
The woman's smile widened slightly. The mist around her began to swirl like flowing time itself.
"My name…" Her voice echoed like a bell through eternity. "…is Liora."
A faint glow formed behind her.
"The Goddess of Time....And the keeper of all Timelines."
Leo froze.
"G… goddess?" His voice came out barely as a whisper.
__________________________________
(On the Road — Dravareth)
The carriage sped through the darkening plains, its wheels rattling hard against the uneven road.
Outside, the sky had turned almost completely black. Wind howled across the open land, bending the tall grass as thunder rumbled in the distance.
Rain was coming.
Inside the carriage, Eyan held Eva carefully in his arms, trying to keep her steady as the carriage jolted forward.
Her breathing was uneven.
Then suddenly—
"Ahh—!"
Eva cried out, her body jerking with pain.
Her fingers tightened desperately around the front of his tunic.
"Honey…" she whispered weakly. "Something… something feels wrong…"
Eyan's expression changed instantly. "What is it?"
Eva swallowed, her face pale.
"Leo…" Her trembling hand slowly moved to her stomach. "I can't feel him… he's not moving…"
Fear filled her voice.
"Did something happen to him…?"
Eyan's heart pounded, but he forced himself to remain calm.
He placed his hand gently over her swollen belly, rubbing it slowly.
"No," he said softly.
"Leo is fine." He kept his voice steady.
"You were hit earlier. That's probably why you can't feel him right now."
Eva tried to breathe slowly, but another wave of pain suddenly struck her.
"Ahh—!"
Her body curled slightly as she pressed closer to him. He immediately pulled her tighter against his chest, one hand supporting her back.
"Just endure it a little longer," he whispered. "We'll reach the camp soon."
But then—
Eyan felt something warm against his leg.
At first he thought it was just the warmth of her body. But the warmth spread quickly… soaking through his clothes.
A strange unease crept into his chest.
Slowly, he looked down. And the world seemed to stop.
Dark red blood was spreading across his lap.
It seeped through Eva's dress and dripped slowly onto the floor of the carriage. A thin trail ran down her leg.
Eyan's breath caught in his throat.
"No…" His voice was barely a whisper.
Eva shifted slightly.
"Eyan…" Her voice was weak. "I feel something wet…"
Her hand instinctively moved downward.
Before she could see anything, Eyan quickly caught her wrist and pulled her hand back.
Then he gently covered her eyes.
"It's nothing," he said quietly.
"Just some blood on my clothes… it must have soaked into your dress."
But his eyes remained fixed on the crimson stain spreading beneath her.
Fear gripped his chest like a vice. Suddenly he slammed his fist against the carriage wall.
"FASTER!" His voice rang out like thunder. "DRIVE FASTER!"
Outside, the soldiers urged the horses forward. The carriage surged ahead through the dark plains as the first drops of rain began to fall.
__________________________________
(Afterlife — The White Mist)
The racing carriage, the storm-dark sky, Eva writhing in pain inside Eyan's arms.
Leo watched everything with growing panic.
His small hands trembled.
"No…" he whispered.
He turned desperately toward the woman standing beside him.
"Goddess what's happening to her?"
Liora remained calm.
Her expression was solemn, almost distant, as if she had already seen this moment countless times before.
"It appears," she said in her composed, formal tone, "that the child will be born sooner than expected."
Leo froze.
"What…?"
Liora's gaze remained on the shifting vision.
"That man, Velco… must have made some form of agreement with Zeradros."
Leo frowned in confusion. "What kind of agreement?"
Liora folded her hands gracefully before her.
"There is no possible way that Zeradros would willingly grant someone the power to harm him....That creature fears death above all else, Even among monsters, his cowardice is well known."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Yet Velco possessed an artifact capable of restraining the Emperor… and a weapon capable of harming the Therald bloodline."
She paused.
"The only explanation is that Velco offered something in return."
Leo stared at her.
"And what… could Zeradros possibly want?"
Liora finally looked at him.
"A faster rebirth."
Leo's eyes widened.
"That potion Velco fed your mother…, It was meant to accelerate the growth of the child within her."
Leo's breath caught. "No…"
Liora nodded slightly.
"The child inside Eva's womb has already reached the stage of seven months."
Leo's head snapped up in shock. "Seven months?!"
"Yes."
Her voice remained calm. "The child's growth has been unnaturally accelerated."
She looked again into the mist where Eva cried out in pain.
"But Velco made a grave mistake."
"He struck her stomach," Liora continued quietly. "That blow caused internal injury."
Her expression grew more solemn. "And now she bleeds."
Leo's hands clenched tightly. "No… no…"
Liora spoke again, her voice echoing through the endless mist.
"But fate remains unchanged." Her eyes rested on Leo. "One way or another… the child will be born."
Leo's face turned pale.
"And when that moment comes…" Her words fell like a quiet judgment. "…your mother will die."
Leo shook his head violently. His voice broke with fear. "No… my mother…"
He looked at the vision again, watching Eva trembling weakly in Eyan's arms.
__________________________________
(Velmorian War Camp — Dravareth Border)
The storm had finally broken.
Rain poured from the sky in relentless sheets, turning the entire war camp into mud and shadow. Torches flickered violently in the wind, their flames bending under the weight of the storm.
Through the curtain of rain, a carriage burst through the gates of the Velmorian camp.
Before the horses had even stopped, the door flew open.
Eyan stepped down, Eva cradled tightly in his arms. Her dress was soaked with blood.
The soldiers nearby froze when they saw their emperor—his clothes smeared with blood, rain pouring down his face as he held the barely conscious empress.
"Your Majesty—!"
"MOVE!" His voice thundered through the storm.
The soldiers immediately cleared a path as Eyan strode through the camp, heading straight for the physician's tent.
Inside, lantern light flickered softly over wooden tables covered in medical tools and herbs.
The elderly physician looked up just as the tent curtain was thrown open.
"Your Majesty—"
Eyan didn't waste a second. He laid Eva carefully on the examination table.
"Treat her." His voice was low, but there was command in every word. "She's bleeding."
The physician quickly moved forward. His experienced hands began examining her wounds.
Eva let out a weak cry as he touched her stomach.
"Ahh—"
Her fingers instinctively searched for Eyan. He immediately took her hand, gripping it tightly.
"I'm here," he said quietly.
Outside, thunder rolled across the sky.
The physician listened carefully to Eva's abdomen, his face slowly turning grave.
The tent fell silent except for the sound of rain pounding against the canvas.
Finally, the physician straightened.
"Your Majesty…"
Eyan's eyes snapped toward him.
The old man hesitated before speaking.
"Her Majesty has suffered severe internal injury."
He glanced briefly at the blood soaking the cloth beneath Eva.
"The heavy blow to her stomach has caused heavy bleeding inside the womb."
Eyan's jaw tightened.
"And the child?"
The physician placed his hand gently against Eva's abdomen again.
"The child's heartbeat is still there…But it is weak."
Eva's breathing trembled.
Eyan's grip on her hand tightened.
"What must be done?"
The physician inhaled slowly.
"Under normal circumstances, Her Majesty would eventually deliver the child naturally."
"But in her present condition… that is no longer possible...If we wait… the bleeding will worsen."
His voice dropped. "And both the mother and the child may die."
Eyan felt Eva's fingers weakly tighten around his.
"So what is the alternative?" he asked.
The physician lowered his gaze.
"There is only one option."
He pointed toward Eva's stomach. "We must open the womb and remove the child immediately."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Eyan stared at him.
"You mean… cut the child out?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Eyan's eyes hardened.
"And her?"
The physician hesitated.
"If we perform the procedure," he said slowly, "the child may survive."
"But Her Majesty has already lost too much blood."
His voice grew quiet.
"She will not survive the operation."
Silence filled the tent.
Outside, thunder cracked violently across the sky.
Eva's breathing grew uneven on the table.
Eyan stood there, unmoving, still holding her hand.
The physician bowed his head slightly.
"Your Majesty…"
His voice carried the weight of the decision.
"You must choose."
"Shall we save the mother…"
His eyes lifted.
"Or the child?"
.
.
To be continued—