Chapter 93 – Monarch’s Ascénsion

The trio circled the castle from above, their owl mount gliding in silent arcs through the sky. Directly beneath them, King Azure sat in the throne chair with an air of unshakable dominance, his silver-white cloak trailing behind him as if the winds themselves bowed to his presence.

Makara looked over the castle and took a sip from his gourd. “The fragrance hasn’t reached the castle,” he observed, “which means we will be safe from it, but we need to be careful in how we approach King Azure.”

Selena nodded. “That’s the right call. What do you think, Shawn?……Shawn!” She turned to her sides, expecting his input—only to find the space beside her empty. Shawn wasn’t there.

Instead, he stood at the very edge of the owl’s wing, the wind whipping against him, his gaze locked onto King Azure below. His stance was unwavering, steady despite the dizzying height.

Makara’s expression darkened. “Shawn, whatever you’re thinking, please stop.”

“Yes, Shawn,” Selena added, urgency in her tone. “We need to plan this—”

Shawn didn’t move. His eyes burned with quiet determination. “This has gone on long enough,” he said, his voice cutting through the wind. “ I need to ask him myself…”

Selena stood up and took a step forward. “Are you sure about this?”

Shawn exhaled slowly. “I’ve thought about it long enough,” he replied, his voice resolute. “If not now, then when?”

He turned one last time to glance at them—his allies, his friends—before letting himself fall backwards.

With no hesitation, he plunged from the owl, his figure slicing through the sky like a falling star, heading straight toward King Azure.

Selena gasped, her hand shooting out instinctively. “No, Shawn!”

Makara, who had been watching quietly, let out a faint smirk and opened his gourd. He took a heavy sip of sake before muttering, “Typical Shawn. Always charging headfirst into danger.”

Selena spun around, her eyes blazing. “Are you seriously sitting there drinking right now?!”

Makara shrugged, taking another swig. “What do you expect me to do?”

Selena clenched her fists. “We need to go after him! King Azure isn’t like anyone he’s faced before!”

Makara exhaled, lowering his gourd. “Yeah, I know,” he admitted. “King Azure’s on a whole different level.” He wiped his lips and leaned back slightly. “But that idiot just jumped in first, as usual. We’ll follow him in a moment.”

Selena hesitated, but relief flickered across her face. “So we are going to help him?”

Makara gave her a sideways glance. “Obviously. He’s a good travel companion. I don’t want him to get killed.” He stood up, adjusting his position on the owl, and ran a hand over its feathers. Then, with a tap against its head, he muttered, “Selena, you might want to hold on.” The owl let out a sharp cry, its wings adjusting in an instant, and then the owl spiralled downward in a breathtaking dive, cutting through the sky in pursuit of their reckless friend.

King Azure sat upon his grand throne, a monolithic seat carved from single stone, its surface worn smooth by time yet still exuding an imposing presence. The throne was elevated by five broad steps, placing him above all who dared stand before him. Sunlight streamed through the gaping hole in the ruined ceiling, casting long, fractured beams across the vast chamber. Dust swirled in the air, caught in the golden light, and banners, long tattered and faded, hung limply from the high rafters, their insignias nearly lost to time.

Massive chains linked the remains of the pillars, stretching across the room, binding themselves to a great, broken metal chandelier that still clung stubbornly to its place on the broken ceiling. Some of the chamber’s towering marble pillars stood firm, defiant against the destruction, while others lay in ruins, their shattered remains strewn across the marble floor.

And yet, King Azure sat alone. Then—A shadow descended.

From the broken sky above, Shawn plunged downward at blistering speed, the wind screaming past him. He thrust his hand forward, summoning a long sword that flashed into existence, and gripped the hilt with both hands as he levelled its tip towards King Azure. His inverted body cut through the air like a falling spear, his descent fierce and unwavering — not to kill, but to deliver a single, decisive blow that would bring the king to his knees without ending his life.

King Azure’s eyes flicked upward, squinting slightly against the sun’s glare. A flicker of disdain crossed his face.

Then, he saw a shadow in the midst of the sunbeam.

Shawn crashed through the open skylight like a meteor, his sword streaking toward King Azure. The chamber trembled, dust erupting in thick clouds upon impact. A thunderous boom echoed through the ruins as the collision shook the ground.

And yet—As the dust settled, Shawn remained suspended in mid-air. His sword, meant to cleave through the king, was halted—stopped by a single raised forearm.

King Azure hadn’t moved from his throne. His expression was unbothered, almost amused, as he held Shawn’s blade at bay with nothing more than his bare arm. The blade quivered against his skin, veins of cracks appearing along the sword’s surface, but King Azure’s flesh remained unscathed.

With a mere flick of his wrist, he pushed Shawn back.

The force sent Shawn skidding across the chamber. He rolled, barely managing to recover as he landed in a crouch at the centre of the room. His grip tightened around his sword as he swung it, sweeping the dust away in a sharp gust. Then, glancing down, his expression hardened—spiderweb-like cracks had begun to spread along his weapon.

King Azure leaned forward slightly, studying Shawn with a mixture of curiosity and contempt. A slow smile spread across his face.

“So… who are you, young boy?” His voice was deep, resonant, carrying an effortless authority that seemed to press down upon the very air in the room. A suffocating aura emanated from him, thick and unrelenting. Shawn felt it seep into his bones—his grip on his sword faltered for the briefest moment, his fingers trembling ever so slightly.

King Azure continued, his tone casual, yet laced with an underlying amusement. “Did you come to assassinate me? Hmm… did the Tri-Kings send you?” He chuckled, shaking his head. “No, that doesn’t seem like them. King Hersery, especially—he would never allow a young boy to carry out such a task. Which means…”

His eyes narrowed.

“You are not affiliated with them. You came for something else. Perhaps… revenge?” His gaze flickered toward Shawn’s sword. “But the way you held your blade against me… No. You had no intent to kill.”

King Azure leaned back against his throne, resting one arm lazily against its armrest. “So… tell me, young boy—who are you?”

Shawn said nothing.

For a long moment, he stood still, gripping his sword, his mind reeling from the sheer presence of the man before him. King Azure wasn’t just strong—his existence weighed upon the room itself. Shawn had never faced anything like this before.

He took a deep breath. Then, meeting the king’s gaze head-on, he steadied himself “I’m here to ask you a question.”

King Azure raised an eyebrow. “A question?” He exhaled, tilting his head slightly. “Very well. What is it?”

Shawn didn’t hesitate. “Why did you start this war? Why are you harming innocent souls? Why this senseless bloodshed?”

For the first time, King Azure’s expression shifted. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his fingers interlocked before him. His gaze darkened slightly, as if weighing something in his mind. Then, he spoke. “There should be one king to rule the East,” he said, his voice steady, unwavering. “And that king shall be me.”

His fingers tightened together. “That is why I started this war—to unify the Eastern Region under my rule.” He met Shawn’s eyes. “This bloodshed you speak of? It is a small price to pay for a greater good.”

Shawn’s jaw tightened. His grip on his sword grew firm. “Then I will stop this war.”

King Azure let out a low, rumbling chuckle. The sound was deep, reverberating through the walls of the chamber like distant thunder. “You think you can stop this war?” He tilted his head, amusement flickering across his face. “And how do you plan on achieving that?”

Shawn’s eyes burned with determination. “By defeating you—here and now.”

He lifted his sword, pointing it directly at the king. His stance was firm, unwavering, ready for battle.

King Azure’s smirk widened.

With slow, deliberate movements, King Azure rose from his throne. His towering frame cast a long shadow across the ruined chamber, the weight of his presence alone enough to suffocate the space around him. Each step down the throne’s stone stairs was methodical, unhurried, like a beast descending from its perch, fully aware of its dominance.

As he walked, he began shedding his armour.

First, his heavy silver-white cloak. He unfastened the clasp at his shoulder and let it slide from his back, the thick fabric billowing before it crumpled to the floor. Then, he removed the bracers from his wrists, tossing them aside with a metallic clang that echoed through the vast hall. The weight of the metal left cracks in the marble steps where it landed. Next came his plated chest armour, the deep crimson steel reflecting the broken light from above. With a single motion, he unlatched it and let it fall.

The floor beneath his feet cracked from the sheer force of its impact.

Piece by piece, his armour followed—the pauldrons, the greaves—each discarded without care, their weight insignificant to him.

Finally, he reached for the thin fabric that clung to his chest below his armour, gripping it in one hand before ripping it away in a single, effortless motion.

And there he stood—King Azure, stripped of all but his raw power.

His body was a masterpiece of war, a physique sculpted by countless battles. Eight-pack abs lined his abdomen, each muscle ridge carved with brutal precision. His chest and shoulders were thick with strength, his arms knotted with veins and power. Scars—deep, jagged, and old—crisscrossed his flesh, each one a silent testament to wars long past. Despite his monstrous frame, there was an elegance in the way he stood, exuding the presence of a ruler who had never once known fear.

The very air around him shimmered—his aura no longer hidden. A visible distortion rippled in the space surrounding him, like heat waves on the hottest day of summer, warping reality itself with its sheer intensity.

Shawn tightened his grip on his sword, yet no words came to him.

Then, King Azure grinned.

“Come, young boy.” His voice rumbled with amusement and challenge, his golden eyes gleaming. “Let’s see how you plan to stop this war.“