Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Can you kill it?

~ Third POV ~

Dorian appeared in a dark forest with Annie still wrapped in his shadows. She struggled and screamed, but the magic held her tight.

"Let me go!" Annie yelled. "Let me go right now!"

"Quiet," Dorian commanded. He waved his hand and the shadows covered her mouth. Now she could only make muffled sounds.

He dragged her through the forest. The trees here were dead and dried. There were no birds singing. No animals moving. Everything was silent and dark.

After walking for ten minutes, they reached a camp.

Hundreds of tents filled a clearing. Fires burned everywhere. And around those fires sat men with black eyes. Darklings. The corrupted ones.

But these weren't mindless monsters everyone knew. These ones moved with purpose just like any human.

They sharpened weapons. They organized supplies. They talked to each other in low voices.

"Welcome to my real work," Dorian said to Annie even though she couldn't answer. "This is what I've been building while playing friend to that stupid king."

He dragged her to the largest tent in the center of the camp.

Inside, a man sat on a throne made of bones and dark iron.

It was no other than King Alaric.

He looked different from the last time anyone from Hastings Manor had seen him.

His eyes now had a red glow. His skin looked gray. Black veins showed on his neck and hands.

He was becoming a corrupted one too.

"Dreculus," Alaric said. His voice sounded deep and it rumbled. "You took longer than expected."

"I had to have some fun first," Dorian answered. He pushed Annie forward. She fell on her knees in front of the throne. "Besides, I brought you a gift. The mate of the World Tree."

Alaric leaned forward to look at Annie. "This small girl? She's the one the tree spirit loves?"

"Yes. And when Amadeus comes looking for her, we'll be ready." Dorian smiled. "He'll walk right into our trap."

"Good." Alaric sat back. "And what about my daughters? Did you see them?"

Dorian's smile got bigger. "Oh yes. I saw Raven. She's quite angry now that she knows you're her father. Do you regret it?”

"I did what I had to do," Alaric answered. But his voice sounded defensive. "Denessa should have loved me. She should have chosen me instead of that weak prince. She deserved what happened."

"Of course she did," Dorian agreed even though he didn't really care. "And now her daughter is bonded to another World Tree. History repeating itself. Isn't it wonderful?"

Alaric stood up from his throne. He walked to a table covered with maps. "How long until we can attack Grok?"

"Three days," Dorian answered. "I've been poisoning their land for months. Slowly destroying Olu's power bit by bit. Their crops are dying. Their water is turning bad. The people are getting sick. In three days, they'll be completely weak enough for us to attack."

"And King Liam?"

"Wounded and heartbroken. I destroyed his trust in everyone around him. He's weak now. Easy to defeat."

Alaric traced his finger across the map of Grok. "Once we take Grok, the other kingdoms will fall easily. No one will stop us."

"Exactly." Dorian walked to stand beside Alaric. "And once we control all the kingdoms, I'll give you what I promised. Eternal life. You'll rule forever."

Alaric's eyes glowed brighter with greed. "Forever. No more aging. No more weakness. Just power."

"Just power," Dorian repeated. But inside he was laughing.

He had no intention of giving Alaric eternal life. Once the king served his purpose, Dorian would destroy him too. Just like he destroyed everyone else.

Alaric was just another puppet. Another toy to play with.

"What about the World Tree?" Alaric asked. "Can you kill it?"

"Not while it's bonded to Raven," Dorian admitted. "The bond makes him stronger. But once we separate them, yes. I can kill Amadeus. Permanently this time. No coming back."

"Good." Alaric smiled. He felt satisfied that he was going to have everything he ever dreamed off. “ I want him to suffer.”

"He will suffer," Dorian promised. "I'll make sure of it."

A soldier entered the tent. His eyes were black like all the corrupted Darklings. "My lords. The troops are ready. We have five thousand corrupted Darklings. And three hundred human soldiers who serve under King Alaric."

"Five thousand plus, in total," Alaric said. "More than enough to crush Grok's weakened army."

"More than enough," Dorian agreed.

The soldier bowed and left.

Dorian walked over to Annie. She was still on her knees with the shadow covering her mouth. Tears ran down her face. Her eyes showed so much fear and anger.

"Don't worry," Dorian said in a fake kind voice. "We won't kill you. Not yet. We need you alive to draw out Amadeus. Though I can't promise we'll be gentle while we wait."

He snapped his fingers. Two corrupted Darkling soldiers came in.

"Take her to the prison tent," Dorian ordered. "Chain her up. No food. No water. Let her think about how her friend Raven will suffer when we destroy everything she loves. And oh, you can play with her but don't do more than yourself.”

The soldiers grabbed Annie and dragged her out. She tried to fight but she was too small and weak compared to trained Darklings that have been feeding on blood.

Once she was gone, Alaric turned to Dorian. "You're sure this will work? The World Tree is powerful."

"I've killed divine beings before," Dorian said calmly. "Amadeus is weakened. He used too much power healing that duchess. And he'll use even more power searching for his mate. By the time he finds us, he'll be exhausted. Easy to kill."

"And if he's not exhausted?"

Dorian pulled out a small black stone from his pocket. It glowed with dark red light. "This is a soul stone. Made from the crushed souls of a thousand people. It can trap divine power. Once I activate it, Amadeus won't be able to use his abilities. He'll be helpless."

Alaric looked at the stone with greed in his eyes. "Where did you get that?"

"I made it," Dorian answered. "Over many years. Collecting souls. Crushing them. Binding them together. It took centuries but it was worth it."

"You're truly a monster," Alaric said. But he sounded impressed, not scared.

"Thank you," Dorian said. "I try my best."

They both laughed.

Outside, the army continued preparing. Sharpening swords. Checking armor. Getting ready for war.

In three days, they would march on Grok. In three days, they would destroy King Liam's kingdom.

Meanwhile, in the prison tent, Annie sat chained to a post. The shadows had finally come off her mouth.

After the Darklings had tormented her to their heart's content, they did leave her alone.

Annie wanted to scream. To cry. To call for help. But she didn't.

Instead, she closed her eyes and thought about Amadeus. Tried to reach out to him or Raven through their connection but she just couldn't reach them.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to the empty tent. "I'm sorry I got caught. But I know you'll come for me. I know you won't give up."

She didn't know if Amadeus could hear her.

But she hoped. Because hope was all she had left.

Back in the main tent, Dorian looked at the maps one more time.

Everything was falling into place. Years of planning. Years of pretending were finally going to yield fruit.

Soon he would have his revenge on the world that rejected him.

On Denessa for not choosing him. On Amadeus for being a righteous brat.

"Three days," he said softly to himself. "In three days, the war begins."

He smiled. Because he loved war.

He loved watching people suffer. He loved destroying everything good and pure in the world.

That's what made him happy.