Chapter 16

What's the meaning of this?" An elder's voice reverberated through the chamber, a thunderous inquiry that cut through the air thick with tension and bewilderment. The assembly, led back into the palace's refuge, converged in the solemn confines of the king's deliberation room. A tapestry of concerns woven from threads of confusion draped over each member.

"What were those things?" the king demanded, his gaze an unwavering beacon searching for clarity.

"Hellhounds," Devin replied in a single word.

"How on earth did Hellhounds get into the palace?" Gambit questioned, the disbelief evident in his voice.The palace was boasted to be the safest and most secure place but the hellhounds had headed straight there.

"Hellhounds don't just attack. Especially a place as secure as the palace. Something must have attracted them here," one of the men asserted, his tone an undercurrent of speculation and concern.

"What kind were they?" queried another, the thirst for details driving the urgency in the room.

"Barghest. The lowest of them," a knight responded, his words dripping with a somber acknowledgment of the gravity of the situation.

The barghest were the lowest in the train of hellhounds. They were mostly sent on missions.

"Hellhounds aren't entities easily subdued, not with their relentless speed and formidable abilities. Yet, you managed to return swiftly after suppressing them," Gambit voiced.

"We didn't." Devin responded lightly.

"We just had everyone moved into the inner halls." He stated. The men looked alarmed.

"The Second Prince is outside with them," Devin added with nonchalant confidence, a testament to the unwavering trust in the prowess of their royal leader.

"Him alone? Won't he need help?" A note of concern slipped through the words of another elder, his tone tinged with doubt.

"You underestimate the prince's abilities," retorted one of Damon's knights, the defense reflecting a clear offense at the implication of their leader's potential inadequacy. He wasn't called the Prince of destruction for nothing.

It was clear he was about to shift to his wolf.

When Damon's wolf took charge, a storm of destruction followed—a moment when any within proximity to him risked becoming prey. Recognizing this, his loyal Knights exercised a prudent restraint, allowing the transformation to unfold without interference.

"Hellhounds haven't been seen for almost a centuries now," Aiden, the crown prince, stated, his voice carrying a hint of anxiousness

."Why now?" he asked, turning to Devin for answers.

"This is not the very first appearance, Your Highness," Devin replied with a measured calmness. "The first time we spotted one was over a month ago. But the appearances have become a lot more frequent recently. No one would have imagined they would head for the palace."

"This must have something to do with that Demon Prince. Just a day after his return, and he brings in the devil's dogs to Nightfall," a clan leader spat spitefully, attributing the unfortunate events to a malevolent force.

Devin let out an exasperated sigh, casting an angry look at the man who seemed quick to assign blame.

"We need to get ready. This might be an all-out war. Barghest were sent this time. Next time it might be worse," Devin stated, the gravity of the situation reflected in his words.

"Well, it's a good thing we have the Second Prince," another voiced, relief evident in the acknowledgment. The despised prince, it seemed, held a crucial role in their defense against the serious threats.

"Leave. All of you. Send for the leaders of other kingdoms.

The King's authoritative command echoed through the room, a call for solitude amid the pressing uncertainties that hung in the air like an ominous cloud. The gathered elders made their way out along with the knights leaving the king alone.

The other King's that had been sent were already positioned at the door of the deliberation room eager to meet with the high king.

King Harry of the Northern Kingdom broke the tension with a chuckle that seemed incongruent with the severity of the situation. "Hellhounds suddenly appear at a ball. A unification one at that," he remarked, a hint of irony lacing his words. The levity in his tone, however, did little to dispel the gravity of the predicament they faced.

Following King Harry, five other leaders entered the room, each carrying the weight of their respective kingdoms on their shoulders.

Amid the arrivals, another leader voiced the pervasive rumors that had woven their way into the fabric of the discussion. "There are rumors that the Second Prince is the reason why they showed up at the palace, Your Majesty," the leader stated, injecting an undercurrent of suspicion into the deliberations.

"The same prince that's fighting alone outside right now?" Another leader expressed disbelief, questioning the alleged connection between the Second Prince and the sudden appearance of the hellhounds.

"He may be fighting against them now. But do you all really believe he has nothing to do with why they returned?" the leader continued, urging the assembly to consider the potential link between the prince's return and the resurgence of the menacing creatures. "Those things are clearly here for something. I mean, the prince just returns, and hellhounds come back with him?! It is quite clear, Kronos has something to do with it," the leader asserted, casting a shadow of suspicion over the prince's role in the unfolding crisis. The room now brimmed with tension, as the leaders grappled with the intricate web of connections between the unification ball, the prince's return, and the menacing presence of the hellhounds.

Suddenly the grandiose doors of the court swung open with a resounding bang, announcing Damon's entrance. Shirtless, he exuded an air of both menace and urgency, his sculpted physique illuminated by the dim light of the chamber. His dark mask, askew on one side of his face, added an enigmatic aura to his already imposing presence.

The head of beheaded hound attached to his arm as he made his way through.

As he advanced, a chilling silence fell upon the court, broken only by the haunting echo of each step and the trail of blood marking his tumultuous path. The Kings initially frozen in awe, found their voices in uncertain protests.

"What's the meaning of this? You dare to interrupt court proceedings?" one of the King's demanded his voice trembling with apprehension. Damon, however, remained stoic, ignoring the questions that echoed through the hall. His gaze unwavering, he pressed on until he reached the front of the regal throne where the king of Nightfall sat.

"We have a problem, Sire," he declared, the weight of his words accentuated by the intensity of his gaze and the blood that stained his path. The once regal atmosphere of the court now buzzed with tension as Damon presented the gravity of the situation before the King's and their various kingdoms.