The Princess of Wrath

Chapter 15 - Part I: The Throne of Conquerors

Roland Casimir was not the type of person who shoots first and asks questions later. He was not the type of man who solved problems with violence and brutality, at least without a second thought.

He was a scholar of knowledge; the most powerful weapon in his arsenal was his brain, and up to two days ago that philosophy had worked wonders for him for nearly forty years. He could accept unforeseen consequences while developing his plans and achieving goals. Even if it damages the integrity of his pride, he was able to accept that Royce Baldur and Amos Caius Loren had been smarter and more cunning than he. Up to a point... Even he had admiration for them.

But when it came to Diana Belmont, his tolerance and principles were put to test in an unprecedented way.

She was the most unpredictable and eccentric person he had ever met in his entire life. Had he ever worked with unpredictable people? The answer was yes. Had he ever worked with eccentric people? Charismatic? Ruthless? The answers were also yes.

But never with someone like her. Had he known, he would have never done it or accepted it. But it was too late for him when he came to know his associate as she was: Diana Belmont was a depraved and twisted psychopath; a bullet in the dark capable of hitting anyone, including himself.

Roland cursed her name every day, as if she were a chronic pain that could not be eliminated; there was not a day when he did not think about the fantasy of turning her into a radioactive amalgam of decaying atoms and erasing traces of her existence down to the smallest speck of matter.

Only in the last month she had shown a "change" that managed to completely fool him... And now, for trusting a lunatic like her, he and all of humanity were going to pay the price.

"If it weren't because I need her, I'd have killed her long ago," the Alchemist spat out in a growl, feeling the cold interior wind against his hot face as he hurried along the lighted main hall of the central building of the Keep. Even his strong grip on his electromagnetic cane made it emit electrical discharges not stop that ionized the air around him. "That damn bitch...!"

"Please, Professor, don't go!" Ada's worried cry echoed in the main hall, drawing the attention of the Specters guarding the doors. She was following him closely from behind. "The screams that came from inside the Hall of the Throne...!"

"Shut your mouth and go get Councillor Walker and medical supplies, RIGHT NOW!" Roland's roar made the young apprentice stop on her tracks and she instantly started running down the opposite path, straight for the Bastion of the Wraiths. "Shit! Everything is getting out of control because of that madwoman..."

"This Diana Belmont sounds like someone very problematic," the blind man accompanying him told him, walking in a straight line alongside Roland without needing any help from him.

"She is worse than that. I appreciate your help, Alexandros," he told the Warlord, who had offered to accompany him after the meeting was concluded alongside Ada's sudden arrival with information about what was happening in the Hall of the Throne.

"Anything for a colleague, but more than anything for the succulent offer you have offered to me and my...rivals. I believe in you, but it's logical that the others are right with their doubts: how do you plan to fulfill what you promised?" Alexandros asked him at the same time that the Wraiths opened the doors and allowed them to pass. The blind man carried his black book hugged to his chest, severely burning his fingers with that dark substance that emanated from the dark cover. "Something like that can only be granted by someone with the power of the Empress."

"Which I'll own shortly, as long as that Belmont bitch didn't commit magnicide. Fuck... Fuck!" In a fit of fury, Roland pushed a priceless bust of Emperor Kain that decorated the hallway, knocking it to the ground and smashing it to pieces.