Fate II

CCXXIV

Blood splattered on the floor onto the polished wooden floor, staining the wood a deep crimson as the blood continued to drip. But, there were no cries of horror or surprise but rather, a single chuckle echoed in the dark, musty room where only a few rays of sunlight filtered in. Sitting on the floor in her crumpled white nightgown, her maroon pink hair in a tangled, curly mess, it was hard to believe that this was the woman who was the Royal Concubine and the woman who was once a renowned General of the Kou Empire.

"It's been taxing on the body but, it's a fair price," she grinned, wiping the blood from her mouth. "Three months," she sat there alone, her once bright eyes now dark with malicious intent. "After three months, it's finally complete."

The ancient spell that she had cast continued to sit underneath the Soleil Palace even after its expansion. To accommodate for the expansion, she had also widened the area of the spell to encompass everything, placing a larger burden on her body which no longer had any affinity for the rukh. But, with the pure, concentrated magoi that Kouen had given her to use as a final form of protection, she was able to materialize what should have been impossible.

"I really," a tear rolled down her face, a grin of both delight and despair upon her lips, "really wish you were dead."

Cracked lines ran up across her extremities and widening her eyes, she felt the intense pressure of the magic. Had it been her magoi alone, she would never be able to bear it or create the spell in the first place. Clutching her chest, she gripped at the floor as she felt the price be paid. The separate link to the curse that she placed on Lucy may have been removed but, as long as the spell surrounding the Soleil Palace was activated, then it didn't matter. Starting from her limbs, she could feel them becoming heavy like lead as they slowly chipped off like pieces of rubble.

"This is all worth it."

With no warning, the grounds of the Royal Palace shook violently. The servants immediately rushed to a place of safety as the guards guided them all to the safest place while keeping watch for any signs of what was going on as they were trained to do. Sinbad, his Generals, and the officials all immediately stood up, their morning audience interrupted by the sudden violent quaking of the earth.

"Ja'far, Hinahoho, Sharrkan, Spartos, Pisti! Lead the officials to safety!"

"Yes, my King!"

"Drakon, Yamraiha!"

"Already on it!" the two left the White Capricorn Tower and went to investigate the cause of it all.

Sensing the sudden magic, the Retainers were immediately put on guard, the ground beneath them slowly giving away. Narrowing their eyes, they immediately floated upwards to the sky, and surveying their surroundings from the sky, they noticed that the entire land itself was shaking. But, it was no earthquake. Feeling the immense magoi and the flow of the rukh mixed with black rukh, their hearts sank deep down into their stomach. There, near Yggdrasil, was the Soleil Palace engulfed in a torrent of black rukh. A large crimson magic circle opened up beneath the entirety of the Soleil Palace, surrounding the entire Main Palace where Lucy resided. The sheer pressure and force of the magic itself blasted them back from their position but, what they saw next sent a shiver down their spines.

"Lucy-sama!" Tomoyo widened her eyes and yelled desperately, the tears welling up in her eyes as they fell from her face.

A dark, ominous yet powerful light shot up towards the sky, and Yggdrasil, who was desperately trying to fend off the ancient spell, was forced back. In the next moment, explosions sounded as the entire Soleil Palace slowly began collapsing piece by piece, the rubbles that used to be the walls and windows of the Palace soon falling to the ground and burying everything beneath it. Everything in that instant went up in flames as smoke swept through the entire Royal Palace due to the collapse of Soleil Palace. Sinbad, who watched from the White Capricorn Tower, slowly widened his eyes as he felt his entire world go dark, his heart no longer beating as dread and an overwhelming sense of fear crept into every inch of his body.