Grapevine (Zetheria Series #1)

Chapter 14: Flames of Destruction

Under his hood, Prince Reagan's ruby eyes ignited with a dark emotion. Fragments of memories he buried at the back of his mind resurfaced and so were the unpleasant feelings tied to them.

In the darkness, a deep voice resounded once more.

"Is this what you call your little revenge? Setting my village aflame?"

Prince Reagan remained standing, motionless. He did consider the possibility of running into Hadeon before invading the village, but the probability was too small, it was almost negligible.

Nevertheless, he had already stoned himself and was prepared years ago for their eventual reunion. Prince Reagan was no longer the same person. Hadeon seemed like an invincible being in the past. Even his mere presence made him tremble or cough up blood.

Thinking of all the hardships he went through, Prince Reagan refused to be taken over by his memories. Still, his knees trembled slightly.

It steadied at the next second and a smile formed on his face.

"Have you gone so weak now that you're stalling for time?"

His voice echoed eerily. His words were met with a chuckle that reverberated through his entire being.

Despite his unwavering composure, a battle was currently taking place on his mind. The cold embrace of the formless darkness paralyzed his body. It was as boundless as he remembered. Cold, imposing and unassailable. It always felt that way. It brought him hopelessness and powerlessness. Those were the days when he had nothing. Even he couldn't rely on himself. It was like a cold reminder of how weak and insignificant he once was.

Prince Reagan had been subjected to this power many times. He had not been slacking all these years. At this moment, he can finally rely on himself.

In reality, only a few seconds passed. He wordlessly brandished his sword as furious flames engulfed his entire body. The darkness receded for a bit, just enough so that Prince Reagan could see his immediate vicinity. If Hadeon attacked, he would be able to notice it two meters before he reached him.

A shiver ran down his spine. Despite his preparations and his painstaking efforts to improve his powers, he still felt as if all of it didn't amount to anything.

What he had dreamed of was to completely overpower him. But, alas reality is different.

Sharpening his senses, Prince Reagan'a eyes widened. A dark smoke emerged in his vision. Before he could cast a protective spell, it clashed on him like a speeding train.

---

Selene almost stumbled when a sense of wrongness creeped into her system. The oppressive mana blew to their direction and it was stronger than before. It felt as though something was taken from her.

She had not realized it before. But, the oppressive mana was actually taking away the natural mana all around, making the surroundings feel empty and barren.

"This is..."

Dale was in a sorry state. His pale figure trembled uncontrollably as Selene held his arm.

Right at this moment, a huge explosion boomed through the air, followed by a scream.

Selene turned to the origin of the sound. Dragging the paralyzed Dale, she walked towards a burning hut. It was especially noticeable because of how huge the flames were compared to other places.

From afar, Selene could make out the figure of a running girl who had shoulder-length hair.

Noticing them, the girl stopped and turned around.