A Peacock Husband of Five Princesses by day, a Noble Assassin by Night-Chapter 72: The Zurin Trials (1/3)

Seraphina once again lost her composure because of his comment. It felt like an insult to her and her dynasty as they worshiped it because the necklace is a Deity’s personal item. "Mind your tone, Gabriel. Remember where you are before running off your mouth like that." At that moment, she neither cared whether Gabriel was a Tier-9 nor her personality that always advocates peace. She seemed prepared to fight with him.

"Seraphina, please..." Kael knew the importance of the necklace to the imperial family, but if he had to be honest, he also considered those things as nothing more than myths.

After all, the Queen herself was a heavenly beauty capable of charming any man, even at her current age of 49. Since long ago, Elyria possessed gold deposits all over the Queendom. No wonder the ruling dynasties were always rich. Last but not least, Kael doesn’t personally believe in divination or even fate, for that matter.

In his eyes, it was just some old relic with a cultural value. But, as Seraphina’s husband, he had to side with her. The problem is that this stranger was a Supreme Being. If a fight starts here, his secret will be out. Hence, Kael was prepared to swiftly knock out his wife in case of a battle.

Fortunately for him, Gabriel didn’t get offended by her words. Instead, he simply backed away with a smile, controlling the flow of the conversation. "Whatever you think, Princess, isn’t the truth and simply a half-hearted myth that was created by your ancestors. The thing is..." He paused, thought about what had transpired a moment ago when he was embarrassed, and corrected his tone. "Anyway, it doesn’t matter what you think or what I think. Bring a Zurin’s treasure or Elyria’s treasure; my price for the information remains the same. A celestial treasure in exchange for your sister’s whereabouts and, as promised, an additional 10 million gold coins. As a leap of faith, I will tell you a piece of information about your sister. She is imprisoned in this very Queendom."

"In Elyria?" Kael’s gaze narrowed, absorbing Gabriel’s words like a sponge, his thoughts swirling in a dangerous storm. Mia was still in Elyria. That was news he hadn’t expected. His sister hadn’t left the Queendom after all, and that gave him some measure of hope.

"You are being unreasonable to ask for such treasures in case of mere information," Seraphina said, her voice sharp.

However, before Gabriel spoke, Kael opened his mouth, his fists clenching tightly. "I’ll try my best." He said, his voice cold but resolute. After a brief pause, he added. "But when I do, you better hold up end of the deal, Gabriel."

Seraphina was taken back and gazed at her husband, widening her eyes. "Kael… you…"

Gabriel nodded slowly, his gaze shifting as though contemplating something far deeper. "You have my word. Whether you retrieve the sword from the tower or give me Elyria’s treasure, I’ll tell you everything you need to know. With Queen’s support, you can then free her."

Kael’s mind was already racing. The Sword of Zurin—his next objective. If he isn’t successful, he will have to use everything he has to capture Gabriel, even though it is against his principles.

He exhaled slowly, his gaze never leaving the man’s face. "I’ll be back for you," he muttered, then turned away. No more words were needed. Seraphina, as always, understood the silence between them.

Gabriel simply watched them leaving, his enigmatic smile never faltering. "I’ll be waiting, Kael Moonstone."

But once they left his sight, his smile disappeared, and he muttered seriously. "Okay, the bait is now being thrown into the waters. I wait for the fishes."

They made their way out of the treehouse, Kael’s boots silent on the wooden floors. The shadows from the setting sun stretched long over their path, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Seraphina’s hand brushed his arm briefly, a subtle gesture that grounded him in the present. He nodded at her.

Once outside, they were met with the familiar glow of the valley. Laura, waiting by the entrance, looked up from the horizon. Her face was one of curiosity, but Seraphina spoke before she could ask. "We don’t have time to explain. The entrance is already open."

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"Let’s go," Kael replied, his lips turning into a smile.

As Kael and his companions made their way towards the dock where a small fleet of ships awaited them, they noticed the growing number of adventurers preparing to cross the lake toward the island.

Some were armed to the teeth, others carrying magical artifacts, while a few seemed to be traveling in light attires—relying more on their speed perhaps.

The water of Lake Eldreich shimmered under the pale light of the sun, its surface still and quiet despite the bustling crowd. The island in the distance beckoned, the massive tower looming like an unreachable goal.

Kael stepped onto one of the boats, his thoughts focused on the challenge ahead. He knew the risks—the tower was designed to test not just physical prowess but also intellect, cunning, and perseverance. He wasn’t alone, but he didn’t intend to make allies during this trial either. This was something he had to do on his own.

As the boat pushed away from the shore, the distant sound of waves lapping against the hull was the only noise that accompanied them. Kael’s mind raced with calculations, his body already alert. He had trained for years and honed his skills, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that this tower might be unlike anything he had faced before.

The journey to the island would take time, and as they neared the foot of the hill, the tower loomed larger, casting its long shadow across the water.

"Do you think you’ll be able to do it?" Seraphina asked Kael, her voice carrying a quiet but deep thought.

Before Kael answered her, Laura glanced back at her, her expression unreadable. "If I had to quote some historians, expect the unexpected," she said simply.

Kael: "..."

The boat rocked gently as it cut through the dark waters, Kael’s mind still spinning with the encounter in the treehouse. Seraphina and Laura sat beside him, their faces set in determination. The island loomed ahead, the swirling mist around it almost a warning.

Kael didn’t speak much, his eyes narrowing as they approached the stone steps that led to the portal. He felt the pull even before they reached it. The magic was thick here, ancient and unfamiliar.

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"Dear..." Laura went on grabbing his hand as they stepped into the portal together. The others followed one by one.

As Kael stepped inside, he no longer felt his wife’s hand in his, the light around him distorting like a fluid wave. Kael stumbled. A sharp twist of magic separated him from the others, transporting him elsewhere.

The sudden silence was deafening.

Kael’s heart raced as his surroundings materialized. He was no longer on the island.

Instead, he found himself alone in a vast, dimly lit chamber. The air was thick, heavy with centuries of dust and secrets. In the center of the room, there was a pedestal—unassuming, almost like it didn’t belong here. But the object resting on it made Kael’s breath catch in his throat.

It’s a sword.

And Kael didn’t have to appraise it to know what sword it is and was well skilled enough to know that it wasn’t an illusion. "The Sword of Zurin." He mumbled, his eyes widening in surprise.

It was just... there. Embedded deep in the stone as though waiting. Kael’s mind scrambled to process the sight. "How? Aren’t there like trials to obtain it? Instead, I was directly taken to the sword. Am I really fated?" He couldn’t help but wonder. The shock was just unimaginable for him.

A whisper then broke through the silence, soft at first, like a distant murmur.

"Welcome, O fated one. The holder of primordial darkness."

The words rang in his ears as if the sword was speaking directly to him.

"I was waiting for you," the voice continued, softer now, almost coaxing.

Kael’s pulse quickened.

He wasn’t sure what he was hearing, but it felt quite familiar. He couldn’t help but remember that memory when he was called out by the black cat. It was just as enticing as back then. Kael was naturally hesitant.

"Come," it whispered again, "Release me."

This time, as if it had a hypnotic effect on him, his body moved on his own as his gaze became a bit blurry.

He took a step forward, almost without thinking, his hand reaching toward the hilt. But just as his fingers brushed against the cold metal, something held him back—some instinct that told him this moment wasn’t as simple as it seemed.

"Not yet," he muttered under his breath, fighting the strange compulsion rising within him.

But the whispers didn’t stop. Instead, they grew louder and louder.

Kael managed to resist the temptation and instead backed away from the sword, sitting cross-legged on the floor. He closed his eyes and meditated as the whispers tried to haunt him like a ghost.

"Fated One, I have been waiting for you for millennia. Come and claim my power." "I will give you the power you cannot imagine." "I’m the most powerful weapon ever to be created by a human. "Accept my power, and you can rule the world."

Kael’s whole body started shivering. It was as if the body was screaming at him to stop resisting and claim the sword of Zurin. But Kael stayed put and tightly shut his ears; the voices slowly started growing distant and eventually faded away.

As the last bit of whisper was gone from his head, the air around him suddenly grew colder. The shadows in the room thickened, and before he could even blink, a figure materialized before him.

Kael opened his eyes abruptly.

His eyes widened, recognizing the figure.

It is him.