Reborn as the Last van Ambrose-Chapter 46: Grim Van Ambrose Has Fallen

The door to the small dwelling swung open, and Grim turned to see Cassius, Yongrun, and Dongmei entering. All three had their clothing ripped, minor wounds, and exhaustion from the battle.

"Grandfather," Grim said, rising from his seat. The bandage on his face pulled uncomfortably as he moved.

"Sit," Cassius ordered. "You need rest."

Chen Xing bowed to Yongrun. "Master, I've done what I could for his wound, but the darkness persists."

Yongrun nodded and approached Grim, studying the bandaged cut with narrowed eyes. "May I?" he asked, gesturing to the dressing.

When Grim nodded, Yongrun carefully unwrapped the bandage. The wound beneath had stopped bleeding, but black tendrils still traced beneath the skin around the edges, pulsing with a rhythm that didn't match Grim's heartbeat.

"Malaxis's energy," Yongrun said grimly. "It's trying to take root."

"Can you remove it?" Cassius asked, standing at his grandson's shoulder.

Yongrun shook his head. "Not completely. The wound will heal, but the darkness will leave its mark." He looked directly at Grim. "I'm sorry."

"It's just a scar," Grim said, though he knew it was more than that. He could feel the dark energy moving beneath his skin, it was cold and invasive.

"What happened after I... after Chen Xing brought me here?" Grim asked.

"Malaxis believed you died in the explosion," Dongmei explained, settling herself on a wooden stool. "Yongrun had prepared an option beforehand just in case."

"A corpse," Chen Xing clarified, his expression neutral. "Enhanced with fire mana to resemble you and dressed in clothes identical to yours. A contingency Master Yongrun insisted upon before we even entered the palace."

Grim looked at Yongrun with new understanding. "You expected something like this to happen."

"I expected trouble," Yongrun corrected. "Not Malaxis himself. After our training sessions with the Aurora Flash Sword Dao, I wondered if it might attract unwanted attention. When I felt that dark energy entering the palace tonight, I feared the worst."

"Malaxis retreated with his daughter Maeve to recover," Cassius continued. "They believed they'd succeeded in killing you. The last direct descendant of Caius with light affinity."

"So what happens now?" Grim asked, looking between the four adults.

"Now," Yongrun said, "you disappear. We leave the Empire tonight. You'll train with us until you're strong enough to face Malaxis."

"And how long will that take?"

"Years," Cassius said bluntly. "Perhaps many years."

"Years?" Grim repeated, the reality of his situation finally sinking in. "But my life, my—"

"Is over," Yongrun interrupted, not unkindly. "Grim Van Ambrose died tonight in the palace. For your safety and the safety of those you care about, that must be the truth as far as the world is concerned."

Grim fell silent, absorbing the weight of those words. Everyone he knew would believe he had died. Liona, the Empress, anyone Grim came into contact with would believe he died rather than simply vanish from their lives.

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"The techniques you used at the ball," Cassius said, changing the subject. "The Aurora Flash Sword Dao. They acted as a beacon to Malaxis. You can't use them again until you're much stronger."

"We should move soon," Dongmei interrupted, glancing out the small window. "Dawn is breaking, and people will be searching the city."

"Where are we going?" Grim asked.

"North," Yongrun said. "To the mountains beyond the Empire's borders. I have a sanctuary there."

Grim touched his face, feeling the alien pulse of Malaxis's energy beneath his skin. "And my father? Is there any way to save him?"

The four adults exchanged glances, none wanting to be the one to answer.

[I don't know, Grim,] the voice in his head said quietly. [Possession by a being like Malaxis... I've never known anyone to recover from it.]

"We'll try," Cassius finally said, placing a hand on Grim's shoulder. "But first, you must survive and grow stronger. One battle at a time."

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In the Imperial Palace, Empress Alexia sat on her throne, her expression carved from stone as she listened to reports of the destruction. The grand ballroom was in ruins, with dozens injured and parts of the eastern wing structurally unsound. Guards and healers moved through the debris, searching for survivors and assessing the damage.

Princess Liona stood at her mother's side, her face pale, her hands clasped tightly together to stop them from shaking. Chancellor Levenhart and Archmage Marcus flanked the throne, their expressions grave.

A disturbance at the entrance drew their attention. A small flame in the shape of a bird darted past the guards, flying directly to the Empress. It hovered before her, then expanded, forming a glowing sphere that pulsed.

"A message from Master Yongrun," Chancellor Levenhart observed.

The flame flickered, and Yongrun's voice emerged from it, clear and somber:

"Your Imperial Majesty, I bring grave news. The being known as Malaxis has returned, possessing the body of Rowan Van Ambrose. The young lord Grim Van Ambrose has fallen in the conflict. The darkness we long feared has reemerged."

The message delivered, the flame collapsed in on itself and vanished, leaving behind only a faint scent of burned pine.

Silence fell over the throne room. Empress Alexia's hand tightened on the armrest of her throne, her knuckles white. Beside her, Liona made a small, broken sound.

"Grim..." she whispered, her voice cracking. "No..."

"Liona...." Alexia began, reaching for her daughter.

But the princess had already turned and fled the throne room, her sobs echoing behind her.

Alexia bit her thumb hard enough to draw blood, her eyes fixed on the spot where the fiery messenger had been. "Malaxis," she said, the name like poison on her tongue.

"Your Majesty," Chancellor Levenhart said, stepping forward. "The immediate concern must be the safety of the palace and the stability of the Empire. Repairs must begin at once, and a statement prepared for the noble houses."

"And what should this statement say, Chancellor?" Alexia asked, her voice dangerously calm. "That an ancient darkness has possessed one of our lords and killed his son? That we are all in danger?"

"A controlled version of the truth," Levenhart suggested. "An accident during the ball. Lord Rowan Van Ambrose tragically lost control of an experimental technique, resulting in the death of his son and damage to the palace. He has fled in grief and shame."

"A lie," Alexia said flatly.

"A necessary one, Your Majesty," Marcus added. "Until we know more about what we're facing."

Alexia was silent for a long moment, her thoughts clearly elsewhere. Finally, she nodded. "See to the repairs, Chancellor. Prepare your statement. Double the palace guard and send word to our border outposts to be vigilant." She rose from her throne. "I must see to my daughter."