Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder-Chapter 1704 - 146 : A Dark Reign’s End

*Briella*

Kryzen wasted no time in conjuring up another vibrant purple blade. This one glowed brilliantly and threateningly as he pointed it at Malphas. “Your son never should have existed in the first place,” he seethed at Malphas, placing a mocking emphasis on the word “son.”

I winced, not quite agreeing wholeheartedly with that statement, but nothing could be done now. I had to remind myself that the Tian that should have existed had died even before he was born. All I had done was destroy a piece of Malphas.

I could never regret that action considering everything Malphas had put both my grandmother and my mother through.

Malphas jolted at Kryzen’s words and then bared his pointed white teeth, the contrast of them frightening against his gray skin. His eyes met mine. “I was being merciful by having you marry my son,” he said. “He would have made a fine husband and bound with you extravagantly during the ritual. But now, you’ve left me no choice but to take matters into my own hands.”

My heart seemed to stop beating when I felt the familiar energy take over my body. I was wrenched away from Kryzen by an invisible dark force and pulled over to where Malphas was.

“Let her go!” Kryzen roared. He grabbed my arm and attempted to pull me back to him, but the force was too great. My body continued to careen toward Malphas, who caught me in his arms.

I cried out and tried to resist, but the invisible binds were like steel against my limbs. I was completely helpless. It took me a moment to realize that Malphas was dragging me over to the ritual well. He held me over the edge so that I could see the seemingly endless darkness.

“You could have been bound to Tian, my dear girl,” he said, tightening his hold on me. “But now you will be bound to me for your insolence. I hope this teaches you never to disobey me again.”

Malphas pushed my body against the side of the well so hard that my feet were dangling off the ground. The side of the well dug into my stomach, taking the breath out of me. I couldn’t even scream as I stared into the darkness that was now starting to glow a menacing red.

“As the king of this realm, I command that you release her at once!”

Malphas froze at the sound of Kryzen’s voice. His grip remained tight on me, but his head turned slowly to regard my furious husband.

Although my limbs were completely under Malphas’ control, I found that I was able to lift my head. Malphas dropped his arms from around me and stalked slowly over to Kryzen, who was standing there menacingly with his blade outstretched.

“You dare to call yourself a king?” Malphas hissed, his power crackling in his palms. “You are nothing but an insolent brat. What would a child know of ruling an entire realm?”

“Kryzen, don’t!” I cried, realizing what my mate was doing. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

He knew very well that what Malphas wanted more than anything was control of Embervale. He was using Malphas’ wish as a distraction, leading him away from me to save me.

Kryzen ignored me and kept his eyes on Malphas, dropping casually into a fighting stance. “I might be young, but I am still much more capable than you are,” Kryzen said, seeping the mockery into his tone.

Malphas’ eyes glinted. The blood red in his orbs darkened a moment later. “Why don’t you demonstrate just how much more capable you are then, boy?”

Kryzen smirked. “I would be honored to.”

I thrashed against my invisible binds as the two started to brawl, lunging at one another with their glowing weapons poised in front of them.

Malphas wasn’t holding back as he shot beams of shadowy energy from his palms, causing them to crackle and burn toward my mate. Kryzen narrowed his eyes for a moment before dodging swiftly, extending his glittering blade at the demon lord, who easily moved away.

I was completely helpless and could do nothing but watch as Kryzen narrowly dodged Malphas’ attacks. Meanwhile, the well started to moan as if in anticipation of tasting my flesh. I tried to wiggle away but couldn’t move a single inch.

Malphas didn’t seem to be slowing in the slightest as he continued to shoot attacks at Kryzen. “I should be the one who possesses the title of king of Embervale!” he yelled, his hands shaking angrily. “Instead, the title was given to a child, an insolent boy with not a drop of royalty! Your end was always meant to be, except I will be the one to rise up out of your ashes!”

Malphas’ anger was palpable in each strike. Kryzen had to stay on the defensive, dodging while trying to block incoming blasts. His jaw clenched as he realized that he didn’t have the upper hand.

With a growl, Kryzen’s body shook before he shifted into his wolf form. Despite our situation, I was momentarily awestruck by the sudden appearance of my mate’s strong counterpart. I had only seen his wolf a handful of times. They had always been dire situations like this one, so there was hardly any time to appreciate his thick muscles and graceful movements.

Kryzen snarled and dodged a couple of coming strikes before diving at Malphas, taking the demon lord completely by surprise and sending them both onto the ground.

It was an impressive sight. Malphas was large but looked like a child compared to Kryzen’s strong form. As the two rolled, Malphas was able to keep Kryzen from snapping at his neck, shoving at his large clawed paws.

I tried to focus my powers against the binds. I needed to help Kryzen. I tried to drown out the sounds of their brawl, bringing my energy to my limbs where the dark magic held my arms and legs down.

“Don’t you worry,” Malphas chuckled darkly, causing me to look up.

I gasped. He had Kryzen suspended above his head. Dark shadows surrounded my mate, causing him to be completely immobile.

“Malphas, don’t!” I begged desperately.

Kryzen snarled and writhed in the shadowy binds, not looking the least bit afraid. He was just livid, his gray eyes flashing as he stared heatedly at Malphas, who seemed almost bored as he looked at Kryzen.

“I would have let you live if you had just done your part and left Briella to me,” Malphas said, shaking his head as if Kryzen was a naughty child. “Instead, you insisted on angering me further. Well, I hope it was worth it, Your Majesty.”

“No!” I screamed as Malphas wrapped his large hand around Kryzen’s fluffy throat, his thick fingers digging into his fur. A loud crackling sound exploded as Malphas shot dark energy straight into Kryzen, causing him to go limp. His dark eyes rolled back into his head.

I cried out, and a rush of energy shot through me. It took me a moment to realize it wasn’t Malphas attacking me. The burning in my veins was from within me. I felt the invisible binds melt away and immediately shoved myself away from the well, charging at Malphas with the edges of my vision tinted red.

I moved with surprising speed considering that I was still in the floor-length wedding gown. I slid my hand beneath the skirt, snatching the Embervalean dagger that had been hiding against my thigh since my arrival.

Malphas’ eyes focused on the dagger as I swung it through the air right at his face. He narrowed his eyes and easily snagged my wrist, his fingers overlapping around my arm. He was studying the hilt of the dagger. I quickly swung my legs up toward the arm holding me hostage, shooting as much energy as I could into my small but deadly blade.

Malphas just chuckled and grabbed onto the hilt just above my hand. “Do you think you’re going to defeat me with this little thing?” he cooed down at me. “It might have special properties, but it is no match for me.”

I gasped in outrage as my body was again taken over. My fingers uncurled off of the blade seemingly on their own. I watched in horror as Malphas held it high above my head, studying it carefully before it exploded in his palm, the little pieces raining down like little stars.

I gritted my teeth, lunging at his face, but he just tightened his hold on me, holding me away from his body and looking down at me. “I’ve given you many chances to obey me, Briella,” he said like an angry schoolteacher. “You will learn to obey me, unlike your mother and grandmother. Your insolent reign ends here.”

I hung helplessly from Malphas’ arm like a little ragdoll. I ground my teeth together, searching for the power within me but nothing came up empty. The Embervale dagger had been key to harnessing my ability. With panic rising, I could no longer feel my power.

I was just about to resign myself to this fate, praying to the Goddess that Emberly would be well cared for without Kryzen and me, wishing I could see her one last time.

That was when I felt a spark behind me, followed by a warm, familiar glow. I turned my head, realizing that it was coming from my unconscious mate.

The warmth quickly turned into a delicious burn as it seeped into my toes and up the rest of my body. I gasped at the sensation, realizing what was happening.

Even though he clearly wasn’t awake, Kryzen was lending me his energy, acting as the spark I needed to get my powers going. It was then that I truly understood what my mother once told me well over a year now.

She said that my bond with Kryzen would be my greatest weapon. I had assumed she was speaking metaphorically at the time and that my mate would give me the motivation I needed to become more powerful. But Kryzen was literally my weapon, equipping me with what I needed to pull through challenges.

In this case, it was to defeat a sick demon lord.

I glared up at Malphas hatefully, trying to make it look like I was still frightened and helpless. “I will never obey you,” I told him. “And one of the many reasons no one in my family would is because you are not worthy of respect. You are a cruel dictator who was always destined to fall.”

Malphas clenched his jaw but then chuckled. “That is big talk for a little girl who is hanging quite literally within my clutches.”

As I felt energy surge through me, I couldn’t help but smirk up at him. I raised my free hand, slowly and deliberately, until it was right in his face. “Your reign is the one that is over,” I said.

And then I unleashed everything I had upon the dark lord. I thought about my mother and grandmother, avenging them both as a bright white light poured from the palm of my hand and completely encased Malphas in a blinding inferno.

Shoving my power at him was different from doing so against Tian or one of the other possessed. There was no resistance. It was as if Malphas was born from darkness itself. His cries were guttural and primal as he melted away, leaving nothing behind as the light slowly faded away.

This time, I knew he wasn’t coming back.

I turned and cried out when I saw Kryzen’s still form. I rushed over to him, falling to my knees beside him and pressing my face into his fur. I nearly passed out with relief when I heard a steady heartbeat beneath his thick black coat.

“Briella!”

I lifted my head, shocked to see black dots forming around Drius’ face. The last thing I remembered was feeling my best friend’s hand gripping my shoulders before my consciousness faded away into nothingness.