Chapter 13 CHAPTER 13: The Broken Heir
CHAPTER 13: The Broken Heir
Darkness, that was all I could see, no light, and no sound.
No system anymore
Nothing. For the first time since my second life began, the familiar blue windows were gone.
The silence felt wrong, it was empty, lonely, pain n drifted through my body in slow waves.
Every of my breath burned every of my heartbeat felt distant.
Somewhere far away, voices sounded loud
"Is he still alive?" "I think so." "Careful!" "He lost too much blood."
The voices sounded muffled, like they were underwater. I tried to open my eyes, nothing happened.
My body refused to listen. Fragments of memory flashed through my mind.
The Crimson Monarch, the shattered barriers and the destroyed academy.
Lyra screaming my name, the system breaking apart.
Goodbye, the final message appeared in my memory again.
Goodbye, something inside me broke all over again.
The system had been my guide, my weapon, my secret.
My second chance. And now it was gone. I wanted to scream.Instead, darkness swallowed me again.
When I woke up next, sunlight touched my face.My eyelids slowly opened, with white ceiling, stone walls and a healing room.
The academy infirmary, for several seconds, I simply stared upward. I was still alive, the door suddenly opened.
Mira rushed inside. The moment she saw my eyes open, tears filled hers.
"ROWAN!" Before I could react, she threw her arms around me.
Pain exploded through my ribs. I almost screamed.
"M-Mira..." She immediately pulled back. "S-Sorry!"
Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. "You idiot!" Her voice trembled.
"You absolute idiot!" I managed a weak smile. "Nice to see you too." She laughed and cried at the same time.
The sound hurt my chest. Not because of injuries.
Because it reminded me how close I came to dying. For several moments, neither of us spoke.
Then I asked the question I already knew the answer to.
"Lyra?" The room became silent. Mira lowered her head. My stomach twisted.
"Gone." One word. That was all. The Crimson Monarch had taken her, taken hundreds of students and taken countless lives.
And nobody could stop him, not the professors not the Headmaster and not even me.
I clenched my fists. Immediately pain shot through my arms.
My body was barely holding together. But physical pain meant nothing.
Compared to failure. "I failed." Mira looked up instantly.
"No." "I couldn't save her." "You couldn't stop him."
"I should have tried harder." Her eyes narrowed. "Rowan."
I looked away. She grabbed my hand "You fought a monster that destroyed the academy with a single spell."
Her voice shook. "You survived something no one else could."
I remained silent. Because deep down... It didn't matter. Lyra was still gone.
Three days passed, the academy looked like a graveyard, the entire buildings had collapsed several dormitories were gone.
The training grounds had become ruins, students moved quietly through the campus.
Many were injured, many were mourning, many lost friends, some had lost family, the atmosphere felt heavy.
Even the professors looked exhausted. The Imperial Academy had never suffered a defeat like this before.
Everywhere I looked, I saw fear, fear of the Crimson Monarch fear of the future.
The worst part? They were right to be afraid. Because I knew something nobody else knew.
The Crimson Monarch wasn't finished, that evening I sat alone near the destroyed training field.
The sunset painted the sky orange, for a moment, everything seemed peaceful.
My mind wasn't at rest, something felt wrong. A familiar feeling. Like someone watching me.
I slowly stood, the ruined field was still empty and there was no students, and nobody, yet the feeling remained.
Wolf Sense activated automatically. Immediately danger exploded inside my mind.
Behind me. I turned, but it was too late, A dark presence emerged from the shadows, then another, Five, Ten Twenty.
Dark mages. My blood froze. Scorpion stepped forward. The assassin smiled.
"Miss me?" Rage exploded inside me. "You." Scorpion laughed.
" You're still alive." I immediately prepared to fight. Then my stomach dropped.
My body refused. The injuries from the Crimson Monarch hadn't healed. Not even close.
Scorpion noticed instantly. His smile widened. "Oh." Realization filled his eyes.
"You're weak." The dark mages laughed. I took a step backward.
This was bad, very bad, the system is gone now and I'm so weak, then two familiar faces appeared behind them.
My blood turned cold. Lucas and his dad Cedric Both academy nobles.
Both smiling. Lucas clapped slowly. "Impressive." Cedric laughed. "Surviving the Crimson Monarch."
I stared at them. "What are you doing?" Lucas grinned.
"Getting promoted." Something about his expression felt wrong.
Almost fanatical. Like a cultist. Like someone who had already lost his mind.
Scorpion folded his arms. "The Crimson Monarch noticed you."
A chill ran through me. "And now? Cedric smiled.
"Now we deliver you." I immediately activated Cheetah Speed.
Nothing happened My eyes widened. A dark chain wrapped around my ankle.
Then another. Then another. Ancient runes glowed across them.
Suppression chains. My abilities vanished instantly. Panic exploded inside me.
Scorpion moved like lightning. His fist crashed into my stomach.
Pain erupted through my body. I dropped to one knee. Lucas kicked me across the face.
Blood filled my mouth. The dark mages surrounded me.
Dozens of spells appeared. All aimed at me. I tried standing.
Another spell slammed into my chest. The world spun. The injuries from the Crimson Monarch reopened.
Blood stained the ground. Scorpion crouched beside me. "You should have stayed unconscious."
I glared at him. "Go to hell." He laughed. Then drove his knee into my ribs.
Something cracked. Agony exploded through my body. The dark mages grabbed my arms.
I struggled. It didn't matter. There were too many. Far too many.
Cedric approached slowly. "You know..." He smiled.
"I always hated you." Lucas nodded. "The teachers praised you."
"The students admired you." "The Headmaster protected you."
Their expressions twisted with jealousy, with resentment and with hatred.
And suddenly I understood. This wasn't just about the Crimson Monarch.
This was personal, very personal. Scorpion grabbed my hair.
Forced my head upward. "The Heir falls tonight." A portal opened behind them.
Dark crimson energy spilled from its center. The same energy used by the Crimson Monarch.
Fear crawled into my chest. Because I knew exactly where this led.
The dark mages dragged me toward the portal.
I fought, kicked, punched, nothing worked, the chains suppressed everything, with every ability. I was helpless, ever since my second life began... I was completely helpless.
Then a familiar voice screamed. "ROWAN!"
everyone froze. Mira. She stood at the edge of the ruined field.
Horror filled her face. "No!" Scorpion cursed, while Lucas turned.
"Kill her." My blood froze. Three dark mages rushed toward Mira.
She stumbled backward, looking terrified, alone, completely outmatched.
"No!" I struggled harder. The chains cut deeper into my skin.
"MIRA!" One of the dark mages raised his staff. Dark mana gathered instantly.
A killing spell. Mira couldn't survive it. Not even a chance.
The spell launched, everything happened too fast. The black beam crossed the distance instantly.
Straight toward her heart. Mira closed her eyes. And the world exploded.
BOOOOOOM! A massive silver barrier appeared from nowhere.
The attack shattered against it, everyone froze immediately, Including me.
Another presence slowly stepped out of the darkness, with silver robes, The academy's Headmaster. His expression contained no warmth, only fury, pure fury.
The temperature dropped instantly. The dark mages stepped backward. Scorpion's smile disappeared.
Fear appeared on his face. The Headmaster looked at the kidnappers. Then at me and Mira.
His voice sounded across the battlefield. "You've made a terrible mistake."
