Chapter 457: [Event] [Semester-Exam At Vanadias] [43] Alvara And Kendel
Chapter 457: [Event] [Semester-Exam At Vanadias] [43] Alvara And Kendel
"Your Highness, we have finally dismantled the last remaining resistance," a noble elf said, bowing deeply.
The grand throne hall was filled with murmurs of satisfaction and subtle nods of approval. Elven courtiers dressed in opulent robes surrounded Kendel's throne. Despite the
achievements, his expression remained cold.
"The residents appear disoriented but obeyed our commands, much like the foreign elves," continued the elf with a slight smirk.
"Indeed," added another, "the Vampires and Werewolves seem wary of us, but they haven't dared to make any hostile moves. We've set sentries to watch them closely."
"As for the Humans and Halves," another noble intervened with more disdain, "we've restrained and segregated them. Each group is confined within cleared-out houses on the outskirts, heavily guarded to prevent any attempts at resistance."
A murmur of approval swept through the room, punctuated by dark chuckles. Soon, Utopia would decide who among the prisoners was 'worthy' enough to become slaves, an honor these so-called lower beings hardly deserved in the eyes of these conquerors.
A chorus of laughter echoed across the chamber, each elf's mirth a blend of pride and cruelty. One by one, their victories were recounted as their plan fell perfectly into place. In a single night, Vanadias was under their thumb.
Though years of meticulous planning had led them here, there had been doubts; yet now, they basked in the satisfaction of their victory. They had trained, strategized, and fortified until every possibility was accounted for, every obstacle eliminated. And now, the moment of conquest was upon them.
At the center of this triumphant assembly sat Kendel Teraquin. His gaze swept over the revelers without a flicker of emotion. The nobles might celebrate tonight, but for him, this was merely a beginning.
Much remained to be done before Sancta Vedelia would be entirely purified in his vision. The humans and Halves-those unworthy remnants-would have to be removed. They were, after all, mere obstacles. If Utopia desired them as slaves, that was no concern of his; they would be disposed of as deemed fit.
Vampires and Werewolves would follow soon after. They had shown stubborn resistance, clinging to their ancient rights and traditions. But, in Kendel's eyes, their power was nothing but a faint shadow, and their proud legacy could easily be crushed underfoot. Only one Vampire nation had gained an exception. They would be spared only by virtue of an agreement Kendel had forged, securing their neutrality in exchange for a certain Demigod's noninterference.
But the treatment between the groups would differ. The Humans and Halves would face immediate enslavement or eradication, while the Vampires and Werewolves would be granted exile, though never again allowed to tread upon the sacred grounds of Sancta Vedelia.
And this was just the beginning. The conquest would not stop at Vanadias. Soon, all the neighboring territories, including the once-untouchable Central Vedelia, would feel the crushing strength of Utopia's and Teraquin's combined forces.
-BOOOM!
Suddenly, the throne hall's towering doors shattered into fragments, torn apart by a surge of thick, thorny vines that forced their way inside. At the entrance stood Alvara.
Her golden eyes locked onto Kendel seated on the throne. The mana emanating from her was really dense.
"Your Highness!"
"Princess!"
The nobles scattered across the hall gasped, their voices trembling as they swiftly dropped to their knees in reverence and fear. Alvara was revered as a near-divine figure in Vanadias, her presence both awe-inspiring and intimidating.
"Everyone, leave," Kendel said immediately, looking at his sister's mood which was worse than ever.
Grateful for the chance to escape, the nobles rose and hurried from the room, eager to put distance between themselves and Alvara's wrath. As the last of them slipped away, Alvara began her approach, her footsteps echoing in the now-silent hall.
"Bryelle was nearly killed today," she said, her voice edged with barely restrained fury. "By Behemoth."
Kendel's expression shifted subtly-his brow lifted in brief surprise before a frown settled over his features. This slight reaction didn't go unnoticed by Alvara; for a moment, her own anger dimmed as she observed his response. He genuinely hadn't known.
"I'll send a group to hunt them down," Kendel said, as if his words could pacify her. Alvara's patience frayed, and she struggled to hold back the fury blazing within her. "I just told you Bryelle was nearly killed, and instead of asking about her, you offer meaningless assurances?" Her voice was cold, threaded with disappointment and something sharper- disgust. Even in front of her elder brother, she was unafraid to let her anger show.
Kendel scowled in annoyance. "Fine. How is she?"
A dry laugh escaped Alvara's lips, and she shook her head in disbelief. "Oh, brother! I thought you were smarter than this."
"..."
"Behemoth was sent by Utopia to kill Bryelle," she said.
"That's impossible," Kendel snapped, immediately dismissing the claim. The very thought was absurd-Utopia, allying with Hybrids? They were even more extreme in their ideology than them. He shook his head, unwilling to consider such an unlikely alliance.
Alvara clenched her teeth. She, too, had doubted it at first, until Amael had told her what he knew-and now she had her own proof. The man she'd killed hadn't lied; she was certain of it. "Believe what you want, brother," she said, each word laced with contempt. "But know this: you're no longer in control."
She was disappointed in her brother. She thought of him as smarter than this and not blinded by his rage to get rid of all Halves, Humans and other races.
"It's simple," Alvara started coldly. "Either you eliminate every last one of Utopia's forces in Sancta Vedelia and break whatever pathetic deal you've struck with them, or I will do it
myself."
Kendel's gaze hardened. Alvara wasn't making a threat in vain; if he didn't act, she would, and the blood would flow in the streets regardless of the consequences.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
"I can't do that," Kendel said.
A dark sneer twisted across Alvara's lips. "Fine by me. I was looking forward to tearing apart these miserable cowardly elves myself."
"Do you even hear yourself, Freydis?" Kendel interrupted narrowing his eyes. "The elves are our allies. They have stood with us, shared our grievances. The true enemies are the Hybrids, Halves, and Humans-the ones who slaughtered our father. The ones who defiled Leena. The very people who caged you and Bryelle, treating you as little more than animals, stripped of your dignity for days on end." Kendel's voice grew quieter, but the words dripped with anger. "You saw these beasts with your own eyes. Yet, for a single girl, you're willing to throw everything away? To ignore our chance to finally have justice, to make Sancta Vedelia safer, stronger. For Bryelle, too. This is for her."
Alvara fell silent, and for a brief moment, the fury drained from her face, replaced by the thoughts of painful memories. They were the darkest hours of her life-those endless, degrading days spent at the mercy of the Halves, Hybrids, and Humans. The bruises might have healed, but the mental scars were raw, etched into her soul, haunting her every thought. She still woke up in cold sweats, plagued by nightmares of hands reaching out, taunting and tormenting her, her dignity stripped and trampled. Yes, she hated them. The hatred inside her had twisted into something obsessive, a bitterness that bordered on madness. But this was not just about revenge. It wasn't about her past anymore.
"Bryelle is my sister. Anyone who threatens her life, who had a hand in hurting her, is no better than the filth that caged us. I don't care if they're High Elves or any other breed. They'll get the same end as the ones who tormented us." She scoffed as she glared at her brother. "They can carve their label of 'High Elves' on their graves if it gives them any comfort. But
they'll still die by my hand."
Kendel was dumbfounded.
He hadn't realized the depth of Alvara's fury; her rage had swallowed her whole. She no longer saw a distinction between Utopia and the enemies of their past. She'd cast everyone into the same pit, throwing away any hint of mercy. To her, every hand raised against her or Bryelle was an enemy to be slaughtered, reserving the same ruthless treatment toward them.
-BOOOM!
Suddenly, a thunderous shockwave reverberated through the palace, the walls quaking as if responding to an invisible force. Alvara stopped her steps as her head snapped toward the sound. Both she and Kendel turned to the wide, glass-paned windows, eyes narrowing at the distant scene outside.
Far beyond the forest of Ashenor, a brilliant silver light glowed. Amidst the glimmer, a lone figure floated in the air, his arm outstretched toward the far away forest below him. The powerful barrier erected by Harvey surrounding it was slowly disintegrating, unraveling in shimmering fragments beneath his touch.
Kendel's eyes widened as he recognized immediately the figure floating arrogantly above the
forest of Ashenor.
Durathiel Ruvelion.