King Megal reached the doors and commanded the guards, “Open the doors!” The doors swung open before him.
The scene inside the throne room was chaotic. Servants and courtiers danced around the emperor, engaging in conversations among themselves, while the emperor stood near the throne talking to a local official, the commander of Lurid, responsible for the work of the secret patrol.
Megal entered the room, continuing to scrape his sword against the floor for some distance, and calmly said, “It seems you’ve just found out, Brother.”
“Found out about what?” the emperor asked angrily.
“What is this jesting about? You’ve known everything for a long time and even issued orders… Orders to summon the other kings of the five kingdoms to help you and orders to call all your friends in Illirion.”
Behind King Megal, the silhouette of General Dest appeared. Following him, columns of warriors from the borderlands entered the throne room at a brisk pace. This caused the courtiers and servants in the throne room to huddle together near the emperor and the guards. The emperor, on the contrary, stepped forward.
“Traitors!” the emperor exclaimed. He then addressed the ordinary border perimeter warriors of the imperial Raidarian legions who came with General Dest. “You… You swore allegiance to the emperor and the empire. Here is my order: take the traitor General Dest and put him under arrest; take the traitor King Megal, my brother,” the emperor’s voice was full of despair, “take him and put him under arrest.”
“Excuse me, Your Imperial Majesty, but these are my warriors. They trust and listen only to me; we’ve been through fire and water together. We have crushed empires. With some, with all due respect, when your father didn’t even have you in his plans. And you locked us on the perimeter… On the border,” General Dest spoke with pain in his heart. “The only thing we can do is fight, but you’ve deprived us of that, leaving only endless training. But what are meaningless, purposeless drills when you can’t test yourself in practice? A Raidarian who has been to war remains a Raidarian forever!” and Dest’s warriors stomped their feet on the marble floor. “A Raidarian without war is not a Raidarian!” Dest continued, and the warriors stomped again. Even the emperor’s guards seemed to be struck by doubt – seasoned warriors as they were, these words resonated with them.
From a side entrance to the throne room, the empress ran in. She didn’t know what to do. The emperor’s guards wouldn’t let her enter the throne room.
“Saron!” the empress cried out, reaching her hands towards her husband.
“Mirana, your timing couldn’t be more perfect. No need to waste time searching for you,” Megal said with a smile.
“What is happening here, Megal?” the empress asked anxiously.
“I’m afraid your husband and my brother failed in their duties… For which, to my deep regret, our entire family will have to pay. First, I will kill your husband. Then you. Then your newborn son. I’m sorry, but this is the most reasonable option,” Megal said.
“Reasonable? This is sheer madness!” Mirana replied in anger.
“Why did you come, Mirana? You were supposed to be told to hide the child and leave,” Emperor Saron said. “Although… It doesn’t matter anymore. Guards, kill the traitors!” Saron ordered, full of despair and sorrow.
“No,” Megal shouted. “There’s no need for these brave warriors to die at your whim. Or perhaps you want to perish by the swords of your comrades?” Megal addressed the guards. “This is between me and you!” he then turned to Saron. “One on one. I challenge you to a duel!” Megal yelled fiercely.
Imperial guards drew their swords, and Dest’s warriors did the same, but no one rushed into battle after Megal’s words. Nevertheless, one bold guard ran straight at the young King Megal. An experienced warrior, having earned the right to defend the emperor and his family with his combat skills, against the young king, monstrously trained by the best combat masters in Raidaria, with ambitions and a belief in the righteousness of his cause.
The guard swung his sword on the run, attempting to strike, but Megal didn’t even parry the blow; he simply dodged it. The healthy sword of the imperial guard passed dangerously close to Megal, almost reaching him. Megal began to wind up for a swing while evading the attack. His sword severed both hands of the guard, who emitted a roar of terrible pain.
“Sorry… The strike was powerful and precise, but I am faster, and my sword is larger,” Megal said.
The guard ran at Megal again, as if on his final march, and Megal put an end to his suffering with a precise and equally powerful blow, beheading him.
The sounds behind the imperial guards fell completely silent, as if the officials and courtiers were stunned by the king who had easily dealt with such an experienced, strong, and brave warrior of the imperial guard.
“So, who’s next?” Megal asked, but no one expressed any desire. “Well then, now it’s your turn… Brother.”
“Let it be so,” Emperor Saron said. “Give me a sword.”
From the crowd of servants and courtiers, the emperor’s armorer emerged, kneeling down, bowing his head, and presenting his sword. Emperor Saron took the legendary family sword of the imperial family. Gilded from edge to edge, silvered in places, entirely engraved, this sword was over a thousand years old, yet it looked as new as if it had just been polished. It had been held by almost all rulers of Raidaria, from the last chieftain of Rheinia to the great emperors who conquered the Raidarian Empire.
“You disgrace this sword by holding it! You are a shame to our lineage and the entire Raidarian people! I am not the traitor; you are!” Megal proclaimed.
“Watch not to trip over your arrogance, Megal,” Saron replied proudly and menacingly.
From the corridor, the cries of the baby could be heard. A nurse, under the watchful eyes of imperial warriors, brought the child into the throne room through the main entrance.
“My boy,” Mirana said, “Leave my child alone.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I need him,” Megal said.
The empress tried her best to push through the guards, but all her attempts were futile.
“I am your empress! Let me through, I command you!” she yelled.
“We cannot let you through – the emperor’s order,” one of the guards replied monotonously.
“I will kill you! For my son! For my wife! I will kill you, Megal,” Emperor Saron said.
“Well, then, hurry up!” Megal replied.
Saron and Megal charged at each other and collided in battle. Their swords made sounds like hammers on an anvil. A series of powerful blows rained down on Megal, but he steadfastly parried them all.
“Amusing, you’re seven years older than me, but you fight not so bad for an old man,” Megal exhaled and said.
A barrage of attacks immediately struck Megal again. The imperial sword was much lighter than an ordinary warrior’s sword, allowing Saron to move much faster and deliver lightning-fast strikes one after another. Megal’s sword, on the other hand, was heavier and longer than a typical Raidarian warrior’s sword. All of this made Megal strain much harder. It was challenging to keep up with Saron, but Megal showed no sign of giving up, deflecting every blow despite the difficulties. Saron’s rage knew no bounds, but Megal radiated his own rage, wrath, and hatred.
Saron increasingly pushed his brother towards the wall, right in the direction of General Desta’s warriors,