The Skycrawler's shield was battered and shuddered violently as a crimson lightning bolt struck it, leaving multiple large cracks in its shields, making the ship even more vulnerable.
Inside the cabin, Eradicator, injured yet resolute, was at the helm, maneuvering the ship with intense focus. Asher stood beside her, his expression marked with concern.
"How long will we last up here?" Asher asked, his brows furrowed as he observed the ship's deteriorating condition.
Eradicator's voice was calm, yet underscored with seriousness, "We've sustained too much damage by sacrificing our defenses for speed. If we don't lower the ship now, we may not survive but we are also not out of enemy territories yet. Still, we're also close to getting past the storm," she explained, her hands steady despite the ship's violent tremors.
Asher's response was decisive, "Then there is only one option. Ramp up the speed as high as possible and leave the rest to fate," he said, his tone resolute.
Eradicator nodded in understanding and adjusted the ship's controls.
The Skycrawler hummed and shook, accelerating forward with a burst of energy, cutting through the storm like a bolt of lightning.
Asher gritted his teeth, firmly planting his feet onto the floor as the ship continued to shake violently.
He looked out into the tempest, silently praying that the lightning bolts would not strike again. At this incredible speed, the ship was at its most vulnerable, racing against time and the ferocity of the storm.
It was a gamble. If even just one bolt strikes the ship now, they will be doomed.
The situation was as dire as it could get, a race for survival against the wrath of nature itself.
As the Skycrawler hurtled through the storm, Asher and Eradicator's attention was drawn to a menacing cluster of crimson lightning dancing chaotically in their path.
They held their breaths, bracing for impact, anticipating a collision with the pure dark, destructive energy.
But, in an unexpected twist, just as they neared the tumultuous cluster, it dissipated, revealing the clear, crimson sky beyond the storm's boundary.
Eradicator let out a deep breath, though her posture remained vigilant, attuned to any further dangers.
Asher leaned against the cabin wall, exhaling a massive sigh of relief. He mumbled, half in jest, "Is traveling in this world always this hard?" The ordeal had given him a newfound understanding of why a tourism industry was virtually nonexistent in this treacherous world other than the way of life of demons.
Eradicator, maintaining her stoic demeanor, responded, "Traveling far away from the kingdom always carries great risks. The best we can do is take as much precaution as we can."
"Of course..." Asher nodded, understanding the harsh realities of their world. He then turned his gaze to Eradicator, noting her injured state, "You should now take rest," he suggested with genuine concern, "Let the ship handle itself for a while."
Eradicator shook her head in response to the king's suggestion to rest, her voice steady, "I have already stabilized my injuries," she informed him, "I can heal faster than most vampires," Asher observed her more closely and realized she was right.
Vampires were known for their remarkable healing abilities, and Eradicator seemed to be in better condition than he initially thought. He also remembered she didn't get directly struck by Boragor. So, she must have been able to fight off the poison.
She added with a sense of duty, "I will fix the damages to the ship in the meantime."
At that moment, Caelum entered the cabin, his arms wrapped in bandages, but a light smile on his face, "I will lend a hand as well, if you don't mind," he offered.
Asher looked at him with concern. "You sure you're okay?" he asked.
Caelum bowed slightly, "I will be alright, Your Majesty," he assured Asher, "It is Leonidas who has it worse than me. But he will be fine as well. The draconic blood in his veins should help him heal soon."
Asher responded by patting Caelum on the shoulder, acknowledging his bravery and resilience, "Good. You did well," he said, offering words of encouragement.
Caelum's face lit up with pride, "That means a lot, coming from you, Your Majesty. We wouldn't be alive if not for you and Lady Naida," he replied, bowing deeply in respect. Caelum still remembered seeing the king punch the Rustblood Clan Chief and throw him off.
Even if that punch didn't do any serious damage, the fact that he managed to land it and escape was a shocking feat on its own.
Asher smiled briefly, "We got lucky this time. I will go check on the others," Asher announced, deciding to leave the cabin to tend to the rest of his vassals.
As the king, it was his duty to check on them, but other than that, he truly was concerned because they didn't hesitate to do their duty and were ready to die.
As Asher entered the room where the injured were being treated, he found Leonidas lying on a soft mat, receiving care from Silvan. Both looked worse for wear, the toll of the battle evident in their appearance.
Upon noticing Asher, Silvan started to rise, intending to bow, while Leonidas attempted to raise his body in a show of respect. However, Asher quickly gestured for them to remain as they were, "Don't bother. Focus on healing," he instructed gently but firmly.
Leonidas, with bandages covering half of his face and around his chest, looked up at Asher with a mix of regret and shame in his eyes, "I should have done better, Your Majesty," he apologized.
The sense of shame was palpable in his voice, reflecting his high expectations of himself. Getting defeated so easily... especially since this was his first official mission under the king's command, was the worst way to prove himself.
Silvan, beside him, let out a sigh, "It's disappointing of us to have left you and Lady Naida to face those werewolves alone," he admitted, his expression one of self-reproach.
Asher, however, shook his head, dismissing their concerns, "You did the best you could," he reassured them. "Those werewolves were peak Soul Purgers and Soul Devourers. It's actually astonishing that you all survived."
Leonidas visibly relaxed, a wave of relief washing over him upon realizing that the king wasn't disappointed in their efforts.
Silvan, too, seemed to take comfort in Asher's words, though he remained critical of his own performance, "You are too kind, Your Majesty," Silvan said, gratitude evident in his tone.
"But where are the essential healing potions and stuff? I am pretty sure there were some boxes here," Asher asked as he looked around.
Leonidas' expression darkened while Silvan rubbed his forehead and said with a low sigh, "It was my brother. Since he came down first, he took all the powerful healing items to his room before any of us could."
Asher's eyes narrowed, but then he took out a couple of dark red vials and gave them to Silvan, "Use these to heal everyone who needs it."
"Oh devils…Those are legendary grade…" Leonidas mumbled with shock and awe upon seeing the king hand them out like they were nothing.
Silvan immediately stood up and accepted them with a deep bow, "Thank you very much, Your Majesty. We will make sure to not waste a single drop."
Oberon, having gulped down the last healing potion from the box beside him, leaned back against his bedrest with a long sigh of relief.
The swelling on his face had almost vanished, thanks to the various healing supplies he used on himself.
He knew taking too many of them at a time would leave him lethargic and tired, but at least the poison would be out of his system.
However, his expression was marred by bitterness as he muttered, "Can't believe it took this long to get rid of the poison from those dogs. No... fuck him!" His mind was clearly troubled, the image of Asher flashing in his thoughts, fueling his resentment.
With a sense of escape, Oberon took out a Sightstone Sphere. The magical device began to project a series of images in the air before him, each showing distant glimpses of a bewitching gothic beauty, dressed in regal black garments and her face cold and reserved.
She was either busy or simply walking alone in her courtyard. As he watched, a forlorn look crossed Oberon's face, "My Rowena... You are the only thing that can give me some relief now," he murmured, his voice laced with longing.
*Bang!*
But his moment of solitude was abruptly shattered when his door banged open.
"Who the—" Startled, Oberon scrambled to hide the Sightstone Sphere back into his Spatial Root.
But before he could react further, he felt an overwhelming force freeze his body, his mana circuit locking down, and a wave of unfamiliar terror gripping his mind.
"Look at you. Already looking as healthy as a dragon," Asher commented with a cold smile, closing the door behind him as he entered.
The infernal aura emanating from Asher engulfed the room, causing Oberon's eyes to shake uncontrollably in shock and unfamiliar fear.
He could literally see a blazing skeleton rising out from the depths of the Seven Hells, but gigantic in size, dwarfing him, making him feel like an insect standing under its petrifying gaze as its bony fingers wrapped around his soul.
"Oh? What's that? Are you enjoying watching things on your own?" Asher chuckled as he stepped forward, effortlessly taking the Sightstone Sphere from Oberon's hands.
Oberon, paralyzed by Asher's eerie aura, could only stare helplessly, his desire to resist futile against the overwhelming, terrifying miasma emanating from him.
But the moment Asher took the sphere from his hand, the eerie aura suddenly disappeared, letting him gain back control of his body and his mana circuit to continue to function as normal.
And the moment he regained control, his teeth gritted in frustration, "You can't just barge into my room like that," he said to Asher, "Give back my Sphere."
Asher's expression instantly darkened at Oberon's words.
Raising his voice, he retorted, "You dare tell your king what to do?!" The sudden change in Asher's demeanor and the authority in his voice caught Oberon completely off guard, causing him to involuntarily gulp back his words.
Asher's expression quickly reverted to normal as he activated the Sightstone Sphere, "Let's see what you have here."
The sphere activated as images of Rowena began to play out, making Oberon's face twitch as he stared with a frozen look.
With a cold, piercing gaze, Asher turned to Oberon.
"Did you seriously put my wife and the queen's images into this without her permission, and that too with illicit intent?" Asher's voice was laced with a dangerous calm, "Did you forget that the punishment for doing so is... death?"
Oberon's face twisted with fear and apprehension as he got caught red-handed.
