Chapter 16.5: A Tempting Shadow
The sky above the royal palace split open, as if devoured by a vortex of night. From the spiral in the heavens descended a dark light—not one that illuminated, but an antithesis of light itself, a pure darkness that revealed sin.
The earth trembled, and from a crack in the grand hallway of the palace, a woman emerged—her movements graceful yet menacing. Her hair flowed like the curtain of night, and her eyes glowed with the purple hue of death.
> "Xebec von Phillipe…" she whispered, nearly like a lullaby. "The Cursed Crown Prince… or the Blessed one?"
Xebec stood alone, separated from Nanea and Bastian after the battle scattered their group. He held his sword with one hand, his body still bleeding, but his eyes were sharp and alert.
> "Who are you?" he asked coldly.
> "I… am merely the Fourth General of the Shadow Empire of Baal. Leader of the Succubus Division," she whispered with a smile. "My name… is Nyxian Vellare."
Her seductive magic spread through the air like a perfume. Nyxian didn't strike with brute force, but with a gentle glow and whispered words, slipping into Xebec's mind, tracing his fears, his loneliness… and his desires.
Xebec furrowed his brow. His breath became uneven. Nyxian didn't touch him, yet every step she took brought a heady, intoxicating scent, as if the night itself was embracing him.
> "You're tired… aren't you, Prince?" she whispered into his ear. "No one understands your pain. Not even your father. Not your sister. Not even that woman…"
Nyxian's hand touched Xebec's groin—and in an instant, his world crumbled.
He was cast into a dreamlike realm—soft, dim, and thick with sensuality. In that illusion, Xebec sat on a golden throne, Nyxian in his lap, holding his manhood, whispering seductive words that pierced his pride.
His garments felt heavy, his thoughts fogged. Her embrace was warm. His heart raced. Desire and yearning swirled together. He could no longer tell what was real and what was a dream.
> "Surrender your throne to me… seed me with your heir… and I will give you pleasures no woman in this world can match. Do you want that, Xebec?" Nyxian whispered.
But…
From the depths of that foggy dream, a sacred, aged voice echoed, like a sword being drawn from its sheath.
> "Rise, Heir of the Lightblood."
Red-blue light burst from Xebec's chest. The dreamworld cracked. Figures emerged—shadows of his ancestors: King Artheon the Windlord, Princess Luveria the Blood Priestess, and Lord Alzareth, the Demon Hunter.
> "Each type of demon must be opposed by the right legacy," said Artheon. "A Temptress Demon? She must not be met with purity… but with resolve."
Just as Xebec was about to give in to her seduction and consummate the act, his real body groaned—his golden eyes flaring open with light.
Nyxian recoiled, startled. But Xebec was already on his feet, wrapped in the aura of his forebears. The sword in his hand glowed not just with power, but with the spirit of ancestral protection.
> "You nearly had me…" Xebec said. "But I'm no ordinary man."
Nyxian laughed softly, but her eyes now burned with hatred. "You're interesting, Xebec… but I'll return. When love and lust war within you, I'll be there."
In an instant, Xebec slashed his sword with one hand. The blade's light exploded into a rain of radiance, piercing Nyxian and shattering her form into black mist.
She melted into shadow and vanished. But before she disappeared completely, she whispered one last phrase:
> "You'll miss me."
Xebec stood still. Sweat clung to his skin, his chest rising and falling. But now he knew—this war wasn't just about strength… it was about defeating the shadows within.
---
Xebec remained motionless on the battlefield now quieted, surrounded by the remains of seductive magic. The ground was scorched by the shattered darkness, and the sky slowly sealed itself again, hiding Nyxian's retreat into another realm.
Yet, the silence that followed the battle felt more suffocating than any clash of swords.
His breath was heavy, his body exhausted, but his mind… shaken. He could still see Nyxian's face. Feel her touch. Hear her whisper. And how close he had been… to surrender.
> "One more step… and I wouldn't be myself anymore."
He clenched his only fist. Ashamed. Angry. But also… awakened.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed from the distance. Astrid, Nanea, and several knights arrived, faces filled with worry. Upon seeing Xebec, Astrid rushed forward faster than she ever had.
> "Xebec!"
He turned slowly. In a heartbeat, Astrid embraced him. A spontaneous, nervous hug… but real.
> "What happened? Why is the darkness so thick it was felt three towers away?!"
Xebec didn't answer immediately. He looked forward, then slowly said:
> "The enemy… knows how to tempt the human heart."
Astrid loosened her hold, eyes full of questions.
> "And you… were tempted?"
A faint smile crossed Xebec's lips. Not cynical this time, but weary—and honest.
> "Maybe… but I was also reminded I'm not alone. I inherited more than royal blood. I inherited the Light."
Nanea hugged her brother from the side, her eyes welling up.
> "We're here for you, big brother…"
That night, they returned to camp. Xebec sat outside his tent, gazing at the sky slowly glowing with stars.
But one thought refused to leave his mind—not the demon that tempted him, but why he was so easily shaken.
And deeper still…
> "Why… did her shadow slightly resemble Astrid?"
Xebec's eyes shifted to Astrid's tent. His heart beat faster. But he quickly shook the thought.
> "No. Not now."
Yet behind that resolve, a seed had been planted. Maybe that was what Nyxian meant—that love and lust often blur, until tested by darkness.
---
The night was far from over.
Inside the main tent, Xebec sat cross-legged on a fur mat, illuminated by lantern light and ancient scrolls brought by Nanea. Beside him, his sister looked serious, while Astrid—though unwilling to admit it—sat not far off, quietly observing.
Nanea unrolled parchments sealed with symbols of blood and spirit—heritage of the Phillipe bloodline, hidden for centuries.
> "Brother… this isn't just a dream," Nanea said softly. "What you saw—it was real. Our ancestors' spirits… have chosen you."
Xebec touched his chest, still feeling the warmth of the light from his dream. He nodded slowly.
> "I've been given… something. But I don't yet know what."
Nanea took a deep breath, then read a passage from the scroll:
> "So that the Light may never fade, the Heir of Pure Blood shall receive Four Lights Against the Darkness."
Then, in a firm voice, she continued:
> "The four powers granted to you, brother, are no ordinary magic. They were forged to battle the Four Grand Generals of Baal—beings that each embody humanity's darkest traits."
Xebec and Astrid listened intently.
Nanea opened the fourth scroll, revealing silhouettes of four winged demons, each standing over the ruins of a continent.
> "First General: Nyxian, Temptress of Lust. The one you faced last night. She wields seductive magic and illusions strong enough to turn holy knights into dark slaves."
> "Second General: Mor'grath, Butcher of Souls. He manipulates fear, creates armies from memories and trauma, and resurrects fallen foes."
> "Third General: Vel'Setar, Leech of Will. He controls minds en masse. He can topple kingdoms without a drop of blood—only by planting obedience."
> "And the Fourth General: Zaar'Thurel, Keeper of the End. Guardian of the Doomsday Gate. He only emerges when Baal seeks rebirth. It's said one of his steps can erase a land the size of a nation."
The tent fell silent.
> "If they unite… they could destroy the continent," Nanea said.
Xebec lowered his head. Then looked at his palm.
> "Then… what are the four lights?"
Nanea revealed the sacred stone etched with the symbols of light:
1. Clarity of Spirit – Purifies the heart and nullifies seductive magic. Counter to Nyxian.
2. Flame of the Ancestors – Summons strength from past warriors. Counter to Mor'grath.
3. Revelation of Chains Broken – Shields the mind from outside control. Counter to Vel'Setar.
4. Last Light's Strike – A single blow that destroys demon bodies and stops time. The only power that can wound Zaar'Thurel.
> "You've awakened the first Light," Nanea said proudly. "This is just the beginning."
Astrid looked at Xebec—not with sarcasm this time, but admiration.
> "So… the destiny you carry is greater than the throne."
Xebec stared into the lantern flame.
> "This is no longer about destiny. It's about choice. And I choose… to never let those demons touch this land."
---
To be continued…