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PARAGON
Remnants of the Great War Arc [15]
Chapter 24 : Mankind’s Greatest Desires
Ash opened his eyes to the sound of silence assaulting his beleaguered senses. He was lying down indoors, and as his eyes adjusted to his surroundings, he saw high walls of mahogany draped in noisy tapestries closing in around him. A trail of dust shimmered in the sunlight that beamed through the vaunted windows, and he squinted at its brightness.
Where…? He pawed at his face and his line of sight gradually shifted down to his torso, where he was buried beneath several layers of thick blankets. He kicked them off and sat up. A dull pain ached throughout his entire body, like he’d fallen asleep on a bed of cragged rocks, and he winced. His eyes drifted around the room. Then his heart dropped and his eyes shot open. “Pikachu!”
As he moved to jump out of bed, movement to his left stopped him. “He’s safe, Ash, as are all your other pokémon.” Albrecht was sitting by his bedside table, a book in hand, though he promptly closed it.
“Albrecht!” Ash exclaimed, and took several seconds to process what was going on. “You were…” He looked around again. “Where are we?”
“This is my estate. I assure you, you’re safe.”
“Where’re my pokémon?”
“I have my people taking care of them. You’ve raised some excellent partners. Despite the beating they took, it seems they’ll all be fully recovered in just one more day.”
Ash took several deep breaths to try to calm himself down and process what was going on. “I…thank you.”
“You went well beyond your own limits as well,” Albrecht continued. “I’ll have a meal brought to you, but after, it’d be best if you let your body rest so you can regain your full strength.”
Almost as if Albrecht’s words had manifested into reality, Ash’s stomach gurgled and he was suddenly hit by a wave of fatigue. The room began to spin and he closed his eyes, refusing to fall asleep. Once it passed, he opened them again. “Where are Sabrina and Anabel?”
Albrecht stood, leaving his book on the bedside table. “They’re here as well. Not to worry, they’re being taken good care of.”
Noticing Albrecht’s reserved tone, his eyes flicked over nervously. “What’s wrong?”
Albrecht hesitated, looking away. “Sabrina is still asleep last I checked, sporting only minor injuries. But your friend Anabel… How much do you remember—?
No, it can’t be. Ash nearly tripped over himself clambering out of bed. His stomach protested, but he didn’t care. Please tell me I imagined that. Please don’t be real.
“Ash, wait. Please, wait! Just—I’ll take you to her, just please slow down!”
Albrecht rushed ahead and opened the door for Ash, and Ash stormed through. The hall outside had a similarly high ceiling and medieval adornments on its walls. Albrecht waited a moment for Ash to catch his breath before heading down the hall. They didn’t have to travel far before they came upon an open set of twin doors. Beyond lie an array of pristine white beds, and one of them was occupied. Several nurses looked up at Ash’s arrival in confusion.
“Anabel!” Ash yelled, surging toward her.
The girl was wrapped in bandages, but the skin on her face that was exposed was raw with burns. Ash’s stomach dropped upon seeing her right side. In the sea of white, he’d seen a dark spot of red from the door. Where her right arm should have been laying on the bed next to her, there was nothing. Her bandaged right shoulder ended in a bloody stump.
“Not good, huh?” she breathed. Her eyes were glassy and out of focus. “I haven’t been able to bring myself to turn my head and look at it.”
“Anabel…”
“Ash, I think we should let her rest,” Albrecht said, slowly walking up beside him. “She’ll need time to recover and heal.”
“Wait,” Anabel croaked. “I need to…talk to you.” Her every word sounded like they scraped painfully against her throat before coming out. “You…you…” she began, but she was interrupted by a fit of coughing.
“Can she get some water?” Ash cried, but a nurse was already lifting a glass to her chapped lips before he could finish.
After she finished drinking, she took several breaths. “This place…we’re in Rota, aren’t we?”
“Rota?” Ash exclaimed, taking another glance around the room. Though now that she’d mentioned it, it certainly did look eerily similar to the interior of Cameran Palace.
“AZ was coming here,” Anabel said quietly. “Wasn’t he?”
Albrecht’s expression didn’t change. “Well, there isn’t much else this far north…but it sounds like you knew that already.”
She took several more breaths, as if preparing herself for a long winded explanation. “There were newspaper particles…left in AZ’s cell after he escaped. I…put them back together. The headline was about you…becoming the World Champion.” She closed her eyes. “At the Frontier, I used to meet all kinds of people. And because…of the…nature of the Frontier, I came to learn about various important people behind the scenes. That’s when I first heard…your name. I should’ve forgotten it immediately. But…there was a man drinking at the party that night. He was so loud, but he started to say…some strange things about you. That you were connected to the Guardians. That you were someone important in Rota. I didn’t remember…until I saw the headline. Once I realized…where Ash was…that he was chasing AZ into northern Kanto, everything…fell into place.”
Ash listened to Anabel, transfixed by her every word, and when she was finished, he looked over at Albrecht. The World Champion’s brows were knit together tightly.
“I see,” he murmured. “Well, my connection to the Guardians isn’t entirely unknown. To those who know me, at the very least. I try to cover my tracks as much as possible…but I suppose a leak like that was inevitable sooner or later.” He sighed wearily. “These games of the elite are not my forte.”
“I don’t understand,” Ash said, turning back to Anabel. “Even if you knew Albrecht was involved with the Guardians, what does that have to do with AZ? You’re saying AZ broke out of prison because Albrecht became the World Champion?”
“Let’s let your friend rest,” Albrecht said before Anabel could respond. “I believe I can answer any further questions you have. As far as this one is concerned, I’m assuming your friend knows about the final battle of the Great War, which took place here in Rota, between the Guardians and the forces of the Kalosian Empire.” He glanced at Anabel, and the girl nodded slowly, before wincing in pain. She moaned, flexing the remaining muscles in her ruined arm. Her bandages darkened.
“Anabel…,” Ash knelt closer to her, wanting to do something, anything, to abate her pain, but couldn’t.
“I’ll be fine…Ash,” she bit out. “Go… Learn all you can…on my behalf… Please.”
Her breathing was short and quick and Ash could see sweat begin to bead on her forehead.
“Her fever’s flaring up again,” Albrecht said, and he motioned to some nurses to attend to her. “Let’s return to your room, Ash, and there, I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”
Ash cast one last pained look at Anabel before a nurse strode between them and began administering aid. Involuntarily, his hand balled into a fist, but he didn’t even feel strong enough to punch anything. He was just so frustrated. Angry at AZ. Angry at himself. And guilty that he alone came out scot free while Anabel and Sabrina were confined to their beds. They didn’t have impenetrable skin like he did. Yet he was the one AZ was trying to kill, and they’d suffered far worse than he did.
Ash stood and ambled out of the hospital ward. He felt lightheaded as he walked through the vaunted halls of Albrecht’s manor. He heard Albrecht walking up behind him, but even he sounded so far away.
I called Sabrina to help me. And Anabel lost her…
His tongue heated up and warm saliva flooded his mouth. Before he knew it, he was on his knees, vomiting onto the velvet carpet. Albrecht came up behind him and rubbed his back, but he could barely register him as the contents of his stomach forced their way out of his mouth. After several minutes, when he finally finished, he simply knelt there, hanging over his mess, focusing on each and every breath he took. His vision was blurry, and cold sweat coated his skin.
She doesn’t have her right arm anymore.
Anabel wasn’t weak by any means. And she was a cautious trainer. In battle, she always tended toward defense over offense. She’d tried to get them to escape the moment she’d arrived. So why did things turn out this way?
“Ash,” Albrecht said softly, resting his hand on his shoulder. “Let’s get back to your room.”
Ash let Albrecht lend him his arm. He mumbled a “sorry,” but didn’t catch Albrecht’s reply, if there was one. Guided by the World Champion, he put one foot in front of the other until he found himself back at his bed. At that point, he needed no more direction, collapsing onto his bed where he swiftly fell asleep.
When he woke up, the windows were black, and his room was dark, save for several candles that fluttered on his bedside table.
To his surprise, he felt rejuvenated and strong. The thought of Anabel’s arm brought him a thick sense of malaise, but he found he could ponder it without being blinded by his own thoughts. Hunger and thirst evaded him, but his wits were returning to him. He needed to contact Cynthia immediately.
He swung his leg onto the floor, and after realizing he was good to stand, slowly walked over to his backpack on a chair along the wall.
Before he could grab it, he heard the doorknob to his room turn, and he turned. A thin smile wrinkled his cheeks.
“Sabrina.”
The girl’s skin was bright red in patches on her neck and face, and several scratches adorned her face. Her gauntlets were dark and barely moved. She was looking down, and she almost seemed to be sleepwalking, but she slowly padded inside and closed the door behind her.
“Sabrina,” Ash hurried toward her and wrapped her in a hug. She bristled but didn’t move, and let her head sink into the crook of Ash’s shoulder. “I’m so, so, sorry,” he whispered. Sabrina didn’t respond, but after a few moments, Ash felt his clothes warm with her tears, and he held her tighter. “Have you seen her?”
She shook her head.
Ash’s face crinkled in agony. “I’ll go with you.”
As they pulled apart, Ash saw her puffy red eyes and looked away. But another knock at the door interrupted their emotions, and Sabrina turned at the sound, wiping her eyes.
“Ash,” Albrecht said. Upon seeing Sabrina, he stopped himself. “Miss Sabrina. I was just looking for you. I’m glad you found your way here, I wanted to update both of you on Miss Anabel’s condition. May I?” After Ash nodded, he stepped inside. “At the outset, I’ll say it’s good news. She has stabilized, and the treatment appears to be working well. Her arm isn’t bleeding anymore, and with enough time, it should heal without any complications.”
He let them absorb the info. They both looked down in shame, but Ash looked dejected while Sabrina looked despondent.
“All of this is to say, you shouldn’t keep blaming yourselves for it. Miss Anabel herself seems to be in higher spirits than either of you. The best you can do for her now is to eat and rest, and recover your own strength. Once you are ready, let’s talk.”
“No,” Ash said, remembering what Anabel told him. “I’ve done enough resting. I’d like to hear what you have to say now.” He looked over at Sabrina, and she nodded in agreement.
Albrecht glanced between them, but nodded. “Very well. Let me have some dinner brought here, and we’ll get started.”
Albrecht left and returned a couple minutes later with a pair of maids who carried their dinner and a pitcher of water. Sabrina stood awkwardly beside Ash’s bed until he nudged her over to it and insisted she sit. He pulled over another chair from the wall and set it up next to her, but he sat sideways and his legs lay between her and Albrecht’s seat, who faced the two of them. After pouring them both a glass of water, Albrecht put the pitcher down and crossed his legs.
“Now, where to get started?” he said after taking a deep breath. “Ah, where are my manners? It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Sabrina.” He extended a gloved hand.
Ash caught it. “Sorry, but can we just cut to the chase? You’re like AZ too, aren’t you? You’re over three thousand years old. And you’re from the age of the Great War.”
Ash let Albrecht’s hand go and he withdrew it. His expression darkened ever so slightly. “Yes, that’s right.”
“So you lied?” Ash said. “You are a Platebearer.”
Sabrina’s eyes darted between them in confusion and Albrecht noticed. “Forgive me, Miss Sabrina. Ash and I spoke prior as you may be aware, and I told him about certain things that he may or may not have relayed to you.”
“I didn’t,” Ash confirmed.
“I see. Well, then first, I must thank you for trusting me and keeping what I told you a secret. But those secrets are moot now that AZ is on the move.” He locked eyes with Ash. “What I told you before was true. I am not a Platebearer. But before we continue, let’s catch Miss Sabrina up to speed.”
Over the next half hour, Albrecht once again explained everything he’d told Ash about Arceus’ Plates, the Platebearers, and his suspicions about AZ. Sabrina didn’t interrupt once to ask questions, simply nodding along as she nibbled at her food. When Ash told her he was a Platebearer himself, her eyes went wide and she almost choked on the food in her mouth. For the remainder of the explanation, she just stared at Ash in awe, like she couldn’t even believe what he’d told her.
“I know it was a lot, but does that all make sense, Miss Sabrina?” Albrecht asked, and she quickly faced him again and nodded. “Please forgive Ash from keeping this from you, it was something I asked of him for obvious reasons. But now that AZ is aware of you all, it is imperative that you have the full story of what you’re dealing with.” He took a deep breath. “First, I’ll ask you two how much you know about the Great War.”
“I don’t really know anything about it, except that it happened three thousand years ago and AZ was a part of it,” Ash said with slight embarrassment.
“Same,” Sabrina said quietly.
Albrecht nodded. “No worries. The Great War is such ancient history, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone in this day and age who knows anything more about it beyond its name, aside from scholars of that time period. Well, then I suppose we have a lot to go over. But the truth about the Great War is quite different from most of the information about it out there today. In textbooks and museums, you will be told the Great War began over practical things like land or resources. And while this may have been a contributing factor for the lesser factions, the truth is that it was Arceus’ Plates that started the war, and Arceus’ Plates that ended it. In fact, most, if not all, major conflicts since the Great War have had something to do with the Plates. It’s no exaggeration to say this world has lived in the shadow of the Plates for over three thousand years.”
“But I thought there haven’t been any wars ever since the Great War?” Ash asked. “Haven’t we had peace for the past three thousand years?”
“On the surface, yes. But no, the conflicts never abated completely. They simply moved underground, behind closed doors, where the powers that be could conduct their warfare away from the prying eyes of the masses. Make no mistake. The struggle for the Plates hasn’t ceased at all. Instead of trading blows on the field of battle, men shake hands behind the curtain to gain incremental advances in their own myriad agendas.”
“But back to the Great War. As you may know, the Age of Carnage, where pokémon behaved like beasts and attacked humanity indiscriminately, was just coming to an end shortly before the war began. People and pokémon were only just starting to get along, and the concept of a ‘trainer’ was still unbelievable to most. After all, how could one befriend, much less tame, the very monsters that devoured their kin and destroyed their meager homes just several generations ago? Human settlements were little more than villages, or small towns in certain areas. There were only two places in the entire world that could be called civilizations at that time. The Land of Rota in the west, and the State of Kalos in the east.”
“The Guardians, gifted with their ability to control Aura, had an easier time taming the wild pokémon of the age, and thus, were able to carve out a sizable country where peace and harmony reigned. On the other hand, the land of Kalos held many natural resources in far greater abundance than anywhere else in the world, so the kings of Kalos slowly pushed their borders further and further out with each successive generation, until they conquered the entire continent. They developed technology, paved roads, and raised armies to protect their citizens.”
“Despite their infantile societies, Rota and Kalos both recognized the fortune they’d been blessed with, and saw the squalor that the rest of the world lived in. They sought to spread their wealth to neighboring lands. For Rota, this meant sending out envoys to what we now know as Johto and Hoenn to spread the knowledge and wisdom of pokémon training. The Guardians taught those less fortunate than them how to work together with pokémon to cultivate their lands and build up their communities. In the east, Kalos set up colonies on the Unovan and Galarian continents, and their immense wealth transformed those untamed frontiers into a bedrock strong enough to support the superpowers that we recognize them as today.”
His eyes sank and he laced his fingers together. “I was around your age when I first met AZ. At that time, Kalos had slipped ahead of Rota in their rivalry through sheer size and numbers. Their lands eclipsed all others in scope and strength, and people flocked east in droves, hoping to finally find safety from the untamed wilderness. AZ had come of age and been crowned just several months earlier, and he’d set out on a tour of his domain, and somewhere along the journey, he’d decided to sail west and see not just his own lands, but the entire world. It was toward the end of his voyage that he finally arrived at Rota. Unlike his predecessors, who saw the Guardians as rivals on the world stage, AZ sought to join hands with Rota.”
“He wanted an alliance?” Ash asked. “I thought Rota and Kalos were enemies? They fought each other in the Great War after all.”
“Yes, but it all began with a proposal for an alliance. AZ had witnessed much death and misfortune on his journey across the world. Most of the world was nothing like Kalos, with its abundance of food, legions of trainers to protect the weak, and expansive social programs to maintain an elevated standard of living. And Rota offered a similar respite. AZ wanted everyone to share in the sanctuary that Rota and Kalos enjoyed, and believed an alliance would hasten the world to that end.” Albrecht glanced back up at Ash and Sabrina, and met both of their enraptured gazes. “But the Guardians rejected his alliance.”
“You see, to understand the Guardians’ decision, you must first understand the balance of power between east and west. Kalos was a sprawling empire, with vassal states to the north and south which expanded its sphere of influence across nearly half of the world. Meanwhile, Rota commanded a comparatively minuscule slice of land in northern Kanto. They had a presence in neighboring lands, but it amounted to little more than garrisons. What you might call embassies in this day and age. But what they lacked in numbers, they made up for in raw strength and talent. As I said earlier, the Guardians had the gift of Aura on their side, and a detailed chronicle of history and legends penned by their predecessors that gave them a leg up against Kalos. Any single Guardian was worth ten Kalosian wielders, at a minimum. All of this is to say, the Guardians believed that, despite the vast difference in the size of their domains, they were roughly equivalent in power to their great Kalosian counterpart in the east.”
“But AZ possessed something else his predecessors didn’t. While the Kalosian kings of the past were content to release their generals and dignitaries out into the world like birds, and wait for the news of their expanded borders to trickle in, AZ took an active interest in…everything. He wanted to learn about people, and pokémon, and above all else, the reason for why there had to be so much suffering in the world. It was said he spent more time abroad, searching for answers to his many questions, than in his own vast empire.”
“As you can imagine, his depthless curiosity led him to discovering the Plates of Arceus. In truth, the Guardians had known about the Plates for some time, and tried to keep knowledge of their true power hidden, for reasons which would soon become obvious.” He took a deep breath. “But for a man like AZ, he was bound to learn about them eventually. And once he did, he began to seek them out. He saw them as the solution to the world’s prolonged suffering.”
“But his voracious pursuit was a double-edged blade. While he was able to push technology and medicine further than any of his predecessors, he also stumbled across things that transformed him in a darker way. You see, the terror of the Age of Carnage was still quite fresh in everyone’s mind. And none more so than AZ, who wished to stamp out all human suffering. But…that righteous heart in his chest began to pump a poisonous fear into him.”
“In short, AZ believed the Age of Carnage would someday return, even worse than before. He recognized the power of Arceus’ Plates, and came to the conclusion that pokémon, not just humans, would seek them out as well. He believed the power in those Plates would drive them to madness, and they would fight over them viciously, causing the end of humanity in the process.”
Albrecht closed his eyes and nodded solemnly. “In truth, he was right. Ancient Guardian texts tell of a war between pokémon that predates all life on this planet. It was said the pokémon defeated in that war fell to Earth, continuing to enact pointless violence against one another. That was the beginning of the Age of Carnage. But it’s said the war between the pokémon was indeed fought over custody of the Plates. The strongest pokémon, who were able to taste the power of the Plates, became the legendary and mythical pokémon of today.”
“But the outcome of that war was never written. Which has led some Guardians to believe it continues to this day. The last words about it in the Guardians’ archives speak of a quarrel between only two remaining pokémon. Two pokémon, one of infinite light, and the other, of infinite darkness. For eons, they’ve fought, surviving all others, never tasting defeat.”
Albrecht sighed. “In any case, AZ eventually did acquire one of Arceus’ Plates. In spite of the Guardians’ efforts, a man like him was never going to be barred from the truth forever. I’m not sure what it did to him, but he suddenly became certain of humanity’s grisly future. He believed humanity was destined to wage insignificant wars against one another until one day, we were unceremoniously wiped off the map by those two creatures, so powerful they wouldn’t even register our existence.”
“And AZ, in all his righteousness, took up arms against that fate. He began construction on a weapon that would be able to kill such godlike beings. But the price for such power…was unspeakable. All pokémon are imbued with a certain energy. They are imbued with Aura. To power his weapon, AZ slaughtered countless pokémon. His entire empire became drenched in blood. Can you imagine just how many lives it would take to amass enough power to destroy a god?”
“It was Rota who eventually declared war, though tensions between the east and west had already been rising. His massacre violated every tenant in the Guardians’ code. Because of the vast expanse of the two forces, fighting broke out on nearly every continent.” Albrecht smiled grimly, his eyes pale with sadness. “It’s ironic. AZ feared the madness of the Plates, but that’s exactly what consumed him.” Albrecht let out a hollow laugh, devoid of amusement. “He wanted to join the war between the pokémon and win, on behalf of humanity.”
Ash swallowed, shell-shocked by Albrecht’s story. At first, AZ seemed like little more than a crazed monster. To think he did it all for the sake of humanity… Ash frowned as he processed everything he’d just heard. “But with a weapon like that, how in the world did AZ lose and end up getting locked in the World Prison?”
“As one might expect, AZ’s hubris at meddling with powers he didn’t fully understand ended up being his downfall. In the end, the weapon was fired. From where, we still don’t know to this day. But…it did not hit its intended target. In a stroke of divine justice, it fell upon Kalos itself, as well as Unova and Galar. The Kalosian Empire was utterly annihilated. Suffice to say, it ended the war immediately. What was left of AZ’s forces turned against him. The survivors apprehended him, he was put on trial before a coalition of representatives from Kalos and Rota, and all the regions in between, and was sentenced to death. Of course, how was one meant to kill a Platebearer?”
“Weren’t there other Platebearers at the time?” Ash asked.
“Oh, there were. But none who dared to prod at AZ after he’d already resigned himself to defeat. The wardens of the World Prison carried out meaningless execution attempts, but eventually, the memories of his crimes, like most of the Great War, were lost to time.”
Albrecht sighed. “AZ’s lust for power poisoned his righteousness and turned it to ruthlessness. In hindsight, it’s not so surprising. The power granted by the Plates is intoxicating. They can elevate even a king like AZ to heights he could never reach on his own. But from so high up, he lost sight of what was most important.”
Ash looked down at his hands. If he wanted to, he could destroy this entire room. He could destroy this entire building. He knew he could. It’d be over in an instant. And what could stop him? His skin was like iron. And this was the power granted by just a single Plate? He nearly shivered at the thought.
“And so, ultimately, the Guardians rejected AZ’s offer of an alliance because they foresaw the darkness in his future, and did not want it to corrupt them too. AZ was not the first king to seek out the Plates, and of course, he wasn’t the last. At the end of the day, Arceus’ Plates will always be sought out by those who learn of them. Since time immemorial, man has yearned for two things. Do you know what they are?”
Ash shook his head, as did Sabrina.
Albrecht put up two fingers. “Immortality and world domination. These are mankind’s greatest desires. And with the power of the Plates, one can achieve both.”
“Immortality and world domination…,” Ash repeated. “I don’t want either of those, yet I have the power of a Plate all the same.”
“And that’s precisely why I sought you out,” Albrecht said, pointing at him. “When I told you I was a fan of yours, that was no exaggeration. If anything, it was an understatement. The truth is, I’ve been watching your pokémon journey for some time, from afar. You came here, to Cameran Palace, several years into your journey, and helped save the Tree of Beginning. It was then that I became invested in you. After you became the World Champion, I believed it was time to finally approach you, and tell you about the Plates. But, wily as you are, you slipped between my fingers. So I had to wrack my brain and think of a new plan. It took some time to get enough of the League on my side, but eventually, things panned out.” He seemed to hesitate for a moment. “I believe you asked me why I became the World Champion the last time we spoke.”
Ash’s eyes went wide. “You became the World Champion…just to talk to me?!”
Albrecht looked away in embarrassment. “Well, it sounds a certain way when you put it like that…but yes, I suppose that’s not entirely inaccurate.” He straightened himself and faced Ash again. “Ash, I believe you will be the hero that AZ failed to be. With the power of the Plates, you will end the incessant conflict between humans, and between pokémon.”
Adrenaline surged through Ash’s veins. Everything Albrecht was saying sounded insane, too insane to be real. Somehow, the shock of finding out that everything Albrecht had done over the past two years was just to meet him was even greater than when he’d found out he was a Platebearer. And then his grandiose statement just now. It was like a dream within a dream, but the dream wasn’t his. Become some grand hero? How?
“I…I don’t know what to say,” Ash stammered. “This is all so much.”
The World Champion sighed. “Yes, I’m truly sorry things turned out this way. I had hoped to ease you into this more slowly, but evidently, things are moving beyond either of our control. AZ’s plans are almost complete. I suspect it won’t be long until he rains hellfire back down upon the world again.”
“Mister Albrecht, sir,” Sabrina said, speaking up for the first time. Her plate was clean and she’d set it gently on the bed beside her, but she wore a determined look on her face with her hands crossed in her lap. “You keep referring to the Guardians as if they’re a third party, but you are a Guardian, aren’t you? I mean, you have this mansion here, and that’s how you know so much about them, right?
Ash frowned, but his mind drifted back to the conversation he’d heard between Albrecht and AZ just before he passed out. His eyes widened. “Wait…AZ called you ‘old king’…” His head suddenly jerked up. “You’re…?”
“That empty throne in Cameran Palace,” Albrecht nodded. “It’s mine.” His eyes flared blue with the radiance of Aura.
Next — Chapter 25 : Aura
