Chapter 30: A Sister’s Last Smile
Chapter 30: A Sister’s Last Smile
The colossal palace of Astralia rose at the heart of Lunareth, its towering ceilings and weathered stone walls casting shadows across the city.
For centuries it had stood unshaken, a monument of power.
Deep within, past polished floors and gilded windows, lay the chamber where the fate of the kingdom was shaped.
Nobles and elders gathered beneath pale marble walls streaked with silver, their voices rising and falling in the circular hall.
A half-moon table curved at the center, its dark oak chairs glowing faintly with citizenship seals that marked each man’s place in the order of rule.
At the head of the table sat Baintee, King of Astralia.
Crowned at twenty, he had once been doubted, his youth mocked by those who thought him unfit.
Now, decades later, the same nobles who whispered against him bent their pride beneath his authority.
Through laws and bold reforms, he had forced equality upon nobles and commoners alike, reshaping the kingdom into a place where talent could rise above blood.
What had begun as rebellion against him had ended in reverence. Backed by the empire itself, his word carried the weight of stone.
The nobles murmured among themselves, trading sharp glances as debate flickered like sparks.
Baintee remained silent, his calm presence pressing heavier than their arguments.
He had become a pillar of Astralia, the voice that even dissenters now followed.
The heavy doors creaked open.
A knight stepped forward, bowing low.
“Your Highness, the Sword Maidens have arrived.”
Baintee’s steady gaze lifted toward the entrance.
“Let them come.”
“At once, Your Highness.”
The knight turned, his voice cold as he called out,
“Maidens, step forward.”
At his command, six figures entered in unison. They were striking women clad in white and blue armor, their attire shaped to both protect and accentuate their graceful forms. Each step carried quiet elegance as they moved behind their leader. Together they advanced, then knelt with practiced grace, paying their respects to the young ruler.
From among them, the First Blade rose.
Ilythra Maranthine lifted her head, her movements measured, her bearing both proud and restrained.
Her voice carried the tone of one accustomed to command, yet it flowed with refined grace.
“Good day, Your Majesty. By the emperor’s decree, we come to deliver his latest order.”
Hearing her words, Baintee answered with calm authority.
“First Blade Ilythra Maranthine, begin your report.”
“As you wish, Your Majesty.”
Without showing emotion, she continued.
“As the emperor ordered, three infants are to be eliminated tomorrow, on the day of their birth.”
Baintee’s eyes widened.
His voice carried disbelief.
“What? What does this mean?”
Ilythra’s expression darkened with solemn weight.
“These are the last words of the oldest sage. Before her death, she performed a final divination and left only a few words behind.”
Her pause stirred Baintee’s impatience.
“What did she say?”
“She said we must stop the three Absolute Fates — the Invincible Fate, Ultimate, and Unparalleled. These three were said to be talents at the very apex of the future. She pleaded with the Emperor to eliminate them before they could grow, warning that if they were allowed to live, a great disaster would come.”
The king exhaled heavily, his breath carrying both weariness and dread.
“Without further detail, it is clear that many will be implicated, and countless will die,” he said with a weary sigh.
At those words, Ilythra fell silent. She was reluctant. Though she carried out the emperor’s will, she did not wish to kill innocent children. Yet she had no power to refuse.
Baintee looked at her and sighed again, deeper this time. He understood the truth. What the emperor was about to do would become the very trigger for the disaster the sage had foreseen. The emperor’s intent would become the cause, and vengeance would be the effect.
Those monsters of the future would rise from cruelty, not mercy.
Even knowing this, Baintee had no choice. The emperor’s words carried a hidden command. Though he had not directly ordered the deaths, the meaning was unmistakable.
Baintee was expected to act on that intention, to strike before hesitation could be seen as betrayal.
“Does the emperor have any further requests?” he asked quietly.
“None for now.”
“I see. You may go.”
“I understand, Your Majesty.”
Ilythra bowed and left, her footsteps fading into the marble hall.
Baintee remained seated, his mind heavy with dread. He was already thinking of a solution.
He knew his reputation would be at risk if he handled this poorly. He understood that He was being used to eliminate extraordinary children on the day of their birth.
To act discreetly, he would need a scapegoat, someone to take the blame, for he could not allow himself to fall victim to the emperor’s unreasonable plan.
He traced the possibilities in his mind, calculating how to satisfy the emperor while shielding the innocents as best he could.
Every choice carried risk, but doing nothing was far worse.
•••
Meanwhile, Ilythra and the other five maidens had left the palace. Each of them carried a different reaction.
Their expressions were troubled after hearing that they had been tasked with a mission so cruel that no one could bear it in their entire lives.
“Ilythra, the emperor ordered us to act in advance. What should we do?”
The question came from Vicky, the second blade and second strongest maiden.
Her voice carried hesitation and conflict. She had always been reluctant to follow orders that felt unjust, so she turned to their most reliable leader, the one who had guided them through countless hardships.
Ilythra’s lips curved into a gentle, calm smile.
“We discuss it tomorrow. We have time. The emperor set no deadline and expects no immediate action.”
Vicky hesitated.
“But we already accepted. What if they expect results? Will it be our fault if we fail?”
“Vicky, stop worrying. We are seventh-ranked swordmasters. We are not easily punished. Take this time to be with your family. That is more important right now.”
“But—”
“No but. All of you should spend time with your families. You have my permission. You may go now.”
Ilythra spoke with solemn authority. The word family struck a chord deep within the maidens. Each of them felt the weight of her words.
For Ilythra, it was a reminder of her own loss. She had lost her parents long ago, leaving only her older brother.
Mentioning family triggered a quiet, painful emotion. The other maidens wanted to argue further, but they stopped, knowing their leader’s decision was final.
They left in different directions, obedient but thoughtful.
Ilythra remained behind.
Her gaze unconsciously fell to the ground, her expression detached and distant.
When her comrades finally departed, she stirred from her daze and began to walk, her steps heavy with the weight of command and impossible duty.
The streets of Lunareth passed quietly beneath her feet.
Her mind remained consumed by thoughts of the cruel mission that awaited them.
Each step grew heavier, and the familiar city seemed strangely foreign, as though she were walking through a world that no longer belonged to her.
By the time she reached her home, the late afternoon sun was already casting long shadows across the walls.
She paused at the entrance, drew a quiet breath, and forced a cheerful smile before stepping inside.
“Brother, I’m home.”
Her voice carried a light, playful tone.
She waited for his usual response, but nothing greeted her, even though she could sense him within his room.
Still clinging to her energetic facade, Ilythra climbed the stairs. She expected the familiar sight of her brother, weary and disheveled, but something was wrong.
Normally her senses picked up the faintest details, from footsteps to breathing.
This time, there was nothing.
No sound of life.
Only silence, pressing hard against her ears.
She told herself it might be another one of his surprises.
Without hesitation, she opened the door and stepped inside.
“Brother, why are you so quiet today? Come on, make me some meatballs. I want them right now, I…”
Her words caught in her throat. A dangling foot swung toward her, nearly brushing her face as she lifted her head.
“What… what is this…?”
Her heartbeat thundered, ragged and strained.
Her gaze rose, and her eyes widened in disbelief.
“Brother!”
The sight stole the air from her lungs. Her brother hung lifeless before her.
She stumbled back, trembling.
“This… no… this must be a dream. I must be going insane…”
Her hand shook violently as she tried to steady herself, but her emotions swelled, threatening to devour her whole.
She forced herself forward and touched his skin with trembling fingers, desperately clinging to denial. But the cold, lifeless flesh told her what her mind refused to accept.
There was no pulse.
No warmth. No life.
Her thoughts collapsed into chaos, her heart shattered under the weight of unbearable pain.
“No… this is not my brother.”
Her knees gave out.
She fell to the floor, her body trembling as tears streamed down her face. Her eyes stared blankly at the ground, her voice breaking into choked sobs as reality tore into her soul.
“…mm… mm… I can’t… I… mm… he’s… gone… sniff… mm…”
Suddenly, a sickening laugh echoed through the room.
“Ha… ha… heh… ha… heh…”
A shadow stirred in the corner.
It twisted and solidified until a demon emerged, its body seething with corrosive demonic energy. Malicious delight gleamed in its eyes as it watched her break.
“Haha… how delightful. I never thought I would witness your deepest sorrow, Sword Maiden. Kehahahaha…”
Its laughter deepened as it advanced, releasing waves of suffocating energy meant to crush her spirit.
Ilythra, broken and frozen in grief, appeared defenseless.
“Hahaha… now die, pitiful wretch. Let me claim that perfect body of yours.”
Its clawed hand stretched toward her, sharp nails gleaming as its corrupt demonic energy reached for her soul.
She made no move, no sound, and the demon’s laughter swelled. It believed her grief had left her powerless.
But as its hand brushed against her skin, the world shifted.
In the next instant, the demon’s head struck the floor, severed cleanly from its body.
Still conscious, its eyes widened in disbelief as its body split apart with invisible cuts.
The ceiling cracked and fell.
The destruction spread outward as her unleashed sword intent sliced through walls and rooftops, striking nearby houses.
“Damn… my body…”
Panic overtook the demon.
It struggled to regenerate, but fear gripped it when it saw her.
Ilythra stood with a halberd clenched in her right hand, her lifeless brother cradled in her left. Her eyes glowed red, her face drawn and filled with madness.
She was no longer the grieving sister. She was the First Sword.
The demon trembled, its voice quivering with forced bravado.
“Kehahh… I didn’t expect you to resist my corruption. The will of your blade is terrifying. Even from afar, you call it as if it were part of your soul. As expected of Astralia’s First Sword… ackk—”
Its final words ended in a scream as Ilythra’s halberd cleaved through its head, silencing it forever.
The blade carved through walls and beams as if they were paper. Each strike drew flawless lines, tearing the house into ruin. Dust and splinters filled the air as the structure collapsed beneath the perfection of her strikes.
Her movements radiated lethal mastery, cold and merciless.
Outside, panicked voices rose among the injured civilians.
“Run! What happened?”
“Help, someone help me! My son’s leg—!”
Their cries reached her, but she ignored them. To her, the destruction was nothing compared to the agony of losing everything.
Whatever punishment awaited her for the collateral damage no longer mattered.
Her hatred ran deeper than fear, deeper than reason. She held her brother’s body close and bowed her head.
“I swear it. In the name of the First Blade, Sword Maiden, I will annihilate every demon, even if my soul crumbles to ashes.”
Her face twisted with anguish and rage. Her vow seared itself into her very being, the spark of madness burning in her eyes.
From this moment forward, she desired only one thing: vengeance for her brother’s death.
And nothing, not even her own destruction, would stand in her way.
