Supreme Bloodline Evolution System

The following day...

Figures surrounded Max as he sat upon the throne, his expression dark and solemn while heated murmurs spread throughout the chamber. The heads of the dragon families stood closest to him, while the representatives of the newly integrated elven territories gathered farther away, their separation making it clear that neither side had truly accepted the other as part of the same kingdom.

Panic could be heard beneath their anger. Some demanded that every soldier in Voidstar be gathered inside Blackspire, while others argued that abandoning the outer settlements would leave their food, roads and territories open to the enemy. The elves had already lost most of their military strength during Max’s conquest, and the surviving dragon forces had been weakened by one war after another.

"You expect us to sacrifice the lives of our few remaining soldiers for a kingdom that conquered us?" Ilyndessa stepped out from among the elves, her towering height allowing her to look above most of the people in the chamber.

The empty sleeve hanging where her left arm had once been moved slightly as she walked.

Ever since the incident in the meeting room, fear had filled her eyes whenever she looked toward Max. Now, however, that fear had been replaced by something far greater. Whatever hatred she still carried toward him had been buried beneath the terror of what was approaching.

"If the Imperial Court Empire is truly coming for us, then this war is already lost," Ilyndessa continued. "Even if some of us survive the battle, there will be too few left to tell the tale. Aelvarith has already lost its emperor, its army and most of its strongest warriors. You cannot expect what remains of our people to be wiped out in a war against an enemy we never provoked."

Several elven representatives voiced their agreement, while the dragons responded with angry growls.

Ilyndessa looked directly at Max, silently pleading with him to consider abandoning these lands before the enemy arrived. If retreat was no longer possible, then surrender remained the only choice she could see.

"Where is the pride of elven blood now?" Marcus roared as he stepped out from among the dragons. "You once entered this citadel believing you could threaten our king, yet now you tremble like a frightened little cat before an enemy has even appeared."

Purple ice flames sparked across his fingers as his anger slipped beyond his control.

"We will fight, and you will fight beside us. All for the king and all for Voidstar. Refuse, and I will slay you where you stand before the enemy even reaches our walls."

Several elven women reached for their weapons, while the dragons around Marcus prepared themselves for the confrontation that appeared ready to erupt within the throne room.

"Enough."

Max raised one hand, and the single word silenced the chamber before either side could move.

"No one under my rule will spill the blood of another without my command. Elf or dragon, it makes no difference."

His cold gaze moved from Marcus to Ilyndessa, forcing both of them to lower their hands and bite their tongues. There was no warmth in his words, only an absolute refusal to tolerate bloodshed within his own kingdom.

Marcus extinguished the flames surrounding his fingers, though his glare remained fixed on the elves.

"You call this our war," Shaelvyn said once the immediate tension passed, "but what place will our soldiers have in it? Will they stand beside the dragons, or will you place them at the front so their bodies receive the first attack?"

Displeased murmurs rose from among the dragons, but Max did not answer immediately.

He sat motionless upon the throne, allowing the silence to stretch until everyone stopped speaking and waited for him.

"The same laws apply to everyone," Max finally said. "The elves will not be used as shields, nor will they be allowed to hide while others defend their land."

Shaelvyn slowly lowered her head, accepting the answer even if it did not comfort her.

"There will be war," Max continued. "We will not run, and surrender is not an option."

Every person in the throne room waited for more, expecting their king to speak of victory or promise that his power would destroy anyone who dared to invade Voidstar.

Instead, Max remained silent.

"Then we must begin preparing immediately," Eberhard said as he placed a fist against his chest and stepped forward. "It is already a miracle that our ruler returned alive. However, gratitude and courage will not protect us from what is approaching."

He looked across the gathering, his expression becoming increasingly grave.

"From what our king described, the Imperial Court Empire and the Crimson Horde Empire both possess rulers strong enough to threaten him. If either empire arrives with its full military strength, Blackspire may face an army greater than everything Voidstar has gathered until now. If they come together, then we are little more than sitting ducks waiting to be slaughtered."

The chamber erupted once more.

"How long do we have?"

"Are the outer settlements being evacuated?"

"What of the elves who still live inside Aelvarith?"

"Can the walls withstand an attack from two emperors?"

Questions came from every direction, yet Max remained seated, his eyes moving across the people as he listened to each concern without responding.

"Our king built this city," Eberhard continued, raising his voice above the growing panic. "He raised its walls, towers and citadel in less time than most rulers would need to decide where the first stone should be placed. Blackspire is already the greatest fortress within our lands."

He turned toward Max.

"And you can strengthen it further, can you not, Your Highness? If there is enough time, you can build more walls, reinforce the gates and create weapons powerful enough to prevent any enemy from entering the city."

Max gave a slight nod. "Depending on how much time remains, I will prepare Blackspire for a full-scale war."

Those who had followed Max the longest exchanged uneasy glances. The king they remembered would have laughed at the threat, promised to slaughter both emperors and perhaps already taken flight to meet them before their armies could reach Voidstar.

Now, he spoke only of preparation.

Before Eberhard could ask anything else, the massive doors leading into the throne room slammed open.

Every head turned as William rushed inside, his breathing heavy from the speed at which he had crossed the citadel. Several guards followed behind him, but the urgency on his face prevented anyone from questioning the interruption.

"He was spotted," William announced.

Max leaned slightly forward upon the throne. "Who?"

"Henry."

The name immediately silenced the chamber.

"He was seen beyond the city walls, observing Blackspire from a distance," William continued. "He moved around several sections of the city and appeared to be studying the gates and the crystal fortifications. He disappeared shortly after your return became known. We believe he came to confirm whether you were still alive."

"Who saw him?" Max asked.

"Patrols guarding the outer settlements. They tried to follow him, but none could keep pace. By the time they sent word to the city, he had already disappeared."

"Did he attack anyone?"

"No. He avoided every confrontation."

Max’s fingers tapped once against the armrest of his throne before becoming still again.

Rosalia shuddered beside Max as she sat upon her own throne. Her fingers tightened around the armrest until her knuckles turned pale.

"My father was watching the city?" she asked. "Why would he come here?"

William looked toward her but did not answer. No one inside the chamber could know what remained of Henry’s intentions, or whether the man Rosalia remembered still existed beneath the corruption that had consumed him.

"He has become a necromancer," Max said.

A heavy silence settled over the throne room.

Those who had witnessed Henry laying waste to what remained of the Wind Dragon Empire’s capital immediately sucked in cold air through clenched teeth. They remembered the dead dragons rising beneath his control, the stolen powers he carried within his body and the unnatural army that obeyed his every command.

Rosalia’s heart clenched as recognition flickered within her eyes, and all color rapidly drained from her face.

"No... no, he would never return there," she whispered, shaking her head as though refusing to accept the possibility taking shape within her mind. "My father may be mad, but he is not stupid."

Agnia immediately rose from her throne and rushed to Rosalia’s side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she gently caressed her hair. Max did not react. His expression remained distant, his eyes focused somewhere far beyond the throne room as though he were reliving the day he had fought Henry above the ruined Wind Dragon capital.

"Golden flames..." Rosalia suddenly whispered.

Her trembling eyes moved toward Max.

"Did he wield golden ice flames?"

Max said nothing, but the reactions of the dragons who had witnessed Henry that day answered the question for him. Their expressions darkened, and several of them exchanged uneasy glances as memories of the golden snowflake mark and unnatural flames surrounding Henry returned to them.

The final trace of hope disappeared from Rosalia’s face as her fear became reality.

"Do you know something about that power?" Max finally asked.

"Yes." Rosalia slowly raised her head, though Agnia continued holding her. "And it is the reason there are so few Ice Dragons left."

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